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toartemis · 5 years ago

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Come on Love, Draw Your Swords - Part 3 & 4

For my own sanity I’ve chosen to combine these chapters on here.

Read on Ao3 here. More info and music recommendations can be found in the tags/chapter notes on there.

Part 1, Part 2.

Summary:

Sing to me, Moonlight For you, dear, are honey-tongued I dream just for you.

Or: The one where Jude finds out she's pregnant, and Cardan begins collecting a thousand plants.

Word Count: 6,675

Warnings: There is a depiction of a panic attack in this chapter. If you would like to skip it, stop reading at “But I never knew how to love,..." and continue at, "It's ages before she settles..."

Preview: She knows she should be thrilled. She is, deep below the surface. But her anxieties are almost overpowering, now, and she can’t keep shoving them away.

-------

Awareness comes to her slowly, the pull of sleep is heavy behind her eyes. The sun is just dipping behind the horizon, twilight lingering between the trees. Jude rolls to her back underneath a blanket of fur and her hands go to her belly without thought. She freezes, pangs of anxiety going through her. It always happens this way when she first wakes up; she has a few moments where she doesn’t remember. Of course, it’s hard to forget for long, now.

She started to show—really show—around a fortnight ago. It happened fast, like she could fit into all of her clothes until she woke up one day and couldn’t. That was when they announced her pregnancy.

Naturally, a large feast was held, one that neither she nor Cardan attended, opting to stay with each other in seclusion. It was a nice night.

Soon after she broke the news to Cardan, he got into the habit of pacing, which is still one of the strangest sights Jude has ever seen. It was short-lived, though, because it took him merely a week to fixate upon a new hobby that now takes up much of his free time.

To Jude’s absolute disbelief, Cardan began collecting plants. In the most non-magical, wholly mortal type of way. He disappeared once and came back hours later with an arm full of pots from the mortal world, as well as supplies Jude assumes are used to help them grow. She’s still stumped as to why he started it, but he has been faithful to them, shocking her and those closest to them.

It was ridiculous to her at first, and reminded her of Aleena. Back when she and Vivi first moved in together, their home was suddenly decorated top to bottom with greenery and has been that way ever since. Jude never cared for stuff like that, and she assumed Cardan didn’t either. When he first started, she was sure the plants wouldn’t survive, either because they weren’t meant to grow in Faerie or because Cardan couldn’t possibly keep them alive without magic, but she was very wrong. They’re healthy and decorate their bedroom and the windows throughout their apartments.

She still doesn’t know what happened to them over time, whether he enchanted them in some way or they just adapted, but they became magical, bit by bit, and now they’re lively little things with big tempers. Jude doesn’t question it, only keeps her distance so she doesn’t get poked or snapped at. When she finds Cardan pruning or re-potting them, a look of child-like concentration in his features, she marvels at how calm they are in his presence. The plants like him. She quietly leaves him to his tending whenever his schedule calls for it.

As endearing as his new pastime is, Jude wonders if it has gotten a bit out of hand. Now, as she slips out of bed, hand still on her stomach, and makes her way to the large, polished mirror across the room, she bumps into one of the newest additions to Cardan’s collection. It’s at the foot of their massive bed on top of a small, decorative chest. The plant almost tumbles to the ground, but Jude manages to catch it in time and sit it back upright. It’s a mystery, really, how she never sees him acquire any new ones, but they always appear in different spots.

She really needs to convince Cardan to put them all in an extra room somewhere else in the palace. Or a greenhouse, maybe.

Distraction taken care of, she glances at her husband to make sure he’s still asleep before continuing to her destination.

Mirrors frighten Judeas of late. She’s never been particularly interested in her appearance, per se, but now she tends to avoid them altogether. Her face looks the same as always, save for the rosy flush in her cheeks that seems to accompany her everywhere. Her eyes are tired, but her skin is clear and glowing even in the dim light.

It’s not her face that bothers her, but her body.

There’s no mistaking that she’s pregnant anymore. Her midriff doesn’t merely look like she’s put on weight. It’s obvious that she’s with child. The roundness of her belly turns all eyes to her form when she’s in public. It’s even more attention than she usually receives as Queen.

Cardan’s face brightens every time she’s in his sights, and when they’re alone he can’t keep his hands away from her stomach. Jude tries very hard not to let any of this bother her, but she can’t help it. It’s not that she doesn’t feel some sort of strange excitement deep within her at the thought of carrying and someday meeting her child, but she’s mostly just overrun with terror.

Jude is afraid and she can’t fix it.

The more time passes, the farther along she is, the more she can’t ignore what’s coming: she’s going to be a mother. And she’s scared.

She remembers what it was like to have a mom, misses her terribly, but she feels like after all she’s had to change about herself and adapt to that she’s lost the part of her that would be capable of raising a child in a healthy manner. Day and night, she’s plagued with visions of holding her baby and feeling nothing but cruel numbness. Or her child coming to her with some trivial problem, and Jude losing her temper. Compartmentalizing too much; dealing with them in the detached way she does everything else; neglecting them; not being able to show them the affection they need.

The list goes on. Jude’s anxiety grows. It always does in these private moments.

She loses track of the time she stands there, fingers caressing her stomach, but Cardan begins to stir at some point and she snaps out of her trance.

She says nothing of her fears and plants a small smile on her face. It’s not disingenuous, but it isn’t not a mask, either.

-------

She’s sitting on her throne when one of her personal guards approaches her. Cardan is late, probably off with his plants. Jude still doesn’t know what to make of that, but she’s grown used to his occasional disappearances at this point. She expects the message the guard gives her to be from him, not a request for an in-person and private meeting with her from Taryn.

The first thing she does is sigh. She’s allowed that much. Taryn, though Jude didn’t know it back when everything happened, could be as conniving as Jude is. Not as bold as Jude, never that, but cunning in her own way.

Jude almost tells the guard, Astor, to deny her. Instead, she agrees.

“The guest chambers in the Western hall, thirty minutes,” she commands quietly. Astor nods, disappearing into a hallway to her left. Jude folds her hands in her lap, trying to come up with what to say as to not start a fight or insult her sister. She barely sees her, now, and each time she does, Jude thinks that they look less and less alike. Or, maybe that’s just what she likes to tell herself.

Thirty minutes gives her enough time to make the decision to put on a more fanciful gown or dress down a bit. She does neither, opting to stay in her velvet dress the color of midnight blue. Gold beading is laid throughout it making it look like a shifting night sky from a distance. Jude likes this one. It pairs well with her crown.

She arrives at the last minute announced by the knights stationed at the door to the guest rooms. Jude strides in with her head held high. She always does. Taryn is already seated at the small, ornately carved table. A mountain of fruits and pastries stacked onto a three-tiered platter sits in front of her. She bows her head to Jude, not quite the standard that is to be expected for the High Queen, but both of them are under no illusions that Taryn cares much about showing respect to her.

The fireplace flickers, casting a lively glow into the room. Lanterns hang from the ceiling. The moonlight spilling in from the windows seems to bend and follow Jude’s form as she makes her way over to the table.

“Taryn,” Jude greets, voice neutral, and she sits.

“Jude,” she says back.

“How have you been? I haven’t seen you in some time.” Really, how long has it been since they’ve spoken like this? Two years? It seems like a lifetime.

“Yes, well, you do seem busy.” Taryn smiles sweetly. Jude says nothing.

Straight to thinly-veiled hostilities, then.

It’s been like this for years. They could never make up after everything. Jude is horribly stubborn, but so is her sister. They are twins, after all.

Silence fills the air. Jude refuses to fill it until Taryn does. She is not the one who summoned her sister here; she will wait. Eventually, Taryn’s carefully masked features soften slightly.

“How… is the pregnancy?” She asks. Jude’s defenses go up, she can’t help it.

“It’s fine. All going smoothly.”

More silence.

“How far along are you?”

“Eighteen weeks,” Jude says. Taryn looks at her. Really, really looks at her.

“I still have trouble believing it. I never thought you were one for children,” she says.

“Neither did I.”

Taryn lets out a hollow laugh. “It’s almost comical,” she says, sarcasm in her tone, “You never asked for any of this, yet you have it all.” She stares at Jude, jealousy rippling clearly across her face. “I wanted a place here in this world and I did what I had to do to get it. And I’ve always wanted children; a family, but no matter how much I plead, I can’t have it.”

Jude knows this. She knows Taryn wants children, but Locke doesn’t. Even if they fit together, Locke with his horrible schemes and Taryn with her love for watching them play out, they’re not very compatible in the ways that matter to Taryn. Eventually, she’ll get what she wants one way or another. Jude suspects it’ll be soon.

“Yet you got it all without trying, without wanting. It just fell into your lap,” Taryn grits out.

Jude is stunned. Taryn is never so plain with her; never so aggressive.

In the most indifferent manner she can muster, Jude says, “I beg your pardon?”

And Taryn lets loose. “I fought so hard to be where I am. I only ever wanted a place among the Court. I kept to myself, I never got in trouble, I found Locke, and you… You loved stirring it all, loved blowing it up in our faces, and you still ended up with everything, didn’t you? The most beautiful lover, a prince at that; the crown; the child.”

Jude takes it all in, and at first she’s furious. Taryn was always supposed to be the wiser of the two, and Jude is shocked at how twisted her point of view is from all of these years of tense silences and no communication. Back then, it was different. It was treachery and secrets, but that’s because it had to be, and Taryn had made her choice of which side of Jude’s she wanted to be on. Now, however… Jude is astounded as to how her sister came to that conclusion when she knew how much Jude wanted a place in the Court all those years ago, she knew Jude was lost and spiraling.

“You know nothing of my life, do you?” Jude asks calmly. And really, she is calm somehow. All traces of her anger have vanished, leaving only cool disbelief and an inkling of pity. “Nothing of it from the moment they pushed us into the river with the nixies… Or was it the mock war and tournament?”

“I know you were a spy for Prince Dain,” Taryn says, and there is a sweet distaste to her words.

“That’s right, I was I spy.”

“And you seduced Cardan.”

Jude barks a hideous laugh. Taryn glares at her, cheeks flushing.

“If I seduced Cardan, it wasn’t on purpose. How was I supposed to know he liked me threatening him? It was all with honest intentions of defiance, not seduction.”

Taryn looks puzzled and slightly scandalized. Perhaps it was the implications. Jude leans forward and says, “I didn’t seduce him. I never even liked him. We hated each other.”

“But the night of his crowning, you planned–”

“Yes, I did. I had a plan, one that I devised with my spy friends in our spy lair where I tied Cardan to a chair and pushed a knife against his throat.”

Taryn crosses her arms. This all seems like brand new information to her, and Jude is confused. She thought maybe that Madoc had told her more of Jude’s relationship with Cardan, or Locke knew some of the story, or… something.

“You really don’t know?” Jude asks. Taryn doesn’t reply, she just looks lost, even a little nervous. Jude is struck with a sudden sadness. She does not feel regret, no, because Taryn did things that were entirely her own fault, not Jude’s. But it is a deep hurt for the forfeited time between them.

There was a point where Taryn was her mirror, her best friend, her biggest confidant. The game of princes and crowns broke them apart. Jude can understand her sister’s motives back then. It’s much clearer now than it was.

So Jude decides now. She decides to try despite everything, despite the years of silence and awkwardness and her sister kneeling at her feet at the occasional revel. Jude will give it a chance. Her will has always been strong, but seven years is a long time to hold a grudge. Jude has forgiven betrayal before. She can do it again.

So she takes a deep breath and starts with, “Cardan had… some sort of feelings for me. I didn’t know. My honest thoughts of him were that it’d be better if he were dead and gone from my life. He was the bane of my existence.” It seems so funny now. Her hand goes to her stomach. Taryn looks bewildered at the fact that she’s even speaking.

Keep going, she tells herself. And she does.

Jude tells her sister of Prince Dain and his offer, his geas and the rules, her weeks of training and missions. She tells her of Valerian and his threats, his attempt at murdering her.

“I think I knew that part,” Taryn interrupts her, shoulders slowly relaxing then tensing again as if realizing what her words meant. Jude lets it go, trying not to dwell on them.

She recounts her side of the massacre, the Greenbriars falling one at a time, how terrifying it was for her future. She tells her of finding Cardan under the tables, escaping together, and taking him to the Court of Shadows.

Jude acknowledges that she’s never told this to anyone. None of it, really, except some bits and pieces to Vivi. If anyone knew, they didn’t know it from her. It’s exhausting to be so open with someone, especially when trust is so scarce.

She hesitates before the next part of her story, but trudges on.

“I knew I had to come up with something. I had the most valuable thing in Faerie right in my grasp. He just happened to be horrible. That was the night I found out how he… felt.” Jude looks up from the spot on the table she has been staring at and fixes her eyes on the wall behind Taryn. She remembers the moment vividly, especially the kiss. “I never seduced him. I was never his creature. I tricked him. I tricked him into becoming king,” she says. She isn’t guilty, but she isn’t proud of herself.

“How?” Taryn asks. After a moment, Jude tells her.

“I persuaded him into swearing himself into my service for a year and a day and lied that I would let him have a life free of the Court,” she says simply, gaze shifting to her sister.

“He never wanted the Blood Crown.” A look of soft understanding spreads on Taryn’s face.

“No, he did not.” Jude says. There’s a moment where she breathes deeply, pressing one of her hands into her belly over an ache. Taryn’s eyes follow the movement. “The night he was crowned was the night I became the Shadow Queen.”

“The role of seneschal was a ruse, then.”

“Partially,” Jude admits. “I still performed those duties occasionally.”

“Any other duties?” It’s harmless, not even quite teasing, but Jude reacts anyway.

“I told you I was not his creature,” she says snappishly. Taryn raises her eyebrows. Her poster stays straight and stiff, a sharp difference from Jude, who leans over the table, fingers drawing swirls into the surface.

“But the clothes… The way you both acted around each other.”

Jude huffs. “Cardan is dramatic. We were fools.”

The silence returns, but it isn’t uncomfortable; only weighty. Jude waits, hoping Taryn will offer her something else.

“Then when did it happen?” Taryn sounds unsure of her question, but it’s the first time she’s spoken that reminds Jude of how they used to be. It’s curious and open. It sounds like it’s meant to be asked between sisters. Jude is not the High Queen in this moment. She hasn’t been since she started her tale.

“Us?” Jude asks. Taryn nods.

“Somewhere along the way,” Jude says, recalling the exact moment they snapped, pressing up against each other, breathing into each other’s mouths. Taryn watches her, a small smile on her lips. Jude hopes she isn’t projecting.

“Before or after the Undersea?”

Jude succeeds in holding back a flinch at the mention of it, her mind flashing to what she did down there to survive. That, she won’t tell her sister. That is for her and Cardan.

“Before,” Jude says, “But he asked me to marry him after.”

“So that was true? I didn’t know if you returned and were married or did it privately before your… time away.”

