#where someone asked gem what was up with her eye (because her skin had one green eye and one yellow eye)

[mumblesplash]

gem, what happened to your eye?

(wanted to upload this panel separately, original is from this comic)

[luveline]

Hi Jade!! 💛💛 Omg obsessed with soulmate prince Steve au 🥰. Every au you write is perfection Can I request a scenario in which prince Steve actually witnesses someone say something to her about how she’s not good enough for the prince and how he’d react to that/ reassure her?

prince!steve au ♡ fem, 1.2k

Your palatial bedroom is a gem to the eye. You've a huge window from which gauzy orange light seeps, the golden hour of your twentieth day coming to an end. Soon, night will be upon you, and with the night comes Prince Steven. Or, as he prefers, Steve.  

He spends the days battling his overbearing mother and her team of 'professional shitheads' as the wedding fast approaches, advocating for you where you can't. You may be his soul mate, but your lack of royal blood means you've no choice in any of their plans. You hadn't been allowed to choose your dress, your vows, or even your jewellery. 

Well, originally. "It's your wedding," Steve had said, giving your hand a reassuring hold, "not just mine, and definitely not theirs. You'll be allowed to wear, and say, and do whatever you want. I'm lucky you agreed to marry me at all." 

You don't regret agreeing to marry him, but it wasn't what you pictured. He didn't propose, and you aren't in love. Your soul marks assure you that one day you will be. The volume of their light and how restless they become around the other evidences a mutual attraction if nothing else, and the rosy hue they take when you touch spares nothing. 

A mutual crush doesn't normally mean you'd marry someone, though. But it isn't exactly unheard of in your culture either. Soul mates are soul mates —it's on the tin. 

Why wait to get married when you know you'll fall in love for life? 

Maybe because that love is extremely daunting, a little voice says at the back of your head. Because Steve is still a stranger. 

An acquaintance might be more accurate. If he continues to be so dramatically nice you might skip friendship altogether, your stomach a heat at the memory of his hand on your chin and the subtle warmth of his gaze as he laid your doubts to rest. You worried to him that you couldn't be a Princess, and while he hadn't shared the sentiment, others do. 

You leave the haven of your room in hopes of a glass of juice and a tonic for your headache (all you've done for days is grind your teeth), and become turned around looking for the kitchens 

"She is so boringly normal. I thought the Prince would have a special soul mate, is that stupid? I thought she'd be gorgeous, or smart, or talented at something, like piano." The servant hits her racket against the rug with a laugh. "She's just one of us. Lucky bitch." 

Which isn't the worst of it. Not truly offensive. You're nothing special, and if you didn't know it already, finding your soulmate cemented it. 

This bit hurts, though. "She's surprisingly ugly, I thought," says the other servant. "Imagine when they project their engagement photos in the central city. That is not a face you want to see in sixteen k." 

Your head bumps into the alcove wall with surprise as a throat clears. The servants look up in tandem, to your horror, seeing you standing in the shade like a creeper, but they see straight past you. You follow their gaze. 

"That's not fair or appropriate, is it?" Steve asks, in his strange princely tone. "The future princess is just as beautiful as you ladies, but she has a much nicer attitude, yeah?" 

Steve puts his hand on your shoulder and walks you away. You feel like you're in trouble, being marched by the class warden to the principal's office.

He stops you in the cool stone walkway that leads from the garden. You can smell the kitchen you'd been looking for, the buttery smell of capers and brewing edelweiss tea on the breeze. The night dawns, sconces with teal and lime light painting his skin baby blue. 

"Sorry I didn't sanction them. I think that the anxiety that I'm gonna tell on them does more than the actual–" Steve stops short. "Hey, are you crying?" 

You're not crying, but you may be a little sniffly. You turn your head away from him and he pulls it right back, his lips parted in shock. 

"You don't believe them," he says incredulously.

The stress in your life these last few weeks has been akin to a tightrope walker, and the insults (the embarrassment, knowing he heard) are a strong wobble. 

"Sorry," you say, your lips barely parted. You try to look away from him but his hand is steadfast on your cheek. 

It's so odd to be treated with tenderness by someone you don't really know. His soul mark burns a muted pinky-red at the pulse of his wrist. It's genuine affection, even if you feel like you don't deserve it. 

"I'm sorry," he says. "Maybe I should go back and have them do domestic duties for the week."

"No, I'm being stupid. They don't have to think I'm pretty–" 

"Well, they should, but that's not really what happened… Why are you down here? I was looking for you." 

"You were?" you ask. 

"I usually am. I tried to get out of fencing but they wouldn't let me leave," he explains, his hand moving up your face in little grabs, almost as though he's checking you over for injury. Eyes held, Steve smiles at you encouragingly. "Why were you down here?" 

"To get something to drink," you say. 

"And you didn't want to ask one of the ten people waiting desperately for you to need something?" he asks with a laugh, dropping his hand from your face. The phantom of it remains, heat in the shape of his fingers pressed into your cheek.

"It feels weird." 

"You can call for me instead and I could get you a drink. Just until you know where the kitchen is. Or I can make you a map." 

"A map," you say, biting back a smile. 

"Is that funny?" 

"No…" 

Steve curls a hand behind your shoulder. "We're not gonna get along," he says, his tone suggesting wildly otherwise. "I can tell. Let's get you that drink, okay?" 

"Okay. Sorry for, um, getting all emotional on you." 

"'In good times and bad,'" he says. Your heart doesn't leap, it springs from your chest. He's a prince, and he's beautiful, and now he's throwing wedding vows at you like it's nothing? 

You smile at your shoes all the way to the kitchens, where Steve ushers you in front of him to go first, and says in your ear, "For the record, I'm personally super excited to see you on the holo screens, but I don't think it's gonna compare to the real thing." He directs you by the waist gently, a twin of the way he'd held you in your engagement photos. Deft hand nestled against the fat of your hip, blue silk of your ceremonial kissing your thighs. You'd felt really pretty, if only because he touched you without hesitation. "You are the farthest thing from ugly I've ever seen." 

[savviathan]

Gem pushes a couch into the lobby of Decked Out, directly in front of the door.

She sits down, soul lantern in hand, and coughs expectantly. She waits a moment. She coughs louder.

It feels like the stone around her sighs outwards with an edge of Tango’s rasp in its voice, and the door to Decked Out opens on its own accord.

“So, do you want to start, or should I?”

The stone constrict again beside her, tensing up like pursing its lips. It looks around, blue light burning brighter on the snow layers, then in the egg hunt room, and then settles again down by the stairs. The pistons beneath the floor hiss, and Gem feels something like the cold burn of ice touching skin.

“Then I will start.” She smiles, holding her head up high.

Somewhere, the stone cracks. Her lantern flickers frantically, flames dancing around and almost dying. Gem only shakes her head.

“I’m not very happy with you, you know.” She starts, putting her free hand on her hip. “But I’m going to be cordial. For your sake. This is a therapy session.”

Decked Out’s doors whine.

“One of many if you keep this up.”

Everything seems to still. Then, Decked Out slowly, painfully, releases the pressure in the room. Suddenly, a card is pulled from the deck:

STUMBLE

Gem laughs, hard.

As much of a hard ass Decked Out can be, it still holds Tango’s breath, and his eyes, and his heart, and his sense of humor. It still carries its creator’s vision. That sort of thing is easy to forget sometimes, between all of the ‘killing you’ thing. Speaking of that. Gem settles further into the couch.

“So. As you know, I’ve been running a lot recently. I’m on a quest to get good.” She pointedly ignores Decked Out’s snickering in Tango’s voice. “And I would like to run deeper, but I just can’t seem to find any keys. What gives? Why are you so angry with me?”

At that, Gem gets a startlingly bigger reaction than she had anticipated. It feels like there’s someone sitting on her chest, and the walls close in, and then back out, and the lanterns flicker, and the shop shuffles its contents, and, and—

“Okay, hang on!” She yells, and Decked Out freezes. Literally; she can see her breath coming out in puffs, now. “Well, that’s a lot to unpack.”

Decked Out begins again slowly, reshuffling the shop contents back to where they used to be. Cards pop up and down, and a shard reappears, and Tango’s weird dungeon lackey hood stays just where it is in the corner.

“Is it tango?” She asks tentatively. Decked out laughs back at her incredulously with Tango’s voice.

“Is it me?” And beyond the opened doors, decked out whistles. “What did I do?”

Decked out quiets.

“Nothing. Okay, I’m not following.”

Decked out’s doors groan. It seems to fiddle with the latches quietly, thinking, gears and redstone turning in its head, then clicks rapidly. The doors shut in Gem’s face.

“Hey, just because it’s hard to explain yourself in a language that—“

“Take your items or I’ll feed them to the ravagers.” It interrupts her, loudly, and the lanterns flicker by the stairs. The freezing temperatures leave the room.

“Oh.” Gem says, standing up and following it around the corner. Though, she supposes, following is probably the wrong word. It’s more like, lets it guide her to where it wants her to be. Or something. She’s not a master with communication of card games, she’s good with staggering textures in the walls, and driving a sword into Etho’s chest.

Decked Out clicks the redstone beneath her feet. She stops. It’s led her out to the front of the Deepfrost Citadel, next to Scar’s impromptu line, in the middle of the night and the freezing chill. She stares up at the imposing walls and spikes.

“What exactly am I looking for here, buddy.”

The wind whistles around her. Decked out is utterly silent, out here, unable to talk and seek in a way that matters. It knows this. Down below, mobs walk around in the snow, zombies, skeletons, Gem recalls when hoards of phantoms swooped in from the tops of the towers and attacked the few that were talking outside. It would be nice if someone could take care of that, really, and spawn proofed the area. But Tango couldn’t do that all on his own, could he?

Oh. Wait.

Gem stares back down at the spot Decked Out has taken her to, to the outsides where it cannot touch, where other creatures brush past its domain, unwanted. Gem thinks of treasure drops around the dungeon, and finding no keys, and Etho’s chuckles as he makes sure to compliment her before he runs. She thinks of getting past the gauntlet seven times over, and the comments about her appointed title, Geminislay, that tango gave her, and Decked Out has surely known.

Inside, Decked Out’s flames brighten, welcoming her back inside but never past level one.

“You don’t want me to have keys because you want me out here, don’t you?”

And the air around her, whistles, sings. The lantern she’s still holding, the one she’d brought for the therapy session, dances around in the air as it whips past. Gem sighs.

“Come with me.”

She steps inside, and feels the flames brighten as she passes, and the stone press outwards as to give her more room, and the room goes cold again as she makes it to the top of the stairs. She sits back down on the couch in the lobby, closes her eyes, and releases a breath.

“It’s my turn again.” She begins, and Decked Out is quiet.

“I recognize your feelings. I understand what you mean. I want you to know that, firstly.” She pauses for a moment. “But I am not Tango. I am not a fool.”

Decked Out laughs, again, boisterous and knowing.

“But I know that if I want to play, this relationship must go two ways, healthily. And I definitely want to play.” Decked Out hums at that, a droning sound, but it does not move. Just thinks.

“So I will protect you, where you cannot. I will be your gargoyle.” She giggles.

The citadel is a castle, after all.

“But I would like some keys. And I would like them fairly, nothing extra.” She pauses. “And also, it would be really funny if you messed with Impulse. Make him get a little tilted.”

The flames brighten. The walls seem to thrum with excitement, and a smile.

“So we’ve come to an agreement?” Gem stands and sticks her hand out.

Decked Out rushes cold hair to her fingertips. Gem smiles brightly.

“Then Geminislay joins the dungeon!”

Decked Out’s door nearly breaks itself trying to fly open.

And somewhere deep below, in Decked Out’s redstone guts, the dungeon master shakes his head fondly.

…

[Author’s Note:] I want to also give huge credit to @slashmagpie, whose amazing idea it was that Gem was the gargoyle of Decked Out. He also let me borrow this silly concept of a fic idea from him and write it. Thanks magpie!!

[slashmagpie]

Gem’s pretty sure Tango’s dungeon hates her.

The other hermits? They get nice, easy artefacts. Lots of embers. They get keys. Gem? Gem gets nothing. Gem gets max clank looking for a key and then pulls out a stinking Pearl of Cleansing, which, she loves Pearl, she does, but she gets more than enough of her neighbour at home, and also she thinks she deserves more than fourteen embers for the pain that she has to go through. 

She’s told Tango, of course, told him to fix his game, but he just laughs and tells her it’s bad RNG. That’s the logical, reasonable explanation, and it makes sense, except it doesn’t. Gem’s seen other hermits get keys just fine. It just hates her, for some reason she can’t fathom.

…Oh, yeah, and there’s the whole… watching other hermits get keys thing.

It’s not—she’s not cheating. Tango had banned exploring the dungeon when not playing the game, through any means: astral projection and dream walking and drones and hidden cameras alike, all of them are illegal and will be met with swift punishment. Gem hasn’t been doing that. She wouldn’t break the rules! But—well, it’s hard to explain. Sometimes she blinks and she isn’t looking through her own eyes anymore. Sometimes she blinks, and she’s much, much larger than her body, and she’s somewhere deep within the dungeon, watching someone else run.

She’s surprised Tango hasn’t caught her yet. She knows he’s there somewhere too, in the dungeon, watching with eyes that aren’t his own. She doesn’t know how she knows that, exactly, but—she knows. It’s like…

Gem can’t sleep much anymore, is the thing. At least not in her own bed. Every time she tries to go home, go back to her base and get some progress done, she finds herself restless and itching to return to the Frozen Citadel. It doesn’t matter that she’s out of shards for the week, or that the queue’s ten people long, or even that there’s no one there—Gem needs to be there. She spends a lot of time in the hallway outside of the entrance, perching in divots in the walls. Sometimes she feels frozen, like her skin’s made of stone, like she’s part of the build itself, and that’s when she blinks, and then she’s somewhere deep, deep down in the belly of the dungeon.

Gem’s not the only one hooked on the game, she knows. She’s not the only one hopelessly addicted. It’s become a bit of a joke now, how Tango is their dealer, allowing them one more hit with every new shard. She’s not the only one who camps out in Decked Out’s halls, just hanging out, watching people play and living vicariously through their enjoyment of the game she won’t get to experience again until next week. But it’s not—it’s different—the other hermits get keys, is the thing. The other hermits… 

The thing is, Gem’s noticed frost creeping up her fingers, frost that doesn’t melt when she breathes on it, frost that doesn’t rinse away when she dunks them in water. She’s noticed—something. Under her skin. Writhing and craving and only briefly satisfied when someone fails to survive the dungeon. She’s noticed the hatred. She can feel it deep in her bones whenever she’s within the dungeon’s walls.

So—Gem knows that the dungeon hates her. She knows. And she knows because she can feel it, because she’s…

Well. She doesn’t know. She’s something. She’s…

She should talk to Tango. If anyone would know, it would be Tango, with his permanently frost-covered skin, and strange absent episodes, and his near-perfect knowledge of the dungeon. If anyone would know what’s happening to her, it would be…

Gem should go and ask him. She really, really should. Before whatever this is gets any worse.

She tucks herself into her corner, the divot where the wall bends in, and waits, a statue in the hall. Through eyes that aren’t her own, she watches, and quietly seethes as Cub acquires a key.

[hunter-gatherer-11]

Fight Me For His Health (Avatar: The Way Of Water)

This is the only picture I could find, for some reason, of both of them hurt. Please, though, imagine them as their real selves, not human like in the picture, okay?

The second photo is the room mentioned with Lo'ak.

Prompt: Let's pretend that on the SeaDragon, which is the tulkun hunting ship, Neteyam does get shot, but let's say he survives (because, as always, in my stories, he lives). Lo'ak, who was being...erm, tortured (A/N: Because your author wants as much angst as possible) freaks out and basically annihilates the soldiers for hurting his brother, his protector.

This gets bloody. And violent, like, really quickly, so please be warned.

I believe I wrote a scene/one shot where Neteyam lost control and like...tore someone's throat out. Now, we're going to see Lo'ak's way of doing it, which is almost the same but...well, just read. GORE WARNING!

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

Third Person POV

Neteyam knew his siblings and Tsireya were in trouble. He felt it, the same way Neytiri had once known without being there that Kiri had broken her arm when she was ten from falling out of a tree and had run to get her. He knew it the same way he knew Lo'ak would run to warn Payakan about the charges. He knew it the same time that his siblings and Tsireya didn't return home, and he had to go get them.

He knew it, deep in his bones, and he was going to fix it.

Lo'ak's Perspective

The ship, called the SeaDragon, was a tulkun hunting ship commandeered by Miles Quaritch, Spider's real dad and Jake's enemy since the Pandoran War fifteen years ago. Tsireya and Tuk were tied with restraints slapped to the bars. Tuk growled, tugging uselessly at them, but it was no use.

