#and the net that goes around it could be used as a bandage of sorts

[idontliketomatoesleavemealone]

*eating chocolate, observing the wrappings* man the VKs could use this stuff

[ghost-runner]

“Useless” and “Troubled” until the End: Pt. 4

Sully Family x “Useless” Fourth Child Male Reader

Summary: Y/N and his family need to learn the ways of water from the children of the Metkayina clan leader. After a confrontation leading to a fight between Y/N and the leader’s son, Ao’nung, Y/N and Lo’ak were left behind at a predator’s den by Ao’nung. Y/N lost sight of Lo’ak and being on his own. Y/N manages to make a new friend, however. Once back at the island home, Y/N follows Tsireya and Kiri to the Spirit Tree where things goes wrong for both Kiri and her brother. Upon awaking from his seizure, Y/N then learned that his siblings and their new friends went out to get Lo’ak after he went to warn his new friend. Quaritch makes a final stand against the Sully family by taking some of the children hostage and their new allies help them only for things to go wrong for Y/N on board the SeaDragon ship.

Warning: Blood, violence, abandonment, small bouts of animal cruelty, injuries, family arguments, abduction, and more…..

Note: I’m going to try to do the Na’vi language if I can. I apologize if I end up not putting anything in. I will also be using sign language in this part as it’s the main way that I’ll have them communicate underwater. Any time someone is speaking in sign language, there speaking part will have “” around it. Also, I’m doing something with Y/N at the Spirit Tree because I thought it’d be interesting for an idea.

— the next day from Pt. 3 left off —

— Y/N POV

I woke up the next day with an actually feeling good after a good night’s sleep. I tried getting up only to feel weight around my body and looked around to see Kiri and Tuk were hugging me as I slept. I smiled at this as I carefully moved their hands from around me while I got up from their grip. After getting free from the hugging sandwich of my sisters, I looked outside to see it was still dark out with it still being Eclipse so I figured I’d go out early to get some practice in. If I do end up getting into trouble for this, I honestly am all out of fucks to give about any sort of punishment I get from my old man. I roll my left shoulder before I start to take off the leaf bandage wrap so I don’t ruin the bandages with the water. I took a look at the hole in my shoulder before I thank Eywa that the bullet didn’t hit any bone and that the wound is healing nicely. I take my pistol out of the holster and take of the holster from around my leg before hiding them in the marui. I then grab my knife and sheathe it before I set out of our marui towards the beach shore. I thought I saw movement out of the quarter of my eye, but I write it off as nothing as I head down into the water before I’m swimming in the deep water of the ocean. I look back as I’m a few dozen meters away from the shore to see someone heading into the water as if to follow me, but I figure it’s someone getting an early start like me. I breathe in before I dive below the surface while grabbing my knife and getting it ready for whatever I might encounter. As I dive under the surface, I see the beauty of the sea with all sorts of different creatures and plants under the surface of the sea from a first glance. I use my knife and quickly kill two dinicthoid fish that I saw approach me with a swift thrust of my blade into the heads of both. I sheathe my blade before grabbing both of the carnivorous fish I just killed and bring them back to shore so I can gut them. Once I was back at the shore, I started away at cutting open the fish and taking out any remnants of the guts so it will be safe to eat. Once the two fish are ready, I wrap them up in an extra net I found lying around as I hoisted the wrapped fish over my right shoulder and bring the fish over to a small area I saw had some stones, kindling, and sticks/branches around the area that was just outside of my family’s marui to where I could be seen outside of it.

Once at the small area I saw earlier, I started making a small fire-pit using the stones, kindling, and branches that were here. I first dug a small hole before I started with putting the stones into a small circle around the hole and then tossing the sticks and kindlings down into the hole I made before I used a lighter I took from a Sky-people base when scavenging one day to light one stick on fire before I tossed it into the hole with the rest of the kindling and branches. I smiled at the efforts I made paid off with a fire that was now going strong and bright. I started to cut off pieces of meat and bone from the dinicthoids I killed before I started to cook the pieces over the fire when I heard footsteps coming my way, as if I could really care who it is that is awake at this time as well, they can do as they please as long as it doesn’t bother me. However, the footsteps only drew closer to where I was with my fire pit.

(This is what I had in mind for the fire pit during the early parts of a day.)

I continue on cooking the meat as I let my mind wonder while slightly glancing towards the the sea, seeing the sun slowly begin to rise across the horizon. I soon finished cooking the fish and began prepping it with some seasonings I quickly snatched from inside the marui. I left the cooked fish near the fire pit on some seashell plates I ended up finding in our marui and climbed up a tree that had some Yovo fruit at the top that was a few meters away. I plucked about 7 full fruit off the tree, but I ended up losing my grip from the tree and I fell a good 14 feet onto my back. I got up and dusted myself off from my fall before I took the Yovo fruit back to the fire pit where I saw a girl from the Metkayina clan was sitting around the fire. I dropped the Yovo fruit into a basket I scavenged from the sea which startled the Metkayina Na’vi girl that was near the fire. The girl looks to be about two years older than me and she turned around only to see me with my fucked up body covered in wounds to which she winces at, probably wondering how I’m not in much pain as well as what the hell did I do. She composed herself very quickly and began to talk with me as I sat down.

???: Sorry. I didn’t realize that someone else was here.

Y/N: Don’t worry about it. If you don’t mind me asking, I don’t think I got your name.

???: Oh, where are my manners? I’m Tsireya, but you can call me Reya. I’m the chief’s daughter and the future Tsahìk of the Metkayina clan.

Y/N: Nice to meet you, Tsireya, I’m Y/N, the useless kid of my family.

Tsireya: Why would you say that about yourself when you already proven that you have what it takes to keep up with the clan?

Y/N: Was that you who I saw that was spying on me when I first killed these fish?

Tsireya gave me a sheepish look.

Tsireya: You caught me redhanded. I was going for a walk during Eclipse and I happen to see you wading to deeper water. I was curious as to why you were diving on your own when you haven’t even practiced with us yet. Might I add, you’re already a pro at the diving and breathing.

Y/N: I appreciate the compliment on my skills. I guess that it comes with the territory of having to teach myself when the rest of my family is too busy, never notice, or plainly doesn’t care enough to try to teach me the ways of my people.

Tsireya: That’s awful. Nobody should have to go through that.

Y/N: I’m used to it…I mean what else am I supposed to do when my parents only seem to care when I disobey them, get injured, or cause trouble?

Tsireya: You have had it rough.

I start cutting up the Yovo fruit into small pieces.

Y/N: Yeah, no shit. Sorry about that, I’m just super used to swearing a lot since I’ve used it as a way of letting frustration out.

Tsireya: Its quite alright. I understand that it must be hard.

I sigh, knowing that she has no idea what I been through. I then see Tsireya eye my bullet wound in my shoulder with curiosity.

Tsireya: May I ask you something?

Y/N: Go right ahead.

Tsireya: I saw that you have many bruises and cuts all over your body, however, what has caught my attention the most was the wound in your shoulder. May I ask as to what happened?

Y/N: It’s a long story that I really don’t want to get into because it was all over the place and just overall crappy.

Tsireya: I understand completely, Y/N.

Y/N: I appreciate that.

Tsireya: Well, I got to get back home before my brother decides to rat on me to father. It was nice meeting you, Y/N.

Y/N: The same goes to you, Reya. I’ll see you later for when my siblings and I have to come practice.

Tsireya got up and started making her way back to her family’s marui. She waved to me and I wave back to her before I finished cutting the fruit up. I put the many fruit pieces onto the plates and bring them over to a small table where there were some seats set up around it before I set the plates down onto said table. I turned back around and went back to the fire, smiling as I then look out to the sea as the sun finally fully rises. I sat down near the fire and slowly began to eat some fish I left for myself. After I finished, I got up when I went past the fire and went to the sea where I laid back before I started to let myself float in the water. I closed my eyes with a great feeling of contentment and once again felt the presence of people watching me, but I just ignore it and let myself continue to float, letting all my worries wash away as I relax.

— 3RD PERSON POV

We can currently see Jake from the Sully family start to stir awake from the night of slumber, once again met to the smell of food. Jake was the first one up and looked around the marui to see his family, smiling at seeing everyone sleeping, but he noticed something odd. He saw that Tuk and Kiri were sleeping off in a corner where he knew they were not there when they all went to sleep. He shakes off the weird feeling and gets up without waking anyone else up before when he saw that Y/N’s bloody bandage wrap from his shoulder was sitting in a clump on the floor near where the girls were at. He got a little worried before he headed outside to see what the smell was only to see it was the cooked fish and fruit that Y/N prepared as well as seeing the fire that was still going bright. He turned to the sea to see his son floating there alone, he sighed and went to his son before grabbing Y/N’s arm and pulling him to the shore. Y/N ended up startled at the grasp on his arm while being pulled and quickly opened his eyes to see his dad staring at him with a stern look.

Y/N: Aw shit……

Jake: Y/N….You got anything to say?

Y/N pulls his arm away from his dad.

Y/N: You already know.

Jake: Y/N. While I’m happy that you decided to get an early start, you need to be careful.

Y/N: Dad, don’t try showing that you care now. I know that you only see me as a failure.

Jake: Y/N. That’s not true.

Y/N glared at his father as he waded back towards the fire pit.

Y/N: Oh fuck off with that shit! You said as much yourself, Dad! That’s what caused me to run away in the first place which is also the final straw for us needing to leave our home. I already know that my siblings most likely hate me for being the reason of it!

Jake: Y/N!! I didn’t mean that!!

Y/N reached the shore and after reaching the firepit, he turned to his father.

Y/N: Oh, really?! Knowing you, I know you just think that I’m going to end up screwing something up and get us kicked out of this place.

Jake: Y/N! That is not true!

Y/N Bulls—

???: That’s quite enough!! Both of you, CUT IT OUT NOW!!

The father and son stopped fighting and turned to see a tired and pissed off Neytiri walking towards the two of them looking pissed.

Neytiri: The two of you are shouting loud enough for almost all of Pandora to hear! I don’t want the rest of the family waking up to the sound of you two arguing.

Y/N: Sorry…

Y/N looks down sadly as he quietly turned away and walked back towards the fire pit where he sat down very close to it. He threw in some more kindling and sticks to keep the dying flames burning, bringing said flames back to life. His parents silently watch their son with Jake having a face of determination for find a way way to make it up to his son for how he failed him and Neytiri looked at her son with regret and worry about his mental state and just wishes she could hug him and take him away from the cruel reality that life can be sometimes which she knows her son has already experienced. Meanwhile, his siblings had watched the whole ordeal in silence with worry for their brother and wondered how he could think that they would blame him for them having to leave their home. Y/N got up from where he was sitting by the fire and quietly walked into the marui, pushing past his siblings and grabbed his bandage wrap before he rewrapped his shoulder before he turned to his family.

Y/N: Breakfast is ready, that’s the smell you were smelling. It’s fish and fruit, I already ate so I don’t care.

Y/N once again leaves the marui while pushing past his siblings to go to practice with the chief’s kids.

— 30 minutes later —

— Y/N POV

I was sharpening my knife using a stone I found when I saw my siblings and Tsireya along with her brother and his friend come to where I saw sitting on the sand as I sharpened my knife. I saw her brother and his friend, who I heard Tsireya say that her brother was Ao’nung and that his friend was Rotxo, give all of us glares while saying something I could not hear. I just sent a pissed off look towards at them as to say “Don’t piss me off, I’m already not in a good mood, assholes”. They give me a look back that says “go pound sand” and I just roll my eyes at them. I got up and went over to them to where Tsireya started to explain what would be happening.

Tsireya: Alright, so we’re going to be working on your diving and breathing today.

Neteyam: Alright, so what exactly will we be doing to practice.

Tsireya: Ao’nung, Rotxo, and I will be seeing how you do without any sort of practice to begin with and we will adapt from that here. Any other question? None? Okay, great!

Everyone starts wading to deeper water and I silently follow behind a few feet behind everyone as I sheather my knife and throw away the stone I was using for sharpening. Once we reach the deeper waters, we all dive beneath the surface before Neteyam, Kiri, Tuk, and Lo’ak are all surprised by the beauty of the ocean while I just swim down and shock everyone apart from Tsireya with how easily I’ve adapted to swimming and breathing beneath the surface. I nod to Tsireya as we all follow her, Ao’nung, and Rotxo, but I get detracted by the beauty of the sea as does Kiri and Tsireya comes over to where the two of us are and signs to us.

Tsireya: “Is everything okay?”

Kiri just looked at Tsireya in confusion while I responded in perfect sign language.

Y/N: “My sister and I were just just distracted by the beauty of the ocean life and plants.”

Tsireya: “Understandable. Come on, let’s continue practice.”

Y/N: “Lead the way.”

Kiri looked at me confused and surprised before she felt the need to breathe along with Neteyam, Tuk, and Lo’ak and the four swam towards the surface while I calmly breathed in and out while I was still under the surface. I saw Ao’nung signing to Rotxo that my siblings were terrible at this and Tsireya went over to him before punching him in the arm, signing to him to shut up. The Metkayina boys looked to me and I just raised an eyebrow towards the two as they looked at me in surprise that I’m actually competent. The four of us then swim to the surface as my siblings were watching me swimming and breathing like the Metkayina were able to.

Neteyam: Y/N, since when were you able to swim and breathe underwater like that?

Y/N: I’ve practiced.

Tsireya: You guys are doing great so far, however, we need to work on your breathing. Can I get your names?

Neyeam: I’m Neteyam.

Lo’ak: I’m Lo’ak.

Kiri: I’m Kiri.

Tuk: And I’m Tuk.

Y/N: You already know me, but I’m Y/N.

Tsireya: Good. I’ll work with Tuk, Ao’nung will work with Neteyam, and Rotxo will work with Lo’ak. Y/N, do you think you could work with Kiri?

Y/N: Yeah, I’ll help.

— 8 hours later —

It has been a few hours since we finished our practice with the chief’s son and daughter. Kiri and I were relaxing while we played in the water as we splashed each other and Kiri was also looking at the animals that were swimming along the shallow water. Lo’ak, Tuk, and Neteyam were laying back and relaxing on the beach when I saw the chief’s son, Ao’nung, approaching Lo’ak with three of his friends. I got suspicious at this and I told Kiri as much so we went back to the beach when we saw Ao’nung approach Kiri and me before he started harassing us.

Ao’nung: Why are you being so weird?

Kiri: W-what?

Ao’nung: You’re nothing, but a demon.

Kiri started to get a bit sacred of him so I got her behind me to put some room between the two and squeezed her hand when he then started insulting me.

Ao’nung: Looks like you need your pathetic little brother back you up. You’ll never be anything, you pathetic useless skxawng. You will always have demon blood in you.

I started to get tired of his shit so I warned him to back off.

Y/N: You better back of before you regret it.

Ao’nung: What are you going to do about it?

