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marvelmusing · 1 year ago

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Dark Depths

Pairing: Merfolk!Aleksander Morozova x Human!Reader

Summary: As the childhood friend of the mermaid Alina, you’re unimpressed when she trades her tail to the Darkling in exchange for legs, especially when she uses her newfound human-ness to chase after a prince. No one but the Darkling seems to see how you’re feeling.

Warnings: brief allusions to smut, brief mentions of death, human to mermaid transformation

My Masterlist

“You’re the Darkling.”

The figure swims towards you in earnest now he knows he’s been spotted, propping his elbows on the edge of the rock you’ve perched yourself on. He lifts a dark brow, surprise colouring his features in response to you.

“Alina told me about you - before you stole her voice.”

The accusation in your tone is poorly disguised. His deep black eyes see right through you.

“She gave it to me willingly.”

“But you still didn’t have to take it,” you protest quietly with a childlike pout, your arms crossed over your knees as you press them to your chest.

“You’re angry with me.”

Staring down at the rock you’ve seated yourself on, you unfold your arms and begin to trace your fingertips over the rough surface.

“Not just you.”

“Alina?” he guesses.

You nod.

The mermaid you had befriended as a child had fallen in love with the prince of your small seaside kingdom. Striking a deal with the Darkling had given her the legs to walk to her prince, in exchange for her voice. The power of Alina’s song can manipulate sunlight; it seems an uneven trade in your opinion.

“I don’t really see the appeal.”

“Of the prince?”

“Of being human.”

In the midst of autumn, the sea isn’t cold enough for him to be wearing the thick coat that all Grisha are born with. Briefly, you wonder where he keeps his coat and whether it is as black as his tail.

Lifting your eyes, you meet his gaze steadily. The longing in your heart must be visible to him, as he moves closer. He pushes himself upwards, firm muscle tensing as he holds his upper body above the water line. Beneath the frothy waves, you can see his shadowy tail swishing rapidly to keep him upright.

The urge to retreat prickles over your skin. Alina had told you stories of the Darkling’s power over the shadows. There are rumours that he dabbles in dark magic which you suspect have some truth to them - after all, how else would have given Alina legs? The Darkling is also figure of folklore for the people on the shore - a scary story to keep young children from wading too far into the sea.

He holds a hand out towards you.

“Come with me.”

“I can’t swim.”

He tilts his head, a small frown creasing at his brows.

“I thought most humans learn how to swim when they are children.”

You duck your head bashfully.

“They do. We do. They tried to teach me, when I was young. I wasn’t very good at it, so they gave up on me.”

“I’ll teach you.”

He tugs lightly on your thighs, hooking his hands beneath the crook of your knees to encourage you. Fear sinks in your stomach, though you can’t deny how much you want to follow him into the sea.

“You’re trying to drown me, Darkling.”

He shakes his head adamantly.

“I’ll teach you,” he repeats.

“I can’t.” The words come out as a whine, distress at the edge of your voice, pleading with him to stop offering you something you aren’t strong enough to deny for much longer.

He reaches into the pouch at his belt, pulling out a necklace of some sort.

“Would this help?” he asks, holding it out between you both. You frown.

“What is it?”

“Alina’s power. There’s enough in this gem to give you a tail.”

His words have you halting in place.

Everything you’ve ever wanted is hanging from his fingertips, swinging gently in the sea breeze. The buttery yellow crystal glimmers in the sunlight, power swirling in its depths. He lifts the necklace up over your head, placing it around your neck. Tracing your fingers over the chain, you stare down at the small jewel.

“I can’t take this from her.”

“She’s with her prince.”

“A prince who doesn’t love her.”

He shrugs casually.

“Human love shifts like the tides.” When he sees the frown on your face, he elaborates in a gentle tone, “Humans are fickle. Alina is a pretty girl and they can grow to tolerate one another.”

“Tolerate one another,” you remark dejectedly. “It isn’t exactly the True Love she’s been hoping for.”

“Sometimes we don’t get what we hope for.”

What do you hope for, Darkling? The question is on the tip of your tongue as you watch him eyeing the coastline with a guarded expression. His gaze returns to you, the moment he sees you shiver as the cold breeze bites at your skin.

“We would have to get you a coat as well.”

Warmth flushes over your cheeks at the doting intimacy in his eyes. Then the sound of a dog barking breaks you apart. Both of you turn towards the noise and you tense when you see Alina walking arm in arm with her prince. Of course she would bring him here, to the little cove that has been your private safe haven for years.

The weight of the Darkling’s eyes on your face feels like a delicate caress, one that has embarrassment burning down your neck.

“When you change your mind,” he says softly. “Stand in the shallows with the crystal in your hand. Call my name and I will come for you.”

“I don’t know your name, Darkling.”

He leans forward, pressing a tender kiss against your cheek. The soft brush of his lips is warm, an unfamiliar tingle prickling over your chilled skin as he murmurs,

“It’s Aleksander.”

Then he disappears beneath the waves.

»»---------------------►

Whenever you visit the cove, the Darkling seems to find you. Ever since your first meeting, he has remained in your thoughts, and you’ve considered his offer much more than you know you should. The crystal hanging around your neck feels heavier by the day.

He lingers in the shallows and you wade through the ice cold water, shivering as goosebumps spread over your skin. The water splashes around your legs as you walk beside him, mildly vexed by his constant presence and the place he’s carving for himself in your life.

“I didn’t say your name.”

“Not with your lips,” he concedes calmly.

The flimsy waterproof jacket you’re wearing does little to keep you warm or dry. It certainly can’t compare to his coat - a magnificent heap of black fur shielding his shoulders, lining the cloth hood that he had pushed from his head the moment he had seen you. The dark fabric of his cloak clings to his body, soaked by the seawater.

“Grisha are born with their coats,” you state.

He nods. The fur is a part of him, the cloak added by Grisha whose song has the ability to manipulate cloth.

“How… how would I get one?”

His gaze is firm as he studies you, dark eyes flickering pensively between your own.

“Since you were born on land, you would have to kill another creature of land.”

“Kill?”

He nods again, slowly.

“Some Grisha replace their coats, with the hide or fur of an animal they’ve slain, to amplify their power.”

Subconsciously, your eyes land on his coat.

“Have you ever done that?”

He stiffens.

“No.”

Fearful that you had offended him, you look down at the water that sways against your waist. The chill of it soaks through your clothes and another cold breeze soon has your teeth chattering.

“Are you cold?” he asks. You shake your head. He laughs, a harsh sound that jostles the fur at his shoulders. “Come here.”

“Further into the water?”

Incredulously, you raise a brow at him, though he seems to see the fear lingering in your eyes as you stare at the grey water between the two of you. Slowly, he moves towards you, as close to the shore as he physically can with his tail. He curls his fingers around your wrist and you’re surprised by the heat of him.

The warmth of his hand weakens some of your resolve, allowing him to guide you gently into his arms. A small groan of unexpected pleasure escapes from the back of your throat, as your cheek presses against his bare chest.

“How are you so warm?” you ask, barely aware that you had spoken aloud. He breathes out a soft chuckle as he slowly pets your hair, smoothing back the windswept locks.

“Grisha have thicker skin than humans.”

Even as you loop your arms around his waist, your body continues shaking with the cold that has nestled inside you, as the water laps over the middle of your chest.

“I don’t think I’d survive the winter.”

His grip tightens on you.

“You would.”

He nuzzles his nose against your hairline, lips brushing over your forehead.

“Some Grisha hibernate.” He must feel your frown against his skin, as he soon elaborates, “They fill their cave with soft corals and sea plants, find a good mate to keep them warm, and then they go to bed for the majority of the winter season.”

Ignoring the word mate, you remark quietly,

“I don’t think I could sleep for that long.”

He chuckles again.

“There are herbs for Grisha who struggle sleeping during hibernation.” He presses the barest hint of a kiss to your hairline. “To keep you drowsy and sated.” He nudges his nose against your temple, lowering his lips to graze the shell of your ear. “And I’ve found there are innumerable activities to partake in bed, should sleep evade you.”

Heat burns over your cheeks, thrumming down your body and you squirm in his arms, like a fish caught in a net, which seems to please him. He holds onto the nape of your neck, squeezing firmly in a subtle display of dominance and you melt under his touch.

His hand moves to cup your jaw, almost cradling your face as he looks down at you. The most dangerous creatures lurk in the darkest depths of the ocean and his eyes hold every ounce of that danger. A predator poised to strike. His fingers curl around your throat.

“Darkling,” you gasp. “Please.” His grip on your throat tightens and your body throbs with desire - an endless longing that aches inside you.

“Say my name,” he demands.

You crumble.

“Aleksander.”

He grins, victorious. The glow of the crystal hanging from your neck illuminates his features, dark eyes shinning with triumph as he leans forward to kiss you hungrily.

Surrendering to his kiss comes easily to you, each motion of his lips against yours carries you further from yourself - like an undercurrent sweeping you away. Magic tingles over your skin, hairs standing up as sensation rushes through your body.

“I intend for you to be mine,” he breathes out against your lips. “Wholly and completely.”

His teeth drag lightly over your lower lip, tugging gently on the supple flesh as his hands squeeze at your hips. Turning to face him, you look up into his eyes with vulnerability shining in your gaze.

“And you’d be mine?”

His eyes darken.

“No one but you would lay a finger on me.”

“I want that. I want you.”

He grasps the back of your neck tightly.

“Careful, little human. Those who make deals with me only gain what they want after losing what they need.”

“I need you, Aleksander, please. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Whether it’s the sound of his name from your lips, or your words themselves, you’re uncertain, but whatever resolve Aleksander had been maintaining is shattered and his mouth descends onto yours. He devours every sound that escapes from the back of your throat - every moan and whimper as you scramble to hold onto him.

He groans when your fingers thread through his hair, tugging instinctively on the dark strands before your hands stroke over the fur of his coat. A shudder runs through him, as he unzips your jacket. The material slips off your shoulders easily, floating away the moment Aleksander discards it. He steps further into the water, drawing you deeper into the sea.

The waves caress your collarbones, water soaking through your shirt and you whimper as fear settles in your stomach.

“Aleksander-”

He hushes you instantly.

“I promised you a tail, didn’t I?” He presses his lips against yours once again, lithe fingers unbuttoning your remaining clothing, his hands tugging at your trousers. “But you need to be bare for the transformation to begin.”

“I don’t have a coat yet.”

“The change isn’t permanent.” He pulls your shirt off and you whimper as the cold water covers your bare chest. “With practice, you will be able to change back into your human form on a whim.” He mouths a line of kisses over your exposed throat and you squirm as he rasps against your skin, “We’ll search for the stag together.”

Blinking in confusion, you attempt to focus on his words, thoroughly distracted by his touch and kisses, especially when he reaches under the water to remove your shoes - the final piece of clothing on your body.

“Stag?” you gasp. He hums with a small nod as he murmurs,

“For your coat.”

His explanation doesn’t alleviate the frown on your face.

“Together?”

He grins mischievously, a wicked glimmer in his eyes.

“You thought I was bound to the sea?” Wide eyed, you nod slowly. He laughs, hooking a finger under your chin. His thumb smooths along your jawline. “Oh little human, have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

“Will it hurt?” you ask meekly. An unfamiliar intensity burns in his eyes.

“Yes. But it will be bearable.” He kisses you softly. “As long as you relax and allow your body to change, it will do so naturally. Don’t fight it.”

There’s a fierce ache in your legs, deep in your bones and pinching at every inch of muscle. A cry catches in your throat and you cling onto him. He kisses your shoulder reassuringly as he moves backwards, deeper into the sea. Panic spears through your stomach and your heart beats wildly against your rib cage as your feet leave the safety of the sandy seabed. Instantly, you flail in the water.

“Keep your legs closed,” he instructs you.

“But-”

He keeps one arm around your waist, holding you upright against his chest, whilst the other cups the back of your head. There’s a pressure under your skin, as if something is simmering beneath the surface, waiting to break free. It weighs you down, threatening to drag you under the waves.

“Don’t try to swim. You’ll only hurt yourself.”

His thumb grazes over your collarbone.

“Just relax. I’ll keep you afloat for as long as you need.”

The ache is in your chest now, the skin over your ribs splitting open as gills crack into existence over each of your sides. There’s blood in the water, curling around your bodies as colourful splotches dance over your vision. A breathless cough heaves at your shoulders, as the air in your lungs grows thinner by the second.

Aleksander murmurs reassurances against your ear, his hand petting the sensitive skin on your bare sides as you wheeze for breath. He kisses your cheek, his nose nuzzling there affectionately, though you can barely feel it as dizziness overtakes you. His words are muffled, but you feel them ring through your body.

“Are you ready for the rest of your life?”

Then he drags you beneath the surface of the water.

»»---------------------►

marvelmusing Tag List: @dreamlandcreations @blanchedelioncourt @idaofinfinity @slytherheign @ellooo0ooo @vixenofcourse @dumb-fawkin-bitch @jane-arthur @ilikefictionmen @budugu @watersquirtpewpewboomm @mysweetlittledesire @dhampiravidi

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Aleksander M Tag List: @nyctophiliiiiaaa @jazmin2211 @wooya1224 @seronsalk

BB Characters Tag List: @rachlovesactors @noortsshift @aikeia @weallhaveadestiny @two-unbeatable-beaters

#aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova #the darkling x reader #the darkling au #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone au

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lulublack90 · 7 months ago

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Prompt 24 - Kid Fic

@wolfstarmicrofic July 24, word count 975

Part five of werewolf Sirius

CW - Mentions of child abuse (Not described)

Previous part First part

When they’d gotten back to the camp, Greyback had disappeared but a lot of the wolves that had been friendly to him since he got there were now keeping their distance. It was definitely because of what Greyback had said the day before. And then the whole Regulus thing. Regulus's death had been reported in the papers. Sirius had mourned him, but now there was a chance that he was still alive. Sirius slept poorly that night. He dreamed of his brother.

“Sirius, Sirius, where are you?” The worried voice of his little brother cried out in the dark.

“Hey, hey. Shhhhh, I’m here,” Sirius soothed Regulus, slipping into his bed and cradling him against his chest. Regulus had night terrors almost nightly. Sirius normally got to Regulus’s room quicker, but his mother had punished him that afternoon when he covered for Regulus when he’d dropped a glass at lunchtime. He was so sore that he’d just fallen asleep and was woken by Regulus’s screams. He had to get Regulus to stop quickly or else their mother would come and Sirius would have to listen to Regulus’s screams without being able to help him.

Regulus was shaking in his arms. Sirius began telling him fairy tales from a muggle book he’d read in the local library. His parents, of course, had no idea he'd even stepped foot in a muggle library, but there were only so many times he could read Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump before he went insane. Tonight’s story was about a mermaid who fell in love with a prince and traded her voice to a sea witch in exchange for legs. It did not have a happy ending, but that was muggles for you.

Regulus had fallen asleep by the end and an exhausted Sirius followed soon after. He slipped out when the birds first started chirping and went back to his own bed.

“What do you boys have planned today?” Orion asked over the top of his newspaper when they came down for breakfast, already dressed in smart clothing befitting the young heir and his brother of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.

“I thought we could go out into the gardens and identify the uses of the magical plants in the greenhouses,” Sirius said as formally as he could. He didn’t care about the plants, he wanted an excuse to be outside all day so he could teach Reggie how to fly.

“Uh huh,” Orion raised his eyebrow. “No more than five feet off the ground and do not let your mother catch you. Ensure you are back inside and presentable before lunch is served.” Sirius and Regulus wolfed their food down and hurried outside.

“Are we really going to fly?!” Regulus asked him excitedly. Sirius couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face.

“We are,” Regulus leapt into his arms and hugged him tightly. “You have to listen to everything I say, Reggie, okay?” Regulus dropped his feet back to the floor and nodded his head so hard his curls flew everywhere. “Good. Follow me.”

Sirius pulled out two brooms from the small broom shed behind the greenhouses. “Okay, so first thing you have to put your hand above the broom and very clearly and confidently say ‘Up’, like this. Up,” He ordered the broom and it shot into his hand. Regulus took a deep breath and copied Sirius’s movements.

“Up,” He said quietly. The broom didn’t move. He looked at Sirius, his eyes filling with tears.

“Don’t worry, try again. Just be a bit more confident. You can do it, I believe in you,” Sirius ruffled Regulus’s curls.

“Up,” Regulus repeated, his voice a little stronger. “Sirius, did you see, did you see? It moved!” The broom had rolled over.

“Amazing, try again,” Sirius encouraged. It took a few more attempts, but finally, the broom rose to Regulus’s waiting hand.

“Well done, Reggie. Alright, step number two. Kick off gently from the ground and we’ll hover. Be careful not to kick off too hard, or you’ll rise too high. Copy me,” Sirius barely pushed his feet from the ground and slowly rose until his toes were just brushing the grass.

Regulus had a death grip on his broom handle, but he copied Sirius exactly and rose to the same height. Being shorter than Sirius, his feet were a bit higher off the ground than his brothers.

“Wow, that was excellent, Reggie, I’m so proud of you. Right, you’re going to lean forward and follow me. We’ll start with a few circles.” Sirius showed him how to make the broom move, and soon they were racing around the garden having a wonderful time.

“Boys,” Orion called them in just before lunch. He shook his head when they ran over to him after landing and putting their brooms away. He raised his wand and both boys tensed, but Orion just used Scourgify on their sweaty faces, smoothed their wayward hair and straightened their rumpled clothes. “Hurry up, your mother will be back shortly,” Orion warned, before returning to the house.

“I love you, Sirius,” Regulus threw his arms around Sirius’s middle.

