#‘the princess rescues herself’ okay cool. have you got anything in addition to this??
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Crazy how Shrek still remains one of the most subversive mainstream takes we have on fairytales
#in that the mainstream treatment of fairytales is often like. shallowly subversive imo#‘the princess rescues herself’ okay cool. have you got anything in addition to this??#tunes titters#I think there’s something to be said about how between the two of them only shrek is allowed to be fat (in that Fiona’s ogre form isn’t#actually ugly. she’s just not able to fit within the wider world’s conception of beauty standards)#but tbh for a film debuting in 2001 it still holds up quite well
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Babysitters Club
Pairing— Kim Taehyung x reader
Genre— SMUT, fluff, babysitting au, strangers to lovers au
Warnings— Dom!Taehyung, roleplaying, face fucking, oral sex (m and f), bondage, explicit rough unprotected sex please stay safe irl, squirting, choking, hickies, a surprise cameo from Spring Will Come Again!Jungkook because I have no self control
Word Count— ~7.6k
Summary— A generic summer job hunt leads you to babysit rowdy (but still cute) kids alongside the most handsome man you’ve ever seen. What shenanigans will you get into with Taehyung by your side?
A/N— HUGE shoutout to the lovely @kimtaehyunq for making this beautiful banner for me! This was literally the Taehyung I had in mind while writing this uwu. This fic is the epitome of self indulgence but I truly hope you guys like it too! Please let me know what you think! My askbox/inbox is always open, don’t be afraid to come chat with me. Love you all, hope you guys are safe <3
Crumpled up newspapers littered the floor as another ball was apathetically tossed aside. A sigh of defeat escaped your lips as you looked up at the ceiling in desperation.
“Still at it with the job hunt, huh?” your roommate, Hyuna, said when she saw your mess, “I told you to search online. Or try to get a job at a cafe or a boba shop or something.”
“Easy jobs online seem sketchy, and I told you I don’t want to work in the food industry ever again,” you groaned.
“But you’d rather...be a babysitter?” she questioned as she held up an ad, “Wait you could get paid up to $15 an hour? That’s pretty good.”
“I didn’t see that one. Is it an agency or something?”
“Not sure, take a look,” she handed you the paper.
“Oh, it seems like it’s a daycare run out of someone’s house. They’re looking for multiple applicants. You wanna do it with me?! I think it could be fun!” you ask excitedly.
“And spend most of my summer vacation with a bunch of snot nosed brats? I don’t think so. You have fun though!” she blew you a kiss as she walked away.
You whipped your phone out and immediately called the number in the ad. This job was the only one that seemed bearable, and you thought kids were cute for the most part. You’ve had a few babysitting gigs in the past so this shouldn’t be too bad.
“Hello?” a deep voice answered the call.
“Hi, I saw your ad in the paper! I was wondering if there was still a babysitting position open?” you inquired.
“Oh yes! Yeah there’s still a spot open. Um, can you give me a sec?” the man said quickly as you heard wailing kids in the background. After two minutes or so he returned to the phone.
“I’m terribly sorry about that. You don’t have a criminal background or anything right? Gosh, I’m sure this sounds unprofessional but--”
“Nope, I don’t have any charges or anything like that. Should I call back later?” you offered since it seemed like the man was a little preoccupied.
“It’s like this all the time. Why don’t we do a practice run tomorrow? Oh! I mean, whenever you’re available to start. Or technically have an interview? I guess? Hey, don’t put that in your mouth!” the man chastised at someone in the distance.
“I can come in tomorrow!” you said.
“Great! Just use the address in the same ad you got this number from! Oh, and please get here by 9am! See you soon!” the man hung up abruptly.
“That was chaotic…” you said to yourself.
A moment later your phone began to ring. It was from the babysitting guy.
“Hello?” you answered.
“I realized I never got your name! I promise I’m not always this frazzled,” he laughed as rambunctious laughter erupted behind him.
“Oh, I’m ______,” you gave him your first and last name.
“Cool. See you tomorrow Miss ____!” he said before hanging up again.
You were actually excited to babysit. It had been a while since you had done it, and playing with kids was usually fun. Then again, you’ve never had a bad experience with babysitting before. You prayed that this gig would continue the positive trend.
Donning shorts and a simple Mickey Mouse t-shirt, (you figured some kid was bound to like the mousey character) it was time to head off to your potential workplace. The babysitting place was actually fairly close to you, only about a 10 minute drive. It was 8:55am by the time you arrived. A couple of parents walked past your car to drop off their kids. All of the kids seemed to be pretty excited to enter the house, which was definitely a good sign.
You gently knocked on the door at exactly 9am. There was no response as you awkwardly waited for about a minute or so. All you could hear was shrill laughter and thumps that you presumed was the kids running about. You realized there was a doorbell, and sighed at your foolishness.
The door opened seconds after you rang the doorbell. A tall man with dark hair greeted you with a warm smile. You were taken aback by the handsome guy, suddenly questioning whether you were at the right place or not until a child popped up from behind his shoulder and yelled out a loud “Boo!” that caused you to jump.
“Ah, sorry about that! This one is always trying to play pranks,” the man laughed as he playfully jostled the child that was latched onto his back, “You must be ______?”
“That’s me!” you say with a little too much enthusiasm.
“Cool. C’mon in, I’ll introduce you to the kids,” the man led you inside.
The living room was littered with toys, from cars to building blocks to barbies. This place was definitely a kid’s happy place. Four little kids were playing with various things when you walked in. All of the kids there seemed to be between the ages of 4 to 6. At a glance, it seemed like they were all playing house. It took you a few seconds to realize that one of the kids was actually playing by herself; she was just physically close to the other kids.
“Everyone! This is our newest helper! Her name is Miss ____. Let’s all play nicely with her okay?” the man announced.
The kids playing house immediately stopped what they were doing and rushed to you. Two boys began asking you questions in a rapid fire succession, while the little girl merely clung to your leg.
“Those two are Kota and Bel,” the man pointed to the two boys, “The little girl stuck to you like glue is Ava, and the one playing over there is Lucy,” he continued to name each child.
“AND I’M SAM!!” the last boy exclaimed over the man’s shoulder.
“Yes, this troublemaker here is Sam. That’s basically the whole gang! We could get a few more additions as the summer goes on, but these guys are the OG crew. They’re all really sweet kids, once you get to know them. Any questions so far?” your employer asked.
“I don’t think I ever caught your name, sir,” you say politely.
“Oh! No need to call me sir. I think we’re probably around the same age? Not that I’m assuming your age or anything but--”
“He’s my horsey!” Sam interrupted.
“No, he’s the chef!” Kota yelled.
“No, he’s our dad who’s not our dad,” Lucy chimed in.
“My mom told me he was a babysitter?” Bel added, now visibly confused.
“I am all of those things,” the man reassured the children, “But my name is Taehyung. The kids call me Tae or Mr. insert whatever title I have in the game we are playing on that day. Pleasure to meet ya,” Tae extends a hand out to you, “Let’s see how your first day goes.”
The first few hours consisted of a rather intricate game of pretend set up in a fantasy world. You played a princess who was captured by an evil dragon, who was played by Taehyung (you couldn’t help but think about how you wouldn’t mind being his hostage).
The boys were valiant knights on their quest to rescue you. The girls played different creatures that aided the knights as fairies or unicorns or any other things they wanted to be. Most of the game consisted of you and Taehyung sitting together in a corner of the living room. Even though you didn’t have to do anything, it was fun watching the kids play. Their imagination amused you.
“Enjoying yourself, princess?” Taehyung asked as he also watched the children run around.
His deep voice sent chills down your spine. Something about the way the word “princess” rolled off his tongue was so enchanting. You cleared your throat before answering.
“This job has been pretty fun so far, Mr. Evil Dragon,” you smile.
“Hey! I’m not evil, just misunderstood,” he protested.
“Oh no! The dragon is about to eat the princess!” one of the boys cried out.
“What? No, I’m not going to eat her,” Taehyung said defensively.
“You need to pretend to eat the princess so that the knights save her,” Lucy, the quiet one, scuttled over to whisper to the both of you before hurrying back to her spot.
Taehyung turned towards you to appease the kids as they held their breath in anticipation.
“Rawr! I’m going to eat you!” he said in a deep voice.
“Oh no! Somebody save me!” you cried out, playing along.