Y/N: Hey. I warned you, asshole. You see this? -I show him my hand- Yeah, it has five fingers, but take a look at what I can do.

I curl my hand into a fist and I punch him across the face. He recoils from this and then comes at me when I tackled him down to the ground. I held him down as I choked him slightly before I pulled my right hand back and punched him three times across the face. I felt my tail being pulled when I turned around to see Rotxo pullingy tail in an effort to pull me off his friend. I kicked him in the gut and got off of Ao’nung before I walked toward the boy I just kicked. I was then punched across the face by another one of their friends when Neteyam and Lo’ak jumped into fight after seeing me get punched. I was punched again by Ao’nung who the. pushed me to the ground. I took a chance and kicked his leg which knocked his leg out from under him and I then kicked him him the jaw. I kicked him two more times in the stomach and I punched him one more time across the face before I stop. I look over to see my brothers beating Rotxo and their friend and I shout to my brothers.

Y/N: Hey! Nete! Lo’ak! I think they get the message. Let them go.

My brothers stop and then the the two get off of the two Metkayina they were beating up. I turned back to Ao’nung who was still on the ground and spoke to him with venom on my voice.

Y/N: You! If I hear that any of you mess with my big sister or any of my siblings again. I don’t care if you’re older and bigger that me, I will not be afraid to beat more fucking common sense into each and every one of you fuckheads. Now get the hell out of here!

I watched as he got up before he and his buddies walked away with their tails between their legs, no pun intended. I saw Ao’nung turn around to look at us and I flipped him the bird with both hands, not knowing that Lo’ak was doing the same behind me. He turned back around and continued walking away as I turn to Neteyam and Lo’ak who had bruises on their faces and the chests.

Neteyam: You okay?

Y/N: Eh, I’ve had worse. Literally.

Lo’ak: I’m good. Come on, let’s head back home.

My brothers turn to head back to the marui when I go over to Kiri to check up on her.

Kiri: Are you okay, little brother?

Y/N: I’ve had worse, trust me.

Kiri: You shouldn’t have done that. Dad is going to be mad when he finds out.

Y/N: Frankly, I’ve lost all care in the world as to what Dad thinks anymore. I’m probably going to end up grounded again and have to apologize. Come on, let’s not keep our brothers waiting.

We catch up to our brothers as we head back to the marui. Upon reaching the marui, Dad immediately jumped all over Neteyam and Lo’ak for getting into a fight while I managed to walk in unnoticed by my parents as I went to grab some medical supplies. Mom did look in my direction, thinking I was grabbing medical supplies for my brothers only for her to notice my black eye and my tail have a big scratch on it.

Neytiri: Y/N! You got into the fight as well?!

Dad got very pissed off with hearing that and yelled more at my brothers

Jske: You pulled your youngest brother into the fight with you?!

Y/N: Oh, for the love all fucking things holy! I threw the first punch, Dad!!

Dad turned around and immediately laid into me.

Jake: Y/N, you’re the one who started the whole mess?!?

Y/N: What the fuck did you expect me to do, Dad?!

Jake: I expect you to stay out of trouble, but you can’t even do that for one goddamn day!!

Y/N: They were the ones who started harassing us! Why does it it even fucking matter?!

Jake: We could get kicked out of this place, Y/N! It would be your fault that we could not find a safe haven for our family if that happened!!

Y/N: I’m so fucking tired of this same old shit, old man! We only yell at each other instead of being able to talk normally!! I don’t care if I’m in trouble because of this!!! It only seems like you see me as the fucking useless and troubled fuck that I am!!! For once, I would like for you to see this shit from my fucking angle!!! I already know to fucking high heaven that will never happen though!!! I’m always the reason for something going wrong!!! If you’re going to try to have me apologize, you can shove it right up your ass, Dad!!!

I just got up and stormed out of the marui without another word, stunning all of my family as I storm off into the ocean as the setting sun glowed off the surface of the water. I just hoped to go towards wherever as long as I’m away from here. I silently turned to see Dad trying to catch up to me and I only flip him the bird with both hands before I turn back around and silently walking away from him into the ocean and I swam away from him.

(How Y/N flipped off Jake)

I just swam and swam in anger until I found a cave that I remember Tonowari was speaking about last night. I swam into it and came up to an area that had air. I climbed out of the water and observed the cave with its beauty as the walls sparkled and the small rocks twinkled in the low light that is visible. There are a few bioluminescent plants that I can see in the dark, same for a few bioluminescent animals. I then remembered that my earpiece was still in my small waterproof bag on my person. I pull out my earpiece and put it into my ear before I flip to an open frequency.

Y/N: Hello? Can anybody read me? Over?

Jake: Y/N? How the hell are you contacting me?!

Y/N: I have some tech of my own. You really would not care to hear about it so I’ll spare you the trouble. Im only calling to tell you that I’m not going to be coming back until late, Dad.

Jake: -sighs- Understood…

Y/N: Later, old man.

I hung up the call and I laid down onto the rock floor comfortably as I stared up at the ceiling. I heard some noise that sounded like someone pulling themselves out of the water behind me and I leaned my head back to see Kiri and Mom climbing out of the water before they started coming towards me. I got up from laying down and just looked at them confused.

Kiri: Hey there, little brother.

Y/N: Kiri? Mom? What are you doing here?

Kiri: Coming here to bring you home. It’s already late. I just don’t want to worry about you getting back safe, okay?

Neytiri: I came to make sure that you’re okay after the fight and the argument with your father.

Y/N: I’m fine.

Kiri comes over to where I’m standing and kneels down to my height.

Kiri: Y/N, I know I have not been there for you a lot of the time, but you’re still my baby brother. I want you know that you’re always special to me.

Y/N: Kiri…

I let some tears fall from my eyes as I hug Kiri tightly.

Y/N: Thank you.

Mom comes over to the two of us as my sister and I hug and rubs my cheek with her hand.

Neytiri: Oh, my precious boy…

Y/N: Mom…

Neytiri: I’m sorry that I have not been a good mother to you, my son. I want you to know that you always have a place in our family. No matter what.

I smile at her as more tears fall and she joins the hug. After a minute or two, we all pull away.

Neytiri: Let’s go, my children. Your father is probably worried about us.

The three of us dive into the water and swim back to the marui where I saw Dad looking for us on the shore.

Y/N: Hey Mom, Kiri, I’ll catch up with you inside. I want to talk with Dad in private.

Kiri: Alright.

Neytiri: Just don’t argue, my child.

Mom and Kiri went inside as I turned to Dad.

Y/N: Dad…I wanted to apologize. I was out of line….I know that I should not have started the fight.

Jake: Y/N, I understand why you started it in the first place, but you need to be careful.

Y/N: I know. I’ll try to make peace with them in the morning.

Jake: Alright. I just want you to know that I am proud of you for standing up for your sister, Y/n. I just want you to think before you act next okay. I love you regardless, son.

Y/N: I know, Dad.

Jake: Come here, son.

I run over and hug Dad tightly. Dad pulls away after a minute or so.

Jake: Come on, let’s go get some sleep.

Y/N: Yeah, good idea.

I follow Dad into the marui before I got comfortable in one of the corners and curled myself into a ball. I closed my eyes to sleep when I felt people cuddle up to me. I open my eyes back up to see my family had all curled up to me to make sure I was in the center of this sleeping group of Na’vi. I smile and close my eyes again before I drift off to sleep.

— the next day around noon —

— Y/N POV

I was thinking in our marui after practice when I heard Lo’ak call for me to follow him to find Ao’nung to apologize to him. I go over to where I hide my pistol, magazines, and holster are hidden and attach the holster to my thigh and place my pistol into the holster before I place the pistol mags into my small bag. I catch up to Lo’ak when he’s a small ways away from Ao’nung and he see him talking to some friends of his.

Y/N: Hey dipshit.

He turns around to see the two of us.

Ao’nung: You talking to me?

Y/N: Who else would I be talking to if not you?

Ao’nung: What do you want?

Lo’ak: We’re here to apologize for fighting with you yesterday.

Y/N: Even though you were being a complete ass yesterday….

Lo’ak: We cool?

Ao’nung: It’s whatever. Hey, do you two want to come hunting with my friends and I? We know a great spot for it.

Lo’ak: Sure, it sounds like it can fun.

Ao’nung: What about you?

Y/N: I’ll tag along to see what’s going on…

The Metkayina boys have us follow them to the water, but I grab Lo’ak’s arm.

Y/N: Hey Lo’ak, keep an eye on those guys, I have a bad feeling about it…I’m coming prepared.

I quickly show him I’m bringing my pistol with me just in case shit hits the fan.

Lo’ak: Good thinking. Let’s go.

The five of us begin to swim out to sea for about 50 minutes before we reached a rock formation that Ao’nung called “Three Brothers Rock”. I saw a giant fish that they called an “akula” from what Chief Tonowari has told me about some of the ocean’s predators. I see Ao’nung pass my brother a crossbow and tells him to use the crossbow against the fish. I watch Lo’ak go a bit out to the open water to get a clear shot when I saw Ao’nung and his friends ditching us. I knew this was going to go bad. I immediately draw my pistol into my right hand as I grab my brother’s hand before the akula started to chase us after Lo’ak shot the bolt at the akula. I grab Lo’ak’s arm and immediately pulled him towards the coral reef formation. However, when I was looking around to find the akula, I did not notice that the akula was coming up from behind and started crashing into the reef we were hiding in. I hit my bro on the shoulder and signal for him to follow me. We begin to swim away out the other side when the akula once again attacks us. I signal for Lo’ak to swim away and I distract the creature by shooting it twice with my pistol, luckily I’m able to distract it for long enough until it manages to pass me as I swim and I hit by its tail fin. That was the last thing I remember before I blacked out after I hit my head on some rocks.

— Hours later at night time and at an unknown location —

— Y/N POV

Y/N: Fucking hell, my head…..

I slowly started to come to after I blacked out and I rub my head. I feel some liquid on the back of my head as I rub it and I bring my right hand into my line of sight to see my fingers had blood on them.

Y/N: Ahhh fuck…

I blink a few more times to clear my eyes and I see I’m out to sea in a small island and that it was currently storming heavily with thunder and lightning. I look around and see that my pistol and knife washed up on the shore a few feet away from me so I quickly grabbed the two items and put them back into my holster and sheathe. I look around again to see if I can tell where I am, but I do not recognize anything that can tell me where I am. I look at my body and see that my body has a bunch of fresh cuts and bruises, but I’m happy that I’m used to the pain at least. I also feel a big cut on the back of my neck going to the underside of my chin, stopping right underneath my mouth. I knew this will leave me with another scar on my face to add to the two I already had. I just hope to Eywa that Lo’ak got out okay. I pull out my earpiece from my bag and put into my ear before I turned it on and tried calling anyone on an open frequency.

Y/N: Can anybody hear me on this frequency? Come in, over?

Nobody responded over radio static and I try again.

Y/N: Can anybody hear me on this frequency? Come in, over? Dammit.

Once again I don’t get anything over the frequency and I sigh, knowing that I’m on my own. I look down to the stormy waters that are being very rough because of the storm. However, I then heard a shriek of pain coming from down the shore. I run over to where I hear the shrieking and I see a fully white Skimwing stuck on the shore of the island. I spotted that she had some deep cuts in her back and she had some deep cuts on both of her wings. I run over to her and she looks at me pleading for help, which made me get straight to work. I found some plants that I quickly ground up into a medicine paste.

Y/N: Thank Eywa that Grandmother taught me me how to quickly identify plants that can be used for medicine.

I apply the medicine to all of the deep cuts on the Skimwing as the beast screeches in relief of pain from what I can assume. I then look around and find a very small piece of sharp metal as well as a reel of fishing line. I attach some of the fishing line to the blunt end of the makeshift needle and I start stitching up the Skimwing’s deep cuts as I continue to place medicine along the wounds while I stitch her up. I finish stitching the Skimwing and I go around to her front where she looks at me with a face of gratitude for what I did for her. Before I do anything else, I splash some of the medicine I made onto the back of my head as well as onto the big cut around my neck and I’m relieved of some of the pain. I turn back to the Skimwing and I put my hand on her snout, rubbing it.

Y/N: How do you feel?

The Skimwing screeches at me and I could assume she says she feels a lot better thanks to my efforts. I reach up and rub her head as she leans her head into my touch.

Y/N: Do you have a name?

The Skimwing once again screeches at me, I think she is saying that she does not have a name.

Y/N: Could I give you a name?

The Skimwing looks at me with a look of curiosity, probably confused on what I’m saying.

Y/N: How does the name Bel’lia sound?

The Skimwing gives me a bit of a smile at the suggestion I gave for a name. I think she likes it. I laugh a little at her smile.

Y/N: Looks like Bel’lia it is. Would you be willing to be my friend?

Bel’lia screeches at me and I can assume that she is saying that she would be happy to be my friend.

Y/N: Thank you.

I scratch her head as she screeches in content and I then help her back into the water. Bel’lia dives beneath the surface once she was in deep water and I smile that I was able to help a beautiful creature in need of help, but I soon notice that the storm is getting worse. I need to get back soon before any of my family tries to come out to find me in this weather. I dive beneath the surface and try my hardest to swim through the rough and choppy waters for about 10 minutes with little progress being made. I almost decide to turn back to the island when I see a blur of white coming towards me. I saw it to be Bel’lia and she gestured for me to grab onto her. I do that and she started to swim fast as I hung onto her where I knew I can hold on from seeing Chief Tonowari teach my old man with a Skimwing.

— the next day in the morning at the Metkayina Clan island home —

— Y/N POV

Bel’lia and I had finally managed to get out of the storm and we were able to start making our way home. I was riding on Bel’lia’s back as she swam along the surface of the water. I still had adrenaline pumping through my body as I stayed awake all night. I looked down to Bel’lia and rubbed her head.

Y/N: Thank you.

She screeched in response to my thank with a thanks of her own for me helping her out yesterday. As I looked up, I saw the island as the sun rose over the horizon. I saw some Na’vi on the beach as they watched me approach the beach. I saw Ao’nung, some of his friends, and Tsireya. As we reached the waters where Bel’lia could not go any further, I got off of her and rubbed her head.

Y/N: Bel’lia, thank you for helping me, my friend.

She growls and screeches playfully for a bit, as if to say “And thank you for helping me, friend. I’ll always be nearby should you need any help again.” She stayed by the shore and watched me wade through the water towards the group of Na’vi gathered on the shore. I saw everyone give me surprised looks that I tamed a Skimwing all on my own and that I had tamed a fully white one. I’m guessing it’s similar to how it’s special to bond with a fully white Ikran. I immediately gave Ao’nung and his friends a glare and they knew they were in trouble so they pushed their way through the crowd and speed walked away. I looked back to Bel’lia to see her still watching me. I made it to the beach when I was hugged by Tsireya, unknown to her that she was holding her arms around the cut on my neck.

