#warhammer 40k mermay

[whorety-k]

WANDERING FREE

WISH I COULD BE

PART OF THAT WOOOORLD~~

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

My half of an art trade with the lovely @angronsjewelbeetle who drew me the absolute coolest Mer!Corvus from my fic

PLEASE go check him out and look at his incredible art and writings!!!

[beethereal-knight]

I was too busy to participate as much as I wanted to in MerMay, so I'm making it June's problem feat. Mer!Kurze, Mer!Dorn, and Merturabo

[avggendelmain]

Konrad Curze mermay drawing

(This was originally just going to be a sketch but, like, y’know.)

[searyyn]

[virozero]

Mer-May Magnus! @yestheantichrist gave me the Idea for an Oarfish for Magnus and YESSS HE WOULD BE SO PRETTY AAAAAAAAA

Tbh I wanna be a Seahorse too

[kit-williams]

Controversial Mermay Opinion

Sanguinius

So I got struck with this as I've just been playing around with what the Primarchs (Pri-mer-chs) would be and Sanguinius... our lovely fabulous hawk boy.

See that's the problem he is so tied to his wings that it makes picking a fish HARD for him and his sons since they have that Vampire and Angel motif. A very heavy sky motif... so what would be a way to give him what he deserves... to not be tethered to his trope.

To bind him to another

Might I propose this... his motif relies on the heavens and to some degree fire/the sun you force his motifs to be the abyss and the water/the dark

LOVECRAFTIAN SANGUINIUS

I makes sense to me! Because he is so inherently tied to his wings of being near divine in appearance that you have to make him near divine in this too. Of course, he will still be beautiful and easily bound to his hunger not much has to actually change about Sanguinius just I had to fundamentally remove him from his wings and what better way then to make him something fundamentally OTHER.

Still have the glittering golden locks... still be kind... still hungers for blood... still Sanguinius more or less... just don't ask another person what his tail was... don't question how he swims through the water as if it was air or even not there... just don't question... he can hear you think... your thoughts are so loud...

j̷̧̡͖̠͕̃̑̊u̵̹͔̙̤͙̗̯͋͛s̵̡̧͚̖̟͚͌̕ţ̴̢̘͕̦̪̫̔̈́̆͛̒͌͐ ̴̢̪̟̲͗̀̌͘͝ͅř̵̠̪̼̦̰͑̾ḛ̸̡̡̝̞̎ļ̴̘̯͇̿ä̸̡͇̖͐̒̐ͅͅẍ̶́͆ͅ ̴̜̋́̚l̵͎͉͐̌͐̂̓͆͝i̵̛̠̘̔̊̄͛́͂t̷̢̰̺̰̳̖̏̓̑̎͋̓́t̵̯̗͊l̶̘̳̮̱̿̊̅̂e̵̞̟̖̩͇̞̤͊̇̓̑ ̸̡̨̛̗͉͚̲̃̀͋͘͠s̴̜̠̈́h̶̡̧͈͈̤̗̆ẽ̶̠̠̞̠͜l̸̢̖̰̠͙͊̎̾l̵̘͉̙̦̰͗̏̆͒̾̍...

R̵̘̺͛͛̋͝ ̸̣́͊́͛̏͒̄̐̆̊̆̀̈́͋̑̑̇̓̀̚̚͝Ę̴̛̟̲̦̹̣͚́̂̋̿̐̿̍̍̾̀̃̏̈̆̈̆͒̆͘̕͘ ̸̛̛̛͇͉̩̠̟̣͇̦͙͌̋̐̇́͛͗͐̅͒̈́̏͊̄̉͋͊͐̅͛̚͝ͅL̷̢̛̦͖͉̗̱̗̜̫̭̈́̿̈́͆̉͒̆̈́̀͒̑͐̚͝͝͠ͅ ̷̧̢̢̥̫̬̘̹͙̤̦̻̱̣̩͖͉̹̖̫̝͚̊͆̓̊̎̈́̄̍̆͂̓̈̆̚͝ͅÂ̷̗͓̖͙̭͌̓̓͐̕ ̴̨̣̞̹̮̬̗̲͍̳̗̮̰̪̼͎͖̠̄͒̄̊̀̄̏̾̔͛̎͋̌̕͝͠X̷̧̡̧̨̠̝̜̲̻̞͙͕͇͚̺̱̟̘̪͚͈̯̘̓̂͜

[bleedingichorhearts]

𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐌𝐚𝐲: 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐮𝐬 (𝐒𝐌𝐔𝐓)

𝕬𝖚𝖙𝖍𝖔𝖗: The terminal for the horny plane is here.

𝕿𝖆𝖌𝖌𝖊𝖉: @kit-williams, @egrets-not-regrets(I test it), @bispecsual(I must think of it now), @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan, @sleepyfan-blog.

TW // SMUT, Biting/Marking, Breeding/Ovi (what do you expect from a fish man?), Cervix, Yandere Themes.

“𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝘽𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙄𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙘” will be used as translation language for high gothic and others.

To be transformed into a creature of the sea was… quite the experience. Not painful, it’s on the more… pleasurable side. Talon-like hands clawing at each other’s scales, new and old. One desperate, the other shocked at the amount of things that just happened within the span of 6 hours.

To be truthful, it did hurt at the beginning. Waking up to an ache in your spine is not the best way to wake up. Nor was seeing that your legs have been turned into a fish tail and have become much smaller than Amadeus who “helped” the entire process. His own snow white tail wrapping around my own. His fangs skimming the skin of my neck, kissing there and atop of my breast that partially grew scales on them like a form of protection.

If I wasn’t so frozen at so many things happening at once. I would have probably panicked in this new body of mine. This… transformation should be impossible! To have never happened! What happened to me that made me this way? To make me a creature like him?

Amadeus purrs into my neck when he exposes it by gently pulling my hair back in his talons. His tongue lathering my skin in his saliva where he wants to bite, occasionally nibbling it.

“Such a pretty thing you have become.” He mumbles, his other hand carefully tracing my scales down my tail. Sometimes teasingly rubbing underneath one, sending jolts of overstimulation through my new body. My hands immediately grasping at his shoulders, a tiny whimper leaving me as he inhales deeply at my neck, a curse of his language leaving him.

“Let me ease your troubles, vita mea(my life.)” He rumbles, vibrating the waters around me. A cry escaping me when he suddenly pushes his fingers through a certain slit near my waist. My waist bucking onto them at the shock of it filling me, gaining a shocking discovery the transformation still allowed feminine parts.

“Amadeus…” I managed to whine at the creature who thought it was a good idea to initiate a mating session while I was trying to comprehend this new change. My nerves hypersensitive at the moment to accommodate the change.

Amadeus simply chuckles into my neck, enjoying how my blood rushes through my veins while he slowly pumps his fingers into my fluttering walls. Dragging and curling them almost painfully against the more delicate spots. My “airway” choking on the water around me, burning my throat as I cum rather quickly on his fingers. My walls clamping around his fingers, threatening to pull him back in.

Despite the quick and embarrassing high, Amadeus was purring at the sight. His head lifted up from her neck to look at the climax the spread into the water. His blood red eyes admiring everything before him, not missing how she curled into him. Twitched when he slipped a finger underneath her small, fragile scales that were the most sensitive. Watching how they shift and gleam under the bioluminescence light of his nest making her glow with blue radiancy.

Throne, her over sensitivity will make this process easy, but very pleasurable. Her blood will hype up his nerves as well. Not as strong as what she was feeling, but it’s all the better to get her quickly nested than having to chase her down as soon as she figures out how to move like him. He will be able to track her down more easily once their bodies connect more intimately.