“My exile, you mean. Yes, I was the Queen before. I wasn’t lying when I was embarrassed in front of the entire Court. It happened the night before, right after I murdered Balekin.”

Taryn’s eyes are comically wide. Jude laughs.

“It sounds so dramatic when I put it like that.”

And Taryn laughs too. “It’s dramatic put in any way.”

They giggle together like they used to when they were younger. Jude’s heart feels light. Just for a moment their past is behind them both. When they stop, there is silence. Taryn stares while Jude continues her patterns on the table.

“I missed you,” whispers Taryn.

And it’s not as hard as Jude thought it would be to say, “I missed you too.”

It doesn’t fix everything; it doesn’t erase the last years and bad faith and hard feelings. But it’s a start.

Jude finishes the rest of what she feels is necessary to be told now that she’s gotten this far. Taryn tells her bits of her own life and the moments she’s been happy, along with the moments she hasn’t. It isn’t fully comfortable, nor easy, but Jude is glad. And if she has a moment where she wonders what her sister’s motives are, Jude tries to think of other things and let herself enjoy her time.

And she does. She really does.

When Taryn leaves, Jude reaches to squeeze her hand within hers.

----

The sound of strings carries throughout the hall. Leaves sprout on the ceiling and fall, raining softly on the crowd. The Folk dance and writhe and drink before two thrones. The smell of faerie fruits and spiced wine curls in the air, enticing.

The ball is a magnificent one, Jude can admit. She’s wearing a new gown just for the occasion, many layers soft lavender fabric with white smoke patterns, hugging her just so to accentuate her features but hide her stomach a bit. Even Jude thought she looked lovely in it; healthy and youthful. Her belly looks less shockingly round hidden beneath the waves spilling from beneath her breasts. Her shoulders are bare and her sleeves graze the floor.

Cardan looks obscene in his pitch black silk clothes, shiny chains made of small gems swooping around his shoulders, white cape contrasting beautifully. His collar reaches up his throat like a shadow, his jawline and cheeks contoured with a smokey silver. The kohl around his eyes looks iridescent at some angles.

After so many years, Jude thought she couldn’t blush at something as simple as his appearance, but she was very wrong.

Indeed, all eyes were on them when they entered through heavy double doors earlier that night, sometime after the festivities had started. Jude had not been out publicly for weeks at that point, so when the whispers started up as the Court caught sight of her, she was ready for them. She was very obviously nearing her due date. Cardan, unfazed as always, prowls his way to their matching thrones atop the dais, Jude’s arm hooked gently in his.

This is where she finds herself, feet tucked beneath her, Cardan beside her, the ball in full swing around them. At some point he leaves her to speak with who she remembers to be a high ranking war master from far off. The crowd swirls around him, simultaneously avoiding him but inevitably drawn in as well. That’s exactly what it’s like to be near Cardan; he’s like gravity, unfathomable and too beautiful to touch.

Jude touches, of course.

Looking at him now, he chuckles at something, a genuine smirk on his face as he sips his wine. Something changed over the years, perhaps it was simply the passing of time, but he’s become much more open and inviting during these public events. The aura of authority is there, and he still acts the same as he did years ago, but the difference is in his stance and the way he looks at who he’s talking to. His shoulders are relaxed and pulled back, he leans forward ever so slightly.

It’s nice, Jude thinks. She likes seeing him work, watching him, because he is hers to study.

She remembers when he first became High King, how he would lounge on his throne without a care, drowning in wine. She loved him then. She loves him more now.

Jude shifts under the gazes of the Folk, becoming increasingly unsettled. She knows she looks big, but up on her throne in front of so many people and with Cardan somewhere in the crowd, she feels like a mouse in a sea of wild, hungry cats. Sweat gathers on her brow. She places a hand on her midriff.

It’s mere seconds later that she feels a dull twitch beneath her ribs, causing her to gasp lightly. Her pulse quickens, heart fluttering as she moves her hand to press down on the spot. Nothing meets her touch, for a moment, then it feels as if her entire stomach tumbles briefly. Her gasp is much louder this time, both hands cradling her belly.

She startles at the sight of Cardan kneeling before her. She could have sworn he was just–

“Are you alright?” His voice is rushed and quiet, one hand covering hers where is lies on her middle. Jude sees there are many stares pointed at them, and realizes she must have caused a small commotion.

“I’m fine,” she says, and makes to stand, swinging her tingly legs out from beneath her. Cardan tenderly takes her hands to help her up. “It’s okay, just movements.”

His eyes brighten at this, a small, private grin on his face when he looks at her belly.

“I’m going to retire for the night,” she continues, glancing from the crowd and back to her husband, anxiety coming up her chest and into her throat. She tries to swallow it down and put on a neutral face. Cardan looks as if he is about to say he’ll accompany her, but she shuts him down before he starts. “Don’t worry about it. You stay here. I’m going to take a bath.”

His squeezes her hands just so, the gesture barely there but warming her heart just the same, then he flicks his wrist in the air and a group of his personal guards appear behind him. She loves it when he does that, it never works so smoothly for her.

He presses a kiss to her cheek, one that has her eyes fluttering closed, and he murmurs, “I’ll come find you when the night is over.” Jude nods, a smile tugging at her lips despite the nerves, and she makes her way off the dais, a crowd of armed guards surrounding her and parting the swarm of bodies.

She keeps her composure until she’s alone, the doors to their chambers sliding shut behind her. She rips her crown off and sets it on her desk in the main room, and begins shedding the pieces of her attire. She reaches for a knot of fabric on her side, but it’s in a weird spot she can’t reach across her stomach, and she needs both hands to undo it so that her gown can loosen where it’s cinched at her ribs and can fall right off. She huffs, tearing out her earrings instead and ripping the braids out of her hair. Again, in her and Cardan’s bedroom this time, she tries for the knot, but it won’t budge without any help, and suddenly she’s so worked up and frustrated that she feels tears forming.

Stupid. Crying like a child.

She decides to lift the dress off of her instead, but the damned thing is too heavy, and her stomach keeps getting in the way and her skin is pulling and she feels too large to even breathe.

The first sob comes quickly. Jude drops the fabric, face crumpling. Then she’s sitting on the end of her bed, her dress swamping her form and piling around her. It just makes her feel worse. She cries so easily now and it’s infuriating, she hates it so much that it only makes her tears come faster. She doesn’t have the control that she desperately needs, everything is spiraling, she’s going to have this baby soon and she’s so afraid she won’t be good enough.

I can’t do this. I can’t do this.

Her breath comes in short bursts. She’s lived most of her life dealing with things like they’re a job or a plan, but this… This is something she doesn’t know what to do with. Putting off the thought of it being real worked for the first few months, but now the day is getting closer and closer, and she’s going to be a mother.

I can’t do this. I can’t be what they need me to be.

Another sob breaks free, and she buries her face in her hands, willing herself to calm down.

She thinks of her mother’s voice, and tries all the breathing exercises she knows of. After a long moment, she shuts her mind off enough that they work.

She’s still sniffling when she feels another flutter in her belly. By this point, she’s so tired she could fall asleep where she sits, so she doesn’t mind the feeling. The whiplash of her emotional state is jarring, but she doesn’t want to think about it, or anything, at the moment, so she unclasps a heavily jeweled necklace from her throat, kicks off her leather slippers, and lies down on her side right where she is at the edge of the bed. She falls asleep as soon as she gathers the fabric of her gown in her arms and squeezes, tension sliding out of her body and sleep taking over.

When Cardan finds her like that a bit later, his eyes soften. Jude barely wakes up as he unties the knot at her side and gently maneuvers her around, slipping her arms from her sleeves and working the heavy gown off her body leisurely. She doesn’t stir when he lifts her farther up the bed and covers her with the fur blankets she likes. And when he kisses her forehead, his palm splayed on her side, fingers dancing over the soft skin where her stomach meets her ribs, she sleeps through it all.

-------

Twinkling water rushes over smooth stones, the sight lulling Jude into a trance. She sits on a stone pew by a small pond with multiple swirling pools, the smell of wet grass filling her senses. It’s high noon, but the sun seems soft behind the clouds. Many Folk are asleep, but Jude is too nervous to attempt to settle her mind.

The midwives came to see her before the moon set. They say she has six weeks left. As soon as they were out of sight, Jude left her chambers and Cardan behind and escaped to her private garden.

She knows she should be thrilled, she is, deep below the surface. But her anxieties are almost overpowering, now, and she can’t keep shoving them away. There’s no time left, the days are ticking by quickly. She’s run out of things to distract herself with. All there is is her swollen belly and her headaches that never leave. Her thighs tingle and she can’t even put on her own shoes. If not for the team of human girls—willing, of course, and happy to help—that help her dress throughout the day and for different events, she would be barefoot constantly.

Jude never developed much of a liking for idle chatting, but she participates even less than she ever has, too caught up in her thoughts and the fatigue that follows her every step. She gets dizzy when she stands, now. It all makes her feel weak, and she hates it. It’s not entirely bad, though. The few moments she’s able to push her nerves away, she truly is excited to meet the child she has been carrying. There have been times that she’s almost gone to the mortal world to set up an appointment and figure out the sex of the baby.

She never does. She likes it this way. And, maybe, she thinks it would become too real if she knew. Denial has her closest companion these last months.

Cardan is visibly ecstatic. Jude never thought she would see him this way. Her heart does flips when he kneels next to her before bed, splaying his hands across where their baby sits. He presses kisses to her temples and cheeks at random, fingers gliding along her neck. When she bathes, he sits behind her, nose pressed into her neck, thumbs digging into the aches she has in her lower back.

He’s doting on her like never before, and truthfully, Jude would find it annoying if he wasn’t so unbearably charming.

Though it’s unconventional for a High King of Elfhame to share his apartments with his newborn child, they’ve both turned one of their rooms into a nursery. Besides, Cardan and Jude aren’t like normal rulers, anyway. Obviously.

Cardan seems overjoyed about it, and even takes a few of his smaller, gentler plants from his greenhouse—because, yes, he did move those disastrous things eventually—and places them along the large window in the room. Faintly sweet-smelling flowers sway from vines on the ceiling, and the walls are enchanted to seem soft and bright. The atmosphere is warm, like a blanket. Jude’s heart aches when she enters it, so she stays away more often than not.

She spends a lot more of her time in her garden the closer it gets to the due date.

Cardan leaves her alone there most of the time. That’s why she’s here now, he had seen the panic written across her features when talking to the midwives and she knew he would ask about it. He’s tried to get her to open up lately, but she brushes him off, not wanting to ruin his joy.

It only makes her feel more alone. The dynamic is strange. All of Elfhame seems excited for the birth of their child, mostly because that means lots of festivities, but Jude doesn’t know how to handle what her life is about to become.

Butterflies erupt in her stomach, nerves panging beneath her skin, and Jude wants to cry thinking about Cardan’s face when she stormed out of their room—as stormy as she could manage with a waddle in her step—before dawn. She’s nearing her breaking point. It’s not that she’s unraveling, anymore, like a complicated knot being pulled at. No, she’s completely loose.

She pushes herself up from the stone bench, back cracking, feet hurting.

Why couldn’t I have an easy fucking pregnancy? Or is this an easy pregnancy?

She huffs and walks back into the palace, personal knights flanking her movements. Jude wants someone, anyone, to understand what’s going on in her head.

When she comes upon her chambers, she waves her attendants off when they try to open the doors for her, not once, but twice. She needs to do something by herself. Pushing the doors open does strain her, but she feels better when she steps in and they close behind her.

She makes her way into her bedroom, expecting to sleep the rest of the daylight away, but when she enters, Cardan is sitting upright at the edge of the bed. The sheets are strewn haphazardly around, his tail is swaying in the air, gold cuffs and jewelry dangling from it. If she listened closely enough, she knows she would be able to hear the small tinkling sounds coming from the metal. Her heartbeat quickens. He’s staring at her, hands clasped in his lap, the Blood Crown lying beside him.

“I’ve grown tired of listening to you lie to me, Jude dearest,” he says, exhaustion in his voice and no malice to his words. Jude swallows thickly. “Will you be candid with me? Please?”

She frowns. She doesn’t want to do this.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she says, holding his gaze. The sigh he gives is dramatic.

“We will discuss this, I won’t leave you alone with whatever is tormenting you any longer.”

Jude flinches, though she tries not to.

“You see?” He says, gesturing to her, “It’s in everything you do. I’ve been going mad trying to give you space, waiting for you to come to me.” He stands, now, hand wiping across his forehead. “I can’t keep going like this, I want to help.”

And, really, with how fragile she feels, Jude’s not surprised that her resolve crumbles immediately when she sees for the first time how this has been affecting him too.

Silence hangs between them for some time, the sound of their breathing fills the air.

“I’m scared,” she says.

He just looks at her, worry in his eyes.

“I know.”

Something flares in Jude’s chest, emotion choking her. She feels like she wants to scream, like she wants to burst out of her own skin, and it’s so sudden that her carefully placed mask falls from her features, desperation and anxiety showing through. Cardan takes a step toward her, but she backs up two.

“Jude.” And it’s soft, laced with pain, like a question.

“No,” she says, voice watery. “I’m not just scared, I’m terrified.” She stares into him, willing him to understand all that she means in that one word. When she sees that he doesn’t, the words that follow build up on her tongue like her muddled thoughts have since the day she first took those tests in the mortal world.

“I don’t know what to do, or what to say. I’m– I’m– I can’t do this! I can’t. I don’t even know how to handle myself, or even what to do when we argue. How am I supposed to handle another living thing, with a mind and a heart and–” she sucks in a breath, tears forming.

“You have me,” he says, brows furrowed. “We’ll do it together.”

“But I never knew how to love,” Jude says, voice frantic, “After Madoc took us––stole us away, I just… Shut it all out. I never wanted children because I know I’m not capable, I didn’t even know I could, I could–” and she can’t breathe.

She can’t breathe.

And she can hear her heart pounding in her ears. She turns away from Cardan only to catch her reflection in the mirror on the wall near her and all she sees is her stomach and she needs to sit down immediately or she knows she’ll fall over.

“I– I can’t–” and she sobs, collapsing to her knees, hand grasping at the small writing desk beside her, sitting back on her feet. Cardan is on the ground before her in the time it takes her to blink. He’s right there, hands cradling her face, thumbs stroking in soothing motions. He looks panicked, and Jude feels all the worse for it. He’s saying something to her, but Jude can’t understand what. She just cries and cries.

In time, Cardan gives up on calming her down. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her into his lap, holding her tightly and gently rocking back and forth. When one of his hands wraps around the back of her neck, she fists her hands in his loose shirt, trying to bury herself within his embrace.

It’s ages before she settles, first by regaining control of her breathing, then by ceasing her sobs. Silent tears flow, breath hitching in her chest like a stutter. Eventually, she only sniffles, exhaustion pulling at her eyelids.

