#Aeris-AU | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

lexawritex · 5 days ago

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aeri uchinaga headcanon

meangirl!aeri x dancer!fem!reader

⚠️ smut, light bullying, lots of swearing

★ aeri sees you differently after seeing you dance.

a/n: rushed, im so bad at writing smut, did not proofread

- you lived a normal life—good family, good friends, good grades, and a decent reputation on campus. but among all the good things in your life, one flaw stood out: your bad eyesight. you blamed it on the countless hours spent staring at screens, whether working on projects or losing yourself in games.

- that's why when you forgot to put on your glasses and rummaged to find it in your bag, you bumped into a person causing them to fall on the ground.

- you heard a yelp as the person hit the cold floor, followed by gasps echoing around you. scrambling to find your glasses, you slipped them on, only for your heart to sink and your breath to catch in your chest at the sight of the person sprawled on the ground.

- the long, bright pink hair made it impossible not to recognize her. aeri uchinaga. she was on the ground, glaring up at you while her crew of three girls stood behind her, their faces frozen in shock.

- your voice caught in your throat, the apologies you wanted to spill refused to come out. instead, you bent down to her level, extending a hand to help her up, only for her to swat it away.

- aeri looked at you with such a sharp look that if looks could kill, you were stabbed mercilessly everywhere.

- "are you blind-- given your glasses, i think you are! watch where you're going next time and wear your glasses if you're so blind, gosh!"

- the pink-haired woman exclaimed sharply before standing up and brushing past you, intentionally bumping your shoulder. all you could do was watch as she and her crew walked away, vanishing into the sea of students crowding the hallway.

- ever since that encounter, aeri never left you alone. it seemed that incident triggered something in her, making you her next victim. unfortunately, most of your classes were with her, turning school into a daily struggle. her endless teasing made life miserable—hiding your belongings during class, shoving you against your locker as she passed, or sticking out her foot to trip you during lunch.

- however, the teasing came to a halt when you stopped attending regular classes and started frequenting the gym. you had the privilege of being excused from classes to prepare for an upcoming dance competition, representing your school.

- you'd have your peaceful lunch outside the campus, away from the four disasters in your precious school life.

- but that peace didn’t last long. now, you found yourself making eye contact with the devil herself—aeri—sitting on the bleachers with her crew. she stared at you with her usual evil smirk before breaking eye contact, her gaze trailing down to scan you. the intensity of her stare left you feeling self-conscious throughout your entire practice.

- forcing yourself to ignore her presence—which surprisingly worked—you managed to finish the last day of practice successfully. after freshening up and ridding yourself of the sweaty state from earlier, you bid goodbye to your group and headed out.

- what you thought was a peaceful walk home turned out to be wrong.

- "hey there, y/nnie." your heart stopped at the sound of that familiar, mocking voice as its owner stepped out from the corridor.

- aeri, all alone, wore that smirk that seemed permanently etched on her face whenever you saw her. she strode confidently toward your almost retreating figure. how ironic—it was you who was taller, yet every time you crossed paths, she made you feel as though she towered over you.

- "didn't know you could move like that. why didn't you tell me you could be sexy, hm?" she said, her tone raspy and laced with something you couldn’t quite place.

- before you could even respond, she stepped closer, her hand resting lightly on your shoulder as she leaned in. her warm breath brushed against your ear, sending shivers down your spine.

- "take care out there, sexy," she murmured, her voice low and teasing, before turning on her heel and walking away.

- ever since that weirdly hot and confusing night, aeri became unusually touchy whenever she was near. she would brush her hands against your body as she passed by, her touches lingering just enough to leave you flustered. it didn’t help that, despite her past mistreatments, you couldn’t deny how attractive you found her.

- on the day of your competition, you stood on stage, preparing to perform. as your eyes scanned the loud, cheering crowd, they landed on a familiar head of pink hair. your eyes widened in surprise—you hadn’t expected her to be here.

- you managed to survive the entire routine, pushing aside the way her presence made you feel self-conscious. instead, you focused on the music and the rhythm, allowing yourself to enjoy the time you had on stage.

- upon reaching backstage, you were greeted by the cheers of your teammates, all of them struggling to catch their breaths, which you mirrored. despite the exhaustion, you all huddled together, sharing a group hug—celebrating your successful performance.

- now, you were at a club with your team, celebrating your victory. it was clear that your team had won, and to mark the occasion, your leader had dragged everyone out to the club with the promise of covering the drinks.

- aeri happened to be at the same club, and upon spotting your tall figure vibing freely on the dance floor, a smirk crept onto her lips. she watched you from a distance, her gaze never leaving you.

- she watched as you transformed from sober to wild on the dance floor, clearly drunk from the drinks you'd had. your movements became freer, and she couldn't help but smirk at the sight of you letting loose.

- "she knows how to party, huh?" karina, one of aeri's friends, remarked as she observed your drunken movements. aeri nodded, her gaze lingering for a moment before she shifted her attention back to the group she was with, who had now started playing cards.

