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madiletio · 4 years ago

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Snow Kissed

The 'chaos', otherwise known as their families meddling, had started in the late fall after Lance was given the all-clear from Samuel. It had seemed relatively easy initially- Go out, pick out a ring, light some candles and get on one knee to ask her the big question that would change their relationship- hopefully for the better.

Except there was one flaw in his plan and even now, ten miles away from his family home with Katie sitting right next to him, he wasn't sure how exactly he was going to ask. To make matters worse, he made the mistake of telling Veronica about the ring who then relayed that information back to his mother and before he even had a chance to speak, almost the entire Serrano clan was in on his secret.

Of course, he knew that they meant well and he was glad that they were excited, but it still didn't stop the weekly "Have you proposed yet?" question from being asked. And as much as he adored his family, part of him was worried about what they would do the moment they stepped foot out of the car.

"Ance-"

He snapped out of his thoughts once he heard Katie speak to him. "Hm?"

"You okay?" She asked softly, concern adamant in her tone."We missed the turnoff like five minutes ago?"

"Oh shit-" he muttered before doing a U-turn in the middle of a back road.

He felt his cheeks burn from the embarrassment and any mindless thoughts had long since been thrown out the window. Once they were back on track, Katie asked him again. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah!” his voice gave a little crack and he quickly tried to cover it with a cough. “I was just thinking about how good it’ll be to see my mom again. I promise I’m alright.”

Katie raised a skeptical brow at that but thankfully to his relief, she didn't push the issue further. The rest of the car ride settled back into a comfortable silence and by the time they reached the turnoff for his road, his strangeness had seemed forgotten.

Rows of snow-covered rose bushes lined the driveway and he couldn't help but smile once the faint blue of his childhood home came into sight.

"I hope your family doesn't mind me intruding on your holiday.." Katie mumbled.

That took him by surprise, truth be told he didn't even think Katie would think that she was imposing.

"What?" he asked. "You aren't intruding. In fact, they're probably going to be buzzing around you."

Katie gave a slight hum but didn't say anything else. He knew that sometimes she'd get a bit anxious, especially when it involved socializing. So instead of trying to say anything, he reached over and took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles

"They love you. Trust me."

The moment they had parked the car, Sylvio and Nadia came barreling out of the house, closely followed by Veronica and his mother.

"Lance!" His mother exclaimed and wrapped him up in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you home."

"It's good to be back." he gave a contented sigh.

His mother took a step back, taking a moment to look at him before clapping her hands together and then turned her attention towards Katie.

"Katie! It's so good to see you again!" she exclaimed as she walked over to her, giving her a hug as she had just done to Lance.

Katie shifted awkwardly as his family started to jump from him to her. Sylvio and Nadia were tugging on her jacket, trying to drag her back to the house while his mother began talking her ear off. All he could do was mouth a quick "sorry." Before she was out of his sight.

"They haven't been able to shut up about you two all morning." Veronica chuckled and held out her hand, offering to help take some of their bags.

He grinned at that. "What can I say? We're just two phenomenal people." that earned him a jab in the rib.

"Mom had strict words with Abuela before you guys arrived." Veronica started "Hopefully she'll be able to hold her tongue long enough for you to propose first."

"I hope so." He chuckled and both of them made their way towards the house.

It had barely been ten minutes since they stepped foot into his parent's home and already the pair of them had been swept away in different directions. His mother insisted on showing Katie a full house tour (despite the fact she had already stayed at their home on more than one occasion.) All the while his Abuela cornered him in the living room, digging for answers.

"Lance!" she exclaimed and pulled him into a soul-crushing hug. "Look at you!"

All he could do was smile as she pinched his cheeks before stepping back to give him a once over. "You've matured so much."

Without giving him an opportunity to thank her, she had already grabbed his hand and was dragging him towards the dining area. He figured that she was either going to make him have a snack or she was going to really start her interrogation.

"Take a seat, take a seat." she fussed.

He was already screaming internally.

"Abuela, if you're going to ask if I've asked her, I haven't."

Disappointment was clear on her face but she was quick to shrug it off once she caught sight of Katie entering the room, with his mother following her from close behind.

"Well that concludes the house tour!" his mother exclaimed. "You two must be starving no?"

He nodded. "Very."

Abuela clapped her hands together and ushered him to stand. "That won't do in the slightest. Come with me!" she exclaimed.

Dinner, for the most part, went by uneventfully much to his relief. While he had been in the middle of eating some of his mother's garlic knots, Luis had mentioned going to the Christmas night market the following day.

Everyone seemed to beam at the idea and it was quickly decided that they would go.

Once dinner was taken care of and everyone was beginning to wind down, Lance managed to sneak out to the porch for a brief moment alone.

Veronica had managed to wrap him into helping her doing the dishes earlier and the conversation they had was still hanging over his head.

"It doesn't need to be perfect you know," she said, breaking the silence.

"What?" he asked

"Your proposal," she whispered, "We can all tell you're causing yourself unnecessary stress."

"But what if I say something wrong?" he sighed "Or what if she refuses to marry-"

Small footsteps caught him off guard and he turned around to find Nadia standing behind him with an empty glass. She tilted her head innocently at him "Who's refusing to marry who?"

Fuck.

Veronica quickly swooped in before he had a chance to say anything. "Oh we were just talking about a show we've been watching. Did you want some more water?"

The younger girl nodded, seeming to believe Veronica's excuse and got her drink without any further questions. Once she had left the room, the pair of them let out a breath they had been holding.

"Nice save." he chuckled.

"Thanks, you owe me one.”

The following day went by fairly quickly, much to Lance's surprise. Katie and him had woken up earlier than the rest of the Serrano clan and had spent the morning making pancakes for them, which was met with great delight, especially from Slyvio and Nadia.

Before they had a chance to clean up after breakfast, however, his mother was already shooing them out the door, claiming that Lance needed to show her the town. Of course, that confused Katie, considering she had been to his town on more than one occasion. But of course, he knew that this was his mother's way of getting him out the door in hopes of him proposing. She had never been the sutle even if she tried hard to be.

So they had spent the last two hours driving around town before finally stopping at a local bakery for lunch.

The warmth hit them immediately as they stepped foot into the building, and the aroma of freshly made bread made them more eager for their lunch.

Once their orders were placed they managed to find a small table that was tucked away behind a corner. It was a perfect spot for them.

"I'm glad it hasn't snowed today," Katie commented as she sat down.

He gave a hum of agreement. "It would have made driving a lot more difficult that's for sure."

It was cozy within the bakery, leaving the pair of them feeling very content.

"I hope my family hasn't been too much," Lance chuckled "I know that they can be a bit overbearing at times."

Surprise took Katie's face and she put her mug of hot chocolate down. "What? No! They have been nothing but sweet!"

Relief washed over him, as he got her reassurance. They hadn't made any attempts at trying to wingman his proposal, not yet at least.

"I'm glad." He reached over the table and took her hand in his.

Everything felt peaceful. They had some delicious food, warm drinks and it was relatively quiet inside. There wasn't an awkward silence but instead a comfortable one between them. It just felt right.

It felt like the right moment to do it.

"Katie," he breathed, trying his best to hide his sudden nerves.

She nodded, patiently waiting for him to continue.

The back of his neck felt warm, and he could only imagine what his cheeks looked like. He hadn't even started his speech yet and he was already getting flustered.

"I just wanted to say that you-"

His phone began to vibrate on the table, distracting them both. And if it weren't for the fact they were in a public environment, chances are he would have thrown the phone out the window.

"Ah shit," he mumbled. "It's my dad."

Katie smiled at him and nodded for him to answer it, which he hesitantly did.

"Hello?" he asked.

Expecting to hear his father's voice, he was taken aback when it was Veronica who replied back. "Sup?"

He couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What do you want V? I was kinda in the middle of something."

"Oh sorry about that," she said dismissively "I'm at the grocery store with dad right now and he wants to know if there's any food Katie would like."

"Peanut butter cookies. Bye." He shot back and hung up on her before she had a chance to draw their conversation out even longer than necessary.

He ran his hands through his hair, annoyed that their moment was now well and truly ruined. Katie on the other hand still looked content as anything as she sipped away on her hot chocolate.

There would be another opportunity to ask her. He just had to be the patient one.

They had spent the rest of their afternoon back at his parent's house and decided to lounge around until it was dark enough to leave for the market. Somehow Nadia and Slyvio managed to wrap Katie into a serious game of monopoly and near the end of it Luis and Marco had joined in too.

Meanwhile, Lance was lying on the couch, beginning to feel conflicted as he tried to think of a way to propose to Katie without making it cringe-worthy. He had thought about doing it on the ice, but the chances of him losing his balance while getting down on one knee was enough to make him stray from the idea.

Before he had a chance to further his existential crisis, his mother walked in, already tying up her coat and calling for them to get ready to leave. In an instant, everyone shot up from their game and the kids went running to find their coats.

It took his family almost half an hour just to leave the house but once they were all out, Lance realized he had forgotten the ring and quickly turned on his heel and headed straight back towards the house, claiming that he forgot his keys.

Much to his relief, the ring was still in the last place he put it and he shoved the box in this jacket pocket and hurried back out.

"Did you find your keys?" Katie asked once he reached her.

"Yup!" He said and held up his keys as proof. "Are you ready to go?"

Katie gave him a nod and off they headed for the night market.

Twinkle lights lined stalls and hung lowly on the bare branches of the trees, making the atmosphere feel all the more magical. People could be heard shrieking with laughter as they tried to skate and the warm scent of cinnamon doughnuts was very much welcomed.

Since his family wanted to do multiple different things, they had decided to split up for an hour and meet back up in the town center. Truth be told, he was a bit relieved to be walking the market alone with Katie and he could tell that she felt a little bit more relaxed once it was just the two of them.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they walked, occasionally making sure that she wasn't cold.

"Everyone is so talented," Katie mumbled in awe, as she looked over the market stalls, taking everything in.

He gave a hum of agreement but truth be told he was paying more attention to her than he was the vendors.

"Do I have something on my face?" She asked, catching his attention.

Quickly, Lance gave a cough and shook his head. "No! Not at all. Your nose is getting a little red though."

Katie scrunched her nose up at the comment. "It's not my fault it's so cold out."

He gave a small hum of agreement "That's what happens when it snows."

They continued to browse in silence, looking at the various handmade items the locals had made. They would occasionally chat, pointing out things they liked to look of or showing them something the other missed.

The longer they were out, the colder they started to feel. They were huddling close together trying to get warm from their combined body heat and just when they were about to turn back and head for someplace warm, Lance spotted their saving grace.

A coffee truck.

"Would you like some hot chocolate?" He asked. looking at her.

At the mention of hot chocolate, she seemed to perk up. "Oh my gosh yes!"

Thankfully, much to their luck, the queue wasn't long and they had their hot drinks relatively quickly. The warmth of the cups made them both sigh out in content as they started to warm back up.

As they made their way through the streets, Lance caught sight of the lit-up gazebo in the town's community garden and was instantly drawn to it. It was like he got hit with a familiar feeling as he pointed it out to Katie, asking her to walk with it.

He felt certainty with every step he took towards the gazebo. This was the place he was going to ask. It was perfect.

Katie was in awe at the sight of the lit-up trees and the way the garden looked, it looked like something out of a fairytale. Eventually, they climbed up the stairs and Katie immediately went to the other side to continue looking at the snow-covered garden.

This was his chance, and he knew it. Quietly he pulled the small velvet box out of his jean pocket and got down on his knee behind her. It was at that moment he realized he didn't need to read out a long speech that he had been agonizing over.

Slowly he got down on one knee and held the box out and held his breath until Katie turned around. Her eyes widened the minute she caught sight of him.

Tears started to fill both of their eyes but he tried hard not to let them fall before he spoke.

"Katrina Holt." he breathed in a shaky breath. "You are the light of my life. I know I'm not perfect and I don't have much to offer you now but what I can promise you with absolute certainty is my love you and you alone."

Katie didn't say anything as she started to approach him, her own tears streaming down her face. He took a moment to hold back his own before continuing his speech.

"So Katrina Holt, my Katie, will you do me the utmost honor and marry me?"

She only managed to give a small nod before lunging herself at him, hooking her arms around his neck and kissed him- barely giving him a second to hold onto her. Because of this, they ended up fumbling to the ground.

There was a brief moment of silence as they stared at each other in surprise before he broke the silence.

"It looks like I've fallen for you again."

Katie couldn't contain her smile as he cupped her cheek and brought her in for a kiss.

The amount of relief he felt now that the main part of the proposal was over and done with was quite rejuvenating. Also, Katie saying yes was a bonus.

Once they broke the kiss they both sat up and he grabbed the box to put the ring on her finger. It was a thin band with three small pieces of emerald in the center. It was dainty but practical- just like her. It slid on like a glove and once it was on he brought her hand up and kissed her knuckles.

"I love you" He whispered.

"I love you too" She replied and wiped the remains of her tears from her face.

They stayed seated in the gazebo for a little while longer, before getting up to regroup with his family.

When they approached his family in the town's center, he could tell right away that both his mother and Abuela were holding their breath. Katie and he shared a look, barely able to keep their own excitement under wraps before telling them.

"So we have something to tell you.." he started, unable to hide his grin.

Katie held up her hand, showing the ring to his family, all the while trying to hide the blush on her face.

Immediately his mother let out an excited squeal and pulled the pair of them into a tight and warm embrace. After that, all of his family took turns to hug and congratulate them.

"So!" his Abuela said with a clap of her hands once everyone had settled down a bit. "We'll need to start the wedding planning."

Both of their faces paled at that and his mother jabbed his Abuela in the side.

"She's teasing." his mother reassured.

Katie seemed to visibly relax at that but Lance still had a tiny bit of dread. They still had a week of staying with his family left. And if his Abuela had any say in the matter, they'd be walking out of his house carrying wedding planners.

"Anyway!" Veronica interjected. "Let's go ice skating and then go home."

Everyone agreed in unison, and they all followed one another to the outdoor rink. And despite his families meddling ways, his heart felt so incredibly full and from the way Katie squeezed his hand from time to time, he could tell she felt the same.

It was a perfect night and they couldn't have been happier.

#plance #pidgance #pidge x lance #voltron #mads writes

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whatstheproblembaby · 4 years ago

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Fic: With Open Arms

Making my first foray into Call the Midwife fic writing! Turnadette, s2, ~2250 words, G.

Sister Bernadette keeps finding herself in situations where she desperately wants to be in Dr. Turner’s arms. This is not allowed...until it is.

Read here on AO3!

Sister Bernadette rubbed her thumb back and forth over the knuckles of her other hand, trying to focus on keeping a steady rhythm as the car slowly made its way toward Nonnatus House. She was hoping that between the cover of her scapular and the necessity of Dr. Turner keeping an eye on the road as he drove, he wouldn’t notice her small movements, but-

“Sister? Are you sure you’re alright?”

Blast.

“Nothing a little rest won’t cure, Doctor,” she replied, keeping her tone light. “Although even rest won’t help when Sister Evangelina finds out I’ll have to go retrieve my bicycle before I can do my rounds tomorrow.”

Dr. Turner glanced away from the road just long enough to shoot her a stern glare. “You were assaulted by a patient during a long, difficult delivery! The last thing you should have to do after all that is bicycle home on your own, especially when it looks like the weather is going to turn.”

“Assaulted is a little strong, don’t you think?” Sister Bernadette asked, though she couldn’t keep herself from reaching up to gently rub the place on her cheek where Meg Carter had struck her. It wasn’t throbbing with pain any longer, but even the slight pressure from her own fingers was enough to make her let out a soft grunt of discomfort.

“Clearly not,” Dr. Turner said, smiling wryly. He pulled over beside the staircase outside Nonnatus House, braking and turning the car off before reaching over to Sister Bernadette. “Let me take a look at that.”

“You don’t need to-”

“Let me take a look,” he repeated, hands warm on her face. “It will put both of our minds at ease.”

Sister Bernadette didn’t quite believe that statement.

