#a woman’s freedom and stole her away from her loved ones and trapping her in a one-sided marriage

[acrowthatlikeswriting]

No more of that “UWU soft flower girl” Persephone and “uWu innocent goth boy” Hades “forbidden romance because mommy Demeter said no” nonsense. Give me these two BEING THE ABSOLUTELY FOREBODING, TERRIFYING, AND MORALLY GRAY UNDERWORLD GODS THAT THE MYTHS POTRAY THEM AS. MAKE THEIR RELATIONSHIP COMPLICATED AND MESSY INSTEAD OF JUST “uwu goth husband and girlboss wife 24/7”. LET THEM BE WRONG, MAKE MISTAKES, HAVE FLAWS—

Acknowledge that in the Hymn of Demeter, while Hades loved Persephone—Persephone was never mentioned to have loved Hades, and was completely upset with having been taken away from her mother and friends on Earth.

And please, STOP ANTAGONIZING DEMETER. She was never an overbearing helicopter parent. She loved her daughter to the point that she literally shook heaven and earth just to save her from a forced marriage. Why must every retelling of this myth demonize Demeter for looking out for her daughter?

Hades is not evil, but he’s not a heroic underdog either. He may genuinely love Persephone, and look to her for guidance, but we can’t overlook or rewrite the fact that he kidnapped her and binded her to the underworld (albeit for half the year).

I don’t think their relationship is 100% dysfunctional. Hades seeks Persephone’s input and advice on how to rule, and deal with the mortals who venture into their domain. However, I think there are a lot of nuances and underlying flaws in their relationship people tend to overlook.

Tl:dr I devolve into a bit of a rant on how Persephone and Hades are portrayed as the best couple in Greek Myth when they…really…aren’t…but really I just want to see these two FERAL AND UNHINGED

[sleepwxlk]

“To My Younger Self”

(A Letter Through Time)

Dear younger me, so fragile yet bold,

You carried a weight no child should hold.

Born in Switzerland, a life you’d known,

Until the age of 9, when you left your home.

To Lebanon’s warmth, you rebuilt anew,

Friends and a life in a world fresh and true.

But at the age of 12, it was all swept away,

Back to Switzerland, where you’d start again each day.

In a family hostel, you found your bed,

Where dreams felt distant, and hunger fed.

Scooting to school through the biting cold,

A warrior, even at twelve years old.

At 15, your world began to break,

A storm at home that you couldn’t escape.

Your mother’s mind began to fray,

Schizophrenia’s grip pulling her away.

The police came knocking, the neighbors stared,

Her episodes left you broken and scared.

At school, the bullying cut deep inside,

Leaving you with nowhere to hide.

Depression crept in, heavy and slow,

Filling your heart with an endless woe.

Thoughts of escape darkened your nights,

One attempt to end the fight.

When your mother left, your anger burned,

A wound so deep, you thought she’d spurned.

For two long years, you refused to speak,

Your heart too shattered, your voice too weak.

Your dad, distracted, withdrew to his room,

His voice on the phone pierced the house’s gloom.

The woman he loved replaced your mom,

Yet her presence stole the home’s last calm.

You and your sister carried the load,

Cooking and cleaning on a weary road.

Caring for your brother, buying his clothes,

As you fought for balance, the pressure rose.

At 17, the fights grew loud and raw,

Your sister screaming at flaws she saw.

Her toxic boyfriend, cruel and unkind,

Left her trapped in chains she cannot unwind.

At 20, love bloomed for the very first time,

A moment of light that felt so divine.

But when it ended, your heart fell apart,

Healing was hard—it broke you to start.

At 21, your mother returned to mend,

Her healing brought hope, though hard to extend.

Yet as you worked to repair and to grow,

A breakup dragged you to valleys of woe.

For two more years, you carried the pain,

Fighting to rise, to feel whole again.

The weight of the past, the scars you wore,

Still couldn’t keep you from wanting more.

At 24, your triumph began,

A medical assistant, a steady plan.

You started to heal, to piece life together,

The storm inside calming like clearer weather.

Still, your sister remains in her pain,

Trapped in a cycle of heartbreak and strain.

To her, one message I whisper in light:

“You deserve freedom; keep up the fight.”

Depression still lingers, but it’s not your master,

Anxiety whispers, but you move faster.

The girl who once thought she’d never be free,

Has grown into a woman of strength—look and see.

So to my younger self, so scared, yet true,

The pain you endured shaped the beautiful you.

I’m sorry, I love you, and thank you for staying,

For holding on when the world felt decaying.

Hold onto hope, let resilience shine,

The stars you once dreamed of are yours to align.

- DK

[lauranthalasah]

Carol from The Walking Dead has, in the first season, one scene that is the best example of “show no tell” that I've ever seen. Especially because this case of “show no tell” is opening a window to the intricacies of one of the most complex fictional characters I know.

I'm talking about the grenade scene at the end of the last episode of the first season. At that point the entire group is trapped in the CDC building, they are trying to get out but no one can break the reinforced windows, all the men try something different, nothing works, and then, this woman, who barely has open her mouth for the last 4 episodes (she is introduced in the 3rd episode), steps up to Rick and gives him a motherfucking grenade that she stole from him (without him noticing), and they are set free.

This scene could be important only in the fact that it saves the group that one time, or that it marks the first, but not last, time Carol will save the collective asses of the group, but if you stop to analyze it it shows so much more, SO MUCH MORE PEOPLE!

1- She has an incredible capacity for adaptability, mental flexibility, and personal reinvention. (Her entire worldview reality has changed, and in a month or so, this woman is already stealing grenades!)

2- She can be sneaky/cunning. (She washed Rick’s clothes, found a grenade on them, and KEPT IT!. This sets a huge precedent for the character)

3- She is secretive. (She took that grenade and told no one! One of her more criticized facets, and it is right there from the beginning!)

4- She has a mind for strategy/thinking ahead/seeing the big picture. (The stealing of the grenade, and she has it for 4 episodes, in the meantime part of the group goes to the city, the camp gets overrunned by walkers, they face walkers going into the CDC, but she says nothing about what she has, she is waiting for the moment it will be absolutely indispensable to be used)

5- She can make hard decisions. (Tied to point 4. That grenade could possibly have helped here and there, potentially saving people, but she makes the decision of not saying anything because she thinks those moments are not worth the resources she has)

6- She is willing to live with the consequences. (Hard decisions came with consequences. The others could have blamed her from some deaths that the grenade could have prevented).

7- She tries to always have an ace in her hand. (She will do this many many times, including having guns and knives hidden in her clothes, information, and/or people. Anything can be an ace if well applied)

8- She thinks outside of the box. (grenades are usually used to kill things. She could have decided to use it for that purpose multiple times, and the use she chose is to break a window to their freedom)

9- She does NOT TRUST completely, not even the group (she is shown as meek, as a follower, and yet, she had this piece of equipment and she is the one who decides when, where, and how to use it simply by keeping it a secret)

10- She loves fiercely. (All of these, all the things she does at this point in the story, she does them for Sophia).

11- She can be dangerous (did you forget she stole a GRENADE?!)

These characteristics (some may come from the marital abuse written into the character) create an interesting balance between selfishness and selflessness. Selfishness because she keeps secrets that could help sometimes on other occasions besides the ones she deems worthy of it. Selflessness because mostly she will use or keep those secrets to help the group at large and will live with their judgment.

These characteristics are what make her a real dark character when she takes the selfish route.

Her heart is what will always bring her back when going darkside, and what will keep her in check any other time.

From these points, you can extrapolate pretty much everything Carol does in the future seasons.

For example, points 1 and 10 are the reasons she runs or tries to run away so many times. She loves fiercely, but she also has a capacity to reinvent herself that allows her to keep going beyond her losses, and she HATES IT, she hates that she can keep on living while her heart is bleeding.

She kills Karen and David because she can see the big picture, loves fiercely (killing costs Carol), takes the hard decision, and keeps secrets, but also lives with the consequences as she immediately says “Yes” when Rick asks her directly if she killed them, there’s zero hesitation while answering, and she accepts his judgment of exile and respects it.

Every single one of these is in full deployment when she presents a persona to Alexandria instead of the real Carol.

Everything with Alpha encapsulates these characteristics in their most negative incarnation so far, and in one of the most fascinating as well, even the breaking of the deal with Negan.

Carol went off the deep end after Henry’s death, and for a moment, she didn’t care about the consequences at all. She only cared about one objective, killing Alpha. All her actions at the time are deeply disturbing and dangerous for herself and others, but she has a goal, a plan, and she will carry it to its intended conclusion, consequences be damned. She uses everything in her in the most devastating ways, her adaptability, her cunning, her secrets, her strategic mind, her capability to make the decision and live with the consequences/judgment, her thinking outside the box, an ace in the hand, her NOT TRUSTING ANYONE AT ALL, all because she loved Henry so much, and she is hurting, and she wants the thing that hurt her son GONE.

Negan is a tool in Carol’s hand, he is well aware, but later on he will understand the full scope of what Carol did and how, right after she breaks the deal with him. Not because she betrays him, but because she turns her back to him.

She turns her back to the most vicious adversary the group has confronted and walks away. You see, when Carol does that, she leaves the end of it all in Negan’s hands, and anyways that end could play out, she is damn okay with it:

- Negan attacks her and wins, Carol dies, she is okay with dying.

- Negan attacks her, and Carol wins, Negan dies. She is better than okay with this one.

- Negan attacks, but they don’t kill each other. Another day to live for both of them.

- Negan does not attack. Both have to live with the consequences of all their actions (present and past).

However it ends, she is okay with that end. I think Negan sees that. He has been played, masterfully. Now the ball is in his court, and he takes the hard path to move forward, for himself and for Carol.

The way Carol puts on play her plan to kill Alpha is the reason Negan described her as a mage in season 11. She was showing a hand to Alpha very aggressively with the direct attacks atracting the enemy's attention to herself, all the while keeping the other hand (Negan) hidden and unassuming, cunningly completing the magic trick of killing Alpha. Have you all forgotten? This woman is dangerous!

In conclusion, the grenade scene is a fantastic example of showing a character's complexities and possibilities. It has also been masterfully developed over the years. Most, if not everyone, of Carol's actions can find its precedent in this one little scene in season 1.

[beautifulspirt]

From Rollerblading Mom to OxyContin's Prisoner: My Fight for Freedom

At 18, I wasn't supposed to be a single mom juggling college and a tiny human. But I thrived on the chaos, graduating with honors in massage therapy and building a beautiful life for my son and me. Sudbury became our fresh start, a promise of new beginnings. Love blossomed, and our family grew even bigger – my partner and his two daughters joined us. Sundays were a whirlwind of activity – rollerblading or ice skating in the park to start, followed by energizing boxing workouts at the gym. Afterward, it was off to Sunday school with the kids, and we'd cap off the day with a peaceful afternoon exploring nature. We were a chaotic, happy family. Little did I know, a darkness lurked beneath the surface.

My partner's possessiveness, a quality I mistook for love, soon morphed into violence. Trapped in an abusive relationship, I hid the bruises and heartache behind a facade of normalcy. In 2003, the world I'd built began to crumble. Desperate for relief from the crushing pain, I turned to OxyContin, a decision that would steal the next two decades of my life.

The initial relief from OxyContin was a cruel illusion. It cast a thick fog over my world, blurring the lines between reality and a constant, numbing haze. My relationships suffered, my work performance plummeted, and even the image I saw in the mirror felt distorted. The doses escalated quickly, leaving me tethered to the drug, a prisoner in my own body. My once optimistic outlook, that "glass half full" perspective I cherished, vanished. Addiction became a monster, strangling my spirit and isolating me from the world I loved.

Never in a million years did I think I, the strong, independent woman who thrived on an active lifestyle and social connections, would succumb to addiction. But OxyContin stole that joy. My haven became the four walls of my house, a refuge from the judgment I feared. Sorrow became my constant companion. The laughter I shared with friends, the ease of genuine connection – all casualties of the war raging within me.

But a flicker of hope remained. Deep down, I knew I deserved better. Desperate to break free, I sought help. The methadone program offered a temporary reprieve, but it wasn't the answer. It was another form of dependence, a detour on my road to true recovery. My desire was clear – complete abstinence from all medication.

Leaving my partner was the hardest yet most crucial step. It was a terrifying battle, but facing it head-on allowed me to breathe again. The journey to freedom wasn't easy. A year of tapering off methadone followed, a grueling process that tested my resolve to the very core. But I persevered, fueled by the dream of rebuilding my life with my son by my side.

Reuniting with my son was a balm to my soul. We returned to my hometown, brick by brick rebuilding a life where I wasn't just a number. At work, I met an angel in disguise – a woman who saw the strength beneath the scars. Her unwavering positivity became a lifeline, a reminder of the person I could be again. She even played matchmaker, introducing me to the love of my life. There are good people out there, and sometimes, all it takes is one to believe in you.

The scars of addiction remain, a constant reminder of the battles fought. Even today, I grapple with mental health challenges. But my journey continues. I'm committed to a holistic approach to recovery, one that focuses on healing mind, body, and spirit. Medication may have played a role, but true recovery lies in a more comprehensive approach – one that aligns with the values I embraced during my massage therapy studies.

There is Hope

My story isn't just about the darkness of addiction; it's about the unwavering flame of hope that burns within us all. Even in the deepest despair, a flicker of hope can guide us towards the light. Trust your gut instinct. It's a powerful compass that can steer you away from negativity and towards the positive people, places, and things that uplift your spirit.

Flocking with the Blue Jays

The saying goes, "birds of a feather flock together." During my addiction, I let myself get swept up with the wrong crowd, the sparrows of negativity. But recovery is about surrounding yourself with the blue jays and cardinals of positivity – people who inspire you, challenge you to be your best self, and believe in your ability to heal.

Remember

There is always hope. Trust your gut. Surround yourself with the positive people, places, and things that uplift your spirit

this may sound radical but "some addicts are violent and unlikeable" can coexist with such ideas as "it's bad to act like all addicts are violent and/or unlikeable" and "even the violent addicts deserve access to a full range of options for addiction management, including harm reduction"

[nightk1ller]

HE KNEW THE INTOXICATING TEMPTRESS would be his demise but there was some part of him that wished he could change her. To woe her to his side. Even if they shared a drink, danced the night away, and lost themselves in the throws of passion and debauchery. But he ignored the signs, gave in to indulgence and desire. Damon had no one but the blame but himself.

She called herself Katherine, a siren to gullible men. An unsolvable problem to those with keen eye for fixing. Damon, well, he was a mixture between the two. But what really stole to the forefront was a man falling in love with a beautiful woman.

Temptation. Promises. A future together. Something that Damon craved to the very pit of his soul. But he craved wildness as much as stability. It was one of the main attractions to Katherine Pierce. Instead of him wooing her, she wooed him, and he fell into her trap.

Night Killers, a secret organization who swapped human blood for tainted blood. Vampire blood. It turned men and women into insatiable creatures. Monsters. Killers with a thirst for blood. Damon didn't hesitate. He jumped feet first. As long as he and Katherine to be together forever.

Her promises were false, encasing Damon in an eternal, iron clad contact. For the deration of Katherine's whim, he was to be her agent. Her killer. Bond only broken in the event of his death or when Katherine grew tired of him.

At first it was fun, running around the world, owning every inch they touched, indulging in the haze inducing Sipping. The act of taking blood. Of drinking it down until their bellies were full. Of losing oneself in a high so grand you never wanted to come down. Damon felt he could have everything. Until Katherine grew tired of him.

Boredom had the power to create or to destroy and in this case, it destroyed Damon. An eternity of companionship and fun turned into a chain of loneliness and despair. Katherine pawned him off to one of her partners, but still holding his contact. Though she grew tired of his antics and his romantic heart, Katherine couldn't allow herself to give him up. Not entirely. So, she gave him a gift; his brother.

Bound together to serve Katherine, in whatever way she saw fit, both Damon and Stefan roamed the world, killing their targets and drowning in blood, until their thirst grew so profound they were punished, tortured, and reeducated. Every vampire went though The Process. The reprograming of minds to be perfect little soldiers.

Years and years have passed and Damon was all but forgotten. But Katherine didn't forget, popping up every so often, reminding Damon who controlled his reigns. But then a loop hole announced itself in the form of a doppelganger. Maybe this would be his second chance to win his freedom and break him from invisible bonds.

[lady-ashfade]

Yandere alternative hotd x hybrid reader 

Plot: What would happen if daemon got the hybrid before Viserys did?

Taglist @dangerousbluebirdpoetry @second-try-stevie @prettyinblack231

Warnings: Yandere tendency, a lot different then the first post, also this is sloppy so I apologize <3

Daemon found out about you in whispers the town spoke late at night in Pentos. He would sneak down there late at night to do some business and stop to get things for his wife, laena.

Daemon found out about you in whispers the town spoke late at night in Pentos. He would sneak down there late at night to do some business and stop to get things for his wife, laena.

Daemon found out about you in whispers the town spoke late at night in Pentos. He would sneak down there late at night to do some business and stop to get things for his wife, laena.

As soon as he heard about a babe being born with red scales, golden eyes he immediately thought of his own dragon, Caraxes. He knew you had to be a hybrid he heard in stories when he was younger.

