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whitedarkmoonflower · 7 months

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Hey! Just wanted to say love your Sihtric fics. They literally give me life. As a new Last Kingdom fan (just started watching the show, on season 2 now). I was hoping you could write a one shot of Sihtric x Fem reader. Where the fem is like a healer very similar to Iseult in season 1. But this time reader is patching up our boy Sihtric. The reader is extremally worried for Sihtric. Hope this ask is okay. Thank you again!

The Witch

Part 1

Pairing: Sihtric x reader (female)

Authors note: Dear Anon, I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this. I loved the request, but unfortunately there were so many things in between. And lately I really struggle with writing, so I can tell you I have rewritten it at least five times and if I don't post it now, I will probably start all over again tomorrow. Sorry, I didn't manage to put all in a one shot, so this is Part 1.

Warnings: a bit of fluff and as per usual angst, but in delicate doses

Word Count: 3,4K

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Tags: @sihtricfedaraaahvicius @hb8301 @zillahvathek @alexagirlie

If you want to be added to the tag list - write to me.

Sihtric's gaze repeatedly drifted toward the upper end of the grand hall, where Sigefrid and his brother Erik were seated. He tried to force himself to look away, just to find himself staring again as if pulled by an irresistible force. It was not the commanding presence of the two brothers that captivated him. No, it was you.

The first time Sihtric had seen you was on the very first day of his arrival in Beamfleot. Deliberately, he guided his horse into a slow walk as he passed through the city gates, determined not to appear hasty or restless. He was supposed to look just like one among the numerous Danish warriors lured in by the boastful promises of wealth and vast lands, spread by Erik and Sigefrid.

He paused at the stables, casually tossing the reins to a stable boy, and began to unfasten his saddlebag, taking in his surroundings with vigilant eyes, all the while sensing an unfamiliar presence, as if someone's gaze bore into him.

Sihtric turned around, finding no one behind him. His gaze shifted upward, scanning the city's encircling walls, counting the watchtowers and the spears positioned within them. It was precisely at that moment when he caught sight of you. You stood upon the ramparts, your attention firmly fixed on him, making no effort to conceal it.

The sun danced through your unbraided hair, fluttering in the wind and what was meant to be a fleeting glance began to feel like an eternity for Sihtric, as he found himself unable to tear his eyes away. He was ensnared by the boundless depths of your dark, scrutinising eyes, as if they possessed the ability to peer into the recesses of his soul, reading his very thoughts.

"Hey, you, lunkhead," a mocking voice snapped Sihtric's attention back to the present. "Barely arrived, and already fallen under the witch's spell?"

A small group of warriors approached him, and Sihtric felt a slight flush of embarrassment as he chuckled nervously.

"What's it to you?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, the woman up there on the ramparts. The seer and Sigefrid's personal healer," one of the warriors grinned knowingly.

Sihtric shrugged, trying to play it cool. "I was just taking in the view. No harm in that, right?"

The warrior smirked. "Oh, there's harm, my friend. They say she can see right through a man's soul. Best be cautious with those lingering looks."

"I'll keep that in mind," Sihtric chuckled, feigning nonchalance, but as the group of warriors continued to jest and banter, he couldn't resist stealing one last glance in your direction, only to find the ramparts empty, with a few mocking ravens cawing at him.

Sihtric didn’t expect to see you soon again, but there you sat, positioned to Sigefrid's right. Your slender fingers, adorned with golden rings, idly played with the ale mug before you, while your large and expressive eyes swept across the scene of feasting, drunken, and brawling warriors in the hall. In another corner of the hall, a more serious argument appeared to be escalating. Your voice cut through the commotion, addressing one of the warriors by name, and your firm and assertive gaze landed on the group. Instantly, their voices lowered, and the quarrel that had been unfolding came to a halt. It was as if you held a power over the gathering, a power that made Sihtric’s heart race and his palms grow sweaty.

Each time your eyes wandered in his direction, Sihtric felt a shiver run down his spine and he hurriedly turned away, clutching his mug and engaging in forced conversation with a nearby companion, all in an effort to avoid accidentally locking eyes with your watchful and discerning gaze, just to find himself stealing secret glances a moment later.

No matter how hard Sihtric tried to clear his mind, your presence lingered like an indelible mark. Even as he finally sank into the bed assigned to him within one of the large barracks nestled along the city walls and closed his eyes, he found no escape from your haunting image in his dreams. It was a frenzied vision of a wild sprint through a dense forest.

"Come on, catch me if you can," your voice, soft and melodic, teased him, urging him in the direction of its origin. There you stood, leaning against a tree, a playful smile gracing your lips as you extended an inviting hand. He ran towards you, his breath heavy, not so much from the wild chase as from the electric anticipation coursing through his veins. Sihtric loomed over your fragile and gentle frame, trapping you between his body and the tree. Your lips half parted, so red, full and inciting lured him in with a soft moan, your fingers trailing up and down his chest. His hand tenderly caressed your cheek as he leaned closer, his heart pounding in his ears and his eyes widening in surprise as you dissolved into thin air just a moment before his lips could meet yours.

"Catch me, I'm here, I'm waiting," echoed again from a different direction, and the wild chase began anew.

Upon waking in the morning, Sihtric discovered himself drenched in sweat, his breath laboured, and his heart pounding, as though he had just completed an actual race. He cursed silently at his own foolishness, swearing never to venture near the grand hall in the evening to evade encountering you again.

And during the day he even managed to focus on his direct tasks, he inspected the barracks, visited the camps outside the city gates and casually walked nearby the docs to get an overview of the ships and the crews on them, however, each time as the evening descended, there he sat, nestled in his preferred corner at the far end of the hall, his back against the wall, surreptitiously stealing glances at the beautiful witch, drawn to your every movement and word.

Sihtric seethed with frustration at his own weakness, resenting the magnetic pull you had over him. At times, he couldn't help but wonder if you had really somehow bewitched him, making his attraction to you feel all the more maddening and cursed himself for not being able to get over this hopeless infatuation.

—----------------------------------------------

You had long been aware of the handsome, young, and bashful warrior whose gaze seemed perpetually drawn to you. It didn't escape your notice how his cheeks would flush with a rosy hue every time your eyes met his, and how he attempted to steal glances at you, convinced he was being discreet.

Your heart couldn't help but warm to the endearing way he watched you, the earnestness in his big, expressive eyes mirroring a genuine curiosity and fascination. It was as though he were a moth to your flame, his shyness only adding to his charm. You were used to men looking at you with desire, but the sweet, innocent adoration that radiated from the young warrior made your heart fill with an unexpected sympathy.

You found yourself secretly delighted by his persistent glances, amused by his attempts to hide his interest. There was something about this young and undeniably handsome Dane that piqued your curiosity in return.

While the whispers and rumours surrounding you had labelled you as a witch, you knew well that your abilities were far from magical; they were rooted in your sharp wit, ability to observe and listen and your keen reasoning and you couldn't help but take notice that the young warrior always seemed to keep to himself. Unlike the boisterous and rowdy men in the hall, he never engaged in quarrels or brawls, and you had never once seen him completely drunk.

You were intelligent enough to put things together and after inquiring discreetly and listening carefully to the tales and whispers circulating among the warriors and local folks, you were certain that the enigmatic young man was a spy. The question remained who had sent him. The idea that Alfred, the Saxon king, would employ a Dane for such a task seemed improbable.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck you – Uhtred, the infamous Dane killer. This must be it. You had heard countless stories about him, a Saxon and a Dane, steadfast in his devotion to the old gods despite the repulsion it elicited from his King, renowned as a formidable warrior and a nobleman whose lands harboured both Danes and Saxons, living together in peace.

Your curiosity knew no bounds as you contemplated the implications of this discovery.

You had vehemently opposed this ill-conceived plan and had attempted to dissuade Erik and Sigefrid from their reckless pursuit. Impulsive and driven by their unquenchable thirst for conquest, they often lacked the foresight to plan for the long term. They were warriors, not settlers. Meanwhile, you found yourself tired —tired by the ceaseless cycle of men waging war and longing for someone with the courage to forge peace.

The weariness ran deep, as you were exhausted of mending wounds that you knew would barely have a chance to heal before the next battle, the next the final blow, erased the lives of the very fools you were striving to save. You had grown weary of gazing into the hollow, despairing eyes of the widows and children who had followed their men in pursuit of the elusive promises of wealth and fertile land. You were a healer, and you longed for an end to the relentless cycle of violence.

Even as both Danes and the Saxon town folks referred to you as a witch, with the former showing respect and the latter reacting with fear, crossing themselves and spitting in your direction, you knew who you were and had no need for anyone else's approval.

For you, healing was not just a trade—it was your heritage, your calling, a legacy coursing through your veins. You had absorbed the knowledge from your mother, who had received it from her own mother, continuing a long line of wise and strong women passing down their carefully gathered wisdom from one generation to the next. It was a blessing and a burden you carried with equal measures of pride and devotion. And as a healer, you held within your heart a sacred dream of peace and prosperity for your people. In a world already burdened with pain and suffering, there was no room for the needless and futile wars incited by foolish, power-hungry men.

Just a few days prior, you had experienced a heartwarming surprise when a young Saxon girl had come to you under the cover of night, secretly seeking your aid for her little son. She had knocked on your door, her trepidation clear, fearing the judgement of others but driven by her desperation for help. You had not hesitated to assist her.

Today, while crossing the bustling marketplace, your paths had crossed again. Your gazes had locked for a brief moment, and in that instant, you knew that the boy was well. Your heart swelled with warmth as you witnessed the unmistakable joy shining in the young mother's eyes. It was moments like these that constituted the greatest reward, the very purpose of your existence—to apply your knowledge where it was needed most, to offer help to those in dire circumstances.

—-----------------------------------------

"Damn," Sihtric muttered under his breath as he withdrew his knife from the lifeless body, observing as it slowly slumped to the ground.

Wincing at the unusual ache that prodded at his consciousness, Sihtric instinctively reached for his right side, as though attempting to locate the source of the unpleasant, slightly burning sensation that was steadily intensifying. Something sticky and warm trickled through his fingers, prompting Sihtric to extend his hand for a closer look, his vision blurring as the burning sensation in his side abruptly erupted into a sharp, overwhelming pain.

Blood. So much blood. It dripped from his fingers and streamed down his arm. With a forceful grunt, he pressed his hand against the area where the pain was most intense, as if attempting to quell it, and leaned heavily against the wall.

He had carefully avoided all the quarrels and brawls in the city, but this time there hadn't been any other option; the robust, black-haired warrior with a scar marrying his left cheek had recognized him and attacked in rage without a single word of warning.

Gasping for breath, Sihtric tightened his grip around the hilt of his knife as the world around him began to blur slowly.

"No, no, no... come on... get a hold of yourself," Sihtric muttered under his breath, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his vision.

With a resounding groan, he straightened and forced himself to move forward. Each step sent waves of pain through his body, nearly causing him to double over. Gritting his teeth, he continued to stumble through the deserted, narrow streets of Beamfleot, using the wooden walls of houses to support himself.

Where to? He was alone here, without a clan, without friends or a leader. There was no one who would be willing to help him. It wasn't a conscious decision, but rather a pure instinct that guided him toward a small house standing apart from the others, nestled under an ancient oak tree with its imposing wooden arms stretched protectively overhead. Some distant memory in his pain-addled mind had led him to choose this small house as his last refuge.

Shivering, cold sweat covering his forehead, Sihtric pressed on, forcing his trembling limbs to take another step and then another until there was no wall left to lean on.

"Come on, just one more step... You can do it, you're almost there," a loud groan escaped Sihtric's lips as his knees and hands collided with the unforgivingly hard ground. He lay there for a moment, still, listening to his laboured breaths and feeling his heart racing in his chest. He was too close to give up now. He wriggled back to his feet, took a few steps, slipped and fell again, his hands and knees bruised and aching. The small house loomed just before him, just a few strides away. Stretching out his arm, he dug his fingers into the muddy earth, his nails breaking against some hidden stones in the trampled ground as he forced himself back on his feet again.

Sihtric had always imagined that death would come swiftly, like a clean cut from a sharp blade. But now, it felt more like falling asleep after a long, exhausting day, with everything around him dissolving into a soft mist. He had fallen again and his strength was slowly waning, as with one last effort, he propped himself up on his elbows and crawled the final few steps to reach the door.

—--------------------------------------------------

It was late, nearly midnight by the moon's position in the sky, and the fire in the hearth was on the verge of dying out. You added more wood to the fire and watched as the flames danced and licked at the fresh fuel, gradually regaining their strenght. Sleep was a luxury you couldn't afford at the moment. The ointment for treating wounds was running dangerously low, and it was just the right time to prepare the fever-reducing potion, it was a new moon - the perfect timing to achieve its best effect.

Your eyes roamed around the spacious room, taking in the herbs hanging on lines along the walls, then returned to the mugs, flasks, and pounders scattered across the table before you. This place had once belonged to a local healer who had fled as the Danes drew near. Being Sigefrid's personal seer had its advantages, as no one had dared to challenge your declaration of this house as your own.

A peculiar sound at the door jolted you from your thoughts, instantly commanding your attention. It wasn't a customary knock, but rather a feeble scratching. Instinctively, your hand sought the dagger hanging from your waist. With a gentle but purposeful motion, you retrieved the small yet potent weapon, a faithful companion that had saved your life on more than one occasion. Cautiously, you approached the door and swung it open.

"What in the world..." you exclaimed, taken aback as your gaze fell upon the grimy, hunched figure of a young man—a Dane. He gasped for breath, his body trembling violently, his right hand pressed to his side, and blood seeping through his fingers. His face contorted with pain, his large, expressive eyes silently begging for help.

By the way his eyes periodically rolled back, it was evident that he was on the brink of losing consciousness.

"Hey, look at me." Kneeling down beside the young warrior, you firmly gripped his chin, locking your gaze with his. And then, in a sudden rush of recognition, you realised who he was—your sweet and bashful admirer, the young warrior, the very spy sent by Uhtred.

"You're going to be alright. You're in the right place. I will help you. Do you hear me? You are safe here," you assured him as he struggled to catch his breath. The Dane nodded, sucking for breath in short, shallow intervals.

"I need you to stay awake. Can you do it for me?" The young man's eyes began to roll back again. "No, no, no, stay with me, look at me," you hissed in frustration and pressed your finger onto the wound in his side. The Dane cried out, but his gaze cleared.

"What's your name?" you asked, not because you needed his name, but because you needed his focus.

"Sihtric," came a barely audible whisper from his lips.

"I'm sorry, Sihtric, but I need you to stay awake and make one last effort. I need you to summon all your strength and help me get you on your feet. Come on, I know you can do it. You are strong," you said, placing his left arm around your neck and wrapping yours around his waist. As you pulled, you didn't expect his lean body to be so heavy, but to your relief, he still had enough strength to follow your lead. With a loud groan, he managed to rise to his feet.

"Good, you're doing very well. The hardest part is behind us now. Just a few more steps to that table over there. Can you see it? You can lean on me. I won't let you down, I promise. But you have to find the strength to move your legs. I can't carry you," you reassured him, tightening your grip on his waist as you both took a step towards the table. You could feel his body trembling from the effort, leaning heavily on you, his breaths growing even more uneven and sharp. However, he managed to stumble in the right direction.

"Good, just one more step, and we're there," you kept talking, trying to maintain his focus. And then, you reached the table, allowing him to slump down. You supported his head as it slowly descended onto the hard surface and quickly lifted his legs, placing them on the table.

"This is going to be a long night," you murmured to yourself, your hands already in motion as you hastily gathered your supplies and placed the kettle filled with water over the flames of the hearth.

Your experienced fingers deftly unfastened the belt, untied the laces, and carefully removed the armbands. Eventually, everything was loose enough to pull the thick and heavy armour from the young Dane's body. Cutting away the blood-soaked linen shirt that clung tightly to the wound, you gasped in astonishment as your gaze traced the well-built, muscular frame of the injured warrior, wincing in pain on your table.

His body was marked with scars. You recognized each one, having treated them countless times before, but it was rare to see so many of them in one place. There were the short, deep scars left by knives, the long, straight ones undoubtedly from a whip, some uneven burns, healed sword cuts, and a few from axes, identifiable by the deeper cuts in the centre that gradually faded at both ends. Each scar had a different colour, with some older ones slowly fading away and others more recent.

He was so young; you would wager he hadn't seen more than nineteen or maybe twenty summers. Yet, his body was like an open book to your skilled eyes, recounting a long tale of torment and pain. Too long for his young age.

"Drink this," you gently lifted his head and brought a small mug to his lips. "It will dull the pain."

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

#sihtric #sihtric kjartansson #the last kingdom #tlk #arnas fedaravicius #arnas fedaravičius #sihtric x reader #sihtric x you #tlk fic #the last kingdom fic

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silenzahra · 27 days

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The content that I'm bringing next ✨

I thought I could give you a hint of the content I'm preparing in order to bring it during this week and next month! I'm taking my time to create it all, so that's why it's not gonna be posted right away, but I hope you'll like to read everything as I share it! 💖

I'll start with some regular posts and then I'll focus on my writing 🥰

-Get to know me. I mentioned a while back that I thought it'd be fine to share a little bit of myself with you so you can get to know me a bit better, and I'm currently working on this one and trying to think of as many things as possible so as to make it, you know... interesting? 😅 I don't really know how to describe it, but in any case, it's in the works!

-A masterpost. Just like the first one, I also mentioned that I'd like to create one at last, as I've posted a few stories and two headcanon posts already, and I want you guys to find them as easily as possible whenever you'd like to. This is gonna take a bit longer, because Tumblr's search tool doesn't work very well 😬 But I'll manage! 💪

-My pending asks. This is a bit embarrassing... I've had some asks waiting for a reply for months now and I'm so sorry that I've kept you waiting for so long 😅 Here's a promise: as soon as I've posted at least one of my pending fics (more about this below), I'll start gradually and slowly answering all the asks that I have left. I wanna give each and every one of you the proper replies you deserve, which is why I warned that I'd take some time, but that's one thing. Taking forever is very different and I'm truly so sorry 😅

-May and June calendars. Don't know if you've seen some of my calendar posts, but I happen to have two Nintendo calendars for this year and I've been showing them since January (here's the February one since I can't find the others lol), but sometimes I simply forget to share the one for the new month and it gets delayed... Shame on me again 😅 I intend to show May this week since it's technically still May, and I'll make sure to not let many days of June pass before I show the ones corresponding to that month 🥰

-Tons of reblogs! I've already started doing this actually, as I've been tagged in a lot of amazing content, and even if I'm slow, I wanna see everything and leave proper feedback when I have the chance 🥰 Thank you again to those of you who tagged me! And for your patience as well 🫂💖💖

And now... let's talk about...

