#i finished this yesterday before The Incident and forgot to post oops

[miasmaghoul]

miasma hiiii 💜 how’s about prompt 6 with mountaindew?

-mars (waywardsamaritan)

“shh. do you want them to hear? i bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?”

"Dew," Mountain hisses through grit teeth, fingers threaded through golden hair, "Dew - shit, slow down, oh -"

Dewdrop peers up at him with a hungry glint in those molten copper eyes. He's nuzzling the obvious bulge in Mountain's pajama pants, mouthing at the outline of his growing chubby. The little ghoul raises an eyebrow, pulling back to rub at him through damp flannel.

"Slow down?" A callused finger traces the ridge of his tip and Mountain shivers. "I haven't even gotten started."

That may be true, but Mountain's still half asleep and trying to get his bearings on the swaying bus. He'd rolled out of his bunk and stumbled to the bathroom without even opening his eyes. Hadn't noticed soft footsteps behind him until skinny arms had wrapped around his waist while he was washing his hands.

Dew had wasted no time in bullying Mountain's sluggish body against the door, hadn't so much as whispered a good morning before he'd dropped to his knees and pressed his face to Mountain's crotch. Before he had taken a deep breath and let out a satisfied groan, dragging a hot tongue over the lump of his soft cock to make it twitch.

Mountain thinks he can be forgiven for being just a touch out of sorts.

Dew's hair feels so soft between his fingers, most of it pulled back in a messy bun but with a few wispy strands framing his angular face. His cheek still holds the indents of his pillowcase, subtle creases near his eye. Something about them is oddly mesmerizing, and Mountain mindlessly strokes one with his thumb.

Then Dew gives him a nice squeeze, and Mountain lets out a truly pathetic whine.

"Oh, that's a pretty sound," the little ghoul coos, wide mouth curling into a devilish grin. "Do it again."

It's no trouble for Mountain to obey. Dew knows just how to touch him, always. Knows right where to press, to stroke, to tease - even the barrier of his pajamas offers no protection from those skilled fingers. Dew massages him with an ease that makes his knees weak, makes him whimper and groan into the silence surrounding them.

The little ghoul pulls Mountain's waistband down just enough to free his half hard cock, wraps an elegant hand around him, and when Dew gives a slow stroke Mountain's head thuds against the flimsy bathroom door.

"Fuuuuck."

He moans it long, low and much louder than he means to. He feels Dew's responding chuckle in the form of a puff of warm air against his swelling shaft.

"Shh," he says quietly, twisting his hand in a way that makes Mountain gurgle. "Do you want them to hear?"

Mountain stiffens, hands tightening in Dew's hair. The little ghoul makes a pleased sound, which really doesn't help the little frission of anxiety that crawls up Mountain's spine. It's easy to blame the early hour for his brain fog, for him forgetting that maybe an inch of plastic is all that separates them from the rest of their still-sleeping pack.

It's harder to explain the way Dew's soft words make his cock throb.

The little ghoul chuckles again, and Mountain rolls his neck. Lets his chin hit his chest. Dew's eyes glow up at him, filled with mirth and mischief. He's smiling again, and it's so very sharp at the edges.

"I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Mountain shakes his head, but the pretty pearl of fluid that beads up in his slit betrays him. Dew purrs deep in his chest at the sight, looking him straight in the eye when he swipes that sinful tongue over the tip and laps it right up. Mountain feels his ears go hot.

"Don't lie," Dew teases, his other hand sneaking up Mountain's sleep shirt, fingertips slipping through the fine dusting of hair on his belly. "You'd love it. Bet you're hoping we open that door and find the new kid listening in again."

Mountain makes a noise he doesn't have a name for, an embarrassing cross between a moan, a sob and a hiccup. His hips twitch forward of their own accord, into the tight channel of Dew's fist, and Mountain quails under the shit-eating grin on the little ghoul's face.

"That's what I thought," he lilts, pressing a sweet little baby kiss to Mountain's pretty pink mushroom tip. "Can't hide from me, big guy."