Y:N: Ahhhh, that stings.

Tsireya pulled away from the hug, worried she accidentally hurt me.

Tsireya: Are you okay?!? What hurts?!?

Y/N: I’m alright, Reya. Just that this deep cut on my neck is killing me with pain. Not literally killing me, luckily.

Tsireya: I’m glad that you’re okay. You will want to check in with your family. They are worried sick about what happened after Lo’ak told them what happened about he took the blame for the hunting mishap.

I facepalm.

Y/N: Goddammit, Lo’ak, for fuck’s sake…..alright, but tell your brother that if he messes with me or any of my family, I’ll kiss his fucking ass.

Tsireya: I don’t think he will. He looked like he was about to crap himself after he saw it was you riding in. He even said that he does not want to piss you off after seeing that you managed to tame a Skimwing on your own as well as surviving what happened.

Y/N: I’d like to keep it that way. Hopefully he’ll come around and we can possibly be friends.

Tsireya: Who knows. Anyways, go check in with your family. I want to speak with you and Kiri when you’re done, though.

Y/N: Alright.

I head over to my family’s marui only to see them all asleep, but the marui has a sad aura to it and everyone looks distressed and distraught as they sleep. I head over to where Mom keeps the medical supplies and I grabbed some medicine paste and leaf bandages. I went outside of the marui and began to apply the medicine paste to my neck cut and the various small cuts around my body as I grunt at the stinging sensation the medicine has on the wound.

Y/n: Fuck, that stings like absolute hell.

I continued to to apply medicine to my neck wound and I started to rub the paste into the wound. I said more vulgarities under my breath as it stung before i started to wrap the wound with the bandages. I then went over to the fire pit I had created a few days ago and I started the fire up. I waited for the fire to start roaring before I sat by the fire and just let myself relax.

Y/N: Oh man, my fucking neck.

However, I failed to notice that my family started to stir awake from my voice waking them up.

— 3RD PERSON POV

Lo’ak was the first one awake from thinking he was so worried about his little brother that he imagined hearing his voice, but he soon heard the voice again.

Y/N: Oh man, my fucking neck.

Lo’ak rubbed his eyes and got up to see where the voice was coming from. He saw his younger brother sitting around the fire pit the family now uses at nighttime. He ran towards Y/N and tackled him into a hug.

Lo’ak: Y/N!! You’re okay!!!

Y/N: OW!! FUCKING HELL!! LO’AK, FOR EYWA’S SALE, MAN!!!

Lo’ak immediately got up off of Y/N and helped him up.

Lo’ak: Bro, what the hell happened?!? I saw you get knocked out and you got pulled away by the strong flow of water going away from where we originally were.

Y/N: Well, it’s a long story. Are you all right? I haven’t seen you since the hunting incident.

Lo’ak: I ended up taking blame for the whole mess and Dad said that I shamed the family after seeing what I did and that you were still missing by Eclipse when I should be responsible for watching you after I pulled you into the mess. I ended up bonding with a lone banished Tulkun that is an outcast because he killed some whalers.

Y/N: It looks like I’m going to need to have words with Dad then, I told him about what can happen with that behavior of his. If nobody else is going to say something about that, I will then. I’m proud of you for that, Lo’ak, even if nobody else will say so. You stepped up even though you didn’t need to and that you did a big feet with that Tuklun. Follow me though, there’s someone I want you to meet.

The two wade into the water to where Lo’ak saw Bel’lia coming towards them and she popped her head out of the water, startling the older Sully.

Y/N: This is Bel’lia, my new friend and partner.

Y/N rubbed her head as she playfully screeches in enjoyment at the attention. Lo’ak looks at her in surprise that his brother was able to bond with a Skimwing, let alone a fully white one. Only trained warriors of the Metkayina clan were able to tame them. Hell, it took Jake days to tame his Skimwing.

Lo’ak: How did you bond with her? She’s beautiful.

Something the two failed to notice was that the rest of the family had awaked at the sound of Y/N screaming from being tackled by Lo’ak.

Y/N: Well, I asked her to be my friend after I ditched her up. You can see the stitches on her wings and back. She helped me get back.

Kiri: You’re just like your big sister after all, baby brother.

— Y/N POV

I turned around, startled, to see Mom, Dad, Neteyam, and Kiri all looking at me surprised and worried.

Jake: Son, come over here please.

I head over to my family with Lo’ak next to me.

Neytiri: Oh my Y/N.

Mom cups my jaw as she runs her hand over the newly bloodied bandages around my neck.

Neteyam: I’m happy to see you’re okay, little brother.

Kiri: I’m proud of you, Y/N.

I get pulled into a group hug as I’m at the center of it while everyone hugs me gently, being careful of my neck wound. I close my eyes, enjoying the hug from my family as everyone pulls away.

Jake: Are you alright, Y/N?

Y/N: My neck hurts like hell from a deep cut. I already know it’s gonna leave a scar.

Neytiri: Oh, Y/N…….

Y/N: I’ll be fine, Mom. Kiri, Neteyam, Tuk, Tsireya wanted to see us about something. Let’s go.

Kiri: Lead the way.

After about 10 minutes of going to find Tsireya, Kiri, Tuk, Neteyam, and I found her with Rotxo and Ao’nung as we approached them.

Ao’nung: Hey Y/N, can we talk?

Y/N: We can talk right now. What do you fucking want?

Ao’nung: Rotxo and I were in the wrong for what we did back in the reef.

Y/N: You only realized that now, asshole?

Ao’nung: We know. We wanted to apologize and holler hope that you can forgive us. We want to try to become friends with you.

Y/N: Well….I think you learned your lesson so I’ll say that it’s water under the bridge. Just don’t be a dick anymore, okay?

Ao’nung: Cool.

Y/N: So, Tisireya, what did you want us to see?

Tisreya: Follow us!

My siblings and I follow the three as they take us below the surface of the ocean where we dove a deep time before Tisreya showed us about an animal called a “gill mantle” that can help us breathe as we dive further and further downward. Tisreya attaches one to both me and my sister while Rotxo and Aonung attached one to Neteyam and Tuk as we then continue to dive until we reached a giant under water tree.

Tsireya: “This is the Spirit Tree”.

Kiri looks to me and I nod to her.

Kiri: “It’s very beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like it apart from the Tree of Souls back in the jungle of our old home.”

Y/N: “No kidding, sis. Also, nice work on the sign language after I showed you how to use it.”

Kiri: “Thanks, Y/N.”

Y/N: “Are we able to connect to it?”

Tsireya: “Of course. Come on.”

Tsireya has us follow her closer to the tree to an area where Kiri and I can connect our queues to it.

Tsireya: “Connect your queues to it.”

I connect my queue after Kiri connects hers. I peacefully sit on the seabed as I feel myself be pulled to Eywa’s connection and out of my physical body. I open my eyes to only see white as I look around before I’m blinded by a bright light to where I’m pulled to an area that looked like an city on Earth from what I know from Dad about his home planet. I felt myself be sat in a seat at an unknown place with a lot of people who looked similar to Norm and Max walk around and sit down around the area in at to talk with one another. An unknown man then came up to me and sat down across from me at the sort of weird table arrangement I was currently sitting at. I looked closer at the man to see his looked almost identical to Dad from a picture Dad showed me from before he became a full Na’vi.

???: Hello nephew.

Y/N: Huh? Did you just call me “nephew”?

???: Of course I did, why wouldn’t I know of my youngest nephew?

Y/N: Okay, just who the hell are you?

???: Figures. I’m not surprised that you wouldn’t know who I am, even with my brother being your father. I’m your dad’s deceased brother, Tom. I’m your uncle.

I just looked at him in shock and surprise.

Y/N: Un-Uncle? You mean you’re Uncle Tom?

Tom: That’s right. I’m happy I can meet one of my brother’s children in the flesh. I have to say the blue really works on you, kid.

I chuckle at Uncle Tom’s remark.

Y/N: Very funny, Uncle. But how are you here in connection with Eywa? Dad told me that you passed away on Earth after someone had killed you.

Tom: Well, the universe works in very strange ways. You never know what can happen at almost anytime.

Y/N: You’re not wrong, Uncle T.

Tom: I dearly miss Jake, but I’m happy that he was able to build a life here after what happened back on Earth.

Y/N: Things have been rough with him throughout my whole life, Uncle Tom, but I’m happy that things have been changing lately for the better.

Tom: I do want you to know that I am proud of you, nephew. I also want you to know that your family loves you dearly and that your dad is very proud of you, even if he has not shown it many time. I would beat his ass from beyond the grave if I was given the chance if he thought otherwise.

I laugh at Uncle Tom.

Y/N: I appreciate that, Uncle Tom. I just wish I had a place to be myself.

Tom: Oh, Y/N. You will have a place in the family. No matter what you may think otherwise.

Y/N: Thanks, Uncle.

Tom: Well, it looks like it’s time for me to leave. It was great talking with you, nephew. I hope you meet you again some time.

Uncle Tom then got up and got onto some sort of weird machine that I have never seen before. He did something with a part he grabbed before he turned it and it made a loud noise before he rode off on it. It was only then everything went black and I went limp before blacking out.

— Back at the Spirit Tree —

— 3RD PERSON POV

Tsireya was watching the two siblings as she saw their bioluminescent markings glow brightly while the two were connected to the tree. However, she soon saw both of them started convulsing with their bioluminescent markings fading completely due to the two siblings suffering from seizures from connecting to the Spirit Tree. Neteyam, Tsireya, Ao’nung, and Rotxo disconnected the two from the tree and got onto their Ilus before they took off back to the surface.

— at the Sully marui —

— 3RD PERSON POV

We currently see Kiri and Y/N being carried by their parents to the marui as we see Norm Spellman in his avatar body and Max Patel setting up medical equipment to help their friend’s children. Jake set Kiri dow as Neytiri set Y/N down with both children being next to each other as Norm and Max got to work on trying to help the children while Tuk and Neteyam looked at their siblings with worry. Neytiri and Jake were very worried about Kiri and Y/N because they knew both of their children had a very strong connection to Eywa and worry about what might have happened. However, Ronal came to see if she could help out with the trouble and she got extremely mad at seeing the medical equipment. She stormed out of the marui in anger as Neytiri tried to convince her to help. Jake pulls Norm out of the marui to talk.

Jake: Norm, do you have any idea what it is that is affecting the two of them?

Norm: That’s the trouble that we’re running into. We don’t have a clue what it is that is causing your kids to go into comas.

Jake: It might be from the feelings of Eywa that both Y/N and Kiri have said they felt before.

Norm: Then we have a problem, Jake.

Jake: What?

Norm: Those feelings that the two have mentioned work along the lines for someone suffering from epilepsy. If either of them try to connect to the Spirit Tree again, there’s a chance either Kiri or Y/N might die from it.

Jake: Shit…

Neytiri then came over to the two as they talked.

Neytiri: I need Norm and Max to pack up and leave. Ronal said she’d try to use her ways to heal our children.

Norm: If you say so. Max! Pack it up!

Max took the gear away from the marui and Ronal entered it before she got to work with her medical practices. After a bit of time, Ronal finished her practices and everyone waited in anticipation for something to happen. After a few minutes, groans were heard from Kiri as she started to regain consciousness from her seizure induced coma. Y/N, however, was still unconscious and Kiri looked around confused on what was going on until she looked down to her baby brother unconscious beside her.

Kiri: Oh my Eywa, Y/N!

Kiri grabs Y/N’s hand and squeezed it as Ronal once again begins her medical practices to try to wake up the youngest Sully boy. After she finished the second round of practices, everyone waits with anticipation for something to happen. After 10 minutes, Y/N began to stir awake from his coma and looked around confused as his head began pounding with hurt.

Kiri: Y/N! You’re okay!

Kiri hugged her youngest brother in relief as everyone else let out breaths of relief, thinking that Y/N might be stuck in his coma. Y/N just hugs Kiri back, still confused on what is going on or how they got to their home. Jake and Neytiri were thanking Ronal for helping their family before they went to their children. Both parents embraced their children with tears trailing down their faces, thankful to Eywa for the miracle of their children waking up. TUk and Neteyam also came over and hugged their conscious siblings. Y/N just accepted what was happening despite being confused still. After 20 minutes, everything was packed up when Norm and Max went back to the jungle after being thanked by Jake for coming all the way out there. Y/N walked out to talk to his dad.

Y/N: Dad….I need to talk to you about something important.

Jake: What’s up, son?

Y/N: You remember how you told us about our Uncle Tom? Back from Earth?

Jake: Of course! I would never want the memory of him to be forgotten.

Y/N: Well, I met with him and talked with him when I was connected to the Spirit Tree…and I was on Earth when it happened.

Jake was caught very off guard at what his son just revealed to him.

Jake: What?!?

Y/N: I got to talk with Uncle Tom and the vision I had showed me a glimpse of Earth where we sat at some table arrangement in some sort of city.

Jake: I-I honestly never expected to hear this, Y/N.

Y/N: As Uncle Tom literally said to me, “The universe works in strange ways.”

Jake: That sounds like something Tom would’ve said. -Jake looks to the sky- I’m happy to know you’re watching over us, Tom.

Y/N: Is everything going to be okay, Dad?

Jake: We’ll be okay, son. I promise.

Y/N: Alright…If you’re sure.

Y/N hugs Jake and the two embrace.

— A few days later after Tulkuns attack by the whalers —

— Y/N POV

I was out deep in the jungle around the area where I know Ro’nea’s cave is at. I was working on my target practice with my bow and arrows as well as with my pistol. I loaded a fresh mag into my pistol when I let my mind wonder to how badly the tulkun attacks against the Metkayina clan has affected them while Dad revealing why it happened. I’ve been sticking to working on my own for the last day or so and I haven’t really talked with much of my family since the attack. I shot at some rock targets with my pistol as I shot rounds down range. Once the mag was half empty, I stop firing when I heard the sounds of engines going. I knew it was the sky-people and the Recom soldiers on their ship. I put my pistol into my holster and put my bow onto the catch on my quiver before I whistled long and loud for Ro’nea. I watched as my Ikran companion flew from her cave high on the mountain and she slowly landed in front of me. I smiled at her as I haven’t flown with her in about a week and I go over to Ro’nea before I gave her a big hug. She hugged my back with her wings and let me down before she put her head down for some rubs and scratches. I shake my head at her antics as I laugh and scratched and rubbed her head as she screeched in enjoyment as the attention.

Y/N: Ro’nea, it’s good to see you again, my friend.

Ro’nea screeches in response as if to say “It has been. Are we going flying today?

Y/N: Yes, Ro, we’re going flying. I need to make sure things are okay even though we might get spotted by those fuckheads. Let’s go.