Pulling her hair back more. His lips give a few wet kisses to her neck, just below and above her jugular. His tail wrapping more around hers like a snake, pressing his body flush against hers, enjoying how small she was against him, unable to fight him off. His scales rubbing up against her own sensitive ones, some locking together as he feels her cry out to him with his tongue in her mouth. Her pretty little eyes looking up at him, glazed with pleasured tears and some confusion.

“𝙎𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚.” He grins switching his kisses back to her neck, speaking in an entirely different language. One of not his usual Romanian. “𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙, 𝙈𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙙.”

His eyes carefully watch of her face contorts into one of uncomfortable shock. Her eyebrows rising up, her eyes closed as her mouth opens in a ‘o’ shape. The feeling of his cock sliding out between his slit and into hers probably too much for her to bare.

He shivers when he feels himself sitting perfectly in place inside of her walls that hugs his tentacle-like cock, his tip gently prodding at her cervix. His nose coming back to nuzzle at her exposed neck, his mouth finally opening in the process to finalize his decision to drink her lifeline, to have a boosted pleasure. His fangs piercing her soft skin while he times his thrusts with each sip her takes from his little life.

He groans after each thrust and cry that rips from her throat. Her own hands clawing at him, digging into his scales with no regard of his tolerance. Not that he minds, no. He can feel how it affects him. How it makes him want to process his clutch through her womb right there, right now, but she wasn’t ready, her walls too tight for them to push through.

Oooooh, but it gets harder and harder not to with each high he rings out of her. Her walls continuously gripping at his cock, dragging him back into her needy core. Her climax ringing around his cock and running down and between his scales.

He doesn’t think he can stop himself to open her walls up for his clutch a bit more. His movement becoming more and more erratic with each bloody sip he gains from his little life. Her new transfusion of blood having a lot more effect to him than he had originally thought.

He eventually abandoned the act to feed as he pulls off his feeding spot on her neck, her blood flowing through the water as he makes a readjustment to latch onto her shoulder instead. His thrusts deep and quick as he yearns to fill her up with his clutch. Her cry’s of overstimulation not helping him nor her to stop his frantic thrusts into her fluttering walls.

He growls when she screeches at him, her claws digging into his scales, giving him a mark on his shoulder as he thrusted a bit harder than intended. Not liking the attitude she had given him in that split second of mating.

Her body freezes up on him. Her tail unconsciously wrapping around his own as he purrs in satisfaction. His eyes closing in content as his cock pluses with the intention of storing new life in another. His hand moving from her hair to hug her closer as he unlatches himself from her shoulder, licking at it to close the wound.

The first clutch pushes up against her cervix as she whines at him. Wrapping her arms around his torso the best should could, nuzzling into his chest while he rumbles praises and affirmations towards her. Vibrating the waters in a pleasing way as he gives a thrust to pop the clutch through her cervix and into her womb. A cry greeting his ears.

He gently pats her head and traces his talons through her hair in immediate response. The urge to comfort his mate strong. Yet he still has more eggs waiting, pushing to be deposited. He can’t back out now.

He try’s his best to fall back into the main part of his nest, gaining a snarl and a whine from his little life making him freeze up for a moment. Watching her as she nuzzles back into his chest, still trying to accommodate everything that has happed while taking his clutch.

He quietly coos, his talons coming forward to hesitantly message her scales. Another mix of purrs, growls and whine escaping her. His instincts telling him to stay right were he his, to not move a muscle.

So he doesn’t, obeying her primal command. Watching how her stomach grows with each egg deposited into her womb. Her nose nuzzling into him as she starts to purr herself.

[ms--lobotomy]

5th fic in 4 (?) days? I'm so normal. I'm so normal. I'm so normal. Aaah [Previous] [Next]

Summary: Your first day of work after you start feeling a funny way about the funny merman.

Word Count: 1257

Content Warnings: car dependent infrastructure, Typhus existing again, cliffhanger

Image Credit: @squishyowl

Your fingers drummed on the steering wheel as your playlist looped back around to that song. You couldn't close your eyes, not now, but your heart beat faster in your chest as you remembered how he held you, the beat of his hearts against your face. It's just fascination, you told yourself. You haven't even known each other for a week.

You pulled into the employees' parking lot before you found a spot, cut Dave Grohl off mid-word, and got out of the car.

"Sorry, Dave," you mumbled as you locked it.

You speedwalked towards the door, going through all the familiar motions of clocking in. You looked at the time. Two minutes late. You sighed as you checked in with the baby turtle. It was a green sea turtle, but the babies were more black or dark brown than anything. You bent down to look at it. The tank was very small, but the little one didn't seem to mind it. After a few moments of swimming, it settled on the bottom. The corners of your lips quirked up before you heard footsteps behind you.

You turned around. It was Typhus.

"Hey," he said casually. "Oh, you found the Nurgling?"

"The what?"

Typhus chuckled. He came in close to you, and you backed away slightly. "I call him the Nurgling," he said, looking down at the tiny sea turtle. "I don't know if it's going to be his name, it's a bit of an in-joke I have with someone. Haven't given him a nametag yet, either. First thing I'm going to do today. How's the merman?"

"Oh," you said, slightly taken aback before remembering that he was there too. "He's doing... better than expected. I showed him some of my music, and he seemed to like it. I hope, at least?"

"Alright, okay," said Typhus, nodding slightly. "Didn't know that one of the first things you'd do when you found a merman was to show him dad rock. But to each their own."

"Why, what would you do?"

"I'd show him Slipknot, personally," he shrugged.

You let out a slight laugh, turning to walk away before he continued.

"I think someone should check up on him," he said. He was much taller than average, reaching almost 7 feet standing. "Don't you think?" He moved a little closer to you, and you backed away, but you were getting precariously close to the wall. Shit.

"I mean, I would like to get to know Stella better," you mumbled. You tried to walk away, but he shifted in front of you.

"Aren't they so busy, though?" he asked, turning up his nose a little bit. "I don't have anything going tonight, and I'd hate to get in the way of anyone's activities. Besides," he said, "all of us found the merman. It's all of our duty to look after him, right?" His leg was almost between yours, and you shrunk back even further.

"Excuse me, what the actual fuck are you doing?" asked the girl with the brown ponytail.

"Maya, it's not what it looks like--" said Typhus, backing away.

Maya was around 5 feet tall at most, but she looked at Typhus with nothing less than fury in her hazel eyes. "Back off, Typhus. Now." Her hands were clenched into fists, with only the chipped nail polish on her thumb showing, but her tone was more akin to scolding a disobedient dog.

Typhus looked at her, then at you before backing away slowly. "Guess we should get back to work," he muttered before turning tail and heading towards one of the animals in need of rehabilitation.

"I'll say," said Maya, glaring at him before she turned back to you. "I know you don't want to hear this, but you're going to have to stand up for yourself one of these days," she said, in a tone low enough that Typhus couldn't hear. "I know we're coworkers, but I care about you. And I hate to see this... asshole get in your face when you clearly don't want it."

You paused, shuffling your feet before steeling yourself. "I'll do my best," you mumbled.

"You said that last time," said Maya, raising an eyebrow.

"Alright," you sighed. "Alright, I'll try for real this time."

"Thank you," she replied, moving off to her next post. You stood there for a moment, hands over your stomach. You grabbed your index and middle finger with your dominant hand before heading off to your post and starting the workday for real.

...