It shouldn't feel as good as it does, it really shouldn't. He's so hard, so fat in Dew's slight hand. Mountain whines when a larger blurt of pre leaks out, and doesn't miss the way Dew's eyes sparkle. The little ghoul smears the slick head over his lips, gets them all shiny, sticky, and Mountain's lucky he doesn't blow immediately.

"Guess we should give 'em a reason to listen."

Dew wraps those lovely lips around him, gives a firm suck, and all Mountain can do is offer an unholy prayer for mercy.

[anarchyduck]

Peas in a Pod

Day 20 Alt Prompt: De-Aged 

(posted it on AO3 yesterday, forgot to post it here oops) AO3

----------------------

“So let me get this straight,” - Tony massages his temple in effort to soothe his growing headache - “There was a wizard.”

“Yeah,” Ned nods. “And he was shooting off fireballs, like real fireballs, and it was awesome and kinda scary and-”

“Ned. Ned. Find the shortcut to the point. Because nothing explains” - Tony gestures towards the couch - “that.” 

Ned blushes with embarrassment and nods . “Right! Sorry, sir. So, uhm, Pete was fighting the wizard guy and he was doing really good! Was totally kicking his ass! And then the wizard like, shot him with some kind of purplish black energy ray stuff? Like it shot right out of his hands. Then the wizard was gone and Pete was… like this.” 

Tony eyes the kid on the couch. Same curly brown hair. Same doe brown eyes. It’s everything else that’s wrong. Peter is sixteen, a teenager, and this kid looks like he’s no more than five years old. 

As for Peter, well, he looks content watching videos on Ned’s phone. Some children’s cartoon about dogs or something, Tony didn’t quite catch it. But the kid likes it and he isn’t crying anymore so Tony counts that as a win. Judging from the confused state the kid was in upon arrival, it’s safe to assume Peter’s memories are wiped. Or, rather, memories of his life in the present day which is a problem in and of itself.  

“So,” Ned’s drawl catches his attention. “What are we going to do?”

Tony raises an eyebrow. “We?” he shakes his head. “No, no, you are going home.” 

“What about Peter?” 

Yeah Stark, what about Peter? 

“He’ll go with his aunt.” Tony says simply. Easy enough solution. 

“You mean you can’t like, fix him?” Ned asks. “What if he ends up staying like this forever?” 

Tony waves off the teen’s concerns. “He won’t.” he assures. “Whatever the wizard guy hit him with will probably wear off in a couple hours. Easy peasy.” After all, the kid couldn’t stay like this forever, could he? That is just absurd. 

----------

The effects don’t wear off. 

Two hours later and Peter is still a child. Ned is gone, reluctantly dragged out by Happy who also delivered clothes that fit the kid better so he’s no longer swimming in the Doctor Who shirt Tony assumed belonged to one of the boys. During that time, Tony contacts May to fill her in on what’s going on. The woman is stuck at work (“We’re incredibly short staffed today, it’s ridiculous.”) and unable to leave before her shift is over. 

It leaves Tony in charge of the kid which, while normally wouldn’t be an issue, he suddenly finds himself out of his depth. Teenagers, he can handle. No problem. They could be reasoned with. But small children? 

“Mr. Tony?” 

Tony jumps, spinning on hell with his hand pressed firmly against his heart. “Holy shit!” he gasps.

Peter flinches back, eyes wide and looking as startled as Tony feels. Then his bottom lip begins to quiver. 

“No no, don’t cry.” Tony says in a rush. “I didn’t mean to scare you, kid. You snuck up on me. Ought to put a bell on you someday.” 

That earns him a giggle which washes away the rising guilt. “Uncle Ben says that too.” Peter says. “Says I’m really good at sneaking.” 

“You are good at sneaking.” Tony affirms. “What are you doing down here anyway? Thought you were watching TV?” Least that’s where Tony left him. Kid was content with watching the cartoon with the dogs and he figured he could get some work done tracking down the wizard guy. 

“I was, but it’s over now.” Peter says dismissively, his eyes already wandering the workshop. Then he actually begins to wander. Tony watches him, contemplating on whether it’s a good idea to let a four year old wander his workshop. It isn’t exactly kid proof and if he knows anything about kids (which is very limited) it’s they like to touch everything. And put things in their mouths. 