I jumped onto Ro’nea’s back and sat on her saddle before I put my weapons onto her harness as she took off, not bothering to connect my queue because I think Ro’nea knows what we need to do. I let her fly us over the island as we get a birds-eye view of the situation. I soon saw Lo’ak on his Ilu as he was being followed by Kiri, Tuk, Neteyam, Tsireya, Rotxo, and Ao’nung.

Y/N: Shit. They must be following Lo’ak to where he usually meets with Payakan.

I’ve met the Tulkun and he’s far from what the stories say about him. I’m just happy that Lo’ak did trust me enough to bring me to meet him the other day.

Y/N: Wait a minute. Fuck! They must be chasing after Lo’ak because he’s going to warn Payakan about the whalers.

Ro’nea turns her head to look at me.

Y/N: Ro’nea. Follow my siblings and their friends. We need to make sure that nothing bad happens.

Ro’nea screeched at me in response, telling me she understood what I said and flew after them while flying very high up so we don’t attract any unwanted attention from whalers or Recom soldiers. After about 30 minutes, I saw Payakan surface, but I saw he had something going through his fin. I then saw everyone trying to pull it out as I then saw Quaritch and his sky-people friends going after my siblings and friends. I had Ro’nea get closer to the SeaDragon ship to where I knew Quaritch would be able to hear me and I draw my bow. I draw an arrow onto the bowstring and let the arrow go as it flies through the air and buries itself into one of the Recom’s skull. I believe that fuck head I killed was Zhang. Everyone on the ship was shocked to see an arrow penetrate the dude’s skull and I then shouted loudly.

Y/N: HEY YOU DUMB FUCKS!!! OVER HERE!!

I saw Quaritch look in my direction as I saw him recognize my Ikran and my voice. Once he looked me in the eyes, I flipped him the bird, daring him to focus on me in hopes of drawing attention away from the others. I saw a few ships start coming my way as I have Ro’nea fly a few dozen meters in the other direction before I had her stop.

Y/N: Ro’nea, get safe. I’ll be okay, just get somewhere safe.

She screeched at me, understanding what I’m about to do before I jumped off of Ro’nea and dove towards the water below with my bow and arrow reattached to me. As I dive into the water, I dive down deep enough to I knew Skimwings would be at with a few submarine like machines a few meters behind me. Once I reached a cave, I saw Bel’lia in there and she looked like she was surprised to see me there, but understood I was trouble if I was coming directly to her cave. She saw the machines behind me and she got to work destroying the machines. I watched in amazement as she expertly trashed the machines to scrap metal. She turned around and signaled for me to hop on to which I do. She starts swimming up to the surface as I held onto her before she surfaced near the ships that were following me as Bel’lia continues to swim away from the ships. I noticed that there was two oil drums on one of the ships so I grabbed my pistol and shot at the drums, hitting on and the caught fire before shortly exploding, the ship getting destroyed in said explosion. The second ship started to ready to harpoon to shoot at us.

Y/N: Bel’lia, DIVE!

She dove beneath the surface and I saw their were mines attacked to the side of the ship that I then shot at with my pistol. My bullet hit its mark and the skip exploded after having the mines explode. I then saw some of my friends and siblings were taken by the submarines. I was pissed at seeing this, but I knew I had to get out of here as soon as possible. Bel’lia sensed my anger, but she also knew that we could not do much. We headed back to shore when Neteyam saw me and waved me down halfway back home.

Neteyam: Y/N? What the hell are you doing out here?

Y/N: I was making sure that you guys were okay. Safe to say that plan went out the window considering they got Kiri, Lo’ak, Tsireya, and Tuk. Where’s the others?

Neteyam: They made it back to land already. I saw your handiwork with those ships. Nice work, little brother.

Y/N: I had to do something about them, at least. Anyways, grab onto Bel’lia. We need to get back to land as soon as possible to tell Mom and Dad what happened.

Neteyam: Alright.

Neteyam gets onto Bel’lia and sits behind me as she takes us back to shore.

— At the Battle of the SeaDragon —

— Y/N POV

Me and Neteyam were riding on Bel’lia as we overheard Dad say he was going to surrender himself to Quaritch in return for the safe return of our siblings. We also just saw Payakan attack the ship from the side, prompting everyone to start attacking. We reached the SeaDragon and got off of Bel’lia as we climbed on board the burning vessel and Bel’lia swam off to safer waters. Neteyam got his hands onto an assault rifle and I got my hands on an SMG.

We started shooting and killing sky-people as we pushed our way up to the decks where Tuk, Tsireya, Lo’ak, and Kiri were being held at. I loaded five sky-person full of lead before I reload my SMG as we finally reach the area where everyone was being held prisoner at. I unsheathed my knife and cut Kiri and Tsireya free from their bindings while Neteyam cut Tuk and Lo’ak free. I started run up to where I had seen Spider at when Neteyam stopped me.

Neteyam: Bro, what are you doing?

Y/N: We need to save Spider.

Neteyam: There’s no time.

Y/N: It’s my fault that he’s here in the first place. I’ll be damned if I leave him after I got him in trouble with being here.

Neteyam: -sighs- Fine, let’s find him.

Neteyam and I both start moving back to where I saw Spider at as we keep killing sky-people when we see Spider meet up with us.

Spider: Guys! It’s great to se enough again after the shit that went down.

Y/N: And you two, my friend. Let’s get the hell out of here.

Spider dove into the water as Neteyam and I covered him when I saw a Recom aim at Neteyam.

Y/N: Bro! Look out!

I push Neteyam into the water and I killed the Recom who was aiming at my brother, but I don’t come out unscathed. I received a bullet into my gut as I then jumped into the water below. I hit the water and try to tread the water as I grunt in pain from my new wound in my gut. I start having trouble keeping my head up when my brothers come up to the surface of the water.

Neteyam: Y/N! Are you okay?!

I look at him as I hold my stomach where he can now see the blood coming from my gut.

Lo’ak: Shit. Y/N’s hurt!

Y/N: I-I’m fine. Let’s get somewhere safe.

Neteyam called for his Ilu and let me ride with him as Lo’ak rode on his when we make it to the rocks where Mom, Dad, Tsireya, and Tuk are at. Neteyam helped me up onto the rocks as I lost a little strength. Mom and Dad both looked at me worried when they saw the bullet hole in my gut as Tuk and Tsireya gasped loudly at the sight of me. I sat down against some of the rocks as Dad came over to me to help stop my bleeding. I groan in pain as he holds down the wound when I look around and notice something.

Y/N: Where is Kiri?

At that moment, I heard Dad’s communicator turn on and I heard Quaritch speak.

Quaritch: Jake. I have your daughter. If you want her alive. Come meet me on deck.

Jake: Shit. Neteyam, Lo’ak, keep your brother safe. Spider, Neytiri, let’s get Kiri back.

Mom, Dad, and Spider all dove into the water back towards the ship as I get up and walk towards the water in pain.

Neteyam: Y/N! You need to stay back.

Y/N: I’m not going to let them go without help.

I swiftly dove into the water as I quietly follow Mom and Dad as they swim to where Kiri is at. I climb out of the water as Mom, Dad, and Spider quickly get out and run to where Kiri is at as I follow behind them. I silently climb a support beam that is attached to ceiling as walked slowly along the upper catwalk area as I see where Kiri is being held hostage by Quaritch. As he goes on about speaking for Dad to cuff himself, I crawled to where I would be above Quaritch where I saw Mom and Spider notice me. Mom had Spider held at knifepoint which surprised me a lot. However, once I saw that Quaritch tensed up with Kiri after seeing his son being held hostage by Mom, I jumped down from the upper catwalk and I bite Quaritch harshly onto his neck while I kicked Kiri away from the psycho I just bit. Kiri ran over to Mom and Dad who hugged her as I let go of Quaritch before I punched him, causing him to lose grip of the pistol he had. I grab the pistol with my tail and bring it around to my hand so I’m pointing it at him.

Quaritch: You’re one tough little bastard, I’ll give you that. You sure you even know how to use it?

I got pissed at him and I shot him in the shoulder.

Y/N: Does t-that answer your q-question?

I failed to see that Quaritch had a second pistol on hand and he quickly he grabbed it before he shot me two more times in the stomach. With adrenaline pumping, I tackled him and we ended up falling off of the boat. I just looked him in the eye as we sunk below the surface of the water before I pulled him up to the surface to where I saw some rocks. I slowly pulled him up to the rocks as he started coughing up water as I stared him down. I just silently stared at him as he looked back at me in silence before he talked.

Quaritch: Why would you save me after everything I’ve done to you?

Y/N: W-well, you saved my best friend from being killed so as the saying I’ve heard goes. “a life for a life.”

Quaritch: Why don’t you join me?

Y/N: I’d rather die sad and alone than join you. I only saved you in return for you saving Spider.

I dove back into the water and began to immediately feel my body start giving out. I barely make it when I’m left floating in the water barely conscious when I feel my body being pulled up and onto the rocks where my family is.

Lo’ak: Watch his head, Bro!

I feel my wounds having pressure be put into them as I finally let my pain out as I scream in pain. I blink into see Dad holding my gunshot wounds as Mom holds my right hand, saying prayers to Eywa to not let her son be taken from her. Neteyam and Lo’ak are looking at me in sorrow as they are not sure what to think. I feel my left hand being held and I see Kiri hold my right hand with tears in her eyes as she looks at me with worry all over her face. I saw Tsireya comforting Tuk as a Tuk is bawling her eyes out while Tsireya has her own tears coming down her eyes. I smile at my family before I speak to Dad.

Y/N: D-Dad?

Jake: Yes, my son?

Y/N: D-did I d-do good?

Jake: You did perfectly.

Y/N: If I’m g-go, p-please don’t b-be hard o-on Neteyam and L-Lo’ak.

Jake: I will, I promise.

Y/N: I-I-I l-love y-you a-all.

Neytiri: My son…

Kiri: Y/N…

Neteyam and Lo’ak: Y/N….

Everything then goes black as I close my eyes with a feeling of peace.

To be continued…..

Leaving it off at a major cliffhanger…. I first want to apologize for the long wait for Pt. 4 of this series. I couldn’t bring myself to finish the whole story here. I’m not going to lie, I cried a little when I was making this chapter at times. I’m not entirely sure what I want to do for the epilogue so I want to see up a question poll. I want to try something for it, but I’m still trying to make up my mind after writing this chapter. I’ll make up my mind in the next few days.

[oh-my-may]

Sakusa, Tsukishima and Kenma when their s/o gets a wound

requested: sakusa, tsukki, and kenma with a s/o who gets a wound? maybe they went to do an activity and get their knees scraped bad and the boys find out? how would they take care of their s/o?

Sakusa was such a good pick for this oh my that’s probably why his is a bit longer please forgive me I am weak for him ok

Sakusa Kiyoomi:

There were not a lot of things you could do as dates, since Sakusa declined most of your suggestions saying that it would be too unhygienic or too much work making sure everything would be clean.

But when you came up with the idea of going wandering on a mountain trail, where only mostly elderly people where, he was all for it. Of course he also didn’t liek staying insiode all the time, and a place where anybody went while being in nature sounded like music to his ears.

However you regretted your decision soon after you guys started your trip. You were breathing heavily and your legs already felt like spaghetti and you werent even halfway up the hill. Sakusa however, with his amazing sports stamina was walking ahead and barely notived that you fell way behind, until he wanted to talk to you and you didn’t respond to his words. He turned around wondering where you were. Did you maybe get lost? But then he saw you hanging over, your hands placed on your knees and you looked up to him smiling, but you couldn’t hide the exhaustion.

Your boyfriend couldn’t help but chuckle seeing you like that. He walks to you and stops in front of you, tilting his head while he observes your heaving figure. “You know, we can just return if you want to. But the air up here is really good and I guess it’s even better at the top.” You just shake your head, insisting on continuing this trip because it hasn’t been often that you saw Kiyoomi this careless. You were determined to make this an enjoyable trip for the both of you, but especially him. He deserved a pause from his hectic life.

So he grabs your hand and walks slowly beside you for a while, both of you enjoying the nature around you and the fresh air sweeping through your lungs. When you’re finally at the top you have a nice picnic while enjoing the view over the land, watching leaves dance in the wind and tumbling around you, taking in all the scents of exotic flowers and birds chirping somewhere in the tree tops.

You feel a lot better when you get back down. Walking down on a mountain is a lot less exhausting than walking up, after all. Your steps fly more easily. Too easily. You’re more careless with your steps and before you can stop it you stumble over a big rock in your way, landing on your knees before Sakusa can grab your wrist. However he’s quick to help you up again and you flinch and hiss when you shift your weight on your left leg again. Your knee is totally scraped, a small rill of blood running down your leg. Some small stones still stick to your skin and Sakusa is quick to pull out a small package from his backpack, because this man never goes anywhere unprepared.

He helps you sit down on a tree trunk next to the path you were walking and he looks at you with slight amusement but also worry in his eyes. He sighs before leaning down and placing a kiss on the top of your head and then kneels down in front of you, taking care of the wound. “What am I gonna do with you? You’re so clumsy...” he mumbles and you have to smile, though your knee still burns badly. Sakusa takes care of it perfectly, even kissing the bandage on top of your knee after he’s done. However, he doesn’t let you walk down again, he carries you down all the way on his back and you’re not complaining.

You just cling onto him and cuddle into his back, burying your face in his neck and stroking his hair occassionally, thanking him for taking care of you so well. He smiles to himself when he feels you pressing to him, feeling your breath so close on his skin.

After the trip he still checks up on your knee everyday, even when it’s not a wound that serious. He still claims that it shouldn’t get infected and that he’s the only one besides a doctor that can take proper care of it. Always kisses your knee after every check up! A true cariing cutie, I am way too soft for this man

Tsukishima Kei:

It was hard to get Tsukishima thrilled of the idea of going somewhere special to hang out. He was more of the stay inside kinda person, preferring just cuddling up to you in private.

You accepted his choices (even though you still got him to go to certain places sometimes) and that’s how you transformed everyday situations into little dates. Like lunch in school or staying in your garden instead of in the house, sometimes you’d even join his practice and watch him there. Even though he would never admit it, he enjoyed it when you do that. It always makes his insides all giddy and warm because you care for him so much!

You also always walk home together, talking about anything on your way or just quietly listening to music while enjoying each other’s company, silently holding or hands or sometimes he’ll just sling an arm around your shoulders and pull you close to him, walking like that for a while.

Today however you were “balancing” on a wall next to the sidewalk while talking to Kei and rambling about your day. It was fun to you focusing on taking the right steps, even though the platform you were walking on was not that small. You still had to be careful about where you placed your feet, because there were roots and other plants growing over and through the stone. “Ugh anyway, and then our teacher just made us write a test, and it was fine I guess but still sucked.” you ended your little rant.

“Y/N, are you really sure you should walk up there? Don’t you think it would be safer down here? You’re gonna get hurt if you don’t look out.” Tsukki just says while looking up to you with a vague face. You almost laughed seeing him like that. Was he actually worrying about you? Contrary to you always worrying about him at games, this was a nice change.

