#how to defrost a mermaid

[the12thnightproject]

Chapter 8: Lessons in Seduction

Taking a moonlight bath in a lake near Kasugayama was a really bad idea. Trying to bargain with a strategist... a worse idea.

Notes for a future life: if the audience is screaming ‘don’t go into the basement, don’t go into the basement,’ then don’t go into the basement.’ Or in this case, don’t go skinny dipping in an unsecured location.

As I continued to curse my luck, Shingen looked at the ground, leaned over, and casually picked up my “towel.” (No, bath towels haven’t made their way over from Persia yet, but for simplicity’s sake, I’m mentally using the word towel, because it’s faster than using the phrase ‘large piece of fabric that I intended to use as person-drying-device’… and yes, my brain did short circuit into ramble mode because for the first time since we’d met, Shingen directed the full wattage of his charisma at me, and… it’s a lot. It was surprising that the water closest to him hadn’t started steaming. Yet.)

He examined the towel. “Not a mermaid then. A Moon Goddess, bathing in the light of her celestial sister.” Ok, there was a quarter moon out, I’ll allow him that one. Thankfully, it was no brighter than that, or I’d be worried he’d connect this me with Katsu.

Now leave me alone sir, before I freeze. It felt a lot colder once I was no longer splashing around.

He opened the towel and shook it. “Do you want this back, Angel? I imagine you do – I can tell you’re very cold in there.”

Yes, of course I want the - then my brain kick started with embarrassment. How exactly could he tell that I was cold? I sunk lower until the water covered my chin.

“Your teeth are chattering.” Oh. So they were. Ok. At least he didn’t see- “And,” he directed his gaze to the water line. “Other reasons.” I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking, “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you dead.” When I opened my eyes, he was still there. Could the developers please hurry up with the ‘kill you with my mind’ patch?

Keeping one arm over my “other reasons” I edged closer to reach for the towel, but he was holding it just out of range.

“I’m proposing a trade, Angel. You want this,” he shook the towel again. “And I would like one kiss from those very blue lips.” He looked at me, then the same slow smile that he had loosed upon the women at the teahouse last week spread across his features.

Why hadn’t I kept my eyes closed? His smile is lethal.

If I answered him, would he recognize my voice? Thanks to Aki’s training, I was used to pitching my voice as ‘Katsuhira’ lower than my normal tones. I should be safe, but I also had thought my bath would be uninterrupted and Mai had thought the water would be warm enough, so the women of Kasugayama were 0-2 in judgment today.

My poor judgment further manifested when I began shivering.

Shingen stepped closer to the lake. “Get out of there before you freeze to death. I’m catching a cold from looking at you.” There was an edge to his voice that suggested he’d come in after me if I didn’t hurry. Of course, if he really wanted me to get out of the water, he should leave me alone, but that didn’t seem to be on his agenda.

I raised my hand, and circled my finger, hoping he’d get a clue and turn around. He folded his arms and leaned back against a tree, clearly prepared to wait me out.

Right. Didn’t think that would work.

Ok. What were my options?

Plan A. I could swim to a further part of the shore and book it out of here. I was certain of my ability to outrun him, but I wasn’t keen on the idea of streaking barefoot through the forest. If Sasuke was leaking ground spikes again, I’d be risking foot injury – which would be difficult to explain tomorrow.

Plan B. Stay here and freeze. No, let’s avoid any solutions that would involve cryogenics.

Plan C. Game this thing out. After considering that idea, I realized he had left me a loophole.

I held up my index finger, signaling “one.”

“Right. One kiss in exchange for this nice, dry, warm, blanket.” He held open the towel.

Alright. I guess we’re doing this.

I took a deep breath for courage and bolted out of the water, zipping squarely into the towel he held open like a target. “There you go,” he murmured as he wrapped me up. His body radiated a potent heat compared to the lake water, making me aware just how close I had come to courting hypothermia. He briskly rubbed my back and shoulders, then grabbed a corner of the towel and scrubbed it over my hair a few times. Maybe he had truly been concerned that I would freeze.

Then he leaned closer, his voice scorching my ear. “Kiss me, Angel.” He brought that beautiful face closer to mine.

I rose up on my tiptoes and at the last moment, changed the angle to briefly kiss his cheek. (Loophole!). I almost laughed at his chagrined expression.

Then I pulled back and tugged at the towel. He did not let go. Again, I tried to pull away. “That didn’t count,” he said.

Risking a verbal response, I said, “You didn’t specify where you wanted to be kissed.”

“She speaks!” He ran his thumb across my lips, his touch doing much to counteract the cold of the lake. With a smile, he continued. “You are correct, Angel, I did not specify.”

I gripped the towel to my body and again tried to leave, but his arms were firmly wrapped around me. Though I wasn’t frightened, I was annoyed enough to give him my best glare.

He tapped my nose with his finger. “Our agreement was for one kiss in exchange for the blanket. You are holding the blanket, are you not?”

I was, but…

“If you wanted to leave with the blanket, you ought to have specified.” Then he winked (!) at me.

One, all.

Forgot I was dealing with a strategist. Let’s try this again. I drew myself up to my full height and spoke with as much dignity it was possible to muster when wearing only a towel and a warlord. “I would like to leave right now with the … er, blanket, alone, and be assured that you won’t follow me.” That, hopefully, would cover all contingencies from sneaky warlords.

“An Angel who negotiates. I’m intrigued.” He pulled me closer, resting his chin on the top of my head. I made a half-hearted attempt to scoot away, but he massaged more warmth into my shoulders. “You’re still shivering. I’m only trying to warm you up.”

Yeah. No one with half a brain would believe that one. Even the chorus of crickets in the background was going, ‘nope, nope, nope.’ “And next, you’re going to try and sell me a castle that you don’t own?”

I could sense him smiling into my hair. “You opened the negotiation with three requests. One proper kiss of a suitable duration, per request – for a total of three kisses.”

“I can count,” I muttered. If I had to kiss him, then at least then I would know what it was like to kiss him, and I could stop wondering. I’d have to stop at one kiss though – one kiss, then this ‘Angel’ was going fly away forever. I felt a slight pang of disappointment about that, but staying with him too long only increased the chance that he’d find out that ‘Angel’ was also ‘Katsu.’ So. That was that. I counter-offered with, “One for the lot.”

“Two. Two proper kisses of a suitable duration.” He lifted a clump of wet hair out of my eyes, flicking it behind my ear.

That … was vague. Too vague. I leaned back and looked at him. “What do you mean by a proper kiss of-”

I got almost through that question and that Star Wars Fish Alien whose name I can’t remember broke through my obviously hypothermic brain (I normally would not have made such a stupid miscalculation), yelling ‘it’s a trap!’ then Shingen said, “Like this” and closed the gap between our mouths.

Oh.

Oh!

He really is good at this.

His lips glided over mine, gently at first, merely brushing past before pausing, hovering, almost touching, but not. Maybe I should have moved, but instead, I held my breath, until he pressed his mouth to mine again. He held me firmly against his body, but didn’t try to overpower me, and as I relaxed into his kiss, he brought one hand up to cup my cheek.

His hair tickled the back of my hand - only then did I realize I had put my arms around his neck to bring him closer. He took his time, acting like he wanted to savor me, like I was one of those pastries he loved so much. And with that image, came the taste of sugar – I don’t know if he actually tasted like sugar, or if it was because I associated him with pastries – but I had not expected such sweetness in his kiss.

Then he flicked his tongue across my lower lip and nipped at it. Surprised, I gasped, and he slipped his tongue inside my mouth. He placed his hand on the back of my head to draw me closer still. His kiss was warming all over, defrosting my lake frozen-body, and I wanted to get closer to that warmth, let it burn through me even, and that was my last coherent thought for a while and I went with it.

Yes. Him. Now.

Then bargains and agreements went out the window, as he slid his mouth down to the base of my throat and pressed a kiss to it that had me catching my breath in a moan and I grabbed his shoulders to keep from sliding to the ground in a boneless heap.

“I knew you’d like that, Angel,” he murmured. There was both laughter and triumph in his voice, and finally my brain woke up and broke free of that seductive hold.

Angel. Goddess. He wasn’t kissing me. He didn’t know me. I could have been any woman. The realization, as cold as the lake, help me retake control of my senses.

No, I would take my chances with the ground spikes.

Flipping the towel up and over his head, temporarily blinding him and tangling him up in fabric; I used that element of surprise to make a run for it.

I dashed through the underbrush, then swung up into the tree I had secreted my clothing in earlier. In a flash (literally), I was sitting on a thick branch, clutching the bundle of ‘Katsuhira’s’ clothes like a security blanket. I pressed my hand to my mouth to silence my rapid breathing – my lips were still tingling from his kiss.

Somewhere below me, Shingen was crashing through the trees, calling for “Angel”.

The calls stopped suddenly with a muttered oath.

Watch out for ground spikes.

*******************

Luckily, the night guards didn’t examine me too closely when I returned to the castle, my damp hair tucked into my clothes and creating a giant wet spot on my back. They were used to Shingen’s staff coming and going at all hours. Once inside, though, I had the sense that someone was watching me as I hurried through the corridor to my room. I paused, looked around, and noticed that a doorway that had been closed when I passed it a moment ago was now cracked open.

After a brief mental debate – I was wet and armed with only a dagger – I crept back, and peered through the tiny sliver of open space. It appeared to be a storage room, I couldn’t see anyone in it, though they could be lurking behind the door. I listened for movement, breathing… anything, but the only noise I heard was coming from the corridor behind me – two vassals were heading my way, engaged in some nonsense argument over the best brand of sake in the area. Not wanting to be caught lurking, I gave up on the idea of investigating further, and returned to my room. I’d return to this one tomorrow and give it a thorough examination.

To my surprise, I managed to fall asleep without much difficulty, especially considering the effect my night swim and the aftermath had on my imagination. My brain basically just shut down in self-defense. I woke up once a bit later when my brain produced the name of the Star Wars Fish Alien (Admiral Ackbar), fell asleep again, only to be jarred awake again by the sound of my door sliding open.

I reached for the dagger I kept next to the futon.

“Don’t be alarmed, it’s just me,” Shingen stood in the doorway, a lantern in one hand, and a packet of letters in the other.

Actually, I found that pretty alarming. Had he figured it out already? Had ‘Angel,’ like Cinderella, left something behind?

He gestured to the messages. “Can you deliver these first thing?”

Oh. Ok. He hadn’t figured it out. “First thing as in right now?”

Please say no and go away.

“No, I’m simply dropping them off. It can wait until sunrise.”

Good. Now, go away.

My mind control was working about as well as it had earlier this evening – which is to say not at all. Perhaps I should have added the phrase these are not the droids you’re looking for to it?

He moved from the doorway and came into the room, and I was suddenly conscious that I wasn’t wearing the binder over my breasts, and that my hair, though pulled back, was still wet. I pulled the blanket over my head and rolled into a ball and did my best impression of a lazy teenager. “Will do.” I mumbled, trying to give every indication that I was nearly asleep again.

“You’re not terribly alert for someone who’s already legendary for getting up and around early in the morning,” as he placed the letters on my writing desk, then sat down behind it.

I risked Kilroying my eyes and nose over the edge of the blanket. “Being a morning person usually requires being asleep at this particular time of the night.”

He laughed. “Don’t mind me, I just realized I need to write another.” He grabbed some paper and the brush off the desk and I was suddenly glad that I was the organized type of person who did not leave incriminating things lying about. (Actually, that is exactly why I am organized).

As I once again retreated under the blanket, I wondered if maybe he had figured out my disguise and was torturing me for the fun of it, but the rhythmic and determined scritch of the brush across the page convinced me he truly was writing an urgent message. Finally, my curiosity won out, and I asked, “What’s going on?”

He bent over the desk, the light of the lantern turning his hair from auburn to burnished red. “I’m looking for a woman.”

“Aren’t you always?” I muttered, as I mentally swore at myself for asking. That catch-all nickname “Angel” still stung my ego, even as I rationally knew it shouldn’t. I hadn’t told him “Angel’s” name, and for all he knew, we had just “met.”

“A specific woman,” he clarified, the brush still scribbling furiously on the paper. “Part Mermaid, part Moon Goddess.” He mumbled something else under his breath that may have been ‘imp.’ Or limp? Well, he had stepped on a ground spike.

“What makes that one special?” Ego damage repair sequence initiating.

He rolled the handle of the brush over and over his fingers like a magician manipulating a playing card. “We were playing a game of sorts, and the next move is to be mine. But I need to locate her first.”

I needed to shut this thing down. Though it might be a good idea to learn what he had in store for Angel, so that I had a next move of my own. Or, better yet, avoid getting into a situation where a move needed to be made. “A game? Like shogi?”

“Somewhat, although I’ve never found that particular game all that exciting. But it does involve thinking several moves in advance.” He smiled, and I got very very worried. “Of course, if we play this game correctly, we will both win.”

I might be in trouble. I inched further under my blanket.

“What have the messages to do with it?” Did he write Angel a note and address it to the North Pole? Or the Moon, probably, because of that goddess thing.

“I’ve asked my mitsumono to search for her, as the lady is probably a spy.”

I am definitely in trouble.

He tapped the pile of letters. “Sorry to have disturbed you, Katsu.” And then he was gone.

Link to complete work, Twelve Lies I Told Shingen Takeda here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32812042?view_full_work=true

[kenzieam]

Mortal - Chapter Four

Rating: M (smut, language, angst and sorrow)

Genre: Drama/Angst

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***Slightly Non-Canon. Asgard hasn’t been destroyed, Thanos didn’t succeed with the snap….. I’ve taken a few liberties, my lovelies***

Sorry this chapter has taken so long!!! I hope it’s worth it? CAN’T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED? CATCH UP HERE!

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Remy returned to the Tower hours later; despite her ugly words with Bucky, tonight was one of the nights each week the team made a special effort to all sit down and eat together as a family; and Remy was on cooking duty with Sam. He glanced up as she entered the kitchen, a cautious smile on his face.

"Hey Beauty, how was your day?" The slight edge in his voice said he knew of her words with Bucky, knew she'd taken Rora out with her, but didn't hint at how he felt about either.

"Fine." Remy replied neutrally as she set Rora gently in her bouncy chair, secured on the counter.