“What’s that?” Peter asks and Tony leans to the side to look past the monitors and equipment to see what the boy is pointing at. 

“Oh that’s DUM-E.” 

The robot chirps in response, clicking it’s claw as it peers curiously at the boy. Tony takes a couple steps towards them, immediately thinking Peter might fear the robot. Much to his relief, the boy’s mouth is agape with wonder and eyes equally wide. 

“Wow!” he gasps. “Hi DUM-E. I’m Peter.” Peter reaches up to pet DUM-E’s extended arm, giggling as the robot chirps at him. “So is he a robot?”

“Yep. I made him.” 

“You made him?” Peter gives him the same look of wonder and amazement. “Wow. Are there other stuff you’ve made?” 

“I’ve made a lot of stuff.”

And so Tony gives the kid a proper tour of the workshop. Like his older self, Peter is sharp minded and incredibly smart. He asks questions Tony doesn’t think a four year old would know to ask and hangs onto every word Tony says. When he introduces Peter to FRIDAY, the kid is so ecstatic he can’t sit still. It warms his heart to know Peter keeps that same excitement as he aged. 

After the tour, Tony brings him into the kitchen to feed him a late lunch. The kid sits on the kitchen counter next to him, watching Tony’s every move. PB&J sandwiches are the easiest thing he can fix and turns out to be the kid’s favorite.

“So you’re a superhero?” Peter asks curiously. 

“Sometimes.” Tony replies as he spreads the peanut butter onto the bread. 

“Like Batman?” 

“Kiddo, I am way cooler and richer than Batman.”

Peter giggles and Tony thinks it might be the cutest goddamn thing he’s heard all day.

“My daddy is like you.” the kid says suddenly.

“Oh yeah? How so?” Tony asks, finding himself equally curious. He knows through his early research into Peter Parker that the boy’s parents are deceased. Father worked for OsCorp, mother worked for some type of law firm. Aside from the atrocious choice of working at OsCorp, both of them seemed relatively normal. 

“Because he makes stuff. B-But not robots like you do. He makes other stuff and-and he white wears a coat and he helps people.” Peter gives a long, wistful sigh then and adds, “I want my daddy and mommy.” 

Tony freezes, butter knife stuck in the jar of jelly. Quite suddenly he remembers something else about Peter’s parents. 

They both died in a plane crash. 

When Peter was four years old.

The man internally panics, mind going blank on what to do, what to say because what can you say? 

“Mr. Tony?” Peter’s little voice draws him from his internal crisis. He tilts his head, looking at him curiously and, dare Tony say it, concern. “Are you okay?” 

“Yeah.” Tony sniffs and finishes up the kid’s sandwich. “Yeah, totally fine kiddo. A-OK. So you want this cut up?”

“Yes.” Peter replies, apparently moved on from the incident. Yet, as Tony puts the knife to bread in order to cut, the kid shouts, “No! No no, not like that! You have’ta make the X.” 

“Huh?” Tony looks a little helplessly from the kid to the bread.

“The X!” Peter leans over and traces an X on the sandwich. “Like that!” 

Tony cuts it up according to the kid’s desire and it’s only then that he sees what the kid means. “Yeah, guess it does look like an X when you cut it, huh? Well, here you go kiddo. Eat up.” He slides the plate to the boy’s side. 

Peter takes a large bite and hums with approval as he chews. “‘Ood yob!” he says around his mouthful. It’s the additional thumbs up that makes Tony chuckle. He grabs a juice box from the fridge for the kid, something teenage Peter would have rolled his eyes and grumbled about. Toddler Peter says a polite ‘thank you’ and picks it up with fingers covered in grape jelly. 

He decides to capture the moment for May and pulls out his phone. “Heads up, kiddo.” he says and takes a picture. Peter is caught in a half smile, peanut butter smeared on the corner of his mouth. There’s a glob of jelly on his shirt that’s run down the image of Thor’s hammer. 

“I wanna see! I wanna see!” Peter instantly demands. 

Tony moves to stand next to him and flips the phone for the kid to see the picture. Peter grins and immediately reaches for the phone. “Uh uh, sticky fingers.” Tony says, which gets the kid giggling about being called ‘sticky fingers’. He moves the phone out of reach and sends the image off to May. 