“Don’t be silly Kei, I’ve been balancing on things since I was a child, literally nothing will happen-” And that’s when you literally cursed yourself, because just moment later you stumble over a root and fall down, though you manage to cushion your fall with your hands which got the most damage.

Your boyfriend is right next to you in no time, helping you up and scanning your body for any injuries, but luckily only your hands got injured and your elbow felt weird, making your whole arm feel like some sort of pudding. Tsukki is just shaking his head while taking in the scrapes and cuts on your hands. You flinch when he softly touches your strained skin and he looks at you with disapproval. His eyes literally tell you “I told you so.” but fortunately he has enough tactfulness to not say it out loud. He accompanies you to your house, constantly shaking his head when you whimper and pout because your hands hurt.

He reluctantly helps you clean your hands, because he claims he’s not good with that kind of stuff and he only helps you bandage the wound because you don’t want to move your hands too much. Quiet sounds of disapproval still leave his lips as he does, though. Something like that could never happen to him, he says. Still, the look in his eyes is loving. He appreciates your playful side a lot. Without it, his life would be pretty plain. Without YOU it would be.

He loves you, but please prepare for a bunch of teasing after the incident. He will never let you climb on something or balance somewhere every again for a long time because honestly? He cares about you a little too much and he can’t bear to see you hurt in any way.

Kenma Kozume:

Kenma always seemed to be busy with some things. In the morning it was school, in the afternoon volleyball practice and in the evening and at night he was usually gaming.

You tried you best to insert yourself into his routine. Walk to school with him, spend the breaks at school with him, game with him, watch him at practice. You were fine with it, really, because you noticed how over the time he got more cooperative and sometimes skipped volleyball practice to hang out with you, or he was starting to game a bit less in order to go to the cinema with you etc.

But you still treasured the time the most when you could hang with him normally, like at practice. You could actually spend hours watching him do something else other than hanging over his console.

And the other members loved you, too. They appreciated you being at practice, it was like having another manager. You also took care of them and told them everything you observed, you brought snacks and cheered for them in any game. Sometimes you’d even join in during training camps and get along with other teams, as well.

You normally used your time during practice to do homework or work on other things, but today you helped out as the “ballboy/girl” basically and ran around the gym catching the flying volleyballs and collecting them for the boys. You’d throw them back to them or helped them to serve the ball, but you were always just moving around the whole time. You didn’t mind, though. It was actually very fun, the boys were constantly joking around. But Kenma didn’t look all that amused whenever a ball just closely missed you or when you almost fell in an attempt to catch a ball.

You watched as him and Yaku were talking to Lev and teaching him how to do a proper serve. The first year was listening eagerly, moving his hands and arms around enthusiastically and you found yourself grinning when Kenma moved his hands over his face in frustration.

Then it finally came to Lev putting all the tips into something and he was standing at the end of the field, ready to serve. You watched him fail a few times until he hit the ball with a loud bang and slammed it over the net, right to where you were standing. No one had enough time to react properly and before you could even think about diodging the ball landed straight on your chest and you fell backwards, hitting your head on the floor hard. For a moment you couldn’t see or hear anything, just darkness and dancing light in front of your eyes and a defeaning beeping in your ears.

Someone helped you to sit up and you slowly began to see contours of people around you, and their voices were still incomprehendable to you. You felt hands on your back and then on your face and you looked into your boyfriends face who had widened eyes and looked very pale.

Then he turned around and basically chased Lev through hell for doing this, giving him the lecture of his life even though you weren’t hurt that badly. there was a small wound at the back of your head and just a little bit of blood came out.

Kenma was by your side the whole time, flinching a lot more than you when you got a bandage around your head. You got some medication from the doctor and while you were tripping a little bit he still stayed at your side, giving you his console so you can play and distract yourself from ther pain

Literally really won’t leave your side, will stay at your house until you can go to school again and he just spends the days next to you in your bed, pouting when he sees the wound and carefully stroking your hair. He’s a big cuddler during this time and literally won’t led you near the gym anytime soon. He always gives Lev death stares when he gets near you, like a hissing cat.

A protective boy, 11/10 would love and cherish

[rattlerinthewheel]

Fruit Bat: Scud/Reader

He should know better than to irritate the vampire that’s already pissed, wounded, and starving—so you teach him.

For the Kinky Things Happen bingo square: vampires and discipline, at @pandoratriestowritestuff’s request for some Scud. Credit to them and @phoenixblack89, who talked about Scud getting spanked and choking on a donut, for the respective scenes.

- - -

You’re still pissed at him.

But it’s hard to give him the silent treatment when you need to get at the junk around the tables. Move, pass me that wrench, throw me that wire, is dry and distant, work-related; but turn that shit down, quit spewing crumbs, stop grabbing me, and other growls that aren’t related to the tech you’re fiddling with get read as some sign—to keep doing those things, but that’s sure not what your glares should be saying.

Well, it isn’t a surprise that he’s being a dumbass about it. A moron about a lot of shit, lately, the bandage on your arm can vouch for that. And it was an accident, sure, you wouldn’t usually blame him for aiming that UV flashlight at anything that swarmed at him on a job; but he’d been high and you’d called out a warning, dammit, and he still got you with it. Burned like a motherfucker, like acid.

His apology was huffed, high-sluggish, and rank like the shitty weed he’d been toking.

Maybe he’s realizing you’re really pissed, content with just your hand as company for a few days, because you haven’t taken a break even once from this group project—a net of UV panels you can drape over the van; they stay off for now, obviously—to get your hands down his pants, or his down yours.

But Josh—Scud’s dumb, and it pisses him off to be called Josh, so of course that’s what you call him—is definitely high, not as sharp as he’d otherwise be, and his logic is coming from his dick today. His brain would be screaming at him to not agitate the vampire that’s wounded and pissed.

He’s prodded at you the whole damn night so far, brushing your groin to grab a tool there’s fifteen more of scattered around that he can get to, angling his head in a way that makes the churning veins under too damn tempting, flat-out groping your ass when his first two tactics don’t get him anything more than warning hisses.

Except when he decides he doesn’t like a particular hiss you give, too much teeth for his liking, because when his hand drops from where it’s gotten in a squeeze it claps right back down across the ass cheek it grabbed. Fucking hard, too; "make peace, not war" your ass.

You whirl where he’s scrambling back to his side of the room, giggling, hands raised with his palms out like he can call a truce. Like he hasn’t been doing this shit all night and your hisses and menaced fangs are supposed to be equals, or something.

Well, they aren’t. And you feel like cashing in some payback.

"C’mon, baby, lighten up!" trails his getaway while you give chase. You don’t run after him, but Josh stumbles and darts around like you are. It’s one of the oldest hunting tactics, just following, while the prey tires itself out trying to get away. Vampires don’t need to use it, you could just as easily catch up, even with a bandaged arm.

But Josh wants to goddamn play, so you’ll follow suit. For now.

Smoker’s lungs, stoner’s, don’t let him keep it up as long as a guy his age could. Josh staggers, stumbles a last time like his clothes weigh fifty pounds, and drops on the steps up to another part of the workshop. By his couch and TV, the little nest he’s made for himself, and you don’t think that’s accidental; but you don’t plan to move things to that shitty couch, not anytime soon.

You walk right up to him, and Josh goddamn grins, leaning back on his hands and spreading his legs like he’s offering himself up like a damn meal. He’s still got one of those shitty donuts, and he takes a bite, still grinning, and flicks a crumb at your leg.

"You’re a child," you growl, getting a whiff of syrup lactic acids, probably burning his calves like battery; iron thumped in and out of his heart, jumping in his throat, flushing his face; that damn weed turning everything earthy, chalky like loam, but still good.

"I’m a delight," spews more crumbs with another giggle. "Besides, baby, you love it."

You do—when you aren’t pissed at him. "Love to kick your ass," you huff, toeing the step by his foot.

His hum makes you swallow. Fucking thirsty, you are, and that’s just the worst kind of trifecta for Josh to be near right now: starved, pissed, and wounded. Your nerves are shot, and his chase didn’t tire you, but it sure as shit reminded you of what hunts are supposed to take care of. And his hum, that sounds vaguely like a dying, helpless churr from a punctured throat...

Shit.

But the hum bubbles into a chuckle, as you’re stepping away to beat it and get back to work—so Blade doesn’t have you to stake and Josh to mend, or a drained corpse to bury—when you get a lazy kick to your calf and a teasing, "The little fruit bat running away? Afraid I’ll smack him again?"

You’re starving, agitated, and your arm throbs. It’s not a nickname you hate, but it sets off something.

You stop, turn back slowly, and flick your eyes to either side to make sure you won’t be skewered by stray junk out of place. All clear, so you skulk up, schooling your face into a careful, bland look that puts Josh on edge more than a scowl.

"Ain’t my ass about to get smacked, boy," is throttled with a snap of fangs and a low pounce, and Josh can only drop the fucking donut and yelp as you tackle him.

He gets a bit of ground, because his hand clamps right down on the bandages, making you bark at the bolt of pain. It’s been longer since your last drink than you admitted to Blade, before he left, and that doesn’t help. But Blade would’ve had you come with, otherwise, and you figured dealing with Josh was worth getting the panels for the van closer to field testing.

Because as much as you want to skitter up the wall and drop Josh from the rafters, most days, you don’t want to get back to the van and find a drained, stoner-sized juice box.

So it’s a little ironic that he’s sprawled over your legs, when the scuffle’s over. It’s not what you intended—to pin him to his stomach, straddle, and give a few smacks before letting him go—but you sort yourselves out. First Josh, and you wrap an arm over his waist to keep him down; then yourself, and you sit up properly so his ass is right where you want it.

These days, child rearing isn’t what you were accustomed to, and Josh doesn’t figure it out until he feels your hand settle across the seat of his cargo pants. "No fuckin’ way," is half telling, half laughing, and the weed probably has something to do with that second part.

Because the first part’s not amused, but just in case he doesn’t get it across that he’s not thrilled to be pinned this way, Josh starts trying to buck off your lap.

"Yes fucking way," you hiss, and your hand cracks down over his right cheek.

It’s loud, even for his human hearing, and goes off like a shotgun blast. Josh twists his head back, huffing. The scowl he tries to give doesn’t have the kind of impact he hopes for, when it twitches at the second swat you land, right over the same spot. Harder than the first, because you won’t have him scowling at you, goddamn brat.

"Hope you know how to sleep with one eye open," cracks when you get a handful of flesh, quieter when he hangs his head. The pants are thin, and you feel the warmth from the swats, hell, hear the blood fizz under the surface. "Get you back for this."

You frown, not at the threat, but another rush of blood you hear. Feel, even better, in your lap.

You growl and throw a withering look his way, because fucking seriously? "You gettin’ hardover this?"

You hear the bones grind, Josh gritting his teeth, when you give the spot you’ve hit twice now a slow rub. Christ, he is, and he’s halfway there by the time you’ve rubbed enough circles into the warmed skin that you have to strain to hear the fizzing blood. You should’ve guessed he was into this, not like he doesn’t rile you up to pin or chase him anyway, this even makes sense.

The swipe to his left thigh is sudden, vampire speed but not strength because you aren’t that cruel. Your ears perk at the sound it gets, when the crack settles again, but before you can ask if he’s fine you feel his thigh rise up into your hand. You can’t help but scoff, because Christ’s sake, you weren’t trying to get frisky with him—and that ship’s goddamn sailed, because you’re helping him get hard.

You’re getting hard, too, can’t be a hypocrite about that. Josh feels it, pushing up into his side, and when he twists his head back again he’s flushed and his mouth’s open. His eyes are glazed over, brow’s furrowed, you think, but it’s hard to tell with the mop of hair in the way. Dammit,and you get a handful of his shirt in your striking hand to keep him from toppling over, and unwrap the other to push the hair off his face.

You can hear his sigh just fine, but it thrums into your fingers where you keep them pushed into his scalp, warm, damp from work and running from you. "Done already, baby? Maybe we can switch," buzzes up your arm.

Shit. You aren’t excited for that, because if he’s going to get you back he’s damn well working for it. But you can feel him reacting to you, swamping your senses; a whine when your fingers curl in the bangs before combing out, his hips shimmying when your arm loops over again, the muscles of his hide clenching as you drag down his pants and boxers.

That last one gets a sharp breath that’s followed up with a sharper swat. You suck in a gasp yourself and tighten your arm, giving your hard-on friction to grind off of, as you run your fingertips over the barely-pink skin. Warm, hot, without the fabric, and it fizzles louder like damn fireworks, when you drop your palm over the left cheek.

"Baby? Not getting any, uh, urges? Know I look good ‘nough to eat normally, but—"

"Shut up," you snarl, and then you’re smacking him again.

It’s anger at this bullshit, your injury, your arm throbbing as Josh twitches against the hold you just double down on when you start laying down swats quick and hard. He could’ve killed you, and he was too damn high to realize it, to apologize, still hasn’t.

But it’s some twisted fascination, too, watching the barely-pink go hot pink, white in the beat after a blow before it blooms darker, then red. You hear the blood fizz, pop, and simmer with each shade the flesh darkens to. Ass goes slower than the thighs, more meat to them, and that reminds you that there’s something to grab so you do. Not after every swat, just to give you both a breather, and you groan when you peel your hand off each time and a five-fingered print flares white before reddening again.

"Hope you choke on those damn donuts," you groan, throaty, when you realize your aim goes off because Josh is rutting into your damn lap. "Quit moving, lemme."

He goes rigid when you grab a hot thigh and spread him open, shift him right so his cock isn’t snug against your leg, and start to stroke. Cruelly slow, but it’s not like he’s getting out of this without some discipline. But you wouldn’t exactly mind doing this again, either...

"No one’s dead, then?"

Josh yelps and finally does buck off your lap. You let him, falling in a heap with his pants still down to his knees, because you’re too busy cringing back from the circle of UV light pointed at the floor. On concrete, not too close to the steps, but you’ve had enough of that wicked light as it is.

Blade doesn’t look bothered by Josh’s undressed, red ass, or the wet spot he left on your jeans. Neither of you finished, just pre-cum, but you’re not keeping a nose or ear out to scent or hear if Josh does by accident in the scramble. You’ve got something else on your mind, that wicks away the lust and anger and drags hunger up your throat so fast you’re dizzy.

The IV bag’s tossed to you, torn into and drained in the time it takes Blade to fish out another from his bag. You hear the flashlight go off and pounce out onto concrete to burrow into the second one he gives over, then growl for the third you can smell when he doesn’t offer it.

"There a problem?"

Your growl sputters, and Josh must’ve gotten his pants back up because he draws attention to himself now. "All good, B. Just looking for some shit for the panels."