The workday ended in due time, slow and steady. Most of it was spent in the breakroom when not checking in on the animals and feeding them. Typhus was gone from the picture for much of it, gods know where. You said your goodbyes to the group before getting back into your car, and your playlist was back where you'd left it. You sighed, putting your head on the steering wheel.

Alright, you reasoned with yourself, you need to go home. You have a merman to attend to.

The song finished, and you showed up at your house soon enough. You didn't even enter through your front door, instead beelining to the back. Mortarion looked up at you, his tail swishing in the water, before he swam to the side of the pool.

"How was... work?" he asked. "Do pardon me, I am still learning your species' nomenclature."

"Work is the right word," you said, kneeling next to him. "I do hope you didn't get too lonely, Mortarion.."

"I endure," he said, looking up at you. You took off your socks and shoes and left them by the side of the pool before you looked down at your pants.

"Is something wrong with your pants?" Mortarion asked.

"I..." you started. "So, humans wear pants underneath their pants. Most of the time, at least? And it's a bit uncouth in our culture to show them. Uh..." you started, blushing. "Man. I'm too tired to go upstairs and change. Is it okay if I show you the... garments under my pants?"

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Mortarion shrugged before you tugged off your pants. You took your phone and keys out of your pocket, and put them on the glass table by your pool before dipping your legs into the pool again. Mortarion looked away, before he looked back up at your face.

"You're beautiful," he said, before tensing up. You heard a car pull into your driveway, and you tensed up too.

"I'm not expecting anyone," you said, getting up quickly. "Please. Hide?" you asked.

"You don't exactly had a huge pool," he grumbled, submerging himself.

You entered through the back door, and looked out front. The car was... familiar, though you couldn't put your finger on where it was from. Hurriedly, you looked for something to put around your waist before you found a blanket on your couch and draped it over you as quick as you could. And then you saw the person coming out of the car.

It was Typhus.

Part of you was relieved that it wasn't a fed or anything, but it was Typhus. You rushed back towards Mortarion, towards your backyard, as he made his way through the gate. He shut the wooden thing with a quiet thud, as his eyes darted to you. You shifted the blanket over your legs, glad that it was covering quite a bit.

"I..." you started, your fists balling up. You looked to your feet. "I didn't invite you here."

Taglist: @bispecsual@justeverythingnothingelse@bleedingichorhearts @nekotaetae@historitor-bookshelf

[marz-barzz]

It is done.

[sleepyfan-blog]

Netted

Author’s Note:this is mer-nadesir’s debut! I hope you enjoy the fic :D

Next

Tagged: @egrets-not-regrets @kit-williams @bleedingichorhearts @the-pure-angel 

Warnings: injuries, blood mention, poor fishing practices

Summary: You find an astartes caught up in a hooked fishing net, and help him get free.

You hear a low, warning hiss from the tangled mass of netting and hooks that washed up on your favorite beach. Something large and upset struggled within the taut metal cording and was bleeding red blood, the hissing intensifying as the wickedly sharp hooks bit into midnight blue flesh. Was it smart for you to approach this frantic, injured creature as it struggled? Probably not, but there was something very human sounding in the pained sounds that left the being.

“Woah… Hey… Just stay still and I'll get you out of this.” You call out to the being, hoping that your soothing tone of voice would help convey your intentions, if whatever this is didn't understand English.

A large eye the color of a moonless and starless night glares at you suspiciously from a gap in the netting as dagger-sharp teeth gnawed at of the entangling knots as his large head whipped sharply from one side to the other, desperately trying to get himself free “Why help? Strangers.” the astartes growled out.

“Because you need help and are in pain. Will you let me come closer to help you out of the net? Or is there someone I can contact who you do trust to get you out of this?” You asked, keeping your voice even and calm, making sure not to make any sudden movements, so as to not further distress the trapped astartes.

The large mer struggled in the net as a low and pained growl rumbled in his chest. “... My shiver is far from here. I am… Was scouting when this happened.” He stares hard at you, midnight black eyes trying to pierce through your soul. “... If you deliberately hurt me, I will come for you. There is nowhere in this world, or in any other, that I won't be able to track you down and bring you to swift and bloody vengeance.”

This was far from the first time you’d been threatened by an injured and likely anxious astartes, and it was unlikely to be the last, considering the fact that you worked in emergency medicine. “I will do my best not to hurt you on purpose without warning. If I am moving something that is likely to cause you pain, like removing the hooks imbedded into your skin and muscle, I will warn you beforehand. Deal?” You knew better than to say so that he could brace for pain - nor did you have any pain reliever on hand that would work fast enough that wouldn’t be flushed from the Astartes’ system before it could hope to have any effect on him. You’d intended on going for a moonlit stroll down your favorite beach and hadn’t anticipated meeting an astartes in physical and medical distress.

The large, midnight blue astartes stared at you for several long moments before accepting with a rough “Reasonable. I agree.”

You nod, making careful and deliberate movements toward him, telegraphing what you were doing, so as to reduce the likelihood of accidentally startling the mer. Once you reach his side you look up at him, knife in hand, waiting for his agreement for you to start cutting through the netting.

“... Begin.” He huffed after several seconds, though there was a tiny smile lifting the corners of his lips. He seemed to be grateful that you were being so careful of his potential boundaries.

You nod and carefully begin to cut away at the netting binding him in place. Every so often you give him a moment or two of warning before carefully unhooking and pulling out the metal hooks imbedded into his flesh.Once you have his arms free, you offer the knife to him hilt first, silently offering to let him continue to free himself. 

To your surprise the midnight blue astartes shakes his head and says “Continue. Your hands smaller. Better able to get hooks and knots… Doing well.”

You smile a little at his praise and continue to work on freeing the trapped astartes. All told it took you a couple of hours to ensure that every bit of rope and hook was out. You’re grateful for your medical training, which allows you to switch off the part of your brain that is absolutely delighted at the thought of being able to touch an astartes this much. Many of them large, well-muscled and handsome, and this midnight blue and dark red astartes is strikingly handsome, even bloodied and clearly exhausted. “Do you feel any lingering pain anywhere?” You ask as you resist the temptation to run your hands along his chest and tail - for purely professional reasons - some of the hooks were small. 

“Some, but I am healing… Thank you, for helping me.” The Night lord rumbled, cupping you chin with one of his large hands, pitch black eyes shining with mischief. He tilts your chin up and kisses you, his lips chapped but warm.

[egrets-not-regrets]

Claude: A Difference of Identity

(From @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan’s Living Waters AU) MerClaude has a crisis of identity and couldn’t sleep. HarpyLenora wakes up and has a heart-to-heart with her adopted son.

Author’s Note: Whereas Jophiel needed his looks to change, Claude just wants his to stay the same.

I found that difference interesting and I wanted to write Lenora’s interaction with Claude too. Thanks @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan for letting me use your boy. He is a lovely. Thanks for helping me write his character correctly.

OCs: Claude (@gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan), Lenora

Tagged: @shadowfirecat, @kit-williams, @bleedingichorhearts, @barn-anon, @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

@sleepyfan-blog, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @bispecsual, @ms--lobotomy

Lenora was fast asleep when Claude returned home to the family nest, having gotten Erriox’s message that he was called out last-minute to assist on a night hunt. Claude volunteered to accompany his adoptive mother that night. Not that Lenora really needed to be watched, but it was for their own piece of mind that one of them be at the home nest when Lenora is there, in case an Astartes intruder shows up. There was no way a single osprey harpy would be able to fight them off. It was… nice to go back home anyway.

The Raven Guard mer removed his armor and tried to settle down and go to sleep next to Lenora, being mindful with his movements so as to not accidentally wake the sleeping harpy.

