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countessofravenclaw · 2 years ago

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¡Sí! - La Trinidad del Amor: Chapter nine

In life, nothing is sure... but you always count on one thing. True Love, the ones who have it are the luckiest people in the world. Not everyone does... but the people in our story do. They fought through Fire, They fought through an ocean, They fought through the sun and the moon. There are six of them, and they form a trinity, the trinity of true love

Tu sei quello che so dell'amore

“Remind me why we are doing this at your house again?” Matteo asked after the hairstylist swept the last hair from his chin with the blade and he was allowed to move again. No one wanted to rush to the ER on their wedding day with a shaving related accident.

“Because you don’t have a house,” Gastón answered from the chair next to him. Matteo and his groomsmen were all spread out in Nina and Gastón’s living room, getting ready. “All of us would have not fit into your and Luna’s apartment, and this is closer to the mansion. And your dad’s place is full of every relative imaginable. When are you and Luna getting a house or just a proper apartment somewhere?”

Matteo and Luna had lived for over two years in a one-bedroom studio apartment close to the Buenos Aires central. Gastón was right that it was no place to get ready for a wedding since both Luna and Matteo came and went so often in their busy lives, it was not tidy and there definitely was no room. Gastón was right that at some point, especially now as they were getting married, they should probably get a proper place.

But that was gonna be a worry for another day, as today, Matteo was going to focus fully on what was to come. Today he was finally gonna marry the girl of his dreams, Luna Valente.

“Do you have any idea how hectic the housing market is? Oh, actually, you don’t. Your mother is the industry.” Matteo joked as the hairstylist started with his hair. “Everything in due time. Why are we even talking about this?”

“I don’t know, you started it.” Gastón laughed, “I mean, we can talk about something else. Like the responsibilities in the institution of marriage, get you properly spooked. Any advice you’d like to get?”

“I mean, if I wanna get horror stories about getting married, I would not come to you.” Matteo shot back. It was true. Nina and Gastón had been married for one and a half years, and Matteo had not seen people more in love. Domestic life together suited them extremely well, and them and their dog Newton were a happy little family, almost like they had been married all their lives. Matteo had adopted Newton as his first godson and had wanted to have him walk down the aisle, before being told a firm no from both Gastón and Nina because Newton was a six-month-old puppy and no one would wanna deal with that during the wedding.

“Well, I can’t argue with that. These handcuffs are actually pretty nice,” Gastón said gesturing to his wedding ring. “But what I really wanna say is that I am so relieved that we are finally here. You and Luna made it.”

“Don’t speak too soon, there are still three and a half hours until the ceremony,” Simon suddenly appeared behind them. Matteo tried to look annoyed at his jab, but inside he was laughing with them. It was no secret the wedding planning had not gone the smoothest, with his and Luna’s tendency to disagree on things from the menu to the first dance. But everything had been solved in the end, because in the end, Matteo just wanted Luna to be happy.

“Everyone really has nothing good to say today?” Matteo joked, while Simon gave Gastón a fist bump and their rings clicked together.

“Well, sorry, Matteo,” Gastón laughed putting a hand on Matteo’s shoulder. “Have I already mentioned how proud I am of you? And Nina just texted me that Luna has not yet run away, so that is a good sign, and we brought zip ties, so we can tie you to a chair if you try to run away.”

“There is no chance of that happening,” Matteo laughed. “Nothing can stop me from marrying Luna…” Matteo looked down for a moment. “I just wish Mom could be here.”

“I am sure she is watching,” Gastón squeezed Matteo’s shoulder.

Ding! The doorbell suddenly rang and Pedro opened the door to the pizzeria delivery boy. After everyone had gotten their hair done, they got to eating as no one wanted to spill anything on the tuxedos.

“Were off!” As the guys had finished eating, Flor and her fiance Oliver, Gastón’s former roommate, came to downstairs. They had come to the wedding from France, and Gastón and Nina had offered to them that they could stay at their house.

“Il mio cuginetto! Sono così orgoglioso di te! Sei cresciuto così in fretta.” Flor said as she came to hug Matteo while he was putting his shirt on. “Zia Lucia è così orgogliosa di te. Lo so e basta.”

“Thanks Flor.” Matteo hugged her back. “And thanks for coming.”

“In what world would I have not come to your wedding?” Flor scoffed. “Plus, it is a really good opportunity for Oliver to meet the family. But now we need to go, so we can make it to that hotel where the transportation leaves.” Luna and Matteo had set up a room block in a couple of the Buenos Aires’ hotels since a lot of the guests were either coming from Italy or Mexico, that's why it was the easiest to arrange transportation for all the guests to the mansion. “We’ll see you at the ceremony. Oliver, we need to leave!” Flor shouted in English to Oliver who had been chatting with Gastón.

“Well, I think you look pretty ready to get married,” Gastón said after helping Matteo put his grey tuxedo jacket on, and was attaching his butenier. “Okay, everyone bring it in.”

“To Luna and Matteo!” Matteo and all of his groomsmen —wearing grey tuxedos and light purple bowties— huddled together for a camera that Gastón had set on the auto shutter.

“Okay, now my dear gentleman, lets get into the cars and get going to the mansion, so we’ll be there before the full moon hits. Plus the maid of honor will murder me if we are late, so lets go.” Gastón announced.

“Don’t even think about it. I am driving.” Matteo walked over to grab his car keys, but he was stopped by Gastón. “It is your wedding, so you can just sit, look at the view and enjoy the last droplets of your freedom.”

Gastón and Nina lived about thirty minutes away from the Benson mansion where the wedding would be held. Matteo spent the car ride over there recounting his vows in his head. He knew them by heart but he was sure Luna would look stunning and all the words would just magically disappear.

“Nervous?” Gastón asked as they stopped at the red stoplight.

“Wouldn’t everybody in my place?” Matteo said. “But there is no turning back. I love her. Te Amo El. La Amo Tantissimo”

“And you two have fought so hard. Jokes aside, you really deserve to be happy.” Gastón continued. “You fell off the fence and everything for her. Yes, that is going to be in my speech, no you can’t stop me.”

Matteo just laughed as the light turned green. Nothing could bring down his mood now as his future was about to begin.

***

“Luna, stay put.” Ambar grabbed Luna’s arm as the hairstylist installed the last bobby pin into the tight bun on the back of her head. The ceremony hairstyle would need to be structured so it could support her ballet length, so about 120 centimeters long veil that was embroidered with silver crystals. The bun would be opened for the reception as Luna changed dresses.

Luna and all of the bridesmaids had had a huge sleepover at the mansion. They had all camped in Ambar’s old room as it was the biggest one, and Luna’s old room was at the former servants’ quarters so it was a bit small. The clock was soon striking 11 am, and all of her bridesmaids were eating lunch downstairs while Luna had been left into the hairstylist's clutches in Ambar’s room.

“How long do I need to sit here?” Luna whined. “Is Matteo already here?”

“Luna there are still almost four hours until the ceremony. They won’t be here in a while.” Nina entered the room carrying a plate of salad and a cup of tea. “I just got off the phone with Gastón. All the guys are at our house and the hairdressers have just arrived. Here,” she handed Luna the plate and put the cup on the table. “Your mom sent these up for you, and she told me to get Ambar down to eat.”

“Okay, you better not argue with the mother of the bride,” Ambar rolled her eyes, “Can you take over the babysitting?” As Ambar was exiting through the door, her phone rang and from the way she answered it, it was clear that the caller was Simon.

“It is unfair that you get to talk with Gastón and Ambar with Simon, but I can’t talk with Matteo,” Luna complained again as she started to dig into the salad.

“Well they are our husbands,” Nina smiled sympathetically and sat down on the bed. “And you were the one always insistent on the “bride and groom must not see each other before the wedding” rule. So that includes phone calls. Relax, you’ll see Matteo soon enough, now that you are getting married.”

“I AM GETTING MARRIED TODAY!” Luna repeated the statement and jumped up from the chair and almost spilled the rest of the salad on herself and her special bridal pajamas.

“Luna, what did Ambar say about not moving?” Nina shook her head, “We told them to secure your hair extra well, but that won’t help if your head is full of salad.”

“I am sorry,” Luna sat back down. “I am just so excited!” Luna had barely gotten any sleep last night as she had been so excited about everything, the party, the cake, her dress, and most of all Matteo.

“Luna will you be able to stay put, or do we need to get the scarves?” Ambar asked as all of Luna’s bridesmaids filed into the room as the make-up artist started on her bridal make-up.

“I don’t think we need to tie her down quite yet.” Nina laughed.

“Okay, I want everyone in a line,” Jazmin exclaimed as everyone was in the room. She would be taking care of the bridal party while also being in it herself. “We are gonna start with the maid of honor, then the chief bridesmaid, and then the rest of the bridesmaids. Everyone, move!”

Soon enough time just flew and Luna was putting on her jewelry after her make-up was finished. For the ceremony, she had a very simple purple eye-look with some hot-pink lipstick. Her look would be totally revamped for the reception, from the make-up, and jewelry to obviously the dress.

“Can someone come and help me with this?” Luna turned to the other people in the room from the vanity after having struggled with the clasp of the necklace. She would be wearing silver and amethyst earrings and a necklace. Jazmin was just finishing with Jim and Yam’s makeup and a couple of the girls, like Nina and Ambar already had their purple full-length dresses with a halter necklines on. All of their hair was in an updo that resembled a flower.

“How much time do we have left?” Luna asked after Nina helped her with the rest of her jewelry.

“Little over an hour. Gastón just texted me that they are just getting into the cars.”

60 minutes, 3600 seconds until she would get to see Matteo. Luna had no idea how she had calculated that number in her head, but it was correct… she could wait that long.

“Okay, Luna, time for you to get dressed.” Ambar said as she walked into the walk-in closet in her room and came back holding Luna’s dress.

The dress had a corset back, so it took good five minutes that the dress was finally on Luna. She had to put her shoes on first since no one was going to find her feet after the dress was on as there was so much skirt.

“Do I look ready to get married?” Luna gave a couple of twirls in the center of the room.

“Well, lets go over the checklist. Nina?” Ambar said.

“Do you have your earrings?” Nina pulled up a list on her phone.

“Yes.”

“Necklace?”

“Check!”

“Make-up and hair is done?”

“Looks like it.”

“Shoes?”

“On my feet.”

“I think we are ready.”

“Wait! I don’t have my veil on!” Luna suddenly realized and started looking all over the room for it.

“Luna, Luna, stop moving,” Nina grabbed her arm before Luna was about to run to Ambar’s walk-in closet to look for the veil. “You’ll rip the dress. It is not lost, it is downstairs because we’ll attach it there. The flowers are there as well.”

“Can we come to see the bride?” Luna turned around and saw her parents standing on the doorway.

“Come on in!” Luna was pretty much jumping on her tiptoes —while wearing heels— until she almost lost her balance.

“Hija, you look so beautiful,” Monica said after hugging Luna. “Our little girl is all grown up.”

“We should go downstairs,” Ambar walked back into the room.

“Shall we?” Miquel offered his arm to Luna and they started descending the stairs of the mansion following all of the bridesmaids. As they were walking down the stairs Luna saw that the guys already were in the hall, but she did not see Matteo anywhere.

“Matteo is already at the garden,” Luna heard Gastón say to Nina as he met his wife at the bottom of the staircase. “Everything ready here?”

“Pretty much,” Nina responded to him, “we just need to grab the flowers.”

“Luna, you look magnificent.” As Luna got down from the stairs Simon approached her. “Are you nervous?”

“Not a single bit,” Luna stood tall. In reality, she had been feeling just a tad bit nervous, but nothing Luna Valente could not handle.

“Keep your head still.” Someone all of a sudden grabbed Luna on the back of her head. She recognized the voice as Jazmin’s and felt something being attached to her hair. She deduced it was probably the veil. “Are we ready?” Ambar came over to Luna handing her a bouquet consisting of purple flowers and white lilies. Luna had wanted to incorporate those specifically for her biological parents.

“Ready.” Luna affirmed and Ambar appeared to give Nina a couple of hand signals.

“Okay girls, go get your bouquets!” Nina raised her voice so everyone could hear.

“And then line up!” Gastón continued from Nina. “I hope everyone knows in what order you are supposed to be standing for the processional.”

In five minutes everyone was lined up with their respective partners in front of Luna and her dad and started filing out of the door. Luna took a deep breath as she stepped out of the door. It was time to become a Mrs.

***

“È così bello rivederti.”

“Grazie mille per essere venuto.”

“Sì, non vedo davvero l'ora.”

Matteo was bombarded by probably every relative he ever had while walking down the aisle. Not that he really minded, it was nice to see lot of them as he had not been able in a while since his dad had dragged him like a suitcase around the world for four years before settling down in Buenos Aires. Matteo, also himself now had a very busy life.

The ceremony was being held in the mansion’s garden and the altar was under the tree where Luna had used to swing as a child. Under the tree, there was a circle arch decked out in purple and green flowers just like the sides of the wooden chairs were.

He walked under the arch and looked at the small table that was going to serve as the altar. On it was a framed picture of him and Luna that had been part of their engagement shoot Gastón and Nina had done for them. Little further under the arch, there was a Mexican-style altar that had a candle in the middle of it. A picture of his mother, Lucia Balsano was on the altar on the left side of the candle, on the right there was a picture of Luna’s biological parents Lili and Bernie Benson.

“Matteo, vieni qui!” A voice shook Matteo away from the trance he had been in for a moment. He turned around and saw that his second cousin Federico Paccini was standing behind the arch with Matteo’s friend Francesca Caviglia. Matteo and Francesca had both tried out for Eurovision for Italy in 2023, but neither of them had gotten picked. They had formed a friendship during the competition and Fran had ended up reconnecting Matteo with his second cousin Federico because they just happened to be friends. Fede also was in the same band as Simon’s cousin if Matteo remembered correctly. The world really was small.

“Welcome. Glad you were able to come for this.”

“We would have not missed for the world,” Francesca said after briefly hugging Matteo. Then she linked arm back with a dark-haired man the had been standing next to her. “I never got a chance to introduce you two. This is my husband Diego Hernandez. You met briefly at the reception after the new year's concert.”

“Yeah, I actually remember you quite well,” Matteo said while shaking Diego’s hand. “I have been following some of your work.” He then turned towards Federico and the blonde he was with, “Fede, has family been bombarding you?”

“They have,” Federico laughed, “I keep needing to explain what I do again. You invited the whole family tree I see.”

“Dad forced me to.” Matteo laughed. “Well, I hope you still have fun.”

“Ludmila knows how to introduce herself so I am all set… outside of like couple great aunts being mad that they did not know that I have gotten married.” Fede laughed and leaned over to Matteo. “I don’t even know their names.”

“Me neither.”

“This garden is really beautiful,” Ludmila, Federico's wife piped up, “but for some reason, I have the strange feeling that I have been to a wedding in here before… oh well. Who knows why.”

“We probably should go find our seats,” Francesca's husband noted.

“It was nice to see you!” Matteo said as the others were turning to walk away. “Enjoy the show. Plus I wanna thank you already for agreeing to perform. Luna has been asking me for a month about what you will be doing. She does not believe me that I don’t know.”

“All we can say is that me and Fede, the OnBeat resident Italians are bringing some nostalgia. You’ll be amazed.” Francesca flashed Matteo a smile walking away.

Matteo stood under the arch and looked through the crowd that already was gathering. He saw all of his grandparents sitting on the first row. His Nonna had come from all the way from Pietrapertosa with all of the other relatives from Matteo’s mother’s side who still lived there.

As he was finishing saying hi to his parents, he saw Monica and Alfredo walking down the aisle towards him.

“Everything is ready,” Monica said to him and the officiant who had just arrived as well. “Time to start.”

Matteo straightened up his posture at those words… he had not really been that nervous before. It was impossible with Gastón cracking jokes all the time.

But right now, as he was waiting for Luna to appear around the corner any second, he was filled with a mix of nerves and adrenaline. Almost like he was about to step on stage for the first concert on his first tour.