She closed her eyes as the doctor carefully ran his fingers over her cheekbone, feeling for any lumps or breaks. Thoughts she had been trying to ignore for weeks now ran through her mind in the silence of the car, half-formed feelings of longing and love that she desperately wanted to believe were acceptable under her vows. After all, she loved her sisters in God and nursing, didn’t she?

Somehow I don’t think I’d be this conflicted if Trixie or Jenny were conducting this examination, though, she concluded mentally, pressing her lips together in chagrin.

“Sister? Did that hurt?”

“No more than the rest of my face,” she said, opening her eyes to find Dr. Turner looking directly at her with an expression she couldn’t quite name. As he let go of her, she shifted her weight and crossed her arms tightly against her chest, suddenly feeling adrift.

“I don’t think anything’s broken,” he said. She felt exposed under his gaze, though he wasn’t looking anywhere he shouldn’t. “A few hours sleep and an aspirin, and you’ll be right as rain.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Sister Bernadette said softly, looking down at her lap. “If you would...could you not tell the others what happened at the Carter delivery? I don’t want the fuss or the worry.”

“You know Nurse Franklin may have already told the story to everyone? She’s better than a newspaper sometimes.”

“She might have gossiped to the other nurses, but they won’t worry themselves too much. I’m more concerned about how my sisters might react.” Sister Bernadette swallowed hard after her admission. “They’ll want to have you conduct a more formal examination, or pull me off the duty rota...and I couldn’t bear all of that. Not now. If I experience any lasting pain or swelling, I’ll inform you, I promise.”

“I know you will, Sister. I trust your judgment,” Dr. Turner said. They shared one last look, during which Sister Bernadette tried to suppress her yearning for him. She was mere inches away from his arms...and much as she was trying to avoid the motherly intentions of Sister Julienne she usually appreciated, she had a wild notion that Dr. Turner’s embrace would be the exact comfort she so deeply desired, warm and safe and smelling slightly of the cigarette they’d shared….

“May I help you get your bag inside?” Dr. Turner asked suddenly, putting an abrupt end to Sister Bernadette’s fantasies.

“No, thank you. I don’t want any fuss, remember?” she replied. As he exited the car and walked over to let her out, she shook her head slightly, hoping to regain her sense. “You’re very kind.”

She took her proffered bag in one hand and shut the car door behind her, smiling up at Dr. Turner for a quick moment before making her way over to the stairs. As she reached the first step, she heard a call from behind her.

“Sister?” When she turned around to face Dr. Turner again, he continued, “You were brilliant today.”

“Thank you. Your support made all the difference.” She gathered her bag close to her chest, the closest she would get to an embrace that day, and nodded once at the doctor before turning back to the stairs and entering the convent.

If she had looked back as the door closed behind her, she would have seen Dr. Turner gripping the car door handle tightly, looking as if he wanted nothing more than to follow her inside and never let her go.

___________________

Weeks later, Sister Bernadette was back in Dr. Turner’s car, watching the city thin out into the countryside and trying not to obsess over every breath she took.

“I really do think we’ve caught this in time for the triple treatment to work its wonders,” he said, not for the first time. The hopeful side of her wanted to believe that he couldn’t think straight around her, either, but she refused to indulge that thought. He was driving, trying to make sure they got to St. Anne’s in one piece - he had other things to focus on.

“So you’ve said,” she teased, hoping to see him smile one last time before she was exiled away from him - no, Poplar, not just him, she corrected herself - for who knew how long.

“I’m sorry.” He turned to smile at her briefly, and Sister Bernadette felt her soul light up in response. “I’m terrible company, aren’t I? I just...I don’t want to worry you.”

“You’re navigating down treacherous country roads to a place you’ve never been,” she said, smiling back. “I understand if conversation isn’t the first thing on your mind just now.”

“I’ll be more interesting when I write to you, I promise.”

“When you - when you write to me?” Sister Bernadette parroted, caught off-guard.

“Do you not want me to?” Dr. Turner asked in alarm. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to overstep-”

“No, no - please do write,” she said quickly. “I just didn’t think - you’re so busy-”

“I don’t want you to feel alone,” he said, cutting off her spluttering remarks. “I know the sisters and nurses will write, but I’m sure they’ll also get busy at times - and I promised Tim he could send letters, too.”

“Well, we can’t disappoint Timothy.” Sister Bernadette turned to smile at Dr. Turner once again, but her expression froze as they rounded a corner and came upon the gates to St. Anne’s.

The car was silent as the doctor pulled in and came to a stop a little ways away from the front portico. They sat unmoving for a moment before he finally spoke.

“Here we are, then.” Dr. Turner got out of the car and came around to open Sister Bernadette’s door before popping the boot to retrieve her travel cases. As he bustled about, she stood unmoving by the rear of the car, staring up at the massive building.

“Sister?” He came up beside her, hovering uneasily for a moment before resting his hand ever so gently on her shoulder. She forced herself not to lean into his touch, to keep it chaste, appropriate, friendly.

It was a hard battle.

“I’m scared,” she said softly, glancing up from his hand to his eyes. “I know my chances of recovery are excellent, but nothing’s guaranteed, is it?”

“If anyone can beat TB, it’s you,” Dr. Turner said, squeezing her shoulder. “I may sound overconfident, I know, but I believe mindset plays a role in all recoveries, minor though it may be. I also can’t...can’t even begin to let myself think that you may not come back.”

At that, Sister Bernadette gave up on self-restraint. A couple of tears turned into a steady stream, and she felt a handkerchief get thrust into her hands as the rest of her body was pulled toward Dr. Turner’s inviting chest.

“Wait,” she choked out, halting herself a hair’s breadth away from the place she most wanted to be. She used the hankie to mop her eyes before taking a deep breath and continuing, “I could be contagious. You could get sick, too, and then what would happen to Timothy, and all your patients? I couldn’t live with myself if...if….”

She sobbed once into the handkerchief and took a tiny step back.

“I want to, Doctor, more than I feel free to admit. But I can’t. Not while I’m sick.”

Sister Bernadette made herself look Dr. Turner in the eyes once she finished speaking and felt a rush of relief when she saw understanding and support in his gaze.

“Part of me wants to take the risk, but I know you’re right,” he said, letting out a resigned chuckle. “As usual.”

She chuckled once at that, too. “Thank you. I suppose...I suppose the sooner I get inside, the sooner I can start treatment, right?”

“And the sooner you’ll be back in Poplar,” Dr. Turner confirmed. “I’ll miss you, Sister.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Doctor.” Sister Bernadette reached for her cases, only to remember she was still carrying the doctor’s hankie. When she stretched out her arm to return it, he waved it away.

“Keep it. Just in case.”

“I’ll give it back once I return to Nonnatus.” She tucked the hankie carefully in the pocket of her habit before offering her empty hand. “I promise.”

Dr. Turner shook her hand once, warmly. “I’m holding you to that.”

___________________

“I think it’s her!” came the shout from behind her.

Shelagh thought she might faint in the road when she recognized the voice. She turned back to see a familiar, beloved green car approaching and dropped her cases when it came to a stop and Dr. Turner got out.

He was in front of her almost before she could blink. They looked into each other’s eyes for a long moment, overwhelmed, until he reached up slowly and rested his hand against her forehead, checking for fever.

“What if it had started raining? What if you got lost?” he asked, hushed and fervent.

“I was lost,” she confessed. A sheepish smile threatened to grow on her face, brought on by the combination of her joy at seeing him again and her embarrassment at her plan failing. “I got the wrong bus.”

He stripped off his overcoat at that, wrapping it around her shoulders and surrounding her with the scent of Henleys and cologne. “I was on the right road.”

“Yes,” she whispered, reveling in the warmth of his jacket and the weight of his hands against her collarbone. Somehow, that one statement seemed the most apt way to describe their entire relationship. “I know you so little, but I couldn’t be more certain.”

“I am completely certain.” There was a moment of silence before he admitted, “I don’t even know your name.”

“Shelagh.”

“Patrick,” he replied, answering the question she had had since she saw the signature on his first letter to her at the sanatorium.

“There, we’ve made a start,” she said, feeling the rightness bloom inside her. “Timothy!”

Timothy had popped up beside her out of nowhere. He wriggled under her right arm, squeezing her in a casual yet affectionate hug and forcing his father to take a step back.

“Are you better? Are you coming back?” he asked, beaming up at her.

“Yes and yes. As long as your father allows me in the car,” Shelagh said, looking up at Patrick with a teasing grin as she hugged Timothy back.

“He will!” Timothy chirped. “Here, I’ll get your bags.”

He scooped up a case in each hand and darted back to the car, depositing her things in the boot before clambering back into the back seat.

“You are always welcome anywhere I am,” Patrick said when they were alone again. “But I would prefer that right now, we were somewhere warmer and drier, for your sake.”

“As would I,” Shelagh replied. “But there is one thing I need to do before we can go.”

“What could you possibly-”

Patrick’s question was cut off by Shelagh closing the distance between them to bury her face in his chest, her arms wrapping around his torso securely. Scarcely a moment later, she felt Patrick return the embrace, bracing her as she went slightly weak in the knees. His lips gently brushed the top of her head.

“I was dreaming about this at St. Anne’s. Ever since I had to push you away that first day,” she said, turning her face so she could speak clearly but refusing to move even a centimeter away.

“I was dreaming about this long before then. All I wanted to do after Meg Carter slapped you was bundle you up and ensure you were alright.”

“I wanted that too. But better late than not at all, right?”

“I couldn’t possibly agree more.”

#call the midwife #turnadette #call the midwife fic #turnadette fic #jen does words #g: fluff

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allegedlyanauthor · 4 years ago

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Ashen Poetry: Chapter 1: Empty

Here’s the first chapter of Ashen Poetry (still only a working title)

CW: for discussions of death and ghosts and brief thoughts of suicide

The world is so empty.

Rather more empty than it was when the older generation were kids. They speak of cities full of people and sound, pushing shoulder to shoulder, walking in chaotic lockstep, each headed their own way. They talk of blue skies, green fields, and white puffy clouds, clean breaths that didn't hurt, and a horizon that stretched forever in all directions. The world was fuller and cleaner back then, though the elders made sure to talk of its decline. It was cleaner but not clean and the air was dirty with the fumes of human life; the price of wealth. Though they may not have been beneficiaries of that destruction, there wasn’t anything they wouldn’t give to go back to that life...they could almost grasp it.

Honestly, Emery couldn’t believe them. They knew there was a Before but it couldn’t have existed in this same place, with its grays and grit; white couldn’t have existed in this smudged world, choked by the colorlessness of its own death throes. Blue was there, but it was always muted, chipped, and the only green they saw was the plants they ate from the hydroponics rooms. If the Before was as colorful as they said, life on the Endeavour would be too depressing to bear--or at least more depressing than it was already.

Emery was ok with grey.

It was all they knew, from the day they were born on the Endeavour and they suspected it’s walls were all they would see. Their home was a massive cargo ship, long since marooned on a beach by something. Nobody who had lived there was present when it happened and its walls weren’t the story telling type; damage, however, told a violent tale and that was enough. But the bulkheads were sealed against the forever blustering storm outside its walls, and so they were safe from the winds of glass that threatened to strip bare whatever dared defy them. Emery had seen strangers struggle their way to the hatch of the Endeavour, their flesh raw and pitted from the sky’s ash; they rarely lasted after that and, before long, they stopped coming.

It was hard work to keep their home from joining them. Everyone had a job and if you didn’t do it...well everyone made sure to do their job. It meant death otherwise; yours or the community, and everyone knew which to pick. They rarely had to resort to exile. You couldn’t last long without provisions in the Gray and the Endeavour wasn’t about to supply you. The community wasn’t above violence to maintain order but they didn’t relish it...usually.

There were many jobs, each as important and backbreaking as the last; Emery, themself, was an electrician of sorts, kept the ship running and as bright as it could be; there was no natural light, so it was their job to bring some to the world.

"Our little light bringer," the adults of the ship would say when they apprenticed with the master electrician before he was exiled a few years later for a murder or two….and an attempted dozen in an uprising against the system. He was a bad man but a good teacher and Emery took over his position immediately at the young age of 17, nobody else qualified to take it from them. Despite their job's importance, many looked at them with suspension; how could they have not known what Morey was planning? Could they not hear the whispers of revolt in his teachings?

No, they could not, but that didn't stop everyone from blaming them for the deaths; now that the culprits were sent out to die in the Gray, they had nobody to vent their hatred at. And so they turned to Emery and raised a wall. No longer were they the Little Light Bringer. But they never got a new title other than Head Electrician because the community never thought of them again; they did their job like always and spent their time ignored.

At first the whispers and stares bothered them, but the silence and flicking gazes bothered them more. When they were perceived as a threat, then they at least existed to the people of the Endeavour, but now, they might as well be a ghost; a wisp of movement at the corner of a consciousness and nothing more. After all, a ghost can't hurt anyone.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Of course a few of them saw Emery and paid them some mind–made sure they survived their years of abandonment–but they were few and far between. Old Miss Missy, the lead cook, was Emery's most vocal advocate, but most thought her crazy, with her talk of spirits and afterlives. But she cooked fine and they loved her stories of the Before, so they looked the other way on her ramblings. Charlie Mitchells was another but he had lost his voice to the haze years before and nobody bothered to try and hear him now; his hands often too busy to write while keeping the wind turbines that stole his agency running.

All in all, Emery kept their head down, ready for the noose that settled around their neck when they were at the cusp of adulthood to tighten and choke them as sure as the blanketed Earth would. They worked their fingers to the bones for a people who ignored their existence to the best of their abilities, safe for the moment from their stalled wrath. The Endeavour knew they couldn't get rid of Emery, not yet anyway. But that was their own damn fault for not training a new electrician to replace the tainted legacy that currently held the position; no parent wanted their child near associated guilt.

Emery thought of walking away from it all, tightening the noose themself and wandering out into the Gray; in their mind, they didn't even close the front door against the wind. They always came back to the present shaking, remembering Miss Missy and Charlie, as well as all the children they would leave in the dark; killing themselves would spite the innocent too. So they resigned themselves to a tense life full of violent silence, flicking wires, and small kindnesses.

"Dinner will be ready soon, deary," said one such kindness in a sweet warbly voice, age tight in every word, "I know you're always in a rush out of here but we've got a few new faces these days, so the extra takes time to make."

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Missy," Emery said, their voice a little sheepish, "I'll check back later."

"Oh I don't mind!" Miss Missy cackled, clanging her large metal ladle on the pot she was stirring, "if I did, this lot would have driven me bonkers decades ago!"

The Lot behind her had flinched at the loud ring of metal on metal and looked like they had a lot to say about Missy's bonkerness but noticed her companion and turned back to their cook stations.

Emery's mouth twitched into a small frown and ignored them as well, but Missy always saw too much.

"Tsk tsk, unbelievable, all of you," she shook her head, going back to her soup stirring, its looping steam fogging up her cracked glasses and filling the air with the smell of fresh vegetables and stale spices, "you shouldn't pay them any mind either; better for your sanity that way."

"I'll…" Emery's eyes flickered to the aggressively ambivalent room and shrugged, "I'll keep that in...mind, Missy."

They made a face and left as Missy cackled at their mostly unintentional joke, feeling eyes on their back. The humid scents of the kitchen gave way to the dry stagnancy of the rest of the ship. Whispers followed Emery as they wove their way through the cafeteria, debating if it was even worth it to come back for dinner tonight. They usually concluded it wasn't, but they had missed last night….and the night before.

A small body knocked into their hip from behind, a small grey blur of a girl ran down the corridor around the corner without looking back. It was Aisling, one of the children of the ship. Nobody knew who her parents were but nobody really cared either; if you did your job, nobody looked at you twice–it's how they have survived for so long–and Emery couldn't think of a time anyone had given her a single glance.

Turning to see what she was running from, Emery came face to face with Lars, the Overseer's lacky; they always said he was security but he really just broke anyone who said anything against the Overseer. He and Emery were close in age and it was almost refreshing to them to know that growing up didn't change everyone; Lars was always a bully.