A few moments passed but none of the kids moved. You both turned your heads towards them in confusion. They stared back at you blankly.
“You need to bite her!” Sam demanded.
“What?” you and Tae said in unison.
“Bite her! Bite her! Bite her!” the boys started to chant.
“But not too hard!” Ava expressed her worry for you, making you smile.
“I…uh…” Taehyung was at a loss for words.
“They’re not gonna stop, are they?” you whispered to him.
He nodded with a sigh as their chanting got louder. You offered him your arm. Kids can be crazy stubborn over silly things. Besides, you’ve done worse for less (college is crazy).
Taehyung shot you an “are you sure about this?” look, to which you just nodded. Once he got the okay, Taehyung grabbed your arm and pulled you harshly, causing your face to be a mere inches away from his.
“Fools! You think you can save the princess? I will devour her before your very eyes!” Taehyung declared with an even deeper voice. He opened his mouth menacingly, as if to show off his fangs. Then, he proceeded to bite your bicep. To be honest, he was being so forceful that you thought he was going to bite you for real, causing you to involuntarily close your eyes.
Instead, he gingerly placed his teeth on your skin so lightly that you could barely feel anything. You opened your eyes to see Taehyung grinning at you with your arm in his mouth.
“Aaaaggghhh GET HIM!!” Sam yelled, leading the other boys straight into Taehyung.
Taehyung quickly let go of you before he rolled out onto the floor. The boys began to pummel Taehyung with their foam swords and pretend bows and arrows. The girls came to your aid to help you escape during the battle.
The little boys triumphantly stood over their defeated babysitter who pretended to be passed out on the floor. You applauded their victory as the girls sat by your side.
“Okay! Good game, it’s almost lunchtime,” Taehyung announced as he quickly popped back up.
“Chef Tae makes the best mac and cheese!” Ava informed you excitedly.
“I wanted dino nuggies!” Sam puffed out his cheeks in disappointment.
“Sam, you know it’s Ava’s day to pick out lunch. It’ll be your turn tomorrow okay? I promise! You guys can stay here and play with Miss ____ till food is ready,” Tae called out as he walked to the kitchen. Lucy silently followed Tae.
“Lucy likes to help out in the kitchen a lot. She sets the table,” Ava explained when she saw you watching Lucy.
“You’re good at being a princess!” Kota butted in as he ran to hug your leg.
“I like your shirt! I like Mickey Mouse too. I saw him in DisneyWorld last year,” Bel said as he clung to your other leg.
The kids took turns holding onto your legs as you tried to walk around. Apparently the thought of making you tumble over was an exciting one, and that kept the kids busy until Taehyung called for everyone.
Five little bowls of mac and cheese were set up on the dining table. The kids took their seats as Taehyung handed out juice boxes. He positioned himself by your side as the little ones began to chow down.
“I normally just eat the rest out of the pot, but since you’re here I can get you a bowl. Sorry about biting you earlier, the kids really like it when I get serious about my roles,” Taehyung chuckled as he scooped out your portion.
“It’s no problem, you’re a great actor. Thank you,” you say politely as he handed you a bowl.
Lunch was spent making small talk with Taehyung. He was a newly graduated college student trying to make extra money before starting a real job hunt.Taehyung had been running this makeshift daycare since he was a senior in highschool.
“Summers are always fun with them,” Taehyung said while smiling fondly at the kids, “How has it been so far?” he asked.
“I’ve been having a good time. The kids are all really sweet! They have so much energy,” you answer.
“They do indeed, which is why playtime is so important in the morning! It makes what comes next easier,” he winked at you before collecting the empty bowls, “Okay kiddos! Who’s ready for nap time?”
Lucy quietly raised her hand while the boys groaned. You figured it would be hard to get those active boys to settle down, let alone to take a nap. You helped Taehyung set up blankets and pillows in the game room. The kids made a beeline to their designated blankets without a fuss.
“Do you sing, Miss _____?” Taehyung asked out of the blue.
“Um, not really?” you say hesitantly.
“Ah, I see. No worries. Everybody ready?” he said.
“Yes!” all the kids replied.
“Alrighty. Do you have any song requests, Miss ____?”
You thought about which songs would make for a decent lullaby, “Do you know Adore You by Harry Styles?”
“I’ll have to look up the lyrics but yeah I like that song! I like his whole album actually,” Taehyung nodded as he pulled out his phone and took a deep breath, “Walk in your rainbow paradise~”
You were shocked by his vocal talent. His voice control was superb and the quality of his voice was downright euphoric. Even though Taehyung’s voice is deeper than Harry Styles’, his range was incredible. He was still able to go as high as Harry without any trouble. All the kids had fallen sound asleep by the time he finished the song.
“This is when I typically have about an hour of free time,” he said after quietly leading you back into the kitchen.
“You have such a beautiful voice! Do you sing to them every day?” you praised him.
“Thanks! Yeah, I sing to them every day. They used to get duets actually,” Taehyung sighed.
“Did you have another coworker before?” you asked.
“Yep. My best friend actually. He’s my roommate too, but he landed an internship this summer so he couldn’t be here. I’m very proud of him! But usually this is a job for two people so I decided to put that ad out. I’m happy you came out! The kids seem to like you,” Taehyung gave you a thumbs up.
“I hope so! Lucy might be scared of me though,” you recalled the way she mostly avoided you all morning.
“Nah, she’s just really shy. She told me that she thought you were really pretty though, so that’s a good sign!” he tried to reassure you.
“I guess it must be true then. Kids are brutally honest,” you smiled.
“She definitely wasn’t lying,” Taehyung smiled back at you.
You had to look away awkwardly to hide your blushed cheeks. There’s no way you could handle a direct smile from this guy. How was it possible for someone to be that handsome without even trying?!
“So what happens after naptime?” you quickly asked to change the subject.
“Basically more playing until their parents come. It honestly just depends on what the kids wanna do. We can play inside, in the backyard, and sometimes we go to the park,” Taehyung answered with an amused smile, “Let’s use this free time to conduct a more formal interview, shall we?”
Taehyung then asked you a series of questions about your summer schedule, if you’re willing to work every day of the week, how you feel about the kids, along with other things. You answered truthfully and kept up a professional demeanor. Taehyung seemed to be satisfied with your answers and leaned back in his chair.
“That all works for me! The people who really need to approve of you are the parents. I’ll introduce you to them later this afternoon. I’m sure they’ll all be fine once I vouch for you,” he nodded.
Soft giggles caught your attention. Taehyung signaled that break time was now over and led the way back to the living room. Kota and Bel were wrestling each other while the others threw pillows at them.
“Did everyone have a good nap?” Taehyung sing songed.
“Yes!” they replied.
“Can we play house now?” Ava asked.
“Yeah! Miss ____ can be the mommy now!” Sam bounced up in excitement, “Our last mommy used to be a boy.”
“Jimin was a great mommy and I’m sure he misses you all dearly. Jimin is my roommate/best friend/ex-cobabysitter,” Taehyung explained.
The game of house was more hands on from your end. The kids demanded you to carry them and read them stories like a real mommy would. It was mainly the girls who wanted to play with you, while the boys took turns wrestling with Tae or riding on his back. You were braiding Lucy’s hair when the doorbell rang.
“Kota! Your mom is here!” Taehyung called from the front.
All the kids trickled out one by one as their parents arrived. Taehyung introduced you to each parent; their reactions were all positive, especially when their kids raved about you being the new Jimin.
“If she’s anything like Jimin, then I have nothing to worry about. I trust your judgement, Taehyung,” one of the sterner looking parents said (Sam’s father to be exact).
“Congrats! You got the job,” Taehyung congratulated you once all of the children were picked up, “We get paid on Fridays. I’ll basically just split what we earn 50/50, cool?”
“That’s fine by me! I’m looking forward to working with you,” you bow graciously.
“Ah! No need to be so formal. We’re partners now! I’m not your boss or anything,” Taehyung gave you a friendly pat on the shoulder, “See you tomorrow!”
Summer was about to get rather eventful. All of the children warmed up to you surprisngly quickly, even timid Lucy (who had arguably grown the most fond of you). As the days went on, you couldn’t help but admire Taehyung’s kindness and patience when it came to the kids. From firm to understanding, he was everything a caregiver should be. He handled spats between kids with ease, often by making them forgive each other then laugh at some silly joke of his.