Quaritch stopped his Recom solider as the girl with tattoos over her blue skin went to tie Lo'ak up. "Put him in the Room." He snarled, his gold eyes filled with hate. Lo'ak glared right back as he was marched away to a white room with only a table in it. Lo'ak turned, trying to suddenly attack, and was backhanded so hard he fell to the floor, groaning in pain, glaring. The Recom woman just snickered, shutting the door and disappearing.

Warning: Trigger For Torture!

He sat in there for ten minutes, wondering what was happening, what was going to happen, when the door opened again. Quaritch bent, coming in the doorway, and Lo'ak hissed, backing up. Quaritch didn't flinch.

He carefully walked to the table, as close as he dared to get. "Where's your father and mother?" Quaritch asked. "Kä ne kllte, teylupil! Kalweyeveng!" Lo'ak hissed, which was Na'vi for Go to the ground, teylu-face! Son of a bitch! He glared hotly as Quaritch's face twisted. "I don't think you want to test me, kid." He snarled, but Lo'ak wasn't budging. "Kalweyev--" He didn't get to finish before Quaritch hit him, so hard his ears rang, as his head snapped back, slamming against the glass behind him. Lo'ak cried out, knees crumpling, and heard Quaritch snarl, "Where are they?!" "Fuck off!" Lo'ak shouted, in English, and was rewarded with a sharp kick to the ribs, making him yelp. Quaritch yanked him up by the base of his queue, making Lo'ak scream, clawing at his hands, but Quaritch wasn't letting go. "I have no qualms about killin' a bunch of blue rats," Quaritch spits. "Don't make me." He dropped Lo'ak, and Lo'ak coughed, groaning softly.

Neteyam POV

Neteyam was on an ilu, talking to Aonung and Rotxo. "They must've been caught," Rotxo says, his blue eyes wide with fear. "What will they do?" "It doesn't matter!" Aonung snarled, ears flat. "That is my sister, we are going!" he shouted.

Neteyam shared a look with Rotxo. "I am going, for that's my family." Neteyam whispered. Rotxo's eyes hardened like blue gems, and he climbed on his ilu. "Stick together," he said, which was a phrase often used by the Sully kids. Neteyam blinked, surprised that he'd picked it up, but then all three turned, racing for sea.

Back To Lo'ak...

!! Torture warning, tried not to make it too descriptive !!

He was in the room still, but was by no means able to currently rise. That woman, the one with the tattoos, seemed to love hurting him under Quaritch's orders. "Just don't kill him" was all Quaritch had said before leaving, and she hadn't, just beat him to the point he was tired of moving, even to twitch his fingers. She smirked down at him now. "What's wrong, baby?" She giggled. "Too tired?"

His hiss was like a tiny puff of air, not threatening at all. She snorted, kicking him in the face. His head snapped back, but he didn't even have the energy to scream anymore. He could only lay there, bleeding and broken. His breath rattled in his chest, and he found himself thinking of home, of his mom and Dad, no matter how rocky their relationship was. He found himself thinking of baby Tuk, of Kiri in the jungle, asleep as the wood sprites drifted over her. Of Neteyam, telling him not to go down to the battlefield as they scouted, and he wondered where Tsireya was. Is she hurt? Are they hurting her? But he didn't---couldn't---think of that too long, because any thought of her in pain hurt him, too.

The woman's boot landed painfully on his ribs, and this time, he screamed, writhing, as something snapped. "I'm talking to you!" She shouted over his cries. He turned, trying to be fast, and sank his teeth into her ankle. She yelped, her fist landing on his face, three times before she could make him let go, and her hits were not soft. Fresh blood spilled from his nose and lips until he was forced to let her go. In retaliation, she became reckless and just started kicking the shit out of him, and he heard several sickening snaps before Quaritch was shouting at her to stop. "He's no use to me dead, Z!" He yelled. She was breathing hard, eyes flat and dark gold, her ankle gushing blood. "Out." Quaritch growled, and she stormed out, muttering under her breath. Quaritch merely glanced at Lo'ak's broken and bruised body before leaving. Lo'ak wasn't sure how much more he could take.

NETEYAM

Neteyam pushed his ilu as close as it could get to the hull, slipping his queue from the neural queue of his ilu. Aonung and Rotxo did the same. "Follow me, do not make a sound," Neteyam hissed, reaching for the side of the low ship. Aonung and Rotxo climbed after him, all three boys slipping behind huge crates as someone walked by. "Yeah," The voice, a woman, was saying. "Hey, that blue boy?" She laughed, and Neteyam, Aonung, and Rotxo shared a glance. Lo'ak? Rotxo mouthed, and Neteyam nodded.

"What about him?" A male voice asked, slightly deep and raspy. "Well, after I got done with him, he was more red than blue." Cold laughter. Neteyam's brain seemed to short-circuit. He was more red than blue...red is blood...

What has she done to my brother? He snarled in his head.

The two voices faded, two blue smears walking inside, and Neteyam saw them: the girls, Tuk and Tsireya, bawling against the railing, and he was shook. Tuk looked fine, physically, if not a little shaken up, but he was the eldest brother. He noticed a scratch on her face, a bruise on her cheek. If that wasn't enough, Tsireya's cheek was covered in blood from what looked like a knife slash, and she had bruises on her throat, arms, and face.

Aonung saw red.

"Don't!" Rotxo shouted, but it was too late.

With a shriek, Aonung threw himself at the nearest Recom, fingers spasming into claws and grabbing the guy around the throat before he could even squeak. Both toppled to the ground, and surprisingly, no one came running as Aonung slammed the guy's face into the deck, once, twice---crack! Snap!---three times before dropping him. "Nung!" Tsireya cried, tears falling down her cheeks as the three boys rushed over.

"Tuk-Tuk," Neteyam breathed, sawing with his blade at the restraints with his knife. He gulped, "Where's Lo'ak?"

She looked at him, her eyes full of tears, breaking Neteyam's heart. "T-they said the wh-white room..." She bawled. Neteyam glanced at Rotxo. "Can you get her to safety?" He asked sharply. Rotxo nodded. "Come," He told Tuk, who obediently climbed in his arms, and he slung her on his back as Aonung, helping Tsireya, called the ilu. As the creatures appeared, Aonung whispered, "Come back, okay?" He nodded once at Neteyam and helped his sister down, then joined her. Rotxo climbed over the railing carefully, Tuk glancing at Neteyam once more before she was gone.

Neteyam snuck through the ship, ducking behind crates and whatever was available when someone came around. He kept his ears and eyes open, moved as silently as possible, and wasn't caught, luckily. He made it around a bend and saw the white room, through two doorways, which made him curse. He'd have to either risk it and sneak in, or wait until the two Avatars currently in there left. But...he couldn't see Lo'ak. Where is that skxawng? He wondered.

Then, he saw him, and his world stopped, broke, and crashed. Lo'ak was being yanked up by he queue, which made Neteyam wince just watching it, and his face was bloody, bruises coloring his skin like a fucking ink splatter of blood and different shades of black, blue, and purple...and red, of course. His left arm looked broken, and his eyes were slipping shut. "Let's go," A heavily tattooed Na'vi Recom said, and the man dropped Lo'ak. Even out here, Neteyam could hear the thud his body made, and it made him cringe away. The Recoms exited the white room, stalking down the hall, laughing, like they didn't just beat the shit out of a kid with his (pissed, protective) brother watching. The moment they were gone, Neteyam bolted inside...

And nearly fell backwards, shocked, eyes wide. Blood covered the floor in thin streaks, clearly done by Lo'ak, presumably, dragging himself across the floor the way he was now, without even turning, like he was terrified Neteyam was one of the Recoms come to hurt him. "Lo!" He shouted, and Lo'ak went tense, then suddenly limp, and Neteyam heard him crying against the floor.

Neteyam rushed over, hands fluttering, unsure of where the fuck he could touch Lo'ak without hurting him. "They're...coming back," Lo'ak whispered, and glanced up. Neteyam recoiled at the bruises on his baby brother's face. "Just...just go. Quaritch won't let them kill me, not without Dad." "I'm not leaving you!" Neteyam screamed.

A door slammed. "There he is!" He turned, snarling.

Quaritch raised his hands. "Easy, kid. I won't kill you or your brother, alright?" He grinned, but Neteyam wasn't fazed. He stood, muscles tense, and as Quaritch took a step forward, hissed, to the point where Quaritch blinked, stepping back again. "Alright, alright," He said, raising his hands. "I get it, don't come close." He nodded. "I can do that. However, I need him." He smirked. "Your father's here. I made a deal, and he accepted: his sons for his life." No. Neteyam didn't want to believe it. But that was his dad, he'd do anything for his sons. Even die? What about Mom, or Tuk and Kiri and me and Lo'ak? He wondered. "Let us go, then." "Ah, it's...not exactly that easy. But!" He said as Neteyam's ears started flattening. "I can tell you, the moment he steps onboard, you're free." Neteyam paused. He wanted to rip this guy's fucking throat out, and it grew stronger when he glanced at Lo'ak, crumpled, bruised, bloody, and broken, in the corner, eyes foggy. "Don't, Teyam..." He whispered, the energy to speak leaving him. Neteyam glanced back at Quaritch. "Then let us go." Quaritch waved a hand. "I will. Don't fight," He said as four Recoms came in, two grabbing Lo'ak and two restraining Neteyam. He stayed still, knowing it would be worse, at least right now, to fight.

ON THE DECK

Neteyam saw them first: The Olo'eyktan, Tonowari, with his mate, Ronal. Then, his mother, her eyes hard and dark gold. His heart jumped into his throat, seeing Kiri beside her, her hand on her knife. Thankfully, Rotxo, Tuk, Aonung, and Tsireya were not there. "Mama," He heard Lo'ak wheeze, and it broke Neteyam's heart.

"Jake," Quaritch called. "Come on down," He laughed. Neteyam saw his father kiss his mother, saw him kiss Kiri's head, then come in on a skimwing. "NO!" He screamed suddenly, thrashing. "No, Dad, don't---Ah!" He yelped as something slammed into his face, knocking him to the ground. He was yanked up immediately by his queue, making him scream in pain until that was all he could hear. "Stop, stop it!" Jake was suddenly on the deck. Looking at Lo'ak, Neteyam realized, and he was horrified. "What have you done to my son?" Jake breathed, his eyes darkening. "What I had to." Quaritch snarled.

"Dad..." Lo'ak mumbled, his lips swelling from the bruises. The tattooed lady holding him snarled, "Shut up," her (actually pretty) blue face twisted in rage. Lo'ak ignored her. "Dad, I'm sorry--" He yelped, high and piercing, as the woman slammed her pistol into his already busted nose. That was the last straw for Neteyam.

He shrieked, a weird sort of scream that belonged to a demon, and twisted as the man holding him tried to regain a grip. He swung without really looking, hearing a sickening crunch as chaos exploded around the ship. Jake lunged, the other Na'vi came running (or gliding on ilu and whatnot), and the battle begun. He fought his way towards Lo'ak, who was crumpled on the ground, eyes shut. No, no, please, Eywa, don't take him, Neteyam thought, blindly punching someone else. He heard a sudden shriek and turned, seeing his dad with a knife in his shoulder.

Neteyam was tackled before he could open his mouth.

It was the tattooed lady, snarling as her hands wrapped around his throat. Jake was still in a struggle with three others, the other Na'vi distracted and Lo'ak out for the count, so he was on his own. He choked, tail slapping thickly against the metal deck, and scrabbled for his knife sheath, finally unclipping it and yanking out his blade, but she saw that, smacking his hand. Neteyam's knife slid over the deck, rattling against the metal, and was flung over the side of the ship, lost in the sea. His heart ached almost as much as his lungs. His grandmother, Mo'at, had given him the knife, saying she was proud of him. It was like she was gone, now, too.

The woman laughed, her canines flashing in the sun. "After I kill you, baby blue," She mocked. "I'm killing the other." Her gold eyes flicked to Lo'ak, still unmoving, and that. Was. It. He screamed, his hands flying to her face, and dug his nails into her flesh, her cheeks, the only thing he could think of to get her far enough away. She howled in pain, letting go to clasp her cheeks, and Neteyam, moving on survival instinct, lunged, his mouth open, and sank his canines into her throat.

Her blood spurted from her neck, where Neteyam's canines were lodged up to the gums, and he wasn't letting go. She screamed, gurgling, as he pushed her back, teeth still firm, and jerked back, tearing her throat open, blood gushing from her neck all over Neteyam's mouth and chin, down his chest, and dripping to the metal deck like water. She gasped, gurgling wetly, eyes wide, blood staining both her and Neteyam, before she seized and went still. He was breathing hard, blood covering most of his front and his hands, and turned, eyes wild. Kiri, Jake, Neytiri, and Ronal were staring at him, and he wasn't totally sure if they were horrified or not. "Holy, shit," Kiri said. A groan interrupted them, and Lo'ak blinked, coming to. "Lo--" Neteyam froze, about to run over, but...but he was covered in blood. He couldn't see his brother. He backed up, eyes on Lo'ak, who was shaking his head. Kiri, always so understanding, put a hand on his arm, moving past him to Lo'ak. Lo'ak was staring at Neteyam, and Neteyam...he felt, for the first time in his life, like a monster. Like the demon everyone thought his father was. "I'm so sorry," He whispered, his voice loud like a gunshot in the silence. Lo'ak stood with Kiri's help and stumbled over. He kneeled, grasping a dead recom's shirt and ripping it in half before his fingers, five instead of four, touched Neteyam's cheek, soft as a feather, and wiped the blood away, all without a word. Finally, he spoke. "You're my brother, my tsmukan. Don't act like I'm scared of you," Lo'ak snapped, throwing the cloth, now stained red, to the side. "Oel ngati kameie, tsmukan."

"Oel ngati kameie," Neteyam whispered, tears filling his eyes. *******************************************************************

Glossary: Tsmukan = Brother. Oel ngati kameie = I See You.

[alexander-arcturus-black-lupin]

Miles and the jewellery cat (black y/n)

BEWARE THE WORDS IN RED. PLEASE AVOID THEM IF UNCONFORTABLE WITH NSFW PLEASE WARRANT THIS INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE READING THANK YOU LOVELIES

-MR. BLACK-LUPIN

There's a perfectly cut hole in the roof Ganke, this was a pro” a voice cuts him off. 

“Thank you for the compliment spidy” Miles turns and is met with Cat, or Y/N L/N. 

“Ganke, Imma call you back” Miles turned off his intercom as he walked towards.”Wai-” but Ganke could only stare at the red mike. 

Miles directed his attention to y/n who had secured her jewellery pouch to her waist. 

“Y/N?” he came closer till there was only a foot between them. “What are you doing here mami”

“They had a specific thing i was looking for, i decided to drop in and grab it before someone else did” y/n was a variant of catwoman. She pouted her lips as she glanced at another gem on display. 

“Come one papi, can i go” Miles’ heart fluttered in his chest as y/n said papi.

“I gotta turn you in Miami” y/n’s shoulders slumped before popping back up.

“That’s sad, Spidy, but you’re gonna have to catch me first” and with that y/n had somehow reached the ceiling through the perfect hole. 

“Game on Kitty” Miles whispered under his breath before going after her. 

On fifth avenue, y/n had perched on the lancer building which was the tallest on the block. Y/n turned to check if Miles was behind her. 

“Where is he?” She looked over the building. “Did he stop?” she felt a warm breath on her cheek. 

“Of course not, if you ask me to follow you I’d do it in a heartbeat” y/n blushed but she didn’t turn to face him, she didn’t respond. Miles chuckled and flipped her, earning a shriek. “And for a second i thought cat got your tongue, careful now don’t want to wake the neighbours” 

“Let's go” y/n said, a small frown on her face. She was gonna have to break out of prison, fortunately her afro (which was surprisingly well hidden in her mask) held lock picking tools and with a little luck she could bullshit the cops that they’d be racist if they told her to cut it down. She’d be out in no time.

“Go where?” Miles asked bewildered. 

“The Police Station?”Y/n didn’t know if he was joking or if he swung his brain cells as he chased after her. “Obviously”

“Mami i’m not taking you” Y/n finally looked the boy in his eyes, those sweet eyes that held her attention longer than they should have. “I don’t plan on taking you in unless you want to turn yourself in,”

“But the jew-” Y/N patted her side and couldn’t feel the pouch. “Huh?” 

Miles just chuckled at her. “I was a little late for a reason” She was supposed to be mad at him but he laughed. 

“Miles,”

“Yeah Mami”

“Can you take me home” 

“I was just about to,” He wraps his arm around her waist and she feels her heart race. Even with the suit on she could still feel the tingles on her skin.  She puts her head on his chest and feels his heart, it’s almost as wild as hers. 