✨📝 MY WRITING 📝✨

-My Kitsune/Tanooki story. This one is coming soon, and when I say soon, I mean this week! 😁 I would've liked to post it mid May, but life wouldn't let me, but hey, better late than never! 🥰 I'm now in the process of editing and I intend to start translating tomorrow, and that usually doesn't take long, so you can expect this one at the end of the week 👀 Hope you'll like it! 💖

-Anything for him: Chapter 3. As I've mentioned a few times, this last chapter is long overdue and I'm ashamed that I'm taking SO long to finish it as I know very well what's going to happen! 😅 Still, once my Kitsune/Tanooki fic is up, this is the next thing I intend to fully work on, and even though I'm not sure to give a specific date, I would like to post it in June at last. Wish me luck in achieving this! 🤞🤞🤞

-Post-nightmare cuddles fic. Okay, it's been a few months already, but... anyone remember this writing prompt? I happened to receive a couple of suggestions in my inbox, and even though I wrote and posted the first one back in March, I wasn't able to finish the second one as I wasn't in the mood for angst when I first tried. But that's changed! 🤩 I'm CRAVING to write some angst, so this is gonna be the third thing on my writing list, and, again, I'd like to post it in June. I'll let you know if I succeed! 🤞🤞🤞

Also, if you're curious, you can read the other prompt here 👇

-And last but not least... did anyone say...

... an AU? 🤔

Yyyyyyes! That's right! 😁 I've recently started working on my very first AU and I am SO happy 🤩 I'm really SO excited about this one! I don't know yet how long it'll take until I'm ready to start posting it, but this is the thing that I mentioned yesterday that I keep getting new ideas for almost every single day 🤩

I'm not gonna say yet what it's based on, as I want it to be a surprise when I finally start sharing it with you guys, but it contains EVERYTHING that I love and that many of you love as well, so... I believe you'll like this one when it's ready 🤭 Maybe when I work a bit more on it and see a release date coming closer I'll go and tell you what it's about, but for now... I'll just keep working on it and enjoying every single word that I'm writing 😁

I really hope you'll like all of this once I start sharing it! As you see, I'm a big fan of making lists 😂 That's the way I usually organize everything that I have to do every day and such, and I thought that maybe sharing this, I'll have it a bit easier to focus and really bring all of it to this blog, even if I'm slow. Still, just know that I'm truly enjoying the process of creating not only the written fics (and the AU 🤭), but also the posts that I wanna bring soon 🥰

If you read everything, thank you! I know I tend to talk a lot lol, so I really appreciate it! Love you so much! 💖💖💖

#future content #the posts that I'm bringing #the fics I'm working on #new story coming this week #new fic coming this week #my very first AU #an AU is coming soon!#I'm seriously so excited 🤩#I hope you'll like it! as well as the fics and the posts that I'll bring!#thank you again if you read everything #I talk too much 😅#hope you're looking forward to all of this though!#super mario bros #new mario content coming soon #my fics #my writing #silenzahra

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darylsgal · 3 months

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hello to whoever sees this! (if that's anyone.)

im very new to tumblr, well to the posting part atleast. ive been wanting to write just 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 for a while now, i love writing, and ive wrote fics before, only for the depths of my notes app to see, but recently ive been on a major writers block, so im asking you, yes, you, to help me out! i'd really appreciate if i could get some daryl prompts, requests, whatever you'd call them. im eager to get back into writing, and i'd also love to fulfil some wishes! so my requests are very much open, and i'll turn the question box thing on as soon as i figure out how to! ☻︎

im comfortable with writing most things, just nothing that's like,,,,too weird i guess? honestly just ask, and i'll give a polite yes or no, no pressure, no judgement, i want this page to feel safe and secure. i am, very much comfortable with smut, don't hold back!! angst, i LOVE a good old gut wrenching, tear jerker, again, dont hold back. fluff. i adore fluff, for the third time, dont hold back!!

i'd also like to introduce myself, as well as i can without giving too much away, i'd like to stay mysterious! for now atleast. so with that being said..

• you can call me rue.🌞

• im 19!

• some of my fave shows of all time! the walking dead (all i ever talk about, i don't shut up!), the hunger games, euphoria, stranger things, the last of us, twilight.

• my main interests, other than the shows.

dead by daylight, tumblr🤷🏻‍♀️, my electric guitar, braiding my hair, writing, zombie media, music, im an unironic cai user i'll be so real (especially with the new voice update, like, hello???) the colour black, aaaaand i can't think of anything else.

• describing myself, i guess, just to give an idea on who's behind this page!

i am a cis white woman, pronouns she/her, long dark brown hair with the underneath dyed deep red from around the top of my ears down. im just around 5,11. i have big green eyes. i have a few piercing, those being my right nostril, my belly button, 3 lobes on both ears, a helix on my right ear, and hopefully more to come! i move my eyebrows alot, i wear too much highlighter, and apparently im not very good at being mysterious and am also a major oversharer.

• this is already way longer than it was intended to be, please expect this from me in the future.

with that behind said, im going to cut this off here before i waffle any more, i completely, i repeat completely, understand if you did not make it to the end of this post, no offence taken.

goodbye my lovelies!💖

#daryl smut #daryl dixon #daryl x reader #daryl x y/n #daryl x you #daryl dixion x reader #daryl x female reader #daryl imagines #daryl dixion imagine #daryl fanfiction #the walking dead daryl #the walking dead #fanfic #writers on tumblr #twd daryl #twd #about myself #requests #daryl

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gudetamaworld · 2 years

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ask me again~

pairing ‣ niki x fem reader ( to avoid confusion, niki and y/n are the maknaes of their friend groups and are the same age)

ft all of enhypen, yeseo (kep1er) & yuna (itzy) ~assume school has started for only a month or two, so certain stuff (like classmates) has only been lightly established

genre ‣ fluff , slight angst

warnings ‣ none!

wc ‣ 4.2k+ (my longest fic yet TT)

a/n ‣ i worked really hard on this one so i rlly hope you guys enjoy! also ty guys sm, meeting niki got more posts than i thought it would, so expect a full storyline soon! thank you guys and have fun reading <3

the sound of electronic music blasting through the room made my head hurt.

"can we leave?" i whined, facing my friends. sunoo looked at me sympathetically, and yuna gave me a look.

"your cool older friends are taking you to your first party, and you want to leave?" yuna shook her head. "remember, we also have to find you a hot first date. i'm tired of seeing you stay at home on the weekends, reading fanfics."

"hey, not fair!" i grumbled.

"what about that guy? he dresses well." sunoo pointed.

"jake? no way, he's in my year. plus i heard he's a playboy. we want someone nice and sweet, that matches y/n's energy." yuna explained.

we were getting closer to the end of the party, and yuna and sunoo's efforts were pitiful.

"screw it. we're trying again at another party next week," yuna groaned. she disappeared into the kitchen for a bit, and i had nowhere to go.

i got a drink and sat on the porch, waiting so yuna could drive me home.

"is this spot taken?" a guy asked, smiling at me.

"no, no. go ahead." i blushed furiously, hoping the darkness would make it less noticable.

"what are you doing out here alone? it's chilly, you might catch a cold." he said, looking at me.

"i'm just waiting for a friend. and it's not the arctic, i'll survive," i joked. still, he put his jacket around my shoulders. i couldn't help but notice he was sitting so close, our thighs were touching.

we talked some more and i found out his name was niki. we were in the same grade (how did i never notice him before?).

i suddenly got a text from sunoo:

you ok? yuna's still in the kitchen, we can leave if u want rn

i quickly texted him back and turned off my phone, not wanting to break my conversation with niki.

"is that your boyfriend?" he asked.

"sunoo? nah, he's like my brother. he was just asking where i was." i explained.

"oh." he said.

we talked for a bit more, until he saw the time.

"i had no idea it was this late. do you live close? i can walk you home."

"my friends are giving me a ride, so it's okay." internally, i screamed.

"oh- um, your jacket. here," i took it off, and i was suddenly aware of how cold i was without it. he noticed, of course.

"keep it for now. you look good in it, too," he said.

"thanks," i mumbled. why was i so awkward?

niki leaned over just a little to kiss me on the forehead. he was so close, i could count the moles on his face.

"i'll see you around, yeah?" niki asked, smiling once more. and then he left.

"earth to y/n? hello?" yuna waved her hand in my face, scaring me.

"ack! yuna, what the hell?" i said.

"you were standing there like a deer in headlights. we're leaving, finally." sunoo said, behind her.

"i-i was?" i asked, dumbfounded.

"who's jacket is that?" yuna frowned, looking at the black jacket draped around me.

"no. don't tell me." sunoo gasped, immediately giggling and teasing me.

"the jacket? y/n spaced out? she was here the rest of the night, with a guy! i knew we hadn't dragged her along for nothing, yuna!" he said, clapping his hands.

"maybe. i dunno. his name was niki." i said, sighing.

yuna gasped.

"niki? the kid that barely shows up to school? no. freaking. way." she said.

"what? you wanted me to find someone, right? well i was able to do it on my own, thank you very much." i said proudly.

"right, but you found niki. there's a difference," yuna sighed.

"what do you mean? he was nice when we talked," i shrugged.

"have you seen his friend group, y/n?" sunoo asked.

"well, no."

"y/n, they will eat you alive," yuna begged.

"what's that supposed to mean?"

"jake, the playboy, is like his brother. and there's jay, and heeseung, who take cute girls like you and destroy their hearts!" yuna whined.

"what? no way. niki's not like that. just because you hear things, doesn't mean they're true, yuna," i shook my head.

"fiine. but we're warning you. we just don't want to see you heartbroken over a guy," yuna explained.

"i finally spoke to her!" niki rushed to his hyungs, who were sitting around the couch.

"i still can't get over how goody two shoes she sounds," jay said.

"jay, shut up. so how'd it go with y/n?" heeseung said, smirking at his younger friend.

"she's just as nice and pretty as i thought. her hair smelled good, too," niki said thoughtfully.

"perv!" jake threw a pillow at niki, laughing.

"hey!" niki blushed, thinking of his kiss on your forehead. was it too awkward? too natural? could y/n suspect that he had been crushing on her for a month, from afar?

"did you get her number, at least?" jake asked.

"well, no. but she has my jacket, so i'll have to see her some time or another," niki said proudly.

"this means you'll be showing up to school more often, right?" jungwon asked. he was the responsible one in the friend group, and was growing increasingly concerned by niki's frequent absences.

"i guess." niki shrugged, wanting to avoid this topic.

"you can't do this forever, you know. you have to graduate before comitting to your dream- at least show up enough to get your degree. i can't have you spending the rest of highschool in a studio." jungwon frowned.

"what are you, my dad?" niki joked.

"he's right, you know." heeseung spoke softly.

"okay, fine. maybe i will," niki said. how did the mood turn upside down?

"psst! did you do the weekend homework, y/n?" i felt a tap on my shoulder from behind. i turned around to see yeseo looking urgently.

"yeah, i-" i stifled a gasp. a couple rows behind yeseo was niki, from the night before.

"uh, yeah, i did. here, take a look if you need." i passed the paper to yeseo, slowly turning back around. even when facing the board, i could feel his eyes staring at the back of my head. what was happening? school hadn't started long enough for me to notice all my classmates yet, much less would i notice someone who hid in the back corner. was niki always in math class with me?

brrrring! the bell rang, and it was lunch time. i quickly caught up to niki before he could slip out of class.

"niki- remember me? y/n? the party from the weekend?" i smiled awkwardly at him.

"of course!" he smiled brightly.

"your jacket is in my locker somewhere. wanna walk with me to get it? i asked nervously.

"yeah, lets go!" he said.

seriously, i was oblivious to some things, but there could have been no way i missed niki's presence at school. even when we walked through the halls, his giant self towered over the students. that's how tall he was.

"how come i haven't seen you at school often?" i asked him.

"oh, well, i have busy extracurriculars, and i'm in this training thing. no biggie, just causes me to miss school sometimes." he explained lightly.

"oh. well, here we are." i opened my locker to reveal his jacket. i reached in to grab it and give it to him.

"thanks!"

"yeah, no prob. thanks for letting me borrow it."

"of course! also, i almost forgot. can i get your number?" he touched the back of his neck and looked away, while handing me his phone. this shyness wasn't something i could have guessed was in him. i typed it in and we said our goodbyes, and i made my way to the cafeteria.

"niki is in math with me and yeseo." i dropped my backpack and lunch onto the table i shared with yeseo and sunoo.

"what?" yuna and sunoo said, simultaniusly.

"of course! you didn't notice, y/n? he shows up like, once a week, but he's been in our class for a bit." yeseo casually said.

and then i explained the whole party thing to yeseo, with yuna and sunoo filling in.

"so that explains why he was staring at you the whole time." yeseo spoke.

"well, yeah," i said, blushing.

"so? do you like him?" yeseo asked.

"i don't know yet! maybe? he's nice though, like really nice."

sunoo nodded, softening up.

"i know jungwon, who's in his friend group. niki sounds okay, actually." sunoo shrugged. "but there is jake, who yuna mentioned at the party. he's good friends with niki, and we all know the rumors about how he likes to lead girls on." sunoo frowned.

"niki wouldn't play me like that. haven't i told you guys, how sweet he is?" i explained.

"well, i think he's cute. kind of scary and intimidating, 'cause all he wears is black, but he'd be good for you y/n," yeseo said.

"another full marks. good job, y/n." i heard my teacher say, handing me back my math test.

before class ended, mr. lee called me over to his desk. i noticed niki was there, too.

"y/n over here has been doing exceptionally well in math recently."

"thank you, sir." i said quietly.

"would you mind tutoring for this student, y/n?" mr.lee pointed to niki, standing quietly and playing with his hands.

he proceeded to explain to me the extra credit points, involved, timing, and all of that boring stuff. this time, niki didn't smile at me, not once.

around evening i decided to text him.

y/n: so tutoring, huh?

he responded almost immediately.

niki: yeah y/n: my place at 6? niki: k

was this really the same niki from before? he was being weirdly dry in our texts.

"well, you wanted to get close to her, right?" heeseung said sympathetically.

"but not like this! besides, nationals is coming up. will i even have time for tutoring?" niki groaned.

6 oclock came, and niki was running late. he had stayed in the practice studio for longer than expected.

"aeri, i gotta go."

"10 more minutes. we gotta get this move perfect, if we wanna win," the girl aeri said.

"alright," niki said.

i paced around, suddenly a nervous wreck. did i give niki the right address? did he forget it was today, or should i remind him that he's late? i ended up deciding against it, not wanting to show that i was bothered. if he wasn't going to show up, that would be him and mr. lee's problem, not mine.

minutes later, i heard the doorbell.

i opened the door to see niki sweating like he just ran a marathon.

"you're late."

"i know, i'm sorry, i got caught up with something."

"it's fine. we'll study in my room, so bring your stuff." i tried to sound as nonchalant as possible, but niki looked genuinely sorry, so i didn't want to press matters.

the tutoring went surprisingly well, although it seemed niki always had something else on his mind. there was no doubt he was a smart kid. his absences from school obviously resulted in his bad grades in math, not because he was dumb.

these tutoring sessions started to happen more and more often. and niki only showed up late a couple times afterwards, but we got closer, and i found out why.

niki was training to be a professional dancer once highschool was over. he had been dancing his whole life. all the late night practices in the studio, missing school, and even nationals, it was for his dream.

niki yawned.

"practice today was four hours. can we just hang out, y/n? let's pick this up the next tutoring sesion." niki flopped on my bed. i laughed, seeing how small my bed looked all of a sudden, compared to him.

"okay, fine." i wanted to be more understanding, since i knew nationals was coming up for niki. like he read my thoughts, he said,

"y/n. come watch me perform at nationals." his eyes were half closed, and i was worried he would fall asleep.

i was taken aback. dance was something of a secret to the people around niki. people like yuna just thought niki was bad news, skipping school for fun, but it wasn't like that. that's why i had begun to understand that dance was a sensitive topic for niki. getting an invite from him was something i couldn't have expected.

"if you want me to, i'll totally come."

"of course i do, y/n," niki whispered. we were so close i could hear his breathing.

was now the time, niki thought? to tell y/n how he felt, and had felt even before they met at the party?

"y/n, i have to tell you something."

"yeah?"

niki took a deep breath.

"yn, i-" and suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"mooom," i whined, seeing my mother come through the door.

"niki! oh my goodness! y/n told me all about you, i didn't know you were here tonight!" my mom waved to niki, bringing a plate of apples.

"here. you two can share the snack while you study," she said.

"actually, it's okay ms. y/l/n, i was about to head out."

"oh! i see. well, if you haven't eaten dinner yet, we have leftovers, feel free to have y/n give you some to take home."

"thank you so much."

niki started packing his things. i was worried, had i said something wrong? then niki started reaching into his backpack, digging for something. he pulled out two pieces of crumpled paper and handed it to me.

his ears were bright red.

"these are tickets. bring a friend, like sunoo, or someone. nationals is next week. come cheer me on," he said all this very fast, like he was trying to get over it.

i didn't know how to answer, so i stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek to say yes. i quickly looked away, so he wouldn't notice how red my face was.

"and what were you gonna say to me earlier, niki?" i asked.

"oh, i dunno. i forgot," he mumbled shyly.

"that's okay. ask me again, when it comes to your mind," i said

"this is a good idea, right?" i asked sunoo.

"sure." sunoo munched on a popsicle as we sat on the bus, on the way to niki's dance academy.

niki had been at the studio all week preparing for nationals. nationals was in one day, and i wanted to surprise him by bringing him some ice cream before the big day. i brought sunoo along for emotional support.

sunoo and i got off the bus and arrived.

"wow. your boyfriend must be good at dancing," sunoo said, looking at the huge studio building.

"he's not my boyfriend!" i blushed (although maybe i wanted him to be).

"sure, that's why he's so nice to you for no reason." sunoo rolled his eyes.

i looked at the studio company, and it was huge. like a professional entertainment company.

we entered, and there was a lady at the front desk.

"excuse me, what studio room is riki nishimura in?" i asked.

"sorry, no visitors allowed," she said in a monotone voice.

i looked at sunoo pleadingly, what do i do?

"actually, she's niki's girlfriend. it'll just be a quick second, she has to deliver something." sunoo said, pointing at me.

"oh. in that case, you have fifteen minutes. you're lucky, the dancers have a tight schedule today but they're on break right now," she explained.

i got my visitors badge and sunoo gave me a thumbs up. i shook my head at him.

"was lying the right move for this?" i whispered at sunoo.

"pshhh! it was hardly a lie. plus it's for the greater good. and don't be nervous! you've known niki for a while now. i'll be here, waiting for you."

"okay," i said, still getting a bad feeling from it all.

i made my way through the huge halls. i now understood why niki had taken his dancing so seriously at the academy. it looked like an expensive company, training the elite of the elite.

i found the room, and i could see niki through the tinted window. i didn't push open the door yet, because i saw that he was alone in the room with a girl. they were talking about something i couldn't hear.

they seemed to be talking in hushed voices, but i couldn't see the girl's face. but niki's face was serious and concentrated, looking at the girl.

and then niki hugged her, and stroked her hair. i didn't want to see the rest so i backed away and left.

"so? was he tooootally surprised?" sunoo looked at me excitedly, as i walked out of the hall. then he noticed that the icecream was still in my hand. i hadn't given it to niki, and it was starting to melt.

"oh dear," sunoo mumbled.

i could feel tears welling up as i explained to sunoo what i saw.