He told laena later in the morning and she was on board of him bringing you back home. She was interested in you and so was daemon, they both already knew in their hearts you would be their daughter.

So he traveled to Westeros and to a small village on the water, he bribed some man there to take him to you. He snuck in and what he saw made him being enraged. A baby not older then one trapped behind bars looking so helpless and dirty.

He unlocked the cage and walked over to you and you reached out to him. That’s when his heart turned red with obsession, you reacting out to him. Daemon took you in his arms and bounced you up and down and he saw your eyes fill with happiness. He had no doubt he was the first one to treat you with kindness. He swore in that moment to always protect you and to do what ever it takes for you.

He stole you away and out of town where a carriage full of his men stood waiting for you, he place you in a soft basket and told the men to protect you with their lives.

He went Caraxes, took the men that was left and took revenge on the town. He killed most of the people by his own sword for you, while Caraxes burned around the town with his fire. Every last woman, man, and child were killed. No one was going to hurt you and get away with it.

No one knew who did it but Viserys had a clue, the fire was too perfect not to be a dragons. And of course daemon took another thing from Viserys. Him and Alicent her heartbroken that they got there to late.

When daemon took you back home and laena was so excited to meet you. She took you in her arms and named you her daughter right there, the way you looked up at her like a baby to it’s mother. She was always going to love you. 

Daemon was protective over you and wanted no one but the maids and your mother to see you. He kept you in your own nursery, saying anyone could be of risk of hurting you.

Time flies by and the couple only got more protective over you. But it wasn’t only them now, it was the twins.

The baby’s couldn’t be away from you more then a few hours or they would cry and scream. But their parents couldn’t be happier.

Later on

You couldn’t go one walked or around the place without guards following you. You weren’t even allowed outside unless it was with daemon.

But you had everything a person could dream of, a thousand of dresses, every book and jewelry. Even a few dragons eggs, but anything you wanted you got.

Daemon was alot different from Viserys and wouldn’t give you much freedom.

When it came to your abilities it came sooner because you were trained and looked after. He did treat you like a weapon at times but that was just because he wanted you to be your best self. You’ll be his little weapon. 

You learned to use your wings and claws but what was strange is that you used anger as a emotion to focus on. Your emotion weren’t the best but the goods ones came from the girls. When you needed to do something and one day you could always think of something that angered you. But when you needed to calm down think of your family.

The girls grew to look up to you, like their blood sister and didn’t think anything different.

Rhaena is similar to aemond in this. She had no dragon but thought of you like hers. You let her always come into your training room and command you to do anything she wished- reasonable wishes. But she was the first one to get your fire ability activated. Something about her scream the word dracarys and fire came out of your palm.

She was overjoyed and then truly believe you were her dragon, and when you got older you two would travel the world together.

Baela was a little different. She always brought you with her to train her dragon, clings to your arm and demanded you stay with her. She would even chase and yell at who ever looked at you funny. She reminded you a lot of daemon in ways, like yelling at her sister for always taking you away come her or putting you in danger.

Laena always treated you like a daughter but more protective and obsessed with you then her own. Coming in before you went to sleep to read you a bed time story, teaching you how to dress and acted like a lady. But she always taught you to be kind and loving and to never let anger control you fully. She’d love when you kissed her belly and stood around her like daemon did when she was pregnant again.

When she died it was hard for you but you stayed strong for your sisters and kept your emotions in like daemon. You swore to never get married and get pregnant seeing what it did to your mother and wouldn’t let your family deal with another lose.

At the funeral you felt like a center peace on a cake with everyone watching you like some price to be won. Daemon didn’t want you to attend and that made you angry and you slashed him with your claws so he couldn’t say no. He was proud of you actually.

Corlys and Rhaenys hugged you like they did with the girls and comforted you, it was the first time you cried about your mother. It was the first time you were comforted. They said that if you wanted to come live with them in driftmark all you had to do was ask and you’d come there.

Alicent was the first to get to you before anyone else and bent down to hug you. You never met this woman before but you heard from your dad she was a evil woman who couldn’t be trusted. But her hug was so loving and the way she looked at you was almost trusting but you could see the same darkness in her eyes like your parents.

She took you to Viserys and daemon was holding himself back from killing his brother there. “My sweat girl.” Viserys took your hand in his and said he’s apologizing for your lose but then went on to say he has been dying to meet you. “Would you like to come to kingslanding little one? We have a special room just for you.”

Next was Rhaenrya who you heard about almost daily. She did the same as everyone else and held onto you but her grip was stronger.

You wanted to leave because you were being swarmed with people who said the same thing and treated you all the same and that’s when you bumped into Aemond.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t looking where I was going” the boy catches you from tripping and his hand held your waist. When his eyes focused on yours you were meet with soft and kind ones. “Woah.” He whispered at your features and his gripped tightened. His eyes staredinto yours and he didn’t say anything for a moment and you didn’t know what to do. You wanted to pull away but something felt off.

“You’re the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen, like in the history books I only could imagine what you would look like-” You wanted to question him but he got interrupted by other boy, a brown headed one that you knew was rhaenryas.

“Let her go, she doesn’t want to be held by a you. You don’t even have a dragon and she is one.” He pulled your way from his grip and stepped in front of you.

You could only see the glances they sent before you snuck away while they fought. Your presence was missed deeply. 

The morning after you were told so much. Your mothers dragon was stole, aemond the boy who you know hated lost a eye and his cousin took him- But now your father was getting remarried to rhaenrya.

The fire deep in you only grew deeper and stronger with rage but even now you didn’t let it out.

You held hands with your sisters at the wedding and you felt you new brothers stare almost the whole time.

Rhaenrya was so sweet to you and you were glad at if she was the one to marry your father. But no one was ever going to replace laena.

Needless to say if you grew up with daemon everything would have been different. And the story from here on out would be more tense and bloody.

Everyone wanted you for their own but who was going to stop a raging hybrid?

Your yandere family was going too.

[xenosaurus]

Do you have a list of your story/world building tags? I've recently discovered your stuff and it's SO good, it hits the spot of compassion/dark/funny/surreal

I have a page for my worldbuilding projects that’s a huge WIP, but in the mean time, here’s a list of the ones I can remember off the top of my head!  I’ve done my best to split these by genre, although some obviously fit in multiple categories.

UPDATE: Tumblr changed their tag system, so the links broke.  They SHOULD be working, but chronological links don’t cooperate with mobile, so I’ve made them general links.  Please add /chrono to the url if you can, a few of these are very weird out of order (looking at you, Boar’s Blood).

Urban Fantasy

Witchmouth General; comedy about a hospital in a city that is mostly monsters and aliens

Freedom Over Gold; a comedy-drama about a trio of homunculi killing their masters

Immortality and Tax Fraud; a comedy about gods who possess people and the hosts that are still resisting them (slightly NSFW)

Mundane Motherhood; a slice of life/recovery story about a woman who adopts a kid who was being raised to fight demons

The Empty City; a drama about a limbo world entered in dreams by people who compete for “days”, which give them another day of life in the real world

The Mortal Forge; an adventure story about a group of cursed people putting together an expedition to find a legendary cure

Tethered; a slice of life story in a setting where everyone has a familiar, starring two teenagers who are “tethering” their familiars, allowing them to become more physical and sentient

High Fantasy

Boar’s Blood; an adventure story about a magical society built on the grave of an undead dragon that is rapidly falling apart (NSFW)

The Phoenix Bride; an adventure story/romance about a woman exploring an ever-expanding magical tower to confess her feelings to the woman who created it

God Hunters; technically closer to magical steampunk, an all-women drama about monster hunters (NSFW)

Scales and Bonedust; in a setting where some humans live in dwellings draped over the backs of dragons, a man and a dragonling try to find their way home after their whole community is killed

Science Fiction

New Apocalyptia; a comedy about a world where all movie apocalypses happened at once (slightly NSFW)

Salt Water; an adventure story about a group trying to reach the bottom of their world’s incredibly deadly oceans, also mermaids and surfing as a death sport

Peppermint Circuits; a gay love story set in a world where everyone has a chip in their brain to influence their behavior (slightly NSFW)

Spycaller; a murder mystery about humans who interact with the intergalactic community from within mech suits

Superheroes

Superfish; a traditional coming of age superhero story about an LGBT group for college-aged sidekicks

Isaac is Okay; a very gentle story about a timetraveling superhero that traps himself in the past to raise his younger self away from their abusive father

Villain Risk; a superhero drama about an illegal hero team being arrested, told after the fact by a social worker, a kid in juvenile detention, and a shapeshifter who killed a cop and stole his life

Fate and Switch; a soulmate au fakeout about psychically linked superheroes who have been brainwashed, and their partners’ attempts to find them

Tooth and Nail; a superhero/kaiju mashup about bioengineered superheroes fighting monsters, and the protagonist’s attempts to protect his new apprentice from the horrors of their work

[moonbeam-farmer]

I'm gonna add to this idea, because I love the angst behind it all. @semisolidmind My personal take on it, is that Peaches would be sooooo much bitter with resentment to Azure L when facing him again and doesn't hide it one bit.

I love your AUs Semi!! Hope I do it justice <3

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Azure lion grits his teeth, "You don't have to side with them any longer! It doesn'thave to be like this!" His body nearly gives way from the exhaustion.

This battle wasn't meant to drag on. By now the Jade army must have caught his brothers.

He wasn't meant to die a meanless death. He was meant to rule he heavens. Azure lion was promised so many things in this life; made so many promises to a future he crafted tooth and nail for. He was- is going to lead the mortals into a better life.

"You can come back, I still love you. You are my heart!"

Peaches tucks her hands into the long sleeves of her kimono. She is but an ornadanry human woman. Yet her cold glare stops his racing heart. There's an unspeakable force keeping him grounded. His blood is frozen from the words her lips spill.

"But I was never your queen. Never an equal. You'd never acknowledge who I was to you." Her eyes flick to somewhere over his shoulder in the distance. "Not that it matters now."

There was a time in Peaches' life where used to believe Azure wholeheartedly; him with the dreams of a better world and a noble legacy.

But good intentions often pave the road to hell.

All the time, he told her about the heaven's laws. About how the celestial realm would never accept her, a mere human, as anything more than a hushed scandal. A passing tryst. She would be a less an a trophy at best. Trapped and sufficated in a golden cage and glass walls.

Still, Azure ripped her from her village and casted her into the desolate Camel Ridge. Sentencing her to be an outcast upon arrival. The silence will forever haunt her. She, who Azure had promised to show her the world, only to take it from her; Peaches swallows the bitter memories back.

Once she was the infamous pet of the mighty Azure lion. Now she is the undisputed Queen of flower fruit mountain. A lofty title that she grew into quickly.

Whatever lingering feeling she kept reserved for Azure vanished soon after her second kidnapping. When the demon brothers revealed their true interest in her. They explained everything, no half truths in their affection for her. They laid themselves bare before her, hopelessly in love with the same mortal woman. Peaches was bestowed her a throne in a matter of minutes. Then all the lies, empty promises, and false sincerity Azure fed her for years came crashing down.

Azure always had the power to change her treatment, her title. No one was forcing him to keep to the old conventional ways. The outdated laws about "pure " demon bloodlines.

And yet still knowing this, he stole her from her home. Kept her like an exotic pet under tight lock and key.

She calmly walks past Azure's broken body and into the arms of her new demon husbands, kissing them both tenderly on the cheeks. Both Sun Wukong and the six-eared Macaque nuzzle her neck with such loving and gentle care. Each wraps a tail around her waist, pulling her even closer. They don't shy away escalating their affection. Peaches smiles, closing her eyes.

Her husbands are many things, unstoppable monsters in their own right. But they are always honest to her, no matter how grotesque or foul. They love her beyond themselves, far beyond the normal boundaries of love. It is something so raw, so feral, and dark. She is more than aware of the sins committed in the name of love; but Peaches has long since been desensitized. Asking for forgiveness rather than permission is common in demon courting.

After being isolated for so long, being denied a lover, a wife, not only in name but in affairs as well...

Peaches would chose her new husbands over Azure any day. She may not have her freedom, but she has their respect. With them she's treated as a queen. Waited on hand and foot by her monkey citizens and admired by her demon husbands. Like the the sweetest of wines, Peaches got drunk on the feeling.

She tells herself this isnt healthy. To be so receptive to having basic rights after years being captive. It never stops her from indulging. Fate would have it, the deep craving she has is mutually shared with her boys. A sweet poison Peaches willingly indulges in, time and time again.

In her defense, it's what makes her silly little monkey men so appealing. "Part of their charms," Macaque would always brag.

Peaches hugs them back like second nature. She practically melts into the brothers' warm embrace. Their purrs of aprroval quickly change into whispering sweet nothings and running their claws through her hair.

The light sound of Peaches' laugher shatters the remaining hope Azure had for forgiveness. A bittersweet sound he hadn't heard in over 500 years. He had forgotten the sound entirely.

Azure lion feels sick from the acid building in the back of his throat. His head snaps back as he attempts to straighen his posture. He doesnt hide the threating growl errupts from his wounded chest. He might as well be dead after watching his only love ghost past him like nothing. Like everything he did for her was nothing.

She turns to the Monkey King first, whispering something in to his ear before tugging Macaque's robe. "Take me home, my love. I'm tired."

And just like that, Macaque summons a portal and leads Peaches into the darkness. Azure doesn't have to look to see the smirk on the dark sampien's face.

Before he can think of anything else, a familiar staff shatters the stone wall next to his head. His eyes meet the burning blood red eyes of Sun Wukong.

He too, was once his brother in battle.

"Hey there bud." Sun Wukong's smile doesn't match the bloodlust in his aura.

In a flash of gold, Azure is pinned against the wall. He can't breathe. He can't move. Azure can feel the slow snapping of his neck as Sun Wukong's vice around his neck tightens. The Monkey King's voice is uncharacteristically calm and steady, the smile never once leaving his face.

"We need to talk."

Interesting perspective on the Lion’s Den AU! So would Wukong and Macaque essentially be more “progressive” than other demons in comparison by giving reader the Queen title along with equal footing and power on FFM?

a bit, yeah. i think it plays well into the overarching idea that the monkey king isn't all that "conventional" by demon or celestial standards. he does what he wants.

his allies may have been shocked to hear that his new mate was human, but not surprised. he's known to be eclectic; perhaps he has a hidden preference. a human concubine or two isn't too uncommon for high-ranking demons.

but making a human his queen?

scandalous.

however, it's not like they're gonna challenge the monkey king (or the six-eared macaque for that matter) over who he chooses to marry. defending old-fashioned notions about demon bloodlines is not worth a hit from the cudgel.

[poohkeepsee]

I was going through my AO3 bookmarks, and I wanted to organize them a little bit. These are my Dean/Cas canon-ish fic recs.

season 5

canticles  by  2street2car Words: 10,311     Chapters: 1

“But you know something? If I couldn’t get you laid, at least I gave you a good first date.”feat: footsies at a Ruby Tuesday, stargazing, the recreation of an iconic "Dirty Dancing" scene (no, not that one—the other one), and practicing for When You're With A Girl.

FTBYAM MY BELOVED

post season 6

Someone Who's Feeling For Me  by  ellispark  Words: 45,876     Chapters: 1

Dean sees her for the first time in nearly six years in some no-name town in Idaho, and it's panic at first sight.

Lisa Braeden, the one woman Dean ever actually had a shot at a real life with, back from where he buried her in his mind. And her hand is on Cas's arm like it's no big deal, like it belongs there. Cas, Dean's dorky, sweet, badass, angelic best friend, and he's just standing there next to Lisa and not moving her hand away.

Dean feels the jealousy rising, and it's not directed where he expected it to be. Because it takes this exact moment for Dean to realize he's in love with his best friend. He's in love with his best friend, and Lisa is looking at Cas like he's the best thing since automatic rifles, and Dean is utterly fucked.

post bunker

Sun Can't Set Until Nine  by  LeverDrift Words: 67,939     Chapters: 16

Cas moves into the bunker as his powers start to fail. Dean doesn’t know if the arrangement is as permanent as he wants it to be. He's also not sure why he keeps dreaming about his friend. All he knows is that he wants Cas to stay. Overall warnings: canon-typical miscommunication & Dean having self-hatred issues.

Life Skills  by  ilovehowyouletmefall           Words: 26,052     Chapters: 3

After Metatron steals Castiel's grace, and Cas comes to live in the bunker, Dean spends a lot of time with him, sharing all of his favourite things. Dean can't help it if sharing things with Cas just makes everything better. Besides, it's Dean's job as Cas' friend to introduce him to the joys of human life. To teach him how to be human.  And if one of the experiences they end up sharing is sex with women, well... that's just part of Dean's job as Cas' friend too, right? The desire is triangulated, the rituals are intricate.

Sam Stole My Boyfriend  by  sobsicles    Words: 8,445     Chapters: 1

“Dude, you’ve been staring at me a lot lately, like even enough that Sam noticed. More than usual. So, like, what’s up?” Dean pauses, purses his lips and reconsiders. “What did I do?”

