#how much of you will be left if you fully submerge? will You be able to come back up the same?

[efplanning]

what'll be left of me, if i let myself go completely under?

[uollop]

Pearlescent (Mer!Vash x Reader pt. 1)

Content: Mermaid Vash, GN! Reader, oceans (ofc), deep water, lifeguard reader, reader is ticklish

Word count: 2.3k

Notes: Happy MerMay! Mermaid AU won the poll pretty easily, so here it is! I hope you all enjoy it :))

Next Part

Vash had always been curious about humans, but his brother has always attempted to dissuade him from investigating them "for his own safety".

Knives would tell him stories about humans and the cruel things that they would do, but the tales didn't do much to satiate Vash's curiosity.

He would people-watch often, lurking in water that was likely too close to the shore for Knives' liking, simply watching the humans swim and talk and play. Watching them walk around on the beach had him wondering what it would feel like to walk with them. What the sand would feel like as he moved across the warm dunes.

He knew it was impossible, though. His tail prevented him from being able to enjoy nearly all of the activities that he was desiring to join in on.

It was getting late today, most of the humans had already left the water because of the chill in the air settling into the sea. Only a few remained on the sand, packing up their belongings to leave. He continued to watch, wondering where they went when they weren't at the beach. He was watching so intently that he didn't realize someone paddling over to him on a surfboard.

"Do you need help getting to the shore? It's getting cold, if you stay in the water any longer you'll get sick." When you spoke, you nearly scared the poor fish right out of his scales. Most humans ignored him during the day, but it seems he outstayed his welcome.

He recognized you. You were always sitting up high above the others, watching them during the day and occasionally blowing some kind of mechanism at them if they misbehaved. You were obviously some kind of an important person, seeing as they listened to you and that you were seated higher than the rest of them. Were you one of those royals that he had heard about in Nai's stories? He had been told about how cruel the Kings and Queens of the humans could be, but you seemed to hold a kindness behind your eyes that calmed his worries a bit.

"You've been in the water nearly all day," you laugh nervously at the lack of a response as you hold your hand out for him, "aren't you tired?"

He slowly blinked at you, a bit confused, before shaking his head, lowering himself deeper into the water so that it was only his blue eyes poking out. You watched him with curiosity before he suddenly dove under the water, splashing you a bit with the cold water as he swam away. Your eyes widened as he disappeared, cursing to yourself as you stared into the dark water. You waited a bit for him to come back up before you started to grow worried.

You slowly climbed off your board, allowing yourself to sink into the freezing water, goosebumps popping up across your skin as you tried to look into the water without fully submerging yourself. You couldn't even make out his shape anymore. You started to worry more, dipping your head under the water and opening your eyes, looking around. The salt of the water burned your eyes as you swam deeper, looking around for the blond.

It was so dark in the water that you could barely see anything that wasn't directly in front of you, but you managed to make out a silhouette deeper in the water. You swam towards it, reaching a hand towards the shadow before it swam further away. You narrowed your eyes and continued to swim after it, sure that it was the strange man that had been sitting in the ocean all day, watching people on the beach.

You had noticed him a few weeks ago. He came nearly every day, but you never saw him get into the water. He would always mysteriously appear in the part of the water that was too deep for most humans to swim comfortably, but he never seemed to mind. You were curious about him and, when you noticed he was the only one still in the water despite the bite in the air, you decided to go check on him.

His silence at your offer to help him towards the beach had concerned you a bit and, now, your concern got worse. You were starting to run out of air, but the shadow kept going deeper. As much as you wanted to keep following him, the stinging feeling in your lungs was enough to convince you to swim back towards the surface.

When you broke, you gasped, allowing air to fill your aching lungs as you coughed and rubbed your sore eyes. You were a trained lifeguard and he had been able to stay under much longer than you. You looked around the surface of the water, trying to see if he had surfaced while you were swimming back up, but you couldn't see him anywhere.

Panic continued to settle on your skin at the eerily quiet scene. The only movement in the water appeared to be your own as you frantically scanned the sea. You took a deep breath before dunking your head back under the water, almost screaming when you opened your eyes and you're met with bright blue eyes inches away from your face. You narrow your eyes at him and reach out to grab his arm before you realize something was off.

The first thing you see are the scars littered across his body. It was difficult to find a patch of skin that wasn't darkened by a slash or a stitch. There was also a concerning absence of a left arm, a short nub replacing where it should be.

You continue to glance down and notice something slightly more worrying. Instead of legs, he had a long... fish tail? You couldn't make it out well due to the pitch darkness that surrounded you both, but you were certain that you knew what legs looked like, and that thing definitely was not a pair of legs.

You reached out and grabbed his arm gently before allowing yourself to pop above the surface again, gasping for air and pulling him towards your surfboard. You released his arm once he surfaced, his scarred hand placing itself onto your surfboard. You reached towards the board and pulled yourself onto it, shuddering at the feeling of the cold air before looking back at him.

"You..." you trailed off as you stared at him, unsure if what you saw was real, "you aren't human, are you?"

He continues to stare at you, unspeaking before making a quiet chirping noise. You continue to stare at him in awe before shaking your head.

"Ok, um. I guess you're okay to stay in the water then... My shift is almost over, so I, uh..." You looked at him again before moving into a position that would allow you to paddle away easily. "I hope you have a good night. I assume you'll be here again tomorrow?" You ask cautiously before he nods and gives you a wide smile, showing off rows and rows of pointy teeth. It was almost cute. Mostly scary, but almost cute.

You slowly started to make your way back to the shore, occasionally glancing back at him. Every time you checked, it seemed like he wasn't getting any further away. Maybe he was even getting closer. Was he following you? You kept paddling, unsure if you were imagining things until you eventually made it to the shore and pulled your board out of the water. You turned towards him and see that he had pulled himself onto a nearby rock, his eyes still watching you.

Your eyes flicker down towards where his legs should be, your breath hitching as you get a better view of his tail. A long fish tail, covered in red and turquoise scales shimmered in the moonlight. You definitely hadn't seen it wrong; he was a merman.

You silently stare at his tail for a few more moments before you hear another chirping noise. You look up and see him patting the spot next to him on the flat rock. It takes you a moment to realize he wants you to sit with him, a patient look on his face as he taps his hand against the rock again.

You walk up to him and sit on the rock with him, a happy sounding noise coming from him as he immediately grabs your leg, causing you to yelp in surprise as your back hits the cold surface of the rock.

He examines your leg, a curious and excited look on his face as he squeezes your skin, stretching your leg out for a moment and then bending it at your knee, an amused chirp coming from him as he continues to move your leg back and forth.

You're confused at first before you realize that he doesn't have legs and that he probably isn't used to seeing them this close. You let him continue, until his hand brushes the underside of your foot, causing you to jolt and let out a stifled laugh.

He notices your reaction and repeats his movement, a large smile on his face. You laugh again, attempting to pull your leg away from him, but his grip is strong. He continues to touch along different parts of your leg and foot, smiling to himself.

Eventually he releases your leg and, for a moment, you thought it was over, until he suddenly grabbed your other leg, lifting it was well and playing with it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. It was as if he hadn't just played with a nearly identical one, but you allowed him to examine your leg for as long as he would like. He doesn't mess with this one for as long, his curiosity satisfied as he places his hand on his lap, looking at you for another moment before giving you a gentle wave.

You wave back at him, unsure of what to say or do at this point. He seemed friendly, despite his sharp teeth. You stared at him for another moment before he made another high-pitched noise, sliding himself off the rock and smiling at you before diving under the water.

You waited a moment or two, unsure if he was coming back or not, until his head popped back up from the water. He swam towards the rock and held out his fist towards you. You looked at his hand for a moment before slowly placing your own hand underneath it, allowing him to empty the contents of his hand into your palm.

You looked into your hand curiously, the moonlight reflecting against a bunch of colorful pieces of sea glass. You slowly reached for a blue one, holding it towards the sky and allowing the light to shine onto it. You lowered your hand and smiled at him, "this is very nice. Thank you."

He lets out a satisfied noise before diving back under the water. You watch him disappear and, this time, he is gone for a longer period of time. When he does return, though, he is holding a soaking cloth bag in his hand.

He places the bag in your lap, looking at you expectantly. You set down the handful of sea glass that you had been holding next to you on the rock before pulling open the cloth bag, your eyes widening.

The bag was full of many things. More sea glass, sand dollars, shells, and a few pearls. You stare in awe for a moment before you give him a happy smile.

"This is beautiful, you seem to have been collecting for a long time," you say as you hand the bag back to him. His grin turns into a frown when you hold the bag out to him. He reaches up and pushes the bag back into your lap, chirping again. You stare at him in confusion for a moment before shaking your head with a laugh.

"I can't possibly keep all of this," You lift the bag up again, ready to hand it back to him before he lets out a low growl. Your face turns from a happy one to one of shock. He places his hand on the bag again and pushes it into your lap one more time. You blink a few times as you look from the bag to him, unsure of what to do before you shrug, "Ok, ok... I'll keep it."

He lets out a noise of pride and reaches into the bag, pulling out one of the pearls and holding it up to the moonlight. The small pearl shimmered gently against the light, its blue color was similar to the color of the merman's eyes. He looks up at you as if waiting for your reaction, so you give him a nod.

"That's very cool." You say as you admire the pearl. His smile grows as he moves closer to you, placing the pearl in your palm. He makes another chirping noise before closing your hand around the small treasure. You watch him carefully before giving him another smile. He looks up at you, his cheeks dusting a pink color. He stares at you for a moment before you hear a distant chirping sound. The merman in front of you blinks in surprise, looking at you for one more beat before waving and diving into the depths of the sea.

You waited for a while, unsure if he would be coming back. After ten or so minutes of waiting, you determined that he likely wasn't going to be returning. You stand up, gathering the items he had given you and walking towards your lifeguard tower. You glance down at your hand, admiring the pearl he had given you. You placed in it your pocket before taking the rest of your stuff and heading towards the path away from the beach, looking back at the sea one more time before smiling to yourself.

You hoped to see him again tomorrow.

Masterlist | Ao3

[heart-of-the-morningstar]

Guess who's back with another super short preview of yet another Luci x reader smut fic :)

it's me I'm so very unwell for him, I need to be put down

No NSFW yet so no warnings (but mention of losing clothes)!

It had been a pretty quiet day in house. Lucifer was off with his daughter Charlie for the day, they’ve had quite a bit of father/daughter bonding to catch up on. But this gave you the chance to work on something that you’ve been wanting to make for some time now. It was a secret project, keeping things from Lucifer was harder than it seemed. But with the home to yourself, you were finally able to finish the gift you wanted to give him! Just as you were admiring your work, a portal opened up behind you; Lucifer was back! Quickly, you hid his gift under your pillow before he could see anything. Lucifer stepped through the portal and into your bedroom; you noticed his wings spread out behind him.

“Hi, honey,” you greeted as you walked over to him, planting a small peck on his forehead. He smiled, grabbing your hand and placing a kiss on it in return. “How was your day with Charlie?”

“It was really nice! We went for a little flight, as you can tell,” he laughed, gesturing to his wings. Lucifer’s wings always left you in awe, you couldn’t help but stare at them. But upon further inspection, you saw that they seemed a little worse for wear. You wondered when the last time they were properly taken care of, since you've never seen him actually do anything with them.

“Hey Luci, your wings are looking a little…” you hesitated, looking for the right word, “disheveled. Is everything alright?”

"Ahh," Lucifer sighed, "yeah, I uhh...I'll admit, I haven't paid them much attention. Not in a long while."

You knew that he had been by himself for a long time before you came along. He had mentioned his battles with self isolation and depression that he had fought against for years, but he was never too keen on going into more detail than necessary. Looking back, it would make sense as to why his wings are in the state that they are. It saddened you, you wished you could have been there for him. It was time to make up for that.

"How about this," you proposed, "why don't I run us a bath and I'll help you clean them up. How does that sound?"

"O-Oh, are you sure?," he questioned, failing to hide the fact that his cheeks were now flushed. "They're kind of a pain, I don't want you to-" you cut off his protests with a peck. You felt his lips curl into a smile.

"Nothing's a pain when it comes to you, Lucifer," you assured. "Go get ready and I'll see you in a few minutes, alright? Tonight, let me take care of you."

"Of course," he grinned, "thank you, my angel."

You smiled and turned towards the bathroom that was connected to your bedroom. It was fortunate that Lucifer had such a spacious home, that meant a more spacious bathroom as well. His bathtub could easily fit four people comfortably, but this at least gave you room to be able to work with his wings. You turned the water on to a nice warm temperature, making sure it wasn't too hot. You undressed as the bathtub began to fill, grabbing a soft washcloth from the closet and bubble bath soap after discarding your clothes. Once the tub was half full, you poured the soap in, letting it mix with the running water. The bubbles appeared fast, you couldn't see that water anymore after a few seconds. Finally, you brought the flow to a stop and dipped your toes in to test that waters. Perfect. You stepped in and slowly began to sink down into the warm liquid that heated your core. As soon as you were fully submerged, you heard the bathroom door creaking behind you.

[ashersanity]

Kylar as your little sister

feat. f!kylar x m!pc, mentions of f!whitney

cw! incest, step-cest, pc is adopted, somnophilia, kylar being a freak as usual but pc isn’t any better either

Kylar as your little sister would be so cute. She would be the most adorable thing you’ve ever laid your eyes upon, lithe figure and weak constitution, meant to be protected from this sick world.

Little do you know how she’s even more dangerous than half the people in this town.

Of course, the loner couldn’t be any more grateful after all. You, her reliable big brother who’ll make sure no harm comes to her. She loves you so dearly, so much so that she’s scrambling through your drawers when you’re away, insistent scarred hands reaching and fumbling for any sort of underwear she can spare. Inhaling deeply with a light sigh, small shoulders shuddering feverishly while her free one is busy between her thighs, fingering herself.

There’s that one awkward incident you two had that couldn’t make things any weirder than it already was, pale body fully submerged in the tub, rubbing light circles on her clit. Dumb big brother that you are, didn’t even hear the sound of running water in the bathroom. Door flying open to reveal her naked form as she gasps in shock and makes a show of ‘hastily’ covering herself up.

Obviously she knew it was you, how could she not? Having already memorized the familiar sound of your approaching footsteps down the hallway, trying to hide the creeping grin on her face at your blush. Doesn’t even bother hiding her chest, your gaze fixed on it because.. Holy shit, those just might be the biggest tits you’ve ever seen, bigger than that chick who won’t stop harassing you in math class. What’s her name? Right, Whitney. Bigger than hers.

Only being able to stutter back a quick ‘sorry!’ For having suddenly walked in on her like that, slamming the door shut, Kylar’s pussy left dripping wet from the encounter.

Uses her recurring nightmares as an excuse to sleep in the same bed as you, firm arm wrapped around her smaller frame with her own looped around yours. Gets a bit too close for comfort, at least, more than between two normal siblings should, nose pressed against your shoulder, breathing in your lovely scent. Oh, how good you smell, really.. Wishes she could drown in it.

Maybe there are some nights, few and rare.. Well, you can’t exactly tell if you accurately remember. Eyes fluttering open, stirred awake in the middle of the night, numb sensation coursing through your body. Familiar wet warmth engulfing your length, swallowing it whole. Kylar’s moving shadow slowly bobbing up and down, pink tongue dipping lower to hungrily suck at one of your balls, softly moaning all the while.

“M-Mmmph.. You taste scho g-good..!”

Simply ignore it, best to go back to sleep since it’s all just a dream after all.

Don’t be alarmed, it’s just Kylar!

Your sweet little sister that knows no wrong.

[sehtoast]

Nyquil and Bribery (Depowered Homelander x OC Sickfic) All of You is Left to Love ch10

Word Count: 1.1k

Summary: No plot, just sickfic fun. Nyquil is gross.

Warnings: None.

Fic Directory

Misery.

This was pure fucking misery.

"You're not dying, Johnny."

And that has to be a lie.

But surely it couldn't feel this bad, right? All of his life, seeing the roaches around him with their little ailments– their sniffles and sneezes, their disgusting coughs– convinced with every fiber of his being that they were being dramatic.

So he must be dying. That's the only thing that made sense with every violent cough that rattled him.

His one comfort: the cool hand pressed to his forehead, checking his fever before another round of medicine.

"I mean… it's your first time having the flu, so it's gonna feel bad, y'know?" Ben murmured as he poured a bitter, blue liquid into a small plastic cup.

Homelander cringed at the sight. He hated the taste so fucking much. Couldn't taste half of what he ate, but his tongue could register the vile medicine just fine– go figure.

Ben had told him it would be like black licorice if it were dipped in pure menthol. It was accurate, but somehow so much worse– enough to make him gag and beg for mouthwash of all things.

"You're not makin' me drink that again, are you?" His words slurred slightly, voice nasally and unbecoming of the man who once held more power than God himself could ever dream.

"Mm, no." Ben hummed, his smile sympathetic. "Just pouring it out so it's ready for bed. Lucky for you, just some Tylenol and Mucinex for now."

"Oh thank god," he whined, leaning back against the mountain of pillows damp from fever sweats. All of the air conditioning and fans blowing on him did nothing to help, and his body worked hard to sweat it out.