Blade doesn’t ask what shit required Josh’s nose being two inches from the lowest step, or being over your lap while he looked, but you go deaf to what they do talk about when the third bag’s thrown your way. By the time you finish, wiggling the puncture marks over your yawning mouth to get the last drop, Blade’s gone and Josh’s face wrinkles.

"Oh, now you don’t want to bother me?" you purr, all fangs, your arm hardly aching and your throat good and wet.

"Shit, dude, would table manners kill you?"

You purr louder, a chuckle, as Josh turns away and goes to hide on his couch with his TV. Close to dawn, anyway, and it’s better to have two pairs of hands for the panels. At least that’s what Josh will tell Blade, probably, if he asks why he isn’t working on it in the morning when you’re sleeping. You’re betting on Blade either calling him out, saying a sore ass doesn’t mean a day off, or just letting it slide. He’s not stranger to vampire strength, even if it’s never been applied to his ass.

Well, Josh can tell him all about it, and you wipe the blood off your face, purr throttling in a real laugh, as Josh decides to lay down on his stomach while he fumbles with the TV.

"Gonna get you back," he reminds you.

In the dim, barely-lit room, with just some cartoon to flick pale tones over the dark space, you lurk over and crawl up onto the back of the couch, balancing on your side, so you can lick your fingers clean and run them through his hair. You tune out the shitty TV to hone in on his blood, calming down, still sputtering around his warm ass. It’s white noise you lose yourself in, purring at his swears when he shifts and agitates the flesh.

[ask-fantasy-sanders-sides]

Hey Roman, Logan! Side note: we just found out you guys are Fate Touched. So. That explains quite a bit. Ask her radiance if you wanna know more :) - 🗡

      ”So I can assume you already know about Virgil's situation?" Logan asks, frowning slightly as he tries to puzzle out what all he should say in this situation. Goddess or not, he's not sure if it's safe to tell her the extent of what he's seen…

      Eilistraee nods, "I know about his Sorcery. —Do not worry, Logan. I wouldn't tell the Sisters or their cults unless I had to. If I was planning on handing him over to be executed by the Gods, I would not have helped you save him."

      Logan finds himself believing her. But, before he can let the existential dread of what they’re discussing — Which amounts, most probably, to interplanar treason — settle in, he has to comment,

      "I don't remember telling you my name."

      Eilistraee smiles at that, like she knows something he doesn't. Which, Logan will reluctantly admit, is possible in this specific circumstance.

      "Virgil has told me about each of you. —And, of course, you and I are already acquainted." She smiles at Roman, who nods. 

      "I hope you aren't insulted that I haven't visited in… over a century?"

      "We were both busy~" She teases, as if a century is anything to a Goddess. 

      "I'm not sure what is going on." Logan admits, getting them back on track once he's come to terms with the fact that he is, in fact, doing this.

      "By all means, almost everything I've seen him do over these past few days should be impossible. He's wielded Mythal magic, changed the flow of time, and experienced more frequent Wild Surges than any wild magic Sorcerer I have ever heard of. I thought, initially, that he had been born with the power... But, if those spell-scars are any indication, he was not. Still, I've never seen spellscars of that shape or size."

      "And they're angrier than before!" Roman cuts in, "I had seen his arm under those bandages a few nights ago, and they didn't look nearly that bad. But we didn't encounter any wild magic between then and now, so I don't know how they could have gotten worse…?"

      "Virgil's current power is not something he was born with, that much is true." Eilistraee nods, "He was born with magic latent within him, but he purposefully pushed it down and ignored it. What he can do now stemmed from a disastrous encounter with Nethermancy, in which he was mutated by the Far Realm."

      Roman and Logan gasp, and Patton is hopelessly confused. He looks between the three spellcasters in the room, hoping one of them remembers that he is but a regular, mundane person.

      "...Ne...cro...mancy?"

      "No, Nether. Dark Magic." Roman stage-whispers, looking frightened. 

      Well, that clarifies nothing at all, Patton frowns, then turns to Logan,

      "Lo, you didn't mention that one the other day. I thought you said there were only eight?"

      “That is because Nethermancy no longer exists." Logan frowns. Eilistraee sighs and shakes her head,

      "As most things you will find tend to be… That is not entirely true. You know your magic comes from the Weave, yes?"

      All three of them nod at that, and Patton knows the beginning of a lecture when he hears one. He tries his best to keep listening as Eilistraee continues,

      "You can visualize the Weave as a spiderweb. Many threads tangle together to form it, more densely interconnected in some areas and more sparse in others. When you cast a spell, you are plucking on the web. Lesser tricks only jostle one string, while great feats of magic pull on the points where many threads are connected.” 

      "So, the less strings we pull, the lower the spell's level?" Roman muses. She nods.

      “Mystra is the spider who sits at the center, building and repairing the web, feeling the vibrations of all those who touch it and biting away those who pull too hard. After all, if you pull too harshly, the web will unravel… But the web is not the source of magic in the Universe. It is just where you mortals can syphon it from. Magic is something that has always existed, long before the gods, and will continue long after us.”

      Logan nods, "The early humanoids who tried to hone magic before the Weave was woven were all destroyed, and turned into the first liches."

      "So Mystra, with some help from my Father, created the Weave as a blanket." Eilistraee smiles, "A safety net, that holds raw power back and converts it into something manageable -- something mortals can access."

      Logan smirks, “Which is why Elves were the first humanoids to master magic. They had an insider.” 

      "So like a sieve? For flour?" Patton asks, and the goddess grins at the visual. Logan nods, almost impulsively taking over the lesson,

      "Sure. Now, imagine pulling a wire on that sieve out of place. There is a hole for more coarse clumps to fall through, yes?�� Patton nods, and Logan smiles at him, “That is what we are doing when we cast spells. When you pull on a thread, a bit of this raw power seeps through, but the gap only releases as much as that thread once covered. The less you ask for, the less you will receive. And if you don’t cast a spell correctly, the thread isn’t pulled at all, and no magic happens.”

      ...Now Logan frowns, beginning to catch on to Eilistraee’s point.

      "But, Nethermancy was not like that.” Logan muses aloud, “It stemmed from the Shadow Weave; the warped copy of the Weave Mystra's sister Shar invented, by mixing magic with corruption from the Far Realm."

      "The Shadow Weave is the space in-between the windows in the spiderweb. The darkness between the threads. Hence, it's name." Eilistraee explains, "When you reach into it, there is nothing to decide how much you take out. And, since you have not disturbed the strings, Mystra cannot even sense that you’re there. It is lethal to reach your hand into raw magic like this, in the same way it was lethal to cast before the Weave was constructed."

      "Which is why it was never active." Logan adds, cautiously, waiting for her to correct him. "Supposedly, the Blue Flame burned it out during the Spellplague, before it's creator ever used it. Or, so everyone was led to believe…?"

      Eilistraee nods, "The Shadow Weave was never destroyed. Shar lost control of it, but it still exists alongside the original. A spiderweb without a spider... And, by now, you are aware that my brother's kin do not follow the same rules when it comes to the lethality of raw magic."

      "So, he was exposed to this Shadow Weave somehow, and now he keeps tapping into it on accident?" Roman frowns.

      "Yes. Without either Sister Goddess's influence to limit him, Virgil has tethered himself to the spaces between. Now he pulls at it without trying, weakening the weave around him and accessing magic Mystra outlawed decades ago."

      Eilistraee turns to Logan, suddenly very serious, 

      "You've done well to teach him control, but it is still something he will have to learn. He is the only thing moderating his contact with raw magic. He has no safety net to protect him if he takes too much, and no way to stop himself from doing it. This is not your usual pupil whose spell will fizzle out if they fail, his will combust. He must learn to hone his ability."

      "I can teach him." Logan nods resolutely, already determined to see this through to the end. Eilistraee frowns. 

      "There are already many in your world who know about his mutation. Many wish to use him as a weapon on a scale you cannot imagine, and many more wish to destroy him altogether. People who will show no mercy when they come for him, and anyone who would protect him.” 

      Eilistraee turns to address all three of them, making an imposing figure where she towers in the middle of the room, 

      “You will face more peril at his side than you have ever read about in your history books, and his powers will bring untold destruction if you fail. Are you so sure you wish to involve yourself in this?"

      "You'll find I already have." Logan stares her down, hoping he is more stubborn than she is, "I am not going to give up on him now. I knew it was going to be difficult when I first asked him to join me."

      (So, that might be a little white lie. He didn’t know it would be so difficult that a literal Goddess would warn him to pack up and go home, but… Well, no one is going to tear him away from a project he’s already started, nor a friend who needs his help. And, after all, Logan doesn’t know anyone more qualified than himself to teach Virgil how to use magic.)

      Eilistraee seems to mull over his words for a moment. Roman and Patton are keeping quiet, either letting Logan speak for them as the group’s leader or too exhausted/shocked to say anything.

      ...And, after an excruciating several minutes, the Goddess smiles.

      "Very well then. I entrust his safety to you, Professor Logan." Eilistraee — the Goddess. What is today?! — smiles, as if as amused by the situation as Logan is winded by it. 

      "Don't fail him."

      "We won't!" Patton cheers, elbowing Logan's thigh to shake him out of his surprised stupor. Eilistraee grins.

      "We?"

      "Yep! We're a bit of a package deal~" Roman nods, smiling at the other two. "And, I mean... if Logan goes on some sort of super perilous adventure and doesn't invite his resident literal Celestial, I don't even know what I would have to do! The sheer disrespect? I would throw a fit." 

      "You are both cordially invited to the 'super perilous adventure.'” Logan rolls his eyes, “Not that either of you ever need an invitation to insert yourselves into my travels..." 

      Logan tries his best not to smile, ignoring their laughter at either side of him.

      "You will need more than just the three of you, I'm afraid." Eilistraee smiles, 

      "I have full confidence in you, but the fact remains that Virgil will also need a mentor who is, themselves, a Sorcerer. There are some skills that can only be taught from experience."

      "Where are we supposed to find another Sorcerer?! It's rare enough that we found the one!" Roman whines, making Eilistraee grins.

      "You are willing to aid a man you just met last week in a plot against the natural order, but you don’t think you can find one measly sorcerer?”

      “Those are two totally different tasks! —Protecting people is my very specific skillset!! Finding them is not my job!” Roman blushes and pouts, and Eilistraee downright laughs. She shakes her head,

      “Oh, I was just teasing, d'anthe~ Don't worry: I think he will find you, soon enough." 

      Eilistrae lays a hand on Roman’s cheek, “And speaking of you... I sense something is troubling you?”

      Roman frowns for a moment. He sends an uneasy look at Logan and Patton...then sighs. 

      (If they’re all getting involved in Virgil’s surprise cosmic destiny, he supposes he might as well let them in on his…)

      “It’s my Mother.” Roman sighs, 

      “I know she’s been ailing for a long while now, but… Something’s happened to her while I was gone, I can feel it. Something’s wrong. But my powers don’t seem to have changed at all, so...I can’t really tell.”

      Eilistraee frowns, and Roman hops in again before she can speak, “I-I would contact her, but she still can’t speak to me! I don’t know how I’m supposed to help! I assume Mama has more information once we get to town, but it’s been killing me to wait in the dark. I know there are rules about how much you can meddle, but… Throw me a bone here?”

      That gives the Goddess pause. She seems to debate something for a moment… Then nods.

      “I can lend my aid to you for tonight, so long as you remain on land under my blessing. But, Sune is still in a very weakened state... Expect one of your Dreams tonight, little Prince.”

      Roman smiles softly, trying to mask his spark of disappointment.

      “...Thank you. Anything is better than no contact! But… I was never very good at deciphering those things.”

      “If you need help deciphering your visions, you can always ask one of my Dark Ladies, or one of your Heartwarders. But, your Mother is a goddess of emotion; It is unlikely any of them will be able to help you more than yourself…” 

      Eilistraee gives him a sympathetic smile, “...Or, maybe, your usual companion in that place?”

      “I doubt that.” Roman smiles back, more amused than he is dejected. 

      “It’s been a long time since I’ve shared a dream with my brother. I’m starting to think he’s purposefully ignoring them… And, to be honest, I wouldn’t put that past him.”

      “That may be so, but you two must reunite soon.” Eilistraee warns him with an unexpected sincerity, “Your Mother needs you both, now more than ever. You are aware that your Fate is joined with these three, but he has a part to play in all of this, too. He always has.”

      “My conversations with the whispers always seem to stem back to him, that much is for sure!” Roman grumbles, to himself more than anything. Eilistraee pats his shoulder.

      “The guards will lead you back to House De’anonen. The road ahead of you is long and perilous, and I don’t expect to be the last to tell you so… Now, get some rest!” 

      Roman nods, much too tired to argue on that point. Some young women in silver robes come to lead them out of the temple, and Roman and Patton meander after them out of the room. Logan follows behind them slowly... But, he pauses at the door. 

      He turns back to Eilistraee, and asks lowly, 

      “Nethermancy from the Far Realm…” he hums, still not quite sure what he’s trying to remember when he asks,

      “That he encountered here? Outside of the Underdark?”

      ...Eilistrae doesn’t answer right away. 

      A sour look crosses her face for a moment. She sighs,

      “Your curiosity is your greatest strength, Logan. It always has been.” She smiles, turning her back to him to exit the room through the farther door, “But you, of all people, should know that poking at what writhes in the grass is a dangerous game.”

      She walks out of the room, her voice echoing behind her as she disappears down a long, shadowy hallway, 

      “Be sure you are prepared for what’s hiding there.”

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Ask 97     ( @sjrose1217 , @snowydragon10 , @amazonprimebox )

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Rules

Most Recent Recap, in case you feel like you missed something!

Available for questions: Logan, Roman, and Patton! (Virgil is asleep)

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Eilistraee makes her exit as the party gets ready to sleep for the night, with few hours of night remaining and little energy to keep their eyes open any longer.

Now they have some hints for what is to come, but will they be able to put the pieces together? Or will the dangers she warned them about get the better of them...?

[thiswasinevitableid]

For the mermay fills: 10 & 22 with indruck? 👁️👁️ (nsfw or sfw)

I went with ten (tattoos/piercings) first, since 22 will be part of another fill. I went with NSFW, and wrote this as a follow-up to my “Heat” fill from last year.

Indrid swims up  and down the hall outside the palace infirmary. He’s far from the only one doing so; the reef serpent wreaked havoc through the city before the Chosen mers defeated it. He’s not even the only person waiting to see if Duck is alright.

“Have courage, Prince Indrid Cold!” Minerva, sporting a new gash on her face, clamps her hand down on his shoulder in what he knows is her version of a comforting gesture, “Duck Newton is the strongest Chosen after myself. He will pull through.” The blue of her tentacles flashes with pride. 

“Besides” Ned, the castle mer who has, against all odds, become Indrid’s closest advisor, flicks his orange and silver tail “you informed us yourself there were no futures where our friend passed away.”