"that thing i agreed, about visiting niki being a good idea? i take that back," sunoo said.

"thanks, sun," i laughed halfheardetly. "yuna was right. niki is bad news," i choked.

"but you liked him so much! yuna's a drama queen, okay? well, i am too, but think about it before you jump to conclusions. i know jungwon, and i just don't think jungwon and his friends are the type of people to do this. yes, even jake."

"sunoo, i dunno." i looked down at my hands.

"i'm sure niki cares about you, either way. he opened up to you, and even asked you to see him perform. jungwon told me that he and his friends, jay, sunghoon, and all the others, have to beg niki to bring them to nationals every year. don't just drop niki like that, y/n," sunoo said.

"i don't know. it looks like he dropped me first," i whispered.

From niki:

ur coming right? y/n? hellooooo? ticket reception is starting soon i don't see u yet y/n?

i looked at his messages, head still blurry from yesterday. could niki really be this evil, stringing me along, probably like he was doing to the other girl at his studio? sure, we weren't dating, but we were friends. and do friends kiss each other once or twice? was i crazy to think we were more than that?

and suddenly i got a text from sunoo:

sunoo: im at your door y/n: WTAF?? sunoo: im driving u to see niki perform y/n: KIM SUNOO.

i threw on my bag and rushed out the door to meet sunoo.

"you're kidding. even after what he did to me, you're still taking us to see him perform?" i folded my shoulders at sunoo, who was waiting for me in his car.

"listen, i talked to jungwon. i'm-we're sure you got it wrong. i don't know what you saw, but we know niki likes you, like, really likes you. plus niki's kind of freaking out that you're not there right now. jungwon told me," sunoo explained.

"jungwon said this, jungwon said that. have you ever thought that niki, never once, tried explaining these things to me? why do i have to hear it secondhand through two other people? how unfair is that?" i said, tears forming again.

"i know, i know, but let's just go and cheer him on for now. you agreed to it, think about how confused he is if you don't show up. talk to him in person when we're there, yeah?" sunoo glared at me knowingly. "and if you really didn't want to see him, why did you bring your bag out, like you're ready to leave?"

i climbed into his car without saying anything, because i knew he was right.

"you're lucky he hasn't performed yet." sunoo said, finally.

niki's friends, jungwon, jake and heeseung greeted us at the entrance.

"y/n! nice to meet you. niki goes on in five," heeseung said.

"hi! jay and sunghoon have your spots saved inside, go ahead," jake said excitedly.

"thanks guys," i smiled.

niki's friends seemed nice and supportive. i would have to tell yuna this some other time.

"niki! you were amazing!!!" jake said, clapping niki on the back.

"our golden maknae! congrats on first place!" jay said, hugging niki.

"thanks guys, thanks for coming," niki said, smiling ear to ear.

"where's y/n?" niki asked sunoo.

"she was here a second ago," sunoo frowned. "wait no. i think she left right after you performed."

it didn't take long before niki ran out the parking lot, hoping to find y/n.

i heard niki call me before he ran over.

"y/n! you saw me right? i won!" niki grinned.

"i did, congrats."

and suddenly niki saw the expression on my face when i looked at him.

"did i do something wrong? was i worse than you thought i'd be?" niki joked.

"no. you were perfect," i said. even when i was mad at him, i couldn't lie. niki's performance was amazing. "i guess all that practicing yesterday at your academy payed off."

"thanks, it- wait. how did you know i was there the whole day yesterday?"

i said nothing.

"y/n, did you come visit me yesterday?" and suddenly niki's expression changed, like he knew, he knew who and what i was talking about and his confusion vanished.

"is this about aeri? oh god. let me explain. it's not what you think, really, it-"

i cut niki off.

"you don't owe me an explanation, okay?" i forced a smile to niki, but i could hear my own heart shattering. would i regret what i was about to say?

"i'm proud of you today. i really am. but i don't think you need me anymore, so you don't have to come over for math, and ever have to offer me your jacket again, and be nice to me when it's not in your heart. a true weight lifted off your shoulders, right?" i laughed harshly, unaware that this made niki's heart break.

and then i stepped away.

From niki:

y/n

please

before you block me let me explain

aeri, the girl you must have seen, is just a friend i've known since i've joined the academy

i see her as my sister

it was the day before nationals and she was stressed, its her last year at the studio and she really really wanted to win her category. she was crying and breaking down and i happened to be there for her as a friend

delivered 2 hrs ago

y/n?

my eyes were puffy from crying. i had clicked my phone off since i talked to niki. suddenly i heard soft tapping at my window. i wiped my tears to get a better view.

it was niki.

reluctantly, i opened the window so he could climb in.

"niki, are you crazy? it's 12 pm, my parents will kill me." i whisper-shouted.

"y/n, i'm sorry, i had to. did you get my message?" he asked me, looking at me pleadingly.

"what message?"

niki reached to my desk and grabbed my phone, handing it to me. i opened it to see missed texts and calls. mainly from sunoo, yeseo and yuna, wanting to comfort me, and texts from niki. i opened it and read it slowly.

"y/n." niki looked at me.

"i'm sorry," i whispered. sunoo was right. how could i have jumped to conclusions?

"it's okay, i know how it looked," niki replied softly. "but i have to tell you something."

"yes?" i wiped my tears that had formed again, this time out of guilt.

"i like you. i've liked you even before we met at that party, i noticed you in math from the start of the year, it's always been you and i'm so grateful i suck at math because it was an excuse to get close to you. i like you, a lot, y/n," niki finally said.

"i like you too." i felt relieved to finally admit it. "i like your charm and your secret softness, and that's why i freaked out yesterday, because i thought i got it all wrong and you never felt that way and i was wasting your time."

"hanging out with you is never a waste of my time," niki said.

we talked for longer, until i noticed the time and he had to leave.

"y/n, i have to ask you now."

"hmm?" i asked, tired from the long day.

niki grabbed my hand and held it.

"earlier i was going to tell you something. you told me to ask you again, and i'm doing it now. y/n, will you go out with me?"

fin <3

@gudetamaworld

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derangedanomaly · 4 days

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Umm. . . May I ask about the growth of your characters? (Including Chaos?)

Ah! Sure! Alright- *cracks knuckles* gonna be yapping! :3

My very early idea of my AU, Overcopy, was never supposed to grow the way it did now. I was never planning to expand on it ever again after this one post, that I thought about when making myself a sandwich. I was never even expecting it getting kinda popular. But then I started getting asks about Chaos and the others.

So I started drawing these guys ironically. I was like "Oh yeah, I'll just draw these sillies for the hugs, kisses and everything! And then I'll stop!" Those who were here before this whole AU was created knows that I was mainly a writing blog. I wrote for the UTMV imagines, FICS, and other things. But the more that I drew, the more I enjoyed it. Every drawing made me feel happier! I was never so happy before.

Back then, I was really unorganized. I didn't even have Chaos' backstory created. Every post I made back then, was just what I thought would be good, and did it. That's why Chaos' old backstory is a little messy. It's not throughoutly thought about beforehand. The characters were also a really big mess. I was REALLY unprepared.

Chaos is a character that was remade MANY times before, simply because I couldn't figure it out. I honestly didn't even cared much for his design in my first ever post. Heck, he was created only because I wanted to make Nightmare suffer. I was going off of NOTHING at all when I got asks like: How was he created? I came up with everything on the spot. And I think it shows.. TT

I've started properly rewriting his story/writing a script like 5 months ago. I started out by writing like basic points. Some general idea. This was actually the first time that I've thought about the MTT boys being unfiltered. I honestly did that because I felt like they were being weirdly nice. It just doesn't suit them.. (I also love Horror/gore). I planned to reveal this in the comics actually, keeping it a secret. But my friend, @idkwhaticandonow asked about it in one of my asks. So... I caved in and revealed it to y'all.

I'm gonna be completely honest about Blade...... I didn't have much personality thought about in the past. The only thing that I had about him (and made it into his whole personality), was that he liked Anime, and was a loser with no game. I started fleshing him out when I was writing the psychology of the MTT boys. (Their unfiltered versions I mean.)

I started writing Blade first, because it was just much easier to visualize him as a psychopath.

The hardest one to write, was probably Ted. I made him in my AU into such a sweetheart, that I didn't know how to make his unfiltered version. I don't want to spoil much, since I'll reveal unfiltered Ted very soon.

Writing Ace was honestly a little refreshing. He's such a yapper when he's filtered, so it was nice writing him be deadly silent.

Writing their psychology was actually so much fun! But I won't deny that it was difficult at times. I had a lot of breakdowns where I just couldn't think about it anymore, and instead went to play a game. Other times, it was very easy and went smoothly. But still... It was fun!

Nightmare.... I honestly tried to write Nightmare as canon-like as possible. I don't know why, I just really like canon Nightmare. But, I'm not the og creator of Nightmare sans, so I couldn't really achieve that well. But I tried my best! Making his character was actually.... Very easy. I'd say that Nightmare was actually the easiest one to write! Which is insane thinking about it now. The only difficult part about him, are his complex feelings. Those are usually the times where I ask myself, "how would he even react to that?"

Overcopy is still a project in production, but I'm trying my hardest every day to make the finished product have some value, and actually look good. I'm working on the script almost every day, correcting errors or any nonsensical things. I'm almost done correcting chapter 1 and chapter 2, then, I'll go into choosing a format, which I'll present it in.

You can definitely be excited for it! This is probably my biggest project yet, and I'm actually proud of it by far. ^^

#vicnityask #vicnitytalk #overcopy #chaos sans #blade sans #ace sans #ted sans #nightmare sans

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melodygatesauthor · 1 year

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Weekly Update - 07/09/2023

There's a LOT to cover this week but it's all REALLY important so please read <3 (below the cut) ~

Announcements

~ Cruise ~

I'm going on a cruise from 07/15/2023-07/23/2023! I really shouldn't have, but my family peer pressured me into it and now I can't get my money back if I back out so I'm going anyway lol.

I paid extra to have WiFi in my cabin, however I don't know how good it will be. I refuse to pay the ridiculous amount of money to use the data on my phone out there. That being said, my online time will be limited.

If for any reason I cannot access my internet or have issues getting on Tumblr @whatthefishh will give you all an update letting you know. (She hasn't confirmed this with me yet but I assume she will lol)

I'm going to be trying to get some works written ahead of time and scheduled to post while I'm away so it will be like I never left! (except I won't be able to respond much).

~ Masterlist ~

My masterlist is ALMOST complete. Once I'm done with it this time I will NOT be changing it again (unless my aesthetic changes but that will only be a cosmetic update). I'm happy with the way it's organized right now and I don't think it can get any better than it is personally lol. (I'm very proud of it please praise me)

~ FAQs ~

I'm working on an FAQs list to hopefully mitigate some of the repeat questions I get, or so I can just link them instead of having to respond to each individual question.

~ Thank You ~

The biggest thank you possible to those who sent in tips this week. I can't thank you enough. I added the tip thing without the expectation that people would actually use it so to have so many of you this week blew my mind. I love you, and I appreciate you more than you can know.

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren't a promise/guarantee, they're a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - should be posted this week

Pink - In progress actively (working on but will not be posted this week)

Red - Backburner Fic (will work on later. See WIP list for status)

Long/Chaptered Fics Updates

A Bit Dodgy - This fic is currently on hiatus. The plan is for it to return 07/31/2023. Things may change and if they do I'll let you all know! Thank you for bearing with me. More detailed explanation here.

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 2 is coming right up! Just a couple scenes to add and it will be good to go. I'm thinking I'll be able to churn out one chapter a week but don't hold your breath please haha, things are getting really busy, but this fic is at the front of my mind right now for sure. - New chapter this week

The Fractured Moon - currently working on These Fractured Knights (TFM Bonus Chapters) 🫣😏 - Hoping to have the next chapter out this week. This has been moved to "longfics" since it will be at over 40k words upon completion. - New chapter this week

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can't Fight - New chapter coming out this week.

Not a Doctor - Part 2 coming soon - not for a while though.

Worth the Risk - taking a small step back from this for now. It’s not at the top of my inspiration list so I’m moving it down the line temporarily. - will work on a later date

The Good Doctors - idea by @burnincrown - Dr. Marc Spector - It's going to be a long time in the works, and it will probably replace TFM when that one is done. In development - Work on it a different week

Requests Updates

There are 4 ficlets left for my 1k follower celebration. Finally getting them done (I'm almost at 2k now lmao but won't be doing a celebration until a different milestone).

As a reminder, once these requests are finished, my requests will be closed for good. You can see the post explaining that here. Thank you again for the support and understanding!

Moon Boys X f!Reader by @simpforbritgents

Asking for something like Feeling Flustered where the moon boys are doing guided phone sex.

Marc Spector X f!Reader by @blueflowerhat

Marc shower sex based on AI prompt.

Nathan Bateman X f!Reader by @campingwiththecharmings

This is the prompt that hit me like a Nathan-shaped mac truck! -> “if you don’t like my teasing why are you moaning”

Nathan Bateman X f!Reader by Anon

Cam girl reader x Nathan - Nathan turns to a cam girl, he's been kinda stalking her. (Excited hehe)

That's all for now guys! I love you all and thank you so much for all the support you continue to give no matter what. You're amazing <3

#melody gates updates #moon knight #across the spiderverse #miguel o'hara #marc spector #jake lockley #steven grant #santiago garcia #triple frontier #ex machina #nathan bateman

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incorrectcapsicle · 2 years

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incorrectcapsicle recommendation list

hello guys, i know this is not my typical incorrect post but i've been wanting to do this. here are my all time favorite Chris Evans characters x Reader fics. this masterlist is full of my all time favorite ficd and writers and i hope you'll give this a chance and praise these wonderful writers for their work. enjoy everyone! 💜

This AU is my forever all time favorite SR x Reader AU:

Baptized In Dirty Water by @itsanerdlife

chapter 1

please click this to view the rest of the chapter. don't forget to check the rest of her work.

Sweet Home Georgia Peach by @marvelcriminalhoe

masterlist

this series is one of my favorite fics. 11/10 would recommend. love this series so so much 💜

Desperate Affairs by @georgiapeach30513

masterlist

this fic not only intrigued the hell out of me but also gave me a emotional rollercoaster. there's so much going on but you'll get curious as you continue to read. 11/10 would recommend 👌

Gone, Baby by @wayward-blonde

masterlist

i never expect that i will need a dark chris evans character. like i didn't know i had this kink to a psycho son a bitch hottie. and god doing his very good work cos Llyod Hansen exist. amen to that and yes, 11/10 would recommend so read it! 🤣

(SHE MOVES WITH) SHAMELESS WONDER by @ussgallifrey

masterlist

one thing about me, is i LOVE long series. although this series still on chap 16, this series is on my reading list bc i love the story goes. and yes, definitely worth to recommend 👌

The Vampire Kings Religion by @marvelcriminalhoe

masterlist

vampire!steve is a yes for me! i haven't read it yet but the plot is good so would definitely recommend 👌

Stumblin' In by @swan-of-sunrise

book 1 (completed)

book 2 (completed)

book 3 (completed)

book 4 (completed)

book 5 (completed)

i still haven't read this but soon when i'm not busy. but i still added it here cos y'know, it's a long series with a good plot so yes, give it a try and check out the writer's other work 👌

The Demigod From Asgard by @secretswiftymarvelfan

masterlist (wip)

this still on going but this is one of my favorite fic. the storyline is so good that i'm re-reading it again soon coz i just can't get enough. and as always, definitely would recommend it yo you guys, so give it a try. kudos to the writer!

His New Partner by @star-spangled-steve

masterlist (wip)

another one with on going series and yes, i added it here coz i'm so obsessed with long series. like who doesn't right? i'll probably start reading this soon and yes, please give it a shot and give some love to the author 🫶

Welcome To The Pack by @sweater-daddiesdumbdork

masterlist (completed)

okay okay omg omg i finally found a wholeass series of alpha!steve! and yes ofc it went straight here coz why not?! omg i can't wait to read this akdhsajajd 🫣😍🥰🫶

Attack Of The Winter Wolf by @sweater-daddiesdumbdork

masterlist (completed)

thank heavens for having authors writing this wonderful stories. alpha!steve will always be the death of me, especially to be called 'Little One' by him 🫣😍 can't wait to read this too! and for forget to check it too~

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unpredictable-probabilities · 9 months

Text

"I Do": The Long-Term Deal || Chapter 3: An Abrupt Engagement

Summary:

After a photo of Jamil and Azul's kiss started circulating online, Jade proposes the absurd solution of forming a fake relationship for the public eye.

Azul vehemently rejects the idea and it seems to fall to the wayside... but when the dinner launch party presents unprecedented challenges, Jamil steps in and takes his boldest leap yet.

Word Count: 16,753

Author's Note:

Finally updated this fic after 9 months!!

Thank you so much to @patchyegg87 for helping me write this chapter~

This fic is gonna be a collab between us from now on <3

We hope you enjoy this chapter! ^_^

——

Jamil's jaw dropped open in shock. At the very least he had expected Jade to suggest that he and Azul pretend to date, but marrying him?

"Jade," Azul's voice had a dangerous edge to it as he glared at Jade. "We are not forcing Jamil into such an arrangement."

"I am not forcing either of you, Azul," Jade maintained his calm demeanor. "I am merely pointing out that an engagement announcement would keep both your suitors and the board of directors at bay for a long while."

"Could just be a fake engagement," Floyd added. "You don't actually have to marry each other for real."

"Indeed," Jade nodded. "And Jamil could maintain his life of travel without worrying whether people would recognize him as the person in the picture and pester him with questions. A clear association with you--and by extension Floyd and I--would prevent anyone from harassing him."

"You two could live here together," Floyd said. "And you're already doing that anyway. Just make a few public appearances every month and it'll be fine."

"The board would never contradict you," Jade pointed out.

It was all going too fast for Jamil's mind to keep up. He turned to Azul, hoping that at least he would say something that made sense, but Azul had gone quiet, his chest rising and falling as he seemed to be trying to control his breathing.

Azul strode toward the couch to retrieve the remote where Floyd had dropped it, then turned off the TV before facing the twins.

"It's not the only option," he said firmly. "We are not trapping Jamil in this, is that clear?"

There was a crunching sound, and Jamil couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from until the two halves of the remote fell from Azul's grip and clattered onto the floor.

"Azul," Floyd said carefully in a placating tone that Jamil had never heard him use before. "Your eyes."

Jamil turned to Azul; his eyes had become a startling bright blue, the pupils elongated into horizontal slits.

Octopus eyes, Jamil realized.

Azul's face went slack with surprise for a second, then he blinked rapidly and backed away.

He turned away from them and placed his hands on his hips, head bowed while he took deep breaths.

Jamil looked at the twins in concern; he had never seen Azul’s eyes turn into what he assumed were their original form, and it seemed to happen out of Azul’s control. What did that mean?

Jade gave him a reassuring nod, and Floyd kept his eyes on Azul.

"Let's not decide on anything for now," Azul said quietly, and when he faced them again his eyes were back to normal. "The event will be starting soon. Let's discuss this again after that. I'll contact Idia and have him get a handle on that MagiCam post."