Cas knows that would be a perfect time to confess to Dean what exactly happened and what he was thinking. Maybe, Dean had some insight into the situation or even some kind of comfort to offer. But, the longer that he sat there, he realized that he could not tell Dean absolutely anything. So instead, for the first time, Cas fumbled.

“Um,” Cas mutters and abruptly stands. “Freckles?”

Dean blinked up at him as Cas pivoted and left the room. There was only one remaining option he had and unfortunately, it involved Sam.

Aching in the Absence of You  by  sobsicles Words: 95,090     Chapters: 10

Brittle and battle-worn, Cas looks at him over coffee one morning and says, "I need to go," and Dean instantly knows that he's not coming back.

He's not really sure how he knows it, but he does. It settles into the pit of his stomach, curling hot and tight like something he instinctively wants to tear out with his bare hands. He takes a breath, and it gets stuck in his throat, hitching there. It hurts, hurts, hurts when he finally exhales.

"Yeah," Dean says, "of course you do," and he nods jerkily as he looks down at his phone. He doesn't say goodbye. He doesn't look up from the screen when Cas gets up and leaves the room. He doesn't finish his coffee, or move for a long time.

By nightfall, Cas is gone.

'Communication'  by  JustAnotherSamlicker Words: 11,656

The same story told from two perspectives.

Dean bought a house and he and Cas fix it up.

Is Dean moving out? Is Cas moving in?

Should they just talk to each other already? (Yes they should)

Build a Home  by  domesticadventures Words: 20,102

After they save the world, Dean expects Cas to come back to the bunker with them.

He doesn't

season 10

The Most Important Thing  by  NorthernSparrow Words: 94,462     Chapters: 14

Jimmy Novak remembers nothing of the last six years. Reunited with his troubled daughter Claire, he's struggling to raise her on his own. The most important thing is to make Claire happy. But why does he keep having these dreams of wings, and of two men in a black car? (Canon-divergent from S10E11, when we first met Claire again and Dean was still struggling with the Mark of Cain. Takes places several months later).

season 12

Heroes for Ghosts  by  pantheon_of_discord Words: 42,922     Chapters: 7

Canon-divergent from 12.08

After Sam and Dean are arrested, Castiel is left alone and scrambling to find them. He knows they’re locked away in a government facility, and he’s still able to hear their prayers, but no matter how he tries Castiel can’t seem to track them. He chases leads and even attempts to hunt on his own, but Mary is AWOL, Crowley refuses to help, and Castiel’s options are running out.

Weeks pass, Castiel’s hope dwindles, and through it all Dean prays, keeping them connected. His voice is comforting, frustrating, and occasionally annoying, but in his solitude Castiel comes to cherish it. But then one day, without warning, Dean stops praying, and Castiel is forced to confront some uncomfortable truths about his feelings.

season 13

i want to do with you (what spring does with cherry trees)  by  sobsicles   Words: 74,173     Chapters: 8

Dean keeps going back.

When he arrives, it's always to blooming flowers and a windmill in the background, not too far from a brook, the sun painting the plains.

He likes it there. He likes to stand in front of the makeshift urn and check that it's still where he put it, switching out the flowers when they wilt. He likes to listen to the sound of birds chirping, insects singing, the faint sound of water trickling in the distance. He likes to turn his face up and feel the sun on his skin, wondering if Cas would do the same if he were here, somehow knowing that he would.

He likes to talk.

There's never a response, but Dean feels the breeze rustle through his hair and watches the flowers bob when bees come to them and stares as the windmill keeps turning, turning, turning. And he imagines that Cas is replying—the windmill is the tilted head, the bobbing flowers are a gentle smile, the breeze is whatever words Dean wants to hear at the time.

Sometimes, it's almost like he's there.

Trial and Tribulations of Raising a Nephilim  by  Sickandtiredofyou Words: 14,910   Chapters: 6

Dean has far too much on his plate, losing his mom, his best friend and now being a single parent to a newborn nephilim.

In which Jack is an actual newborn instead of a teenager.

post season 13

dumbassery, denial, doing (the three d's to the destination)  by  sobsicles           Words:     108,427     Chapters:     4

Freedom is just one adjustment after the next.

Cas hums again. "I think you already have. It's been months since everything settled. All that's left to do is...get used to it, and perhaps—" His voice stalls out, uncharacteristically, and his gaze roams Dean's face with intensity. When he speaks next, his tone is a little raw. "Perhaps what one does with peace is...whatever they want."

"What if I don't even know what that is?" Dean grumbles, arching an eyebrow in challenge. "'Cause I know damn well you don't just mean good food and a good bed and time in Baby, not simple wants like that. You mean—ya know, the big things, the wants we didn't get to have before."

"Yes," Cas agrees. "If you're not sure, figure it out."

"Easier said than done."

Reasons to read this:

Dean reads a story that ends like despair and his reaction is FUCK THAT

Cas wears Dean's hoodie

Jack is a toddler

The Jack and Claire sibling energy we deserve

Eileen being awesome and pulling pranks with Dean while Sam thinks she's an angel

Sam knows

YOUR HONOR THEY'RE IN LOVE

First Date  by  aeli_kindara Words: 8,968    Chapters: 1

“We should go on a date. You and me.”

Castiel wishes he could see Dean’s face. He wishes he had any idea what to say.

“I’m asking you out, Cas.”

Also known as the Dean Winchester makes the first move fic.

season 14

Broken Road  by  thegeminisage Words:     109,629     Chapters:     7

A 14.13 Lebanon rewrite. When Dean uses a wish-granting pearl to try and kill the archangel Michael before he can escape the cage in Dean's head, they instead wind up with a newly-resurrected John Winchester.

It's been more than a decade since John died, and a lot has changed: Mary is alive, Sam and Dean have what passes for a proper home in the Men of Letters Bunker, and they're living with angels. John doesn't know angels are real, he doesn't know about the fragile new relationship between Dean and Castiel, and most of all, he doesn't know that Dean said yes to Michael, or that Dean's plan to defeat Michael would send him to a fate worse than death.

Now Dean must contend with both his father asking questions he can't answer, and his loved ones learning about the darker truths of his childhood, all while constantly battling the archangel trapped inside him. But Dean coming to terms with his history may be the difference between this being the beginning of a journey—or the end.

post season 15

fools and pilgrims  by  lagaudiere Words: 31,904     Chapters: 2

Claire shows up at the bunker a day before Dean was planning to leave, with her hair cut short and a fresh tattoo on her left arm under a bandage. Chuck is dead, Jack has given up his godlike powers, and Cas is back from the Empty, which doesn't make it any easier for Dean to talk to him. Suddenly finding himself in a world without monsters, supernatural forces, or any need for hunters, Dean's solution is to go on a road trip. Claire tags along.

Dean-Claire mirror fic post Despair

what's missing is found (our souls can exhale now)  by  sobsicles Words: 27,403

It's not the first time Claire has ever gone missing. It is, however, the first time Kaia panics about it. Dean's dragged into the mess, but he soon finds that it's the best thing that could have happened to him.

canon(?) au  (Hunters and Men of Letters)

Dean Winchester's Secret (Angel) Boyfriend  by  reluctantabandon, Winter_of_our_Discontent Words: 11,191     Chapters: 1

Dean Winchester isn't exactly a team player. So when he starts mentioning a new Hunting partner, Ellen and Jo Harvelle aren't sure whether they should be worried or relieved.

But they're starting to get the feeling there's something important Dean's not telling them about Cas...

Shot Through The Heart  by  peanutbutterjelly-pie (Aleakim) Words: 11,191     Chapters: 1

Dean is a hunter.

Castiel is a Man of Letters.

And even though they have to work together on a regular basis, there is not much sympathy between them. Castiel thinks Dean too brash and reckless while Dean in return sees nothing more in the other man than a rude asshole with an obsessive love for books and a truly terrible fashion sense.

But fate clearly has a funny way of throwing those two together over and over again.

And somewhere along the way feelings change into something neither of them would have expected.

[riddlecrux]

Historical AU

Day 7 of Elriel Month!

Summary: Blue and violet material rustled as she stared at three stars and three mountain peaks which sparkled in the daylight. The place that called her home. Velaris knights galloped through the forest with grace and dignity. At the front of the formation, she spotted him. Note: This is a snippet of my upcoming multi chapter Medieval AU Elriel fanfic!

There was talk in the town.

A gossip about one particular knight was spreading among ladies like a wildfire, fast and unforgiving. Whenever she went out, for a trip to the market or tailor, the words were often hushed and clipped. As if saying them outright and loud would bring the said person stumbling through the door - unannounced and feared. It was as if a shadow of a knight lived among the elites, constantly watching their lips, ready to strike from the darkest parts of the room. She had thought that gossiping was a rather boring thing to do, especially during the daytime - she much preferred spending her free time gardening and walking through the nearby forest.

The solitude she yearned for was always waiting for her, embracing her in silence and wisps of spring wind. A book under her arm, the hem of her skirt tucked between her fingers as she moved through the green maze with a blush covering her pale skin. It was something completely different from the small, claustrophobic ballrooms filled with perfumed guests and men trying to catch themselves a woman, a wife, a person that they were going to tame. A woman, later barely a doll. Empty shell filled with her husband's desires, placid and neat. Never free, never wild - an object that men love to present as a trophy.

Elain huffed, long steps halting as golden brown tresses slipped from her modest braid - her blue dress wrinkled and dirty, the mud sprinkled even her undergarments as she maneuvered through the forest road. She glanced behind her, a nervous tick, and with a soft frown on her forehead, she leaned against the rough tree. Few flowers slipped from her hand as she closed her eyes, breathing the scent of nature which coaxed her troubled mind.

She knew that the day would come, sooner or later - she prayed that her resolve and kindness would prevent her from marriage without love but naive as she was she knew that it was only a matter of time before her mother chose her a fiancé. Preferably rich one, from a distinguished family with a house close to the city market and church. Those arguments were vain and so ill-matched in Elain's opinion. She didn't care for money; she wanted to be loved. More than anything else she wanted to be chosen because of her personality - not too extravagant, timid, and simple as her father once said. Nesta always had a spark in her, steel that made men tremble before her, a woman made for a king or a duke. Her older sister was always the example of everything Elain wasn't, yet the day before Nesta's arranged marriage it was her older, wiser, dutiful sister that ran away - leaving a letter in which she chose love over duty.

I do not wish to be shackled by a man that does not deserve me. Women are much more than cattle you breed to sell. I part with a heavy heart, not because of my decision but because of the future of my sisters.

Elain had read the letter thousands of times, tracing letters with her fingers - remembering Nesta's coldness and silent form of love. She envied her older sister. If she was more courageous, less soft she would, perhaps, repeat her sister's steps.

Sighing through her parted lips her head hit the tree behind her. I do not wish to be shackled by a man that does not deserve me. She murmured under her breath like a prayer staring at the empty road that led to her little town. Gripping the old book by its edges Elain willed herself to pray. Pray that the man her mother had chosen would not like her. Pray that her resolve would show her the correct way, an answer to her broken promise. Pray that…

Her eyes opened at the sound of horses coming down the road. Glancing behind her cover she saw four riders, all dressed in black robes - all of them being knights. Her grip on the branch tightened as her mouth parted once again at the sight of a very well-known flag that was flowing in the air behind them. Blue and violet material rustled as she stared at three stars and three mountain peaks which sparkled in the daylight. The place that called her home. Velaris knights galloped through the forest with grace and dignity. At the front of the formation, she spotted him.

A knight dressed in black armor, iron spikes coming from his shoulder pads, and even sharper ones adorning his helmet. His gauntlets tightly clenched around his horse’s harness, dark and utterly beautiful. The breastplate was wide and devoid of any ornaments safe for three stars on each side of his armor. On his left side an extraordinary sword. Its majestic hilt covered in small, blue gems which were reflecting sunshine as he moved on the massive, gorgeous stallion. It was her gasp that made him snap his neck in her direction - she quickly scrambled and hid behind the tree wishing that he hadn't seen her. As the sounds of hooves started to ease with their every step, Elain slowly crept from her hiding position. Her heart beating so loud that the bird sitting on one of the branches fled from its resting spot.

The talk of the town - The Scarred Knight, came just in time for the tournament.

*

3 YEARS EARLIER

The summer was hot and stuffy.

Elain shot a quick glance behind her shoulder as she ran through the crowded streets of the town. She could hear Lucien's screams and his brothers’ laughter, however, she didn't stop. Her feet adorned with leather booties moved even faster, as long as she lost the gingers she would be safe. She turned right, stumbled because of the moving wagon, and sprinted towards cathedral alley - people were staggering when she turned in another street, her hair falling from her up-do in waves of molten gold. The freedom in her lungs was addictive. She felt like a bird, freed from its beautiful cage that it was trapped in for its whole life.

Her feet hit the muddy ground as she scanned moving peasants and with a resolution on her delicate features, she whirled around and ran straight towards the training grounds. One step, two steps...

She gasped when she collided with a solid body, her feet getting caught in the lace of her dress, making her fall on her backside with a loud thud. Her forehead was hurting and she could swear that the world around her wavered as she finally decided to glance at the reason for her fall. It was a knight, a tall and very deadly one. His violet eyes scanned her for injuries and with a slow sigh, he presented her a gloved hand.

"My lady," his sensual voice rang in her ears as she gracefully - at least she hoped so, gripped his fingers and stood up. Her beige dress was dirty and ruffled at its edges. Her mother would have scolded her till her calves were raw from the beating. The sight of her so utterly ungracious and dishonorable would shake her so much that Elain would have had to beg her on her knees to stop. Nevertheless, as she looked at her skirt she saw few droplets of blood and with a frown, she deduced that she, in fact, sliced her palm when she tried not to stumble.

Snapping her attention back to the knight in front of her, she slowly bowed and smiled. Her curls created a halo around her heart-shaped face when she finally looked him straight in his eyes. He was tall, well built and had brown skin. It was a beautiful color, she mused trying not to think how handsome he was.

"Sir Knight, pardon my intrusion," she cocked her head as another knight appeared in her peripheral vision. He was even taller and bigger than the one from before. His long hair flew on wisps of wind as he chuckled seeing her state and dirt on her dress. One dark brow rose with a flicker of amusement in his bright eyes.

"It's a rather peculiar sight to behold," he murmured as another wave of deep laughter erupted from his throat. She could feel redness coming up on her cheeks and with a swift movement, she ducked her chin down. Her mother would have simply perished if she saw her right now. What a disgrace for her perfect family.

"Cassian, the lady is hurt," she still didn't dare to look up, and when the newcomer left as quickly as he appeared she stole a small glance in the direction of soft sounds.

On her right, the training grounds were almost empty safe for a knight in black armor, kneeling on the ground. His hands were bare and visible to her eyes - scars, horrible and painful ones adoring his long fingers and gentle palms were a stark contrast to his dark attire. However, what caught her initial attention was the way he was slowly but surely trying to feed a stray kitten that aimlessly wandered here. His kneeling person, sharp against the tiny creature barely visible to the human eye. Two oddities coexisting in that nanosecond of time seemed to stop for her as she devoured the sight of this blindingly pure kindness.

"My lady," she heard the other man from somewhere far away. Her tunnel vision focused on that one person, his act of gentleness amidst the blazing sunlight, and… the way his scarred fingers were trembling while he placed all of his weight on his knees. As if he was scared and ashamed of their appearance, even before that small animal hissing in his direction. "My lady?" Her doe eyes found violet ones and with a soft gasp, she came to her senses.

"Please do forgive me for my ignorance," her voice shook and she hated herself for that. For that slight hint of distress slipping through the cracks of her perfectly molded mask of courtesy. The knight rose a dark brow and with frivolous joy watched her behavior as if he had solved a mysterious puzzle. Deep down in her chest, her heart sang an unknown song that made her spiral even further into herself.

"Azriel!" A sharp command slashed the air as she whipped her head at the source of that loud noise. The violet-eyed knight bowed elegantly as the kneeling man slowly stood up, even taller than previously acquainted knights, and slowly made a way towards them. His armor was loud, yet mesmerizing - she felt her bloodstream tickle, surge as the earth shattered under her legs with the force of warmth and longing she suddenly felt. An intake of breath caught in her lungs made her frozen as foreign yet so well-known hazel eyes stopped on her person. As if she had dreamt about them, as if they were forever imprinted inside her like a burst of thousands of stars. The slits in his helmet allowed her to see his long eyelashes, dark and dangerous, as he inclined his greetings.

"Sir Knight," she breathed out, like a bird singing for its designed mate. The knight's burning gaze left her shaking - as if her soul suddenly came down on earth and wished for a moment of utmost closure.

"The lady is hurt," the shorter one supplied glancing between both of them with a smirk. "Please attend her while I gather supplies," and with a swift nod, he left both of them alone. She supposed that time became only a fraction of surrounding her world when Azriel only stared at her, his scarred hands tucked behind him as if the sight of them might have somehow offended her.

"Sir Knight," her lips parted with a silent echo of yearning. "You have truly beautiful hands," his eyes widened, a golden hue covering his irises as his armor rumpled with the stretch of his muscles.