Absolutely miserable.

"Actually, I was thinking of swapping out the sheets so they'd be dry for you. Maybe toss you in the tub for a bit," Ben ran a hand through his damp locks, ruffling them slightly. "Up to you."

A dry bed sounded nice…

He nodded.

It was a chore to get out of bed. His body ached, especially his back. But, as sure as the sun would rise, his little spider was there to snatch him off his feet and carry him.

As humiliating as it had been, he'd needed help on the first day. He'd felt so horrible that he didn't eat or drink all day. That, combined with the fever, and… well.

He learned the hard way that walking while dizzy was dangerous.

Since then, Ben practically became his nurse. He took off work– shirked his heroic duties to stay home and take care of him to the point he outright ignored the occasional sirens.

He only left for cold medicine and takeout.

The bath water wasn’t quite hot, but not cold, either. Something about not agitating the fever– but it felt incredible nonetheless. Bubbles floated at the top, the scent pleasant even through his congestion.

"M'gonna leave the door open. Holler if you need me, okay?"

He nodded and sank down into the water, eyes fluttering shut.

In a perfect world, he'd be able to hear every breath, every movement Ben made while stripping the sheets and covers from the bed. He’d hear the way Benny bickered with the fitted sheet that he could never quite get right on the first try, or maybe he’d smell the little specks of lemongrass oil he liked to fling on the mattress.

The humming as he worked.

The sigh of sympathy as he removed damp pillowcases.

The intense deliberation between flannel or microfiber sheets.

Instead, he got to sit there and shiver– body frozen despite the heat both in and outside of him. Simply trying to submerge further, damning both his height and the cramped tub that he couldn’t sink fully into the warmth.

He got to dwell on all that he'd lost– and how he wouldn't be like this now if he'd never let his guard down.

Vulnerable.

Weak.

Human.

Homelander hadn’t heard the shuffling of sock covered feet enter the bathroom, nor did he notice the fingertips that dipped into the water.

“You ready?”

He’d have jumped if he didn’t know better. Instead, he just groaned.

Ben insisted he not lift a finger to help– that he only sit there and tolerate his coughs and sniffles while being towel dried.

“I’m not totally helpless, you know.” Homelander blurted out, a hint of irritation in his voice. He gazed down at Ben, who had knelt before him to dry his legs. He meant to say more, but was stopped by a cough rumbling deep in his chest.

“Since when don’t you like being doted on?” Ben asked, eyebrow arched. He meant nothing by it, of course, but the look on John’s face told him all he needed to know.

This was a matter of wounded pride.

Of course it was. Being sick reduced Homelander to a state far weaker than he already was. Reminded him that he could always be knocked down another peg, even when he was sure he’d already reached rock bottom.

Ben rose, standing on his toes to press a kiss to the tip of John’s nose.

A million words danced on the tip of his tongue, but none would remedy feelings like that. So he settled for just leading Homelander back to bed, where they stayed for the rest of the afternoon to relax.

Until, of course, it was time to go to sleep.

“No– Ben, no! I’m not doing it!”

“C’mon, you know it helps you sleep.” Ben had straddled him, holding that little cup of foul medicine as though it wasn’t pure evil. He giggled at John’s protests, wondering if this is perhaps how his parents felt trying to convince him to take his medicine as a child.

“I…” Homelander seemed to pause as if to weigh the options of sleeping or coughing all night. His expression fell, becoming even more serious. “Sweeten the pot, Benjamin. You gotta do better than that.”

The wall crawler feigned offense.

“Fine. How about a kiss?”

“Not good enough.” John groaned, leaning back into his throne of pillows. “Do better.”

“Johnathan!”

“It’s like drinking sewage!” He countered.

Ben sat back for a minute, deep in thought, eyes flicking to Homelander’s face every so often until the perfect idea hit him.

“What if I…” He leaned forward, coming in close to whisper promises of bedroom shenanigans so filthy he dare not speak them aloud. “...and I’ll even let you tie me up with my webs. Deal?”

Without a second of hesitation, Homelander snatched the cup and downed it with all the enthusiasm of a shot. He didn’t even cringe.

“Deal!”

[purplehairedwonder]

Chapter 1063: Ambush

When I read the spoilers this week and saw Law’s name, I actually gasped. I had just resigned myself to not seeing him for at least a year, if not longer--depending on how long this current arc lasted. But we must truly be in the endgame if we’re seeing flashes to the outside world in the middle of an arc rather than between arcs.

And then I saw what was happening with Law and basically had this reaction:

Me: I miss Law already. I hope we see him sooner rather than later. Oda: Law vs. Blackbeard Me: NO NOT LIKE THAT

But I’ll come back to this. First, the cover story:

So, it looks like Kuzan kidnapped Pudding, which would give Blackbeard the ability to read the Poneglyphs. For all the twisted nature of the Charlotte family, you can tell they really care about one another. 

Of course, Zoro’s request from last chapter was left on a cliffhanger. Still, we have some good moments with divorced dad Jinbei and his Devil Fruit-eating children.

And thus, the Glutton Trio was born XD

And Atlas throwing some shade at Jinbei, but Jinbei just goes with it.

I love him. So much.

And just when I don’t think I can love him any more, he becomes even more the divorced dad with his Hawaiian shirt. 

Huge eyeroll for Bonney’s outfit. Why would a battle suit not have pants?

Luffy also gets new threads:

The boots are giving Mega Man vibes.

Also nice to see Luffy using his future sight here with the Pacifista.

Luffy attacks the Pacifista -- and it’s nice to see Luffy fully aware that this is a Pacifista and not the real Kuma -- and Bonney interferes. 

This is a cool shot of Bonney.

The shot of a younger Kuma and Bonney is actually heartbreaking. (Kuma looks a bit like Kyros here.) 

She has to know this isn’t her father. Is her reaction that she doesn’t like the visual of Luffy attacking a Pacifista that looks like her father? Oof.

Okay, anyway. To the completely unexpected part of the chapter: TRAFALGAR D. WATER LAW IS BACK.

The Blackbeard Pirates have ambushed the Hearts, and the Tang has taken too much damage to stay submerged.

And suddenly...

The fandom explodes. Oda’s been finding ways to bring a number of his SBS sketches into canon, from the young Warlords (Seraphim) to female Law. This is so random and more evidence someone needs to bonk Oda and send him to horny jail.

(She is really cute, though.)

I can’t stop laughing at female Bepo in the background though.

Shachi and Penguin are such dorks, and Law has no patience for it. I love their friendship.

For all the people (looking at you, Reddit) who think Law has weak Haki, well...

He’s able to overcome the effects of Doc Q’s powers with his Haki.

Look, Doc Q’s powers are the ability to spread disease, so I find the idea that being a woman is a “disease” pretty gross. I’d like to know if Ikkaku turned into a man during this; if the “disease” is just changing genders, then my annoyance drops significantly.

Still, the translation of “Ma-lady” was clever. I’ll be interested to see the official translation of this line.

(Update: The official called it the “Feminizaton Disease.” Gross.)

We see the various Devil Fruits members of the Blackbeard Pirates have gotten, including the Warp-Warp Fruit and the Buff-Buff Fruit.

I was thinking about this, but @chromatic-lamina​ has a nice breakdown here of how these powers are essentially all things Law’s own fruit can do. He seems like the best person to counter these various powers.

And then the big man himself arrives -- hilariously, on the back of Doc Q.

I love this panel with Law popping out of the panels as he faces Blackbeard. (Also, he’s still in his tank top. Now I may need to be bonked, oops.)

What’s really interesting to me here, though, is the familiarity with which Blackbeard is speaking. It shows they clearly interacted at Rocky Port. And, lest we forget, Blackbeard is holding Coby -- the so-called hero of Rocky Port -- captive. This is where we learn what happened during that incident, isn’t it? *vibrates in excitement*

Am I worried about Law here? Yes. Law has a damaged ship and Blackbeard plus three of his lieutenants. Is Law going to hold his own in this fight? Absolutely. I mean, look at this face.

He doesn’t look afraid. However, Blackbeard and his people fight dirty.

There is zero narrative purpose to killing Law here. For one thing, if Oda planned to kill Law as soon as Wano ended, there was no need to give him the new motivation to learn about the Will of D. Yes, Robin is also interested, but Law is the only D. we’ve seen who wants to know about his name. For another, Luffy doesn’t need more motivation to want to fight Blackbeard; his role in Ace’s death is plenty. 

But Blackbeard also is going to get some kind of win here, I think.

That said, I could easily see Law being taken captive and, held alongside Coby, we learn about the Rocky Port incident. I could also see an interruption to the fight a la Rayleigh coming to Amazon Lily. 

I hope it’s not off-screened, but then again, the last time we saw Sabo, he was on an island that got nuked and we haven’t heard anything since.

(Are we going to see what Kid is up to in a future chapter as well? I’m still so surprised to see Law so soon after the end of Wano.)

[kadavernagh]

Farraige na Buanachta || Regan & Elias

TIMING: Current LOCATION: Saol Eile PARTIES: Regan and Elias SUMMARY: Regan tries to scare Elias into leaving... by showing him the famous tar pit of Saol Eile. CONTENT: Parental death, child death

If Elias didn’t leave, he’d be sacrificed. If Elias didn’t leave, Regan would watch him die.

Farraige na Buanachta bubbled in front of them, hungry, always hungry. There had been a dearth of humans thrown into the tar pit recently, and the ones half-projecting from the ooze like capsized ships in the rocks were already dead, their bones bleached by the sun. Regan could feel their slow deaths wrap around her even from the edge of the tar. Elias would not be able to feel them, but seeing should be enough. He looked increasingly haunted, more life pressed out of him, every time she saw him at the clinic. Reality may have been sinking in that he was so deeply out of his element here, and that he needed to get out. They had enough privacy to discuss that here, and no one, short of her grandmother, would raise too much of a brow seeing her at the pit with a human, right? They might figure it had something to do with an upcoming sacrifice. 

Regan stared at the pit as she spoke, rather than at the expressive, human face next to her. “They place bets sometimes, you know. Of course, as banshees, we can always tell who is going to die, but not necessarily who will die first. So two humans are thrown in together, sinking at the same rate, and the others watch. Bets have to come in early, naturally, and are paid out before the death even happens. Every once in a while, one will die before they’re fully submerged. Something else will strike them down. That is considered a foul play.” Regan glanced toward Elias out of the corner of her eye, assessing for horror registering across his face. “They respect death here, they do. Banshees are not needlessly cruel. They do not go out in search of victims. But humans who decide to come here are threats, and if they are not useful in other ways, something must be done with them.” She was not enjoying this, but as long as Elias enjoyed it even less, she would persist. “It has been a while, from what I’ve heard.”

Finally, she turned to Elias, her voice rising almost imperceptibly with something she no longer recognized. “Please let me arrange for you to leave. Someone is about to die a needless, pointless death. You shouldn’t be next.”

———

It had taken much convincing on Regan’s part to get Elias to leave the upstairs clinic. After all, it wasn’t every day that you were called a human sacrifice and left for dead like that. People had warned him about the viciousness of fae. Regan had warned him. But he hadn’t listened. Instead, he chose to believe to see the good in people and look where it got him. In Ireland, with a hit on him. He wanted to keep the grip on reality they had, he wanted to believe that people were good. It was the nature versus nurture debate. Anyone is capable of horrible things, but it’s how they were raised and their own predisposition to doing bad.

He listened as she spoke of banshees placing bets on which human would die first. It didn’t sit right in his stomach. What kind of world was a world where people would sacrifice humans just for the thrill of it? “What are the sacrifices to?” He wondered, looking over to her with a distant expression. Ever since he’d reached Ireland, he’d been more emotionally distant than usual. Stuck in his own thoughts and feelings, Elias was ripped out of his own consciousness to Regan’s words. “I don’t think the banshees themselves are to blame,” he answered thoughtfully. And there was truth to his words. Despite everything, he didn’t think that it was the people at fault, but the institution in which they were raised. 

If Elias didn’t leave, he’d be sacrificed. If Elias didn’t leave, Regan would watch him die. “I don’t want to leave without you,” he said automatically, very little emotion in his voice as he turned to look at her. He’d buried his feelings down to protect himself and to keep them from Regan. She could handle his emotions, he’d learned. So he wouldn’t show them. “You know we’re not leaving without you. And if they plan on leaving before they get sacrificed, sure. But I don’t…” he trailed off, trying to find the words. “You’re meant for more than what you think you’re meant for. Sure, Banshees deal with fate. They deal in death. But that doesn’t mean that’s all you have to be. Disciplined, sure. But living here? Living like this? This doesn’t have to be. You can be so much more.” There was an earnestness in his expression as he looked at her. “Jade misses you.” He then said, deflecting his feelings onto something he knew would strike a chord.

———

Elias asking questions was a pleasant surprise. He had barely moved since planting himself in Saol Eile. On some level, he had to recognize the danger he was in. Good. And if Regan met his curiosity with warnings, maybe one of them would push him over the edge. But not the edge of the tar pit. He did not belong in there. He did seem to… misunderstand, though. Regan squashed any emotion from her voice – whatever infection that had entered her throat when she looked at him before was cured. “The ones in the pit are not sacrifices. They are intruders. You would have simply been tossed in there had I not gone along with what Brenna had expected, and a death in Farraige na Buanachta is neither quick nor pleasant.” When Regan listened, she could hear the begging and pleading of those who had been trapped. She could feel their remains bubbling just under the slick surface, out of reach (had it not been impossible to grab them, banshees would have pilfered them by now). “The sacrifices serve a different purpose. They are offering to Fate, in a way. Ag tairiscint do Chinniúint.”

“You don’t think they’re to blame for what? There is nothing to blame on anyone. There is nothing any banshee would be apologetic about.” Regan had never told anyone this so plainly, what she was about to explain to Elias. She had tried to tell the ham child (poorly, multiple times, never able to work up to the transparency needed), but like the child she was, she didn’t listen. Elias wouldn’t be able to intervene – no one would be able to intervene – but all Regan needed was for him to understand how things worked here. That would be enough. That would take root. “Banshees are not born screaming. Not more than any other neonate, anyway. It takes witnessing a death, a special death, one that kills something inside of you. The ham child is about to undergo this rite.” Her dagger-sharp eyes met Elias’s, and for just a split second, something dragged at her conscience. He looked sad, scared. The determination was flickering out of him. Good, she reminded herself for not the first time. Good. “I am meant to be exactly where I am. And your purpose, should you remain here long enough, will be to die so that a banshee can claim her birthright. Or perhaps you’ll be deemed expendable, not suitable for such an honor. Plenty of humans are.” She gestured to the black tar. “The pit awaits, in that case.”

At Jade’s name, her heart cracked like a spine. “Jade knows why I’m here and why I need to stay here. She might miss me, but… she knows. She understands duty and what the price is if I don’t get this right.” Her voice pitched up more than she would have liked, more than it should have, and that was a frustration all its own. Because it wasn’t working, she wasn’t getting it right, and what if she never did, what if the only price to pay was that of herself and there was nothing to gain for– Regan’s hand found the ring on her finger, and she kept it covered. “I have to get it right.” No, definitely not hollow enough yet. Her voice retained fluid, wet and soggy enough to be a gift from the bog back home.

———

Elias stared into the tar pit, listening as Regan continued spewing rhetoric about fate and what’s ‘right.’ What did she know what was right? What did Elias know about fate? He shuffled his feet, uncharacteristically quiet as he had been since arriving in Saol Eile. No matter what he said, Regan had made up her mind, it had seemed. No matter what he did, this would be the path that Regan had to walk down. Jade had accepted it, Jade. Of all the people that could have flown out here and talked sense into Regan, it would have been Jade. Instead, it was him, the ham child, and Wynne. The three of them didn’t stand a chance in the eyes of fate. He stared back down at the tarpit, watching the pitch as it seemed to absorb all light. 

“Fine.” He spoke, voice quiet yet determined. “If this is fate, then so be it. If you believe in fate so strongly, then so will I.” He stared right into Regan’s eyes as she looked over to him. There had never been such righteous anger in Elias’s eyes than in that moment. “If it’s fate that decides what happens to me, then I’m dying in that tar pit.” He stuffed his hands into his sweater pockets, refusing to look away from Regan and refusing to back down from this point he was desperately trying to make. “If that’s what fate has in store for me, then that’s what will happen. If you truly believe everything these people have been saying, then that’s my fate. An agonizingly slow death in a tar pit in picturesque Ireland.” 

He brushed a hand across his mouth, thinking about everything he was giving up by making this stand. He was giving up his family, his mother and father and brother, and sister, who cared about him more than life itself. He was giving up Marcus, someone he never thought he’d find in his life. He was giving up all the friends he’d made in Wicked’s Rest, something that he’d once seen as an equally foreign concept as being with someone like Marcus of all people. “If you believe and trust fate, you can’t stop what’s coming. So why try?” Elias put his hands into the air in surrender. “You have to get it right, then get it right. See me sacrificed.”

Elias felt all the rage he never let out start to bubble up beneath the surface of his mind. All the anger he felt at the entire situation and the things he never let out were about to be set free whether he wanted them to be or not. Healthy coping, who was that? Elias put his hood up and stepped back from the tar pit, glancing over at Regan once before turning away from her. “I don’t know what else to say to you, Regan. I really don’t. If you’re so stuck on this is the way things happen, then stop trying to change what’s clearly supposed to happen to me.”