The music finally started. This has been one of the things they had kind of argued about as Luna had wanted a Disney Channel song after having a one-week-long obsession with the High School Musical franchise. Matteo would have wanted something more classical, but Luna had made a good point: It was her walking down the aisle at the end of the day.

So a piano arrangement of Start of Something New was played as Matteo saw Delfi and Pedro walking towards the aisle. Next came Jazmin with Nico.

Then came Jim and Yam, both of their arms linked with Ramiro. Matteo tried his hardest not to laugh as the girls basically were dragging Ramiro between them.

Matteo was not sure had the time slowed down or if was it on fast forwards since soon Simon and Ambar had come down the aisle and so had Gastón and Nina… but it also felt like an eternity.

“Good luck,” Gastón nudged him as he took his place behind him on the altar.

Matteo’s eyes were fixated on the end of the altar waiting for Luna to appear. He had his hand clasped together nervously. On his right hand’s ring finger he was wearing a ring that had used to be his dad’s wedding ring. He had passed it down to Matteo once he had gotten remarried and Matteo had wanted to wear that on his wedding day. He was fiddling with a ring quite nervously now.

At that moment he saw Miquel round the corner to the end of the aisle walking, who must have been the most beautiful thing in the whole world, Luna on his arm.

Soon enough the Music had stopped and Luna and Miquel were standing in front of him, and Matteo shook Miquel’s hand.

“Chica Delivery, you still manage to find new ways to blow me off,” Matteo said to her as he joined his hands with her after Miquel had sat down on his seat next to Monica. “You were on time and everything.”

“I guess I have to thank you for showing up as well,” Luna briefly laughed.

“Todos, gracias por venir hoy. Grazie a tutti per essere venuti oggi.” The officiant started speaking. “Today is the day, when Luna and Matteo have decided to join their lives as one…”

The ceremony was performed in Spanish, for Luna’s and most of the guests’ sake, but the officiant often repeated the important lines also in Italian. The officiant was the same that had married Matteo’s father and Sofia over ten years ago.

“...and to affirm their promise to each other, they have written their own vows to each other.” Matteo felt another nudge from Gastón, and was handed his songwriting notebook. He and Simon were similar in that aspect that they had had the same idea of where to write their vows.

“Luna Valente.” Mateo started and took a deep breath. “about ten years ago, you came into my life with a crash. It is fair to say that my life has not been the same since then. I can’t lie, so all I can say that if I look back now, there are some things I would have done differently, things I would change, but one thing I would never change is you. Time travel has not yet been invented so we need to accept the past how it is. And it doesn’t matter, since in the end, it led me to you.

“You have brought into my life so much meaning. With you, it does not matter if the sky is grey or it is raining, since you can bring the sun even to the darkest day. You are the sun to my moon, the one who brings color to my world. You can be absolutely insufferable, and we can argue about almost absolutely everything, but I would not wanna do it with anyone else. You are my inspiration.”

“There are so many words I could use to describe who you are. Colorful, sunny, energetic, clumsy and annoying. But no one could ever dislike you. You have a huge heart and love to give to anyone and everyone. I can’t wait to see you flourish even more and grow old together.”

“I will be there whenever you need me. You don’t fall down on skates that much, anymore, but I will still be there to rescue you. Whether it is from a pool or under a car. And I know you’ll be there to catch me as well. I love you. Ti amo sempre e per sempre.”

Matteo took another breath after he finished and looked at Luna again, who was smiling so sunnily as she could. Matteo saw Nina hand Luna a folded piece of paper. Luna unfolded it and it appeared to be written in colored markers.

“Matteo, Chico Fresa.” Luna started. “Thank you for being here. But in whole honesty, people have been threatening to tie me into a chair the whole day, so I can just guess that you have been threatened too. So we’d be here, whether we like it or not. Anyways…” Luna’s eyes scanned the paper, “Matteo you are the person who saved me from drowning when I was 15 years old. You saved me from being run over by the car when I was 16. You are the person who can make me fly.”

“You have somehow put up with me for almost ten years. You join me in the chaos, or reign me in. I don’t know. I am known to have some crazy dreams, and you have been in so many of them, I would have been a fool if I had not realized that it meant something. I don’t know what I would have done if I had not met you.”

“Our journey has not been easy, there have been twists and turns and probably a couple of u-turns as well. But Hey! Here we are! Today! I would not want anything different. You are a good person. I love how you throw yourself into each project you do, and I love watching you do what you are passionate about. I am your biggest fan, and there will never be any competition. No one dares to even try.”

“I can’t wait to see where we will go from here. I can’t predict the future, but whatever we do, I wanna do it together. Tu sei l'amore della mia vita. Lutteo è più vivo che mai, e ora non morirà mai.”

Matteo smiled as Luna finished the Italian sentence and butchered the pronunciation.

“Can I say I do already?” Luna finished her speech.

“You can, very soon.” Officiant laughed as Gastón handed him the rings.

“So, Matteo Alejandro Balsano. Do you take Luna Sol Valente as your wife?”

“I do,” Matteo said as he stared directly into Luna’s eyes. He only took his eyes off her to take the ring from the officiant and slid it into Luna’s finger.

“Luna Sol Balsano, do you take Matteo Alejandro Balsano as your husband?”

“I do, I do, I do!” Luna was jumping on her tiptoes. She finally stopped to take the ring from the officiant and put on Matteo’s finger. Matteo was afraid for a second that she would drop it, but the ring ended up safely on his finger.

“In that case, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you as husband and wife. Puoi baciare la sposa.”

Even when the officiant had said that Matteo could kiss the bride, it was Luna who did the first move, jumping into Matteo's neck —still wearing heels— to kiss him.

“Well, that must be enough pictures for the rest of our lifetime.” Matteo sighed as they wrapped up the photo-taking session on the Mansion’s stairs. They had taken photos all over the garden, in front of the mansion for the family and wedding party pics, and inside the mansion.

“Don’t tell me chico fresa has grown tired of having his photo taken.” Luna, his wife, teased Matteo as they walked down the stairs. Luna really was his wife… it had not yet fully sunk into Matteo.

“No,” Matteo gave her a cocky smile.

“Well, you look good enough for it,” Luna laughed and pulled on Mateo’s bow tie so it was left all wonky.

“Hey! I spent a while tying that!”

“Sorry, wife’s privileges.” Luna jumped down the stairs, and out of Matteo’s reach and he ran after her. How did she move so fast on these heels? He managed to grab her hand in the middle of the mansion hall and was just about to pull her into a kiss—

“Make way!” All a sudden, the mansion door burst open, and the groomsmen and bridesmaids burst in, Jazmin leading them. “We’ll have to make this in seven and a half minutes!”

Matteo had no time to react as Luna was grabbed by Nina and Ambar and ushered through a side door.

Right, there was this thing called costume change in the schedule, before the party and food.

“You did remember this was going to happen, right?” Gastón asked as he came over to Matteo and threw him a green bow tie and pulled the lavender one off.

“Of course not…”

“Yeah, sure.” Matteo knew Gastón was not convinced, nor should he really since Matteo was lying. Matteo tied the new bowtie, while Gastón pulled his jacked off and attached green suspenders.

As Matteo was finished “changing” after swapping the amethyst cufflinks to emerald ones, the girls came out of the side door. Last one of them was Luna, and Matteo did not even know how she could have become even more beautiful.

Her hair had been opened from the bun and emerald pins had replaced the veil. She was also wearing green glitter heels and other emerald accessories with a much bolder make-up look. The dress she also was wearing was absolutely stunning.

“So can I have my wife back now?” Matteo asked.

“I think that can be allowed.” Nina laughed as she went to take Gastón’s arm.

The wedding party started assembling to a line at the hall for the grand reception entrance. This was the one thing Luna and Matteo had agreed on from the start. They wanted a huge grand wedding reception entrance.

“So ladies a gentleman, it is time to welcome our bridal party!” Jazmin, who would be going out first with Nico had opened the door and they all could hear the DJ starting the song: Life is a Highway by Rascal Flats. They had rehearsed this a thousand times, so everyone knew exactly what they were doing, thankfully.

“Bridesmaid Jazmin Carvajal escorted by groomsman Nicolas Navarro!”

“Bridesmaid Delfina Arias escorted by groomsman Pedro Arias!”

“Bridesmaids Yamila Sances and Jimena Medina, escorted by groomsman Ramiro Ponce!”

“The chief bridesmaid Ambar Alvarez escorted by groomsman Simon Alvarez!”

“The maid of honor Nina Perida and the best man Gastón Perida!”

“And now, let's give a standing ovation to our Bride and Groom.” With those words, Matteo took Luna’s hand and they ran out of the door and to the dance floor that had been set up in the garden. “Mr. Matteo Balsano and Mrs. Luna Valente-Balsano!”

As they got to the dance floor, Matteo twirled Luna around before dipping her in his arms. They danced the rest of the song with the wedding party, and finally finished off with a kiss.

Then it was time to eat. The menu had been another thing Matteo and Luna had fought over, but in the end, they had been able to compromise, after some very wise advice from Monica, and just serve both Italian and Mexican food.

“Hello everyone.” As the dinner had progressed to the dessert course, Nina stood up from the wedding party table holding a microphone. “My name is Nina Perida, and I am the maid of honor today. Luna has been my best friend since we have been 16.”

“First memory I have of Luna and Matteo is from our first day of sophomore year at Blake South College. This will sound really similar to the speech Luna gave at my wedding, but it happened to be that same moment. Honestly, we had no idea how intertwined our destinies really were. So, back on track: on that day, Luna blatantly denied ever liking Matteo. Later she said that she was from the moon and he was from Mars that's why it would never work. Well, Mars also has moons.”

“It is no secret that the road to this day had not been the smoothest. There have been a lot of twists and turns, ups and down, as you can imagine for two strong-willed hotheads. One time Matteo got mad at Luna after she allegedly cooked pasta wrong and another time they managed to fight over did pineapple go on the pizza or not. Matteo as an Italian surely had some views on that.”

“Luna and Matteo’s love story can be definitely called a story. In stories, happily ever after is not as straightforward as it may seem. There had been bad moments, like in 2017 which we will refrain from getting into any more detail, but there also have been a lot of good moments. Matteo has written more songs for Luna than you can count. He has continuously gone above and beyond for her. He has saved her life. Luna has had dreams about Matteo since she has been 15-years-old. No matter what happened, the universe has always wanted them together. Maybe that is why Luna fell into the pool at Cancun in 2016.”

“Matteo, eight years ago, we did not know each other well, but now you are one of my best friends. You were a brother to me, when I needed one. I know how important you are to my best friend and to my husband, and I have seen firsthand how you go above and beyond for the ones you love. You are also an incredible partner to work with when it comes to writing, and I want to thank you for even giving me one opportunity to write with you. There is no one else who would be more perfect for Luna than you. You understand her chaos in a way almost no one else can”

“Luna, I don’t know what I would have done if you had not shown up at the lockers of Jam & Roller those years ago. You have played such a part of who I am today. You have encouraged me, and saw the person I was trying to hide for years, and gave her a chance. I would not be here without you. I don’t know where I would be, but definitely not here. You are my sister, and I have been honored to have been allowed to be part of your life, and I hope we get to see our children grow up together as best friends.”

“I am a wife of an engineer so you can blame him of this one, but Albert Einstein once said that “gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love”. There is no scientific explanation for why we fall in love. Love is choosing to share your life with another person and a promise to work hard. Luna and Matteo, you have fought through stone to be here.”

“No love story is easy, but we should not measure any love by the hardships we face, but instead by how we overcome them. Like James A. Baldwin said: “Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up”. When you are in love, you don’t always think straight, but as long as you feel with your heart. Sometimes love can be so strong, that you love each other more than you could ever do anything wrong. And I know you see it in each other. So lets all raise our glasses for our Bride and Groom today. To Luna and Matteo!”

“To Luna and Matteo!” all the guests raised their glasses and Nina sat back down to the table, handing Gastón the microphone.

Gastón stood up from the table as the service staff was bringing out the second dessert course.

“Good evening! I hope everyone has been having an amazing evening this far. My name is Gastón Perida, and I am the best man for today which means that my main job, outside of keeping the groom from running away, is to try to follow up that beautiful speech given by the maid of honor. And in case someone was wondering, yes, she is my wife, we don’t just have the same last name just by coincidence. Stranger things have happened, though. So you can just try to figure out by yourselves who got together first… for the record it was us.” Gastón grinned, and turned towards Luna and Matteo.

“Anyways, now to the actual speech. I have known Matteo since the eight grade. I think it is fair to say that we have done a lot of growing up together because otherwise, we would not be here, nor would I have this.” Gastón briefly gestured to his own wedding ring. “So with some common sense, you can figure out that I obviously was there when Matteo and Luna first met. Well, actually that is not true… but who cares. I still have been watching this tennis match of courtship for the past ten years. I can’t tell you how relieved I am that this day has finally come. I can finally breathe easy.”

“It all started when our bride almost ran the groom over on skates at Cancun in 2016. This has been a a heated argument between them ever since, since neither of them will actually admit to it. I am sorry Luna, but for today, I am obligated to be on Matteo’s side. After that first encounter, it has been a journey of shouting matches and romantic skating routines. But here we still are, because no matter what happened to you two, it was always obvious that there has been a burning fire between you two. Almost like a sun and the moon were pulling you towards each other.”

“We can talk about all the times Matteo has literally “fallen” for Luna. I refrain for going into any more detail about that, except that I almost had a heart attack after hearing about the incident. So I direct this to Simon & Co: Next time Matteo almost kills himself while I am in another country, I wanna hear about it directly.”

“Luna, you are amazing. Bursting ball of energy that will never run out, which is against at least all of the laws of Newton. Only Matteo can keep up with you at times. You put 100 to everything you do, and everyone who knows you can appreciate that. It is impossible to be around you and not smile. Matteo is in good hands with you.”

“So, not all of you were there, but let me tell you that Matteo made everyone cry at my wedding, so it is only fair that I should return the favor. Matteo, you said that I was the one who took pity on the poor new Italian kid. That “taking pity” was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made because that made you my brother. I would do it hundred times again. I don’t know what I would do if you had not sat down next to me at school on that day. You are my brother, and I love you, no matter what dumb things we get up to. Even if we don’t have any bonds by blood, what we have is stronger than that.”

“So, Luna and Matteo, if you now turn to look at each other, the person who has the power to kill you is sitting in front of you. I know the two of you will be very happy, so let's just all raise our glasses once again. To Matteo Balsano and Luna Valente-Balsano!”

After the speeches were finished, it was time for Luna and Matteo’s first dance. Luna had gone through bit of a Frozen obsession when they had visited Disneyland and had listened to the soundtrack on repeat. Her excitement had been limitless after Nina had told her that there also was a musical version, and then that soundtrack had been blasted on repeat for at least two months. Now their first dance was to What Do You Know About Love which pretty much described her and Matteo perfectly. The song started playing and they broke out into a perfect choreography, that they had been training for almost a year.

Matteo took the stage after they finished the father-daughter dance, as well as the mother-son dance which Luna had originally thought they’d skip, but Matteo had actually asked Sofia on his own accord to dance with him in honor of his late mother, starting to sing the Italian version of Alla Voy from his first album. Luna of course could not stay put and soon enough she was dancing on the stage with Matteo, and the song ended up being a duet.

“So, now, me and Luna wanna dedicate this next song and dance to the people we both have, who are no longer with us. We love them, and they will forever be in our hearts.” Matteo said as he and Luna got off the stage, and started dancing to a song called He Lives In You.

Matteo’s cousin took the stage after the dance, singing one of his earlier singles Rescata mi Corazon. Matteo’s friend Francesca joined him and they sang together a song that was apparently their school anthem.

The cake was brought after Simon and the Roller Band had finished playing Valiente. The cake was a chocolate-strawberry cake —surprisingly Luna and Matteo had not fought about this one— covered in white frosting. Luna almost covered Matteo’s whole face in it as they smashed pieces of cake into each other’s faces.