“So,” Tony says. “What do you want to do after lunch? TV? Go play with DUM-E? Whatever that wannabe Merlin did to you took away your powers, or maybe just suppressed them. Maybe we ought to run some tests to figure that out.” 

On second thought, maybe not. Teenager Peter detests needles; he imagines little Peter hates them just as much. 

“DUM-E!” Peter says excitedly. 

“You’re going to spoil that bot, kid.” 

---

“Thank you so much, Happy.” May says as she steps into the Tower’s elevator. “You really didn’t have to pick me up. I could have drove.”

Happy directs FRIDAY to take them to the penthouse then shakes his head. “It’s no problem.” he says. “Boss wanted to make sure you got here quickly and with that guy who attacked Peter still running around-”

“Right.” May sighs. “Well, guess he could have done worse things than turn Peter younger. At least him and Tony seem to be hitting it off.” She smiles fondly as she recalls the image Tony sent her. She only hopes Peter has been good while they wait for her.

“Yeah, well, the kid’s grown on him.” 

“I feel a little jealous, honestly.” May admits. “Peter was so cute when he was little.” 

The elevator comes to a stop, the doors slide open to the entrance of the penthouse. It’s oddly quiet inside and the lights are dimmed. “Tony?” Happy calls out as he and May walk through the foyer into the living room. 

It looks like a tornado hit it. There are papers thrown about with childish drawings covering them. A sheet covers the kitchen table which has been pulled away from the dining area and there are mini marshmallows covering the floor with some sticking to the large windows that overlook the city. A device that looks like a mini catapult sits on top of the table next to a pile of marshmallows and markers. 

May follows the chaos, finding the TV on with the Incredibles playing on a low volume and both Tony and Peter fast asleep on the couch. Peter is still a toddler in every way May remembers, sleeping with his head on Tony’s chest. There are stickers on their faces and she spots marker smears not only on Peter’s arm but also on the hand that’s resting on Peter’s back. 

“Did you find-” Happy starts, quietened as May shushes him. He comes to her side, expression softening at the sight. “Least they kept each other busy.” he remarks. 

May nods in agreement as she pulls out her phone to take a quick picture of the two. “Like two peas in a pod.” 

[theolddarkmachine]

Kingdom- Chapter Five

Gajeel has had the dream about dying for the blue haired girl for as long as he can remember. Which is weird, since he’s never met anyone with blue hair in his life.

Levy has always loved myths and legends. So much so, in fact, that she was currently getting her master’s in mythological studies.

What neither of them realized was that they were living a legend all their own.

AKA the one with a knight, a princess, and a curse that keeps bringing them together just to pull them apart.

Previous Chapters

AO3

So I’m pretty proud of myself for getting this out since I didn’t actually get to work on it yesterday like I had thought I would. If it’s horrendous, please don’t tell me until tomorrow because right now I am very proud. DON’T TAKE IT FROM ME OKAY. Anyway, buckle up kiddos, while this one is a bit more of a fun chapter, it sneaks answers in there..... but also possibly some more questions too. Also, small fun fact, I nearly posted this unfinished because I’d forgotten about a spot I’d meant to come back to and almost didnt fill it oops

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

Levy groaned loudly as she threw her pen down on her desk, the plastic clattering loudly against the wood as it bounced against it. It had been three days since The Incident-- so dubbed by her best friend Lucy-- and she hadn’t been able to get those damn crimson eyes out of her head. They taunted her, following her through her dreams and popping up in her mind’s eye at the most inconvenient of times. Those times being whenever she sat down to try and work on her paper, much like right now. Instead of words, her hand had started to trace the outline of the brooding eyes onto the page of her notes. The worst part was that she hadn’t even noticed until she’d looked down expecting to see an analysis between the monikers of knights and the Iron Dragon, and instead found herself staring into a blue ink homage to Gajeel’s stare. With an angry huff, she flipped the notebook over before pushing it away to the far corner of her desk so the offending image could no longer continue to keep gazing into her.