One afternoon, the kids voted to watch a Disney movie. All seven of you curled up on the couch together with you and Taehyung in the middle. Lucy sat in your lap while Bel sat in Taehyung’s. Halfway through the movie, Taehyung fell asleep. The kids didn’t notice since they were so engrossed in the movie. You however, DID notice. Mostly because he rolled his sleepy head onto your shoulder.
Your heartbeat quickened as you slowly turned to take a peek at the handsome man sleeping beside you. He looked angelic, and you realized that he smelled pleasant too. He had a sweet scent that was uncharacteristic for a young man. You took a deep breath and pretended not to notice him. He didn’t wake up until the doorbell rang near the end of the movie.
He seemed to be confused and perhaps even slightly flustered when he lifted his head from your shoulder, but quickly shrugged it off to go answer the door. The incident (and the drool on your shoulder) was never mentioned.
It had been a month since you started babysitting with Taehyung, and it honestly had been a lot more fun than you expected. The kids are wonderful silly little beings and Taehyung is...well...Taehyung.
You were cleaning up the living room on a late Friday afternoon after all the kids had been picked up. Taehyung was somewhere splitting up the week’s paycheck. Once all the toys were back in their respective bins, it was time to gather your stuff and go.
“Great work this week,” Taehyung commended as he handed you your cut.
“Thanks! Same to you as always. I’ll see you on Monday,” you wave as you open the front door.
“Actually um--” Taehyung cleared his throat.
“Yes?” you whipped around with almost too much eagerness.
“My friend is part of an art gallery showing tomorrow night and I was wondering if you’d like to go with me? I heard there will be drinks and finger foods…” Taehyung trailed off, presumably due to imagining what kind of snacks will be served.
“I’d love to! I’m not an expert on art or anything, but it sounds cool,” you smile.
“No worries, I’m no expert either. I’m just a guy who appreciates neat expressions of creativity,” he nodded humbly, “I can pick you up at your place, if you’d like.”
“Sure, I’ll text you my address. Oh uh, what’s the dress code like? I don’t really attend these things,” you ask shyly.
“I’d say a step down from formal? Like no t-shirts or jeans. Pretend like you’re going on a date to some restaurant that isn’t a michelin star but is still classier than Olive Garden,” Taehyung tried to explain.
“I’ll do my best,” you smile at his peculiar way of describing the appropriate attire.
A smile never left your face as you drove home. A chance to hangout with Taehyung one on one without any kids around? All of his attention will be on you? Yes please. You love the kids and all, but you finally have a real chance to get closer to Taehyung. To be honest, you might have the teensiest little crush on him, but who could blame you?
The next day was spent preparing for your night out with Taehyung. It probably wasn’t a date (90% sure it’s not), but you wanted to look irresistible anyway. You put on a purple dress with flowy sleeves that made you feel like a princess. It was on the dressier side, but being slightly overdressed never hurt anyone.
You usually only had time to slap on mascara and a lip tint in the mornings before babysitting, but now you had abundant time to play around with your makeup. You settled for a soft yet glamorous look with shimmery eyeshadow and eyeliner. Sparkly lip gloss tied the whole look together and made your lips look tempting (or so you hoped). You decided to leave your hair alone since you were having a miraculously good hair day.
“Wow are you sure this isn’t a date?” Hyuna whistled when she walked into your room.
“It’s not! This is just the first time Taehyung will see me actually trying to look good,” you say defensively.
“You’re cute even in ratty t-shirts, but I get what you mean. Have fun tonight!” your roommate gave you a tight hug.
A strong knock on your front door indicated Taehyung’s arrival. Hyuna tagged along as you went to answer the door; she wanted to see the guy you’ve been gushing over for the past month for herself.
Your mouth hung open in shock for a split second when you opened the door. Taehyung also dressed up. He was wearing a bright sunflower shirt paired with a black blazer that perfectly combined fun with sophistication. He wore a red silky bandana looking belt for an added pop of color with his black pants.
“Hey Taehyung!” you greet him happily.
“Good evening, Miss ____. You look spectacular!” he complimented you immediately.
“So do you! It’s funny seeing you not in a t-shirt, though I’m sure you’re thinking the same thing,” you say.
“You’re charming even in your graphic tees, but this is a nice change of pace too,” Taehyung agreed.
“Hi! I’m Hyuna, ____’s roommate,” Hyuna butted in to shake his hand.
“Hi, I’m Taehyung, ____’s babysitting partner,” he introduced himself.
“We should get going,” you say politely before Hyuna could start to get chatty.
Hyuna mouthed an exaggerated “oh my god” coupled with a double thumbs up as you waved goodbye after Taehyung was already out the door. You playfully rolled your eyes but blew her a kiss anyway.
“I didn’t realize you lived so close to me,” Taehyung said as he pulled away from the curb.
“Yeah, it made the job even more appealing,” you nodded.
“I really am glad that you applied,” Taehyung said softly, as if to himself.
“Sorry, what was that?” you couldn’t hear him properly.
“Nothing! I said I’m glad you agreed to accompany me tonight!” Taehyung quickly stated.
“Thanks for inviting me out! I’m actually pretty excited,” you admitted.
The gallery was somewhere in the swanky part of downtown. You gazed out of the window at all of the high end stores Taehyung drove by. Everyone walking around the stores looked like supermodels, which was actually pretty intimidating. What if the people at the gallery looked like that too?
“We’re here!” Taehyung announced, interrupting your thoughts.
There was a decent amount of people wandering around the venue when you both entered. It was basically one big dimly lit room with spotlights on pieces scattered around on the walls plus some sculptures in the middle. Thankfully, the patrons already inside looked like normal people, most of them probably students like you.
“Taehyung!” someone called from the side of the room.
You both made your way towards the voice, only to find a man who was just as handsome as Taehyung greeting you with a bunny like smile. He had long hair that almost covered up his assorted dangly earrings. He definitely had art student vibes mixed with a dash of bad boy. The boys greeted each other with a ferocious hug, indicating that they’re probably good friends.
“Oh! What’s up, I’m Jungkook,” the boy shook your hand once he noticed you.
“She’s my babysitting partner this summer,” Taehyung said proudly.
“She’s replacing Jimin huh?” Jungkook laughed, “Taehyung and Jimin are like my brothers. We were all pretty close in college and are batchmates, even though I’m younger than them,” he stuck his tongue out at Taehyung.
“Yeah yeah okay whatever. Skipping grades in elementary school and bringing in a ton of transfer credits will help you do that I guess,” Taehyung shook his head even though he was still smiling.
“Are these your pictures?” you asked Jungkook, motioning to the mounted pictures behind him.
“Yeah! I took most of these in Madrid, I’ve been working abroad for my dream company,” Jungkook answered you proudly.
“Who’s this?” Taehyung pointed to a picture of a girl laughing by a giant tree.
“Yeah, she’s gorgeous!” you added.
“She’s um...a good friend. She was the perfect model,” Jungook said with a faraway look in his eyes that told you there was more to the story.
“Tell me more about her on our next phone call. Tonight is for celebrating you!” Taehyung picked up on Jungkook’s sudden change of tone.
You enjoyed listening to their old college stories as the boys reminisced about their past together. Jungkook relished telling you all of Taehyung’s embarrassing moments at various parties. Taehyung returned the favor by recalling Jungkook’s past run-ins with women. Despite his natural charm and god like looks, apparently Jungkook gets really nervous around girls.
You and Taehyung were on your own once Jungkook was flagged down by an older patron interested in purchasing some of his work. Taehyung stayed close to your side as you explored the rest of the gallery. Each artist was so incredibly talented as their pictures told stories with just a single frame.
“____ look! They have those fancy charcuterie boards!” Taehyung grabbed your hand and excitedly dragged you over to the snack table. You couldn’t help but smile at his childlike elation.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve been getting tired of being force fed fruit snacks every day,” you laughed as you ate the assorted appetizers.
“I completely understand. Unfortunately, the kids are too sweet when they want to share. I don’t have it in me to turn them down,” Taehyung agreed.
Once the food was eaten, you resumed walking through the gallery. It was fun making up stories to go with each picture. Taehyung seemed to gravitate towards adding a romantic twist to each story, while you opted for a bit of mystery. At the end of the event, Taehyung met up with Jungkook once more to say his goodbyes.