“I know.” Indrid takes a breath, intending to explain the tangled net of anxiety in his chest. All that comes out is another, “I know.”

Behind him, he hears two nurses murmuring that they’d better bump the prince’s consort up in the line, but before he can turn and order them not to, they’re gone. 

It happened like this: Duck kept his word, began courting Indrid properly once the seer's heat passed, and Indrid reciprocated without hesitation. This caused a near scandal; yes, Duck was a Chosen and thus noble to a degree, but Indrid was a prince, and a prized one. Indrid pointed out that he rather liked someone who cared about his welfare, not just his happiness, and if they had an issue with that, that was their problem not his. And so the comments about Duck moved from to his face to behind his back, which he counted as good enough.

Duck found the whole consort business stressful, given that he’d forgone his Chosen destiny in favor of tending the kelp forests specifically to avoid that kind of fanfare and politics. Thus, they steered clear of the castle when they could, spending their time with their friends in town or in the sunken ship Duck called home. 

When the serpent attacked their town, Duck discovered the limits of his rejecting his destiny, and joined the fight to save his home. Indrid is proud of him, even if his stomach churns whenever the futures shift and he has to see whether the strings of fate weave a grimmer outcome for the man he loves.

It’s well after moonrise when he’s allowed to see Duck. The other mer is half-asleep in his infirmary bed, a massive bandage on his side and one of his tentacles bitten down to a nub

“Hey darlin” The sleepy drawl is accompanied by the mer opening his arms. 

Indrid carefully settles against the non-bandaged side of him, rests his head on his chest with a relieved sigh, “I’m so glad you’re alright. Or, well, mostly alright. You’re in one piece. Sort of. I, I’m not conveying this well.”

“I ain’t dead, given how today went I’m callin that a win. Besides, this’ll grow back in no time.” He wiggles the stub of his tentacle. 

“Mmm” Indrid cuddles closer, purring softly as intact tentacles pet his tail and back.

“When’d you last sleep?” Duck murmurs, kissing the top of his head.

“Not since the attack started.”

“Seems to me we’re both due for some shut eye.”

Indrid nods, right before falling asleep and dreaming of strong tentacles and stronger arms. 

-----------------------------------------

“Guess I gotta get a tattoo now.” Duck studies the scar on his side, his bandages having permanently come off this morning. 

“I suppose so. Though, if you’ve avoided so many other parts of Chosen protocol, I fail to see how skipping this one will make things worse.”

“I dunno, I kinda like this one. Used to strike me as macho bullshit, showin off how many battle scars you got. But now...makes me think of how when the forest gets trashed by a storm, or a huge-ass monster tearin through it, there’s a certain kind of pleasure that comes from watchin it heal, watchin it go from desolated and scarred to somethin beautiful.”

Indrid loves when he talks like this, smiles dreamily as Duck adds, “you could even design it for me. I’d like that.”

“I could do you one better; I could apply it as well. And since I foresee you asking yes, I do have the training to do so. Royal mers learn to tattoo themselves, due to rules about being touched by lower ranking mers that I judiciously ignored.”

“No kiddin” Duck grins, two tentacles coiling around Indrid’s tail, teasing the red stripe, “now that I’m healed up, gonna do all kinds of things to you to remind you why you ignored those rules in the first place.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you nervous?” Indrid finishes setting out his tools on the pristine table in his pristine chambers. He tends towards messiness in his habits, but when it comes to Duck’s health he’s cleaned the whole place by hand and with magic. Twice. 

“Nah, I know I’m in good hands.” Even as he says this, a burst of anxious yellow moves up his tentacles. 

“All the same, if you need a break at any point, let me know. And if the scar starts stinging or throbbing, tell me at once.”

“You got it, darlin.”

Indrid takes his time using a spell to transfer his design to Duck’s skin, double checking the placement before picking up the charm-powered tattoo gun. When finished, the tattoo will be a small forest of kelp, with the scar making up most of the body of the serpent swimming between the leaves. Six shades of green ink, three shades of brown, one shade of copper, and black for outlining, lay on the table, Indrid dipping into each of them in turn as he brings the image to life. 

“Love watchin you draw” Duck sighs, then shudders, “sorry, gettin a hell of an adrenaline rush from the pain.”

“Just try to stay still. If you twitch or fidget too much, it will cause mistakes on my end.”

“Do my best.”

“If you don’t, I’ll just have to tie you down.” Indrid says breezily. The tentacle near him pulses purple. Desire. Interesting. 

He’s most of the way through when Duck’s arms shake, his tentacles following suit, occasionally bumping Indrid’s tail or sides.. They’re small movements, all things considered, but in most futures they mean he has to re-do the entire last third of the tattoo. 

“Nono, this won’t do at all.” He set’s the gun down, flitting across to the closet near his bed. A sea-grass rope waits, right where he left. There hasn’t been much call for it, Duck capable of restraining Indrid in a variety of ways all on his own. 

“Now” Indrid bites off several lengths of rope, “since you cannot be still, I am going to tie your tentacles down. You’re to keep your hands where I put them, or I will tie them as well.”

Ducks tentacles are now deep, unflinching purple, “Holy fuck, ‘drid.”

“Just because I am generally submissive around you does not mean I’m not capable of giving orders.” Indrid smirks, tying the first two tentacles down.

“I, I know, it’s just  you, uh, you, you never talk like this.” Duck’s eyes are wide, excited even, as they track Indrid’s circular path. 

“I suppose you don’t hear me during advisory meetings, so this is a new experience for you.”

“Maybe I oughta start sittin in on ‘em.” Duck whines when Indrid kisses his cheek but refuses to stick around long enough for Duck to kiss him back.

“Perhaps. Right now, however, you are to sit still until I’m done with you. Understood?”

“Uh huh.” Duck smiles, docile and sweet, and Indrid wonders why they never thought to try this before. 

He returns to his work, inking colors into Duck’s skin, enjoying the intimacy of learning the familiar curves of his ribs and belly in new ways. At one point he notices Duck tensing and almost moving his hand, but the other mer catches it in time. 

“Good boy.” Indrid purrs.

“Fuck.” Duck tips his head back, “how much longer?”

“About ten minutes more, I’d say. You can manage it my sweet, you’re doing so well already.”

Duck whimpers low in his throat as Indrid goes back to his work. Exactly ten minutes later, he puts a protective covering atop the tattoo and pushes his supply table aside.

“There, all done. You did wonderfully.”

“Great, now untie me.” Duck wriggles hopefully.

Indrid raises an eyebrow, “In a hurry, sweet one?”

“Yes” Duck holds out a hand, trying to coax him closer. 

“Whatever for?” He replies airly, as if can’t sense the arousal pouring off his boyfriend in waves, “and stop moving so much, you’ll aggravate the tattoo.”

“‘Drid please” The folds between his front-most tentacles ripple as his cock starts emerging. 

“Oh I see.” Indrid swims so they’re face to face, pinning Duck’s hands to the back of the chair as he leans into his space, “you want me to fuck you, is that it? You’re willing to risk pain to new scar tissue, even marring my lovingly done work, just to have your cock played with?”

“Holyfuckinshit, why is this the first time you’re talkin like this?” Duck bites his lip with a little moan as Indrid rubs their cheeks together. 

“I don’t know. In hindsight, it seems so obvious; you’re my powerful, competent mate, you always take such wonderful care of me, but you want someone to take away that power from time to time, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Duck tips his chin up, hoping for a kiss, but Indrid floats backwards out of reach,

“What shall we do about that, hmm?” He swims a slow, tight circle around the other mer, staying just out of arms reach, “shall I keep you bound until the urge passes? No, that’s far too cruel for my beloved. Perhaps I should make you see to it yourself? But no, you might accidentally hurt yourself. Hmmm, what to do, what to do….” He taps his chin as Duck growls and whines, tentacles now straining against their bonds. Indrid knows Duck could snap them easily if he needed or wanted to. Which means he wants to remain at Indrid’s mercy for the time being.

“You do look wonderful like this. I didn’t even plan it this way, but how I tied you shows off most of your assets.” Indrid rubs the upper front of his tail, “now you’re getting me all wound up.”

“Good” Duck growls, tentacles swirling purple and pink. 

“Yes it, ahnnn, it is rather good, isn’t it. After all, I have the perfect solution to the situation sitting right in front of me.”

Duck’s cock is fully out, it and the slit beneath it tempting Indrid to abandon his plan. He swims in front of the other mer, eyeing his cock approvingly, “yes, you’ll do quite nicely.”

“Thank fuckOHfummmhp” Duck’s surprised moan turns to a laugh as Indrid, having zipped upwards in a flash, finishes shoving his cock into Duck’s mouth.”

“Yesss, ohyes, goodness I love doing this, you look so charming with your lips around my cock. Ah, ah, don’t you dare move your hands from the chair. This” he gives a sharper thrust, “is all I need to be satisfied.”

Duck moans louder, which Indrid takes as his cue to hold his head in place and fuck into his mouth with abandon. 

“That’s it love, that’s it, oh I ought to have done this months ago, tied my big strong hero down and reminded him of hisAHAnnn, his duties as consort.”

“‘M ot a ero.” 

Indrid looks imperiously down his nose at him, “It’s rude to contradict someone when they’re giving you what you want, my sweet. I guess I’ll need to render you further incapable of speech” He concentrates and extends his cock, a mechanism meant to ensure he can reproduce with mers of any size or genital configuration but that he uses only to make Duck groan with pleasure. 

His orgasm is already racing towards him, as it always does when Duck lets him (or orders him to) fuck his throat, and he shuts his eyes, concentrating on tight heat and the happy, muffled grunts floating up to his ears. 

“Just a little, nnnn, little more my sweet, let your prince ravish your throat a little longerOH, ohgods, Duck, sweetheart, yes.” He cums, a shudder rippling down his tail, and doesn’t pull out until Duck struggles to swallow the rest down. The other mer is still collecting his breath when Indrid wiggles down and pushes his tongue into his slit.

“Fuck!” Duck jerks hard enough to move the chair an inch to the right.

Indrid snickers, wraps both hands around Duck’s cock, stroking it hurriedly as he raises his head, “What do you say, beloved?”

“Th-thank you?” Duck cracks an eye open. Indrid nods, then dips his head back down to to suck and tongue at the senstive skin. 

“Fuckme, ohfuck, ‘Drid, darlin’, this is fuckin incredible, gonna, gonna be such a good consort, do whatever you say, fuck you five fuckin times a day, just, FUCK, just promise we can do this again.”

“Muv ourse.” Indrid thrusts his tongue deeper, twisting his hands on his upstrokes. The fourth time he does, he pops up to suck on the head just in time to catch Duck’s cum in his mouth. He takes his time, sucking him clean with happy trills and moans while his boyfriend utters curses that would make sailors blush.

He pulls away to wipe his mouth, intending to start untying Duck. The futures show that won’t be necessary, 

Snapsnapsnapsnap

The ropes break in pairs, rapid fire, and then Duck is on him, enveloping him in arms, tentacles, and love. He tries to press closer, then winces back, “owfuck, you’re right, the tattoo is real sore.”

“It’ll be that way for a few days. Your Chosen strength will help, but you should still rest when possible.”

“I dunno” Duck kisses him sweetly, then nips his lower lip, “you know how stubborn I can be. Might have to uh, tie me to the bed.”

“That, my love, can be arranged.”

[thotsforvillainrights]

Can you do a fic(or some headcanons)for twice having/taking care of a 16 year old who goes to UA but also has the same split personality disorder like him?

(While I cannot do a whole fanfiction, I can most certainly do some headcanons! Besides, I would love to write about Twice basically being a dad or mentor!!! Anyway, let’s mix it up and take a little different path with the ask. I hope that’s okay with you!)

~I’ve got your Back~

headcanon|scenario|imagine|match-up

-”Well this aint what I previously intended to do with my off day.” He grumbled to himself and he stared down at the unconscious teen laying in the alleyway. ‘Leave em be!’ The voices in his head were louder than ever today, despite him being in his normal form. “Hell no. The right thing to do would be to take them to a hospital at least.” He argued with himself calmly for once. ‘No way! See the uniform? That’s one of those UA brats!!!’ Twice groaned and gripped the sides of his head. “Yeah, that’s true. Plus I’m a villain. Still though...” 

-So he scooped you up and headed back to his shabby apartment to try and take care of you at least. He was a villain sure, but he wasn’t that bad of a person compared to the others in his little group. 

-Surely enough (Thank God) you had woken up about an hour later. Bandages were clumsily placed on your wounds, and you were currently looking at a complete stranger sitting in the corner across from you. “How long was I out for?” Twice furrowed his brows in confusion before laughing lightly and putting out his cigarette. “So you wake up in an unfamiliar place and your first question is how long was I out for? You’re weird kid, but I’d say about an hour...hour and a half tops. Then again, I don’t know about how long it might’ve been before I came across you. The hell you doin in an alleyway anyway, eh?” You sat up and straightened your back with a yawn. “I was fighting with a villain and his goons showed up. I was outnumbered when they beat me up.” You admitted to him. “Beat you up? A 16 year old girl/boy/teen? Damn, that’s pretty tough huh?” He stood up and went to sit in a chair next to the bed. “Yeah but they were villains so I doubt they cared about that stuff...heartless bastards.” Twice smirked and your words and chuckled a bit. “What’s so funny?”

-”Oh nothing...just when you said they were heartless bastards because they were villains. It’s just funny since I’m also a villain and I decided to take you in. Doesn’t seem so heartless after all, huh?” Your eyes widened for a bit before you looked away from him and mumbled a short apology. “S...sorry. Honestly though, you don’t seem very much like a villain to me.” You kept speaking as you picked at a bandage on your (s/c) skin. It would seem you two chatted for a very long time (which was pretty open for a conversation with a villain) before you felt a familiar pain come on followed by panic. “Shit, shit, shit! I need to get to a bathroom!” He tilted his head in confusion and pointed at the doorway in the hall. “There’s uh, one right...oh.” You rushed past him and slammed the door behind yourself before locking it. “Uhh...Kid? You alright in there?” He softly knocked on the bathroom door. “Go away!” Twice figured it was some sort of hormonal teenager thing so he shrugged and went to sit on his little couch in the living room. 

-When you finally came out, it was 7 at night. Without saying a word, you went straight into his kitchen as if you lived there and got a drink of water before moving to sit on the couch net tom him. “Uhm...sorry about that. I just have this thing where...I dunno. It’s weird and I don’t like to talk about it because the others around me are pretty rude about it in middle school. UA isn’t much different. I’m pretty much alienated from society at this point. I don’t even have parents...” He listened to you speak and realized it sounded just about the same as his situation. 

-And that was the day things changed...1.) He found out you have the same mental disability as he does, and 2.) you began living with him because you had no where to go and he would be damned if he let you out on the streets to get the same treatment from society that he got. From that point on, he became more along the lines of a father figure and teacher for you. Despite you two having different paths in life, he was still supportive and protective over you. IT was odd...You went to UA still and were still training to become a hero within society but he was...well he was a villain.