When she’d returned home from the coffeeshop, heart still beating a hummingbird’s beat in her throat, she’d realized she hadn’t gotten the man’s number. Not that she was even sure she would have used it if she’d had it, but the small thrum of regret had tickled low in her gut all the same. She suspected the fact that the sparkling garnet was continuously painted across the inside of her eyelids whenever she closed her eyes was her subconscious telling her she’d missed out on something.

As her mind wandered through the images of ruby and onyx, she pulled the book towards her and started to flip through the delicate pages. She’d never had a problem with words, and the fact that the practical stranger seemed to have stolen hers away from her set her on edge. She kept words close because they’d never failed her, and it stung knowing that, for the first time in her life, they’d left her to be replaced by images that she couldn’t put to paper.

Her eyes scanned across the curling script that made up the tales in the leather bound tome and drank them in. If the words wouldn’t come to her of their own volition, she’d find other words that would hopefully inspire her. The tales she read through painted her imagination with surprising detail as she was sucked into the different worlds.

One took her to dance amongst the stars as she watched the Sun and Moon chase after one another as their love filled the skies with light.

Another led her deep within long forgotten forests where an oracle resided, watching all around her from afar and though she knew the fates of all, she was powerless to stop the inevitable.

The next dragged her to a kingdom with a princess who had waited her entire life for her prince to come, passing her time by dabbling in old magicks.

As she continued flicking through the pages, her attention landed on a painting of a beautiful queen. The woman stood against the page, eyes burning as she clutched a dagger within her fist. A small shiver ran down Levy’s spine as a small drop of fear raced in her veins. In the far edges of her memory, something familiar and ominous stirred. Her eyes flickered away from the illustration and up towards the words that held some of the queen’s story.

The discovery of her king’s hidden daughter had broken her heart, shattering it to dust and unleashing a dark malice within her. Her once beautiful and light magic twisted and decayed, turning as black as the underworld she’d pulled it from. She would take everything from the girl the way she’d taken her king’s love from her. Tucked deep into the cellars of the castle, far away from King Dreyar, she began to weave together a curse so old that even the ancient druids she’d learned her spells from had forgotten it. As she invoked the words that spilled across the enchanted paper, crackling with inky black electricity, a single tear fell onto them. The harsh lines of the words pulled the tear deep within the curse, unknowingly binding the queen to the curse.

As the excerpt ended, to be continued on the next pages, Levy couldn’t bring herself to look away from the hard stare looking up at her. Something about the purple eyes of the painted queen were unsettling as she leaned in closer. It almost felt as if they were watching her from the page, the malicious light of a woman scorned captured within the colored slopes of her eyes. With a trembling finger, she gently brushed the tip against the soft paper and let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as her touch met the surface.

A hand dropped down onto her shoulder, effectively forcing Levy’s heart up into her throat as she jumped away from the book with a shriek. Grabbing the pen from her desk and brandishing it like a knife, pushed herself out of her chair and spun to face the intruder.

“Down, girl!” Lucy cried, hands raised in surrender as she shrunk away from the pen that was pointed dangerously at her. Levy dropped the pen as soon as she saw the blonde, placing the now empty hand over her heart as if the weight of it would slow the way it pulsed against her sternum.

“Jesus, Luce, you ever hear of knocking?” Panic held onto the edges of her words as she tried to steady her breathing.

“You didn’t answer! The door was unlocked so I came in to make sure you were okay,” Lucy said through a pout as she crossed her arms over her chest. The blonde fixed her blue gaze on her friend as she took in her disheveled appearance.

“You forgot.”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement that came out flat and harsh. The blankness of her stare matched Levy’s as she searched through her mind for what she could have possibly forgotten. Amongst the chaos of her mind with spinning jewel toned eyes, dragons and words that just wouldn’t come, she couldn’t find the information she had seemed to have lost within the wreckage. She offered her friend a small smile in way of an apology and earned a long sigh in return.

“You promised we’d go out.” Lucy paused as she waited for the look of acknowledgement from Levy that didn’t come. “Because you’re a workaholic that needs a break before you drive yourself crazy? And I’m sad and lonely because Natsu is away for his internship?”

A sudden flash of her wrapping a pinky around Lucy’s as she swore to go out with her danced across her vision.

We’ll drink until we both forget our names, okay? We’ve earned it.