Could he feel the same way

It’s probably because he’s swinging, yeah. Right?

They landed on the fire escape of her apartment building. She removes herself from him and goes over to her window. 

“Try not to steal anything on your way to bed” Miles jokes and she can’t help but smile at him. She never can. He always makes her smile. No matter the situation. 

“Miles…”

“Yeah Mami” 

“Can you stay?” she mentally curses herself. “I’d appreciate the company”

“Awww, you’d miss me huh” Miles smirks, “I’ll be right back mami,” Miles falls off the building and swings off. 

He’s not coming back

Y/n changes into her pjs which are just a pair of shorts which barely covers her ass and a cute tank top. She turns off the lights in the other room but when she enters her bedroom she sees Miles in different clothes, a shirt and shorts. 

“Damn” he whistles. “You are beautiful”  Y/n blushes. She never really got compliments a lot because of her size. Miles came closer, “What? No one’s ever told you, that’s you are beautiful,” Miles glances out the window rubbing the back of neck. “You probably weren't listening"

“I-i can change” I point at my closet. 

Miles looks back at y/n. “No no don’t I like it, you’re comfortable in it and honestly I like the view” y/n’s heart was racing. Breathe.

Y/n sat on the bed as Miles sat on the sil of the window. 

“Don’t tell me you’re sleeping there” Miles furrowed his brow. 

“Of course not,” he gestures to a sleeping bag on the floor.

“Come one Miles”

 Miles shakes his head. “I’m a guest in your house, the bed goes to you and the sil is a little to thin for sleeping and you wanted company not a roommate so obviously not the couch-”

“Miles”

“Yeah Mami”

“Shut up and bring your black ass up on this bed”

“Mam-”

“Now”

Miles popped onto the bed right beside you, you turned away from him and snuggled into him, spooning him. He held you and then you fell asleep. Although you faintly heard him say something with a beautiful attached to it. 

~Miles often did this that you soon stopped asking, he’d spend most of his nights with you and your feelings for him only grew. It was three months after the jewellery heist went wrong. Miles found out about the fake sack of jewels she had on her that day, all she could do was laugh. It was on the morning after~

***

“I nearly gave a sack of rocks to the commissioner, aka my father…”  y/n was bawling her eyes out. “If i hadn’t dropped it accidentally on my way there… you y/n are extraordinary. Where are the actual jewels?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know” y/n wiped a tear from her eye. “Don’t worry I gave some of them back, but that was because of my affection for you.”  Y/n uncrossed her legs as she stretched them out on the bed, she fell back on the bed before propping herself on her elbows. 

“Affection?”

“Mhmm,”

***

Y/n noticed that Miles wasn’t himself today though, he seemed distant. Right now he was sitting on her spinny chair. Doing something she never thought she’d ever do. She goes over to him and straddles him. Immediately he snaps out of his funk, “Y/n what are you doing?” Miles tried to sound calm but his heart was racing.

“Miles, something’s up with you, your being weirder than usual”

“What do you mean, nothi-”

“Don’t lie to me boy, I can read you like a book and something’s up” Miles sighs and stays silent for a second. 

“Y/n” he whispers. He looks you up and down as though framing this image of you in his head for all eternity.

“Miles” 

“I like you” 

“What of course you do, how else would you be able to stand m-?”

“No Y/n, I like you as in I want to hold you, but not like i always do, i want to hold you like a lover, I want to kiss your soft lips every single minute of the goddamned day. I want to wake up everyday knowing that one day, I can go down on my knees and ask you to marry me. I like you in a way that if I’m not careful around you I might tell you I love you instead, I like you way more than a friend. But,”

But what?

“But I have no clue if you feel the same way or if you just want us to be more than friends, just friends,” he shakes his head. “You do shit like this that makes we want to say fuck it and kiss you and hold you till sunrise, then take you out”

“You-” you don’t let him finish, you kiss him hard. You run your hands through his hair as you kiss him with all of you. You kiss him like he’s the oxygen you need to survive. You look him in his eyes, “Oh Miles, i love you too, I love you so much it scares me” He’s shocked at first but then he palms your cheek and deepens the kiss, he moves from your lips down to your neck probably leaving multiple hickeys. 

NSFW COMES IN HERE His hands reach under your shirt and start pinching and squeezing your nipples sending electric shocks down your spine.  He felt so goddamn good against me "Miles…" you moan. Miles moves down to your neck and collar bone. "Mami, we don't want your mom Investigating now do we," he rolls his hips grinding back.  "Miles…please," Miles chuckles.  "You'll have to be more specific," "I- fuck, I want you," "How?"  "Headfirst between my thighs" Miles chuckles.. “Whatever you say,” NSFW ENDS HERE

After that day, Miles and you started dating. Ganke still holds you for the robbery heist. Miles takes you dates everywhere. You also took him on a date, mostly when he wasn't expecting it. It was adorable, one time you bought him ice cream for your ice- cream date and you flirted with him the entire time. It was only when you were three blocks away did he notice. By then your ice creams were nearly out. 

“Shit we forgot to pay” Miles starts to turn when you stop him in his tracks. 

“Calm down Miles I paid” Miles turns to look at you surprised, “It’s my treat today” I continue. 

“Mami” he rolls his head back and whines.

“Yeah Papi” Miles’ head snaps right back and he looks away blushing. He always blushes when you call him papi. 

“I’m supposed to be paying, not you.'' I chuckle. 

“We both pay, I’m not gonna have you buying everything nu uh, I make my own money although at a restaurant we will either split the bill or play rock paper scissors” Papi- Miles sighs and gives up.

He pecks my forehead and leans in. “I guess I don’t have much of a choice huh” He jokes. “I got an independent woman on my hands”

I chuckle, “Yeah you do”

You chuckle at the memory, he still blushes when you call him papi. Two strong arms wrap around your waist. A peck is placed at the back of your neck. 

“Miles” 

“Y/N”

“You almost scared you know” I turned to face him and put my hands on his chest. “A little more practice should do you good”

“Quiet as a cat” he whispers a smile on his face

“Sneaky as a spider”

[minarixx]

𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 ✯ 𝐓.𝐎𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐰𝐚

“𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝, 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝.”

PAIRING. Oikawa Tooru x f!Reader

CONTENT. Angst

Secret flings but what happens when someone wants more

WC. 1.7k

A/N. Literally came back just to write about my sneaky link right now. Listened to August and cried because everything relates too hard, and we met in August. When he breaks my heart I'm gonna come back with mad angsty one shots.

Had to do a remake cause the other was atrocious.

Masterlink - Songs Unwritten

The night swirled with energy, a symphony of laughter and music filling the air. Y/N stood amidst the pulsating crowd, her gaze drawn to one figure in particular—Oikawa. He moved with effortless grace, the center of attention wherever he went. The charismatic figure around whom the energy of the gathering seemed to revolve.

She had heard about him before, seen him from afar in the hallways of their school, and watched  his volleyball games where his presence commanded attention like a magnet pulling in metal. Tonight, however, was the first time they had exchanged more than passing glances.

Their eyes met, and a spark ignited between them. Y/N's heart raced as Oikawa made his way over, his smile like a beacon in the dimly lit room.

"Hey there," he greeted, his voice smooth and inviting.

"Hi," Y/N replied, her cheeks flushing at his attention.

They fell into conversation easily, the rest of the party fading into the background as they shared stories and laughed together. It felt like they had known each other for years, their connection instant and undeniable.

But as the night wore on, their words flowed more freely, the connection between them deepening with each shared laugh and whispered confession. By the time the early hours of morning approached, Y/N found herself drawn to him in a way she couldn't quite explain.

As the last guests began to filter out and the house grew quieter, Oikawa turned to her with a smile that seemed to hold a promise. "Do you want to go somewhere else?" he asked, his voice low and inviting.

Y/N hesitated for a moment, her mind racing with conflicting thoughts. But the pull of Oikawa's charm was too strong to resist, and she nodded in agreement.

They found themselves outside, the night air cool against their skin as they walked together, the silence between them filled with an unspoken tension. It was as if the world around them had faded away, leaving only the two of them in their own private universe.

When they finally reached a secluded spot, Oikawa turned to her, his eyes searching hers with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. Without a word, he leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss that ignited a fire within her.

In that moment, all doubts vanished, replaced by a hunger she couldn't deny. They stumbled into each other's arms, the passion between them burning brighter with each touch, each whispered endearment.

But as the sun rose on a new day, reality intruded upon their moment of bliss. Y/N watched as Oikawa's expression shifted, his features clouding with uncertainty.

"We should keep this between us," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "It's better that way, don't you think?"

But beneath the surface, Y/N felt the weight of their secret bearing down on her. She longed for something more, something real, but she was too afraid to voice her desires, too afraid of losing what little she had with Oikawa.

Y/N nodded, her heart sinking with a heaviness she couldn't shake. She knew what he meant - they were just two people caught up in the heat of the moment, nothing more.

And yet, despite the ache in her chest, she couldn't bring herself to walk away. So they agreed to keep their encounters a secret, their friendship blossoming even as their relationship remained hidden from the world.

Their hangouts were filled with laughter and excitement, each moment tinged with the thrill of forbidden desire. Whether they were exploring hidden gems in the city, sharing late-night snacks at a deserted diner, or simply losing themselves in each other's company, Y/N couldn't deny the undeniable chemistry that crackled between them.

But as the night waned and she returned home alone, the guilt crept in like a shadow, casting a pall over the euphoria of their time together. She couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that lingered in the wake of their passionate encounters, a nagging doubt that whispered to her in the darkness. 

Why did she give herself like that so easily? She felt like a slut. 

"Why do you keep coming back?" Oikawa asked one night, his brow furrowed with confusion as they lay entwined beneath the stars.

Y/N hesitated, her mind racing with a thousand unspoken truths. "I don't know," she murmured softly, her voice barely audible above the rustle of leaves in the breeze.

But in reality, she knew the answer all too well. She craved the warmth of his touch, the sound of his laughter echoing in her ears. She longed to be wanted, to feel desired in a way that transcended the confines of secrecy and shame.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to voice the depths of her longing, to lay bare the vulnerability that lay hidden beneath her carefully constructed facade. So instead, she remained silent, her heart heavy with the weight of unsaid words, aching for a love she feared she would never find.

But as the weeks turned into months, Y/N found herself yearning for more. She watched as Oikawa flirted with other girls, his laughter ringing out across crowded rooms, and felt a pang of jealousy that she couldn't suppress.

One night, as they lay tangled together in the darkness, Y/N couldn't hold back any longer. "Do you ever think about us?" she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.

Oikawa was silent for a moment, his fingers tracing patterns against her skin. "I'm glad we're not anything serious," he finally said, his tone casual. "I've seen too many relationships crash and burn. We're better off just chilling, don't you think?"

The words hit Y/N like a punch to the gut, leaving her reeling with a pain she couldn't articulate. She forced a smile, nodding in agreement even as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.

"It's nice to just chill, you know?" he said casually, his words like a knife to her heart. 

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat, her heart sinking at his words. She forced a smile, nodding in agreement, but inside, she was crumbling.

The weight of her emotions grew heavier with each passing day, until it felt like she was drowning in a sea of unspoken truths.

"I just don't understand why you keep putting yourself through this," one of them said, her voice tinged with frustration.

Y/N sighed, her shoulders slumping as she struggled to find the words to explain. "I know it's not ideal, but there's something between us, something I can't quite let go of."

"But he's treating you like nothing serious," another friend interjected, her tone harsh. "You deserve so much better than being someone's dirty little secret."

But Y/N couldn't find the words to explain the ache in her heart, the fear of rejection that held her back.  She winced at the words, knowing deep down that they were true. But the thought of walking away from Oikawa, from the connection they shared, was too painful to bear.

"I just wish you could see yourself the way we see you," her friend continued, her voice softening. "You're worth so much more than this."

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat as she stared down at her hands, the weight of their words pressing down on her like a lead weight. She knew they were right, knew that she deserved better than what Oikawa was offering.

Her friends exchanged exasperated looks, their patience wearing thin. "You're being stupid," another friend chimed in. "You need to get out of this mess before it destroys you completely."

But for Y/N, leaving wasn't so simple. Despite the pain, despite the heartache, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was still something worth fighting for. As much as she wanted to walk away. She would rather have this connection with him than risk losing him.

It was August, the summer break was coming to an end.As they lay together beneath a blanket of stars, that Y/N finally found the courage to speak her truth.

"I can't do this anymore," she cried, her voice raw with pain. "I can't be someone's secret."

Oikawa was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable in the dim light. And then, with a sigh, he nodded in resignation. "I knew this would happen," he said, his voice heavy with regret.

The words sharp and cutting as they circled each other like predators in a hunt. Y/N could feel the tension crackling in the air, a palpable force that threatened to consume them both.

"Why do you keep coming back if it makes you so unhappy?" Oikawa demanded, his voice tinged with frustration.

Y/N's heart clenched at the accusation, her defenses crumbling under the weight of his words. "I don't know," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I can't help it."

But even as she spoke the words, she knew they were a lie. She could help it - she just didn't want to. She craved the fleeting moments of joy, the stolen glances and whispered confessions that made her feel alive in a way she had never known before.

And yet, beneath the surface, a storm raged within her, tearing at the seams of her carefully constructed facade. She was tired of hiding, tired of pretending that their relationship was something it wasn't. She wanted more

As the tears welled in her eyes, Y/N knew that she couldn't keep up the charade any longer. She had to be honest - with him, with herself - even if it meant risking everything she had ever known.

"Feelings and emotions got caught in the way. I'm sorry."he said quietly, his voice barely audible above the pounding of her heart.

With those words, their fragile bond shattered like glass. And in that moment, Y/N realized that she had never truly been alone - that he had always known the truth, even when she couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. But now, as she stood on the precipice of her own liberation, she knew that she could no longer hide behind the facade of their secret love.

[mamamittens]

Hi! May Kata and I please have Vanilla Milkshakes with Chocolate and Strawberry syrups and fruit with sprinkles on top! Can we get a Hot Damn, hold the Alice in Wonderland with Motor Oil and Black Jack for me. Oh and that strawberry-red bean mochi ice-cream. Call me "Liz" I'm a decently tall woman she/her. I'm a bit on the heavy side with blue eyes very pale skin and long wavy dark hair that goes past my hips. I'm a bit of a people pleaser and I take things calmly right up until I hit "NOPE!"

OKAY! A bit longer than intended but here it is! Finally! (Sorry for the wait!)

I decided to lowkey imply 'Liz' is roughly his height, maybe a few inches shorter but never addressed it directly, btw.

Warnings: Dubious consent, yandere behavior, possessiveness, protectiveness, unsafe sex, marking, oral sex (female receiving), arranged marriage, praise kink, and possible marriage kink.

Word Count: 2,426

Liz didn’t know why she was here.

Okay, so the wedding dress was a pretty clear indication. But Liz was and has been at a total loss as to why she was getting married since she’d been informed of it a month ago. Members of Big Mom’s crew going in and out of her town to ensure everything was in order. It was baffling and stressful.

Her family didn’t own anything of importance. A small grocery store—Liz doubted that’s what caught Big Mom’s eye—and a little townhouse. That was it. No one in her family had done anything noteworthy in the past few generations besides survive and be tall. But surely that wasn’t it? Just… being tall?

No, Liz shook her head, trying not to mess up her hair. Definitely not.

Her dark hair had been rolled up into a braided headband with gem-studded pins to hold it and the veil in place. White lace dress fitted around her body to her knees where it pooled around her feet and in a long train studded with pearls. Elegant and beautiful, Liz could barely recognize herself, although it only made sense considering who was paying for the wedding... She’d appreciate the dress more if she even understood why it was her walking down the aisle to begin with.

She wasn’t even sure who she was marrying, either. Literally nothing had been asked of her.

Liz had been told she was getting married.

Hell, the only reason she knew it had to be one of Big Mom’s—frankly many—children was because she’d come into town and announced it herself. No one argued against it. How could they?

Liz hadn’t had any opportunity to make a break for it. Not that she had anywhere to go, but still. Everywhere she looked for the month leading up to this moment, there was someone from Big Mom’s crew lurking. Even now she knew at least one person was stationed just outside the room until it was time to walk down the aisle.

There was a knock on the door and Liz jumped. Her startled gaze looking back through the reflection as the door opened a crack a ways behind her.

It was Brulee, one of Big Mom’s daughters. Dressed in a pale lavender dress not too far off from the color of her hair. Beaming with a mischievous look at her.

“It’s almost time~! Are you ready, dearie?” She asked. Liz grimaced, looking over the vanity. There wasn’t anything else she could think to do, so she shrugged.