He still hadn’t quite gotten used to this whole being adopted business. Not that he was complaining. Being around his newfound family helped quiet or at least muffled the voices in his head most days. Especially around his extended gannet family, with them being so gregarious and involving him in their social activities; the Primaris Raven Guard found it easier to distance himself from the voices in his head.

Can’t quiet us all. A voice said sardonically.

Others join in on the mocking laughter. We are part of you after all.

“Go away.” Claude hissed irritably, being careful to not be too loud.

Still, he doesn’t stick around the gannets for too long, the anxiety of being found out to be one of the traitorous Alpha Legion still ate away at his psyche. After the whole debacle with Zariel and his brothers nearly getting kicked out of the gannet colony and losing their bond to Lana, Claude became withdrawn and always made doubly sure his Raven Guard features were on him before interacting with anyone. He didn’t want to be kicked out. He didn’t want to lose all his new family who had been nothing but extremely kind to him.

They will know.

They will find out. It’s only a matter of time.

What will poor poor hybrid boy do then?

The voices chimed in.

Claude shifted uncomfortably and closed his eyes, trying to ignore them.

Even his Primaris brothers didn’t know about his… condition, except Cedric. Cedric knew, but not everything. Watching how they reacted to the elder Alpha Legionaries had him absolutely wilting. He understood why the others had reacted to the older Alpha legionaries like that. Especially with how strange and different they are from the rest of the chapters. How they seemed more to sow chaos and hatred and had their own agenda that was counter to whatever one else was doing.

Don’t ignore us!!!

Several voices rang out.

Claude startled himself upright, breathing hard and feeling sweaty. He quickly looked over to his adoptive mother, breathing a small sigh of relief when he saw that she hadn’t moved and hearing little change to her heartbeat.

It didn’t help that the older Alpha Legionaries seemed to have a penchant for harassing him despite Lana’s warnings and her stepping in to stop them several times. Throne love her, but her bonded Astartes only listened for that day and it started all over again at his next visit. It’s not like he hadn’t made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with them. Claude usually liked visiting his gannet family, but ever since Zariel and his brothers joined them, it made his visits so much harder to deal with. Granted, it helped to hang out with Mara, but he wanted to be free to interact with his younger gannet cousins too.

They’re onto you! How long can hide us? Hide you… you… you… away?

The cackling started.

Claude whimpered.

Maybe he might have to talk to Lana and Mara about it together. But Lana was hardly ever left alone. There always seemed to be at least one of the Alpha Legionaries accompanying her at all times. And he didn’t want to turn this into a huge deal like what Zariel and his brothers had.

They’ll find you out.

You can rejoin your Hydra brothers. Become one of them.

They are your true brothers.

Claude snarled at that, his tail whipping in agitation, his teeth sharpening, “They’re not my true brothers! They’re not my family! They’re traitorous assholes with their own selfish agenda!”

In his distress, he didn’t notice his rough shark skin had melted into smooth slippery skin and his eyes had turned teal.

You are no harpy.

You don’t belong with them either.

They’ll find your traitorous secrets. Once they do, they will leave you behind.

“Shut up! Shut up and let me sleep!”

She’s awake!

Claude turned around in a panic, seeing Lenora’s bright yellow eyes staring at him.

“Claude?”

“Don’t look at me!”

Now you’ve done it.

You even yelled at your mother. What a terrible child you are.

They giggled.

Claude flailed a bit, not knowing where to place his hands to cover… he wasn’t sure what he was going to cover with his hands. The big mer then deflated and sank on his tail miserably, covering his eyes. The more distressed he became, the more his form seemed to ripple and shift, his tail splitting into tentacles before partially reforming back into a tail.

“Claude, are you alright? Why do you not want me to look at you, fledgling?”

Lenora had been awake since Claude had started to talk to whoever was there? Himself? She wasn’t exactly sure. She knew he kept checking to see if she was awake and luckily, she had kept calm and still enough that the mer didn’t notice. But it broke her heart when her fledgling started whimpering. Then gave her concern when he yelled something about his brothers being traitorous assholes.

She saw a sheen of silver and teal wash over his shark or octopus-like body and circles of silver slowly appearing and disappearing. It was rather beautiful to watch if it didn’t also put poor Claude in such awful distress. Her son’s form reminded her of Zariel and his brothers, Lana’s bonded Alpha Legion mers. They were certainly a handful and had caused a whole lot of trouble at the beginning.

Though it wasn’t quite as noticeable under the glow of the bioluminescent algae, Lenora could maybe make out hints of black and the odd navy blue patches among the teal and silver rings that dotted his form. Claude’s teeth were sharper and his claws became more jagged. She had heard her boys talk about how Primaris are hybrid with loyalist and traitor gene-seed alike, but none of them seemed to know what blend they have. Which made sense considering how Jophiel had Iron Warrior features, but hadn’t truly known until Erriox told him.

Claude always seemed a little more subdued, like he suspected or knew something the others didn't. Cedric would always fuss after him for those chats, neither explained why it worried Cedric so much that Claude was so bothered by it.

She sees you.

Your mother sees.

You sure you’ll still be her dear “fledgling” anymore?

Claude felt nauseous, his hearts dropping into his stomach, “I… I should leave.” He muttered as he started to move towards the underwater entrance.

“Stay right there. I didn’t tell you to leave.” Claude froze at Lenora’s commanding tone, slowly curling onto the ground, his glowing teal-coloured eyes looking everywhere else but at his adoptive mother.

The others are going to hunt you down and kill you for lying to them.

Do you want to force Cedric to choose between you and them?

You know he’ll choose them over you.

“That’s not true!” Claude whined. His hands covered his earfins and his eyes were squeezed shut. Sparks of green lightning started to curl around his hands and shoulders.

Oh? This is fun!

Use your powers that will make this much more entertaining for us.

You really need to learn to control your abilities better.

Lenora sighed, she really didn’t want to use that tone on him, as Claude seemed to be one of her softer-dispositioned boys, but she knew he would bolt if she didn’t command him not to. Seeing the green sparks forming however made her hackles rise and the harpy started to edge away further from the mer despite her instinct of wanting to go and comfort him.

“Claude…? Fledgling…? Can you hear me?” She warily called out to him.

Cedric had warned Lenora that Claude has… magic but one that he can’t control, especially when he’s particularly upset, not as easily as Jophiel does. Also that if sparks start to curl around his body, to get out of the area, because he sometimes can’t control where or what his magic lashes out at, or whom.

“Darling? Claude? Can you hear me? I need you to say something…” she crooned.

“I hear you…”

Lenora frowned, her heart cracking at her son’s reply sounding so uncharacteristically small.

“If you’re listening, can you get yourself steady? You’re starting to shoot lightning out of your body.” She asked.

Claude took several deep breaths as he feels the bubbling-popping sensations rise within. After a minute or two, he started to calm down. At the same time, the shadows near him grew darker and started to curl around his body. He- he could shadow teleport. But Mother- had… she had ordered him to stay put. He should follow Orders.

Bad things happen if you do follow orders.

Aw… you are no fun!

Bad things happen if you don’t follow orders.

The sparks of lightning fade and flicker out fully. His eyes darted around, looking towards her and away as he closed his eyes briefly before focusing. The teal and silver tentacles slowly started to ripple, shift and meld fully back into a tail. Slowly his colors shifted back to Raven Guard black and gray. He looked back to normal except for his eyes, they still have a shimmer of teal that he’s trying, and failing to shift back to fully raven dark. His teeth crunch and clack as he tried to get his face back to raven lean, rather than rounder faced. His claws, he looks at and focuses as he slowly ensures that the details are back to what they should be. Then he loses concentration on the transformation, when Lenora moved again and the teal comes back into his form and his tail splits into octopus tentacles again and his shoulders slump in misery.