“I love you too, Reggie,” Sirius chuckled, stroking his brother’s head. He kept an arm wrapped around him as they went to join their parents for lunch, only letting go when they were outside the dining room.

Sirius woke crying as the dream still played behind his eyes. He and Regulus had been so close when they were young, it was only when he’d left for Hogwarts and made his first-ever friends and been sorted into Gryffindor that they had begun to drift apart, and it had only gotten worse over the years.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll find him,” Remus whispered lovingly into his ear, pulling him closer and lulling him back to sleep.

Next part

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hannahwatcheshorror · 5 months ago

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THE LURE (2015)

💁‍♀️Strong Female Lead

A weird little Polish musical horror film that very loosely follows the original plot of the little mermaid but more gruesome and much more tragic. As horror movies go it wasn’t very scary, but gory and moody (and incredibly artistic). You feel more compassion for the murderous creatures than the human victims (it was just in their nature for the sirens to hunt, but what were the humans doing?).

⭐⭐⭐.5

THE LURE is a Polish musical horror about two mermaids that get scooped up by some crazy rockers who think they can handle two actual sirens (they cannot). We follow Silver and Golden as they traverse the land and deal with these selfish humans (who can all be controlled by the girls' shimmery voices). There appears to be a general knowledge of mermaids/sirens in this universe because their existence is not kept a secret, in fact, it is a gimmick at the club in their stripping act when they first arrive (it’s only after they establish themselves more that they can keep their legs and clothes on). It should be pointed out too that the girls are sort of like an eel-type of siren, their tails have no big fin at the end, but are still a sight to behold when they are transformed.

Now, in the first few minutes our girls try to lure the two men in the band to a watery death but are caught by the female singer, so it is already well established from the get go that these two are (would-be) man eaters. Why anyone would think they could control these wildcards from the deep is beyond me, they can literally control you with a song for goodness sake! The humans look at these mystical girls with money in their eyes (or any other excuse to use the poor things) and are ready to take advantage of these seemingly innocent creatures. Except for Golden, Golden has a lot on her mind and it is mostly blood and murder. This is her nature though, we cannot really fault her for being a creature of nature. There is a part where the band finds out one of the girls killed someone so they just dump both of them in the water and leave them for dead… But they are able to get back out and get over that (mostly, 👍 ( wait)).

Silver has fallen head over tail for the shaggy haired boy who will fuck anything that, well, doesn’t have a tail, and he promptly informs her that he only sees her as a fish. She uses her siren song on him to change his mind for the moment (let’s see how long this lasts) before making the choice to get her tail surgically removed and swapped for regular legs. This is apparently a surgery that the doctors are more than prepared to do (??), keeping both girls alive while sawed completely in half (neat magic trick). Silver loses her voice because of this trade but is excited to show her shaggy headed slut. Surprise! He wants something a little less complicated (like a regular human female and not a mute half-fish lady). This breaks Silver's heart and as we all know, when you break a mermaid's heart they turn to seafoam if they don’t eat you, so Golden encourages Silver to eat him… But Silver is too sweet. She turns to seafoam in his arms…

And Golden, in her sadness and rage, goes for his throat. The reception is shocked, two people are gone (though most will only ever miss the groom) and Golden returns to the water, alone. Where she will be, alone, for ages and rages because she is a mystical being and her only friend is gone. A tragedy on all sides really. If anyone understood the other person's nature in this film maybe things would have turned out differently, but they all chose to ignore what they wanted to ignore.

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ser3nityst4r · 7 months ago

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Azul’s Backstory

Azul loved the water. It swirled around him, a comforting weight against his eight strong legs. He loved the way the coral reefs shimmered, the way schools of fish darted through the kelp forests. But most of all, he loved the quiet solitude of his secret grotto, a place where whispers of magic danced on the current.

But this peace was often shattered.

“Eww, look! It’s the inky octopus boy!”

Two mermaids, giggled as they swam past, their tails swishing with an irritating grace. Azul shrank back into his grotto, his heart a lead weight in his chest. Wishing to return to his usual state of being holed up into his octopot.

“Why does he even come here? The water gets all murky when he cries.”

“He’s probably just jealous he can’t swim as fast as us.”

Their cruel laughter followed him like hungry sharks. Tears welled up, threatening to spill and release the shameful ink that stained his reputation. He hated how easily he cried, how different he was from the sleek, graceful mermaids around him.

“They’re just ignorant,” Azul muttered to himself, clutching a worn, leather-bound book. It was a grimoire, filled with ancient spells and incantations. While other mer-children chased each other through coral arches, Azul devoured knowledge. He may not have been the strongest or the fastest, but he had eight nimble legs perfect for deciphering complex magical symbols and inscribing potent runes.

Years passed. The taunts continued, but Azul learned to find solace in his studies. He mastered spells that could manipulate water, control light, and even alter appearances. He learned of ancient pacts, agreements forged in magic, where power could be bartered and traded.

One day, a pair of eels, twins with mismatched eyes and sly smiles, stumbled upon his grotto.

“Look, Floyd, it’s the little octopus,” drawled the eel with jade green eyes.

Azul tensed, ready to unleash a blast of ink, but the other twin, Floyd, with eyes like the shifting sea, surprised him.

“Wow, what are those circles on the shells?” Floyd asked, swimming closer. “Is that your signature spell?"

Jade peered at the intricate patterns Azul had painstakingly etched onto the seashells. “Look at this, Floyd. Spells for changing forms, for stealing voices… this little octopus has been busy.”

Azul glared at them, his tentacles twitching nervously. “Don’t touch those! They’re not toys!”

Jade chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. “We wouldn’t dream of it. But tell me, little octopus, what exactly are you planning to do with all this power?”

Azul puffed out his chest, his voice trembling slightly. “I’m going to become stronger than anyone, even the Sea Witch herself! Then I’ll make them all pay for laughing at me!”

Floyd and Jade exchanged a look. They saw something in Azul, a spark of ambition that they found intriguing.

Years later, the whispers in the coral hallways had changed. No longer were they whispers of mockery, but whispers of awe, fear, and bewilderment.

“Did you hear? Coralia, the mermaid with the most beautiful voice, can only croak now.”

“And Nero, the fastest swimmer in our school, can barely move his tail! It’s like he traded it for something…”

Azul, now taller and more imposing, listened to these whispers with a satisfied smile. He had honed his magic, crafting contracts that exploited the vanities and insecurities of those who had once mocked him. With a flick of his wrist and a whisper of “It’s a Deal,” he claimed their coveted traits, their speed, their beauty, their very talents, leaving them with only a hollow shell of their former glory.

Azul had become a master of deals, a weaver of fates. He was no longer the scared, lonely octopus hiding in his grotto. He had turned their scorn into his power, their laughter into his triumph. And as he surveyed his underwater domain, he knew that the whispers would only grow louder, a chorus of fear and admiration for the octopus who had mastered the art of the deal.

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wolfjustdraws · 2 years ago

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so I just watched the live action lil mermaid (don't ask me about it or I will go on a rant) SO prepare yallselves for the lil mermaid lco au none of yall asked for!

and yes this Tumblr post is all the au u will get, I wish I had the motivation to write a whole fic however I haven't had any ficwriting motivation in a while and I still wanna get this out there

because I like to change things up in aus based on existing ip for the sake of living it up, this is the story of Anthony Lockwood, a young merman, prince of the sea, who is obsessed with humans - he finds them to be such fascinating creatures, just like his parents did before him, but he and all the rest of Atlantica are forbidden of interacting with humans by his older sister, Queen of the oceans Jessica Lockwood, after the former king and queen were killed by fishermen

this doesn't stop Lockwood from collecting human stuff that falls from ships or that he finds in shipwrecks, wondering about human life and wishing he could learn all about it for his parents’ sake, to get the knowledge they so readily died for

this drives him to interact with a passing ship where he spies a bunch of humans celebrating, becoming entranced by one such female human among the crew

this human is Lucy Carlyle, youngest daughter of the queen of a pathetically small and insignificant Caribbean island. A lifetime of being ignored as the seventh in line for her family’s puny title led her to find friendships with the common folk of her island, most of which work as fishermen. Today is her birthday and she’s chosen to celebrate in one of the many boats she usually works in with her peers, dancing and drinking until a terrible storm rocks the sea into a frenzy. Lightning strikes a fire on the boat, forcing everyone to evacuate to the lifeboats.

unable to see the young woman drowned, Lockwood takes the princess and follows the boats back to the island, laying her down in the sand. Seeing as she’s terribly wounded and cold sick, he uses his Siren song, an ability legendarily used by sirens and mermaids to beckon fishermen to the sea so they drown, to heal her, making sure she’s found before he leaves

after this event Jessica could tell something was changed about her brother - his sharp nature suddenly dulled with daydreaming, and wonders if his stubborn attitude has finally been met with the stinging needle of love. She’s sorely disappointed to find it so, not with a fellow oceanid, but a human girl. In a desperate attempt to keep her brother safe, she destroys the secret collection of human junk his treasured

betrayed and hurt, Lockwood’s approached by a strange kelpie. She claims to have been an old friend of his parents who wishes nothing more than to aid her old friend’s beloved son in his our of need. A striking siren by the name of Marissa, she promises him to make his wish come true with magic almost as powerful as his sister’s - she can make him a human.

blinded by the possibility of seeing the girl his so infatuated by, Lockwood readily signs Marissa’s impossible contract; trading his Siren song/voice for legs, vowing to procure a true love’s kiss from the princess before the third sunset. he manages to swim back towards the island he took her to, and is quickly found by the townspeople, assuming he’d been shipwrecked from a trading ship, those pass a lot by the isle on their routes

since her rescue, princess Lucy had been all but obsessed with finding the mysterious man who saved her. It was nothing short of expected that she’d want to thank them, but the longer time passed since, the more seemed to go deeper than that to her friends. A growing desperation drove her to ask her family’s limited resources to search for him again and again, all throughout the island and the neighboring ones - Siren’s songs do have addictive qualities, probably the reason they were used in legend to compel fishermen to jump off their boats when they heard it

on one day she's about to search for the mystery man, she finds the townspeople helping a castaway who’d just washed up shore. Awash with empathy, she offers him a stay at her family’s modest manor, hoping that a comfortable bed, a safe roof and warm food might shake off the horrors he lived enough to restore his voice

despite her mind still being desperate to find the man who saved her, Lucy can't help but be taken by the castaway, mute though he is, and how he seems to be intrigued by everything around him - unable to express a single thought yet so clearly filled with ideas and emotions and desires - its endearing. she allows herself to be pulled away from her quest yet a second day in favor of showing him the small island, introducing him to her friends and watching him discover the world like it was new

by the end of the day she finds herself exploring the few inhabited areas of the isle where flora thrives the most with him, enjoying a quiet row boat jaunt. somehow she felt at peace there, just listening to the singing of crickets and the water rippling under them with a man who’s name she didn’t even know but whom it felt like she knew better than anyone else. there was something about him that gave her a strange feeling, one she’d never known - despite all the things they saw that day, his eyes always returned to her, his attention always came back to her. even now, faced with the beauty of a perfect night, he seemed to have eyes only for her. He spoke without words, a language that seemed to be made only for her and that she longed to understand

even the row boat getting tipped couldn’t ruin the night for her as she led him back to the manor, soaking wet and laughing, wishing him a good night. it wasn't much later that night that, while watching the sea out from her window, she’d hear the same melodiously masculine voice that spoke to her on the day she was rescued, and the Siren song’s hold on her would be revived once more into a frenzied bliss, finally finding the man

the next morning Lockwood wakes up to the manor’s loud preparations for a party, hearing the few servants around talk about the youngest princess having finally found the man who’d rescued her and her desire to wed him immediately. Despite the unfortunate interruption they’d suffered last night, Lockwood couldn’t have been more happy that he’d managed make her see the truth - he had saved her! he loved her! he wanted to be with her in this magnificent island of hers forever!

he searched for her to express his delight, only to find her and her family discussing the wedding, another man’s arm around her.

maybe he misread the signs. maybe he should have been more forward, however he could have done it without his voice, but he’d lost. he’d lost her. she’d fallen for another man, and he’d have to return to the ocean

idk who the fuck is the seagull, i didnt think that part bUT WHOEVER IT IS TELLS HIM ABOUT THE WITCH OR WTHEVER

lockwood hurries back to the Carlyle’s manor, intent on stopping the wedding. Just before the third sunset he manages to tear the necklace off the guy’s neck, releasing his Siren song

the spell of the Siren song breaks and lucy finally recognizes lockwood, not just as the guy who saved her, but the guy shes really in love with, and she runs forth to embrace him-

the sun sets and lockwood doubles over in pain. he looks down to see his legs tear off his clothes, transforming back into a single long tail. the guy transforms back into Marissa, the sea witch, who quickly makes her way back to the sea, dragging lockwood back with her

big fight happens, i dont particularly care about this part, all u need to know is yes lucy stabs marissa with a sunken boat, that bitch basically becomes fried fish

jessica sees how affected her brother is having to leave that human girl behind and decides to give him his human legs back so he can live with her

#wolfs disney scribbles #wolf shitposts #lockwood & co #lockwood and co #lockwood and co netflix #lockwood and co tv show #lockwood and co fanfiction #anthony lockwood #lucy carlyle #lockwood spoilers #I mean not really lnco spoilers but yes cause this is derived from the books canon so watch out #I feel like lockwoods the only one dumb enough to trust a sea witch that's why his the lil mermaid here Lucys wouldn't fall for that #its literally the movie but locklyle #i wrote this at like 1 am #this has been sitting in my notes for like a month still i wrote this after watching the movie

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mcheang · 4 years ago

Note

Loved what you did with my dragon prompt. I was wondering if you’d up something a bit more tragedic. Prompt: Little Mermaid the Hans Christian Andersen version not Disney with Marinette as the mermaid and Adrian as the Prince.

Little Lady

This is a draft. And it’s more of a twist in the tale.

Marinette was the youngest granddaughter of the Merking. She has six older sisters who told her what they saw when they broke the surface of the waves.

Alix: I saw a ship holding ambassadors and a little human girl with a furry little pet. It had long, floppy ears.

Juleka: I saw a pink sunset reflected on the waters.

Rose: I saw the dolphins breaching the waves

Mylène: i saw seagulls

Aurore: i saw lightning and rain.

Alya: I saw a ship holding some ladies gossiping. I can repeat it if you want.

Marinette hoped to see something new.

And she did, just not at first.

Marinette saw a ship where a blond lady was insulting a brown-haired lady. And then she saw lightning and rain. Nothing new yet.

But oh. The ship is on fire! The ladies pretty much trampled others as they fought to the smaller boats.

Only one didn’t make it. The prince was struggling with his cat. Apparently the Kitty didn’t like water. Anyway the boat sank and its sinking force pulled the prince and cat with them.

Marinette dove to save cat and boy.

When she neared shore, she heard the prince call for his cat. Marinette’s heart melted at his care for other creatures.

But then she heard the sound of footprints and dove back to the ocean, after resting the prince against a rock.

Lady Kagami was looking for survivors of the shipwreck and saw the prince and cat on the rock. She dove in and pulled them to shore.

When the prince awoke, he was thrilled he had been saved by his crush.

Marinette had not been present to witness this. All she wanted was a chance to pursue her new crush. Was life underwater really so annoying that she would throw it all away for a guy she just met?

Yes. Her grandfather is super traditional and strict. Plus, he just wasn’t into parties or meeting new people. “Humans and Merpeople together? That just isn’t done.”

Marinette visited two magic fish Yin and Yang and asked for their help.

They could give her legs for a price. Her magical voice that could summon random objects.

Done. Her power was kind of pointless anyway.

Marinette came on shore and was brought to the castle by the prince. Since she could not and would not tell them of her origins, they asked if she wanted to stay on as a maid. She agreed. It would allow her to stay close to her prince.

But to her horror, she was asked to help prepare for a wedding.

Sad that Marinette lost her home and voice for nothing, she went to the beach to stare longingly at the home she can no longer return to. Imagine her surprise when her sisters show up, having waited for her to come back.

And why were they bald?

Sisters: we wanted the fish to undo the trade. Hair loss is a small price to pay when we have wigs and our hair can grow back.

Marinette was touched by their love. But she pleaded for the chance to say goodbye to her human friends.

She bid farewell to the castle inhabitants who had treated her with kindness. By now she had learned sign language.

But the court musician Luka realized she was leaving for good and asked if she would not stay with him.

Luka: I know a mermaid when I see one. Your songs are a lot more...haunting.

Marinette had 3 different reactions in rapid succession: surprise, alarm, offense

Luka: sorry, I speak best through music.

The handsome stranger let out a heartbreaking tune of loss and despair, kind of matching Marinette’s mood.

The song was so beautiful but it was the allure that told Marinette who the stranger was.

Marinette: you’re a siren.

Luka nodded. “My name’s Luka. And you’re half right. My mother is a pirate.”

Marinette: and what’s all this about staying with you?

Luka blushed. “I told you I was bad with words. I meant, instead of returning to the sea. Why don’t you explore the world with my mother and me? I can tell your heart wants freedom.”

It was true. Marinette thought she had two choices before her. Stay on this new land and be hesrtbroken, or return home the princess of a strict kingdom. But now she has a third choice.

Marinette: why should I trust you?

Luka: um, because I could have used my voice to compel you to follow me?

He blinked. “I really should just stop talking.”

Marinette: i gave up my voice and power for love, but I don’t mind this sacrifice for adventure. There is more than one way to express my thoughts.

Luka smiled. “Then I welcome you aboard the Liberty.”

Marinette: we haven’t even boarded anything yet.

Luka: that’s it. I’m shutting up now.