"Hey reject," Emery could already tell this was going to be a constructive conversation, "did you see who took my rifle?"

They rolled their eyes, "I didn't, Lars," they said, fake concern rolling off their tongue before they could stop it, "did you try your back pocket?"

As much as they tried to not bring uncalled attention to themself, watching him grab at his ass to check his pocket almost made what happened next worth it. Almost. Lars grabbed their collar next and slammed them into the wall; Emery couldn't tell if the metal was ringing more or their head.

"You think you're funny, reject?" Lars growled into their face, his teeth close enough he seemed like he was going to bite them.

Emery grabbed at his wrist and weezed, "very much so."

Funnily enough, that didn't make him let go. Instead Lars ground his knuckles into Emery's neck, obviously trying to leave a bruise, "maybe I'll tell everyone you stole it and finally have an excuse to send your sorry ass to the Grey."

An almost feral grin made its way onto Emery's lips, "if you want to be the reason the lights turn off around here, be my guest," their hand pulled at the rough hand at their collar as they used their only weapon; their words, "but I remember you crying during the blackouts of our childhood. How's your fear of the dark these days, Larry?"

Lars's eyes went wide then narrowed and Emery knew they had won that round. The brute of a man growled as he shoved Emery's head against the wall once more and turned to stalk down the hall without another word.

Taking a moment to breathe and clear their head, Emery looked down the hall that Aisling had run down. Shaking the last of the ringing from their ears, they jogged after her, curiosity overriding their concern.

After all, why would a kid need a rifle?

Emery found Aisling at an open door to the outside, one that sat dozens of feet off the bank, the air bone dry and uncomfortably warm. The ash from outside leaked through the hatch in thin strands that smelled of a house fire and burning meat; not enough that it would poison the whole ship but it was still dangerous without a mask to filter out the gas and grit.

Something they noticed Aisling didn't have with her.

"You wanna die?" Emery let exasperation cover their anxiety about being so close to the outside, "That shit will cake your insides, leave you gasping."

"I'd rather die with a lung full of my own air;" the girl didn't even turn to face them, her dark eyes trained on the gray swirls that masked the horizon, "filled with ash like my name and not the dying breaths of others who waste them."

Emery sighed, rubbing the nap of their neck, "why'd I have to get stuck with the poetic one?" Their words were fondly irritated, knowing what they were going to get themselves into when they followed after her. They noticed the gun was nowhere in sight.

Aisling gave the adult a sad, crooked grin; one filled with more apology and missing front teeth than mirth, "Poetry," her tone, too, was sheepish, "That is also in my name."

She got a soft smile in return as Emery came up to the doorway she sat at, wary of the smog that seeped into their home but determined to comfort this girl; they would be fine without a mask for a bit.

An idea sparked in their mind.

"Well, guess I gotta speak your language to get through to ya, huh?" They said as they settled down beside her and waved a hand out at the hazy gray devastation, "see all that?" Emery started after a moment of thought, "that air belongs to the dead. They fill it with their bodies and their stench, claiming it as their own." Emery grabbed Aisling's shoulder gently when she didn't reply, her eyes entranced by the shifting waves of the atmosphere, "They don't want you to join them, both out of pity and spite; death doesn't like to share what it has taken nor does it like to take more than it should."

"It's taken more than its fill," the girl's voice was empty of emotion, just stating fact. And Emery nodded, knowing she was right.

"Yes it has. Don't add to it." Emery had seen far too many join those numbers; both on accident and by design, other's or their own, "Back inside, those are dying breaths cause the ones that used them are still living, still taking them. They're waiting for us…" yeah right, they thought, "as is dinner..." They shifted as if to stand but Aisling's quiet voice stopped them, her eyes still locked somewhere out of sight, beyond the horizon.

"I can see them, you know."

"Who?" Emery squinted in a random direction trying–and failing–to see what those dark eyes saw, "Is someone out there in the ash?" They sighed internally; the ship was not ready for a rescue mission.

"No–" Aisling's voice cut through their thoughts, "well yes, but not in the way you think." Emery shifted uncomfortably as she continued, her casually morose tone setting them on edge, "you say death doesn't share what it has taken…" she took a steadying breath, as if to ready herself for a difficult task. Her hard exhale danced through the ash, more carefree than either had ever felt in their lifetime; causing eddies and spirals before the wind picked up again and erased any trace, "but it does with me."

A shiver ran down Emery's spine and they knew they would probably regret asking, but they did anyway, "How so?"

"I can see them–" Aisling said again before her head tipped to the side in thought, "or what's left of them, I guess. I suppose they are ghosts, like Old Missy says in her stories, but that doesn't quite feel right."

The air in front of them was vacant beside the ever present choking ash–filling their lungs with each breath and slowly smothering them–and yet Emery believed the girl. There always felt like there was more in the air than just soot and death; so many died when the ruptures began, there were probably plenty of ghosts. Miss Missy muttered prayers under her breaths and taught the youths rituals to keep the spirits at bay. Emery usually ignored her insistence, instead throwing themselves into their work, but there was always a whisper at the back of their mind–and in the empty corners of their home–that made them wonder. And Ashe was never one for lying; she was honest to a fault, much to the chagrin of everyone who didn't want their ego knocked down a peg...though Emery always enjoyed watching her talk down to much older and bigger adults. Nobody ever seemed to know what to do with her. There was always the possibility that it was all the girl's imagination but, while Aisling's words were flowery and her gaze always seemed miles or years away, she was very grounded for a ten year old; flights of fancy just weren't her thing.

I suppose the world is interesting enough as is… they thought as they listened to their home creak and groan against the wind, living through what we have, ghosts aren't truly That weird.

Emery resigned themself to an odd conversation, knowing Ashe wouldn't budge till her thoughts had been said, "Can….can they see you?"

They chose and said their words carefully, as if the words themselves and their answers would bite if given the chance. Who knows….maybe they could.

"Some can." Aisling's words were always mindful and unhurried; thought was put into them and you would just have to wait till she was done thinking cause she wasn't going to rush herself, "Some are more….aware than others. Some talk to me or each other–many don't act like life is," she waved a hand at the hazy air, "but some know what's going on. Most, though, meander about as if the world is empty except for them." Aisling's eyes drop to the ground as her voice became a whisper, "...some cry."

The girl shrunk in on herself as a quick wind picked up, sending long dead cinders scattering across the path. It wasn't cold–quite the opposite; the very air itself stuck to Emery's skin with sweat–and there was something to Aisling's movements that concerned them. Looking between the girl and the apparently not so empty space before them, Emery wondered what they could do to help.

There was a long moment of silence before they spoke again, "Do they scare you?"

Do what you always do, they thought to themself, assess, consider, react. It's gotten you this far in life.

Aisling immediately shook her head no but stopped herself with a thoughtful look on her face. It took a few tense moments of thought but eventually she said, in a very small voice, "most don't but some are…" her eyes shadowed, "more….or maybe less? Something in them is hollow or shattered. I don't know how to explain it."

To see Aisling, the girl who could out talk the world, not have the words for something told Emery how horrible the sight must be and a sensation similar to dread settled in their bones like a lead weight dropped into a sea. They had never accepted something as fact as quickly as Aisling's ghosts and it worried them.

"Are they a danger to us? To you?" Emery somehow kept their voice steady as they tried to pick out the monsters this girl saw amongst the gray and browns of their world, visibility down to 50 ft in all directions for now. They knew it was their imagination that spotted shapes in the ashen mist, but that didn't pacify their worry. They couldn't fight what they couldn't perceive–hell they didn't know if they could fight these things at all–but they could get info.

With a shrug and a sigh, Aisling subconsciously leaned towards Emery, as if her mind just wanted to hide, "I don't know. Some of the more aware Shadows can interact with the environment but most just drift. And all the Hallows I've seen haven't been….There." Aisling's next words were into her knees as she drew them up in front of herself and hugged them to her front, "sometimes they look in my direction on accident and it's horrible; like I can hear their torment, the fire that burned their minds. They feel dangerous, but I have no proof."

It broke Emery's heart to see such a small girl try and tuck herself even smaller in fear of this threat that only she could see. They hesitantly lifted their arm as she leaned further, falling softly against their side, bringing it down to circle her thin shoulders. They had never experienced any parental instincts in their 26 years of life but they could probably figure out how to comfort a scared child. After all, they once were one, not that long ago.

"I can't see them…" they started, unsure, but they took a deep, burnt breath and continued, "but I will protect you however I can, all right?"

"Why would you?" Dark eyes finally turned from the outside ash to look at them, wide with a peculiar astonishment–as if she truly wondered why someone would care–and Emery was reminded of how everyone seemed to avoid this girl with her chilling poetic words and biting honesty; had nobody truly tried to care for her beyond food and shelter? "What if you can't?"

How had Emery not noticed? A girl not quite thrown aside but forgotten, ignored, by everyone...and they had let it happen. Everyone had let it happen. Anger at the people they both called a community and, moreover, with themself, filled their veins, warming them in the already hot air. Then and there, Emery made a silent vow in their mind before making it to the girl herself with a determined nod, answering both questions at once.

"Because I can and I will."

Aisling's face told Emery she didn't believe them but she smiled nonetheless, for once looking as young as she truly was, gap toothed and all, before the two of them looked back over her ghosts; one set of eyes darting between them and the other unseeing but now aware.

Focused on what they couldn't see, Emery was not ready for the rest of the conversation.

"I stole a gun."

They had honestly forgotten why they followed her in the first place. Emery knew Aisling had taken it–they had the bruise from Lars to prove it–but it was said with such a casual tone that they choked on their next breath. After coughing to try and clear it–which was difficult with the ash in the air–they turned to the girl.

"Why the fuck would you do that?" Emery struggled to keep their voice down–the ship was only so big and sound traveled–and they glanced over their shoulder for security, "if Lars finds out, he'll throw you off the top of Endeavour, and he's not going to wait for a council."

Aisling blinked at them, "I didn't feel safe with him having it."

Emery opened their mouth to argue but found they couldn't really–Aisling had a very valid point–so they just sighed, "did you at least hide it well? Or throw it off the ship?"

"Of course."

The girl didn't offer up which question she was answering and Emery didn't ask.

They did, however, shake their head in exasperation, "please, promise me you won't do anything like that again."

Their answer was a grin that didn't make them less paranoid but they accepted it anyway. The two of them sat watching the Grey roil for a moment longer before Emery nudged Aisling.

"We really do have to get back inside; this ash isn't healthy to breathe." A moist gurgle cut across the air and Emery looked at their stomach accusingly, "And dinner's nearly ready, I'm sure."

"Oh," Aisling sounded unsure, her breath wavering, "I suppose...yes, we should go back in."

They could see fear creep into her eyes. The fear of continued loneliness–of having experienced compassion and losing it once more–and it tore them apart; nobody should feel that at the mere mention of dinner…

Or ever.

As casually as they could–not wanting to let Aisling think they were pitying her–Emery stood and stretched, working out the kinks in their back from sitting on the hard, rusted metal floor for who knows how long; a long time, if their spine had anything to say. With a satisfied sigh, they reached out a hand to the much smaller girl, who hadn't made a move to get up yet, "Come on, let's go grab us a table before they all fill up."

"Together?" Was their small reply as an even smaller hand placed itself in theirs.

It was far too easy to pull Aisling to her feet–Emery was strong and she was young but it was obvious that no one had cared to make sure Aisling was eating enough–and much harder to close the bulkhead door against the darkening gray wind. But eventually both were accomplished, with only a moderate amount of dirt, ash, and grease mucking up their hands.

Wiping their hands off on their already grubby coveralls, Emery grinned down at the girl, "of course! You have to tell me more about your….Shadows?" At Aisling's nod, they pushed on, beginning to lead the way back down the dark corridor, "I'm interested in learning more…if you're willing to talk about them, that is."

The genuine gratitude that filled Aisling's eyes was almost too much to bear and Emery fought the urge to look away from her intense stare as they felt their cheeks warm at the concentrated attention. A smile leaked onto their lips as she began to talk–less in poetic stanzas and in more of a childlike ramble than normal–and Emery wondered when the last time anyone allowed her to just…gush was. They didn't know children all that well–other than their own experiences as one–but they knew that nobody did well being ignored all the time.

The two of them were late for dinner and thus couldn't find a table, but they squirreled away some food that Missy had set aside for them. The old woman grinned at the two misfits as they took their slightly cold trays and found a spot alone on the abandoned stairs to the deck above; nobody went up there unless they really had to these days. Emery let Aisling talk about whatever she wanted to for the rest of their meal.

"And then one time there was this dog!" Was said with a wildly waving, as if it was the most exciting story...maybe to her it was, "I think it was a dog….I've never seen one before–an alive one that is–but old Missy likes to talk about her animals from Before and I think that was what that was. It was fluffy, whatever it was…anyway–"

Nobody bothered the two of them for a long time; both alone in this crowded ship, but together now, bound by a secret–a ghost story really–and Emery vowed to themself that they wouldn't leave this overly intelligent but odd child to be ignored ever again.

They would rather die than abandon anyone like they were.

And the world took that as a challenge.

#Ashen Poetry #original content #me #writeblr

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mrneighbourlove · 6 years ago

Text

Queen of the Red Sea: Beyond the Sea and Oceans

Gulper Bay was one of the biggest hotspots for pirate activity. A true wonderland for pirates, with trade able to be achieved in safety. Well, for the most part.

A bar fight broke out in good fun, a man flying across the floor. Landing at a Gerudo’s feet, he only saw a foot smack him in the face. The young woman laughed, and the bar gained a hardy laugh with her.

Captain Adda was the chieftain of the greatest band of Gerudo Pirates, hailing from the Great Bay of Termina. She was here today to let her crew enjoy a fun night after finding a huge cache of ancient jewels by fluke. Her real objective was a much greater treasure found in this sea. “Drinks for the man who can kick THAT guy’s ass!”

The poor large man got tackled by a bunch of other drunk men. Adda loved causing chaos here and there. Gerudo Pirates were getting drunk, trying to find suitable mates for the night. Wasn’t hard, as Gerudo were known to be exotic and rare, and the hormones of a man could easily be swayed. Adda kept away from any drink, at least for the moment. She wanted to be sober when she found her Voe.

Her first mate, a woman in big iron knuckle armour groaned in annoyance. “I hate this place. It stinks like piss.”

“Could be your attitude towards having fun. I’m ordering you to relax.”

“It’s my job to keep you safe Captain.”

“No Scarlet. Your job is one of three things. Find a guy to put a baby into you, find a buyer for all the loot we acquired, or three, get out of that heavy suit and get wasted on all the liquor here. Now go. You’re a buzzkill around me.”

Her bodyguard sighed and left her Captain to her own devices.

Captain Corsaire was in Gulper Bay to sell most of the loot he robbed from one of Danjur's cargo ships. After selling what he could, the pirate captain would then take the money and give it to his crew's family members and others in the kingdom who needed it more than he did. True, he did keep some for ship repairs and ammo, basic necessities as well, but most of the time, he kept very little for himself. His crew all knew his mission and were perfectly fine with being on the giving end instead of the receiving. After all, he had pulled all of them out of horrible situations and saw Corsaire as family. Tonight, he was treating his men to delicious tavern food, a game of darts, and a pint or two of the best beer of the seas.

"Cap'n," Rat approached Corsaire with some money earned by gambling on darts. Mojo and Juju never lost a game at darts, and to this day, still held their record. "You think we could use this to buy Seer some new boots? The ones he has are looking a little worn."

"Anyone else need anything?" Corsaire asked his quartermaster. "I think we've already stocked the kitchen."

"Acrobat's crutches have seen better days."

"All right, get him some new ones."

"We still have plenty leftover. Could buy your sisters something nice?"

"Nah, save it for the orphanage down the road." Corsaire took a sip of his drink. "Annie and Bonnie would rather have new seeds for their garden, I know how they are."