Then they danced, and danced, and danced until Francesca got up to the stage again and sang the last song of the night, called Ti Creo. She was accompanied by her husband and Federico, and his wife provided the backing vocals.

As it was almost time to call it the night, there was only one thing left to do. Luna had been adamant about the bouquet toss being the last thing she did. She turned around as all the unmarried girls lined up behind her. The line-up was considerably smaller than in Ambar’s or the weddings that had followed her, but it did not matter. Luna lunged the flowers into the air and soon enough heard victory yells, from two voices.

Luna turned around and saw Jim and Yam holding the bouquet together and jumping up and down for joy.

“So from the rate of one to ten, how would you rate the marriage this far?” Matteo scooped Luna into his arms after she had thrown the flowers.

“I don’t know,” Luna laughed, “Eleven. Look,” they turned their eyes to the sky where the full moon loomed over them. “Even the moon is celebrating us.”

“And there is no arguing with that.” Matteo laughed and picked Luna up twirling her around.

Okay, wow... I can't believe I just did that. I wrote a Lutteo wedding, and had fun while doing it!

Okay, lest be real here, I am so thankful for everyone who has read this story. And I have a question: This story is at an end... but comment if you want the honeymoons. I am not making any promises, but tell me if you want them

The Pinterest Board and the Playlist

#Soy Luna fanfiction #The Holy Trinity of ships #Lutteo #Gastina #Simbar #Soy Luna #Proposal #True love #La Trinidad del Amor SL #weddings #violetta

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inthekitchenwithmatt · 3 months ago

Video

youtube

Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Seas Ship Tour Review | Food | Barbados Tri...

#youtube #royal caribbean #jewel of the seas review #cruise ship review #awesome cruise #barbados #trinidad #tobago #st lucia #st martin

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psfreightsystemsinc · 10 months ago

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What Is The Future Of Caribbean Shipping?

Caribbean shipping makes many things easy. The experts make you send your love through them to your loved ones. The turquoise tide whispers the promise of sun-kissed shores and island stability. But before you trade spreadsheets for seashells, a question arises across the horizon: how will you and your precious vacation shipment reach your Caribbean paradise? Ready to set your island-bound adventure blazing with sustainability, digital magic, and calling experiences for every sun-drenched dream. Read more: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1597325814648441344/189148922531180953

#caribbean shipping #freight shipping Orlando Florida #shipping barrels to trinidad

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galleryyuhself · 11 months ago

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Galleryyuhself - Aeropost keeps it neat and discrete.

#galleryyuhself/aeropost #galleryyuhself/freight #galleryyuhself/graphic design in Trinidad and Tobago #galleryyuhself/design layout #tumblr/aeropost.com #tumblr/advertising in Trinidad and Tobago #shipping #freight #packages #delivery #fast service between countries #products

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thotfrnk · 1 year ago

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added two more volumes to my growing collection ^_^

#rik sells them for 90$ like WHAT A STEAL #trinidad finally evolving #next is to ship down bl dvfbgdghjh #emily.txt

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shippingtrinidad · 1 year ago

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How to Ship Items to Trinidad & Tobago? Time, Cost, Custom Charge

Discover how to ship items to Trinidad and Tobago with insights into shipping time, costs, and potential customs charges. Plan your international shipping process effectively for a seamless experience.

#Shipping Trinidad #Ship to Trinidad #shipping to trinidad and tobago #how to ship to trinidad #how much does it cost to ship to trinidad #shipping

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tequila-solar-storm · 2 months ago

Note

NS/FW

CW mpreg, breeding kink, age difference, somnophilia

Aaaahhh my apologies, I completely forgot about tagging that one you're right vzhzhs

About kinjaw children.. I wonder, I've been trying to visualize and put on paper ajaw's non pixel form and I'm still not sure about it, I hope there'll be more information on him in the future??? I do hope kinich eyes genes end up dominating the genetic lottery tho cause they're extremely pretty.

The funniest part about Kinich responding "Ajaw" to the breeding kink question is probably that he won't elaborate any further??? Leaving the figuring out the logistics to whoever partner he dropped that bomb on Haha.

Tysm for writing all that about... Trinich?? Haha that's an interesting read and I have a different view on the dinamic now honestly, if he does have a living wife, she does sound like a legend!! And Kinich already planning a second round... my guy is truly insatiable xD

A question for you, since I've been wondering ever since you mentioned hcing kinich not having particular preference except ROUGH ROUGH ROUGH

I've been trying to figure out if there's something he does not like.

do you think he'll be into somno??

I feel like he won't but I'm curious to know your opinion on that!

—🌻

Ah, I do love Schrödinger's Age Gap. Let’s assume Huni is 8-10. If Kinich is 22-25 and Trinidad had his daughter young, he’ll be 28-30ish? If that’s the case, the age gap won’t be that big. But at the same time Trinidad could be 40??? 50??? The gap’s suddenly huge then…

Age debate aside, let’s move on to the rest of the ask!

I’m eagerly awaiting Ajaw’s lore too!! He seems pretty important for the Natlan lore in general, and I’m super curious to know what exactly he is! That aside, now I’m just imagining their kid hatching to become some stunningly gorgeous human with Kinich’s (Absolutely lovely!!) eyes and ALL his features. None of Ajaw’s. Ajaw’s going to be so mad 🤣🤣

KINICH ABSOLUTELY WILL NOT ELABORATE!!! He’ll go ‘Ajaw’ and while the poor sap is reeling he’ll pull a ‘okay g’night’ and. Sleep. Leaving his partner completely confused because what??? The tiny pixel lizard has a dick??? Is it pixelated too??? YOU SLEPT WITH THE LIZARD??? Kinich you’re a Cisgender Male™ what do you MEAN YOU GOT PREGNANT WITH HIS EGGS BEFORE?? EGGS WITH A ‘S’???

Trinidad and his partner are like:

Turning polyamorous to spice up your romance: ❌❌❌

Turning polyamorous but only for one guy because you want said bastard OBLITERATED: ✅✅✅

Bold of you to assume Kinich’s going to stop at a second round. He’ll be draining that man until it’s no longer possible for Huni to get a sibling because everything got stolen HAHAHAHA

Kinich’s probably neutral about somnophilia but not for reasons people think. He‘s not bothered about the vulnerability aspect. He’s just too much of a light sleeper to indulge in it!! The second someone’s trying to shove their dick in him he’s waking up. If it wasn’t preplanned/he wasn’t anticipating it, he might accidentally sleep-rip the person’s dick off out of sheer survival instinct before waking up and going ‘whoops oh shit’

It’s mostly the disruption to his sleep that won’t be welcomed. His lifestyle is quite busy, so he values his sleep a lot. Sleep is super important!!! Plus, if he’s going to do it, it’ll be with someone he trusts and not a casual fling. But once again not for the reasons people think.

It’s more so to protect his partner than himself, as strangers have a MUCH higher chance of activating his accidental crotch mutilation mode HAHAHA

Technically, if his partner can do it without waking him up, it’ll be quite efficient for him! Having sex in his sleep means he doesn’t have to waste time doing the deed awake. He can instead use the time to earn more Mora HAHAHA

Jokes aside, I do think he’ll appreciate being awake more since intimacy is something he actively enjoys! If his partner likes it though, he won’t say no. He’s doting like that! But they’ll either have to invest in sleeping aids first, or his partner needs to contend himself with masturbating to his sleeping form. Even then, though, the person runs the risk of getting too close and triggering his survival instinct…

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plaguedocboi · 7 months ago

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Top 5 sailing ships?

OUGOUGHJOUU

1. Götheborg. She’s so pretty auuaghhh

2. Hermione. Woagh.

3. The Bark Europa! You’re nailing those Antarctic expeditions girl.

4. Tres Hombres. An actual merchant ship of modern day! A symbol of sustainability and ethical trade.

5. Nao Trinidad. A working replica of Magellan’s ship and I met her in real life ;)

#sailing ships my beloved

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ltwilliammowett · 1 month ago

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Mourning Ring for Vice-Admiral Sir Samuel Cornish, 1770

Amethyst, diamonds, gold and enamel. Bezel set with a faceted amethyst encircled by diamonds in a closed setting, the shank set with black enamel decoration around the inscription ‘Sir Sam. Cornish … 30 Oct 1770 AE 56’.

Sir Samuel Cornish is remembered for the Capture of Manila in 1762 during the Seven Years War - the conflict that found Britain competing with France and her allies around the globe. For nearly 200 years Manila had been at the centre of the imperial Spain’s galleon trade with Acapulco, trading Mexican silver for Chinese silk, porcelain and spices. After Spain allied herself with France in 1762, the British government approved plans to attack Havana and Manila.

Samuel Cornish was appointed to the command of the naval forces bound for Manila comprising 12 ships-of-the-line, 3 frigates and 4 store ships, with his flag in HMS Norfolk. Brigadier-General William Draper commanded land forces of 6,839 soldiers, sailors and marines. By posting a frigate in the Strait of Malacca, Cornish ensured that no news of the impending strike reached Manila prior to the fleet's arrival on 23 September 1762. The city walls were breached on 5 October and on the following day the place was taken by storm. Draper did his utmost to put a stop to the rape and plunder of the town, and with Cornish agreed to accept a ransom of 4 million dollars from the Spanish acting Governor-General Archbishop Manuel Rojo del Rio y Vieyra.

The British occupation of Manila lasted 18 months until the city was returned to Spain under the 1763 Treaty of Paris.During their time in the Philippines, the British found themselves confined to Manila and Cavite, but were rewarded with the capture of the treasure ships Filipina and Santísima Trinidad. These captures made Draper and Cornish wealthy men to the extent that they could retire on the prize money. Both were thanked in Parliament, and Cornish received a Baronetcy.

Sir Samuel Cornish (c1715-1770) was believed at one time to have risen from modest origins, and to have served his apprenticeship on a collier before being appointed to an East Indiaman, but it has been suggested these details relate to his father. Cornish is known to have entered the navy as a volunteer ‘per order’ in 1728. He was commissioned lieutenant in the Litchfield on 12 November 1739, and on 11 November 1740 he moved, with Captain Charles Knowles, to HMS Weymouth, in which he served in the ill-conducted combined operation at Cartagena during March and April 1741. On his return to England he was appointed to command the bomb-ketch Mortar; and on 12 March 1742 he was posted flag captain of the old HMS Namur, flagship of Admiral Matthews in the Mediterranean. In 1742 Cornish was appointed to command the Guernsey (50); and continued in her until the end of the ‘War of Jenkin’s Ear’, doing occasional good service in the destruction of Spanish privateers.

During the war of the Austrian Succession, he was present at the Battle of Toulon which saw the British lose control of the waters around Italy and Spain take the offensive against Savoy. Matthews was dismissed from the navy along with seven captains for lacking offensive spirit. Cornish’s part occasioned no comment, which must be considered an achievement in the light of the number of careers destroyed. On 9 March 1749, as a 'gentleman well skilled in mathematicks and natural knowledge', Cornish was elected to the Royal Society. In 1755 he commissioned HMS Stirling Castle for service in the channel, and in 1758 he was transferred to the Union (90 guns), and was ordered by Lord Anson to wear a distinguishing pennant.

On 14 February 1759 Cornish was promoted Rear-Admiral of the White, and sent out to the East Indies with a small squadron to reinforce Vice-Admiral George Pocock, and undertook operations to clear the coast of Coromandel, which established his reputation as a commander able to co-operate effectively with the army. He succeeded to the command of the East Indies station in 1761, but became embroiled in a dispute with the East India Company over the plunder taken from the French at Pondicherry. Nevertheless his professional competence in combined operations won him the command of the Manila expedition.

Cornish returned to Europe with a comfortable income from prize money. In 1765 he purchased the manors of Sharnbrook, Tafte, and Temple Hills in Bedford. The Duke of Norfolk supported his election as MP for Shoreham, a seat he held from December 1765 until his death, and on 9 January 1766 he was created a baronet, taking his style as Sir Samuel Cornish of Sharnbrook. About this time he married Susan, daughter of James Gambier of Holborn and sister of Admiral James Gambier; they had no children. Cornish died on 30 October 1770, whereupon his title became extinct and his estate passed to his nephew, Samuel Pitchford, captain in the navy, who took the name Cornish.

#naval history #naval artifacts #mourning ring #18th century #age of sail

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countessofravenclaw · 2 years ago

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¡Sí! - La Trinidad del Amor: Chapter eight

In life, nothing is sure… but you always count on one thing. True Love, the ones who have it are the luckiest people in the world. Not everyone does… but the people in our story do. They fought through Fire, They fought through an ocean, They fought through the sun and the moon. There are six of them, and they form a trinity, the trinity of true love

Il viaggio potrebbe non essere sempre così facile, i colpi di scena possono portarti ovunque

“So, tell us all about what you did in Europe?” Monica asked as she laid the Pozole de Pollo o Guajolote on the table and sat down next to Miquel, opposite where Luna and Matteo were sitting.

“Well, we started in England and spent three days there, then two in Spain, two in France, three in Italy, one day in Switzerland, and one in the Netherlands and we finished at Cancun,” Matteo explained.

“You went to Cancun as well?” Miquel asked, “I don’t think you mentioned that before.”

“Well, nothing special happened there anyways, Dad.” Luna interrupted hastily, and Matteo really had to work hiding his smile.

They had come from the Europe trip a week ago, and Luna and Matteo had been invited to dinner with Luna’s parents. They hadn’t yet told about their engagement to anyone outside of the people who had been there, so their Maid of Honor and Best Man, Gastón and Nina, as well as Ambar and Simon. They had agreed that they’d tell Monica and Miquel first and then Matteo's family, so this dinner had come at a spectacular time.

Luna though seemed to have no actual plan in place for how they actually reveal the news, but Matteo was still giving her control.

What Luna on the other hand did not know was that, Monica and Miquel actually already knew. They had been the two people who had known even before Matteo had proposed, alongside Gastón.

Luna had been adamant about not just wearing the ring to the dinner, and waiting to her parents to notice it. She was right now wearing it on a long chain under her shirt.

“Well, guess what we got on the mail today?” Monica said after they had finished eating. She took a pearlescent envelope that had some red text on it from the side table. Matteo recognized it to be the save-the-date card for Nina and Gastón’s wedding. “I am assuming you two knew about this.”

“Of course, we knew about it Mom,” Luna laughed enthusiastically, “We are the Maid of Honor and Best Man.”

“I didn’t know they had sent those out already,” Matteo spoke out loud, “That really was fast. We have only been back from Europe a week.”

“I think the only reason Nina agreed to go on that trip was that they’d go full-on wedding mode afterward.” Luna answered, “The date was decided way before the trip.”

“Very nice of them to invite us,” Miquel said.

“I agree, it is really amazing that there is another wedding to look forward to. Simon and Ambar’s was so beautiful.” Monica smiled back, “Love really is in the air, who knows maybe there will even be more weddings in the future. Don’t you agree Luna?”

“Uhm, no, I don’t see anything on the air…” Luna started stumbling over her words again. Matteo knew that Luna had a habit of not telling her parents anything, even when the purpose of this was to REVEAL the engagement, Luna could do nothing to her natural instincts. Plus she was a hopeless liar, so that was a good addition to the equation.

“Hmmmm, Monica, don’t you think it is time to let Luna out of her misery,” Miquel had clearly noticed Luna’s odd behavior, and guessed the reason for it, “Don’t you agree Matteo?”

Matteo just nodded as Miquel turned his gaze to him. This seemed like a better route since Luna was never gonna get the information out at this rate. Matteo leaned back on his chair to enjoy the show.

“Wait what?” Luna looked flabbergasted.

“Luna, we know why you really went to Cancun.”

“You do?” Luna really did not seem like she was following.

“So when are we gonna see the ring?” Monica asked and Luna finally seemed to understand what was happening.

“Wait… but… How do they know?”

“Matteo told us the day before you left for Europe.”

“You did?” Luna head turned rapidly towards Matteo.