"It's a far-fetched compliment, my lady, yet I'm declaring my thanks," he blinked as she fought with an overwhelming feeling dancing in her chest. He was so close to her and yet she felt as if he was a whole ocean away. Maybe her soul, the one who often whispered in her ear about soulmates, tricked her and made her a fool. Maybe because of that she wanted to say something, anything that could last - to make him remember her, a wild girl with flowers in her hair.

"It's not," she urged and let herself smile. "For what I have seen, Sir, you are gentle-natured," a gust of wind ruffled her tresses and when she tried to fight with them, scarred digits arrived next to her ear.

"And you, my lady, are indisputably a spring ready to conquer the already fading winter," he whispered urgently. Her heart trembled at his words, it was as if he had spoken to her spirit, to the gaping wound of her hidden longings and dreams. As if he had known her, right now and all these centuries before. The time was crashing into her like waves of that unknown feeling that overcame her, however before she could answer the loud yell of her name startled her like a deer.

"I must," her ragged breathing stopped when she saw red-haired men stumbling onto training grounds. Wide-eyed and breathless she stole the last glance at her starry-eyed soulmate and turned around. Even if all laws of this world told her to stay, screamed at her to turn around to see the universe crashing inside those hazel eyes, she didn't.

She left him there, a tray of sunlight and starlight glittering behind her as he watched her till she became only a speck of dust in the blazing heat.

[xxdragonwriterxx]