Sam sighed, "C'mon, don't be like that."

He set down the knife he was using and turned to Remy; wiping his hands on his jeans, he stepped forwards and pulled her into a hug. "I'll admit, Buck was out of line questioning your intentions like that, we know Aurora is the most important thing in the world to you, but... we just want you two safe, that's all."

"Do you think the same thing?"  

"What? That you're too wrapped up in Loki to put Rora first?"

Remy winced. "Yeah."

"I'll admit it Beauty, it crossed my mind; it's crossed all our minds, but we know you. You're smart and you're loyal and you'd never put Rora in danger for anything like that. It flicked through my head but went right back out again."

"But-"

"And Buck knows it too, he's just scared, like all of us; we don't want anything to happen-"

"Nothing will-"

"Yes, but that doesn't stop you from worrying about someone you love." Sam replied, reaching up to gently cup Remy's face, gazing down at her implacably. "You mean a shit-ton to us, kid. We worry when you leave the Tower for ice cream, let alone meeting a man we only know as the bad guy."

"A shit-ton, huh?"

"Yeah," Sam grinned.

"That a measurable unit?"

"Uh-huh, right up there with a fuck-ton."

Remy rolled her eyes and Sam let her go, ruffling her hair. "Now get to work, brat; dinner ain't gonna make itself."

"You sound like a chicken over there, Wilson. Bawk, bawk, bawk." Remy threw back, unable to stop a smile. Sam rolled his eyes and pointed a finger mock-threateningly at her. "Don't start with me, Sparky; we got a fire extinguisher just around the corner."

This was standard banter between Remy and Sam, and she felt an almost disproportionate level of relief about it, pulling out the defrosted chicken from the fridge to arrange in a pan.  

Dinner was three-quarters cooked and Remy was taking a moment to babble at Rora when Sam elbowed her gently. Remy straightened and followed Sam's jerked chin to the doorway. The grin on her face slid off when she saw Bucky standing there, hands in his pockets. The look in his eyes was pleading.

"Rem, can we talk?"  

Remy curled her lip, ready to spit fire again; when Bucky continued, and the waver in his voice, the near-break, changed her mind instantly. "Please?

Remy's shoulders sagged as the heat of her temper cooled immediately. She couldn't stay mad at him, not when he looked like he'd spent the last hours ripping himself apart, not when his skin was pale and eyes circled with black, looking almost bruised. Nobody was harder on Bucky than himself, and Remy felt a sharp pang of shame for adding to his already bottomless guilt over his past.

"Watch Rora for me?" She asked quietly and, at Sam's nod, she marched towards the soldier waiting quietly in the doorway for her.

"Rem, I-"

"Not here." Remy cut him off sharply, continuing past him and down the hallway, not looking back to see if he was following. Reaching a quiet corridor, Remy whirled, nearly crashing into the massive man behind her. She looked up, meeting his eyes and fighting to keep a neutral face. She waited silently for Bucky to speak first.

"Remy." Bucky reached out to cup her face but stopped at the look still smoldering in her eyes and dropped his hand to his side. "I’m sorry. You know I didn't mean that."

"How would I know that, James? The guy I look up to, the guy I call my brother, questions my motives with my child, my intentions? If you didn't mean it, why did you say it?"

"I'm-" Bucky broke off and shook his head, resting his hands on his hips for a beat, then wiping his mouth and looking at Remy with renewed intensity. "I'm scared for you, okay? I'm scared for Rora. What if this is all a trap?"

"Why would he go through that amount of trouble? Letting Wanda into his head, traveling back here and dealing with all of you in his face? Is it that hard to believe that someone could love me?"

Bucky's face contorted with pain and he grabbed her upper arms. "No. Jesus, Remy! I don't think that. Of course, someone could love you! There is nothing wrong with you, you are worthy and deserving of everything good, just.... why him?!"

Remy sagged, defeated. "You can't help who you fall in love with, James. Do you think I'd still be trying, fighting all of you this way, if I didn't love him? In ways I can't explain? If I didn't believe, with everything I have, that he truly loves me back? Do you honestly believe I would put any of you in danger, for the attention of someone I didn't love so completely? I can't choose between you and him, please don't ask me to."

"Remy," Bucky's voice broke and he hung his head.  

Remy reached up to cup his face, his stubble rasping in her hands. The tears trailing down his cheeks were answered by hers and it took all of Remy's determination to force herself to speak and not simply dissolve into tears.

"I love you, Bucky. I love all of you.” He closed his eyes with an almost inaudible moan. “You are my family. I would die with a smile on my face if I knew it would keep you all safe. But I can't... I can't explain it. I just trust him."

Bucky exhaled hard, shuddering and reached up to grip Remy's wrists. After a long pause, he nodded slowly and raised his head, opening his eyes. "Okay." His eyes were red-rimmed but clear and determined. "I'm not going to pretend I like it, but... I'm with you, baby sister. Whatever happens, I'm here."

Baby sister, I'm here. The force of Remy's tears took her by surprise and it was long minutes before she was able to pull away from Bucky's shoulder, where he'd drawn her when she'd begun to cry.  

"I'm sorry, Rem." Bucky murmured. "I love you; I can't just turn that off."

"S’okay, Bucky. I've been pushing my limits with everyone lately."

Bucky pulled away again, and fixed Remy with a serious look. "I mean it though; something goes sideways, you come to me. I won't rub it in your face, I just want to help."

Remy nodded, smiling shakily when Bucky leaned forwards and pressed his lips tenderly to her forehead.

"Sparky?! Little Bic just dropped a deuce!" Sam bellowed from afar and Bucky snorted a laugh.

*****************************************************************************

"All of you?" Remy asked incredulously. Her gaze flickered between her family even as her heart began to clench.  

Tony sighed and nodded, scrubbing a hand over his hair. "We haven't replaced Eric and you're still out, so yeah. Hopefully, it won't take long, but this is a major HYDRA hive, one we've been looking for for months, we have to move now. The only one not going is Pepper, but she has to be in Washington."

Remy exhaled and looked over at Rora, sleeping peacefully on Bucky's shoulder. His face was tense and thoughtful; even as his arms gently cradled the baby.  

"Stay with Loki." He spoke suddenly and every head swiveled his way in surprise. He glanced at the team, at the mix of expressions, and shrugged. "We can't keep pretending it isn't happening. We haven't chased him off yet, looks like he's here to stay, we need to accept it." He flicked a glance at Tony. "But I doubt you want him around the Tower unsupervised."

Tony startled slightly at this thought and sat forwards, nodding vigorously. "Right, right." He turned to look at Remy, grinning crookedly. "Go stay with Loki."

When Remy looked back at Bucky, he side-eyed her with a grin.

****************************************************************************

Remy knew he was standing in the doorway, leaning against it, even though he hadn't spoken and she called out without turning.

"Pretty tricky, Barnes."

"You liked that, huh?" He moved closer, the leather of his uniform creaking.  

When he reached her side, Remy glanced up from her duffel bag and smirked. "Thank you."

He smiled gently in return. "I meant what I said. I just hope I haven't made a mistake."

Remy sighed, pushing her duffel to the floor and flopping onto the bed, Bucky flopped beside her and for a few beats, they stared at the ceiling. Still staring up, Remy spoke.  

"I've been... stressed about all this." At Bucky's snort of amusement, she elbowed him hard, making him chuckle. "What I mean, doofus, is Loki; he's crazy perceptive, he can tell when I'm not fully there with him and he just listens and lets me vent. And he said once, 'I'm so sorry, my goddess. Your family only wants what is best for you, and all they can see me as is the monster I was, and I don't blame them and I ask that you don't either. Don't fault them for loving you. If I were a stronger man, I would leave you and you would know peace; but I cannot, my heart beats for you now’."  Remy exhaled slowly. "Does that sound like a guy who doesn't care?"

Bucky was stunned, and took a moment to form his words. He'd not expected this, had secretly (and cynically) believed that Loki would not waste any opportunities to undermine the team, to fill Remy's head with twisted words and lies to ensure her belonging to him and him alone. Loki's humble words shamed Bucky, for he realized it was his own prejudice he'd been fostering, his own cynical poison and the man-god did indeed have Remy's best interests at heart; a heart that he claimed would cease beating without her. Bucky knew the feeling, the thought of Levi no longer being his would at times wake him from a deep sleep, leave him weak and sweating and panting, heart racing. He felt the same way about Levi that Loki felt about Remy, and if he was allowed such a thing, why wasn't another?

Remy rolled onto her side and propped her head up on her elbow, studying her adopted brother's face. After a moment, he realized he was being watched and cleared his throat, blinked rapidly to dispel the growing tears.

"No," he replied gruffly. “Was he happy to hear you’re coming over?”

Remy giggled. “Oh yeah, he thought I was joking. I had to repeat myself like, four times before he believed me. He’s so excited.”

Bucky smiled faintly. “And how does Rora like him?”

Remy’s face lit up. “She loves him, she gets so excited when she sees him, tries to reach out for him. And he’s the same. He’s still not expecting me to bring her, so every time he sees I have her, his face just lights up like Christmas and he starts smiling. I’ll hand her over and he cradles her like she’s this precious, breakable glass and sometimes, they just stare at each other, then Rora will squeal or babble at him and make him laugh. And, he’ll just hold her and talk to her, like she’s listening and understanding him. Wherever we are, he’ll point out landmarks and trees and buildings and tell her about them, and she just listens. We were in the Conservatory in Central Park, you know, by that one pond? And Loki’s holding Rora and pointing at the statue in the pond and I’m a few feet away, just watching and this lady sidles up to me and just stands there for a minute, watching Loki with me. Then she smiles and looks over at me and says ‘what a devoted father, are they yours?’ and I was so proud to say like, 'yeah, they are.’ Remy broke off, cheeks going pink and chanced a glance up at Bucky’s face, expecting anger and was surprised instead to find a thoughtful smile.  

“That’s great, Rem. I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but I like hearing that.”

“So... you don’t mind?” Remy asked tentatively. Her family resembled grizzly bears at times, almost fanatically protective of theirs, doubly so since Rora was born, and Remy had been genuinely anxious to tell anyone of how well Loki had taken to Rora, and vice versa, expecting violent anger and indignation, not this thoughtful and benign acceptance.

“Yeah,” Bucky smiled back, reaching over and clucking Remy under the chin. “I don’t think you could fake that, not enough to fool a baby; they’ve got crazy accurate instincts. If Rora likes him, he must be genuine.”

Remy paused, tempted to tap sharply at Bucky’s forehead to see if the body-snatching alien that had obviously possessed him would fall out, then decided to just accept it. The rest of the family would be another story, but it was such a relief to have Bucky on her side now.  

“Thanks, James.”  

He smiled over at her for a heartbeat longer, then sighed heavily and pushed himself upwards with a groan. “I gotta go, baby-doll. Walk me to the jet?”

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Loki’s face was incandescent when he opened the door, and Remy shared his smile. Rora had awakened as Remy stepped out of the elevator to the penthouse Loki had been renting at the Four Seasons for the last few weeks; and now squealed happily when she recognized him, beginning to squirm in her wrap.  

Remy barely released Rora from her confines before Loki snatched her away, making the infant belly-laugh as he smothered her in kisses. No one watching would believe this was the fearsome God of Mischief, the being responsible for so much destruction and chaos; not the man so obviously head over heels for the little girl in his arms, or her mother he eventually leaned over to kiss, cradling the child with one hand while he used the other to pull Remy close, curling his fingers against the back of her head, savoring her mouth as Rora cooed excitedly, pawing at his collar.  

“Hello, my darlings.” He purred as he pulled away from Remy, resting his forehead to hers for a beat before planting one last peck at her lips. Standing back upright, he lifted Rora to eye level and began talking to her, responding to her delighted babbles as if she was indeed holding a conversation with him. Remy stepped back and leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched, unable to hold back a smile.  

After a moment, Loki looked back over at her, realized he’d been neglecting her shamefully, his pale cheeks going pink. “Forgive me, my goddess.” Cradling Rora to his chest he reached for Remy’s hand and gently pulled her into the penthouse, shutting the door behind them. A mass of carrier bags and boxes in the main room drew Remy’s attention and she glanced over at Loki, who went ever redder.

“You weren’t sure how long the mission would be, and I wanted you and Rora to be comfortable here.” Loki sounded almost defensive as Remy started rooting through the bags, only relaxing again when she whirled back towards him and wrapped her arms around him, grinning widely.

“Thank you,” she murmured, not missing Loki’s shiver when she gently kissed behind his ear. “But you didn’t need to buy a whole nursery-”

“I didn’t.” Loki protested. “Just a crib and some clothes-”

“And toys and games... What’s this?” Remy pulled a large box out of a bag and stared at the outside of it for a minute. “A Storyland Playtime Musical Mat?”  

Loki shrugged, but the defensive air was back. “She can lay on it and look up at the mobiles-”

“You’re such a sweetie.” Remy gushed, unable to maintain her paltry attempts at being stern. Wrapping her arms around him, she nuzzled close and hummed happily.  

“Don’t tell anyone.” Loki mumbled back, fighting a pleased grin.

“Da!” Rora suddenly babbled. She’d been flirting with more and more coherent sounds for the last few days, but none had sounded so much like words before. “Da-da-da-da-da-da.”  

Remy stared in shock at her daughter. Rora was advanced for her age, and was already reaching the period where she’d start experimenting with babbles and sounds, trying to mimic and communicate, but wow, what a first attempt. She glanced up at Loki’s face, not sure how the god would react, or if he’d even realized how closely Rora’s gibberish resembled a certain word.  

Tears glittered in his eyes even as he cleared his throat and blinked rapidly.   “I-” Remy began.

Loki gave a self-deprecating chuckle. “Just baby babble. She couldn’t mistake me-”

“Da-da-da!” Rora gabbled, eyes alight, fists clumsily swinging. One finger managed to brush his chin. “DA!” She finished with a flourish, dribble on her chin, staring up at Loki with hero worship in her eyes.

Loki’s gaze reached Remy’s and she saw tearful hope in them, a desperate kind of longing. Then he closed his eyes and pulled Rora close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. His lips lingered a moment, then he inhaled sharply and pulled away, seeming to be steeling himself to ignore Rora’s proclamation, or at least not encourage it.  