Jade nodded. "You and Jamil should arrive at the party separately just in case anyone there had seen the photo and would be keeping an eye out for you two. You and I can take your car, and Floyd and Jamil can take Floyd's."

"Yeah. I live nearby, anyway," Floyd said. "We'll get my car. And Sea Snake, change your hairstyle for tonight, okay? You can keep the ponytail but get rid of the braids, they're too recognizable."

"You don't have to go to the event at all," Azul looked at him for the first time since they got in the house. "We've dragged you enough into this."

"No," Jamil shook his head. "I started this. If I hadn't done that when we ran into each other, we wouldn't even have this problem. I'm not just hiding here."

Azul looked like he wanted to protest, but he nodded. "I'll get you a suit you can wear. Jade, Floyd, how about you two?”

“My suit is still at the cleaner’s,” Jade said. “We can stop by there first, and they have a changing room that I can use.”

“I’ll get my suit at my house when Sea Snake and I get the car,” Floyd replied.

Twenty minutes later, Jamil was in the passenger seat of Floyd’s ride, dressed in a borrowed suit with his hair in a simple ponytail and no braids.

“What’s the matter, Sea Snake?” Floyd asked as he drove steadily down the highway. “You’ve been quiet as a clam ever since we left Azul’s place.”

“Is he okay?” Jamil asked. “Why did his eyes become like that? And that thing with the TV remote…”

Azul was never one to show violence; he prided himself in his intellectual capacities rather than the physical. Even when he intimidated schoolmates at NRC, he was never known to break anything as a show of strength.

Floyd took a while to answer, and Jamil had the sense that he was choosing his words carefully, which was something he never would have expected of Floyd.

“About two years ago,” He began. “The three of us ran into some trouble. And Azul was the one who stepped up and got us out of it by the scales of our fins. It messed us all up pretty good, and what you saw earlier was the effect that that experience had left on Azul. Sometimes when he gets super stressed or overwhelmed, his eyes revert to their merform, and his octo-strength comes out.”

Jamil furrowed his eyebrows. Floyd obviously didn’t want to share specific details, but he was still curious. “What kind of trouble?”

“Hmmmm… Well it wasn’t like an Overblot or anything,” Floyd laughed. “Had enough of those back at school, eh? It was just a… scuffle. Of some kind. Don’t worry about it.”

A ‘scuffle’ that traumatized all three of them–some of the most feared people back at NRC during their time–definitely sounded like something to be worried about, but Floyd didn’t seem inclined on sharing any more information on it.

“What if he gets stressed at work?” Jamil asked instead. “Do his eyes turn like that?”

Floyd shook his head. “As far as I know, he’s never been like that at work. No one else even knows that he has those moments except for you and me and Jade. And that’s why Azul just leaves the office whenever he gets super stressed. Can’t risk anyone else seeing him lose control like that.”

“But he lost control of his eyes and strength just minutes ago, is he really in shape to attend that event?” Jamil asked in concern.

“He won’t let us stop him, you know that,” Floyd said in resignation. “Best we can do is watch over him and make sure nobody irritating is around him for a long time. It’s a lot more challenging than you’d think, considering his colleagues and those suitors.”

“Suitors?” Jamil frowned. “There’s gonna be suitors there?”

“Those idiots are everywhere, man,” Floyd said with irritation. “At every work event, in the office… if the board of directors has anything to do with a place, there’s bound to be at least one suitor there. And a party like later? I’m betting at least five.”

Jamil pursed his lips and stared out the window. He reminded himself that he had no intention of being in a romantic relationship with Azul, so he shouldn’t be affected even if the man would be surrounded by flirty celebrities tonight.

He was there to observe the members of the board and find out their weaknesses. That was it. At most, he’d help Jade and Floyd make sure that Azul would stay as calm as possible the entire night, and even then he couldn’t get too close and risk being recognized.

Azul himself said that he could fix that whole MagiCam fiasco without Jamil getting involved. So after tonight, Jamil’s work would be done and he’d never have to get involved with Azul ever again.

——

“How dare you suggest such a thing?” Azul immediately rounded on Jade as soon as his phone call with Idia ended. “You know the history of my feelings for Jamil and yet you propose that he be my accomplice for such a stupid charade?”

“I was just suggesting one possible solution, a convenient and accessible one,” Jade calmly explained from behind the steering wheel, not taking his eyes off the road. “Besides, you had taken Jamil into your home for an indefinite amount of time. I assumed that whatever romantic feelings you had for him are now non-existent and therefore it would not be a problem to make such a deal with him.”

“They are non-existent,” Azul hoped that his infuriated tone would convince Jade of the lie. “But that doesn’t mean that I appreciate you taking inspiration from the board members when it comes to your ideas.”

“I apologize,” Jade said sincerely. “I did not realize how such an idea would come across. What did Idia say?”

“He was able to trace the path of the post, and it’s unlikely that any of the guests tonight would have seen that picture already. He said he could stop it from circulating any further for another week, but after that, the only way to prevent it spreading would be to take down the post itself, which could be seen as suspicious by people who have already seen it.” Azul pinched the bridge of his nose and reminded himself to stay calm. He couldn’t afford for his eyes to change again in the middle of the event.

After Jade had suggested that he marry Jamil—regardless of whether it would be a fake marriage—it was like he was back at NRC, being mocked and laughed at by fellow students for chasing after the man. Business strategy or not, his days of shamelessly convincing Jamil to work with him were over.

“For tonight, just worry about getting through the entire event while remaining calm,” Jade told him. “We’ll worry about the MagiCam post tomorrow; Idia has bought us enough time.”

“Right,” Azul nodded, taking a breath. “Just get through tonight.”

——

A while later, Floyd and Jamil walked into the venue, the latter immediately taking a moment to look around the area and its high-end arrangements. The colors of the floor were a glossy black, blue and white, as if they were walking along a path of stars. Floating baubles of soft golden light illuminated the space, with dark blue draperies and roses completing the set-up. People from high society—politicians, businessmen, celebrities—are flitting around, talking to each other over wine and dinner.

And speaking of dinner, a wide array of gourmet dishes were being passed around and served. It was to be expected for the launching of a restaurant, Jamil thought. He hadn't seen any other restaurant launch that was this fancy, though.

He found Azul among the crowd, but he kept his distance, instead looking out to see if anyone would recognize and approach him.

"Hey," He whispered to Floyd, who'd been eyeing the bar to the side with ominous interest. "Who here are the board members?"

The eel quickly responded. "That there's Janara," he pointed to a woman with a hood obscuring most of her features standing in the corner. "Very private. Keeps to herself a lot. When she does speak, she whispers all creepy-like."

He then nodded to two individuals: a stocky fellow with braided dark-brown hair as well as the edge of a glowing tattoo peeking through his collar, and a beautiful individual with long silver hair, a fancy gown of royal yellows and blues and stark-white pupils.

"Tattoo-man is Root and the one with the freaky eyes is Aali. They're both super into these kinds of fancy shindigs. Root's level-headed but he's got a temper, and Aali's got a tongue as silver and sharp as their hair. The two of them are the ones who pester Azul the most, so they're pretty annoying…” Floyd wrinkled his nose.

Then he pointed to a short but striking beastwoman surrounded by colleagues and sipping disinterestedly at her drink. She had cropped hair, dark make-up, raven wings and dark-violet clothes. "Hammery. She's cold and stubborn, but if you manage to get on her good side, you get on the whole board's good side. She's pretty scary. She reminds me of Ma sometimes… Ah, and then there's Ol' Gura."

A wizened-looking man with a solid shell on his back was sampling some of the food with a pleasant smile on his face, donning white cream-colored robes and a dark brown hat.

"He's a turtle beastman. He kinda comes off as sweet and old, but he's got powerful connections to all kinds'a companies and organizations for a reason—do not piss him off… Those are all the members who're attending today. The others are too busy doin' somethin' somewhere else. You gonna talk to any of them?" Floyd asked.

"I'm not sure. Probably not a good idea considering the precarious scandal hovering over my head…" Jamil muttered. "Thanks for giving me a heads-up, though. For a second, I thought you were gonna give me their sea-based nicknames."

"Oh, I have ‘em. You wanna hear 'em?" Floyd grinned.

"No," Jamil frowned. "What about suitors? See any you recognize?"

There was a moment's pause before Floyd shook his head, his mood souring at the very prospect. "None... so far."

"Ah, Mister Ashengrotto, you've finally arrived!" Gura greeted the young businessman from behind, voice thin and frail as he merrily held up a plate of confectionaries. "Such a lovely little party we have here. I reckon it takes you back to your first official launching—Oh! Here, have some pudding. It's raspberry!" He held out a spoonful of food to him.

"Mister Gura," Azul smiled amiably. "Thank you, but I just arrived and I don't want to skip right to dessert.”

"Ah, regardless, it is good to see you here! You have been away from the office for quite some time!" Gura said in a playfully scolding tone.

"You don't need me there much these days, Mister Gura," Azul replied just as playfully. "I heard that the company is doing quite well under the board's management."

While Azul and Gura were talking, Jamil's attention turned to the person who just walked through the door.

A lady with silky brown hair and an elegant red dress that complimented her frame.

Scarlet Coldfire had arrived.

Jamil tensed up, recalling all the rumors he learned about her and Azul.

"Psst, Floyd. Is that..?" He was about to ask, but then he turned and saw that the merman had gone over to sit by the bar, talking to a dark-skinned female bartender with yellow-and-black-colored hair (similar to a bumblebee), who was staring at him with suspicion.

Seeing that he was alone, Jamil looked back to see that Scarlet had spotted Azul, eyes lighting up in delight.

"Well, well! I didn't expect to run into you here!" the lady said in greeting. "I had figured you'd be too busy for these sorts of social stunts."

"Oh, he's hardly busy nowadays, unless you count him running away from us as part of his work," Gura teased. He extended out a hand to kiss Scarlet's knuckles in respect. "Miss Coldfire. A pleasure to see you in this lovely evening–Oh! Pudding?"

"My, don't mind if I do, Mister Gura." Scarlet hummed, taking a bite as she daintily tucked locks of her hair behind her ear. Jamil couldn’t help but dislike how alluring it made her look. "Mm! Raspberry chia! Lovely. Azul, have you eaten yet?"

They were on a first-name basis? Even more concerning!

Azul shook his head. "No, I had a late lunch so I'm not hungry yet."

Scarlet clicked her tongue. "I see you're back to your usual excuses. Mister Gura, you don't mind if I steal Azul for a while, do you?"

Gura chuckled. "Go ahead, dear. I don't think he would mind either.”

Scarlet laughed brightly and touched Azul's arm. "Well then, shall we? There are plenty of vacant tables. You got us dinner last time, right? Let me get this one."

"You do know the food is free here tonight? It doesn't count," Azul raised an eyebrow.

"Then I can treat you to dinner again tomorrow night," Scarlet said smoothly.

There was a second of them just staring at each other, then they both laughed.

Azul turned to Gura. "If you'll excuse us, Mister Gura. The lady wants dinner."

"Of course," Gura stepped aside and gracefully gestured to the tables.

Azul and Scarlet walked away still chuckling like they were sharing an inside joke.

Jamil felt a pang of jealousy shoot into his veins. He wondered what was so funny that it had them laughing so much. What did she do that was able to brighten his mood at the drop of a hat?

Unsure what else to do, he moved to the side so no one would notice that he'd just been standing listlessly for the past several minutes. He got handed a beverage by a passing waiter, and he took it but didn't drink. He knew he should be focusing on what he came here to do, but he couldn’t help but keep looking at Azul and Scarlet's way…

"You're new." Someone whispered.

He jumped and glanced over to see the quiet one, Janara, staring at him from the darkness of her hood. It really looked like there's nothing in there but the void.

"Er... Excuse me?" He asked.

"I know everyone who walks through these halls. You are a stranger amidst allies and adversaries. Why are you here?" she hissed.

"...I'm new to the business world," Jamil attempted, trying to look pretentious enough to belong. "I was given a personal invite by Mister Ashengrotto and the Leech brothers to attend and familiarize myself with a crowd of potential connections. Could you be one of them?"

The woman didn't respond for a while. Then she croaked, "What do you dabble in?"

"Nothing of the culinary sort, mind you. It's sort of why I feel out of place right now." Jamil said.

"...I don't like parties, either."

"Hm?"

"Conducting business in a gathering meant for pleasure... It's a gross combination. I wish to return to the cold perches of my office..."

"Oh. I'm... sorry to hear that. I'm Jamil Viper, by the way. I hope I'm not making this event any more uncomfortable for you."

"You and I… the same first two letters."

"What?"

"J and A… I am Janara. We both share the same first two letters in our name." She rasped, holding her own drink, which seemed completely untouched. "Very interesting."

"I… Right." Jamil decided to take a swig of his drink, feeling that this was going to be a long night. At least he's interacting with a board member now.

Meanwhile, Scarlet was sitting across Azul at a table, her gaze fond. "How have you been, darling? I've barely heard from you lately. A text or two surely wouldn't have killed you, would it?"

“I don’t seem to remember you sending any texts either,” Azul playfully replied.

“Touché,” Scarlet laughed, an pleasant sound that Jamil was beginning to dislike. “So have you been inviting anyone else to dinners while I was away?”

For a moment, Azul’s easygoing expression broke, showing hesitance. Then he blinked and his playful smile was back.

"Maybe," he answered vaguely. "You've been away a long time."

Scarlet rolled her eyes and shook her head in amusement. Then she leaned closer to Azul and said something too quietly for Jamil to hear, but it looked like she had asked a question.

Surprise flickered in Azul's face for a moment, then his smile became a little more relaxed, more genuine.

He leaned closer to Scarlet as well.

"... I'll let you know," was all Jamil could hear.

Jamil bristled at the entire interaction, and he excused himself from Janara's presence. "Sorry, I gotta go to the bathroom."

Janara simply nodded, sending him off with a "I’ll be watching you. I do that with everyone… Always…"

Upon entering the restroom, which was just as fancy as the rest of the building, Jamil lingered by the sinks to sort out his priorities. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

What do you think you're doing, Jamil? Stop getting distracted.

Knowing that he'd just end up staring at Azul and Scarlet the whole night if he was in the same room, he decided to head for the outdoor patio, where he found Jade talking with Hammery.

"Golden Silk's not a cheap resource, but they make a hell of a boost for abjuration concoctions. It prolly won't do much remedy-ing in the middle of an emergency, but when you're about to enter into a situation you can't trust? It'll do you right," Hammery muttered, her voice low for her short stature.

"Is it even more potent than Spider Dewdrops?" Jade asked pleasantly.

Jamil seemed to understand that they're talking less about business and more about alchemical ingredients like a couple of potionology students.

Jade noticed him then, and smiled. "Ah, it looks like we have company. Miss Talonfoot, this young man is Jamil Viper, a... special associate of Azul's."

"A special associate?" Hammery raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Then why have I never seen you before, Mister Viper, if you're so special to Azul?"

"I hadn't been around the area for some time." Jamil answered semi-honestly, looking at Jade and wondering what sort of narrative he wants to spin here.

"He had been traveling around, getting some worldly experience in—you know how it goes,” the eel-man explained, as calm as ever. "And Azul likes to keep associates as special as Jamil close to his chest, but since he's here, we figured it would be good for him to familiarize himself with the corporate world. And you have my word–he is legitimate."

"Introducing him into the business, hm? Up-and-coming entrepreneur?"

"It is up to him." Jade responded. "He is no entrepreneur yet. If he wants to be, he can. We just wish to familiarize him with these things because, well…" He gave Hammery a smile. "We figured it would be nice for him to know this side of Azul's life."

Hammery squinted and directed her gaze to Jamil, studying him much more closely. "I see..."

Jamil tensed up, beginning to realize that Jade's putting him closer to the position that he had suggested before they went to the party.

"Where is Mister Azul?" Hammery asked, looking around. "We haven't seen him in a long while. Did you come here together?"

"He's inside," Jamil lamely gestured, at a loss for words. "He's…er… talking with the other guests."

"Do you have any concerns, Miss Talonfoot? If so, you know you can always discuss it with me." Jade asked.

"My business is not so urgent that I would want to interrupt his 'peaceful' night, but I want to get to know this chap," Hammery gestured at Jamil, taking another sip of her drink. "Anyone who Azul gets directly involved with gets directly involved with us as a result, so you're either an additional new asset or a stain on our foundation. Let's find out which one you are."

She passed her empty glass to Jade and clasped her hands together. "Fetch me another drink, Mister Leech. Thank you."

"Very well." Jade bowed and made his way back inside, giving Jamil a quiet look of reassurance. "Enjoy yourselves, you two."

When the door closed, things were quiet for a moment before Hammery began to take a walk, gesturing for Jamil to follow. Wordlessly, he complied, worried about what grave he could be digging himself into.

Hammery led him to one of the vacant outdoor tables, gesturing for him to sit.

"So, Mister Viper, which side of Azul's life do you know?" she asked. "You see, most of us here are only familiar with the President Azul Ashengrotto; we know very little about the other aspects of his life. So forgive me if I'm intrigued to meet someone outside of his business."

"Well… I first met him when we were both students in Night Raven College," Jamil began. He couldn’t help but feel that this is an interrogation somehow. "We often got paired up for school assignments and event-planning, and... we just became close that way."

Close in what way? he asked himself. As friends? As something more? He still wasn’t sure what angle to go for, so he attempted to be as vague as possible.

"Oh, a former classmate of his?" Hammery said in interest. "Judging by Azul's age, you two would have graduated about… five, six years ago? Did you remain close throughout that time? Or did you simply reappear in his life recently?" she asked with more than a little suspicion in her tone.

Jamil did his best to navigate the situation. If she found out that anything fishy's afoot, then his presence in the party was gonna be called into question.

"We... didn't keep in touch right away," he slowly stated. "But I happened to run into him during one of my travels a few years back and we've been spending more and more time since then."

"I see," she nodded slowly. "Then are you the one who's been keeping him away from us these past weeks?" she said in amusement. "We'd been wondering where he spends his time in if not at work."

"Ah," Jamil pretends to look shy, which wasn't hard because he felt embarrassed knowing that that's more or less true. "It wasn't my intention, but Azul insisted and we both know that the man can get pretty stubborn and persuasive once he gets his mind set on something."

Hammery chuckled. "That's quite true. You must be rather close, then, if he would take so much time away to spend it with you."

Jamil heard the unspoken question in her tone. Before he could think much of it, he saw Azul and Scarlet walking in the distance somewhere behind Hammery. They had gone to the patio as well and it looked like they were about to start a conversation, but Aali appeared and greeted them.

The silver-haired newcomer smiled with half-lidded eyes at Azul, and Jamil noticed Scarlet subtly put a possessive hand on Azul's arm as she exchanged pleasantries with the board member.

Just like her, Aali placed their own hand along Azul's shoulder, smiling and chatting with the couple about something before momentarily moving to pull the merman away.

Scarlet held on fast, her demeanor pleasant, but firm. Aali arched an eyebrow at her.