Marinette bid farewell to her disbelieving sisters, apologizing for leaving her family, but she just has to get away. She loves her family, but she cannot always stay there.

Alya: that’s really selfish of you (this was not accusing. She was just really stunned because this is Marinette and she hardly rebels)

Mylène: isn’t it great? This is the first selfish thing she’s done for herself

Alix: besides that whole trade her voice for legs deal?

Rose: be free, Marinette!

Juleka: I know Luka. He’s a good soul.

Aurore: fair winds, sister.

Alya: send us a bottled letter of your adventures or I won’t ever forgive you 😜

Marinette promised then she would. She took a step aboard the liberty with her new friends, heartbroken, but healing.

#miraculous ladybug fanfic #miraculous ladybug fic #ml fanfic #ml fanfiction #ml fic #miraculous ladybug fanfiction

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scarletaire · 4 years ago

Text

homeland (Chapter 6)

A/N: Here we are at the end! And Cardan isn't quite done surprising Jude just yet.

Fandom: The Folk of the Air

Genre/s: Contains Fluff, Slight Hurt/Comfort, Slight Angst, Smut

Rating: E

Tags: Post-QON, Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Protective!Cardan, Bewildered!Jude, Jude and Cardan discuss the Undersea, but they get a little Distracted

Description:

Cardan’s eyes flash open.

“Why?” he repeats, and Jude feels the power shift between them. “Don’t you remember, wife?” he croons. “It was the Undersea who stole you away from me.”

And Jude has only enough time to think, danger, before he lunges at her.

or:

Cardan and Jude work on removing their armor. Taking off this particularly stubborn piece happens in varying states of undress.

Links: Masterlist | AO3

“This is a stupid idea.”

“Have you known me to have any other kind?”

He has her there. Jude tugs at the blindfold around her eyes. “Where are we even going?”

“To the beginning and the end of all this.”

“What does that –” Her voice cuts off as the boat rocks precariously beneath her. “I really don’t like the sound of that.”

“You like very little, Jude, and that is a problem of yours.”

I was stupid enough to like you, she almost says. Instead she asks, “Why did we have to take a boat? More importantly, why are you the one rowing? You’re the king.” The boat rocks again, and Jude finds herself thinking longingly for a ragwort steed. Steady, secure, reliable — or, well, as reliable as Vivi’s magic allowed them to be.

“Crossing the water myself proves a fine reminder of my position to those who yearn otherwise.”

“A power play? That’s what you woke me up so early for? Cardan, there are a thousand more things that need my attention back at the brugh.”

It was still light out when she’d felt lips behind her ear, nuzzling her awake. They had probably been asleep for a mere few hours at most. She’d woken up slowly and sweetly, like dragging a spoon through thick syrup, with Cardan curled around her — arms, legs, and tail — and his mouth soft on her neck. It was such a stark contrast to how she’d woken up the previous night that Jude melted right back into his embrace, her body heavy and worn out in the best way possible.

But then he was pulling away, coaxing her to get dressed, murmuring into her skin that he had something to show her.

Promising that she would like it.

The fae cannot lie, but that last part has yet to come true.

“I’m taking this blindfold off.”

“Jude –”

She can hear the petulance in his voice and that just makes her rip the stupid thing off even faster.

It turns out that “crossing the water himself” doesn’t much include actual rowing on his part. Instead, iridescent, aquamarine scales flash across the surface of the water underneath them, their movement rippling and propelling the boat forward.

Merfolk.

Pulling their vessel on his whim.

A power play, indeed.

Jude raises an eyebrow at him, impressed despite it all. He continues to pout at her and the blindfold in her hand.

Then, something catches in her mind.

“Salt and seafoam…”

“Hm?”

“Your nightmare.” She’s staring at him now, understanding how it fits together but not quite believing it. “You said that when you dove into the sea and couldn’t find me anywhere, it was because there was nothing left of me but ‘salt and seafoam.’”

“Yes.” The word is like water on burning coals.

“You –” The sentence is inconceivable even when she tries to form it in her mouth. “Have you… have you been reading fairytales? Human fairytales?”

He scoffs. “Nothing Faerie about them.”

A yes, then.

“So –” She’s known about him reading Alice in Wonderland and even wondered at the way he had kept the mortal book in his rooms. It boggles her mind like this next thought does. “So…” How does she say this? She has no clever ruse with which to coat her words, and so she gives up and goes for direct. “The Little Mermaid. That’s what caused your nightmare?”

He cuts her a look, like she’s being stupid. “No, Jude, your kidnapping and prolonged torture at the hands of my brother and the Undersea while I waited powerless and unable to help you was the cause of my nightmare. And many more of its kind before it.”

She doesn’t much like how he speaks to her like he’s explaining something to a child, but she holds her sharp tongue and wields her silence against him.

“But fine.” He doesn’t meet her eyes. “Yes. The mortal tale about the moronic mermaid and her wayward prince may have… exacerbated any woes I may have already been carrying. Don’t know why I bothered,” he grumbles under his breath. “I hate stories.”

“No,” she says, thinking of the way he fancies himself a villain even though he hasn’t truly been one in a long time, “you don’t.”

He looks pointedly over her shoulder. “We’re here.”

And Jude turns her head to see where it is that he has brought her this morning.

She has to shield her eyes a little from the amount of sunlight that refracts off the massive stretch of sparkling sand in front of her.

No, not sand. Ash.

She knows where they are.

Insear.

The beginning and the end of all this, he said.

When they disembark, Cardan holds out his hand to guide her from the boat.

She doesn’t need his help.

She takes his hand anyway.

There is still something of last night humming underneath their skin, and so if they lean into each other’s warmth and stumble across the shimmering shores of the Isle of Ash, a little lovedrunk while they walk — well. There is nary a soul to see.

It’s somehow even more beautiful in the daylight. And with Cardan here, the island seems to unfurl even further, coming alive just a little bit more the moment he steps onto the soil. The air turns sweeter the farther inland they go, the blues and ivories and blacks of the native flowers populating everywhere they turn. When Jude looks back at their footfalls upon the ash, she sees little sprigs of myrtle springing up from the indents they leave behind.

“There’s something I want to check on,” she says when they reach the thicker parts of the forest. “I’ll come find you again.”

“As you like.” Cardan’s gaze is caught on something up ahead. “Dally not, wife.”

When Jude returns to the clearing where they had encountered the fallen falcons the previous night, she finds no trace of them save a single, tawny feather in their wake.

A token.

She pockets it with a smile.

That same smile fades far too fast when she comes back to find Cardan reaching out a hand towards a shrub of suspiciously familiar, dark-petaled flowers.

She’s between him and the shrub in seconds, pushing him away a little too violently.

In that moment, she was more seneschal than queen. And in the next, when her fingers tighten around his lapels out of their own accord, she is more wife than seneschal.

“Did you touch it?” Panic raises her voice. “Did you get any of it on you?”

“No. I didn’t recognize the flora –”

“Idiot, that’s probably the flower that poisoned me.” She’s checking his hands, his clothes, for traces of shimmering, black pollen.

“Is it?” He plucks one and raises it to his face before she can stop him.

“Cardan –”

“Peace, Jude. It cannot harm its maker.”

And Jude pauses, because it’s true. This flower, this island and everything on it, is Cardan’s creation. He is the root, and as he has proven last night, he is also the remedy.

A beat passes between them, and then: “Did it really have to take a noxious, mood-altering flower for you to tell me about my brother?”

Jude scowls at the insinuation. “I was going to.” She weighs the next sentence in her head. “It’s just… easier to talk to someone when you don’t give a crap what they think.”

The human word is out of her mouth before she can reel it back in, but Cardan nods.

“Yes, I think I can understand that.”

She watches him twirl the flower in his hand. With his dark hair and eyes and clothes, it is without the shadow of a doubt that he created it, that it sprung forth from him and his magic. It belongs with him; it is him. She can imagine it pinned to his collar, petals of black glitter, an extension of his essence.

“We should inform the Bomb. Tell her that an antidote won’t be necessary.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Cardan grins at her like they are old friends trading a secret joke. “I can think of a few ways that an antidote could be useful.”

And Jude feels a thrill up her spine, because there is something conspiratorial in his voice, like he’s letting her in on his plan, like they are in it together, and maybe she enjoys that more than she thought she ever would. Having a partner.

“Scheming, are you?”

“I learned from the best.”

He is always more than what she thinks he is.

“That flower is connected to you. This whole island is, actually.”

“To us,” he corrects immediately, and she marks the strange note in his voice. “The island is connected to us.”

“Me, by extension,” she concedes. “But you raised this island with your own magic.”

He sighs then, as if a great burden has befallen him. “I suppose it now falls to me to name this flower, doesn’t it?”

“Well, you don’t have to name it now. We can always come back later –”

“Bitterblack,” he pronounces solemnly and somberly, and with a swiftness and surety that couldn’t possibly be borne of extemporization.“This bloom, flourishing upon the Isle of Ash, the land raised from my own bitterness, shall henceforth be known as bitterblack.”

“Um.” Jude blinks at his pomp. “Okay. Raised from your bitterness?”

“The birth of Insear marked the moment I deemed the crimes of the Undersea – against you, and against the crown — unforgivable. It was a bitter heart that sowed the seeds of this land. Perhaps it is only fitting that it was a full one that healed its poisons.”

Cardan casts her a sidelong look. He has a way of almost smiling, like the edge of moonlight peeking through the spidersilk canopy of their bed. A gossamer thing, but the light shines through.

A shame that this island will have to go belong to someone else, when she will forever remember Cardan here with her, looking at her like that.

“You brought me here to show me something.”

“Yes.” And oddly enough, his smile freezes a little. Jude narrows her eyes at it.

He leads her towards another clearing among the birches, tucking the bitterblack behind one pointed ear. There is more space here, and the air is crisp and clean, threaded through with the scent of salt and sunshine. The birches stand tall, but the sun reaches high enough to set the ash dusting the tops of the trees afire with crystal brilliance.

“What is this?”

His tail flicks once behind him. “The solution to the Insear claim.”

“What? Wait. You mean you knew how to resolve it all along? Randalin was right. You have been putting it off.”

“Not putting it off, waiting for the right time.”

“It’s been going on for weeks.”

Cardan shoots her a look. “I was supposed to ask you during the revel.”

The events of the revel — and the way it had ended, with Randalin bleeding in her chokehold — play out in her head. “Oh.”

He waves his hand. “No matter. It wouldn’t be the first time you caused a scene in front of the entire kingdom anyway.”

Jude crosses her arms. “Alright, let’s hear it, then. Tell me now so that we can put this whole thing behind us.”

He hesitates.

“Come on. Explain your solution.”

“This isn’t how I planned for this to go.”

“Planned for this to – Cardan. Just spit it out already.”

“Alright, fine,” he hisses. “I want to build a home with you. Here, on Insear.”

For a long moment, Jude wonders if she heard him right.

“Are you drunk?” Even though he couldn’t possibly be.

“I wish.”

“But the claim –”

“Is ours. Rightfully.” He raises his brow at her. “This island is connected to us, raised by my own magic. Isn’t that what you said?”

She stares at him.

“You know how this works, right?” Exasperation is clear in his voice. “I ask you to make a home with me on a new magical island, and you set yourself upon me, your acquiescence falling delightfully from your lips –”

“I do nothing delightfully, Cardan.”

“Oh, I could make a good argument otherwise.”

The entirety of last night, every sordidly delightful detail, flashes behind her eyes.

She clings to any rational thought she can find. “We already have a castle.” She thinks of the brugh, the entire sprawling mass of it. “A really big one.”

“Yes. And the Palace of Elfhame is the first place the High King and Queen should be. But often, it is also the last. A royal castle is just as much a royal warground.” He gives her a meaningful look. “As you and the rest of my family are well aware.”

Jude swallows. “What are you saying?”

“Our brugh will be the first place we make a home of, as monarchs. But it doesn’t have to be the only one.”

He turns her to face the clearing. His arms come around her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder as they gaze out into a landscape stolen straight from the pages of a book.

“We could build something. Right here, in this glade. Where we don’t have to worry about anything. Where nothing else can touch us. We’ll close it off. We’ll come whenever we want. No spies, no interruptions, no watching our backs.”

And Jude recognizes the way he is holding her, because it’s the same way he held her in their secret room behind the throne, confessing the truths of his nightmares. “This is about protection.”

She feels him shrug. “A part of it, yes. Mostly I just want us to never be interrupted again. But there is power in protection. Wouldn’t you like that, Jude?”

Her head is swimming, because he’s put ideas into her brain, of waking up to the smell of birchwood and of walking along a glittering, moonlit shore — and they’re wonderful, damn him. If she’s being honest, those ideas came to her the moment she first stepped foot on Insear, like something in her had taken root in its sparkling soil, but she hadn’t let herself linger over them, knowing that the land would soon be treatied away.

But now, it’s like Cardan’s words have opened the floodgates, and her entire being, connected to Insear through his magic – their magic – thrums with the song of I could live here, I could thrive here, I belong here, and she aches with the rightness of it all.

“It’s not the worst idea you’ve ever had,” she admits, and doing so feels like she’s left her flank vulnerable during an open duel. She twists around in his arms quickly, before she can dwell on it. “But let’s get one thing clear.” Her fingers fist into his collar. “This nonsense about my being your weakness, that’s your problem. Not mine. I refuse to be held back by your fears.”

He nods with more gravity than is probably required. “And I could never ask it of you.”

“Then what do you ask of me now?” And because so much has changed between the two of them, because of everything that has led up to this moment, she adds, “What do you ask of me now and forever?”

He cups her face in his hands even as her fingers tighten on his shirt. “That you stay by my side. Through it all.” His mouth crooks self-deprecatingly. “And that you do not begrudge it too much that I miss you when you’re gone. That I worry. That I fear. Not because you are human, but because I hold you in my heart.”

She hates how swiftly her breath leaves her.

“Okay,” she says, more to steady herself than anything else, because this is a lot, and she’s never been good with dealing with a lot of feelings all at once. “Okay. I –”

“The rest of the kingdom belongs to the crown.” He presses closer, as if he can see her weakening. He takes a breath. “This… this could be ours. Just for us.”

“This island is too big for just the two of us.”

“No, Jude.” The look on his face is a little pained. “Us.”

A breath. A slice of time separating this moment into a before and after.

He isn’t talking about just the two of them. He’s talking about –

“Oh,” she breathes. “Us.”

“Only –” He’s scrambling a little now, she can see it. “Only if you want them.”

Them. Plural.

Jude sways a little. She’s not prepared for this. He should’ve warned her or something, because she doesn’t know how many surprises she can take in such a short amount of time.

Cardan is looking at her funny and she realizes she’s been quiet for too long. Something moves at the corner of her vision, and she realizes it’s his tail, flicking back and forth with the nervousness that he doesn’t show on his face.

“I want –” she begins, and he stills immediately, as if he could live or die on the next words that leave her mouth. “Okay. I don’t actually know what I want. I haven’t really had time to think about it. I want to talk about this. I do. And we’ll have to talk about it one day. But today, I don’t know if — if I know how, today.”

“Very well.” He says the words like he’s learning the shape of them on his tongue for the first time.

“It’s not a ‘no,’” she says quickly, before he gets the wrong idea. “It’s a ‘someday.’ Someday, you can ask me about children again. And in the meantime, I’ll think about when I can say yes. Deal?”

He touches her cheek, gentle, too gentle. “Deal.”

And all too late, she remembers the rule that she’s lived by all her life, the rule she’s broken time and time again when it came to this bewildering, beautiful boy that has made a place for himself between the stained-glass shards of her heart — never make a bargain with a faerie — because really, really, he shouldn’t be smiling like that, not like she’s given him the world when she’s barely even agreed to anything.

“Did you really plan a revel just to ask me about all this?”

“Yes. And you ruined it by taking a slice out of the Minister of Keys.”

Jude can’t help it. She throws her head back and laughs. “You’re a disaster.”

He glares, but there is no heat to it. “Only because you render me into one.”

Then something clicks into place. Something Tatterfell said while lacing her up in the dress he designed for her. For the king’s sake.

“Tatterfell knows.”

“She was most knowledgeable in your living preferences. How you like your room. Your furnishings. Your floors. I decided that I might know them, too.” He glances at the open space before them, at the sheer potential of it all. “Just in case.”

“We’ve been married for months. You could have asked me.”

“Would you have taken me seriously?”

She changes the subject, because he has her there. “How long have you been planning this?”

“A while.” Another shrug, less carefree this time. “Almost as long as the nightmares have come to me.”

Something hard glints in his eyes, and Jude recognizes the sharp lines of revenge if only because she has worn it too many times on her own face.

“All of this was as much a scheme,” he admits, “as it was a proposal to you. For to take a land borne of bitterness and remake it into a land of bliss, it would be –”

“The ultimate power play,” Jude finishes for him.

He grins down at her. It is heady, the realization that only she knows the true, full depths of her husband’s wickedness.

“I don’t have a lot of experience with blissful homes.” She feels the sudden urge to make sure he knows this. That he understands. It’s as much of a promise as she knows how to make. “I wouldn’t know the first thing about keeping one.”

“Nor I. We’ll have to learn together. Knowing you, there’ll be plenty of knives involved. But I think it starts,” he says, gathering her closer, “just like this.”

And when Cardan kisses her, Jude is sure that this is what conquerors must feel like. Because for years, she has fought for her place in Faerie, fought and bled and killed to belong somewhere.

And here it is.

Here it is, and she could dream entire worlds in his arms.

But she doesn’t have to. She has a whole world spread out before her already.