“Well, Chica Delivery,” Matteo raised his arms in surrender, “I am a gentleman. I had to make sure I had permission to have the hand of the princess. You can put the ring on now Luna”

Luna smiled and got the chain off her neck and slid the ring on her left ring finger before showing it off to her parents.

“We have not done any planning yet, since we have some duties to another wedding, but you better believe Luna has already started the playlist.”

“We are so happy for you two and since we were warned beforehand I came prepared,” Monica disappeared into the kitchen, and came back soon with a cake.

“I made Tres leches cake just for the occasion…” All of a sudden the Mansion doorbell rang. Over the years, Monica and Miguel had renovated and remodeled a lot of the mansion and nowadays ran a successful catering and event business there. What used to be the staff door was nowadays used as the main door most of the time.

“Hello Valentes!” An excited voice of an older man could be heard from the door, “I was at my house and just I wanted something sweet, so I thought, why not just pay a visit to the best chef in the world.”

“Grandpa?!!” Luna jumped up from the table.

“Well, looks like I came at the perfect occasion.” Luna and Alfredo soon came to the dining room, “I didn’t know you’d be here today. And you have my favorite cake here, don’t tell me there is a celebration going on?”

“Well, kind off,” Luna nodded towards Matteo who froze for a moment. So this would really turn into telling all the family the news, when it was supposed to be just Monica and Miquel who already knew. He didn’t even know they’d tell his dad and Sofia, not to mention all of their other friends, but it seemed to be time to get it out to Luna’s grandfather.

“So what are you celebrating?”

“Well, we…” Matteo started clearing his throat.

“WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!” Luna exclaimed suddenly.

“Well, that is a cause for a celebration!” Alfredo pulled Matteo and Luna into a hug. “My boy, welcome to the family. Good to get some Italian blood here. Tell me, where were your parents from again.”

“Uhm, Dad’s from Rome and Mom was from Basilicata, but she is dead,” Matteo explained hastily, “Dad’s wife Sofia is originally from Sicily.”

***

“Can you already tell us something about your wedding dress?” Jazmin asked Nina as all the girls were sitting in the living room of Nina and Gastón’s house. Nina called a meeting of all of her bridesmaids, well all that were in the country, to discuss some of the first details.

“Mora has shown me the sketch and she took my measurements last week. She’ll start working on it soon.”

“Can we see the scetch?” Yam piped up excitedly.

“I’m sorry but I don’t have it. Mora doesn’t give copies of it out because she said that it was a custom piece and the drawing will be valuable. I think she might be planning making my dress part of some future collection of hers.”

Little did anyone, who was not Nina, Ambar or Luna, know that this meeting was huge facade and actually had nothing to do with Nina and Gastón’s wedding.

“You have wedding colors yet?” Delfi asked Nina on her turn.

“Yes, they will be red, silver and ivory.”

“When are we getting the dresses?”

“Mora is making them as well, and she actually wants to get everyone’s measurements next Friday, so mark your calendars: Next Friday at 5 pm at her studio.”

Okay, the bridesmaids dress fitting was a real thing that Nina needed to get done for her wedding, but she could have just informed about it through a text. It had been a month since the Europe trip and the planning for their wedding was now in full swing. On the other hand, none of their friends still knew about Luna and Matteo’s engagement, and Luna had been agonizing about how to tell them.

It had been Ambar who had come up with the plan they were now executing.

“Mora has not yet done any design for them, but we talked about it and they will be red and have lace on them.”

“I can’t wait!” Jim jumped on the couch. “I love weddings!”

“Ah, and there is one more thing for a wedding.” Nina glanced slightly toward Luna and she nodded. Ambar fished a plastic bag from behind the couch and gave it to Delfi. “Take one everyone.”

The girls passed the bag to each other until everyone was holding a light-washed denim jacket embroidered with pearls and “Bridesmaid” written on the back above a golden moon and a strawberry.

“This is very cute,” Delfi was the first to speak as everyone had their jackets. “But, if I am truly honest… I don’t get it, Nina. You asked us to be your bridesmaids over a month ago, and why is there a strawberry and a moon here?”

Luna tried to hide her grin, and took note that no one had yet noticed that neither she nor Ambar had a jacket yet.

“Well, that’s because these are not from me,” Nina answered as Ambar pulled another bag to view and pulled out two pink denim jackets, handing Nina the other one. They simultaneously raised them up to show what was written on their back. Ambar’s said Chief Bridesmaid, while Nina’s said Maid of Honor.

“Wait, what is going on here?” Jazmin asked as all the five girls were staring straight ahead, no one seemed to get what this all meant.

Luna saw Ambar nod to her as a cue and pulled her own jacket from a bag. Hers was white and had sequins all over it. On the back Bride was written on pink letters. Luna pulled the jacket on, got up from the chair and tuned her back to the others so they could read what was written on it.

“What?” The question came pretty much in unison from the others.

“Yes, Matteo and I are getting married!” Luna joined in on the yelling and it soon escalated into a hige group hug.

“Wait, when?” Yam got the question out among the happy screams.

“At Cancun, months ago.”

“Is it some kind of thing nowadays that everyone hides their engagement for a month now?” Delfi rolled her eyes.

“We don’t have any plans yet or anything, or even a date, we agreed that we should get and besties’ wedding out of the way first and then focus on it.” Luna explained as everyone had had a round looking at the ring and they had finally settled back down sitting on the couches.

“This meeting was just a ploy to get you all in the same room for the announcement.” Nina continued, “We’ll have another one later when there is more to discuss, but the fitting for the measurements was real, so don’t forget that. Anyways, the guys should be here soon.”

“The guys?”

“If everything has gone according to plan, Matteo should be telling the guys as we speak.” Ambar said and they all heard the key turn in the lock. “Perfect timing.”

***

“To Luna and Matteo!” Everyone raised their glasses. Matteo had his arm around Luna. Good thing was the Nina and Gastón’s living room was big enough to fit all of them.

“These engagements really seem to come with no warning,” Ramiro joked, “I mean whose next?”

“Well there is only one option,” Jazmin sai and everyone turned their eyes to Pedro.

“Way to put man on the spot,” Pedro responded while Delfi just laughed. “Who can truly even know. Who knows maybe Ramiro is the next one, or Jim and Yam, or Jazmin.”

“Anyways, we wish you all the happiness,” Simon continued, “And may we all be happy, wether we already have, or will soon or even if we don’t know yet will we ever tie the knot. We have home long way, siempre juntos.”

***

“When will we be there?” Luna whined from the backseat of Ambar’s car.

“The boutique is not at the central so the drive will be taking bit longer.”

They were clocking in soon eight months pre Luna and Matteo’s wedding and now they were full-on focused on the upcoming nuptials as all of their friends' weddings had been held.

Thie engagement had ended up being a bit of a long-term one since once they finally had sat down to decide the date, it had ended up landing on almost two years after Matteo had proposed. This happened due to a lot of things, with them having hectic work schedules, wanting a summer/late spring wedding and being part of two wedding parties during the year 2024 as Delfi and Pedro had gotten engaged not long after Luna and Matteo and had wanted to get married in the frames of 2024.

Luna did not mind this, as they had had a bunch of time to plan everything, and as long as she would get her dream wedding with Matteo waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

They had gone shopping for her wedding dress a couple of weeks ago and Luna had found her absolute dream dress. It was a big ballgown with a V-neckline and poofy sleeves. The dress also had silver waistband and a bunch of embroidery with holographic silver sequins and silver gemstones.

But as the dress was so big, it Luna had been quite afraid that she would trip on it, actually she was sure that she would trip on it or run over someone on the dancefloor, so she had made the decision that she would need a shorter dress for the reception.

Before Ambar had gotten her custom made dress for her wedding, she had pretty much gone through every wedding dress shop in Buenos Aires and according to her, this one where they were driving right now, had had some extremely beautiful short dresses.

“How am I supposed to pick?” Ambar had been right, unfortunately… Luna's eyes had caught at least ten different dresses that she was dying to try on as she walked into the store with Ambar and Nina. Picking the ceremony dress had not been easy, they had been at the bridal salon the whole day… how was she supposed to do it again?

“Well, we need to start out from somewhere,” Nina said eyeing the dresses.

Luna was ushered to the dressing room by the consultant after a while, Nina and Ambar still looking through the racks. Luna really did trust their judgment on dresses, since both Nina and Ambar, as married women now knew a thing or two about bridal gowns.

As Luna started trying on dresses, her nerves did not really ease up. Every dress she tried on was so beautiful. There was a reason why she had not gone with a custom-made dress as Ambar and Nina had. Ambar always knew what she wanted when it came to clothing and Mora had miraculously seen inside Nina’s mind. Luna on the other hand did not know at all what she wanted, before she saw it.

“This is definitely not it,” Ambar said as Luna was on her third dress. “Way too old-fashioned for you.”

“I agree,” Nina nodded her head, “this looks like something I would wear.”

“Try the next one on, I am gonna go back for some more shopping,” Ambar said before disappearing into the sea of dresses.

Luna returned back to the dressing room with the consultant who helped the next dress on her. That one had really similar sleeves to her ceremony dress, and was very sparkly. As soon as the dress was on Luna knew it was an absolute “no”. This had been one of her own picks, but now that it was on, it just was not right.

“Lets just take it off.”

“What do you not like about it?” The consultant asked her as she started unbuttoning the back.

“I don’t know… it just isn’t right… I don’t know maybe it is the color.” Luna did not wear white very often, more like ever, and had to admit that it was really boring color. Her wedding dress was ivory and she adored it, but it had so many embellishments and the sequins reflected rainbows that it was not boring. “Wearing two white dresses just feels so boring.”

“Well, let's try this on then.” The consultant pulled one of the dresses she had lines up on the rack out of the bag.

“This is so beautiful,” Luna twirled on front of the mirror. She had come out of the dressing room wearing a knee-length dress made of cream-colored lace. The dress had a nude underlayer that shone through just a little bit from under the lace, layered skirt and bell sleeves.

“This feels a lot more like you,” Nina agreed and Luna turned towards her. And Luna was doing her tenth twirl, Ambar emerged back from the dress racks.

“Ambar, Ambar!! Look at this!” Luna jumped up and down in the dress, “I think this is the one.”

“Hmmmm, your sure?” Ambar didn’t look that convinced, “I mean it is beautiful, and I get why you like it, but look what I found. I just thought you have been looking like a ghost with all of these white dresses.”

Ambar showed Luna a dress she had been carrying on her arm. Luna gasped, it was probably the most beautiful dress she had seen in her life. It was white, with one golden spaghetti strap and gold piping on the neckline. When Luna put it on, two ribbons on the other side were wrapped around her arm, and above everything else, the dress was full of purple gems. It had the color Luna had been graving in the other dresses.

But now she had a problem.

“Argh! I hate this! I love this dress too. How am I supposed to pick now?”

“Well, if you want my opinion, I think you should go with this one. It has enough color that you can really style it with one additional colored accessories. Plus this has gold, while your other one has silver detailing, it really works with the whole sun and moon thing. But if of course, it is your decision.”

“You are right,” Luna sighed. She really loved this dress, she could already see herself dancing in it with Matteo at the mansion’s garden. “But, I just feel like I am betraying that other dress.”

“Luna, they are dresses,” Nina noted, “they don’t have feelings.”

“I know.”

“I think I have an idea,” Ambar piped up. “Weren’t Matteo’s parents throwing you that engagement party or pre-wedding party or whatever it was since the engagement was over a year ago?”

“Yes, what about it.”

“Wear the other dress there,” Nina had caught up to what Ambar was implying.

“That's an amazing idea,” Luna jumped into the air and threw herself to hug Ambar and Nina.

“So it is decided?” Ambar said after Luna had released them.

“Yes, this is the second dress for my wedding.”

“There we go.” Jazmin finished pinning a sunflower to a half up half down hairdo in one of Matteo’s parents’ numerous guestrooms. She was getting ready for the dinner party Alexander and Sofia were holding for her and Matteo to celebrate their upcoming wedding… bridal shower in a way.

The time had really flown and the wedding would already be in two months. Luna was not fully sure how she had gotten all the wedding planning done… there had been so much to do, which a huge guest list, since when you were marrying into the Balsanos, things were going to be done in style. The guest list was like three miles long as basically everyone from Buenos Aires’s Italian embassy had been invited, Matteo had a lot of family over at Italy, a lot of her parents’ relatives were coming over from Mexico, Matteo had music associates, and friends he had made at the music industry just like Luna had at the skating world.

Well, the mansion basically functioned as a catering venue and nowadays hosted wedding receptions, so everyone was going to fit. Nina and Ambar had been really Luna’s saving grace with the wedding planning. They had the level-headedness and the experience from having planned their own.

Nina and Gastón had also done a miraculous job as the maid of honor and the best man, having been able to navigate every one of Luna and Matteo’s thousands of fights over the wedding arrangements. Luna always joked that they should have become couple’s counselors, but they were way too fixed on their own fields, with Gastón already having received a promotion in his first year being on the job.

The bottom line was that it had been hectic and Luna was glad that tonight she would be able to take a break from all that and relax and celebrate the future… even if she was a bit nervous over being presented to all of Matteo’s parents’ important friends as his bride.

“Hey.” Luna turned to the door and saw Nina coming into the room, wearing a mint blue dress.

“You are already here? Matteo said that no one would be let in before six, for some security reason I didn’t get.”

“We came in from the side door,” Nina said walking toward Luna, while Jazmin was still trying to tame the last wild strands of Luna’s hair, “Matteo keeps Gastón updated on the security codes. I came to see how you were doing?”

“Nervous.” Luna simply stated as she was putting her jewerly on, earrings and necklace that Matteo had commissioned from the diamond from his mother’s engagement ring. Matteo had given her that set as present last Christmas. “I mean there will be bunch of rich important people here soon, and you know I am not the most graceful person. I am probably just going to walk down the stairs and face plant straight onto the floor.”

“Luna, that won’t happen,” Nina laughed as she sat down on an armchair in the room. “Alexander and Sofia love you, and want everyone they know to get to know you.” Sometimes it still surprised Luna how familiar Nina was with Matteo’s parents, but it made sense since Matteo and Gastón’s families were so close and Nina had met them while she had dated Gastón when they had still been at Blake and had technically known them longer. “Aren’t most of these people coming to the wedding?”

“Yes, they are.”

“This also takes the pressure from the wedding, as you have met them now.” Nina was making a good point, and Luna absolutely believed her.

“I am just excited to spend the night with all of my friends.”

There was a knock on the door and Gastón came in.

“We should probably head down,” He said to Nina as she walked up to him. “Matteo wanted to know if Luna was ready.”

Luna had been getting ready in the separate room from Matteo —almost like it already was their wedding day… okay not really— because Matteo’s room didn’t have a good enough mirror for Jazmin’s, who had done her hair, liking.

“She is!” Jazmin had finally finished touching up Luna’s makeup.

“Don’t be nervous,” Gastón turned to Luna, “Most of these people are old friends of Sofia and Alexander, so they also are friends of my parents. They have known Matteo and me longer than we have known each other. They are actually really nice people. There are no standards to who we marry, for as long we love them. And I think we both have fully succeeded at the front.” Gastón briefly looked over to his wife. “So, good luck.”

“You ready Chica Delivery?” Matteo came through the door almost soon as Gastón and Nina had left. “Most of the guests have arrived.”

“Ready, as I’ll ever be, Chico Fresa.” Luna laughed as she stood up and took Matteo’s arm and they walked out of the room and descended the stairs.

***

“Well, welcome everyone. As you all know, within two months we have the joy to celebrate the marriage of my son Matteo and this lovely young woman Luna Valente. Me and my wife and honored to welcome Luna into our family, and are so happy that she and Matteo have found each other. I am very proud of him and I know Lucia would be as well. Matteo, this is what your mother would have wanted for you.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Matteo after everyone had raised their glasses. He was kind of half surprised by his father’s sentimentality, but he had always known he had it in him. Matteo and his father’s relationship had gotten leagues better over the years than it had been when he had been a teenager. “And we with Luna also wanna thank you all. I mean many know that our journey has not always been smooth sailing, but we have always made it in the end… well there is still two months to the wedding so we hope that anyways.”