And for some time, all is still, a hush over the room. Jude doesn’t even realize that she’s falling asleep.

When she opens her eyes, she blinks blearily, and it takes her a minute to adjust.The sun has set outside of the windows. Moonbeams caress the stone floors, bright enough that even she can see clearly. Her head is cradled beneath Cardan’s chin. They’re against the arched doorway to their bedroom, Cardan leaning against the frame. Her heart aches when she realizes he’s probably been sitting like this for hours and he hasn’t moved so as to not disturb her.

His tail is curled underneath her belly. Jude’s hair is out of it’s updo. She can feel Cardan’s fingers tracing the shape of her ear. The rise and fall of his chest almost soothes her back to sleep.

“Do you not know that I doubt myself as much as you?” His voice is not angry, nor accusing, just resigned. “Have you not considered?”

Truthfully, Jude hasn’t. Shame twists in her gut. Cardan continues.

“I knew nothing of love as a child. Only loneliness. Desperation–” Cardan takes a long breath. Jude hears his heartbeat beneath her ear, tracks of tears dry on her face. “Despair of the deepest incarnation. The type of sorrow that one would hide behind rancid grins and hollow laughs. That is all I knew,” he says, a shakiness to his voice. He pushes his nose into her hair and tightens his arms around her.

“Now, each time I wake up, I am haunted by the thought that I will become my father, or Balekin, to our child.”

Jude feels more tears fall at his words. An ache spreads through her chest. She grieves for him, for herself, too, for how life was cruel to both of them.

“We will do this together,” he murmurs, quiet, but every bit determined. “We can do it. You can. I’ll be with you, always. I’ll be there for our child, always.”

And Jude relaxes into him. He slips his arms underneath her and lifts her as he stands, walking them over to the bed. There, they fall asleep, wrapped around each other, limbs tangled, breathing in tandem.

-------

Thanks for reading!

#the cruel prince #the wicked king #the queen of nothing #the cruel prince fanfiction #tfota #tfota fanfiction #jurdan #judecardan #jurdan fanfiction #jude duarte #cardan greenbriar #my work #my writing

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fallsouthwinter · 5 years ago

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A Brand New Angle - Chapter 5

That weekend after the dinner party, the garden surrounding the as of yet unnamed cottage gained a new visitor in the form of the ten year old named Aleena. She appeared around the house and watched Crowley garden for several minutes before Crowley decided to break the ice. "What's up kid?"

Aleena made a face. "The sky."

Crowley couldn't help but laugh. "Very observant. I like your scarf. You like Ravenclaw?"

"Yep," Aleena replied, nodding. "Aunt Preeti made it for me. Said it suited my inquisitive nature."

"Hey, nothing wrong with that," Crowley said, even as he felt that old, familiar pang in his chest.

"Never said there was," Aleena informed him loftily.

"Whooo-ee kid. What do you plan on doing with that attitude? Ruling the world?"

"No. I want to be an astronomer."

Crowley nearly dropped his clippers. "What now?"

"You know. Study stars and planets and nebula and things. I want to know how the universe works."

Swallowing hard, Crowley attacked a branch that was protruding from the bush. "I made some of those, you know."

"Made what?"

"The stars, planets, nebulas, and things."

Aleena rolled her eyes. "You did not."

"Did so."

"You'd have to be a billion years old."

"How do you know I'm not?"

Aleena rolled her eyes again and stuck her tongue out at him. Crowley, millennia old being that he was, returned the gesture.

“You know, we’re all really made of the same stuff,” Crowley continued. “You, me, the stars, even the flowers. And people are like their own little universes, full of so many things, thoughts, feelings, ideas, questions, memories. You could really study anything and learn about the universe.”

“Sure,” Aleena said, nodding, “but I like stars the best.”

“Fair enough.”

“You like flowers the best then? Or just plants? I mean, my aunt likes them because they’re pretty and she likes being outside. Do you?”

“Do I what?”

“Like plants because they’re pretty?”

“Sometimes. I like them better when they do as they’re told.” This was said directly to the lupines.

“Plants can’t listen,” Aleena said matter-of-factly. “They don’t have ears.”

“Oh yeah? What about corn, then?”

“That is not the same thing!”

“Is too. Plants can even talk.” Crowley couldn’t help but laugh when he saw Aleena’s unimpressed look. “All right, look, you’ve heard of flower language?” Aleena nodded. “It’s like talking with plants. Everything has a different meaning.”

“So you can send like, secret messages or something?”

“Exactly.” A thought struck Crowley and he slipped a hand behind his back. With a quick snap he produced a book and handed it to Aleena. Aleena stared.

“Where did that come from?”

“My back pocket,” said Crowley, still holding the book that was much too large for any back pocket. The skeptical look Aleena gave him was magnificent.

“You’re just a magician, aren’t you.”

“I most certainly am not,” Crowley replied sourly.

“Something against magicians?”

“Only rubbish ones who won’t listen to reason.”

Aleena gave him an odd look, but finally took the book, a smile spreading across her face. Crowley suddenly had an overwhelming urge to ruffle the kid’s hair. “Thanks Mr. Crowley. I promise I’ll take good care of it.”

“You’d better, it’s over a hundred years old.”

“Like you?” Aleena’s smile morphed into a grin.

Crowley made an offended noise. “All right, get out of here Miss Cheeky, before I get my pitchfork and run you off.” Aleena only cackled at him before dashing off.

“Well, we are over a hundred years old, you have to give her that.” Aziraphale’s voice made Crowley jump, and he spun around. Aziraphale was leaning out one of the cottage windows, leaning so far out, in fact, he looked like he was going to fall out. He was wearing that damn, cheesy smile that always made Crowley feel all -- well. Noodle-y? Damn it. Crowley fervently wished he had something dramatically throw to the ground, but lacking that, he yanked his sunglasses off instead as he advanced on the window.

“Been making friends?” Aziraphale asked cheerfully.

Crowley scoffed. Scoffed and scowled as he tucked his sunglasses in the vee of his collar. He was absolutely going to give Aziraphale what for. “Ngk. Er.”

Aziraphale’s grin widened. “You know,” he began, and Crowley Knew That Tone.

“Angel, don’t you dare--”

“You really are the sweetest--”

“NGK--”

“The kindest, gentlest--”

Face positively burning to the point Crowley was sure he was about to spontaneously combust, he lurched forward, clamping a hand over Aziraphale’s mouth. “Don’t. I’m not...” The words trailed off as Aziraphale calmly pulled Crowley’s hand away from his mouth, keeping hold of it, thumb dragging light circles over Crowley’s palm. Crowley couldn’t suppress his shudder.

“Not what?” Aziraphale’s voice was soft. “I’m not just saying these things. Your actions are telling me everything.” He cupped Crowley’s cheek. ”They tell me you are kind. You are generous. You’re so sweet, so gentle-”

Unable to take it anymore, Crowley twisted the fingers of his free hand into Aziraphale’s shirt and kissed him. Aziraphale hummed, the hand cupping Crowley’s cheek moving to tangle in his hair as he opened his mouth and tilted his head for a better angle. Their joined hands rearranged themselves, fingers lacing together, palms kissing.

“Oh shit! Sorry!”

The voice shattered the moment, Crowley jerking away in surprise as Aziraphale almost did fall out the window this time since Crowley was still hanging onto him when he pulled backwards. They looked over, spotting Aleena’s aunt, Preeti, standing on the other side of the fence, wringing her hands and looking embarrassed as all hell.

“Quite all right my dear,” Aziraphale called out, using Crowley as leverage to hoist himself properly back through the window. “Just enjoying the afternoon. Right?” He grinned at Crowley.

Crowley made an effort at a response, but just ended up growling at Aziraphale as he slipped his sunglasses back on. He then beckoned to Preeti, who looked mildly alarmed before finding the gate.

“I just wanted to thank you,” she said once she had reached the patio, stopping next to the table. “For the book you gave Aleena. That was very nice of you.”

A strange coughing noise left Aziraphale, but was the face of pure innocence when Crowley glowered at him. “Ah, if you need me, I’ll be inside. Pip pip!”

When the window closed, Crowley pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. “You don’t have to thank me,” he said, dropping his hand. “Aleena already did, and even so, I didn’t do it for the thanks. She was interested, I had the means to feed that interest. That’s all.”

“Still.”

Crowley gave Preeti a long look. “Is it about the book?”

Preeti shook her head a little. “Yes and no. I just -- she’s not bothering you, is she?”

“Odd question. Why would you think that?”

Something flashed in Preeti’s eyes, but it was gone by the time she spoke. “We’ve had problems in the past. A lot of people view her curious nature to be more akin to troublemaking than what it is. She’s a good kid, really.”

“She is.”

"She asks a lot of questions."

"Nothing wrong with that," Crowley said, echoing his sentiments from earlier.

"I know," Preeti replied. "But not everyone feels that way."

Crowley hummed and readjusted his sunglasses. "I know the feeling."

Preeti gave him a curious look, but didn't comment. "I hope you don't mind a question of my own."

"Ask away."

"It might be a bit rude-"

"Ruder the better."

Preeti gave Crowley a very odd look before clearing her throat. "Aleena calls you the Snake Man."

Despite not being phrased as a question, Crowley heard it. He also started laughing so hard he doubled over.

“I guess I’m glad you’re not offended,” Preeti said, managing to sound both confused and amused at the same time. Crowley merely waved a hand at her through his peals of laughter. Wiping at the tears in his eyes with one hand (under the sunglasses of course). “I showed her my eyes. I have a rare eye condition called coloboma. ‘S why I wear sunglasses all the time.”

“Ah. Right.” Preeti took a step closer. “Honestly I thought it was because of this,” she said, pointing at her temple as a way of explanation.

Crowley stared for a moment before the dots connected. “You mean the snake tattoo?” Hah. Tattoo.

“Yes. It suits you, if I may say so.”

“Thanks,” Crowley replied, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He tried to shove his hands into his pockets, but there wasn’t much pocket so he only managed half a hand each. "Er - so. Um. You garden do you? That girl Simone was telling me about it the other day."

Preeti's face lit up. "Oh yes, I love gardening! I was going to ask you, how you managed to get your columbine to grow so quickly?"

"Miracles," Crowley said straight faced, and Preeti rolled her eyes. Like aunt like niece?

"No, I'm serious. I've been trying to plant them in the rock garden but they never take and I have no idea what I'm doing wrong."

"Huh. Mind if we head over to take a look?"

---

Crowley and Preeti were well into their discussion of how to best plant columbine, which somehow had descended into the subject of original citrus fruit species, when Simone came out of the house. When Preeti saw her crossing the yard, her face immediately lit up.

“Well, if it isn’t Mr. Crowley, the wickedest man in the world,” Simone greeted, wrapping her arms around Preeti as she spoke.

“Hardly,” Crowley replied automatically. “Nice to see you again Simone.”

“Likewise. And here you are with the most beautiful woman in the world,” Simone continued. Preeti ducked her head, but wrapped an arm around Simone. “What’s going on?” Simone asked, looking at Preeti, then at Crowley. “Yard party?”

“Just talking about gardening,” Crowley replied.

“So it is a yard party,” Simone said, grinning.

As Preeti rolled her eyes, Aleena, who had been nearby looking suspiciously between the primrose and her book, jumped up. “Simone! Look, my new book, Mr. Crowley gave it to me!”

Crowley watched them, Aleena chattering excitedly over her new (old) book. He watched as Simone and Preeti fawned over Aleena, but he didn't miss the casual touches they shared. Something caught in Crowley's throat, a traitorous lump forming, choking him. He wondered, did they overthink every look? Every touch? Were either of them afraid the wrong move might scare the other off? Did they ever wonder that this might be so fleeting it scared them that they only pretended to sleep some nights? Crowley swallowed hard. He couldn’t stand there another minute; if he did, he might lose his mind.

He barely got a few steps before Preeti called out to him. “You leaving?”

“Yeah, um, got a lot to do.”

“You sure? I was going to ask you in for tea,” Preeti said. Crowley waved her off.

“Sorry, another time.” Crowley took himself across the pavement, willing himself not to run. He wasn’t running. He was sure of it.

Reaching the fence, Crowley had a hand on the gate when realized he couldn’t bring himself to go inside, either. It would be warm, and Aziraphale would be there. He couldn’t bear walking into that domesticity right now. He hated that he couldn’t let himself enjoy this. Hypocritical of him, really, when it was always him offering everything to Aziraphale. Come away with me, anywhere, please. Maybe that was the rub, Crowley thought to himself. Part of him wondered if he just wore Aziraphale down. That Aziraphale was just humoring him for a while. Maybe he planned on leaving after a few years. Wander off like they both did sometimes, leaving Crowley with an empty house and an equally empty heart.

Hand tightening on the cold metal, he pushed the gate open when something caught his eye. Leaving the gate, he slowly approached the plant, kneeling down and reaching out to examine the leaves closely.

There was an odd, zigzag pattern on the leaves, and many of the new ones were coming in just as discolored and puckered. Heart seizing in his chest, Crowley continued looking over the plant, finding the same thing all over. He knew what this was, he knew what the Austrian rose was sick with. He could try miracling it better, but - it may have already infected the other roses. How had he only noticed this now? (Logically, he knew it was because symptoms of rose mosaic disease showed more prominently in the spring and autumn, but Logic and Crowley weren’t on speaking terms right then).

Crowley had helped shape the cosmos, crafting nebulas to birth the stars, those pinpoints of burning light. He built everything off the spiral architecture of the universe, concentric circles that tightened and expanded on itself, a breathing, living thing. Some of those stars exploded, creating new nebulas to form new stars. Other stars collapsed in on themselves, creating dense animals that sent out waves of matter into the aether. Or sucked in matter and crushed them.

He stared at the rose bush, a creature of star matter, at its yellowed, zigzagged patterned leaves. This one rose bush, of all the plants, the one that Aziraphale gave him with that smile, and it made him want to scream, tear it out of the ground and turn it back into stardust.

“Why you?” Crowley hissed, eyes stinging, feeling the world reeling away from him. “Out of everything, why you?”

He stalked off, through the gate and around the house, only to cascade into one of the patio chairs. The same patio he and Aziraphale had shared so many meals already. How pathetic that he was attached to this place so much already. Pulling off his sunglasses, Crowley rubbed his tired, aching eyes. What a load of bollocks. Kind, generous, bullshit. He was a failure and a coward. Why on earth would Aziraphale want anything to do with him? Why on earth would Aziraphale want to stay with him? Crowley remained at the table, head in his hands, oblivious to the darkening sky and the storm clouds rolling in.