“Look, child.” He beckoned quietly, angling Rora to see the musical mat her mother had just teased him about. She cooed and tried to swipe at the colorful box but was soon squirming in Loki’s arms, making the distressed little noises Remy knew meant she wanted to be held close. Loki knew what the sounds meant too, and tucked Rora into the crook of his neck, her little face burying in his throat. Her tiny sigh was audible as she snuggled against him and seemed to fall instantly asleep.  

Loki swallowed hard, eyes flicking nervously to Remy’s before snapping away, focusing in the floor. “I never meant-”

“It’s alright.” Remy murmured, moving close. Keeping one arm securely around Rora, Loki opened the other for Remy to join them, and exhaled shakily when Remy burrowed her face into his other side.

“l love you.” He whispered, emotion weighting down his words, an emphatic declaration. “With all my heart, all that I am; I love you, Remy. I love your daughter.”

“Our daughter.” Remy breathed, so quietly not even Loki could hear.

****************************************************************************

Later, Remy sat cross-legged on the couch, readying to nurse Rora before laying her down to bed for the night. She cooed down at her daughter, stroking her cheek gently before letting her latch and begin to nurse, then sat back against the cushions with a contented sigh. After a minute, she felt eyes on her and opened hers, glancing around.

Loki leaned uncertainly in the doorway and Remy beckoned him closer with a gentle smile, patting the cushion beside her. Hesitantly, he sat, sitting almost rigidly beside her.  

“You can watch,” Remy whispered quietly. “I don’t mind.”

Loki looked up at her in surprise, cheeks flushing slightly. “You just... you look so content here, and Rora too, I-”

“It’s okay.” Remy replied. “Rora’s going to crash soon, talk to me.”

A wry half-smile. “Did you enjoy dinner, my darling?”

Remy smirked back. “Yes, I’ve never had room-service before. Tomorrow you can take us to the fancy restaurant you had planned.”

Loki grinned mildly back, then tipped his head to rest beside Remy’s. Slowly he relaxed against her, then, with a heartbreaking timidity, he reached out and stroked the back of his finger against Rora’s cheek, watching her in fascination.  

“You look so beautiful, Remy. Nourishing your child.”

“Not everyone out there wants to see women doing this.”

“Fools.” Loki snorted dismissively. His hand moved from Rora’s cheek to cradle the back of her head a moment before retreating to Remy’s bent knee and he exhaled a deep sigh as he snuggled closer, seeming to melt against her. They watched Rora is silence, grinning faintly at her happy, hungry little noises; her sighs of contentment.  

Gradually Rora slowed down, drifting asleep, longer and longer pauses between her swallows. An indescribable peace washed through Remy, with Rora tucked to her chest and Loki relaxed at her shoulder and she turned her head impulsively, pressing a kiss to the side of Loki’s head.  

“Hmm?” Loki’s hum was languid and laid-back; he seemed to be falling asleep as fast as Aurora.  

“Thank you.”

“Mmm,” Loki lifted his head, eyeing her leisurely. “I would do anything to have you both with me.” He hesitated, then his eyes darkened as he leaned slowly forwards, pausing only a hairsbreadth from Remy’s lips, breathing shakily as he closed the remaining distance, pressing his lips to hers.  

A jolt of desire and want shot through Remy and she couldn’t stop a ragged moan. It sharpened to almost a whine as his tongue swept inside her mouth, and her skin flared hot when Loki reached up to cup her face, hold her in place while he ravaged her mouth.

Remy pulled away reluctantly, her pulse hammering in her ears. “Just-” she swallowed hard, forcing herself to concentrate. “I have to lay Rora down.”

Loki’s skin was flushed and he was breathing hard through parted lips. His eyes were solid black, blazing with need. “Yes.” He managed breathlessly; “yes, of course.” Stiffly, he sat back, wiped a hand across his face. “Forgive me, Remy. I shouldn’t-”  

Remy cut him off, reaching out to brush his thigh. He shivered, eyes darting to hers before moving away again, his chest heaving.

“Don’t chicken out on me now, Odinson.” Remy teased. “You’ve made me wait five years for this.” 

[script-a-world]

Any tips on creating a planet that is 100% ocean. Yes, there are lots of rocks and mountains but none break the surface. The planet has a moon too. I've got to think of atmosphere, storms, earthquakes, gravity, tides, flora and fauna, etc...

Saphira:  

Step 1. Trim the Fat. 

Think about your project. If its a novel, think about your plot line and characters. If its a game, think about your End Goal and mechanics. The places you want to work on first are where the experience meets the world. What characters are important (where would you want them to be?) Start there. If you start with "oh god how does the moon affect tides") then you're going to be halfway through a box of Oreos and a gallon of Kool-aid before the hour's done. Don't do it to yourself.

Step 2. Envision the Ideal

Chances are that when you chose this environment, you had an idea in mind. It might have been the mental image of a coral reef, or the love of Disney Mermaids, or how unfathomably insane sea creatures can be. Go back to that. What about it got your attention? What about it got your imagination going? "I want to live in that much colour." "I could have done a better job than Disney in representing Ariel's life." "I love the horror of Earthly Sea Aliens." Write it down. Pin it up. Put that in the center of your world building graphs. That's the heart. Tether everything to that.

Step 3. Research 

Start from your Chart Heart. Take that Step 2 concept and start your research there. Research what Disney studied to make their world, or how coral reef biomes work, or the “Top Ten WTF is That Sea Animals”. Whatever it is. Then let the research web flow. You'll find something interesting. Read about that too. If you're getting something really exciting, see if you can find another reliable source for it. Write down your web of research around your Chart Heart. Jot down exciting details. Be careful. You can get utterly lost in this phase. Remember to come up for air, food, water and socialization.

Step 4. Connect the Dots

Your notes on your research will paint a picture. It will paint an idea. The notes, the chart you've made, will start to take on life and character. Put the research down and take a good look at your notes. If they're good inspiration points, they will start to tell you what your world is. You may start to see ecosystems. You may start to see mythology. You may see challenges for your characters to come across. Important: once you have started to get into the groove of your notes, bring back up your Project Plan from Step 1. Your narrative and your world need to work as one. As you go over the notes, go over your plot. Jot down or highlight points where the world and the plot REALLY GO TOGETHER. Celebrate those points!!

Step 5. Do it again 

Yup! It's a cycle. Take your winning points of your world that really resonate with your plot. Make those the hearts of your new charts. Start research again. Make notes again. Connect the dots again. The point of world building is to provide a more living experience. Do not let the mechanics of your world building get in the way of your audience's experience. Also, have fun with it.

Tex: I'm gonna make a lot of assumptions here that you might think are superfluous, but they're important to narrowing down topics to what I think you're presuming.

When you say "100% ocean", you mean something along the lines of "surface covered with liquid water", yes? This is a surprisingly rare phenomenon in astronomy - Earth is the only planet that we know of to contain not only water on its surface, but liquid water that is stable and in significantly large quantities.

There are several celestial bodies that are very close to these parameters: Europa has a water-ice crust; Enceladus is covered by more solid ice than Europa; Ganymede  is a mixture of water ice and silicate rock; Callisto has a surface composed of "water ice, carbon dioxide, silicates, and organic compounds". While their surfaces technically contain water, it's in a solid or mostly-solid form that's inaccessible for use to most life forms.

There are two main theories of how water comes to be on a celestial body, extraplanetary and internal. Extraplanetary sources rely on "Comets, trans-Neptunian objects, or water-rich meteoroids (protoplanets)" (Wikipedia), which impart only so much water due to factors such as the body's gravity and water-containing or water-inducing objects on a collision path with the body. It's not a particularly common method for producing water on a body's surface, unfortunately, and makes up a non-majority percent of surface water.

Internal water is both a more popular idea and a more common occurence. A liquid water ocean beneath the crust is possible, as in the cases of Dione, Pluto, Triton, and Ceres.

Frozen water, as in the case of ice, could be either purely water, or water and silicates (see: hydrate minerals ). It's possible that radioactive decay could have pushed subsurface water up, where it could have melted into liquid water and formed bodies of water such as oceans - this is especially possible if ammonia is present (Wikipedia). The heating of aluminum-26 could provide enough heat, also to force water to the surface (Phys.org), which brings up the important point that there needs to be enough heat for the water to remain a liquid.

For a body that contains water ice and is composed of primarily silicates, the contact of water with silicates will provide the hydrothermal and chemical energy to not only turn the ice into liquid water but also to maintain a temperature necessary to stabilize bodies of water as liquid. Radioactive decay as mentioned previously, tidal heating, and cryovolcanic activity all participate in the introduction and maintenance of surface water.

It is, admittedly, more difficult to find liquid water on the surface of an extrasolar planet, mostly because the "free" heat of the closest star is an easy way to defrost a celestial body. It's possible, but that would mean a greater reliance upon the internal heating and radioactive decay of the body itself, something that doesn't always pan out.

To elaborate on the idea of geological features of your planet, mountains  are a function of tectonic activity and/or volcanic activity, and an indication of how active the core is of your planet. The higher the mountains, generally, the more active. Rocks are formed from pressure, magma, or a combination of both (Wikipedia), wherein mountains are usually metamorphic (Wikipedia). If you decide upon how your planet's surface water came to be, it'll feed into how your landmasses are created, as well as how high they'll generally be. I do recommend reading up on geomorphology, too.

Further Reading

Extraterrestrial liquid water - Wikipedia

Ocean planet - Wikipedia 

Origin of water on Earth - Wikipedia 

Hydrology - Wikipedia 

Water - Wikipedia 

Nebular hypothesis - Wikipedia

Ocean Currents and Their Role in the Biosphere  by A.Ganopolski (chapter preview)

Insights into global diatom distribution and diversity in the world’s ocean  by Shruti Malviya et al. (PDF)

Grazers and Phytoplankton Growth in the Oceans: an Experimental and Evolutionary Perspective  by Simona Ratti et al. (PDF)

Life (Cells) - Wikipedia

Biota by sea or ocean - Wikipedia 

Marine Biota Exchange — The Biologic Pump - EARTH 103: Earth in the Future, Penn State University

Synth: Okay, yes, you do need to think about all of that eventually, but it doesn’t all have to be at once. Some things will follow logically after others.

Tides do affect ocean currents to an extent, but so far I haven’t found anything that gets into how they might affect the flow of deeper currents, instead of just the shallower areas. Tidal effects are most noticeable along shorelines, so if all of your “land” is very deep under the water, you might be able to get away with not dealing with this at all.

Being in the water is the closest we can come to a microgravity environment without leaving the ground, so, again, you can probably get away with filing gravity under "I'll deal with this later". (Did you know that gravity isn't uniform across the planet? You'd think it would be the same all over, but no. There are high spikes and weaker spots and all kinds of variations. It's wild.)

Undersea earthquakes and volcanoes could definitely cause problems for your marine inhabitants, although earthquake-spawned tsunamis tend to ruin the day for land-dwelling organisms way more than they do for ocean-based critters.

Yeah, you will need to figure out atmosphere, but at this point just having one is the important bit. Prevailing wind direction plays a large part in the flow of surface currents, but the composition of said atmosphere can take a back seat for the time being.

Get your planet and decide which direction it rotates. Looking at maps of prevailing winds  and ocean surface currents shows how the Coriolis effect from the planet’s rotation comes into play, affecting the direction of both the air and water currents: they travel predominately clockwise in one hemisphere, and counterclockwise in the other. 

Then it’s on to topography.

Tex had a bunch of suggestions to look into for planning your world's geologic formations. Lay out your geography, your valleys and mountains, shallows and trenches just as if it was above sea level. The “normal” rules for placing settlements on land (waterfront real estate is The Shit), kind of goes out the window for a completely submarine world, but it isn’t time to think about building cities yet anyway.

So you’ve got your landscape. Now submerge it. Decide just how far under the surface your highest points will be.

The nice thing about water and air is that they're both fluids, and they behave similarly when they encounter obstacles like, say, massive mountain ridges. If air wasn't transparent we would be able to see how it eddies and flows around objects the same way water does. Well, to an extent we can sometimes see it, when it picks up bits of detritus and blows it around. Wind tunnels pump in streams of smoke to make the airflow visible.

https://www.ventusky.com/ and https://www.windy.com/ are great for visualizing air currents. Not quite so good for water currents, but the "Waves" tab does provide a little bit of info to build off of. It's fascinating to see how wind at 10 metres above ground mostly follows the lay of the land, while wind at 1000 metres easily flows into low-lying areas, but does a hard stop at the Rockies and the Andes (and a few other places), and winds at 30000 just don't care about paltry geographic barriers like mountain ranges. The ocean currents on your planet will, to an extent, behave similarly in how they interact with the landscape, e.g. being deflected by very tall mountain ridges.

Airflow is the predominant driving force for the surface currents, but what about everything below that? Terminology to research deeper here are thermohaline circulation and hydrothermal circulation. Hydrothermal circulation is most apparent around the ocean floor near volcanic activity and deep-ocean hydrothermal vents (“black smokers”) and occurs due to temperature differences. Thermohaline drives pretty much everything else, and occurs due to changes in temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline). The motion of these major currents is vital to the submarine ecosystem, since it’s the main way nutrients and heat energy are transported (fun – and maybe slightly gross – fact: the abyssal depths of the ocean are subject to a constant “snow” of dead things and assorted other organic detritus sinking down from the higher levels. It’s an important food source down there).

Knowing how the oceans move on your planet will help with placing settlements, if your planet’s inhabitants have gotten to that point. On land cities often start near water sources, but obviously. when you already are underwater, that will change. Food sources and shelter (from predators, from too-strong currents) are still points that need to be considered. Who settles in the shallows, where the water is warm and sunlight allows for photosynthesis? What about deeper down, where several currents meet to create a good place for eating? Maybe it’s all chemosynthesis near deep-ocean fumaroles instead?

For flora and fauna, ooh lordy you have, like, so many options. So. Many. For inspiration just look at all the wild and wacky and downright creepy stuff that lives right here on our planet, especially the deeper regions. Some of it you’d swear was 100% alien in origin, but nope, born and bred right here on good ol’ Earth, where it seems like the deeper you go, the weirder the living things become. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_oceanography has more ocean phenomena and terminology (scroll all the way to the bottom to find it organized by category), to get familiar with and research.