🔥Prowess🔥

~~~

Levi’s heart roared with pride when (Y/N) leaned into his advances, a soft sigh escaping her lips as he kissed down her throat, lightly nibbling on her pulse and licking his way down her warm skin. The two had only been dating for a few months but they had loved each other for years, the two dancing around each other ever since they met until one day, Levi couldn’t take it anymore and just asked her out. He had been befuddled when the normally confident, cool-headed Squad Leader had hesitated at his confession, her eyes drifting to the side as if in fear before she managed to nod her head and smile at him.

Since they had loved each other for so long, despite only coming together relatively recently, Levi was a little surprised at the slow speed with which their relationship progressed physically, (Y/N) always dodging the subject when he brought it up. But he was happy to wait for her, wanting to move at a pace she was comfortable with. After almost six months of patiently waiting, (Y/N) had finally agreed to be intimate with him, her shyness evident but her eyes determined.

(Y/N)’s muffled moan brought him back to the moment, his silver eyes flickering up to where her hand was covering her mouth in an attempt to stifle her sounds. Levi frowned at this and sat back a little, one hand gently skimming across her collarbones to cup her breast while the other reached up to grasp her wrist and pull her hand away from her mouth. Usually, Levi preferred to fuck in peace, having the woman he was with stay quiet to avoid letting anyone around him know what was happening, but with (Y/N), he wanted everyone to know how good he was making her feel. This was their first time together, and (Y/N) was the love of his life, he did not want her to be quiet.

“Don’t cover your beautiful voice, (Y/N), I want to hear you. I want to hear everything from your adorable moans to the sound of you screaming my name,” Levi said breathily, releasing her wrist and moving his other hand to cup her neglected breast.

Suddenly, (Y/N) moved back a little, away from his touch, hesitant. Levi immediately looked up and took his hands off of her, his eyes searching hers for any sign he had done something wrong.

“(Y/N)?”

(Y/N) bit her lip and glanced away from him, her arms coming up to cross over her breasts, her fingers digging into her shoulders until the tips turned white. Something was wrong, Levi could tell. Fear curled in his gut as he thought back to everything he had done so far, trying to pinpoint when he could have accidentally hurt her. When he came up with nothing, he realized she may be feeling self conscious. He couldn’t fathom why, she was downright gorgeous, absolutely stunning in his eyes, with her sparkling (e/c) eyes, beautiful form, and soft, flowing (h/c) hair. She was absolutely perfect, but maybe she couldn’t see herself in the same light.

“Hey, I didn’t hurt you, did I? You don’t have to hide from me, you’re beautiful, but if you don’t want to do this, we don’t have to.”

(Y/N) looked up at him, her heart exploding with love for the man in front of her. He was always so patient with her, so gentle. It was such a jarring contrast to his usually cold demeanor, but it was a welcome one regardless. She loved him so much, and she did want this. It had been such a long time since his confession, she really wanted to take this step with Levi, to show him with her body how much she cared about him. She was just scared. She knew he was different, knew that Levi would treat her right and take care of her like he had promised her when she had accepted his confession all those months ago; she just couldn’t shake off the fear that crept into her bones. He needed to know. He deserved to know.

“No, you’ve been amazing, Levi, you didn’t hurt me, I promise. It’s just…,” (Y/N) hesitated again and rubbed her arms against the chill that settled in the room and flowed over her bare form. Levi gently grasped her chin in his palm and tilted her head up, forcing her to meet his uncharacteristically soft gaze. Taking a deep breath, (Y/N) steeled herself.

“Before you, the last man I was with…, well, he…, was abusive.”

She felt Levi tense, his eyes widening before they narrowed dangerously into sharp metal slits, the anger surrounding him, palpable.

“I know you are nothing like him. You have been so wonderful, Levi, you make me feel so loved and appreciated, but sometimes, I just can’t get him out of my head. I can’t escape him,” (Y/N) said, her eyes glazing over with tears. Levi forced himself to relax and reached out to touch her shoulder, encouraging her to keep talking to him.

“At first, he was charming and sweet, and charismatic,” (Y/N) said. “Compliments were easy for him, and even though I’d had a few lovers before him, none of them were ever very serious. More like friends with benefits than real relationships, so when he started acknowledging me as something more than a sex machine with legs, I was smitten.”

Levi was quiet as he listened, his hand squeezing her shoulder gently to comfort her as tears started to flow down her cheeks.

“It was great for a while. I was a citizen at the time, before I decided the military was my path for the future, and he was the son of a kind noble my father knew since he worked as a groom and blacksmith, taking care of their horses for them. He had money, and as a poor girl working as a groom with my father, I was impressed with his fortune, and lucky enough for him to spend quite a bit of it on me,” (Y/N) sighed. “I know it was stupid, looking back now, I should’ve never gotten myself wrapped up in the glamor of his wealth, but he and his father were so kind, helping my family pay the bills while at the same time allowing me to experience romance pulled straight from a story book, I couldn’t help but be a bit awed.”

Levi moved closer to her, removing his hand from her shoulder to instead sit beside her, his shoulder leaning against hers as he waited for her to finish telling him the story. His heart clenched when he saw more tears spill from her eyes, the salty drops staining her skin.

“But then it wasn’t so great. When we were intimate for the first time, it was fine, normal. It wasn’t anything special, but nothing negative. But the closer I got to him, the more I realized he wasn’t the person I thought he was. His father has been getting older and older and at the time was already starting to have trouble with maintaining energy and memory, so he wasn’t really aware that his son was lying about the way he was using his father’s money. He told me he was using it to help people from the Underground, even taking me down there a few times to help distribute food and supplies.”

“I found out one day about the lies,” (Y/N) continued. “I found out about how he was hoarding his money for himself, using it to tempt people into doing favors for him or luring them into crippling debts. I found out that whenever we went down into the Underground, after we had finished giving out the food, he would send for them to be arrested, claiming they had stolen the supplies from him, and then dangled their freedom in front of their faces like a dog bone, using it to force women to sleep with him while keeping his fat wallet full.”

Levi growled in response to that and (Y/N) let out a dark chuckle, her eyes hardening in fury at the memories.

“I confronted him on it, and that is when it all started to go downhill,” (Y/N) said, her body trembling a little. “He started to beat me to keep me quiet, threatened my family, telling me he’d have my father hung because he “stole” something if I came out with who he really was.”

(Y/N) shuddered again, this time a small sob escaping her lips.

“Then he started to use me, started being too rough and overpowering. He threatened me over and over again if I ever told anyone about anything, including how he was treating me. I was supposed to just put on a pretty face and smile and continue to gush over how amazing he supposedly was, just as I had always done. My own family didn’t even know anything about it, my father even starting to tease me about possible marriage.”

Levi visibly paled at that and he subconsciously tightened his hold on her where his arm was loosely wrapped around her shoulders, the horror that she could’ve been shackled to a man like that forever making his heart pound.

“I eventually did get out of there when the titans broke through the wall, destroying my home and killing my family. I was distraught, but when my family was gone, I realized I had nothing left to lose, and left him for the military, knowing he’d never be able to reach me here,” (Y/N) reached up and wiped at her eyes. “That’s why I’ve been so hesitant about having sex again, about being in a relationship again; why I struggled with your confession in the beginning. I just…, don’t want to fall into that kind of trap ever again.”

Levi quickly pulled her into a firm but loving embrace. He knew he wasn’t good with words, he honestly had no idea how to respond to what she had just told him, not when his thoughts were moving a million miles per minute, but he hoped she could feel what he was trying to tell her through the grip he had on her as he held her close.

She seemed to get the message, her face snuggling deeper into his bare chest, her tears drying on her cheeks as she breathed in his calming scent and listened to his steady heartbeat. Levi lifted a hand to her hair and gently stroked the soft strands, murmuring gentle words to her until she was calmed enough to pull away from him.

“Thank you, Levi,” (Y/N) whispered.

“Come on,” Levi murmured, gently grabbing her wrist and tugging on her, preparing to give her a warm bath and spoil her for a bit. He wanted her to feel comfortable again, and wash away the horrors of her past memories the most he possibly could. “Let me take care of you.”

He looked back when (Y/N) didn’t move from her spot, pulling him back to her. Her eyes were sparkling, but this time he could see the love and lust swirling in her (e/c) hues, rather than the glimmer of unshed tears.

“(Y/N)?”

“I want to do this.”

“Huh?” Levi asked.

“I think it’s so sweet that you are willing to spoil me, especially after you’ve waited for so long, but you’re forgetting that I want this too. I want to show you how much I love you through this, and I want to be shown something other than the rough treatment I was given before. I want you to make love to me, Levi,” (Y/N) said, determination flashing across her face. 

Levi sucked in a breath and searched her face, looking for any sign that she wasn’t telling the truth. He knew (Y/N) was the kind of person who enjoyed helping others, and he was not about to let her hurt herself to please him. But no matter how many times he searched her gaze, he found no sign of doubt. Carefully sliding back into bed and grabbing ahold of her hand, Levi held her gaze when he spoke.

“Are you sure, (Y/N)? We don’t have to do this, I am willing to wait. I want it, fuck, do I want it, but I will wait for you if this is not what you really want.”

(Y/N) beamed at him and lifted her hand, brushing her fingers along his cheek lovingly. How the hell did she manage to get so lucky? He was so fucking perfect, she felt like she was going to explode.

“I know you would, Levi. But I’m tired of waiting. I want you, I promise.”

Levi smiled at her genuinely, making her heart leap in her throat, before the grin turned sultry, his eyes flashing as he allowed himself to indulge in eyeing her still naked form. Reaching out for her, he brought her into his embrace once more.

“I love you,” Levi said, leaning down to kiss her. 

_________________________________

Levi stopped walking the moment he saw (Y/N) freeze, turning around to see his lover staring straight ahead, her whole body tensed. He tilted his head as he watched her, his confusion mounting. He only ever saw her look like that when she was fighting someone, or when she was about to charge off into battle outside the walls. It was a stance that told him she was ready to tear her way out of a situation, no matter what it took. Turning to follow her line of sight, Levi saw Erwin walking towards the two of them, a tall, handsome young man walking alongside him.

Levi's eyes narrowed. He had never seen the man before, but he could already tell he was of noble status. He didn’t look like a traditional noble with his flowing gold hair, tan skin, and well muscled form, his abs showing through the pressed white shirt lined with gold he wore, but Levi could tell in the way he sneered at the state of the military base, his lips curling in disgust when soldiers passed by.

Leaving (Y/N) for a moment, throwing a concerned look in her direction, Levi approached the pair, striding up to the two men confidently.

“Commander Erwin, who is this?” Levi asked, reverting to using Erwin’s title in the presence of the noble.

“Ah, Captain Levi, this is Lord Byron’s son, Lord William. I have been informed that unfortunately, Lord Byron passed away recently, and so I’ve called Lord William down from his estate to discuss the situation regarding funding for the Survey Corps,” Erwin said.

Levi grunted his acknowledgement and turned to move back to his love, his worry increasing tenfold when he found her still frozen in place, her eyes wide and dark with fury. He was just about to ask her what was wrong when everything clicked into place. She had never told him her ex boyfriend’s name, but she hadn’t felt the need to. She had assumed that Levi would never meet the bastard, and if he ever did meet him, it was assumed that (Y/N) would be nowhere near him.

Levi felt a dark flare of anger coil in his gut, and wanted nothing more than to beat the noble into the ground, but he knew he had to get (Y/N) out of here as soon as possible. She had finally been getting more comfortable with being in a relationship again, she did not need this to set her back. Levi was almost to her, his hand reaching out to grasp her wrist when Lord William’s loud voice made everyone stop dead.

“(Y/N)? Is that you? Well, hello my dear! Long time no see, huh?”

Levi turned to throw Lord William a nasty glare but the short Captain was almost completely ignored as the young lord strode up to the frozen Squad Leader, a charming smile on his face. If it weren’t for what (Y/N) had told him before, and the way she was standing, Levi would’ve thought the smile was genuine. The young man was practically beaming, and his eyes sparkling as if he were greeting an old childhood friend. But as Levi looked closer, he could see that the smile didn’t quite reach William’s eyes.

William had his arms open, ready to encompass the obviously uncomfortable (Y/N) into a large bear hug when Levi stepped in, one arm drifting just slightly behind him, a warning for William’s eyes only, not to come any closer.

“Lord William, I was unaware you and my girlfriend were previously acquainted, and so while I apologize for the interruption in your reunion, may I remind you that we are here to discuss the Survey Corps funding?” Levi asked cooly.

Shock flared in William’s gaze for a moment, his eyes flicking between (Y/N) and Levi before he let a smug grin ride across his face, making Levi’s stomach flip.

“Girlfriend, huh? I apologize if I came off as being too personal, I only meant to greet a close friend of mine, that’s all. If you wish to move right onto the budget then lead the way,” William said, taking a step back and motioning the senior officers forward.

(Y/N) didn’t like turning her back to the young lord, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her rattled by his sudden reappearance in her life. Standing up tall, (Y/N) looped her arm through Levi’s and strode forward with her head held up high, her jaw clenched as she fought the urge to turn around and tear the man behind her limb from limb. She could tell Erwin noticed her tense posture and aggressive attitude towards William, but the Commander didn’t comment as he brought up the rear of the group, making their way to an empty conference room.

Once they had settled into the room, they were joined only by Mike, Hanji, Nanaba, and Moblit, before the door shut out the rest of the military base. (Y/N) felt jittery, even with the other officers in the room, but forced herself to remain calm as she took a seat beside Levi, relaxing a little when she felt her lover place his hand comfortingly on her thigh.

Unfortunately, Erwin was not the only one who seemed to notice her discomfort as William shot her a knowing smile, and settled in the chair directly across from her, his eyes never leaving her form as he very obviously and purposely eyed her up and down, his gaze lingering on her breasts and hips when he knew Levi was watching.

Erwin coughed awkwardly at the rising tensions in the room and shuffled the papers in front of him, eager to start the meeting without anyone losing a limb. Levi’s gaze never left the young lord as he dragged his attention away from (Y/N)’s body to focus on the Commander.

“Thank you for coming down today, Lord William, as I am sure you are aware, your father was a major source of income for our services. He was very kind in his offerings to us, and was a very significant contributor in allowing us to procure the proper supplies and weaponry for our soldiers. We are not necessarily asking that you provide the same provisions your father did, only that maybe you would consider continuing to fund some of our more important functions such as our food supply and medical care?”

Lord William leaned back in his chair for a moment, running a hand through his thick golden locks. His eyes flickered over to (Y/N), and it took all of her willpower to avoid glaring at him in return, forcing herself to keep her gaze neutral when he looked at her. Levi gave her thigh a light squeeze and she reached under the table to rest her hand over his in gratitude for his silent support.

“Listen, Commander, I would love to consider your offer, as I have no qualms with the Survey Corps itself, and I support what you and your soldiers are doing to help save Humanity,” William said.

“That’s great, Lord William, and we thank you for your-”

“However,” William said, rudely cutting off the Commander. “I have one problem.” 

Erwin raised an eyebrow but did not let his irritation show, his sharp blue gaze shifting to meet William’s green ones.

“Which is?”

“I do not make deals with my enemies.”

Erwin tilted his head in confusion, and the other senior officers began to whisper amongst themselves, their questions making the air thick above them. Only Levi and (Y/N) kept silent, their gazes locked on William’s turned head. (Y/N) clenched her fist under the table, squeezing Levi’s hand, who returned the gesture with equal strength. They knew what this was about. (Y/N) had hoped this meeting would pass without this topic coming up, but she knew she had been fooling herself when she had thought that.

“I thought you just told us that you support our goals and actions as we strive to make this world a safer place,” Mike said, his voice clear and low. “What about that makes us your enemy?”

“Oh, you are mistaken, I said nothing about the Survey Corps being my enemy. But there is one of you within this branch of the military that I have some unfinished business with, and I refuse to make deals so long as that person is a part of your project,” Williams said, still maintaining his eye contact with the Commander.

(Y/N) tensed even further, her eyes darkening with fury. She knew what he was doing and it made her want to be sick. She had known from the moment she saw him that he would make an effort to bring her into the conversation, to chastise her in front of her colleagues and leaders, but she had not expected him to go so far as to insinuate she be removed from the Survey Corps entirely. (Y/N) fought to control her breathing, her jaw clenching to the point she worried about her teeth cracking.

“Well, maybe we can work something out, who is it that you have problems with, Lord William?” Erwin asked.

It was then that William finally turned in his seat to look right at them, his gaze switching between (Y/N) and Levi as a wicked grin crept along his face, his green eyes flashing with malicious intent. “I have a problem with Captain Levi, I believe he has something of mine.”

(Y/N)’s eyes grew wide then. All along she thought William was just going to try his hardest to drag her down. She hated it, but she had expected it, and would be able to get through it just so long as she had her friends and lover at her side. What she had not expected was for William to drag Levi’s name into the conflict, ready to tear him down as well.

A quick glance in Erwin’s direction revealed his thoughts on the matter, his face twisted in shock while his icy blue eyes flickered with cautious irritation.

“Hmm, Captain Levi, I was unaware you even knew Lord William, do you have something of his?”

Levi glanced at Erwin and noted his expression as well before leaning back in his chair, feigning relaxed confidence.

“Of course not, Erwin, I have never even seen this man before.”

“Really?” William growled, his charming persona beginning to fall away piece by piece. “Because that woman beside you looks an awful lot like my lost bride, Captain.”

A few gasps filled the room at his words, (Y/N)’s fellow officers immediately looking in her direction with shocked expressions. (Y/N) and Levi glanced at each other before they both settled their hate-filled gazes on William.

“I have no idea what you are talking about, Lord William,” (Y/N) said in a flat tone. “I was never meant to marry you.”

William growled at her. “You can lie to yourself, and him, all you’d like, (Y/N),” William said, gesturing to Levi as he spoke. “But deep down you know the truth. You were destined to marry me. Just because you ditched me, ran away and gained favor in the military by spreading your legs for your superiors, doesn’t mean you’re free. I intend to take back what is mine.”

“I am not an object to be owned,” (Y/N) snapped, her eyes flashing with barely suppressed fury as she stared down her ex, ignoring the embarrassment that flooded her veins at his crass comment. She just had to focus, she knew he was going to try to put her to shame in front of her friends and superiors, she just had to get through it and everything would be okay. She needed to do this, needed to face him down so that maybe she could finally escape his tormenting shadow, which seemed to constantly loom over her whenever she tried to take another step towards Levi.

“What? So this new man doesn’t exist?” William snarled, waving at Levi.

“I am her lover, not her owner,” Levi said, his voice dark and low. Around the table, all of the superior officers began to raise their guard, Hanji sliding closer to (Y/N) while the rest of her friends tensed in their seats.

“What a catch,” William drawled with a snort, sarcasm dripping from his tongue as he looked the Captain up and down. “And I suppose she is so satisfied with you? I didn’t know (Y/N) was attracted to pale dwarves.”

The entire room jerked in their seats, (Y/N) even letting loose a dark growl that sounded almost feral in nature. Levi felt embarrassment wash over him at the insult, but he didn’t let it get to him, instead, focusing on the warmth that blossomed in his heart at the sound of (Y/N)’s threatening snarl in his defense.

“And last time I checked, (Y/N) wasn’t attracted to violent men with a lot of baggage. Do you really think you are enough for her? Do you really think you can provide for her and be there for her when she needs you the most? If that’s what you tell yourself in the mirror every morning, that you can be what she needs in her life, then you’ve got to stop lying to yourself. There is more to a relationship than sex and making her breakfast in the morning.”

Levi forced his face to remain expressionless except for his dark scowl, refusing to let the lord see how he was getting to him. He wanted to ignore the young man, wanted to stand up tall and tell him that everything he was saying was complete and utter bullshit. But Levi could feel it in his heart. He had no idea how, but William seemed to know exactly what Levi struggled with everyday, the question he asked himself when he looked at his stunning girlfriend: was he good enough?

“Or do you even do that?” William continued, ignoring Erwin’s warning call of his name. “Do you even make her breakfast in the morning? Claim her as your own? Or do you just make her tea occasionally while she sits on the couch, bored? How many books has she finished in the past few weeks? She always reads when she has nothing better to do, that should tell you exactly how satisfied she is.”

Levi wanted to rebuke what he was saying but his mind thought back to the past few weeks without his permission, automatically thinking back to the number of finished books (Y/N) had placed in a pile on the coffee table in his office. He internally winced as he thought about how tall that pile was getting.

“William that is enough!” Erwin snapped, foregoing all pretense of politeness, his eyes burning with an icy fire as he stared down the young lord, who merely scoffed at the Commander, a smug smirk gracing his lips.

“Oh I am far from finished, Commander,” William said in a mocking tone. “I haven’t even gotten to the best part, and I haven’t done anything worthy enough for you to force me to leave. I am not under your command, I am under my own.”

“You have spent this entire time making unprecedented, inappropriate comments towards two of our commanding officers,” Hanji snapped back, her glasses flashing as she turned to glare at the lord.

“And you would have me forcibly ejected from the meeting because I hurt your feelings? I thought the Survey Corps was under better management than that, I may have to talk to the royal council about having some of you reassigned,” William threatened, making everyone shut their mouths, despite the angry glares being leveled at him. (Y/N) was holding onto her pen so tightly, the writing utensil looked as if it were about to snap.