———

Almost as much as Regan wished Elias would leave, she wished he would stop speaking of Fate. Neamh-roghnaithe had no right to discuss it; they were like goldfish who could not see the bowl they resided in. “Only if you’re caught. You can leave.” Regan’s eyes hardened at his, Elias’s fury and short-temper would not move her. It was only embarrassing. She took a number from her grandmother’s book, and her eyes filled with black, meeting his challenge to his own mettle. Over Elias’s shoulder, she could see wispy death rising up as bubbles in the pit. What she could not see, however, was any sort of darkness around Elias himself, any sign that he was about to die. For now. 

The pit gurgled in agreement with Elias’s sentiment, though. It would gladly take him, and Wynne, and the ham child. It would devour them and leave nothing behind, their bones glued to whatever lay at the bottom for hundreds of thousands of years. Regan frowned thinking about that, but she wasn’t going to let Elias get to her. It didn’t change the fact he didn’t know what he was talking about. “The direction of things can be changed up until it can’t be. You don’t understand. You can’t. But it’s stupid to resign yourself to being sacrificed before there’s a scream. If someone here screams for you, then you write your obituary.” She was realizing now that she had never explained to him how banshees even work, what they do, so was him being an amadán really his fault? Well, yes, but not entirely.

“Why try… I ask myself that, too. It’s why I am here.” Which from where Elias was standing (which was too close to the tar pit, actually; Regan didn’t like that) it probably sounded a lot like giving up. It was more like a trade. “I brought you over here so you could see what they do, but apparently it’s not enough to convince you.” Her wings twitched in barely concealed irritation. “What did you think would happen when you arrived here? I’d suddenly be convinced to return home with you?” Home. That wasn’t… she hadn’t meant that. “To Wicked’s Rest, I mean.” She glanced past Elias, surveying the bubbling tar. It was one of the best reminders this place held that agency was not something banshees could have. No one could. Banshees just had the honor of knowing it.

Eight years ago, Regan had almost launched herself into the tar pit to pull out one of the humans. He was a little boy, maybe twelve years old, who happened to wander into the wrong place at the wrong time; he had done nothing to attract the ire of banshees other than follow the sound of someone’s scream and learn too much. And who would believe a little boy about fairies? What threat could he have been? But that wasn’t up to Regan. The tar took him quicker than most. He was in there up to his chest, his arms up in the air like he was on a rollercoaster – a much more fitting place for a twelve year old boy – and Regan struggled to look at him. When she finally screamed for the kid, it had been a relief.

But before then, she jumped. Her grandmother had yanked her by the wings, which probably saved her life. And yet, she nearly jumped a second time, a third. It took months before she stopped attempting to help the slowly-sinking human lives. The tar would take them every time. The banshees would scream every time. Her grandmother would tell her, every time, that she was powerless to stop it. The tar would only take her, too, she said, while admitting such a death would be suitable for someone who refused to stop being a leanbh – frozen in time for centuries. 

Farraige na Buanachta was where Regan had learned to hold back a scream. Some part of her thought that if she didn’t scream, the humans might live. Or if she didn’t scream, she would at least be sparing herself seeing their deaths. But her grandmother never allowed that. Time after time, Regan was ushered back to the pit to watch someone’s mouth and nose sink beneath the oily tar, suffocating them within minutes. And time and time again, Regan tried to save them. It was at the top of her grandmother’s long list of ways Regan had disappointed her, how long it took her ridiculous, too-human granddaughter, the doctor who knew nothing, to stop trying. 

It was the harshest lesson Regan had learned here: there is no changing the will of Fate.

“I’ve–” Her voice was gravelly, completely unlike the tone she’d been battering Elias with since he’d arrived. “I’ve seen so many die here, because they didn’t get out when they could.” She watched the backside of Elias’s hood grow smaller and smaller as he took off in the direction of the clinic, and the pit swallowed up her words before they left her mouth. “Please.” That was all she could manage – too much a failure to seal her mouth shut and too much a corpse to say what really needed to be said – and while she was sure Elias could not hear her, the way biting, gnawing bugs swarmed across her skin felt almost like someone else had.

[nature-writes29]

Unexpected love | Veer Pandya x Sundar Chola/ Parantakan 2

It felt like he was been thrown on a sizzling hot pan. He pulled his head out of the sand, spitting the sand which had made his way into his mouth. He got up and looked around. After their expenditure beyond the sea, they were coming home when a Pandian ship had clashed with theirs. And the reason was the storm. They had clashed because of the mist. He knew that he was on a coast and that his family will send a ship to search for him.

      He started to look around for any survivors. After searching for a while he came across a person whose whole body submerged under the sang except his right hand. Happy to finally see a survivor he started to dig him out, hoping that he would be alive. When the person was fully out of the sand, he turned him over. To his uttermost shock and horror it was the Pandian king. 

      Though he was feeling light headed, he forced himself to open his eyes. At first, all was bright, then his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he saw the figure infront of him. 'Who is this? am I in heaven? I must say though, this man is Handsome.....' The Pandian King thought to himself. Then he figured out that the man infront of him is none other than Chakravarthi Sundar Chola. 

      They both stared at each other.      "What are you doing here?"    "Same can be asked to you"    "Well.... You know what has happened right? we should look for the survivors" Veer Pandya said. As he was about to get up, Sundar Chol grabbed his hand and stopped him.    "There's no need, I have already checked. You are the only person I was able to find." Veer stared at him for some time and plopped beside him.    "So.. now what?"    "I think we have saty here... Till help arrives or we figure something out"    "Oh parmeshwara! So I am stuck with my rival?"    "Look I am much keen about it either, but we don't have an option." Sundar Chola said getting up and holding out his hand for Veer Pandya who smiled mischievously, accepting his hand.

_Time skip_

      It has been a whole week since he had been stuck with this Pandian Bighead. But SC did have to admit that this Bighead was charming.

( I am just writing the initials because it's a pain to write their whole names everytime. So it's SC for Sundar Chola and VP for Veer Pandya)

      "So... Paran..... How's it back at home? You have a wife?" VP asked.    "Yes, I do."    "Oh" a frown appeared on VP's face, but he quickly hid it. But SC had noticed it.    "How many?" VP asked.    "Only one, though it is causing some internal problems with the ministers, but she is nice...."    "Ooooo"    "Yeah, and now I got a letter last month that she is expecting, so.. our Kingdom is going to get their hair mostly within a few months.... What about you?"    "Not yet... Though they were discussing about it when I left... I don't know what awaits for me back at home... And congratulations by the way."    "Hmmm....." And they walked onn....

_Time skip_

      It's been a few days since he had found out that his new friend had a wife and an unborn child. He didn't understand why but he used to feel a weird sensation whenever SC used to touch him... Whenever they used to talk.... Whenever he was around. SC was very handsome, like really handsome. There were times he wasn't able to keep his eyes off him. He didn't know why he felt that way, it was new to him.

      Currently he was on a coconut tree, trying to pluck their dinner. They were thirsty too.

      "Aae! Careful! We don't want your head cracked, do we?" SC yelled at VP from below.    "Will you shut up! It's soo dark up here! Stop yelling at me!" This got SC to shut up.

      He just stared at VP from below, collecting the coconuts he was throwing from above. The person above him was a charming man. He had a great sense of humour and was optimistic half the times. He knew that he was a bit attracted towards him, he liked everything about him... Though SC had to remind himself that he himself had a wife back home and that he was going to be a father. He kept those thoughts aside and looked to the man on the tree who was coming down.

   "Do the Pandian Royals live on coconuts? You seem pretty skilled with all this"    "Do the Cholas have the pass to the moon? Because I am seeing a piece of it right in front of me" VP replied in a mischievous tone.    "What?" SC said feeling a blush creeping up his cheeks.    "Oh! You know what I mean Paran, wait...... there is something on your cheek-" VP said coming hear him.    "Where?" SC asked giving VP a sceptical look while moving his hands to his cheeks.    "-Right there" VP said leaning towards him. He got his hand up, which like looked like it was going for SC's cheek. But to SC's shock and delight, he wasn't met with VP's hand, but with his lips.

      His lips lingered on SP's cheek far more time than a 'just friend' would. He pulled back looked at the moon. His moon. SC stared at him frozen but a look of pure happiness played on his face. His mouth was also opened with shock.    "Come on, we should get to the shelter, and please close your mouth." With these last words he picked up his coconut and started to walk towards theit makeshift shelter.

_Later that night_

      They both were laying on the opposite sides of their shelter. Their backs were facing each other and both were lost in thoughts.

      SC touched the area in which VP has kissed him. Still feeling that it was all a dream. He now knew for sure that he loved this man. More than a friend. But now he felt as if he was playing a game of tug and war. One side there was Vanama, his wife, who was now carrying their child. On the other side there was VP who was.... Well.... He didn't even had the words to describe their relationship. Two men can't fall in love. Can they?

      On the other side, VP was blaming himself for his actions earlier this evening. He didn't knew what had took over him when he had kissed his cheek. 'Oh parmeshwara! I have kissed his cheek! He has a wife! And a unborn child! How can I do this! Ohhh my........and worst, we are both boys!' his thoughts kept repeating.

_The day after_

      It was raining furiously. The Sun was playing hide n seek with the clouds. They both were sitting under a podium type of thing. They thought that it was a piece of an old and forgotten temple.

      But their focus wasn't on the rain. Just before the rain, when they were hunting, SC have had a big accident. The portion from his right side of neck to the right shoulder was bloodied. VP was tending to his wounds. They were inches close.

  "How can someone mess up so bad with hunting? And you are a King!" He said slowly applying the medicinal ointment.    "I know but I got distracted..."    "Distracted? By what"    "Nah.. I can't tell you that."    "Arre tell me na!    "Nope!"    "Please..." VP kept asking him... Which finally got him to break.    "It's because of you!" There was a shocked silence between them.    "Me?"    "Yes you! Ever since last evening I am not being able to keep you out of my mind!"    "And what about your heart?" VP asked him, giving him look of pure love.    "Yes, the heart too" SC replied in a whisper. They stared at each other for some time. VP took one look at SC as he leaned forward.

      The world slowed down as their lips met. The kiss took SC off-guard. VP Started to pull back as he felt SC freeze a bit. But he felt a muscular arm push his head forwards, deepening the kiss. SC thought that he was in heaven when he came back to his senses. He instinctively grabbed VP's head and pulled him forward deepening their kiss. VP slowly moved his hand to SC's cheek. Tenderly moving it on his flesh, pulling each other closer than one can humanly do. SC moved his free hand through his hair. The kiss intensified. Because of VP's force, SC slowly felt his back touch the ground. VP was on top of him.

•••••~•••••~•••••~•••••~•••••

Ha ha ha a cliffhanger! Don't worry there's going to be a part two.

You guys wanted a kiss and a romantic scene? Here you go. Enjoy. I hope this was upto your expectations

@ragkee @whippersnappersbookworm @moon-880 @favcolourvibgior @thirst4light @dr-scribbler @nspwriteups @thereader-radhika @vibishalakshman sorry if I have forgotten to mention, some of you had requested for this on Wattpad. I am sorry if anyone felt that this was boring or not up to the story you guys wanted. I have never written a gay couple or a kissing scene so it was a bit awkward for me to write. But I hope that you guys liked this oneshot. Instances mentioned are completely fictional. If any confusion, let me know! :)

Any suggestions and feedback appreciated.

∆ Requests Accepted ∆

_ All work is original. Do not copy _

[wonderland-productions-blog]

Knight in Dulled Armor, Chapter 2

Chapter Two: A Day’s Work

The morning light peaks through the window, brightening the room and giving me the energy to begin a new day. I stretch out of bed and tidy my covers when a knock on the door breaks the serenity of the room. "Come in," I say.

A young woman enters the room carrying a basket of laundry on her hip. "Good morning miss..." she says with a strained smile. "Oh, Elaine." I finish for her without thinking. My heart skips a beat as I'm able to remember my name without interruption. A wave of emotions comes over me as I remember how I came to awake in the desert. I maintain my composure, following her as she signals me out of the room.

Despite the newly risen sun a few people already sat at tables in the tavern. The smell of bread wafted through the air. Some kind of gravy and golden brown biscuits sat on the plates of patrons. The bartender, who I now recognized as Kenrik, gave me a small smile and wave as I made my way out of the tavern. The girl who had been leading looked back at me, as we walked out the door her eyes seemed to shift to a much brighter blue.

As we walk down a stone path the wind kicks up a bit and I see her brush her long blonde hair to the side of her shoulder. I am brought to a slightly smaller building a bit down the road. This one had lighter bricks of a much larger size as well as a more compact and sealed finish. Its roof had a low arch but its shingles were much better kept. Unlike the tavern's half doors which were easy to swing open, the door to this building was much larger and heavier. We walked in and I immediately realized it had been a bathhouse.

The girl, still carrying her laundry basket on her hip, finally set it down and opened a curtain leading to one of the various small enclosed spaces with tall partitions on either side, giving me a private area to bathe. These small partitioned rooms lined the walls of the building, and this made me wonder if the areas with closed curtains were occupied while the ones with open curtains weren't. The abundance of steam in the building inclined me to believe that there were at least a few other people in town bathing at the same time as I was.

"I've left your uniform in the basket, Ma'am. Please let me know if you need anything." She said, this comment finally made me assess her outfit, which was a nearly floor-length moss green dress with a white apron tied around her waist. This of course was similar enough to what she had been carrying in the basket." Oh, yes. What's your name?" I say, then quieting my voice to a whisper "And, um, are there any men in the bathhouse with me?".

She must have picked up on my uncomfortable demeanor, as she immediately responded with, "Oh, no ma'am. The men's area has an entrance on the other side of the building. We're separated fully by a brick wall. No worries there. And my name is Marietta." She finishes with a smile and closes my curtain. I dip my fingers into the steaming tub of water and begin wiping the tiled wall and curtain, creating a slight seal to ensure complete privacy without gaps between the curtain and wall. This process only takes a few moments, and I am soon ready to bathe.

I strip my tattered clothes, caked with dirt, sweat, and droplets of blood, and set them beside the tub. I ease my way into the steaming water, feeling my tensions ease and muscles soothe as I sink further into the bath. I grab a container with soap on the edge of the bath as well as a sponge. I begin to scrub my body off; my arms, chest, stomach, and legs. By the time I have reached my thighs, going over the small scrapes and cuts has begun to cause slight irritation and pain.

This seems to be the sign to wrap up my bath, so I clean my hair and submerge my head fully into the water. I notice a couple of towels stacked in the corner of my room on a tray, and I begin to dry my body and hair. My towel is fashioned 'round my body, secured with a tuck under my arm. Pulling the curtain to the side, I find the basket and remove my carefully folded clothing.

I quickly make my way back into my partitioned area, eager to have fresh clothes. As I'm putting on my clothes, I feel the difference in thickness as well as layers from my previous dress. It makes sense that a place with such scorching heat would have thinner clothes and fewer layers than that of my previous home. After tying my apron and putting on my shoes, a simple pair of leather flats that fit me well enough, I let out a sigh of relief to be comfortably dressed for the first time in days.

I leave the building and begin making my way back to the tavern, following the simple stepping stone path we had taken last time, this time without Marietta. I figured she had already made her way back to the tavern after tidying up a bit in the bathhouse. I push the doors open and try to walk through the tavern without attracting much attention. Making my way left from the entrance I find Kenrik standing at the bar as I had several times before in the short time I've been here.

My hands fit together as my fingers fidget, trying to find the right words with one of the first conversations I've had on my own here. "Where should I start, Kenrik?" I let out, with less of a smile yet more gently than I'd have liked to. "Ah, you're eager. I appreciate that. It seems that Val has brought a good one," he says with a chuckle, "Go ahead and start clearing tables, or if you're feeling a bit more sociable you can take orders. Whichever you prefer, I'm sure Marietta would be fine doing whichever one you don't."

I nodded and immediately started working on picking up plates and bringing them back behind the counter where a dish tub resides. Once all the tables have been cleared I naturally begin to do the dishes, cleaning them with a sponge and frothy soap next to the dish tub. It starts out fine but I soon encounter a problem with my hair getting in the way of my face and needing to tuck it behind my ears or pull it back again and again. Marietta must have noticed this as she comes up beside me and offers me a long, silky ribbon matching the color of my uniform. As her lips curl into a smile I notice the scattered freckles along her cheeks and just how rosy they were.

I, of course, smile back at her and tell her thank you. Tying my thick, wavy hair back is met with a moment of resilience but managed easily enough. With my problem solved I'm able to finish and set the dishes out to dry. Marietta had been sweeping, so now the only jobs that remain seem to be taking orders and serving food.

Marietta hands me a pencil and a small paper notebook pad and gestures me over to a table where a single person had just sat down. She explains to me that this one will be a simple order because it is one person and that I should be able to manage on my own. I agree and make my way over across the tavern.