“I guess?” Liz mumbled, looking at her bouquet of honeysuckle and lavender dotted between white roses. It was an odd choice and certainly not native to her town.

Brulee tutted and sauntered into the room.

“A little more blush, I should think! You’re frightfully pale, even for a bride.” She delicately picked up a brush and dabbed it in the powder before gently tilting Liz’s face towards her. “My brother has been quite excited about this, you know.”

“Brother?” Liz asked, closing her eyes in preparation before the soft bristles dusted her cheeks. Brulee cackled.

“Yes! I know, I know! We’ve been quite secretive about it~ It’s quite a momentous occasion, you’ll have to forgive us for the dramatics.” Brulee paused, putting down the brush. Liz opened her eyes and looked at her. She seemed pensive. “He’s a good man. You’ll give him a chance, won’t you?”

Liz was a bit thrown. On one hand, it was understandable that Brulee would ask for her brother. On the other…

“Was this his idea? The arranged marriage thing?” Brulee tutted.

“No, if it was up to him, he’d never have made a move. We just got tired of watching him pine!” Brulee huffed. Liz looked at her in alarm.

“Pine?!” Had they met?!

Brulee paused, lifting her hand to her ear with an innocent expression.

“Oh, do you hear that? The ceremony is starting, we best get going or we’ll be late~!” Liz barely had time to grab the bouquet before Brulee ushered her out of the room.

The whole town was waiting along with Big Mom’s crew. And at the end of the walkway was her future husband.

Charlotte Katakuri.

If she wasn’t so shocked, she’d have laughed. He seemed just as flustered to be there as she was. Blush prominent even over the brim of his ever-present scarf draped over a black suit.

A lot like that rainy day almost a year ago…

Liz rushed out after locking up the store, struggling with her umbrella under the pouring rain. It popped open suddenly, sending her back against someone else. Just a little taller than her—shockingly—and wet from the rain. His face obscured behind a scarf, she knew who he was anyway.

“Ah… are you closed for the day?” He had asked.

If she’d have known it would end like this, she probably would have agreed and left it at that.

“Oh! We-we kind of are but I can let you grab something real quick if you’re in a hurry?” She couldn’t see his face properly at the time, but his eyes suggested a soft smile.

And here they were.

For some reason, getting married. Seemingly—if Brulee was to be believed—without input from either one of them.

The only coherent thought she had the rest of the ceremony was that this was somehow the most awkward wedding she’d ever been a part of.

There wasn’t even a kiss—notthatshewashopingit’sjust-its-thisisawedding?!—because Katakuri glared at the priest when he mentioned it.

Brulee did boo at that but he seemed more flustered than angry, so Liz didn’t argue either way. For a moment, she thought that Katakuri was just as reluctant to be there as she was. But as he gently pushed up the veil from her face, she saw his eyes.

Narrowed and dark, her husband looked ready to devour her. Covetous and hungry. No trick of the light, either, as he gently pressed his forehead against hers. His voice clear but soft enough only she could hear him.

“Mine.”

That word settled in her chest like a rock. This was no accident. The wedding may not have originally been his idea, but it was undeniable that he wanted this.

Better than the loveless marriage she feared only an hour ago, but still…

Neither his gaze nor his hand left her side the entire celebration. Big Mom—oh seas her mother in law now—having an entire cake to herself as she was given gifts ‘for the household’.

Liz didn’t even realize she’d likely be moved from her home. Hadn’t been able to even consider that reality in all the confusion.

“…Where are we going?” She asked softly when Katakuri suddenly excused them from the head table to ‘retire’ for the night. He glanced at her and his gaze softened.

“My private quarters. No one will bother us there.”

Liz felt her heart race, face flush as she was dragged past the familiar faces of her home towards a large ship in the docks. There was a sort of desperate energy to him as he walked faster, hands twitching to pick her up to carry when he boarded the ship.

Mochi littered the deck in their wake, forming thick walls as he led the way deeper through a maze of halls and past rows of doors. The smell tickling her nose as he threw open a large door.

Liz was tossed unceremoniously into the dark as the doors slammed shut behind them. Bouncing off of a soft mattress, dress flaring around her knees. She could hear him panting. The sound of fabric falling to the floor as he moved around the room.

The crack of a match close by made her jump.

It was Katakuri, delicately holding up a flaming match to a candle before moving to light more candles around the room. About a dozen providing dim, intimate warmth to the room. His chest bare of any clothing and only dress slacks hanging loosely around his hips. Tattoos running down his left side almost gold in the soft light as he turned towards her.

The scarf that used to pile onto his broad shoulders slipped onto the floor, revealing sharp fangs poking out from his lips and scars running up from the corners to above his ears.

“You look breathtaking right now, laying on my bed, wife.” Katakuri breathed, almost panting as he crawled up the sheets. He stared down at her with rapt appreciation, eyes skimming over her bared shoulders and where her dress failed to contain her soft skin. “It’s only fitting that such a sweet dream found it’s way here. I apologize if I seem ravenous. I just can’t wait to eat you up~”

He leaned down and pressed the flat of his tongue in the crevasse between her breasts. Lapping up the exposed area to her neck where he pressed his lips hard against her skin. Nipping and sucking it between his lips. Without thinking, Liz pushed her palms to his shoulders with no effect. And for a moment, he ignored her flustered squirming, intent on bruising her pale neck with a soft growl.

His hands swept over the sheets and clasped her wrists together. Something soft and thick forming a tight band around it as he shoved her hands up towards the bedframe where it stuck. He grinned, kissing her chest as he tugged the cups down under her breasts, exposing them to his fangs.

Hands now free, he eagerly ran his hands down her wide hips, tugging the fabric to see how much give there was.

Katakuri nipped a soft mark under her breasts as he gently pulled the dress up her hips. Slowly exposing her stockings and garter belt as the fabric bunched in a thick band around her waist. The weight of the fabric making her breathless as his breath sank through the layers while he kissed his way to her thighs.

“K-Kata--!” Liz yelped when he opened his jaw wide and sank his teeth into her thigh and stockings. Just enough to leave a mark as he sucked a harsh mark, his tongue rolling over the thin fabric and soft skin. She could feel his laugh in her cunt he was so close, the air curling around her wet panties.

“Yes, my sweet? Are you as impatient as I am to be mine?” He cooed, releasing her thigh to press his tongue over her clothed pussy. “Finally mine. No have and to hold, you’ll want for nothing. What’s mine is yours.” Katakuri declared, pulling her panties to the side to sink his tongue into her folds with a moan.

Liz gasped, arching off the bed as his hot tongue slipped into her cunt easily between her arousal and the thick drool on his tongue.

“O-Ooooh~ K-Ka-aaahh~ta! Fuck!” Liz’s head snapped back as her heels dug into the bed to try and lift away from his encroaching tongue. But he gripped her thighs and lifted her up, burying his head eagerly as he seemed to fight to drench her cunt faster than she could on her own.

Her garter snapped against her thigh and she screamed, clenching down on his tongue as he fucked her open for his pleasure. His moans of appreciation echoing over the wet smacks of his lips against her cunt. Intertwining with her sobs as she rapidly approached the edge, pussy soaked and thoroughly tasted.

Suddenly, he yanked his head back with a lewd pop, her cries cut short only to rise sharply as something much less forgiving pressed into her cunt.

Katakuri braced himself above her with one hand, the other steadying her hips for his encroachment. Cock slipping easily into her as he panted for air harshly. Eyes burning into her as he grinned, lips and chin still soaked with her arousal.

“You’re taking me so well, my sweet. Like you were made for this—for me.” He whispered, leaning down to give her a chaste kiss as though he wasn’t hilting his cock in her walls and smearing her cum on her cheeks. “Go on. We’re married now, there’s no need to hide how bad you want this.” Katakuri slipped his tongue into her mouth as he started a slow rhythm. Fucking her into the bed in an unrelenting slide, grinding against her walls with every groan.

Liz moaned, the fire growing under the heavy weight of her dress and in her pussy.

“K-kaaaaaaahh~ oh fu-UCK—K-KATA—Ahhhh-ah~!” Liz wailed as he ground into her hips, pressing the full weight of his body against the mattress. He laughed victoriously.

“Just like that, sweet wife~ Take everything you want from me.” Katakuri hissed, rolling his hips against her trembling thighs harder. “I’ve got so much to give you!”

Liz jerked her hands against the thick band of mochi as she soaked her dress with cum.

“I knew you’d fit perfectly beneath me from the moment I saw you. Look at you~ So sweet on your husband’s cock~” Katakuri moaned, the bed rocking harder with noisy protests. “I’m all you need, aren’t I? This is all you need, isn’t it? Tell me who you need.” he hissed, the frame now slamming against the wall.

Wet smacks and groaning wood almost drowning out her mortified moans.

He looked possessed, mouth agape as he bared his teeth like he was about to take a bite.

“Y-YES! YES! OOoooh! K-Katakgh—Ah! Hhaahhh~!” Liz seized, clenching down on him so hard her hips followed as he pulled back to slam into her cunt. Her eyes watered as her orgasm burned through her thoughts. “I-I need you! I need you~! O-Ohhhh~! YES! K-Ka-ata, yes!”

“I knew it! I knew you needed me! Oh? Tsk, don’t cry sweet wife, we have our whole honeymoon to sate our desire~” Katakuri grunted, pressing her into the mattress as he finally came. Cum settling in hot around his cock and down her thighs as he laughed breathlessly, nuzzling her hair. “Not that I’ll ever stop hungering for your sweetness, just like your sweet body will hunger for mine. Isn’t that right, wife?”

Liz sobbed, trembling as he rocked against her, grinding his twitching cock in deep.

“Y-yes…” She gasped as he nipped her throat harshly. “H-Husband—oooh~” Liz moaned helplessly as his hand slipped down to her clit and rubbed it.

“My sweet, obedient wife~” Katakuri purred, thrusting into her again while teasing her clit.

It was going to be a very long night.

[five-rivers]

Ancestral 5

Danny didn’t know what to do for Vivian.  Not being able to really touch her took away a lot of options, and she didn’t seem to be listening to him.  She kept trying to say something - or maybe a lot of things - but Danny couldn’t hear her, and–

His cousin was dead.  She’d been twenty-five.  

She was dead, and she was here, a ghost, having a breakdown.  Danny sat down on the floor in front of where she was kneeling, hoping he could at least remind her that he was here that way.  

The ghosts were watching, their eyes bright pinpricks as the sun went down and the dining room was cast into shadow.  They kept a respectful distance.  

“Vivian,” tried Danny again, once it seemed that Vivian wasn’t shaking quite so much.  “Vivian, I know this is- this is scary, and you probably don’t understand what’s going on.  I don’t either, all that much, but…  Can you try to tell me what…  Tell me how you got here?  What happened?”

Slowly, Vivian looked up.  When she had been alive, her eyes had been that soft, almost violet blue that was common in the royal family (which, yes, was because of inbreeding; just because it was true didn’t mean Danny liked to think about it).  Now, they were a watery, faded, but somehow still cutting magenta.  Their weak glow glittered on the tears she’d shed.  

She hugged herself.  

“I’m sorry,” said Danny.  “I’m so sorry.  If I had–”  If he had what?  He’d only just gotten here.  Vivian might have been dead since she went missing.  “I’m sorry you’re dead.”

Vivian flinched.  

“I’m sorry,” whispered Danny, miserable.  “But, maybe, if I can figure out what happened, we can stop whoever it was from doing it again.”

Vivian chewed her lip, then nodded.  She held out her right hand, the one with the bracelet.  Vivian was in the direct line to the throne.  Prince Theodore, her grandfather, had been the heir.  In the normal course of things, Vivian would have eventually taken the throne.  She’d even been preparing for the trials.  

Her position came with certain traditional roles.  One of those roles was keeping track of the Lesser Seal of Avlynys and one of the Great Gate Keys.  William had kept them on a necklace, when it was his turn.  Vivian tended to switch them between a necklace and her bracelet.  

Spectral copies of both hung from Vivian’s wrist.  The usually-emerald gem on the key - the central element to an eye design - had gone as pink as Vivian’s eyes, the pond-and-tree design on the seal wavered as Danny looked at it, and both items looked as pale and washed out as Vivian, but they were recognizable.  

More importantly, Vivian’s wrist was torn and bleeding under the bracelet.  Her skin was bruised, a sickly greenish color.  As Danny watched, the damage swept up her arm and over her whole body.  Her clothing was torn.  One of her eyes was swollen shut.  Her jacket and shoes were missing.  Her skirt was– 

Danny returned his eyes to her face, then her hand.  

Despite all her other injuries, Vivian’s hand and wrist showed the most damage.  It looked like someone had been trying to rip the bracelet off of her, and had been willing to break her arm to do it.  

“They wanted the seal?” asked Danny.  “Or the key?”

Vivian nodded, and the signs of her death bled away.  Did Vivian even know she’d done that?  Danny wasn’t exactly an expert on ghost formation, but it seemed a bit early for shapeshifting, even with something minor.  

“And then you came here?” asked Danny.  “Or did you form here?”

Vivian sucked her lips in.  She looked like she was trying not to start crying again.  

“Sorry,” said Danny, quickly.  “Sorry, was that insensitive?  That was insensitive, I won’t–”

Vivian shook her head and looked away for a moment, seeming to survey the other ghosts.  Some of them waved at her, others tapped their own wrists or pointed at Danny.  The woman with braids pointed at her eye, then Danny, then her wrist.  

There was something else.  Why wouldn’t Vivian show Danny?

Vivian turned back to him, shoulders slumped.  She mouthed something at him.  The only words Danny could make out were don’t and you.  And he could only figure out that last one because Vivian reached out to him when she said it.  

“I’ll be okay,” said Danny.  “Promise.”  And then, because Vivian was family, not a stranger, and she wasn’t going to rat him out to his parents or the GIW, he transformed.  

The ghosts went completely and utterly still for a moment, then exploded into motion, some of them grabbing onto and shaking each other.  They seemed excited.

Danny still couldn’t hear them.  

Vivian stared, eyes wide and stunned.  

“See?” said Danny.  “I’ve– It’s like I have super powers, right?  I’ll be okay.  Really.”

Vivian nodded slowly.  She raised her hand again and flipped over the key, to face the decorative gem away from Danny.  A simple compass was engraved on the head.  Vivian then adjusted her grip on the key until it was horizontal.  

The spoke of the compass nearest Danny lit up.  

Danny had seen more impressive ghost powers before, but he was still curious.  “So, does it show you where you need to go, or…?”  Despite himself, despite knowing that he wouldn’t be able to touch, he reached for the key.  His fingers brushed against it, and the key dropped to the floor with a clatter.  

“What?” hissed Danny.  He’d been pretty sure he’d been figuring out the rules to this, but what?

He picked up the key.  It felt solid.  It looked real, not immaterial like it had been on Vivian’s bracelet, and the gem was green again.  

Vivian tried to take it, but while her fingers stopped against it, she couldn’t get any purchase, and when Danny tried to put it in her hand, it fell through her palm and onto the ground again.  

“That’s… weird,” said Danny.  He held the key horizontally.  The compass didn’t light up.  “Great.  I’m sorry for breaking…  I don’t know.  I don’t know what’s going on.”  He ran his hand through his hair.  Maybe if he knew more about Avlynys, he’d at least have some context.  “Is this the original?  Did we teleport this here?  Is it a copy?”

Vivian shrugged at him.  She didn’t seem any happier… of course, she wouldn’t be happy anyway.  Dying was… bad.

The sound of a door opening startled Danny, and he snapped back to his human form, suddenly paranoid about being seen, and shoved the key into his pocket.  The ghosts must have heard it too, because, except for Vivian and the woman with braids, they all flitted through the walls, towards the front of the manor.  

“I’m going to see who that is,” said Danny, quietly.  He backtracked through the kitchen, not wanting to use his powers in an unfamiliar environment unless he had to.  He didn’t know where the bathrooms were, for one.

Yeah.  Better safe than sorry.  

“--can’t just decide things unilaterally!”  A pause.  “Of course I still support you, I’ve always supported you in this, you know that, but we need to do things the right way, and that hasn’t.  Changed.”

Danny peered around the doorframe into the entryway.  Matthew was standing there, in a long coat and rather rumpled suit.  There was a pin on his lapel with the same eye design as Vivian’s Great Gate Key, but it was cracked clean through, part of the enamel falling out.  His hair looked like it had been slicked back with product sometime in the last few days, then not cared for since then.  A series of pimples lurked in the stubbly beginnings of a beard.  At least one of them had been scratched through and was still sluggishly bleeding.  He was speaking into a phone, trying to get his shoes off one-handed.