[cutesuki--bakugou]

Sea Legs

Ch. 3 - Playing Doctor

Boku No Hero Academia / My Hero Academia Quirkless, Mermaid, Modern AU

Rating: Explicit | Excessive Fluff, Blood, Wounds, Nudity, Sex, Cursing and Vulgar Language

Genre: Romance / Humor / Angst

Main Pairing: Katsuki Bakugou x Koge Naegi (oc)

A trip to her grandmothers beachfront home was something that Koge had done every year of her life. This time, an unlikely discovery would change her life forever. Who knew explaining how to be a human could be so hard.

“Well, Katsuki, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Koge.” The petite woman stood, starting to make her way over towards the wounded section of his tail. Bakugou scoffed, glare locked on her as she moved. “Don’t call me by my first name. And don’t expect me to call you by yours!” With a small roll of her eyes, Koge squatted down between two rocks, observing the wood that was pierced through his body. “Well, I don’t like my last name so I’m not gonna tell it to you. So, you have to call me Koge.”

“Fuck that… I’ll call you… Utsuro.”

“Eh? You’re calling me hollow? Why?”

“Because you literally have no fucking expressions and your voice is like an annoying whisper. You’re obviously void of any emotion-- hey, don’t touch me! I fucking told you!” He tilted his body away from her touch as Koge tenderly placed her hand against his scaled body, though he couldn’t go far enough to get away from her. Huffing, Koge narrowed her eyes at him. “No, I’m gonna help you. We have to get this thing out, don’t we?”

“I can pull it out myself! You’ll just end up killing me if you try.” Although he was trying to be tough, Koge could hear the fatigue in his voice. His entire body was still trembling, and the confidence in his strained expression was very quickly fading. In fact, Koge was amazed that he was even still conscious at all. “No,” she spoke sternly, tapping a finger to her chin as she tried to think. “I have to help you, you’d just pass out halfway though from the pain. Oh!” Standing, Koge hopped off the rocks back onto the sand, though she turned her attention back to him before going off.

“Just stay here and I’ll be back. I have to get some stuff from the house to be able to do this.”

“Stuff like what?” Bakugou hissed through his teeth, face now hidden in his arms.

“Well… Towels, bandages, alcohol and I have some pain pills that I bet will help. I mean, you’re half human so they have to work, right?” Koge wasn’t quite sure if her question was directed to him or to the open air, but an annoyed glare from the corner of his eye told her that Bakugou had no idea. “Ah, anyway, just… Chill out here, okay? It’ll only take me a few minutes. Don’t die!” With that, she turned and began sprinting down the beach back towards the house, trying to create a list in her mind.

Towels. Bandages. Alcohol and wound cream, whatever it’s called. A blanket? A bucket. A saw, hand or electric would be better? Medicine, like painkillers and maybe antibiotics if Grandma has any sitting around. Would I need food? What the hell would he even eat? Needle and thread maybe? Would I need a lighter? Damn it, I’m not a doctor, I’m way over my head!

Still, Koge gathered everything as quickly as she could, shoving it all either into the bucket or into a backpack. Fresh water, some raw shrimp from the fridge, a couple of fruits, a tent and other miscellaneous items joined the list, and before Koge really knew it, she looked like she was going camping. Much to her frustration, she wasn’t the only one that noticed.

“My dear? Where are you going with all those things?” Kiki spoke up from the kitchen, spotting Koge as she tried to sneak out the back with all her new belongings. With a small cough to clear her throat and steady herself, Koge took a few steps back, locking eyes with her grandmother. “Ah well, it’s so beautiful outside today I thought I would just maybe… Hang out and pitch a tent and just enjoy the sun?” She could hear the bullshit in her own voice, but she had always been a horrible liar, though she knew that the truth would sound just as ridiculous. After a moment, Kiki nodded, giving a small smile. “Oh, that sounds exciting. The beach is very private, as you know, but please don’t go too far down. Would you like me to send someone to wait on you in a few hours?”

“No, no, that’s okay. If I need something I’ll just come back up. I have my cell phone that can make calls and text still, so let me know if you need me to come back, okay?”

With another nod from Kiki, Koge was off, jogging back down the beach with her excessive amount of effects. She worried the entire time if she had everything she needed, if any of it was even going to work, or if she had taken too long deciding what was necessary to bring. All she could pray for was that the creature she had left on the rocks was still alive, after the good hour it took her to return. At first, she was shocked to find that Bakugou wasn’t even where she had left him. Instead, he had somehow moved himself off the rocks and crawled into a shaded area in the sand, where the edge of the jungle met the beach. It was the trail of blood and disturbed sand that led her to him, worry bubbling in her stomach at first glance.

Bakugou had stayed on his stomach, face once again hidden in his arms. From afar, there was no movement, but as Koge approached she could see his back moving with deep, labored breaths. Knowing she had to hurry, Koge put her belongings down near him, softly speaking to him as to not startle him awake. “Katsuki? Can you hear me?”

The only response was a heavy sigh, though it was obvious that his strength had all but given out at this point. How he had dragged himself at least fifty yards from the rocks was baffling, and if he weren’t in such a dire state, Koge would find herself marveling at his power. But for now, she needed to help him.

“I think I know what I need to do.” Koge began to dig through the backpack, pulling out the towels, medicine, alcohol and battery powered electric saw. “The wood is still too long, I have to shorten it first so it won't be so hard to get out. That, and the end needs to be smooth so it won’t leave splinters. Hopefully it won’t, I mean.” Koge was more speaking to herself in a soft mumble, though Bakugou finally lifted his head to respond. “Tch, I guess you’re not as stupid as you look. What are those pain things you were talking about? Painkillers?”

Picking up on his curiosity, Koge handed him the small bottle, which was sealed with a child proof cap. At first, he focused his tired crimson glare on the words, running his finger along the characters as he did. “May cause drowsiness… Don’t take on an empty stomach. Doesn’t say about no fish-people, so that’s a plus.” Bakugou grumbled to himself as he attempted to open the bottle, though his lighthearted joke was quickly swallowed by frustration. “What the fuck, how does it open!?”

Koge couldn’t help but to giggle softly. “It’s made so children can’t get in it. Push down on the lid with your palm and twist.”

“Are you calling me a child?!”

“Well if you can’t open it, you must be one.”

Her quick retort silenced the blonde instantly, though his glare never left her face. “You’re lucky I feel like shit, or I swear you’d regret that.” Bakugou finally got the bottle open with a pop, promptly pouring more than half of the pills into his palm. Stammering, Koge quickly placed her hand over his, covering the pills so he couldn’t plop them into his mouth. “Wait! Only one!”

“Eh? How is just one of these little pills strong enough?!” Bakugou didn’t fight to get his hand back, though his fingers did clamp down around her small hand in response to her touch. “I’m bigger than a human, don’tcha think?” Koge gave a small shake of her head, closing her fingers around the pills to pick them up from his palm. “Still. Only one. If one doesn’t work, then we can do one and a half. These are super strong, they knock me on my ass, seriously.”

“Well you’re a midget.”

“That’s not very nice.” Koge took the bottle back as well, giving him one single tiny blue pill. “But you have to take it with food. Uh… what do you eat?”

Bakugou glowered up at her, rolling the small pill between his fingers. “Anything.”

“Literally anything?”

“That’s what I fucking said. What did you bring?”

After placing the pills back into the bottle and closing it up, Koge dug through her pack again, looking at her selection of food. “I brought some fruit… Uhm… Shrimp? It’s already been de-pooped--”

“Gimme the shrimp.” Bakugou snapped at her, plopping the pill into his mouth before reaching into the bag himself. “What the fuck do you mean ‘de-pooped’? You mean you cleaned them already? Can you not talk like a normal person?” Feeling the cold plastic bag, he pulled them to him, an obvious hunger giving him enough energy at the moment. Enough energy to be an ass, sure, but Koge couldn’t really blame him. He must have been starving after everything he had gone through and how much blood he had lost, though the fact that he began to eat them half defrosted and raw did freak her out a bit.

“Uh, ew. I mean, I assume you don’t cook them… In the water. But still.” Koge glowered down at Bakugou as he ate with a ravenous hunger, eating all but the tails, which he tossed onto the ground beside him. “We eat everything raw, though we do clean the meat before eating it. At least, most of us do. I can’t stand fish with the scales still on them or the fins. Fucking disgusting.”

Koge gave a small hum, setting out her supplies to care for his wound on top of a towel. “Prissy boy, aren’tcha? You seem spoiled.”

“Like you would know! Stop assuming shit, you don’t know anything about me.” Bakugou tossed a shrimp tail at her, hitting her square on the cheek. “Besides, you’re the one that’s obviously spoiled for a human, living in that big house.”

“I don’t live there, my grandmother does. But that doesn’t matter. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed anything like that.” From the side of the backpack, Koge pulled out a water bottle, taking a healthy swig. The morning had faded into midday, and she was beginning to feel the humidity and heat weighing down on her. Even though her hair was up in a ponytail, the stray hairs stuck to her face and the back of her neck, and the grimy feeling of sweat was making itself known. When she finished drinking, she noticed that Bakugou was staring up at her silently, shocking her so much she almost felt the urge to jump. “W-what?”

“What’s that?” His eyes darted from the bottle back to her face. “Is it fresh water?”

“It is. Do you want some?”

At first, he eyed it cautiously, fiddling with a shrimp in his fingers. “If I drink it, I’ll probably take the whole thing. It’s very sweet to us… Addicting almost.”

“Really? Well… Why don’t you have it. I mean… If things don’t go well, at least you got to have some.” Koge handed the bottle out towards him, a bit surprised to see a snarky smirk cross his lips as he took it.

“Heh, true. Well, it wouldn’t be the worst last moments one could spend on Earth.”

“Are you ready then?”

After chugging nearly half the remaining water in the large bottle, Bakugou sighed, the tip of his tail shifting about in what Koge could only assume was either momentary happiness or nervousness. Koge wasn’t confident in herself, but he had put his faith in her, lest he die out here like a beached animal.

“Yes. I want to get it over with. You had better not kill me. I have no choice but to trust you.”

[shootwinterfest]

Let It Snow

Shoot Secret Santa by @spicycheeser!

*_*_*_*_*

The whole situation feels really weird and the fact that she agreed to it means… well it doesn’t matter now, because they’re already here.

She pushes open the door to the cabin, knocking the excess snow off her boots before heading inside.

“She says a light switch  on the right,” Root says, entering just behind her and dusting the snow off the shoulders of her coat.

Shaw slides a hand along the wall until she finds the switch. The lights flicker on and they get their first look at the place they’ll be spending the next four days.

The living room is open, all high ceilings and exposed wooden beams, everything you’d expect from a “luxury ski lodge”.  To their left is a fireplace. A couch and armchair sit around it, with a soft looking rug and coffee table between. Bookcases and a few paintings line the walls. The kitchen is open to the living room, only separated by a breakfast bar, and there’s a staircase to the second floor loft that winds up and around (to the bedroom, Shaw assumes).

Slipping off her boots, Shaw leaves her duffle bag by the door. Padding to the kitchen, she begins rummaging and finds both fridge and cupboards to be fully stocked. Recently too, if the expiration dates are accurate.

“She says there’s a freezer in the basement with extra food as well,” Root says, leaning over the breakfast bar. “There’s sports equipment down there. Skis, snowshoes, that sort of thing.”

Shaw grabs a banana from the bowl of fruit, peeling it down. “Looks like Robot Overlord thought of everything.” She takes a bite, enjoying the minut flinch of annoyance Root makes at the nickname.

“Even if this wasn’t her idea, She likes to make sure we’re taken care of.”

Shaw rolls her eyes, takes another big bite of fruit so she doesn’t have to respond to that. It’s true though. However serious or not Shaw’s comment about going on vacation together was, it was Shaw’s idea. And now here they are, fully stocked cabin in the middle of nowhere siberia, four days to kill until their job in Moscow comes up.

“I’m going to take my bag upstairs and unpack,” Root clicks the ‘k’ at extra hard and attempts a wink before sliding away.

With reluctant sigh Shaw finishes her banana, tossing it before heading back to grab her bag as well. Ascending the staircase she follows the thin banister around to the one and only door and heads inside.

The loft bedroom is... fair-sized. She might be ill or something because “cozy” was honestly the first adjective that came to mind. There’s a dresser on each side of the room, a small bookcase, and a door that probably leads to a bathroom. Most of the room however is taken up by the enormous bed and now, as Shaw stands at the foot of it, she’s struck by just how little thinking she did about this whole vacation thing. What it might entail, for example. Not a vacation in general but a vacation with someone. With Root. It’s a thought exercise made infinitely harder to since she’s not exactly sure how to define what being “with Root” means either.

They’ve fucked (once) and kissed (twice) and spent plenty of time together flirting and shooting at people. All of that happened on the job though so downtime like this is completely undefined. Shaw’’s not sure what Root expects and not what sure what she wants from Root either.

Tossing her duffle in the corner, Shaw flops back onto the bed. There’s a skylight above, currently featuring a perfect square of grey-blue winter sky. She feels the bed dip beside her and hears Root release and over exaggerated sigh.

“What are we supposed to do now?” Shaw wonders outloud.

“I can think of several things,” Root hums, teasing tone not o be misinterpreted. “But vacation is about doing what you want to do.”

Shaw sits with that for a fw long minutes. She’s still not sure what to make of it, even when she feels Root roll off the bed and head towards the door.

“I have a project I want to work on,” she says by way of exiting, and Shaw is alone once more.

Propping herself up on her elbows, Shaw looks out the small window. There’s a fresh layer of snow out there and more forecasted for the evening as well.

Four days of this, Shaw thinks, wondering what on earth possessed her to even entertain the idea, much less suggest it. She conjures up ideas of what ‘normal’ people do on a snowy vacation and finds herself with a barrage of media stock images that involve people snuggling together for various activities.

Suddenly the idea of staying inside makes her itch.

Shaw heads downstairs. Root is on the couch, curled up under a blanket, laptop in lap. “Leave it to you to manage to find a WiFi signal in the middle of the woods.”

“She and I are well practiced at creating our own hotspot,” Root hums.

“Ew, okay, I don’t wanna know,” Shaw says, waving hand and making her way towards the basement.