It’s a land of magic, raw and untested, ready to be discovered. A land of possibility, of infinite potential, waiting to be shaped by their hands. A land where sunlight grows and wayward falcons find peace. A land where the future blooms in full color, one amongst the thousands of flowers.

And it is theirs.

Their homeland.

______

Chapter Visuals:

Myrtle. (Love and partnership, marriage.)

End Links:

Everything: an edit.

His Door. (Cardan POV drabble, post-homeland.)

_______

End Note:

This fic represents a lot of firsts for me: my first completed multi-chaptered story, my first time (heh again) trying my hand at smut, but most importantly, my first time encountering some of the nicest, most thoughtful people as readers.

If you’ve read and followed this little fic of mine up until the end, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart. It’s been an absolute honor to have readers like you. ❤️ I've learned so much from writing this little fic that could, and I hope to continue to grow as a writer. Thank you for coming along with me on this journey and bringing so much value to the fic writing experience – kudos, comments, and your wonderful insights and all.

As always, you can find me and my open ask box on tumblr.

Much love to you, always!

________

Tagging: @ireallyshouldsleeprn @nahthanks

* Let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future fics (Jurdan or other fandoms!) and it would be my absolute honor to do so!

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sleepylixie · 4 years ago

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Pearls & Lilies

Seawalker/Merman Jeongin X Spellcaster! Fem Reader (platonic)

1.6k words, fluff, Beware of a singular mention of injury ( no toes were farmed in the making of this piece of fiction)

Fantasy AU, Supernatural! SKZ, Part-2 of Prince of Pearls from the In Umbra Universe (this can be read individually)

A/N: I’m back with my favourite merman! A Happy late( in my country and his) birthday to the Maknae on top Yang Jeongin ehe~ Here is my little addition to the In Umbra fic collection AT LONG LAST. Hope you like this! Do let me know what y’all think :)

Time flowed slowly in Atlantis, it seemed- almost like the underwater resided in a whole different plane of existence from the world he’d been a part of not too long ago. Jeongin realized this when his mortal body clock prompted him to sleep twice in a day- It was a nice feeling, like he was watching mortal time tick past him without taking him with it. Turned out, he wasn’t wrong.

Atlantis and the expansive merpeople kingdom had an entire plane to themselves, much like the ones the other supernatural races had for themselves- it was called Thallasia.

He remembered sitting with a cherry-haired female mermaid named Yeri and her brother Jungwoo before his first day of classes, listening intently to their long-winded descriptions of Thallasia. They spoke highly of the underwater plane, with its depthless trenches with blinking lights for the houses built into the sides, the meadows filled with coral that glowed in the dark and castles built of granite, agate and studded greenstone.

Jungwoo even went as far as to whisper of a secret pathway into the mortal plane, promising to show him later in the day when he noticed Jeongin’s attention visible pique at the words. That very night, Jungwoo showed him the seaweed-covered tunnel and led straight into the darker, murkier open seas of the mortal plane.

Seawalkers- mortals turned merpeople- were allowed to go back to land whenever they wished provided they never divulge the existence or location of Thallasia and Atlantis. Unlike trueborn merpeople, they retained the power to use feet or fins as they wished, which allowed seawalkers to tread land as and when they wished. The secret of Thallasia was a well-kept one to the landwalking mortals because seawalkers were created woefully rare and far in between.

That pathway became one of his most frequented corners of Atlantis in no time. Every other weekend’s sunrise would find him slipping through the seaweed and swimming down the long tunnel into the mortal seas. His personal plans of reuniting the merpeople with the landwalkers only solidified with every visit he paid to Busan and the towns that were rapidly developing around his hometown- but with his visits, he came to developing one new relationship. You.

He remembered his first steps on land, Jungwoo’s head poking out of the water as he watched Jeongin with bright, curious eyes. The feel of the sand on his toes pulled a wide grin to his face, his eyes welling up with tears from emotions he was yet to place. It was at that moment when he realised, he missed the land.

He missed having legs, feeling the crisp air in his lungs in the midst of a long run on the sand, feeling the fine grains under his toes. He missed climbing up trees for fresh fruit, his palms and soles chafing against the rough bark of the trees. He missed watching the sunrise and set and the chilly breeze against his arms but most of all, he missed his parents. Despite loving his new seawalker life and all the novelty it offered, it wasn’t entirely his own: Jeongin’s blood might have always sung for the oceans, but his heart was mortal born and raised.

“Hello, seawalker.” Jeongin’s lips quirked up of their own accord when he heard your voice, drawling and accented before you slipped into the chair in bench in front of him. Salen’s Bar and Inn was a supernatural haunt he’d taken to rather quickly, with the boisterous crowd and young owners who knew how to keep their patrons happy. One of the owners named Hongjoong, a former seawalker who had renounced the ocean after centuries of piracy, often enjoyed Jeongin’s whispered stories of Thallasia and Atlantis.

“Hello, charlatan.” he mockingly raised his glass of orange juice at you. You gasped in mock offence, reaching over to smack his arm. “How dare you! I am a respectable young lady, a successful tradeswoman at that!”

“Say what you will,” Jeongin chortled, sipping his drink. “But the only reason you sell anything if because of magic. Doesn’t that make you a fake?”

“I tell all of them it’s magic, it’s their fault they don’t believe me!” You laughed aloud before flagging down one of the waiters, placing your usual order and a mug of hot coffee. “Jeongin watched as you settled yourself further onto the bench, pulling off your heavy midnight cloak and fixing your sleeves and dress around your now cross-legged feet.

His first meeting with you had been an odd one. Jeongin’s mother had run out of ginger and herbs and threw him out of the house to do a grocery run for her, late in the evening. Quickly making his purchases, he decided to take the scenic route back home, away from the beach road and through a copse of trees. What he did not realize was that somebody else had taken that exact route that evening and had panicked at the sound of him following them.

Imagine Jeongin’s surprise when he was waylaid by an angry-looking girl with green sparks lighting up the tips of her fingers, telling him to back off from her trade items before she sliced his toes off. It was one of his life’s greatest embarrassments that he’d screamed in a rather high-pitched manner when you’d appeared out of thin air, your eyes shining unnaturally bright against the darkness of the copse.

After copious amounts of explaining from Jeongin, you relented, letting him pass with a begrudging apology- but Jeongin insisted on walking you all the way to your doorstep in a gesture of goodwill.

You were a spellcaster from the skinwalker plane Kyrmena- particularly from Gumiho territory, where your accent came from. Your parents had let you travel the country when you became of age, letting you learn more of the world by yourself. Busan had captured your heart for its serene beachside and the approachable people, which was why you set up a little home for yourself in Salen’s Inn, trusting Hongjoong and Yeosang’s hideout for the land living supernatural races.

That had been more than 6 months ago, the two of you becoming fast friends over Jeongin’s weekend visits. It was now tradition for him to take up this particular table at Salen’s before you bustled in from your market run, your hair tousled from the sea breeze. You were always the last person he met before heading back to Thallasia, bidding him adieu at the beach when he left.

“Yeosang has been begging me to make him a pearl and lily circlet for him lately,” you were saying, your accent curling curiously as your hands fluttered around you. “But who’s going to tell him the only pearls I have are the fake ones? I’m not going to give a dear friend a fake pearl circlet!”

Jeongin leaned on the table, his fingers lacing together as he stared at you incredulously. “Are you dense or just well and truly blind?” He asked, his voice betraying the extent of his exasperated amusement. You stopped and stared at him, your eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You’re talking to a seawalker, “ Jeongin pointed exaggeratedly to himself, “about lacking pearls.” Your eyes widened, palm smacking against your forehead in a rather comical manner. “Wow, I’m truly a few bolts short of normal today.” you grumbled before fixing Jeongin with a beseeching stare.

“Get me some pearls, please? My usual contact for them ran out and I’m sure I’m going to get orders from the seamstress for more pearl and rose-petal necklaces.”

The people of Busan had been collectively fascinated by the pretty young lady who set up shop in their market one day, your trade consisting of the most beautiful flowers laid over pieces of precious stones and jewellery. They flocked to your shop in awe, your wares sometimes running out before the day passed- how did your flowers not wilt for weeks? How did your jewellery never lose their shine? Little did they know you set a time-slowing spell on your pieces, slowing down the flowers’ wilt and the jewellery’s dulling to a great degree.

Jeongin sighed loudly, rolling his eyes despite the smile on his face. “Whatever. Meet me by the beach at dawn in 4 days.” Your eyes brightened immediately, a smile stretching out your lips as you slid off your bench to give Jeongin a tight hug, squealing excitedly.

“You’re the best.” you giggled, as Jeongin grimaced at the bodily contact, taking your original place on the bench. “I’m sure you spent your days dealing with me just so you could ask me to get you pearls for free one day.” Jeongin sighed dramatically as he sipped on his orange juice.

“Wait, you knew ?!” You gasped, your hand raising to cover your mouth in mock shock. “I thought I was doing a good job at pretending to be your friend!”

“You clearly weren’t.” Jeongin responded with a straight face, your eyes meeting and stares holding for a split second before you burst into pointless giggles.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you those snacks you like from Daegu the next time you visit.” You grinned at him just as Yeosang dropped by with your order of food, your attention now speared on the dark-haired Fae boy. Jeongin watched in amusement as you explained Jeongin’s agreement to get you pearls for his long-awaited pearl-and-lily circlet, Yeosang’s green eyes lighting up in pure excitement at the prospect. You giggled as Yeosang patted the top of your heads in thanks before wandering back to Hongjoong, prompting you to focus on your food.

Jeongin held your friendship with him at the highest of regards, despite not knowing you for very long. You were fierce yet easy to amuse, soft with your sentiments and so very talented with your hands. Watching you piece together the strangest combinations of metal and flowers into the most beautiful pieces of jewellery would never stop fascinating him- your artistry effortless and so, so charming.

It was almost easy for time to slip by faster with you, your easy banter with him making time pass faster than he’d expect it to.

For once, however, he didn’t really mind it.

Taglist: @aliceu @decembermoonskz @kisskissbanggang @lavenderbexlatte @jl-micasea @cuokka @cotccotc @straykidsownmysoul @illicit-roses @fylithia @stellarmonsterr @soya-zz @popisdead (Dm or drop me an ask to be added or removed!)

Network tag: @inkidz @kpopscape @districtninewriters

I’d love to hear what you think of this story! - Elliana.

#stray kids #skz #stray kids imagines #skz jeongin #jeongin x reader #skz fantasy au #skz fluff #stray kids fluff #skz x reader #stray kids au #stray kids scenarios #skz scenarios #jeongin #yang jeongin #kpop imagines #kpop #ellaskz #kpop scenarios

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nyxicnymph · 4 years ago

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Swept Away

A TodoMomo oneshot for Mermay 2021

Shoto Todoroki shifted uncomfortably, feeling cold. He didn't open his eyes, unwilling to take in the damage he was sure was there. He remembered the impact, and the shattering noises of the side of the ship imploding, then an impact on the back of his head, a flash, and nothing more.

He casually wondered if he was dead.

As he drifted, something nagged at the back of his mind. He felt very even in temperature, not something you would normally feel if you were drifting across the surface of the ocean. He also wasn't feeling any splashes from the waves. Thoroughly confused, he opened his eyes.

A woman's face greeted him, her dark eyes gazing into his, her ebony hair drifting around in unidentifiable motions. He gasped in surprise, only to inhale a mouthful of salt water.

Salt water?

"You're awake!" The woman said excitedly, her voice rolling towards him through the water. "Oh, but don't breathe through your mouth, my magic charm only helps you breathe through your nose."

Shoto clamped his mouth shut once he expelled the water from it, and took a good look at the woman before him. She was black haired and fair, wearing a red seaweed top, and a golden belt around the top of her slightly darker red tail. Her fins along her forearms were the same color, and as she swam to grab something, he saw a fin along her back as well.

"You're a siren?" He asked, tentatively, the only possible explanation in his head at the moment.

She turned around and pulled a face. "No. Sirens are half bird predators, with enchanting voices. You wouldn't have woken up if I were a siren. No, I am a mermaid."

"A mermaid," Shoto repeated, his head spinning, no thanks to the throbbing on the back of his skull. He remembered a few lines from even fewer books, but nothing of actual importance. "Mermaids can do magic?" He asked, referring to the magic charm she mentioned before.

The mermaid blushed. "Some can. I learned from the seawitch, Tsuyu. I saw you sinking, and I thought I could help."

Shoto looked at her for a moment, having to brush his hair back before it floated into his eyes. "What's your name? I'd like to thank you properly."

"Oh!" She practically glowed with joy. "Momo Yaoyorozu!"

"Well, Momo Yaoyorozu, I, Shoto Todoroki, would like to thank you for saving my life. I owe you a debt." He attempted to bow to her, but ended up flipping himself over in the water.

Momo giggled as he tried to right himself. "Let me help you." She grabbed one of his hands, and pulled him so he was lateral. With her face inches from his, she told him, "This is the best swimming position. The water flows around you like this. If you intend to change your direction, tilt your body like this." She pushed his upper body around in a few positions.

"That sounds great, but how do I go forward?" He asked in confusion.

She looked at his legs and frowned. "That's a good question. You don't have a tail, so you can't push like I do." She hummed thoughtfully as she looked at his legs. "Hold on to the stalagmite right there, I'm going to test a few things."

Shoto did as she told him, but was unprepared for when she gently grabbed his legs and started moving them. She finished after only a few seconds and swam back up to his face. She then held her hand level with his face, the first two fingers pointing at him. He noted the web between them before she spoke.

"Move your legs like this." She demonstrated an up-and-down motion with her fingers, one going up as the other goes down, and then they reversed.

"Like scissors," he remarked absently.

Momo gazed at him with confusion in her eyes for a moment, not understanding, but then shrugged. "If that's what scissors do, then yes. Like scissors."

Shoto nodded, and kicked. At first, he didn't notice anything, so he kicked harder. He lost his grip on the stalagmite and rammed his head into a kelp-plated boulder. He gently pushed off of it, and rubbed his forehead.

"Now both sides hurt," he mumbled.

Momo shook her head clear. She'd been watching his two-toned hair float aimlessly, but his words hit her as odd. "Both sides?" She asked as she swam up to him.

His eyes met hers, and he nodded. "Front and back."

Momo's eyes widened. "I forgot you were injured! I can't heal things, though. I can only make things." She thought for a minute, tapping one finger against her chin. "Maybe Tsuyu can help." She grabbed his hand. "If you stick with me, you won't get lost. Remember to push! Use your arms if your... err... double tails... aren't enough."

Shoto frowned in confusion. "Double tails? You mean my legs?"

"Yeah, is that what they're called? Use your legs and arms!"

"Momo, I can't use both arms if you're holding my hand," he pointed out bluntly.

Momo felt her face heat up, and released his hand abruptly. "Sorry! I just wasn't sure if you would be able to keep up!"

"Can't you just swim slower?"

Momo let that sink in. "Oh. Yeah! Yes, I can. My apologies!" She turned around and started swimming.

Shoto looked at the hand she had released rather forlornly. He hadn't asked for it to be released, he just was trying to point something out. Then he had to blurt out the "swim slower".

He followed after the mermaid. At least a slower swim would mean more time to get to know her. He was quite intrigued.

He wasn't prepared for the multi-sleep trip.

"Ah, I should have told you that I live quite a ways from Tsuyu. It'll take us about three sleeps before we arrive, at the speed we're going. Here, I'll make you a sand bed." Momo swept her tail across the ocean floor, and placed a clump of seaweed in the middle of the circle she made. "I'm not sure how humans sleep, but we tend to sleep in circles, with our tails curled up. You can rearrange the bed however you like. I'll be over here," she said, pointing to a spot a little ways away. "You may also wish to use the kelp to cover yourself, should a shark come near."

Shoto nodded, and swam towards the kelp, intent on trying to figure out how he was going to lay down. He flinched when Momo suddenly clapped.

"I'll just make a shelter around us! I can't believe I've never done that!" She swam a ways away, then started swimming in a circle around the two sand beds, tracing her finger in the sand. Where her finger touched, a wall of coral started to rise. It flowed together into a dome over their heads. She snapped, and the coral flowed apart in a few spots, creating some doorways and windows.

Shoto watched her in amazement. He'd seen a few mages on land, but none with the skill and competence that she was exhibiting. The detail that the coral grew in at her command was impressive. He could easily tell the door handles from the hinges. He looked at Momo in wonder and awe.

She released the magic, and turned to catch him staring at her, his mouth hanging open just slightly. "Are you okay, Shoto?"

He shook his head, then pushed his hair aside. "You're very accomplished. I've never seen anyone so good at magic, and I've met several mages in my father's business."

Her face warmed, and she swam to float next to him. "You've met magic users above?"

He gazed at the ceiling. "A few. Mostly storm mages, since my father's company trades through a lot of the more dangerous trading routes. He's a fire mage, and I got that, and my mother's ice mage talents, but I don't like to show those off. I'm not talented enough."

"So you're a... mage... too? Fire and ice?" She asked, not sure what those were.

He understood her, though. "I'm not sure if they'll work underwater. Ice might work too well down here. Can you make a waterproof box or something?" He asked her, turning to face her better.

She tucked a stray lock behind her ear. "I can try. If you stay there, I'll make it around you. But then I won't be able to make anything until I find something to eat."

Shoto paused. "Then don't. We do need to find something to eat, though."

Momo smiled. "I have a fishnet."

Shoto looked bewildered. "Isn't that cannibalism??? Or something?"

Momo shook her head. "Our tails aren't actually connected to fish. Sometimes there are many similarities, but they aren't the same." She swam outside. "I'll be back soon. Don't go out, you can't read the ocean like we can," she said in an informative tone.