“Thanks again for coming with me, I had fun! I hope you enjoyed yourself,” Taehyung said as he drove you back.
“It was really neat! I liked hanging out with you outside of work,” you nodded.
“Would you say it was a successful date then?” Taehyung raised an eyebrow with curiosity. Your heart skipped a beat as your eyes widened with surprise.
“Was...was this a date?” you asked quietly.
“Did you want it to be?” Taehyung teased.
“I wouldn’t have gotten so dressed up otherwise,” you said defensively, taken aback by his sudden cheekiness.
“I realized I should’ve clarified that after you had already left. My bad,” Taehyung shot you a boxy grin, “But then I figured maybe you would be more relaxed if I didn’t mention it.”
“That’s odd logic, but I guess it worked,” you admitted begrudgingly.
Taehyung walked you back up to your house. He sweetly kissed your cheek and bid you goodnight, leaving you frozen in place.
“S-see you on Monday!” was all you were able to stammer out, to which Taehyung just smiled and waved back.
Hyuna happily freaked out with you once you were back inside. She was watching you from the moment Taehyung pulled back up. She shrieked with excitement once you told her that Taehyung confirmed that it was a date. Hyuna didn’t let up with grilling questions about how your night went. She even asked if the Jungkook guy you met was single, to which you truthfully answered that you didn’t know.
“Besides, he told me himself that he’s scared of girls. You’re scary enough as is,” you teased her.
“Oh shut up. So is Taehyung like, your boyfriend now?” Hyuna asked the million dollar question.
“I don’t think so. I think it was just a date, but that’s a good start!” you declared optimistically.
Babysitting on Monday went on like normal. Taehyung didn’t act any differently, which was both concerning and relieving. You were in the backyard pretending to eat whatever dirt concoction the little kids were serving you.
“This one is for you,” Lucy quietly offered Taehyung a clump of dirt sprinkled with blades of grass, topped with a dandelion.
“Oh, how pretty! What is it?” Taehyung played along.
“It’s a love potion. The next person you hug will fall in love with you,” Lucy smiled.
A smirk crept on Taehyung’s face as he pretended to eat Lucy’s love potion. He made a satisfied “Ahh” sound that made Lucy giggle.
“Tae has to hug me now! He loves me the most!” Sam yelled as he ran over to latch onto Taehyung.
“No, Tae loves me!” Bel argued as he pulled on Taehyung’s shirt.
“That’s not how it works!” Lucy huffed as she yelled at the boys.
You watched with delight as the little kids chased Taehyung around the backyard, demanding that he has to hug them. It was easy for him to juke them out as they constantly ran back and forth. You were content with just watching them until Taehyung began to make a beeline for you.
“Oh no no no,” you cried as you got up to run.
Taehyung (and the kids) chased you around for a little bit. The backyard was on the smaller side, so there wasn’t much space to evade all of them coming for you at once. To make matters worse, Taehyung actually started to try and catch you. His speed was no joke; he was much more agile than you gave him credit for.
With one pounce, Taehyung tackled you to the ground. Somehow he managed to whip himself around while you were falling, so you ended up falling on him. Now wrapped up in his arms, Taehyung smiled up at you with a shit eating grin.
“I guess you have to fall in love with me now,” he smirked.
“You wish,” you laughed as you pulled yourself up.
“Aw now he loves Miss _____,” Sam pouted.
“No, now Miss ____ has to fall in love with Tae,” Ava corrected him.
“That’s dumb,” Kota shook his head.
“Tae! Kota said a bad word!” Bel immediately tattled.
“Kota, remember what I said about bad words. No one wants to play with someone who says mean things,” Taehyung chided him.
“Sorry,” Kota mumbled.
“Let’s play go play inside. Who wants juice?” Taehyung patted Kota’s head.
The kids followed Taehyung inside like little ducklings. You loved that sight, you always thought it was the cutest thing. The rest of the day went by without a hitch.
The topic of favorite movies came up during lunchtime the next day.
“I like Frozen 2,” Ava stated, and Lucy nodded furiously in agreement.
“Detective Pikachu was better. Pikachu is funny,” Sam interjected. The other little boys then began to argue about which pokemon was better/stronger.
“I’m not really a big movie watcher,” Taehyung confessed as he took a bite of a dino chicken nugget.
“Have you at least seen the classics? Harry Potter? Lord of the Rings? Star Wars?” you listed with concern.
“I’ve seen Harry Potter and Star Wars. I think I saw the Lord of the Rings? I can’t really remember. I know I wanted to watch the newer Lord of the Rings movies,” he chuckled at your growing disbelief.
“Newer Lord of the Rings? You mean the Hobbit series?” you were disgruntled.
“Yeah those. I didn’t realize you were a nerd,” he nudged you.
“What of it? All of those are great movies. I have copies of the Hobbit series if you ever wanted to watch them,” you offered.
“Do you wanna watch them with me?” he perked up.
“Sure, I love them! You wanna do a marathon? It’ll take up a full day though,” you warned.
“I’m down. Are you free this Sunday?”
“I believe so.”
“Great! I’m excited to see you geek out over hobbits. Okay kids, naptime!”
You drove up to Taehyung’s place Sunday morning, you weren’t kidding when you said it would take all day. Taehyung said to dress comfortably so you showed up in your sweatpants and oversized college tee. He answered the door wearing gray sweatpants and his favorite CELINE shirt. His dark fluffy hair fell over his forehead and was almost long enough to cover his eyes.
“Good morning! I hope you’re hungry. I made some waffles to eat while we watch the first movie,” he greeted you.
His humble abode smelled heavenly as the scent of dough tinged with a hint of cinnamon wafted through the air. The soft belgian waffles were delicious as they practically melted in your mouth. Taehyung asked a ton of questions with nearly every scene, but you didn’t mind. You were happy to flex your knowledge of Tolkien lore.
Hours later, you found yourself cuddled up with Taehyung as the final credits of the Battle of Five Armies began to roll. Taehyung was still trying to process everything that happened as he asked you clarifying questions about each character.
“Well crap, now I’m sad,” he pouted.
“Yeah, the ending is kind of a downer, but that’s what makes it so good! The Lord of the Rings has a happy ending if that makes you feel better,” you look up at him from his chest.
“You look cute like that,” he observed.
“Like what? Tiny from your angle?” you tilted your head.
“I guess so? Tiny, maybe submissive,” Taehyung’s voice lowered with his suggestion.
“Submissive? Is that how you see me?” you sit back up completely with defiance.
“Not at all. You’re pretty feisty, which is why making you be submissive is even more alluring,” he raised his eyebrow in a suggestive manner.
“Do you want me to be a damsel in distress for you? Not happening,” you smirked.
“Pretty princesses are good for one thing,” Taehyung hopped off the couch.
Before you could say anything, he promptly grabbed you and swung you over his shoulder. You were too shocked by his boldness and physical abilities to retaliate.
“They’re perfect for kidnapping!” he let out a dramatic evil laugh as he carried you off to his bedroom.
Once there, he roughly threw you on the bed. You couldn’t help but look around curiously since this was the first time you’ve ever seen his room. It was surprisingly neat; his bed was made and there were no messy clothing piles in sight.
“Are you an evil dragon then? Capturing princesses and such?” you teased.
“Evil dragon, dashing captor, I can be anything you want me to be. Just please not an orc,” he let out a chuckle before getting back into character, “Just know that you’re trapped here with me. No one is going to rescue you.”
“Oh no! What a terrible situation to be in! What on Earth is this extremely handsome dragon going to do with a poor defenseless princess like me?” you taunted.
“Ok this is all very hot but before we go any further, are you okay with this?” Taehyung asked sincerely.
“I can’t think of anything that I’ve wanted more,” you nodded.
“Perfect. Safe word is red,” he winked at you, “Now strip for me, princess.”
“And if I don’t?” you challenged.
Taehyung grabbed a fistful of hair on the back of your head and forcefully brought you up to his face, “I suggest not making me angry,” he sneered.
You didn’t think you were one for being manhandled, but god damn that was hot. There was already a tingle between your legs and he hadn’t even really touched you yet. You complied with his request, and quickly tore off your shirt and pants. Though you weren’t wearing any fancy lingerie, you were wearing a gray bra and gray panties that could pass off as matching.