#Soy Luna fanfiction #The Holy Trinity of ships #Lutteo #Gastina #Simbar #Soy Luna #Proposal #True love #La Trinidad del Amor SL #weddings

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333creolelady · 9 months ago

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Lady Of The Blue Bakunawa Ch. 6

Afab black OC x Roman Reigns (Pirate au)

Banner by : @joannasteez

Warnings: MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING. mentions of past child loss, grief, mentions of past child abuse, mention of past sexual assault, mentions of past murder, gore, mentions of past racism, heavy angst (with fluff), hard topics, sex, foreplay (fingering cunnulingus fem receiving) Handjob, description of bodily fluids (cum, arousal), emotionally heavy topics, Includes a creature (a collective) who thrives on pain, religious undertones due to mention of the seven deadly sins, brief mention of not wanting to be alive (not SH), patricarichal views (Jane is unlearning, give her some grace chile).Minors DNI. LONG CHAPTER ALERT.

Songs this chapter: When Ginny kissed Harry, Davy Jones, Avril 14, El matador, Observatory kiss

Alternative playlist songs: Like a star, Decks dark, The Moment I said it, Cemeteries of London, Simply beautiful

Chapter Playlist link here <-

Next-> chapter 7

<- Back to Masterlist

Alternative Playlist link <-

Second warning. This chapter is emotionally heavy. Please consider reading it in two parts if you have to. This chapter has brief mentions of PAST sexual assault mid chapter. There is also a consensual smut scene (foreplay) at the end of the same chapter. If this is too heavy for you I will send you a cliff notes version (just shoot message in my DM’s) Chapter indicators for the SA topic will be <color coded> so you may skip if need be. . Proceed with caution.

Roman

He watches her take a breath and shoot at an empty can floating on a piece of driftwood. Caden had tied to the wood to rear of the ship. It was the best way she could get shooting practice from a distance. Funnily enough, Jane was savvy with a gun. She’d only been practicing for a few days and could shoot pretty well from a reasonable distance. Roman was impressed.

He’d left her for a few moments to set the dinner table inside his cabin. The waters were calm and the warm breeze had made the humidity slightly too sticky. He made light of it, feasting his eyes on the exposed skin of her neck and arms. Warmer weather called for thinner clothes. He would enjoy it for now.

He placed her bowl across from his and plated the food onto a porcelain plate. There were many upgrades on this new boat. Night had a taste for the finer things and had many high priced items hidden on the ship. He seemed to like fine china. Jane noticed his absence and turned around, he beckoned her to eat. She sat down across from him and placed her pistol on the table next to her.

Roman observed the way she handled her weapons so confidently already. “ Like a proper pirate”, Roman teased. She pulled off the extra hat he gave her and sat it beside the gun. She smiled shyly, placing a napkin in her lap.

8 days ago Roman and Jane’s relationship had changed in what only could be described as an explosion of passion previously left unshared. He now would encourage her sword lessons with Adhar. He would teach her how to use a gun and how to defend herself.

And now there was no confusion on whether or not affections would be shared. It was clear as day that they liked each other. He was just waiting for Jane to lean into her desires and initiate more often.

She sat across from him and dug into the food, spooning it into her mouth. He went fishing for her and cooked it. Tropical waters meant better catches of fish.

“ What is this?”, she said with an enthusiastic mouth full.

“ Oka l’a. It’s a dish of my people. Most people prefer it raw but sometimes we cook it for the children or sickly. You get the cooked version”, he chuckled watching her pick up a tiny piece of fish and eat it with her fingers.

“ You made this?”, she said with surprise.

“ Yes. That’s why I was gone”, he smiled.

“ It kind of tastes like coconut too. We used to put coconut in some of our food back in Trinidad. My grandfather used to add it to his Callaloo”, she sighed in content.

“ So you like it ?”

“ I do! You never told me you could cook.”

“ There was never a need to. Always had somebody to do it for me but thankfully my memory is pretty extensive. I’m sure there are a few missing ingredients however. This was my favorite dish my mother made.”

“ You remember her?”, she asked with curiosity.

“ I’m not ancient ”, Roman laughed. Jane just smiled and went back for another piece of fish.

“ Sometimes the memories get fuzzy after so long”, she shrugged.

“ I feel that way sometimes. The food was the easiest thing for me to remember because it was one of the last meals I had. At least that’s what my memory tells me.”

“ So this..raw fish. Your culture eats it a lot ?”

“ Yes. We prepare it in a way. We knew which ones to choose—we could asses how healthy the fish was. It’s very fresh and the children are brought up on it young. We never got sick. Thankfully, now that we’ve moved into more tropical waters, we have healthier fish. I could never eat this from the port. It was would end bad since the water is so filthy.”

“ Lest we want another cholera event”, she joked.

“ Don’t even remind me”, Roman shivered.

“ Do you have any other favorite meals ?”

“ Pork.”

“ Pork? But you can get pork anywhere.”

“ We cooked it better.”

“ How did you learn to cook anyway?”

“ The men cook where I’m from. Especially for big feasts. So young boys learn how to cook from their fathers.”

Jane’s eyes widened. “ Remind me why we aren’t back there instead ? Everything I’ve heard so far is promising.”

“ If you want off cooking duty you’d best say so. Unfortunately my meals are only reserved for you”, he teased.

“ As tempting as that sounds, I can't abandon ship with Caden.”

“ So what’s another interesting thing about your culture ?”

“Our seafaring is unmatched. We were the first people in the world to migrate by boat.”

“ So this comes naturally to you then?”

“ Yes. Especially because all I knew was water even in my life before.”

“ Married to the sea”, she teased. Roman didn’t laugh but instead graced her with a soft unassuming smile.

“And what about you?”, he asked.

“What about me?”

“Is there anything you remember about Trinidad ? Anything at all ?”

“ I remember putting scotch bonnets in our food. We have really spicy peppers—maybe even some of the hottest in the whole world. As a kid, whenever a general was particularly mean to us, we would rub the rim of their mugs with the juices from the pepper. There lips would blow up like fish.”

Roman laughed. “ Mischievous .”

“ Oh you don’t know half of it. Me and my cousin used to get in SO much trouble. There’s a certain kind of fearlessness children are born with. I would never have the gull to do something like that now.”

“ I’m a fan of young Jane. She sounds like she doesn’t take any mess”, Roman smiles.

“ I also remember being able to wear what I wanted as a kid. The culture we created for ourselves didn’t concern itself with layers and corsets and thick fabric. It’s hot. If I left my house with my stomach showing as a kid, people would laugh at my pot belly at most. Women didn’t have to be covered from neck to ankle either—like I said, it’s hot. Our garbs were also very colorful and bright. Then one day there were all these rules. Wear this not that. Your hair should be this not that. Anything else was suggestive or loud.”

“ Well..sounds like a story I’ve heard one too many times unfortunately.”

Jane shrugs. “Well I suppose there’s no point in stewing in it now. You take the good parts and leave the rest.”

“ I would have disagreed with that before I met you but now….”, Roman trailed off teasingly. A smile spread slowly on her face. He had a habit of staring at her unpromoted now. She was convinced he just liked to see her squirm.

She anxiously changed the topic. “How much longer?”

“ A few more days. We’re close.”

“ Days? Good, we have more pressing matters to address anyways.”

“ Like?”

Jane looks down in her lap finding the courage to finally spit it out. “We kiss…”

“Yes.”

“On the lips….”

“Yes I know.”

“And you touch me…”

Roman scoffs in a humorous tone. “How could I forget ?”

“Yes but… usually when that happens there’s a reason for it. Like there’s a purpose.”

“I want to make you feel good. Is that not the purpose for any of it ?”

“What I mean is that we’re doing things that people who are in established relationships do.”

“ We are. Fun, isn’t it?”, he smiled smugly. He enjoyed forcing her to be more direct.

“ I am unspoken for. You have no claim on me and I doubt you intend to wed. I know people see that we are involved no matter how cordial and polite you are in front of others. It’s unbecoming for a woman on a ship full of men to be so loosely claimed, while clearly giving away the very thing reserved for a steady union. I mean what if people think I’m just…kept. And while I think that most of your crew have been outstanding gentlemen to me, they’re still just men Roman”, she uttered quickly.

He raised a brow at her. “ Who said you were unspoken for…?”

She mirrored his face with a surprise of her own. “Uh…well you never said.”

Roman leaned forward with his elbows dominantly on the table across from her. “ My apologies. We are together. Meaning that you are my intended, lover, suitor. Or if you prefer the term courting then that is suitable as well.”

Jane is visibly stunned. She just assumed that any relationship she formed with Roman wouldn’t be a steady one. He wasn’t exactly traditional. “ Courting would mean that you intend to marry…?”

“ So ?”

“ You’re a pirate ?”

“ And?”

Her expression flattened.“ You live in a boat in the middle of the ocean.”

“ Accomodations can be made, don’t you think?

“ I mean yes…”

“ Unless you prefer our connection to stay strictly physical?”, he asked.

“ No no. I was just concerned about how it looked.”

“ How about this…I could make an announcement?”

“ No… it doesn’t have to be some big event.”

“ Well then I won’t hide my affection.”

“ I didn’t take you as a publicly affectionate person.”

“ It’s not like I’ll have my tongue down your throat—without your permission of course. Hand placement goes a long way.”

A mischievous expression spread across her face. “ Well since you’ve declared that we’re courting I’ll have to put you to work more often.”

“ I aim to please Miss Ramlal.”

“ I’ve noticed”, she giggled.

Romans attention faltered when a loud thump echoed beneath them. He stalked to the edge of the ship to see a giant piece of plank wood bumping on against the boat.

“ Look!” Jane gasped.

Behind them a ship splintered into a million pieces laid on the shore of a beach. It looked old and the wood was wet and rotten. The sail was obliterated.

“ Why-has this happened ?”, Said Jane.

“ I’m not sure, it could have been anything. I know one thing for certain though, this means we’re getting closer to our destination.” Roman pulled out his spyglass and further inspected the shipwreck. The wood had chunks bitten out of it as if something attempted to eat the boat.

Worry clenched Roman’s chest as he folded the spyglass and put it back on the table.

“ Room for dessert dove ?”

Jane

3 days of wind and gray skies with absolutely no rain and plenty of thunder, it was unheard of. The air was colder and despite the wind there were no waves. The boat had an almost mechanical float, as if it had feet underneath the hull dragging across the sea floor. Roman insisted that things were moving according to plan. Jane wasn’t so sure.

Suddenly a thick mist filled the air causing Jane to step back cautiously. Jane retreated back towards Roman’s quarters as a huge groaning sound echoed in the distance. A rumble vibrating throughout the ship sent her scrambling for Roman. Sure enough she needn’t look far as he immediately looked for her too, stepping out of his quarters and holding onto her with caution. Something rumbled under the surface of the water completely gray, solid, and endless.

What looked to be a building made of stone or concrete traveled slowly and disruptively out of the sea and into the sky, reaching past the clouds and onwards to the heavens. Water fell from the sides splashing back down to the sea below. Jane turned to Roman with fear, a question already forming on her lips but never making it past them.

“ It’s alright. This is where we’re supposed to be ”, he reassured quietly.

A murmuring crowd had formed now. The building had hundreds of tiny small square glass windows but no light illuminated from them. The shape of the building was rectangular, narrow and smooth. She’d never seen a construction like it. It’s opening was a gaping black hole that she couldn’t see through. Large wet stone steps led to the entrance, just wide enough to put a ship ramp down. As afraid as she was, her feet felt compelled to move forward. If he was going to go then she was coming with him.

“William, Adhar, with me. Jane…”, Roman headed for his cabin leaving the french doors open. The two followed behind him. William loaded his pistol and Adar unsheathed his sword. They sat at the table sharpening weapons and loading their pistols. Roman’s attached two small pistols to his hip. Jane took a pistol for herself and Roman softly took it from her.

“ You should know what you’re getting yourself into before you make your choice”, he said softly.

“Well, let’s hear it”, said Jane.

“The man who gave me the map to the key was rumored to have been the only survivor of the journey but it changed him forever. Every pirate knows that this is rumored to be an eternal prison of all depravity and fear. Here belongs every spirit of corruption—the first of their kind. Some are referred to as fallen angels.”

“ Demons ?”, her face wrinkled in confusion.

“ Aliens, demons..fallen angels. Whatever your persuasion.”

Jane took in a sharp inhale.

“ You do not have to go in. None of you do. I can do this alone”, said Roman.

“No…no I won’t leave you”, said Jane.

“ We stay with the captain”, Said William confidently. No fear.

“ Us pirates have heard the rumors for years about what this will look like…what it will feel like. I fear the rumors have been true. That…this place is every bit of a prison. I don’t know what horrors await us on the other side. All I know is that you will be judged in some way. The myths over the years alter and change.”

“ I understand.”

“ I must warn you that this creature has a fixation for women. Crane mentioned that we may have a better chance of getting the key with you there.”

“ Why?”

“ I have no clue but for that reason maybe you should sit this one out. Fixation could mean anything ?”

“ I’m coming”, Jane said with a gentle firmness. Roman is visibly nervous and holds back on controlling the situation. She can see the wheels turning in his head.

“ Are you absolutely sure Jane?”

“ I stay with the captain”, she uttered.

Roman stood in finality. “ Adhar behind Jane. William at my side.”

The group goes back to preparing their weapons. Hat, boots, long shirts and cotton pants. It was cooler now despite being in the tropics. Jane dressed in Caden’s hand-me-downs, disguising herself as a man as best she could. She was almost sure “fixation” wasn’t a good thing where they were going.

The four of them finished gearing up and made way for the ramp. Caden wished Roman luck eyeing the building with hesitance. Their feet finally touch the wet slabs of the stone stairs leading to the opening. William stands with Roman and Adhar is behind Jane forming a protective shape around her. Jane reaches for Roman’s right hand. He let’s her have it, wanting to give her comfort in some way. She looks back at Caden only to find Adhar staring at their hands with an unreadable expression.

William and Roman take the first steps and the others follow. Their boots echoed into the abyss. A few steps further and they become engulfed in darkness. Then suddenly the dark opening is lit with dozens of torches. They paused when they sensed the presence of another person. A large person–or perhaps it was once a person held a lantern. Large muscles, hooved feet, a tail, long uncanny long arms, and a BULL’S head. Before the scream could leave Jane’s mouth, Adhar covered it. Roman pulled his hand slowly from her and rested his hand on his pistol. William held his hand out, motioning to wait. The bull tilted it’s head to the side watching the group as if to assess them. The Minotaur’s eyes grew darker and wider when they landed on Jane causing Roman to completely pull out his gun.

“ If you want in, those weapons are not allowed”, it spoke with a deep honking barrelous voice. He motioned for Roman’s weapon.

“ The girl needs protection”, said Roman.

“ As does fate. No weapons”, said the Minotaur crossing his arms.

“ Remember what we came here for Roman, it’s fine. We didn’t come all this way for nothing”, Jane whispered.

“ I am the keeper of this prison. I control what goes and what doesn't come out. This is your final warning. Lose the weapons or you will not pass”, the Minotaur warned.

Jane saw the puzzled anger in Roman’s eyes. For a moment she thought he would shoot the damned thing but she rested her hand on his back. With a tense jaw he slowly placed his guns on the ground followed by his sword. The others followed suit. The minotaur watches them for a moment and begins to walk, not bothering to motion for them.

He leads them up a thin and narrow stone staircase with small windows overlooking the sea. There was a wet mildew smell to this place that clung to her nose. The stairs carried them out to a stone floor that held 6 cells on each side. The first creature was something out of a nightmare. It was humanoid with fleshy pale gray wings, an emaciated slim body, large eyes—all pupil, holes for a nose and no mouth. It stood unmoving, eyeing her before placing it’s hand on the invisible barrier that held it inside its cell.