“And if she is so bored with you in every other aspect of your relationship,” William said, turning his gaze back onto the Captain. “What do you think that means for your sex life, hmm? Do you really think she’d be satisfied with that if she isn’t with anything else? I mean, what did you really expect? With that pitiful height, there must not be much to please her with down there either, right? You really think she could possibly be happy with you after she’s already had me? She used to scream my name loud enough for my entire estate to hear, does she do that for you too, Captain?”

Levi had no qualms with his size, he knew he was talented under the sheets, but the lord’s words still stung him. He couldn’t help the light blush that stained his cheeks when William talked so nonchalantly about his size and (Y/N)’s previous reactions in bed, embarrassment flooding his system for the second time that night. Despite his efforts to suppress them, the doubts started to worm their way into his heart, asking himself over and over again the questions that always plagued him but he’d always managed to shove down before. Now they rose up, stronger than ever, poisoning his heart and chaffing away at his confidence.

Everyone in the room flinched when (Y/N) suddenly slammed her hands down on the table in front of her, standing up so fast her chair flew out behind her, her eyes burning with a dark, fiery hatred as she met William’s stare. At one point in her life, she would’ve cowered in fear from the green gaze that stared right back at her. She would’ve bowed her head and looked to the floor as he bashed at her self-confidence until she was stripped bare, left with nothing but her doubts. She was used to his horrible personality, she was used to the way he would degrade others, and lie to make himself look and feel better. But not this time. Not when he was insulting the best thing that had ever come into her life. She loved Levi more than anything, and as William’s scathing words slapped her lover across the face, (Y/N) forgot all of her fear, left with nothing but a furious desire to rip this man to shreds.

“Don’t you dare talk about me or my lover like that. Levi is the best thing to ever happen to me and he proves that to me every damn day. He is leaps and bounds better than you ever were and he is more of a man than you will ever be. He is out there, fighting by my side, protecting me, and reminding me that I am loved, while you cower away in your cave of wealth, brooding over the few things you can’t have in this life because you chased them away with your abuse. If you ever try to degrade him in front of me again, I will fucking kill you,” (Y/N) was panting when she was finished, her anger so intense she was shaking, her knuckles turned white from where she was gripping the desk.

Levi’s look of shock and adoration as he looked up at his lover was mirrored by the faces of all of the officers in the room, some of which morphed into smug smiles after a moment when they caught sight of the surprise on William’s face. William glanced around before he sat up a bit, rearranging his face into one of a bland lack of interest. Switching his gaze from (Y/N)’s tense form back to Levi, William let his own smug smile form and angled his head at the Captain.

“Wow, strong words coming from such a little slut. Tell me, Captain Levi, when you fuck her, have you ever noticed that little noise she makes right before she climaxes?”

(Y/N) closed her eyes. She knew what this was, what he was trying to do. It was another one of his tactics. He was trying to shred her dignity, destroy her credibility in front of her friends. She figured he had to know she was a Squad Leader, one of the senior officers of the Survey Corps, otherwise she wouldn’t even be in this meeting. He knew he was losing this battle he had started due to the support she had from her lover and her friends, so he was trying to cut her down another way, embarrass her in the worst way possible before he took his leave. Taking a deep breath, (Y/N) shoved down the heat that rose in her chest and stained her cheeks, gathering all of the confidence she had left as she opened her eyes and stared right at William without backing down. (Y/N) knew Levi was about to say something, but she beat him to it. She needed to do this, needed to defend the both of them.

“With Levi, it’s not little,” (Y/N) said, causing Hanji to squawk with surprise and laughter. “Now get the fuck out. We don’t want money from you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” William asked, his expression revealing his shock at her determined response. “You need me!”

“No, (Y/N)’s right,” Erwin cut in. “We don’t require your services anymore, now leave. If you refuse, we will have every right to arrest you for trespassing and possible conspiring against the military and government.”

William’s mouth sat agape as he looked at each officer in the room, searching for the support he would never find. “This is an outrage!” He yelled.

“What? Upset that you couldn’t manipulate us into cooperating? Angry that you couldn’t hang your wealth over us like a bone for a dog?” Levi taunted, confidence seeping back into his voice as he thought back over what his lover had said to defend him.

“I- I…,”

“Get. Out,” (Y/N) said with gritted teeth, her eyes piercing him like daggers.

William fumbled for a minute before he stood clumsily from his chair and backed into the closed door. When he saw that once again, nobody was going to come for his aid, William threw all of them a dark look and flung open the door, fleeing from the scene, screaming about how they were all going to regret this someday.

(Y/N) finally completely relaxed when the sound of his voice could no longer be heard echoing down the hall, a soft sigh slipping from her lips as she collapsed back into her chair.

“(Y/N), I am so sorry, I had no idea, if I had, I never would have-”

“It’s quite alright, Erwin,” (Y/N) said with a smile. “I’m upset that all of you had to experience that, but in a way, I’m happy I finally got to stand up to him the way I wanted to. The last time I saw him, I didn’t have the strength, which was why he came back in the first place. He thought he’d find what he saw all those years ago, a scared, trembling little girl who was stuck under his thumb.”

Erwin nodded but it was obvious that he still felt guilty, his brows furrowed as he looked between Levi and (Y/N), his eyes filled with remorse. Levi nodded at his Commander, his own version of accepting Erwin’s apology and stood from his chair without a word, reaching down to offer (Y/N) his hand. (Y/N) took it without hesitation and followed Levi out of the conference room while the other leaders packed everything up.

Neither of them spoke as they walked through the halls together, both of them lost in their own thoughts as they made their way to Levi’s rooms. Once they reached the familiar wooden door, Levi held it open for her to enter before closing it behind them and leaning against it. He wouldn’t meet (Y/N)’s gaze once the door was shut, crossing his arms as he suddenly found the window above his desk to be very fascinating.

“Levi?” (Y/N) called to him.

“Hm?”

“I’m sorry I said some of the more…, private things back there. I hope I didn’t embarrass you too much, it was just all I could think of to get back at him. To show him that I wasn’t fazed by his insults.”

Levi met her gaze for half a second before looking away again. “You have nothing to apologize for, I’m proud of you, how you stood up to him back there.”

“Then what’s wrong?” (Y/N) asked, moving up to him to cup his cheek in her warm palm, making him meet her soft gaze.

Levi cursed himself for feeling this way, for letting William’s comments get the better of him, but he felt like he had to ask anyway. His silver eyes darted over to the pile of books on his coffee table before closing them, taking a deep breath.

“(Y/N), I know I shouldn’t be thinking this way, but I have to ask…, am I, enough for you?”

“Oh my gods, Levi!” (Y/N) gasped. “Of course you’re enough! More than enough! I meant what I said back there, when I said you were the best thing in my life, that was not for show. I meant every word, don’t you dare let his insults get the better of you, none of them are true.”

“I know I shouldn’t and I know you would never lie to me but…, I can’t help but wonder if you would be happier with someone who could dedicate more time for you. Someone who could shower you with the pretty words I’m shit at expressing. You deserve those things, (Y/N), and I worry that I can’t be there for you when you need me.”

“I love no one other than you, Levi Ackerman, social awkwardness and all,” (Y/N) said with a giggle when he threw her a half-hearted glare. “Listen to me, Levi. I don’t need all of those things. I can feel how much you love me in the little things you do for me. Everyday, you make me feel so loved and important, you don’t need fancy words to tell me the things I already know. You have your own love language and that is more than enough for me.”

“You’re never bored with me?” Levi asked, glancing at the books again.

(Y/N) followed his line of sight and rolled her eyes, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his.

“No, silly. I love you and I could never be tired of you. I have all of those books on the table because I love to read, it’s one of my favorite past times. All of that stuff he said about me only doing it when I have nothing better to do is complete bullshit. I will say it again, I love you for you and you alone. Never doubt that, okay? Besides, every day is an adventure with you, don’t you dare try to add more shit to our lives, I might just explode,” (Y/N) said with a light laugh.

Levi nodded and chuckled a little, his eyes closing as he leaned against her.

“Thank you, (Y/N). I love you, I’m glad you know that.”

“I love you too,” (Y/N) said.

They were content to stay there for a moment, relishing in the feeling of being close to one another when (Y/N) suddenly leaned forward to nip at his earlobe, causing Levi to jerk.

“You know, I meant what I said at the end too,” (Y/N) smiled wickedly against his skin. “That noise isn’t little when I’m with you.”

Levi couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he felt her leave light kisses along his throat, the quietest moan slipping past his lips. “Is that so?”

“Uhm hm,” (Y/N) hummed. “Why don’t you help me prove it?”

“With pleasure,” Levi said, quickly scooping her up in his arms, beaming at the squeal of surprise and delight she released into the air. (Y/N) smiled against him as she looped her legs around his waist, her arms locking behind his neck to toy with the fresh hair of his undercut.

When they reached the bedroom, Levi shut the door behind him with his foot and set (Y/N) on the bed, watching with glittering eyes as she bounced on the mattress. Her wicked grin matched his as he crawled over her, his hands roaming, as he leaned down to give her ear lobe the same treatment she gave him. His warm breath made her shudder as he leaned in close, gently brushing the shell of her ear with his teeth before he spoke.

“I’m not going to lie, I can’t keep quiet when I’m with you either.”

(Y/N) moaned at his words and writhed beneath him when he started to attack her neck, her heart pounding with excitement and intense love for the man above her. She knew it would still take her some time to navigate through this new relationship with her Captain, knew that there would be nights where she struggled with the actions of her previous lover; but she also knew that she couldn’t have asked for a better person to share her life with as she looked into Levi’s eyes, the love she felt for him reflected right back at her.

[incorrectly-quoted-queers]

So hear me out, been obsessed with AC Valhalla for a hot minute, and so i have a headcanon:

Eivor grew up a warrior, and got used to being strong, to prove being orphaned didn’t make her less of a fighter. She grew up stoic and brooding, to prove she wouldn’t spend her life sniveling about loss. She grew up sarcastic and distant, because she didn’t need anyone other than Sigurd, anyway. 

That is, until Randvi.

Randvi was her age, the daughter of a pair of fierce clansmembers, who often played with Eivor and any other underage children while adults went a-viking. 

When they were younger, Randvi was a mud-slinging twerp like the rest of them, and while she wasn’t the best fighter, she had the heart of one. An even better mind, too. 

The second they hit puberty, things changed. Randvi’s hair flamed brighter, her lips grew softer, and every time Eivor saw her she wanted to say a million things she’d proved to herself that she never needed. 

Ignoring Randvi was easy, though. Especially since Sigurd came back from a raid and said he would make her his bride. 

Eivor tried to avoid Randvi, then, as the days to their wedding ticked down. She feared something spilling from her lips like choked mead. Where she was good with an axe, she was equally terrible with a flask, and Eivor couldn’t bear letting Randvi become something she failed at, too. 

Failing meant betraying her brother, something she’d never do.

The night before the wedding, Eivor was tasked with caring for the bride. She tried to insist Randvi ask her mother, Sigurd press several more clan-women to join in the festivities, but the entire family said that dear Eivor was all that was necessary. 

After all, they would be sisters in the morning, right?

That night went exactly to Eivor’s worst nightmares... and dreams. 

Randvi kept filling the space with words and Eivor tried to keep her distance, but when the words were gone and the distance was unbearable, the two women fell asleep in each other’s arms, doing things “sisters” should never do.

In the morning, Randvi was already gone and Eivor was late to the wedding. She had to apologize to Sigurd for weeks, but he never knew about the unforgivable. Not that he’d ever guess. Randvi didn’t give her a cold shoulder, or even avoid her. She just acted like they were platonic friends and nothing happened. 

If Sigurd didn’t go on adventures for years at a time, Eivor would’ve done the same herself. But she was the de-facto heir in his stead, always. And Dag hated it, and Randvi was always upset about his absence, but she did her best while focusing more on revenge than her aching heart. 

...

Things were looking up when they travelled across the water. Though they had been denounced by their Jarl, their father, Sigurd and Eivor would start their own clan. 

One of the first steps? Eivor was to help a nearby clan, a woman named Soma who was struggling to keep hold of her lands. 

Eivor weaved through Englishmen like a clever fish swam through a net, cutting them down every time they stepped in their way. Nothing gave her pause. 

Not until she saw a woman with blue face paint, fording off a trio of helpless men. And then those intense brown eyes met hers and Eivor wanted to know everything about her.

And she did learn as much as she could. Her name was Soma, and she was the fearsome Jarlskona of Grantebridge. She cared deeply for her people and was desperate to balance leading them and loving them. Despite that love, she was willing to destroy anyone, even her most beloved friends, if they hurt her community. And she didn’t have time for romantic entanglements. 

Despite many long looks between them, and a near-miss moment alone at the end of their victory celebration, Soma kept her distance. Much better than Eivor ever did. 

Guess she was just drawn to impossible, untouchable women.

...

When Randvi wanted a day of freedom, and was looking at Eivor for the first time like a warrior, not a far-off sister, Eivor didn’t know why, on instant, she chose to take her to Grantebridge. 

Take a woman she once loved to the land of another who stole her heart and abandoned it? What was she thinking? Was she hoping to make Soma jealous? To show Randvi what she was missing? To feel powerful over these women who didn’t want her?

It all felt foolish, but it felt even more foolish when Soma wasn’t even there. 

At the end of the night, when she was taking Randvi home, Randvi tried to kiss her. 

Despite all the dreams she’d had about this exact moment, it didn’t feel right. Randvi was lonely. She missed her husband. She was feeling trapped. Did Eivor want to be a momentary escape? Or, even at best, a second choice?

For the first time in her life, she pushed Randvi away and told her they should be getting back home. 

Eivor may never stop loving impossible women, but she didn’t want to be loved like this. 

...

(What is this little weird headcanon/fic? Who knows. Just having a lot feels about my lesbian Eivor these days)

[thecrownrp]

THE KINGDOM OF SPADES PRESENTS . . .

one of the SECOND TIER PRINCESS candidates, YOO JIHYE ‘HONEY’: a 23 YEAR OLD born on JANUARY 17TH, 1998. some may know them as THE SURRENDER but with a face like that, it’s hard not to admit they look a little like JENNIE KIM. curious to know more? apparently, these are words they live by: “beware; for i am fearless, and therefore i am powerful.” intriguing, aren’t they? only time will tell if they’re suited for the crown or not.

LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER . . .

she had no choice. yoo bitna jihye has no choice but to earn back all of the debt her parents had accrued when they stole from their families and ran away. their love had horrible consequences.

she had gone to the kingdom of spades to simply learn about the family that had been kept from her in all of her years of life. she assumed that she would be accepted with open arms, welcomed and introduced to everyone. she didn’t think her grandmother would laugh at her face, tell her she now owes the family thousands of dollars worth of stolen jewels and her way to repay them was to earn the throne. jihye thought this was a sick game.

the name change wasn’t necessary. it was just her grandmother’s way of exerting power over her. jihye hated this new name. her old name was now forgotten and forbidden. she was dressed up, forced to attend lessons. it was the only way, they told her, she had to do this to pay her debt. jihye felt trapped.

perhaps it wasn’t all bad. as soon as she entered the palace, she wasn’t immediately within her grandmother’s reach. of course there were eyes and ears everywhere; she wouldn’t be allowed to slack off. not so early. not with so many watching. but as she ascended in rank, the further she was from the woman’s grasp. the more it started to feel like freedom. until it didn’t.

it’s true that ultimately she will be free from her grandmother once reaching the throne. she’ll pay off her debt and be married but she wouldn’t doubt that the power hungry woman would find something else that she wanted. jointly, there would be the issue of jihye now in charge of a kingdom that she never even wanted. the throne was freedom but also a new prison sentence, it seemed. as she ascended to tier 3, her motivations changed.

she wanted to be a knight.

a knight would serve the country justly. she would be able to showcase her leadership skills but also not be in charge of the fates of thousands so directly. she would earn a wage so she could pay back her grandmother but she would have no status or power for her grandmother to leech off of. as the months passed, being a knight seemed more and more appealing. during her 21st year, when she ascended to tier 2, she envisioned herself meeting the king and queen and them telling her that it was a mistake being brought this far. she would better serve as a knight. those fantasies persisted: where the king and queen come to the conclusion that jihye isn’t who they wanted and she would be free.

freedom. freedom. it was always just out of reach. one day she will be free once and for all.

[banditthewriter]

Trust Is Earned - Charles Vane - 1

For someone who is taking a break from writing, I sure wrote a lot in a short time frame.

This is a 34.4k word fic broken into 10 parts. It is what I consider to be a “fuck canon” kinda fic so there’s that to enjoy. 

Warning: Slow burn. I’m sorry.

*gif not mine*

Enjoy!

*****

One of the largest draws of Nassau was the freedom. There was still poverty and strife, people who fought every day to survive, but the freedom was something that couldn’t be ignored. Women free of societal views that required them to be the property of either their father or their husband. Men free of the shackles of polite society, free to sail the seas and create chaos. 

Freedom did come with a price though. The pirates ruled the seas and demanded respect with a fist of violence, but that was nothing compared to the rule of the Guthries. They ruled the island with their commerce, able to make and break not only the pirate crews but also the merchants on the island. 

For you, freedom was many things. Your store, though small and off the beaten track, was lucrative and gave to you a life of comfort if not leisure. Your parents were gone but their love still resided in you. They had left behind a gaggle of friends that loved and protected you as you asserted your independence. 

Freedom was also the choice of who you took to bed. There had been a few men over the years, but none you considered special. The closest to a meaningful relationship you got was the continued dalliance with one of the pirates from The Walrus, the boatswain Billy Bones. 

The sex was more than enough to please you, but the man was simply easy to spend time with. The two of you laughed and talked about a myriad of things. He was a learned man and the two of you had plenty in common.

It wasn’t love though. That was one thing you weren’t sure you would find in Nassau, but that didn’t stop you from hoping. 

You wanted connection, intimacy, passion. You wanted a commitment, a love that consumed and freed you. As much as you enjoyed Billy’s presence, he wasn’t that for you.

If you never had a love like your parents had, at least you had your store. Affectionately called the General, it was a place where most of the people on the island started their search for things. If you didn’t carry it, you had the means to find it for them. For a price, of course.

Plus you made the best candles on the island. You were sure that not one ship left the bay without candles from the General.

The life you had in Nassau was a good one, a comfortable one. If only you’d known that that was all about to change.

------

There was a man and women in the store, both of them speaking low as they looked over the shelves against the far wall. Normally you wouldn’t have paid them any mind, but you had seen the look on their faces when they first walked in.

Good things rarely followed Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny when they looked like that.

You focused on the pages in hand, orders from various people on the island. You needed to find more mouse traps for the madam of the brothel, Mrs. Mapleton. One of the cooks from one of the ships needed better utensils. The butcher needed—

“Y/N. We have our order ready.”

You put the papers down and held a hand out to accept the piece of paper that was in Rackham’s hand. He held onto it for a long beat while staring at you before he released it. He turned his body towards Anne who was purposefully cleaning her nails with a long knife from her boot.

“Let’s see what I can do for you,” you said as you looked over the order. “Most of this is here in the store, but there are a few items I’ll need to get for you.”

As you gathered the items that you had on hand, you tried to ignore the two of them. Candles of various sizes, an inkwell with an extra pot of ink, a few quills, a thing of chalk, charcoal, paper… 

Every item you grabbed from your shelves or cabinets and placed into the canvas bag for the two of them, some wrapped to keep from being damaged. Some butcher paper was packed into the bag for extra security.

As you went about marking the items you still needed to get for them, you noticed that they had approached you once more.

“Is there something else I can help you with Mr. Rackham?” you asked in a polite voice as you scribbled a few notes regarding price, adding up how much you’d need to charge The Ranger crew.

“Oh, nothing in particular. Although now that you mention it,” he said as he tapped his fingers on the counter that separated the two of you, “I believe I heard through the grapevine that you were together with the boatswain of The Walrus.”

“Is that what you’ve heard? How intriguing.” You tore off the half of the page with the amount due and handed it over. “Here’s what’s owed. As always you just pay for what’s being taken today..”

He narrowed his eyes at you before he accepted the paper. You watched as he handed it to Anne Bonny who tugged out a pouch with some coin in it.

“Should I take you avoiding the question as an affirmative?” 

You glanced away from Anne and back over to Jack at that. As you were one of the best stores in Nassau and The Ranger was one of the biggest crews, definitely one of the best crews, you had dealt with the quartermaster and his quiet companion often enough. In your time dealing with them, however, you’d never been interrogated before. Your conversations were usually limited to the sale and maybe some idle chit chat.

This was a change you weren’t sure you appreciated.

“There wasn’t a question posed to me. You simply reiterated something that had been observed. However if it had been a question,” you amended because you didn’t want to piss these two off, “I would tell you that no, we’re not together. We simply enjoy each other’s company.”

“Is that right?” He cast a glance at Anne and gave an almost imperceptible nod. 

The woman handed over the correct amount of coin as well as a tip which wasn’t required but definitely helped. You thanked them both as you pushed the bag towards them.

With the bundle in his arms, the two left your store without another word. You weighed the coin in hand before you put it in the hidden compartment where you stored the rest. 

It was a strange interaction with the pirate pair, but you shook it off. There were more important things to focus on. Like a stack of orders you needed to work on.