Tensions would have risen then, when from the interior, another fellow walked out of the building to meet the group, flanked by a crowd of socialites and journalists. Based on the way he was the center of attention, dressed in a fancy suit that shimmered in a luminous blue and jewelries made from bone, he was clearly the center of the party—the man celebrating the launching of his restaurant.

He greeted Azul, oblivious to the growing tension between the other two. He seemed excited to see the merman, like he was meeting a celebrity he idolized and admired. As a result, the crowd that followed him turned their attention to Azul, filled with bright curious smiles and loud chatter.

"What's happening?" Jamil asked, growing alert.

"Hm?" Hammery glanced at the ruckus and shrugged. "Annoying party people being annoying party people. Why?"

Jamil stood up and started to head over since he couldn't help but feel concerned. "Excuse me."

Hammery didn’t stop him, watching how it would all go down with quiet intrigue.

"Mister Ashengrotto!" one enthusiastic journalist stepped forward. "Is Miss Coldfire your date tonight?"

"Ah, not exactly," Azul smiled pleasantly, but Jamil could see from his tense shoulders that he felt caught off-guard by the group. "She and I are just catching up."

"Do you have a date tonight, then?" another journalist piped up, and a camera flash came from somewhere, lighting up Azul's surprised face for a moment.

"Is Aali your date?" the crowd began to press around them.

Aali laughed pretentiously and waved a hand in false modesty. "Oh, stop it, you. If I were Azul's date, it would be very obvious and would leave no room for questions."

"There are rumors that Nikolai Pennington is vying for your hand. Is it true you'll be making an appearance in his next movie?"

Multiple camera flashes went off.

"Um, no," Azul spoke evenly despite looking momentarily blinded. "I have not heard of any movie—"

"But is he courting you?"

"Is he here tonight?"

Camera flash.

"Ah, he's not here," the owner of the restaurant said. "But he certainly is welcome anytime!" he laughed heartily and clapped Azul on the back.

"What are your thoughts on all of these, Miss Coldfire?"

"I think we should all go back to the party," Scarlet said sweetly.

"Mister Ashengrotto, would you be having a date at your birthday gala?"

"Is Miss Coldfire invited?"

Before Azul could answer, there was yet another camera flash that reflected off his glasses, and then a dramatic gasp from one of the journalists in the back of the group.

"Is this you, Mister Ashengrotto?" one reporter asked wide-eyed, holding up his phone and projecting a hologram in the air to show his MagiCam news feed.

It was the picture of Azul and Jamil kissing.

The group erupted in surprised gasps and overlapping chatter.

Surprise was unmistakable on Azul's face as the questions bombarded him while Aali demanded an explanation.

Scarlet gave him a concerned look and held his arm comfortingly.

Camera flashes came from everywhere.

"Who is this person?"

"Are you two dating?"

"Are they here?"

"How long has this been going on?"

They were cornering Azul against the wall, and the merman's face was becoming paler.

"Miss Coldfire, did you know about this?"

"Aren't you afraid of being seen as his mistress?"

"I beg your pardon?" Scarlet was evidently trying hard to remain polite.

"You're overstepping, sir," Azul said in a dangerously calm voice.

"How many people are you dating right now, Mister Ashengrotto?"

The camera flashes weren't stopping, and Azul held up a hand to shield his face, turning to the side. He seemed to be controlling his breathing, his shoulders noticeably rising and falling.

From where he stood, Jamil could just glimpse Azul's eyes from behind his glasses.

Horizontal pupils on piercing blue irises.

Jamil stepped in before he could second-guess himself.

"That's enough," he announced, voice ringing out into the still courtyard. The people stopped and stared for a moment, surprised, as he stepped in front to shield Azul. "He's under no obligations to answer any of your questions tonight."

"Ah, you're the guy in the photo... I think!" One of them piped up, looking over at their device.

This caused another surge of murmurs of shock and curiosity.

"And what if I am?" he said out loud, his face getting warm. "Isn't it normal to greet one's lover in an embrace?"

"What?!" Aali exclaimed.

"What?!" the crowd gasped.

Scarlet stared in wide-eyed surprise.

He's really in for it now.

"Now if you'll excuse us, Azul needs a bit of space to himself," he hurriedly stated, tugging onto the merman's arm to lead him away. This time, neither Scarlet nor Aali did anything to stop him.

But as they were walking, the crowd burst into an uproar and were about to surround them with a slew of new questions when two tall men blocked their path.

"I'm sorry, did you not hear what the gentleman said?" Jade grinned, a hand placed on his chest.

"Buzz off, lil' guppies, or we're gonna have to do this the fun way!" Floyd smiled, baring his sharp teeth.

The crowd effectively clammed up and backed away. Jamil heaved a sigh of relief and continued to tug Azul into the nearest empty area, which were the hedge gardens near the patio. He spotted Hammery as they left, but the woman merely stared back, sipped from her newly-delivered drink, and said nothing.

Once he was sure they weren't getting followed, he turned to Azul and held him securely by his shoulders. "Hey. Are... Are you okay?"

Azul was staring at him in bewilderment, his eyes back to their human form. "W-What— am I…" he stammered. "Jamil! Why would you do that?! You've made yourself a target!"

"I didn't know what to do, it was the first thing I could think of!" he hissed. "They found the photo—it was the only way to get you out of that mob of predators!"

"But now they'll be coming for you, too!" Azul hissed back, glancing around to make sure no one had followed them. He started to pace around. "Perhaps we can still take it back, you can say that you just said that to help me, and Jade can accompany you back to my house. Floyd and I will deal with them here. We can deny that you're the one in the photo."

"The damage has already been done." Jamil reasoned, watching him walk back and forth. "If we retract it now, they're only going to question it and get even wilder with their rumors. Plus, I've already talked with two of your board members and I think they're suspecting the same thing. Choosing to back out will only make them more suspicious…" He sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I said things without confiding in you beforehand, and now you're stuck with me and this problem. I can just leave, say I'm some kinda fling that got presumptuous and brash, and I can take responsibility for the whole claim."

"What?" Azul stopped walking in front of Jamil and looked at him. "No, don't— No," he shook his head, walking closer. "Don't say those things about yourself. I'm just…" he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "This is a messy, ridiculous world, Jamil. I don't want you to be trapped in it, especially not for my sake."

"You're not trapping anyone," Jamil replied. "I was the one who started this when I kissed you in that parking lot. This is just the consequences of my actions coming full circle and I'm…"

He searched inside himself, trying to detect any notion of despair or fear, but he felt strangely calm.

"... honestly okay with facing it. Besides, it's like Jade said, this might be your best excuse to finally put that stressful bachelor thing behind you… Unless this arrangement is just stressing you out even more."

Azul looked surprised. "Jamil… Are you sure?" his eyebrows were furrowed in concern. "If we do this, it would be very difficult for you to back out. Even your travels might be affected if people recognize you in public. And I know how much you love to travel. I don't… I don't want to hold you back from that."

"You're right that it's a big decision to make on the fly," he admitted, thinking about the good and bad possibilities. "Traveling around might get… different, but I don't believe it'd be anything I can't handle. Even if they manage to wrangle me for an interview, it's not like I've got anything valuable to give them. Besides…"

He gave Azul a small smile. "I was already in pretty big trouble with the whole pin theft even before you came along. If I ever run into anything I can't face on my own… I now know I got someone I can lean on, right? The point is, at least for tonight, we'd benefit more by keeping up with the charade. We're gonna get pestered, but certainly not like how you were hounded mere moments ago."

Azul just stared at Jamil for a few seconds, then his gaze softened. "Thank you, Jamil. That couldn't have been easy for you to do in front of all those people and cameras. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, just let me know."

It seemed like Azul still had the same mindset when it came to favors.

Jamil huffed but stayed silent. He knew that if he tried to argue on that front, they'd be standing here all night.

"Sure… By the way, before the paparazzi came in, were those two bothering you? They seemed like they were going to start an argument earlier."

"Hm? Oh, Scarlet and Aali? It did get a little tense between them, but I don't think they would have caused a scene. Scarlet especially wouldn't start a fight; she's always been composed and level-headed."

Jamil noticed that Azul seemed to smile at that remark.

"... It looks like you and Miss Scarlet are pretty close." Could that be why Azul didn't want this pretend arrangement to begin with? But he shot down having a fake relationship with her, too, when Jade first brought her up. "Do you think… she'd have a problem about us being 'together'?"

Azul shook his head. "No, Scarlet doesn't like me in that way, and her own businesses are successful enough that she doesn't need to marry into another company. I would still have to talk to her, but she won't get in the way." He looked at Jamil with worry. "Are you sure you don't have a problem with this? There will be interviews. We'd have to face cameras and talk about… us."

"Then... we might as well get our answers prepared so I won't just look like I'm making things up on the spot."

Azul opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of footsteps approached, and they saw two people with notebooks and a camera looking around.

Azul grabbed Jamil's arm and pulled him behind the tall hedge, pressing him against it.

"Shh," Azul whispered, his face mere inches from Jamil's. He was looking to the side to peek at where the reporters were heading, his hand still holding Jamil's arm.

Jamil stayed still, staring at the other and taking this moment to really think about how he feels regarding their current situation.

To be perfectly honest, a part of him felt smug at having asserted his connection to Azul in front of Scarlet and Aali, even if he's still not wholly sure how they both feel about him.

But more importantly, he's nervous about getting this right and following through. He could admit that these were messy circumstances... yet he really didn't regret it as much as he thought he should.

He knew within himself that Azul... definitely wasn't the worst person to get stuck in a fake relationship with.

"Are they gone?" he mouthed to the other, noting their close proximity.

Azul took a moment to double check, then he nodded.

"Yes, they—" he turned to face Jamil and seemed to realize for the first time how close they were, their noses almost touching.

Azul flushed and quickly stepped back, letting go of Jamil's arm.

He cleared his throat and looked away. "Yes, they're gone now."

"Cool..." Jamil mumbled, straightening up and brushing off any of the leaves and branches on him. "About the cover story, Hammery knows we met as NRC students and that we saw each other again after graduation when I ran into you by coincidence. All true things, save for the fact that I made it sound like the run-in happened a few years ago and that we've been keeping touch since then, hence why they've only known about my existence tonight."

Azul nodded. "They would certainly ask how long we had been together already. Fortunately neither of us had been in any relationships, so we can choose how far back or how recently we supposedly started dating. What time-frame would be comfortable for you?"

"Will we only be posing as boyfriends or as something with more commitment?" Jamil asked. "The time-frame can shift depending on that answer. Will they bother us more if we're just dating or if we're engaged?"

"There would be plenty of questions either way," Azul said, clearly displeased with the thought. "The board and any suitors would most likely stop pestering me about dating, though, if we say we're engaged. But would you really be okay with that?" he frowned in concern.

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Jamil replied. He placed a hand on his chin. "So it's been six years since we've graduated... Should we say we've reunited four years ago, got together around the following year then got engaged within the past few weeks?"

"So we've been together for three years and got engaged… let's say… two weeks ago?" Azul asked. "And you'd been traveling around and just got back on the day that photo was taken. How does that sound?"

Jamil nodded. "We can make that work... Anything else I should know about before we inevitably get back in there? For the time being, they're not expecting me to be business-savvy. Jade and I established with Hammery and Janara that I'm new to the whole thing."

"I think that's it for now." Azul took a breath and ran a hand through his hair, evidently still a little rattled. "If you want to leave at any point for whatever reason, just say you have a headache and I'll have Floyd drive you to my house. Here's a spare," Azul took a keychain from his pocket and removed one key, handing it to Jamil.

As he received it, the raven-haired man made an awkward grin. "A key to your house? Now it really does look like we're engaged... Do you not have the same luxury? It doesn't look like you were enjoying yourself at the party even before this happened."

Unless you count the time when he started hanging out with Scarlet…

"I'm sure Floyd and Jade would be happy to make sure you leave safe and unbothered," Jamil added.

"I just got here, I should stay for about an hour more, at least," Azul said. "It's important that the investors see my presence, especially since I didn't exactly gracefully handle the situation earlier," he sighed. "You don't need to wait for me."

"Nah. I'll stick around. I still have to meet the other board members, anyway. And people would think something's fishy if I were to leave on my own. Would you prefer it if we both kept our distance throughout our stay? It's alright if being together's just gonna bring us more unwanted attention."

"I think we will be met with questions as soon as we return. And while Jade and Floyd will be there to prevent us from being swarmed, they can't stop the reporters entirely without causing trouble for the company. It might be better if we answer the questions together to make sure that we tell the same story, in case they ask anything that we didn't anticipate. Is that alright?"

Azul's usually composed appearance still seemed uncertain. He hid it well, but Jamil knew him enough to see how nervous he was.

Jamil took a moment to think before nodding. "Okay. That sounds fine to me. Maybe this might not mean much from the guy who landed you here in the first place, but... We'll get through it somehow, even if it's just for this party."

He walked over, wondering if it was possible to comfort someone knowing that he was pretty much responsible for their worry. Should he hold out a hand..?

He did. "For the ruse," he said as an excuse. "We'll head back when you're ready."

Azul looked at Jamil’s hand for a moment, then took it. He managed a smile. "I think I'm ready now. And Jamil? Just so you know, I don't blame you at all for any of this. And I don't regret helping you that day."

"Oh," Jamil blinked, feeling a part of him exhale in relief. "I'm glad. I'm not mad or blaming you for any of this, either. So…" He gestured to the party. "Let's go show those fellows what a great couple we make."

Azul chuckled and led Jamil back inside.

There was a noticeable hush when they returned, though Azul was right and they didn’t get swarmed this time. Jamil couldn't see the twins, but he's sure that they're just watching.

Reporters and guests alike followed them with gazes as they approached the tables.

"They'll ask us questions as soon as we sit down," Azul whispered to him. "Get ready."

Jamil took in a breath, glancing at each and every one of the people eyeing them with great anticipation. Then he nodded, squeezing Azul’s hand. "Let's do this."

They took their seats at a table, and a moment later a reporter approached them. Jamil recognized him as the one who saw the photo on MagiCam.

"Mister Ashengrotto," he tried for a smile, standing behind one of the chairs. "May I ask for an interview with um… the both of you?" he glanced around nervously. Whatever the twins told them earlier, it seemed effective.

"Of course, have a seat," Azul gestured to a chair.

The reporter looked quite bright—literally. His hair, styled upwards, glowed warmly, bathing his dark skin like he's some sort of fire spirit. He cleared his throat and turned to Jamil. "Edwar Marks of the Whispers Tribune. I, and many others here, wish to know about why you chose to reveal such shocking information midway through the party."

"Well, we hadn't been planning on announcing it just yet, but I'm afraid that candid photo you found sort of left us with no choice." Jamil replied, stoic and composed, just like how he was when he got Azul out of the throng of guests earlier.

"So you were hiding it?" the fiery fellow remarked, eyes of molten gold blinking in surprise. "Is that why you both arrived in separate vehicles earlier? And why you chose to stay separate until this very moment? Whatever for?"

"You and I know how stressful it is to be in this industry," Azul said evenly. "I didn't want Jamil to deal with all of that by being associated with me in the public's eye."

"Oh how sweet!" Edwar's hair flickered excitedly. "That explains why none of your suitors ever swayed you, Mister A! Your heart was already taken by Mister Jamiiiil…?"

Edwar looked at him questioningly, pen poised on paper as he waited for Jamil's last name.

Would it be foolish to give them his real last name?

No, even if he gave a fake pseudonym, news of their engagement would spread, and their friends and families would catch wind of it and question its legitimacy.

"Viper," he smiled.

Edwar promptly nodded and jotted it down before perking back up again. "Right, then! So what sort of relationship are we looking at here?"

"Ah. We're engaged."

"ENGAGED!?" The rest of the room followed suit in gasping. "Such a passionate bond has been taking place underneath our noses this whole time!? But then..." he gestured at their hands. "No rings? Not even stealthy ones?"

"Er-- Of course not. We'd be found out right away," Jamil hastily replied. Then he gestured at his hair tie, which was adorned with a scarlet gem. "We gave each other a different sort of engagement token. Something more subtle. Azul gifted me with this one." He glanced at the other, falling silent to signal him to continue.

"And Jamil gave me this," Azul pointed to a purple gemstone pinned to his collar. "As he said, rings would be too obvious, but we still wanted to give each other something.”

"Aww," Edwar cooed. "And how long have you two been this way? Quite clever of you to hide it from all of us!"

"We just got engaged two weeks ago, when we went on a trip outside the city," Azul calmly said.

Edwar gasped. “Oh, is that why you said you were on vacation at the time? We were surprised when it was Mister Jade Leech who was running Mostro Lounge.”

"Ah, you still remember that?" Azul smiled amiably, and Jamil knew that he had deliberately been counting on the reporter remembering that detail to give more credibility to the story.

"Why, of course!" Edwar said proudly. "I interviewed you the day you returned, didn't I? And you know I never forget our talks," he touched a hand to his chest dramatically. "So," he leaned forward conspiratorially. "Who popped the question?"

Jamil felt Azul tense up beside him. They hadn't prepared for this.

"Er... I did," Jamil offered, looking awkward. "It wasn't anything fancy, though. I could never compete with Azul's grand lifestyle. I'm not all that rich or acclaimed for much, so... I try to make up for it however I can."

"It was more than what I could have asked for," Azul said fondly, smiling at Edwar like he's telling a friend a story. "I had been planning on proposing myself, so you could imagine my surprise when Jamil did it first."

"I think we were all surprised, Mister Ashengrotto!" Edwar let out a merry laugh. Then he turned to Jamil, readying his notebook again. "So, how did this proposal go, Mister Viper? Tell us everything!”

"Actually, Edwar," Azul cut in. "If you don't mind, I had actually been planning to take Jamil on a date tonight. We just stopped by here for the launch, but it's almost time for our dinner reservation," He looked at his watch. "I do apologize for cutting this short. If the Tribune would like, you can contact Jade and set up a proper interview," he smiled apologetically and stood up, then turned to Jamil. "Shall we, darling?"

Jamil internally huffed in relief, his head calming down from trying to scramble up a story. He nodded, keeping his eyes on Azul and following him out. The press expressed cries of disappointment, having formed into a line after Edwar, but they couldn't do much else.

"Dinner reservation?" Jamil inquired.

"We're going back to my house," Azul said, pulling out his phone and making a call. "Meet back home. Now."

He put his device back in his pocket and glanced around, noticing that the guests outside were eyeing them.

He turned to Jamil and smiled, then took his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Let's go."

Jamil blushed as if they hadn't just held hands moments earlier. Something about Azul initiating it had his heart start to race.

"Did I mess up or something?" he asked as they made their way to the parking lot, pretty certain that they hadn't been at the party for a whole hour yet.

"What?" Azul turned to him in surprise. "No, no," he squeezed Jamil's hand reassuringly. "I just…" he sighed. "I realized how unprepared we were. That was just one reporter, and already we were scrambling with the questions. It would especially be a problem if we forgot the details and gave a different answer to another reporter. We need to build a solid story first."

There was no one else around anymore... and yet their hands were still linked.

…

Jamil didn't let go until they got in Azul’s car.