A fair-haired man in a long dark tunic greets me at the table. He shifts his belt as he says he'd like to get started with a drink. He sets his hands on the table with his fingers laced together, he gives me one last smile as I walk away to fetch his drink. I walk over to the bar, picking up a hefty glass mug. Opening a white chest beside the counter a breeze hits my face. I fit a metal scoop into my hand and pour the glittery, oblong chunks of ice into the mug. Pulling myself up to my feet, I bend over the counter a bit and push down the tab of a spout on a barrel up to fill the glass with ale.

I bring it back to him, setting it down on the table with a slight "thunk". "Thank you," he says. I reply with a smile "Have you figured out what you'd like to eat?". "Yes, I'll have the pork with rice and greens, please." "Right away sir," throughout the entire time I'm jotting down his order, his staring persists along with an uncomfortable grin.

After a few steps away from the table a realization sets in; I don't know where we cook the food, nor who cooks it. I fumble over to Marietta, who stopped what she was doing to turn her attention to me. My voice lowers to a whisper, "Um, Marietta, where is the kitchen?" She snickered and gestured to an arched doorway at the end of the room behind the bar. I lift the flip-up bar counter and slip past Kenrik, who's talking with a patron at the bar. He'd seemingly been haggling with him, or at least attempting to.

The kitchen was a bit steamy as I walked in, the sounds of sizzling grew louder as I walked closer toward a stone hearth. A pan sitting atop a metal-gridded sheet within came into view. My eyes snap over when I hear a "Hey, new girl!" shouted in my direction. A man a bit taller than me points with one hand and a skillet in the other. I trace his finger over to a wire hung across parallel to the ceiling with several sheets of note paper clipped to it.

He flung open a small wooden hatch on the wall beneath the wire to reveal an order window. This was to pass the written orders through or clip them on the wire and place the food tray onto. "Next time, use the window, girlie." The cook says, flipping his dark brown dreads back behind his shoulder. I meekly nod, embarrassed I hadn't seen the window before traversing through the hot, busy kitchen.

As I'm walking out of the kitchen I feel a warm pressure accumulate on my wrist. With a glance behind me, I see the cook with his hand on my wrist. He wipes his umber face with the back of his hand, now holding a spatula. "I'm Hidorah by the way, I thought you might wanna know if we're gonna be working together. For a bit, it seems, anyway." I let out a giggle and nod, slipping away back to the bar to grab a refill for the man I'd been tending. I pat my back pocket only to find my notepad was gone.

Once again I place the glass down onto the table and remove the one now containing only ice. "So, what brings you into town?" I ask, trying to keep him entertained while his food was prepared, especially since I had no other patrons to tend to. He responds with a hint of glee in his voice, "Ah, I'm headed to Asteria. There's to be a wonderful wedding for the heiress soon.". My blood froze, yet I kept my gaze and did not allow my smile to fade.

"Oh, is that right?" I say with a bit of faux surprise. "Haven't you heard? It's supposed to join two of the largest kingdoms in the land!" He lets out in shock at the mere concept of this news being unknown to anyone. "I suppose I'm not interested in the political climate of such large factions in such a small town," I say with a smile, the glass of ice now chilling my hand and leaving a cold residue. He chuckles, "Spoken like someone well educated on the subject."

"Your food will be just a few more minutes, sir," I say, beginning to walk back to the order window behind the bar countertop. He smiles, "Wonderful, thank you."

By the time I get back to the window, I see a steaming tray of food set on it. A dark slab of meat with rice and seasoned veggies, definitely his order. I pick it up and notice my notepad sitting underneath it, though I was sure I hadn't placed it there. I set the plate down onto his table and walk away, eager to escape the chance of another conversation.

A peek through the tavern's batwing doors reveals it was a few hours until sundown. I'd been working most of the day without realizing. I begin looking for things around the tavern to work on, I feel a tap on my shoulder. "We're done for the day, Elaine," Marietta says to me, untying her apron and hanging it on a hook beside the doors.

She leaves without another word. I give Kenrik a confused glance, which he returns. "What-what do I do?" I stutter out. "Whatever you want, you're done with work for today." He tells me. He sets a coin pouch onto the counter, sliding it over to me. "I didn't know I would get paid," I say.

"What, did you think Val brought you here as some kind of indentured servant?" He asks. I shrug and look away, "Well, why else would you pay him to bring me here?"

"I have a reward on lost travelers brought here for many reasons;" he assured me, "it ensures the safety of travelers, it boosts the local trade, could lead to the expanding of the town, as well as paves the path a bit more into town." I nod at him with wide eyes, hoping he'd tell me more. "With us being in the middle of the desert, it certainly helps To get more trade and foot traffic. I'd love to see this little place really flourish." He stops, giving a little shrug, and motions me away.

I look back to the now-empty table and take the man's plate to the sink to wash it off. Afterward, I make my way to the table and wipe it down with a wet rag. If I'm done with work, I'd like to make sure I'm actually done.

Not sure where else to go, I take the coin pouch and head back to my room. I shut my door behind me and feel the coin pouch weighing down my pocket. I kneel onto the floor, hiding my coin pouch deep underneath my bed. I stand and dust off my hands, reminding myself that my floor is still as dirty as I'd discovered it last night.

I grab a broom and begin sweeping, accumulating a large pile of dust. I sweep the pile into the dustpan and dump it into my bin. I turn to the door to put my broom back into the common area but see a man standing in my doorway. He leans his arm against the door frame near his head with his other hand on his hip. I was about to tell Hidorah hello when he suddenly says, "Elaine," I stare, my mouth slightly open as I wonder how he knew my name since I hadn't introduced myself. "I didn't see you come in," I say. "I'm sure you didn't see me snag this either," he tells me, tossing me a coin pouch. I glance under my bed to see that mine was gone.

I give him a confused glance and he replies, "Look, Elaine, there are a lot of sketchy people here that might want to get their hands on what you got." He pauses," Say you leave for town one day, someone rents the wrong room, they take a look under the bed for an extra blanket, and boom, suddenly you're out all your cash." He flings his arms up to set a dramatic tone.

"Fine, I'll hide it somewhere else. Is that all you wanted?" I said, trying to compose myself. "You're very pretty, where are you from, Elaine?" My face flushes and I scoff, turning around. I cross my arms when he places his hand on my shoulder. "Could it be the same as me?" He says, tucking hair behind my ear. He pulls away, "Huh, I suppose not. Well, I'll be off then."

He starts toward the door, but I grab onto the ribbon of his apron and tug him over to me. I've got a hunch, pulling some of his dreads to the side to reveal large, pointed ears. "Aha! Where are you from, Hidorah?" He groans, turning to me. "Fine, I'm from a small settlement of elves north of here called Braiewood." He takes off his apron and crosses his arms, "I was kidding about the pretty thing, by the way. I know you've got your eyes set on Val." He stops for a moment, breaking eye contact, "Just like every other girl here," Hidorah mutters.

I wonder what he meant by that, but push it off. "Val? No, I don't even know him. In fact, you've spoken to me more than he has." He scoffs, "Whatever you say, girlie. Listen, now that you know my little- well, pretty big secret," he pulls his hair over his ears once more, "do let me know if you see anyone else like me. If you catch my drift."

"And why is that?" I ask. "I'll tell you when you find another like me, if you don't, well then you don't need to know, do you?" Hidorah says, turning his palms up. I shrug, "I suppose not, then.". He leaves my room, and I sit on my bed breaking down our interaction.

So, a rare dark-skinned elf away from his town who also happens to be a master pickpocket. My eyes widen as I realize he must have slipped my notepad from my pocket during the brief time I was in the kitchen with him. I wonder why he would want another elf, and why he wouldn't tell me.

I push my mind from the thought, it's not my place to pry into others' business when I hardly know them. Especially when I'm not yet in the position to hold my ground. I wouldn't want to press someone too hard and get kicked out without any other place to stay.

I peek my head out my door, seeing Hidorah leave the tavern in a set of everyday clothes. Shaken by the thought of him coming into my room again and stealing my things just as he'd done now, I am tempted to tell Kenrik. I take a deep breath, preparing myself.

I step out of my room, walking over to the counter. I take a seat on a weathered barstool, wiping a bit of dust off its cracked, leathery top before sitting down. "Ya need somethin'?" Kenrik says to me in a confused yet kind tone. I mull over how to address the strange situation with him.

I try to be blunt, "You know Hidorah is a pickpocket right? Aren't you concerned about him stealing the tavern's profits?"

Kenrik takes a moment to think before responding, "Oh that boy wouldn't dare steal from the tavern after the first time I caught em'" Kenrik laughed, "Besides, I can't help but feel he's grown too attached to the place to go and do something like that."

"What... happened the first time you caught him?" I say. "He was sneakin' around in my room in the middle of the night. He didn't know I had Kyzu, and she really tore into em'." I cut him off for a moment, "Kyzu?" "Ah, my precious puppy, but she got out recently." I think I see a tear well in his eye but he blinks it away, "Anyway, it took Marietta quite a while to patch him up. She stayed with him all night to make sure he was okay. Call me crazy but I think he might've caught feelings along with an infection." Kenrik laughs. "So you don't gotta worry about that boy stealing, dear."

I nod, letting out a sigh of relief to hear from Kenrik how much trust he holds in Hidorah. "Is there anything else you need?" He asks. I bite at the corner of my lip and my brow furrows, "Actually, just one more thing," Kenrik decides to pull up a stool and sit down. I steady my breath, nervous to ask.

"When do you think Val is coming back?" I say, trying my best to make eye contact. Kenrik perks up for a moment, "Oh, well. It ranges quite a bit, could be a few days, could be a month!" He pauses and shrugs, "boy runs around all kinds of towns n' places. Never lets me know when he just pops in here. Sometimes it'll be so long I worry he might've gotten killed out there!"

My eyes widen and a look of fear flashes across my face. Kenrik notices and stutters out a response, "Kiddin'! Just kiddin' is all! Boy's nice enough, if he ever does get in trouble I'm sure he can handle himself. Sure is big enough to." With my shaky breath, I reply, "Alright, thank you."

As I'm about to stand and head back to my room Kenrik stands as well. He slaps his hands down onto his thin thighs, then traces them back to his hips, "Welp, I'm beat. I think I'm gonna head to bed now, Elaine." "Oh, goodnight Kenrik!" I exclaim. To my surprise, he didn't head to the door but rather crouched down behind the counter. I hear what seems to be a creaky door and a light thud. I push myself against the counter to see a trapdoor being held open. My jaw drops, "We have a basement?"

A laugh emanates from the room beneath me, "Come poke your head in here!" I quickly make my way behind the counter, pressing my hands against the floor. I flip my head down into the hole to see a well-built, tidy room with dark wood-paneled walls. The farther half of the room was separated by a stone brick accent wall, but through a large arch doorway, I could see a large bed against the wall. Two large, dark green chests sat against each wall on either side along with a bookshelf and end table.

Feeling a bit dizzy, I throw my head back up. "Kenrik," I say, "who will watch over the tavern while you're asleep?" He stands at the bottom of the steep staircase down, "I've got a night staff, don't worry. Oh, and would you shut the hatch?" I tell him alright and goodnight once more, heading back to my room.

I retrieve the coin purse and pull out the top drawer of the nightstand beside my bed. I wiggle it out of place and push my coin pouch into the far back corner. Once I replace the drawer, I give it a few pulls and pushes. Not hearing any coins sliding, I'm satisfied with my hiding spot.

I finally get the chance to take off my tavern clothes. I untie my apron and hang it on a hook in the wardrobe, then strip off my dress and thin petticoat. Once these are folded neatly I set them on the floor of the wardrobe along with my shoes. I sift through the extra clothes and find a large white tunic to slip on. I pull over my blanket and slide into bed, ready to sleep.

The next morning I awoke at sunrise once more, beginning my day feeling well-rested. I get changed into my uniform and tie my hair back into a high ponytail. Noticing an extra green ribbon hanging in my wardrobe, I tie and fasten a large bow on the back of my neck.

The day goes faster than the last with much of it being filled with more cleaning than taking orders. I'm able to manage myself for the most part for a large portion of the day, only needing direction when Marietta informed me it was our break. I glance at the menu on the wall, reading over everything we served. I decided on a small baked bread loaf with a potato and onion soup. I jot it down on my notepad from my back pocket and hang it on the kitchen wire through the window.

After waiting a few minutes, I began chatting with Marietta, who sat down beside me with a plate of leafy greens and diced meat with pepper and a purple dressing atop it. She prodded at it with her fork, speaking in between bites. "Work's been pretty hectic lately, apparently with this royal wedding coming up there's a lot more foot traffic around, and there's the caravans too." I let out a small laugh, "I guess I wouldn't know what's hectic for here," she covers her mouth with a cloth napkin, speaking through a mouth full of food, "Oh, you're right. I'm sorry." She swallows, "I'm glad you showed up when you did! I wouldn't be able to handle the orders and upkeep for the day without you here!" She exclaims, giving me a warm smile.

Two thuds against the wall make me turn my head to the order window. Hidorah had made a habit of slapping the order window's frame rather than using the bell when an order had been completed. He said the bell was "too high a noise" and that the slaps were, "a nice, dim thud", whatever that means in terms of sound. Either way, it got my and Marietta's attention. I walk over to see my order note tucked beneath the plate.

Hidorah comes to the window, laying his arms down and his chin over his crossed forearms, "Are we busy?" "Not a single person ordering," I tell him. "Perfect," he responds. A moment later I see him bounding over the flip-up door in the counter. He takes my seat at the bar, now between me and Marietta. He sets down a plate of a steak and baked bread, somehow not dropping it while he charged in here.

Not much was said while we all ate. The taste of Hidorah's food was amazingly seasoned and buttery, he must have been cooking even prior to working at the tavern. Once I finish my plate the others had already finished and Marietta was back to work. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Hidorah says, circling my total owed on my notepad order.

"Oh, right!" I say, heading back to my room to pay for my lunch. I shut my door behind me and pull open my nightstand drawer. Feeling around in the corner, I can't seem to find my coin pouch. A pressure tugs at my waist and I hear the jingle of coins against one another, "Looking for this?" Hidorah chuckles, "The drawer, really?" I turn and reach for my coin pouch he now holds above my head.

He leans back toward my bed and my body presses against his as I get closer to my bag. He stretches and contorts, desperately trying to keep it out of my reach while laughing hysterically. I let out a grunt. Growing impatient and flustered I shove myself forward hoping to secure it in my grasp. I collapse onto him in my bed, finally grabbing my coin pouch and tearing it away from him. He places his hands on my hips, trying to push me off of him, now out of breath from laughing.

I let out an exasperated sigh and hear my door open. Marietta gasps and stutters out, "I'll come back later!" She then slams the door behind her, followed by a set of footsteps growing fainter as she walks away.

Hidorah practically throws me off of him and flings himself to sit up. A panicky expression consumes him, and I ask what's wrong. "Oh by gods, Marietta's going to think we're together. She saw you on top of me!" I stare at him, confused. "I-I didn't mean to- I was just-It wasn't-" Hidorah stutters out.

"Can you talk to her, please? Tell her we aren't anything like that?" He pleads. "Okay, fine. But you're not cute. I don't like you taking my stuff, even if it is to tease me, I'm a grown woman." He nods, cupping his face in his hands on my bed. I head out of the room in an attempt to find Marietta.

By the counter she's refilling the ale barrels, I go over to her. "Hey," I say, my face still flushed. "I want you to know that Hidorah was just trying to be funny. I pushed him and it ended in a scuffle, not what you were thinking." Her face let loose some tension, "Ah, I see. He's always been a kidder. Forgive him, I'm sure he didn't mean to get on your nerves. At least not that much." She says, smiling. "I wish he had that blind confidence when I first got here, would have broken the ice and made things easier on me." She continues.

I nod, heading back to work. I see Hidorah leave my room and go back into the kitchen. Marietta gives him a smile and tension entirely melts away from both of them. I'm shocked at how easily the conflict was resolved, not used to that I suppose.

Work finishes up easily enough, filled with a bit of busy work and upkeep. I finish up later today, due to there being a few more patrons to clean up after. Once I'm back in my room I'm tired enough to head to bed.

[myqueenmarceline]

Siren Song chapter 19: Back to the Boat

Summary: Marceline takes Bonnibel back to her boat, but something goes wrong.

Warnings: none

Thank you to @nebula-gaster for beta reading this. I really wanted to get a chapter of this out for Mermay, and I hope y’all enjoy it!

When Marceline had said she would get Bonnibel home, Bonnibel hadn’t been expecting it to go like this. She had thought that once she swam out of Marceline’s cave, she would already be close to her boat. Bonnibel had also erroneously assumed that Marceline’s cave having such a large air pocket meant that the entrance was close to the surface.

In reality, while there must be some holes letting in fresh air, the tunnel to exit the cave was long and entirely submerged. Marceline had supplied Bonnibel with an oxygen tank that some divers had “left behind” last summer. The air wasn’t the freshest, but Bonnibel still breathed deeply as she began her dive.

The tunnel to the exit was pitch black, and Marceline had to essentially lie on top of Bonnibel as she swam out to keep her from accidentally hitting her head against the rocky walls. Luckily, the tunnel was wide enough for both of them to go through at the same time. Bonnibel felt like she was moving at a snail’s pace, but Marceline never rushed her. She just let Bonnibel feel her way through the handholds, her hair and fins occasionally brushing against Bonnibel’s back.