He nodded, and watched her swim away.

Timeskip: Three days later

"We're here!" Momo exclaimed excitedly.

Shoto flagged behind her. "I'm glad."

"Wait, are you okay? Did I push you too hard? Should I have invited Tsuyu to my place instead of dragging you here when you were injured and new to swimming?" Momo fretted.

"No, I enjoyed the trip, Momo. I got to know you, and it was an interesting experience," He said, honestly and earnestly, his dual eyes shining. "It's just the pressure is very intense down here, and I'm not a great swimmer." He cleared his throat. "But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything."

Momo turned red, and turned away from him. "I- That's so nice of you. Let's see if Tsuyu can help you at all."

"You should have sent a message fish," A croak-like voice said from behind them. "And why is there a human here?"

Momo spun around in surprise. "Tsuyu! I can explain!"

Tsuyu raised an eyebrow, her flippers twitching. "I hope so."

After Momo explained everything, Tsuyu took a look at Shoto. "Well, at this point, his injuries are mostly healed up. The problem is, he's a human, under hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. If he wants to return to the surface, it might be even more harmful than just staying here. How did he get here without dying?"

Momo shifted a bit. "He was sinking. He was almost at the bottom when I found him."

Tsuyu looked at her. "Still alive, even though he can't breathe water?"

Momo shrugged. "He was close to death, and I couldn't let him die. That's what the charm around his neck is for. It's kept him alive so far."

Shoto nervously fingered the necklace he had barely noticed. "Can I stay here?" When the ladies both looked at him, he looked at the floor. "I don't want to go back."

Momo looked at him with compassion, her eyes lingering on the scar on his face. Tsuyu looked at him more analytically. "Why?"

Shoto shrugged. "I'd rather prefer if my family thinks I'm never coming back. My father is not a good person, he's already run off the majority of my family in one way or another. I don't want to go back." If he could have cried underwater, he would have.

Momo rushed to him, but wasn't sure how to comfort him. Tsuyu gazed at him for a moment more. Then she spoke.

"Well, then I have a bargain for you." Shoto looked at her, confusion in his eyes. "You can become one of us, though it's a painful process, it's not undoable." When Shoto's eyes gleamed, she continued. "But. Everyone you know on the surface will forget about you. Not just your father, but siblings, your mother, any friends you might have had, everyone who's met you or knows about you." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Your choice. An equal amount of pain for if you choose to return. Your body will be in pain for days as you readjust to the surface pressure, and you will forget about your time here."

Shoto looked at Tsuyu for a minute or two, weighing his options. He looked at Momo, then his hands, then up towards the surface. He whispered, "I'm sorry, Mom."

When he met Tsuyu's eyes again, his were tinged slightly pink. "I'm choosing to stay here."

Tsuyu nodded, pulled a few hairs out of his head, and swam over to an enclosure holding a variety of fish. "Then let's get to it. Momo, I would suggest you go outside for a few minutes. Maybe swim around, or plug your ears."

Momo swallowed and nodded. She gave Shoto a hug, and swam outside.

Shoto turned to face Tsuyu, who dropped the hairs and the fish in a cauldron he hadn't noticed earlier. She threw a few more ingredients into the cauldron, snapped her padded fingers, and extracted a silver fluid from the pot. She placed it in a glass, and brought it over to him.

"Now listen, very carefully, Shoto Todoroki. This potion will do a few things." As he nodded, she continued. "It is going to temporarily mute you, so that you don't hurt yourself screaming. Then it will start the transformation. It should only take about five minutes, but you will probably be unconscious for a while. Once the transformation is complete, your voice will return." She grabbed his shoulder. "Are you still willing to go through with this?"

Shoto nodded, his gray eye looking steely. "I'm ready."

Tsuyu handed the glass to him, and he quaffed it down. He felt it trickling down his throat, and then the burning started. He crumpled over, as well as one can crumple in water, releasing the glass before he gripped it too hard and shattered it.

The feeling was like an intense rash, on his neck, the sides of his arms, his spine, and his legs. But, even if his voice hadn't been muted, he wouldn't have yelled. He went into this knowing what to expect, and he'd been through many painful situations. He closed his eyes and retreated inside himself to wait out the process.

When he opened his eyes again, Momo was waiting for him. He smiled at her, and took off her charm. He handed it back to her, saying. "I believe this belongs to you."

Momo smiled back, and pushed his hand back. "Keep it. I made it for you. Even if you don't need it anymore, keep it to remember me by."

"Why would I need it to remember you? I don't plan to leave you, Momo. You're why I decided to stay," he told her. He flexed his new tail. "Besides, you're the best swimming teacher I know, and I don't know how to use this yet."

Momo covered her face. "Uh, ok! I guess I can help you, and you can stay... With me. B-but! You'll have to get a house with the clan once you've mastered swimming!" She poked his nose. "For... reasons."

Shoto wrapped her in a hug. "Ok, Momo."

Tsuyu watched them embrace, then started drawing dates on the cave wall, trying to guess how long they'd stay "platonic".

The End!

#todomomo #yaomomo #momo yaoyorozu #todoroki #shoto todoroki #shoto x momo #mermay 2021 #todomomo mermay #tsuyu #tsuyu asui #bnha #boku no academia #my hero academia #mha #tw transformation #tw transmutation

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origami-breath · 4 years ago

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Little mermaid Geraskier au, okay? And for the sake of being contrary, Jaskier will not be Ariel. Oh no. He is the handsome prince (-although IMAGINE a prince Geralt omg ~maybe later) having a little coming of age ceremony on his father's ship with his dog Roach, who absolutely loves the sound of Jaskier's lute.

Now Geralt, having been raised by Vesemir (along with his brothers) has never left his underwater kingdom, Kaer Morhen, where he and his family stay and protect their fellow merpeople. He's also so far off his coming of age that lets him leave home and even that only includes the sea. Geralt is not like his brothers however and yearns to travel on the MAINLAND because he knows there's more out there and all he's doing is fucking around at home with his brothers.

Geralt is fine with his life, sure, but the more he hears of tales told by Yennefer (as Scuttle - she enjoys fucking around and telling Geralt bullshit land stories and making up uses for everyday trinkets. Dinglehopper, honestly, Geralt is so very gullible) the more Geralt wants to experience land life himself.

It all comes to head when Geralt hears music from above ground and he digs it, right, but what really CALLS to him is the barking. Very peculiar. So when Geralt just takes a peek he, of course, sees a prince and it's enough for him that he forgets to check his surroundings and Roach sneaks up on him and plants a sloppy dog kiss on him.

AND WELL, this just does it for Geralt. He knows he's missing so much on land. A handsome prince, a shaggy companion that has no qualms with Geralt being different (and are all land animals cursed with such naivety? Geralt hopes so).

So mayhaps an Ursula stregobor? (Calanthe??) Point is, they make a deal with Geralt that's extremely short-sighted. They will take Geralt's voice from him, and he'll get land legs. HOWEVER, in order for him to keep his legs, he has to get the prince to marry him after 30 moons (alt: 1 month, I'm trying to make this less Disney more Witcher 🤷).

And if he DOESN'T then Geralt has signed over his soul and body to stregobor/calanthe (the majority of those desires are of the weapon-kind.)

Now, what's so short-sighted is that stregobor/calanthe know of land royalty and they've heard a thing or two about this particular prince (*cough*JulianAlfredPankratz*cough*) One who beds anybody but is absolutely against the monogamous practice of marriage. And while they have no doubt the prince WILL take to Geralt they know he would never marry him. It'll be especially hard too, considering that Geralt has traded his voice for his new legs (magic does require a balanced sacrifice , boy (I'm really feeling Ursula! Stregobor) .

So this is where I'm wondering if Geralt should have a flounder companion and if it should be Ciri?? Or if Ciri should be part of the land (Jaskier's sister? Royal neighbor??) and is yet another reason for Geralt to stray from home.

Now, for the sake of time, I'll jump straight to the ending where it takes Jaskier LESS than 30 moons to propose (I'm stuck between 10-20 moons). Yes, he was once very firmly against marriage, but he just had his coming of age and he might as well grow up in this aspect of his life. And Geralt, for all that he doesn't talk, does do an awful lot for Jaskier and, consequently, for his kingdom. It's a smart marriage okay!

Jaskier knows Geralt PROBABLY likes his dog more than he likes Jaskier, AND he'll make scrunchy, annoyed faces whenever Jaskier plays his lute or sings or talks really-

BUT

Geralt is always the first to clap when Jaskier finishes an impromptu concert,

or he'll fall asleep when Jaskier plays one of his slower songs, head pillowed by his fist that leaves the illusion of listening intently but his tell us how small sleepy smile.

Not to mention that Geralt had somehow become Jaskier's bodyguard after only two nights of being his guest.

(a run-in with a vengeful royal who insisted Jaskier had tainted his virginal daughter who is now no longer marriageable and JASKIER better do something about it or it'll be his head) so here comes Geralt who absolutely CAN'T let anything happen to Jaskier (he's mildly disturbed to find out that his reasonings have nothing to do with his deal with Stegobor)

Now Jaskier gets an absolute head to toe shiver when Geralt comes to his rescue. He’s this tall, long silver-haired beast of a man who’s as silent as he is intimidating and he PROTECTS Jaskier who he has known for all of two days. It’s mind-boggling to Jaskier.

So once Geralt properly scared off the angry father Jaskier tries to make light of the situation, simply because his emotions are all out of sorts (he thinks he might be in love? He feels kind of scared but excited, a little dazed and stomach sick and fluttery but stuck in his head, and most importantly INSPIRED CONSTANTLY, it's brand new and he LOVES).

Right right, so he's making light of having to be saved and trying to pretend he's not over the moon, so he elbows Geralt and scoffs a little, "as lovely as a virgin is, they are certainly more trouble than they're worth."

AND THEN, Geralt makes this face, almost shameful and embarrassed while trying not to be and JASKIER just ... Can't. He just can't, y'all. Because GERALT, a blushing virgin??? Jaskier needs to lock this down stat.

And yada yada, we get some sweet courting happening and some intense sabotage on Stregobor's part because this is NOT going his way.

And then we've got a clueless Geralt who convinces himself that he's no good for Jaskier anyway. He cares about Jaskier too much to put any kind of obligation on him so Geralt has resigned himself to being indebted to Stregobor all while his crusty witch ass is freaking out, unaware that Geralt is unaware of Jaskier's courting and basically it's a lot of Stregobor trying his best and even sends Jaskier a hot piece as a distraction but it backfires because is that VALDO MARX FEELING GERALT UP IN THE CORNER THERE???

TBH it's a whole lot of true love conquers evil magic and trickery (and a little bit of Yennefer magic) while these two men are none the wiser.

****

Aaaand, I'm done.i needed this out of my drafts lol

#geraskier #geralt x jaskier #geralt of rivia #jaskier/geralt #the little mermaid au #ariel! geralt #kind of #Prince Eric! Jaskier #also kind of #dog roach #i had to get this out of my drafts #it has been months #probs a year #the witcher netflix #the witcher #origami-breath

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op-sheepy · 4 years ago

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35. Sturgeon of Death and 52. Hot 100 for the wip game please?

Sturgeon of Death

Uhm... How do I even explain this? You could consider this as a sort of Little Mermaid AU except Law tries really hard to get out of the main storyline. The working title was just me wanting to use the phrase... He could have been any other fish, really.

So here Law is a sturgeon and he kinda hates Atlantica (the mermaid kingdom) with all their singing and general silliness. Because of his being unapproachable, the mainland fish have taken to calling him “Sturgeon of Death” so he pretty much hangs out with his Arctic pals (the Heart Pirates as their animal namesakes). But one day, one of his friends goes missing so he needs to go to the surface and look for him. So basically a literal fish out of water story.

As a fish, he didn’t have the requisite features to convey his annoyance. Luckily, sturgeons already look like they’re pretty annoyed with you so he just stared intently at the witch angling his head just so.

“That air-headed princess only needed to trade her voice for legs. Why are you demanding something else? Something more?”

“Honey, firstly, that was a different sea witch she made a deal with. Second, the princess is a mermaid. Was. She had actual vocal cords from the start so her voice was actually something she could trade and she only had to transform her lower half.”

The witch looked at his form pointedly then sighed. “I don’t make the rules ok? For magic like this to work, there needs to be a trade-off.”

“You could always transform him lengthwise...” Clione suggested, fluttering uncertainly. “Maybe he could do with just one lung... and leg... and arm... and eye...”

The sturgeon redirected the side-eye towards the sea slug.

Oh, and although it hasn’t been decided and it isn’t the focus this is listed as CavLaw (Cavendish x Law). Cavendish being the beautiful prince who falls in love with the man who gets washed up on shore one day. The man who does not talk and avoids human touch at all costs as though it physically pains him.

---------------------------------o

Hot 100

There is a publication that caters to those that appreciate the aesthetics of pirates. Submissions (photos) are mostly anonymous and rewards are given to contributors especially for popular subjects. (Basically top 100 hottest pirates magazine)

There is a ranking system mainly decided by popularity. Most don’t particularly care about this but there is actually a secret rivalry between crews. Mostly from crew members who have too much spare time or who want the considerable reward.

Most of the members of the Straw Hat’s are up there courtesy of Nami. So naturally, when Law allies with them, she sees a potential gold mine. (Potentially slight LawNa though not the main focus.) He’s not that high up since he and his crew spend most of their time underwater (and they were trying to keep a low profile).

This is mostly commentary on the very attractive pirates in One Piece as well as Law’s outfit choices.

There’s also a part (after Dressrosa) where the Heart Pirates go all out, no longer needing to be as hidden, where they dress their captain better. Also an issue of how to get a good picture of him without him knowing.

Damn it! The captain was below Hawkins and Kid again. Tsk. They were sure the deviation from the usual dark colors would work.

“I told you that the orange pants and yellow jacket combo was hideous!” Nuh-uh, why is the captain still in the list then? They just need something... more.

“You should have submitted the other picture.”

“But the captain was obviously in pain there! You could clearly see his injuries.”

A considering pause. “Those tend to do better don’t they?”

“Yep.”

Thanks for playing. Feel free to submit again. :)

#One Piece #One Piece FanFiction #trafalgar law #Heart Pirates #one piece nami #one piece cavendish

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whitecrownsblackthrones-archived · 4 years ago

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New Verses

{♔-☯-♛} - “There is l i f e under the waves, wonderous & dangerous life.” | Mermaid Verse 1 | 『v!Fish out of Water』

One day, long, long ago, there were a pair of sister mermaids that lived deep in the sea. So beautiful were they, it was said their smiles lit up even the darkest depths of the sea. Always told were they, by their father’s worrisome tone, to stay away from the surface, for their great beauty & elegant voices would cause sailors to wreak their ships in their attempts to capture them to make them their own. They did not head their father’s warning, & neared the line with water & air meet. A fishing boat happened by, one that was own by royalty, casting it’s net out to capture what fish it may, & in turn, the net caught one of the mermaid sisters as it was pulled up to the ship. The ship made off with it’s unbelievable prize, as the remaining sister attempted to chase after, to get her sister back. But, it all seemed for not, as the reminding sister tired, she could not keep up with the ship & drifted with the tide limply in exhaustion. When the remaining sister awoke, she found herself on the shore of a place unknown, being eyed at by strange sailors dressed in fine jewels. That man, he was an emperor, the emperor of the lands who’s shores the mermaid had washed up on. The emperor proclaimed the strange half fish woman who washed up on his shores was a gift from the gods & took her in as his own daughter.

From that day, each of the mermaid sisters lived their lives apart, but under similar royal circumstances; trading their fish tails for human legs. The first mermaid sister, who was taken by the ship, was brought to snowy mountains where a towering castle was, where the king who owned said ship lived & she was presented to the king as a prize. Bewitched by the beauty of the mermaid, he took her in as a princess, even giving her a new name, Annalise, or Ann for short. The king sheltered Annalise from the outside world, & insisted rehabilitation to be sure she would forget her mermaid heritage, so that she would never want to return to the seas she came from. The second mermaid sister lived a more free life of luxury in the scouring deserts kingdom of her new adoptive Emperor father, who gave her the name Xiaosue, or Sue for short. The Emperor allowed Xiaosue to learn to dance, to hunt, to fight & gave her all she wanted, including pet tigers that she adored, as long as she agreed to not return to the sea. So, she kept away, enjoying her world of luxury & dance, however, her memories linger & the princess longs to see her home once again.

Ann & Sue’s faceclaims change in this verse to Princess Yan & Princess Aeolian from Ghostblade

{♔-☯-♛} - “Hearing a s i r e n ' s s o n g is proven dangerous. Many sailors who heard their lure have never returned from the seas.” | Mermaid Verse 2 | 『v!The Siren’s Call』

Ann & Sue are sister sirens whom must feast on the flesh of man to survive. Along with their fellow pod mates, they use their alluring voices to weave magical songs that bring sailors at sea to their doom, & if they are truly hungry, they will venture to beaches, posing as normal humans to trick unknowing beach goers into the ocean one way or another only to drown them & feast upon them. Sue in particular seem to enjoy the suffering of humans, choose not to wait for them to die & take bites out of them while they are still alive. While Ann seems unhappy with taking the lives of humans, secretly harboring a curiosity about the land-dwellers, & wishing to know more about them.

Ann & Sue’s faceclaims change in this verse to Princess Yan from Ghostblade & Nyx from Nyx Stay Night.