“Mmm what a pretty treasure. It would be a shame to let it gounappreciated,” Taehyung stretched out that last word as he gently ran his fingers from your torso up to your neck before firmly grasping it.
Taehyung straddled you as his long fingers were wrapped around your neck. Slowly, he leaned down to kiss you. Though apprehensive at first, he gradually got more bold with it. His tongue dipped into your mouth the instant your lips parted. His other hand crept under your bra to fondle your breast.
“You take your clothes off too,” you said as soon as the kiss broke.
“You don’t get to make any demands, silly princess,” Taehyung shook his head.
You pouted and reached out to tug at his pants anyway. Big mistake. Taehyung slapped your hand away and slammed you back onto the bed.
“You don’t listen, huh? I’ll have to do something about that. Stay still or else you’ll make things worse for yourself,” he ordered.
You reluctantly obeyed, partly because you were curious about what he was going to do, and partly because you were actually intimidated by him. He returned back to the bed a few seconds later, but with a familiar silky red belt in hand.
“Give me your hands. Good girl,” he smiled deviously as he bound them together, “Remember the safe word is red, okay?” he gently reminded you.
He looked down at you with a satisfied grin as he began to take off his sweatpants. He had an obvious bulge in his underwear that outlined his massive dick. You were further entranced by his physique when he took off his shirt. He wasn’t ripped, but he was still fit, as you could plainly see when his chest was finally revealed.
“Open wide, princess,” he demanded.
You opened your mouth, and even flattened your tongue out a little bit for him. He pulled his cock out of his underwear, finally exposing his full length. You doubted you could fit even half of him in your mouth, but at this point it wasn’t up to you.
Taehyung lowered himself down to you, and teasingly tapped the tip of his cock on your tongue. He slowly eased himself into your mouth, forcing you to open your mouth even wider to account for his girth. He made his way back out once you gagged. He grabbed your head to hold you steady as he fucked your mouth once more. He got closer and closer to the back of your throat until he finally hit it. All you could focus on was breathing as tears welled up in your eyes. Taehyung thrusted a couple more times before he pulled out completely.
“Good girl indeed. Well done, princess,” he softly stroked your chin before wiping your tears away. All you could do was smile meekly back at him.
“Don’t worry, it’s time for your reward,” Taehyung smiled down at you as his hand slipped under your panties, “Oh you’re so wet. I can’t wait to taste you.”
He positioned himself between your thighs after he tore off your panties. His thumb fiddled with your clit, causing you to squirm. He placed a strong grip on your thigh to hold you down as he circled your clit faster. Your helpless whimpers were music to Taehyung’s ears.
Without warning, he easily stuck two fingers into you. He didn’t even let you adjust as he rapidly fingered you, his fingers curving to graze your g-spot with every stroke. His tongue swirled around your clit, adding even more toe curling sensations.
Him adding a third finger was the catalyst for the strongest orgasm you’ve ever had in your life. There wasn’t even a build up, everything just hit you at once. Suddenly you were crying out even louder as you violently came. Did it occur to you that you were squirting all over Taehyung and his bed? No. Were you doing exactly that? Absolutely.
“Delicious,” Taehyung said as he licked his lips, “Look at the fucking mess you made.”
“I-i’m sorry,” you managed to stutter, you were still recovering from your orgasm.
“It’s only fair that it’s my turn to make a mess now. Do I need to get a condom, princess?” he cooed.
You weakly shook your head. You needed to feel all of him, right now. Taehyung chuckled at your neediness as he aligned himself with your pussy. He slowly inserted his entire length into you until the base of his cock touched your soaked pussy. You moaned together as he stayed still for a second. You looked up to see Taehyung’s face lit up with pure bliss.
“You’re still so fucking wet,” he growled as he began to mercilessly buck his hips into you.
You moaned with every thrust as Taehyung shook the entire bed. Taehyung placed both of your legs on his shoulders, allowing him to hit you even deeper from this new angle. He leaned over to plant his lips on your neck as he fucked you. What started as a gentle peck took a violent turn as he harshly sucked on your neck. He left dark spots wherever his lips touched, and soon you were covered in dark blooms.
“Do you want me to soil your back or your chest?” he asked in a guttural tone.
“Back?” you answer dubiously.
You were immediately flipped over. You were laying flat on your chest waiting for him to prop up your ass, but he never did. Instead, he simply spread your legs wider and fucked you flat against the bed. Taehyung grabbed your ass and spread your cheeks to get a better view of your sopping pussy. You could feel another orgasm brewing as he fucked even deeper into you, and his cock was continuously dragging against your g-spot.
“Taehyung, I--”
“I know, princess. Let it all out. I want to feel you come on my dick,” he demanded.
A few more strong strokes was all it took for you to go limp under him as your orgasm took over. Seconds after you hit your high, Taehyung pulled out and came all over your back.
Once you were all cleaned up, Taehyung untied you and kissed your forehead.
“How was it, princess?” he asked as he stroked your hair.
“I’ve never been fucked by a beast before, but now I don’t want anything else,” you admitted before kissing his neck.
“Good. I was worried about going overboard. As I told you before, I really like getting into character,” he laughed.
“I’ve never been into roleplay but I’m willing to change for you. Oh shit, it’s late already,” you noticed the time on his alarm clock.
“Just stay the night. I don’t think the kids will care if you’re wearing sweatpants or not. I can lend you a turtleneck to cover up those hickies though,” Taehyung yawned.
“Are you sure?” you questioned.
“Yeah, I don’t mind. Be warned, I’m a cuddler,” he pulled you closer to him.
“I guess I can sleep in a little later then,” you reasoned.
“Perfect. Goodnight, princess,” he quickly kissed your lips.
“You’re sleeping like that?”
“Like what?”
“Butt naked?”
“I can put clothes on if it makes you uncomfortable. I just figured it would make things easier for tomorrow morning,” he said sleepily.
“Tomorrow morning?” that got your attention.
“You’ll see! Be patient, princess. Night night.”
Never in a million years would you have guessed that applying for a babysitting job would result in this, but you weren’t complaining.
Published April 17, 2021. No editing, copying, translating, or reposting allowed. All Rights Reserved © 2021 Baepsaesbae.
#bts smut#kim taehyung smut#bangtanarmynet#btswritingcafe#ksmutclub#btscreatorscorner#bts fanfic#kim taehyung fanfic#v smut#v fanfic#bts fluff#kim taehyung fluff#kim taeyhung#v#taehyung x reader#kim taehyung x reader#purplearmynet
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Domesticity
Zelink Week 2021 prompt #5/7 @zelinkweek2021
Word Count: 1,951
Incarnation: Breath of the Wild 2 (post)
Additional Prompts Followed: Hearts, Family
No Trigger Warnings
“Is one of us dying?”
The feast was definitely unsettling to Wendie, and although she was mostly joking, she couldn’t help but think that such a nice dinner at such a random time of the year was odd. Of course her dad was a great cook, but this was a step above, despite there being no family birthdays for at least three months and no holidays for five.
“No,” her mother said as she placed on the table a large bowl of goat-buttered mashed potatoes, one of Wendie’s favorite foods. She had said it with a slight motherly laugh and a warm smile. “No one is dying. We’re just having a family dinner.”
The mother, who went by the name Zelda, had aged gracefully over the past twenty years, blonde hair highlighted with streaks of white that her husband would often call angelic and ethereal when she would doubt her beauty. At the moment, her age-hued hair was swept into a single braid behind her head, messy yet secure.
“Our family dinners aren’t usually this elaborate,” Wendie observed. “You made mashed potatoes and seafood rice balls—which is Elyjah’s favorite food—grilled carrots, meat pie, mushroom skewers and you have an apple turnover on the counter for dessert!”
“Nothing gets past you,” her father said, putting a bowl of baked and salted radishes on the table. His blue eyes looked over to Zelda. “I think we raised them too smart.”
“Nonsense,” Zelda said, walking forward and using the rag that was just draped over her shoulder to wipe a smattering of flour off of Link’s forehead. “Where’s Elyjah?”
Wendie made a sound that sounded a lot like a lazy “I don’t know” while shrugging her shoulders where she sat at the table.
“He can just eat when he gets home,” Wendie reasoned. “There’s more than enough food.”
Wendie didn’t see her parents exchange glances, the seventeen-year old not caring in the slightest that her twin brother wasn’t here to ruin her first dibs on dinner.