Once she was finally out of the tunnel, Bonnibel realized just how deep they were. The entrance to Marceline’s cave must have been about fifty feet under the water, near the edge of what was considered acceptable for humans to dive without a decompression period.

Bonnibel didn’t know when Marceline had picked up that knowledge, but she insisted on taking a break for Bonnibel to decompress before they went all the way to the surface. Bonnibel’s head was already aching a bit from the short swim, so she agreed. They stopped about fifteen feet from the surface, with Marceline floating next to Bonnibel the entire time.

The light was much brighter here, and Bonnibel was able to see how Marceline’s scales glittered each time her tail rolled. She looked beautiful, and Bonnibel’s heart leaped in her chest as Marceline stared at her. Marceline reached out, and Bonnibel let her rest her hand on her forehead for a moment before she gestured that she was fine. Marceline nodded, and they finally swam the remaining distance to the surface.

Bonnibel pulled the mouthpiece out, eagerly breathing in. The salty sea air was abrasive, but anything was better than the stale air from the bottle. Marceline surfaced next to her, her wet hair falling down into her face for a moment before she pushed it to the side.

“So I wanted to wait to tell you this until we hit the surface, but it’s probably better if I carry you back to your boat.”

Bonnibel blinked. “What? Why?”

“Because it’s a twenty minute swim away for me, and that’s when I’m going fast.”

Bonnibel couldn’t argue with that. After a bit of debate over which position would be best, they both agreed to Marceline swimming on her back, with Bonnibel lying on top of her like a baby otter. Marceline could swim as fast as she wanted without worrying about accidentally drowning Bonnibel, and Bonnibel got to feel what it was like to be held. She didn’t say the last part out loud, of course, but it definitely influenced her decision.

Marceline held Bonnibel tightly, her arms locking around Bonnibel’s waist like a seat belt. Bonnibel had to spread her legs and lift them slightly to avoid Marceline’s tail. She watched as it unfurled, wishing she could lean down and run her fingers over it.

With one powerful push, they shot forwards a few feet. Marceline quickly got into a rhythm, carrying them swiftly through the water. Her tail stayed fully submerged, but the waves curled around it every time it lifted up. It was truly beautiful.

Bonnibel tried to turn her head to get a glimpse of Marceline’s face, and got a mouthful of seawater instead. She quickly turned back, spitting out as much water as she could. She shut her eyes, fighting the urge to wipe the seawater away. Her hands were soaked in the same, so it would only irritate her more. She had to let her eyes water a bit, and then she’d be fine. She kept her head raised slightly, letting the water splash against the back of it instead of running down over her face.

Instead of trying to see more of Marceline, Bonnibel focused on how it felt. The way Marceline was holding her meant that she could feel the muscles in Marceline’s waist and hips flexing with each powerful stroke of her tail. Marceline wasn’t holding her painfully tightly, but she could feel almost every inch of Marceline’s upper body where it was pressed against her back. Bonnibel tried to approach with a scientific mentality, but her mind inevitably wandered.

She felt a bit guilty for thinking of Marceline in such a way, but she couldn’t help it. Marceline was the most gorgeous creature Bonnibel had ever seen, and they had just spent the past few hours pretending to be in a relationship. Was it so awful to want more?

Bonnibel was shaken from her thoughts when Marceline slowed into a long glide. The water went from splashing up around them to rippling, and Bonnibel relaxed. She put one hand on top of Marceline’s patting it a bit. Marceline let go, and Bonnibel began treading water.

Bonnibel looked around, but the stretch of sea they were in was blank. There were no familiar landmarks, and no boat.

“What the…” Marceline swam in front of Bonnibel, looking around in confusion. “I don’t get it. Your boat was anchored right here.”

Bonnibel looked around as well, then looked back at Marceline. She didn’t want to doubt Marceline, but there was an obvious question to ask. “Are you sure you didn’t take us in the wrong direction?”

Marceline shook her head, looking annoyed. “The school is nearby, I can sense them from here. Trust me, Bonnie. You keep your boat in practically the same place all the time. I know where it’s meant to be parked, and it’s not here now.”

“Well it didn’t just sail away on its own,” Bonnibel retorted, a sliver of doubt creeping into her mind. She knew she had anchored the boat securely, but what if the boat had somehow come loose and wrecked itself or drifted out to sea? Hunson could have done something with it too, and simply not told them…

“One second.” Marceline said, then Bonnibel was suddenly face to face with her tail. Marceline dove down, leaving Bonnibel treading water by herself.

After a minute she came back up with something clutched in her hand. “Here.” She held it out, and Bonnibel quickly caught it before it could sink back down.

The white rope had begun to discolour due to salt water, and it was heavy. Bonnibel looked down at it in horror, then back up at Marceline. “This is part of the sea anchor.”

“Hey, it’s gonna be okay.” Marceline reached out and touched Bonnibel’s shoulder.

Bonnibel barely felt it; her whole body felt like it was going numb. “My boat’s gone. It’s—it’s fucking—”

Marceline moved her hair to one side, then pulled Bonnibel in for a tight hug. She pressed Bonnibel’s face against her shoulder, rubbing her back. “Ssh, it’s gonna be alright. I promise, we’ll find your boat again. I’m gonna take care of you.”

All Bonnibel could do was lean her dead weight against Marceline, numbly accepting the touches as Marceline tried to console her.

[prozac-shaped-urn]

i'm drugged. but i need to say something.

i hope that, if i'm so blessed to find my person and they're much older than i am, that i can sufficiently articulate why i want to be with someone their age. why i don't want the long stretches of time to spend with them. why i want the fleeting thing of beauty to last no more than probably a solid decade. why being with someone much older is more enticing to me than being with someone my age. i want them to fully understand my reasoning behind this desire and not brush it off as some kind of fetishization of age gaps. because that's not why at all.

it's because there is no such thing as enough time when you find your person, platonic or otherwise. it's not how much time you have with someone--it's how you use the time you have.

being with someone my age would put me in an erroneous bed of complacency. i would mark things for later and never get to them. we wouldn't spend the time we had wisely and then it would be gone.

and what a huge mistake it would be to waste time that way. waste parts of my life that way i've already wasted them: waiting for a change to happen which never will. waiting for something to alter my life course and wake me up. waiting for some kind of solace in my misery and loneliness. hoping against hope that maybe i would be free of the pact i'd given to someone whom i didn't enjoy spending time with.

if i find my person and they're much older than i am (i'm currently 35, so think 60s-70s), i'm fully aware this period of their life will likely be full of sorrow and mourning for their own wasted time. for the people they love who have left or died. the comfort of familiarity that's being shaken up. the anxiety of the unknown. the preparedness for the worst. and they'll likely think i'm insane for wanting to submerge myself into their grief and insecurities. and maybe on some level i am. maybe it's a martyrdom complex established when i was 7. i don't fucking know. but i do know this:

i've been around the block...... many times. i've been through some shit no one should ever have to endure. i'm road-worn and weary and tired and in need of someone who can share my sorrow and tell me their own horror stories so i can forget mine for a moment. so i can comfort them and myself in the same breath. so i won't feel as alone in my grief and anger. so i'll have another road-worn and weary soul to help shoulder the heavy burden of life we share and not think me weak for needing help in doing so.

i want to find a peer, and i haven't been able to do that with someone my own age. i need a level playing field. i need an equal. my age group hasn't ever matched me, and i don't expect it to start now.

so my desire to find someone biologically older than myself has nothing to do with a fetish of an age gap relationship and everything to do with my need for a soul-to-soul connection that i'll only ever find in someone who has lived as much life as i have.

[i-am-still-bb]

Whumptober 2022 - No. 10 - Alt. No. 14 - Emergency blanket

DarkHawk T

--

Ross woke up to someone trying to break down his back door.

“What?” he demanded.

Cold wind swirled in through the back door and instantly dropped the temperature in the kitchen. The pounding rain made it impossible to see beyond the paved yard.

“There’s been a wreck,” the man said breathlessly. “On the cliffs just below here. Emergency services have been called, but we—”

“Need more hands,” Ross finished. The mention of a wreck shook the last of the sleep from his brain. “I’ll grab my equipment and then I’ll be down.”

Before the man left Ross pointed him in the direction of other homes where someone would be willing to go out in the storm to help whoever washed ashore from the wreck.

Ross kept a bag packed in the bottom of the hall closet for these rare occurrences. It was packed with first aid materials, emergency blankets, a couple monoculars, hand warmers, head lamps, flashlights, spare batteries, and heaps of individually packaged snack foods. Next to that bag was one that contained his water proof jacket, pants, gloves, and boots and a wool baselayer.

The wind was coming from the west; it kept him against the cliff face as he descended. Through the rain he could hardly see the dark beach below, but he did see the white hull of a large yacht being dashed against the dark rocks far from shore.

Figures on the beach with flashlights came into view as he descended.

“What needs to be done?” he shouted over the wind and the waves addressing a man in a bright yellow jacket who seemed to have taken charge.

“Just getting the poor souls to shore!” the man shouted back. “We were told that emergency services are more than an hour out! There’s been a lot happening tonight!”

Ross nodded. He opened his bag and flashlights and headlamps were quickly distributed among any volunteers who did not have their own.

Ross took one for himself and a monocular. Handwarmers stuffed into his pockets with a couple of the packaged emergency blankets Ross started walking the waterline.

Any shouts are lost to the thunder of the waves. At the first glimpse of a person fighting to keep afloat Ross was waist deep in the freezing ocean waiting to grab them and drag them to shore. Those without obvious injuries were given towels, an emergency blanket, hand warmers, and a cup of tea poured from a massive thermos that someone had dragged down to the beach.

Ross gave them the blanket and then pointed them to a tent that had been erected further up the beach near the cliffs. And then he returned to the waterline to watch for more. None so far had been able to give a number of how many people had been on board.

“There was a party. A lot of people I’d never seen before. And then extra staff,” someone shrugged.

“With a storm forecasted?”

Another shrug.

Ross gritted his teeth. What moron threw a party on a yacht out of harbour with such a large storm on the radar. He was cold. Water had leaked into his boots. His handwarmers had stopped working long ago. But he refused to accept a hot drink because he had not spent who knows how long fully submerged in the sea.

Emergency services brought flood lights and now the beach was a bright spot amid the 4am darkness.

Ross lowered the monocular when a hand touched his shoulder.

A police officer in his government issue slicker, “No one’s been sighted in over an hour. We’ll keep watching, and the storm is supposed to subside around daybreak. The coast guard’ll get vessels out there to see if anybody is left aboard. But, for now, there’s not much left to do. You can go home. We appreciate your help.”

Ross looked at the tent and the figures wrapped in blankets. “What about them?” He gestured.

“We’re still trying to get that set up, but given the hour is slow going. They’re not injured, just cold and wet, but in no danger of hypothermia.”

“Use my house,” Ross said. “There is plenty of space, couches and beds. And it’s warm and dry. And when something gets arranged they can be moved then.”

There was a general chaos getting people up the cliffs, across the field, and then settled into the house. Other volunteers helped. Spare clothes and blankets were pulled from closets and as sunlight started to peek over the horizon everyone was dry, warm, and had a place to lay down even if it was only a pile of blankets in front of the fire.

That was when Ross left the police officer and the other, more official, volunteers in the kitchen in search of his bed. He pushed open the door to see that his bed was already occupied. He had said every bed could be used. Ross stepped into the bathroom to change out of the clunky boots and salt crusted clothes.

Dressed in soft pyjama pants and a t-shirt Ross considered his dilemma. The bed was a king. There was more than enough room for both of them. But Ross did not want to appear to be taking liberties. He grabbed one of the last blankets left in the trunk and lay down on top of the covers. The other person was under them. Ross reasoned that that should provide enough of a barrier between them. He looked at his unexpected bed companion for a second—damp, dark blonde hair, and freckles across the nose—before closing his own eyes and falling asleep before he even had a chance to try.

The room was bright and warm when he woke up, late afternoon.

Pale blue eyes were looking at him from the other side of the bed.

“Sorry,” Ross said with a stretch. “Everywhere else was full.”

The other man shrugged.

“I’m Ross. Just give me a minute and I’ll be out of your hair. There might be word about what they were going to do with you all.” Ross inelegantly climbed out of the bed.

The other man sat up. The duvet slipped down revealing that he was dressed in one of Ross’ uni shirts. “I’m Jim.”

[lilith-of-rivia]

Imagine Geralt shaving your legs 🌸SMUT🌸

Word Count: 3,003

Warnings: SMUT SMUT SMUT! 18+, please. Oral, fem receiving, sex, unprotected sex.

Pairings: Geralt of Rivia X FemaleReader

MASTER-LIST

“I felt as though we’d never make it to this blasted Inn.” You mumbled throwing your pack and bow onto the floor as you entered the room, Geralt in tow.

You flopped down onto the bed. Head resting on the feather pillow. Your back, legs, hell every inch ached. You’d been on the road for weeks. Sleeping on the hard earth. The nights we’re getting longer, and colder. Thankfully your wolf kept you warm and safe.

Your eyes opened slightly as you heard Geralt walk around the room, instead of laying next to you for the well-deserved nap you had been waiting for. He has headed for the door again.

“Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry dove, just getting some water.”

You smiled softly and closed your eyes as the door closed behind him. The door soon opened closed again signaling he was back. You peeled your tired eyes open.

He carried the large barrel of water with ease to the tub in the corner of the room, he dumped the chilled water into the basin before hovering his hand over it. You watched the flames fall from the tips of his finger, warming the water instantly. His hands dug into his rut sack, pulling out a pack of dried herbs he dumped into the water. The beautiful aroma filled the room. He also set a box and small tin onto the table next to the bed before walking over to you.

“Geralt what are you on? We’ve been traveling for weeks don’t you just want to sleep?” You all but whined.

“I do want to sleep, but I doubt I’ll be able to with how horrible you smell.” His lips turned into a sly smirk as your jaw dropped.

“Excuse me, I know I bathe more than you do. And you’re the one who smells like onions.” His hands wrapped around your waist, hoisting you onto your feet in a quick move. Causing you to squeal slightly.

“I never said I didn’t stink too, dove. But I know how much you enjoy your baths figured I’d let you have the clean water first.” Your heart swelled at his sweetness. He may be rough and mean, but with you, he was soft and kind. Your hands gently cupped his jaw as you peppered his hairy skin with kisses while his hands worked at undressing you.

Once you were bare he guided you into the hot water. Fully submerged you let out a long sigh, your head lying back against the tub. Geralt pulled a stool to the end of the tub by your feet, placed a cloth on his legs before reaching for the box and tin.

“What are you doing love?” You questioned, eyes half-closed as you enjoy the almost scorching hot water.

“You mentioned a few times how much you wanted a straight blade to shave your legs. I bought one. Figured I’d do it for you.” Your eyes opened fully as you looked at him. He had the blade open as he gave it a quick sharpen before pulling out a bar of soap. He dipped his hands and soap into the water by your legs, before pulling your left leg completely out of the water.

“Oh Geralt, you don’t have to do this.” You mumbled as he gently started to scrub and massage your leg. Focusing on your claves, knowing those bothered you more than anything.

“I know dove, you take care of me so well on the road. I just wanted to pay you back in more than food and sex.” You giggled softly.

He gently pushed your foot down so your toes were arched to the floor, making your skin taught. You felt the cold metal of the blade slip down your skin softly. You did desperately need a shave. As did he.

“Is food and sex still going to happen even with the extra pampering?” I asked as you watched his concentrated face. His brows softened gently as he smirked, licking his lips. The blade slides down the side of your calf to your ankle. He was very efficient, nearly done with the first half of your leg.

“Of course they’ll still happen, baby.” His voice was lower than normal, hands touching your leg a little more sensually as he felt for any missed hair.

He gently placed your leg back into the tub, grabbed the other one, and repeated his actions. The room was silent, in the best way. It was a silence you could both enjoy. Apart from the fire cracking, silence. This silence was best because you know he wasn’t worried. His shoulder was relaxed, his face held concentration to shaving your legs perfectly, not a concentration for monsters. He wasn’t stressed, he looked peacefully beautiful.

“You’re staring at me, baby.” He whispered as he finished your right leg, gently sliding it back into the water handing you the bar of soap. He dipped his hands into the water gently running them up and down your now soft and silky legs. The hair never bothered him, he didn’t care what you looked like or smelled like. He couldn’t view you as anything but perfect. But he did miss the silly feeling of your legs.

“I’m just enjoying my view Geralt. Nothing wrong with that.” You quipped. He smiled, his hands leaving your legs much to your dismay.

“Why don’t you join me, love? There’s plenty of room. The water is still hot.” You bit your lip softly, looking him up and down. Undressing him with your eyes.

It had been at least a week since you’d had sex. Note that neither of you meant for it to be so long, but life on the road tended to make it harder. Especially if Geralt had a hunt. He was always too tired and so were you most nights. As soon as you both lay down it’s minutes before you’re asleep.

He stood from the stool and began undressing, a bit too slow for your liking. He started with his tunic unbuttoning it ever so slowly. Before it was finally discarded and you could see his scar-covered chest and torso. His pants clung to his thick legs as he undid those buttons.

He tutted softly at you, smirking as he watched your desperate eyes.