“Yes, we do need stability, but upending our rules isn’t the way to go about it– We need to modernize, not turn ourselves into another tax haven for– If you haven’t noticed, I’m not king.  And even if I were, I wouldn’t make upending–  You do realize my position as a prince is different from that of a common business owner–  No, I’m not calling you common, I’m talking about my own business interests.  I’m well aware that you have a ti–  Ancestors watch me, Skyppa, are you really going to take offense over thinking I called you a commoner?  Which one of us is living in the fifteen hundreds now?”

A movement caught his eye, and Danny watched one of the ghosts double over in laughter.  Maybe it was funnier in-context.  

“Do you actually have any relevant Assembly business to talk about, or are you just trying to use a national and personal tragedy to promote your own interests?  Which is something I wouldn’t appreciate even if I did agree with you wholeheartedly.  Which I don’t.”

Danny could hear someone, presumably Skyppa, shout, “I’ll remember this!” on the other side of the line.  Then there was a protracted moment of silence, and then Matthew pulled his phone away from his face, looking at it with clear disgust.  

“I’ll remember this, too,” he muttered.  

“Matthew?” Danny called, stepping into the room.   “Are you okay?”

Matthew stared blankly at him for a moment.  “Oh,” he said, blinking.  “Danny.  Does that mean your branch of the family is here?”

“Not Aunt Alicia, yet,” said Danny.  

“She would be hard to get a hold of,” said Matthew.

Danny nodded.  Spitoon wasn’t an easy place to get to.  “What was that?” he asked.  “With the phone.”

Matthew grimaced, the motion putting on the dark circles under his eyes.  “Julius Skippa.  Member of the Assembly.  Wants me to change the throne’s requirements for foreign businesses so we can ‘start fixing things.’  Usually I’m sympathetic - I want more international business - but it isn’t as if this happened because we don’t have Walmarts…”  He rubbed a hand over his face.  “I’m sorry you had to see that.  Have you seen Iris and George?”

“No,” said Danny.  “I’ve only seen Joanna.”  And Vivian.  And dozens of ghosts.

Oh, god, no one else knew Vivian was dead.  How was he supposed to let everyone know?  He had to let everyone know.  They still thought she was just missing.  

“Have you heard anything about Vivian?” he asked, timidly.  

“No,” said Matthew.  “We–  It’ll be best to get the whole family together to explain.  Can you help me find everyone?”

“I think they’re mostly asleep.  In the bedrooms,” he added.

“Alright,” said Matthew.  “Could you get them?  And then…  I think the dining room would be best.”  He forced a smile.  “I need a… moment.  And I don’t think I’d survive waking Madelin up like this.”

“Sure,” said Danny.  

When he looked away from Matthew, it was to see all the ghosts, except Vivian, pointing at their eyes and their hearts.  That was incredibly ominous and also incomprehensible.

“Is something wrong?” asked Matthew.  

“No,” said Danny.  He walked through the ghosts.  He’d have to figure out what was going on there eventually… But first he wanted to hear what Matthew had to say. 

[fangirlstorycreator]

Hey Bestie 🖤 I have a Valek request (surprise 😁) We are in a hidden relationship with him cause it's not allowed for humans to be so close with vampires.Everybody thinks they're dangerous and evil. So we're seeing each other just for a few minutes a night but then one night we can't hold back anymore and we're going to see him. He's afraid that someone could have seen us at first but he yearns for our touch and it gets very physical and spicy😏With a happy ending. Take all the time you need Bestie 🙏 I love you ☺️

Thank you so much for the ask bestie! I am more than happy to write this for you 😃 enjoy 💚

Contains: sexual content, female oral receiving, vampire biting

To you, the whole world felt like it had gone insane. You had grown up in a world where vampires were only in movies and were little myths and fairytales that children heard, the human race never expected them to actually exist. The truth about vampires was slightly different than what everyone thought, instead of the vampire race being started by Dracula, it actually started over 600 years ago when a group of priests experimented with one of their own. They turned him into the very first creature of the night, a vampire. He was the very first of his kind, and therefore the most powerful of the entire race. He made other vampires to join him in his world of darkness, they were known as higher vampires, they had similar abilities to the very first vampire, but nowhere near the capabilities of him. There are two diffrent ways to turn a human into a vampire, one of them is where they simply bite a human and allow the venom go through their body, changing them into a lesser vampire within a days. The other way is to drain the human of blood until they are on the brink of death, then the vampire will give them their blood, ingesting the powers of the vampire they are with. Many vampires have been made with just a simple bite, but only higher vampires are strong enough to create a vampire the other way. Many of the higher vampires have sired someone, but the very first vampire never had. Because he is the first, he will only feed on animals for blood, but he will not bite a human. He will only bite his soul mate once he finds her.

The blood chemistry changes when a higher vampire meets their life mate, a magical bond exists between them and a normal venom infused bite will not change them into a vampire. Instead it will release a diffrent venom that will enhance the mates physical desires, making them feel a heightened sence of pure pleasure. In order for a higher vampire to turn their mate into one of them, they must drain them of their blood, and feed them theirs in return. This was one of the many things you learnt about vampires as you grew up. You learned that garlic is nothing but superstition, it doesn't affect them in anyway. Holy water IS corrosive to vampires skin, and a cross is only effective if it has a figurine of jesus on it. Also, a steak to the heart will kill lesser vampires, but will only injure higher ones, it's similar to someone trying to stab a car tyre with a butter knife. Only higher vampires were able to walk in the sun, they found a cross many hundreds of years ago, and they tried to do a ritual where they could walk in the sun without any damage, but unfortunately it didn't work. However, they destroyed the cross and made a series of rings out of the gems stones and magically infused wood, and when they wore them, they were able to walk in the sunlight with no issues at all, just as long as they were wearing the ring.

Only the very first vampire and the higher ones had these rings, thus making them even more powerful. The very first vampire was described as being incredibly tall, long black wavy hair, pale eyes, long fingernails and veins around the edge of his face apon his pale complexion. His name, was Jan Valek. You were taught that all vampires were dark and cruel, and if they even so much as glanced at a human, they wouldn't think twice about ripping their throat out. They were true monsters....but what people say...aren't always true...as you learned one night. You and a friend of yours had decided to go out for a drink in the local bar, this friend wasn't always reliable, but if it got you out if the house, you didn't mind who you were with. You both walked together to the bar, it was pitch black and there were other people your age just hanging out and drinking, both inside and outside the bar. "Are you ready to get drunk!" "Well, not so much drunk" "Oh come on Y/N! We need some fun! Hey, how about we find someone to go home with tonight huh? There's loads of sexy looking guys around hear!" "You know I'm not that type of woman Gabby, but if you want to find someone sexy, who am I to tell you what you can and can't do? All I'll say is, be careful and remember your tazer in your handbag, ok?" "Alright fine....god you sound like my mum" You and Gabby have a few drinks and have a relatively nice time out, it's nearly midnight when your sat at your table and Gabby runs back over to you, she is looking very excited.

"Y/N! Y/N! Is it ok if I leave you too it? You see that guy at the bar? I'm taking him back to my place to give him the time of his life!" "I supose that's fine Gabby, just remember-" "Be safe and don't forget about the tazer, I know. I'll see you later!" And with that, she runs back up to the bar and starts making out with this random guy. You were used to this sort of thing, always being the third wheel, it was normal for you. Other guys never gave you a second glance, so why bother going to look for attention? It was just a waste of time. Gabby walked out of the bar with this man, leaving you alone while other people were with their friends having fun. You were a very sensible woman and knew how to protect yourself just incase anyone tried anything. There were rumours that vampires were seen around this area for the last few weeks, but that didn't bother you. If there really was vampires around, wouldn't there be death reports? Especially with what everyone thinks vampires are like. Anyway, you sat there on your own and finished your drink, you didn't feel like staying out much longer, especially not with anyone to talk to. So you paid for your drinks and made your way outside, where there were only a handful of random drunk men all chatting and drinking. So you wait patiently in the area where taxi's turn up, one or two always come buy every half hour or so, but it seems that someone has seen you and likes the look of you. "Hey there sweet lips, what a girl like you doing all on her own huh?" "My name isn't sweet lips, I'm waiting for a taxi home, and I'm not a girl I'm a woman. Now go away"

You step away from him, but he takes another step closer to you, clearly not taking the hint. "I said go away" "Ah come on baby, you wanna have a little fun? I can show you something impressive" "Trust me, I highly doubt you have ANYTHING impressive to show me" "Wanna bet?" When you look at him, he shows you a large beaming smile, and suddenly 2 sharp fangs form at the top of his teeth, you instantly reach into your handbag once you realise he's a vampire. "Now, why don't you come along with me and I'll show you a good time eh?" "How about you go f#ck yourself" "You asked for it b#tch!" He lunges at you, but you grab his wrist, pull him down and take out your taser from your handbag. You taze him right inbetween his shoulder blades, making his shake in pain as he screams. He falls to the ground when you back off, still with the tazer in hand. "Oooh, you like it rough do you? Well let's see how you like this!" He runs right at you to attack you, but your one step infront, you dodge him for just a moment, but that was all you needed before you kicked him right in the ribs, and he fell to the floor winded. You don't hold back, you punch and kick him again and again, not allowing him a chance to get up and do something to you. Once you can see that he is in a complete state on the floor, you tell him. "I would have called the police, but pr#cks like you deserve karma" You are walking away from him when you suddenly bump into someone without realising.

He was 6 ft 5, he had long black wavy hair and his eyes were a piercing colour, almost like pearl mixed with diamond.

"Are you alright?" "Huh? Oh yeh, I'm fine. That guy over there was being-" "I know what we was doing...I was about to intervene before I saw how you handled him...I'm impressed..." "Thanks...its no less than what he deserves. Anyone willing to attack a woman on her own needs a taste of his own medicine. And I wouldn't be suprised if he's tried hurting other women too" "He's a disgrace to his kind..." "Yeh your ri-wait, his kind? You know he's a vampire?" "I can sence one of my own kin from anywhere, he's a disgrace. If you'll excuse me for just one moment" This towering man slips past you and makes his way over to the man who tried to assult you as he was getting back up. This man must have been a vampire too, but he seemed very mature....and strong. "Get up!" "Who the hell do you think you ar-Oh! My lord! I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you!" "I said get up!" "Yes, yes my lord" The man scrambles to his feet and addresses him, straightening himself up to look impressive. "I was a witness to how you treated this young woman, how do you explain yourself? And don't you dare think about lying to me, because I will know if you are. Remember, I witnessed what you did" "My lord, I-I was only trying to get lucky. She's looked-" "She looked what?" "...Easy? I was just trying to-" He couldn't say anything else when this mysterious man grabbed him by his throat and held him up, pinning him against the wall, it completely stunned you. "You dare speak about this woman in that way? Woman are suposed to be protected, cherished....not be seen as inanimate objects for your own personal use!" "I'm sorry-I'm sorry!"

"Silence!.....Leave this place and never darken the sight of any woman ever again, do I make myself clear?" "Yes! Yes I'm sorry lord Valek" What did he just say? No! It cant be can it? He throws this guy to the floor and he runs away as quickly as he could, and this man turns back and walks back to you, your to stunned to say anything. "I apologise for my actions just there, but like you said yourself, he deserves a taste of his own medicine" You were still a little shocked, and he could see that etched on your face. "Please don't be afraid my dear, I do not wish to frighten you in anyway. I'm sure you have heard many tales about my kind-" "Your him aren't you?" "I'm sorry?" "Your really him....your Jan Valek" He gives you a small smile "Indeed I am....and your...your not frightened....I can sence it from you" "No...no I'm not frightened" "How? Humans fear my kind and flee the moment they see us....but you haven't run away from me? Despite knowing who I am? Haven't your kind told you many terrible tales about me?" "They have..." "But?..." "But I'd rather see things for myself before I can judge" Again, a small smile is smoothing over his lovely lips, showing his beautifully white teeth. But something caught his attention, he could hear the sound of a patrol car coming that way, as well as police cars, there were patrol cars who had people trained in killing vampires who drove them, they were a danger to Valek. "Let me walk you to your taxi" He offered as you both walk towards one that just pulled up, he opened the door for you and closed it behind you when you got your seatbelt on.

He leaned against the open window as you look back at him. "I must leave, it's not safe for me to be out hear" "So? I wont be able to speak to you again?" "Is that something you would like?" "....yes, I would"

"Then we shall....this address is where it is safe for both of us" He says handing you a card, delicately brushing his fingers against yours as he pulls away. "If you wish to see me again, I will be at this address before sunset....but before you go, I must know....what beautiful name was bestowed to you?" "Y/N" "Y/N...its like music to the ear" He gently takes your hand in his and brings it to his lips, placing a kiss on the back of it. "I will hope to see you again, my dear Y/N....have a pleasant night" And with that, the taxi driver goes down the street as it takes you home, and Valek is able to flee the scene before the patrol arrives. You had many thoughts running through your mind as you make your way home. How the hell did you manage to speak to the very first vampire? Why didn't he kill you? Why was he interested in helping and talking to you? Why did he look so handsome? You shouldn't fine someone you just met so handsome, despite him being a vampire, THE vampire! Were you dreaming? Why did he kiss your hand and look at you like that? And will you really go through with it and see him again? Your family were so against vampires that if you mentioned anything about them, they wouldn't listen to single word you say, they were dead set against them...but you weren't.

You spent a few days at home, thinking about the pros and cons of seeing Valek again, and after some careful consideration, you decided to go. The next early evening, you told your family you were tired and were going to bed, they didn't care and said goodnight to you. Thats when you went upstairs to your room, slipped out of the upstairs window and made your way down the drain pipe to the ground. It was easy and you had done it many times before, so you slipped into the garage and pushed your moterbike out to the street, not wanting to make anyone in the house aware. You turn your bike on and head in the direction of the address he gave you. It took about 20 minutes to get there, and when you arrived, it was a motel. It didn't look very popular, but maybe that was a good thing. This may have been a safe place for vampires, especially considering he isn't able to be around humans in public for more than a few minutes without the fear of being hunted or killed. You parked up outside and walked towards the motel, there was only one room that looked like there was someone inside, so you walk up to the door and gave it a knock. And as soon as you did that, it swung open and standing in the doorway, was Valek. "You came, please come in Y/N" "Thank you" You walked in and there were other vampires there too, maybe 7 or 8?

They were all doing their own thing and chatting amongst themselves. "Y/N, may I offer you a drink?" "Oh yes please" He guides you over to the drinks table and he makes one for you first, then himself. It was surprisingly pleasant considering you were in a room filled with suposed monsters. They were all happy to meet you and talk to you, you spent most of the night talking to Valek but the others too, it was much calmer and nicer than any nights out you had with any human you knew, you really enjoyed yourself. You had been there nearly 3 hours already, and you started to feel quite hot, and Valek could see that. "Y/N your very red, would you like to get some fresh air" "I would love too" He walks you out of the motel room and you both lean against one of the vampires black cars outside, it was so nice to feel the cool breeze as you start to feel better. "I'm so pleased you came to see me Y/N, I wasn't sure you would come" "I honestly wasn't sure I was going to either, but I'm so glad I did. I've had the best night ever hear, laughing, drinking and feeling more at home than I do in my own house. My uhh...my family arent the easiest to live with" "Oh no, may I ask why?" "They're just so closed minded, they are so judgemental of everyone and I don't want to be anything like them. My parents are even judgemental towards me, they don't like who I am or how I like to experience new things. I honestly feel trapped there sometimes, but i have nowhere else to go" "Well you do now" "What do you mean?"

"You can be around us, everyone in that motel room really enjoyed your company and they have told me themselves that they hope you come again. I certainly hope you come back again, having you around....makes me feel more alive than I have ever felt" "You really mean that Valek?" "Every single word" This is very sweet of him to say, but you have some doubt. "What's wrong?" "Its just...Valek I....I don't know why you of all vampires would want to spend time with me" "What do you mean?" "Isn't it obvious? Valek, you are the oldest and strongest vampire in the world, the very first in existence" "What does that have do do with anything?" "I'm just some random human...I'm nothing special...so I don't understand why you would want to be around me. Humans think vampires are dangerous, so wouldn't vampires feel the same way about us? I just...." He listens to every word you say, and be can feel the worry behind them, but he is about to put all those thoughts at ease. He doesn't say a word as he steps up right infront of you, looking down at you with his piercing eyes. His knuckles gently brush against your cheek before his hand rests against your face, the tention between you both was deafening and you were desperate for his touch. From the moment you first laid eyes on him, there was this electricity you felt, and you didn't understand what it was, but with him being this close to you now, you knew what it was. Your eyes closed in anticipation of his touch, and then when you feel the soft smooth feel of his lips pressing against yours. It was very slow and delicate at first, almost like he was a little hesitant to come on to strong, but you had other plans.