“I’ll try and find him,” Zelda said with a sigh, Wendie looking back up at her parents. Link nodded as Zelda departed. Wendie once again questioned what was going on.
“Ly!” The father and daughter heard outside, Zelda from just the doorstep of their modest Hateno home calling out to the entirety of Hyrule. Link sat down across from his daughter, elbows on the table and arms folded into each other. The deep thought he was in concerned Wendie greatly. He wouldn’t even meet her glance. Was she in trouble?
“Okay, okay, I’m coming.”
Elyjah.
Of all the people to be in trouble, surely it was him. He had never gotten into anything truly bad but he was the biggest prankster in Hateno. The only shop he wasn’t banned from was the dye shop. The green-eyed troublemaker was here nonetheless and Wendie prepared herself for another fun show. Zelda moved to sit down next to Link at the table but Elyjah stopped as soon as he saw the table, mouth popped open and body frozen.
“Is someone dying?”
He had looked over to his sister when he asked the question.
“Yeah,” she said. “You.”
“What?” Elyjah asked, almost believing it.
“Wendie, that’s enough now,” Zelda said, before looking over to her son. “No one is dying. We would just like to talk to you both.”
Elyjah sat next to Wendie with the same bewildered look as her, trying to figure out what it was before their parents spit it out. It was like Hylia’s Day presents except they didn’t have a good feeling about this, especially when Link took Zelda’s hand and looked at their children, ready to address them.
And yet it was Zelda who started.
“Do you two remember the fairytale we used to tell you?” Zelda inquired, her voice shaky. “The bedtime story? Of the princess and the knight?”
Neither Elyjah nor Wendie had any clue of the relevance, but they both remembered the tale well.
“The one with the weird ending?” Wendie asked nonetheless. “Where he rescued her and then that was it?”
“Yeah,” Elyjah said. “Didn’t they just stare at each other in silence? After all they had been through, it seemed like there should have been more.”
Link dove his hand into his forehead.
“Zelda, you could have given them a better ending,” Link suggested.
Zelda scoffed and put her hands on her hips.
“It was a lesson in imagination,” she said. “And clearly none of you have any.”
“But that’s besides the point…” Link said, prompting Zelda in a different direction.
“Yes,” Zelda said, nodding at Link and returning her gaze to their children, confused as ever. And yet she smiled at them.
“You both have grown up so fast,” Zelda said. “We both love you very much and cannot believe that you have blossomed right before our eyes into adults.”
Zelda’s smile became sad and she bowed her head.
“You see it’s a lot easier to lie to children.”
Wendie’s brow furrowed.
“Lie…” she repeated from her mother.
When Zelda’s head tilted back up, green was glazed with waves of coming tears, making the emeralds that Link fell in love with a hundred years ago shine even brighter.
“That fairytale…” Zelda said. “The princess who used her sealing power to keep away Calamity Ganon and the knight who slept in a ruined Hyrule for a hundred years in order to recover from his injuries and save her…”
Zelda stopped herself. Twenty years of keeping it in and it seems it wanted to stay in. She wrestled with her conflicted heart, kept it at bay long enough for her to blurt it out.
“It’s true,” Zelda said, no weakness in her voice, no lie, no apprehension. “The knight and the princess really did fight the calamity, really did survive a century to see it through and then some. Once they tracked down the cause of the anomaly, destroying the true form of Ganon, they settled down in Hateno. They got married and eventually gave life to twins, a boy and a girl.” Zelda’s eyes were proud as she looked upon her children, although they glistened with tears. Her heart hurt to see their faces in shock, but the outspoken truth felt better than she could have imagined. She felt Link’s grip tighten around her fingers.
“You both have royal blood in you,” Zelda said. “Even though I stepped away from the throne in the search of a simpler, more fulfilling life, you both still have claim to the titles of Prince Elyjah and Princess Wendie. We wanted you to know in case that path would prove fulfilling for you and…well, now that you’re adults you have the right to know the truth.”
Wendie stood up and walked out of the house, her parents not daring to stop her. Elyjah, however, just sat in shock, piecing it all together in his mind. Link and Zelda both could see his green eyes working, much like his mother’s did when she went over schematics or theorized about plant life.
“The story,” he finally started, “everything you went through…the pressure…you wanted to protect us from that…you wanted to give us the childhood you never had…that neither of you had.”
Link nodded.
“That’s right.”
Elyjah pursed his lips and nodded. Sometimes he was just like his dad. He shrugged.
“Okay,” he said, replacing his empty plate with the one filled with the seafood rice balls meant for the whole family. “Cool,” he continued, or at least it sounded like the word “cool”, his mouth mostly filled with rice.
Link raised his eyebrows and looked over at Zelda.
“Apparently we’re…cool.” Link said the last word as if it were completely foreign.
“Not all of us,” Zelda reminded her husband. She started to stand up. “I’m gonna go talk to her.”
Yet Link placed a hand on her arm.
“I’ll go,” Link said. “You stay and enjoy the food.”
Link found his daughter on the banks of Firly Pond, knees hugged close to her chest and water lapping at her bare toes.
At first he waited with his hand on the bark of the near apple tree, pursing his lips. Sometimes he was thrust back in time twenty years, when he felt he had no idea how to be a dad. This was one of those moments.
Link saw in his mind’s eye Wendie’s big blue eyes staring up at him, stubby arms reaching for him. He smiled. She grew up so fast.
“I know you’re there,” he heard Wendie say. She didn’t turn her head away from the pond. “Did you come to give me a speech?”
Link walked towards her.
“Maybe.”
He sat down next to her and Wendie only gave him the smallest of glances.
“I feel like I don’t know my parents at all,” she finally said.
Link nodded.
“I understand.” He said. “I don’t agree, but I understand.”
Wendie looked over to his profile, trying to ascertain how he could be serious. The calamity was real and her parents fought it. Sheikah technology really could heal fatal wounds and the goddesses power really was wielded by a mortal, not to mention her own mother, who never seemed like a princess in the slightest. Her father was a knight in a kingdom that really did exist and she?
Well she was a princess. This whole time, she was a princess. The girl who was called the “ugly duckling” of the family as a child was a princess in peasant’s clothing. She almost wanted to go brag to the town, but that seemed petty for just a small ounce of appreciation from the people her age who used to tease her when they would play as children.
Her parents were legends and in comparison, what was she?
Definitely not a princess.
“You know us as what we became after everything we went through,” Link finally said, having taken the time to get his words together. “The people we were before…”
He hesitated.
“We were nothing more than what the kingdom wanted us to be…statues, legends, weapons…we were never fully ourselves, and we could never afford to be ourselves with an entire kingdom looking at us to save them from a calamity. The slivers that were left of us found a friendship in each other, one that grew into love in time. After everything was settled, we began to truly find ourselves, basking in the freedom to do so. It’s something that usually occurs in a fifteen year old but your mother and I were a hundred and twenty years old when we solved the identity crisis. She did not want to be royalty and I did not want to be a knight. When we finally did not need to be those things, we took our first breaths as Link and Zelda. We wanted our children to take those breaths from the very second they were born, and that is why we let you grow up before we told you the truth. We wanted royalty to be an option for you two, not a necessity. We wanted you to become yourselves, not tiny versions of us. I only hope we have…at least I think we have.”
Wendie smiled.
“You have,” she said. “If you want your daughter to have absolutely no idea what she wants to do with her life.”
Link brought his daughter closer by hugging her far shoulder, bringing her close enough to kiss the top of her head.
“That’s exactly what I want,” he said. It sounded strange but Link didn’t mean it as a bad thing. “Because finding out your passion for yourself is the most exciting thing in this entire wild land.”
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On the Baratie, Part 2 - a One Piece Mermaid AU Text Story
Tonight I bring another humble offering of a text story, this time a continuation of the Baratie story that y’all voted to see more of!
This was posted in advance on my Patreon several weeks ago ^ ^
Continues off of Part 1, but can be enhanced by reading the Prologue as well!
Links to previous parts:
👒🐟On the Baratie, Part 1
👒🐟On the Baratie, Prologue
~~
Sanji and Gin jolt when they notice the mermaid draped over the rail above them, her tail gripping the wood like an anaconda.
"Glad you got food!" she says to Gin, who is too busy staring to hear her words. "And you!" now directed at Sanji, "You're cool! Join my crew!"