------

With the door to the store locked, you headed to the hidden door that led to your rooms. It was made to look like part of the wall so no one knew where it was. You had just touched the handle when what sounded like an entire army began banging on the door to the shop.

At this hour it probably wasn’t an irate shopper or townsfolk. This had to be an emergency. That in mind, you made your way over to the door and pressed your ear to it.

“Y/N? Open the door. It’s me, Billy.”

This was highly unusual, but it was Billy. You trusted him.

You undid the locks and lifted the wooden slat that barred the door. Then you quickly opened it. Billy rushed in with someone behind him, a shorter man with curly black hair. He gave a charming smile that seemed at odds with the look of concern on Billy’s face.

The two of them shut and locked the door and then went about herding you towards the back room. Billy then opened the hidden door that led to your rooms, earning an interesting look from the other man.

“Do I want to know what’s going on? Or who this is?”

The man turned to offer you his hand, that charming smile back on his lips.

“I’m John Silver, a newly acquired… cook on The Walrus.”

You looked between John Silver and Billy who kept shooting glances at the door that led to the shop as if it was going to blow open at any second.

“I don’t have any cookbooks on hand if that’s your reason for coming by after I’ve already closed up shop, but I can find some. Other than that, I think I better demand an explanation.”

Billy came forward, his hands raised as if he was trying to calm down an enraged wild animal.

“It’s not as bad as it seems,” he began, flinching when you crossed your arms over your chest. “The Ranger crew was getting ready to set sail and uh, it seems they aren’t able to at the moment. Things got a little heated on the beach and we thought it’d be a good idea to find somewhere to lie low until the heat died down.”

You let that sit for a moment as you looked between the two of them. Besides the fact that John Silver didn’t look like he’d spent a second cooking in his life, Billy looked much like he had the first time you’d caught him with one of the whores in the brothel.

You explained that you didn’t mind, preferred it really. While you cared for Billy, you knew that you’d never fall in love with him. You didn’t particularly want to fall in love with a pirate. Since then both of you were comfortable enough to find companionship where it came without guilt.

It worked for the two of you. But that first time he’d looked so guilty.

Just as he did now.

“Bullshit. Now I’ll say this again just in case you didn’t hear me the first time. I demand a fucking explanation.”

Billy winced again.

“Y/N–” but you didn’t let him get out whatever pitiful excuse he had prepared.

“You’re a pirate, Billy Bones, and I’ve never known you to run from a fight. If things were heated on the beach, you wouldn’t be up here hiding. You’d be down there with a sword in hand and your brothers at your back. So whatever is going on, I want to know right now, or you and your cook can go fuck yourselves and leave.”

You watched as Silver opened his mouth, obviously about to tell Billy that they should leave, but you knew that that wouldn’t be happening. Billy had brought the two of them to you for a reason. He might be stubborn—he was a pirate after all—but he was far from stupid.

And he knew that you were right.

“It’s a map,” he said over Silver’s objections, “a map that they had that leads to some potentially big prizes. Silver stole it.”

You pinched the bridge of your nose before you looked at the other man.

“You stole… a treasure map… from a pirate? Not just any pirate, but Captain Vane?” You let out a little laugh and then looked over at Billy. “Where did you find this one? The bottom of the ocean?”

“I think you’re missing the point,” Silver tried to explain as a way to divert attention from his folly. “I am currently in possession of something that The Ranger crew desperately want to get back. My plan is to… give it to Captain Flint but he’s not here. Therefore we’re not as protected as I originally thought we’d be.”

The way he said that he was going to give the map to Flint made you think that had originally not been his plan. If the map was for some large prizes, it was likely he had originally meant to sell it to the highest bidder. 

Maybe he was a pirate after all.

“And so you thought to bring him to me. Did you think I could hide him under the pit where I make the candles?” 

“We just need to keep our heads down until Flint is back from the interior. It should be tomorrow sometime.”

As you started to say that they could stay there, you remembered something from earlier that morning. At the time Jack Rackham’s questions had seemed harmless if a little strange. Now you had to wonder if there had been a reason to them after all.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. This morning I had some of The Ranger crew in here for an order. An order that came with the extra benefit of questions regarding my relationship with the boatswain of The Walrus.”

While Billy usually tried to be civil and polite around you, he didn’t seem to have that issue just then. 

“Fuck. Fucking… fuck.”

“Eloquent,” Silver remarked and then nodded when Billy gave him a glare. “I know that this is my fault, but I think you’re forgetting how important this map could be. And that Captain Vane and the rest of The Ranger crew would gladly cut off our heads to get it back.”

You rubbed your temples, urging back the headache that started to grow there. The day had started with such promise and had only gone downhill. 

“There’s a door in the back that leads to the woods. If you walk about ten minutes you’ll come to a split where you can either go back to town or to the interior. You’ll need to find a different place to hide.”

Silver shook his head.

“The door to this part of the building was hidden. We could stay here.”

You fixed Silver with a glare that made him step back.

“This store is my livelihood. If the pirates even suspect that you might be here, they’ll tear this building down to the very last nail. I won’t have that happen over your stupid decision, do you understand me? If you are in this building when The Ranger crew gets here, I’ll happily direct them to the very crevice you’ve hidden yourself in.”

You turned to Billy, still fuming over the turn of events.

“I’m sorry Billy. You know in other circumstances I’d do anything to help you, but this isn’t something I’m willing to risk. Not for you, not for some man I’ve never met. I can’t be part of that.”

Billy nodded that he understood. He stepped forward and placed a hand on your shoulder to calm you down. 

“I wouldn’t ask you to do that. We’ll take the passage out and head back to the beach. If the crew comes, just tell them we were headed to the interior to look for a Mr. Blackwell. That’ll get them off your case.”

You peered up at him cautiously.

“Is there a Mr. Blackwell in the interior?” You didn’t want to send a bunch of angry pirates after an innocent man.

“Not that I’m aware of,” he admitted with a grin. 

He leaned in to kiss your forehead. When he pulled back, he grabbed Silver’s shoulder and yanked him in the direction of the back door you had told him about.

Once the door was shut and you were left alone once more, you took a deep breath. If the questioning was due to the map, you wanted to be prepared. If Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny came back to your store, you were going to be prepared for them.

After this, Billy would have a lot to make up for.

------

The sun had barely started to rise in the sky when the pounding began. You looked up from where you had been preparing tea. It sounded like the door of the shop was going to cave in any moment and you wouldn’t stand for that. You slipped into the shop and shut the hidden door quietly. You made sure everything was in position before you went to the door to let in whoever was out there.

It turned out to be Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny, as you had assumed, but they weren’t alone. In front of them was a man you’d never formally been introduced to, but everyone in Nassau knew who Captain Charles Vane was.

And as he stormed past you and into the shop, you were impressed that for once the stories seemed to be true. He was silent as he directed the other two to start to search your shop, a passiveness on his face that you were sure was faked.

As the other two pirates made their way around the shop, you simply folded your arms over your chest.

“Are you going to tell me what this is about or am I to guess?”

The captain didn’t even glance in your direction but Rackham did.

“Surely you don’t think playing dumb will help you. You admitted to me that you were close to Billy Bones, he stole something from our crew, ergo…” With that he ducked into the backroom to search for Billy, a sword drawn.

“Billy Bones is twelve feet tall, where do you think I’ve hidden him? He wouldn’t exactly fit in the cabinet.”

This time it was Bonny that spoke. 

“You live here, don’t ya? Maybe you have him stashed in your bed.”

You rolled your eyes.

“I won’t qualify that with a response.” You looked past the redhead and over at the captain who was still ignoring your presence. Or pretending to at least. “If Billy had come by here, what makes you think I would’ve let him stay?”

“You’d turn away someone you’re bedding in their time of need?” That was called to you from your own backroom. Jack’s voice was muffled, but still clear enough to be heard.

“If I sheltered every man that I’ve fucked when he’s pissed off some pirate crew or other, I’d be running a halfway house. This is my place of business and as I am supposed to be a neutral entity, yes, I would’ve turned him away.”

That drew the captain’s attention. He stared at you for a long moment before he spoke.

“Jack.” It was just one word but the tone made you stand up a little straighter. 

That wasn’t him calling Jack back into the room. That was him letting Jack off the leash.

Suddenly a loud crash came from the backroom. It was followed by more. It took only seconds to realize what was happening. 

He was destroying your merchandise.

“You fucking bastard,” you yelled as you tried to launch yourself in that direction but an arm around your middle stilled you. 

Out of the corner of your eye you could see the brown hair that hung nearby telling you that the culprit was the captain rather than Bonny. You had half a mind to try to land a fist in his face but you figured they wouldn’t be inclined to let you go if you did that.

“Billy, the cook, and my map. Tell us where they are and this stops.”

Now it was Bonny’s turn to start wrecking your shop. While Rackham wreaked havoc on your backroom, Bonny tore reams of paper and broke quills.

“Make them stop and I’ll tell you, but damaging my store won’t exactly make me inclined to tell you the truth otherwise.”

The arm around your middle squeezed as if in warning before he barked out an order for the two of them to stop. You waited for Rackham to join the rest of you before you tried to pull away from the captain. He didn’t seem inclined to let you go just yet so you stopped fighting it and just slumped a bit.

“There’s a path around the back of the shop. Ten minute walk and you’ll see a sign that points towards the interior. They said they were going to a Mr. Blackwell for help.” You said the name as if you were remembering it rather than just relaying it in hopes that it would help your act. “They left just after dark last night so you might want to hurry.”

A knife was swung out and pointed at your throat, courtesy of Anne Bonny. She pressed it tight enough that it probably drew blood.

“Why should we trust you? You could be lying to us.”

Of course you were but you weren’t about to tell her that.

“What part of neutral entity do you not understand? I sell to everyone on this island so having favorites wouldn’t get me anywhere, would it?”

You finally were able to pull out of the captain’s grasp. You marched towards the backroom and scowled at the mess. Then you went around to your counter where you pretended to look over the damage that Bonny had caused.

“If you are lying to us, we’ll be back,” the captain promised in a deep voice that told you this would just be the beginning.

You shrugged a shoulder as you grabbed the pistol you’d left under the counter. You raised it level at the three of them. You might only have one shot, but you’d make it count. Rackham reached for his sword but Vane shook his head and stopped him.

“I’ve given you the information you need, now get the fuck out of my shop so that I can try to repair the damage that’s been done.”

Vane jerked his head towards the front door that they had stormed through. As the three of them slipped out into the morning air, aimed for the back of the store so that they could try to hunt down Billy and Silver, you watched as Vane looked over his shoulder at you for a long moment before he shut the door behind him.

Once you were sure that the three of them had gone, you slumped against the wall and put the pistol on a shelf. 

“Really hope that map is worth it Billy,” you mumbled to yourself.

Then you went about fixing your shop.

X

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[shypotato-translations]

QTVW Chapter 16

Showbiz* Sexy Queen (III)

----

Aunt Wen saw Mei Mu Lan's instantly happy and smiling look and silently looked down and poked the cake in her hand.

She said in a slow tone,

“Mu Lan, do you really like that movie star called Ling Yi Yao that much? Auntie Wen used to think that you were still young and is just a momentary obsession, but now that you have graduated from university and are going into society, you should know that she and you are not from the same world.

Aunt Wen has privately investigated, this Ling Yi Yao is actually the daughter of the boss of the giant Ling family in the entertainment industry, and is also the only proper heir of the Ling family, the background of the Ling family is not clean, such a woman is too far away from you.”

When Mei Mu Lan heard this, the smile on her face dimmed and she whispered,

“I know all this, but I don't want to regret later that I didn't pursue it hard enough and just give up, at least let me give it a try, no matter if it's a good result or a bad one, at least I have no regrets.

Auntie Wen, thank you, you have been looking after me all these years, I promise you that if there is really no hope, I will let go completely.”

Mei Mu Lan said, curled her lips into a smile and murmured,

“Let me at least give it a try, I want to visit her and give showbiz a try.”

Aunt Wen slowed down the pace of poking the cake in her hand, she placed it on the coffee table, then drew out a tissue and looked down to wipe her white fingers, a few dark glints flashed in her eyes.

After she had done this slowly and methodically, she said to Mei Mu Lan in a gentle tone,

“Now that you've made your decision, Auntie Wen will definitely give you a hand. I'll call director Wang Ye later and check the time to meet him, so you can have a good talk when you meet. You can find out about the film called 《The Burial Man》online first so you can give the director a good impression.”

Mei Mu Lan smiled brightly in spring as she nodded vigorously and said,

“I'll go check out the plot and characters of the film, thank you Auntie Wen.”

She stood up and gave Aunt Wen a hug before immediately striding off towards the bedroom.

Aunt Wen stiffened in place and said helplessly,

“Why can't they behave better, both of them?”

With that, she pulled out a cigarette and slowly stammered the smoke ring, dialing the director's number.

After turning on her computer, Mei Mu Lan remembered that she had to do something, she logged on to Weibo and Twitter, and a username called "Zero One Fan" appeared.

"Zero One Fan" is an alias for Ling Yi Yao's fans, and the origin of this alias is also related to the original owner.

The original owner created the first posting forum and micro-blog for Ling Yi Yao's fans. Before Ling Yi Yao's movie was a hit and before Ling Yi Yao became a movie queen, Mei Mu Lan had already become her backbone fan, making the posting forum and micro-blog a success, attracting a large number of people who initially fell in love with Ling Yi Yao, and by the time Ling Yi Yao became famous, the posting forum and micro-blog had been officially certified and became the only authentic fan communication platform.

The original owner was the founder and senior administrator of Zero One Fans.

The original owner's daily task, apart from singing and practicing a Peking Opera passage, was to log on to the two platforms every day and post the latest information she had gathered about Ling Yi Yao on the website, or to put out a large piece of factual evidence to those who came to scold her, so that they would leave without any success.

The original owner was a calm and sensible fan most of the time. When confronted with a black fan, she will be generous enough to listen to the suggestions; but when in secret, she will put on a small vest to track down the black fan and call the black fan names that she doesn't even know.

Her username "Zero One Fan" has also become the most famous of Ling Yi Yao's fans.

Mei Mu Lan looked at the record of the original owner's speech with a black line on her face, the big username "Zero One Fan" spoke more ably. Like:

Confronting black fans – “The new era advocates people's freedom of speech, you have the right to choose to speak, we also have the right to choose to block you, I hope you will be a calm fan and become a strong backer of Ling Yi Yao.”

Confronting a scandal – “About Ling Yi Yao having dinner with other male celebrities, I think this matter is very common in daily life, don't you guys have dinner with the opposite sex? I hope everyone understands and doesn't catch wind of it.”

Confronting plastic surgery – “For those who say Ling Yi Yao is a face-lifter, you can look at photos of Ling Yi Yao when she started out and photos of her life as a child, and then go to a plastic surgery clinic to see if Ling Yi Yao's face has shown any signs of change.”

The countless small vests, similar to "Ling Yi Yao I love you", "Kneel down to Ling Yi Yao", "Lord Ling Yi Yao I want to have babies with you", etc., with more direct usernames, will have an impact on the The above questions, so back to:

Confronting black fans – “Your head is half water, half rice, and together, it's called paste; your IQ is not online, please come back after networking; it feels like talking to you is pulling down my evolutionary time history.”

Confronting a scandal – “凸(艹皿艹) , Who is this man? He's a white boy who wants to take advantage of his position. Don't stop me, I'll take a bottle of acid and destroy his face.”

Confronting plastic surgery – “When you were born, you accidentally landed face first, go blame the midwife, don't come out to get back at society!”

The original owner took the split personality and elevated it to the level of life.

The corners of Mei Mu Lan's mouth twitched as she copied and pasted all of the statements that had been made on those ponies into the relevant part of the message, and after doing so, two hours had passed.

She couldn't wait to turn off Twitter and posting and instead opened the novel 《The Burial Man》and read it word for word.

《The Burial Man》, a novel set in 1916, a time of warlords in the country.

At that time, there were intense conflicts between warlords in various regions and frequent wars in the country, and at a time when everyone was actively fighting, an aged and well-known scholar deciphered a historical tablet that had been handed down for more than 4,000 years. And a shocking message was told to the present generation by this stone tablet.

That is, 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, in the time of the gods and goddesses of the West, an elixir called "immortality" was introduced, in fact, historical mythology also tells this point, that is, the well-known story of Chang'e, who stole the elixir to run to the moon in order to preserve her beauty.

On this stone tablet, however, this event is used as a lead-in to the fact that there are still burial mourners around the Kunlun Mountains in China who have been guarding this elixir of immortality for generations, waiting for the right person to come and obtain it.

The story has a slightly mythical setting, but the word "tomb raiding" is already closely associated with various myths and ghosts, and just as the scholar is about to make the news public he is murdered, in an "impossible" type of homicide for no apparent reason in front of a public audience, with his body intact and his blood tested for poisoning. But when the forensic pathologist performed an autopsy, his brain and heart were missing.

The incident caused an uproar, but it did not get out and was kept secret by the local warlord.

They sent relevant tomb raiders to Kunlun Mountain to raid the tomb, their actions were carried out in secret but there is no impervious wall in the world, the news was soon known by many other forces and sent people to investigate this matter one after another.

And so the story unfolds.

Ling Yiyao plays the female lead, the only undertaker in the film, and the other undertaker is her brother, the two of them are considered immortal and have been guarding the place for almost a thousand years.

The decrypted monolith brought in other forces which they fought against in a fight for life and death to guard the place.

Countless people died here, but this did not stop people's quest for immortality, and the blood-stained Kunlun Mountain Road finally opened this mysterious tomb.

Those who have entered the tomb are true experts, including tomb raiders from families with a heritage of more than 3,000 years, international mercenaries with the best skills, warlords and female agents who have entered undercover….

The traps inside the tombs killed countless people, but there were also many who remained at the end, and only a dozen people arrived at the end of the tombs after the great wave.

After a fight to the death, the male lead is killed by an undercover lineage girl from a family of tomb raiders, the blood stains the throne on the tomb and opens up the fantastical inner space of the mountain, fantasy and mythology come into play one after another, ghost soldiers and demons started killing them, and after all these battles, the only ones left are the nine-year-old child from the family of tomb raiders, and the undertaker female lead.

The child, chosen by the tomb mourners as the "best choice in history", swallowed the elixir of immortality and remained in the tomb forever, becoming the latest generation of tomb mourners.

And it is only here that the mystery of the matter is unveiled, and it turns out that the so-called stone tablet and the decryption are all traps set by the female lead.

Thousands of years ago, she was also a tomb raider who, together with her brother, swallowed the elixir of immortality, but at the cost of guarding this place for eternity and never leaving it more than a metre away.

And now, after more than a thousand years, she feels tired and weary, so, as she did a thousand years ago, she recruits a large number of people to raid the tomb and choose a new successor from among them to guard this place in her place for eternity.

The story ends with the female lead, dressed in an ancient outfit, singing a song from a thousand years ago, leaping from the throne of the tomb into the endless abyss inside the mountain.

After reading this story, Mei Mu Lan felt a shock in her heart that this was indeed a well-written novel and worthy of being followed and interpreted by so many people.

The production team has invested unlimited funds to produce an absolutely profitable production that will be passed on to the next generation; Wang Ye, a national and international director; Ling Yiyao, a movie queen, and Gu Junxi, a movie star in the lead roles; an international design team to create the costumes; and even the supporting characters are chosen from stars with millions of fans.

A lavish star cast, top-notch processing and production, a mysterious story background, and a large number of fans of the books could indeed make this film the top production of the year.

Mei Mu Lan closed the novel's webpage, opened the section on roles, and then found two supporting actresses who had "accidental" problems, so she guess it wasn't really an accident.

She looked at the two characters vacated above, one was the undercover agent of the tomb raiding family who killed the male lead, pure and bright looking, simple and innocent. It didn't fit her image at all, so she passed on the role.

The other character, an undercover female agent, is explicitly the mistress of a powerful warlord, a sultry-looking Shanghai beach dancer, but is actually a high-ranking intellectual undercover agent from a family of emerging powers.

She looked at the role and recalled the characteristics of the character and felt that it did resemble her. She could not help but curl her lips and smile, thinking: good, this is the role, she will be chosen.

Aunt Wen told her at dinner about the casting call to the Yokohama outside the suburbs in three days' time. Mei Mu Lan nodded when she heard that and started to arrange the plan.

Three days later, wearing an exquisite cheongsam, Mei Mu Lan slowly stepped down from the top-class sports car.

Her figure is sublime, her features are charming, her hair is curly as was popular at the time, and her make-up has a twenties and thirties flair.

She approached the Yokohama store on her thin, bare-backed heels, swaying like a weak willow.

Just like a real 1930s singer-songwriter, she walked slowly from the cabaret of Shanghai Beach to the eyes and hearts of those present.

At the moment of her appearance, everyone on the set stopped moving, the sound faded away, and everything was fixed on this woman who had stepped out of history.