- however, as soon as she took her eyes off you, a girl approached and began dancing dangerously close. your bodies were almost touching as the slow music played, the rhythm urging her on. she eyed you with hooded, intoxicated eyes, matching the haze of your own drunkenness.

- one of aeri's friends, winter, noticed the scene and slapped a hand on the pink-haired woman's arm. "holy cow, ain't no way that loser bagged a hot chick before me!" she exclaimed, standing up quickly and jogging toward the dance floor.

- aeri whipped her head around, her eyes landing on your figure as you danced dangerously close with someone. a flash of irritation crossed her face—she didn’t like that one bit.

- she downed her drink in one go, slamming the glass onto the table before strutting toward your drunken figure with a determined stride.

- upon reaching you, she discreetly pushed the woman aside and grabbed you by the shoulders, pulling you close as she moved in sync with the slow music. her eyes mockingly glanced at the woman, who only rolled her eyes before turning and walking away, clearly unimpressed.

- slightly sobering up from the proximity, you stopped dancing and looked at aeri with confusion, unsure of what was happening. "aeri? what are you doing?"

- the woman rolled her eyes, pulling her hands from your shoulders and gripping your wrist to yank you toward the bathroom. confused and drunk, you stumbled after her, feeling powerless in the situation, and let yourself be pushed into a cubicle.

- "w-what are you doing, aeri?" you nervously asked, your voice shaky as the woman stood close, her hooded eyes fixed on you with an intensity that sent a shiver down your spine.

- "i don't know either but one thing for sure is, you made me so fucking hot and bothered and you need to fix it right now." pushing you back onto the covered toilet seat, she straddled you without hesitation and placed her hands firmly on your shoulders. her touch was electrifying, and her gaze held you captive.

- your frustration gave way to a rush of desire as you leaned in and claimed her lips, the taste of her mouth sending a rush of satisfaction through you. a soft hum of satisfaction escaped her chest as your lips moved in a hungry dance, eagerly exploring every contour of each other.

- you boldy bit her lower lip, causing the woman to release a moan. using this opportunity to slip your tongue and claim dominance as your tongues danced against each other. when your lungs burned from the lack of oxygen, you pulled away, creating string of saliva.

- aeri chuckled and whispered, "that's so fucking hot." you smirked and claimed her lips once more, this time much more aggressive. your hands made its way to her hips, gripping it, pulling her closer. her arms snaked around your neck as she slowly grinded against you. the action made you pull back to release a groan. aeri chuckled at this reaction and continued grinding against you, loving the sounds you made.

- your hooded eyes mirrored her lust-fille ones as she moved, never breaking your eye contact. deciding to break the eye contact, your head moved to her neck as you left wet kisses on the her soft skin.

- aeri moaned and tilted her neck, giving you more access. your wet kisses turned to soft bites and gradually, harsh ones—sucking and kissing. it would leave very obvious marks but aeri was too sexually drunk to care.

- pulling away, you looked at the marks you made and smirked in pride. aeri paused, her gaze lingering on your proud smirk before she rolled her eyes and gently slapped your cheek, pulling your attention toward her.

- she took a good look at your face and chuckled. "fuck, you're actually so damn hot. i think i was the blind one for not seein that." she said, causing you to laugh.

- "really? you're only saying that after we made out?" you shook your head. aeri looked at you before smirking.

- "wouldn't it be so fucking hot if you fuck me with your glasses on?" she whispered, licking your earlobe which sent you shivers down your spine.

- you chuckled at her idea, "i wouldn't be able to see you then 'cause the fog would block my vision." aeri rolled her eyes and groaned, pushing her head back.

- "i almost forgot that you can be such a nerd—a hot nerd." she said, causing you to laugh. despite the situation, you were still in the same position, oddly finding it more comfortable than you'd expected. maybe because you got used to her touch.

- after that hot scene in the bathroom, you and aeri were never the same as before. instead of pushing you against your locker, she'd push you into the janitor's closet and make out with you. in some cases, she'd go to the gym, waiting for you to finish your training before pouncing at you once you both were left alone.

- as much as you liked the attention aeri was giving you, it made you confused. what were you two called? not friends, but also not lovers. maybe fuck buddies but you were starting to fall for the woman and it wasn't helping at all.

- on a cold saturday night, you trapped yourself in your dorm. you were all alone, left with your raging thoughts and the slight pain whenever you thought of the pink haired woman. she probably just considers you as a good fuck and you're here catching feelings.

- a notification popped up on your phone, and your eyes caught sight of aeri's picture on the screen. it was a message from her, inviting you to a party at her house that night. your hand instinctively moved to decline, but then an idea sparked in your mind, and you paused, contemplating the opportunity.

- why not use the party as an opportunity to confront aeri and clarify your relationship? it could be the chance to finally get something out of her and calm the storm of confusion that’s been swirling in your mind.