She turned her head in the other direction only to find an even more terrifying creature. There was an Octopus like creature whose skin resembled human flesh with tentacles that had suckers like human mouths. It’s moans sounded like that of a woman’s and an animal mixed together. Her breath hitched and her nails dug into Roman hands so hard that he winced and turned around to face her. The group stopped.

“ Just don’t look Jane”, he reassured her quietly. Adhar placed a reassuring hand on her back looking behind him protectively.

“ Come. They are contained”, said the Minotaur without looking back.

“ Come Miss Ramlal. They look just like my old military unit. Just another walk in the park”, William said quietly in that thick German accent.

They go back to following the Minotaur. Jane keeps her head down to the ground in order to avoid scaring herself again. The only problem is that they would have to travel ten flights of stairs before they reached who they were looking for.

Within those ten flights of stairs the sounds of these…beings were far too intriguing. Some levels were completely silent and so dark it looked like nobody was there. Others were extremely loud with howling screaming monsters. Some of the creatures were violent, banging against their magical traps while others didn’t bother to turn around and see who was there.

She peaked and saw three 4 foot beings with dark grey skin, large eyes, slits for noses, no mouth, long fingers, large heads and tiny child-like bodies. She saw beings that looked like humans with three eyes and mouths full of razor sharp teeth. She saw beings that looked like children with black eyes. Some of them looked like animals that stood on hind legs, some of them were beasts she’d heard of in fairy tales. Lizard creatures, vampires and wendigo. She saw creatures that she’d only heard of in Trinidadian folklore. Douens, Lagahoo’s and Chikcharney’s.

Magic was real. It was a real as rain and it was dark. It was scary. Suddenly she knew without a doubt that the treasure had to be real too.

“ We have arrived”, The Minotaur grunts.

The tenth floor was one long hallway with a stairwell. It was dark. So dark that the torch the Minotaur held looked like a candle light. He snapped his fingers and ten torches lit the room to reveal a cell at the end of the hall. The cell was completely dark as if nothing was there.

The Minotaur turns to them. “ Have you brought them a gift ?”

“ Them? There was no talk of bringing it a gift. Nobody informed us.”

“ They will not speak unless you’ve brought a gift.”

“ I have an apple..”, Adhar says quietly.

The Minotaur hold out his hand awaiting Adhar. Adhar places the apple in his palm. The bull places the apple into a slot by the cell and pushes it into the opening. For a moment it’s just quiet but then a voice calls out. It sounded like a child, a man, and a woman all speaking at once. Like three voices stacked on top of one another.

“Have you met my children? My aspects ?”

“ Children ?” Roman called out the darkness.

“ Yes, they are my flesh and blood and …bone. Created in my image”, the voices groaned.

“ I wasn’t aware,” said Roman cautiously.

“ Perhaps you have read the apocrypha ?”, said a child’s voice. It startled Jane.

Roman doesn’t respond.

“ This is what you were wore that day….it is not ?”, said the child voice. Suddenly the blackness of the glass faded until it revealed a little boy….

Roman

His palms grew cold and wet. The room was hot. There it stood. The reoccurring nightmare that he could never truly out run. Himself.

8 year old Roman stood in front of him in a cotton lava lava, barefoot, no shirt because it was especially hot that day. He’d been playing in the water and his mother finally flagged him down to eat. He ate the last meal he would ever eat from her. He played with his siblings making sand cakes and running around the shore line. Then his life turned upside down.

“ Roman”, he heard Jane whispered to him. He couldn’t even turn around to face her. He was utterly frozen in place. The memories come back to him. His crying, being pried from the hands of his mother, sand burn on his back from being dragged, the screaming, the pleading. Nobody understanding him because of the language barrier. The confusion. The realization that he would never see his family again. The realization that his parents were not invincible and in the end, there was nothing they could do against German occupation. The harshness in the soldiers' glares. The disgust.

“ Or perhaps…this form would be better…”, The creature morphed into his tormentor. Queen Augusta Luise. She stood with a knowing smirk on her face, fanning herself with that imported Chinese fan. She was in her usual dramatic ball gown with an obnoxiously large ruby and diamond necklace. Her hair was in a tight updo with brown hard curls pinned at the top of her head. Her blue eyes cut him as they always had. It had even mimicked her thick accent.

The most gut wrenching, visceral, primal rage came over him. If he ever saw Augusta again he vowed that he would make her suffer. He stepped closer to the cell and the Minotaur reached a hand out to his chest.

“ They can’t get out. You can’t go in. It is written.”

“ What does it want?” Roman urged.

“ Your pain is your payment. If you want the key your pain, secrets, and sins will be judged. There is no prize without punishment.”

“ That hardly sounds fair.”

“ Is it not? You desire a treasure older than your existence. A treasure that can only be held in the hands of a worthy man. Are you worthy ?”

Roman frowned. “ What does my pain do for you?”

“ feeds us..”

Roman frowned, disturbed by its words.

“ We are hungry. It has been many years since we have tasted the sweetness of fruit ... .but the sweetness of sorrow is unmatched. It is dripping from one of you. We could not pass up this opportunity”, says Augusta’s clone with a sickly fake sympathetic voice.

“ Is it really worth it all? We don’t need a fucking key to get the treasure. I’ll take my bloody gun and shoot whatever’s holding the goddamn thing. What does this thing know about any of us?”, William whispered to Roman.

“ William Wright. Prideful William”, The monster morphed into a 3 year old boy with strawberry blonde hair, freckles, large green eyes and a button nose. It’s voice became tiny to match the body it emulated. Jane’s eyes widened in horror as William dropped to his knees in as soon as he saw the boy.

“ Too prideful to spend time with your only son thinking being a provider is more important than being there for your sick child.. Now he’s gone and what do you have to show for it ? A dead General who did nothing wrong but give you the commands you signed up for. Plucking out his eyes in a misplaced fury….”, This monster morphed into a burly man with blonde hair, and a bloody face with missing eyes.

“ Stop this! You know nothing!”, William cried in agony. Jane debated comforting him or staying put. She didn’t want the attention to turn on her.

The creature taunts William in his sons form and voice, leaning against the barrier. “ Prideful William, too prideful to say that he took out his own eyeball in guilt but instead lies and claims that he lost it in a sword fight. William the prideful. Too prideful to write to his wife. You ignore her letters. You let her wallow in her grief alone. Oh…pride is your true love. This sin suits you well. Even now…you cannot face the truth. You refuse it.”

William sat on the floor reduced to tears, head tucked between his legs. How easy this fierce man broke down. Roman’s fierce fighter had self- destructed. A reminder that everyone has something in their life worth crying over no matter how strong they appear.

Roman rested his hands on Williams' shoulder. He looked back up into the cell to see Augsta staring at him with that smirk again.

“ Do you accept..wraithful Roman?”

Roman’s face fell. “ Fine…but not her.”

Augusta twirled her hair playfully. “ If your pain is worth the treasure you seek, then perhaps…”

“ NOT. HER”, said Roman sternly.

“ We shall see. Come …”, the monster said in a gentle voice as it morphed into a young woman with nearly ankle length jet black hair. She had tawny brown skin, thick brown eyes, a wide nose and full pink lips. She was gorgeous… She was his mother.

Roman let the tears happen, he didnt try to wipe them away. It was too painful to claim indifference. It had been many years since he saw her face. His mother– the monster, was crying with him. She placed her hand on the invisible barrier and Roman nearly did the same. He stopped himself remembering that it wasn’t her.

“ She grieved you for a long time. She didn’t believe you to be gone forever. She convinced herself that it was a bad dream and that you were simply lost. But you were not lost.. You had a new mother..”, said the womanly voice. The monster then turned to Augusta again. Anger creeped up on the back of his neck. He always felt anger on his back and on his neck. Now it was no different.

“ Have your lover the fantasies you have of killing your former mother?”

“ She is not my mother..”, Roman sneered.

“ You called her Mommy. You held her hands in yours, appeased her even when she made you beg for a God you didn't believe in. She beat you into submission. So peculiar how hatred can turn into an obsession. You were her little doll and you performed for her for years. Making her believe that her love was the cause for your greatness. Fencing, Math, Polo, Portuguese,Spanish, German, English, Japanese. Star pupil…handsome and muscular. Smart as a whip. Well spoken…they would say. When her back was turned you spat in her food. You stole her items and sold them for free. You cursed her name every night before you closed your eyes. Too afraid to show your rage, too afraid to upset your captor. How she had turned you into her perfect pet, performing at a whim and entertaining her high born friends.Then suddenly she outgrew you. Her little puppy had turned into a wolf and that rage had cracked and broken the seams of your composure. She kicked out her dog..”, The monster taunted. It shifted to his teenage self in tattered clothes.

“ Suddenly the victim becomes the monster. Does she know about the killing spree you went on after she discarded you? Kings guards, high society sweethearts? Anyone who looked at you wrong? You may believe that your anger was warranted but how many orphans did you create ? Mothers you made childless? They called you the Lacerator because of the mess you left behind. Everywhere you went there was destruction and pain. You killed your fellow pirates in ways that would make the devil blush. You killed for money, for greed, for power. Yet you believe that the family you formed in your crew washes the stain of blood from your hands?”

Roman turned to Jane to see a sick look on her face. Would she see him differently after this?

“ You mention no context. Those people saw me as subhuman. Some of them were even ordered to kill me or took it upon themselves to torment me. I did what I had to do to survive”, Roman countered.

“ Not all of them were high born. Some of them were similar to yourself. Class traitor…so dignified in your approach to violence. Does she know that every moment of your life you have a wraith boiling inside of you so legendary that I can feel it through our barrier. You wish to harm me. You wish to harm those who have done you wrong but instead you have pillaged your way to your current riches. The same way the Germans pillaged your people. No amount of blood spilled will fill the hole inside of you. Wraithful Roman. Be hopeful that all this suffering will have amounted to something. May god save the ones you love if you get to that treasure and find nothing but bones and dust.”

Roman watched silently as the monster morphed itself into countless faces…some he remembered and others he didn’t. He could bare it no longer.

“ You got what you wanted”, Roman sneered. The monster froze with the terror stricken face of his last kill. A pirate from Captain Night’s ship.

“ Adhar…oh Adhar....”, the creature groaned in a woman’s voice. It’s figure became that of a woman moaning in pleasure. Gingers, Brunette’s, Black, White, Asian. Fair skinned and Dark skinned. They all moaned Adhar’s name one after the other.

“ They all loved you, Adhar. What is it about you that drives women to madness ? What wound do you press against that makes them feel so unworthy. Or is it you? Is it you who feels unworthy ? Is it you searching for something you never had ? Perhaps it was your mother. She couldn’t be bothered to care about you. She was forced to have you. You barely know the warmth of a mothers love. Or was it your father ? Nothing was ever truly good enough for him. You weren’t a man in his eyes. Kita almost made you whole again. She loved you dearly…”, a soft voice called out. She was undoubtedly south Asian. Green eyes, curly shoulder length hair, elaborate jewelry and an olive complexion. Roman looked back at Adhar to see a watery smile spread across his face.

“ I didn’t have any money. I just wanted to be able to provide for Kita. To give her nice things. To take care of her like a real man”, Adhar sniffled.

“ Instead of stepping up, asking her father for her hand and living a humble life— you rob and steal. You killed the market owner, someone you knew since childhood. You take from your own community. You betray the ones you love for money. They had no choice but to send you away leaving Kita with broken promises and a broken heart. What do you do to ease the pain? You pursue countless women, giving them sweet nothings. They awake to the smell of you on their sheets. Lustful lonely Adhar, so sure he’s content. So sure that he’s simply a kind man. So sure he made the right choice but constantly searching for a woman you’ll never have. Your longing has no restraint. It is so boundless that it has made you envious of the man who saved you from a life of poverty and starvation”, said the monster.

Adhar breathing quickened. His fists balled up in flattered fashion. “I- I- I just didn’t want to be …I didn’t meant to hurt anyone. That was never my intent….”

Then with a sudden turn of events Kita morphed into full lips, brown almond eyes and black onyx hair. Roman looked at himself on the other side of the glass. The monster mirrored him perfectly before splitting itself into a second person. Jane. The monster had morphed into himself and Jane. Roman tensed up not understanding where this was going,

“ Not only are you lustful but you are envious. Envious of affections shared between your captain and your new friend. Envious of a love lost. Envious of the love brewing between Roman and his intended. If you feel that you are unloveable—then you will always be. No matter how much you fuck the loneliness away you are lustful lonely Adhar. Adar the envious”, said Roman’s Doppelganger. It turned to kiss Jane’s doppelganger. Adhar looked sick as he glanced over to Roman and then Jane.

Roman was just as embarrassed as Adhar was. All the speculations he had about Adhar and it never occurred to him that he was jealous of what he and Jane shared. He assumed he just wanted Jane but that wasn’t the case. He wanted what they had. He didn’t know about Kita or much about his life before. Adhar was a newer crew member who he didn’t get the chance to speak with often. He took him in because of his proficiency with the sword.

Roman turned to look back at Jane who was standing behind the Minotaur now. The last time she looked this frantic was the first time they saw each other. William was in a ball on the floor staring at the wall. Adhar looked like he was seconds from cracking. Everyone was a mess. Now he understood what the creature meant when it said pain. Everything about this was painful. Their worst thoughts about themselves actualized.

“ If you don’t mind sir I’ll…be waiting behind the door. Just yell for me? ”, Adhar looked to Roman. Roman nodded in agreement allowing him an early exit.

“ We are done”, Roman says with resistance. For the first time in his life…he was afraid. He was afraid of what came next. He was afraid for Jane.

“ I could stop now but…this treasure that you want. It’s more than just Gold, Silver, Rubies and Diamonds. This treasure would make you the wealthiest person to have ever lived. The monarchies would pale in comparison to you. I have seen nothing to convince me of any of your repentance. If you give me her pain I could feed off it for months. Give me her or you return to your ship and get swallowed by the sea”, the monster hissed. It’s voice was nowhere near the familiarity of a human. It was stripped of any of humanity.

“ She is mine to protect. We will and take our chances. Jane come, we are leaving ,” Roman stalked to her but she stepped back.

“ N-no. No I can do it.”

“ I don’t want this. You don’t want this Jane”, Roman raised his tone ever so slightly. He didn’t mean to but his mind was spinning. Whatever she wasn’t ready to tell him, surely this wasn’t the way she’d go about it?

Jane walked over to him and placed her hands in his in an attempt to calm him.“Do you honestly think that this would be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me? I’m stronger than you think. Besides…it all had to have been for something. There’s nothing that this thing can tell me that I haven’t already told myself”, Jane smiled sadly. Roman nodded and hesitantly stepped out of her way.

Jane

The creature before her was incomprehensible. It was all things horror, despair, loneliness, fear, lust and darkness. It was many things and then nothing at all. Limbs, eyes, many teeth—countless teeth. Many faces and orphases. Its shape took up the entirety of it cell. And then in an instant it mirrored her. It looked just like her, like she was standing in a mirror.

“ I’m probably not in the position to make requests but…would it be okay if William left the room as well as the Minotaur.”

“ fine”, said the monster.

The Minotaur picks up William and throws him over his shoulder, leaving out of the room. Now it was just Roman and herself and this ….thing.

“ Come closer sweet little creature…”, said her doppelganger.

She stepped forward just a few short inches from the barrier. Her doppelganger looked her up and down, walking back and forth from one end of the cage to another in a predatory fashion. Jane didn’t not falter her gaze.

“ I was told you like women ? Why is that ?”

“ Like isn’t the word I’d use to describe you creatures. It’s so much more than that. The essence of a woman is sweeter…their secrets—darker. You are the original sinners. Your capacity for corruption knows no bounds.”

“ I see”, says Jane quietly.

“ Jane Ramlal. Trinidad and Tobago…. September 22nd. Family is gone—I presume it’s from the Spanish and British occupation”, her doppleganger assessed in a detached manner.

“ You have a knack for lying don’t you? Your grandfather taught you reading, writing and arithmetic. Very rare for a girl like you…and to have to pretend all those years to not know a thing.”