Descending the stairs, she’s actually surprised by what she finds. The basement is tidy, well organized, and labled. It reminding Shaw of something she’d expect to find in White Suburbia rather than the frozen tundra. She heads for the sports equipment mounted and displayed towards the back and shuffs on a pair of snow pants (surprisingly just her size). She grabs the cross country skis, having watched enough Winter Olympics to know that if she wants a good burn that’s a good bet, and heads back upstairs.

Root’s still staring at the computer and Shaw can tell from the faraway look that the Machine must be talking to her. Fingers flying across the keys and Shaw wonders who is dictating to whom. Though, remembering Root’s prior innuendo ,maybe she’d rather not know.

Shaw walks behind the couch and pulls on her jacket. Peeking over Root’s shoulder she sees lines of code growing of across the screen. It’s a language Shaw has no desire to learn, and a lifestyle she has no interest in adopting. The contrast between her and Root sits odd in her stomach and propels her out the door even quicker.

Outside, the sky is still bright grey and she’s thankful she remembered to bring sunglasses for  the glare off the snow. Strapping into the skis it takes a few minutes to figure out how to get moving, but it’s not long before she’s gliding along at a good clip.

The trail near the cabin excellent, challenging. A good rhythm going now, she feels confident enough to push a little harder. She loses herself in it, letting concerns and thoughts from before fall away and shifting attention inward to the way her quads burn or the bite of the cold air at her lungs. The world around her is crisp and quiet, the only sounds are the swishing of her skis and the hiss of her breath. Every once in awhile she’ll stop and take in the serene woods. Watch the way the light glints off iced branches, or examine some animal tracks she crosses. She spends a few hours like that and by the time she gets back, the waning light has taken on a golden hue.

Back inside, Shaw is almost thankful not to find Root where she left her. Instead, she’s in the kitchen, starting at the open cupboards in thought.

“Problem?” Shaw asks, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

“Just reviewing dinner options. Decisions, decisions.”

Shaw pops the top off the beer with her belt buckle, taking a long swig. “Kinda assumed I’d be doing the cooking, you know, considering.”

“Considering?”

“Considering half the time I have to remind you to eat,” Shaw huffs, taking another sip. “Food’s not really your thing.”

Root looks at her and it feels heavy somehow. She tries not to squirm under it, changes the subject. “Look, don’t blow a microchip- let me shower and I’ll make something,” she shrugs like it’s nothing, even though Root is still looking like it's anything but.

Shaw moves towards the door, before Root’s voice catches up with her, “Need any company?”

The tone is light, the weigh from before evaporated. “I think I can handle it,” Shaw deadpans back.

Back upstairs, she takes a few extra minutes in the shower, letting the hot water defrost the cold ache from her bones. After, she finds that Root seems to have taken it upon herself to unpack their bags. All their clothes are neatly folded in the dresser to the left of the bed. Shaw’s extra ammo clips, gas mask, and other gear is organized in her duffle bag, tucked under the bed.

It’s annoying in its efficiency, annoying because it’s exactly how Shaw would have done it. Totally unnecessary. Could have done this myself, Shaw thinks. Helping herself to her favorite pair of worn USMC sweats and a hoodie, she pads back downstairs.

“You look cozy,” Root says. She’s kneeling near the fireplace depositing another log on an already roaring fire.

“She help you with that too?” Shaw asks.

“Fire setting happens to be one of my skills actually.”

“Somehow not surprised,” Shaw states and heads to the kitchen.

Cooking has always been luxury when she had the time to indulge, so she’s happy to seize the opportunity. The cabinets are still open from Root’s rummaging and Shaw browses those and the fridge before settling on a meal. There’s a whole raw chicken which she helps herself to, spending a few minutes of collecting seasonings and other essentials before setting to work. She dresses it the way she remembers her mother doing years ago and makes sure to grab and chop an assortment of veggies to lay underneath the roasting bird too.

Root could use the friggin’ nutrients, she thinks idly.

Shoving the whole thing in the oven, she sets a timer before heading back to the living room. Root is back on the couch, feet on the coffee table and afghan blanket wrapped around her legs like a mermaid tail. They have about an hour before dinner so Shaw makes her way to the bookshelves. Perusing the titles, she can’t help sneaking quick glances back at Root. The woman is typing away oblivious, brow furrowed in concentration. It’s a sight Shaw finds to be a weird comfort normally, but here it makes her slightly unnerved. Not because of the action, but because it leaves Shaw to her own devices. It’s the ‘what’s next’ anticipation that’s bothered Shaw since they got here, and it seems like she’s the only one.

Eventually she selects a book, a popular title she recognizes from a few years ago, and is then faced another choice: Where to sit. The armchair, the other end of the couch? Root’s words about Shaw doing whatever she wants on vacation mock her and it pisses her off enough she bypasses the couch and chair, opting to flop down on the rug in front of the fireplace.

Root doesn’t look up from her typing but states, “The bear skin rug was the owner’s Great-Great Grandfather’s. He killed the bear himself and fed his family for 6 months off the meat. It’s a family heirloom and the owner apparently takes a eat deal of pride in it.”

“So sex on the rug is out?” she jokes, enjoying the way Root’s glitches excitedly. Shaw doesn’t bother waiting for a verbal response, simply rolls over, faces the fire, and cracks open the book.

Time flies after that. The book is good, but the wafting smell of roasting chicken and subsequent stomach grumbling buoys her to the present. Shaw portions dinner for them, Root watching ruefully as she very purposefully places roasted vegetables both plates. They eat at the small wooden table in the breakfast nook. Root takes her time, cutting her entire meal into tiny pieces before even taking a bite. Shaw has more of an eat-as-you-go style, which is why she's half done by the time Root finishes cutting. Shaw tries to slow her pace.

Companionable silence is one of her favorite things about Root. The quiet never feels pressured or uncomfortable. Even in the midst of this odd situation, it still feels right. They finish up and before Shaw can say anything, Root clears dishes. She returns to the table with a tumbler of whisky for Shaw glass of water for herself.

“She says I need to drink more water” Root says.

“She’s not wrong ,” Shaw chuckles, taking a sip of her own drink. “But She doesn’t mind if I’m dehydrated?”

Root smiles over the lip of her glass. “She thought you might appreciate a good buzz at the moment.”

They sip quietly, watching the snow starts to fall through the window.

“The owner’s hunting gear is in the basement as well. If you're wondering what you can do for tomorrow.”

Shaw was, in fact, wondering that. “What kind of gun?”

“Compound bow, actually.” Root says. “Game fowl season is in full swing right now.”

“Sounds fun.”

What about tonight? lingers heavily after but Root smiles lightly ,diffusing it. “I have a few more things I’d like to work on. Unless you have something in mind for us for dessert?”

Shaw makes a ‘after you/don’t let me stop you’ motion with her arm towards the couch like and Root heads back to her spot from before. Shaw stays, finishes her drink in her own time, but eventually returns to her spot on the rug as well.

It’s late when she finally lays the book down, the fire fizzled out to its final embers. Now the blue light of the computer screen is the only illumination and the creepy way it lights Root’s face, the strung out tiredness there, brings to mind an entirely different type of snowed-in scenario. The Stephen King kind.

All work and no play, Shaw thinks. Standing, she moving behind the couch and touches Root’s shoulder. “She going to remind you to take a break any time soon?”

“She avoids redirecting me when unnecessary. Doing so when you’re around seems redundant.”

“Fine. Then this is me telling me you look like shit. Be done for the night.”

Root smiles sleepily, closing the laptop and placing it beside her. “As you wish.”

Shaw ignores the reference and heads for the bedroom. She changes, brushes her teeth, and passes Root on the stairs coming up as she heads down to find a glass of water. By the time she returns to the bedroom, Root has changed into her monogrammed PJ’s and bunny slippers and is sitting on edge of the bed, odd expression on her face as she stares at her phone.

Shaw pauses in the doorway, not sure what she wants to do or what she’s going to do (two different things).

They've always slept separately in the past. She could still sleep downstairs but that’d be stupid when the bed up here is big enfor three or four people. She watches Root discard her phone, giving Shaw a open, content look before shutting off her bedside light.

It was neither invitation nor declaration. Another thing Shaw likes about Root- there’s never any pressure.  Doesn’t make this any less confusing.

Shaw makes her way over to the bed despite the continued indecision, and slides under the covers. When she rolls over, she’s facing Root who blinks back at her in the dark.

Fuck it, Shaw thinks. “What is this?”

“It’s call ‘rest’, I think.”

“You know what I mean. This. You. Me. “ Shaw pauses “Her too I suppose- it’s a package deal right?”

Root beams at that, “Very much so.”

“So yeah, what is this?”

“What do you want it to be?”

“Can you just answer my question. I asked you first.”

Root shrugs, nuzzling her head further into her pillow. “I haven’t thought much about it.”

“Bullshit,” Shaw bites. “You always have a plan.”

“She always has a plan. I…” Root trails off. Shaw can tell it’s Root thinking rather than listening, so she waits.

“I enjoy you Sameen,” she says, quietly. “Whatever that is, day to day.”

“And Her?” Shaw asks, referring to the Machine. “She just along for the ride?”

“Mmm, on the contrary, she has always been quite invested in us as a pair.” Root smiles small, like it’s an inside joke. “She likes you too.”

“That is…” Shaw searches, but comes up with nothing. “Whatever. It’s fine, I guess.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Shaw rolls onto her back looks up at the skylight. Stars wink above, dots of bright in crisp, dark blue.

“I’m not good at this,” Shaw starts. Root doesn’t reply but Shaw doesn’t have to turn to know the woman’s attention is tuned in. “Not sure how it’s supposed to go.”

“On the contrary, you’re quite good at it. You make sure I eat, sleep-“

“So does the omnipotent FitBit in your ear,” Shaw grumbles.

“You talk to me, and listen,” Root continues. “And if I'm totally honest you're the first person, maybe in my whole life, who has thought about me. About my safety. About my health.” Root says it plainly, as though they’re discussing the weather.

There’s a pressure in Shaw’s chest at the words, like the air is compressing around her slowly, the weight of it clenching under her ribs. Something demanding attention, something stirring.

“It doesn’t have to be like on TV,” Root offers. “Or like what the rest of them, any of them have. Because we're not like the rest of them, are we?”

Shaw snorts, “Fuck no.”

“So forget them. Forget ‘should’ and ‘supposed to’.” Root adds, propping herself up on an elbow. “What you're not good at isn’t applicable. It’s a language you don't ever have to learn. Not with me.”

The pressure reaches combustion and that something that’s been building, building all day and even before, finally explodes. Without thought, Shaw pounces on top of Root, pinning her to the mattress.

Only anger usually moves her like this, but the sharp and familiar satisfaction that usually follow a snap is missing. There is relief, as she looks down at the other woman whose hips she was straddling, but she’s not sure where to go from here.

Root, by contrast, doesn’t seem unsure. Doesn’t seem surprised either. She simply looks back up at Shaw, and smiles knowingly. “Ditto.”

Shaw rolls her eyes, and dismounts, shuffling to her side of the bed once more, and letting the warm afterbuzz of that stirring thing, settle in her gut.

“Keep your freezing feet to yourself” Shaw says without malice, as she snuffles down further into the covers. “And tell Rosie the Robot to wake us up for 5am. I wanna shoot some stuff, bright and early.”

“Mmm, goodnight Sameen,” Root contently from the dark.

It’s odd, to have someone know her better than she know herself sometimes. To have someone who understands, who seems to hear the whispers within her like they were as clear as day. Maybe Root can help her hear them a little better too. Maybe together they can have their own language.

Shaw chuckles, into her pillow despite herself. The whole thing is so weird. So unexpected.

Inconceivable, she thinks as she drifts off. She falls asleep smirking at the reference and how ridiculous and maybe cool being ‘with’ some can actually turn out to be.

*-*-*-*-*

[littlereyofsunlight]

Goodbye, Dreamland (part 1)

Steggyweek2k18 Day 2! Part 2 of this needs a little more polishing, so it’ll be up later today. This one goes out to @roboticonography and @indiefic, who spit-balled ideas with me for this story one fine May day.

Fic: Goodbye, Dreamland Pairing: Steve/Peggy Rating: T+ Summary:  Steve and Peggy take a trip to Coney Island in an alternate-timeline in which Peggy is brought to the future and Ultron never happened.

“It’s real different than my day,” Steve said, slight hesitation slowing his voice. They’d come out of the sprawling Coney Island subway station on Stillwell between Mermaid and Surf, right by the Subway sandwich shop, into a dazzlingly bright late June morning. A solitary breeze wafted the sea air past overflowing trash bins, combining those scents into a familiar Brooklyn perfume as they walked up the steps by the improbably twisted red and blue tracks of a roller coaster.

Peggy, preoccupied with digging into her beach bag to touch up her sunscreen—it had been over two hours since she’d last put it on, and all of today’s literature suggested, as did Peggy’s own fair-skinned experience thus far this summer, that reapplication was necessary after that much sun exposure—so she didn’t quite catch it. “Well darling, it’s been seventy years.” She held up the tube, triumphant, then frowned up at him from under her floppy-brimmed hat. “Also, wasn’t there a flood recently?”

Steve shoved his hands in his shorts pockets and started to amble down the boardwalk. “2012, Superstorm Sandy. Maybe five months after the Chitauri attack on Manhattan.”

“Steve,” Peggy said, realization dawning as she rubbed extra SPF onto her cheeks, “I thought you hadn’t been here since you’d…” She stumbled over just what to call it, his miraculous return to the living.

“Since I was defrosted?” There was a sardonic edge Peggy didn’t miss this time. Wisely she held her tongue, knowing he’d elaborate in his own time. She offered him the sunscreen, but he wrinkled his nose and waved it away. “We all watched the storm from Stark Tower. There was a crane in Midtown that collapsed, and Tony went out in the middle of it, to secure that. But mostly we could only sit around til it passed.” He looked over at her. “Hell of a view, though.”

He took her hand, directed her past the entrance to Luna Park, headed away from most of the crowds. “They thought I’d be helpful here, since there had been looting. The beach had been washed clear up over this whole boardwalk, and all I saw were store owners trying to clean out and citizens just trying to get by when everything was closed or wrecked.” He shrugged, and Peggy squeezed his hand. “Coulda done something more in Breezy Point, maybe, but I went where they sent me.”