---

Aziraphale was curled up under a lovely soft grey throw, with an Elizabeth Gaskell novel and a cup of cocoa sitting on a side table (which was still a packing box). It wasn't until the first drops of rain started spattering against the windows that Aziraphale looked up and realized it was very dark out. Usually, when Crowley came in, he would always snatch whatever Aziraphale was working on or reading and kiss away all of Aziraphale’s protests before heading off to take a shower, leaving a trail of clothes behind. It was maddening, to say the least, even if Crowley did collect everything after he was finished showering. Even if Aziraphale did appreciate Crowley’s collarbone more than he probably should and had a tendency to watch him pull off his shirt (Aziraphale refused to acknowledge the time he had asked Crowley if he was trying to make him “warm for his form” and Crowley had started laughing so hard Aziraphale was surprised he didn’t discorporate. He also felt the week of teasing afterwards was uncalled for).

But he always came in before dark. Always.

Aziraphale set the book and throw aside, stretching his cramped legs. A simple glance at the time drove any mincing concern Aziraphale had into full blown worry. Snatching his umbrella from the stand beside the door, Aziraphale headed out into the rain, intent on doing a house to house search if necessary.

He stopped the second he rounded the outside of the cottage and saw the dark shape slouching in one of the patio chairs. He spied Crowley's sunglasses flung carelessly onto the table as he approached, and held his umbrella over an extremely soaked Crowley. "My dear, are you all right?"

Crowley started, turning wide eyes up at him, and Aziraphale sucked in a shocked breath when he glimpsed the watery, red-rimmed eyes. Crowley looked utterly miserable.

“Good heavens -- Crowley --”

Crowley’s head jerked back down and he wiped at his eyes, sniffing as he did so, and Aziraphale could feel his heart breaking. Reaching out, Aziraphale pressed his hand to Crowley’s shoulder. “It’s cold out. Please come inside.”

#A Brand New Angle fic #ineffable husbands #good omens #chapter 5 #unbeta'd #it'll be posted on ao3 once properly looked at

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littlebitoffanfic · 6 years ago

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Fairy Tail part 3

Fandom: Pirates of the Caribbean Characters: Barbossa, Pintel, Ragetti, Gibbs, others mentioned Relationship: Barbossa/reader Request: I loved your Barbossaxmermaid reader oneshots so much. Could you write another one where the reader finally decides to go on land, so her tail will transform into legs? But after she learned how to walk and everything they tell nobody what she actually is, but she is so different from other women that his crew finds out about it at some point? AN: part 1: http://littlebitoffanfic.tumblr.com/post/163534105639/fairy-tale Part 2: http://littlebitoffanfic.tumblr.com/post/181410844899/fairy-tale-part-2 You swing your legs over the side of the bed and use the sides to push yourself up. You still weren’t use to the weight on your legs and sometimes you would fall backwards. an arm looped around your waist and Barbossa helped you stand and get your balance correct. Despite your defences that you needed to learn how to do it yourself, he always helped. A little over 4 months ago, you had approached a enchantress. She knew you, since you had saved her from drowning once when she fell overboard. She owed you a favour anyway. She gave you something you never though you wanted. Legs. Human ones to replace your tail. You remember the first time you had seen the strange appendances that had replaced your tail. It felt bizarre and unnatural as you moved them individually and they felt short. You couldn’t put your finger on why, until Barbossa had pointed out that your tail had been nearly 6 foot long and your legs were much shorter than that. He had been the reason you made such a drastic change. A pirate who had stolen your heart and ran away with it. You wanted to run after him. But you had to learn to walk before you could run. He took you to his ship, telling the others that you had been in a bad accident and couldn’t walk right now. They questioned and quizzed him as to why and how he had come across you. but he was the captain and they couldn’t argue too much with him. Many assumed he lied and knew you from before he was a pirate. Perhaps some lost lover who he had reconnected with. Your time spent learning to balance and walk was often behind closed doors though. You didn’t like wearing things that weighed you down but liked the skirts which you ripped to knee length. Barbossa had mentioned that when you first visit land, you may want to keep some clothes, but you waved him off. It probably wasn’t either of yours best idea to learn to walk while on a ship. The constant swaying meant you would stumble and fall, but you found the movement comforting. Plus, you didn’t feel too home sick. It was just after sunset as you, Barbossa, Gibbs, Pintel, Ragetti, Cotton and his parrot decided into the rowing boat. Apparently, Barbossa had an arrangement in the small island and needed you all to accompany him. You didn’t mind, since it would be the first time you set foot on land since Barbossa and carried you back from the enchantress’s hut. As Pintel and Ragetti rowed, you looked over the side of the boat, admiring the water in the full moon light. Until you saw something moved. Instantly, you knew exactly what that was. “Wait.” You held your hand out to the others as you peered down, trying to see if there was more than one. It was a clear night, so you were able to see quite deep in the water. looking up to the crew, you saw everyone was looking at you with confusion, all except Gibbs. You saw Gibbs starting to lean closer to the water, entranced with something in the water. You knew what exactly. Moving quickly forward, you grab him by the scruff of his shirt and haul him back. Your suspicions were confirmed when you see two hands were holding onto the boat. Apparently, they weren’t happy that someone had taken their meal away and jumped up only to come face to face with you. Aleena, now holding herself up on the side of the boat with her hands and using her long tail to keep herself up, snarled at you for a moment before you saw the recognition in her eyes dawn. “Sister!” She cried out before grabbing you and pulling you into the water. the pirates cried out, reaching to grab you but you slipped through their hands as she pulled you beneath the depts. “Sister! Is it true?” She spoke to you under the water, swimming around you before her eyes fell to your legs. You were thankful that the enchantress had allowed you to keep your ability to breath underwater. “didn’t you know?” you ask, finding the strange as she kept a hold of you by the hands to prevent you from floating up to the surface. You lazily kicked your legs in an attempt to tread water. “Yes, but we didn’t know it was successful.” She swims you in the water before wrapper her arms around you and hugging you close. “Looks strange.” She frowned as she pulled back, looking down. “Feels strange.” You nod in agreement as you look down at your feet. “Why are you all the way out here?” “Hunting grounds got too crowded. A few of us decide to test out areas and see where the best places might be.” She shrug and you understood. Even before you left, there had been an issue with the numbers growing but boats were becoming wearier of the shores. “If I can, I’ll try send sailors towards this place.” You look up towards the boat. you could see she had taken you about 8 or 9 foot underwater but you could make out the boat and a few head looking down. They could see you and your interactions with the mermaid along with the fact you hadn’t taken air in longer than normally needed. “Was it worth it?” Aleena asks, drawing you attention back to her. “Yes.” He smile, small bubble rising whenever you spoke. It wasn’t till now that you realised how distracting it was. “And the human. Does he treat you well?” She glares up to the boat, making the men sit back inside quickly. You laugh at her but nod your head. “Yes, very well.” You answer her, touched that she was so concerned for you. Faintly, you hear a call. It was one you recognised. Similar to a whales singing, it was a sign for Aleena to head back to the small group who had ventured out this far. She looked in its direction, biting her lip before turning back to you. “You wont come back, will you?” She asks in a sad voice, as if she already knew the answer but you shook your head. “No, im sorry.” You squeeze her hands as she looks down in sorrow. “I like this on you.” She reaches out, moving rhe material of your skirt in the water. “Makes you look like one of those fancy women that come on those big ships.” You smile. “I’ll bring you one.” You suddenly have an idea. “A bright red one, to match your tail.” “You will?!” Her eyes widen with excitement at the prospect as you nod. She wraps her arms around you and spins you again, making you laugh. But the moment was ruined when you heard the call again and she pulled back. “Stay safe, little human.” She smiles at you, pressing her forehead against your own before she starting to pull you to the surface. About half way, she pulls you close and wraps one of her arms around your waist before swimming fast. She uses the momentum to push herself and you out of the water. She propped you on the side of the boat and you were immediately snacked back by Barbossa, who wrapped his arms around your wet frame. Aleena laughed merrily at the men’s shocked faces, swam backwards for a few feet before diving back into the water and following the call. You look sheepishly at the group in the boat, who had gathered at one end and were now staring at you. “I knew it.” Pintel suddenly said, grinning. “No you didn’t. you said she was a witch.” Ragetti turned on his friend, frowning. “Yer both wrong. It was Cotton who said it!” Gibbs pointed at Cotton who smiled as the bird crowed happily. “the bird didn’t know!” Pintel objected and the group started to bicker among themselves, allowing you and Barbossa to glance at each other. You rolled your eyes and he smirked. they could fight over anything.

#hector barbossa #barbossa x reader #hector barbossa x reader #mermaid!reader #mermaid

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descentintobandom · 6 years ago

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Do Not Disturb

Title: Do Not Disturb Chapter: One-Shot Pairing: Ashley/OC Rating: M Fic Summary: Ashley’s girlfriend Aleena decides to tie him up and have her way with him. Author’s Notes: Requested by anon.

Ashley contemplated how he had gotten himself into this situation.

Tied to the bed with Aleena on top of him.

He tugged at the bandanas as Aleena just smirked. Why had he agreed to this again?

Aleena on the other hand, was relishing in her power over him.

Ashley looked delicious beneath her. His rock hard body and colorful tattoos on display for her.

Aleena leaned down and pressed her lips to Ashley’s, slipping her tongue into his mouth.

Ashley wanted nothing more than bury his hands in her hair.

Aleena pulled away and peppered kisses along his jaw line and down to his neck. She went to work sucking and biting, leaving several marks on his skin.

He was going to have to wear a scarf or a bandana the next time he went out.

Her kisses trailed down his body to his Outlaw tattoo.

Ashley could feel himself growing harder.

She took him in her hand and pumped him a few times, causing Ashley to moan loudly. Aleena smirked. She knew what he wanted and she wasn’t going to give it to him. Instead she moved up his body and positioned herself above him. When Aleena sank down onto him, Ashley’s eyes rolled back into his head.

Even though they fucked nearly three times a week, she was still so tight.

Aleena bit down on her bottom lip.

Ashley was by no means small, but he fit inside her perfectly. He always made her feel so full.

She rocked forward on him, her clit grazing his pubic bone.

The action caused both of them to groan.

“Don’t just lay there, slave”, Aleena told Ashley, “I don’t just lay there, do I?”

Ashley started to pump his hips into hers.

Aleena’s head fell back as her nails dug into his chest. She sat up straight, giving Ashley the perfect view of her body. Her nipples were hard and pink.

He wanted them in his mouth more than anything. “Fuck”, Ashley breathed.

“What’s wrong, Ashy?” Aleena teased him. Her hands slid up her body to cup her breasts. “Is this what you want?”

Ashley nodded.

“Use your words, slave”, Aleena told him.

“Yes mistress”.

“You want me to pinch them?”

Ashley’s hips violently snapped up into hers on instinct.

“Very well, slave”, Aleena said. She brought her fingers up to her mouth and wet them before tracing circles around her nipples. Aleena whimpered as she plucked at them.

Ashley started thrusting into her harder, causing her to bounce slightly on his lap.

“Oh god, Ashley”, Aleena groaned.

Ashley could feel himself getting closer. “Untie me”, he growled. His voice sent shivers down her spine and Aleena felt herself grow wetter on top of him.

She quickly composed herself. “I don’t think so, slave”.

“I’m not playing around anymore, Aleena. Untie me. Now!”

Aleena shook her head and sped up. She looked so hot with her breasts bouncing with every thrust.

Ashley’s head fell back as he felt himself nearing his release.

Aleena leaned down and kissed his neck, lightly nipping at the skin. “C’mon, Ash”, Aleena whispered in his ear, “Cum for me”.

With another snap of his hips, he came inside her.

“Oh, god. Ashley!” Aleena whined. Aleena came shortly after and collapsed on Ashley’s heaving chest.

“Babe, my arms kinda hurt”, Ashley told her.

“Oh, sorry”. Aleena leaned up and untied the bandanas and Ashley rolled them over, still inside of her.

Ashley stared down at her. Her beautiful breasts rising and falling as she panted. Ashley leaned down and kissed her, finally threading his fingers through her hair.

“How was it?” Aleena asked him.

“It was perfect, darlin’”.

Aleena smiled at the praise.

Ashley kissed her sweetly as Aleena’s fingers trailed up his back. Ashley leaned over reaching for his phone and turned it back on.

Aleena had turned them off so there wouldn’t be a chance of them being disturbed, since Andy was notorious for calling in the middle of it. His phone went crazy with text messages and voicemails.

All from Andy and the band.

Ashley quickly dialed Andy’s number.

“Where the hell were you, dude?” Andy asked.

Ashley looked down at Aleena, who was simply smirking back at him. “Sorry. I got a little…tied up”, Ashley said, causing Aleena to dissolve into giggles. Ashley tried to hold in his laughter, pressing his lips to Aleena’s.

“Ashley, are you even listening to me?” Andy asked.

Aleena grabbed Ashley’s phone and put it on speaker before kissing Ashley again.

On reflex, his hips thrust into Aleena’s.

Aleena moaned, just now remembering that Ashley was still inside her.

“Are you guys fucking?” Andy asked.

Aleena let out a high pitched moan as Ashley picked up the pace of his thrusts.

“Fuck you guys”, Andy said and hung up.

Ashley and Aleena just laughed before losing themselves in each other again.

#ashley purdy #ashley purdy imagines #ashley/oc #ashley purdy smut #ashley purdy smut imagines #black veil brides #black veil brides imagine #black veil brides smut imagines #black veil brides smut #bvb smut imagines #bvb imagines #bvb

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nuttyrabbit · 5 years ago

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Hey, remember what I said about cancelling the 186 AU to rewrite it? Hahahahaha!~ I actually took a look back at it, and besides some of my plans for my OCs changed a bit (Like Astara – She’s no longer Melody and is definitely NOT purple), it still holds up as a piece. I'mma going to continue it.

–

“Alright, where should we start with our story?” Ovi said, pacing back and forth while wiping off some of the motor oil from his gloves. Bunnie and Amy flinched at Ovi’s actions, even though they knew the truth about what Sally was.

“How about you start with what you did with Nicole!” Amy screeched, her frustration and confusion over the entire situation. The past few days finally took their toll on the female hedgehog, tears forming under her eyes as her stress reached it’s peak. Ovi looked at Amy’s tearful face, before smirking at her.

“Just made sure that she’s better equipped for later, Amy.” Ovi smarmily said, his eyes shining with secrets. Amy huffed at the statement, but let it go nonetheless, sensing that she would end up running in circles with his mood.

“Alrigh’ thah, sugar.” Bunnie said, sitting down along with Amy. “How abou’ you tell us why y’all decided to come on ova’ and attac’? I mean, wouldn’t it be easier for us to be killd or whateva’ it is y’all want?” “…No. No, it wouldn’t.” Mina stated, shocking the two. “You’re our friends, and we couldn’t leave you in this mess that Maximillion created.”

“Wait, King Max? But—But why?” Amy asked them quickly, which caused Ovi to look in her direction.