- you pulled up into her house wearing the sluttiest clothes a woman like you could wear, a leather jacket barely covering the sports bra underneath and a baggy pants that were slightly sagging down to show off your calvin kleins. you also decided to wear your glasses, feeling lazy to put on contacts.

- it seemed your outfit caught the attention of the women, who immediately crowded you and began making advances. noticing the commotion, aeri watched from a distance, her brows furrowed in reaction. she strutted in, "what the he—" she was cut off upon seeing you in what she believes is the most hottest thing you ever wore.

- she bit her lip as she approached, her presence immediately causing the women to back down in defeat. your eyes met hers who wore the familiar dark, eyes clouding in lust.

- "did you dress up for me, sexy?" aeri whispered as she led you to her kitchen, grabbing a drink for you. graciously accepting it, you took a gulp, noticing her gaze lingering on your neck, a quiet intensity in her eyes.

- you decided to ignore her advances, hoping to frustrate her and get a reaction. as aeri led you to her group, introducing you to her friends, you acted oblivious to her touches. her brows furrowed in subtle frustration as you continued engaging with her friends, seemingly unaware of her hints.

- aeri had never felt so hot and bothered in her life. she desperately wanted to dump her cold drink on you, but quickly dismissed the idea—it would just make you smell like beer, and she didn’t want that. she watched you, grinning like a fool at one of her friends, her gaze narrowing into a glare, frustration building within her.

- winter noticed it and chuckled, shaking her head "just date her or something, stop glaring at her like a bitch." the woman whispered. "can't blame the women though, they said dancers are a good fuck." winter added to which aeri rolled her eyes but the former was right. the amount of strength, agility and breathing control you must have, aeri felt a pool between her legs as she imagined you and her again.

- aeri eventually stormed off to her room, trying to cool her hot head and the heat in between her legs. she was already horny the moment she saw you in that clothing and ignoring her only worsened her situation.

- she sat on her bed, contemplating whether or not she'd call you but you were busy having fun out there. she'd look like a dog in heat begging to be fucked by you.

- with a groan, aeri opened her legs as her hand crawled in her soaking panties. a moan escaped her lips and eventually, your name as she pictures you pounding her pussy whilst wearing your glasses. gripping the sheets, she was close to her climax as her fingers moved in and out at a fast pace.

- in search of aeri, you found yourself outside her room listening to her moans and your name being called. your immediately felt heat in your core as you listened to her reach her climax. the moans stopped and the door opened, revealing a blushing aeri.

- her eyes widened at the sight of you and you mirrored the same expression, having been caught listening to her mastubate. however, you were too turned on to care about being caught so you pushed her back in and locked the door behind you. a hungry gaze locked onto hers as she stepped back, never breaking eye contact.

- "tell me you want it, i'll give it to you." you whispered, approaching her figure who stood just at the edge of her bed.

- aeri lifted a hand to caress your cheeks. your hand held hers, leading it to your lips as you gave it a soft kiss whilst sharing an intense gaze.

- "i want you, y/n."

- that's what all it takes to push her on the bed, your figure hovering on top of her. lips colliding to share a passionate kiss which soon turned into one of hunger, eager to fill the hole in each other.

- your jacket was now discarded, leaving you in your sports bra and your pants whilst aeri laid almost bare underneath you. her matching lace underwear made her more desiring as if she already isn't with her sounds that were music to your ears.

- aeri watched as you unbuckled your belt, lip biting as her eyes trailed down your lean build. taking the pants off, her eyes widened at the noticeable bulge on your crotch. her eyes met yours and you chuckled at her reaction.

- "i'm wearing a strap, cutie." you casually said.

- soon you found yourself thrusting into aeri with an almost animalistic pace which sent the woman into a moaning mess, her nails digging into your skin. the bed creaking, aeri's loud moans and your name being called like a chant, it was music.

- you paused just as aeri was about to reach her climax which she yelled a loud, "fuck!" you only chuckled and gripped her hips, turning her on her stomach.

- the woman, almost automatically, lifted her butt, her face planted on the pillow. you entered her, eliciting a loud moan from her as you thrusted into her already wet pussy.

- aeri felt like she was in heaven with how you good you fucked her and you were wearing your glasses, you looked so hot pounding into her with your fogged up glasses.

- the rest of the party was spent in aeri's room, the both of you doing every position you knew in every corner of her room.

- however, the thick fog hanging over your relationship remained, and aeri was determined to clear it. she couldn’t stand seeing other girls throw themselves at you as you gradually gained popularity on campus.

- aeri walked toward you with determination, her hands gripping tightly onto your arm as she pulled you away from the girl you were talking to.

- "aeri? what are you doing?" you asked, but she didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on the girl you had been talking to. the girl, sensing the tension, met aeri’s glare with equal intensity.

- "i'm still talking to her, can't you see?" the girl said, her tone sharp, but aeri only smiled mockingly, her eyes never leaving the girl.

- "and I'm talking to her now, so." aeri said, making a dismissive gesture with her hand, her smirk never wavering.