“Steve, I wish you’d told me.”

He gave her a lopsided smile and squeezed back. “Well, you said you wanted to come. I know you lived in the city for a while before you came to this time, so I figured you liked it, or maybe hadn’t had the chance to visit.”

Peggy gave a brittle laugh and stopped walking so she could face him. “Neither, I’m afraid. I have been before, and I was miserable the whole time.” Steve blanched, frown lines forming between his brows. “Darling, I came out here when I first moved because you’d spoken fondly of it, and then I spent the entire day crying about you, because you weren’t with me. I suggested this trip because I thought you’d want to see it again.”

His confusion gave way to sadness as his heart clenched, thinking of Peggy alone on a bench, staring out at the freezing winter surf and missing him. He drew her close, intending to sweep her into a hug.

But Peggy started laughing as she watched the emotions play across Steve’s face. “Listen to us! This isn’t an O. Henry story, Steve, it’s a trip to Coney Island! Sunshine! Roller coasters! Hot dogs! Splashing in the water! For pity’s sake, we’re here together and the beach is back where it’s supposed to be, so let’s just enjoy it.” When he smiled in return, she rewarded him by throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss so deep, an onlooker wolf-whistled as they passed.

“You know,” Steve said, straightening his crooked collar, “I have a feeling today’s going to be a good day.”

Some time later, having walked the length of the boardwalk several times to soak up the sun and take in all their options for amusement, Peggy happened to remove her sunglasses and see just how red Steve, staunch refuser of sun protection, had gotten since they’d arrived. “Steven Rogers!” she exclaimed. “You are turning into a lobster before my eyes.”

Steve gingerly touched his nose and winced at the too-tight, sore feeling of a sunburn. “It won’t last,” he said, sheepish. “As soon as I’m out of the sun, I’ll be fine.”

Peggy goggled at him. “We have no indoor plans! Do you mean to tell me I’m to spend my entire day with a man turning ever-increasing shades of red?” He shrugged. “Steve, doesn’t it hurt?”

He squirmed under her scrutiny. “I’ve had worse.”

Peggy snorted. “Forgive me if I don’t exactly trust your sense of scale. I’m buying you a hat right now.” She steered him into a souvenir shop. “Your ears look absurd!”

Though he protested the bucket hat Peggy had first tried to cram onto his skull and lobbied unsuccessfully for a baseball cap (“Steve, your ears!”), they eventually compromised on a straw trilby, which had enough of a brim to satisfy Peggy’s shade requirements and didn’t make Steve feel as though he’d missed the boat for a fishing trip, or a John Candy movie. In retaliation, Steve picked out a t-shirt while Peggy was at the register. He wouldn’t let her see it until they’d left the store.

“Oh, bloody Nora!” Peggy pulled the shirt from its plastic bag. “Honestly, Steve, this is a complete waste of money. You should return it.”

“What?” Steve asked, all innocence now that he’d managed to turn the tables. “It’s cheeky. You’re cheeky. I thought you could use a souvenir.”

Peggy turned the shirt over to examine the back, which, like the front, was printed with a cartoon woman’s bikini-clad body. “It’s cheeky, all right,” Peggy muttered. “I’m never wearing it,” she told him.

“That hurts. You don’t like my gift?” He tried to hold a pout but the outraged look on Peggy’s face was too much, and he broke down in giggles. “It’s terrible!”

“It is terrible!” Peggy couldn’t fathom why he’d bought it.

Steve slung his arm around her shoulders and started walking again. “It’s not a day at Coney without a terrible souvenir.” He went to drop a kiss against her temple, but Peggy’s sensible hat got in the way and all he got was straw and a bit of grosgrain ribbon. “You’re welcome, my dear.”

“Thank you,” Peggy grumbled, outrage melting slightly as she shoved the offending shirt into her bag. “Still not wearing it.”

“Nah, you’re way too classy for that shirt.” Steve agreed. “We can give it to Tony when we get home.”

That, at least, made her smile. “He would like this shirt.”

“The man’s got no class, we all know it.”

They’d arrived at the entrance for the midway games, and Peggy had an idea. “You know what? I think it’s time I took you to school, Rogers.” She grabbed his hand and set off through the milling crowd, making a beeline for the shooting range. When they arrived, Steve took one look at the carnival game and then looked back at her. “Loser buys lunch?” she suggested, oh-so-casual.

Steve chuckled, knowing just what he was getting himself into, but he still said yes. This was going to be fun.

Twenty minutes later, the barker running the shooting range was pleading with Peggy to move along. “You’re intimidating everyone! No one wants to go up against you! I’m not gonna hit my numbers if you stick around, lady, come on.”

Peggy surveyed the small mountain of stuffed animals she’d amassed with her sharp-shooting skills. “Well, I suppose this will do, then.” She turned to Steve and loaded him up with an armful. “Let’s pass these out and then see what other games look fun.”

It didn’t take long for word to spread to all the kids on the midway that there were free toys to be had, and they quickly dispersed Peggy’s winnings among the group. Task accomplished, they decided against the ring toss and some game known as “Fried Frogs,” but Peggy made Steve stop when they reached the strength tester.

“Aw, Peggy, I hated this one back in the day,” Steve complained.

“Great,” Peggy winked at him. “Now you get another crack at it.”

Steve rubbed at the back of his (sunburned) neck. “I don’t know, isn’t it just...showing off now?”

“I don’t know why you’re not seeing that’s precisely the idea,” she said, a wicked gleam in her eye as she raked her gaze over his impressive physique. Oh. Now Steve got the point. Could you blush with a sunburn? Because he was pretty sure he was doing that just now, and feeling warm all through his body as Peggy continued to openly appreciate his looks.

Some of the kids had followed Peggy and Steve after the stuffed animals, so there was a small crowd to witness when Steve, quite unexpectedly brought the hammer down and broke both it and the bell when the force of his swing shot the puck straight through and off the tower.

“Woah!” One of the kids, a tousle-headed boy there with his chubby friend, exclaimed. “Did you see that Ned? Did you see it!”

“That guy’s gotta be as strong as Thor,” Ned replied.

Peggy just smirked while Steve stammered an apology to the flabbergasted worker. He couldn’t beg off when the woman insisted he take the prize he’d won, either, but Ned and his scrawny friend were all to happy to step forward when Steve offered it to them.

“Are you Thor?” The kid shouted at Steve, eyes wide with awe. “Mister, are you THOR?”

“Peter, you can’t ASK people if they’re Thor!” Peggy heard Ned admonish as they waddled away, dragging a giant stuffed bear between them. “What if he’s UNDERCOVER?”

Laughing, Peggy looked back at a still embarrassed Steve. “Well, is it time I collected on my winnings? I think I fancy a hot dog for lunch.”

All ten registers at the boardwalk Nathan’s were stacked at least twenty people deep. Peggy couldn’t quite make out the menu board from so far back, but Steve’s super-soldier eyesight was helpful in that endeavor.

“Two fifty for a hot dog?” Steve sputtered, incredulous. Several people turned to stare, Peggy included.

“We’ve been out to eat before, Steve. You know what things cost now.” This wasn’t the first time they’d had some version of this conversation, but she’d thought he had finally accepted the changes inflation had wrought over the past seventy-odd years.

He looked at her, then back at the menu plastered with colorful photos. “It’s just, the last time I ate a hot dog here, it cost me my last nickel.” He shook his head. “Bucky wound up sharing his lemonade with me ’cause I couldn’t afford a drink.”

Peggy grabbed his hand and laced her fingers with his. He gave her that lopsided smile again and she felt a sympathetic pang in her heart.

“Sorry, I’m doing it again. We’re here now and the sun is shining, right?”

Peggy tipped her chin up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “It’s a good day.”

Still, he’d drawn the line at buying himself more than a single hot dog and a small lemonade. Peggy rolled her eyes and ordered herself all the food she fancied, including the chilli cheese fries. Steve grumbled a bit but he didn’t welch on their bet.

He polished off his lunch in no time flat, then snuck fries off of Peggy’s plate when her hands were full of the burger she’d ordered. He stopped after she glared at him, because he knew better than to get overly familiar with Peggy’s food if she hadn’t offered. Eventually, slowed down a bit after the hamburger, hot dog and giant lemonade, she gave him a few more fries of her own accord.

Though it was past noon, the day seemed to just keep getting hotter. Steve suggested they duck into the small museum, but they were chased off by an overzealous docent who spouted one too many incorrect facts about the time period Steve had grown up in. Peggy suggested they try some of the rides, instead.

[lusciousbeast-blog]

The Godzilla Show

This pretty much sums up how I felt about the Toronto Bridal show. It’s taken me over a week to post about it because that’s how much time I’ve needed to recover - not at all because I’m inconsistent and procrastinate like crazy.

Deep breath. 

My first experience with The Bridal Show came when I worked at Lonestar. At the time, it was right across the street from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and usually the first place hordes of women would come, in various states of mood, once they’d been chewed up and spit out by the many wedding related companies hawking their services. 

As staff, it was right up there with the body building show on the loathing scale. Like, one of the most hated weekends of the year to work. Generally, the women who came in were cranky, would order a shitty Lonestar garden salad (vinaigrette on the side of course), and countless vodka sodas or Diet Coke. And who can blame them really? It’s confusing being a bride-to-be at a bridal show! What kind of message are you supposed to get when every booth has a massive fish bowl filled with chocolate and/or candy, while simultaneously trying to sell you liposuction, so you can look “flawless” on your big day and fit into the monstrosity of a dress you spent thousands of dollars on, without feeling like your spanks have given you three extra ass lines. 

Needless to say, I was feeling more than a little bit nauseated at the idea of going. 

Upon arrival, I immediately felt like I didn’t belong. For one, most women in attendance had at least one other person with them, but in many cases, their entire bridal party, mother, aunt, and...and....I’d opted to go solo because a) my sister wouldn't be caught dead at such an event, and b) dragging someone else along felt like something only a bad friend would do. 

My first sucker stop was at the LipSense table - a lipstick brand that claims “LipColor that lasts, until you take it off.” Truer words have never been spoken. I hesitantly applied the required three coats of lip colour, followed by the gloss that you have to let fully dry before touching your lips together (because why, I was to afraid to ask), and then asked the brand rep if the product would come off with any old make up remover. Without much confidence she replied “Yes, but we strongly recommend you use our special brand of remover.” I quickly understood why. Turns out to get the kiss proof/smudge proof poison off my lips, you needed something akin to paint thinner. Thankfully, I decided to stop by the booth again before leaving the show. Even their “special” remover took longer than made me comfortable to get my lips back to normal, on top of making my kisser feel like it was slowly being eaten away by acid. The best part? You could buy the gloss AND the lip colour for the low low “Bridal Show” special price of $65 plus tax.

Fuck off LipSense. Fuck. Right. Off. 

I’ll happily re-apply something more natural on my big day 20 times over, if it means I don’t have to feel like I dunked my lips in a vat of industrial lye, even it means Craig looks like he got attacked by a pack of hormone ravaged 20 yr olds. 

Other observations? A jewelry stand that had so much tacky bling it could probably blind you, tables of cake samples that tasted like they'd been defrosted only hours earlier, whose moisture wasn’t so much from the cake itself, but the melted freezer burn, and lastly, one too many cheesy DJ services playing terrible remixes of great 80′s tunes. To top it all off, while a few of the higher end bridal shops had stands with a selection of lovely gowns, for the most part, the dresses on display looked like some version of this little gem, that someone was ACTUALLY paid to design. Oh please, please, PLEASE can I look like a mermaid covered in taffeta on my wedding day?! 

After a failed attempt at finding the station that was sampling wine, in a little under an hour and a half, and one too many mediocre cake samples later, I decided to call it quits. Thankfully, the price of admission was made up for by the fact that I walked away with two new bridal magazines, bringing my total count to six. Six more than I ever thought I would ever own in my lifetime. The little planning guide will definitely come in useful, because as it turns out, this whole ordeal is all consuming. 

On a more positive note, entering all the free vacation giveaways was made much easier by the fact that every bridal show attendee had to make and wear, an ID badge that allowed all vendors to simply scan a barcode and BOOM, you’re entered into a contest to win a luxury honeymoon to somewhere tropical at the same time as giving away all your personal information and your freedom. I have yet to receive a call informing me that I’ve won. Till the next time. 

xo

LB

[attina-the-responsible]

How to Defrost a Mermaid ~*~ [Mersisters]

In which the Triton girls check in after the snow storm, and then discuss polyamorous relationships, Australian kisses, and consent.

We actually had everyone for this one, but at different times. 

@andrina-the-amazingsupergenius, @adella-the-romantic, @arista-the-musical, @aquata-the-bold, @alana-the-badbitch, @ariel-the-rebellious

Andrina ok fam rate the latest swynlake disaster on a scale of 1-10

Attina i dunno if it hadn't lasted quite as long i'd give it maybe a 5

Alana 4 needs more gore, never really fearedfkrmy lie

Andrina i feel like court was a solid 3 on danger/ 9 on fun / 8 on cute boys

Alana Wow see we got comic book store man

Attina i dont think it was *that* fun

Alana and pauls crazy ex

Attina how crazy was she acting? how are the babies?????

Andrina that's becuase YOU were busy worrying while /I/ was perfecting my mixing techniques slash making the bar my fortress

Alana I mean idk I didn't talk to her see just seemed bitchy about the whole thing like chill we r all stuck in here and freezing

Andrina scale of bitchiness 1-regina george

Ariel It wasn't fun. I was worried about you guys.

Alana babies r fine. Comic man found a ton of pride u shirts to swaddle Alana Uh Uh

Ariel I did get to sing that song Total Eclipse of The Heart with Jim, though, and that made me feel better for a while.

Arista I dunno the ice castle was pretty fun

Attina um excuse me

Ariel Ice castle?

Attina also i'm sorry you were worried ariel 💗 but everyone is okay! 😄

Andrina wow and didnt invite me ris

Arista it was like ice skating and slippery but super cold so minus points for that

Andrina frankly that's so offensive

Attina WHAT were you doing in the ice castle

Arista I was on a rescue mission

Alana Wow

Ariel I'm glad we're all okay. We need to find magic portable bathtubs in the future though

Andrina on it ariel [finger gun emoji]

Ariel Who were you rescuing?