At the time she’d made the promise in hopes that her best friend would forget, only wanting to get back to the paper she desperately needed to finish, but that had been before The Incident and the following writer’s block it had created. Blue eyes watched her with the hopeful glimmer of someone waiting to hear an affirmation. Levy cast a glance over her shoulder towards the book that sat open on her desk, her heart still racing as she stared into the haunting mauve eyes of the queen. She closed her eyes against the glare and took a steadying breath as Gajeel’s crimson one replaced them. Maybe she didn’t exactly want to forget her own name, but drinking until she forgot that unique shade of red for awhile had sounded like a plan to her.

With a gentle finger, she flicked the corner of the book upward so that it flipped shut with a gentle clap. Turning her attention back to her best friend, she offered her a smile.

“I could use a break.”

“That’s my girl!” Lucy cheered as she bent down to pull brand new bottles of whiskey and coke from the plastic bag at her feet.

“Let’s get this party started!”

***

The neon of the sign of the bar stung Levy’s slightly bleary eyes as she stared up at it.

Ironside

It was a strange name for a bar, to say the least.

It’s supposed to be one of the best bars around, Levy had exclaimed with a hiccup as they’d waited for their cab. There’s always a huge line, but Natsu said he knows a guy whose brother is a bartender there and he got us on a list.

Lucy hadn’t been wrong about the crowd that would be gathered outside of the establishment. The line wrapped around the building as patrons huddled together against the cold of the fall air that permeated through their barely there clothes. A few passed flasks of liquid warmth back and forth as they waited for the line to move enough for them to get passed the pearly gates that would lead to Ironside.

Levy’s own skin was speckled with goosebumps as a stiff breeze danced over her alcohol warmed flesh, biting through the thing material of her goldenrod halter top and through the black denim of her jeans. A frozen shiver dragged down her spine as she hugged herself in an attempt to keep whatever heat she had close. A flash of bright blue pulled her attention from the blinking neon word as Lucy joined her side after having finished paying their cab driver.

The cerulean dress her friend had changed into was short and hugged her curves, leaving more skin exposed than Levy, yet she showed no signs of the chill bothering her. Rosy pink dusted her cheeks as she smiled at Levy and grabbed her wrist to pull her towards the front of the line. The quick movement caused her head to spin dangerously.

“C’mon, Lev! It’s too cold to stand out here!” The blonde exclaimed, earning sharp glances from the other bar goers as they made their way ahead of them. A lean man with shaggy black hair and eyes like endless dark pools of blue stood in the doorway with a clipboard clutched in his fist. His eyes tightened slightly as they approached and he made himself larger.

“Sorry girls, you have to go to the back,” he said, his voice brusque as he addressed them. If her mind wasn’t swimming in a sea of whiskey, Levy may have actually been intimidated.

“Nope.” Was all Lucy said as she pointed a finger at the clipboard in the security guard’s hand. “We’re on that.”

Her words were doughy as they slurred slightly together, but her smile was genuine. The man’s eyes softened slightly as he lifted the clipboard to inspect it.

“Name?”

A beat passed as Lucy searched her mind for the name that they’d be listed under.

“Lily plus one!” She said happily as it finally came to her. The name sent a small jolt through Levy’s alcohol addled mind. Did she know a Lily? The guard dragged a finger down the paper attached to his clipboard before he nodded and stepped aside so they could walk by him.

“Welcome to Ironside,” he said as they pushed open the door.

“C’mon, Gray!” She heard an angry voice say before it was cut off by the door closing. The dull sound of bass vibrated against the red walls of the hall they’d stepped into. Large, twisted iron fixtures lined the path that led towards an intimidating iron door opposite of where they stood. Lucy squealed with glee as she grabbed onto Levy again to pull her towards the entrance.

A wall of music hit them as the blonde pushed the doors open. The buzz of the electric beats tickled Levy’s stomach as it vibrated her insides with its intensity. Flashing lights spun across the bodies that crashed against each other on the darkened dance floor. Iron chandeliers hung from the ceiling dripping with gothic elegance and garnet silk and the marble tile on the ground sparkled. It was a lavish setting and suddenly Levy felt as if she was underdressed. The hype suddenly made sense as she took in the otherworldly dark beauty of the room before them. Lucy moved forward from where they stood, pulling them both further into the bar.