“Claude, can I come close to you? Is it safe to touch you?” The harpy asked.

The now octopus-like mer nodded, “It’s safe.” He responded morosely.

Lenora moved and positioned herself in front of her unhappy fledgling and cups his face in her claws. “Oh Claude, I’m so sorry this is causing you so much grief,” she whispered, “Is this what makes you so quiet and afraid all the time?”

His glowing teal eyes shift to look at the ground, “I’m an abomination.” He mumbled, “I’m just made up of traitor legion geneseed.”

Claude shook his head and gritted his teeth at their chanting. A few taps on his cheek drew his attention back to the harpy, the chanting briefly stopped.

“Claude, I need you to focus. It looks like something is keeping your attention. Do you hear something or someone?” Lenora asked gently.

Mother’s telling you to focus! So focus!

Tell her the truth. Mother would probably think you are crazy.

No one would believe you!

The voices laughed.

“I… um… I… uh…” Claude’s breathing shortened considerably. His eyes started to water as he tried desperately to hold back his emotions to at least form something to say that would make sense.

Lenora looked on worriedly as she saw his hands becoming claws again and the tentacles started moving in an agitated manner. She clasped her clawed hands against his earfins and then pulled Claude downwards to her chest. The harpy wrapped her wings around the mer and pressed a kiss to her son’s forehead, murmuring, “It’s okay. Take it easy, I have you... I have you. You’re safe here.”

Claude whimpered and buried his face into Lenora’s feathers, inhaling her scent, bringing his arms up to wrap around his adoptive mother tightly. She gently ran her claws through his dark hair.

“You’re safe here. I’m not going anywhere.” she cooed and pressed her lips to his forehead again, feeling her feathers getting wet from his tears, “Could you tell me what you’ve been hearing? If you don’t feel comfortable, it’s okay. We won’t talk about it no more.”

Tell Mother. Tell Mother. Tell Mother. Would she believe you?

Funnily enough, the voices seemed softer and blessedly muffled.

As tempting as it was to stay silent on the matter, Claude needed Lenora to hear him out. He was so tired of trying to hide everything he was all the time. So scared of being found out and kicked out of the nest and possibly losing his family. He didn’t want to continue to hide from his loved ones any more. There’s still a possibility that rejection might happen, but at least this would be on his own terms and in private. And he knew his adoptive mother would be gentle with him, even if she decided to reject him as her son. Shoring himself in preparation of being ejected out of his family, he told her.

“I hear voices in my head…and have been hearing them ever since I received the geneseed from the Mechanicum as an aspirant.” Claude mumbled into Lenora’s chest feathers, feeling physically and emotionally drained.

The osprey harpy nuzzled against his hair, “and this is a characteristic of the traitor geneseed that you boys talked about?”

She smiled sadly when she felt him nod against her shoulder. “And if I am correct, your looks being similar to Zarius and his brothers are also part of it too?” She gently probed, being careful not to spook her fledgling to keep him talking.

“Yes. And the claws. The teeth. And the lightning.” Claude replied unhappily. He focused on his breathing and the soothing pressure of Lenora’s hand stroking his head, slowly calming down and relaxing before reluctantly pulling away from his adoptive mother.

“I lied to you and Erriox. I’m not who I try to be. I’m sorry. Any judgment you have for me, I will accept. Even if I have to leave.” The big mer bent his head, contrite, and looked down onto the ground. A few taps on his forehead made him look back up at his harpy mother.

“My dear fledgling. Why would I want you to leave?”

“Because I have Alpha legion gene-seed in me,” Claude says, like it’s obvious, still completely miserable, “they are among the worst of the traitor legions. Face stealers, liars, social manipulators that weave hatred, fear, and misery into the fabric of the Imperium, and the Chaos Legions.”

The voices have gone silent. For now. But they will be back, and louder than ever. They always were. Perhaps they were the voices of other Alpha legionaries? He had not thought to ask others of the Primaris who were cursed like him. Afraid of their answers.

“And have you stole anyone’s face? Tried to manipulate them? Have you tried to sow fear and hatred among those around you?” Lenora asked.

“No!” Claude said suddenly, honest and fervent, “not- not on purpose, for manipulation, fear or hatred. I- I just lie about being this. You see what I am. You’re not blind.” He frowned at his last outburst, he didn’t mean to be so rude.

He tried to be honest about other things, and kept secrets others wished him to, unless it’s something that was hurting them. He’s been teased by some of his brother-cousins that he’s a terrible liar. Which was something that … he was conflicted on whether he likes that or not.

Lenora chuckled, unoffended by his comment, “Yes, the Alpha Legion and other traitor…”

“Night Lord.” Claude mumbled, might as well get it out now since there’s no point keeping that a secret.

Oh? Finally telling her everything?

Boring! Lies are more fun.

She seems like she still cares. But for how long will that last?

“… and Night Lord geneseed is part of you, but you still make your own decisions to not terrorize and hurt those around you. You are still Claude the Primaris Mer-Astartes, are you not?” She questioned, hoping that her son would be able to think his way through to gain some semblance of peace within himself.

“Come. Join me in my nest.” Grabbing his hand, Lenora led him to the nest Erriox and she shared.

“Erriox won’t mind?” Her son asked.

She smiled, “No. It’s fine, Jophie joins us like this occasionally.”

Claude took his place beside Lenora and relaxed, letting his tails, no, tentacles curl into the space beside himself, this form being a lot more flexible and squishy than his Raven Guard shark form. The harpy sat beside him, idly stroking his head, watching the glowing silver rings on his body as they appeared and disappeared.

“I’m curious. You mentioned something about hearing voices. What kinds of things do they say?” She looked at her fledgling inquisitively.

“Sometimes useful advice,” Claude says, “Mostly mean things. Intrusive thoughts, or Really Bad Ideas. Occasionally warn me of things to come.”

Aww… you’re so mean!

Hey- he said something nice first… usually he just says ‘shut up!’

Not all of our ideas are bad. You’re just no fun!

“I suppose that’s sort of helpful, but I certainly hope that you ignore the mean things they say about you… and their bad ideas.” The harpy frowned slightly.

“I’m usually able to ignore the bad advice and ideas,” Claude says honestly, “When I was younger and didn’t know better they got me into trouble a lot, so I learned which ideas to ignore, versus which ones I could follow without too many consequences.”

Lenora huffed, “They don’t sound easy to live with, but unfortunately they are a part of you. You seem to be doing a good job at managing that as much as you can.”

Manage us? Manage us, hardly!

We are stuck with you. And you are stuck with us.

“Thanks. I try.” Claude mumbled, giving her a small smile at the praise.

“Your gene-seed is only a part of you. What you decide to do is what makes you Claude.” Lenora smiled back.

Her voice dropped low and quiet, “I don’t think Erriox nor I ever told you boys, or if you don’t already know this: do you know harpies eat humans? I’ve been known to eat human flesh on the rare occasion, though I don’t actively hunt humans as my main source of sustenance. Even the gannet harpies have been known to assist the sirens in miring ships and killing humans when times are scarce. It’s not a pleasant look, but it is in our harpy nature.”

“Mer-astartes have also consumed human flesh,or other sentient beings’ flesh too,” Claude says, “We try not to, it’s a last resort sort of thing. For most pods… some are more… violent.”