- "just because you're popular and all, doesn't mean you can do whatever you want," the girl shot back, but aeri just rolled her eyes, clearly unfazed by the comment.

- "blah, blah, blah. I'm pregnant and she's the father, so don't intervene between couples," aeri said nonchalantly, leaving the girl stunned and confused. without waiting for a response, aeri dragged you toward the empty gym.

- you, equally as confused, looked at aeri before asking, "you're pregnant? with who?" aeri slapped you gently, her eyes narrowing as she made you look at her, only leaving you even more confused.

- "you're the only one who fucked me, that's impossible. anyways, i am pregnant yes, but." she held a hand up, stopping you from speaking.

- she continued, "that was love we made that night and now i bore love and obsession towards you and you have to take responsibility for it." she said with a grin, observing as your expression shifted from confusion to sudden realization.

- "oh...oh!" aeri nodded.

- your eyes met hers and it was looking at you with softness you've never seen before. it made you feel warm and fuzzy that it made you giddy. smiling like a fool as you looked down, your cheeks reddening. aeri marvelled at the sight and laughed heartily at your reaction. her laugh echoed in your ear, it was genuine and infectious and you love to hear it more.

- "can i court you then, miss aeri uchinaga?" you asked, looking up to meet hers.

- aeri nodded, and you both shared a long hug, the insecurities between you dissipating as the thick fog in your relationship finally cleared.

♡

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panda-writes-kpop · 6 months ago

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your home is the sea, my home is you ~ pirate! giselle

a/n: after almost seven months (good LORD), we have a third pirate aespa fic!!! and everyone cheered!!! this may be one of my favorite works of the year, there's something so tender and sincere in this fic that I can't quite put my finger on. anyways, gonna go watch Hugh Jackman edits on repeat until I get more fic ideas! 🫶

tw: mentions of robbery, violence, and other crimes associated with being a pirate, a LOT of swearing, the faintest hint of winselle, it's not angst but it gets sad at times???

summary: Your idea for your latest novel has you ruminating on your previous relationship with the woman who haunts your dreams, Giselle. Giselle's longing for a missing piece of her heart leads her to your front doorstep. She just has to hope that you won't close your heart to her, just as she did to you years ago.

♡ Masterlist ♡

A cool ocean breeze wraps around her neck as the chill of the night starts to seep into her bones. Every part of her is screaming to run, to go far away from the things that scare her.

But what is life without a little bit of adventure?

You watch the pendulum in your grandfather clock swing forward as the next words flow easily onto the paper.

She wanted to experience the adventure of the ocean, to let her heart travel with the ocean waves that beckoned her forward. But what was she to do? Abandon her family? Leave the familiarity of her hometown behind?

Leave them behind? The one person who supported them through thick and thin?

The pendulum swings back as you stare at the candlelight in your bedroom.

Rosella had a choice to make, one that would decide her entire destiny. A friend, or a lifetime of fulfillment?

Their call was strong, but the ocean’s was stronger.

With one hand on your naval revolver and the other on your bag, your feet hit the ground with increasing frequency as you run towards the docks. You had a deadline to meet with your time and your writing. The traveling night market was in town tonight, and within their merry caravan of travelers was your editor. A shrewd old woman with a sharp tongue who had been your mentor since you had abandoned your studies to pursue writing as a career.

I would’ve stayed if Giselle stayed.

You shake your head at the thought of your childhood best friend - you were nothing but a fleeting nostalgic memory to her, so she should be the same to you.

The book, the market - I have to hurry.

Unfortunately, the night market only accepted incoming foot traffic until midnight, and according to your grandfather clock, it was a centimeter past eleven-fifty. Your home was ten minutes away from the docks - you’d be cutting it close if you were simply walking.

“You’re early.” The guard jokes as you pull out the business card that Merrin, your editor, gave to you. “She still edits your books?”

“As long as I keep writing them.” You fold your arms as the guard stares at the card. “Can I go in?”

“Try to make it quick - she’s in one of those moods again.”

You pluck the card from their hand before waving at them.

“She’s always in a mood, but I have to hope that it’s a good one.”

You greet the various merchants and regulars that pass by you - most of them are familiar with your work, even if you use a moniker instead of your real name. It isn’t hard to deduce who the newest novelist on the block is when you know their publisher by name.

“When’s the new novel coming?” One shouts at you as you chuckle to yourself. “The last one really pulled on my heartstrings, and I need a bit of a pick-me-up before I go for a second read.”

“You’ll get your hands on it as soon as everyone else does.” You reassure them as they jokingly scoff and walk away.

Oh, the bliss of only being recognized by a small crowd of people.

You stop in front of the last tent on the docks - a large purple cloth hangs over the rods and poles that make up the foundation of the tent. Angry red vines dart over various parts of the tent, but none dare to cross each other.

You take a deep breath before entering the tent.

Hopefully her mood won’t sour mine.