Alana thankfully the arcade sinks worked

Ariel Attina said you and Adella were home with Daddy

Attina wait for WHO what.

Alana Wow ris gets all the fun

Andrina five bucks if she says van

Arista Van got stuck in the blizzard out there so she went to the nearest building which was the ice castle. It's okay though guys Urs came too. Buddy system. I'm not totally clueless

Alana how was it Alana what is the yelp review

Andrina how was the service Andrina and did u lick the walls

Attina how did ??? that happen?

Ariel You risked your life to save Van? That's so romantic. Is she okay?

Alana nothing says love like hypothermia Alana just ask jack Dawson

Aquata at least you weren't alone out there

Ariel Who?

Attina god.

Ariel OH

Andrina wow

Attina wow

Alana titanic lad

Ariel The guy from Titanic!

Aquata oh my god ariel

Ariel Ugh he was so dreamy

Aquata yet you couldn't remember his name

Andrina was he

Attina how do *you* of all people forget that

Alana rose looked like his mum I swear

Ariel I remembered Jack!! Ariel Dawson threw me off for just a second!!

Arista um I would say 4 stars. Like definitely did not have the proper outfit. But it was super fun. Like an ice theme park. But totally cold. So much cold. Van is okay. Van, Urs, Kim and me are all at Urs'. Kim ended up rescuing everyone actually.

Alana imagine titanic but it's a MILF learning to love again

Attina ariel she tAKEs his NAME in the END how do you forGET

Andrina i'd watch that movie

Ariel Why didn't you get all bundled up before going out there??

Attina okay wait i need you to walk me through *exactly* what happened

Alana Wow go Kim rock on

Andrina still offended i wasn't invited

Ariel and I only forgot for a SECOND

Aquata you still forgot

Ariel FOR A SECOND

Alana I'm offended you got a BLOODY ICE Palace and I got orange Gatorade

Arista I was in Chapter Three with Urs and then Van texted me. I didn't have time for bundling up

Ariel I have Romeo and Juliet on the brain still!!!

Aquata Hey Tina remember how you told me that everyone was going to stay inside? Funny how that works out, huh?

Ariel I practiced my lines so much to keep from going crazy that I think I have them all perfectly memorized now

Andrina hey an quality time with ariel alana

Alana ah yes

Attina um well six out of seven did so i don't really like your tone, missy

Andrina did YOU participate in any karaoke with the jimmeister

Ariel I'm glad I had at least one of you there with me, Alana kept me sane

Alana Ariel singing as we all freeze to death Alana no, I broke into a vending machine with him

Aquata You really want to go there with me?

Arista Oooh what snack did you get

Ariel So wait, Ris, when did you get home?

Alana bottled water and cheetohs

Attina i don't think i need to go anywhere with you, aquata, i kept you safe--and ris is safe too i'm not going to apologize.

Aquata YOU kept me safe!?!? Are you fucking kidding me?

Alana uhoh

Arista excellent choices lans

Ariel Woah, hey, guys, don't fight

Attina uh yeah you're not dead in the snow so.

Alana remind me again why I'm the bitchy one

Andrina idk alana Andrina false advertising tbh

Ariel You're not... bitchy

Arista I don't think anyone's the bitchy one

Alana awh thanks Ariel

Ariel You're assertive and independent

Arista everyone gets cranky sometimes.

Aquata Yeah, you didn't FORCE me to stay inside. So no, it was not you that kept me safe.

Andrina in OTHER news i definitely borrowed a bottle or two of vodka from the court so if anyone is down for a post-swynlake-disaster throwdown

Ariel I think the storm and being without water for days didn't help

Alana yes please

Arista Oooooh vodka

Aquata I'll pass.

Ariel We should all get together for a group swim. I feel really thirsty and feverish still

Attina i think you've not got a leg to stand on, aquata you're still alive and not frozen to death ANYWAYS

Ariel I don't think I took a long enough bath

Attina andrina you need to give that back.

Andrina chill mom i'll pay i just dint have my wallet on me

Alana they won't miss it

Andrina in other other news i learned how to tie a cherry stem with my tongue while in there

Alana no one goes there for top shelf vodka they go there for tits

Alana nice

Attina who taught you to do that??

Andrina myself Andrina while u were flirting with aussie boy

Attina also it's not like we needed to steal it

Alana ^^

Attina i wASNT FLIRTING

Andrina only goes for aussies now Andrina here's the kicker Andrina ready

Alana is thou dabbling in two rivers of men

Andrina he Andrina is Andrina paul's Andrina roommate

Attina his accent was cute but Attina NOT FLIRTING

Alana NICE

Arista Oh no. That's bad

Ariel Attina!!!!

Andrina two for one amirite

Alana Wow u can walk from one room to the next

Attina we just had things in COMMON

Ariel have you DTRED YET

Alana what a dirty acronym

Arista Is he handsome? Scale of 1-10

Attina what no not with paul no

Andrina i thought she sneezed

Attina i mean--yeah, he was very handsome of course bUT not the point ~~

Alana threesome threesome

Attina how about that bath ariel ahha i need to relax

Andrina tbh like this guy doesn't have a baby AND he has a turtle sooo Andrina upgrade

Ariel Ew no threesomes guys gross!

Attina he also has a girlfriend so

Alana they are not gross

Arista Ohhhh Attina has cute boys flirting with her

Alana foursome foursome

Arista Turtles! That's so cute

Ariel Paul has a girlfriend? Ariel or the Aussie?

Andrina the aussie

Ariel Does the Aussie have a name?

Attina it was very cute! he showed me pictures of him, his name is scute--he has cute little outfits

Alana Wow invite ice bitch and have a fivesome

Arista What's the Aussies name????

Attina his name is stanley

Ariel Scute?

Andrina see a man who knits outfits for turtles is a man after attina's own heart

Ariel Oh

Arista His turtle's name is Cute?

Attina Scute--but pretty cute, he has some fancy long name but i can't remember it--i think the middle name was ashley. Attina oh! i hope he was okay, i've been worried. the heat lamp would've turned off during the storm.

Alana slide in his sms

Andrina all in favour of attina ditching paul for turtle stud say aye

Ariel Is Scute the turtle okay??

Arista Oh no! The turtle!

Andrina AYE

Alana AYE

Ariel No, you can't ditch Paul!!

Ariel He has kids!!

Andrina ugh ariel

Aquata he has a girlfriend, that's homewrecking.

Alana Paul has baggage

Ariel Stanley has a girlfriend!

Alana o tru

Ariel What Aquata said!

Arista Yeah! No homewrecking

Attina this shouldn't even be a conversATION

Ariel What baggage does Paul have??

Aquata um, he has children and a psycho ex?

Attina he doesn't have baggage he's perfectly lovely

Aquata thats what we established right?

Arista I dunno I don't think Attina has seen his closet yet

Aquata not his actual baggage Ris

Alana I'm p sure Ted Bundys victims would've called him perfectly lovely too

Arista Ohhh I dunno you can tell a lot by someone's baggage

Ariel Why are kids baggage?

Andrina right what can u tell about me from my baggage ris

Aquata fun fact they did call him lovely.

Ariel And it's not his fault if his ex is- well, is she really psycho?

Andrina idk ariel did she seem psycho Andrina u spent 2 days with her

Alana did u hear about the speed dating thing

Attina ugh why does this always turn into a convo about PAUL

Arista Ohhh I dunno you can tell a lot by someone's baggage

Ariel Why are kids baggage?

Andrina right what can u tell about me from my baggage ris

Aquata fun fact they did call him lovely.

Ariel And it's not his fault if his ex is- well, is she really psycho?

Andrina idk ariel did she seem psycho Andrina u spent 2 days with her

Alana did u hear about the speed dating thing

Attina ugh why does this always turn into a convo about PAUL

Ariel I mean not really, she didn't try to murder anyone or anything, I think she was just worried about her kids and it made her on edge

Alana she like stormed out in a rage just cuz he like talked to other girls lol

Andrina sorry you're the most interesting one of us

Aquata because you're boy crazed

Alana so she might kill atty

Arista I don't remember everyone's baggage. Do you have baggage?

Aquata shes defo gonna kill atty

Alana Yah don't mind me I'm boring lol

Andrina just kidding we should go back to talking about the ice castle

Aquata its been nice knowing you

Andrina i need specs

Ariel Why do you guys think she's gonna kill Teen??? Don't joke about that!!!

Attina no one is going to KILL ME

Alana I think ris is snogging van

Attina yes, let's talk about hte ICE CASTLE

Alana giving her a good old Australian kiss

Andrina dammit ris

Ariel How are you and Paul though Attina?

Attina what the hell is an australian kiss

Andrina wow

Alana oh you know

Andrina do u wanna tell her alana Andrina or me

Arista Van isn't Australian

Attina we're fine--good i think i dunno i haven't heard from him actually

Alana Like a French kiss Alana but down under

Aquata but down under Aquata ha ha

Arista Stan is Australian

Alana aqua I know you think I'm cool but come up w ur own lines

Ariel He hasn't checked on you?

Aquata I really don't think your cool so....????

Attina what an incredibly weird name

Andrina *you're

Alana Lol

Attina also no, ariel he hasn't but it's fine he's got his babies to worry about

Ariel Have you checked on him? Ariel Maybe he's too preoccupied with the babies

Arista Have you checked on the turtles???

Attina no he's got his babies to worry about

Ariel They're so CUTE

Alana they r loud

Ariel They're babies

Andrina do they do any tricks

Alana but cute ok i guess Alana patch can do a newsstand

Attina they're only a year old, paul was telling me they're starting to talk though!

Andrina wow never heard of that one before Andrina a newsstand

Ariel newsstand? Ariel what's that?

Alana he sells papers on the streets

Andrina like a 21st century newsie

Ariel No he doesn't, he's a baby

Andrina wears the lil hat and everything

Alana it's reverse child labor Alana what no

Attina that makes me want to get him a newsie hat wouldn' that be adorable

Arista Wow that's so cute!

Andrina technically newsies were employed by the papers they sold

Alana start an young Alana **THEM

Attina do they have newsie hats for babies

Andrina wow you should do that and tell paul about this very conversation

Alana sorry nails

Andrina "my sisters want to support your child's newsie career"

Attina he'd probably get a kick out of it, honestly but i can't tell him we were talking about him Attina obviously

Alana lockpicking really does a number on ur nails lemme tell you Alana u can just say we brought it up since Ariel and I met the babies sorta

Arista Maybe Stan can knit Paul's kid a Newsie hat

Alana beautiful

Attina oh! there we go!

Andrina i ship this polyamorous relationship

Alana get stan to knit me a bra

Ariel Would a knit bra be comfortable?

Attina it's not polyamorous guys and girls can be friends

Alana yeah it's like a cure bracket Alana **BRALETTE

Ariel Wait, what's polyamorous?

Alana when u r dating more than one person but like they all know Alana and r cool w it

Andrina the ideal we should all strive for

Alana and r maybe dating each other too

Attina not for me, thank you.

Alana more boys to score u, atty

Ariel Wouldn't they get jealous?? Ariel I would get SO jealous

Alana nah some people don't get super jealous

Andrina jealousy can be transcended Andrina sides ppl get jealous in monogamous relationship see ice bitch for an example

Alana ^^

Andrina she's not even IN a relationship and she's still plotting murder

Attina we don't know that Attina she could be fine with it

Andrina that mighhhht be true

Attina she could be perfectly lovely

Andrina but it also might noooot be true Andrina and judging on current data

Ariel Who's Ice Bitch again?

Andrina its more likely nooooot true

Alana ok well p sure I can get her number for u and u can ask her urself Alana perdita

Attina how are you going to get her number Attina also no.

Andrina i can stalk her and then pretend to be her friend and get the deets

Alana i have my ways

Andrina that's a more convoluted plan than alana's but more fun for me so

Alana also like the cast list

Andrina plus what else am i doing with my summer Andrina nothing

Attina i would really just like all of you to butt out of it honestly it is very tender and new and easily breakable, like the delicate ecosystem of the reef.

Ariel Why do you guys all not like her so much?

Andrina well the reef similie's convinced me

Alana Ariel scroll back to the "stormed out in a jealous rage during speed dating bc how dare Paul talk to another girl when they aren't even in a relationship"

Attina we don't know that's why she stormed out Attina maybe she had to make a phone call

Ariel Yeah

Alana I'm sure she has her reasons but the fact is atty is still entering dangerous waters

Andrina the Angriest Phone Call.

Alana lmao ok

Ariel She could have stormed out because a guy said something rude Ariel You don't know

Attina oh that's true too

Aquata yes, I'm SURE that it was because she was answering her phone Aquata or said something rude Aquata definitely

Alana and her friend ran after her bc that's what happens when u answer the phone

Attina look, i'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

Andrina personally i always use the buddy system when making phone calls

Alana don't say we didn't warn you Alana she's like tswift in blank space

Ariel Who ran after her?

Alana uhh redhead

Attina oh i think her name starts with an "a"

Alana ani...ta?

Ariel Then maybe a guy really did do or say something rude and her redhead friend was making sure she was okay

Andrina le gasp its one of us

Attina yes that's it! anita

Alana even ends w an a too

Attina wow that name is rather...triton isn't it, though blends better lol

Andrina can i befriend ANITA an get the deets then Andrina give me some sort of covert mission

Alana I support that

Attina i think i told you to stay out of it actually Attina no your marching orders are to stay out of it, it's not fair of you to pry into my personal business

Andrina ok does anyone have any kind of covert mission for me

Alana get another bottle from a different swynlake establishment

Andrina thnx Andrina that'll be my tuesday activity

Attina andrina no sTEALING

Ariel Ummm teach me how to fake kiss?

Andrina you just put ur hands in front of ur mouth

Ariel Doesn't that look super obvious??

Aquata how the hell did we get here?