Lenora hummed in acknowledgment, “We don’t have such social rules governing our nature like that, though our human prey nowadays tend to be poachers and those foolish enough to intrude in our territory without our permission.”

She let out a sigh, “What I’m trying to say is that some things in our nature are a part of us that can’t always be avoided, so we can only do our best to manage as well as we can, or use that nature to help us do good in this world. You might not like your abilities but learn to embrace and use them to aid you. I’m sure the changing ability from the Alpha Legion comes in handy every now and then.”

You should listen to her.

Smart Harpy lady- no wonder you stay with her.

Erriox is going to kill you.

She tweaked Claude’s nose playfully, laughing when he wrinkled his nose like Erriox does, “Don’t think I don’t see the extra gannet sneaking off to go hunting with your cousins to avoid the auntie gannets when you suddenly have something to do when we visit the Rock.”

She got you there! Pretending to be your cousins!

Sneaky mer! Avoiding your gannet aunties!

Such a rude child!

The voices laugh. Claude decided not to respond, he could live with that comment.

“Claude…do you understand what I’m trying to say?” Lenora asked as she laid down next to him, preparing to go to sleep again.

Claude nuzzled his adoptive mother, feeling more at peace with himself, “I understand.”

She nuzzled her son back affectionately and wrapped her wing over him, “I’ve adopted you as my fledgling so you’ll always be my fledgling. I would never kick you out for something like this. And I promise you that Mara feels the same way. So don’t be afraid to speak with her about your condition. Alright?”

You should also talk to the Alpha Legion First Born too!

Link up with the telepathic network. It will go so well for you.

Mara won’t be so understanding.

The voices weren’t quite as loud as before.

“Alright.” Claude said as he ignored the voices in his head and curled into Lenora, his face nestled into her feathers, finally able to fully relax.

“Good boy. Now go to sleep.” She kissed his forehead once more.”

“Thanks mom.” Came his sleepy reply.

Lenora’s heart melted. Smiling, she whispered, “You’re welcome, my fledgling.”

[whorety-k]

Ebony Coasts [Part 1]

Happy Mermay everybody!! I'm deciding to come out of the woodworks and actually write something because of the brain worms all of my favorite writers are giving me. I decided on some Corvus Corax love today because I feel like he's often part of the forgotten Primarchs in fanfiction (and I'm also a Raven Guard girlie <3).

Pairing: Merfolk!Corvus Corax x fem!Reader (second person POV)

Song recommendation: The Night Does Not Belong To God - Sleep Token

"And you remember everything / Only till the sun recedes once again / And the night comes down like heaven."

Warnings: Ocean mentions / potential thalassophobia

Word Count: 2.2k

[Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7 (NSFW)]

The full moon above hung in the sky like a beacon, illuminating the ebb and flow of the tides. Stars were all but drowned out by its glow, glimmers of the crashing waves reflecting what little light they put out. As it so often did this time of night, the chill settled deep into your bones. Still you were at ease.

You were never quite sure what called you out to the ocean so late in the night, and for whatever reason 'The waves are calming,' wasn't enough for your friends and coworkers to get off of your back. It had become a habit to gaze at the stars as a stress-reliever after your recent move closer to the coast. The two-hour work commute had taken its toll on your psyche, and you have not regretted your choice to find an apartment closer to your workplace.

What you now lacked in commute stress, you more than made up for stressing over your newest case. Coastline conservation was your forte; you were the one often called in to solve complex cases, and yet this one seemed to leave you puzzled each time. From kids tearing up the natural flora or an illegal succulent harvesting operation, you had been able to solve every situation that had been thrown your way before, but this situation didn't match any of the patterns you had trained yourself to look for.

It stumped you.

Caves were dug practically overnight into the cliffside, then left completely uninhabited by the time you found them. No one man could have accomplished such a feat without at least a noise complaint from the houses on the cliff above.

Random caches of sea glass, precious stones, jewelry, and other shiny objects were tucked away within pits in the caverns as if hidden for later. Interestingly enough, these caches seemed to grow in size if they were left untouched. The last hoard you had taken as evidence resulted in that particular cave being completely abandoned overnight, often filled in.

And most puzzling: there were no other actual signs of anyone ever having tread there. No tools, no trash, no foot prints. Nothing but the little stores of trinkets. It was infuriating. Whatever punks had been tearing up the coastline were masters at their craft.

Tonight, you were determined to catch the bastards that had been giving you stress once and for all. You even had the local authorities on speed dial (despite your distrust in them properly handling the situation) in case anyone decided to get violent.

A gust of frigid wind draws you from your thoughts. The night isn't getting any younger, and you need to get down to the cave. You hug your windbreaker jacket closer to your body as you wander back down the metal dock, boots clunking loudly across the water. The crackle of gravelly sand crunching replaces the heavy thumps as you descend onto the illuminated beachfront.

You almost lose track of time as you travel along the high tides. You've walked this particular beach head a hundred times at nearly all times of day, and by now it's all beginning to blur together. You force yourself to focus on the present this time, fiddling with the moonstone pendant around your neck. You had taken it from the last cave for study, but when it solved absolutely nothing, you decided to keep it as a token to remember what you were working towards. ‘A stone of new beginnings’, they say. Maybe it'll be the beginning of actually solving this damned case.

A cavity in the cliff face finally comes into view. From this distance, the high tide creates a shallow cove that appears to fill part of the cavern. There aren't any tracks other than your own as you approach. Whoever created the small structure must not have returned to it just yet.

A flicker of white catches your eye.

You come to a dead stop.

It barely registers that you're just at the maw of the cavern when you remember how to breathe. You quietly chastise yourself with an annoyed huff. Doing this job for as long as you have, you really should be more used to the way the reflections on the water’s surface play tricks on you, especially when at nightfall. With a shake of your head, you take a step into the thin layer of salty water covering the floor of the cavern. You silently thank the waders you wear for keeping your feet dry.

The moonlight doesn't reach farther than a few meters in the darkness of the space, you note as you tread deeper into its embrace. Without the wind chill, it is far warmer than the marine layer settling just outside. Your hand fishes into an inner jacket pocket to retrieve your flashlight–

Splash!

…Of course you'd drop it. Right now, of all times. Professional.

You kneel down into the sparkling abyss and feel around for the waterproof torch, letting out a sigh of relief when its plastic casing finds your fingers. You grasp the pesky light and stand back up to onyx orbs peering directly into yours.

You blink. It blinks.

A flurry of movement torrents the cave as rapid splashing fills the air. In your panic, you slip on the wet stones and fall back into the water as the jet-and-alabaster creature looms before you, eyes boring into your very core. This thing is huge. Its skin gleams unnaturally white, rippling with lithe muscles as it leans down over you, trapping you between its muscular arms. You desperately look up into its (his?) stony face as you try to sprawl backwards, searching for any purchase in the puddle currently soaking your backside. It stops you with a large clawed hand on your chest, pinning you down firmly to the flooded floor. The creature (man?) is delicate enough not to slice you open.

“Stop.”

You freeze. He stills. Did he just speak–?

“Your efforts are fruitless. Cease this before you harm yourself.” The deep voice that comes from the man is rough, as if it is not often used. “Please,” it adds, quieter.

You stare up at the man like cornered prey, but you heed his words and stop your fight. The hand on your chest briefly trails to your neck, claw catching on something before shifting to cradle your back. He lifts your upper half until you are sitting upright once again, assuring you'll hold the position before he retrieves his hand.