“You’re earlier than usual. Did you get sick and tired of begging the guard to let you in until I would show up and save your ass?” Merrin, dressed in a conservative, frilly white dress, lights a candle with one hand as she balances on her cane with the other.

“Does your bad mood have to do with whoever’s wedding you interrupted?” You bite your lip as she slowly turns toward you.

“If my glasses were on me, I’d knock you to the floor with my cane.” She hobbles over to another table to light another candle as you approach the middle of the room. “And I thought this dress looks nice on me.”

“Yeah, if you were a fourteen-year-old noble who was forced to marry a man decades older than her.” Another sharp look from Merrin causes you to shut your mouth before she fulfills her early promise. “Are you in the mood to read something I’ve written?”

“Depends on if it’s better than the utter shit I’ve been reading all day.” Merrin sets her cane aside as she sits on one of the two chairs near the middle of the room. “Hand me my glasses, will you?”

“Don’t hit me with your cane, you old witch.” You pick her glasses up off of the floor before handing them to her.

“Why, I ought to-” She quickly grabs her cane, which causes you to immediately sit in the chair on her left.

You’re both playing with each other - she won’t hit you that hard, and you won’t completely piss her off. It’s just the way that Merrin is, and if you’re careful, you can break down her walls and see the woman behind the anger and sass.

As you look over to her, Merrin lightly taps your ankle with her cane as a rare smile appears on her face.

“How’s the novel coming? More progress than scribbles and midnight thoughts, I hope?” She looks surprised as you pull a bundle of parchment from your bag.

“I managed to get a chapter out, but it’s a rough draft, Merrin.” You remind her as you hand her the papers. “It isn’t very good-”

“-that’s for me to decide.” She says as she grabs the papers and adjusts the glasses on her face.

“I-” You interject before she gives you a pointed glare.

“Shut your damn mouth so I can read in peace.”

Sometimes you wonder why you chose Merrin as your editor - a form of punishment, perhaps?

That’s what you feel like you’re doing to yourself as she carefully scans every single word on the pages that you scribbled on. A spotlight has closed in on you, and you’re sweating under the pressure. What will you do if she rejects you again after this draft? Will you finally part ways with the woman who helped you find a path when you were nothing but an empty wanderer?

Merrin clears her throat as your attention snaps back to her.

She thinks it’s terrible - I’m never going to live this latest failure down.

“This is quite good.” She softly says as she reorganizes the papers for you.

“I beg your pardon?”

“And I thought I was the one with bad hearing, being old and all.” She snorts as you reach for the papers from her extended hand.

As soon as your hand touches them, Merrin snatches them out of your reach with a knowing smile.

“I have one question about the main character.”

“Alright, lay it on me.” You sigh in relief as you can mentally prepare yourself for her critiques.

Rosella was hardly fleshed out, and she had little-to-no dialogue to give perspective into her motivations, ideals, and personality. Perhaps Merrin could help you with that?

“What woman inspired you to write Rosella?” She asks as you furrow your brows in confusion.

“Excuse me?”

“Answer the damn question.”

“I, uh…” You nervously look around, trying to think of an escape route. “She’s based on a friend, from long, long ago.”

You stress that this woman was long behind you, and there was absolutely nothing to worry about. It’s not like she would show back up in your life after years and years of silence.

“Well, if you see this friend from a long, long time ago,” She stresses the words the same way you did, “tell her that she’s one hell of a protagonist.”

“I will.” You grit your teeth as your mind wanders to the woman in question.

I hope I never see her again.

Giselle scribbles various notes onto the map within the captain’s quarters. She used to be the primary navigator when the Red-Hair Pirates were nothing but an idea in Winter’s head.

“One day, this boat will be filled with pirates and friends we’ve collected in our travels,” Winter looked over to Giselle before placing a hand on her back, “and I’m going to need you to be by my side, every second of every day.”

Winter paused for a moment, before walking towards the ship and extending her hand to her.

“You have everything you ever need here - a good education, family, friends, and stability. I’m offering adventure until your heart's content, enough money to set your family up for life, and every kind of booze imaginable.”

“Even rum?” Giselle tilted her head at Winter, who gave her a toothy grin.

“Especially rum. So, are you in or what?”

“I’m in, I just… have to say some goodbyes first.”

Now, her role within the crew was more muddled, somewhat lying between weaponsmaster and navigator. Usually, she would sort out her navigating affairs in the morning, and then keep up with the weapons in the afternoon. The nighttime was reserved for merrymaking and hell-raising - just as Giselle liked it.

But there was a part of her missing, something she had been chasing with booze and adventure that couldn’t be replaced.

What was she missing?

“Giselle!” Karina barrels into the captain’s quarters as she nearly collides into the table.

“You’re still drunk.” She chuckles. “You can’t handle your liquor for shit.”

“And you prefer in that way, so you can scam me out of my money.” Karina scoffs before loudly hiccuping.

“Alright,” Giselle stops working and puts her hands up in the air, “I am a bit of a trickster, but we’re pirates, remember? It’s kind of our thing.”