{♔-☯-♛} - “I’ll take Blood over Peace.” | Vampire Queen Verse | 『v!Queen of Dracul』

Suzan ‘Dracul’ Țepeș, hailed as Queen of Vampires, as she is believed to be a long lost relative of Vlad Țepeș, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula. They say she lives on a hidden island that is within the Bermuda Triangle, far, far away from her ancestor’s original homelands & as such, far, far away from other vampires. They say, to even get to her home island, one must have ‘had a terrible accident happen upon them’.

Some say she lives alone, & has for centuries, others say she lives there with her three ‘daughters’, of whom are also vampires as well. One that willingly gave up their lives & blood to the Vampire Queen.

Sue’s faceclaim changes in this verse to Nyx from Nyx Stay Night

#{In the Reflection of the Mirrors - Verse Musings}#read more for length #『v!Fish out of Water』#『v!Queen of Dracul』#『v!The Siren’s Call』

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shigarakis-fifth-hand · 5 years ago

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Mha Scenarios

I recently found your blog and i'm in love with your writing! ❤ So, since we are in May... could i request individuals scenarios for Deku and Mirio with the theme mermaid reader x pirate? You can invert roles if you prefer ^^

Haha I got bored and mixed in some yandere vibes and magic!! Hope you don’t mind!

Deku

Deku was the co-captain of the UA or Unified Anchor, one of the most respected and yet also most feared pirate ships in the world. They were known for putting a gun to everyone’s head, taking the treasure, and then leaving without a single casualty. That’s why Deku liked it, he didn’t have to get his hands dirty to have the sweet reward. Some called it lazy, but honestly they were jealous that they hadn’t thought of it first.

The captain was All Might, the strangest pirate captain on Earth. He was a kind simple man, but with the protection he felt over his crew, and his too-large-to-be-possibly-real-right? muscles, he was deadly to all but his crew. The ship crew was like a family, and he was going to pass it on to Izuku Midoryia once he grew too old.

“Deku! Get rid of the sail!” Ochako called out from the deck of the boat as Deku pulled on the rope, pulling the sails up and out as the boat began to surface on the island. “Look, it’s land ya hoes!” Denki grabbed Deku by his foot and swung him around playfully, helping the guy get down from the tall ledge where he stood.

The kids and All Might walked onto the powdered sand of the beach, shining like a crystal. “I know there’s something around here that’s gotta be worth taking. Refill the water buckets and harvest all the food we can get from this place. Bakugo! Midoryia! Search the island! It’s not that big, and surely you can see it all by midnight.” All Might pulled the boat onto the shore to resist the drag of the waves and then pulled it entirely onto the beach.

“Set camp for us Shoto! Denki, I need you to load whatever we don’t need off the boat and get rid of it. This island looks as if it has plenty to offer.” All Might explained while Deku and an angry blonde boy began to walk into the forested area of the island. Izuku ruffled his dirty green hair and fixed his red shoe with a hole in it. All Might had offered to get him new ones, but these shoes were like his trademark in life. He needed them, and they needed him to feel as one together.

Izuku, using his sword, slashed through the palm trees and bushes in his way, before hearing a scream from nearby, as well as yelling. It was a girl’s scream. Deku ran as fast as he could through the forest, until he saw Bakugo pulling the hair of a girl on the ground. “Kacchan, what the hell do you think you’re-” Deku stopped cold, looking down to see that from the girl’s waist and below was a fishes tail.

“She’s a fucking mermaid! Stop moving bitch, I’ve got to find a net or something!” Bakugo was about to run off before Deku pulled him back angrily. Katsuki stared at Izuku, confused by his sudden change in personality

“She can’t breathe asshole! Come on, it’s okay.” Deku took out his canteen filled with water and began pouring it on the girl’s neck where she was gasping from, as he saw the fish gills under her chin. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re going to help me get her back home.” She began coughing through her mouth, finally able to breathe once more.

Bakugo groaned, but accepted as he walked back to her, receiving a devil’s glare from the mermaid. “Where do you need us to take you?” Izuku asked as she gestured with a nod of her head towards the forest. Izuku smiled lustfully at her pretty face as he picked her up bridal style and began to walk that direction, Bakugo following slowly.

With a few glances and nods of her head, she was able to show them back to a lagoon that came off the ocean bay. “Here.” Izuku set her in the water, not caring that his shoes were getting wet. As soon as he buried her into the calm water, he saw her mouth open and vibrancy return back to her body as she popped up, staring at his with stars in her eyes. “You saved me. How can I thank you?”

Izuku froze, blushing at how beautiful her voice was. So enchanting, so luring even. “Um...” Izuku paused, thinking of it would be selfish to ask for gold or something. “Our crew would love some of your mermaid treasure! Whatever you can spare, we’ll take it!” Bakugo exclaimed, receiving an annoyed side eye from the fish. “I would never do anything for you, but for you.” The mermaid looked back at Izuku with hearts in her eyes.

“I’d do anything for you!” She smiled, making the green-haired blush. “Then yes, if you have any treasure it would make our job a lot easier.” Deku smiled back as she nodded, before she grabbed Bakugo’s shirt. “Follow me boys. It’s just in the cave.” Before either of them could react, she pulled Bakugo into the crystal-clear water, and deep into the water beyond Deku’s sight. “Kacchan!” Deku screamed, before diving into the clear sea and swimming after her into the cave.

Just as he was about to run out of air, he felt a hand grab him by the shirt and speed him inside a cave, bringing him up for air. “Izuku!” The mermaid brought him to the land inside the cave, pressing up and down on his chest. As Deku began to wake up, she wrapped her arms around him. Goodness, you should have waited for me to come back for you! Humans can’t swim fast enough to get here before running out of air.” She explained as Izuku nodded, looking up to see Bakugo wringing the water out of his shirt. “Bitch... getting me all wet...”

The mermaid got off of Deku, allowing him to get back on his feet. “Are you alright? You swallowed a lot of water.” As the mermaid hugged Izuku, he felt her heart beating fast. The two slowly began to come together, their lips pressing slowly as Izuku was enchanted by her beauty and the seduction of her fantasizing voice. Just as their lips pressed, the two were startled by Bakugo’s loud screams.

“Lord, you weren’t joking! Come on Deku, stop thinking about your dick and look at all this!” He yelled as Deku got off his knees, blushing as he looked over at what Bakugo was talking about. In front of Bakugo’s feet was a pile of gold coins, tiaras, swords, and clumps of jewels and gems. “Oh my god! Now this is a treasure! Come on Deku, let’s grab what we can and scram!” Bakugo began grabbing the treasure by the handfuls and stuffing his pant pockets.

“Don’t hesitate Izuku, this is the dumpster where we put the treasure we don’t want. My sisters use it for luring pirates like yourself to their death, or trading with the other mermaid colonies who can’t find good treasure like we do.” The mermaid explained as Izuku’s eyes widened at her words. “You... kill pirates?” Deku asked, ignoring his crewmate stuffing his pockets and mouth to the brim with coins and jewels.

“Not me, but my sisters. It’s one of the main jobs of our kind to lure pirates who have treasure that we want to their death.” She confessed as he nodded, his eyes still wide. “Not you, though. My sisters have left on a trading mission to the North, so you won’t have to worry about mermaids around these areas for months.” The mermaid smiled sweetly, cupping Izuku’s face with her soft palms. “Now go, get as much as you can carry Izuku.” She blushed as he slowly left her side, walking to the treasure.

You watched him slowly walk, loving the look of his legs walking. You wanted to see how he would look swimming... “Wow Kacchan, this is too good to be true!” Deku exclaimed as he finally had filled his pockets as much as possible. “Alright fish girl, take us back to the surface! Maybe we can come back once I empty out, we can bring back our crewmates!” Bakugo yelled, walking back over to the mermaid. “What? There are more of you? Tell me about them Izuku.” The mermaid smiled as he joined Kacchan, grinning at her.

“Oh, you’d love them! Ururaka would love how soft your hair is, and Mina loves swimming so she’d love you!” He exclaimed as the mermaid’s eye twitched creepily, but only Bakugo noticed. “Oh, there are girls? Do you like any of them?” She asked as Izuku blushed, shaking his head. “Oh no, they’re just friends! Although I did kiss Ururaka once when we were young, but we liked each other just because we were dumb kids.” As Izuku and the mermaid continued to talk, Bakugo began to feel uneasy.

“Ahem, Izuku. Stop talking and just get us out of here. I don’t like this place.” Bakugo whispered as the mermaid began to get angry at him. “Oh Kacchan, I’ll take you back up right now. Wait here Izuku, I’ll come back for you.” The mermaid grabbed the blonde’s hand and began to pull him back into the water, being careful to not spill any of the gold coins out of his pockets. Izuku sat on the sand, playing with it’s soft texture as she soon returned. “Did Katsuki make it back safe?” Deku asked, standing and preparing to leave.

“Oh yes, he promised to get every single one of your crewmates to come to the shore in a few minutes. I can’t wait to meet all the girls.” She smiled as Deku lowered his hand, ready to leave. “Oh no, you’re not leaving Izuku~baby.” She smiled as his eyes widened, confused and now worried. “What do you mean?” He asked as she smiled wider, her eyes filling with evil and lust. “Why would I let you go when you’re going to go back to the girls? I need to keep you here, so no other girl will ever look at you again! You’ll be all mine!”

Izuku began backing up, shaking his head upsettingly. “N-no! When you bring them down here, they’ll bring me back!” He shouted as she began laughing, rolling around happily in the water. “Oh silly, don’t be such a dummy! I’m not bringing them down here!” She exclaimed as Deku’s eyes widened at what she meant. “I’ll drown each and everyone of your crewmates! My sisters will be so proud of me! My first mission was your crew, and I’ll get every single one of them!” She smiled as Izuku began crying, fearful and upset.

“Oh, and then once they’re gone you’ll be all mine! God, you’re going to stay here until death! I’m so excited!” She smiled, reaching for his shirt to grab him by and hug him. “I’ll bring you food three times a day, and never leave your side! I’m so in love with you! It’s thanks to you that my kill count will meet the requirements to become queen! Once I kill 20 people, I’ll be allowed to take the crown! You’ll be my king Izuku~Baby!” Deku crumbled to his knees, unable to believe the fact that it was his fault that his entire crew would die.

Mirio

Togata was a pirate, but one of the lowest class. He always did the night shifts with his witch friend Nejire, and his friend Tamaki who was training to become the captain. Mirio didn’t have much to do at the time, and could only wait until Tamaki became the captain so he would be promoted like Tamaki had promised. Until then, Mirio was living life day-by-day, bored out of his mind and looking for more.

“Ahh, we’re here Mirio! Look!” Nejire pointed to the island approaching, a cove, waterfall, lagoon, and a lush forest all appearing to his eyes. “Wow, look at that. I call the lagoon, I missed swimming without having to worry about sharks.” Mirio smiled as Nejire smacked him playfully in the back of the head. “Fine, Tamaki said that All Might needed more coconuts, I’ll get some of those.” Nejire smiled back, finally being able to climb onto the sandy beach.

Mirio grabbed his bag and got off the boat himself, walking along the shore towards the water. Looking back, he saw everyone pile off and look around, unknowing of what to do next. All Might had always been one to let the crew do their own thing. As Mirio entered the area of the water, he began to strip himself of his clothes. That was, until he heard a noise from a far. A sort of... gasping?

He turned and began swimming quickly to the shore where he heard the noise, getting out of the water and running to where the noise came from. Shocked, he gasped as his eyes laid upon a girl struggling, a rope wrapped around your neck tightly. As you grasped and pulled at it, Mirio ran to your side, scaring you As he pulled out the knife and put it to your neck, you began hyperventilating in fear of him trying to kill you. When he cut the rope and threw it from your body though, you realized what he meant to do.

You rolled into the water, splashing as you began to get away from Mirio. “W-who are you?!” You demanded to know, swimming slowly away from him as he put his hands up. “I’m not trying to hurt you! I saw you were stuck and wanted to help!” He explained as you stopped, looking down at the knife in his pocket. Noticing that he still had it out, he quickly tucked it away into his pocket. “T-thank you. What’s your name? I didn’t know humans were on this island.” You asked as his eyes widened. Had you just called him a human? Weird.

“U-um, human? What do you-” As his eyes peered down her body, he was left to not look upon legs beyond your waist but a fish tail. No, a mermaid tail was more precise. Looking at you again, he noticed the shell necklace, voluminous yet wet hair, and the starfish on your head. He realized now that all that wasn’t just a coincidence, but a design choice. “Y-you’re a mermaid.” He muttered as you giggled happily, doing a flip in the water, showing off your light teal tail.

“Yes? Now what’s your name human pirate?” You asked as he smiled, unable to remove his eyes from your happy emotion. “W-well, I’m Mirio Togata, but you can call me Miri.” Togata turned on his charm, allowing you to smile at him. “I’m Y/n, like to meet you Miri.” You grinned as he could help but blush at your cuteness. Y/n was such a beautiful name... “So, where’d you come from human boy? If you were on this island, I would have heard about it.”

He grinned, sitting down on a rock on the shore close to you, and began to explain. “Well, my crew and I just got here. They’re unpacking, but I have nothing to do so I thought I’d come here and swim.” You nodded, your eyes sparkling at the idea of others. “Well then you should swim with me! It’d be so much fun!” You began to tug at his arm playfully, laughing happily with him. “How long can you hold your breath? How fast can you swim?!”

Mirio felt his heart smile at your enthusiasm as he stripped himself of his shirt and pants embarrassingly. “Come on slow fish! Come on in!” As Mirio was about to protest, you smacked her tail against the water, spraying him with the sea water. “You’re on!” He yelled before diving in, coming up to face you. You two began splashing each other happily, and Mirio couldn’t help but feel weird about how fast he had connected with this random girl- eerrrrrr, mermaid?

“Mirio! Where are you dummy?” Mirio and you turned surprised, hearing Nejire’s voice near them but hidden away. “Dang it, I don’t want to go back already.” He mumbled, beginning to swim to the shore before you grabbed his arm. “Do you trust me?” You asked, holding his arm tightly as he looked at you with a questioning stare. “Answer me Miri.” As he looked into your innocent e/c eyes, he nodded hesitantly.

In that moment he was swept under the water, and quickly pulled under the waves. As he went deeper and deeper, the amount of light began to quickly decrease until he was in pitch darkness. He held his breath though, and in a few moments later he was brought to the surface, your grip still holding his arm firmly in her grasp. “Good, you weren’t moving for a minute and I got scared. Here we are!” You exclaimed, motioning to the small amount of land you were on.

Looking behind you, Mirio saw a waterfall hiding you two from the rest of the world, allowing him plenty of room to lay on the beach. “You can stay here for as long as you want, I come here to hide too.” You smiled sadly as he slid onto the sand, leaving his legs in the water. “What do you have to hide from?” Mirio asked curiously as you glanced at him, sadness in your eyes. “D-don’t make a big deal about it, but I’m becoming queen of my territory next week. My dad is insisting that I need to get married, but I just can’t seem to find someone who I like who also likes me.”

You sighed, resting your head in his lap as you continued your stressed rant. “I come here to hide, where nobody is pestering me about royal duties or my dad isn’t setting me up with every other guy in the ocean. Here, the water is so loud that you can just scream, and nobody will hear you.” You smiled before feeling his arms wrap around you tightly. “It’s okay, I promise you’ll find someone.” You turned to him, hearts in your eyes as you stared at him.

“You think? That means a lot coming from a stranger, but you just don’t know me. I’m childish and I play pranks on the butlers when my dad isn’t in town to lecture me. Sometimes, I feel like I have no purpose, and I’m just waiting for my dad to give me a reason to stick around. Ya know?” You explained as Mirio’s eyes lit up. You were just like him, like he was waiting for Tamaki to hand him a position to give him a reason.

“Actually, I’m just like you. My pal is going to become captain in a few months and then give me a job, but until then I’m just waiting for something to happen and make my time worth-while.” He explained as you smiled, suddenly wrapping your arms around his neck. “Oh Miri, you’re the greatest. If you were a merman I’d have no issue finding someone to marry.” You smiled at him, before your face went all red as you backed away, realizing what you had just said.

“I... uh- what I meant to say was that I wish you were a merman. Then I could give you a purpose like marrying me and then helping run the kingdom... until I were to find someone, which would probably never happen.” You tried to save yourself, but the damage had been done. As Mirio was about to comment, he heard his friend once more, except now Tamaki was with her. “Mirio! Buddy?” Mirio rolled his eyes, beginning to stand. “Y-you’re leaving?” You asked as he shook his head, putting a finger to his lips to tell you to be quiet.

“I’ll be right back, I just need to tell them I’m okay.” He smiled, walking out into the water past the waterfall and out of your sight. You smiled sadly, resting your head on the shore as you thought about the blond and his dreamy blue eyes. Mirio walked up to his two friends, smiling and waving. “Ahh, there you are! I saw your clothes by the rocky side of the bay and got nervous.” Nejire explained as Tamaki chuckled. “You okay there bud? Your face is really red.” Tamaki obliviously commented as Mirio sighed, knowing there was no point in hiding it from his friends.

“Actually I-” His sentence was cut short by yelling coming from the cave inside the waterfall, your voice to be certain. “Mirio! No, please! Wait a second! Miri!” All three of the pirates began running to the waterfall only to find scratch marks on the sand and rocks, showing signs of struggled that lead to someone being dragged into the water. Immediately, Mirio’s mind went into immediate panic mode as he turned to Tamaki and Nejire.

“Nejire, do you know how to turn someone into a mermaid?!” He asked as she looked at him with the most bizarre expression before nodding. “You mean just a tail and the ability to breathe underwater? Of course.” She nodded as he smiled, gripping her hands. “Listen, I can’t explain now but I need you to turn me into one. Please, I’m begging you!” He exclaimed as she began waving her hand, muttering a spell.