"So you're not gonna get in trouble for having to leave early?" He asked. "Although I suppose that that means that we stopped taking the attention away from the launch celebrant. He might sport a grudge on you and me for making his special day about us instead.”

"Yes, it's fine," Azul said as he started the car, a subtle crease on his forehead. The frown remained as he drove, looking into the distance and not saying anything.

Meanwhile, Jamil's phone was buzzing with notifications.

Jamil, unsure what to do with the ensuing silence, picked up his phone and took a look at what all the fuss was about.

The most recent text was from Ruggie.

ure engaged to azul?!? we'd been working together for 2 months and u never told me?!! is this fr???

Ruggie had sent another text after that, a link to an article by the Whispers Tribune with the headline, "The Viper Who Caught The Bachelor's Heart".

Another text was from Najma.

YOU AND AZUL!!!! I KNEW IT! WHY DIDNT U TELL MEEE 😭😭

She had sent an article, too, this one accompanied with the MagiCam photo. The headline was "The Viper's Kiss".

Kalim had sent a text as well.

JAMIL!! CONGNATLATIONS!!! WHENS THE WEDDING? : D

All the other texts had come from the old NRC groupchat that Cater had brought back to life by sending the MagiCam photo and the link to the article.

Cater: OMG!!!!!! CONGRATS U GUYS! 😍😍😍 Epel: 😲😲😲 Ace: WTF Vil: Well, it's about time. Leona: yea, whyre u all surprised Riddle: Oh, they're engaged! How wonderful. My congratulations to you both, @Azul Ashengrotto and @Jamil Viper.

"Oh, Sevens... The others back at home and NRC are beginning to find out," Jamil frowned, eyes flitting through each of their posts. Why were there so many apparently expecting this? "Are we gonna have to act in front of all of them, too? I think at least a few of them, like Ruggie, can be trusted with the truth."

Azul nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "Yes, I believe we can tell Ruggie, especially since he would be able to help us with the ruse. What about your sister? Do you think we can tell her?"

"I can't say for sure yet," Jamil ruminated. "She's normally trustworthy, but there's a chance she could blab by accident and be overheard by my folks back home…"

Oh man, his parents. Well, they're in for quite a shock. "Is there a chance your family's gonna hear about this?"

"Perhaps not right away," Azul's thoughtful frown became a little more noticeable. "Though my mother would surely want the full story once she finds out…"

The car slowed down to a stop at a traffic light.

"… Are you holding up alright? You seem worried about something."

Azul blinked the frown away and nodded, releasing a slow breath. He closed his eyes for a moment and rubbed his forehead.

"I'm fine. It's just… a lot. There would be many questions from the board, and we'd have to be careful every time either of us goes outside." Azul paused, then looked at Jamil. "You saw my eyes change, didn't you? That's why you intervened."

"... Yeah, I did. That's never happened before back when we were classmates. Floyd told me it started a few years ago. Do you feel… anything dangerous when it happens?" Jamil leaned back in his seat. "Also you don't have to tell me what happened. From what I could tell, it's a pretty distressing time for all three of you, and that's saying something."

Azul stared at him, searching his expression. "You're not scared? Even when you saw me like that twice today already?"

"No..." he shook his head. "Should I be?"

If he was being perfectly honest, he's more worried about Azul and how it affected him.

"No," Azul reassured him. "But… I get scared, sometimes," his voice faded out. He looked down momentarily before speaking again. "I'm still in control of my thoughts whenever it happens, but you saw how I broke the TV remote earlier without even realizing it. Sometimes I worry that I might hurt someone…"

Azul had a distant look in his eyes that Jamil was all too familiar with. He saw it whenever he had the courage to face the mirror in the days following his Overblot.

"You won't." Jamil stated. Though he has no basis for this statement, he was confident and clear in saying it. "You've got better control than most mages, even those who are way older than you. And whether the people around you can get hurt is not what matters—you're the one who's feeling hurt and scared in the first place."

Azul seemed surprised at his remark. He looked like he was about to say something, but the traffic light changed to green and he faced the road again to continue driving.

“Thank you… for what you did back there,” Azul said quietly. “My eyes had never changed in public before. They could have noticed it if you hadn’t stepped in. I know it wasn’t an easy decision to make, and I want you to know that you can back out of this at any point. The twins and I will handle things.” His expression was guarded and his voice remained level.

Jamil stared at Azul's tense posture. "... When do you think I'll back out?"

Azul frowned in confusion and glanced at him for a second. “I’m… not sure. I don’t mean to say that I don’t trust you to keep up the ruse, I’m just letting you know that you don’t have to work with me if it ever feels too troublesome. This isn’t like Flight Class where Coach forced you to help me—” he cut himself off and took a breath. “You’re not stuck in this, that’s all,” he continued quietly.

"... I know." Jamil muttered, keeping his eyes on the road.

He's not sure what he's going to do for his future travels now that he has this to keep up. Would it be more suspicious if he stopped all his trips entirely? It's not as if they're an urgent need.

He would still want to have that option available, though. He doesn't mind traveling around with the mantle of an engaged man—it most likely wouldn't change much of anything on his end. But what about Azul?

He's certain Azul would let him.

... But he wishes he could have Azul travel with him. Alas, the man's got many responsibilities he couldn't afford to ignore.

"I wasn't ‘stuck’ during Flight Classes, either… Just wanted to let you know. Point is . . . I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

Azul was silent for a few moments. Then he spoke softly. “Alright.”

They reached the merman’s house shortly, and before Azul could close the gate behind them, Floyd’s car pulled up.

“Heyyy~!” he greeted cheerfully, rolling down his window and parking next to Azul’s vehicle. Jade was sitting beside him in the passenger seat. “Congratulations to the new couple!”

Azul closed the gate using a remote control and went into the living room, entirely ignoring Floyd.

"Guess he's not in the best of moods now that he's 'engaged' to me," Jamil joked to the twins, watching Azul disappear into the house. "So how was the situation at the party after we left? Any violent reactions?"

“The reporters complained and wanted to set up interviews, but Jade told them to just email their requests. Scarlet asked us how Azul’s doing. That’s about it,” Floyd said as he and Jade got out of the car. “There was a scheduled presscon about the restaurant’s launch, anyway, so we slipped out when that happened.”

“And I wouldn’t worry too much about Azul’s bad mood,” Jade added with his usual pleasant smile. “I’m certain you aren’t the cause of it. Shall we head inside?”

Jamil nodded and followed them through the front door, falling quiet for a moment before asking, "Do you two... think I made a bad decision? Leaping into the fray without thinking like that?"

“Hell no!” Floyd said immediately, grinning. “Did’ja see everyone’s faces when you called yourself Azul’s lover?” he laughed heartily then sighed in content. “That was the best.”

Jade chuckled. “I also don’t think it was a bad decision. It’s admirable that you took quick action when you saw the situation. Besides, I had already suggested the strategy of your engagement with Azul earlier today, so what you did wasn’t entirely unplanned.”

“What Jade is trying to say…” Floyd draped an arm around Jamil. “... Is we’re real happy to have you as a brother-in-law, Sea Snake!”

Jamil spluttered in surprise. "Brother-in-law?! Wait, what does that... Were you guys related to Azul this whole time?"

“No, but he’s still our brother!” Floyd said, then leaned down to get his face close to Jamil’s, dropping his voice dangerously low. “So don’tcha dare break his heart, ‘kay?” He stared at Jamil with the same heterochromatic eyes that terrified their schoolmates back at NRC.

The raven-haired man tensed up at the threat. Floyd makes it sound like they're together for real... "I'll take care not to... Honestly, I'm glad that he's got you guys looking out for him. I suppose let's all do what we can to make sure this engagement farce goes off without a hitch."

“Yeah!” Floyd said cheerfully and straightened up, no trace of the ominous air that he displayed mere moments ago.

Jade just chuckled at their exchange and led the way to the living room.

They found Azul sitting in one of the couches, scrolling through his phone.

"I've gotten multiple emails from each of the board members," he told them without looking up. "Some congratulatory, others upset, all of them immensely curious. They're demanding a meeting sometime this week."

"That's hardly a problem, we can finish building your story tonight," Jade said confidently as he sat down on the couch across Azul. Floyd plopped down beside him, putting his feet up on the coffee table; at least he had the decency to take off his shoes first.

Jamil slowly made his way over to sit beside Azul, wondering whether or not to be close. Tentatively, he filled the twins in on what the public, including the board members, knew about them so far. "What sort of details are we still missing?"

"We need to figure out how the proposal went, since that's certainly a question they would be asking, as evidenced by Edwar earlier," Jade said, turning on his tablet. "Specific details aren't highly necessary, you can always say that you prefer to keep it private."

"What kinda questions did they ask you about Scarlet back then, Azul?" Floyd tilted his head.

"It was mostly just how we met and whether we were dating, which Jamil had already answered about us earlier," Azul said. "So their next questions wouldn't be about those things anymore."

"Who courted whom?" Jade asked, ready to type on his tablet. "Who initiated the romance?"

"It might be more believable if we say I did," Azul said slowly, frowning thoughtfully. "If they interview some of our old schoolmates—like Vil, for example—they can attest that I was the one who often sought out Jamil back then."

"Right, but it's not like anyone would say it was romantic or anything," Jamil commented, trying to think back on it. It certainly didn't feel like Azul was flirting... or had he been viewing it wrong somehow? "Still, that sounds like a good balance, you initiating the dating phase and me proposing. It really paints a picture of a lovey-dovey couple. How would you say the initial confession was like—the very moment we would have started dating?"

Azul thought about it. "Where were you three years ago? If we say that we were together on a particular day, we have to be sure that no one could disprove it. We should pick a time where I wasn't at the office, and you weren't with anyone else. We could say that I confessed to you three years ago in whichever country you were in."

"But did y'all get together immediately after you confessed?" Floyd asked. Then he turned to Jamil. "Didja give yer heart to Azul right away or did the courting last for a while?" he smirked, clearly enjoying building the story.

"Three years ago..? I was at the City of Flowers in the Shaftlands." Jamil replied.

"Ah, of course. The city of romance!" Jade beamed.

"I bumped into a familiar face there, but . . . I don't think he pried close enough to know that I had been traveling by myself at the time," the raven-haired man admitted, recalling his brief and accidental reunion with one Rollo Flamme, who's a teacher now at Noble Bell College.

As far as he could tell, he's still about as stern as ever—capable of giving even Trein a run for his money despite his younger age.

But more importantly…

"I probably would've said yes right away," he quietly replied, fiddling with his coat. "I would assume we've already been spending some time together at this point, right? I see no reason for me to let him court me any further."

He's already lost his chance once. At least this imaginary Jamil achieved something he wished he’d done.

"Alright, let's see…" Azul fidgeted with his cuff. "I was on leave from work for the first two weeks of February three years ago. They wanted me to host a birthday gala, and I wanted some time to myself before it. We can say that I went to you in the City of Flowers." He cleared his throat. "I confessed my feelings to you in the square by the bakeshop. We all spent some time there way back when we attended the masquerade and our old schoolmates can confirm that in case they're interviewed. I confessed there because it's special to us; we ate there with our friends after we danced. How's that?" he adjusted his glasses.

Jamil perked up at the memory. "Oh yeah... Sounds good. Although I recall that you didn't eat that much compared to our other schoolmates... Do you remember or liked any of the pastries they served there?"

"I liked the croissants," Azul recalled. "And the chocolate éclairs."

"That reminds me," Floyd sat up straighter. "Did you have dinner yet?"

"... No," Azul replied. "There wasn't time earlier."

"I'll see if there's anything to microwave." Floyd got up and walked to the kitchen.

"How about you, Jamil?" Jade asked him. "Did you manage to eat at the party?"

"Not at all. I can help cook… even if it means having to work with Floyd in the kitchen." he offered, beginning to get up from the couch.

"No please, you're our guest," Jade held up a hand to stop him. "I can help Floyd."

But before Jade could stand up, there was a ding in the kitchen, and Floyd returned carrying a tray with a plate of what looked like some type of bread.

"Pizza rolls!" he happily announced, placing the tray down on the table.

"I didn't have pizza rolls," Azul narrowed his eyes.

"But you had pizza. I rolled them." Floyd twirled his Magic Pen in his fingers and sat back down next to Jade.

"Ah, dinner is served," Jade chuckled then turned back to Jamil. "Now, what made you propose to Azul? How did you decide it?"

Jamil hummed in thought as he took a pizza roll. "What made me propose... Perhaps, after traveling around and coming back here, I decided that as much as I enjoyed it, nothing makes me happier than being by his side... Or is that too cheesy?"

"It's perfect," Jade smiled pleasantly and took note of it on the tablet. "And what made you say yes?" he asked Azul.

Azul took a moment to think about it. "I realized that through all the years of meeting people and making connections, I feel most comfortable with Jamil. And I liked the idea of coming home to him every night."

"How touching," Jade typed in Azul's answer.

"Ya better phrase it better than that in the actual interview, Azul," Floyd said. "That didn't sound romantic enough."

Azul just rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile, Jamil's picturing the image of welcoming Azul home, or maybe even vice versa. The thought of coming to a warm meal, a hug, maybe even a...

He blinked himself out of his stupor, clearing his throat as he looked at Floyd. "How would you know what did or didn't sound romantic? Have you dated anybody before?"

Floyd made a face. "No, but I know Azul can do better than that! What happened to yer fancy words?" he demanded Azul. "Ya always talk fancy in interviews, right?"

"We're just practicing the questions," Azul reminded him. "The flowery sentiments can come later."

"Here's a question for ya, Sea Snake," Floyd said. "How do you deal with your fiancé when he's too stubborn to eat?"

"Floyd," Azul said in annoyance.

"Don't gimme that face!" Floyd said, pointing at Azul with a pizza roll. "You fainted that one time because you weren't eatin'!"

"You will not say that in any interview," Azul glared at him.

"You fainted?" Jamil whipped around towards Azul. "Why weren't you eating?"

He glanced at their meal and offered one for him to take. "Surely you don't have to worry about keeping up appearances so much that you'd turn down a warm pizza roll now, would you?"

Azul hesitantly looked at the rolls, then looked at Jamil. He sighed and took one.

"I had a photoshoot for a magazine coming up in a week, and I got too stressed about not gaining weight," he said quietly, nibbling on the roll.

"But you had started eating normally again three days before the photoshoot, right?" Jade gently reminded him. "And it turned out fine."

"I suppose it did," Azul mumbled.

"Super fine, according to Nikolai Pennington," Floyd snickered. "He asked you out when that magazine issue was released, right?"

"He just wanted arm candy for the red carpet of his new TV series," Azul waved a hand dismissively.

"Who's Nikolai Pennington?" Jamil asked, feeling the familiar wave of jealousy prickling his skin. He has half a mind to bring his phone out to search him up. "Is he some kind of actor?"

"Yep, and model," Floyd said through a mouthful of pizza roll. "Kinda like Vil."

"He's actually worked with Vil in a movie once," Jade said. "The action-romance story gained quite the acclaim at the box office."

"He's a hot villain, not gonna lie," Floyd added.

"He certainly is quite talented," Jade said, amused at his brother's remark. "And he has shown up in every one of Azul's birthday galas."

"Because the board keeps inviting him," Azul scowled.

"He's an influential person," Jade shrugged.

"He's an insufferable prick," Azul countered.

Jade chuckled, taking a pizza roll for himself. "Regardless, he's busy filming his new movie nowadays. Perhaps he won't even be at your birthday gala this year."

"And even if he is, ya got Sea Snake now," Floyd pointed out. "So he can't keep flirtin' with ya anymore."

"Hopefully the engagement's a strong enough buffer to keep him at bay, then..." Jamil muttered. "Yanno, with all these people pawing for your attention, I'm surprised that you are still single, Azul. Only ever married to your business for the rest of your life or something?"

"I simply don't like any of them," Azul gave a half shrug.

Floyd snickered but said nothing.

"How about you, Jamil?" Jade asked in interest. "Any former paramours that might have objections with your engagement announcement?"

He shook his head. "My travels were pretty much focused on some badly-needed 'me time', so there wasn't much leeway to include anyone else. I made friends, but I'd hardly call them 'paramour material'. And you? Found someone to share your love for mushrooms with?"

"Ah, no," Jade smiled. "I still manage my greenhouse all by myself."

"And a good thing, too. I don't need a second person to cook me mushrooms all the time," Floyd made a face.

"I think I'm heading to bed now," Azul sighed as he rubbed his eyes under his glasses. "Set the interview for this coming Saturday," he told Jade.

"You haven't finished your food, Azul," Jade gently pointed out.

Azul looked down at the pizza roll in his hand like he had forgotten about it. He had eaten less than half.

"I'm not hungry," he mumbled, putting the roll back on the plate.

"Why not?" Jamil asked, looking at Azul in concern. "A good rest involves adequate sleep and food. Is it the fact that it's a pizza roll? I can go and cook something else for you if it can help. Or maybe it's indigestion... I can brew you tea. Do you want tea?"

Azul pursed his lips, hesitating as he was about to stand up.

"We'll be taking our leave now so you two can rest," Jade said. "Just message us if you need anything."

"And get some food in that guy," Floyd told Jamil as he and Jade stood up.

"Thank you for tonight, you two," Azul said quietly.

"Anytime," Floyd made finger guns and clicked his tongue.

Jade put a hand to his chest and tipped his head kindly. "We'll show ourselves out."

And then it was just Azul and Jamil.

"You don't have to cook anything for me," Azul said, taking his pizza roll. "I'll just finish this. But… some tea would be nice," he managed a smile.

Okay, that's something, at least. He nodded and made his way to the kitchen counter, putting up the kettle and boiling the water. "Do you have a preference?" he called out to Azul.

"Not really," Azul said, following him into the kitchen and bringing the plate of rolls over to the counter. "And feel free to cook anything you like if you're still hungry."

"Nah. Wouldn't feel right to use a guy's cooking equipment and just feed myself. The rolls are enough," Jamil replied, turning to the shelves to see what sort of teabags they've got. As his eyes roamed the interior, a thought crossed his mind. "... What was it like? Buying and sleeping in this fancy house for the first time? Were the Leech twins still rooming with you then?"

"Yes, we all lived together," Azul said. "It wasn't that much different from rooming with them in Octavinelle, except I didn't have a responsibility over them as Prefect so I felt more relaxed. I correctly anticipated Floyd's chaotic bathroom habits, so I had chosen the bedroom with its own bathroom. Jade didn't mind sharing a bathroom with Floyd as long as he got to have the garden for himself.

We had chosen a house with a pool for whenever we had to shift back into our merforms, though of course Floyd used it and swam whenever he liked. We used to have fights over who had to clean the pool. I said he should since he used it the most, and his counterargument was simply that he didn't want to," he said in amusement.

Jamil smiled at the very thought. "Classic Floyd... What made them move out, then? Did it get… a little lonely when you first woke up to an empty house?"

"Jade wanted to live closer to a university for his alchemy research as he still has a fondness for foraging for ingredients and making potions. Meanwhile, Floyd said he wanted to see what it's like to live by himself," Azul replied. "It was a little lonely at first, since I've spent the previous years seeing them every day since NRC. But I still saw them at work, with Jade being head of the PR department, and Floyd being head of security. Plus we made time to hang out."