“Eh.” Karina shrugs before throwing a book onto the desk where Giselle was working.

“What’s this?”

She studies the book for a moment before looking at Karina

“A gift from the Captain. Winter says to come see her after giving it a read.” Karina stumbles out of the door before loudly shutting it.

“Riveting conversation with a drunk Karina, like usual.” Giselle mumbles to herself. “I wonder why Winter would want me to read this?”

Her hands gently trace the spine as she studies the author’s name in bold ink.

It’s not one she recognizes, but perhaps she might know the writing style? Curious, Giselle carefully opens the book and begins to read.

It was mid-afternoon before Giselle exited the captain’s quarters, much later than usual. When she does, she immediately charges towards her quarters in a fury.

It takes every bone in Giselle’s body to stop her from ripping her room to shreds to find the letters that she had locked away years ago.

The letters that reminded her of you. The letters that had the same cadence and writing style that you did. Those letters tied you to her, and, at the moment, pointed to you as the author.

More than that, Giselle had come to the realization that Winter knew that the two of you were connected.

And that was more terrifying than confronting someone from her past.

Giselle finds the letters under her bed, and they’re carefully tied together with a bit of rope. She snatches them within an instant, and she tucks them under her arm before beginning her journey to find Winter.

“Giselle!” Ningning calls out to her as Giselle appears on the upper deck. “I had a question about some of the knives that I found in the gunroom.”

“Not the time.” Giselle charges right past her as she spots Winter on the quarterdeck.

“Is that the book Winter asked me to get you?”

Giselle, with no hesitation, turns on her heel to face the assassin.

“Of course she did!” She sighs before turning around. “Am I the one finding this out last when it’s my business?”

“If it comforts you, I didn’t ask for any details. I just grabbed the book and gave it to her.” Ningning plays with a knife in her hand as Giselle tightly squeezes the book in her left hand.

“Thanks.” She grumbles before calling out to Winter, “Hey, you have some explaining to do!”

“As do you!” Winter copies her volume, but she waits until Giselle comes closer to begin speaking in a softer tone. “Are they the reason why you tried to send letters back to your hometown from the different ports that we stopped in?”

“You knew about that?” Giselle stares, absolutely befuddled.

“I know when my friends aren’t themselves. I did a little digging, and I found a gold vein.” Winter looks out to the ocean. “You could’ve told me, you know. We could’ve worked something out.”

“But you needed me-”

“-I did, but I wouldn’t have asked you to come if I knew that your loyalties lied with someone else.”

Giselle physically deflates before confessing the truth to Winter.

“So you know that I was a part of the naval academy before I joined you.” Giselle looks away in shame, like a small puppy. “They were too, but we quit together-”

“-so you could chase your dreams together. You, an acclaimed mapmaker. Them, an accomplished novelist. Do I have the narrative right?” Winter raises an eyebrow at Giselle.

Not quite.

“I loved them.” Giselle bites her lip. “I love them.”

Panic covers Giselle’s face as she opens her mouth to speak.

“There it is,” Winter smirks before yelling to the crew, “Set sail to the west.”

“I’m doing you a favor, mind you. You need to figure this out before it ends with you getting yourself killed. I can’t stand to watch my crewmate, my friend, drink herself into an early grave.”

“So we’re doing this?” Giselle asks.

“You’re doing this.”

“The pirates are coming! The pirates are coming!” A man on a horse repeats the same phrase over and over as he passes by your estate.

Pirates? Here? Why?

No, it can’t be those pirates.

Your head snaps towards the nearest window that faces the docks. In the distance, you can see a large pirate show approaching your humble town.

And wouldn’t you know it, the flag on the ship shows a dead skull sporting some fire-red hair.

The Red-Hair Pirates.

The crew that Giselle’s a part of.

Shit.

You can see a group of villagers approach the docks from your side, and you’re sure a fight will break out - no, a bloodbath will occur - if someone doesn’t get down there and stop it.

Maybe that naval training will come into use.

“Your kind isn’t welcome here.” A villager points a large shotgun at Winter’s chest, and she seems unphased by his outburst.

“We’re not here to loot, we just want to rest.” She pulls out a gold coin and flips it into the air before grabbing it and offering it to the villager. “Our coin is good here, no?”

“I-” He pauses before studying the coin. “One night. And the only place that you can shop is the night market.”

“That sounds like our kind of place, right?” Winter turns to her pirates, who cheer loudly. “I’ll make sure they’ll behave, I swear.”

“You better.” He scoffs before spitting at the ground. “C’mon, we have better things to do than guard open docks.”

The villagers disperse, which causes Giselle to sigh in relief.

That’s a battle I didn’t want to fight.

“Alright, everyone, back on the ship until nightfall. We aren’t welcome here until then, so this boat better be spotless in a few hours!” Winter commands, and her crew scrambles back onto the ship as Winter pulls Giselle aside. “Do you know where you’re going?”