The familiar burn of someone’s gaze on her made her stop as Lucy disappeared into the crowd of bodies that moved together with the music. Looking around, her eyes were drawn towards the bar where her golden stare met a crimson one. Standing behind the bar with a rueful smile tugging at his lips, was Gajeel. Her heart stuttered as she stared at him, taking in the way his eyes gleamed in the dim light of the bar. As he held her gaze, he winked and crooked a finger towards her in a come hither motion.

Moving of their own accord, her feet brought her closer until she stood in front of the bar.

“Fancy seeing ya here,” he said, his smile pulling up further to one corner and his eyes smoldering.

“My friend dragged me here,” she said lamely as she tried to push back the thoughts his crooked smile were stirring at the back of her mind. Levy saw the motion of his laughter instead of hearing it as it was lost to the sound of the bass.

“What can I get you to drink?” He asked loudly as he leant closer so she could hear him better. The shirt he wore shifted to reveal the sharp dip of his collarbone that pulled her attention in like a magnet. She wondered quickly what it would be like to trace it with her fingertip.

“Levy?” Gajeel’s voice broke her concentration as her eyes darted away from his skin to a small menu that sat on the bar. A few drinks were listed but one in particular caught her eye.

“Can I have a Blue Princess?” She said, a small river of pride running through her as she managed to push the breathiness she felt out of her voice. His answering smirk was filled with unknown humor to her as he nodded a confirmation before he pushed back from the bar and started to mix the drink.

Levy’s eyes traced over him as he busied himself with creating the concoction, taking advantage of being free from his stare so she could drink him in. Her memory hadn’t done him any justice as she examined the cut definition of his jawline and the way his biceps strained against the cuff of his shirt as he shook the ingredients together. His black hair had been tied back and only showed more of his face and for a moment, she wanted nothing more than to taste the fullness of his lips.

“This one’s on me,” Gajeel said as he pushed a whiskey glass filled with a brilliant blue liquid and adorned with a mint leaf towards her. As the lights swirled around her, dancing over her skin and painting it rainbow, she looked up into the ruby eyes she’d originally been trying to drink away. The irony wasn’t lost on her as she smiled and took a sip of the blue drink. Sweet berry exploded on her tongue, any traces of the alcohol that was mixed within it was lost within the cool mint that weaved itself within the fruity flavor. It could have been the whiskey talking, but it was the best drink she’d ever had. Gajeel’s eyes traced the length of her neck as she drank, the stare a cool caress against her skin that sent a thrill through her. He smiled at her as she gently set the glass back onto the bar.

“So what do ya think?” He yelled over the beating bass that was shaking the bar and her insides. Levy’s own gaze worked its way over his frame, enjoying the way his black shirt pulled across his chest and the way his strong hands wrapped around the glass he was polishing. She very much wanted to tell him she was thinking about how looking at him felt the same as she imagined it would feel seeing color for the first time. It filled her chest with an indescribable awe as her heart tried to reach out to him as if it were trying to get home.

Something in the back of her mind told her it had always been meant to be his.

She would take everything from the girl the way she’d taken her king’s love from her.

The line of text from the queen’s tale sliced through the thought. A slick trickle of unease as the letters twisted across her mind made its way over her nerves. It had been such a sudden change in her stream of conscious that it had caused mild whiplash and left her dizzy. Screwing her eyes shut, she took a deep steadying breath and pushed the memory away.

With her vision off of him, Gajeel shot a quick glance to a man sitting on the opposite end of the bar, who raised a scarred eyebrow in his direction.

“Levy?” His worried voice cut through the din of her thoughts and her warm honey gaze fixed on him again. The alcohol pumped liquid courage through her veins as she smiled up at him. Placing both hands on the bar, she pushed herself up so she was balanced on her palms as she leaned into the bartender’s space. Heat rolled off his skin, their chests ghosting together as she brought her face close to his ear so she could answer. He tensed at her proximity as her breath tickled his ear and the scent of lilacs and whiskey filled his nose.