“Oh hush up Geralt and get in.” You snapped, eyes in a glare that made him chuckle.

“Whatever you want, princess.” Princess. I word you both hated and loved. You ran from your royal title many years prior. Meeting Geralt and the pesky bard on your travels. No one called you princess, except for Geralt. And only when he was about to fuck you ruthlessly.

He discarded his pants revealing his semi-hard cock, making your cunt pulse. He moved behind you, setting your body between his legs. His own breath of relief fanned the back of your neck. His arms wound themselves around your waist, holding you desperately close to him.

“You make me feel safe princess.” He mumbled, his hands gently squeezing you. Your hands gently stroked up and down his arms, head leaning back into him more.

“You make me feel safe Geralt.” You whispered, turning your head so you were looking at him.

His face was damp from the steam from the bath. The water was now getting dirtier. His lips curled into a smile. A smile you would pay as much money as he wanted, to see. Your finger grazed his hairy jaw as you studied his face up close. Your eyes eventually landed on his.

You stayed like that for a while, just looking at one another, fingers roaming and grazing each other’s bodies. But only to remind yourselves of each other. Your fingers danced along with his many scars across his shoulders and arms, your body now completely turned to him. Your legs around his waist, groins pressed together but in a way that just made your bodies melt. Your hands were covered in soap suds as you washed his body, taking special care of him as he had you.

“You should let me shave your face, love.” You whispered as you washed away the suds from his chest. He chuckled softly, rubbing his hairy chin into your neck making you giggle and cringe away from him slightly, not too far before he pulled you back in close to him.

“Don’t like the facial hair, princess.” He asked.

“Not that I don’t like it, but common Ger. It’s getting a bit out of control.” You said with a small laugh.

“After dinner and sex?” He asked eyebrow cocked.

Gently wrapping your arms around his neck, you pressed your lips to his, softly grinding your hips into his, causing his shaft to slip between your lips. Earning you a soft grunt.

“Sex first?” The words had barely been spoken before you were hoisted out of the water, legs wrapped around his strong waist. He effortlessly carried you to the bed. He stood back from you, eyes dancing around your body.

“Gods you are so beautiful.” He mumbled, his hands sliding up your legs, to your hips, and up your side to your breasts.

His lips peppered kisses along your jaw, to your neck, and down to your breasts. His hands continued their work, kneading and groping two of his favorite things. Your eyes fluttered shut as he admired your body, kissing and licking down your chest till he got to your left nipple. He gently kissed around the bud before engulfing your breasts into his mouth, sucking and biting it.

“Oh Geralt...” you whimpered, hands going to his damp hair, eyes closing. You could feel him smile on your breast. He got the reaction he wanted.

His lips were warm and soft as he continued kissing and nibbling your breasts and nipples. Your chest would be completely marked by the end no doubt. He continued kissing down your body to your navel, and down further to the place you wanted him most.

His hands gently spread your legs apart wider, hooked under your thighs as he knelt to the floor face level with your now glistening wet pussy. His eyes moved to your eyes as he licked his lip.

“My favorite meal if I’m honest.” He growled, kissing and nipping your inner thighs. Moving closer and closer. Your hands gripped onto the blanket below you, knowing he was about to take your breath away.

You moaned loudly as his tongue licked a stripe up your wet cunt to your clit. “F-fuck Geralt.”

He chuckled deeply as he devoured you. You couldn’t make a sound as he started, the feeling being nearly enough to tip you over the edge right there. You closed your eyes, arching your back as you whimpered small curse words trying your best to surpass the growing climax you felt in the pit of your stomach. He could tell you were getting closer, he could hear your heart beating faster and the smell of your womanhood changed when you were close. Something only he would ever notice.

“Cum for me princess.” His words of encouragement and skilled tongue were all you needed.

With a string of curse words and his name coming from your mouth with whines and pathetic moans you desperately tried to, contain not wanting others to hear, you came into his mouth. He gladly licked and swallowed what he could of your juices. Loving the sounds you made and the way you curled your fingers into his hair. He continued his licking and lapping through your climax and didn’t stop until your grip on his hair got looser.

He lifted his face, his hairy chin covered in your wetness, his eyes gleaming like two balls of fire. You were his favorite meal. He kissed his way back up your body, positioning himself between your legs. His lips met yours in a fiery, lustful kiss.

“Taste how sweet you are princess?” He asked as he pulled away slightly, your lips only centimeters apart. You blushed softly and nodded arms wrapping around his neck.

He gently lifted your legs off the bed and positioned himself below you, you could feel the tip of his cock pressing at your entrance. Geralt put his hands on your thighs and pushed them up slightly, making you arch your back giving him a better angle. Your calves rested softly on his shoulders.

He spits in his hand, running it along the length of his hardened cock before rubbing the tip along your wet folds up to your clit and back down.

“Tell me what you want, princess.” He whispered and smiled devilishly at you. He knew words were never your strength in bed. Most nights he left you struggling to even breathe let alone be able to formulate sentences.

“Geralt please.” You groaned, grinding your hips but his hands grabbed them and forced you to be still.

“Use your words for me princess, I know you can do it.” He leaned down, your legs still on his shoulders as he kissed your neck, up to your ear. He softly bit your ear lobe.

“Please princess, let me hear your voice.” His lips were so close to your ear you could hear him in your soul. You knew you had to give him what you wanted if you wanted to have him in you.

“I want you inside me Geralt, please fuck me, my love.” You whimpered into his ear. It was all he needed.

In a simple rut of his hips, his cock was deep inside you, filling you so deliciously well. Your eyes rolled back as your back arched.

You felt every inch of him, he fit inside you perfectly. You could feel every vein as he slowly began to push in and out. His own breathing was harsh and raged his grip on your thighs becoming tight, you knew he’d leave bruises. His head rested on your shoulder as he continued his slow steady thrusts. His hot breath on your neck makes the pleasure intensify. You both were having a hard time keeping it together. After a couple of minutes of him getting used to your cunt again, he began to slam his hips into you harder.

He got up on his knees, your legs still on his shoulders and he began thrusting into you with a power and force you hadn’t felt him have before. You felt his tip so deep inside you scrapping a spot so well your toes were curling and you were breathless already. Your back arched off the bed as you moan louder and louder. No longer caring if anyone heard you. This was different than the times before. The energy was alive like it never had been. You felt every inch of him up to your ears. All you could smell was him, the taste of his tongue was still on your lips, his warm hands held your shaking legs. His deep moans and groans, breathy curses of your name, were the only things you could hear. Even when your eyes closed all you could see was him. His eyes, his smile. He was intoxicating. Your hands reached for him you didn’t know what part of him you wanted, but you needed something.

He saw you reaching for him and moving your legs to the side so he could bend down. Your legs instantly wrapped around his waist and your arms around his neck. He never stopped his thrusts. The sound of his cock slamming into your wet cunt and your moans was all he could hear. His lips met yours again as you held onto him his hands on either side of your head so he wouldn’t crush you.

“Fuck I love you.” He groaned into your mouth. Your heartbeat soared, your body shaking as you saw stars. Those three little words pushed you to the edge. The first time he ever said them.

He felt your cum spill around him, your wall contracting so hard around him it nearly push his cock out “Fucking christ-” he gasped. His lips continued their assault on your own, his tongue invaded your mouth as he tasted all of you. Every inch of you he tried to engulf, he wanted to have every part of your body imprinted in his mind forever.

“Fuckkkkkk Y/N, fuckkkkkk!” He yelled with heavy thrusts as he spilled his warm load deep inside you, mixing with your own it leaked out around him, down onto the blanket. Your hands held his shoulders tightly as you cling to him. His bodyweight now crashing down on you as he fought his own breath.

After a while, he rolled off you, but not far from you. His arm draped over your body as you both lay on your backs staring at the ceiling. Your chest rising and falling heavily.

“I love you Geralt.” You finally said once you found your voice again.

Geralt couldn’t help but chuckle at how horse your voice sounded. He rolled onto his side so he was facing you, his hand now rubbing up and down your body softly. His face was soft, content. He looked peaceful. His eyes were on your face as he studied your tiered expression. He leaned over and softly kissed you, his hand coping your face softly.

“I’m only sorry it took me so long to say it.” He mumbled into your lips. You smiled and put your hands on his cheeks. Kissing his face all over made him laugh softly. You were his kryptonite.

Both your stomachs rumble as you lay next to one another. “How about dinner?” He asked kissing your nose.

“Sounds lovely, but I may need assistance getting down the stairs.” You said with a laugh. Geralt smiled and stood grabbing your pack.

“I’d Cary you to the ends of the earth if I had to my love. Down to the tavern shouldn’t be too hard.”

[sluttywonwoo]

the bet || j.ww x reader

Summary: you help your boyfriend’s best friend win a bet against your better judgement

Warnings: swearing, lil bit of jealousy, light smut (18+) 

Word Count: 2.8k

A/N: originally posted on my tom holland fic account ( @wazzupmrstark )

Masterlist

“Hey, can I ask a huge favor?”

You hoisted yourself up from your beach towel onto your elbows and pulled down your sunglasses to glare at the boy in front of you. You narrowed your eyes at him in suspicion. What could Kim Mingyu possibly want from you?

“What is it?”

He ran a hand through his still-wet hair awkwardly. “Um, the boys and I are about to play a game of volleyball, and we’ve bet some money on it…”

“Okay?”

“And, well, it’s me and Hansol against Wonwoo, Soonyoung, and Seungkwan. Wonwoo’s their best player and I was wondering if you could distract him? So that we have a better chance of winning?”

“Distract him… how?” you asked, not fully understanding.

“You know… whatever it is you do that drives Wonwoo crazy. He’s your boyfriend, I’m sure you know how to wind him up.”

“You mean you want me to get him hard during your game?”

Mingyu nearly choked at that. “Um, I mean pretty much, yeah. Just do something that will throw him off his game.”

“So you want me to help you guys cheat?”

“It’s not technically cheating.”

“I think your definition of cheating is much looser than mine.”

“So is that a no?” he asked.

You thought about it for a second. “Is there anything in it for me?”

“We’ll give you a cut of the winnings.”

You found yourself grinning. “How much did you guys bet?”

“Two hundred if they win, three hundred if we win. Basically whoever’s on the losing team has to cough up a hundred bucks.”

“Jeez, I can’t believe Wonwoo is risking that much on a stupid game.”

“Are you upset?”

“No, it’s his money he can do whatever he wants with it. I just think he’s a dumbass.”

“Not arguing with that.”

“Do you need me to remind you that you’re betting the same amount?”

“Fair enough,” he chuckled. “So you’ll do it? For a hundred?”

“Yeah, you’ve got yourself a deal.”

“Pleasure doing business.” Mingyu smirked and held out his hand for you to shake. You rolled your eyes at the formality but shook his hand anyway, just as Wonwoo came up to the both of you and clapped Mingyu on the shoulder.

“What are my best mate and my best girl talking about?” he asked, leaning down to kiss you.

“I wanted to go swimming, but Mingyu said you guys are about to play volleyball?” You piped up before Mingyu could say anything. Maybe you should’ve felt guiltier than you did about lying to your boyfriend and for what you were about to do, but hey, a hundred dollars was a hundred dollars . And if everything went according to plan, you’d be getting some good dick too. A win win.

Wonwoo frowned a little bit. “Oh yeah, sorry. Wanna play, love?” he offered. “There’s still some room on Mingyu’s team.”

You made a face. “What about your team? Can’t you make one of your other team members switch?”

He winced. “I love you, y/n, but you’re shit at sports.”

Any trace of remorse left over what you’d agreed to do dissolved in that moment. He fucking deserved what he was about to get.

“The stupid game is that important to you? Asshole,” you scoffed, and put your sunglasses back on before laying back down on the towel.

“Y/n,” Wonwoo whined, and crouched down next to you. “I-”

“Go play your fucking game.”

He stood back up, but lingered for a moment. You could tell he felt bad, but you weren’t having it. “Wanna go swimming after?” he asked in a quiet voice.

“Sure, whatever.”

You could tell he’d walked away when the shadow over you disappeared. You weren’t going to lie to yourself, you were a little pissed about the comment he’d made. Were you shit at sports? Yes, definitely, but could he have at least pretended to love you enough to be on the same team as you? Also yes. He should’ve known you were going to say no anyway.

While you were still fuming you hadn’t even realized the boys had started the game. Not even a minute in and you were already slacking on your end of the bet. You propped yourself back up for a moment to watch. You could see why Mingyu had asked for your help. Wonwoo and his team were dominating so far, and you couldn’t help but admire how fit your boyfriend looked as he served the ball to the other side of the court. You licked your lips absentmindedly, ready to pull him back to the car right fucking then.

You forced yourself to stop watching the game stood up from your towel, brushed yourself off, and began walking towards the water. You made sure to pull your bikini bottoms as far up your ass as you could in the process just to get Wonwoo’s attention as you walked past the volleyball net. Sure, you’d agreed to go swimming with him after the match, but you’d never promised to wait for him.

As you made your way down to the shore, you noted that not only Wonwoo’s head turned to watch you walk, but all five of the boys cast their attention away from the game and towards you. You glanced behind your shoulder for a second, and caught Mingyu’s smirk. He took advantage of Wonwoo’s lapse in concentration to spike the ball back over to their side and score a point.

You heard some yelling and protestation, but pretended to ignore it and continued to wade into the water.

It was warmer than you thought it would be, and deeper. There was a steep drop a few feet in that you might have tripped over if you weren’t careful. You only ended up staying in the ocean for a few minutes; Wonwoo couldn’t really get distracted by you if your whole body was submerged underwater. You weren’t there to swim around anyway, just to get your bathing suit wet so it would stick to your body.

You’d worn one that didn’t have pads in it so you knew that once you got out of the water the whole beach would be able to see your nipples poking through the fabric. You didn’t have a problem with that. Wonwoo might.

While you were down there you got your hair wet too, just for good measure. Might as well pull out all the stops since a hundred dollars were on the line.

You weren’t sure what the score was by the time you made your way back up to your towel, but you didn’t make an effort to ask. What you did know, though, was that Wonwoo was getting frustrated. Even from where you were you could see that his jaw was clenched and his brows were furrowed.

The opposing team seemed to be doing just fine though, and you stopped to watch them high-five each other after Mingyu scored another point by slamming the ball over the net onto Wonwoo side of the court.

“Damn, nice one, Gyu!” you called out from where you were standing, giving him a big smile and thumbs up. It was sort of dorky, not to mention a cheap shot, but if you knew Wonwoo as well as you thought you did, it’d be the perfect thing to rile him up.

“Thanks, y/n!” he shouted back and winked, ignoring the weird look Hansol gave him. “It’s about time you started rooting for the winning team!”

You struggled not to laugh when you looked back over to the other side of the court and saw all three boys scowling at Mingyu. You didn’t even know why he needed you in the first place, he knew how to push their buttons so well already.

Wonwoo’s fists were clenched now, and he looked this close to tackling his best friend to the ground. The two of you weren’t even flirting with each other, not really, but Wonwoo was the most competitive person you knew and it wasn’t always the best color on him. For you to be cheering for the team that he’s not on, and for that team to be winning- there was no doubt in your mind that he was royally pissed. Not to mention, that you just so happened to be cheering for his attractive best friend who may or may not have mentioned having sex dreams about you once or twice in passing.

It was good, but it wasn’t enough. Soonyoung made some offhand comment about how close the scores were so you knew you needed to keep going. You turned your attention away from the game again and lowered yourself down on your stomach on top of your towel and casually undid the strings of your bikini top to “sunbathe”.

If anyone asked it was so you didn’t get tan lines on your back, it was something that a lot of women did. In reality, however, you didn’t give a shit about tan lines, you just wanted to see how Wonwoo would react.

You pulled out your book to read while you tanned, tuning back into the game every once and a while to see how it was going. You could hear Soonyoung and Seungkwan yelling at Wonwoo to ‘pay attention’ or ‘snap the fuck out of it’ and smiled to yourself, excited for what was to come.

After several more minutes, your bathing suit was almost dry and you were starting to fall asleep on your towel. The volleyball game was taking way longer than you anticipated and you just wanted Mingyu and Hansol to win already. You didn’t have any other ideas to distract your boyfriend so you hoped they could pull it off.

Then, what you would call a fucking miracle happened. You were still nearly dozing off on top of your book when a pink Frisbee landed on the sand right in front of your face.

“Sorry about that!” called the voice of its owner and you squinted to see him jogging over to you. A few of his friends weren’t far behind and they all congregated in a little group in front of your towel. They looked to be about your age, maybe a little older. “Sorry to wake you up,” the ringleader apologized again, but smiled like he wasn’t really that sorry.

You propped yourself up on your elbows, one hand holding your loose bikini to your chest, while the other handed the Frisbee back to smiling guy. “No worries, I didn’t mean to fall asleep anyway.”

“What’s your name?” Ringleader asked. “I’m Jeonghan, and these are some of my fraternity brothers.”

Of course. You should’ve guessed. They were all jacked, tan, and had an air of privilege about them that you couldn’t miss. They were objectively cute, sure, but nothing in comparison to your boyfriend playing volleyball behind you. Not to mention their pack mentality freaked you out a little.