“I do, and I don’t need backup. I’ll be back before nighttime.” Giselle softly says before Winter grabs her shoulder.

“I’d like to meet your friend, if they want to meet me. Perhaps it can help explain why you left - take some of the blame off of your shoulders,” Winter shrugs, “Or I can just have a drink with a friend and a friend of a friend. Either works for me.”

They’re… leaving?

“Not sure I’d call us friends, but I’ll see what I can do.”

You watch from a distance as the villagers, your neighbors, disperse with varying emotions on their faces. Some look relieved, others seem pissed, but most appear to be indifferent.

As if killing another wasn’t a brutal act that weighed on your soul for as long as you lived.

A woman with striking red hair turns to the pirates on the dock, and with only a few words, she sends them back onto the ship.

Their captain - Winter, the pirate queen of myths and legends.

Infamous doesn’t even begin to describe Winter, as her face was neatly plastered on every wanted board across the nation. Her reputation of brutality nearly exceeds her generosity and kindness. She took from the rich government ships and gave to the poor towns that she traveled to.

Almost like a storybook character. Perhaps my next protagonist can take some of her qualities.

Before all of her crew can go back to the ship, Winter pulls one of them aside. A girl with blonde hair, but a face that you recognize. Not from the wanted posters that showed her with black hair and a devilish yet charming smile.

But a ghost from your past, the woman who you were hoping to escape from. The girl who had invaded your dreams every night since she left.

Your Rosella.

Giselle.

You want to turn away, to run back to the safety of your home, but you can’t. Not because you want to see Giselle, but because she’d follow you back home.

After all, it was her home too.

With a deep breath, and as much courage as you can muster, you let your feet carry you towards Giselle.

Towards your destiny.

Giselle’s eyes widen as she sees you walking towards her with an unreadable expression on your face. You’re not completely pissed, which is good, but you don’t look happy. You’re not sad, but there isn’t any longing in your eyes. There’s no indifference in your face, but when your eyes meet hers, a twinkle of nostalgia appears briefly.

Perhaps you missed her as much as she missed you.

“You look…” Giselle pauses as the two of you meet in the middle of the road. “Well.”

“Thanks.” You nod before looking out to the ocean. “I like your blonde hair. It suits you.”

“Thanks…” Giselle trails off while hoping that the road would open up and swallow her whole.

Why was it so hard to talk to you? She thought of a million things to say to you, but none of them seemed right.

So let’s start with the simplest one.

“I’m sorry.”

When the words leave her lips, you look over in surprise.

As if you thought that she meant to hurt you.

A dagger slices through her heart, as the wound that is your shared history is reopened again. She’s going to let herself drown in bad blood unless she says something else.

Something that will make this right.

Nothing will, she knows this. But why not try?

“I’m sorry for leaving you with such a shitty goodbye. I’m sorry for convincing you to leave the naval academy with me and then leaving you behind. I’m sorry that I never was able to return your letters.” She pauses to hand you them.

“You kept them?” You tilt your head at her. “After all of these years?”

“Of course I did.” She says before softly laughing. “It was the only reminder I had of home.”

“I thought the sea was your home.”

“No, my home was always you.” Giselle quietly mumbles. “I wanted to explore, to see the world, but I wanted to come back home.”

“Why didn’t you write me back?” Your voice is laced with hurt, and Giselle wants nothing more than to hold you in her arms.

But you’re not that close, not anymore.

“I tried to, but no letter carrier would take my money. Turns out that people aren’t fond of pirates,” She scoffs, “but I kept them all in my quarters. Perhaps you’d like to see them?”

A light smile appears on your face - you’re actually contemplating her offer.

“Would you like to see the home first? I don’t know if it has changed much-”

“-that sounds great.” Giselle lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

A peace offering. An olive branch. Perhaps you can begin anew?

Months ago, you would’ve sworn at Giselle if she had set foot in your town, let alone in your house. That was before you finished the book, before a character in that book taught you something about forgiveness.

“Will you ever forgive me, my dear?” Rosella says to her beloved. “I know it’s been years, but I can’t help but yearn for you. Our souls are intertwined, and no amount of treasure will ever make up for losing you.”

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know if I can ever truly forgive and forget, but…”

“But?” A flicker of hope appears in Rosella’s eyes.

“But maybe there’s room for us to start again. If we’ve both healed from our past wounds, then what’s the use of bringing them up again?”

You watch Giselle comb over your bookshelf as you take a seat in the living room.

“You really didn’t change this place, huh?” She says before sitting at a chair on the opposite end of the room.

“It didn’t feel right. This is still your home, after all.” You say.

“Our home,” Giselle corrects you before her eyes widen, “shit. I didn’t mean to-”

You wave away her concerns with a charming smile.

“No, it’s alright.”

An awkward silence spreads over the room - what should you say to her now?

“Do I make you uncomfortable?” Giselle softly asks before looking in your eyes. “I don’t want to intrude if I’m not welcome.”

You take a deep breath - it’s time to address the massive elephant in the room.