Adda noticed the freak with four arms first. That got her attention of the crew, lead by a scruffy looking rogue. Perhaps she’d test him out. Walking over she sat beside them with a devilish smile. “Hello boys. I don’t think I’ve seen you around here.”

"I don't reckon I've a-seen you either, miss." Rat was the utmost gentleman to women, even if that particular woman was a pirate. "Enjoying the bar?"

Pockets caught Adda staring and promptly blushed, turning his attention to Acrobat and insisting on a game of pool. The rigger saw his friend's problem, and entertained the notion of playing pool. Acrobat was painfully shy with women, considering he had four arms instead of the usual two. That, and he was a giant of a man, not many were bigger than him.

Corsaire, however, was not interested in Adda's playful nature and continued to write down the divisions of the loot in his small notebook.

“Thank you.” Adda didn’t like that Corsaire ignored her, so she decided to be a little playful. Turning her attention to Rat she tipped her hat. “You the Captain here? Look like a Captain. Tall, muscular, getting the deck scrubber to write out your notes.”

"No, Corsaire is the captain, I's the quartermaster."

"I don't need any of my brothers to write for me, especially considering that Seer cannot see." Corsaire did not even look up from his notebook. He nibbled at the end of his pen, thinking for a moment. If half the proceeds went to the orphanage, then he could take the other half and divide it between his men and their families with enough leftover for everything needed on the ship.

"The captain is a-little busy right now." Rat tried to turn Adda's attention somewhere else, knowing he hated to be bothered while running the numbers.

“What was your latest score?” Adda said, her gaze back on Corsaire.

"None of your business." Corsaire still ignored her. "Please leave, you're annoying me."

"Ah! Cap'n just wants to finish his a-work," Rat knew when his captain was starting to get in a bad mood. "You can talk to him a-later, hear the story of the kraken, and have drinks all a-round."

"Pretty lady no bother de captain when doing the numbers," Mojo told Adda as he tossed another dart into the bullseye. "He needs to think."

"And cal-cu-late." Juju had a thick accent just like his brother.

Adda raised an eyebrow at the brothers. Their accents were annoying. She looked back at Corsaire, her amusement starting to waver.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have come to a bar if you wanted to behave like a nerd and get your homework done. You have problems with doing numbers? Need the other kids to settle down so you can be a good boy? And a Kraken? You think killing some calamari is impressive to a lady?”

"I have problems doing numbers when a bitch with a mouth won't leave me alone when I'm clearly not interested in the booty she's so desperately trying to get me to fuck." Corsaire had lost his cool and shoved his notebook in his pocket. Standing from the table, he headed for the exit. "I'll be on the ship when you boys are done having a good time. Make sure you help Seer back to the docks."

"Oh sweet goddess of the seas," Rat took in a deep inhale. "Miss, I'll show you a-good time in the captain's absence, let me take you to the bar and buy you-a drink."

Adda glared at Corsaire now, more aware of the pistols at her side. She didn’t often let people insult her to her face sober. “I see you have a black spot on you. You lose any of your brothers in taking down a Kraken? Hear any of their bones crack and give a nice loud pop? That why you in a bad mood? Or you just a naturally born pussy with a splintered peg up your ugly ass.” She gave a chuckle, but it lacked any real humor in it. “And is sex the only thing you can naturally conclude? You’d be honoured to have sex with me, bitch. I suppose I’d have to find someone else to assist me in securing a legendary treasure.” Adda looked at Acrobat, giving a teasing smirk. “I think Mr. Goro here has a bigger brain than you on how to be smart around a lady who can carve and staple your face to a mast.”

The rest of the crew heard her mouth and instantly frowned. No one liked it when Corsaire was mocked about the kraken incident. Mojo and Juju stopped their game of darts as Acrobat and Pockets halted the shooting of pool. Seer, who was being seen to by Bomba, both looked up from their food. Rat, who had tried to be a gentleman before, was now angry. It was clearly seen on his face.

"Cap'n is a good man."

"More than you will evah be."

"Saved us, we his brothers!"

"And I-I-I'm not a G-G-Goro."

"Yeah, lady, don't call him names, it's bad enough you're staring."

"Cap'n only fucks a proper lady," Bomba zipped by Adda with a look up and down, and then turned his nose up. "Not one that smells of ass."

"Can we get out of here before someone gets killed?" Seer was dragged along beside Bomba, the blind man able to get around on his own, but it was difficult in small spaces with people.

Adda was surprised, a rarity for her. She looked over the crew that boldly spoke up to her. Akin to a shark, her eyes were still, like a doll’s eyes, the devil’s eyes. Her mind contemplated if this was an insult she would punish, or a joke that she could find enjoyable.

Looking these misfits over, and hearing Mojo’s accent again, she laughed. Her laugh echoed a young cockiness found only in Gerudo, and a dash of dark insanity, not unlike Ganondorf. Like a joke only she found was funny. “You are all an interesting bunch. Here.” She put a sack of extra jewels on the table and started to walk away. “Sorry for intruding on you and your merry men. Enjoy the entertainment around here. You’ve peeked my interest. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you. Or maybe I’ll just kill you.”

"Damn, Cap'n, she's a crazy bitch." Bomba whispered to Corsaire. "Why didn't ya just knock her lights out with dat arm of yours?"

"Because a whore like that isn't worth it." Corsaire gestured for his men to follow him out of the bar, leaving a generous tip for the barmaid. "She wanted to start something and I wasn't going to let her get the best of me."

"What should we a-do with the jewels?" Rat asked.

"Give them to the barmaid. She has three mouths to feed and her husband ran out on her." Corsaire instructed his quartermaster. "She could use it."

"Shall we get the sails ready, cap'n?" Acrobat inquired as he hobbled along with his crutches. "Go tonight?"

"No, we still have business tomorrow. Let's get some rest and I'll take first watch."

"As you say, cap'n."

Adda sat down, getting her first drink of the night. “What a mother fucker...”

Scarlet walked towards her, eyeing the crew as they left. “You want me to take care of them?”

“What? No, no.”

“But they insulted you!”

“People insult me all the time. I’m the Queen bitch of the seven seas....” She took a solemn drink at that.

Scarlet felt enraged. “I’m gonna knock his fucking teeth out.”

Adda shook her head. “Don’t. A crew of misfits isn’t worth the trouble. I think I’ll just forget about them. Need to focus on finding a dummy crew to help us with our main objective. We didn’t travel across the world to pick random fights with some losers.”

Scarlet ignored her, stomping over in her huge armour right up to Corsaire’s face. “Hey, you!”

"Cap'n doesn't want to be bothered right a-now, thank you." Rat stood in the armored woman's way. "Leave him alone, and go back to your leader, miss."

"She sounds really heavy." Seer noticed the clanking of metal. "What in the seven seas is she wearing?"

"It's a b-b-big suit of ar-armor." Pockets told the man. "Like someth-thing you'd see at a c-castle."

"She gave you her time you assholes. She's the Chieftain of the last great Gerudo tribe left. Show some respect to her. She deserved her spot at the top, fought for it fairly. AND she smells wonderful, unlike you, you tiny bandana wearing, ugly tanned grease ball." Stabbing her words carefully, she turned and gave a low growl like a panther towards Bomba on that last comment. Adda rolled her eyes and continued her drink. Scarlet liked to be her hype-woman, whether she wanted it or not. "So, when my Captain gives you a proposition for business, sex, or whatever the hell else she wants, you can at least give her your time to listen."

Adda touched her own Bandana under her hat. Scarlet wasn't the most observant, or smartest. She turned her attention to the bar fight she instigated, still raging on.

"Cap'n Corsaire doesn't have to give anyone his time." Bomba huffed, puffing up his chest like a turkey. The teenager wasn't the brightest of the bunch and was pulled back by Rat. "I'll have you know, you metal lunk, that no one gets respect just because of some damn title and a nice pair of titties!"

"She does have big boobies." Mojo muttered to his brother.

"Aye, dat she does." Juju nodded.

Rat tossed Bomba over his shoulder before the kid got his head knocked off his shoulders.

"Listen, lassie, we don't want any trouble." Rat was trying to be the peacemaker, but it was proving to be a difficult task. "Kindly go back to ye boss, and leave us be. I'm saying this politely, because you a-know nothing of the cap'n."

Using his crutches, Acrobat nudged at her leg and pushed aside.

"Come on guys, the women have ruined the buzz at this bar." He hobbled down the steps with Pockets following after him. "Some ruin it for the rest of us, I swear."

"You were doing... doing g-g-g-ood at pool this t-time!" Pockets agreed as he helped his friend with the stairs. "Some p-p-people like her and the other... other lady are just... m-mean!"

"If your boss wants a man, there's a brothel that way." Seer pointed down the wrong street.

"Other way, Seer."

"That direction, excuse me."

All the while, Corsaire was groaning internally, just wanting to be left alone.

If Scarlet wasn’t pissed before, the blind man did it for her now. No one, no one, made a comment about their crew and a brothel under any circumstance. The Iron Knuckle gave the blind man a sucker punch to the face. “You calling us prostitutes?! You’re fucking dead!”

Adda looked over, watching her first mate grab Bomba up high over her head to throw at Rat. “Oh fucking hell…”

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU, HE'S BLIND!!!" Corsaire jumped into action as Rat caught Bomba and set the teenager on his feet. Seer was out cold from the punch, his nose spurting blood. Pockets grabbed the downed cook and kept Acrobat behind him. Mojo and Juju drew their pistols and were ready to shoot. Before Scarlet could throw a punch at Rat for being distracted with Bomba, Corsaire caught one of the Iron Knuckles' fists with his metal arm, the clang echoing through the bar. "I don't know what your problem is, or your damn boss', but you do not hit Seer!!! You can hit me as much as you like, but you don't attack my brother who cannot see!" With that, he swung with his free hand, catching her in the jaw. "I'll fucking kill you if you touch him again. You won't hurt him, no one will ever hurt him again, he's suffered enough!"

"He wasn't insinuating anything, you stupid bitch!" Bomba hollered. "He was just giving directions, all women go to find male prostitutes around here!"

"Cap'n, calm down!" Seer exclaimed as he groaned, holding his nose. Pockets managed to shake him awake. "I'm okay!"

"We're leaving. Now." Corsaire ordered his men. "Let's find Seer a doctor."

"Cap'n, I'm okay---"

"Doctor. No bickering."

"... fine."

With that, the crew headed into town in search of a healer.

Scarlet grabbed Rat by the shirt, throwing him to the side. With a growl she put her helmet on. “I gave you a handicap. My mistake. You insulted my sister again and again. I’m going to collect a cup of blood from you for every insult you threw.” She measured a litre with her hands. The ironed giant threw a heavy swing at the old gladiator.

"Damn it, woman, what is your problem?!" Rat caught the swing and stopped Scarlet's movements. "Leave us alone!"

Mojo and Juju had had enough of this ignorance. While Rat caught the swing, Mojo let off one bullet, nicking Scarlet's head to get her attention, the helmet ringing like crazy, while Juju scraped her hand with a bullet. "Look, they miss... on purpose, lady. The next one will be in your head."

"I'll ask only once more or I'll give my men permission to take you down." Corsaire glared at Scarlet as he held Seer around the shoulders. "Leave us alone."

“Go to fucking-“ A shot rang out from Adda’s gun, ricocheting off Scarlets armour, the bullet going past Corsaire’s nose. Adda clicked the second shot ready to go in a instant. “Scarlet! What did I say!”

“But, Captain, they-“ A second shot ran off, into the one exposed part of her armour around her thigh. Scarlet cried out as she dropped down. “I don’t want to hear another goddamn ‘but’ out of you. I told you to leave them alone. You disobeyed an order and got into a fight, where you most likely would have gotten killed. But worse, you damaged my authority by disobeying me. You showed others that you don’t respect my leadership.”

Scarlet was crying now from all the pain, as well as disappointing Adda. “N-no Captain. I’m sorry. I just wanted to make them understand.”

“Understand what? That our crew goes around beating the shit out of cute blind men? What’s next, deaf elderly?”

“T-they insulted you.”

Adda shakes her head. “And it’s my call if I want to tear all four arms off the stuttering man or make a skin carpet out of the albino. You do not act out of term. Now I have to deal with the ‘code’, on why a gun fight broke out on ‘neutral ground’. Maybe even get exiled from this particular port. And that’s on you.”

“A-are you going to kill me?”

Adda tapped her gun. It was just her, Scarlet, and Corsaire’s crew watching. “No. Not today. But don’t you ever disobey me again. Now pick yourself up, apologize, stop sobbing, go find yourself a medic, and go back to the ship.”

Scarlet nodded, saying sorry over and over to each crew member. As she hobbled off, Adda twirled her gun back into her holster. “Apologies for your blind Voe’s injury. We can talk about his medical bill in the morning. See you around....”

As the two woman left, Adda sighed. “What the hell were you thinking girl?”

“I’m sorry Captain…”

“It’s ok. Let’s get you patched up…”

The crew felt their adrenaline drop as the Gerudo walked off. Bomba expressed the feeling in the air perfectly.

“What the HELL just happened here?”

It was an eventful night to say the least. After taking Seer to the doctor, where it was confirmed that he had a broken nose, the crew returned to the ship. After seeing Seer to bed to rest and recover, the rest of the men agreed to get some sleep while the captain took first watch. It was the first night in port in weeks, and the crew were more than ready to rest. As the men retired to their beds, Corsaire sat on the ledge while playing his harmonica. It was a quiet night and the stars were absolutely stunning. He blew a note or two and then leaned back against the rigging. Sighing, the captain traced the constellations with his fingers as he hummed.

"Dark and dangerous, deep and low,

Whispers of a treasure trove,

The sea witch and her serpent show,

To drag you to hell below.

Krakens, maelstroms, the witch's sea,

Hear my cry, hear my plea,

Water spirit of my dreams,

Take me home, on the blue wave's gleam."

Adda felt an odd sense of guilt. She should of approached finding help more directly. But pirates, let alone her, don’t ask for help outright. They need to be smart, manipulative. But in doing so she might have caused more trouble than she wanted. After calming Scarlet down from her wounds and knowing the rest of her crew were settled for the night, she asked around and took some bottles with her as she walked down the docks. The stars were indeed beautiful, and she needed some fresh air. Hearing the harmonica as she approached, she chuckled. Of course, the gruff rogue was a musician. She started to swagger up to the draw bridge to Corsaire’s deck.

"Oh fucking hell, no." Corsaire saw Adda trying to walk up the draw bridge and promptly jumped off the rigging onto the wobbly plank. The board bounced from his added weight and he had his hand on his pistol. He was ready for a fight if there was going to be one. "There ain't no way in the water spirit's good name that I'm letting the likes of you on me ship!" He glared at Adda. "Seer already has a broken nose, I ain't letting anyone else of me mates get hurt because someone doesn't like to be ignored." The captain always had his crew's interest at heart. "What do you want? I have half a mind to give you a broken nose, but I don't start fights with ladies unless I have to."

Adda steadied herself on the board, a little wobbly from a head start of drinking. She was a heavy weight, but if she wasn’t careful, she could fall into the water. “I came here to offer you a drink. I asked around and was told you’re a man of fine rum. Until I was told you’d rather enjoy whisky. So I brought both. As my way of saying sorry for the unnecessary trouble I brought. Think of this as wanting to restart a first impression.” She took out two thick bottles, a rum and whisky in each hand.

"...?" Corsaire was a little taken aback. He was not expecting this brash woman to come with drinks, much less offer an apology of sorts. Maybe someone knocked her silly or she was drunk. He was not sure what to think. "While I appreciate the offer of alcohol, I won't drink when I'm on watch. My brothers count on me." The captain declined the drink and then said, "However, that doesn't mean I cannot enjoy it later. If it doesn't offend your senses, I'll keep my whisky for a more appropriate time."

“Is the password ‘please’ for me to come aboard?” She said as she wiggled both bottles.

"Me ship's a jealous mistress, lass." Corsaire then gestured to the docks. "She's not called the Sea Witch for nothing. You think I want to risk her wrath?"