“I’d hurry if I were you, I’m making the temporary one that lasts 20 minutes. The permanent one involves a potion and all that.” She explained before continuing to mutter the spell, Mirio feeling his legs go to Jello as he fell into the water. Looking down, his long legs had been changed into a red merman tail like Y/n’s. “Alright, I’ll be back soon.” He gave them a thumbs up before disappearing into the water, leaving his friends alone and very confused. Dipping into the water, Mirio had one mission. Save you from whatever had taken you.

Left and right, he followed the pebble path on the ocean floor while learning the mechanics of the tail before gasping. In front of him was a village, houses surrounding one large castle. You must have been taken there. In the distance, he could hear your voice as he began to race towards you, going faster than he ever thought possible. Once he was inside the village, he kept his head down, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention. He continued to follow your voice, until finally seeing you.

At the gate of the castle was you, two guards grasping each of your arms, and who he thought of as the King and Queen. “Y/n!” He yelled out, receiving you to look his way and watch his eye, your face lighting up. Without even having to try, you pulled your way out of the guard’s grip and raced towards him, enveloping him in a tight hug. “Y-you’re a merman? No, this is a spell! You would probably have a blue tail if it was a potion...”

You murmured, continuing to look him up and down as the guards, King, and Queen began slowly swimming your way. “I came after you once I heard you screaming. I thought you could possibly be in danger, I got worried.” Mirio explained as you smiled, tears coming to your eyes. “I... I didn’t want to lose you.” He confessed, his cheeks highly tainted red as you smiled, kissing his cheek. “Y/n... who is this?” You father asked as you turned to him, smiling like an idiot.

“This is the guy I want to be my King.”

109 notes · View notes

justaghostingon · 5 years ago

Text

Merfolk are Overrated

Chapter 5: Nephthys’ Story

Nephthys reminisces about her own experiences under the sea as she helps Kodya hide the three sirens.

Read on ao3 here https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041904/chapters/63453298

Or below the cut

Nephthys’ POV

“You gave her legs!” Kodya gaped like a fish, staring at Nephthys like she’d grown a second head. Nephthys held back a wince. She really hadn’t meant for him to figure it out like this, but she’d come upon Kodya with a siren in his arms, Alistair had been on his way, and she’d needed to do something or they’d all be caught.

Never get caught. This rule comes above all.

“How, why,” Kodya stuttered, still trying to come to terms with what he just saw. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally says, a note of hurt in his voice.

“I have told you silly!” Nephthys gave a performative giggle, “Did you think my shop and aura readings were for show?”

Kodya opened his mouth and closed it again, still looking somewhat hurt. Nephthys couldn’t blame him. There was a huge difference between claiming to be a witch to sell trinkets to tourists, and using actual magic in front of someone. But at least he wasn’t going to push it. Nephthys was certain she could have handled having that conversation in front of strangers.

Kodya must never know. He does not belong in our world. If you live with us, you must understand this.

“If we are all done stating the obvious, I would very much like my tail back now.” The red-haired siren sniffed. Arms crossed.

“Of course, of course,” Nephthys smiled. “But not here. Let’s go back to my store, where we’re not in the open where anyone could see.” She shot the red-haired siren a look, and she lowered her head, a scowl on her face.

“Fine,” Kodya grunted as he lifted the fluffy-haired siren into the air and placed her in the back of his truck. Nephthys strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of the old kiddie pool in the back, how ingenuous. Kodya gestured to Nephthys and the red-haired siren. “Nephthys gets the front seat, Red, sit in the back seat.” Red moved towards the fluffy one, but Kodya stopped her. “Back seat means inside the truck, not outside it.”

“Then specify,” Red grumbled as she climbed carefully into the back, flopping awkwardly across the back seats as if she wasn’t quite sure how she was supposed to sit.

“Can I sit inside the truck too?” The boy said, but Kodya shook his head.

“You’ve still got a tail,” he pointed out as he lifted up the green-tailed siren out of what Nephthys was not realizing was a mini aquarium on wheels. The siren clung to him, and Nephthys watched Kodya’s ears grow bright red. Interesting.

Kodya deposited the siren gently into the back so he could crawl to the pool. Then he lifted the little aquarium wheelchair in behind him, and turned to the front.

“Don’t think, just go,” Nephthys heard him mutter under his breath.

-----------

“Don’t think, just go!” her father screamed, pushing Nephthys bodily out of the net. All around her the shouts and screams of a battle waged disoriented her. The great ship stretched upwards like a pillar, black jets streaming off as it sank slowly into the water. Warriors swarmed it, some placing hands or whole arms into cracks and leaks, others trying to push it upwards. Singers sank from above, blackened scales dull as they choked on water. Nephthys followed their trail, to see the slick black substance block out the sun. Oil. She clutched her father’s bag of medicines to her chest, tears still in her eyes, and fled.

----------

“Come in. Come in!” Nephthys beamed as she switched the sign on the door from open to closed. Kodya pushed the boy siren in while Red carried Fluffy. “We’ll talk in the back.” She led them past her glittering potions, and waved them all behind the purple curtain that marked the back from the front. Behind it was where she kept both an emergency tub, and her workbench, complete with extra potion bottles and tea set for easier digestion.

Kodya parked the Kid next to the tub and perched awkwardly on the work bench next to him. Red placed Fluffy carefully in the tub before parking herself on its edge. Nephthys turned her attention to the tea.

“Now,” Nephthys said as she lifted her favorite tea pot to pour five cups. “You want to know about the potion, correct?”

“Aye,” Tori crossed her arms. “I know your kind. You don’t do favors without a price.”

“Tori!” the Kid screeched, and Nephthys frowned, not appreciating that particular generalization, but she supposed it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Or magic needs to have something as a basis in order to work. I can’t make miracles from nothing,” she gently reprimanded. “It needn’t be any worse than trading for food or clothes.”

“So then what do you want in trade for my tail back?” Tori pressed, legs twitching oddly like she was trying to swish her tail. Sylvia braced against her so she didn’t fall off the edge of the tub.

“Nothing at all,” Nephthys smiled, and all three sirens startled.

“But you just said…” Kodya protested, but Nephthys cut him off.

“I don’t need anything, because this potion was designed to be temporary,” she explained. “You’ll have your tail back in a few hours. The only catch is that you are completely human right now, so I wouldn’t recommend you go swimming, as you’ll find you can’t breathe underwater anymore.”

“But what did you trade to get it to work?” The Kid piped up, eyes wide and curious. “You said magic has to come from somewhere.”

Nephthys smiled. It had been a long time since someone had wanted to listen to her lecture on the finer points of potion making. “You already provided it when you got that sea glass for Kodya. Unless,” she shot Kodya a wink, “he really has been training dolphins.”

“Dolphins?” Gyrus blinked.

“Trained?” Tori sniffed. Fluffy arched an eyebrow.

“Nephthys!” Kodya growled, ears burning red. All three sirens turned to him with similarly judgmental looks. “Oh come on,” he snapped. “I had to come up with some kind of excuse to explain how I got it!”

“And you picked dolphins?” The Kid furrowed his brow in confusion. Kodya’s ears got redder.

Nephthys smiled, pleased to see Kodya getting along with others. “You’re welcome to stay here while you wait for the potion to wear off,” she said. “If you need me, I’ll be handling the front.” So saying she turned on her heel and left Kodya to sputter out excuses to the three sirens.

But it seemed that was not enough to stop the siren’s curiosity. And Nephthys found that not ten minutes passed before the youngest siren peeked outside the curtain.

“Witch Nephthys?” the Kid asked. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Nephthys glanced around the shop to check it was empty, a long standing habit of hers, before turning her attention to the Kid with a smile. “Of course,” she said. The Kid’s face lit up.

He grabbed the wall, pushing himself forward in his little cart so he could be closer to her. “I’m Gyrus,” he began with a shy duck of his head. “I don’t think we were ever properly introduced.”

“I fear we haven’t,” Nephthys giggled, “what with running from Alistair and all. I’m Nephthys.” She added. “But you already know that thanks to Kody.”

“The red-haired one is Tori, and the pink-haired one is Sylvia,” Gyrus added. “Just so you know.”

“Thank you,” Nephthys smiled, glad to have a name to go with the faces. A silence stretched between them, until Nephthys broke it by prompting, “What were your questions?”

“Right!” Gyrus jumped, running a hand through his hair. He looked adorably awkward. “Well, I was wondering about the potion you made. Is there any more of it, what are the long term effects, and,-“ he peaked at her through his bangs, “-what would you want in exchange for some?”

“You want a potion?” Nephthys blinked. “What for?” Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with Kodya, and are here to trade your voice like in The Little Mermaid, she thought, remembering the Disney movie Kodya’’d never openly admit was his favorite.

“Well,” Gyrus began to twiddle his thumbs. “Alistair offered me a job, which would be a great way to learn even more about humans and their exchange. Besides,” he glanced up at her, eyes shining “What better way to understand humans than to be one? If I could use the potion, Kodya could take me everywhere and show me everything without having to describe it all!”

“Slow down a bit,” Nephthys held up her hand. “Kodya still has his own job to do, he’s not going to be free all the time.” Gyrus pouted a bit, and Nephthys suppressed a squeal at how adorable he looked. She was beginning to see why Kodya was so infatuated.

“You can use the potion though,” she offered, watching him perk up. “It’s fairly easy to make, provided you bring the sea glass I need to activate the magic.” Sea glass might be small, but every sea witch worth her salt knew there was powerful magic in objects that had become part of two worlds. Speaking of which… “There are a few limitations to this power,” she warned.

Gyrus sat straighter, watching her with a keen interest as she continued. “The first limitation is that this potion is temporary. It generally lasts a few hours, and if it's refined enough it might even last several days.” Not that she would be selling that potion to a first time user.

“But it can be unpredictable,” she continued, “and if you aren’t careful you can get stuck in some pretty awkward places and have to rely on others to come and rescue you.” Nephthys knew this from experience, as she’d once been trapped in the girl’s bathroom with eight tentacles, and had to yell for Kodya to run home and get her special bottle, no questions asked. Luckily he’d mistaken it for Advil and always been extra insistent she bring medicine with her every month.

“So be careful,” Gyrus nodded, brow furrowed. “Anything else?”

“Over use,” Nephthys said. “Is always a serious risk. If you keep taking the potion in rapid succession, you’ll find it harder and harder to change back. If that starts to happen, I’d recommend taking a break from potions for a little while, until the magic is completely clear from your system.” She’d done that once, and been forced to play invalid for two weeks before it was safe enough to begin again.

“Manage my time,” Gyrus nodded. “Got it. It can’t be harder than organizing Kodya’s finances.” Nephthys really wanted to ask. But she refrained in favor of communicating the final and most important piece of information.

“For some first time users, the transformation can be…unpleasant,” she added with a wince.

Gyrus looked up at her with mild alarm. “Was Tori…?”

“No, no.” Nephthys shook her head. “She was completely fine. Most are. But for some the psychological implications of losing their tail can be difficult to adjust to at first.”

Difficult. Wasn’t that the word.

-----------

Nephthys grit her teeth as she neared a boat on the farthest edge of the oil slick. She would only have one shot at this, and she needed it to go perfectly. She slung her father’s bag across her body so her arms were free. Then she grit her teeth and approached the great blackness.

Nephthys thrust her head above the oil slick water, dark goop slipping into every crevasse from her hair to her eyes and as it sank in her gills she finally understood what drowning felt like. But she couldn’t stop now. She blinked it away, looking desperately for something, anything, to grab on to, or she would perish like the rest of her pod’s singers. There!

Her salvation was a medal ladder welded to the side of the boat. Reaching out a hand, she grabbed the lowest rung. The oil on her hand made it slippery and hard to grasp, but she held on with an iron grip born of desperation.

She grabbed the wrung above, hauling her body upwards gasping for breath. Her lungs screamed for oxygen that without gills she seemed unable to fully supply, but she ignored it in favor of reaching for the next wrung, and then the next one after that. Her tentacles, normally so helpful for climbing, hung limp as the oil began to eat away at their protective slime.

Nephthys didn’t know how she did it, but somehow she managed to pull herself all the way to the lower deck, collapsing against it as spots swum before her eyes, and with the last of her strength she wrenched her father’s bag open, an uncorked the bottle inside, gulping down the contents.

The change was instant. A bright light filled her senses, and Nephthys found breathing became easier as her gummed up gills disappeared. A strange, tingling sensation ran over her lower body, as her tentacles knit themselves together. As the light faded, she looked down to see them gone. In their place were two brown human legs.

She wiggled her new toes experimentally, they seemed to function normally, no signs of the damage the oil had done to her tentacles had apparently transferred. By all accounts, they were a pair of perfectly normal human legs.

Nephthys bowed her head, and wept.

----------

“Gyrus! Get back here!” A sharp female voice called. Nephthys shook herself out of the memory as Gyrus looked at her guiltily. “I’ve got to go,” he said, pulling himself towards the curtain.

“I’ll help you,” Nephthys replied as she grabbed the handles of his chair and pushed him forward into the back. Tori, Sylvia, and Kodya all look up as they enter.

“Gyrus!” Tori is by his side in a flash. “Where have you been?”

“I was only in the front,” Gyrus rolled his eyes, “and besides. I wanted to ask Nephthys something.”

“What did she say to you?” Kodya demanded looking mildly alarmed. Nephthys felt slightly hurt. She wasn’t going to spill his obvious crush behind his back! She’d do it in front of him, through little in jokes said crush would hopefully not get.

“She explained more about the potion,” Gyrus said, launching into an edited version of what Nephthys had told him. Nephthys tried to listen, but felt a tug on her pant leg.

She looked down to see the fluffy haired siren had crawled out of the bath and was now sitting at her feet. She pointed at herself, then at Nephthys, and then made a flapping gesture with her hands that seemed to say, can we talk?

“Of course,” Nephthys smiled down at her. She cast a slight frown at the other three, Tori, Kodya, and Gyrus had apparently all gotten into a heated discussion about the potion and the job, with Tori solidly against it, Kodya against the job but not the potion, and Gyrus stubbornly insisting it was his choice. That looked like it was going to take a while.

She peaked back out the curtain. The desk would keep anyone from noticing Sylvia from the street, She should know, she designed it that way on purpose, and it would be a whole lot quieter. “How about you out here with me?” She offered, and Sylvia nodded, rolling her eyes at the others' nonsense.

Nephthys led the siren to the back of her desk and crouched down so they were both eye level. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked.

Sylvia began to gesture wildly, far too fast for Nephthys to understand.

“Stop,” she held up a hand. “I can’t understand you like that.”

Sylvia gave a frustrated groan as Nephthys looked around for some kind of solution. Her eye landed on an old pad and pencil she kept near the registry, and she pulled them out.

“Here,” Nephthys held them out to Sylvia. “Use these to tell me.”

Sylvia took the pad and pencil and began to draw in the thick, dark lines of someone who was used to using markers. Nephthys peaked over her shoulder, to see several rough sketches of sirens.

“Do you want to talk about your pod?” Nephthys asked. And Sylvia beamed. “Are Tori and Gyrus’ fights getting on your nerves?”

Sylvia’s face fell as she shook her head. She pointed at the pod on the pad, then at the curtain, and waved her hands to indicate no.

“They aren’t your pod,” Nephthys translated. “Do you want me to find them?” she guessed. Sylvia nodded.

Nephthys bit her lip. “Divining is tricky. I can’t guarantee I’ll find anything.” Even on her best of days her visions were confusing. And then she’d failed to predict the spill…she didn’t want Sylvia to get her hopes up.

Sylvia met her eyes, and Nephthys saw time rewind inside them. Monsters swam the clear seas, hunting and in turn were hunted by wild sirens in rudimentary armor. Strange sea witches in gleaming white would bespell the bones into plates for their warriors, while singers sang songs too beautiful to be confined by simple language. At night the pod would swim to the surface, unafraid of humans or ships, as their knowledge-spinner sang the emotions of their ancestors beneath strange stars.

They were beautiful. And they were gone. Their memory was frozen and stationary, and though Nephthys cast out her sight as far as she could, she could not see a trace of them anywhere in the world.

Nephthys felt her eyes well with tears. “I’m so sorry,” she said. Sylvia looked down at the floor, and her aura flickered a melancholy blue. She’d expected this, Nephthys realized. She’d just wanted it confirmed.

Nephthys bit her lip. She knew what that felt like. What would she have wanted someone to say to her? “It doesn’t stop hurting,” she started, and Sylvia looked up, eyes swimming with tears. “But overtime, you do find a new family, even if you have to make it yourself.”

She knew that better than anyone.

---------

“What the?” a human voice made Nephthys stop crying. She looked up to see a human boy, about her age, maybe a bit younger, staring at her. His eyes traveled from her oil soaked hair to her new legs and back to her tear stained face. Nephthys gave a sniffle, and the boy jumped, releasing a string of words Nephthys didn’t recognize.

“Here,” he tore off his long shirt, what was the word? Jacket? And held it out to her with a blush. “To cover you, ah,” he looked away, clearly embarrassed. Nephthys took it, glancing down at her legs. She wondered how to put it on, slipping one of her new feet into one of the sleeves.

“What are you doing!” the boy cried, coming closer to tug the jacket off her leg. “It’s not a pair of pants! You put it around your waist! What is wrong with you?” He stopped suddenly, looking deliberately upwards over her shoulder.

Nephthys pulled the fabric tight around her waist. Marveling at its softness. The edges bled oil as they brushed against her legs, staining the whole thing black. She bit her lip, feeling tears well up.