Your hand gripped the back of his neck and your other hand grabs him by the collar, pulling him in closer and creating more passion between you both. He couldn't contain himself, he holds you against his body as he lifts you up and sits you on top of the car, slipping himself inbetween your legs as he stands above you, never breaking the kiss. My god this felt so good, his lips were so soft and yet full of hunger, and his tounge danced in your mouth as you grip a little harder onto him. You couldn't keep your hands off eachother, it was electrifying. A very loud noise suddenly burst through the air and startled both of you out of that moment, you hold onto eachother as you see that one of the higher vampires has got very drunk and fallen against a large rubbish bin, and that's what made the crashing sound. You look back at eachother and let out a little giggle when you realise it was nothing to be scared about. Unfortunately, before you and Valek could continue what you started, another higher vampire came out and called for Valek to come and help him, apparently one of the others had seriously hurt themselves and was in need of his help. He agreed and helped you down off the car, even though he wanted nothing more that to take you right then and there, and you wanted him too. "I uhh, I think it's time for me to go now Valek. If I'm not back soon, my family will know I snuck out" "I understand Y/N....this whole night was...." "Really nice..." "Most definitely....will you come back?" "Absolutely" He gave you a warm smile. "I'll see you soon, goodnight Valek" "Good night Y/N" He cups your face and kisses you sweetly just before you head to your moterbike, it made your cheeks warm from the blush. You give him a smile and a wave before you drive down the road and on towards home.

You managed to sneak back into your room without anyone realising you had gone, that was a very successful.....and perfect night.

You were able to do this for the next 2 weeks without being caught, and as things got worse between you and your family, it just got better and better with Valek and the vampires. You had made life long friends with a few of the higher vampires, and things just improved more and more between you and Valek. You couldn't stop making out when you had some time alone together, and each time it just got better and better. Valek had told you last night that it was only going to be him at the motel tonight, as the others had work to do, to improve his mansion. He told you about his mansion before and said once it's safe for humans, he would show you around. You were secretly quite happy that it would be just him tonight, you had so many scenarios in your head about being with him, could tonight be the night? 20 minutes before you were going to leave, you were in the kitchen having a drink when your father came in. "Why are you so happy?" "Am I not allowed to be happy?" "You never smile I'm this house" "And I wonder why that is" You say leaving the kitchen and walking into the living room. "Hey! I wasn't finished talking to you" "Well I am, so leave me alone" "You and your mother have something we want to discuss with you" "What's that?" You mother sits up to look at you, and says "We're going to need more rent money off you Y/N. Instead of £500, were going to need £800" "What?! It that's my entire paycheck! How will I afford to pay my bills and my petrol for my moterbike of you have all my money?!" "That's not mine and your mothers problem, we need the money" "If you need money that bad, get yourself a f#cking job!"

"I'm not working! Why should I have to get a job?" "Because your supose to be the ones paying for this house and supporting your daughter, not the other way around! You don't make Josh get a job!" "Your brother is a good boy, he doesn't need to work" "He's a bully who makes my life a living hell! And it's the same with you both too!" "Either you give us your money or your out of this house!" "Fine! Then I'm gone!" "Good! We never loved you, you were only something we could use! I hope you get eaten by vampires when your all alone out there in the street!" "Little do you know dad, but I would actually prefer the company of vampires to you and this hell hole of a house any day! I'm getting my things!" You stormed up the stairs and packed all your stuff up, your clothes, essentials, paperwork and anything what belonged to you. You didn't have much anyway so packing wasn't a problem, what was the problem was where you were going to live, what were you going to do. You storm back downstairs, through the door and start putting everything into your moterbike. Everyone came out and your dad said. "This can all be avoidable Y/N, just give us all the money you have when you get paid and you can stay hear. As long as you cook and clean every inch of this house too!" "How about you go f#ck yourselves! And by the way, not only will you never have anymore of my money, but I've been saving cash in my room from all of you for years! I've got a good couple of thousand in this bike" "You what?! Give it to us!" "No! You never helped me or made me feel like I was part of the family, I hope I never see you #ssholes ever again!" And right after you put on your helmet, you were driving as quick as a flash away from your family forever. You were finaly free of those cruel bast#rds.....but what were you going to do now? You had no home, and all the anger had flooded away, and now sadness had set in.

You were in floods of tears the whole time you drove to the motel, and all you wanted to do was scream at the top of your lungs and let it all out. Which you actually end up doing, it was extremely releaving and the sadness was screamed out along with the anger, at the end of it, you just felt tired of screaming, but my god it was good to get it all off your chest. If you hadn't have done that, you knew you would have been a wreck infront of Valek, and that's the last thing you want to be infront of him. You arrive outside the motel just after sunset and Valek is stood there waiting for you, you take off your helmet, and he instinctively know somethings not right, he can see your cheeks stained with tears. He uses his super speed to stand right beside you once your off the bike. "Y/N! My goodness what has happened? Has someone hurt you?! I swear if anyone even so much as laid a finger on you-"

"Valek please just take a breath, noone had hurt me, I'm ok" "Then what on earth has brought so much sadness and anger to you? I can sence it on you, it feels like it was stronger before you got hear" "Its my... it's my family Valek......they've kicked me out" "They what?! They've made you homeless? How could they do that to you?" "Valek listen, can we talk about this inside please? I'm cold out hear" "Yes of course, come with me" He put his arm over your shoulder as he lead you into the motel room, it was instantly much warmer in there, and it helped you feel more at ease. You both sat at the end if the bed, his arm still around your shoulder in a comforting way.

"What happened Y/N? Why did they kick you out?" "They demanded I give them all of my money. I was the only one who had a job in that house and i did everything to support them, when they don't lift a single finger. They demanded I give them my entire paycheck and cook and clean the house every day. There was no way I was going to do any of that, and they said I either had to give them my money, or leave" "Oh my poor Y/N, I'm so sorry this has happened" "You want to know something Valek? I'm actually releaved" "Releaved?" "Yes!" You say standing up, feeling a sudden burst of energy. "I was really upset and angry at them when it happened, but on the way hear, I did something that really helped. I never voiced my worries or problems, I try to hid it away. So I screamed at the top of my lungs as much as I could when I was driving. And I feel like a enormous weight has been pulled off my chest! I'm free! I'm free of them and I don't have to live in a god awful house with those #ssholes anymore! I have some money saved up so I can look for a place of my own, and I-" "Woh woh just stop there for just a moment. Y/N, I am so glad you feel happy about this, if I'd have known you were struggling that much in your house I would have intervened before. But listen to me when I say this, you do not have to spend your hard earned money on another home, because you already have one" "What do you mean?" "With me....come and live with me Y/N..." Now he stands up with you, being much closer to you. "My mansion has hundreds of bedrooms and places inside for fun. There's a games room, dining room, a ball room plus so much more, there's everything there you could ever want. My mansion can be your new home if you would like it, everyone else would love to have you there...and I would want nothing more than to have you stay. I could see you without having to worry about your safety, I could protect you from anything and anyone who tries to hurt or upset you...."

His hand held yours as he looked deep into your eyes. "I....I need to be around you Y/N....be with you....I adore you....what do you say? Will you stay with me? I could give you a home" "You reach up and hold his face in your hand. "Your mansion isn't my new home Valek....you are..." You knew that you loved him, and you knew you wanted nothing more than to share your life with him too. His smile was so beautiful as you tell him that, and he simply can't contain his excitement, he kisses you with an explosive passion. He instantly lifts you into his arms as he holds you against his chest, you hold on desperately to his shoulders and neck as the kiss gets more and more desperate, there was so much tention between you both, finaly you could do something about it. He throws you onto the bed like you weighed nothing, that was an incredible turn on, and it just made you wetter as he climbed on top of you and captured your lips in a fiary kiss again. You have had sex before, but this was truly something else! He tears your shirt away to reveal your bear breasts and his mouth is instinctively around your nipple, circling it in perfect motion as his hand is cupping and playing with your other breast. His hands and mouth were working magic on your body. I knew I wanted to f#ck him, but I didn't think I knew what that meant until right now. with his mouth feeling so good against my bare skin and my back arching off the bed as my hands tangle themselves into his thick black hair, my body was craving his touch "Oh f#ck" I moan, my eyes barely able to stay open, shivers of pleasure going through my body like electric shocks. He just smirked as he left and trail of hot, mark leaving kisses down towards your lower stomach. He rips your trousers off within a second, and he can see how wet you already are. "Oh f#ck Y/N, I've wanted to taste you for so long...but in more ways than one..." He makes sure your looking at him when he bares his vampire teeth, he licks the area of your inner thigh, asking for permission through his eyes. You were more than exited for him to bite you, you nod at him through your shaking desire, and once he sees that, he closes in on the inside warm skin of your thigh, biting into the soft and silky smooth skin. "HUH! Oh f#ck!" As soon as he bit into your leg, there were waves of intense desire and pleasure pulsing through your whole body, straight from that bite. And the more he sucked, the stronger it felt, it was as if any orgasm you had felt before was just a little muscle spasm compared to this incredible feeling. You couldn't contain the pure extacy that burst out of your lungs as he brought you to the most absolute purest of pleasurable feelings, you had never felt anything like it! Even after he stops biting you and licks the area where he bit you, it heals very quickly but the feeling us still resonating in your thigh and body. His hand glided up your body and eigjt up towards your neck and face, he glides a finger over your mpitj as he whispers "Isn't it beautiful? Something you'll never forget? I know I wont..."

A breathy moan escapes your lips as his hand glided back down your body, his delicious smile making you feel more and more turned on, but now it was time for the best part. His buried his head inbetween your legs and completely devoured you without holding anything back, he was like a man starved. It instantly made you shake and whimper in pleasure, somehow, the bite had done something to your body. It appears the venom released into your blood stream, has increased the nerve endings in your entire body, making even the smallest of touches feel orgasmic. He doesn't stop licking and sucking at your tender clit, inserting two fingers inside of you and bringing you to orgasm within mere moments of him touching you down there. You feel multiple orgasms flow through you again and again, your shouting out in utter pleasure from all this excitement flowing through you. You get to a point where it's so strong, you feel like your about to pass out, but he senses this and stops after making you feel your 4th orgasm just with his tounge. You lie on the bed, exhausted from all the pleasure, but he wasn't finished yet. He was just giving you a break before the main event, snd he did that by slowly undressing infront of you, releasing his rock hard throbbing cock, it bounced against his stomach as it was pulled out of his black boxer shorts. You were able to get your breath back before he was on top of you again, you could feel his cock against the inside of your thigh, and his bare muscular chest pressed against your breasts.

"You sound so beautiful when you cum...do you want more?...." "Yes Valek" "Tell me you want more....beg for me..." "I need you Valek! Please f#ck me! Make me yours!" And just like that, he pulls you up and sits you on his lap in the lotus position, grabbing your hips and sliding himself inside of you with one fast thrust. Your breath catches in your throat, my god he felt so good inside you, he stretched you and you could feel his full length and he bucked your hips back and forth. Your arms wrapped around his shoulders, your fingers leaving scratches all over his back as you hold him against you, f#cking you mercilessly and making you see stars. Again and again he makes you cum so strong that you feel like you going to pass out in his arms. You can feel hes getting close now too, he looks deep into your eyes, still thrusting into you. "Just one more my beautiful treasure, just cum for me one more time..." Tears are streaming down your face, but despite the sheer over stimulation your feeling, you are able to nod in agreement for him, and he kisses you neck as he starts thrusting harder, and harder.

"Oh god Valek! I can't! Oh f#ck I'm gunna-" All of a sudden, he slams you down onto you back against the bed and full on pounds into you with all his might, bringing you to the most powerful, full body shaking, lung squeezing screaming release you had ever experienced in your entire existence! You were so loud you thought the next county could hear you! He hit his release too, just as strong as yours, and he was loving every single moment of your body experiencing everything he was doing to it. Once he finaly stoped moving his hips, you rest your head against his shoulder for a moment, feeling absolutely exhausted and drained from the whole experience, but it was the best s#x of your entire life. "I have lived for 600 years, and tonight was the best night I have ever had" "It was incredible Valek....I feel so....I cant keep my eyes...open..." "Shhh my beautiful treasure, you need to relax and sleep after our time together. Hear, let you help you get comfortable" He lies down beside you and pulls you into his arms, you have little to no strength at all, your barely able to hold onto him. He lies your head on his chest, holding you close and running his fingers through your hair. "That was the best night of my life Valek... you were so...it was..." "Shhh my treasure, you need to sleep now. That's it, just close your eyes...I'll be right hear...."

[pearlescent-princess]

Dream drift with Strider. It was something.

I only really can remember the beginning a little. It was post-apocalyptic, and I was with other people. More of it reminded me of Dishonored splashed with more. My group was treasure hunting, or trying to get to another place. I only recall seeing this purple writing (it glowed) around to guide me. I didn't do any of the fighting, but I saw it.

We ended up at a bar / internet cafe. I saw this because the place had a bar and then late 90s / early 2000s computer monitors. I asked where something was. Someone gave me instructions and I attempted to screen shot it on my phone but the apps were in the wrong places.

Around here I remember it felt more like Strider. It must have been his phone. From there, I think I/ Strider ended up meeting up with someone who had business with us. It was distinctly Norse though. I remember feeling like being a legal representative (which sometimes I am). Then following a group fo three others into the room. It was a kind of throne room there. I had figured it was the All-Father, because he sat there with one blind eye. It felt like two others were present too (Lie-Smith and Friend-to-All).

I sat down on the All-Father's right-hand side next to my person I walked in with. I remember we had to take a quick step in, pause, and take another one as we made our approach. It was weird. Anyways, I had fruit with me, which I was unpeeling. I gave it to a red-haired woman with me (looked like Lisa Ann Walter). She took the tangerine I had prepared. The All-Father ate a sliced banana, and the Lie-smith ate.. something. It was hard to tell but I remember dark hair and a bit of sunken, but mischievious eyes.

Strider took more of the dream stage at this point so I was seeing his P.O.V. He was listening intently about what was going on. I remember him asking people to repeat what was said. Just for clarification. I think this was something about magic. I wish I could say I knew.

At some point I felt him stiffen and get his spidey-sense tingle of someone he felt coming. It was his mom arriving in the dream, and it was a bizarre thing to feel. He got up and went towards the big double doors to check. He could see her walking with a small group, his older siblings (a man and woman), with. I know he made some kind of comment before returning through the doors. Something about how he was so unsurprised this would happen.

Still in his perspective, he talked to others, and his mom had spoken to the group. More talks about magic. Something about how things were getting dull (and I could see how that may relate to me as I feel like a corpse). Strider was rigid in his body posture and kept close to me and made comments. But as his mom talked, I know he watched my hand crush something. The hand looked so fish guts pale and bordered almost on a stone texture (statue-like). But when I crushed whatever I did, there was a great release of magic and color I saw from Strider's eyes. My skin was still pale but in my open left palm was a solidifed, smooth and blue gem.

I woke up to a disruption. But I'll have to talk to Strider about whatever this was.

[dmwrites]

“Okay, I know we’re like, sleep deprived, but don’t you think Impulse’s new pets are a little… odd?”

“Oh, those are real? I thought they were hallucinations.” Mumbo rubbed his eyes and looked down at Grian. “I mean, I suppose everyone deals with sleep deprivation differently.”

“But, I mean, come on, phantoms?” Grian gestured towards Impulse and his new pets.

It was a rather odd sight, and that was saying something, considering the size of the moon. Impulse was walking along one of the Boatem paths, with a lead attached to a frantically flying group of phantoms. They were screeching at him and dive-bombing his head. Impulse kept laughing and stopped to wrestle them to the ground.

“Better him then me, although I’m sure I could take them.” Mumbo commented, watching Impulse’s wrestling with mild concern.

Grian snorted. “Take them in what? I hope not a fight, because you’re one strong wind away from crumpling like a scrap of paper”

“I will have you know I am quite fit.” Mumbo retorted. “And how else could someone take anything, anyway?”

“You know, fighting or f- never mind. The point is, phantoms only exist to be pests, so why on earth has Impulse decided to keep them as pets?”

“He told me they’re just giving him hugs and playing.” Pearl appeared behind them, scaring Mumbo half to death. “He says he’s had a change of heart and is now a phantom protector. He almost started crying when trying to explain to me how many innocent phantoms are killed each year.”

“They’re literally mauling him.” Grian said. “Demon privilege, let me tell you what. He must have super thick skin or something to have those claws sunk in his arms and still be smiling.”

The three watched Impulse stand back up and brush himself off. He saw them and waved, then walked back to his base with the phantoms in tow like a bunch of weird balloons.