“Awwww, she can’t fit in another woman? Never know, she might like it~” Adda toned it down a little. “I’m not gonna hurt any of your brothers. Both them and my girls should be able to rest easy tonight. Now can I come aboard?”

"No." Corsaire was not buying into her attempt at flirting. When she asked again to come aboard, this time more serious, he crossed his arms, debating for a moment. Finally, he relented, begrudgingly, simply because she brought a peace offering. Snatching the whisky, he said, "On deck only."

“Got it. Want to pull up the bridge? Can help you relax more.” Adda walked up around the deck, feeling the wood below her. “Any story behind this Sea Witch? It see a dreaded battle? Acquired from a deal with an actual sea witch?”

"Nay, I leave it in case we need to exit in a hurry. Can't jump overboard with Seer, he cannot see where to swim, and Acrobat can't swim due to his legs." Corsaire did not have any chairs on deck so he simply pulled up a barrel for Adda to sit upon for the time being. "I built this ship with my quartermaster after my run-in with“...I’m sorry about making that crack at you. I was pissed that I hadn’t gained your attention. I know my own grievances about sea monsters....” Adda sat down and popped open the rum for the two of them. the kraken. Named her after the dreaded sea witch that took down me mentors."

“I’m sorry about making that crack at you. I was pissed that I hadn’t gained your attention. I know my own grievances about sea monsters.” Adda sat down and popped open the rum for the two of them.

"Some believe the story and others don't. It's not up to me whether the landlubbers think the Kraken is real or not." Corsaire took a spot on the opposite barrel. "I know it's real and I know better now than to ever mess with one of its kind again."

“I’d believe your tale if you’d believe mine. Why’d you fight a Kraken anyways? Was there a woman, a treasure, glory...or just in the wrong place at the wrong time?”

"Treasure and greed, lassie." Corsaire was honest, he saw no reason to lie. "Took me first crew to its lair, thought the story was a bunch of hogwash. Rat was the only sensible one to stay away. Took one of the lifeboats off the ship and stayed outside the cave." He chuckled halfheartedly. "That's the only time he ever disobeyed me. I lost me crew, lost me arm, but I blew that son of a bitch to kingdom come."

“So you actually killed your monster. Admirable. You feed the squidy some firepower?” Adda had a laugh, pouring them two drinks.

"Nah, it actually was devouring the first ship I stole." Corsaire shook his head at the drink, knowing he was on duty. "Several boxes of gunpowder fell into its mouth. I shot the box before it could eat me."

“Good thinking. Shame about your crew. They die quickly though?”

"Some drowned, some were crushed, and others were eaten." Corsaire shuddered to think about it. "Didn't really know the men, just said they could have whatever they could carry if we succeeded in finding the treasure. Rat rowed me back to land before I died and bargained for me this arm." He pulled off his glove, showing his metal fingers and wriggled them. "Some islander magic”, he said. “Lor-Lee-Li something... found it in a market and bought it for me."

“That’s the arm you threatened to punch me with hon?” Adda examined it, trailing her fingers down his mechanical bicep. “Nice craftsmanship.”

"It's not for sale, if that's what you're going to ask next." Corsaire snorted as she touched the metal, not able to sense her touch with the fake limb. "All I know is Rat said it was elemental magic from some island. Won't melt, won't break, just needs a good cleaning here and there." He put his glove back on his hand. "Banthorarium I think it was called."

“Don’t want to buy it. Now, my brave little Captain, it’s my turn to tell a story.” Adda stood up, taking another drink. “You ever hear of the infamous narrow trench?”

"Aye, I have. Sirens be there." Corsaire nodded.

“To us Gerudo, the charms of a siren are lost on us. But that is not the danger that concerned me was there. In this trench, in order to pass through, you must negotiate a narrow strait. Let me ask you a question Captain. Given the option, would you take a route that would chance either complete survival or complete destruction of you, your ship and crew, or take a choice to willingly sacrifice a member of your crew, but guarantee the rest of you and the surviving crew safe passage?”

"My crew, me mates, are my brothers." Corsaire told Adda as he crossed his arms and leaned back against the other barrels. "They'd lay down their lives for me and I'd do the same for them. I'd never willingly sacrifice one. We'd take the risk; all together alive or die together."

“HA! So you’d take the choice I didn’t make.” Adda looked back at the stars. “When I first became Captain, I took my crew on a large expedition, stealing from some rich snobs. They sent a navy after us, so I decided to take a quick shortcut to avoid capture. I was previously told of the story of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla was a six headed sea monster who would eat members of ships that passed by. Charybdis was an even fiercer entity, who used hurricanes and whirlpools to swallow whole ships. On the left side of the ship we saw the storms. On the right, calmer waters. I took the crew through the right path. Like hell was I going to take us through the storm. Yes, I had a chance for all of us to survive, but we might have all died as well. Besides...” Adda took her sword out and made fancy sword play. “We were badass Gerudo warriors! The deadliest female crew of pirates to ever live! We could take down a monster of the physical flesh.” She stabbed her sword into her sheath, shrugging her shoulders. “Oh how wrong I was. Scylla shot forth from the water’s depths. It had this terrifying appearance. I could make out what was once human, I think. It was so uncanny. It shot forward, eating two crew members immediately. It just kept chewing them, slowly. The screams....god those screams.” Adda took another swig of her rum. “We fired enough cannon fire at the other heads and used our might to stay alive, but they just wouldn’t die. That was when the monster started attacking my ship, pushing it towards the left part of the straight towards Charybdis. It wouldn’t be denied it’s meal. So.... I made a choice. I shot four of my members in the feet and back. Scylla accepted the offering and ate them. With all six of her heads fed, she let us through. I had to make a sacrifice, right on the spot at such a young age.” Adda relaxed onto the barrel again. “Now, whenever I have to go through there again, I make sure I have the right sacrifices. I don’t want to sacrifice my sisters ever again.”

"Captains make mistakes and we pay for it then or later. It will always haunt us." Corsaire knew that at the time, Adda did what she felt she had to do to ensure the survival of the majority of her crew. "Once, I might have made the choice you did if I ended up like my mentors. They started out on a good path... but by the end were lying, kidnapping, murdering rapists." He recalled the faces of the captain brothers, Azir and Hizir. "My own brother fell under their impression and he, too, lost his life by the sea witch along with our mentors. Perhaps if I had simply dragged my brother off their ship, he'd still be with me... or not. I'll never know for sure." He shrugged slightly, and then added, "But what I do know is no captain is perfect. I've made plenty of mistakes, mistakes that cost me and my crew. Yet, through the maelstroms of it all, they've stuck with me. I couldn't ask for a better band of brothers."

“You think you’re a good man? Above your mentors? Me? Or any other pirate?” Adda asked in a good tongue and cheek, philosophical way.

"No." Corsaire answered honestly as he fixed his tilted hat. "But I try to be the good man my crew thinks I am."

“That’s cute. You’re cute.” Adda sat her drink down. “I saw that you gave the jewels I presented to you to that single barmaid. That’s very....charitable. Why do you do it? And please don’t tell me it was out of the good of your heart. Everyone has an ulterior motive....you like her?”

"Dahlia has three kids, young ones with mouths to feed." Corsaire told Adda, having seen the little ones in the bar before when the babysitter dropped them off for the barmaid. "I know what it is like to be hungry, and no, Dahlia doesn't interest me in that way. Her focus is her children, the way it should be." He explained to Adda. "True, I could have used the jewels for my ship's necessities, or I could have spent it for Seer's nose. Yet, the money had needs elsewhere and I have the ability to pickpocket, raid, or steal whenever I please. Miss Dahlia does not."

“Ha. Never said if you like her you devil.” Adda took her hat off, followed by taking Corsaire’s off with a quick snag. Her long beautiful red hair flowed in the wind. Taking a breath of the sea she smiled at the Voe. “The sea is calming, isn’t it. I got another peace offering for your crew, if you’re interested.”

"I admire her, but romantic interest? No." Corsaire knew the woman would not shut up until he answered. "If it's more alcohol, I'm sure they'll oblige."

“I’m not flirting myself when I say this, but when’s the last time you or your men have had sex?”

"That... is something I actually do not keep track of with my men." Corsaire snorted, trying to hold back a laugh. "As for myself, it's usually the last time we're in port."

“This would be to make up for the fighting and have you not make any report against me. But I could persuade my crew to mingle with your crew. Nice environment, safety, few drinks here and there. Some of my own crew has been blue balled, even tonight.” She gave a chuckle. “Go really easy on the shy guys in your crew. Give them a night they wouldn’t forget. Hell, they could even pick out who they’d like. Just don’t make any comments about whores, prostitution or brothels, and it could be a fun time for all. How’s that sound?”

"Pfffffttt..." Corsaire had to hold back a laugh at her phrasing, knowing it was rough to have a declination of intercourse. "Pockets and Seer are the two most shy men on ship, but Pockets is the shiest man on the planet, I swear, he turns red if a lady holds his hand!"

“How much you bet he’d faint in one of my girls’ arms as they carried him off to bed~” Adda stifled a loud laugh she wanted to get out of her system.

"Oh, there's no need to bet, he fainted when a lady kissed his cheek for carrying her groceries!" Corsaire tried to keep his snickers to a minimum. "He's got a pure heart, that's for sure."

“Then you won’t object to the offer.” Adda put on his hat. Turned out to be a very good fit.

"Object to..." Corsaire paused his words as the lady adjusted his hat. Why did the women always go for his hat? Was it a secret kink among the girls or something? He cleared his throat, deciding to play dumb. "What offer?"

Adda walked around him, trailing a finger under his chin. “The type where after we undress you of your clothing and have our fun, we get to keep a trinket or cloth to remember you by.” She gave a hardy grin, feeling the rim of his hat and ready to move if he grabbed for it. “Think I’d keep your hat. Add a peacock feather to it!”

"You have a very descriptive definition of fun." Corsaire chuckled as she tried to tempt him and then stood. "And I'd sooner let you keep me treasure," He placed his hands on her hips, one running up her back, getting closer, lips almost touching. "then keep me hat." With a quick tip of his fingers, he flipped the hat off her head onto his.

Adda allowed him to lay his hands on her. They were firm. "I could settle for that too. I like this look...." One hand held him by the belt, the other firmly holding his back.

"Though... my crew, they get a touch lonely too, you know." Corsaire nearly jolted when she squeezed his ass. "We could always arrange for somewhere more so... suited for nightly activities."

"I know a proper quiet hotel on this island. I can get us all some nice quarters. Or just settle for staying on my ship~" She grinned as his face crumbled for a moment at her squeeze. She reached down and squeezed the front of his pants too. "You know, usually I challenge men to a sword fight, cut their pants down and make them submit. All I had to do was walk onto your ship and you were mine!"

Corsaire was not exactly a fan of submitting to a woman he did not know. For all he knew, this could be a trick to slit his throat after the deed was done. He had heard of some women seducing men, then killing the poor sap, and taking off with all the money. He was about to nicely decline the offer of meeting on a turf she knew when he heard footsteps coming up from the cabins.

"Captain?" It was Seer. What was he doing up this late? "I sense someone else on the boat."

Adda was like a cat when it came to having sex with men. When she was hungry, she'd consume as many as she could. If they were especially tasty looking they were hers. The Captain liked to play with them before digging in as well. People were consumables to her. Be it for money, sex, or just an able body to use. And seeing the blind man come up, she gave a smile, wrapping an arm around Corsiare's shoulder, standing side by side with him. "Hello there dear. Seer was it? Glad to see you up and about after that little scuffle earlier evening."

"...? Wait... you're the lady from earlier this evening. The one that smells like brimstone and metal." Seer wondered why Corsaire allowed her on the ship. “What was going on? ... I'd prefer not to be punched again."

"No, no, the lady is just here for an apology." Corsaire quickly told Seer, taking this chance to turn from Adda and check on his crew member. "You should be resting."

"I was... until I sensed her."

"I'm here for your whole crew my man. By next week I won't even be in this particular ocean. Felt wrong not to give you and the rest of your brothers a.... proper apology." She slowly trailed a finger down his open upper chest. "Corsaire, why don't you wake the crew. It's not even midnight yet."

"Um... whole crew?" Seer repeated her words, not understanding what she meant until that finger traced down his chest. His white skin turned bright red in the cheeks. Usually women were not so forward with him unless she had a kink of some kind. "M'am, you know, that's mighty kind of you, but I'm sure a nice lady like yourself has a more suitable bed... partner..."

"Seer, are you seriously being shy when the lady is interested in you?" Corsaire knew the man was a touch shy, but then again, he always was very tipsy when he ended up in bed with another lady. "Just say hello before you go straight for the boobs, okay?"

"I did not---!!!"

"You were tipsy that one time and told a lady she had a fantastic pair of tits. I thought you were going to get slapped but she actually liked that."

"Depends on the woman." Adda trailed a finger down the side of Seer's cheek. "You were right Corsaire, he is a shy one. Give me a moment with him while you get the rest of your boys?"

"I think they'll definitely take you up on your offer." Corsaire laughed the way Seer kept turning so red. "Now, be nice to Seer. He's not normally one to flirt with ladies until he's had a few."

"Captain!!!" Seer protested. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm helping you get laid, I'll be back in a second... or minutes..."

Watching Corsaire go below deck, Adda gave a chuckle. "You seem like a nice kid. How old are you?" The poor man felt himself be pulled waist to waist with the tall Gerudo Captain. She wasn't a massive giant like some of her tribe, but at just over six feet, she was peak to most average men. Luckily, Seer matched her in height.

"Um... I really don't know?" Seer answered honestly with a sheepish grin as she pulled him close. "I think I'm around maybe twenty-two... or twenty-three. Maybe older, maybe younger, I'm not sure."

"Twenty-Five myself. I think you're cute. Sorry my best friend punched you in the face. I heard the blind have the rest of their senses heightened." Her hands held his sides for support as she leaned in to give him a deep kiss. Her lips were like strawberries, her breathe fresh and savoury.

Seer was nearly at full attention from that deep kiss. Other senses being heightened, Adda was definitely right about that. Perhaps he was a little too eager when turned on, simply picking Adda up underneath her ass and feeling that glorious backside.

Adda had the booty and the rack to bring heaven to any man. She lathered her tongue with him, pulling away for the tease. "So tell me, how did THAT feel~"

"I'm not sure I have the proper words for it, but I think I'm going to settle with amazing for right now." Seer said breathlessly. "I'd like for it to happen again."

"Alright. You want to wait for your brothers to wake up or do you want to get out of here now~?" Adda tugged at his belt, a Cheshire grin on her face.

"You know I can't see, right?" Seer liked to use a little jest here and there. "You'll definitely have to 'lead' the way."

"Then let's go~" Adda held his hand down to the docks and whistled for her ride. A gerudo on a mechanical skid boat steered in. It was made of Termina technology. Simple for quick on the shore transport, and easily attachable to the main ship. "Easy steps honey."

Once in the boat Adda sat him down, taking her own seat beside him. "Hold onto me tight, ok~"

"Oh sweet Water Spirit..." Seer nearly cursed under his breath as the boat moved so suddenly. The noise was rattling in his ears and he felt a little uneasy by all the metal. He was used to Corsaire's ship. The cook gripped Adda a little tightly.

Adda saw Corsaire getting up onto the deck again, waving him goodbye. “Too slow~ Meet you at my ship! You can’t miss it!”

Giving a laugh she held the nervous cook back.

Once the boat slowed, Seer felt like he could breathe much easier. His senses were not being rattled. Corsaire and the rest of the crew would be along soon enough. Though he was not exactly sure what this captain saw in him.

The small speedboat pulled up to its destination. Her ship was unlike many in this ocean. It was large, made of metal, yet floated with grace. It was painted to look like black charcoal wood, and the sails had a magical shimmer to them. Her flag was an old Gerudo symbol, forgotten to even her. To Adda, it looked cool and held significance that marked it as her own. As the small speed boat was pulled up to the side of the ship, Adda stepped onto the large open deck, and her crew cheered.

“Captain! You did it!”

“Others coming?”