“Giselle, I don’t want to do this back-and-forth with you. I want to talk about what happened between us.”

You’re surprised at how mature you sound, how non-malicious your words are. You had gone over this moment a thousand times in your head, but none of them were this nice or friendly.

“What is there to talk about? I ruined your life, no, our lives. I promised you that pirating was only a temporary thing, and you can see how that ended-”

“It pains me to see you tear yourself up about this, Giselle.” You calmly say as she pauses and reflects for a moment. “How can we move forward if we’re stuck reliving the past over and over?”

“You want to start again?”

Giselle looks dumbfounded as you nod.

“We might not be that close again, not for a long time, but we can try being friends. Then we’ll see where it goes.” You shrug your shoulders as she thinks for a moment before responding.

“Why would you let me get away with what I did to you? I left you alone for years, with not a word of my health and well-being. Why put yourself through that again?”

You chuckle to yourself as familiar words come to the front of your mind.

“Maybe there’s room for us to start again. If we’ve both healed from our past wounds, then what’s the use of bringing them up again?”

“From your book.” She responds wistfully before her eyes widen. “You wrote yourself as the love interest?”

“Uh-huh.” You nod as the realization comes crashing down on Giselle.

“And the girl, Rosella, who is strong, beautiful, and kind. The girl who messes up time after time yet she still manages to redeem herself - that’s me?”

“Yup.” You’re quiet for a moment, to allow Giselle to process everything. “Do you know why I chose you as my inspiration?”

“Why?” She leans forward as her voice quivers in anticipation. “Why me?”

“Because no matter how much I hated you, I could never get you out of my head. You haunted my every dream and nightmare. I couldn’t escape your grasp, so I wrote about the woman who had completely transfixed my mind, body, and soul.”

A breathy chuckle escapes your lips.

This is just like a confession that I would write in my book. The next thing she would say is I love you-

“I never stopped loving you.” She confesses before standing up.

You stand up to meet her gaze.

“Neither did I.”

“To be completely honest,” Winter says as you and Giselle approach the docks, “I didn’t expect you to come back.”

“You’re still my captain, Winter.” She smiles before gesturing to you. “This is my friend, the one I told you about.”

“Friend,” She stares at your intertwined hands, “right. Excuse my staring. It isn’t every day that you meet an author of legend.”

You feel your cheeks heat up.

“Ah, that’s sweet of you to say.” You nudge Giselle’s shoulder. “Why can’t you be as charming as her?”

“Hey-” She tries to defend herself, but Winter’s laughter cuts her off.

“Oh, I like them. They’d be a good addition to our crew.”

Your mouth hangs agape as you blink rapidly.

“You… you can’t be serious.”

“I’m afraid so, unless Giselle objects?” Winter turns to Giselle, who glances at you.

“It’s your decision. I won’t force it on you-”

“Yes,” You quickly answer, “but I’m not sure what use I would be to your crew.”

“We could use your writing and organizing skills to keep track of weapons, finances, maps, food, and other supplies on the ships. That means that you would be working closely with Giselle and I.” Winter explains as you nod along. “Plus there would be plenty of time for you to continue writing your latest masterpiece. I know you’re good with a gun - I can see the Navy’s engravings on the handle, so combat won’t be an issue for you.”

You quickly hide your gun holster with your coat.

“I hope you don’t take offense to my weapons background,” You say before leaning over to Giselle, “how the fuck does she know all of that?”

“Long story, I’ll explain after a drink or two,” Giselle whispers back, “but I’m glad that you’re going with us. It’ll be nice to show you to all of the places that we’ve been before.”

“Got it.” You smile before letting go of Giselle’s hand.

She reaches out to grab it, but you instead maneuver around her hand to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“I, um…” She struggles to articulate her feelings as a furious blush appears on her face.

Winter laughs loudly before gesturing towards the ship.

“We still have a few hours before nightfall. Perhaps we can celebrate with a drink?”

“Sounds good. You in?” You ask Giselle, who can’t even look you in the eyes.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.” Her face is still red as Winter walks to the ship.

“Feel free to join me when you’re ready.”

You go to follow behind her, but Giselle stops you by catching your arm with her hand.

“Hey, I-” She pauses to regain her composure, “Thank you, for this. I needed it.”

“It really isn’t a problem,” You say before leaning in to tease her, “but don’t expect me to kiss you every time you need a pick-me-up.”

“Damn, you know my schemes before I can properly plan them.” Giselle smirks before pulling you closer. “But I can always kiss you, right?”

She closes the distance between your lips before quickly pressing a kiss to your neck.

“Tease.” You grumble as she leans back.

“You started it, and I ended it.” She shrugs before her hand slips into yours. “We shouldn’t keep Winter waiting - we don’t want her to have a bad impression of you, right?”

You nod as Giselle leads you on to the ship.

As her crewmates greet you and welcome you onto the ship, you wonder if this new chapter of your life will be something to write about.

Maybe it’s time for my story to be told.