The boy rose to his feet, determination blazing in his eyes. “Stay here,” he said, and took off moving almost as fast as the strongest warrior could swim. Nephthys stared after him, feeling completely bewildered, but in no more than a minute he returned, holding some fabric high.

“Here’s a pair of pants!” he called, pushing the fabric into her hands. “Now put this on while I look this way.” He turned his back to her. She slipped into the pants, one foot in one hole and the other in the other and pulled up, glancing at the boy for reference.

“Thank you,” she murmured as they came up. They fit awkwardly, so loose she had to tuck them under her plates to keep them up, but Nephthys didn’t care. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry about it,” the boy smiled. “I’m Kodya, what’s your name?”

“Nephthys,” Nephthys said, and the boy smiled.

-----------

The bell rang at the shop door as Nephthys broke from the memory. She and Sylvia traded a look of pure fear, before Sylvia began to flop as fast as she could towards the back. Nephthys helped by all but shoving her behind the curtain before standing up to lie her head off to whatever customer showed up.

She needn’t have worried. It was only Knox, here for his daily dose of “love potion.” Nephthys would have felt bad about that, it wasn’t a real potion, just honey and lemon and some sugar water thrown in, but he wasn’t actually buying it for himself. Rather he was buying it for Alistair who was not allowed in Nephthys’ shop during work hours, after a flirting fail got a tourist to call the cops.

He took it without any confusion as to why Nephthys was apparently hiding under her desk, and went on his way. But Nephthys breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out of the door.

“Excuse me,” Nephthys spun around to see Tori standing in front of the curtain, looking nervous. Her shoulders straightened as she noticed Nephthys’ attention.

“I would like to apologize,” she began, “for my earlier rudeness, and thank you for the shelter and kindness you have shown me and my companions.” She gave a stiff half bow and nearly toppled over, clearly not used to doing so without a tail or the water to keep her steady.

“It’s nothing,” Nephthys waved a hand. “I didn’t have a chance to explain, and so it must have come as quite a shock. Besides,” she added when she saw Tori was about to protest. “Any friend of Kody’s is a friend of mine.” He had so few of them after all.

Tori shifted uncomfortably, and Nephthys raised an eyebrow. Did she not get along with Kody? He seemed fine with her when he talked about them all with Nephthys. Perhaps she was just still feeling guilty. She opened her mouth to reassure her, but Tori got there first.

“There is one thing I would ask of you,” she began, glancing back at the curtain and lowering her voice. “Do you have any great skill at healing?”

Nephthys raised an eyebrow. It had been a while since anyone had asked her of that. Most of her healing magic was tucked away in her potions, hidden as cold cures or natural headache relief. Her finer work was only sold to the organization, who claimed it was too dangerous for her to sell it on the street lest people become suspicious. But nonetheless…, “I do.” She confirmed.

Tori bit her lip as she stepped closer to Nephthys. “What I am about to tell you, you must not tell Gyrus,” she whispered. “But his mother, who has struggled with health since his birth, has taken a turn for the worst. She did not want him to see her, and so allowed him to go on this quest. If you have any way to help,-“ Tori’s eyes widened hopefully, “perhaps she could recover before Gyrus realized.”

Nephthys took a deep breath. “I’ll help if I can,” she said. “Gladly. But I’d need to examine her before I could determine a proper treatment.”

“That’s no problem!” Tori jumped in. “I can swim you to where we have stashed her. It’s not so far.” But Nephthys shook her head.

“If I were to treat her, she’d need to be brought to me,” Nephthys reluctantly explained. “And I can’t go out into the water.”

“Why not?” Tori pressed. “You’re a sea witch.” Nephthys stiffened and Tori noticed. “If the distance is a problem for tentacles, we could go slowly,” she offered, coming to a well-meaning, but completely wrong conclusion.

“I’m afraid that won’t work either,” Nephthys shook her head, a false smile on her lips. “You see, I can’t swim in my other form. The oil burn on my gills prevents me from breathing underwater.”

Tori flinched, and Nephthys felt her heart clench. She looked so guilty, and heartbroken. Nephthys wished she could do something to help. She knew how horrible it felt to be helpless.

----------

The boy called Kodya led her along the side of the ship towards what he claimed was the captain’s office. Nephthys wasn’t certain what a captain was, but Kodya seemed pretty convinced he would be able to help her. “He’s known my dad for ages,” he reassured her. “He’ll know what to do.”

Nephthys privately disagreed, how could anyone help her when everyone she’d ever loved was dead or dying beneath the waves? But she kept this to herself.

Kodya noticed anyways, shooting her worried glances as he ushered her along. He seemed determined to keep her from looking at the water, planting himself firmly between it and her, and chatting about anything small that came into his head in an effort to distract her. It would be sweet, if he wasn’t so horrible at it.

Case and point: “your shirt is weird,” Kodya said. “Where did you get it?”

Nephthys touched her white plates, grown, carved, and be spelled from the finest coral skeletons she could find. “Nowhere,” she said. “I made it myself.” Proper plates for a proper sea witch. Her father had been so proud.

“Is it a Transformers costume?” Kodya asked, and Nephthys sensed a layer of hope in his voice.

“I don’t know what that is?” Nephthys said, and Kodya’s face fell. “I made it with magic,” she offered instead, hoping to cheer him up.

His head snapped to her, and he regarded her with mild alarm, until his eyes landed on her smile, and the concern melted into mild annoyance. “You’re pulling my leg,” he grumbled.

“I’m really not,” She giggled. “I’m a witch you see.” And a sea witch at that. Not that he was likely to believe her, since most of her kind stayed well away from humans. Speaking of which, a movement on the horizon caught her eye. Was that a pod gathering? What were they doing so close to the oil spill?

Her answer came as the most lovely song filled the air, full of mourning and heartbreak. Nephthys felt her own eyes tear up as her sorrow began to overwhelm her.

“Can you hear that?” Kodya stopped mid eyeroll, gaze fastened on the horizon. Nephthys was too overwhelmed to reply, and so he began moving towards the railing, movements slow and lethargic.

Later Nephthys would curse her own foolishness, for who among the siren and sea witch did not know what a trance looked like? But the truth was there was no way she could have seen it coming. Her own grief overwhelmed her, and besides, mourning chants are not supposed to be dangerous.

Kodya climbed over the railing, and too late Nephthys realized what was going on. She threw herself forward, but Kodya was already falling down into the oil covered water. She collapsed on the edge, half wanting to follow, but knowing neither form could face the dangers of the oil.

Helpless, she could only scream, as something below the water snaked towards him.

----------

“I am sorry,” Tori said, and Nephthys’ attention focused on her and not on the past. “I did not mean to bring up painful memories.”

Nephthys gave Tori a false smile. “It was not your fault. You didn’t know.”

Tori looked like she was going to protest, but at that moment, a bright light surrounded Tori’s legs. Tori collapsed with a cry of shock, and as Nephthys blinked away spots she found Tori on the ground, towel still wrapped around her blue tail.

“Oh my,” Nephthys glanced at her watch, to find two hours had passed. “that has to be the shortest time I’ve ever seen. That piece of sea glass must not have been in the sea very long.”

Tori twitched her tail, looking pleased as she ran a hand over the burnt orange tips. “Your potion works well Nephthys, my tail is completely normal.”

“How lovely,” Nephthys giggled. A motion on the street caught her eye, a car on the otherwise deserted street. It didn’t stop, but it would only be the first of many as people began to get off of work. “We should probably get you back in the sea though,” she said.

“Aye,” Tori nodded. “There has been enough adventure today.” She pulled herself to the curtain and stuck her head inside. “My tail has returned,” she yelled. “I believe it is time to return.”

“Sure!” Gyrus pulled himself and his makeshift wheelchair out. Sylvia followed, leaving a trail of water in her wake.

“You can’t go out like that!” Kodya appeared behind them, looking harried. “We’re trying not to get caught and experimented on, remember?”

“Experimented on?” Nephthys raised an eyebrow. Kodya blushed.

“Well what else do you think the government’s going to do with them if they find them?” He snapped back.

You’d be surprised, Nephthys thought as she hid a smile behind her hand. “We can use the back,” she offered as Kodya shot her a frown. “Less people will be paying attention.”

Kodya sighed. “I’ll bring the truck around,” he grumbled as he grabbed his keys. Nephthys turned to the three sirens on her floor.

“Come back this way,” she said as she pushed open the curtain again. “The back door is in the back.” The three sirens groaned, clearly embarrassed they had to go backwards again. Nephthys led them to the back door, half hidden behind the workbench. It took a bit of time to move the bench, the three sirens' attempts to help had the opposite effect, but by the time it was free Kodya had already pulled up the truck.

From there it was a simple matter of helping Tori and Sylvia into the back of the truck, wrapped in towels to hide their towels. Gyrus’ wheelchair turned out to be a bit more of a challenge, and Kodya eventually decided to stick it in the backseat to avoid any odd questions from anyone who drove by them on the road.

Nephthys privately thought this was less about people wondering why a wheelchair was in the back of the truck with three people in a pool, and more to do with Gyrus’ earlier request. He was certainly ecstatic about it, clinging to the back of Kodya’s seat and chatting his ear off as he asked him how the car worked and what the steering wheel did.

Kodya for the most part answered calmly, but his whole face was bright red. Nephthys did not find this nearly as cute as before though, as she lost count of the times they very nearly died thanks to Kodya’s distraction. She was very glad when they arrived at the shore.

“Not here,” she stopped Kodya as he tried to pull in at the docks. “Go down a little farther, they’ll be less people.”

Kodya raised an eyebrow. “You mean that government issued beach? The one no one is allowed on?”

“It’ll be fine,” Nephthys reassured him. “I can get us in.” Kodya shot her a searching look, and Gyrus looked back and forth between them in confusion. Then Kodya shrugged and did as she requested.

The road was predictably blocked by a large gate, but that had never stopped Nephthys before. She got out and pulled a piece of plastic to the scanner. The gate opened with a rusty creak.

Kodya raised an eyebrow as she got back in the car. “Did you use your magic to fool it?” he asked as Gyrus leaned eagerly forward. Nephthys shook her head.

“Just borrowed something from our dear mum,” she said as she flashed a familiar badge at Kodya. “She doesn’t even know it's missing.” This was a lie, but Kodya didn’t need to know that.

Kodya opened his mouth, no doubt to tell her off. Nephthys raised an eyebrow, remembering several times he’d stolen the same badge to try and buy alcohol, or pet the puppies at Petco. Kodya shut his mouth and kept driving.

The single pier was empty, and perfect for their needs. Nephthys helped Tori to the edge while Kodya helped Sylvia. Gyrus attempted to wheel himself, but Kodya caught him before he tipped over. “We’ll need this dry,” he said as he pulled Gyrus out of the wheelchair. Gyrus pouted.

He waved at Nephthys. “I’ll bring you sea glass! Don’t forget!” he said, before wiggling out of Kodya’s arms and diving into the water. Kodya stumbled backwards and landed on his butt on the pier as Gyrus resurfaced. “Oops,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you okay Kodya?”

“Fine, Kid,” Kodya grumbled. Gyrus beamed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” he cried. Tori called to him, and he swam off, only stopping to wave goodbye on the horizon.

Nephthys watched him go. “They’re wonderful,” she murmured. Wonderful for Kodya. He’d needed a bit of magic in his life, and although she couldn’t reveal it, she’d always hoped he’d find some.

Kodya turned to her, brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me about magic or mermaids or the sea? And be honest this time.”

Nephthys froze. Oh no.

----------

Nephthys sat on the strange bench, Kodya’s shirt around her shoulders, and shivered. All around her conversation buzzed, some complaining about how this unexpected delay would affect the rest of their cruise, others bemoaning the unfortunate fate of the ocean, as if they had any conception of the depth of the cost. Still others whispered to each other behind covered hands, shooting Nephthys curious looks and calling her, ‘only survivor’ and ‘poor thing.’ Throughout it all Nephthys clutched the soft fabric around her shoulders, feeling numb.

A woman in sharp black strode forward, and Nephthys could tell from the way people moved out of her way that she was important. She stopped directly in front of Nephthys and crossed her arms.

“My name is Senator Karevic,” she said, voice clipped and smooth. “You were there when my son fell into the water, correct?”

“It wasn’t his fault!” Nephthys pulled the fabric closer around her shoulders. “He was helping me!”

“My son has already admitted to falling after he helped you, so you don’t need to cover for him.” Nephthys looked down, feeling oddly chastened, and the woman sighed. “He’s fine,” the woman added, face softening slightly as she met Nephthys’ eyes. “Would you like to see him?”

“Yes, please,” Nephthys said, knowing her guilt would not ease until she saw Kodya unharmed. The woman waved Nephthys to her feet, and guided her out of the crowded area and down a quiet hallway. Nephthys followed, still a bit unsteady on her new feet, as she tried to keep up with the woman’s quick pace.

“You’re a sea witch, aren’t you?” the woman said without preamble, as soon as they had passed out of earshot. Nephthys stopped dead.

“H-how?” she stuttered out, heart pounding in her chest and deafening her ears. That was supposed to be a secret, no humans were supposed to know.

“Your plates,” the woman said, back still turned. “I knew you were one of the sea folk from Kodya’s story, but I wasn’t certain which one until I saw them. To wear white at such a young age,-” the woman turned to face Nephthys, and Nephthys could see her eyes were wet, “-that truly is a great honor.”

Nephthys bit her lip. She knew no normal human would understand what a plate was, especially considering Kodya’s earlier reaction. “Are you - ?” she started, but was too afraid to finish, for fear of the answer she might get.

“I’m one of the sea folk, yes.” The woman confirmed, still looking sad. “There are more of us on land then you’d think.” She hesitated, then said, “I know this is hard, but I’m going to need you to tell me what happened to you, if you’re up for it.”

Nephthys burst into tears. Through her sobs, she managed to get the basic details, how her pod had been hunting when the great ship had come by, the singers thought they could sing it away, how it had spilled, how her dad had given her the last potion and told her to run, how he’d- he’d…

“I’m all alone now,” she sobbed. “My whole pod, gone.” Arms circled around her, and the woman pulled her close to her chest, rubbing soothing circles as she sobbed.

“Brave,” the woman murmured, “you’ve been so brave little pup, but it’s okay to cry.” She held Nephthys until her sobs died down into sniffles, before pulling slightly away.

“There’s an organization here that can help you,” she offered. “They helped me start over when I needed to. If you’d like, I can put you in touch with them, and they can find you a place to live where you don’t have to worry.” She hesitated again, before adding, “…or…”

“Or?” Nephthys prompted as she gave another sniffle.

“Kodya spoke highly of you,” the woman began, “and I know he’s lonely now I have to work so much. If you want, you could live with us. “Nephthys gasped and the woman rushed to continue. “We’d still put you in touch with the organization, you’d just have familiar faces at your new home.”

“Really?” Nephthys peaked up at her. “I could stay with you and Kodya?”

“Yes,” the woman nodded. “But,” she held up a hand, “before you agree, you need to know the conditions.” She looked Nephthys directly in the eye, and Nephthys suppressed a shiver at the hard determination hidden inside. “In my house you won’t be free to talk about magic or the sea. Kodya must never know. He does not belong in our world. If you live with us, you must understand this.”

“I- okay,” Nephthys looked down. A part of her was curious as to why, but the woman’s aura flickered a sad, sickly grey all around her, and Nephthys could sense that the reason behind that rule would be too sad for her to bear right now. She bit her lip.

“I would still be able to talk about magic when Kodya’s not there right?” she asked, and the woman nodded.

“Just provided he doesn’t overhear, yes.” Nephthys gave a sharp nod.

“Okay, then I want to live with you, and Kodya,” she said. She’d rather be around kind people than strangers, and besides, she didn’t think she’d be able to talk about the sea much for a while.

The woman looked mildly surprised, but she gave Nephthys a warm smile. “Then let’s go and break the good news to Kodya,” she said, and led Nephthys deeper inside the ship.

----------

Nephthys bit her lip, wondering how best to get out of this situation without revealing secrets that weren’t hers and losing her home and family. “You remember where you found me right?” she began hesitantly.

“On our cruise ship,” Kodya nodded. “When we got stuck in the oil spill.”

“Yes,” Nephthys nodded. “I wasn’t actually from the oil ship. My pod was swimming below when the spill happened.” She pulled her knees up to her chin, blinking away the memories.

Kodya placed a comforting hand on her back. “Go on,” he pressed.

Nephthys took a deep breath. “My dad gave me the potion, he used to keep one on him at all times, so that if he needed an ingredient from the surface world he could go and fetch it. He said I was too young though, even though I was fully plated. When the oil began to spill, he gave it to me and told me to swim.”

Kodya swore in Russian, and Nephthys shot him an empty smile. “I climbed on the ship farthest from the spill, drank it, and you know the rest.”

Kodya was silent for a while, before he finally asked, “But why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped you.”

“You were plenty of help. Besides,” Nephthys drew in another breath. “I made a promise.” Not technically a lie, not yet.

“A promise?” Kodya asked, sounding lost.

Nephthys nodded. “It was a rule of my dad’s, ‘never get caught on the surface, no matter what.” Again, not technically a lie, but the conclusion she was hoping he would draw certainly was. Her dad had never made her make any promises about the surface world because he’d never let her go. And it wasn’t like he had time to sit down and explain when she’d had to flee.

“Oh,” Kodya looked down and withdrew his hand from her back, withdrawing into himself. “I see. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Nephthys reassured him, grateful he’d taken the bait. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.” More than he would ever know.

They stayed on the beach for a long time.

#room of swords #room of swords fanfic #mermaid au #merfolk are overrated #ros Nephthys #kodya #Gyrus #tori grieve #ros sylvia

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