“That blue princess is lucky to have that named after her.” Levy’s voice was husky with the warmth of the alcohol she’d consumed. Her heart jumped as she heard Gajeel’s breath hitch, the cool sensation of it tickling her shoulder. She dropped back onto the ground lightly and grabbed the drink off the counter.

“Levy!” A blonde shouted from behind her, eyes flickering towards the man behind her before turning back to the bluenette with a catlike grin. The look was lost on Levy as she lifted the blue liquid towards him in a small salute and winked.

“Thanks for the drink, Gajeel!” She said before she turned towards her friend and joined her. The bartender watched as she went, the lithe way she moved filling his chest with electrical pops.

At the other end of the bar, Lily’s dark gaze danced between Gajeel and Levy as a sadness burned in his eyes.

***

Levy stared at her reflection, the twin hazel stare appraising her with mild curiosity as her doppleganger took her in. The other her wore a cream smock with a lemonade yellow surcoat over it. Embroidered blue flowers decorated the otherwise modest fabric that adorned her petite frame. One of her hands twirled the end of her that had been twisted into a braid that fell over her shoulder.

Shifting uneasily, Levy changed the weight she leaned onto one leg to the other, noting the way her other self’s eyes never left her.

“Who are you?” She heard herself ask. Her voice echoed through the empty void that surrounded them. The copy just watched her, her lips turning down into a look of immeasurable sadness.

“What is this?” Levy pressed, taking a step towards her other self. The other Levy didn’t move as she closed the distance between them. She only shook her head slowly before turning her eyes down to the ground. Frustration bubbled up within Levy as she grabbed onto her reflection’s arm as if she could shake some sort of answer from her. Her skin was ice cold against the warmth of her hand as her eyes shot open to reveal burning purple irises. Her face fell away from the reflection to reveal a tall woman with raven hair and a fearsome scowl that had matched that of the painted queen from the book. A loud roar filled the space around them as the woman opened her mouth.

You will kill him.

A sharp, shuddering breath ripped it’s way up from her lungs and through her throat Levy shot up from where she’d been tucked amongst pillows and heavy blankets. Her heart hammered against her chest as if it was attempting to break free of its cage as the terror she’d felt from the dream made the tips of her fingers buzz. Gulping in large gasps of air, she looked around at her surroundings, the feeling of dread only growing as she realized she didn’t recognize the room she was in. The bed she was in was plush and far larger than the one she had with a great many pillows surrounding her, creating a nest around her. A heavy black comforter had slipped from her shoulders and into her lap. Her eyes wandered around the room, trying to find any clue as to who it belonged it, and only finding a matching mahogany dresser and nightstand set and a leather jacket that hung from the corner of what she assumed was the bathroom door.

Heart still racing, she pushed herself out from under the weight of the comforter and quietly got out of the bed. The change in position left her head spinning as she tried to steady herself against the way the alcohol from the night before continued to cloud her mind. Lucy smiling at her on the dance floor and a pair of warm red eyes were the last things she could remember from the night prior and she bit back a groan as her stomach rolled.

If she wasn’t killed in this mysterious apartment, she’d have to tell Lucy that she was never drinking again.

She padded lightly over the wooden floor towards the closed door, taking deep steadying breaths the entire way. The metal of the doorknob was cool in her palm as she twisted it slowly and gently pulled the door open. A slight creak whispered from the hinges as she made her way into the living room.

Gentle snores rose from a white lump of blanket on the black leather couch that sat in the middle of the room. Stepping closer, careful not to make any loud noises, her eyes searched for any sign as to who the sounds belonged to. Familiar black hair stuck out over the top of the couch’s armrest and caused a small pool of panic to in her throat as murky memories started to play like a scene in her mind.

“You okay, Levy?”  Gajeel’s eyes were filled with concern as he looked down at her. “Where’d you friend go?” His questions were only answered with low giggles as her fingers brushed over the sharp plane of his cheekbone.

Bile rose in her throat as the brief memory faded away, bringing with it a panicked gasp as she threw her hands over her mouth. Her quick footsteps echoed through the apartment as she ran back into the bedroom and towards the bathroom where she fell to her knees before the toilet and retched up the night before.

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