“I’m y/n,” you said and held your free hand out to them to shake, still keeping your other hand on your bikini top so you wouldn’t flash them. “Are you guys on a holiday break or something?”

“Yeah, just trying to make the most out of our last few days.”

“You from around here?” another boy asked, not being subtle at all in the way he was eyeing you.

“No, we just took a little day trip,” you explained and cleared your throat, wondering how long they’d stick around and when Wonwoo was going to come over and dick you down out of jealousy.

“We?” Ringlea- Jeonghan asked, cocking his head to the side. “Are you here with your friends?”

“Her boyfriend, actually,” Wonwoo piped up calmly from behind you. You looked back and saw him standing a few feet behind your towel with his arms crossed. He could be annoying, but fuck if he didn’t have good timing.

“Oh-uh, well I was nice to meet you.” Jeonghan mumbled abruptly and nodded to his friends to get back to their Frisbee game. They were gone before you could even say goodbye back.

“Attracting all sorts of attention today, aren’t you, love?” Wonwoo sneered and knelt down beside you.

His words went straight to the heat between your legs and you turned over onto your back to get a better look at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you lied, daring him to challenge you.

“I think you do, y/n,” he continued. The way he whispered your name sent a shiver down your spine. “I mean, you’re practically naked in front of the whole beach right now.”

“I’m wearing a swimsuit.”

“You know what I mean. And all for what? To make me jealous? So I’d fuck you? Because you could’ve just asked, baby.”

You whimpered, but didn’t say anything and leaned up to kiss him, desperately wanting to feel his lips against yours. He leaned in too, but stopped just short of your mouth, pulling back a bit to look into your eyes. “I could just pull your bikini bottoms to the side, no one will notice.”

You moaned softly, wanting nothing more than for him to do exactly that. You weren’t even sure if you could wait to get home at this point, you wanted him inside of you now. He put a hand on each knee and spread your legs apart, whistling in awe at the wet spot on your bathing suit. You felt your face heat up in embarrassment. “I haven’t even touched you and you’re already this wet.”

“All because of you,” you panted, reaching out for him, but he pulled back.

“You know all of your teasing made me lose the game, right? I couldn’t focus because I was so distracted.” You nodded. “I was so fucking hard the whole match because of what you were doing”

And then your dumbass had to open your big mouth. “So Mingyu told you?”

Wonwoo pulled back, and gave you a confused look, clearly caught off guard. “Told me what?”

“Y/n, that was incredible, you were perfect!” Mingyu exclaimed as he ran up to you and Wonwoo, holding out a hundred dollar bill to you.

You winced as you took it, wishing you hadn’t said anything.

“Y/n, what the fuck?” Wonwoo demanded, even more frustrated than he had been a minute ago. “What were you incredible at?”

“Fucking distracting you, dude. I asked her if she’d be in on the bet with me for a cut of the winnings since you guys had more team members.”

Your boyfriend glared at you. “Is that true?”

“I mean, it’s just a game… and I thought it’d be fun,” you said quietly.

“That’s what you guys were talking about earlier, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, she didn’t need any convincing she was totally down-”

“Mingyu,” you interrupted, pinching the bridge of your nose, “please, if you have any mercy for my pussy please shut the fuck up.”

His face went scarlet and he shut his mouth without further comment.

“So that’s it?” Wonwoo asked, obviously not ready to drop the subject yet. “You’re just gonna sell out your own boyfriend that easy?”

“You said you didn’t want to be on a team with me!”

“Don’t turn this around on me! You’re the one who helped them cheat!”

“Oh I don’t know if I’d call it cheating,” Mingyu interjected again.

“Shut up, Mingyu!” you and Wonwoo both shouted.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Mingyu said quietly. “If I had known it was going to be this big of a deal I wouldn’t have asked her. I just thought I was being clever, that it’d be a fun way to beat you guys, but I’m sorry I went too far.”

Wonwoo sighed and ran a hand through his wet curls. “It’s fine. I’m sorry I overreacted.”

“So… we’re good?” Mingyu asked, holding out a hand to help Wonwoo up.

“Yeah, we’re good. Next time, though, we’re playing fair.”

“Deal.”

“Y/n, you still want to go swimming, love?” Wonwoo asked, turning back to you.

“We’re not- we’re not going home?” Despite everything you were still incredibly horny, and you’d been patiently waiting for Wonwoo to rail you for what felt like hours now.

“Not yet,” he said and helped you to your feet. “Let’s make the most of our beach day.”

“I think the rest of us are going to find an ice cream shop,” Mingyu added. “Winners are buying. Do either of you want anything?”

“No thanks, we’ll hang out here by ourselves for a while.” Wonwoo answered for the both of you.

He wrapped an arm around your waist as you walked down to the water together and you relaxed, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin on yours. Only once you were out of Mingyu’s earshot did he lean down and whisper “your ass is going to be seven shades of red for that little stunt once we get home,” in your ear. Now it was your turn to be distracted.

lmk what you thought; i always appreciate feedback)

wonwoo tags: @wonw00t 

shoot me an ask if you’d like to be added to my taglist

[wonderland-productions-blog]

Knight in Dulled Armor: Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Uniform & Lukewarm

The morning light peaks through the window, brightening the room and giving me the energy to begin a new day. I stretch out of bed and tidy my covers when a knock on the door breaks the serenity of the room. "Come in," I say.

A young woman enters the room carrying a basket of laundry on her hip. "Good morning miss..." she says with a strained smile. "Oh, Elaine." I finish for her without thinking. My heart skips a beat as I'm able to remember my name without interruption. A wave of emotions comes over me as I remember how I came to awake in the desert. I maintain my composure, following her as she signals me out of the room.

Despite the newly risen sun a few people already sat at tables in the tavern. The smell of bread wafted through the air. Some kind of gravy and golden brown biscuits sat on the plates of patrons. The bartender, who I now recognized as Kenrik, gave me a small smile and wave as I made my way out of the tavern. The girl who had been leading looked back at me, as we walked out the door her eyes seemed to shift to a much brighter blue.

As we walk down a stone path the wind kicks up a bit and I see her brush her long blonde hair to the side of her shoulder. I am brought to a slightly smaller building a bit down the road. This one had lighter bricks of a much larger size as well as a more compact and sealed finish. Its roof had a low arch but its shingles were much better kept. Unlike the tavern's half doors which were easy to swing open, the door to this building was much larger and heavier. We walked in and I immediately realized it had been a bathhouse.

The girl, still carrying her laundry basket on her hip, finally set it down and opened a curtain leading to one of the various small enclosed spaces with tall partitions on either side, giving me a private area to bathe. These small partitioned rooms lined the walls of the building, and this made me wonder if the areas with closed curtains were occupied while the ones with open curtains weren't. The abundance of steam in the building inclined me to believe that there were at least a few other people in town bathing at the same time as I was.

"I've left your uniform in the basket, Ma'am. Please let me know if you need anything." She said, this comment finally made me assess her outfit, which was a nearly floor-length moss green dress with a white apron tied around her waist. This of course was similar enough to what she had been carrying in the basket." Oh, yes. What's your name?" I say, then quieting my voice to a whisper "And, um, are there any men in the bathhouse with me?".

She must have picked up on my uncomfortable demeanor, as she immediately responded with, "Oh, no ma'am. The men's area has an entrance on the other side of the building. We're separated fully by a brick wall. No worries there. And my name is Marietta." She finishes with a smile and closes my curtain. I dip my fingers into the steaming tub of water and begin wiping the tiled wall and curtain, creating a slight seal to ensure complete privacy without gaps between the curtain and wall. This process only takes a few moments, and I am soon ready to bathe.

I strip my tattered clothes, caked with dirt, sweat, and droplets of blood, and set them beside the tub. I ease my way into the steaming water, feeling my tensions ease and muscles soothe as I sink further into the bath. I grab a container with soap on the edge of the bath as well as a sponge. I begin to scrub my body off; my arms, chest, stomach, and legs. By the time I have reached my thighs, going over the small scrapes and cuts has begun to cause slight irritation and pain.

This seems to be the sign to wrap up my bath, so I clean my hair and submerge my head fully into the water. I notice a couple of towels stacked in the corner of my room on a tray, and I begin to dry my body and hair. My towel is fashioned 'round my body, secured with a tuck under my arm. Pulling the curtain to the side, I find the basket and remove my carefully folded clothing.

I quickly make my way back into my partitioned area, eager to have fresh clothes. As I'm putting on my clothes, I feel the difference in thickness as well as layers from my previous dress. It makes sense that a place with such scorching heat would have thinner clothes and fewer layers than that of my previous home. After tying my apron and putting on my shoes, a simple pair of leather flats that fit me well enough, I let out a sigh of relief to be comfortably dressed for the first time in days.

I leave the building and begin making my way back to the tavern, following the simple stepping stone path we had taken last time, this time without Marietta. I figured she had already made her way back to the tavern after tidying up a bit in the bathhouse. I push the doors open and try to walk through the tavern without attracting much attention. Making my way left from the entrance I find Kenrik standing at the bar as I had several times before in the short time I've been here.

My hands fit together as my fingers fidget, trying to find the right words with one of the first conversations I've had on my own here. "Where should I start, Kenrik?" I let out, with less of a smile yet more gently than I'd have liked to. "Ah, you're eager. I appreciate that. It seems that Val has brought a good one," he says with a chuckle, "Go ahead and start clearing tables, or if you're feeling a bit more sociable you can take orders. Whichever you prefer, I'm sure Marietta would be fine doing whichever one you don't."

I nodded and immediately started working on picking up plates and bringing them back behind the counter where a dish tub resides. Once all the tables have been cleared I naturally begin to do the dishes, cleaning them with a sponge and frothy soap next to the dish tub. It starts out fine but I soon encounter a problem with my hair getting in the way of my face and needing to tuck it behind my ears or pull it back again and again. Marietta must have noticed this as she comes up beside me and offers me a long, silky ribbon matching the color of my uniform. As her lips curl into a smile I notice the scattered freckles along her cheeks and just how rosy they were.

I, of course, smile back at her and tell her thank you. Tying my thick, wavy hair back is met with a moment of resilience but managed easily enough. With my problem solved I'm able to finish and set the dishes out to dry. Marietta had been sweeping, so now the only jobs that remain seem to be taking orders and serving food.

Marietta hands me a pencil and a small paper notebook pad and gestures me over to a table where a single person had just sat down. She explains to me that this one will be a simple order because it is one person and that I should be able to manage on my own. I agree and make my way over across the tavern.

A fair-haired man in a long dark tunic greets me at the table. He shifts his belt as he says he'd like to get started with a drink. He sets his hands on the table with his fingers laced together, he gives me one last smile as I walk away to fetch his drink. I walk over to the bar, picking up a hefty glass mug. Opening a white chest beside the counter a breeze hits my face. I fit a metal scoop into my hand and pour the glittery, oblong chunks of ice into the mug. Pulling myself up to my feet, I bend over the counter a bit and push down the tab of a spout on a barrel up to fill the glass with ale.

I bring it back to him, setting it down on the table with a slight "thunk". "Thank you," he says. I reply with a smile "Have you figured out what you'd like to eat?". "Yes, I'll have the pork with rice and greens, please." "Right away sir," throughout the entire time I'm jotting down his order, his staring persists along with an uncomfortable grin.

After a few steps away from the table a realization sets in; I don't know where we cook the food, nor who cooks it. I fumble over to Marietta, who stopped what she was doing to turn her attention to me. My voice lowers to a whisper, "Um, Marietta, where is the kitchen?" She snickered and gestured to an arched doorway at the end of the room behind the bar. I lift the flip-up bar counter and slip past Kenrik, who's talking with a patron at the bar. He'd seemingly been haggling with him, or at least attempting to.

The kitchen was a bit steamy as I walked in, the sounds of sizzling grew louder as I walked closer toward a stone hearth. A pan sitting atop a metal-gridded sheet within came into view. My eyes snap over when I hear a "Hey, new girl!" shouted in my direction. A man a bit taller than me points with one hand and a skillet in the other. I trace his finger over to a wire hung across parallel to the ceiling with several sheets of note paper clipped to it.

He flung open a small wooden hatch on the wall beneath the wire to reveal an order window. This was to pass the written orders through or clip them on the wire and place the food tray onto. "Next time, use the window, girlie." The cook says, flipping his dark brown dreads back behind his shoulder. I meekly nod, embarrassed I hadn't seen the window before traversing through the hot, busy kitchen.

As I'm walking out of the kitchen I feel a warm pressure accumulate on my wrist. With a glance behind me, I see the cook with his hand on my wrist. He wipes his umber face with the back of his hand, now holding a spatula. "I'm Hidorah by the way, I thought you might wanna know if we're gonna be working together. For a bit, it seems, anyway." I let out a giggle and nod, slipping away back to the bar to grab a refill for the man I'd been tending. I pat my back pocket only to find my notepad was gone.

Once again I place the glass down onto the table and remove the one now containing only ice. "So, what brings you into town?" I ask, trying to keep him entertained while his food was prepared, especially since I had no other patrons to tend to. He responds with a hint of glee in his voice, "Ah, I'm headed to Asteria. There's to be a wonderful wedding for the heiress soon.". My blood froze, yet I kept my gaze and did not allow my smile to fade.

"Oh, is that right?" I say with a bit of faux surprise. "Haven't you heard? It's supposed to join two of the largest kingdoms in the land!" He lets out in shock at the mere concept of this news being unknown to anyone. "I suppose I'm not interested in the political climate of such large factions in such a small town," I say with a smile, the glass of ice now chilling my hand and leaving a cold residue. He chuckles, "Spoken like someone well educated on the subject."

"Your food will be just a few more minutes, sir," I say, beginning to walk back to the order window behind the bar countertop. He smiles, "Wonderful, thank you."

By the time I get back to the window, I see a steaming tray of food set on it. A dark slab of meat with rice and seasoned veggies, definitely his order. I pick it up and notice my notepad sitting underneath it, though I was sure I hadn't placed it there. I set the plate down onto his table and walk away, eager to escape the chance of another conversation.

A peek through the tavern's batwing doors reveals it was a few hours until sundown. I'd been working most of the day without realizing. I begin looking for things around the tavern to work on, I feel a tap on my shoulder. "We're done for the day, Elaine," Marietta says to me, untying her apron and hanging it on a hook beside the doors.

She leaves without another word. I give Kenrik a confused glance, which he returns. "What-what do I do?" I stutter out. "Whatever you want, you're done with work for today." He tells me. He sets a coin pouch onto the counter, sliding it over to me. "I didn't know I would get paid," I say.

"What, did you think Val brought you here as some kind of indentured servant?" He asks. I shrug and look away, "Well, why else would you pay him to bring me here?"

"I have a reward on lost travelers brought here for many reasons;" he assured me, "it ensures the safety of travelers, it boosts the local trade, could lead to the expanding of the town, as well as paves the path a bit more into town." I nod at him with wide eyes, hoping he'd tell me more. "With us being in the middle of the desert, it certainly helps To get more trade and foot traffic. I'd love to see this little place really flourish." He stops, giving a little shrug, and motions me away.

I look back to the now-empty table and take the man's plate to the sink to wash it off. Afterward, I make my way to the table and wipe it down with a wet rag. If I'm done with work, I'd like to make sure I'm actually done.

Not sure where else to go, I take the coin pouch and head back to my room. I shut my door behind me and feel the coin pouch weighing down my pocket. I kneel onto the floor, hiding my coin pouch deep underneath my bed. I stand and dust off my hands, reminding myself that my floor is still as dirty as I'd discovered it last night.

I grab a broom and begin sweeping, accumulating a large pile of dust. I sweep the pile into the dustpan and dump it into my bin. I turn to the door to put my broom back into the common area but see a man standing in my doorway. He leans his arm against the door frame near his head with his other hand on his hip. I was about to tell Hidorah hello when he suddenly says, "Elaine," I stare, my mouth slightly open as I wonder how he knew my name since I hadn't introduced myself. "I didn't see you come in," I say. "I'm sure you didn't see me snag this either," he tells me, tossing me a coin pouch. I glance under my bed to see that mine was gone.

I give him a confused glance and he replies, "Look, Elaine, there are a lot of sketchy people here that might want to get their hands on what you got." He pauses," Say you leave for town one day, someone rents the wrong room, they take a look under the bed for an extra blanket, and boom, suddenly you're out all your cash." He flings his arms up to set a dramatic tone.

"Fine, I'll hide it somewhere else. Is that all you wanted?" I said, trying to compose myself. "You're very pretty, where are you from, Elaine?" My face flushes and I scoff, turning around. I cross my arms when he places his hand on my shoulder. "Could it be the same as me?" He says, tucking hair behind my ear. He pulls away, "Huh, I suppose not. Well, I'll be off then."

He starts toward the door, but I grab onto the ribbon of his apron and tug him over to me. I've got a hunch, pulling some of his dreads to the side to reveal large, pointed ears. "Aha! Where are you from, Hidorah?" He groans, turning to me. "Fine, I'm from a small settlement of elves north of here called Braiewood." He takes off his apron and crosses his arms, "I was kidding about the pretty thing, by the way. I know you've got your eyes set on Val." He stops for a moment, breaking eye contact, "Just like every other girl here," Hidorah mutters.