“ he did.”

“ Such sadness. It wafts off you. Depressive, even as a child. Fun times were short lived. It’s almost like you were doomed from the start.”

Jane doesn’t respond. There was no need to. She couldn’t change what she was born into. There no point in being defensive.

“ You killed a general with your cousin at 10 years old. You put a scotch bonnet in his drink and it burned a hole in his stomach. I would deduct points for that but he wasn’t a very good man either. Seems like you know how to pick the bad apples unlike your dear friend Roman.”

“ It wasn’t right.”

The creature looked at her strangely as if her accountability was unusual.

“ How hard it must have been for you working for high society. Cruel wives and their vulture husbands. The last 13 years of your life have seemed to blur together. Every day is the same. Work, sleep, work, sleep. No enjoyment, no happiness. It’s as if I’m looking at a loop.”

Jane remained unmoved. “ Yes I only just…started living recently.”

<<<<<<<IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO BRIEF MENTIONS OF SA STOP HERE. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!!!!!!!!

“ And you are no stranger to the violence of men?”

And there it was. Jane froze and closed her eyes slowly in shame. That’s it… the moment she was dreading. The one thing she would never say. The reasons she told the other men to leave.

“ I am more than familiar”, she croaked.

“ Something was taken from you…more than once. And again fairly recently on this boat taking you the America’s. You wish to not exist..?”

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<SAFE.

“ I….”, tears flooded Jane’s eyes. “ I have many times.”

The doppelganger tilted its head. “even now?”

“ Months ago. Not now.”

“ That desire drove you to poke holes into the hull of that ship for months with screws and knives. When the storm came the ship could not withstand it. However, the storm took a violent turn and you were left for dead. You survived by hanging onto driftwood. What a viper you are. You play helpless very well”, the Doppelganger smirked at her.

“ Yes…I did those things”, Jane said stoically. She wasn’t proud of what she did but she felt that she had no other choice. She wouldn’t bother rationalizing it to the creature.

“ You have been given an exit from your suffering. You cannot tell the dark from the light. All around you… endless possibilities. So many women would want what you have. The chance to start over but you are haunted by your past. I give you the sin of trisitia. An old sin long before the seven. Tristia…sorrow..Are you aware of the cure for each sin?”

“ I am not.”

“ For lust it is self control. For gluttony it is temperance. For greed it is charity. For sloth it is diligence. For wrath it is patience. For envy it is kindness. And for pride it is humility. Can you guess what the cure for sorrow is ?”

“ No…”

“ To live. Jane Ramlal…I sentence you to live.”

Jane looked thoughtfully at her doppleganger. The last few months had proven to her that she didn’t know what it meant to live until recently. It wasn’t just surviving like she’d always known. Living…enjoying life. Eating food when you’re not hungry. Not caring about how rich a dessert tastes. Buying clothes for fun. Listening to music and swaying to it. Relaxing and not feeling guilty about it. Being present enough to laugh at a joke. Being admired and not feeling unworthy for it. That was living. That was what she’d been missing for so long. “ Have I…given you enough ?”

“ I suppose. You are worthy of this treasure. You may have the key”, says the creature in a bold flat tone. It shifts back into its original form. Carefully it used their hand to reach inside of one of its many mouths and pulled out a key with a long chain. It placed the key into the slot box, pushing it to the outside. Jane picked up the key and held it in her palm. It was a mortice shape.

“ Only you may wear it. If you give the key to anyone else it will destroy them. Now that you have this key there will be many creatures that do not want you to have it. Keep it safe and do not lose it.”

“ I will protect it”, Jane placed the chain around her neck and tucked it into her shirt.

She turned to Roman and saw such a tired and withered expression on his face. It was as if being here had aged him 10 years.

“ Let’s get out of here”, she said.

“ Goodbyeeee friendsssss!”, the creature hissed.

Roman makes no protest as he leads her out of the room. The Minotaur, William, and Adhar all stood quietly by the stairs. They gathered their weapons and made way for the boat. The bull led them back out to their ship without so much as a goodbye. She walked up the ramp and looked back at the Minotaur standing in the entrance.

Magic was real. It was as real as rain. And it was dark. This..she knew to be true now.

An exhaustion came over her so heavily. She stumbled into Roman’s cabin, kicking off her boots. He trailed behind her placing his weapons on the same table they strategized at. William and Adhar left to go be alone. Truthfully she didn’t want to be alone after something so triggering and sensitizing.

She’d never seen Roman cry and his nose was still red from it. She studied his face thinking about all the things he did. She felt not a single ounce of judgment towards him. He was a bit more morally complex than she initially thought. There was a time in his life that he was unrecognizable compared to the man before her. She understood it all. She could accept that anger for his past. She was still angry about her own past—sin or not.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes before he pulled a hidden stash of rum. He sat out two glasses and she chugged the first serving. The second glass she poured on her own, filling it all the way to the rim. Alcohol never really made the pain stop but it slowed down her thoughts. She took another burning gulp.

“ Easy….”, Roman sighed across the table. She sat the cup down and suddenly the tears came. They racked over her heavily and violently. She muffled the sounds with her face in her hands. Roman reached across the table and grabbed one of her hands.

“ It’s alright dove”, he whispered.

“ It’s not alright. I feel. I feel…violated. I feel open. I hate this feeling.”, she sniffled.

“ We all do.”

“ I was never going to tell you what happened to me. Especially on that ship.”

“ Why….”

“ Because men pretend to sympathize…to empathize. They pretend to be good people but they’re not. You tell them your past and they’ll be sure to give you double of it. To make it hurt worse.”

Roman didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure how to.

“ I…have spent so many years trying to come to peace with it. Then the ship happened and it unraveled me. I don’t know if I’ll ever be whole enough again to give you what you want.”

Roman frowned in confusion.“ What do I want ?”

“ What all men want. Real sex. Not whatever game that was a week ago.”

“ Game? That’s how you saw it ?”

“ What could be better than taking the pleasure you want as opposed to spending all your time giving it ? I came and you got nothing”, Jane scoffed, wiping her face.

“ You’re approaching this like some type of payment Jane. Sex isn't some transaction—at least not how I see it. Not with you. I don’t pleasure you in hopes that you do it back. I do it because I enjoy it and nothing more.”

“ I don’t believe you”, she shrugged.

Roman was dumbfounded. Absolutely dumbfounded. He thought he made his intentions clear.

“ What aren’t I saying to make this better? What am I missing ? How do I take this pain from you ?”

“ You can't, it's already done.”

“ Jane..”

“ I can’t….I can’t go all the way with you right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever enjoy real sex again. And what’s even more maddening is that I experience a desire for you that supersedes any other man I’ve encountered. I crave you in a way that is foreign to me. But I cannot give you the very thing that I’m supposed to. What any woman would. I’m trapped in my body—in my desire. I’m fucked up. I’m…broken Roman.”

“ Don’t say that….”

“ I am.. it’s true.”

“ It’s not true. I want whatever you give me. I want you. There’s so many other options on the table for us. It doesn’t have to be just ONE way Jane. However and whatever we decide to do is for us only. There’s no guideline on this sort of thing. I’m in no rush.”

“ You told me that if I chose you I would be guilty of crime by association. I’m telling you if you choose me—I may not be able to fulfill you sexually in the way that you need. At least not in this moment. That could be days, months, weeks, years. It could be a lifetime if we make it that long.”

“ I’m telling you that there are other ways. I am more than fulfilled right now. I’m fulfilled by your gaze. The touch of your hand. Whatever you’re comfortable with is what I’m comfortable with.”

“ You say that now but what happens when what I give you is not enough anymore? There could be someone else, someone more willing. Someone more beautiful.”

“ You must think my brain is located in my cock”, Roman chuckled.

“ I…I just want it all out of the table.”

“ No seriously. You’ve got to stop with these generalized statements about men. I know the horrors of men. Every person who looks like you and me understands those horrors. What I can say is that I know men don’t always have the best representatives. A good portion of them are shit—even I can agree. And for about a decade of my life I was one of them. But people do change Jane. I changed. I changed even more when I met you. Being able to call you mine is enough. Whatever you’re comfortable with. I will never pressure you. I meant it when I said you’ve paid your dues. I’m not here to cause you anymore pain. Neither one of us needs that now. Especially not after today”, Roman urged.

She carefully took in everything he said. The conviction in which he spoke, the sincerity in his eyes… he was telling the truth. Her gut told her so.

Roman continued. “ You and me—you especially, have been through hell and back. Let us have this one thing to ourselves, for ourselves. Leave the expectations behind you. I’m not your dictator. I'm not here to tell you what you should or should not do as a woman. I just want this, I want us. Nothing more.”

Jane’s face wrinkled in confusion. Roman was a strange bird. Any other man would have walked away—at least the ones she encountered previously. “ That’s not very traditional, you know ? You really truly want this…all my darkness? All my pain? It’s not too much for you ?”

“ In case you haven’t noticed, I’m nowhere near a traditional man. I could ask you the same but who else would understand me like you? You heard about all those things I did in my past and you still look at me like I hold the moon and stars. Like me—an ole’ pirate, has the right to cast judgment over you. I want you and anything that comes with it. The good and the bad.”

Roman gets up from his chair and walks over to her, crouching down to where she sat. Her arms leaned over his shoulders and she wrapped them around him tightly in a deep decompressing embrace. How often do they hug?? Not often, if even at all especially for it to have felt so good. She revels in the feeling, confused on how something so simple had taken so much weight off her shoulders. He pulls away and cradles her face in his hands.

“ I will take your darkness and turn it sweet. This I vow to you. No secret of yours should be burdened alone”, he says.

“ Okay”, mutters wiping a stray tear from her cheek. Why did she always end up crying in his arms? Why was it so easy too?

“ Okay”, he chuckles. He kisses her lips gently and sweetly. Like she’s made of glass. She doesn’t mind it. She doesn’t mind being doted on and revered as precious especially after such a hard conversation.

“ What can I do to make your frown turn upside down ?”

“ I need a hot bath”, she murmured.

“ Okay I can do that . Any other requests ?”

“ More of what you made me earlier.”

“ ahh. The Oka l’a ?”

“ Yes please”, she mumbled face first into his shoulder. All that crying had made her sleepy.

“ Your wish is my command.”

Roman

Much to Roman’s dismay, they stopped on the deserted island with the rotting boat for barnacle scraping. It was necessary to ensure that the ship continued to travel at its highest speed. Barnacle scraping was one of the more annoying facets of being a crew member. In moments like this he was thankful to be the Captain. All that sand and salt water battering against someone while they scraped away with all their might—it wasn’t fun. Rory and Thomas were on duty. He watched them scrape against the hall of the boat, flinging the barnacles into the sand.

He needed to touch land and recenter his thoughts. His mind kept wandering back to all the venom that the creature spat. The conversation with Jane played on a loop in his mind. He had come to the realization that every action he made with Jane was in protest to all the beliefs she had about men. It would be his job to show her better everyday. It wasn’t a hard job but she was resistant to her prior beliefs. He was patient with her.

He let a wave of warmth fill his lungs from his pipe as he stared at his ship from the beach. Should he feel guilty for his anger towards the monarchy? It wasn’t just Augusta that caused him pain. There were many people like her. However, he was angry quite a lot. It was something he had only recently gotten a hold of 5 years ago. He found other cathartic ways to deal with it. He’d gotten into reading again and collecting cigars. He’d even gotten a fucking parrot but every now and then his mind would wonder.

He’d rethink arguments and injustices and dream up something better. A desperate need to be the savior he needed for himself. The thirst for vengeance. The occurring nightmares did him no favours. Sure, he was remorseful of the violence that ensued. His treck to the top of the food chain had been bloody—sometimes unnecessarily. He was bitter for many years. Still, if Roman had no choice but to be removed from his family he would choose being a pirate always. He never wanted the life of a monarch.

This constant battle of being a fierce figurehead and a the gentlest version of himself for Jane was a catch 22. One side of him needed the other, yet his line of work contradicted the very thing he wanted to give her. How much longer could this go on? He would never out run the cruel man he used to be. But he had to make space for the man Jane needed.

The ache for her returned, dull and throbbing like a maddening tooth ache. Ever since he’d nearly left her it seemed like there was a thin long string between them. If he got too far she’d pop into his head and somehow he’d return. He’d have to head back soon. But he needed this fucking smoke.

He undressed her for her bath in his room. She was stunning while clothed and even more stunning naked. It seemed quite redundant after the intensity of their discussion. However she seemed to be fairly comfortable. He kissed her intensely before he left, he could still feel it on his mouth. He liked the way she used his space, it made the cabin feel “lived in”. He could see himself shutting out the world and imagining the captain's quarters as a house on land. She’d be busy doing tasks around the space like a house. There would not be a roaring sea outside and he’d have her all to himself. He would soon suggest the idea of her moving her things into his cabin. There was no use in being apart.

He turned around to look at the boat, realizing he had strayed further away than he should have. He threw his cigar in the sand and squashed it with his foot. He watched the embers burn out in the sand. A distant yell snaps him out of his thoughts.

He can see Thomas stumbling backwards in the distance before getting up and lunging forward. Maybe a fight broke out? Roman starts a light jog back to the boat. Another yell and Adhar appears to be swinging his sword around—fighting? Roman was sprinting now. He dreaded the thought of secret attack but how? They were in the middle of nowhere.

He ran to the other side of the boat to find Thomas sparing with what could only be described as a skeleton. A skeleton?

“ Don’t just stand there! It’s strong !”, Thomas choked. It took Roman a moment to actually process what he was looking at. Not even the creatures in the prison confused him this much. The Skeleton had its forearm pressed against Thomas's neck. Roman grabbed the back of its head and swung it effortlessly to the ground. The bones shattered apart. The two just stand there panting while looking at the pile of bones.

“ How the fuck did you manage to let a skeleton choke you?”, Roman turned to Thomas.

Thomas rubbed his sore throat. “ I’m telling you it was kind of strong. And it’s bones hurt. Bloody thing got me while my back was turned”, he hissed. Suddenly Thomas’s eyes widened. Roman turns around to find that the skeleton had reanimated. This time he pulled out his sword and slashed across it’s sternum with his sword, causing it to fall again.

“ Bloody hell….”, Roman groaned as the Skeleton made yet another attempt and rebuild itself.

“ Just keep it discombobulated. It can’t hurt you if it can’t put itself back together”, he gave his sword to Thomas and stalked back to the ramp.

The top deck was hell. Pirates' backs were being ridden by skeletons in Tang dynasty armor. Rory blasted through a group of skeletons with a roar sending bone parts flying everywhere. Adhar was sword fighting with two skeletons at the same time. Williams fought at the edge of the ship sending bones flying into the sand. Caden used a femur as a weapon warding off approaching skeletons. Each time a skeleton was knocked down they’d reanimate and come back for more.

“ Anybody got a fucking match ?”, Williams yelled with a pipe in his mouth flying a bone down the beach.

“ Don’t even bother they won’t burn, OUCH!”, Earl yelped as a Skeleton bit his ear.

The skeletons that managed to get on the ship held Dao’s. Some of them were rusted by sea water making sharp, rusted, jagged weapons that could potentially kill someone. That’s how Roman ended up in a fight with an armored Skeleton holding a spear. One for the story books.

Jane

She actually didn’t mean to fall asleep in his bed but he insisted that he had work to do. To her surprise she woke up to yelling. She quickly grabbed her pistol off Roman’s table and busted the French doors open to find utter chaos. Skeletons were everywhere and they were angry? Roman fought somewhere in the middle of the deck, throwing Skeleton heads in the air and kicking them off the boat.

An especially tall Skeleton in thick black armor came stomping towards her. Her eyes widened and she lifted her gun at its head, shooting at it in three short bursts. She shot the head, chest and pelvis. It paused looking at her momentarily before collapsing onto itself. Roman turned around, nose flared in a heavy irritation. He storms over to her.

“ Get back in there and close the door”, he hissed.

“ What ?! No. I just killed that thing. It looks like you guys need the help!”, she gawked.