Andrina ok to be more specific it's like your thumb. and the rest of your hand just looks like you're gently caressing the cheek of your lover Andrina its Advice with Andrina hour duh

Ariel huh

Andrina i can show you later lucky number seven i'll fake kiss u to the moon

Ariel I feel like I'm gonna laugh too much

Andrina well DONT its very SERIOUS

Attina then you'll wind up *actually* kissing her

Andrina i've kissed worse Andrina unfortunately lmao

Ariel I don't wanna kiss my sister!!! Ariel Or Marie Ariel Marie is nice and pretty but I don't really want to kiss a girl I don't think

Andrina a shame tbh they are uuuuusally better kisses

Attina never know until you try lmao

Andrina taste nice, smell nice, soft lips

Ariel But boyyyyys

Aquata it's a play, you're fine

Attina something you're not telling us andy?

Andrina ok everyone here knows i have kissed girls before i kissed brit like a few weeks ago for free shots at pixie's lmao

Adella girl kisses are much better

Andrina thank you dell

Attina there is a diff between kissing girls for drinks and kissing them because they smell nice

Ariel Wait is Andrina gay now too?

Andrina yup Andrina gay today, who knows what i'll be tomorrow

Adella are any of us gay?

Andrina isnt everyone a little gay

Ariel Isn't Arista?

Attina i'm pretty sure i'm not

Andrina ariel for the last time

Ariel I don't think I am

Andrina love u

Adella we're both bi

Andrina but just because you date or kiss a girl does not make you gay

Ariel Oh Ariel I know that!!

Andrina please google "sexuality"

Attina i think there is some liek beautiful irony to the twins being bi idk

Adella same tbh

Ariel I know about sexuality!! Ariel I just wanted to be sure

Andrina then dont ask me if im gay just cuz ive kissed a girl or two

Adella girls are great u should def kiss the girl

Aquata yet you think kissing marie will automatically make you gay

Ariel I dunno how it works, I only really like guys Ariel I didn't say that Ariel I just don't want to kiss her

Adella bet her lips are softer than dash's

Attina everyone leave ariel alone, she's still learning

Andrina oh definitely i bet dash tastes like cheese

Attina oh that's definitely true you know she uses some fancy french moisturizer or something

Adella plus isn't that a part of being an actress like ur not kissin her cause u think she's cute

Ariel Don't Ariel You can't just

Adella ur doin it cause she's ur romeo

Ariel You don't know what Dash tastes like!!

Andrina hey im js Andrina and i like cheese so Andrina it was a compliment

Adella same

Ariel I mean I guess?

Aquata hes a teenage boy, of course he tastes like cheese

Attina also good point della

Andrina yeah it's for the S T A G E

Ariel Stop talking about what my boyfriend tastes like please!!

Attina and like i *said* if you're uncomfortable, just tell simba

Ariel Maybe I'll try it. Like, just a peck or something?

Aquata there you go

Adella doesn't haveta be full tongue

Ariel I wanna make sure Dash is okay with it though

Attina well you certainly aren't going to be making out with her on stage

Aquata im sure he's going to understand conisdering its a play

Ariel Okay okay

Adella unless u wanna

Aquata though you dont need his permission for everything

Adella but i mean

Attina i doubt he's expecting anything more than a peck, could even be a cheek kiss really--whatever you're comfortable with

Adella truuuuuu

Andrina marie has to want it too also

Andrina maybe MARIE doesn't wanna kiss YOU ariel Andrina huh ever think about THAT lil missy

Ariel It's okay if she doesn't

Attina just like it's okay if you don't

Ariel I don't know how to feel if she like, really does tho

Attina it's not her decision, it's yours

Andrina let her down easy,

Ariel Okay

Adella still think it's dumb if u don't even try tho Adella js

Attina consent is important Attina even in a play

Ariel it is!

Aquata I'm pretty sure the fact that she signed on to be romeo automatically means that shes consenting to the kiss

Aquata otherwise she wouldn't have agreed

Andrina that's not true Andrina it's a teen production lol its not that big a deal if they kiss or not

Adella we're all glazing over the fact that it's just a stage kiss again

Aquata ^^^

Andrina yeah but people can still be uncomfortable with that

Adella 3 minutes ago u were on team stage kiss

Andrina i wouldn't be, but heeey who knows people got religious reasons or values or something-- i mean i totally am team stage kiss but its not THAT big a deal either way

Ariel We'll see guys okay Ariel I don't like feeling pressured though Ariel Is everyone going to be expecting us to kiss? Because then I have to at least stage kiss I don't want to let everyone down

Andrina just talk to simba and you'll be fine

Attina i think you can easily sell the performance without a kiss, but listen to andrina, talk to simba--he's been in lots of plays before, he'll know what's up.

Ariel Ugh okay

[brittlebranchesandbossbitches]

As Retold by Ginger: Summer of Camp Caprice, pt. 2

Previously, on As Told by Ginger....

Ginger, Dodie, Macie, and Courtney are at Camp Caprice. Dodie is on the road to becoming a camp counselor with the guidance of current counselor Margie. Macie is planning to conquer one of her myriad fears while having a crush on Jed, the other counselor. Ginger has designs on the new stable boy, Sasha. Courtney, on the other hand, is trying desperately to fit in while totally embarrassing herself and wreaking havoc in the process. 

Darren and Miranda are across the lake at Spengler Military Academy, run by Miranda’s dad, Officer Killgallen (who has more lines in this movie than he does in the entire series). Carl and Hoodsey are spending the summer as amateur housecleaners while solving the mystery of the missing dogs in the area. They think they’re on the right track while cleaning Principal Milty’s house, where they find a dog toy and no dog. Could Milty be the dognapper?

Summary of Part Two

While on punishment at Spengler, Darren shows Miranda page four of a letter he got from Ginger. Miranda discovers that Courtney hasn’t made a single friend there and proceeds to start crying, blaming herself for Courtney going to Caprice in the first place. That’s when Darren has....a cunning plan! He and Miranda decide to go AWOL and hide out at Camp Caprice. 

Back at Camp Caprice, Ginger tries to clear the air with Sasha, only for him to call her a wannabe that sucks up to girls like Courtney. (No, you idiot, you’re thinking of Dodie.) She doesn’t even get the chance to tell him that Ian’s not her boyfriend because she goes off on him for insulting her, Courtney, and Ian before storming off. Fences are mended at the end when she plays that insufferable song about the ponies for him. 

Dodie gets the master key to the entire camp to go with her whistle, because Margie likes that she’s as much of a chipper-yet-authoritarian fun-killer as she is. Unfortunately, things go awry (as they do) when she commandeers a motorboat to rescue Macie and Miranda from the lake at, like, 6:00am. The whole affair ends with Miranda and Darren hiding in the cabin, only to be discovered and the six of them trotted out before the entire camp and Miranda’s dad for a thorough and public shaming. 

Carl and Hoodsey find a dog in Principal Milty’s basement after also finding a cabinet full of doggie treats, confirming their totally wrong suspicions that he’s the dognapper. As it turns out, the perpetrator was actually Milty’s new girlfriend Georgia (with the big hair and southern accent to match), who was kidnapping dogs and releasing them into the woods. 

Poor Courtney

This movie has been a rather interesting reversal of fortune for her. She’s so used to the “Gripling charm” easing her way through life that she actually has to figure out how to be...well, a person. She’s now finding herself on the outside looking in, and that being rich and pretty has actually become her disadvantage, because the other girls regard her as “soft” and don’t take her seriously as a result. 

So, what does she do? She tries to fit in by capitalizing on her association with Ginger and desperately stretches several truths to make it seem like they’re closer than they are. Ginger has been remarkably understanding through all of this, given that it was wrecking her chances with Sasha. 

Then at the end, Courtney points out that they basically treated her the way she treats them at school. You think that’d be an amazing epiphany that would lead to changes in dynamic, but she squashes that pretty quickly by saying nothing’s going to change.

Who is Ginger Foutley?

This movie gives us a rather different side of everyone, Ginger included. Camp!Ginger is what School!Ginger is like with the shackles off. She’s a lot freer here, unburdened by the politics of popularity because she only sees these people for a few weeks out of the year. Plus, the playing field is a lot more level here because looks, money, last names, and fashion don’t matter here. It’s all about what you can do and what you’re willing to learn. 

I think, at the root of things, this is who Ginger really is. If she hadn’t already shed the last vestiges of wannabe-ness by now, it happens in this movie, and you see it when Season 2 starts. 

The Dodie Desperation Index

I don’t really have a lot to say about Dodie, except she’s basically just on a low-level power trip for the entire movie. There were hints of this back in episode 5 when she was doing the school’s announcements. The girl likes power, whether it comes from earning the trust of adults or by kissing up to girls like Courtney. 

Miranda: Defrosting the Ice Queen

This movie has shown us that a) Miranda actually has feelings and b) she’s kind of badass. Please note that she’s the only girl at the camp, and the only one that was doing one-handed push-ups (effortlessly, I might add) when the other boys were struggling. Then when she and Darren escape and swim across the lake, she manages to outrun him, get undressed faster, and was swimming like a damn mermaid while he was still taking his socks off. Then they get to the island in the middle of the lake, and she proceeds to sharpen a stick and do some impromptu spearfishing. She also knows how to drive a speedboat because she grew up driving her uncle’s. 

There’s Something About Macie

Macie is Macie, which is important. While Ginger becomes more confident at camp, and Dodie becomes more power-hungry, Macie is more or less the same. She is already being her most authentic self, for better or worse. Although, she does manage to conquer her fear of the lake when she jumps into it to save Miranda(who got a muscle cramp swimming from the island to Caprice), thinking she was the legendary lost swimmer. 

Signs, Signs, Everywhere There’s Signs

The first real hint at Darren’s jerkitude was in “Piece of My Heart” where he has a hissy fit when Ginger tries to tell him that Courtney was asking Will to the dance and not him. We see it again here when he just decides to start mouthing off to Miranda’s dad. 

The first sign that Sasha is also a jerk was his attitude after finding out Ginger had a boyfriend, which she didn’t. Then she tries to explain herself, but he manages to dig himself deeper before she could tell him. Remember this, because it will come up again later. 

Trivial Things

Cinnamon Ann is the one with the Meg Ryan haircut that kinda looks like Irma from W.I.T.C.H. Sarah is the one with the blunt cut bangs.

Dodie interrupts a game of field hockey: Matilda is in labor!

Camper: Whose team is Matilda on? 

The way Sasha acts when he thinks that Ginger has a boyfriend is the way she should have responded when she finds out about Clover in Season 2. 

So, apparently, Hoodsey likes (and can understand) telenovelas.

I just want to go on record as saying that Courtney has managed to call Dodie and Macie by their correct names for the entire movie. Also, this is the nicest that Miranda has been to anyone who isn’t Courtney so far. 

[alexhughey]

Day 7: Tokyo Disney Sea

 *We arrive at the boarding gate with our passes in hand. Apparently, Japan has a new law that all Jet Star flights returning from Japan must have a final bag check done by hand before getting on the flight. This annoyed us because we had 3 bags packed full. They opened every single zipper and shook every mini bottle we had. It was thorough. But we passed the inspection, along with everyone else. We had to grab seats for about 20 minutes before boarding began. At precisely 12:40, we boarded and before long, we were in the air. It was a quicker than normal process. Keefe knocked out even before the safety briefings and was all over me sleeping, therefore I barely slept. I would say I got about 3 hours of sleep max. It was enough to run off, though. We landed smoothly at 6:45 am and headed straight for a convenient store to get some coffee in me! We bought our train tickets to get to the Chiba area, where our hostel was located.

*A lady at the ticket office spoke enough English to help us buy tickets and gave us a map. She was SO helpful! The train ride was about 1 hour long. We got off at the station nearest the hostel. The walk was around 10 minutes and we arrived.

*The hostel’s apartment owner was named Yuka. She was a relatively older lady. It was small but in a quaint area of Tokyo. The reason I chose it is because of how close it was to Disney. Yuka met us at her front door kindly after giving us permission to check in early. Check in is normally at noon for her residence. Then she gave us a tour and showed us to the bedroom. She prepared coffee for us (keep in mind its only 9am at this point) while we were changing clothes for Disney Sea. We quickly changed, packed my fanny pack with essentials such as money, and headed downstairs for coffee. We had a cup with her, chatted, and she offered to go with us to the bus station. She spoke great English. She used to live in Europe and that is how she learned so well. There were two bus stops before getting to Disney. The process was easy, but it was great to have her guidance.

*Before leaving the apartment, Keefe grabbed his extra sweatshirt and he made me put my leggings in my bag. I sure am thankful he persisted because I put them on before we even made it inside the park! It was a chilly, overcast day in Tokyo. We got off the bus, headed to the ticket booth, and went on into the park. It was around 10:30am when we entered. The crowd didn't seem to overwhelming or anything! We took lots of photos at the entrance and were both starving, as coffee was all that we had up to that point. We literally went into the nearest restaurant which was Italian. We both had a pasta dish and I also ordered minestrone. The food was great! So, onward we went towards the first ride. It was a submarine ride and the wait was only about 1 hour. It went by fast and was super cute!

*The deeper we got into the park, the more crowded it became. Lines averaged 2 hours per ride. This was very unappealing to us so we walked past most and said “oh, we will come back later….” Haha. We ended up seeing the Little Mermaid show, which was perfect! Ariel was a white girl who sang in Japanese. Then we went and stood in line at the Tower of Terror, which took about 2 hours. It was also raining pretty steadily at this point, which was miserable since it was cold. The crowd seemed to clear out a little. We had lots of snacks throughout the day, including: Curry Sampler, Coconut Custard, 4 different kinds of popcorn (blackened pepper, curry, cappuccino, and milk chocolate). After walking around the whole park and waiting around for the parade and fireworks- we heard it was cancelled due to rain. BUMMER! So, we decided to have dinner then head on out to beat the crowds. We had dinner at a hamburger and French fry restaurant. It was decent! It was around 8pm and we were making our way to the bus stop, in the rain still.

*We managed to get on the right bus by asking lots of questions to a number of people. After about 20 minutes, we had found our way back to the hostel. Yuka heard us come in and greeted us goodnight. We stayed up a little while talking about which park we liked better. Keefe and I went to Disneyland back in November together and this day we visited Disney Sea. We both agreed that Disney Sea was better all around. The “Disney” aspect is obviously better at Disneyland, but there were more characters to meet, more adult rides, and better food at Disney Sea. We soon decided not to even shower, but to go straight to sleep. We defrosted and finally warmed up, and hit the hay! We had such a fun day together acting like kids at Disney.