Sanji can't really judge Gin, because he's staring too. It's hard to tear his gaze away from the stunning goddess who has seemingly materialized out of thin air to be within touching distance, but he manages, and--it appears she's alone. The pirates are nowhere in sight.
"Are you alright?" his words leave in a soft whoosh, in case the pirates can hear, and Gin finally snaps out of it to look at Sanji with concern.
"Me? I'm great! The food here's awesome! I'd be more awesome if you joined my crew!" She grins, and her mouth is full of gleaming pearls, and Sanji struggles not to swoon.
"Your...crew?" Sanji's impressed he managed to catch that, he's so entranced by her voice. It's lower than he expected, but rich, and bright, and boyish in a way that matches her wind-tousled hair.
"Yeah, I'm a pirate!" She announces proudly, slapping her flukes against the wood in emphasis.
"A...pirate," Sanji repeats. "Those people who came in with you..."
"They're my crew! They're awesome!" The pearls flash again.
Sanji's inclined not believe her; he has no clue what the pirates have forced her to say, and even if that's not the case, she has this innocent air to her that suggests she may have been tricked into believing herself a willing member of the crew--but he stops.
There's something about her, the way her big, wide eyes sparkle and her smile shines down on Sanji warmer than the sun, that convinces him that she's telling the truth.
The mermaid really is a pirate. Which means she doesn't need to be rescued.
"I see," he manages to say, and slowly forces the tension from his shoulders. He'd be lying if he said there wasn't a small part of him that's disappointed that he won't be able to act as her shining knight. But a much larger part of him is relieved, relieved because he honestly wasn't sure how he'd get rid of the pirates without the shitty old man and the Baratie suffering, and relieved because it means his princess isn't in distress. As much as he'd love to be her hero, Sanji doesn't think he could bear to see her in tears.
They talk some more, and Sanji's once again impressed with his ability to maintain a normal conversation with the mermaid, whose name is Luffy. Gin blanches at her announcement that they're going to the Grand Line, but he'd seen the members of her crew too, and reluctantly nods.
"Just be careful out there, monsters live on the Grand Line," Gin warns as he prepares to set off.
"It's okay, we have monsters too!" Luffy grins, carefree as can be. Gin and Sanji believe her, though neither at the time suspect that she includes herself among her crew's "monsters."
Zeff comes out as Gin's leaving, and Sanji cheerfully destroys the evidence of having fed the starving pirate before the restaurant owner's eyes. Luffy blinks at the exchange, before something seems to click.
"Oh, you're the Zeff dude!"
Zeff's eyebrows climb into his impossibly tall hat. "Oh? And you must be our first ever mermaid customer. The cooks were in quite an uproar over you." His eyes flick to Sanji knowingly, well aware that Sanji had shoved the other cooks aside in order to claim the honor of cooking for their party personally.
Luffy seems weirdly pleased. "Hey, Zeff dude, I found you! Thatch wanted to talk to you. So you should go talk to him!"
She's clearly very satisfied at having relayed her message, and Zeff harrumphs. "Thatch, eh? Well that's a name I've heard before...let's go see the brat."
Zeff disappears back inside, leaving Luffy alone with Sanji. He feels his heart pounding weirdly again, now that they're by themselves.
"You should really join our crew," Luffy says, and her persistence is endearing. She's picking her nose now, and with anyone else, Sanji would complain about how unsanitary it is, but anything done by her is charming. Sanji notes that her nostril seems bizarrely stretchy. How absolutely adorable.
"Is your crew in search of a cook, milady?" Sanji allows himself to briefly imagine what it would be like, to travel the world with such a lovely companion. The rest of her pre-existing crew fades to the background, until it's just her and Sanji, leaning against the rail of a beautiful white ship, seagulls soaring through brilliant clear skies as he pulls back the veil to kiss the bride--
"Oh, nope! We already have a cook!" she says cheerfully, shattering the fleeting vision of their wedding. "But, that doesn't mean we can't have two! And your food looks great! You should be our cook too!"
Ah, they already have a cook...Sanji suddenly remembers seeing the pompadour man, the one that had tickled his memory. He frowns, because that niggling sensation won't leave, and something tells him it's important that he remembers where he knows the man from.
"I should get back now, or Ace will be mad," Luffy announces, and shimmies up the rail back towards the door that Zeff had left from. She glances back at Sanji expectantly, and Sanji follows, unable to deny his princess's summons.
~~
The rest of Luffy's crew is still lounging in the back VIP section, surrounding the most lavish table in the entire restaurant and given a degree of privacy from outside with the help of thick curtains. Sanji had assigned them to the table in case they need a nasty confrontation, but it seems like that won't be necessary.
Sanji jolts when he realizes that the pompadour man has risen from his seat to stand in front of Zeff, and the two are talking animatedly. Sanji doesn't remember the last time Zeff looked so pleased to speak with an outsider.
"So yer now the Head Chef of that old man's fleet, eh," Zeff is saying, and the pompadour man looks weirdly bashful. "You woulda been a fine addition to our crew though, kid."
"Possibly," Pompadour agrees, "though my place is with Pops."
"And what about now? You change your mind about that, or taking a vacation all the way out here?" Zeff snorts, and Sanji acknowledges the affirmation that yes, these really are Grand Line pirates.
"Something like a vacation, and to spend some time traveling with my dearest--Luffy!" he exclaims.
"Thatch! I caught a Zeff!" Luffy announces, smacking her tail hard on the ground to bound up onto pompadour man's vacated seat.
All of the food at the table has been consumed, and Luffy looks sadly at the empty plate as though she had been expecting something to still be there. Sanji wants to immediately return to the kitchen to refill it, but then he notices that Luffy is now licking the plate. Her manners are absolutely beyond atrocious. It suits her though, and Sanji wouldn't want it any other way, because he hasn't ever seen such blatant appreciation for food that he'd cooked, and it's making his entire body buzz with barely contained bliss.
Before Sanji can make his offer to bring more, the pompadour man, Thatch, interrupts. "Lil Seastar, you don't need to do that, I'll make you seconds back on the ship," he says, fluffing Luffy's soft hair and Sanji seethes in jealousy.
"It was really good, you were right about the Zeff dude cooks," Luffy says mournfully at Thatch's plate. "Though Thatch's still the best!" She butts her head into Thatch's large palm.
Zeff laughs at her words. "High praise, to be compared to you, Whitebeard's lil cook, if you've grown as much as you claim. This meal was prepared by my Sous-chef. Come here Sanji," he says and Sanji jolts at suddenly being addressed.
Sanji's distracted by Thatch's hand on Luffy's head, but forces himself to look up at the tall pirate, who's now scrutinizing Sanji intently. There's something about the man that's really bothering Sanji, like he should really, really know him. Sanji thinks Zeff just said Whitebeard, and if that's the case--those are BIG pirates. Like, the Biggest actually, which is kind of insane. But, Sanji doesn't actually recall being familiar with any officers, other than having heard about Whitebeard himself, so it really doesn't solve the mystery of familiarity.
"So you're Zeff's best, hm?" Thatch says, and even though Sanji can only sense genuine friendliness from his smile, he still feels oddly awkward, unsure how to react. It's not often that Zeff holds another chef in such high regard, and one so much younger than him too. Sanji feels like he ought to be polite, at the very least.
He once again doesn't need to speak, because Luffy beats him to it. "Yeah! He's a good guy! And if he made our food, then he's good at food-making too! I pick him, I've decided. He's gonna join our crew!"
Sanji feels his cheeks burn at the praise, but being invited in private is a bit different from having it made into an announcement to an audience Sanji doesn't personally know. "Luffy, darling, please wait--"
"Lu, what'd we say about inviting people without consulting me? We're both captains here, we need to agree," a voice says lazily from Luffy's other side, and Sanji's gaze jolts to the man who unfolds himself from the shadows like a lethal big cat.
He'd somehow forgotten the others except Thatch, but this is the man who'd carried Luffy in, the dangerous one. He gives a careless nod in Sanji's direction, giving him a cursory sweep with dark, sleepy eyes even as he opens his arm. Luffy, pouting, slides onto the man's lap, and the arm settles again to wrap around her waist.