Azul looked at him curiously. "How about you? Did it ever feel lonely, traveling by yourself?"

Jamil hummed in thought, recalling the mornings and the evenings where he'd be somewhere new, sometimes with strangers sharing the same living accommodations, sometimes on his own.

"It was strange for a while, not hearing the bustle of the Asims' staff or waking up to someone telling me to attend to something, but don't get me wrong, I saw that as a good thing. I don't miss my old life, but traveling alone definitely gave me room to appreciate the times where I do get to hang out with friends. How did your mom feel when she learned that you weren't coming back to the sea after you graduated?"

"I went home for several months after graduation to spend time with her, and she was alright with me pursuing my business plans here as long as I visit her every month for a few days…" Azul looked down and idly twirled the pizza roll in his hand. He had a worried frown on his forehead.

Jamil caught the minute change of his expression. "... And when was the last time you visited her?"

Azul blinked and looked at him, as if coming out of his thoughts. "About a month ago. Which means… I have to visit her again soon. And I want to. I love her and I do enjoy spending time with her. It's just… She would want to know about… our arrangement." He took a breath before speaking again. "News from land travels even under the sea, and my mother actively keeps up with any news about me. If she hears of my engagement from someone else, she might think I didn't care enough to tell her myself."

He idly tore the roll into smaller pieces and finished eating it, though he didn't look like he was tasting the flavors at all.

"Then let's go and visit her when it's time," Jamil offered. "We can tell her that we hadn't told her because… erm … we wanted wedding preparations organized before we told our family and friends. We were trying to keep it on the downlow as a private event but, well, the paparazzi just got to us."

Azul looked surprised by his response, then he recovered and nodded. "What about your parents? Do we tell them the same thing?"

Jamil sucked air through his teeth. "Now that... is an interesting thought. Things between us aren't the absolute best since Kalim's dismissed me and my family from a lineage of servitude, but... I suppose they'd still like to know if I ever have someone special in my life, so yeah."

Azul nodded and stood up, gesturing at the pizza rolls. "Do you still want these or should I put them in the fridge?"

"... Wait," Jamil takes one more roll. "Okay, now you can take them away."

As he finished his food, he got Azul's tea ready—a peppermint brew—and placed the teacup on a saucer. "I don't think I can make it as good as Jade does, but... I hope this suffices."

Azul transferred the rolls in a covered container and put them in the fridge.

Then he returned to take the cup that Jamil had prepared. He blew on it to cool it down and gingerly took a sip.

"It's good," Azul gave him a small smile, but now that they were facing each other with only the counter between them, Jamil could see the hint of sadness in his eyes.

Azul put down the cup on the saucer. "Since the actual thieves at the restaurant have been caught, it's safe for you to go back to your apartment whenever you wish."

"... Oh," Jamil realized. "Right…"

Silence hung in the air for a solid moment. Jamil had completely forgotten about that initial arrangement.

He supposed he should go; he didn't want to impose on Azul any further.

And yet…

"Would it be wise for us to sleep in separate buildings? On the off-chance that I get caught again by more paparazzi, people might get suspicious that I'm sleeping somewhere else given my background. However, if you need some time to yourself right now, then I understand. Just give me a text when you need me."

With that, he started to clean up, preparing to leave.

Azul was silent for a moment, tapping his fingers on his teacup.

"I'd been thinking the same thing, actually," he said as Jamil washed the kettle and put it away. "You travel a lot and we're supposedly newly engaged. They would expect us to want to spend as much time with each other as possible. Would you be alright with staying here for longer, though? I know how much your solitude means to you."

Jamil gave Azul a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry. I kickstarted this plan, so it's only right that I follow through. Besides, it would be hard for me to fulfill Jade and Floyd's wishes of making you eat if I'm somewhere else. I'll certainly have to inform my landlord that I might be moving out, though... Thankfully, I don't have much to pack. Will we be busy tomorrow? I can take that time to transfer all of my belongings here."

"We're not busy tomorrow, no," Azul said. "And don't mind what Jade and Floyd said, you don't have to worry over my meals," he returned Jamil's smile and took another sip of tea.

Jamil shook his head. "But the thing is, I'm worried with them. Even if they hadn't said anything, I'd still want you to eat, too."

Azul hummed thoughtfully. "How about we take turns cooking dinner? I'd be more comfortable if I can make sure you eat, too."

"Sounds more than fine to me… However, I thought you're a busy man, busy enough that you don't have much time or energy to cook on your own." Jamil leaned against the counter, amused. "And yet you're offering it for lil' ol' me? How touching."

Azul raised an eyebrow and leaned forward as well, a playful smile curving his lips. "Of course, you're my fiancé, aren't you?" he said, mere inches from Jamil's face.

Jamil’s heart began to flutter, a portion wishing that what Azul said was actually true. He hastily brushed that aside in favor of him raising an eyebrow as well. "Oh? Be careful, Mister Ashengrotto. If you keep saying stuff like that, I might actually start to believe you."

"Maybe I want you to, Mister Viper," Azul said, dropping his voice to a low purr.

His borderline flirtatious smirk reminded Jamil of Alchemy classes and late-night library studies, where he and Azul bickered and flustered each other much to the annoyance of their classmates.

Jamil found himself chuckling fondly.

"Same old Azul," he muttered, shaking his head to recompose himself and clear away whatever feelings the other’s voice stirred within him. He straightened up again. "If that's how you talk to people privately, no wonder you've got all of them vying for your hand… Anyway, I'll be moving my stuff tomorrow. When I come back, we can start making… 'wedding' plans in case interviews and our families want to touch up on that."

Azul nodded and finished his tea. "Right. Also, I don't talk to anyone else like that," He made a face at the very idea. "Like I said, those who were 'vying for my hand' are really after the company, not me." He took his cup and saucer and went to the sink to wash them.

"... Do you ever want to actually find that special someone someday?" Jamil wondered aloud.

Azul's hands froze for a moment while washing the cup. "I don't know. I'm often busy with work, and I don't want to ask anyone to put up with that." He kept his back turned to Jamil, putting the cup on the drying rack and proceeding to wash the saucer. "How about you? Any future plans to actually get married?"

Jamil just shrugged. "It'd be nice if it were to happen, but it's not really a priority of mine. Plus I don't think I'm gonna get any prospective dates now that people think I'm engaged… but I'm not complaining. You make for good company, pretend or otherwise."

He then gestured to the stairs. "Anyway, guess it's time we call it a night, huh? I'll see you tomorrow, Azul."

Azul nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow."

——

Now that he was alone, Jamil found himself staring at the ceiling from his bed, letting the last few days play out in his head.

From their chance reunion with his reckless stunt to living with Azul, rekindling some long-forgotten feelings... to being "engaged", thanks to another reckless ploy.

It felt right in the moment, but now he wondered if he's dabbling in something dangerous here.

A selfish part of him was undeniably pleased with these turn of events. However… Azul seemed upset throughout the entire night. Something had been on his mind and Jamil hadn't been successful in discerning it.

Could he have been trying to meet and court with someone at that party? It's hard to tell what's a lie and what's true from Azul's lips, but there was no denying that he had been acting off ever since Jade proposed the engagement con.

But then the things he said back in the kitchen when their faces were so close to each other... Did he actually mean those or..?

With all the questions roiling in his head, he sighed and sat up. He couldn't sleep at this rate, so he decided to go down and get himself a drink.

When he got back from the kitchen, he thought that he could perhaps lounge for a bit until he felt tired, so he sat on a couch and turned the TV on, making sure that it's as quiet as possible.

——

Azul laid on his bed with his pillow pressed over his face.

How could he so shamelessly flirt with Jamil after everything that had happened?

As if it wasn't bad enough that his feelings for him had resurfaced after all these years, now they had to act like an engaged couple in public.

It was a good thing that Jamil had no plans to get into a real relationship anytime soon; at least he hadn't ruined that part of his life.

He didn't even want to imagine how their conversation with his mother would go.

He removed the pillow from his face and put it under his head, slowly calming down. He would just have to distance himself from Jamil outside of their arrangement. That would be best for both of them.

His bedroom suddenly felt claustrophobic, a strange and alien concept to the version of him that wanted to hide in small pots when he was younger. He sighed and sat up, getting the book from his nightstand. Perhaps reading a few chapters in the spacious living room would help him relax enough to sleep.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he noticed light coming from the TV, softly illuminating Jamil on the couch, who must have heard his footsteps because he turned to look at him.

“Ah, I didn't realize you were here," Azul said, suddenly feeling conscious in his dark gray sweatpants and deep purple hoodie. He’s pretty sure that Jamil’s never seen him dressed this casually before. He glanced back up the stairs before looking at Jamil again with a polite smile. "I shall leave you to your privacy."

He turned to leave.

Jamil sat up straighter. "Whoa, whoa, this is your house. I should be the one to go and leave you to it. I just... couldn't really sleep."

Azul shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous, Jamil. This is your house now, too." He paused, considering whether or not to go back to his room. Then he faced Jamil again. "Why couldn't you sleep? Are you alright?"

"Ah. Yeah, yeah, I'm okay... It's just a lot of thoughts. You know how it is." He gestured to the spot next to him. "If you want, you can... um…. sit here, too. I think we can both be in the same room for a little longer without either of us losing it."

Azul tightened his grip on his book.

More than half a decade later and it seemed like he still couldn't resist an invitation from Jamil.

Fine. I'll distance myself from him…

… Starting tomorrow.

"Alright," he relented, walking over. “I see you’ve found the spare remote,” he said lightly.

Jamil chuckled. “Yeah, seems to be working perfectly.”

"What are you watching?" Azul asked as he sat down beside Jamil.

"Not sure yet. I'm channel-surfing. Are there any shows here that you'd recommend?"

Azul hummed thoughtfully. "What are you in the mood for? Music, movies, animated shows?"

"Hm... Maybe a lifestyle channel or a documentary would suffice for now. Nothing too investing, but something a tad more fun than just the news."

He eventually landed upon a show detailing the history of different landmarks throughout the world. He placed the remote down, glancing at the book in Azul's hands. "What's that you got there, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Ah, it's just a collection of different myths and fairytales," Azul held up the book to show the illustrated cover. "Jade gave me this as a birthday gift last year, but I never found much time to read it; I'm only halfway through. Are you familiar with any of these?" He showed Jamil the titles.

Jamil peered over and scanned the table of contents. "Some, not all. A lot of these came from their respective region of origin... Do you see any stories here that originated from the Coral Sea?"

"Yes, including the one I just finished reading," Azul began turning the pages. "The one where a mermaid princess made a deal with the Sea Witch to have legs so she can be with the human prince she fell in love with. But according to that deal, she would turn into sea foam within a month if the prince didn't love her back, which is precisely what happened." He turned a page and showed Jamil an illustration of foam dissolving into the sea.

"Not exactly an uplifting tale," Azul said lightly. "And if the purpose of the author was to discourage merfolk from coming to the surface, it certainly didn't work."

"Well, that wasn't what got her, right? It was the unrequited love." Jamil pointed out before quirking an amused smile. "So as long as you guys don't go around falling for people here and there, then you're all good with the sea foam aspect."

"Or we could charm the people we fall for so they'd fall for us in return," Azul said playfully. "By the way, it doesn't make the news as much, but there's also a line for Jade and Floyd's hands, did you know? There have been events where it was me who had to get them out of suitor situations."

"Really..!? Huh... Then it sounds to me like they all should be learning those charm spells, 'cause it seems like they haven't been making any dents at the bubble you three made between yourselves," Jamil joked, then he had a realization. "Oh, but you said you actually used to like someone, right? Have you made any serious effort to pursue him when that was still a thing?"

Azul felt caught off-guard, and he carefully crafted a neutral expression on his face. "Oh, um… I didn't see the point, I suppose. He never liked me, even as a friend. I'd just be humiliating myself if I proclaimed any romantic feelings.”

"Huh. Sounds like a jerk. What made you like him, then, if he wasn't even giving you the time of the day?"

Azul smiled in amusement. "Not liking me doesn't make a person a ‘jerk’, Jamil. He was just… determined. He had goals and dreams, and all his focus was on working towards them. There was simply no room for me or anyone else. Still, I was drawn to him because I admired his tenacity and his ability to know what to do and when to do it. We were similar in our intelligence and cunning; everyone else thought so, too, but he would never admit it," he chuckled, remembering all the times Jamil rolled his eyes at the very idea of them being alike in any way. "I offered on multiple occasions to help him achieve his goals, but… he didn't trust me. I don't really blame him, though. I didn't exactly have a trustworthy reputation even back at NRC, right?"

"Oh... That is a shame. I guess that was true… but it's too bad he never saw past that side of you.”

Azul glanced down at the sea foam illustration and said nothing.

Jamil turned to look at the TV again, fidgeting with the strings of his hoodie. "If he ever were to show up again... and expressed feelings towards you after all this time, how do you think that'd go?"

"I don't want to think about it at all," Azul said in an even tone. He had made considerable efforts to try to forget the feeling of having Jamil’s hand in his. "Besides, that's highly unlikely to happen. How about you, then?" he redirected the conversation. "What about that chap you liked? Do you have any plans of pursuing him someday?"

Jamil sighed. "Like I said, it's not a priority, but..." his voice turned wistful, an expression flickering on his face that disappeared too quickly for Azul to decipher. "I think it'd be nice to have another shot someday, but I'll already consider myself lucky if we can at least stay on good terms."

"Lucky? Why? Weren't you always on good terms?" Azul asked.

"Hard to say, honestly. I can never tell how well I can read that guy. I hope we're on good terms, but who knows what he's thinking?" He leaned back against the couch's headrest. "Anyway, we prolly shouldn't linger on topics of lost love considering our current situation, huh? Sorry if I made things awkward throughout that."

Azul chuckled, leaning back against the headrest himself. "You didn't, don't worry. And… lost love, huh? So you loved him? What did he do that caught the heart of our resident viper?" he said playfully, wistful yet genuinely curious.

"Okay, maybe 'lost love' is a little extreme," Jamil blurted out, his face reddening. "And even then, it's not exactly as romantic as how the movies do it. I just... got used to him being around, and then I realized later on when it was already too late that I wanted him to stick around. It's a selfish and unfair thing to ask, though, especially when I've never shown much reciprocation to many of his approaches, so..." He shrugged. "I can only hope and wish him all the best."

Azul fell silent for a few moments. He wondered who this mystery man was that had Jamil so enamored, but he decided that it didn’t matter. Whoever he was, he had a better chance at a future with Jamil than Azul could ever hope for himself.

"You can always go to him after our arrangement is done,” he told Jamil sincerely. “The whole engagement facade would most likely only have to last for a few months. You can even tell him that our relationship was just a ruse, if that would help your chances."

A smile appeared on Jamil’s lips. "Noted... So is that your favorite story in that collection so far?" he gestured at Azul’s book.

"Hm? This seafoam disaster? Not at all," Azul wrinkled his nose. "I don't know if I have a favorite, but it's certainly not this one. The princess should never have agreed to such a deal. And that's coming from me. Even my most questionable deals never ended in death.”

He closed the book and placed it on the table, then leaned back against the couch.

"So. You like documentaries, then?" Azul asked.

"They're informative," Jamil nodded at the screen. "Before I traveled around, I'd watch trip-oriented ones, just to picture what it would be like to visit that place. Now that I can just do that—to an extent—shows about history have grown pretty interesting, too. But I also enjoy the occasional wildlife feature… and admittedly, Reality TV. It’s entirely unproductive, but a definite guilty pleasure."

Azul smiled. "What's your favorite place so far, among all those you've visited?"

Jamil's eyes twinkled. "At the Shaftlands, I happened to run into Jack, and he and his family took me to a nearby ski resort. From there, we viewed the aurora borealis at night. Even though I was practically freezing to death, it was breathtaking. I'd love for you to see it— Ah. I mean..! N-Not that you need me to take you there! Just… whenever you three plan on taking a vacation someday, you should try going. You'd be right at home with the colder weather."

Azul nodded. "I've seen pictures of the aurora borealis there, and it does look lovely. I can only imagine how much better it would look in person." He stifled a yawn and leaned back a little more on the couch. "I don't know when I'll be able to take a vacation abroad, though. I mainly just consider my visits to my mother as my vacation."

"Ah. Well... You don't know. Sometimes a perfect opportunity might unexpectedly come from just around the corner," Jamil shrugged.

"Perhaps," Azul said, though he didn't really believe it. "Where did you plan on going next, after here?"

"The Kingdom of Heroes, particularly around the bay area. Ortho told me to inform him when that happens, since I guess he's got something over there that he wants to show me," Jamil replied. "Can you believe that kid actually looks older now? I think he's been upgrading himself through every passing year."

"I actually haven't seen him in a while," Azul mused. "I should visit Idia soon, and Ortho is always there for board game nights. Let me know whenever you wanna go to the Kingdom of Heroes. We can plan it so that no paparazzi would bother you on your way there."

Jamil turned to him, curiosity in his eyes. "... Will you be going with me if I do?"

Azul returned Jamil’s gaze, unsure about what he meant. "... I mean… We don't have to go together. The public will know that you travel alone a lot even when we're supposedly in a relationship. They won't find it suspicious even if I don't go with you. Our arrangement will not be imposing on your travels."

"Oh, I know that, don't worry…” Jamil shifted in his seat. “But can you go if I say I want you to come with me?"

"You… want me to go with you?" Azul blinked.

"I think it'd help you, to get away from it all for a little bit,” Jamil replied. “And... yeah, since I've gotten us engaged, getting you to relax somewhere is the least I can do. Plus, you said it yourself: you want to visit the Shrouds again, so let's do it."

Azul thought about it for a moment. It certainly didn’t sound like a bad idea to travel with Jamil. He nodded and gave a small smile. "Sure. Do you have any particular date in mind?"

"Perhaps around early March? How does that sound?" Jamil asked, an excited twinkle in his eye. "Any date is fine, really, as long as it's not gonna interfere with your work."

"Alright, I'll make the necessary arrangements," Azul smiled back. "How did you manage to convince me to take a vacation in less than five minutes? You're dangerous, Viper," he said playfully.

"I think it's all those years of being Kalim's negotiator," Jamil sincerely answered. "Glad to see that I haven't lost my touch just yet."

Azul chuckled and turned to watch the TV. They fell into a comfortable silence, watching different historical places be described and explained by a narrator's voice.

——

During the Elephant Legacy segment, Jamil felt something gently bump against him.

He looked over to see that Azul had fallen asleep on his shoulder. The merman's hand had dropped to the couch in his sleep, the back of his hand touching the back of Jamil's.

Even with the documentary prattling on, Jamil's eyes lingered on Azul's open palm, something devious within him whispering that he can take advantage of this moment while the other is none the wiser.

He shook his head. Even if it's something as light as hand-holding, such thoughts could snowball into more dangerous territory, so it's best to curb the desire as soon as possible. Besides, he would not know how to defend himself should Azul end up waking in the middle of it.