I wonder what he meant by that, but push it off. "Val? No, I don't even know him. In fact, you've spoken to me more than he has." He scoffs, "Whatever you say, girlie. Listen, now that you know my little- well, pretty big secret," he pulls his hair over his ears once more, "do let me know if you see anyone else like me. If you catch my drift."

"And why is that?" I ask. "I'll tell you when you find another like me, if you don't, well then you don't need to know, do you?" Hidorah says, turning his palms up. I shrug, "I suppose not, then.". He leaves my room, and I sit on my bed breaking down our interaction.

So, a rare dark-skinned elf away from his town who also happens to be a master pickpocket. My eyes widen as I realize he must have slipped my notepad from my pocket during the brief time I was in the kitchen with him. I wonder why he would want another elf, and why he wouldn't tell me.

I push my mind from the thought, it's not my place to pry into others' business when I hardly know them. Especially when I'm not yet in the position to hold my ground. I wouldn't want to press someone too hard and get kicked out without any other place to stay.

I peek my head out my door, seeing Hidorah leave the tavern in a set of everyday clothes. Shaken by the thought of him coming into my room again and stealing my things just as he'd done now, I am tempted to tell Kenrik. I take a deep breath, preparing myself.

I step out of my room, walking over to the counter. I take a seat on a weathered barstool, wiping a bit of dust off its cracked, leathery top before sitting down. "Ya need somethin'?" Kenrik says to me in a confused yet kind tone. I mull over how to address the strange situation with him.

I try to be blunt, "You know Hidorah is a pickpocket right? Aren't you concerned about him stealing the tavern's profits?"

Kenrik takes a moment to think before responding, "Oh that boy wouldn't dare steal from the tavern after the first time I caught em'" Kenrik laughed, "Besides, I can't help but feel he's grown too attached to the place to go and do something like that."

"What... happened the first time you caught him?" I say. "He was sneakin' around in my room in the middle of the night. He didn't know I had Kyzu, and she really tore into em'." I cut him off for a moment, "Kyzu?" "Ah, my precious puppy, but she got out recently." I think I see a tear well in his eye but he blinks it away, "Anyway, it took Marietta quite a while to patch him up. She stayed with him all night to make sure he was okay. Call me crazy but I think he might've caught feelings along with an infection." Kenrik laughs. "So you don't gotta worry about that boy stealing, dear."

I nod, letting out a sigh of relief to hear from Kenrik how much trust he holds in Hidorah. "Is there anything else you need?" He asks. I bite at the corner of my lip and my brow furrows, "Actually, just one more thing," Kenrik decides to pull up a stool and sit down. I steady my breath, nervous to ask.

"When do you think Val is coming back?" I say, trying my best to make eye contact. Kenrik perks up for a moment, "Oh, well. It ranges quite a bit, could be a few days, could be a month!" He pauses and shrugs, "boy runs around all kinds of towns n' places. Never lets me know when he just pops in here. Sometimes it'll be so long I worry he might've gotten killed out there!"

My eyes widen and a look of fear flashes across my face. Kenrik notices and stutters out a response, "Kiddin'! Just kiddin' is all! Boy's nice enough, if he ever does get in trouble I'm sure he can handle himself. Sure is big enough to." With my shaky breath, I reply, "Alright, thank you."

As I'm about to stand and head back to my room Kenrik stands as well. He slaps his hands down onto his thin thighs, then traces them back to his hips, "Welp, I'm beat. I think I'm gonna head to bed now, Elaine." "Oh, goodnight Kenrik!" I exclaim. To my surprise, he didn't head to the door but rather crouched down behind the counter. I hear what seems to be a creaky door and a light thud. I push myself against the counter to see a trapdoor being held open. My jaw drops, "We have a basement?"

A laugh emanates from the room beneath me, "Come poke your head in here!" I quickly make my way behind the counter, pressing my hands against the floor. I flip my head down into the hole to see a well-built, tidy room with dark wood-paneled walls. The farther half of the room was separated by a stone brick accent wall, but through a large arch doorway, I could see a large bed against the wall. Two large, dark green chests sat against each wall on either side along with a bookshelf and end table.

Feeling a bit dizzy, I throw my head back up. "Kenrik," I say, "who will watch over the tavern while you're asleep?" He stands at the bottom of the steep staircase down, "I've got a night staff, don't worry. Oh, and would you shut the hatch?" I tell him alright and goodnight once more, heading back to my room.

I retrieve the coin purse and pull out the top drawer of the nightstand beside my bed. I wiggle it out of place and push my coin pouch into the far back corner. Once I replace the drawer, I give it a few pulls and pushes. Not hearing any coins sliding, I'm satisfied with my hiding spot.

I finally get the chance to take off my tavern clothes. I untie my apron and hang it on a hook in the wardrobe, then strip off my dress and thin petticoat. Once these are folded neatly I set them on the floor of the wardrobe along with my shoes. I sift through the extra clothes and find a large white tunic to slip on. I pull over my blanket and slide into bed, ready to sleep.

The next morning I awoke at sunrise once more, beginning my day feeling well-rested. I get changed into my uniform and tie my hair back into a high ponytail. Noticing an extra green ribbon hanging in my wardrobe, I tie and fasten a large bow on the back of my neck.

The day goes faster than the last with much of it being filled with more cleaning than taking orders. I'm able to manage myself for the most part for a large portion of the day, only needing direction when Marietta informed me it was our break. I glance at the menu on the wall, reading over everything we served. I decided on a small baked bread loaf with a potato and onion soup. I jot it down on my notepad from my back pocket and hang it on the kitchen wire through the window.

After waiting a few minutes, I began chatting with Marietta, who sat down beside me with a plate of leafy greens and diced meat with pepper and a purple dressing atop it. She prodded at it with her fork, speaking in between bites. "Work's been pretty hectic lately, apparently with this royal wedding coming up there's a lot more foot traffic around, and there's the caravans too." I let out a small laugh, "I guess I wouldn't know what's hectic for here," she covers her mouth with a cloth napkin, speaking through a mouth full of food, "Oh, you're right. I'm sorry." She swallows, "I'm glad you showed up when you did! I wouldn't be able to handle the orders and upkeep for the day without you here!" She exclaims, giving me a warm smile.

Two thuds against the wall make me turn my head to the order window. Hidorah had made a habit of slapping the order window's frame rather than using the bell when an order had been completed. He said the bell was "too high a noise" and that the slaps were, "a nice, dim thud", whatever that means in terms of sound. Either way, it got my and Marietta's attention. I walk over to see my order note tucked beneath the plate.

Hidorah comes to the window, laying his arms down and his chin over his crossed forearms, "Are we busy?" "Not a single person ordering," I tell him. "Perfect," he responds. A moment later I see him bounding over the flip-up door in the counter. He takes my seat at the bar, now between me and Marietta. He sets down a plate of a steak and baked bread, somehow not dropping it while he charged in here.

Not much was said while we all ate. The taste of Hidorah's food was amazingly seasoned and buttery, he must have been cooking even prior to working at the tavern. Once I finish my plate the others had already finished and Marietta was back to work. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Hidorah says, circling my total owed on my notepad order.

"Oh, right!" I say, heading back to my room to pay for my lunch. I shut my door behind me and pull open my nightstand drawer. Feeling around in the corner, I can't seem to find my coin pouch. A pressure tugs at my waist and I hear the jingle of coins against one another, "Looking for this?" Hidorah chuckles, "The drawer, really?" I turn and reach for my coin pouch he now holds above my head.

He leans back toward my bed and my body presses against his as I get closer to my bag. He stretches and contorts, desperately trying to keep it out of my reach while laughing hysterically. I let out a grunt. Growing impatient and flustered I shove myself forward hoping to secure it in my grasp. I collapse onto him in my bed, finally grabbing my coin pouch and tearing it away from him. He places his hands on my hips, trying to push me off of him, now out of breath from laughing.

I let out an exasperated sigh and hear my door open. Marietta gasps and stutters out, "I'll come back later!" She then slams the door behind her, followed by a set of footsteps growing fainter as she walks away.

Hidorah practically throws me off of him and flings himself to sit up. A panicky expression consumes him, and I ask what's wrong. "Oh by gods, Marietta's going to think we're together. She saw you on top of me!" I stare at him, confused. "I-I didn't mean to- I was just-It wasn't-" Hidorah stutters out.

"Can you talk to her, please? Tell her we aren't anything like that?" He pleads. "Okay, fine. But you're not cute. I don't like you taking my stuff, even if it is to tease me, I'm a grown woman." He nods, cupping his face in his hands on my bed. I head out of the room in an attempt to find Marietta.

By the counter she's refilling the ale barrels, I go over to her. "Hey," I say, my face still flushed. "I want you to know that Hidorah was just trying to be funny. I pushed him and it ended in a scuffle, not what you were thinking." Her face let loose some tension, "Ah, I see. He's always been a kidder. Forgive him, I'm sure he didn't mean to get on your nerves. At least not that much." She says, smiling. "I wish he had that blind confidence when I first got here, would have broken the ice and made things easier on me." She continues.

I nod, heading back to work. I see Hidorah leave my room and go back into the kitchen. Marietta gives him a smile and tension entirely melts away from both of them. I'm shocked at how easily the conflict was resolved, not used to that I suppose.

Work finishes up easily enough, filled with a bit of busy work and upkeep. I finish up later today, due to there being a few more patrons to clean up after. Once I'm back in my room I'm tired enough to head to bed.

[sillyrabbit81]

I HAVE A PROMPT FOR YOU!!!

Sy reacting to his S/O using a peach bath bomb and peach scented products XD

😘😘😘😂😂

Summary: Your husband Sy comes home early and catches you in the bath using a peach scented bath bomb.

Pairing: Captain Syverson x Pregnant Female Reader

Word Count: approx. 1.5k

Warnings: Husband!Sy, Dad!Sy, smut, fluff, fingering (f receiving), implied sex, slight praise kink, slight dirty talk.

Authors Note: Thank you @amberangel112 for sending me the prompt, even though I wanted to kill you when you did because I had no idea what to write! Also, thank you for Beta reading, as always.

Masterlist

Bliss Bomb

Gingerly, you lower yourself into the steaming hot water, hissing as your delicate hidden skin breaks the surface. Sinking slowly, your body adjusts, and the burning becomes a delicious sting, working its way past your flesh into the aching muscles below. Sighing with relief, you’re fully submerged and you rest your head on the soft bath pillow your husband had bought you for Mother’s Day. The wide, long, and deep, claw foot tub was more than able to take Sy’s frame, it’s so big you almost float, the weightlessness the ultimate blessing of this now daily ritual.

Squeezing out a handmade cotton washcloth, you fold it over and lay it over your eyes. Breathing deeply, you allow yourself to relax, having already showered, bathing was both a luxury and necessity for you this late in your pregnancy. As you concentrate on your respiration, it becomes a kind of meditation, a way to shake off the stress of the day and prepare for bed.

The fragrance of your bath bomb tickles at your nose with each soothing inhale. It’s fruity, sweet, tangy scent of peaches rises with the sultry steam. The smell makes you smile, and you in your calm, tranquil mood, you give yourself permission to miss Sy. He will be home in less than twelve hours, probably exhausted, having stayed up most of the night travelling back from a training exercise. When he is gone, you try not to dwell on him, it is too difficult, too melancholic. Adding pregnancy hormones to your miserable contemplations was only asking for trouble, you can’t afford to get despondent, not when you had your two older girls to take care of too.

Inhaling the tart bouquet of the bomb again, you remember the first time you met Sy. It was at a friend’s house for a Fourth of July barbeque, Sy was a friend of her brother’s. You were in the kitchen, preparing a fruit salad, and for some reason, you can’t remember why now, you were alone. Sy came in wanting a glass of water and stayed with you, sitting at the bench while you diced the fruit.

When the bowl was full, there was a lone peach left. You picked it up and bit into the plump, lush fruit. Fresh, sweet, and sharp, you had hummed at the taste and lifted your head, feeling a rivulet of the syrupy juice dribble down your chin. Sy was staring at you, and feeling mortified, you tried to wipe the nectar off with the back of your hand. You had missed and Sy caught your wrist when you tried again.

“Let me,��� he offered.

Sy didn’t wait for a response before tucking his fingers under your jaw, and running his thumb up your chin until he brushed your lip. You couldn’t move, your legs felt like they were made of stone. Meeting your eyes, he smirked as he brought his juice coated thumb to his mouth. He sucked on it, slurping obscenely, before removing it with a pop.

You don’t remember what happened after that exactly, what words were exchanged, if any. You only know that within minutes Sy had brought you under his spell, his enchantment so persuasive, you had been committed to him ever since.

Your reminiscing brings a smile to your face as well as a deep yearning. Reminding yourself he will be home in less than twelve hours, you try to ignore the growing heat between your legs. You are used to brushing aside your horny urges this close to Sy returning, you don’t want to ruin the reunion, you want him to feel how much you missed him, how much you still craved him. It was part of the reason you specifically chose the peach bath bomb for the tonight; you know the fragrance drives him to distraction.

The energy in the room seems to change. You don’t know how or why you feel it, but you sense eyes on you. You hear a faint creak of a floorboard in the hall and assume one of the girls are out of bed, perhaps too excited about seeing their dad in the morning to sleep.

“You ok, Pumpkin?” you ask. You keep your eyes closed, not wanting to move unless you have to. Being so far along, it was an ordeal getting out of the tub and most of the time, it was unnecessary. All the girls usually wanted was reassurance you were there. “Do you want me?”

“Does a bear shit in the woods?” The buttery, drawling voice you heard in reply is not the one you expect.

Groping for the washcloth you tear it away and letting out a small cry of surprise you see Sy leaning in the doorway, a smug grin on his face.

“Jesus Christ, Sy!” you cry, trying to hold back a smile. You throw the washcloth at him and with the reflexes of a cat, he catches it in his hand, not even flinching. “You’re such a bastard.”

“I know,” Sy chuckles.

You pucker your lips, and Sy grabs the small wooden step stool the girls use to reach the sink and sits down before leaning in to give you a quick kiss. He stays close, caresses your cheek with the back of his fingers. You breathe deeply, partly out of contentment and partly so you can smell him, and watch as Sy’s nostrils flare, no doubt searching for your scent too. The fragrance of peaches still hangs thick in the air, but you find his perfume, the woody spice of his soap, the lingering trace of leather and oil he always has on his clothes and hands when he comes home, and the faint whiff of coffee on his breath.

“Did you see the girls?” you ask, and he smiles widely.

“Yeah. They’re out like lights. I’ll see ‘em in the mornin’.” Sy’s fingers trace down you neck and over your collarbone. The earlier heat you felt, ignites and your heart flutters in your chest.

“You’re home early,” you say, just to get him to talk. You miss his voice, his low honeyed tones can range from calming and hypnotic, lulling you to sleep, to twangy and drawling, luring you to arousal.

Sy began to remove his uniform jacket. He had already taken off his hat and boots, he liked to leave them by the front door. “Things went a little smoother than expected. Tomorrow was worst case scenario.” You bite your lip as he shucks it off and reveals the tight olive-green shirt. Looking at Sy, you squirm a little in the bath, watching his muscles flex and contract under his sun darkened skin. Hanging the jacket on the hook behind the door, he returned to his seat.

You want him to keep talking and are about to ask how the men in his team are doing when he meets your eyes, and you know he isn’t interested in talking about work. His gaze moves down your body, brows drawn low, his tongue crudely prodding at his stubbled cheeks and plush lips. Immersing his hand into the still warm water, he strokes your protruding belly.

“What were ya smilin’ about before you knew I was here?” Sy asks. His gentle petting grows firmer as his hand moves to your breast.

Biting back a moan, you say, “I was thinking about the day we first met.” You hear a low rumble in the back of his throat, as Sy’s finger and thumb squeeze your nipple. “Sy!” you complain, clenching your legs together, the pinch sending your core trembling.

“Don’t pretend ya don’t like it, Sugar,” Sy smirks. His eyes are dark and lecherous as his face hovers above yours. “You know, I could smell it as soon as I walked in the door.” Sy studies your face as his hand runs down your body, over your belly and then lower, his fingers graze teasingly over your slit. The moan you held in earlier hurtles out of your throat and your legs widen instinctively. “What was the plan, Baby? Get your skin smellin’ like a peach, maybe put some of that perfume on I like?” Sy’s jaw tightens as his finger pierces your core.

Mewling, your back arches as you relish the sensation of your walls yielding to a second finger. “I wanted to… fuck… to smell good for you… oh shit… I missed you,” you babble, tripping over the words as Sy finds your spot. You wrap your arms around Sy’s neck, his t-shirt darkening as it soaks up the water from your embrace and try to bring his mouth to yours, but he resists. You want a proper kiss, you want to feel his tongue yours, want to taste him as he takes you higher.

“That’s my good girl,” Sy croons his praises, and you feel the words deep in your gut. “Now I’m gonna make you cum, then we’re going to the bedroom so I can taste that pretty peach of yours before I ruin it. How does that sound, Baby?”

You nod, you don’t try to speak, you don’t think you can. But your eyes plead with him, and he finally lowers his head and presses his lips to yours, capturing every sound you make as he brings you rapture.

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