The moon and proximity allow you to finally get a semi-decent look at the man before you. He must be at least three meters tall, even leaning over slightly. Long black hair frames a strong, admittedly handsome face. His blunt, wispy bangs just barely hide black eyebrows knit with concern and amusement. Webbed ear-fins hide amongst his ebony hair in the dark, a gradient of charcoal grey at their edges. Your eyes respectfully shy away from his athletic chest to the gills tucked along his ribcage. When he finally moves back enough for you to fully sit upright, you notice the dorsal fin that trails down his entire back, leading into a tail that looks as if its melting into the water below. His fins drape over him like the softest silks, sharing that charcoal gradient from what you can see in the dark.

Your eyes widen at the sight, and the giant seems to catch on.

“Why do you continue to return here, little human?” he inquires.

You look back up at his face to once again see that perfectly neutral expression. It frightens you to know that he knows you've been here before, when you had no idea he even existed until just now. Finding your voice takes an embarrassingly long time. “...I…”, you start, voice laced with thinly veiled awe, “...work in coastal habitat conservation. I've been trying to figure out who was vandalizing protected areas on this beach head.”

The man’s head cocks to the side curiously, the only indication that he had heard you. It's his turn to observe you now– at least, you think that's what he's doing from the subtle shifts of the muscles surrounding his eyes. The fully black scleras do not make his gaze clear in the low light, but you swear you can see how his expression seems to fall.

“I am no vandal. I am merely an inhabitant, and I do not appreciate such accusations,” he growls.

Your words get lost in your throat as you straighten up and move to apologize, instinct kicking into to reassure the creature you've just met that you didn't mean to imply that he was a vandal. If anything, in hindsight, you're the asshole raiding his home.

You're cut off when he raises a hand to silence you, softly shaking his head. He seems disappointed, but the wave passes him by. Firmly, he presses, “I intend to stay here, and I would hope that you will be of no trouble for me to do just that.” You don't miss how he clasps his clawed hands together before him.

You quickly nod your head, shifting to stand back up. The chill of the sea water soaking through your clothes down into your waders is starting to become too much. Your body begins to tremble. With an unsteady voice, you croak out, “Nope! No problem here! Technically, it's my job to protect your habitat, so…” You voice drifts off as you realize you're either going to have to:

A. Convince the world that mermaids exist, or,

B. Lie on your report.

…And telling the world about merfolk sounds like a lot more paperwork than you're willing to do in this lifetime. You can't imagine what horrors bureaucracy and media would do to this (so far) gentle giant. If he exists, there's certainly more of his kind and you are not about to accidentally start an illegal merfolk poaching trade.

A quiet huff leaves the pale merman, and you focus back up on him. It takes a moment for you to realize he's laughing at your crisis. You fold your arms, body still shuddering from the chill. “Your secret is safe with me,” you declare, confidently standing up straight.

The merfolk nods in response, clearly amused by the whole situation despite the grim countenance that colors him. A silent staring contest commences between the two of you, gentle sounds of crashing waves filling the air from outside of the cavern. The scattered moonlight causes his scales to glitter like obsidian. You get the feeling that you're going to be watched from the shadows to assure you keep your promise, and you're not sure how to feel about it.

His soft voice breaks the silence, notably warmer. “You will be returning here again regardless.”

It's not a question; it's a statement, and you reckon it's not an incorrect one. You defend yourself, “It's not every day that I discover something out of my childhood fantasies is real and causing me hassles with my job.”

Your comment earns you another soft huff of a laugh. It's the best you'll get out of him, you assume. “It is not every day that a human raids my den and steals my belongings,” he chides.

Sputtering at his accusation, you avert your gaze and draw your lips into a tight line. The heat in your cheeks could burn a hole through steel. “I didn't know! I... can't exactly get those back for you until they're cleared out of evidence, but I will try.”

The answer seems to charm and please him. “That would be pleasant.”

Another bout of silence fills the cavern as you feel yourself being studied. Awkwardly, you tell the merfolk your name, extending an arm out for a handshake.

The man stares at it blankly, blinking once before he places his hand on top of yours. It's not correct, but at least he has the spirit. Now that you're not in a panic, you notice just how cold his hand is on yours. “You may call me Corvus Corax,” he says, withdrawing, “Is it normal for your kind to shake as you do?”

You cross your arms over your chest, rubbing your hands over the wet jacket covering your upper arms. “Not particularly. I'm wet and it's freezing,” you jest, giving Corvus a smile.

The words have little weight on Corvus Corax. Cold and wet are his normal. If hypothermia doesn't take you, embarrassment and culture shock certainly will. You look down at your clammy hands.

“I should get home before I freeze to death,” you state bluntly, wincing as a breeze from the mouth of the cave causes the wet windbreaker to stick to your back.

Corvus nods, simply staring. You aren't sure what you're expecting when you give him a wave, but the sheer amount of nothing he seems to give only serves to intrigue you further. You can feel his eyes on you as you turn to exit the cave, mentally preparing yourself to falsify a report about a group of ne’er-do-wells digging into the cliff face for an unknown reason and how they narrowly evaded identification… however unbelievable it is. You step out of the cave in a distracted daze, still convincing yourself of everything as your boots crack on the gravel once more.

You know you'll be returning. Corvus knows you'll be returning. Gingerly, with trembling hands, you reach up to fiddle with your pendant once more to ground yourself when you have a jarring realization.

That bastard took your necklace.

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

[Part 2]

[beethereal-knight]

Mer!40k Designs: Part 1 2 3 4 5 It's overdue, but it's still MerMay, I can post MerGuilliman...

Bonus old sketch from a few months ago + Fin details:

[avggendelmain]

Fulgrim Mermay drawing

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Waltzing Waves

Author’s note: This is the song this is based off of. More Mermay, with dear Reader. It's a lovely bop.

Warnings: gender neutral reader, threats, allusions to death, and murder, drowning, let me knows if I need to add more.

Summary: Reader barely survived encountering a wave-soaked mer-astartes. Reader hadn’t realized they were real and not folk tales, or legends told by the sailors to frighten and impressive those who are land dwelling.

Tagged: @barn-anon, @bleedingichorhearts, @c-u-c-koo-4-40k, @egrets-not-regrets, @kit-williams, @sleepyfan-blog

Tagged Again: @kit-williams, @sleepyfan-blog, @whorety-k

You were on your fishing boat, it had been in your family for years, patched and faded in some places, but well loved and cared for so that it would take care of you. The sea gives and takes, is one of the lessons that your parents had taught you. Memories of your father’s calloused hands gently guiding yours in how to cast the nets from the boat. How to be patient, quiet and watch the sea and skies for the changing, dangerous nature of the weather in the area where you lived out amongst the waves.

You felt the tugs and carefully grabbed up the net, and groan a little, both with effort and hope, it had been a week with very little to show for fishing, so to have the net so heavy was a boon and a blessing, even if it was really heaving and struggling against you with the weight of the fish that you caught. You almost dropped the net back into the water and lost the catch but with a heavy and a curse you pull the catch inside the boat and look to see what’s in your net. What would have to be tossed back, after all, sustainable fishing practices, as well as being concerned about the planet, despite the fact that it meant less money in your coffers, the fish would replenish in the seas better that way.

Your heart drops when you notice something tangled up amongst the fish is something that glints like metal. It was massive and large, with scales that you trace from an aquatic life form to something that looks far more human and your stomach clenches and you gulp in air as you realize what, it was that you caught. He had fins where his feet should be, and his eyes were red as blood, hair as gold as the sun, his features, were hauntingly beautiful, and his angry hissing sound, and the growls as she skitters back a bit. Oh no. You’d accidentally caught an Astartes, this was a very dangerous situation and not dying or being brutally maimed was now your goal. Hopefully he might forgive you if you are very careful.