The move looks intentionally provocative, Sanji thinks, struggling to keep his scowl inside. It's hard to watch them pressed together, the man's bare, rippling torso to Luffy's revealing top and the soft flesh bulging from within. Luffy wraps her lovely coral gemstone tail around the man so it loops behind his chair, making their contact look very mutual. Throughout it all, the man doesn't break eye contact with Sanji.
The man's sending a message, and Sanji gets it loud and clear: Hands off.
Sanji decides he doesn't like the man.
"But Ace, he's a Good Guy, we want him on our crew," Luffy says, staring up at the man with enormous eyes and a wobbly lip that has Sanji clutching his chest.
The man, Ace--why does that sound vaguely familiar too?--has the nerve to look bored, even when exposed to the full blast of the gorgeous mermaid's luscious pout, and at this point Sanji has to conclude that the man isn't human, because what mortal could possibly resist her?
"Mm, a Good Guy, huh," Ace says, he gives Sanji a slow, knowing smirk that forces him to hold himself rigid to avoid stepping back. "I dunno Luffy, he's looking at you like you're meat."
His gaze gets colder then, and Sanji's indignation dies on his lips.
"Meat..."
The moment's over when Luffy looks down at herself contemplatively, and her stomach growls.
"I take that back," Ace says hastily. "You're not meat, you're fish, and made of rubber at that. Bad idea, Lu."
"How about I get you something, and I can let Zeff see for himself if I've improved while I'm at it?" Thatch slides in. "That is, if you don't mind me borrowing your kitchen, Zeff?"
"Outsiders don't play in my kitchen, boy," Zeff snorts, and Sanji's relieved at the sudden return to normalcy, but it's short lived. "But for you, I'll make an exception. Let's see it."
~~
~~
Tbc in Part 3...?
And so I write longer and longer Mermaid AU stories ^ ^;;;;
Thank you so much for reading!! If you liked it, I’d love to hear any comments or thoughts ;A;
❀ ❀ Send YukiPri an Ask! ❀ ❀
Read the next part: On the Baratie, Part 3
~This ask has been added to the Mermaid AU Text Headcanons Compilation post~
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Once Upon a Time: Tougher Than the Rest (6x11)
I have so many questions. So many, many questions.
Cons:
I didn't hate this episode, in the sense that many of the details in it were quite nice. But I've got to be brutally honest, here: the entire "Wish Realm" thing ends up being a total cop-out. Emma and Regina are already back, safe and sound. That was quite a detour for no real payoff. I wanted to see how things played out here! I wanted to see Prince Henry. I wanted to spend time with Emma as she fought the duality of herself. The princess that never was but could have been, and the Savior part of herself that she both cherishes and dreads. But... nope. As has become abundantly clear by the end of this episode, the entire Wish Realm is just a convoluted way of getting Robin back into the story.
Yep. That's right. Regina takes Wish Realm Robin back with her, defying one of the key plot points that started off this whole show in the first place. The magic wardrobe is only supposed to be able to take two people! But now suddenly three can go, no problem? Seriously? And conveniently, while everybody else aged, Robin hasn't. This is because maybe somehow the real Robin's soul was transferred to this realm through a wish or some such bullshit? Now, the thing is, I didn't like the fact that Robin was killed off, so a part of me is happy to have him back. But the Wish Realm could have provided us with episodes worth of fun storytelling. Instead, we get half a second with campy Rumple, a fun scene with older Hook, and... bam. Back to our regular story. Ugh.
Oh, also, Gideon is the person destined to kill Emma with the sword, as we learned in the mid-season finale. In this episode, we finally learn why. Apparently, he was raised in a different realm where time moves differently, by Rumple's mother the Black Fairy. This upbringing was hard on him, but it didn't turn him "evil" the way his grandmother wanted. Instead, he is seeking the opportunity to become the Savior, so that he can reenter the realm where he was raised and defeat the evil there. For some reason, he thinks the way to become the Savior is to kill Emma and take on her role. This is dumb. Where did he get the idea that killing the Savior would turn you into the Savior? This isn't like the Dark One, is it? It makes no sense! Belle and Rumple are both trying to reconnect with their son, but at no point do either one of them stop and explain to him that he can be a hero and save his realm without first pointlessly committing murder. Why don't Belle and Rumple just offer to help him take down the Black Fairy? All this buildup about Emma's destined death, and the actual rationale behind why Gideon would want to kill her is super weak.
Pros:
But I actually did not dislike this episode, due to many of the character beats and fun callbacks it provided.
In Storybrooke, we see Hook and David working desperately to figure out what to do about Gideon. David refuses to wake Snow up, because he wants to fix this mess before bringing her back into it. I loved the brief moments of Hook and David together, as they really do work off of each other quite nicely. It looks like we'll be getting a lot more of that next week, so that's nice.
Rumple and Belle are both on the same side, in a way, as they fight to establish some sort of a relationship between themselves and their grown son. I liked that Rumple admits that he's addicted to his evil power-seeking ways, but he's got enough humanity left in him to want something better for his son. That was always the key sticking point with Rumple - as horrible as he was, his motivation was always about getting to Bae. And as horrible as he still is, I believe him when he says he wants what's best for Gideon. I do not want Belle and Rumple to get back together in any way, shape, or form, but I do like the idea of them being united in this one thing: their son.
We see a brief flashback of young Emma living on the streets, burning the pages of a fairy tale book for fire. A young August comes up to her and tells her that if she believes in herself enough, she can change her fate. This prompts Emma to go to the police and try again for a better home. We also learn that August's words, about the story of the Ugly Duckling, is how Emma gives herself the last name "Swan." The episode is tagged with a moment where Emma visits August in Storybrooke and thanks him for looking after her when she was growing up. I love the idea of Emma naming herself, and as a big August fan, I'm really happy with the idea of him having a big part of setting her on the right path, even if he did fail her in so many ways.
The stuff in the Wish Realm, while ultimately a pointless Robin-fetching detour, was still quite fun. August played a big role, as he helped Princess Emma create a wardrobe to send her back to her realm. I loved seeing him again, and I loved the big hug between the two when they first reunited. Emma still has all of "Princess" Emma's memories, and it appears that she and August have a sort of friendship in this alternate realty. That's delightful. I love August. I can't even put my finger on why. I just do.
As I said, Robin's reappearance here feels super forced, but since I hated his death in the first place, I can't be too mad about it. Regina wants to see if this version of Robin is happier, having never known her. At first she thinks he is, but she then learns that Marian died before the two could ever marry, and while he's still a thief, he doesn't give anything to the poor. He keeps it for himself. Truth is, his life is pretty miserable, which is why he decides to drop everything and come with Regina. This show has a real knack of taking stupid premises and milking some good character moments out of them. I'd like to see Regina and Robin fall in love again, with the added complication that Regina will always be looking for somebody who isn't quite there. And does this mean that Roland will come back to see his new "dad"? That would be an interesting element to explore.
Wish Realm Captain Hook is hilarious. He's a drunken, grey-haired, pot-bellied pirate who wants to "rescue" Emma from Pinocchio for the reward promised by Emma's family. I love how Emma is just bemused and confused by the whole thing, and later when she gets back home, she tells Hook: "it'll be okay... we're going to switch to water." He replies, slightly horrified: "what, for drinking?" That cracked me up.
Speaking of Emma's return, we see her have her fateful encounter with Gideon on the streets of Storybrooke. She manages to take control of her own fate and overpower Gideon, but he vanishes, living to fight her another day. This might have been a bit anticlimactic, but I do think it worked alright. We haven't solved the problem, just delayed it a bit. Emma's reunions with everybody were really sweet. She hugs Killian, David, and then hugs Killian and Henry at the same time, a reunion of her little family. I loved this. So sweet. I'm a sap for this kind of thing, I must admit it.
That's all I've got for now. This episode is sort of confounding. I thought I understood what this half of the season would be about. I was ready to explore this Wish Realm and see all the cool things it could unveil. It would have given us a solid reason to stay in the Enchanted Forest instead of forcing additional flashbacks. But now it's all done with, in one episode? I don't know... is Gideon the thing we're going to spend the rest of the season focused on? If so, I'm going to need a better explanation for his behavior. All that being said, I liked seeing Emma and Regina in this alternate world. I liked watching David grow increasingly stressed over his situation. I liked seeing Emma take control of her own fate. And I like Robin. I'm glad he's back. I even got to see August, an old favorite of mine. How do I rate such a mixed episode? I'll give it a shot...
7/10
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