“He took everything away from me!” Ovi yelled, freaking the two out, “My name! My very existence! My home! My baby sister! And… he took my friends…” He looked at the both desperately, hoping they would suddenly remember who they were.

“…How?” Amy had no choice but to ask, a faint feeling growing louder and louder as she wonders whom Ovi meant when he said “friends”.

“The Phantom Ruby—The one thing that can warp reality to the point where people can see nothing but what the controller wants to see.” Sonic stated, looking towards the two in contemplation. “Once, it was worshiped by changelings—humans who were capable of shifting between human and mobian forms.”

Ovi at that point switched from the rat form Amy and Bunnie were so used to, to a much handsomer, more interesting human form—with clothes! That disappointed them somewhat, but not as much as he turned back. “They worshiped the Ruby, believing that it gave them their powers. They used it to alter the reality of their enemies, giving them an advantage over their enemies. Combined with the Chaos Emeralds, it can warp time and space.” He smirked as he continued. “These traits of the Phantom Ruby fascinated Max, whom believed that the monarch system should stay forever, over the reigning queen’s decision to abolish all seven kingdoms.”

“What? Seven kingdoms?” Bunnie and Amy asked, which went unheard as Ovi went on.

“Believing himself that the Queen was wrong the entire time, he searched for the Ruby, before finding it was in the possession of the Queen of the Emerald Kingdom—the very kingdom that commanded his.”

“With this knowledge, Maximillion created the Secret Service.” Mina started now; her voice sang with melancholy as she spoke. “The Secret Service was commanded to do two things—take the Phantom Ruby and initiate the Great War.” Gasps were heard from the two, but Mina continued, nonetheless “With the Phantom Ruby in his possession, Max was able to warp the minds of the six other kingdoms to believe that the Queen of the Emerald Kingdom – Aleena – planned to destroy all their kingdoms.”

“Of course, that wasn’t true. Not one bit.” Sonic snarled, his whole body bristling at the idea of it. “He used the lie to stage a war against the Emerald Kingdom – As soon as they turned, it became a disaster for the Emerald kingdom.”

“The other kingdoms attacked without warning.” Ovi finished, not looking at Amy and Bunnie as he spoke. “Max turned against us all, because he believed that the only type of human and anthro… were ones without powers.” The rat/human growled out the last sentence, making Amy and Bunnie flinch from his anger. “If it weren’t for Mogul’s tampering… we’d never have survived the onslaught of Eggman.”

“What?” Bunnie couldn’t help but gasp out, her mind working into overtime from the line of events that happened.

“When the slaughter was over, Max made it so that his family was the only thing to be remembered in the world.” The mongoose looked away sadly, biting her lip as she thought about what had happened. “Max made sure the tampering couldn’t be undone, so he rounded all the children from the Emerald Kingdom and made them forget of their homes and family history. Then, he made the world forget that the kingdom existed, including himself, to prevent the reality of what he wanted to happen crumble away.”

“Too bad it doesn’t affect people like Mogul, who had so much chaos energy inside him that he could see beyond the lies of the Phantom Ruby.” Sonic stated, smirking a bit at Amy and Bunnie’s surprised looks. “He was the one who saved us from becoming robots – allowing all of us to access our powers and our heightened natural abilities when the Phantom Ruby made us forget.” Ovi scoffed at that last bit, laughing a little at the idea.

“Yeah, well – it’s kind of sad that your bodies are stuck being power-washed back at Mogul’s base at the moment, and these dolls are your only way of communicating to the outside world.” Sonic shrugged at Ovi’s proclamation, not bothering to answer if it had been true or not. Amy and Bunnie looked more closely to both Sonic and Mina’s bodies, and then at Ovi’s. How could they insist that Sonic and Mina’s bodies aren’t their real bodies?

“Wait, Sugar-hog, you try’n to say that your bodies aren’t real?” The cyborg rabbit asked, confusion eminent on her face.

“That – that can’t be! You – you both look too real!” Amy emphasized her point by grabbing Sonic’s and Mina’s arms, stroking their skin and fur in a delicate pattern. Mins giggled at the soft touches Amy was doing, while Sonic huffed and fondly looked at his #1 fan’s administrations.

“Well, if you don’t believe, why not see for yourself?” Ovi questioned carefully, suddenly behind Bunnie in that moment. “After all, we can’t have people like you making too much noise for your husband and our other friends.”

“Wha –” Bunnie couldn’t say more in the matter, suddenly feeling a cloth with highly incensed smell cover her face and her mouth. Her right arm suddenly sagged, and her robotic limbs suddenly became jello as she fell unconscious from the fumes. Luckily, Ovi was there to catch her before she gained a concussion, and gently lowered her to the ground carefully.

“Bunnie!” Amy yelled out, before getting a similar cloth to the nose by Mina as well. Trapped, and in no position to be able to swing her hammer, Amy instantly fell into unconsciousness as well, with Mina carefully holding onto her. Sonic, wasting no time, took Bunnie from Ovi’s lacklustre hold (as much as Ovi was trying to hide it, he could not lift Bunnie’s robotic parts for any longer).

“We’ll need someone to stay and be on the inside. Ovi, you alright with that?” Sonic couldn’t help but smirk at his changeling friend, whom gave a thumbs up in Sonic’s direction.

“Please be careful, Ovi.” Mina stated, her hold on Amy delicate and gentle.

“When have I been not?” Ovi said, smirking as the two looked at him deadpan. Instead of talking about what they thought of his rhetorical question, they immediately left the way they came, and Ovi looked to the room to find it almost completely totalled. “Ah, may as well make it look like a real struggle.” He said to himself.

–Aquillis

#submission #Aquillis-Main #Archie Sonic

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minhyukie · 7 years ago

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your oral presentation abt joohyuk was soso cute!! can you give us your onion about the other _____hyuk ships as well !! :O

Ahhhh I Love your Voice

this would be too much to fit into a voice note anyway fjdskf and i think doing Every single mx pairing would be a bit too much for my tiny brain but!! i’m gonna talk about each minhyuk pairing under the cut, im not sure if they’ll be as enjoyable as the joohyuk one (i feel like im probably best at talking about them since they’re my favorite) but i hope this is what u guys were looking for :D

showhyuk – i feel like their dynamic is v beneficial especially to shownu, bc minhyuk literally thinks sooo so greatly of shownu like u can tell how much he admires him!! he’s always praising shownus looks and strengths in variety and his actions reflect it as well – during the vlive they did abt law of the jungle, minhyuk literally only seemed to care about shownu monitoring him and shownu’s opinions on how he did because he respects shownu in variety so much, and although minhyuk was originally the member who mx seemed to want to point towards variety shownu ended up being that person instead and i think in shownu’s mind it still means a lot to be thought of that highly by minhyuk, who he views as being so good at speaking and variety.. they both just admire each other a lot in that respect and i think its v good for each of them. also – im partially taking this from what i saw a friend say once, but i think minhyuk helps relieve shownu sometimes from the responsibilities of being a leader… shownu is a great leader i’ve said and explained it so many times but also as they said in the one mxray episode it puts a lot on his shoulders and although he is able to handle it well, i think minhyuk really helps to relieve it because he also acts as their leader in so many ways!! and showhyuk really has a soft spot in my heart bc out of all the members, i feel like shownu really loves minhyuk the way he is the most.. when he said during no exit broadcast that he actually loves it when minhyuk talks a lot.. that’s a statement that i think is beyond what many of the other members feel.. i think the way shownu and minhyuk are actually quite opposite really draws shownu into minhyuk and it’s honestly surprising to me how much shownu just.. loves him? he loves being physically close with minhyuk.. and im no Expert on shownu pairings but i rly dont observe shownu behaving that way with the other members as compared to how he … i wish i could make a gifset compilation of it i think about it all the time but shownu is always reaching out to hold minhyuk’s hand… there are so many subtle moments and honestly it’s almost always shownu initiating it.. and obviously the sweet bed scene from right now with minhyuk cuddling up to him, and also at the end of the liev minhyuk did a similar thing.. and how he lets minhyuk quite literally crawl onto him both during the liev, and the moment at isac.. it’s not even shownu just “tolerating” it or anything but whenever he has these physical interactions with minhyuk i can really see how much he loves it?? it’s something v unique to the two of them and i dont think any of the other members react the same way to minhyuk and like i said it’s just. i really feel like shownu loves minhyuk So Much the way he is… i lvoe them…

wonhyuk – THEYRE SOOO CUTE AN D FUNNIE FJDKSLFDS 2017 was a blessing in the wonhyuk vlives it gave us and it rly opened my perspective to their relationship which i honestly think is so complex beyond what im going to say i feel like… it’s hard for me to discuss abt them bc i think a lot of what im abt to say is a lot more my opinion and speculation than me actually having any idea what’s going on!! their relationship really just goes from one extreme to the other bc one one hand they are soo wild like.. they really have no physical boundaries.. when i was coming up with moments to put in my possessive minhyuk gifset i just kept on coming up with more wonhyuk moments i really considered just making it a wonhyuk gifset at one point bc i couldn’t come up with anything else?? a lot of it is minhyuk to wonho but sometimes even the other way around.. but their relationship is also v intimate emotionally? and this is where i sort of trip up and im not sure about a lot of things.. the obvious place to point is the radio show where wonho talked about each of the members and shared about how important minhyuk was to him and how much he had been leaning on and relying on him as a source of comfort… but beyond that it gets a bit fuzzy? it’s very fascinating to watch the two of them and how they support each other, whether its minhyuk encouraging wonho to speak up or during a meet and greet where minhyuk was starting to fret about his role as MC in the background and you could see wonho comforting him and telling him he was doing well.. i think that maybe they’ve shared with each other a lot on these sorts of topics and insecurities, and i think they both share a bit in that aspect (at least at that point in time) about being afraid to say the wrong thing and the way they both search for peoples’ approval.. but then 2017 hit!! and now they’re really just TWO CHILDREN FJDKLSFDS THEYRE SO CUUUTE the way they bicker with each other and i think its almost like they can both be as completely immature as possible with each other while knowing it’s reciprocated? the fact that wonho can say “i wish minhyuk would disappear” without any fear of misunderstanding or annoyance.. the way minhyuk cutely kept saying he wanted wonho to see him as a friend.. their dynamic is really so fascinating to me even moreso recently… also sidenote but it’s cute how wonho doesn’t like eating alone and i know minhyuk didn’t join him for that one vlive (i genuinely believe he was busy) but if u think back to the vlives they did together this year it was always minhyuk joining wonho to eat… :-( i feel like minhyuk rly understands when wonho is a bit needy and is happy to be there for him… like i said it’s hard for me to coherently put thoughts together about the two of them, i feel like i don’t have as strong of a grasp on their dynamic, but i would love to see more :D

kihyuk – Best!! Fucking!! Friends!! like i know im saying this abt every pairing but i truly feel that these two understand each other on some next level, they could literally share a glance and know what the other one is thinking.. minhyuk could tell kihyun to go fuck himself and kihyun would just laugh his ass off with the brightest happiest eyes like… fdjklsfds the video i just recently reblogged where minhyuk was like “kihyun was so good at acting but i hate so much when he gets into the role i hate him” and kihyuns reaction?? FOR WHY. .. WAS HE SO HAPPY FKDSJLFDS… the most important kihyuk thing to me is really just how well they fundamentally understand each other… with regards to minhyuk understanding kihyun, its actually just funny to me because minhyuk just gets so offended when anyone else tries to say Anything about kihyun because He Wants To Be The One To Talk About His Best Friend.. mxray ep6… everytime that psychoanalyst opened his mouth about kihyun minhyuk immediately butted in he wanted everyone to know that He knew the most he knew it all already.. he felt so relieved whenever the psychoanalyst guy said things he already knew.. minhyuk loves putting his thoughts on kihyun out there jfdkslfds but the more soft and meaningful example would be their second year anniversary video – the way minhyuk explained kihyuns role on the team is genuinely the most heartfelt and well worded explanation i’ve heard… even though it’s rly hard for minhyuk to show it he Knows how much kihyun does and respects and cares for him so much, looks after him silently.. and it’s very much so returned, bc kihyun is the only member who i’ve seen accurately pin down (several times) that minhyuk’s weak point or the thing that he wishes minhyuk would fix is that he overthinks his own performance, he overthinks variety and worries too much in many aspects.. while this is something minhyuk himself is also aware of i’ve never seen the other members bother to mention it but kihyun has talked abt it on several occasions and how he wishes minhyuk could be happier by not worrying so much and i think that shows so much about how well they understand each other and their emotions. it’s fascinating to me how much they’ve changed, they used to be so soft and cute with each other, but it’s grown to the point where they struggle being outwardly nice to each other with cameras around and minhyuk especially is so embarrassed to be honest and nice around kihyun but it works amazingly well between the two of them because kihyun is able to take whatever minhyuk throws at him and either throw it right back or just absorb it and be able to laugh because he Knows minhyuk’s true intentions? i’ve never seen either of them genuinely hurt the other with their sharp words despite all they do is bicker… i lvoe them … :( and kihyun also really just. loves minhyuk? as he is? they literally hang out All THe Time and i’ve said it before as has aleena how.. kihyun keeps on ditching the other members invites to hang out? but minhyuk keeps “complaining” about how kihyun always wants to do things and wherever he goes kihyun is stuck next to him?? they just naturally gravitate towards each other and i cant believe they’re gonna be friends into their next lifetime and that they’re gonna grow up with even their kids being best friends. god im sure i have more to say about them but their friendship is really on another level :-(

hyunghyuk – to be quite honest, a pairing im hesitant to talk about these days, moreso bc it make me uncomfortable the way people talk about them oftentimes? i know that im not one to talk abt them much on my blog but honestly ask any of my friends and they’ll tell u i have the biggest hyunghyuk tunnel vision anymore, like.. im hyperfocused on their interactions.. as an overarching picture, i think their friendship is truly something amazing – they’ve been friends since they were 19, possibly the longest friendship within monsta x, and despite being so very different from each other in so many ways they are able to be so close with such an intimate understanding between the two of them to the point where on one of hyungwons bday messages to minhyuk he said something along the lines of there was nothing more for them to know about each other but that he hopes they continue getting closer and learning more and being good friends.. Strong family vibes :-( while their relationship certainly seems different now than it was a year or two ago, i think that their close bond definitely remains, and i think it’s obvious that they still have massive respect and emotional ties between the two of them… i miss their many close interactions but especially over the past months i feel like they’re returning very much so to the way they used to behave :D

joohyuk – my brain is starting to fry and i think the Joohyuk TED Talk explained most of my feelings pretty well so.. for anyone who didn’t listen here’s the link to that!