——

“Hey Impulse!”

“Hi Gem.” Impulse smiled at Gem as she skipped into his dwarven kitchen, where he was drinking a cup of coffee and reading the Hermitcraft news. “What’s up?”

“So, me and Pearl were hanging out last night, and she was telling me stories from Boatem!”

“Good times.” Impulse nodded.

“And I wanted to ask you- is it true that you kept phantoms as pets?”

Impulse cleared his throat and took a sip of coffee. “No comment.”

“No comment? What’s do you mean?” Gem asked.

“I was, like, fucked up on sleep deprivation, and refuse to be judged for my actions.” Impulse replied.

“Pearl said you made out with a phantom.”

Impulse choked on his coffee. “Wha- no! I did no such thing! Pearlescentmoon! Where are you, stop telling Gem lies about me!”

Pearl, who had been hiding in the walls, screeched in laughter as Impulse dug in after her, and left poor Gem was left to wonder what exactly had been in the water in Boatem.

[woodelf68]

Imprison'd

Summary: Sif really shouldn't be so turned on by the position that she finds herself in.

This was originally supposed to be a quick 'n' dirty PWP inspired by last year's @sifkiweek prompt "captive", but it didn't seem to want to end where it was supposed to. Instead, you get this extended version for this year's Day One prompt 'mischief'. Rated E, 4519 words.

Under the cut because it is immediately nsfw:

The first thing she was aware of as she woke was that she was bound with her wrists together and her arms pulled up above her head. A brief struggle as she tested her bonds made her aware of other things. The cool air against her bare skin, the tight pinch of the clamps on her nipples, the weight of the attached chain that swung between them, the tug on her clit from the second chain that connected the clamp there to a central point on the first, each small shift of her body pulling on all her most sensitive parts. She could feel the wetness inside her, kept from running out of her only by the thick phallus that she was mounted on, her legs spread wide as she straddled a keg-like object that supported her weight and to which the base of the phallus was attached. She couldn't help tightening herself around it, leaning forward into the pressure of the clamps, exquisitely tight while staying just this side of painful, her nipples throbbing with arousal that followed the path of the chains as they shifted and swung and tugged at her clit.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she saw she was not alone. She was in a corridor lined on both sides with others mounted as she herself was, men and women both, their features indistinct in the greyness -- all except for the man mounted directly opposite her. Loki stared back at her, wide-eyed, as naked as she was; his chains going from pierced nipples with rough-cut dark green gems dangling from the golden rings to the flushed cock stiff against his belly, the godlen cuff around it keeping it from flagging.

Sif swallowed hard, and felt a gush of wetness between her legs. He was beautiful in his captivity, all pale skin and flat planes and hard muscles, and she couldn't keep her hips from arching up in automatic response, the thick shaft inside her slipping partly out as she did so, and just barely nudging against her cervix as she sank back down. Loki shifted as well, and her eyes were drawn downward, wondering if he too were mounted on something. She remembered him asking, before everything had gone dark, if she trusted him. 

A man came walking along the passage between the rows of barrels -- tall, with short, sandy hair and a narrow, aquiline face, no one Sif had ever seen before.

"Ah, you're awake." He stroked the side of her breast with a short crop that he carried and Sif flinched back. "Mm, good, you're sensitive, you'll be popular with the crowds." He tugged gently at the chain between Sif's legs and she couldn't prevent a whimper from escaping her throat. "I could see one of the tavernkeepers buying you. Do you think you could keep an entire roomful of men satisfied every night? Passed from one to another, hour after hour, your every hole filled? I hear that men in their cups have perverted desires." He tucked the crop through his belt and kneaded her breasts roughly.

Sif refused to answer even as she moaned and arched her back, sensation rioting through her. More fluid gushed from her, the scent of her arousal strong in the air. Abruptly the man let go of her and turned to Loki.

"Perhaps someone will buy both of you." He lifted Loki's balls with the handle of his crop, then used it to push his cock from side to side while Loki squirmed from the attention.

"You make a pretty pair, and there's always those who like to watch. How long do you think you could stand it before you start begging to be allowed to come?" He set the gems swinging from Loki's nipples. "You'd be well used as well. You'd forget what it was like to wear clothes, or be unadorned, or to find release whenever you wished it." He tugged harshly on the chain connected to the cock ring, Loki letting out a cry as his genitals were jerked forward, his back arching to thrust his chest forward to ease the pressure as the connecting chains pulled at his nipples

Sif couldn't help the small noise that escaped her throat, her body clenching around the phallus inside her, and the man turned back to her.

He grinned. "Do you like that, my lady? Perhaps if you ask me prettily enough, I'll allow you to come once before the bidders arrive." He tightened the clamps on her nipples slightly, and the pressure, which she had grown used to, increased in intensity, sending a fresh jolt of arousal through her. His hand slipped down between her legs, his finger finding the wetness that had leaked out of her despite the snugly fitting phallus filling her. He began to stroke her swollen clit. "Just say please and I'll let you come."

Sif gave her head a small, stubborn shake, but she couldn't help undulating into his touch. She could feel her climax building, that increasing tightness centered in her clit that preceded the ecstasy of release.

"Don't fight it, Sif," urged Loki. "Come for me, not him."

She closed her eyes, pretending there was no one else in the room except for herself and Loki, that he was both the one touching her and still beautifully on display for her across the aisle. A wet thumb rubbed steadily over her abused nipple, but it felt nothing but good, the rhythm in time with the finger on her clit, and she gave in. "Please. Please, Loki."

She gasped as the clamp on her clit was removed and the blood rushed back into the flesh. The stranger's finger pad skimmed lightly over the protruding nub, every nerve alight, once, twice, a third time, and Sif came with a scream, her eyes flying open as she arched into her climax. The face of the man in front of her shifted into one more familiar, while the illusion across the aisle dissolved into a shower of green sparks.

"That's it," Loki murmured, leaning into to kiss Sif even as he worked her through her orgasm. "That's my good girl." He was just as naked as his illusion had been, his erection jutting out just as stiffly despite the lack of chains or any kind of a constricting ring. He loosed the knot on the rope that bound her wrists together and her arms dropped. 

Sif let her eyes slip shut as utter relaxation overtook her, reaching down to still Loki's hand as the stimulation became too much. "That's enough," she murmured. She winced a moment later as Loki carefully removed the clamps on her nipples, but then his mouth briefly covered each one, wet and soft and sucking gently as he soothed the marks away. She cupped the back of his head with a contented hum, and lazily looked around. The rough-hewn walls of a corridor lined with barrels and mounted captives was gone, replaced with what appeared to be an unused room in the palace, the only thing that looked recently introduced was a simple bed and a small table with a basin and linen towels and a pitcher of water on it.

"Oh, good, I can lie down," she said happily, and Loki laughed and helped her off her barrel, the phallus sliding out of her wetly, liberally coated with the same fluids that began immediately running down the inside of her legs. "Towel," she said. 

Loki fetched one and began wiping her down as she glanced at the toy -- veined and very lifelike -- that had been inside her. It was one that she knew the size and shape of very well. "You made that to be an exact copy of your own cock, didn't you?"

"Mm, I did. Did you like it?" He tossed the soiled towel aside and guided her down onto the bed, stretching out at her side and smoothing a hand up her belly to cup the underside of her breast, in need of his own relief but willing to wait until she had recovered enough to be involved in the process if she wished.

"I did, very much. Although not as much as the real thing, of course." Eyes half-lidded, Sif reached down to the flesh and blood cock shifting against the side of her hip. She wrapped her hand around it and pumped him slowly, enjoying the warm, solid feel of him, and the soft noise of contentment that he made as she touched him. She paused to gather some of her own body's fluids to ease the slide of her hand, and resumed stroking. "This good?"

"Mm-hm." His were the eyes that were half-closed now, reveling in the stroking.

"Do you want more?"

"Yes, please," he said politely, although if she had simply wanted to stroke him to completion, he would have been fine with that as well.

"Such good manners," she praised, and let him go, rolling fully onto her back and holding out her arms for him, drawing one leg up in invitation. She'd meant what she'd said; it was not enough to have been filled with a thing of wood and leather, no matter how well made, she wanted to feel Loki surging hot and hard within her, wanted to feel the pulse of his heartbeat echoed in his cock. 

Loki didn't waste any time accepting her invitation, moving on top of her and sinking into the heat and wetness of her body. He stilled for a moment, balls deep, savouring the sensation, then began thrusting into her with a deep, driving rhythm, chasing his pleasure while she told him how good he felt and stroked all of his body that was within reach. He slowed once as he felt his body beginning to tighten, willing himself back from the edge of climax, but Sif wrapped her legs around his waist and urged him on, and when he felt his peak approaching again he let it take him, spilling into her and collapsing afterwards to lie panting by her side until he recovered.

"Did you like that scene?" he asked some time later, Sif lying with her head nestled comfortably on his arm.

"Mm, I did, although I confess I was uncertain at first about letting you put me to sleep while you set things up. But it lent a certain...unexpectedness to the scene that gave it a lifelike feel. A very thrilling feel. I didn't know where we were, I didn't know where you were. I thought at first that you were truly sitting opposite me on the other keg and that you had just illusioned the appearance of ropes holding your arms up above your head, and then the other man appeared and I wasn't sure anymore."

"Did you think I had brought a third person in to play with us?"

Sif hesitated. "The thought might have crossed my mind very briefly, but you wouldn't have put yourself in a position of vulnerability like that around anyone else, and I like to think you would not have brought in anyone else without getting my permission first."

"I would not," Loki assured her quickly.

"So that meant one of you had to be the illusion. At first I thought the stranger was the more likely option, but his touch was all too real on me. And I wasn't afraid. Excited, yes, and a little bit nervous because I was very much at your mercy, but I like to think my body knows your touch even when you attempt to disguise it." She stretched contentedly, feeling pleasantly well-used everywhere that mattered. "Your illusion was incredibly appealing, however, you'll have to let me outfit you like that for real one day."

"I suppose that would only be fair," he admitted. "Would you like to play a tavern owner who buys me for her clientele?"

"Hmm...perhaps only for them to touch, and play with, until you are so desperate with need you beg me for release. I wouldn't want to share you any further than that. Or perhaps you could just be my very naked squire." She grinned at the thought, of being helped out of her armour and bathed after each battle by...she really couldn't see herself buying a slave. "You could be my war prize, defeated in battle, and bound to serve me for a year," she decided.

"Hm, I could do that. You would naturally want help undressing, correct?"

"Correct."

"Bathing?"

"Naturally."

"Full-body rub-downs after battle and training?"

"Oh yes," Sif said with relish. "And you would have to serve me at table." The thought of Loki standing nude and servile beside her chair while she ate was an unexpected turn-on, thinking of him adorned as he had been in his illusion, hard and aching, and a table full of people watching him, perhaps asking if they could touch him, if he satisfied her. She rubbed her thighs together, fresh arousal flaring.

"I won't conjure any illusions of people we know," Loki warned, picking up on her movements and wondering exactly what she was picturing, or who. "None of my family, or yours, or the Warriors Three."

Sif shuddered at the thought of any of their parents, or even Thor, being present at such a scene. It was like the mental equivalent of being doused with a bucket of cold water. "Agreed," she said. "Although...I could perhaps see Fandral in such a scene."

"So could I," agreed Loki darkly. "And if I were an unknown war prize, I could also see him putting his hands all over me, and I do not need to live with that mental image."

Sif laughed, and snuggled in closer. "Ideas for the future, then. Are we going to stay here for the night, or -- wait, how did you get me here in the first place? Where are my clothes?"

"Teleported us. Back in our room."

"Not staying the night, then." Sif lifted her head and glanced around. "Besides, I note only one door which presumably leads into the corridor, so no attached bathroom."

"No," admitted Loki. "Ready to return now?"

"Ready," she said, wrapping herself around him. A moment later they were lying in a bigger bed, one that had come to feel like home to Sif. She pulled the forest green sheet up over them, the linen soft and comfortable against her bare skin, and Loki copied her move with the light wool blanket, enclosing them in a cosy nest. She thought of her own quarters, in the warriors' wing of the palace. The bed was comfortable enough, but the room was small and sparsely decorated, a place to keep her things and to sleep. She spent most of her time awake in the public areas of the palace if she was not outdoors or in a tavern, whether in the feasting hall or in the more intimate common area that the princes shared, where she and they and the Warriors Three would oft gather around the fire pit in the evenings to talk, planning their next adventure or discussing palace gossip and goings-on.

But somewhere along the line Loki's rooms had begun to feel more welcoming than her own. They were spacious and airy, with a joined bedroom, study, and a sitting area with comfortable arm chairs and a couch, where he received any visitors. There was a wide balcony and a bathing room with a decadently large tub that she had become very fond of. Rich greens and golds and dark, polished wood dominated the rooms, a palette that Sif found warm and soothing. There was room enough that some of her own clothes and armour had found its way here and been absorbed seamlessly in alongside Loki's. She knew she was welcome here anytime, as long as she didn't disturb Loki if he was studying or working on some magical spell or potion. But she was fine with that, with choosing one of his books to read and settling down nearby until he finished what he was working on and came over to greet her properly. Or she'd sharpen her weapons, or move through her daily drill of exercises designed to keep her muscles loose and limber. It was nice, this sort of quiet companionship, being able to do her own thing and yet not being alone.

"What are you thinking about?" Loki asked, watching her. Her eyes were open, but her gaze wasn't focused on anything in particular. "All the ways in which you intend to put me to service?"

Sif smiled and glanced up at him. "No, actually I was just thinking about how much I like being here, with you. My own room has started feeling a bit lonely lately."

Loki nuzzled her with a pleased hum. "I like it as well, and you know you are always welcome. I suppose this is what it's like to be married," he musd. "Married to the right person. Always knowing that they'll be there at the end of the day, even if you've had a disagreement earlier. But not feeling that you have to constantly entertain the other person to keep them interested enough to stay with you." He ducked his head, suddenly feeling vulnerable, as if he were saying too much.

"If it is, maybe I can see the appeal of marriage after all," Sif said carefully. "Of course, my husband would have to be fine with me being a warrior. I'm not going to give up fighting for any man."

"More fool any man who would expect you to, any more than he should have to give up his trade," Loki said scornfully. "Why woo a shieldmaiden if you are not deeply admiring of what she can do with a blade?"

"Are you deeply admiring of what I can do with a blade?" Sif asked, pleased with the thought. She sat up, straddling his hips, and beamed down at him.

"Of course I am." He slid his hands up her thighs, hard with the muscles that developed from hours of daily training. "You can take down my brother in the sparring ring; I find that very arousing. But also," he added, turning serious. "I know the dedication and hard work you put into honing your craft, one that Asgard benefits from. I would never ask you to give that up."

"Oh," said Sif, rocking against his soft cock and feeling it start to stir to life again. "Are we talking about you as future husband material?"

"I would not be averse to being in the running," he said, shifting his hands up to her hips and holding her down while he pushed his stiffening erection up against her. "Although, any woman who wishes to be considered as future wife material must not have any issue with me using magic in battle. No scorning it as "tricks"."

Sif couldn't help the flush of guilt that his words gave her but answered stoutly enough. "She would be a fool to do so, when his gifts have saved our lives and others many a time on quests. No doubt she was simply feeling cheated of foes to cross blades with if she ever said otherwise."

"Ah, was that the reason?" He quirked his eyebrows at her. 

"Mm, more or less. Less chance for me to win glory on the battlefield if the need for battle was averted by your magic. I will try to do better in lauding your deeds as they deserve instead of glossing over them."

"i suppose I could make more effort to boast of them myself instead of waiting for others to do so," admitted Loki.

"it does not hurt," agreed Sif. "But I shall back you up next time we tell the tales of our adventures in a tavern." She leaned forward onto her hands, undulating against the now solid length of his manhood. 

"So you don't think me lesser for using a woman's art?" Loki asked, wanting this clarified.

Sif laughed and wrapped her hand around his base, pumping him a few times before positioning him at her entrance and sinking back down upon him, her body taking him back inside easily. "Loki, your cock is between my legs. There is nothing about you I think womanly right now. And," she said, thinking about it as she shifted to find the perfect angle, "It's probably a stupid thing to say anyway, if I disagree with the current attitude that fighting should only be for men. We had the Valkyries ! We know that women can be highly effective warriors, given the chance and the training! It would be hypocritical of me to say that men shouldn't practice magic if they wish it, when I know that they can wield it just as well as women -- look at you! look at your father! I don't hear anyone saying that the king is lesser for using magic."