“Ooooo, he looks cute~”

“That the guy Scarlet punched? Poor lad.”

“Can we share him?”

Adda waved both her hands downwards to silence them. “Ey! The other boys should be on their way. This handsome fellow is mine though. So is their Captain if he has the balls to challenge me. Come on Mr. Cook. I’ll walk you up to my quarters.”

There were so many women, too many women. Seer gulped down his nervousness as the women pawed at him, feeling their touchy feely hands. He nearly jumped out of his skin as one groped his backside. What fresh hell had Adda brought him into now? Thankfully, the captain told the rest of the women to back off as she led him to her quarters.

“You don’t get off on drugs do you?”

"No! No drugs!" Seer reacted negatively to the mention of any substance. He shook his head insistently. "No drugs, or I go."

Adda squeezed his hand. “Good. Means that I don’t have to worry about some junkie not wanting to focus on me or trying anything stupid.” Adda opened the door to her quarters for Seer. First room was an office, with trophies all over the walls. Second room was her bedroom. The bed was a King Sized mattress with the softest sheets and blankets Seer had ever felt when she sat him down. “You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

"8 steps... from the door to this room and... 10 steps to the bed." Seer counted as a habit. He knew every inch of Corsaire's ship, and this was foreign territory. Once Seer felt the sheets, his hands carefully smoothed the material before sitting on the mattress. "You know, I'm not usually the pick of the litter, if you know what I mean." His head turned in her direction.

“You mentioned that. You got self-esteem issues?”

"Not really, I don't mind being blind." Seer admitted. "I'm just curious as to why."

“I can tell when a man doesn’t want it. Your Captain was chivalrous, but it seemed he wasn’t into me. His loss....and your gain.”

"All the men have their particular tastes." Seer told Adda. "You, however, I think will be all right because... you smell nice."

A knock came at her door, Scarlet’s nervous voice calling out. “Captain. The rest of the men arrived.”

“Ey! Seer. Wait right here. Just want to settle your brothers in.”

Adda walked to the quarter deck, a lot of the Gerudo woman eyeing Corsaire and his men. “Hello boys. Welcome aboard!”

Once the men were on the ship, Corsaire had to admit it was a nice setup.

Hard drinks, fine wines, and other fruity beverages had been set up. Adda shook Corsaire’s hand. “Your lad’s waiting on me, so let’s make this quick. No one does anything stupid, like kleptomania. Besides, you don’t want to steal from a band of thieves. Two, play nice, and we’ll treat you nice~”

"Pirates stealing from other pirates sounds like a bad story." Corsaire told Adda with a small smirk. "We'll keep this civil."

“Good.” She gave his side a tap, and spun around to address the crews of both crew. “Alright ladies! You wanna have fun!?”

“YEAH!!!” The cry echoed the night. Adda dramatically spun to the men, snapping her fingers with a pose. She had a flare for the dramatic. “What about you Gentlemen!?”

They gave a hell yes right back. This was certainly going to be an interesting night. All the men seemed eager to get to know and romance the ladies before finding a potential bedmate.

Adda pointed to Rat, giving Scarlet a big smack on the ass. Her first mate yelped, blushing red in the face. “What about you two? Maybe take some time making up for earlier tonight?”

“C-captain? You don’t need to-“

“Phhhhhh I insist. It will be good for you Scarlet.”

Scarlet was dumbstruck, slowly turning to Rat. “H-hi....sorry for picking a fight.”

"...? Me?" Rat pointed to himself when Adda suggested he hook up with Scarlet. "I'm very a-flattered, but tis the ladies' job to chose her partner."

"Pfffttt," Corsaire tried to keep from laughing at Rat's surprised face. "Just go with it for once, Rat."

Adda pushed Scarlet towards Rat, and the two of them started to slowly talk. Adda winked to Corsaire. “I’d offer a room, but I get the feeling you’re not into Queens when you see one~”

"All men have certain preferences, Adda, you can't fault me for that." Corsaire chuckled half-heartedly. "I think your girls and my crew will have a good time."

“Well, one day you’re gonna kick yourself in the ass for not being with a beautiful Gerudo when you find one. And with how the population is, you might never get the chance again. Have fun regardless. There’s an empty room you can stay in. That is unless you change your mind~”

Adda pulled him close for a quick teasing peck on the lips, walking back to her bedroom.

Her crew was having the time of their lives with Corsaire’s crew. The men were so charming, some even funny. With poor timid Pockets, a group took their time coaxing him into a good time. But now it was Adda’s turn to enjoy her chosen prey. Taking off her clothes, she smiled down at Seer. It was a damn shame he couldn’t see anything. Took the fun out of an exotic and slow strip tease, but she supposed it couldn’t be helped. “I hope I didn’t tease you too long with the wait.”

"No," Seer was feeling the embroidery on the sheets. He had never learned to read or write, but could recognize certain letters from his years with Corsaire. Brail books were rare, and the few that he had on the ship were the courtesy of his captain trying to teach him how to read. This language, however, he did not know. "What does it say?"

“It means Power. For the Gerudo, Power became synonymous with the Gerudo King of Hyrule, Ganondorf. The tribes of Termina have luckily never met him, because I imagine if we did, we’d be challenged, and either wiped out, or forced to obey him. Being Captain means I am the Chieftain of the Terminia Gerudo Pirate Clan. So as far as I am concerned, I am the Queen to my people just as he was King. I am Power itself.”

She gripped his shirt, and with a solid pull, tore it in two with a loud rip of the fabric. Men usually loved this move or were terrified by it. Regardless, it got Adda off. What held Adda’s interest, was that she was intrigued by Seer being invested in her culture, as little as he could be though.

"Whoa!" Seer was certainly surprised by her simply ripping open his shirt. That was not a move he expected. Though she was a pushy woman and got what she wanted from the sound of it. He was not as buff as some of the other men like Rat or Pockets, but still possessed a good amount of lean muscle.

“Scarlet’s punches are like kitten swipes compared to me. It’s all about how you apply yourself. Now, let’s get the rest so you can match me~” With a purr, Adda took down his pants. Eyeing him over now, he was a very pretty sight. His white skin, coupled with a slimmer body and beautiful dark hair made him an ideal candidate for the pirate. “You want me to describe myself to you? I promise it’s all truth~”

"I'll take your word for it, but I wouldn't want to test it to find out." Seer jested in good humor at Adda's statement. He had been punched once today and that was plenty enough in his book. "Why describe when I can just feel?" His hands carefully found her warm skin. Though his fingers did not go down to her backside, rather up to her face. His calloused fingers gently traced over her jawbone and around her features, feeling the area around her nose and her soft lips. One finger twirled around a lock of her hair, feeling the silky texture. "Warm... and soft."

Adda was expecting him to get touchy as she leaned closer, but she was taken aback by him slowly exploring her face and hair. “Why are you feeling up there?”

"I want to 'see' how you look." Seer explained to the captain. "A female's anatomy is pretty much the same with just a variance in size... but the face, that's the true treasure." The blind man's fingers then slowly left her face. "I can picture what you look like in my mind with my hands. I can sense what you're like by how you smell, the sound of your walk, how words flow from your mouth, the grin with your laugh... it's not too hard to know you're beautiful despite not being able to see."

Adda’s bravado and spunk was gone for a moment in time. In her place was a young woman completely moved by Seer’s words. Her faced softened, and her eyes grew with wonder. How long had it been since someone had spoken to her that way? Too long, too long indeed. Coming back to reality, she held him close. “Trust me when I say this. I think I really like you Seer.” With a deep kiss, the Gerudo woman straddled him, followed by the most passionate night of the man’s life.

The night had been glorious for all the men onboard. Gerudo woman came in a variety of charms, and excelled at their beauty. Sleeping with Rat, Scarlet was happy being cozy in the giant mans arms, having never been with someone so big before, and in more ways than one.

The man who had the most fulfilling night though was undeniably Seer. He experienced sober love making like never before. Adda was fiery, tight, and gave him everything a man could want in a passionate night. They had to have kept going even as everyone else went to bed. Filthy with sweat and other nightly coatings, Adda was the first to wake.

Seer had proven quite capable in bed and, in the privacy of her own quarters, she allowed herself to stew on his kindness. It was rare, and something she forgot existed. In this kill or be killed world, it would no doubt get him killed, but she thought it was sweet nonetheless. Her naked body felt so sensitive, even now as she brushed against him. “You beautiful Voe... maybe I can talk to your Captain about you staying on my ship....”

Adda was shocked by herself at muttering such words. He was good, in so many ways, but she wasn’t going to so easily give up her heart for any Voe.

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Seer was laying there with his eyes closed, still not wanting to move from the bed. He was comfortable, warm, and these sheets were a slice of heaven. Not to mention, he was not quite ready to leave the company of the beautiful captain. "Though I cannot leave Captain Corsaire, not after all he's done for me. I think you are very lovely, Adda, yet I am not ready to leave just yet. I hope you understand."

Adda was glad he couldn’t see her flare up in embarrassment. “You... weren’t supposed to hear that.”

"I'm blind, Adda, not deaf. Or have you forgotten from having your mind blown last night?" Seer grinned, only teasing in good humor. "... I think I can even hear your face turning red from all the blood rushing to your cheeks."

“Oh shut up.” She crawled on top, giving him a deep kiss. For an extra tease she rubbed her body against him. “I was the best damn experience you ever had~”

His white skin was stained red from multiple love bites, and his hips bruised from the more physical aspects of the night. Adda was incredibly proud of the canvas she painted.

"Love making, yes. Wrestling? I think Rat might have you beat on that." Seer snickered as Adda's warm body pressed against his own. "There is something to be said about all those nips you gave me. I think you definitely hold the record for that, my lady."

“Good.” Her hand trailed his shaft when she heard a knock at her door. With a grin, she held his hand to get one more touch of her perfect breasts. “Mmmm, stay here.”

Getting up, she quickly put on the bare clothing she needed with some baggy pants, a bra, and her hat. Opening the door, she smiled at Corsaire. She hoped he would be jealous. “Ey Cap. Here to check in on your lad?”

"I'm alive, Captain." Seer said from the bed with a chuckle. "She didn't kill me."

"Well, I'm glad you're all fine and dandy, my boy, but we need to head out." Corsaire leaned against the door frame. "We have a Danjuran cargo ship heading along our route."

"I understand, Captain."

Adda quirked an eyebrow. Maybe now she could get what she wanted when they first met. “What if I can offer something better?”

"I'm not into a threesome with another man if that's what you're suggesting." Corsaire teased lightly.

The Gerudo captain chuckled, a more serious tone flexing from her voice. Games were over now for her. “How’d you like treasure more valuable than gold or jewels.”

"I'm listening."

Adda went to get fully changed, teasing Covarog with her naked body as she got herself into fresh clothing. “You see my sails there Corsaire?”

"I see the carpet matches the drapes."

"Captain, please!" Seer was feeling around trying to find his own clothes and accidently picked up one of Adda's bras. Clearing his throat, he folded the underwear neatly before placing it on her bed and continuing to search. "Be serious for once."

“You can keep it if you’d like~”

Adda gave him one of her shirts as well and patted Seer, fuelling his shy embarrassment.

Now clothed, the Captain walked onto the main deck. “Up above you are one of fives magical sets known as the Swift Sail. You can’t burn or tear it, and it will sail perfectly in any direction, no matter the air resistance. In my travels I’ve discovered two other sets. Both of which I’ve promptly locked up and dropped into the sea. Rather not have anyone else have the advantage I have.” She turned to Corsaire with another dramatic spin. “However, a ship I’ve been tracking for a while has the fourth set. You help me raid this ship, and along with splitting the rest of the jewels in half, I will allow you to keep the Swift Sail for yourself.”

"Hrm... sounds a little too good to be true.” Corsaire crossed his arms. "How do I know you'll not betray me? I'm not known to work with other pirates because I've been double crossed before."

“Because on this ship that we’ll attack, there’s a much bigger prize that I desire. I can’t achieve my goal without another crew to help me pincer in my target.”

Adda took her gun, firing a bullet to not only wake her crew, but demonstrate that the sail could not be torn. “It’s like the saying goes. There’s honour amongst thieves. I can guarantee they hold the full set. I can guarantee the rest of the treasure they hold can make your crew very happy men. So trust me.”

"Hrm... what do you think, Seer?"

"Me, Captain?"

"You're the one that spent the night with her, what do you think?" Corsaire asked the cook. He knew about Seer's ability to 'read' people, to sense their thoughts, whether it was honest intentions or not. "Should I trust her?"

"Well... she was kind to me, Captain. Her words are sincere, from what I sense." Seer spoke as he finished putting on his clothes, but was having trouble with the shirt. Button up shirts were his worst enemy. He was off by one button. "If she was going to betray you, I would detect more malice. I do not sense any."

"... very well." Corsaire trusted his crewmate. "If Seer thinks you're good... then I suppose you are."

“Good. Very good.”

Adda was so close to achieving her dominance of the sea.

It took a day’s travel, both crews working with each other in sequence. Their target was an imperial ship of some rich nation. The ship was small, but very fast. Adda was right when she said her ship couldn’t catch it on its own, but with Corsaire’s help, the two ships trapped their quarry at the mouth of a river. That was when the bloodbath commenced. Adda was ruthless, her cannon fire crippling the lower decks of the ship, forcing it to beach itself. She used mortar fire to take care of any who dared flee onto the land. Her boarding party swept aboard and Adda showed off her terrifying power with a blade. With great laughter and snark, she duelled her way forward. Corsaire witnessed her exchange blows with the enemy captain, the man cursing the pirates to his dying breath. It was obvious that Adda was toying with him. When she was finally bored, she pulled out her revolver in the middle of the sword duel and shot her opponent in the knee cap. As the man screamed she took his suffering in with a deep breath, and silenced him with another shot to the head. Soon enough a number of men had surrendered, being round up on the main deck. Adda took extreme satisfaction from her work as a pirate. After finishing her afterglow of the victory, she signalled Corsaire to come aboard.

Adda was ruthless, that was for sure. If at all possible, he tried to avoid killing, but it seemed Adda and her crew rather enjoyed it. Once on board, Corsaire made sure that he took only a few men, leaving the rest on his ship. Rat and Pockets were beside of him, while the rest stayed on board the Sea Witch. Once Adda had her treasure, then he would go his separate way.

"You find it?"

“Give me a moment.” Adda eyed the men that were still alive. “Hmm. You’re cute. Ladies take him, and five others. You know what to do with the rest.”

They gave their Captain a nod, and put six men onto the Gerudo ship. The other were dragged over to the edge of their ship, having their necks slit and thrown into the river. Crocodiles tore into the corpses as they fell in.

Kicking down the treasury door, Adda pointed out the treasure she wanted Scarlet to divide. The first mate started counting the treasure boxes, finding a large massive rolled up sail. With a smile, she handed it to Rat. To tell the truth, she was forming a crush. “Here you go Mousa.”

"Thank you, lassie." Rat took the sail as Pockets started to load the divided treasure onto the Sea Witch. "And I's a ratty... not a mousa." He winked at her. "Not meek like a mousa either. Then again, you know that."

"Is it necessary to kill everyone?" Corsaire felt his hairs stand up on his neck when the women so casually killed the men and fed them to crocodiles. "Or is this not to leave any loose ends?"

“Lack of loose ends. Those six will make a good distraction for Scylla when we return to home waters. You aren’t worried, are you?” Adda cracked a smile, sneaking malice in it to purposely make Corsaire feel a little fear to her. Discovering a silver box, it held the engraving of ancient text, and three golden triangles. Creaking it open, Adda took hold of a very light silver baton. With a single light swing, the wind blew softly. “It actually exists....”

"You know, you could always sail around Scylla." Corsaire mentioned and tried to keep a straight face. He was not malicious at heart unless the situation called for it. What Adda did was her business. "I have no reason to worry as long as you uphold your end of the bargain. You have what you want, and I have one of the sails. Give me the rest and we'll be even."