changhyuk – my namesake!! :D I LOVE THESE BOYS.. tbh i think i wrote quite a bit about them fairly recently so im not sure if there’s gonna be many new thoughts here but… over the past few months my feelings regarding them have been in a WHIRLWIND i love them so much!! i feel like they’re very similar in so many ways and as such when they’re together they can truly do the craziest things but also have a brotherly bond together? i think i feel similarly to them the way i do about wonhyuk, so, similar to wonhyuk this explanation may not be very coherent or cohesive because it’s hard for me to place everything together. i used to rly think that changhyuk were just like.. fuckin wild.. fuckin out there… because they really do some of the most absurd things fdslfds they really practiced twerking and spanking each other during oi and did it on live stage.. with embarrassed but proud smiles.. they grinded against each other Many times during the most recent ISAC literally acting like they were at a club like.. why in the fuck FJDKLSFDS?? but the more i think about them the less that’s my focus on their relationship, like that’s certainly part of it (a funny and yes enjoyable part) but its so much more than that they are Literally so much like brothers to me and everytime i think of it it honestly brings me to tears because minhyuk really has this fondness and brotherly affection for changkyun that he doesn’t for the other members, and it’s not only apparent through his actions but his words.. but it’s not so much in a way that he views him as a child or anything, but that he just completely respects and trusts changkyun with so much? and he wishes for the same in return from him.. i feel like a lot of people overlook the small details between them, such as minhyuk saying that he goes to changkyun when he’s worried about something or needs to get something off of his chest? that he finds changkyun to be a good listener? and that he loves to lay with changkyun whether it be on their couch or on his bed and listen to changkyun’s stories, everything just throws off such warm and loving vibes and imo it’s Extremely different from minhyuk’s feelings or behaviors towards the other members. the thing that most strongly impacted me and i really cant stop thinking about was from their picnic fanmeeting, there was a vcr where they talked about the members when they weren’t listening and minhyuk very beautifully talked about how it was very obvious to him what changkyun’s emotions were at any moment in time, but changkyun is the type to bottle it up and not want to bother any of the members but how minhyuk wishes he would open it up to them because it’s okay? and he even related it back to his own brother, and how the two of them are the same age, and the entire conversation really just made me realize how much minhyuk views changkyun like his own brother and i :-(( it literally makes me cry.. minhyuk isn’t so much the type to dote on other people, but he does it so much with jooheon but also changkyun and with changkyun it is so much more subtle and often overlooked and it’s a shame! and, one final thing, is that changkyun is SO supportive of minhyuk i feel like he understands a lot of minhyuk’s insecurities (possibly as said above bc i feel like minhyuk opens up to changkyun about these topics a lot?) and openly acts to try to make minhyuk feel more comfortable .. in particular, i’ve been noticing recently how supportive changkyun is about minhyuk’s english which i think could be a point of insecurity for him and seeing changkyun encouraging him to speak in english and helping him and telling him he’s doing well .. small things like that are really good for minhyuk to receive because i feel like since minhyuk tends to come off as a very loud and proud and confident person, it often goes over the members’ heads how much he lives for praise and reassurance as well

#Anonymous #wow wish i worked this hard on my classwork #i didn't proof read this so . i m sorry #askref

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zecretsanta · 7 years ago

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To: @merouses

From: @aleena-san

Alee here with my Secret Santa for merouses!

prompt 1 – luna tending to plants

The air was ripe with the sweet scent of flourishing flowers. Luna could taste the honey of their petals upon her tongue as she swept in a small breath of hot summer air, a breath that delightfully seared at her lungs with heated relish, and promised even warmer days to come. She couldn’t resist the small smile tugging up at her lips at the thought. Sunnier soaked days like this meant even more time in the company of her most favorite friends in the whole wide world!

…That being the flowers. Laugh all you want, but Luna could almost hear their soft chatter carried upon the soulful whisper of a breeze. A cheerful hum sprung to life within her throat, as idle hands began their busy work scuffling through dirt and tending to wrinkles written within the leaves. It had become a routine of hers, one might say; indeed, it wasn’t rare to see the young girl of ringlet locks and gentle blue eyes surrounded in a wreathe of her precious dahlias and daisies. Her fingers worked like magic on soil that was once rough with age. Now, the dirt thrived with life, and the sturdy stems of her friends grew thick and healthy.

“Oh, Scarlet, you look happy today.” Luna’s smile grew even broader as her hands came to gently caress the petals of a blood-soaked rose. This beauty towered above the rest with pure royalty intertwined into its very aura. “Let me guess. Good sleep?” Though it could not utter a reply in return, Luna liked to think that it was nodding its head in gentle affirmation under the sway of the wind. “That’s good. Here! You must be thirsty on such a hot day.”

The watering can breathed life into soil turned crisp by the sun. Already her flowers seemed to perk, their roots digging deeper into what Luna must’ve imagined as now very comfortable moist earth. She didn’t notice the shadow blotting out blue sky until a familiar voice jolted Luna from her reverie.

“Um…Ms. Luna, what are you doing?”

“Quark!”

His head just came to level above her shoulder. Wide, curious eyes reflected the objects of her handiwork. “Gardening…?” Luna couldn’t help flushing with embarrassment at the note of ire held within his voice. Quickly, he glanced shyly away. “I didn’t know you liked tending to these gardens too, Ms. Luna. I mean – not that I come here often or anything.” As if to accentuate that fact, he puffed out his cheeks and blew a whistle of air through tightly pursed lips.

“Oh! You like flowers, too?”

Quark’s cheeks flushed scarlet. “I mean…when I’m bored…or there’s nothing else to do. But if you’re here that’s okay. I’ll go play somewhere else.”

A small part of Luna was almost glad that he might leave. Perhaps the only selfish bone in her body was reserved for this garden – her secret place as one might say – and to share it with anyone else might just dampen the magic in the air. Though perhaps that was merely her anxiety speaking on her behalf. Sometimes, silence was comforting, but it wasn’t always welcome.

Maybe sharing her garden with Quark would fill the air with even more magic then before.

It was sheer instinct that had Luna grasping onto Quark’s hand, just as he was about to trudge on his way.

“No. Don’t go.” She smiled and gestured to a small shovel near her feet. “To be honest it gets a little lonely, out here all by myself. The flowers are nice, but they aren’t exactly the best talkers. So…would you care to join me?”

Quark paused. Luna barely even acknowledged his tiny nod until he plopped himself down by her side. His hands sought out the tiny shovel, and with the vigor of a playful child, he began burrowing a new hole for one of the many plotted plants she had yet to set.

Sun soaked the earth in pools of molten gold; birds screeched as they soared above thermals on wide open air; and friendship filled the wind with the scent of roses and dandelions, a scent that Luna would be sure to treasure for the remainder of her lifetime.

prompt 2 – lotus playing video games

“Ha! This’ll be a piece of cake!”

Clover’s beaming proudly from her perch on the couch. She’s looking adorable as ever, with arms tucked neatly against her chest and one leg swung across the other in an almost royal pose. “Hate to break it to ya, Lotus, but I’m the Queen of this game! Are you prepared for the bitter taste of defeat?”

Lotus is not at all impressed. With a huff of air, she flops down next to Clover and snatches up a spare controller. “Sure. So let’s make this quick, alright?” It’s no secret to the gathering crowd that Lotus hasn’t even touched a gamepad in her life before this very moment. Raising two kids and holding down an array of part time jobs didn’t exactly leave much time for childish activities like this. At Junpei’s urging, however, she finds herself forced into a challenge she really cares little about.

Clover plucks up her own controller and leans forward, eyes glinting with the fires of determination. Mortal Kombat’s screen flashes upon the television set, its foreboding music reverberating throughout the room in the looming promise of war. “Ready?” Junpei asks. Sweat clings to his forehead as if he can taste the competitive spirit hanging in the air.

“Ready as I’ll ever be!” Clover chirps.

“Sure, whatever.”

“On your marks…get set…Go!”

The war is on.

First, choose a character. Clover predictably goes for a woman dressed in flashy pink. Lotus doesn’t really care which one she has – they’re all just a bunch of ones and zeroes dressed to look pretty, after all – but, she finds herself drawn to Kitana, with her deadly aura and bladed fans. The game began mere seconds after.

“H-Huh?”

Clover lurches back. Not even three seconds have passed and already the first round has come to its end, ending with none other than her character avatar knocked out upon a cold metal floor. Her cheeks flush scarlet. “Hey! You’re cheating! That’s no fair!”

“Cheating? I just pressed a few buttons and boom. You’re dead.”

Clover turns to Junpei for help. “You’re gonna let that pass?”

“Sorry…but Lotus didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. It’s fair game so far.”

FINISH HER

Clover can scarcely believe her ears. She whips back around to the screen, only to see a bored looking Lotus punching buttons in any random order, which inevitably leads to her character’s gruesome execution. A booming voice proudly accompanies the red text that flashes over the murder.

FATALITY

“Uhh…Lotus wins…I guess?”

Everyone present awkwardly claps.

Laughter pours from Lotus’ lips. It’s almost as surprising as the fact that she beat Clover in less than ten seconds at a game she knew nothing about. She leans back into the couch, a mischievous smirk painted upon her lips. “Hey, that was actually pretty fun! Wanna do it again?”

Devil-woman. The terrified thought echoes through all the minds of the Nonary Game survivors. “I think I’m good,” Clover begins.

“Me too…” says Akane.

Needless to say, Lotus was never allowed to touch a controller again.

prompt 3 – snake tries to learn another instrument

Light wasn’t very familiar with the strings of a guitar.

He couldn’t exactly say he was fond with the way they tore at the soft pads of his fingers, or how the clunky instrument seated lamely above his leg. It felt less than graceful to hold, and sounded even worse to his ears, especially since he had naught a clue on how to tune the beast. Beside him, he could hear Clover’s breath taut with anticipation.

“You’re gonna do just fine!” his sister chirped. “It’s not hard at all, I swear!”

“I don’t know…” The sigh that left his lips was more sombre than usual. “I cannot say this feels the same as a piano. Nor does it have the feathery weight of a violin.”

“Well duh. Of course it doesn’t. It’s something so much cooler!”

He frowned. “Cool…er?” The word tasted foreign upon his tongue.

Clover gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “Jeez, you’re such a grandpa. Just give it a try.”

“Hmm…”

His fingers brushed polished wood and came to tug at the individual strings and nobs of his new toy. No matter how much he plucked, or twisted and turned in a futile attempt at tuning, nothing seemed to work. Frustration curdled in the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t used to being genuinely bad at something, let alone unable to overcome said ‘badness.’ Badness. Great. The guitar was turning his brain into mush if that was the only word he could think of!

Clover, however, would beg to differ. She hummed off tune in sync with his awkward fumbling and poor strumming of its strings. “You’re enjoying this?” he inquired, brow furrowing to rest close against his eyes.

“’Course! I’ve always wanted to hear you play guitar.”

He smiled. “And why is that?”

“No reason. I just think you’d do well in a band!”

A band! What a ludicrous thought! Despite that, he couldn’t help laughing in good cheer. “Sorry to disappoint you, Clover, but I don’t think the guitar is for me.” He could feel the weight of the air plummet under her predictable pout. “But…I suppose I won’t mind if it’s just you and me. Provided my talent with this awful thing never leaves this room.”

And the air was light again, surely because of Clover’s broad smile. “Awesome! Does that mean I can play your piano, too?”

“I don’t see why not. Perhaps you will have more luck.”

She didn’t. But the sound of random key smashing and off-tuned guitar strumming echoed throughout the Field residence for many days to come, and it was a sound that – while awful for the neighbors – meant the entire world and more to two very tight-knit siblings.

#zero escape #virtue's last reward #merouses #aleena-san #zecret santa 2017 #submission

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burndownthehousetonight · 7 years ago

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((This is something I’ve been thinking about doing with story driven threads of RPs. If there are NSFW parts that can be skipped over, I will post a SFW version so more people will be willing to read it! If you’d like the NSFW version of this @jack-rabbot RP, you can find it here!))

Complicated technology was still in it's early and most expensive stages, reserved mostly for the rich. Simpler technologies still existed with the commonfolk. Clocks, motors, plumbing and some electricity, but technology just wasn't there yet. The few specialists who worked with those technologies were always pushing the envelope, testing what they'd already done and perfecting it. But transportation was still being developed, and the best designed vehicles were kept secret from the public... or closely examined, carefully build in secret, and distributed to a few specific royals, all by a certain two tailed fox.

So when the commonfolk saw some kind of automobile speeding down the streets, everyone paid attention. Especially with the royal Yezek family crest on the front of the vehicle and Queen Aleena and her children looking out the windows.

"Your Majesty, something appears to have come up." The wolf had been waiting outside the meeting hall for a while, impatient to speak to the king. "The royal family of Mobotropolis arrived in the automobile. They want to speak to you immediately, they've been escorted to the throne room."

Jack didn’t bother with most of the technology that was being developed in secret. The most he had was the limbs that kept him up and walking. The rabbit was doing his best to keep up his look of being stern with keeping the marriage between him and princess Sally either on hold or cancelling it all together if he could ,but unfortunately it was all a facade. He was quite nervous of what this investigation would bring to light if anything was found at all, who had committed the crime and why? Was it someone close to Jack’s family? Was it a plan to coup? An act of revenge maybe, a plot from a different kingdom to swoop in and take control when the royal family was slain?

Jack had no clue and with each passing day he was slowly becoming more and more nervous of himself breaking the facade he had been trying to hold onto. After the latest meeting Jack saw the waiting wolf and listened to what he had to say. Manic’s family? What were they here for? Jack nodded as he walked with the wolf to the throne room. “Have they said why they wanted to speak with meh?” "They said it's top secret," the wolf informed him, "and that it's necessary for the safety of both your kingdoms." The entrance to the throne room normally had one or two guards, depending on the time of day. Not so much with the royal family there, bumping that number all the way up to six guards. Two of Jacks, four from the royal family. The nodded for the king, silently and ominously opening the door for the king, and no one else. The wolf was held back, so much so he wasn't allowed to look into the throne room. The queen made her stance clear. She sat firmly in the king's rightful throne, her gaze quietly judging the young king as her three children stood to her side and said nothing. Sonia and Sonic looked mildly uncomfortable being there. Manic did not. His arms were crossed, his head held low... was he trembling a little? The sight of the king gave him another jolt of fear, visible in the way he wobbled. Silently, the queen stood up and stepped forward. "Hello, your Majesty." She said, her eyes half lidded and belying anger. "Step forward, we have a lot to talk about." But the king was stopped short of the raised platform the thrones were on, and one of Aleena's thin fingers pas pointed at the ground. "Kneel." Top secret? The safety of both kingdoms? What had happened that could cause such problems? As Jack thought, him and his guard got to the throne room and with only him allowed to enter the room, the rabbit entered the throne room alone to see to the visiting royal family. He had been wearing more regal clothes since his facade had started as that helped keep his image. The clothes he chose for today was a black suit with thin white stripes with a black cape behind him, this was one of his most formal of attires and seemed to get him the most respect from his peers at least he hoped that was the case. He was slightly put off with the fact that the visiting queen was sitting on his father’s throne when she had no right to it, although he was worried about Manic as he saw his lover stand there in his current state. The other two royal children didn’t give him confidence.