“Come closer, Human,” The Astartes croons at her in heavily accented language of the locals. “And I’ll eat you alive, like you would have done to me.”

“Please don’t feast upon my flesh,” Your lips tremble and your legs buckle as they gaze upon his massive irate form and you plead, “If I return you to the sea, please let me live?”

The Astartes glares down at you impassively with a sneer, his teeth look terribly sharp. The Astartes glares down at you haughtily from where he’s been tangled in the net, likely still only in it for… some reason. You know that they can, or at least so you heard, can swim through the seas and air.

“I will let you go, but quickly leave these waters,” The Astartes hisses out you with a vicious glare. “If you drop your nets amongst these waves, then my brother’s and I will take you down with us.”

You gulp and nod, quickly and as carefully as you can dump the net, fish and Astartes both back in, barely reeling the net back in to your boat. Before you can start to roar, a massive, clawed hand, from the Astartes you’d accidentally caught. You yelped as he tugged you close with a sharp glare.

“I want something in return for not harming you human,” He hisses.

“W-what?” You ask nervously, he’s so handsome and terrifying at the same time.

“A kiss,” He says, he’d noticed the mixture of terror and attraction in your scent with a slight smirk.

You blush and nod and he press a swift, hard kiss to your lips and then lets you go as fast as he had grabbed you. Your cheeks are pink as you start to head back to the dock as fast as you could safely. Occasionally glancing back at where the Astartes was, or possible still is lurking under the waves. You unintentionally like your lips, they taste of salt and iron as you rub your face and hook your boat up to the dock and stagger down the docks, perhaps, you should let your younger brother take over the family business- and have him go to a different fishing spot while you took over more of the administrative duties.

Sleep is hard to come by that night, and the next several weeks you are haunted by the Astartes in the water that you had accidentally caught. His red eyes and golden hair. His large, long, muscular form. He’d look like a gorgeous statue glittering in the sun, as much as he’d terrified you. And that kiss it haunted you, his lips had been softer than you’d expected, and of that salt and iron. You groan and rub your face, unable to sleep as you stagger to the shore and stare into the water, your joints had been aching something fiercely recently, and the water looked so inviting right now.

[kit-williams]

The Equinox Song

Mer Anrir time! Yes I am going to milk this song again

Anrir's Fish vibe: angler fish

@bispecsual @egrets-not-regrets @moodymisty @bleedingichorhearts @liar-anubiass-blog

@thevoidscreams @barn-anon @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

You could finally afford to go to a Night Lord Equinox song! Only happens twice a year and everything in the local area got expensive or overbooked to come and see them sing. You've wanted to do this for years as listening to the recordings online only could do so much to quell the craving you had to hear them sing live. You were bouncing with excited energy as your best friend had come with you finally having enough of your wanting to see them. Fences had been set up around the dock, the beach closed off for a good mile, and no boats to disturb them as Night Lords were notoriously Territorial and known to kill with little provocation... you could tell as a few of the early arrivers were wearing masks made of bone. You looked over the pamphlet as like with most mer-songs someone went missing at every event... you look over the warnings: stop listening if you feel compelled to get in the water, avoid prolonged eye contact with a mer, mer's while aquatic can 'sprint' in short distances so if you think you're far enough you probably aren't... and other warnings.

You were especially excited to hear, what was assumed to be the head of the shoal, the angler sing. Where you sat you could see the large rock that most of them would sit on... the smaller smoother rock for the singer, and other various less desirable spots. Younger Night Lords would swim right up to under your feet and sing as they spin in the water some with glowing red eyes just looking up with sharp toothed grins. But you watched as more and more Night Lords were appearing and hissing, barking, shoulder bumping, and other displays as you watched one smaller Night Lord get thrown from a spot on the rock. There was singing during all of this but it wasn't the main song... it wasn't their song. You had gotten so caught up in the antics that you jumped slightly as your friend touched your shoulder. "Look." She whispers.

You softly gasp as you can see on his rock you could see him pulling himself out of the water. The moon was bright enough that you could make out some details. Long black hair that covered his eyes but not his nose and mouth ended at his waist... both front and back, his torso pale and covered in scars, twisting patches of midnight blue scales covered his chest and arms, the tips of his long fingers were black and his hands webbed, like all night lords poking out of his hair were long red ear fins that reminded you of bat wings, and your eyes landed on why he was called the angler as there was a lure that let out a pulse of bioluminescent light... his face lit up for a moment and you swore he was grinning at you.

The shoal got into place, the wind was blowing but otherwise everything else was quiet. His voice was soft... it was like a lullaby... but was it powerful as it caried on the wind in such a way that recordings failed to do it justice. You couldn't help but hold your breath as his voice croons supernaturally as you could feel it in your bones as this was why people were scared to hear them sing. He sings and as he goes on he sounds louder... stronger... almost as if he is singing directly to you. How his whole body sways and his arms held out as he sings... its as if you're watching something tribal... something sacred and intimate... you shiver as it feels like you are there alone... the water doesn't look so cold.

You swallow as the rest of the shoal bursts out singing, their voices filling the moonlit night air. Those on the rock were flashing white bioluminescent streaks down their tails akin to bolts of lightning spidering over their tails. Just like the storms they were fond of singing during. Right below the viewing area, churning the water were others as they churned it with their dancing, spinning and bobbing in the water as they sing up to all the humans just out of reach. Unnatural eyes glittered and glowed in the moonlight as the water rushed down their pale skin and dark scales. However, their antics couldn't pull your eyes away from him... you were hyper focused on him and at this point there was no denying it when the lure lit up his face... he was looking right at you.

It was magical... so otherworldly... so... get in the water... something told you deep in your gut that if you let him finish the whole song to you that you weren't going home tonight! You were shaking as you got up and ran covering your ears. The song was almost over and you were certain that when you stopped it would have been over. Your hands are shaking and you're on the verge of hyperventilating as you want to throw up even. Your chest was pounding from how hard your heart is racing and you wiped the sweat off of your face as you notice the lonely drink machine. Coins are fed into the vending machine and your trembling hands struggle with opening up the can. You put your head between your knees to come down from the adrenaline high as you were now safe. The waves were loud but no longer calling you to get in.

You exhale in relief as you continue to stop feeling like trash. Something scrapes against the concrete next to you... but you didn't hear footsteps. You open your eyes and see there is a lot of water wetting the concrete turning it dark as it soaks up the liquid. Your throat tightens and you start to shake... your hair is blocking what is to your side and you start to turn your head. You nearly scream as a webbed hand grabs your chin and guides you up gently. Your grab his arm that holds your chin as tears gather in your eyes as the large merman looms over you as he cups your face like a lover would. His lure lights up and you see thin spines on his face near his eyes raise and push the hair over his eyes away.

You realize you're looking right into his eyes as you watch large bioluminescent patches under his black eyes glow. He leans in cooing to you... знішчыць... he croons to you... the last... знішчыць... verses... of his... song... знішчыць.... He leans in and you just melt into his kiss as your body goes limp... you don't hear people scream for you... his mouth on yours feels so good... your name being shrieked by your friend... you pull back to breathe... strong arms wrap around you as you are pulled into the water... it doesn't feel so cold as he sings to you. знішчыць... pulling you down... знішчыць... and down... знішчыць... and down... знішчыць... into the dark... знішчыць....