"Captain!" Seer called from the Sea Witch. "You and Lady Adda better hurry. We have a Danjuran navy ship on our tails!"

“You only need the current sail for its magic to work. God knows what power could happen if you got all five. And by the sound of it, we don’t have the time.” Adda power walked to her ship. “Scarlet, do we have the inscription for whirlpools?”

“Yes Captain!”

“Excellent. I can buy us some time for goodbyes and an escape Corsaire.”

"The legend says I need all of them." Corsaire knew how pirates were, so he had to be sneaky. As Seer called about the Danjuran ship, he knew the navy would be close soon enough. After all, he used to be an officer for the royal Danjuran navy. He knew all the ins and outs of their routes, how the ships worked, and the weaponry. Hopping back on his ship, the captain signaled for the men to ready the sails. Grinning, the captain removed the board connecting the Sea Witch to the one he and Adda chased. With the wind in their favor, the sails unfurled and lurched it forward. "Though it won't be too hard to find where you've hid them."

“You can have my sails when you find the fifth set!” Adda ran to her ship, her crew setting out. Taking the scroll Scarlet unrolled for her, Adda followed the directions carefully. It was time to see if this Wind Waker worked. She made a flurry of flics left to right, once up, twice down, finishing by pointing at the navy ship. Storm clouds poured over the target, and the sea itself swirled. A massive whirlpool started to rock the boat, anchoring it in a circle as it spun around. Adda gave out a triumphant laugh. “It worked? IT WORKED!!! I have the greatest weapon a pirate could ever dream of!!! HahaHAHAHA!!! YES!!!”

The two ships momentarily sailed together as they left the navy behind. Adda walked to the edge of her ship with a swagger. “Well, boys, I suppose this is goodbye!”

"Just wait until I come for your sail." Corsaire said in good humor as he signaled for his men to head in the direction of Gulper Bay. "See you soon, captain of the Gerudos!"

Seer was at the end of the ship and although he could not see Adda, he waved goodbye with a soft smile.

“I guess you’ll have to visit. Give a year or two after I’ve finished making myself Queen of the Sea. Gerudo woman are the best damn pirates you’ll ever meet!”

Scarlet took her helmet off and waved to Rat. “I’ll think of baby names just in case!”

Adda turned to her with a look of confusion. “What?”

Scarlet whispered to herself in embarrassment. “I didn’t buy any pills or condoms. Something might happen...”

“Christ girl....”

Shaking her head at her first mate, Adda turned her attention and winked at Corsaire. “Normally I’d consider you a ‘loose end’.... but that cook of yours is too damn adorable to disappoint~ Don’t tell any Gerudo men about us, and you can visit anytime!”

Seer normally did not think about ever having contact with a woman with such bravado as Adda, but perhaps, one day soon... he'd see her again.

With that, both ships sailed in different directions, new adventures and danger awaiting them. (Christmas gift to the beautiful Lorraine of @figmentforms. Captain Adda is technically a creation of Lor that we made together in our spare time. I’m proud to play and bring Adda to life in this crossover with @ridersoftheapocalypse in her first introduction to the extended universe. Art is done by the fabulous @s-kinnaly. Reblogs and comments appreciated! Happy Christmas Eve! See you tomorrow for one more gift!)

#Crossover #Christmas Gift #ridersoftheapocalypse #s-kinnaly #figmentforms #Captain Adda #Corsaire #Seer #Rat

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galimau · 7 years ago

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“Sold”

All credit for the initial idea goes to the DGraycember art project @superbadlydrawnallenwalker has going on. This was supposed to be ~300 words but it mutated. I hope you enjoy!

Summary: Red gets sold to the circus. It’s not a great situation.

Word Count: 1383

no editing we die like mne

In a fair world, Scipio felt that he would have been ringmaster in the circus that he owned. It was only right that the man who kept the entire show on the road should receive the lion’s share of attention from those who flocked to the fairgrounds.

But the world was not fair, and Scipio was a dull-eyed, unpleasant man who very few people wanted to speak with, much less see perform. But what made him so unpalatable as a performer made him very successful as a businessman: he had an uncompromising hold on his warmer emotions, and the ability to turn any situation to profit.

That instinct for profit was why he was standing in his tent, entertaining a local factory foreman, Edgar, who had approached him about handing off a potential worker for a small fee of gratitude.

The worker in question was young, dirty from ratted hair to worn shoes, and gruesomely deformed. He looked miserable standing there, which irritated Scipio. How many children had cycled through these tents and dreamed about joining the circus? Ungrateful.

All together, Scipio rather doubted that he would be worth much money. But Edgar had seemed like a sensible sort, and rather desperate to have the boy off his hands.

“It seems like you want me to take him more than I need another set of hands. Well. hand,” Scipio drawled.

From the way the limb was hanging by the boy’s side, Scipio doubted it was good for much.

“Of course I want you to take him,” Edgar snapped. “I wouldn’t be here if not. We put him to work for a while- and he made it worth the cost of feeding him. He’s small enough to get under the machines, even while they’re running.”

Scipio cast a skeptical look at the boy in question. Whatever the factory had paid to keep the boy fed, it couldn’t have been much. His ribs had shadows between them, and the rope around his waist barely held up patchy trousers.

But maybe that helped to keep him small.

Edgar opened his mouth, raised his hand to point at the boy. Then the kettle whistled, cutting off whatever the foreman was going to say.

Scipio gestured at his table, hoping that Edgar would take his invitation to sit. He had a set of good china cups he had gotten while the circus traveled in France, and took every opportunity to show them off to company.

Edgar sat down easily, helping himself to the offered tea with a smile. And took a bit too much sugar. Impolite. That was an expensive indulgence. Scipio smiled through his irritation, and reminded himself not to set out the sugar pot for guests.

After a few moments of getting settled, the time seemed right to turn the conversation back to business.

He stretched his hands in front of him, cracking the joints and relishing the small wince Edgar gave at the sound.

“So what’s the issue with him. You say he was a valuable worker, but you practically knocked down my door to give him away. No offense, friend, but I never trust generosity.” Bad business policy, to let debts go unacknowledged.

The foreman chuckled around his cup. It sounded more than a little bitter.

“A wise policy- one that I share. And I won’t be giving him away.”

Scipio sighed. It had been worth a try.

Edgar continued. “To be honest, if it were not for recent, ah, circumstances I wouldn’t be speaking with you. Nimble fingers are hard to find, even only five of them.” He set his cup down on the table, looking aggrieved. “Three days ago the boy got clumsy. Got his hand caught in the machine.”

The boy had moved away from the center of the room while they spoke, tucked himself into the back corner as if the shadows would keep him out of view. Scipio glanced at the boy’s arms. One was normal, if a bit skinny, the other red and cracked and ugly as sin, but neither were mangled. Odd.

“Is that what happened to his arm?”

“No. Oh no.” The foreman leaned forward, a eyes glinting. “That has been attached to him for as long as we’ve had him. The problem is when it got caught, it broke the machine. Chipped one of the gears it was between. Those things have chewed up arms as big as his entire body, and his damn arm doesn’t have a scratch,” his voice peaked hysterically. Edgar sat back, shaking his head. “Not a scratch, and a whole machine that is still being repaired.”

He shot a venomous look at the boy, hunched on himself in the corner.

“And now no one will work next to him. Not the adults, certainly not the other children. I mean, we all knew he was damaged,” he waved a hand at the child to encompass the whole sorry image, “but that’s just. Inhuman. Can’t keep it around the others.”

Scipio tapped his fingers against his glass, considering. People would pay for freakish.

“A gear chipped?”

The foreman nodded. “Nothing can hurt that arm of his. I’ll bet you could take a hammer to it,” he added nastily.

Scipio got the distinct impression that Edgar had pondered doing just that any number of times.

“And he’s a willing worker?”

“He knows where his meals come from, I’ll just say that.”

Scipio nodded slowly. This might be a better deal than he’d first thought. But one last thing…

“Boy.” The child didn’t move, or look at him. “Boy. Hey, b-” still no response. “Is he deaf and dumb, too?” He asked, half expecting the foreman to say yes.

Edgar scowled. “He’s downright vocal once he starts to whine. He’s just skittish.” Edgar aimed a halfhearted kick toward the boy, not even bothering to stand from his chair. The child still flinched. “See? He’s paying attention. He’s a cunning little fellow.” It was clearly not intended as a compliment.

Scipio approved. He didn’t care for cunning children, especially those under his thumb. They tended toward trouble.

This time, when he called the boy he came right over, lurking just beyond arm’s reach. Scipio scoffed. “Don’t make me grab at you. You won’t like what happens if you make me stand up from my chair.”

The boy shuffled closer, staring at the ground.

“Put your arm up here,” he patted the table, “and don’t get clever- you know the one I mean.”

The boy lifted his left arm and laid it down between their teacups. Edgar pursed his lips and looked away, but Scipio leaned closer.

It was truly grotesque. Red and corded with deep cracks and ridges, looking like it had been sewn on to the shoulder, with ugly veins bulging from the skin around it. The hand was overly large, and hinged mechanically at the knuckles, with black shiny nails and a cross burned into the skin. Edgar had said the boy’s arm was inhuman, but it looked positively demonic.

Scipio had no love for the church, nor an abiding fear of god, but he found the idea of touching that hand… distasteful.

It was disturbing enough to be fascinating.

“Can you move it, boy?”

Hesitatingly, the child nodded.

“A little… I can hold things, lift them,” he whispered.

Edgar slapped the table. “There, you see? Good enough for work, and that arm will bring some business on its own merit.”

Scipio sighed. The foreman was right, and the circus did need help, what with the number of no-good brats that ran off every time they made camp. It would be nice to have one that had to stick around.

“I’ll give you three bob and not a penny more.”

“A half-crown, for the trouble of bringing him here,” Edgar replied.

Scipio scowled, but held his hand out. They shook, and Scipio got up to grab his purse.

“Does the boy have a name?”

Edgar looked vaguely surprised to be asked. “Not one we ever knew. We generally just called him Red.”

That seemed obvious enough. Scipio nodded, and with business concluded, the other man left. He never looked back.

Scipio looked over the boy - over Red.

“It looks like you’ve got a job again. Let’s hope you prove worth it.”

The boy stayed quiet as he pulled his shirt back on.

Scipio rolled his eyes. Just like he’d first thought. Ungrateful.

So, thank you so much @superbadlydrawnallenwalker, for giving me permission to write something based off your art! I’ve been at a standstill and all the young Allen angst made me start writing again.

#dgm #dgm fic #my writing #holy shit i published something #I might... I might put this on AO3

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karanna1 · 8 years ago

Text

two weeks camping, two weeks to get to know each other, two weeks to fall in love

|| a clexa camping AU ||

part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - part 5 - part 6 - part 7 - part 8 - part 9 - part 10 - part 11 - part 12

part 13 - part 14 - part 15 - part 16 - part 17 - part 18 - part 19 - part 20 - part 21 - part 22 - part 23

The Blakes lake house was gorgeous, massive, and luxurious - every inch of space designed and utilized by a seemingly professional touch. Clarke heard from Bellamy that his mother wanted to build her own mountain get away two years ago. Seeing the results now...it was clear Aurora Blake spared no expense.

We couldn’t have vacationed in the lap of luxury here instead?

Clarke shook her head.

Octavia and her stupid grudge against Kane...

They were all gathered in the Great Room, sprawled out on various pieces of furniture when the dining table only fit 10. The pitched ceiling must have been 20 feet above Clarke’s head as she tilted back to look at the gorgeous, almost rustic feel of exposed pine that ran across it. The house faced the lake with a wall of windows, floor to ceiling, which Clarke knew would give them a stunning view on most any other day, but today it just gave them a front row seat to the monstrous storm ripping through outside.

It was okay though. Now, they were merely spectators to this great storm and no longer participants....victims, really. It was okay because now they could watch from the safety of this beautiful, strong home, and know that they were protected. Lightning flashed again and again over them as thunder constantly interrupted, but no one paid it any mind as they ate their supper.

And she was totally not jumping every time the thunder claps...

Not at all.

Another deafening boom had Clarke half out of her seat. Lexa put her hand on Clarke’s thigh and squeezed reassuringly

Clarke gave her a weak smile, but inside she was cringing at how pathetic she must look.

Stupid thunder...

She must have been frowning pretty intensely because Lexa shifted closer, slipping her arm around Clarke’s shoulders.

“Are you all right?” she asked quietly.

Clarke felt the tension flood out of her body at Lexa’s touch...the headiness of her being close like this...

Her smile was one hundred percent genuine this time.

“Definitely.”

Lexa smiled too and they went back to eating their supper.

It was quieter than Clarke was used to with this crowd, owing to exhaustion. Lincoln, strangely enough, was the chattiest Clarke had ever heard him since they met. It was mostly directed at Aurora (and Kane, much to Octavia’s disdain).

The day had caught up to Lexa as well. Clarke had already caught her almost nodding off into her bowl of stew twice. She couldn’t keep this up much longer, but knowing what she did about Lexa, Clarke knew the woman would never admit it.

“We were on the phone with the rangers when you pulled in,” Kane said. “They check all the sites in storms like these, but you never know and we wanted to be sure they’d get to you in time.”

“But here you are,” Aurora said firmly, as if to remind herself.

Bellamy smiled and squeezed her hand while Octavia nodded at her solemnly from across the room. Aurora looked between them both and sighed, allowing herself a weary smile.

“I have to say, you are one of the last people I would ever expect to show up at our door, Miss Woods.”

“I share your surprise,” Lexa replied, lowering her bowl to her lap, “but I am grateful for your hospitality and--”

“My mother’s hospitality,” Octavia interjected coldly. “This is her house.”

“Octavia, not now,” Aurora said firmly.

“I am grateful to you both,” Lexa amended smoothly, “for allowing us strangers to take refuge here.”

“You’re hardly a stranger, Miss Woods,” Aurora said. “Marcus told me all about you. You managed to leave quite an impression. He admires you.”

“Okay, seriously,” Octavia snapped, “how do you know him?”

Her blatant disregard for Kane actually being in the room with them did not go unnoticed, but it did go unsaid. Her mother just shot her another warning look. Kane pretended as if there was nothing out of the ordinary happening, the smile never leaving his face.

Clarke was listening to the exchange in silence, as an intense observer, but she was tucking away all these nuggets of information in the back of her mind - ready to explore and discover on a better day.

Lexa gave Octavia a tired, but polite focus of her attention. “We had some business together last year.”

“I’m only sorry we weren’t able to conclude it,” Kane said. “You’re a true visionary, Miss Woods.”

“Tell that to my Uncle,” she quipped, but it was clear she was not comfortable having this conversation.

Kane didn’t pick up on it. He only tutted and rapped his fingers on the table. “Gustus is stubborn and set in his ways, but you have more influence over the man than you know. He looks to you for your knowledge and expertise. If there is anyone who could convince him--”

“Marcus,” Aurora cut him off, squeezing his shoulder affectionately but pointedly, “no business talk tonight. Can’t you see how tired she is after their ordeal today?”

She was absolutely right. Clarke looked over at Lexa sympathetically as she was valiantly trying to stay awake and alert for the conversation as well as make it though their meal.

“Of course,” Kane nodded, seemingly apologetic. “I wasn’t thinking.”

Clarke decided to jump in there since Lexa certainly wasn’t going to do it for herself. “Well, I’m about to pass out after everything today so I’m going excuse myself.” She took Lexa’s hand, squeezing gently to alert her. “And I’m sure Lexa could use the rest now too.”

Lexa’s eyes flew open, startled by the sudden shift. Clarke acted quickly, thanking Aurora, as she took the half empty bowl from Lexa, and cleaned both of their dishes in the sink against Aurora’s protest. Lexa was drifting off again, but in her brief moment of alertness, she seemed confused about where she was and where her bowl had gone. Then Clarke was standing in front of her again and tilted her head towards the hallway, gesturing for Lexa to follow.

Which she did. Of course she did.

Aurora pointed out where they would be able to sleep and that she’d already made up the beds. They would have to share of course, but there was still ton of room. Three guest bedrooms on the main floor, the loft could sleep 8 comfortably, and there were two pullout couches.