A bearded man in his early thirties approached, a roll of scripts squeezed tightly in his hands, and then said in surprise and amazement,

“You're Miss Mei Mu Lan, right? I knew you were the one I was looking for when I saw your picture! It's you, no need to look any further,”

With a broad stroke of his pen, he wrote down Mei Mu Lan's name in the character field undercover agent.

Then he blushed and said,

“My name is Wang Ye and I'm the director.”

The corners of Mei Mu Lan's mouth are smiling, her lips are slightly hooked, and her charming phoenix eyes are slightly narrowed, slender and upturned, charming and seductive.

She exhaled softly,

“Hello, Director Wang Ye.”

The voice is so soft and mushy.

After greeting Mei Mu Lan, her eyes involuntarily fell on a woman in an ancient dress with a long green dress.

The woman didn't turn her head to look over like the others did.

She sat quietly in her recliner, her white, slender fingers tracing the pages of the script slowly, with gentle, yet harsh movements. At this moment she had her head slightly hung down, revealing a perfect and delicate side face.

Mei Mu Lan could not restrain the emotions that were violently evoked in her heart, she walked up quickly and reached the woman. Seeing her slowly look up, the perfect face that she had seen countless times before, officially entered her eyes.

Mei Mu Lan's breathing stopped as she desperately tried to control herself, but her body reacted with instinct.

Her cheeks burned red like the dusk sky, her beauty was startling, and her voice trembled slightly as she said,

“Hello Ling Yi Yao, I am Mei Mu Lan.”

She paused, then suddenly said aloud,

“I ...... I want to do prop play with you!”

Mei Mu Lan: "......"

Ling Yi Yao: "......"

Director Wang Ye, who followed her: "......"

The crew silently watching: "......"

[snowbellewells]

A Cottage by the Sea: Part Three

Hello there, lovely shipmates and readers! I truly never meant to keep you waiting so long for this next installment, but there we are. I went back to school, and then somewhat over-committed myself in other fic events and ideas as well, and time just flew by before I could get this update to you! I hope that you will still enjoy all the same. I’ll stop making excuses and just let you read.  This may seem like a bit of a “talky”, slower chapter, but I needed to let Killian learn and work through some things, and to set Emma on her course... 

** So many thanks as always to @cssns​ for the opportunity to participate in such a fun and amazing event, and to @searchingwardrobes​ for the gorgeous and stunning cover art I simply adore.  And a special shout out in this chapter to @winterbythesea​ for the suggestion of a name for Emma’s horse that sounded just right as soon as I heard it! :)

Summary:  Princess Emma has always been drawn to the shores of Misthaven, where the sea meets the shore near her parents’ castle. When an unknown boy washes up on the sand, with eyes as fathomless and blue as the waters that brought him to her, he soon becomes Emma’s best friend, her partner in crime, and her other half.  But the tides give and the tides take away, and as her blue-eyed boy sails in her father’s navy and risks all in defense of those who made him family, unexpected danger and challenge will try to tear them apart, and might well show him just where he came from that day he first appeared to her from the sea…

Read it from the beginning HERE or on AO3

Part Three

“My mother?” he questioned, voice hesitant and perplexed as he scrambled to stand and face the ethereal being who had stepped gracefully from the pool, and after just a moment appeared miraculously dry with not a hair out of place - as if she had never been underwater at all.

Killian blinked, half expecting her to disappear when his eyes reopened. When the beautiful nymph - for that was what she must be - still stood before him, watching curiously, he shook his head and wondered vaguely if he had hit it after all, either in the wreck or once washed to shore. “My mother died… long ago… when I was a mere babe, according to my father. It cannot be possible for you… that you… I mean…” Gesturing helplessly with awkward hands, Killian finally let his words trail off, beseeching her with a look to understand.

The mysterious lady’s eyes seemed to darken their blue shade with the sadness glistening in their depths. Shaking her head, she stepped closer, practically gliding over the ground between them. “Killian, my dear,” she crooned, her cool, soothing hand caressing his cheek with the lightness of a butterfly’s wing. “There is so much you do not know…” she shook her head sadly, beckoning him to follow her to a spot in the shade of the trees around the clearing. “Come, let me explain. It has been kept from you long enough. And…” she swallowed some deep emotion. “I’ve waited so long to talk to you.”

Biting his tongue against more indignant and disbelieving outbursts, Killian found he was greatly comforted by the soft press of her fingers on his own, and followed her dutifully to a large, flat rock at the clearing’s edge and took a seat. He had a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue and nearly as many rebuttals to her claim. Yet, he found he also wanted her to stay there - whoever or whatever she might be. He needed to know what she had to say.

When the woman’s large eyes turned to meet his again, she asked, “What do you remember of the time before you came to Misthaven?”

Running a hand back through his damp hair - dark like hers, in almost the same shade, he realized then - ruffling it up off his forehead and making it stand wildly on end, Killian shook his head at a loss. His hand fell back to his thigh with a slap as he shrugged and answered her with sheepish honesty. “I’m afraid you won’t gain much from my memory; it’s frighteningly blank beyond boarding a tall ship for some long journey with my father and my brother Liam. Then, somehow…” he shrugged again, knowing there should be more, but instead he had only ever found a mystifying blank. “Then my father is just… gone. Liam and I were alone on that vessel, little better than slaves.” His eyes fell to studying his rough-calloused hands, as if he felt abruptly unworthy to meet her eyes. “We were trapped there for years, Captain said we had a debt to pay and we weren’t getting free until we did so. Never let us out of his sight when we docked, so we couldn’t run. It was too far to swim for freedom on some shore, even though we could both swim like seal pups.” A bitter and raw half-smile pulled up one side of his mouth in a crooked smile before he continued.

As if she could sense his hurt and the hesitation that plagued him, the lovely being reached out once more to take his hand in hers, rubbing cool, soft fingers over the back of it in comfort. She did not speak, nor try to press or hurry him, merely waited patiently for Killian to find his words and purge the rest of his story.

“Truth be told,” he finally sighed in resignation, “I would still be a servant to that wretched captain… if not for the storm…”

That serene face only stared back at him, listening kindly and conveying the sense that she understood - more than he could remember being understood before. Eyes as blue as his own looked deep beyond his outer appearance, the sadness at his suffering as clear as if she had spoken it aloud. Instead, she gave a gentle nod, and once more waited patiently.

“There was a storm at sea, some years ago now,” he finally pressed on, reaching the part of his tale that both lead to his greatest loss and his truest joy. “It blew up suddenly and many were washed overboard - Liam and I among them. I do not know if they left us purposefully, not worth the risk and effort, or if they genuinely couldn’t see us in the rough waters. At any rate, I do not know how I survived. Through what twist of fate I washed ashore in the kingdom of Misthaven when Liam did not, but that was where I woke. I was found by the princess, who was just about my age, taken in and nursed back to health by the royal family - unbelievable as it seems - and eventually I joined their navy. Only, it would appear, to be shipwrecked once again on my first mission as a lieutenant.”

Here the woman returned his rueful smile at the course that had shaped his life thus far. There were many details he had omitted - his love for Emma, and her for him, chief among them - but it seemed needless to prattle on. In fact, it was clear his mysterious companion was at last ready to speak.

Remorse was clear in the face entirely too beautiful and flawless to be fully human as she reached the hand not still holding his up to trace the scar on his cheek - made long ago by a sadistic bosun before a nine-year-old Liam had jumped between and taken the brunt of the punishment. Tenderness and wistful longing filled her gaze as she did so. Her voice was still mellifluous when she spoke, though soft and slightly broken with her emotion. “My son, what you’ve been through… it pains me more than I can say. The hardship you endured, the abandonment and mistreatment you suffered, none of it was anything like the life I wished for you and your brother when you were born. Such dreams I had for you both as we sat outside our little cottage, watching the tides roll in and little sandpipers running over the sand. Liam was so sweet, so attentive, bringing me seashells as I held you and sang lullabies, anxious to help you learn to swim and build sandcastles…”

She trailed off for a moment, her pearly white teeth pressing into her lower lip as she struggled to suppress a new swell of emotion before continuing. It was just as well. Killian’s mind was racing, hardly able to make sense of such idyllic, wonderful scenes of which he had not even the slightest recall. 

Her other hand fell to her lap and her fingers were pulled free of his as he lurched to his feet and began to pace with the unsettled agitation overtaking him. “Why do I remember none of this?!” he implored, his every breath bringing an emotional swing from anger to stark devastation and back. It was as though he had been robbed anew of the loving family and carefree childhood he had grown up missing - this time by the assertion that he had possessed such treasure once and could not even picture it. “If you truly are who you say,” he finally demanded, returning to the lovely, dark-haired woman and crouching to peer into her face once more. His fist tightened and then opened reflexively, his adamance on gaining some answers, some understanding, clear. “If you really are my mother…  What happened all those years ago? Why did you leave us? Where were you when Liam and I were taken into servitude? Where have you been for all this time in between? … Why… why were we all alone in the world?”

He blinked rapidly, unwilling to show more weakness than his ragged question had already revealed. For the lost little boy who had never known his mother, who had never understood why he and his brother were surrendered to such a cruel fate, was still inside the grown lieutenant, but Killian could not let that broken child surface now, not when he might finally gain answers. His mouth was a firm line as he stared down this mysterious nymph; his eyes hard as he refused to let her look away.

A tear escaped her eye and ran down her porcelain cheek, a luminescent drop of liquid glowing brightly on its way. She was clearly suffering at the admission of his hurt, whatever else he might think of her. And when she spoke again, her voice was flinty and resolved; he could doubt her sincerity no longer. “Killian, I am your mother. Whether you accept it or not, that is as much truth as the waves coming in to meet the shore. But your father - he beguiled me. He had more power - and more darkness - than I knew. He stole you boys, my dearest loves, from me. By the time I had located you once more, and made preparations to bring you both here to Ogygia for safety, it was too late. Liam had been lost to the depths - stolen forever where your father could keep him for himself eternally. And you had been taken in by the royals of Misthaven. I watched that evening as they found you, and I came back unseen to watch you many other times with your crewmates, your golden-headed princess… any glimpse I could steal of you as you grew up hearty, strong and brave - just as I always knew you would. It seemed unfair to make myself known then, to uproot you once more… not when you appeared so happy…” She searched his face as her words came together in dawning realization. “What that -  Was I wrong?”

Overcome, Killian shook his head, not sure how to address his reply. Finally, he managed to murmur, “No, no you were not mistaken. They treated me as if I were their own. I was as happy as I have ever been…” His eyes seemed to be attempting to focus on something far back within his memory, long ago and leagues away. “But - “ he tried again, wetting his lips and plunging forward with his unbelievable question. “If all that is true, does that make… Is my father…?” He found he could not speak the ridiculous question his mind was urging him to ask.

She nodded instead, relieving him of it. “Yes, he is Davy Jones. And I am Calypso, daughter of Atlas.”

Killian knew his mouth must have fallen open, gaping at the woman before him, returning his gobsmacked look with nothing but open honesty. “Son, please believe me,” she urged, reaching for his hand once more. She nearly beamed with fragile-seeming hope when he dumbly allowed her to twine their fingers again. “I know it must seem like a lot to take in… a monstrous amount to believe on good faith, but I am telling you the truth. Never did I wish to be parted from you or your brother. I would never have left either of you by choice. That Liam is lost to us…” here she solemnly shook her head, bowing it over their joined hands to press a kiss to his knuckles, “For that, I can only apologize that I was unable to save him. You must know that I tried, Killian.”

Slowly but surely the rushing sound that had taken over in his head, the pounding of his heart and the strange sense of hysteria which had very nearly enveloped him, began to ebb away. The hurt and doubt did not vanish - and he had so many questions for her that he hardly knew where to start - but the hardest knot of bitterness and anger in his chest eased, loosened enough that he could catch his breath and study this woman before him - his mother! - with a focus that brought acceptance, and even a sort of thrill. He had a mother, who loved him and wanted to know him. How could he in good conscience turn away? And if all she said was true, of which he felt all but certain, then she had already suffered just as he had. Why should he force either of them to bear anything more?

Leaning in, an uncertain, almost eager look transformed his face as he spoke in an awed whisper. “You searched for us?” he repeated, letting the comfort of it sink into his soul. “You tried to get us back? To save Liam?”

Tears were pouring down the sea nymph’s face now, to the point that she didn’t even speak, merely nodded vigorously and opened her arms wide to him in welcome.

“Mother,” he exhaled, and gave in. He could hold back no longer. Resting his head on her shoulder, Killian leaned into a maternal embrace of the sort he had been missing all his life. His shoulders hitched with silent weeping, letting out much that had been buried so deeply he had not even known it still pained him.

Gentle, soothing fingers ran through his hair, rubbed his back as she rocked back and forth gently, at last feeling completed to have her child back in her arms, grown though he might be. She let him purge the torrent of grief and fear, lightly humming a melody that eased him and that Killian felt vaguely he had heard somewhere before.

His mother! His mind could hardly grasp the revelation, and yet, she was there. He might still be shipwrecked and stranded - lost - but he was no longer alone.

~~***~~

Under cover of dark, the very night after they had received news that Killian’s ship was lost, Princess Emma was using the filtered light of the full moon to sneak from her apartments and down to the stables. She had listened all day as her mother and father spoke to their trusted inner circle, debating and considering if there were any possibility of even some of the ship’s crew having survived - and how they would go about seeking them in a rescue mission if the chance existed. Was it even possible to look for a ship that was by now shattered in pieces and likely sunk to the depths, invisible to their eyes? And yet, Queen Snow had interjected more than once, her boundless well of hope apparent, could they truly do otherwise when their adopted son and dozens of other loyal sailors might still live?

Her husband and their advisors agreed, and yet, there was the other practical concern that any search voyage might only be sending more innocent lives into a trap - a snare set by a supernatural foe they did not understand well enough to combat and survive. Eventually, all left the council chambers but the King and Queen, and Emma herself. It was then that they used a mirror - a magic one enchanted to allow them to communicate, which had been gifted to Snow by Ariel as a wedding present when she married her ‘Charming’. Using it, they contacted the maritime kingdom’s rulers for more information.

The news had been dire. Emma shivered even then, hours later, under her heavy riding cloak as she gingerly gripped the vine-covered trellis next to her balcony and swung out onto it, needing to climb down and cross the lawn to the stables undetected. The memory still haunted her, of Ariel explaining how legend had it that Davy Jones took any prisoners left alive aboard his phantom ship, eternally pressed into his cursed crew.

What it had boiled down to in the end was that they could not send more men out on a fruitless mission; not knowing where to send them, or even where they should begin, and especially not when most likely the only result would be their capture or death as well. All the same, Emma had felt hurt and betrayed on Killian’s behalf - despite the decision making logical sense. It was maddening that they would do nothing when Killian would have left no stone unturned, no island or inlet unsearched, if the roles were reversed and any of those who sat debating whether to search for him or not were lost. She had just barely managed to bite back such recriminations, knowing they were unfair, but she could not help storming from the meeting, unable to helplessly stand by any longer. She had heard her father gently urging her mother to let her go, to give her some time, and she had been in her rooms ever since. Not crying or grieving as most probably believed, but plotting her next move.

Though she had no evidence to back it up, Emma knew - simply knew it in her marrow, as sure as she felt her heart beat and her blood pound in her veins - that her lieutenant was out there somewhere alive. Just as she had since the first shock of the shipwreck’s announcement had worn off, she still believed that, were her sailor no longer in the world, she would be aware of the loss, the lacking in all that he left behind. There had been a link between she and Killian since he washed ashore and she found him all those years ago; in her deepest being, Emma felt it was because they were meant to be together, always destined, two halves of the same whole, just like her parents. She might not profess such girlish dreams aloud, but she harbored the belief nonetheless. And, since she had not felt the agony she would fully expect if he had been ripped from life, no inkling of the void she knew would split open her chest if he ceased to be, then he could still be found. It was as simple - and as much a challenge - as that.

It mattered not that she didn’t yet know where to go, she would be on her way before any could stop her or hold her back. She could chart a course from there. That afternoon as she had prepared and packed, the messenger bird she had sent out returned with her letter for Killian unopened on its leg. Yet, even that could not deter Emma. He could be somewhere the creature simply had not found. It didn’t mean… but she shook her head abruptly and refused to contemplate that possibility.

Alighting on the ground with a little hop, Emma glanced back up the ivy-trellised wall she had just descended, allowing a moment’s pride that no alarm had been rasied and none seemed the wiser. There was a fair dose of irony in the fact that she was now trying to steal away under cover of night to escape her parent’s watchful concern and protection, when it had been her mother, the Queen herself, who had first shown her how to make that scale down the outer walls in case they were ever under attack and Emma found herself in need of an alternate means of escape. Regardless of its original intention, the lesson had stuck, and the princess put her skills to good use. The cool wetness through her thin slippers brought a delicious sort of shiver up from her toes through her legs and the rest of her as she dashed across the already dew-kissed grass.

Upon entering the royal stables in a state of warm and cozily quiet peace - as if all inside were bedded down and drowsing for the night - Emma blew out a breath of relief. Her returning calm was encompassing enough that she gave a startled jump of surprise when her mare, Lady, whickered and bobbed her head to her in greeting.

“Hey there, Sweet,” Emma crooned, offering an apple to her beloved pet, her favorite mount since she first learned to ride as a little girl. Her father had given Lady to her when the mare was still a young colt, and they had been fast friends ever since. The horse playfully bowed her head to her mistress, nudging Princess Emma’s shoulder with her long velvety nose and munching the treat contentedly. As Emma’s fingers continued to scratch along the gentle creature’s forelock, she murmured soothing words and the horse seemed to almost nod in delight, bobbing her head and huffing approval with short snorts of air.

“Ready to go for a ride?” Emma continued, making quick work of saddle and bridle before leading Lady out of her stall and back towards the entry of the large main stable. It was as if the animal could indeed pick up the nervous excitement radiating from her rider; the sharp clopping of her hooves made quick staccato taps along the solid floor and seemed to mimic Emma’s ever-quickening pulse in her ears.

With one last glance around, making sure they were still undetected, the princess stepped into Lady’s stirrup, swung herself up onto the animal’s back, and gathered the reins in hand as she quickly doused the lantern she had lit in the hanging sconce just inside the large enclosure. Stealth was imperative, but now that she was in the clear, she would never risk a fire that could endanger the other horses, grooms and trainers. She would see well enough by moonlight once outdoors again.

A slight shudder ran through her as she glanced back at the castle over her shoulder once more. Lady trotted easily into the forest once Emma had found the gate watched by her uncle who was known for his habit of falling asleep at the most inopportune times. Slipping past him while he snored unawares, the going was easy and the path familiar from there.

Horse and rider made swift time, passing through the trees and down toward the harbor in nighttime shadows unmolested. When at last they neared the more rickety end of the docks where local fishermen and merchants kept their smaller sailboats and personal water crafts, Emma dismounted and moved toward one particular skiff, alone and completely abandoned, bobbing quietly on the gentle waves. At first glance, it appeared forgotten there without owner, but as Emma drew even with the small yet sturdy vessel, she could see it was just as she remembered - simple and unassuming certainly, but well-cared-for and more than adequate for her needs. 

With little time to waste, knowing it would not be long before her absence was discovered back at the palace, and she needed to be far enough out to sea by then so she would not be spotted or returned home by well-meaning rescuers who wished to see her safe even before having Killian found. She simply couldn’t agree with that logic - royal duty or no - and in the end it was her life. She stroked lovingly over her horse’s withers again, one last scruff at the velvet muzzle in affection, before murmuring, “Head on home now, girl. You know the way,” before removing bit and bridle and watching as the little mare nodded her head as if in understanding of the command, turned and trotted back the way they had come, hooves clipping first against the wooden planks of the pier, then the cobblestones of the street beyond, tail swishing as she moved further into the distance.

Puffing out a short breath, Princess Emma consoled herself with the fact that her horse did know the path back to the castle well, and that nothing untoward would befall her - especially not so early in the pre-dawn hours when the streets and forests were almost completely deserted. Urging herself  back into motion, she loosed the ties holding the small craft to its place along the pier and hopped fron the docks onto the boat deck without lingering any further. She allowed barely a moment of anxiety for the rush of concerns flooding her mind - tasks to bring the boat ‘round, set her on course, and guide her safely from the harbor and the proximity of other ships, pier and shore into open waters. She had no time to be timid; she knew what had to be done, had practiced and rehearsed it in her mind numerous times in the last few hours as she put her plan in motion. Now she simply had to follow through.

Luckily, the water was smooth and still, the wind with her, and the others vessels nearby safely anchored out of her path. With her mind on her route, eyes clear and hands steady, Emma was soon leaving the mouth of the harbor and gaining speed as the wind truly caught in the sails overhead. Her sailor had taught her well, and she was on her way to find him.

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