Jack listened to the queen and while her look did slightly unnerve him he did his best to stay composed. It was when he was stopped and the queen spoke again did he feel more then just put off with her actions of late, kneel? Did she seriously ask him the king to kneel before her while in his kingdom, while his throne room while sitting on a throne that does not belong to her? Jack was not one to be quick to anger but like everyone he had limits, he kept himself for Manic’s sake before speaking.

“With all due respect Queen Aleena, ah believe proper protocol dictates that it is the visiting royals that must bow to king not the other way around. Ah assume yeh'r trip must’ve been tiring, ah hope mah father’s throne was comfortable for yeh but ah must politely ask yeh refrain from sitting on a throne that does not belong to yeh. Now may ah ask what is this top secret that threatens our kingdoms?” Jack asked doing his best to stay civil for Manic while also slightly showing his distaste for the queen’s choice of words and actions so far. "Interesting." Aleena pretended to be in thought, not backing down from her firm stance on the pedestal the thrones sat on. "Your throne is private property? I should've assumed. Royalty should be given some kind of privacy and respect. After all," She glared down at Jack, her height over him only increased by her position. "It would be horrible for any king to disrespect another monarch's wishes." She stepped forward. "You understand that homosexuality is widely hated in most every kingdom. Every romance through my court has to go through me to make sure it wouldn't stir any international incidents, and you've stepped far beyond that. I understand you've been seeing Manic for two months now? Sneaking out after dark and doing whatever you do?" Another step, so she was uncomfortably close to the rabbit. "You've risked ruining both of our royal families with this little affair, and with how things are going now, I'm afraid keeping this secret isn't an option." The same angle, the same motion. Aleena pointed at the ground in the same way she had before. "So when I say kneel, I don't mean kneel for me. Kneel for the two countries and countless lives that are risking losing everything for what you've done." Jack felt like she was insulting him as she spoke while standing over the throne. “Well ah doubt yeh wouldn’t be too happy if ah was to visit yeh'r kingdom and then tell yeh to kneel while sitting on yeh'r throne.” The rabbit replied as he then listened to what she had to say. When she mention the taboo in question jack started to get nervous and knew why Manic was looking as he was, she found out? Ruining the royal families? There wasn’t any family left for Jack to ruin so there was only him to bear the burden, but he felt she didn’t really care as this would mostly affect her status as ruler as it would him.

Was she blackmailing him? Was she honestly using one of her children and the feelings the two had for each other to blackmail the young king just so she could keep her power and save face? What else could he do? Unfortunately not much else accept to do as she told him, as he gritted his teeth he slowly kneeled in front of her while having a very high distaste of her, if it wasn’t for Manic and his siblings who had done so much for him this conversation wouldn’t even be happening as he would’ve had her escorted out by now. The boiling blend of fear and anger the queen could see in Jack told her she pushed her luck far enough. "We've had a doctor come in to talk with Manic about some issues he's had recently with gaining weight and nausea. And as it turns out... someone has impregnated him." She said, finally cutting to the chase. "Sonia finally spilled who he was seeing, and I have no reason to doubt her." The way the queen spun flung her dress, making the move to glare straight at the now shuddering prince all the more dramatic. "Unless you've been sleeping with Scourge in private again?" "I'm not!" Manic said quietly, anger only held back by crushing fear. "I haven't slept with him in years!" "And is there anyone else who could have been the father?" His silence spoke volumes. There was no one Manic wanted to implicate for this, and by the time he had figured out a good lie, Aleena was already facing the king again. "What do you have to say, your Majesty?" Jack kept his head down as Aleena spoke. It was only when she spoke of Manic and what happened to him did his head quickly look up to the royal family, Manic’s pregnant?! When could that have happened? Jack and Manic only engaged intimate acts three times, and all those times Jack thought Manic was on those pills that stopped him from being pregnant. Back then he was still new to stuff like that and had no idea how pregnancy worked. This sudden news was quickly breaking the facade he had bringing him back to the point he was almost when he first met Manic.

Jack watched and listened as the queen spoke to Manic and so on, it was only when Aleena turned and spoke to him again that the rabbit flinched himself before speaking. “I-it was meh, ah take full responsibility for what has happened. A-ah hope ah can make up for this and earn yeh'r forgiveness.” The rabbit said, sounding and feeling defeated and depressed. Manic was the one person who made him happy and the foolish rabbit pretty much ruined his life. Jack kept his head as he stayed on his hands and knees in front of the queen and waited for her verdict. Jack was defeated, she'd gotten her confession. That was all she needed, and her power games were over. "I don't want him to stop seeing anyone if it makes him happy," Aleena started, "regardless of gender. But there's no good option here. If the public finds out any of this - that he's trans, that he's gay, that he's eloped with another royal - they'll have our heads." Her arms were held to her side. "But you are the father. I'll give you and Manic three days to put a plan together for this child. If you can't decide on a plan, I'll handle this personally. Understood?" Jack’s ears were lowered quite a bit, almost reaching the ground as he knelt and kept his head down in shame. This was the worst he’d ever felt and it was his fault this had happened, he should’ve stopped himself that night it all started, then at least Manic wouldn’t be in this mess. Although saying that, what would’ve happened to the rabbit if their meeting had never happened? Jack listened to Queen Aleena and kept his mouth shut the whole time. When she told the rabbit what to do and how long he had to do he kept his head down as he spoke. “Y-yes Queen Aleena.” A-ah understand.“ His facade broken, he was back to his timid frightened self again, it was probably the most shameful he looked with him on his knees with his head so close to the ground. ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ Manic was sitting on Jack's bed, arms supporting him. His dress shirt was unbuttoned, showing off the baby bump. Before, it was possible to pass it off as weight gain. But the way it bumped out was unmistakable. "The doctor said she thinks I'm two months in," Manic said regretfully. "It must have been the night we met." When they were alone Jack was sitting on a chair opposite the bed as he looked at Manic. He was conflicted, he hated himself for what he did with Manic and he didn’t know what to do in this situation. "A-ah see, d-didn’t yeh say yeh was on pills to stop this happening?” Jack asked as he looked at Manic’s baby bump. The pills must’ve been faulty if this had happened. Manic's legs crossed in shame. "That kinda medical stuff's still kinda sketch. We don't really know what works yet, and... we can't really know 'til it's too late. Medicine never works on me, anyways." But his own emotions weren't his concern. "Angel, babe, she's just- she didn't realize what this meant, but goddamn. Don't let her scare you. Everyone fucked up here, you aren't alone. I should've... Should've stopped this that morning." He was already up, helping Jack out of the chair by his hands. "C'mon, let's go to the balcony, get some air. It'll help." He quickly did up his shirt buttons again, covering the bump enough to hide it's true nature. The midday summer air was warm and fresh, cool breezes relaxing them as they worried about absolutely everything. "I don't even know where to start," Manic said. "Mom said I'm too far in to terminate this, I've gotta take it to term. What the hell are we gonna do?" "A-ah see, it wasn’t yeh'r fault Manic.” Jack replied as he looked at Manic crossing his legs. If it wasn’t for everything that had happened and all the negative things that would’ve come from this, Jack might’ve been less worried. He might’ve even been happy to have a child with Manic, but unfortunately with things as they were, it just couldn’t happen. Jack continued to listen to Manic speak as he sat in his chair and looked down. He didn’t deserve to be called an angel, not after what he did and what he was putting Manic through now, he blamed himself fully and would take the blame for Manic as well. With Manic’s help he was soon out of his chair and walking to the balcony as he watched Manic button his shirt to cover his bump. Although the cool breeze helped a little, it didn’t help completely. Jack had no idea how to get through this he was still worrying about Manic. “A-ah don’t know Manic, as much as I don’t want to say it we can’t keep the child, maybe someone we can trust could take it when yeh’ve had it.” "I don't know who that'd be now," Manic said. "I mean... Really, I dunno how I'm gonna stop being seen for seven months. Like, I'm used to just disappearing for a while, but that's a hell of a long time even for me." He rested his chin on his hand and his elbow on the railing of the patio. "I don't know what this is gonna mean for us, either. I know it's fun, but like..." No, that negativity wasn't going to help. "I really do care about you, man. You're a great boyfriend. I don't wanna burden you with having to deal with changing diapers and listening to screaming..." He went silent. The thought had echoed around his mind several times before, but now that Jack knew their whole story, Manic wasn't sure if it was a good idea to suggest that route. Maybe it was best if he just glossed over their name. "Hey, if the baby can't stay at my place or yours... I think I know where it could hide out. I've disappeared there whenever someone's after me for whatever reason, but it's kinda far away." He turned back to the king, doing his best to grin and pointing at the castle grounds with his thumb. "If we take my hoverboard, we can get there before sundown. You up for a little ride?" Jack listened to Manic speak and was having trouble thinking of any more ideas himself. What could they do? Manic had to carry the child to term and then what? There was no way either of them could have the child in with them without questions being asked, and who could they trust to look after the child if they had to leave the child with someone? There was no one Jack knew who would take a child in a situation like this. Jack listened to Manic speak and was happy that Manic still cared about him despite what he had done to Manic.

As he listened to Manic speak his idea, Jack looked at his lover and wondered where they could go. "Yeh do? Where can we take it?” Jack asked before Manic pointed to the grounds and spoke again. Jack wasn’t sure of this, but if Manic thought it was a good idea then he’d go with it, as he nodded to Manic and packed a few things for them for the trip. ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ The outside of the foreign castle may have been behind an imposing wall, but that didn't mean the grounds themselves were imposing. Actually, the place felt warm and inviting with the few children running around in the evening air. A little orange wolf with sharp pointed teeth, a dark blue rat chasing the wolf close behind, and a little purple hedgehog with two tiny horns, none of them looking older than four years old and all wearing regal attire. Nannies of the king were standing around, letting the children play and have fun while making sure they weren't getting hurt. But they couldn't stop and watch. Manic took the lead and walked Jack into the massive castle, with royal purple decorations covering the stone floors and walls. The room was massive, full of warm lighting and elegantly carved doorways and decorations, but the tiny gargoyles scattered in the carvings gave the room an air like the prince and the king were being watched. Guards bowed at their entrance, as a fox with a black fringe greeted the two. "Hello, your highnesses," he said, not sounding like he cared in the slightest. "Why are you here?" Manic stepped forward. "We need to speak with king Scourge. Immediately." Jack wasn’t sure where he was and while he was a bit nervous seeing the imposing walls outside the castle, he couldn’t believe he was in the same place as he saw the grounds. He watched the children play as he and Manic walked into the castle. Jack wasn’t sure who owned this castle, as the only reason he was there was because of Manic saying this person might be able to help them at least take care of their child when Manic had it.

Jack looked around as the two walked through the castle and it felt a lot different then back home, he couldn’t help but feel a little nervous but as long as Manic was there and he trusted whoever they were seeing, then that was enough for Jack. Hopefully this should at least make things a bit easier for them. Jack stayed quiet as they reached the guards and the fox who, while he didn’t seem to care, still asked them what they were there for.

It was only until he heard the name that Jack found out why they were here, Scourge? He was the to help them? Jack wasn’t sure if this was a good idea but he stayed close and kept his mouth shut as he didn’t really have any other choice. "The king is in the throne room, practicing loudly." He said, already turning and walking. "This way." That harsh sound they heard as they approached the throne room was unmistakable. Not many technologies were available to the public, but some were quick to find a new use for it; music. The doors were opened and there was Scourge, practicing on an electric guitar and not looking like he was taking anything seriously. "Your loudness," the fox said, almost pushing the royals in and leaving through the door, "two royal visitors have arrived." The slam of the door was followed by the sound of Scourge's guitar plomping onto the cushion of the single throne in the room. These weren't a royal's clothes, these were the leather jackets worn by street punks, just made of fancier materials. "Knew you couldn't stay away forever," Scourge said, walking up to Manic with a dangerous yet charming grin. He wrapped one arm around Manic's shoulders, and pointed one finger casually at Jack as he spoke. "Why'd you come with, Jack?" He asked, not really knowing quite. "What, don't tell me Manic didn't come here just for me." Jack stayed close to Manic as they followed the fox to the throne room. The loud music was a bit much for the rabbit as his sensitive ears were ringing quite loudly as they got closer to the source of the noise. Was the fox honestly just pushing them in and leaving? As they were shoved in with the door slamming shut behind them, Jack was relieved when the music stopped and it was more quiet now as he watched Scourge walk up to them.

Jack wasn’t sure how to feel with how Scourge spoke and acted towards Manic, even though he knew they had been together a while ago he couldn’t help but feel a little protective of Manic as he watched Scourge wrap his arm around Manic. Now came the awkward and quite possibly risky part, Jack wasn’t sure how they were going to explain to Scourge the situation they were in. “U-um, well not exactly, we need yeh'r help king Scourge.” Jack said as he looked at the other king. "Yeah, this ain't a political thing or whatever." Manic stepped up next to Jack. They had a lot to explain. "I mean... Jack and me have kinda been together for a while. Uh..." Even Manic had to swallow out of anxiety. "He knocked me up. And I can't terminate it. I've gotta stay hidden from the public 'til it's born. I really need your help, man." The king looked on at the two, now noticing the vague bump in Manic's chest. "You sure it's Jack's kid?" He nodded. "I still don't know a lot about our relationship." He had to admit." I don't know if we're open or strict, or how we're gonna see each other when I'm trying to get this baby out, or-" And he sighed, stopping himself from prattling. "I've only been sleeping with him. I don't think he's got anyone else in his life, I don't want to cheat on him." Scourge nodded and thought, looking at Jack. He looked like he was silently looking Jack over, like he was appraising his body. It only lasted a few moments while Manic spoke, but his gaze was obvious. "That's a long stay. What are you gonna do with it when it's out? And how you planning on paying? Keeping someone for months ain't gonna be cheap for me." Jack kept quiet as Manic spoke, it was probably for the best if Manic was the one explaining to Scourge what happened between them and why they needed his help. As Manic went on Jack felt a little nervous as Scourge looked him over, he wasn’t sure if Scourge would help or not and he was kind of dreading of what might happen when they ask him to look after the child.