“Thank you again,” she said to the older woman as she took Lexa’s hand.

“Don’t thank me,” Aurora replied, rubbing Clarke’s shoulder fondly. “You know you’re always welcome, Clarke. Sleep well. I’ll phone your mother for you to make sure she knows you’re safe.”

Clarke nodded to her gratefully and led Lexa down the hall to the third guest room she’d decided to claim without asking, knowing her friends would full well concede it to her anyway.

Surprisingly...or perhaps not because of what they’d all just been through...there were no wolf whistles or cat calls as Clarke took Lexa to bed for the night.

“This is the first time we’ve ever been in a real bed together.”

“I could get used to it.”

They were under the covers, drapes drawn, lights off, but still the rain pounded loudly against the roof and the wind beat against the windows. Lightning flashed through the curtains and thunder boomed. But they were warm, safe, sheltered, and they were together. Mother Nature could howl all she wanted, but she couldn’t touch them now.

They were on their sides, heads on their own pillows, facing each other in the dark. Lexa took Clarke’s hand and held it in the space between them after she brushed her lips over her knuckles.

Clarke sighed happily at the feeling of Lexa’s plush, soft lips against her skin. It wouldn’t get old. It couldn't. Not just the the way it made her heart stutter, but how right and comfortable it felt. In no time at all, Lexa had opened up an entire new world that Clarke didn’t know existed. And, yes, there was pain there too, heart rending, unimaginable pain. But the happiness that came with it...there were no words to describe it. That’s how she knew any pain that might come would be invariably worth it.

Watching the dark outline the sleepy woman in bed beside her...Clarke finally understood the how.

Intellectually, she understood the why. That falling in love brought pleasure and pain tenfold. That the one made up for the other and in the end was worth it.

But...she never understood how it really happened.

Because it never happened for her. She never felt it. She never felt the intensity. The magnetic draw. The way your head spins and your heart thunders. You can’t imagine a more nerve wracking state of existence or a more peaceful state of contentment. Only does the one person manage to turn you inside out over and over.

Then she was stranded on a rock with her head bleeding, absolutely freezing, and a beautiful Forest Goddess came to her rescue (and of course immediately started undressing her).

How did people fall in love? Clarke still didn’t know.

But she did.

“I know why they call you 'Princess' now,” Lexa said sleepily, surprising her.

Clarke thought she’d long since succumbed to exhaustion.

”What do you mean?” she asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace they’d found in that moment.

“You handled yourself well today. Your friends, they look to you for leadership."

Clarke rolled her eyes even though Lexa couldn’t see her. Still, she couldn’t deny the quickening of her heart, a feeling akin to pride to have Lexa pay her such a compliment. It meant so much more coming from her, the woman her own friends referred to as ‘Commander’ than it would have from anyone else.

"Usually I’m considered the annoying Mom friend."

Lexa yawned, pulling Clarke a little closer. She could feel the warm, even little puffs of air on the back of her hand as Lexa breathed. “It's more than that.”

"Well...” The corner of Clarke’s mouth turned up in a wry smile. “If I wasn't convinced of the Commander before, I definitely am now. You were incredible."

Lexa moved again, close enough now so that their noses were touching, but she didn’t say a word. Clarke’s heart was racing again. The little smirk before had bloomed into a full smile that she couldn’t stop even if she tried. She nudged Lexa’s nose affectionately with her own, trying slow the rapid fluttering in her chest to no avail.

“You know...’Princess’ didn't really start out as a compliment."

"No?"

"Finn thought I was pretty spoiled.”

“Another reason to love that guy...” Lexa grumbled, but there wasn’t any real bite to it.

Clarke slipped her free arm over Lexa’s waist, shifting so that their lower halves were pressed together, tangled legs and all.

“It wasn’t just him. Bellamy and some of the others felt the same. They thought I was used to getting what I want, having everything handed to me. But...they didn't know my life.” “So they changed their opinion eventually,” Lexa nodded, “but why still call you ‘Princess’ then?”

Clarke thought about it for a moment. “I suppose for the reason you said.” She nudged her again with a smile. “I’ll take 'Princess' over 'Mom friend' any day.”

“Would you like another title?”

Clarke giggled lightly. “Another title?” she echoed. “Are you royalty now? Do you have the authority to bestow me with titles and lands? Am I being knighted?”

Lexa answered with a kiss that was sweet and short, but more than enough to have Clarke lose her entire train of thought.

“You can be called anything you want.”

“I think I’m okay with sticking to Clarke,” she replied, sighing blissfully. “And even though it might not have started out as a compliment, I think ‘Princess’ is actually their way of...”

She didn’t really know how to finish that, brow furrowing ever so slightly.

“Showing you respect?” Lexa offered.

“I wouldn’t put it that way,” she shrugged, “but...yes. In a sense, I guess.”

“Wouldn’t you rather be ‘Queen’?”

“Only if I get the crown jewels to go with that title.”

Lexa laughed softly. “Fair enough.”

Clarke nuzzled closed and found Lexa’s lips again for another, much...much needed kiss.

“Sleep?” she whispered.

Her reply came in a throaty, unintelligible murmur. Clarke grinned so stupidly she was grateful the lights were out so that Lexa couldn’t see her. She buried her face in the pillow, trying to contain herself and soon she was able to relax.

For the first time in... Well, actually, she’d never felt like this before. Not exactly.

It was going to be all right.

She felt lighter...happier...and content in a way she never really knew possible. Lexa and all her promises were still there. After what they went through today, Clarke knew she’d never actually lost her.

Lexa’s breathing, slow and deep beside her, was incredibly soothing and the perfect counterpart to the storm raising hell outside. She closed her eyes and focused in on hearing Lexa and only Lexa.

“I’m in love with you, you know?” she whispered into the darkness for only her ears to hear.

Their fingers were still entwined as Clarke fell into the sweetness of oblivion.

It was bittersweet when they went out on the lake the following day, seeing the utter havoc and destruction wreaked upon the peaceful mountains they’d gotten to know so well in the last two weeks.

It was Day 14.

Time to go home.

Trees were pulled up, debris strewn everywhere, and the lake was higher than Clarke had ever seen it. The sun was out, bright and clear, but there was still a damp chill in the air, reminding them of the storm not long past.

The delinquents went with Kane and Aurora by truck to their campsite. Getting back to their vehicles and loading up whatever else had been left behind. Their site was accessible from the road while Lexa, Anya, and Lincoln were staying on one of the islands, only accessible by boat.

Clarke and Octavia decided to go with them instead of the others case they needed the extra hands.

But also because...it was day 14.

Two weeks were up.

And they were going home.

Anya and Lincoln’s camp was unrecognizable. There were small fallen trees, larger ones now leaning with its exposed roots half ripped out of the ground, branches, leaves, and all sorts forestry were strewn about. They could also see how high the water had flooded, right up to where their tents had been. Clarke stared at the disaster with a sinking feeling of dread.

What if they’d been stranded here? What if Lexa had been made to ride out the storm on this tiny little island, exposed. What did her own campsite look like? If they hadn’t come to get them...just in time...

Lexa sighed beside her and Clarke was shaken from her musing, joining Lexa at once to see what she was looking at.

The dread turned into absolute devastation.

Lexa had cleared away some branches to reveal an aluminum structure hidden beneath a fallen tree. It was her boat.

They’d turned it upside down and carried high into camp where the rising water wouldn’t reach it.

But that left the trees.

“Oh...” Clarke gasped softly, her hand covering her mouth.

But Lexa just waved her over, wordlessly asking for Clarke’s help to move the slim tree trunk. A few awkward reaches and one giant heave was all it took to shove it aside.

It was even worse than Clarke thought. The hull was completely crushed, caved in under the force of the fall. Where had been the shiny, sleek aluminum underside with a freshly painted trim was now a scratched up, dull, and dented piece of scrap metal.

“Lexa, I’m...I’m so sorry.”

Her mother’s boat... Clarke was absolutely devastated for her. She could only think about what she’d be feeling if this had been something of her Dad’s. What if this had been one of her last remaining cherished items that belonged to Jake Griffin? Instead of a boat, she was seeing the watch she left at home - the glass crushed, the gold tarnished, the chain ripped apart... Her Dad’s watch, the one she wouldn’t dare risk bringing on a camping trip, but killed her to leave behind.

Momentarily lost in her own grief, it took Clarke a few beats too long to realize that Lexa wasn’t upset. In fact, she was...fine? She was kneeling down by the boat, running her fingers over it with her lips pursed as she seemed to examine the extent of the damage. But there was no sadness. No loss.

Lexa glanced up at her and Clarke must have had some kind of look on her face that gave her away because Lexa smiled at her.

“It’s all right. I’m used to it.”

“Used to it...?” Clarke echoed.

Lexa stood up, brushing off her hands. “You don’t use a boat like this for more than a decade and get away with keeping it in mint condition, Clarke. Look, see here?” She bent over a spot on the side, dragging her fingers over it so Clarke could see where it dipped. It was actually a pretty massive dent, but she really wouldn’t have noticed it without Lexa pointing it out. It was so well cared for, you’d really have to be looking for it to see. “Rammed it into the side of the docking pole at home when I was 11. Learned that lesson the hard way... And here...”

She continued to walk around the boat, pointing out various places that had patches or dents or scratches - giving the story for each one.

“And this one,” she raised her eyebrow, looking at Clarke as she traced a slightly raised line that carried almost straight into the middle of the boat, “this was Lincoln who lost control of a handsaw and nearly split the thing in half before I managed to yank the power cord.”

“No!” Clarke gasped.

Lexa shook her head fondly at the memory.

“I’ve basically become an expert welder to be able to keep this little thing up and running. I’ve put more money into it than I ever should have actually. I probably could have bought a brand new speed boat instead of repairing this.”

“Three!” Anya groused as she walked by them with an armful of soggy gear.

Lexa smirked. “Perhaps...but there’s no substitute.” She sighed and went to Clarke’s side, slipping her arm around her waist as they both looked down at the ruined, but apparently not quite, boat. Clarke firmly took hold of her waist as well.

“This is how life works. My uncle showed me that the first time I took it out and ended up with a nasty little ding on the bow. I was heartbroken. I thought I’d ruined it forever. How could I have been so careless with her mother’s boat? I was trying so hard to protect it and still I failed.”

Lexa looked at her with a wry little half smile that did things to Clarke’s heart that she would never be able to describe.

“But Gustus told me that things like that would always happen. That it’s inevitable in life, but also that I had a choice. I had a choice in how I reacted. I could do nothing and let it be destroyed...send it to the junkyard or maybe even lock it up in the garage and never ride it again. Destroy it or waste it by locking away...”

“Or?” Clarke prompted, squeezing her side lightly.

“Or I could cry out my tears, stand up, learn how to repair it, and move on. Life doesn’t let you live without taking hits and the same rule applies for boats. Either way, you either lay down and let it sink you or you get back up and figure out how to fix it.”

Clarke swallowed thickly, giving Lexa a brave smile. “I think I’d really like to meet your Uncle.”

“He’s a grumpy piece of work, stubborn and set in his ways,” Lexa sighed. “He pretty much loathes everyone. I make him sound better than he really is.”

“Yeah, right. Don’t worry, I’ll win him over.”

“Clarke...”

“Okay, maybe I won’t,” they both laughed softly, “but I’ll never stop trying. A man who was able to be that kind of person to you, to raise you, love you, teach you how to be strong... That’s a man worth knowing.”

Lexa nodded, unable to say anything else, as her eyes shone with unshed tears.

“I still say Gustus stole that speech from me,” Lincoln said, coming up behind them.

They released each other to turn around and face him. Octavia was down on the beach loading the boat while Anya was working a few feet away, seemingly unaware of their existence. Purposely unaware, really.

“Yes, Lincoln. He stole the speech from a 14 year old.” Lexa replied dryly, rolling her eyes.

“You know I’m right. I’ve been saying it my whole life and the man tried to use it for himself. He knows that I know!”

“I have a feeling this is an ongoing grudge match...” Clarke said in amusement.

“Don’t get him started,” Lexa hissed.

“Get knocked down, get back up. Only way to do it. He heard me say that and took it like a golden nugget of wisdom to pass on to his niece who hero worshiped him.”

“Good God, Lincoln,” Anya groaned exaggeratedly. Clearly, she couldn’t ignore them for long. “Let it go! It’s been more than a decade. Either throw down the gauntlet and raise your fists or move on!”

“I’m not going to beat the old man up.” He frowned, tucking his arms across his chest. “I’m not that kind of person.”

Lexa scoffed. “You’ve been using that tired excuse all these years. You know Gustus can still kick your ass.”

“He’s like a head taller than you.”

“And definitely out of your weight class.”

“He’s in the best shape I’ve seen him.”

“I think Lincoln is just--”

“Wait a second!” Clarke interrupted them all, pausing as she thought hard with a furrowed brow. “Isn’t that a Chumbawamba song?”

The three of them stared back at her in stunned silence.

It was almost like it happened in slow motion - Anya’s face lighting up, Lincoln’s mouth opening to argue, Lexa turning away slightly so her grin wouldn’t be seen.

Then the silence broke.

“No?” Lincoln tried, unsteady. “It’s...it’s a saying...”

But Anya cracking up behind them hysterically only made it that much worse. Lexa’s eyes were shining mirthfully as she hid behind her hand.

“Hey! It’s not Chumbawamba!” he insisted despite the laughter from Anya and Clarke.

Lexa pulled herself together enough to pat his arm consolingly. “It’s been welcomed and valued advice in my time of need, Lincoln. From you and Uncle Gustus. Don’t worry about them.”

“He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink. He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink.”

“Anya...” he growled, his eyes narrowing darkly.

She disappeared into the trees but they could still hear her singing at the top of her lungs.

“He sings the songs that remind him of the good times. He sings the songs that remind him of the best times.”

Lincoln grunted unhappily and stalked off to work with Octavia who was just finishing up and watched him in bewilderment as he stormed past her.

“Hey, what’s going on? Lincoln, what’s the matter?” There was a pause. “...is Anya singing Chumbawamba?”

A loud cry of frustration told them all they needed to know.

Lexa turned back to Clarke with a shake of her head, sighing. “They can be a handful sometimes.”

But Clarke wasn’t paying attention. She was busy clearing away some debris and singing under her breath.

“I get knocked down, but I get up again. You are never gonna keep me down.”

Lexa snorted loudly, clamping her hands over her mouth to fight the laughter. Clarke’s head snapped up at the sound and her eyes widened with delight.

Did she...

Was that...

Did she actually hear that?

Lexa Woods just snorted.

It was possibly one of the best feelings Clarke had ever known.

She sidled up to her, still singing along with the disembodied Anya, louder now. “I get knocked down, but I get up again. You are never gonna keep me down. I get knocked down...”

Clarke bit her lip, pulling on the front of Lexa’s shirt as she grinned cheekily.

Lexa couldn’t hold out any longer especially with Clarke wiggling her eyebrows so absurdly and she broke into laughter.

Clarke was positively thrilled by this turn. To think that she, Clarke Griffin, managed to get the stoic and level headed Lexa Woods to laugh at this silliness. Was there anything better?

Making her orgasm?

Okay, maybe one thing was better.

Clarke pulled the still giggling Lexa into her arms as she sang along with Anya in the distance.

“Lincoln can never know about this,” she said sternly.

“Your secret is safe with me, Commander,” she cooed, leaning in for a kiss.

“ANYA, SHUT UP!” Lincoln roared, finally breaking the calm, chill demeanor Clarke had only ever seen from him since they met.

Clarke and Lexa burst into another round of laughter and quickly ran off to the end other end together, ducking out of the line of fire and into each others arms.

They didn’t have just two weeks anymore.

They had all the time they wanted.

#clexa #clexa camping au #clexa fanfic #clexa fanfiction #clexa fic #we've reached the end!#hope you guys enjoyed it as much as i enjoyed writing it #stay tuned for the epilogue...

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