More importantly, though, it seemed the universe still wished to toy with him, having Azul be so close like this yet feel so far all at once.

He took in a deep breath and sighed, hesitantly leaning his cheek on top of Azul's head.

They really must look like a couple right now, don't they..?

Jamil’s heart fluttered once more, and he closed his eyes, reaping the moment for what it's worth.

Though things could only get as far as this, he couldn't help but be happy that—even if it's all a ruse—they have each other now, dozing together on a sleek couch in the middle of a quiet night.

——

<- Chapter 2

(Masterlist)

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queen-scribbles · 7 months

Text

Girls Night Out

Post-Gauntlet Keme & Elara friendship fic bc I caught a plot gizka off the most recent time through. ft Jaxo's Checking In mission and Elara giving relationship advice :3 [~3500 words]

---

The medcenter hallway was 763 tiles long.

Keme knew this because she'd counted them while pacing. Thrice.

The lovely thing about being Havoc's CO was that it allowed her to know the "status of her team" but didn't necessarily let her do what she wanted with that information. Which was why she was here, in the kriffing hallway, instead of in there. When the medcenter said no visitors they meant it. No exceptions for commanding officers.

She'd memorized the list of Jorgan's injuries, too.

Which was why she was here. Pacing the hallway. Instead of out enjoying the brief--rare--shore leave, or restocking, or any of the half dozen other things she could think to do.

It was hard to read the words "punctured lung" and not worry.

Keme finally halted and slouched in one of the barely-padded chairs, fingers nervously tapping the armrest as she stared at the wall. Please be okay.

[Punctured lung. Multiple contusions and blaster burns from sustained heavy fire. Significant plasma burns to left leg, extensive bone and nerve damage; below knee amputation recommended. Potential retinal--]

Footsteps echoed down the austere hall and Keme snapped to her feet. Her shoulders dropped fractionally seeing it was Dorne.

"Not to be insubordinate, Major-" the other woman began, settling into parade rest posture when she reached Keme.

Keme waved off the concern. "We're on leave, Elara. And regardless, if you're about to dispense medical advice, it's hardly insubordinate for you to do your job." She shifted her weight, fighting the urge to pace again.

"Very well. You should go do something, Keme. This" --she gestured to the hallway-- "is not healthy for you, and it isn't helping anyone."

Keme snorted and rubbed at gritty eyes with the heel of one hand. "Like what, Elara? I don't have anyone to visit, I'm not much for shopping, and I'll bet my next three paychecks I couldn't focus on a book or vid to save my--"

Her comm beeped with a message notification. Keme frowned. Garza or the medtechs would've commed, no reason for her parents to be contacting her right now... She spotted a terminal and headed for it, Elara on her heels.

"Something the matter, sir?" Elara asked.

"Don't know yet." Keme signed in and pulled up her messages. There were two--one text, one audio. The text file proved to be the official notice of their promotions; major for her, captain for Jorgan, lieutenant for Dorne, and the medals and commendations earned on the Gauntlet mission.

"Would've made captain soon if Command hadn't hung me out to dry." She chucked internally at the memory. Hope this wasn't too much of a delay for you.

The audio message was from Jaxo. "Hey, hotshot, heard you're back on Coruscant, with leave no less. Some friends and I were equally lucky, and we're gonna do something fun with it. Swing by if you wanna join us."

"That sounds like someone you could visit," Elara commented. "As a distraction."

Keme rolled her eyes as she closed down the terminal. "C'mon, how much fun d'you think I'll be tonight?"

"You never know," Elara said with a shrug. "Maybe once you start relaxing, it'll help more than you expect."

Keme chewed the inside of her cheek. Under other circumstances, it would be fun. Maybe she should give it a shot. "I'll go if you come with me."

Elara arched a brow. "I wasn't invited."

"So I'm inviting you," Keme said. "I'll tell Jaxo since we both have leave we're a package deal."

"Oh, alright. If it'll get you out of here."

Keme gave a wry smile. "Guess this means we need to go find other outfits, that fit the tone of having fun better."

"I suppose we should," Elara said with a faux-sigh, and they started down the hall.

Keme couldn't help a last look back over her shoulder, as if that would make a doctor materialize with an update and justify her staying.

It didn't.

---

This cantina was too loud. The first couple hadn't been bad, which almost made the pounding music and din of customer chatter worse. Keme took the drink--gizer ale--Jorda clumsily shoved in her hands and surveyed the crowd. Dancing, drinking...

The song changed and Keme wrinkled her nose. It was too loud to think in here, let alone really talk. She took a sip of her drink as that clicked. The other places they'd hit so far; five of the eight Jaxo had tallied at the start, were busy, noisy, but not so much to prevent conversation. She could listen to Jorda or Keran's war stories, Jaxo regaling them with one of her declassified exploits, and it was at least somewhat the distraction she needed.

With this place too loud to think, her thoughts were slipping back to the default track, even as she sought some level of refuge at the high tables away from the dance floor.

Punctured lung. Multiple contusions and blaster burns from sustained heavy fire. Significant--

"Hey." Jaxo hoisted herself up on one of the other tall chairs. "This seems a dang'rous combo with drunk people," she muttered, briefly distracted, before looking back at Keme. "Why don't you look like you're havin' fun? The whole point of this is t' have fun!"

"It's too loud in here." Wasn't technically a lie; she was all but hollering just to talk. "Can hardly hear myself think."

Jaxo snorted. "Y' aren't s'pposed to think, you're s'pposed to dance, have fun, drink people under the table." She studied Keme for a moment, expression sobering at the half-shrug she got in response. "You've been quiet all night, come to think. Dorne looks like she's havin' more fun than you." She lightly kicked the side of Keme's boot. "Didn't you just save the Republic an' get a big promotion?"

"Yeah," Keme acknowledged, distracted by a specific flicker of movement as Elara worked her way through the crowd.

"Well, I've about had my fill of this sort of fun," she commented, setting her half-drunk Johrian whiskey on the table and claiming the remaining chair.

Jaxo rolled her eyes. "Think you've rubbed off on your CO, Dorne; she'd rather sit an' mope into her drink than celebrate."

Elara let the jibe roll off without acknowledgement, giving her attention to the latter part. "The promotion may be cause for celebration, but since the squad XO was seriously injured in the course of that mission, I think her reticence is understandable, don't you?"

Jaxo had the grace to wince at the explanation. "Didn't know that part, sorry, major." She nudged Keme's shoulder. "Still, you being all sullen an' worrying isn't gonna help him get better any faster, right?" Isn't it better to be in a good frame of mind for dealing with whatever Command throws your way?" She glanced around the room, did a double take and grinned when it passed over the others from their group. "Looks like Keran found us some new friends." She slid off the seat, tottered a little finding her balance, and flashed Keme a genuine smile. "Hope you'll feel up to joining us, hotshot."

Keme appreciated Elara's silence as they watched her leave, headed for the gaggle of clean-cut 'friends' who had joined Keran and Jorda.

"How d'you think she'd feel, knowing she agreed with you?" Keme sighed, folding her hands over her cup and resting her chin atop them.

"About what?" Elara took another sip of her whiskey.

"Relaxing's the point of shore leave. Unwinding so you're ready for your next assignment." She tried not to dwell on the likelihood Havoc would be running a member short for whatever theirs was.

The song changed, something slightly quieter, and she sighed in relief at the reprieve.

A small smile tugged Elara's lips and she swirled the remaining whiskey in her glass. "True as that is, and as good as it would be for your mental state regardless, I think you were 'wound' a bit further than the rest of us, so it follows it'll take you longer to unwind."

"But you two also have a point there," Keme said, idly watching the animated body language of Jaxo and Keran's "friends". A challenge had clearly been issued; Jorda plunked a tray of shots down on the table. "What good does worrying do? Not gonna speed up the healing process, not even gonna magically create an exception to the 'no visitors' policy." She straightened with a huff. "But it's like I can't help myself."

"Well, I'd say concern for your people when they get injured in the line of duty makes you a good CO." Elara raised her glass and slanted a mischievous look at Keme over the rim. "Though I'm under no illusions it would be quite so much a... distraction, in my case."

Keme made a strangled noise of indignation. "I- You're my friend, of course I'd worry-!"

"I know, and I'd appreciate it," Elara said with a smile. A loud whoop dragged their attention to where Jaxo was clearly winning whatever game was going on. "I also know this is different."

"No point playing dumb, huh?" Keme groaned and rubbed her temples. "It is and I don't know why."

Elara scoffed, barely audible under the music. "No? Need I remind you the ship's medbay is right next to the armory?" She arched a brow. "Or that I have functional ears and it isn't as if you two whisper?"

She should probably be a little embarrassed by the implication, but she wasn't. Keme slugged down half her drink in a go, cleared her throat at the burn. "Then you know it's just been talking." So far, she added mentally. "Maybe a little flirting, but nothing serious, nothing to justify wringing my hands over him getting hurt. 'Specially in this line of work."

Elara studied her. "Keme." She set her now-empty glass on the table. "Jorgan didn't just 'get hurt', he was seriously injured, almost died--"

"Thanks for preventing that, by the way," Keme muttered into her drink, suppressing a flinch at hearing it so bluntly.

"You're welcome. My point is, just because you two have been outwardly taking your time, exhibiting caution due to your positions, doesn't mean your heart was on the same timetable." She leaned back in her chair. "You've not done anything by half-measure since I met you, it would hardly be a surprise for this to follow the pattern. And... close calls like this can easily serve as catalyst for realizing the true depth of feelings."

"Very astute." Keme finished the last swallow of her drink and slid off the seat to stretch. "Both the advice and the noticing."

"As I said, it's not hard to pick up." Elara smiled and likewise slid out of her chair. The song changed back to something that pounded, prompting the two of them to head for the relative quiet of the street.

"Well, in that case, thanks for not reporting me for fraternization or something," Keme said dryly, taking a deep breath of comparatively cooler air.

"I don't see a need," Elara said, shrugging. "It's clearly mutual, and hasn't kept either of you from doing your jobs, quite well. So long as it doesn't interfere with operational effectiveness, I don't see it as my place to report anything you or Captain Jorgan haven't, sir."

Keme slanted a glance her way, smirked at the mischief glinting in her friend's eyes. "You playing matchmaker now, LT?"

(A small but undeniable pulse of glee burrowed through her gnawing worry at 'clearly mutual'.)

Elara tilted her head, brows arching in faux-innocence. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean, major. Should I stop??"

"Depends, do you think I need the help?"

"I have every confidence in your ability to pursue a man who's interested in you," Elara deadpanned. "If that's what you're asking."

Keme snorted. "Thanks. Then I guess it's just a matter of if you wanna be complicit should we get written up for fraternization down the line."

Elara perked up. "Oh, there's a form authorizing romantic relationships."

Of course there is. And of course you knew about it off the top of your head. "Great, more paperwork. Jorgan'll be thrilled."

"I think he'd do it for you."

"I think we should wait until it's actually a relationship before we worry about that, rather'n just flirting, huh?"

"If you insist," Elara said with a shrug.

Keme wondered what the odds were that form would be downloaded and waiting to be called for, when she was ready. Probably pretty high. She looked up, watching the racing lights of traffic flight paths for a minute. "Thanks, Elara. 'M sorry Jaxo's not exactly warm and welcoming, but I'm glad you came along."

"I was an unexpected addition," Elara said mildly. "And I'm far from ignorant of my reputation among Republic personnel. Their opinion of me is their business. Staying true to myself is mine."

Keme nodded. Good outlook. "How much d'you think it would shock them if we rejoin and I said you're the one who talked me out of moping and into havin' fun?"

Elara snickered. "Oh, that might almost be worth stretching the truth."

It wasn't that much of a stretch; talking about her muddled feelings had helped her feel better. More like celebrating. But they didn't get a chance to run their experiment. Even as they turned to head back inside, Jaxo and the others emerged from the cantina.

"Another one down," Jaxo crowed, hooking an arm around Keran's neck. "An' our tab's covered 'cause I drank her Navy buddies under the table!"

Ah. So that's who they were. "Quite the achievement," Keme drawled. "Where to next?"

"Done moping, major?" Jaxo teased.

Keme shrugged. "You and Elara made some good points. Tonight should be for fun."

Jaxo was too tipsy to hide her surprise. "Yeah? Glad we, uh, got through to you. We still have two stops left, hotshot. I expect you to pull your weight for them."

"Aye, aye," Keme said with a mock salute that Jorda found hilarious from her loud bout of laughter.

"Right then." Jaxo steered the group toward a taxi stand. "On to the Sloppy Tauntaun!"

Keme gave a startled bark of laughter. "That is not its name!"

"Oh, you're in for a treat," Jaxo sniggered as they piled into a cab. "Hole in the wall cantinas are the best."

---

Keme wasn't completely sure she'd agree with Jaxo's assessment once they're had their fun at the ironically well-kept Sloppy Tauntaun--she preferred cantinas with a bit of polish--but the drinks were good and they did have fun.

Last stop was the Silent Sun because it was closest to Jaxo's place. Smart move on her part; Jorda couldn't make it more than a few steps without giggling, Keran and Elara were weaving a little, and even with her slow start, Keme was feeling the buzz of not-quite-drunk(but more-than-tipsy). Still. She could walk a straight line, so not too bad. And she knew now Elara could match Jaxo shot for shot, which was fun information and had definitely increased Jaxo's opinion of the Havoc medic.

They'd turned down the hallway to Jaxo's place, Jorda now leaning on Elara while Jaxo punched in her access code--it took two tries, Maybe she was more plastered than she showed--when Keme's datapad beeped. She glanced at it out of habit.

Medcenter alert.

The pleasant alcohol buzz was gone.

She didn't open the message but its mere arrival was a reminder of reality.

Later. I'll deal with it after we leave. It still felt like her datapad was burning a hole in her pocket. She shook it off and followed the others into Jaxo's place. There was still the harsh reality of she couldn't do anything(except pace a groove in the hall), anyway.

"Hey. "Jorda's hand settled heavy on her shoulder. "You're amazing, y'know?" She blinked like a newly-sighted loth-kitten. "J'st amazing. Savin' our butts on Quesh? The Gauntlet? Amazing," she proclaimed with all the gravitas of an emphatic drunk.

"Thank you, Jorda," Keme said with a chuckle.

Elara materialized, gently tugging on Jorda's arm. "I think it would be best for you to lie down a bit, Corporal. Jaxo said you can use her bed, come on."

"Well, this was fun," Keran drawled as Keme joined her and Jaxo. "'Specially now that you've guaranteed I'll get heckled for the next month."

"Hey," Jaxo said with a grin and shrug. "If your Navy buddies can't drink a sweet little thing like me under the table, that's their problem, not yours. You heckle them right back."

Keran laughed. "Good plan. On that note, I better get going. We ship out late tomorrow, so I should work on sleeping off the incoming hangover. See ya 'round, Jaxo, Major."

"Later, Keran," Jaxo said, turning to Keme as Keran headed out. "Glad you made it. Even if it took a while for you to get in the spirit."

"I did need the distraction," Keme allowed, trying not to dwell on the medcenter alert. "Sorry I was a bit of a drag."

"Hey." Jaxo shrugged. "While I'm of a mind we should enjoy the good times when she get 'em, you had a pretty decent reason for that being tricky." She hesitated a moment, smile tugging her lips, then, "I gotta ask, this XO of yours... wouldn't happen to be the grumpus watchin' your six when we worked together, would it?"

Keme huffed a laugh. "Yeah. He's good at it."

"'Course he is." Jaxo snickered and sobered. "Well, I wish him a speedy recovery. And maybe Havoc can wrap this war up quick for us, huh?"

"You lookin' to swap for a desk job, Sergeant?" Keme teased.

Jaxo barked a laugh. "Please. I'd go insane inside a month." Her gaze flicked to the side as Elara rejoined them. "Am I gonna need to clean any of my stuff?"

Elara shook her head. "Not so far. But I would advise making sure she stays hydrated."

Jaxo gave a mock salute. "Aye, aye." She flopped back on the couch. "I'll let you two go. Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, sure," Keme said with a wave as she and Elara made for the door. "Thanks for the invite."

"Anytime, Major," Jaxo called after them just before the door closed.

They had to keep an eye for gangsters and so didn't have time for conversation until they were in the speeder back to the Senate district.

"Glad you went?" Elara asked lightly.

"Yeah. Needed the distraction," Keme said even as she dug out her datapad and pulled up the unread message. "Unfortunately, reality is persistent and has really bad timing..." She only skimmed the first couple sentences before handing the datapad to Elara. "Medcenter alert. You're better with parsing the jargon than I am."

One corner of Elara's mouth twitched and she took the datapad, lips moving silently as she read. "It's a treatment update... they were able to repair the retinal damage with no scarring..."

Good the squad sniper's vision isn't compromised, Keme thought sardonically, something tight easing in her chest.

"...they did have to amputate, the requisition for a cybernetic leg is attached. Being in SpecForce, particularly Havoc, that should be filled by end of day tomorrow; Command will want their top unit at full strength ASAP..." she read further. "...overall prognosis is good; full recovery and return to duty within two standard weeks."

"That fast?!" Keme blurted. She wanted Jorgan back, no question, but not because the medcenter rushed him out the door.

"The miracle of kolto," Elara said, shutting down the datapad and handing it back.

"And skilled medical personnel, and you," Keme added, tucking the datapad away. The tightness in her chest and gut eased further.

Elara arched a brow. "Wouldn't I fall under 'skilled medical personnel'?"

"No, 'cause you saved his damn life in the field, without access to all the fancy equipment here, that puts you in a category all your own, Dorne," Keme retorted.

"Don't forget Forex while you're doling out praises," Elara said, glancing at the buildings whizzing by.

"Oh, never. I've already bugged Garza twice about giving him whatever's the best commendation we can wrangle for a droid." Keme smirked a little, toying with the clasps of her jacket. "Squad loyalty and cohesion are grand."

"Your leadership's helped us get there," Elara said. "You're a fine commanding officer, and if I may say so, an even better friend."

"You may, and thank you." Keme shifted in her seat as the speeder pad came into view. "You're a good friend, too, Elara. Right down to talkin' me into girls' night out when I wasn't sure about it."

"That's what friends are for, sir," Elara said as the speeder settled on the pad and they climbed out. "As well as supporting you in rough times," she added when Keme's gaze went toward the medcenter. "Heading back?"

"Just to check in. Then--unless by some miracle the 'no visitors' policy has vanished--it's back to the Starbreaker for some rest."

"Sounds like a plan."

Keme nodded absently. Her bunk on the ship would be more comfortable than a medcenter chair, at least.

And she could always resume counting hallway tiles in the morning.

#queens fic #kementari rand #elara dorne #keme/jorgan #swtor #swtor fic #keme 🤝 tel: thinking elara is the best damn medic in the galaxy #love that keme's all ''we haven't done more than talk/lil flirt idk how serious it is'' when the VERY NEXT romance conversation #is the ''i've been watching your back alright'' + first kiss one #like #keme bABE #if the bragging about sniping range wasn't enough #the Giving You Jewelry should have been #and elara's just enjoying the show like >:3

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