He hoped Manic would explain that part as well as he gulped quietly and spoke as well after Scourge said his piece. “A-ah’ll pay for Manic’s stay, how much do yeh want? Ah can send it over saying that it’s a gift of peace so there’s no hard feelings between our kingdoms from before.” Jack replied hoping that might help a little depending on Scourge’s price. "You're new to this king stuff, kid." Scourge himself wasn't a master of diplomacy, but he had years of experience still. "You wanna know something? Royal courts are assholes. All of 'em. They wanna fight with everyone who's sneezed the wrong way near their kingdom. And we've got more than that going on here. Those small fights after we got the Anarchy Beryl, you think they've forgotten those? Your court probably sees it as taking something that powerful from an 'evil ruler'. Mine see it as being robbed of some national treasure." He held one hand out to his side. "Point is, it's a chore, and a bunch of cash ain't gonna make things better. We'd want that Anarchy Beryl back before we'd make peace, and givin' out national treasures is just gonna piss off your people." There was an insecurity to Jack Scourge couldn't ignore. "I'll go easy on you, kid. Cause you're deep in shit and you know Manic." One of the rare moments of Scourge showing kindness. What would be an appropriate payment...? Money sure as hell sounded good, but Scourge was only kind to a certain point, and he was starting to get into a more greedy part of his mind. The king stepped up to Jack, maybe a bit too close, and lifted his chin with one finger. That jagged smile would be terrifying if he didn't know how to make it so charming. "Manic sure knows how to pick 'em. He said you could see other guys if you want, right?" A twist on his words, but something that was true when he was with Manic. "You ever wanna try out a different ride?" Jack felt a little down hearing Scourge’s words, it was true he was new to being king and had a lot of things to learn. After hearing what Scourge said he had no idea how he was going to pay Scourge for taking care of manic and possibly taking care of their child as well. “R-really? T-thank yeh so much king Scourge, w-what can ah do to repay yeh? A-ah’ll do anything.” The rabbit said pretty much walking himself into the situation that was about to unfold.

Jack watched and wondered as Scourge thought of how the rabbit could pay him. Jack was a little nervous but he hoped that he could pay Scourge not only for his own sake but for Manic as well. Then Scourge moved a little too close to the rabbit and Jack blushed a bit as he felt his chin being lifted by the other monarch. Jack blushed and listened to Scourge speak and when he finished his sentence Jack blushed even more, did Scourge actually ask Jack that? Did he want the rabbit to pay with his body? His face was quickly getting flustered as he looked up at the other king as he shyly spoke.

“A-ah see, I-if yeh want meh to pay like that t-then ah will, for Manic, j-just promise meh he’ll be okay while he’s here.” Jack replied, agreeing to pay scourge with sinful pleasure to make sure his beloved Manic was safe during his pregnancy. At least it was behind closed doors and only the three people in the room would know about this right? "He'll be treated real well, Kingy. Lemme show you." Scourge banged on the door three times. "Guards! Show 'em where he'll be staying, and bring Jack back. Alone." The walk through the castle certainly promised a cushy stay. This was more gothic inspired than the castle either of these two lived in, somewhat menacing like the king. But it was well maintained, clean, maids and butlers scurried about. And their trip accidentally gave Jack one more promise of good care. Visible through an open nursery door, a pink baby porcupine was sniffling in the arms of a nursemaid singing a lullaby and rocking her to calm her down. Large, well kept rooms. Helpful staff. And a promise of invisibility from the public eye. If it weren't for the cost, Manic would have been thrilled. "Hey, Jack... You don't gotta do this if you don't want to." Manic assured Jack. "I can go in there and pay for you... I mean, he's kinda a softie if you hit the right points, I can barter another deal out of him. You can sleep with whoever, but don't just sleep with him to pay for me, alright?" Golden eyes glared back at Jack's bright green. “T-thank yeh king Scourge.” Jack replied as the guards came to show the two where Manic would be staying. Jack bowed before Scourge before going with Manic. Jack looked around as they walked through the halls and while he was intimidated by the menacing look of the castle, he couldn’t help but admire the gothic themed architecture that filled the castle. Jack felt quite relived that Manic would be safe here, from the looks of the place he’d certainly be comfortable enough and to be out of the public eye was a bonus.

One more bonus was the nursery they walked past. This place was pretty much perfect for Manic to stay and have the child, seeing all this at least made the price he was going to pay not as bad as it was certainly going to be worth it. He listened to Manic speak and when his lover was finished Jack held Manic’s hands gently in his. “Manic, ah promised Scourge ah would pay his price, mah kingdom has done enough harm to his so at least he’s been willing to at least let that slide for us, ah’m not going back on this.” Jack said as he hugged Manic lovingly and held the prince close in his arms.

“Anyway, ah would pay any price for yeh Manic, ah mean this is the least ah can do for yeh since ah got yeh into this mess in the first place. Ah promise yeh mah heart and soul will always belong to yeh no matter what. If ah may ask yeh to manic, while ah’m with Scourge if yeh could think of how we’re going to tell yeh'r mother how we’re going to do this, okay?” After Jack finished speaking, he kissed Manic on the lips softly before pulling away. “Ah love yeh Manic, more then anything.” With that, he left Manic to do whatever he needed to do as he went with the guards to go back to Scourge and pay his price for keeping Manic safe. "I'll figure it out," Manic promised with a nervous smile. The guards split up. One lead Manic into the room he was to be staying in, while the other started Jack on the long walk back through the halls. There was no one for him to talk to this time around on the walk, leaving him to his thoughts. This place wasn't as sinister as it looked, right? The walk dragged on, and by the time he reached the throne room, it was as though hours had passed. "You majesty, your guest?" As soon as Jack was through, the door shut. In a moment, the door was locked behind him. No going back. Scourge had taken the time to get a little more dressy. He wore his crown, a small but hard to ignore sign of his power. He was draped in a finer dress shirt, and even had a fur-lined robe on his shoulders and draping over the throne. Even sitting casually with his legs crossed, he looked totally powerful. "Come a little closer, Jack." Scourge beckoned, waving one hand lazily to get him to move closer. Jack kept his eyes on Manic as they were spilt up as Manic was going to his room while was going back the long way back to the throne room to pay his debt. Since he had no one with him beside the guard who kept quiet the entire time they walked down the hall, Jack was indeed left to his nervous thoughts. While this place seemed frightening at first things seemed to be going well ever since they got there. Sure there was a price to pay for it but pretty much everything had a price to it these days, and honestly if all it took to keep Manic safe and sound for quite a long time with a child on the way was to pay Scourge with his body, then that was a price Jack was obviously willing to pay.

It seemed Scourge really cut Jack some slack on this it seemed to the rabbit. The other king could’ve asked for anything, riches, power, he could’ve tried and manipulated the rabbit to try and steal back his nation’s treasure, but for some reason all he wanted then and there was just Jack. It actually confused the rabbit a little, why of all things would Scourge ask for Jack as payment? Surely the other king was just being generous in a sleazy punk king kind of way, there was no way he honestly wanted Jack’s body that bad, right? Up until now Jack had always thought he was worthless, that he couldn’t do anything or be of any use for anything.

It was only until he met Manic did he have a slightly better view of himself, but not that much as the incident with Manic’s mother just reminded him what a clumsy worthless fool he was. But now Scourge, king of Moebius wanted the rabbit for himself and in doing so, Manic would be safe to carry their child without fear or worry. Once Jack was back in the throne room he flinched as the doors loudly slammed shut and locked behind him as he looked towards the king before him.

He did as he was told and made his way closer to Scourge and once reaching the king, the rabbit got on his hands and knees in front of Scourge and his throne before he spoke. “K-king Scourge, before we do this ah have to ask yeh something, why me? Out of everything yeh could’ve asked for payment yeh chose me, why? Yeh knew ah would pay pretty much anything for Manic’s sake, yeh pretty much had me in the palm of yeh'r hand and yeh chose one of the most worthless things to ask for, w-why? What am ah worth to yeh?” Jack asked doing his best not to break down while exposing his obvious fear and lack of self confidence or self worth as he looked up to the other monarch and waited for his answer. Scourge just grinned at Jack. He was even kneeling for him... This was the kind of power he wanted. "You couldn't give up that Anarchy Beryl if you wanted," Scourge told him. "What else'd I get outta you? Money? I got all the cash I need, I ain't getting your throne for this." Once again, there came a devious smile. "But you... I know a good partner when I see one. And you are fucking luscious. I knew at that bar I wanted to see what you were packing." Scourge uncrossed his legs and faced Jack directly. "Finding someone as cute as you's real hard to do," Scourge admitted, "ain't just talking looks, neither. That way you talk and walk and kneel-" He had to stop himself from droning on. "Guess I missed out on getting you all to myself, don't mean I can't take a nice juicy slice."

Fortunately or not for Jack, whatever happened behind those doors was going to stay behind closed doors.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Jack was a little surprised to say the least as he wasn’t even fully aware of aftercare, except the little bit he did with Manic when they finished their nights together. Once the rabbit was cleaned and dressed in new clothes along with Scourge, he stayed close to the other king as he felt Scourge’s arm around his waist.

The rabbit blushed a little, did he say he’d let Manic stay for free? Then what was the point of paying him? Jack thought as he listened to the dominant king and blushed a little more as Scourge mentioned the next time they would be doing that together. Once his arm was off the rabbit’s waist and he showed Jack where Manic was, the shy rabbit blushed as he gently kissed Scourge’s cheek. “O-okay, t-thank yeh ever so much for taking Manic in, a-ah owe yeh so much.” Jack replied before quickly leaving after he had left a kiss on the dominant king.

Following the hall and going left out of the door like Scourge said, Jack soon found himself reunited with his beloved Manic as Jack hugged him lovingly. “H-hello manic, how are yeh feeling?” "Doing good over here," Manic told him, sitting on the edge of the sofa. "This place is gonna be perfect." The guest room Manic was staying in wasn't a guest room at all. With how large it sprawled, it was essentially a guest house! A drawing room, a bedroom, a small kitchen, a full bathroom, even a balcony. The rooms were smaller than most in the castle, but if a pregnant person was supposed to move around in there by themselves, short distances were perfect. The living room was the only room Jack had seen yet, but it promise a lot for the other rooms. Instead of the harsh colors of the castle rooms he'd seen, this was warm and delicately colored. Cozy, even. Gothic furniture was replaced instead by soft Victorian curves. Less drama, less excessive details. A small temporary home. But what was most obvious were two things; a set of drums had been wheeled into the room, yet to be set up, and Manic had changed into what looked like a maternity shirt. "This castle... they're good to their guests," Manic said vaguely, concerned about how another guest was treated. His arm was around Jack in almost the same way Scourge's had been, but it somehow felt gentler. "He... he didn't hurt you, right? You gonna be okay, man?" “That’s great to hear, ah’m glad yeh’re okay Manic.” Jack replied as he moved closer to Manic and gently kissed his cheek. Jack had a little look around the room they were in and it seemed okay to him, it wasn’t like the rest of the castle but softer and less intimidating, Jack was happy that Manic was going to be fine in the guest area Scourge was letting him stay in. It was definitely worth what he payed even though the other king admitted there wasn’t any need for payment, Jack would’ve still paid whatever needed to be paid to make sure Manic was safe and happy.

Jack did notice the drums that were brought in and hoped Manic wouldn’t be pushing himself too much during his time there and he did notice Manic’s change of clothes, he’d probably be wearing those shirts for a good time while he’s there. Jack listened to Manic speak moved a little closer as Manic wrapped his arm around the rabbit, Jack shook his head as he spoke. “N-no, he didn’t hurt meh Manic, it was a bit rough but he was quite patient with meh and was quite gentle after we finished.” Jack replied as he nuzzled Manic, the rabbit would still be sore in the morning though after his time with Scourge. "Alright, just making sure you're okay, babe." Manic sat where he was, nuzzling the rabbit. "Guess if I'm living here, I've gotta meet all of Scourge's kids, right? And figure out how I'mma do my workouts and drumming and shit with this going on..." There was a lot they would have to figure out immediately. "Let's just relax, man, you've earned it. You sneak back out tonight, tell me family that... ..." “Ah’ll be fine thank yeh Manic.” Jack replied giving Manic soft loving kisses as they nuzzled up together. “More then likely, ah’m sure that’ll be fun to get to know them, just whatever yeh plan to do don’t push yeh self too much okay?” Jack spoke to Manic making sure his worry was noted. Jack nodded a little and rested with Manic and listened to what he wanted the rabbit to tell his family, when it was time to leave he kissed Mnic lovingly on the lips and after thanking Scourge once more, he left for home. ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ "...Prince Manic has met with an unfortunate accident," Queen Aleena announced. Jack was right there by her side, her assistant in executing Manic's cover up for his disappearance. "This wasn't the first time he's fallen off a horse, but never one running so fast, and King Jack was nice enough to get the best attention for him." It seemed the whole family was good actors, as Aleena was able to make it seem like this fake accident had truly touched her. "As such, my son shall be... going abroad for surgery and rehabilitation. We isn't expected to return for anywhere from six months to a year." The lie was in place, and after her announcements, she turned back to Jack. "I want you to make sure to visit him," Aleena told him, firmly but not cruelly. He seemed more humored, as if their previous meeting hadn't happened at all. "He loves having friends around." Once he returned he told Manic’s family what Manic told him to say, and once everything was ready the announcement and lie was made. Jack had to be a good actor for this to make it seem real, even if he wasn’t good at lying he didn’t have to speak much just say a few words when he was spoken too and let the queen say the rest. Once everything was and the queen spoke to him he gulped quietly and nodded. “Y-yes, ah will visit him, as many times as ah can.” Jack replied still a little nervous under the queen’s presence. "I hope you understand my hostility, it was a very... terrifying discovery." She said, as though that could excuse all of her actions. The news and the public would have a field day with this announcement, but at least they weren't going to have to awkwardly hide Manic in their castle. Even someone as strong as her could ooze concern, and Scourge was definitely the kind of person that could bring it out. "I'm glad you're visiting... be careful. And make sure Manic is absolutely safe whenever you're there. King Scourge is..." A pause to collect her thoughts passed. "...Unofficially, he's a horrible person. In many, many ways. A thief, an adulterer, an all around violent man. Frankly, if it weren't the most secure castle, I wouldn't let Manic stay there at all. Be very wary, you don't know what's going on in that castle." Jack stayed quiet and listened to her speak as she seemed to apologize for her earlier actions. At least Manic was safe now and the risk of this being found out was now slim to none at all hopefully, he nodded as she spoke of keeping Manic safe while he was visiting Scourge’s castle. Jack could understand that while Scourge wasn’t the most gentle of people or the most liked person, he couldn’t be as bad as she made him out to be right?

While Jack knew from personal experience that some of the things about Scourge was true, Jack wasn’t so sure about everything. If it was then Jack would’ve had to give up a lot more to make sure Manic was safe there, and Scourge wouldn’t have gone easy on the rabbit if he was as bad as the queen made him look. “O-okay, ah’ll make sure Manic’s safe whenever ah’m there, ah promise.” Jack replied as a sort of reassurance for the queen as he looked up at her. She just smiled and bowed her head gently, as was proper for a queen to do. "And you watch your back, too, King Jack." Her tone was severe yet concerned. "I've only met with the King a few times before. I don't know what's lurking in that castle, but I know there's something terrible there in wait..."

#jack-rabbot #Show's Over #There's A Melody Playing #Suggestive

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