“ It’s not safe t-— wait”, Roman punched the head off a skeleton creeping up behind Jane.

“ They’re trying to stab people with rusty knives. I’ll be damned if you die because a bag of bones shanked you. Go back into my room and lock the door”, Roman demanded. Another Skeleton attempted to swipe at Jane with a spear. He snatched the spear from the Skeleton’s arms causing the bones to disconnect from it. Now an armless Skelton was trying to bite him.

“ I’m fighting. We talked about this. You said I was perfectly capable of defen— HEY!”, Jane scoffs as Roman picks her and throws her over his shoulder like a bag of flour. She scrambles against his hold, beating against his back but it’s pointless.

Roman storms through the French doors and plops her on the bed. She takes a pillow and throws it at him. When she realizes he’s heading for the door she sprints after him. She's a second slower than him and he manages to trap her inside.

Roman

He wraps his belt around the double door handles and places a sword in between them to prevent her escape. He can hear her yelling and beating from the other side.

“ William!”

“ Aye Cap’n?”, he turns to Roman, face drenched with sweat.

“ Do not let Jane leave that room. Do not let anything enter that room. She can’t come out.”

“ Aye”, William stalked over to the door with a pistol standing in front of it.

“ JACKASS!!”, she shouts from the other side of the door.

10 minutes into this “fight” a skeleton had actually managed to slash the skin on his arm. It did nothing but piss him off more. Thomas had retreated back onto the boat with a Skeleton biting his ankle like one of those rat terriers.

“ We need to get off this bloody island!” Adhar yelled in exhaustion. There were over 100 Skeletons reanimating themselves with some rising from the under the sand, crawling from the rotten boat and even coming out of the tree line.

“ Fuck this. Raise the sails. Cortez! Get us out!” Roman yelled, pushing another skeleton down the side of the boat.

They made sail again, throwing the bones overboard. The reanimated bones on the shoreline tried following the boat but fell apart once the water reached their knees. What was left of the skeletons was dumped in the water.

The men sat there panting on the wind deck. This was somehow the perfect way to end a shitty day. Some of them had bite marks, cuts and bruises. Others just looked disheveled.

“ Let me out of here you NOW!!”, he heard Jane screech from the other side of the door. Roman painfully peeled himself from the floor and untied the French doors. Jane swung the door open and pushed Roman. He barely stumbled. Her eyes widened when she saw his arm.

“ You’re hurt”, she held his arm.

“ Just a scratch”.

“ You’re bleeding onto the fucking floor. Earl!.”, She pulled him inside the cabin and sat him down.

Earl came and assessed his arm.“Superficial though I’m sure very uncomfortable. You won’t need any stitches; the cut was clean. Why don’t we get you an astringent, some ointment and a bandage?”

“ I can help him. Why don’t you go relax Earl. I’m sure it’s been a long day for you.”

Earl thanked her and gave her the wound supplies before leaving, likely to go assess his own bite. After a quick wash up, Roman sat at the table with Jane on her knees, pressed witch hazel against the wound. She rinsed it cleaned and dabbed bag balm on the very top.

“ You know you might not have gotten than cut if you actually let me help”, she sighed wrapping his arm with a bandage.

“ It was no big deal.”

“ Oh really? If it was no big deal then why didn’t you let me help?”, she bit.

“ Rusty. knives.”

“ I don’t. care”, she mimicked.

Jane rolled her eyes and sat the bandage roll on the table. Roman unexpectedly pulled her forward in between his legs, leaning over her just inches above her face.

Roman smirked. “ Have I ever told you how cute you are when you’re mad?”

He leaned down and kissed her mouth firmly in a long hum. She stiffened and then softened, swatting at his chest as he pulled away. He chuckled at the pout on her face.

“ You’re not funny”, she whined with annoyance.

“ Maybe not but I have to admit, after all the shit that happened today I never guessed I would be nearly stabbed by a dead guy.”

“ Well…that thing did say that other creatures won’t want us to have the key . I just hope nothing else comes up. Nothing we can’t handle at least”, Jane sighed.

“ Whatever it is we will get through it.”

“ Not if you lock me away”, she frowns.

“ Alright fine. Next time I promise but not if I sense your imminent death.”

“ Fine but you’re going to have to make it up to me.”

“ How ?”

“ I don’t know.”

“ I could always give you a kiss.”

“ You just gave me a kiss?”

“ Not that kind of kiss darling.”

She yawns in an exaggerated manner. “ Maybe with breakfast. I’m exhausted.” She stands putting the pound supplies back in the aid kit.

“ Then… I bid you a goodnight Miss Ramlal.”

“ Good night you stubborn ass”, she drawled on her way to the door.

“ One of these days you’re going to have to move your things in with mine. it’s only right ”, he called back to her.

“ In the midst of you making it up to me, maybe you’ll give me your proposition”, she winked at the door before turning the corner.

Roman accepted that challengeand went to bed with a stiff cock.

Jane

Thanks to her nap earlier she was up tonight. She read, she had a snack, she even tried on new dresses she got back in Port Plado before they left. She was bored. It also didn’t help that ever since their exchange she’d thought alot about that “convincing”. She should have taken the offer.

A knock on her door pulled her from her thoughts. She gets up pulling on her robe and answers the door. Roman is standing there wish disheveled hair, opened shirt, just trousers.

“ May I come in ?” He asks quietly.

“ Of course”, she moved over to let him sit on her bed.

“ How’d you know I was awake?”

“ I could see a light under your door.”

“ Oh. Right ”, she smiled pulling her robe around herself.

“ feeling okay ?”

“ yes I’m fine. Just a bit restless”, she looked at his trousers and could see a dint. Her belly flipped in excitement but she tried to hide it. He seemed tired.

“May I…..touch you ?”

Fuck it…

“ Ye—-.” before she can even finish the word he ambushes her, covering her mouth with his mouth. He pushes up her dress. They fell backwards on the bed. He pins her left leg to her stomach, keeping her open to reveal her glistening center. He licks three fingers and places them at her clit swirling them in tight firm circles. Her eyes nearly cross as her head falls back. He's so big she can’t close her legs. He props her other leg over his shoulder for better access. She has to cover her mouth from the sudden stimulation. She’s audibly wet which gives away the arousal she’s had for the last few hours. He pulls back to spit on her cunt and then resumes with those firm circles.

“ Roman ”, she sighs.

“Jane”, he mocks quietly.

“ What are you doing ?”, she asks lazily. She knew exactly what but her mind didn’t have enough time to calculate the last 30 seconds.

“ You really do have such a pretty cunt”, he grunted against her mouth. She just sighs softly against them, closing her eyes and relishing in the warmth of his fingers.

“ I’ve been thinking about how it tastes ever since that night. I told you…there are so many ways to get my point across. You haven’t an inkling on what truly satisfies me. I can’t be satifised- won’t be satisfied, unless I can see you crumble in my fucking hands.” His tone was rough and sharper than usual. She didn’t mind it at all. He pulls back to gently but firmly slap her cunt and it ignites all of her pleasure centers. She gasps, Instinctively closing her legs. To no avail she remains wide open to him. Her back bends off the bed as he continues rubbing her clit.

“ Stay right there. You’re doing such a good job”, he whispered. She’s whimpering behind her hand now. He looks down to see a sticky arousal forming around his fingers.

“ You see, if you were in my bed you could yell as loud as you want. Think about that next time because I plan on doing this again”, he sucked her neck. Her eyes rolled around her skull as she gripped his bicep. She can feel her nails biting into his skin. It just makes his hand move faster.

“ Roman…sensitive”, she warned.

“ I hope you know that you’re not getting up from under me until you’re properly ruined”, he chuckles darkly. He flashes his teeth and he can see another dreadful wave of arousal come over her features.

“ You’re not ready to go all the way, that’s fine. I can take that. Take all the time you need but I will watch you cum. Whether I do it for you or you do it yourself. I will watch you shatter every single time Jane”, he murmured against her temple. Her brows scrunch and her lips tremble into a pout as she feels herself coming close to the edge. A true delirium was seeping in as she neared her impending climax. That stage where she’d do or say anything to cum. No matter how bat shit crazy it was. She’d recite the Spanish alphabet if it meant he kept going.

“ Yes ...yes only you—make me come”, she whined hazily. Her entire body had broken out into a light sweat. Properly wanton and consumed by desire. Not caring about her appearance. Raw pleasure.

“ Only me, yes. Say it again”, he says with another quick slap to her cunt.

“ Onl-Oh fuuckk”, she squeaked.

“ Tell me all the filth going on in your head right now. Tell me and I’ll lick you a bit. Tell me what you were thinking about before I came in here”, he taunts in her ear.

“ Y-your tongue. Your shouldersss-shit!”, she moaned.

“ What a good girl you are..”, he pulls away and laps at her clit. His tongue is pleasantly cooler than her heated sensitive skin, which gives her a gush of relief. Yet as quickly as she relaxed, she tensed up at the feeling of his tongue. It poked, flicked, lapped and dipped at the entirety of her cunt, pushing her closer to her release. She was seconds away from coming undone right then but he pulled away to watch her sex. She’s drenched down to the sheets. The longer he prolongs her pleasure the wetter she gets. He licks into her awaiting mouth.

“ You like my tongue?”, he mumbles against her lips.

“ Yes I love it I love it love it”, she chants desperately into the quiet of his mouth. His fingers become more frantic.

He shuts her up here and there with lip locks, sucking on her tongue to keep her at bay. Or he’d pull away just to rest his forehead on hers and watch the way her face breaks up and contorts. H finds her devastating in the height of pleasure—a feast for the eyes. He kisses her forehead as she hiccups underneath him, becoming desperate for reprieve.

“ More ?”, he asks her. She neither nods nor denies, just stares at him with pleading eyes. He pulls his hand away.

“ Open your mouth and say it”, he says firmly.

“ Yes please”, she gushes desperately.

She bucks her hips. He takes his thumb into his mouth, sucks it and places it right on her clit, swirling in fast circles now. Her pleasure becomes more narrowed and more precise. Her head falls back but he uses his other hand to pull the back of her head up, forcing her to look at him.

“ Right here. Right at me”, he says. Forehead to forehead she can see his pupils dilate.

“ I’m- I- I ”, she whimpers. Her words fail her. She’s so close she can taste it.

“ Shh. Just give it to me darling”, he soothed shushing her.

She felt it was her duty to describe to him how good this felt. How mad she was driving her. She almost pitied him for not being able to feel this intensely. So good so…

“ Look at that. So… wet. You see what happens when you keep from it. It’s weeping Jane”, he taunts.

God his fingers... Holy shit his fucking fingers. In her right mind she’d debate if they were better than his tongue. She can only nod as her eyes roll into the back her skull drunkenly. Just what he wanted.

She fists the front of his shirt stretching it towards her, closing the rest of the distance between them.

“ I’m going to cum”, she croaks out in a panic from the force of which she can feel her orgasm sprinting towards her. She imagines it like a train. This would be a big one —just as big as the party if not bigger. She holds onto his wrist in an attempt to brace herself. Eyes wide and filled with worry and desire. There were over 100 pirates just outside that door and the only thing on her mind was how hard she was about to come.

And then her orgasm briefly paused in it’s pursuit of her and she was frozen at her peak for seconds longer than she’s used to. She wants to screech at the intensity. It was agonizing. It was deliciously agonizing. Her climax had her by her throat and it was nearly unbearable.

“ Go ahead, Dove. Don’t need my permission”, Roman whispered softly.

And his words dislodge any delays and fuck her mind. What follows is nothing but pure ecstasy. She contemplates pushing against his chest or biting him to withstand the force. All she can muster up is the bend of her back off the bed. He smashes his mouth to hers but there’s no need. The release is so intense she can barely make a sound. Her hearing gives out and the room fills with dots.

“ Breathe”, he whispers. She goes limp from the lack of air she denied herself.Seconds later he pulls his hand away.

The moment a gust of air pushes past her mouth he eats it, swallowing it down for himself and pulling her into a dizzying sloppy wet kiss. She’s panting heavily looking at him like a crazed man. Then they both look down to see her drenched center glistening against the lantern light.

“ Inside, okay ?”, He asks. She nods.

He gently takes two fingers and pushes them inside of her, feeling her slippery release. The squelch of his fingers brings an inner warmth to her cheeks that thankfully can’t be seen. He then pulls them out and watches her intently as he sucks on them. He attempts to swipe at her clit with his thumb again but she bucks against him, shaking her head in warning. Too much.

He chuckles at her expression and looks down hungrily between her legs. He takes a moment to pull those lips apart to see the wet inside of her. She's pulsating, flashes of her climax still seizing her flesh. He pulls his hand away to grab her chin and kiss her. She groans, feeling the heat nearly return to her core from him.

“ Can you taste yourself on my tongue ?”

She nods almost dumbly. Did she have room for another orgasm?

“ I like the way you taste. If I was in a crueler mood I’d pin you to this bed and eat your cunt until you started wailing. Push you past the point of sensitivity. I’ll save it for another day.”

She’s gobsmacked. Center out and he just looks back down at her.

“ I’m just getting one last look before I go into my cabin and tug on my cock with my fingers in my mouth”, he says in the most casual tone.

She can still see a tint in pants. He begins to pull away.

“ You…you could do it here”, she pants. He pauses.

She leans forward and grabs him through his pants. His eyes closed slowly as if he was hoping she wouldn’t.

“ You said—.”

“ There are other ways, you said so yourself.”

“ Are you sure you’re ready for that ?”

“ I am.”

“ Absolutely sure ?”, he presses.

“ Yes I’m absolutely sure”, she drawls.

“Okay. If you want me to stop, just say the word.”, he slowly reached down to his pants and pulled them down to his knees. He was bare under his trousers which caused his length to pop out and hit his belly button. Her eyes widened.

The length alone was just as concerning as was the girth. She was happy to have chosen a patient man because she would need it. But it was perfect. Tawny colored, with a thick vein in the center underneath. The head was flushed and wet with his own arousal. He took off his shirt. She noticed a slight curve to it when she reached forward and pulled him towards her. His skin was hot and throbbing, twitching in her hand. It almost made her giggle with how reactive his body seemed to her touch.

She pulled her hand away, dipping her hands between her still soaked thighs and spread it onto the base of him. His head fell back, looking at the ceiling in restraint. “Christ, fuck”, he spat. She moved her hand up and down his length.

“ You can fuck my hand…”, she giggled. Something about the sentence seemed silly to her but he didn’t laugh. Instead, he eagerly took her invitation, drawing his hips back to his tip and pushing into her hand. His eyes moved back and forth, up and down her body. She licked her other palm and pressed it firmly around his base, allowing him to use both of her hands..

Truthfully she needed two hands for his length alone. He went faster, which caused the bed to shift resulting in her bouncing. Her breasts bounced up and down with each thrust which nearly sent him over the edge.

He became more eager. It was so obvious he wanted a quick release and she was happy to give that to him. She looked down to see the squelch of arousal in her hand as his cock appeared and reappeared around her fist.

She reached down carefully and cupped his balls. Roman took a fist between his teeth as she massaged them slowly. His composure broke.

“ Tell me where you want it”, he huffed, thrusting into her fist like a cunt.

“ You decide”, she grinned mischievously up at him.

He came with a grunt and settled for her stomach and breasts. His release shocked her. It was the most beautiful thing to see him come undone. It didn’t push her away, it drew her in. The way every muscle in his body seemed to get bigger, the way his stomach contracted, the way his mouth hung open, his eyes, the grunting. She loved every single moment of it. It took her a few moments to notice the wetness between her chest and on her breasts. She looked down and swiped his arousal off her nipple with her finger, placing it in her mouth. He visibly shuddered.

“ You taste really good”, she smiled up at him. He leaned down for another kiss.

She no longer needed any convincing.

————

Hey guys I’m back and feeling better. New chapter by Sunday at the latest.

#spotify #roman reigns #roman reigns x oc #roman reigns x reader #the tribal chief #wwe #wwe smackdown #pirate au #roman reigns au #the head of the table

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