"Mm, no." Loki ran his hands up her thighs, thinking about it. "No one would dare. But I wonder -- was it any different when he was but a prince?" Much of his father's power came from his connection with the realm as Asgard's king, he knew, but had Odin already been trained on how to use that power, how to harness it into a spell and direct its energy? Had he once practiced seidr with his own mother? It was something he had never thought of before. "As you said, we had the Valkyries back then, women were accepted as warriors. Were men accepted as seidr users?"

"Something to ask him about," suggested Sif, leaning forward to smooth her hands up over his ribs to his chest, drawing his attention back to her.

"I will," said Loki, and reached up to cup her breasts, playing with them, Sif leaning into it, into him, riding him with her taut thighs splayed over him, her dark hair loose and tumbling down around her as she rose and fell like the tide. Loki watched her hungrily, and thought of having this forever, of being able to take her as his wife before all of Asgard, of hearing her claim him for her husband. He felt his balls tighten, and sat up suddenly, hauling her against his chest, Sif letting out a gasp as the movement forced him even deeper inside her, the head of his cock hitting her just right as it did so. 

"All right?" He checked breathlessly, as she leaned back into the support of his hands and repositioned her legs, wrapping them securely around his waist. He groaned and tugged her fully onto his lap, leaving no space between them, chest to chest and belly to belly. 

"More than all right," Sif breathed. Her nipples were already hard and achingly sensitive, and the press of his chest against them felt incredibly good. She brushed his disheveled hair back to tuck it behind his ears before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and resting her forehead against his. Experimentally she rotated her pelvis, feeling the pressure against her pubic bone going straight to her clit. "You know I didn't think I was going to be able to come again; I just wanted you inside me." 

"And now?" Loki moved his head back to look into her eyes.

"I've changed my mind," she said, and Loki's smile was like sunshine.

"I'm glad; you deserve all the pleasure in the world." He brushed his lips over hers, and then tipped up her chin and placed a soft sucking kiss to her exposed throat. "And I like the feel of you coming around me." He reached down between them, to where they were joined, and Sif clenched around him as his fingertip glided over the hard swell of her clit. He tried to thrust up into her, but locked together as they were, his movements were limited. He made a noise of frustration.

"Here, let me," Sif said, nudging his hand aside, "You can lift me up."  Understanding, Loki cupped his hands beneath her buttocks and helped her rise up as he tried again with a much more satisfying result. Sif's arousal grew as each short stroke rubbed over that spot inside her that felt so good, her breasts jouncing against his chest and his shaft rubbing against her clit; she barely needed to touch herself, but she stroked the side of her clit and felt her climax building. She clung to him with one arm, and searched his face. His mouth was slightly open, his eyes not entirely focused, his breath coming out in soft pants. He felt hard as a rock insider her, and looked as ready to come as she was. 

"I'm close," she murmured. "Come for me, Loki, fill me up." And she bore down on him as hard as she could, Loki letting out a startled cry as he jerked inside her, and she felt him swell and pulse inside her, spilling his hot seed. It was enough to push her over the edge, and Loki buried his face in the crook of her neck as her contractions milked his cock of everything he had to give, his strong arms tightening around her as they both stilled to ride out the spasms. as close as two people could be. Sif hooked her hands over his shoulders from behind, and pressed a kiss against the juncture of his shoulder and neck. 

It wasn't until her muscles gave their very last twitch around him that she relaxed her grip on him and uncrossed and straightened her stiff legs, letting his softening cock slide out of her and fell, rather gracelessly, away from him to sprawl back against the pillows, feeling completely boneless and sated. Loki followed her down, stretching luxuriously before cleaning both them and the bed up with a wave of his magic, for which Sif was grateful, disinclined to any movement at the moment including the usual pleasure of a bath. They lay apart for a few minutes, cooling, before Loki turned and urged her onto her side, curling up behind her with one leg slotted between hers and one heavy arm draped over her waist. It would have felt confining with any other man, thought Sif, but Loki never sought to hold her back, unless he feared she was running recklessly into a dangerous situation, and even then he would let her go if she insisted, and follow her to guard her back if he could. She covered his hand with hers, closing her eyes;  if the circle of his arms was a prison, then it was one with an open door, offering nothing but warmth and comfort and a safe harbour where she could let down all her guards. It was a place that felt increasingly like home.

"Love you," she mumbled just before sleep claimed her, but not before hearing his response. 

And prisons, she was quite sure, didn't say I love you back. 

[sarcasticsciencefictionwriter]

Saw that post about au combos on your blog, and pirate / mermaid prompt sounds like fun within Sanctuary universe. How about a little scene with this mix? :D With a ship of your choice.

You ask, I deliver. :) This a Magnitt story, because someone did a Teslen mermaid already. I may post this on ao3 at some point and possibly expand, but ehh, who knows. Anyone else wants one, just ask. The list is on my blog. (Or you can ask again)

________

Seas and Scales

________

A pirate was supposed to have no emotions and only care about making a profit from plundering, stealing, and all other manner of nefarious deeds.

They were not supposed to be entranced by the thing that was supposed to bring them a profit.

John Druitt was a pirate and a rather good one. He captained his own vessel, would willingly launch into battle to take what he and his crew desired and didn't exactly care how many casualties there were along the way.

He had once been hired to capture a mermaid and bring it back for a handsome sum.

That was the one thing he had failed to do.

Oh, he had caught the mermaid. Hauled her up in a net in the middle of the night on a new moon, as the old journal he had found stated was the best way to do it, when the water was dark.

What John had not been expecting, however, was for the creature he had hauled up to fight back.

She had thrashed and screamed bloody murder at him and nearly took his eye out with a knife he hadn't thought to check her for, because he hadn't known they carried weapons.

He had knocked the weapon from her hand and over the side of the boat as blood poured down is cheek from the wound she had inflicted. She had been too ensnared in his net to break free, but had still tried to murder him. It had been clear that she would prefer to die tangled in the net at the bottom of the sea than allow herself to be taken by a human.

It had intrigued him beyond anything else he had ever encountered.

She had been beautiful, her fierce blue eyes boring into his own, hopelessly trapped in the net, which dug painfully into her skin, burning it and, in some place, making it bleed.

She had taken his breath away.

It had taken the better part of an hour for him to talk her into allowing him to free her from the net. She hadn't fled as he had expected her to. She had slipped into the water, catching her breath, and the resurfaced, wary.

It had been five years to the day since they had met.

If his crew found it strange they sailed to roughly the same spot whenever John could find an excuse to take them there, they didn't complain when he came back with gems that they could sell for high prices. They all knew where he had gotten them, but as long as he kept them in coin, they turned a blind eye to what would be viewed as freakishness.

Now, John stood on the rocks of an island so small it barely warranted the name, waiting.

He wasn't disappointed when the familiar head broke the surface of the water. He carefully climbed down the rocks to the water, sliding in.

Helen swam to him and wrapped her arms around him, dragging him down slightly but keeping them afloat. They kissed and John managed to find footing on a rock, enough to keep them both in a suitable position.

"Darling. How are you?" he asked, sliding a hand into her curly hair.

"Better, now." Helen rested her cheek against his shoulder, breathing in deeply, as if she were as intoxicated by his scent as he was by hers.

John kissed her again for the sheer pleasure of it. Then Helen insisted on leaving the rocks for a swim, during which they caught up with each other as the sun blazed overhead.

Back on the rocks, running out of news but not wanting the moment to end, Helen perked up.

"The Imogene has come around again." she told him.

John growled low in his throat. Worth, a partner turned rival long before either of them had captained their own vessel, was known to procure all manner of strange and frightening creatures for the wealthy. Merfolk were high on the list.

"Has he--"

"No, John. Not yet. Sally and I watched them last night. But he'll hurt us, as he did last time. Perhaps take one of us this time."

"What do you propose we do?"

Helen gave him a wicked grin even as she primly tied her hair back into a tail, keeping it away from her face.

"Do you truly need to ask that, John? What do you do when someone attempts to take something that is yours?"

John knew what he did. He made them pay. And Helen knew it.

"Where is the Imogene?" he asked.

"I'll show you."

Alarm sparked through John.

"Helen--"

"My people, John. My home." she said, eyes as fierce as the night they had met.

"Very well." he murmured, though he could not bear to see her in danger.

Helen swam with him back to his own ship, the Eternity. The crew were not happy when openly faced with the secret with the secret they had all known, the mermaid their captain had had a love affair for five years. But they all perked up and agreed when John told them they were to attack the Imogene and take their rival down several pegs, if not all of them.

____

The battle that followed when in John's favor. There was no sneaking up on a ship in the open ocean, but Worth was an arrogant enough man who didn't believe he would be attacked so blatantly, especially for no apparent reason.

The scent of gunpowder and blood hung heavy in the air. The Imogene listed to one side in the water, blood shone like jewels in the setting sun on her deck. The crew had surrendered before Worth had, but the little man had been cowardly enough to surrender rather than die when he was confronted with an enraged John Druitt.

John surveyed the scene, feeling satisfied. He had extracted a promise from Worth --along with a portion of their supplies and all of their tradeable goods. He would not visit these waters again. Or he would die.

Now, work done and ready to leave the Imogene to whatever fate awaited her, John took the rowboat of the Eternity into the water to speak with Helen. She and some of her people had fought alongside them. He pitied Worth's men who had fallen into the water.

Helen alone remained now and she hauled herself over the edge to join him.

"Thank you." she told him.

John smirked at her, all the while taking her in.

"Anything for you, darling. Say the word and I will burn ships, men, and cities to the ground. Bleed them dry before I do, of course."

Helen smiled, as if it were the most romantic thing she had ever heard. She knew his heart and he knew hers. They accepted each other as they were.

"Perhaps one day, John Druitt, I will hold you to that."

"I would be my honor for you to ask."

Helen smiled again, surveying the smoking, listing ship with practically glowing eyes. John cleared his throat. Helen looked back, tilting her head.

"There is a question I want to ask you, Helen."

"Oh?" she arched an eyebrow, her smile now a playful smirk. She knew what he was going to ask.

"You make me very happy. And..." John fumbled. He was a smooth talking pirate, able to talk his way out of the authorities cracking down on him, but when faced with the woman he loved, he was not. "I wish to make you happy. I love you, Helen. For all eternity."

He produced the ring he had snagged from his cabin before joining her and held it out. He had no clue if it meant anything to her kind. If she knew what he was asking. If this was the smart thing to do. Their worlds could never truly join. But his heart would never belong to another woman. He had just very much proven that.

Helen's glowing eyes lit up even more. She smiled at him, shy, amazed, loving. She nodded.

John slid the ring on to her finger and Helen, still smiling, looked at it.

"I bought it." he assured her, knowing what she was about to ask.

Helen laughed and moved closer to him. They kissed, then rested their foreheads against each other's. Helen traced the scar that she had given him. John just stared into her eyes, laughing himself.

As a pirate, John had always had a life of adventure. But he had a feeling that what came next, a pirate with a mermaid bride, would be an even bigger one.

[transhawks]

["It's weirdly kind of like in Return of the Joker, where Joker had no trouble dealing with Bruce Wayne's Batman for years but couldn't handle being mocked by Terry's Batman. All Might probably didn't quip a lot at AFO, always taking him very seriously, likely giving AFO a sense of importance and measure of control."]

[AFO: "You're really telling Endeavor to give up fighting me? Such little faith you must have in your "hero"."

Hawks: "You mean the guy you already lost to?"

AFO: "...You little sh*t."]

[He pulled a dark souls boss second phase when endy used all his heals in the first one with 10HP left 💀]

["Phew, she's finally dead."

"When the Ashes are two, a flame alighteth. Thou'rt Ash, and fire befits thee, of course..."

"Why do I hear boss music again?"]

[I think because AFO got used to typical heroes who are, in his perspective, hypocrite goody-two-shoes who think they are "professional" but when the right shittalking they would be emotional and throw their professionalism out of the window to get wild and defeat their enemy. AFO knows how easy to defeat heroes like that and push their right buttons to make them emotional.

Hawks is far away from being a hero like that and he himself knows it (he is more like an assassin tbh). And damn, AFO is really starting to panic that he can't push the mental buttons of this guy when he said he already got defeated by Endeavor.] Some gems I found out-of-tumblr.

These are all really good takes!

I think why people, and specifically I mean everyone, get in trouble around Hawks is the constant underestimation or thinking you what he is. Dabi fucked up this way. I think the heroes don't want to look too closely into it. But AFO is like clearly stumbling across the actual truth which is Keigo is very much more an assassin than a hero, and it's not... Nagant cracked, eventually. And I think one of the reasons is because she has a life and identity outside of being Nagant. They got her too late. I always wonder what the HPSC really changed in raising Keigo but I think one of their main goals was to create someone who wouldn't fold like she did. Who essentially understood "what had to be done".

There's an ask in my drafts I want to answer that talks a lot about child psychology that hits on this - Keigo was already going through neglect and abuse from his birth. There's detachment there we see as early as him being five. It's not normal. In many ways, Keigo was kind of perfect for what he's been made to be.

Now there's plenty to poke back at Hawks with. I think pointing out he isn't as good a person as he wants to be is a good route. But Hawks would also be aware that is a button being pushed. Because ultimately, it's the button he'd push.

People like AFO and Hawks are hyper alert when talking to people. It's near subconscious - the way they just absorb everything about a person and start figuring out what buttons to press. Keigo did this with Endeavor in front of our eyes. He did this with Jin. Just in case they have to. And it's very much a survival mechanism.

I think AFO hasn't realized Hawks is like that yet, but the moment he does, it's like..a dam breaking. Because AFO is letting Hawks dig under skin better than he is right now because he's not realizing they have similar playbooks.

[oh-three]

5, 25, 42, 43 and 60 with all the depressed horses for the ask game?

Oh gosh, that name is actually sticking. 😂

What’s their most useless, weirdest, or least marketable skill?

(idk if any of these are actual skills tbh, but...)

Rak- least marketable, his ability to adapt into the mindset of being on his own.

Brak- not a skill, per se, but his tendency to hand over all power in a situation to someone else.

Vori- least marketable, the way she almost never tones herself down.

Tindri- least marketable? Her sarcasm. She's great at it, but it doesn't help anyone at all.

Linaleh- least marketable, the way she protects Brak or Vori from the harsher members of the team by not letting them speak to that person until she cools down herself (that takes a very long time).

Loktof- most useless and least marketable, whatever battle skill that ends up sending Rak to the Halls of Healing when they spar.

Jurr- least marketable, the way he comforts the others or protects them by keeping Cin Drallig himself in the dark if necessary.

What’s one thing they’re utterly incapable of doing without the help of someone else?

Rak- being social. Not his fault.

Brak- being anything but nice. He's no good at being mean.

Vori- at leaving someone alone when they want alone time. Someone else has to drag her away and distract her.

Tindri- pulling elaborate pranks on one of the other members of the team. Partly because she's not very subtle about it.

Linaleh- letting down her Guard when someone sends her protective instincts into overdrive. Jurr and/or Tindri usually have to talk to her.

Loktof- calming down after Rakesh annoys him.

Jurr- making big decisions for the team. He's flexible, but he isn't very fond of change.

What’s the typical first impression after meeting this person?

Rak- people usually want nothing to do with him, partly because of his darker personality and anti-social nature. Again, still not his fault.

Brak- people want to never leave his side because he seems that innocent. (He's not, of course).

Vori- usually either a very "hey, I like you, let's be friends" or a "get away from me, you're annoying".

Tindri- "You need help."

Linaleh- people usually wish they had someone as gentle as her to protect them when they were younger (they'd disagree after seeing her get overprotective)

Loktof- people are normally pretty intimidated by him, which is understandable by his appearance, size, and lack of words.

Jurr- "Where have you been all my life?"

What do people notice first about them, as far as their appearance goes?

Rak- either the texture and color of his skin or his height.

Brak- probably the horns or the lines tattooed into his face.

Vori- how short she is, and the fact that she never stops smiling.

Tindri- the blue gems on her forehead.

Linaleh- her hair, most likely. Either that or the way she often scowls.

Loktof- I mean, he's a giant space werewolf- what's there not to notice? 😂

Jurr- either his beard or the kindness in his eyes (the beard since the only Tholothian Jedi we've met are female)

What are some of their simple pleasures?

Rak- quiet evenings where he can only hear the others in the background.

Brak- sitting in the same room as everyone and have no one in a bad mood.

Vori- getting Rak to smile or show some sign that he enjoys being with them. She knows he does, but to see it is another thing.

Tindri- the moments where she knows that the others trust her despite her mischief (given that she does hoard all of their secrets).

Linaleh- being allowed to let her protective guard down and be among the others on equal terms.

Loktof- having a moment alone/mostly alone where Rak is in the room and he doesn't have the urge to throttle him.

Jurr- seeing the others all getting along after a nice shift; drinking tea with Cin.