-”I’ve already been cast out of society’s good graces kid, but you? There’s still time for things to be different with you because you’re still young. Maybe you’re the key to showing the damn heroes that people like us have value in this world. Who knows...anyway, get some sleep.” Despite what paths you take, he was always there for you as best he could be. It got difficult juggling the League on one hand without them learning about you. On your end, it was tough hiding the Twice from the heroes as well. It got even tougher during the training camp field trip you guys went on, and it would only become tougher and more complicated from then on as well. Yet, through thick and thin, He would never give up on you.  

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TIp Jar: https://cash.app/$YuTakeyama

[jungle321jungle]

Run A Rig: Part One

He wanted the title, and the Captain wanted to be anything but idle.

The Siren wanted the sea, and the liar wanted all to be free.

They wanted their brother back, but each journey is more perilous than the last.

The Serpent’s Song is a ship for many, and at the same time a ship for none. Because when everyone runs a rig, nothing true can be done.

Tagging: @hells-missing-a-goat @angels-and-dreams @ollyollyoxinfree @gattonero17

Ao3 - Masterlist

~~~~

Part One

He had been born for this.

His mother had given birth to him here, on the ship when a storm had stranded them too far from shore. He has grown up here, watching in awe as all the true pirates around him lived out their daily adventure.

His mother had taught him how to sail, how to read maps, how to run a ship. While his father had taught him how to use a cutlass, use a pistol, and how to be a true Captain.

All his life he had reaped the benefits of being the Captain’s son.

So why wasn’t he being made Captain?

He watched his father smile as he swung an arm around Logan’s shoulder a large smile on his face.

“What’s yer first order as Cap’n?” His father asked.

Logan smiled in return, “Kicking ye the hell off me ship!”

A laugh erupted in return but he just couldn’t bring himself to join in.

“Ye gave away me ship.”

His father raised an eyebrow as he entered the Captain’s cabin, “A ship is earned, not given. I taught you that.”

“Ye gave it to Logan! Him of all people! Logan belonged to me ! Ye gave me him as a present!”

“Aye,” his father nodded. “I had planned to kill the little stowaway, but I had thought ye’d like someone yer own age. So I gave ‘im to ye. But he proved himself. He is smart, and skilled and he’s tried harder than anyone else. He proved himself... more than ye ever have Dante.”

“Ye bilge rat! ”

His father’s eyes narrowed as he stood his hand on his cutlass’ hilt as he did, “I dare ye to speak such words again.”

Dee faltered taking a step back against the door before he spoke again, “This ship was supposed to be mine .”

“The Serpent's Song is better off with ye as far from being Captain as possible.”

Each word was a blow.

Quite frankly Dee would have preferred his father running him through with that sword. Because even days later as they dropped his parents at the port, he could still feel them.

“Ye hate me.”

Logan didn’t phrase it as a question.

Dee didn’t move or even look up from where he sat on the bowsprit looking at the water below, “I don’t know if hate is the right word.”

“Yer going to fall sitting there.”

“Ye always say that, and yet I never have.”

“I can’t give ye Captain,” Logan said after a short pause. “Not after yer father...” he gave a sigh. “but how does first mate sound?”

“Patronizing.”

He heard as Logan gave a chuckle, “I guess it would. But the offer is there. I don’t want to have to give it to someone else.”

“Feel free too.”

Logan left then, a sigh spilling from his lips as he did. Leaving Dee alone with his thoughts, the ocean air, and the setting sun.

“You wish to be Captain?”

The voice stirred Dee awake and he hurriedly grabbed onto the bowsprit before he could fall from it. He gave a deep breath to calm himself as he pulled himself back up on the deck and looked out at the starry sky.

How long had been sitting there?

“Do you wish to be Captain?”

The voice pierced itself through his psyche once more and Dee searches for its owner. The others on the deck were in the back at the helm with Logan, so it was too far away for it to be them.

“You’re jealous of him. He’s only where he is today because of you. And you want that.”

Dee grit his teeth as he leaned back over the side and his eyes widened as he noticed the figure down below. It was hard to make out in the moonlight, but it almost looked like a person.

But despite how far away he was, his voice still rang clear in Dee’s ears.

“I can make you Captain. I can make you all that and more... jump down here and we can talk about it.”

Dee’s eyes narrowed as he understood, “Siren.”

He could hear the laugh he got in return. It was light, it was kind, it was friendly . “I can make you into someone even greater than your father.”

“I’m not stupid!” Dee called down at the creature.

“No one ever said you are. But perhaps that’s what your father was implying.”

Dee bit his lip as he forced himself to take a step away. He was going to go to his cabin, and get some sleep.

“Running from your problems? What will that accomplish? Do you plan to run from being first mate too? Are you hung to become a lowly deckhand when you could be in charge?”

Dee took a step forward, then another, then another.

“Logan was once your pet... but no w I suppose I should congratulate you on becoming his.”

The water was cold and it gave him a sudden shock but Dee paid it no mind as he drew his dagger swimming towards the creature.

The siren only smiled at him, baring it’s pointy teeth. Up close Dee could see his scales were a brilliant purple, but he didn’t care enough to stare as he slashed at it only for its head to duck below the waves.

Dee paused, treading water trying to figure out where it went-

He was pulled beneath the waves before he could process it. He bent slashing wildly on instinct and was rewarded with the hand releasing him. He kicked to the surface and he was vaguely aware of someone shouting for him.

“You’ll pay for that.”

Dee smiled out at the water as he readied his dagger. “Make me wench .”

“Dee!”

Dee glanced up as he noticed Logan descending Jacob’s Ladder. “What the fuck are ye doing?” He shouted.

“There’s a siren!” Dee yelled back. “And I’m going to fucking kill it! Get back on the ship!”

“Ye first!”

“Since when do I take orders from ye?”

“Since I became ye Captain!”

Dee’s eyes narrowed before he went back to focusing on the environment around him, “Then I’ll take me chances with the siren.”

“Ye insolent knave!” Logan shouted back descending further.

Dee was going to respond when a shimmer caught his eye. He lunged toward it- but the siren was faster.

And Logan’s neck was in his scaled hand.

Dee’s grip on the dagger tightened almost painfully as he watched the creature smile. “Let him go.”

“Why?” The siren challenged. “I thought you wanted to be Captain.”

“If I wanted him dead I’d do it myself.”

“Oh I see,” it cooed. “You love him.”

Dee threw himself forward, but instead of going for its face he dove beneath and stabbed the siren in its tail.

It gave a howl of pain which could be heard under the water before it lashed out, its long nails digging deep into Dee’s in the face. But Dee ignored it as he twisted in his blade.

Hands pulled him back to the surface and he rose gasping for air as Logan dragged him toward the ladder. Dee closed his eye to keep the blood from dripping in as he looked to the siren to a net thrown down around it.

~~~~

“Fighting a siren! How stupid are ye?”

“Where did they throw it?” Dee asked in response. “I will kill it.”

Logan gave him a glare, “Ye will do nothing of the sort. We’ll wait until we reach port, and then we’ll sell it. There’s no point in killing it... Not to mention ye need a rest a bit.”

Dee’s gaze fell to the floor as touched the bandaged side of his face, “I’m fine.”

“Fine people don’t jump off ships to fight sirens. Ye could have died! If it hadn’t killed ye, ye would’ve been keelhauled if I hadn’t seen ye jump!”

“Why did ye follow me?”

“Because yer outta yer mind.”

“Ye got hurt because of me.”

Logan gave a sigh, “I chose to go down there Dee.”

“Ye shouldn’t have.”

“What kind of Captain would I be if I didn’t try to help my only friend?”

Friend.

Dee shook his head, “Can I at least talk to it, Captain ?”

He glanced to look up at Logan's surprised face, “Come morning,” he answered. “Come morning.”

~~~~

Despite what Logan had said, Dee had found his way down to where the siren was being held, and he was surprised to hear voices from inside.

“You’re quite stupid for a Captain.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, a good Captain would never go save a crewmen himself. He’d order the others to- that is if he decides to save the man at all.”

“Ye know many pirates I take it?” Came Logan’s mocking tone.

Dee slowly moved closer and peered in the open crack at the door. From the lantern glow he could see Logan sitting across from a basin of water.

The siren had changed forms.

Gone were those purple scales and long tail. Instead two legs stuck out of where it was sitting in a large tub of water. One of the legs was bandaged as was it’s hand. But most shocking of all was the fact that he was naked.

“I’ve killed a great many, yes,” he shrugged the chain around his wrists clanking as he did. “They’re usually the easiest to catch. And I nearly had that pet of yours too.”

“He’s not a pet,” Logan said shortly.

“Ah yes of course, I’m sorry you’re his pet aren’t you?”

“Ye-”

“You were young and a stowaway. Running from the brothel and the strumpet you were birthed to. That ship she always spoke was leaving and it was your chance. So you took it. And you’ve regretted ever since. All you’ve wanted since that moment was to return and find your mother. To apologize... But you can’t. And you never will .”

“Unless I let ye go?”

“Oh no, I’d expect no such thing from you.”

“Then what do ye expect?”

“For you to accomplish your goal. For you to burn your father’s ship and legacy to the ground.”

Dee watched in confusion and he saw as the siren’s purple eyes met his in the doorway, but in front of Dee Logan hadn’t seemed to notice.

“I don’t know what yer talking about.”

“There’s no need to lie with me Logan,” The siren purred. “I already know what you want, and all that goes with it... but does he know?”

“He doesn’t need to know anything.”

“But I’m sure he has some questions.”

“And I don’t care.”

Logan rolled his eyes and rose from his seat, and Dee scrambled away, back toward his cabin.

~~~~

“What were ye talking to Logan about, siren?”

The siren raised an eyebrow and now up close Dee could see his short hair was a deep purple, as were his eyes. Both seemed to serve as proof that he wasn’t human.

“I do not call you ‘human’,” he replied. “I do have a name.”

“And I don’t care to know it.”

“Ah, so your brother received all the manners I see?”

Dee raised an eyebrow in confusion, “I don’t have a brother.”

“Oh? Apologies, I must’ve have been horribly mistaken.”

“Just tell me what’s going on.”

“Why don’t you ask your Captain?”

Dee paused, “Logan doesn’t talk about his past... was what ye said true?”

The siren gave him a smile and Dee could see some of his teeth still were pointed, “And what would I gain from doing so? Regardless of if I choose to help you or not, I will be sold once we reach port.”

“Ye words won’t have an affect on me this time,” Dee said shaking his head.

The siren gave a shrug, “Worth a shot.”

Dee gave an eye roll as thought occurred to him, “I thought ye sirens were supposed to sing to yer prey? Meanwhile ye just talk a lot.”

The siren stared blankly back, “I can sing if I wanted to. But you’re so simple I don’t have a need.”

“You spoke to him?” Logan asked. “Did ye actually gain anything from it?”

Dee shook his head, “No, but I did want to say I’m sorry.”

Logan raised an eyebrow amused, “Would ye like to repeat that? Perhaps in front of the crew?”

Dee rolled his eyes, “I want to be ye first mate.”

Logan paused and turned to look him in the eye, “Are ye plotting a mutiny?”

“ I was born a pirate.”

Logan gave a nod accepting the answer as he stared out at the open water, “Good. I will need ye help the most... Because I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Become the best captain in history?”

Logan shook his head, “Ye have always been good at dumbing things down to be as simple as ye.”

“I’m not simple. And why isn’t that simple? Yer a Cap’n now.”

“I’d always thought ye’d be the youngest Captain of the age and I’d be one of yer hands... Never thought I’d be given the Serpent’s Song.”

“A ship is earned,” Dee corrected. “And according me father ye earned it. But perhaps if he had waited two years so I could reach ye age, I could’ve done even better.”

“Sure.”

“I know what ye need! After we get that annoying siren off our hands at port, we’ll get ye some proper Captain clothes. The coat, the hat, it all.”

“I’m not a flashy person Dee.”

“Ye don’t have a choice. Ye still look like a hand right now.”

“...Fine.”

~~~~

Hello and welcome back to I have too many AUs, featuring Pirates!

Part One - Part Two

[thehoneyxbadger]

gabby gets stabby pt. 2

Who: X23_GAB/Gabby Kinney, @ptrparkcrs, @akahellcatwalker, Where: Streets of New York When: 26th May 2020 What:  Spiderman tries to stop Gabby’s attack, helped by Hellcat.  Warnings: blood, violence, death, brainwashing

Part 2: Peter Parker/Spiderman & Trish Walker/Hellcat

GABBY:  Gabby's fighting was a combination of her training and a feral animalistic quality unleashed by the trigger scent. Even as Supergirl began moving civilians away, the scent lingered all around her. Later, Gabby would wonder how it had been dispersed over the crowd, but right now she wasn't thinking anything. The closest to her now was a young man she'd normally find familiar. A friend. Peter.

Friends didn't matter like this. She lunged towards him.

PETER:  There had been the Spider-Sense, then the screaming, and the crowd, and Supergirl. Someone was hurt, Peter could see that from blocks away, so he swung in, ready to web up and quip out whoever was down there. As he got closer, he saw the civilians being led away, a few already fallen, and, at the center a small figure--a girl. One he knew. Not well, but well enough to know she wouldn't have done this, couldn't have done this. No. Not Gabby.

He landed in the street between the crowd and Gabby, sizing up the situation. His spider sense was on high alert, and she looked--wrong somehow. Feral, cruel, unrecognizable. He was going to make a joke, to hold her back so Supergirl could get the bystanders to safety, but she was too fast, and so much stronger than he'd expected. Her lunge threw him off-balance, and, as he fell backwards, he kicked at her.

GABBY: She didn't feel pain, and this was why. Alchemax didn't want their assassins to be slowed down by their targets fighting back. So despite Peter's kick pushing her back, it didn't stop Gabby coming. With a snarl, she slashed at him and kicked him back hard. Normally, when Gabby fought bad guys, there was some sort of glee in her face. Even if she wasn't smiling, that light shone through. But not now. Now she looked every bit the terrifying weapon she was created to be, the one she'd always been so bad at being.

PETER:  His kick landed, but it wasn't enough. His spider sense was working--loudly--but it, too, was too little, too late. Gabby had come for him more violently than he could have expected (she was a kid!), and he couldn't dodge her attack, not enough. Her blow landed: the fabric of his suit tore under her claws, the blue stained purpled brown by his blood. Fuck.

Peter clapped a hand against his side and staggered upright. It didn't seem too bad, not too deep, nothing a little bacitracin and a good band-aid couldn't fix, but he was off-balance now, a little winded. "Come on, kid," he said, and fired off a web blast to try to hold her down. "Don't make me do this."

GABBY: Under normal circumstances, Gabby would've known who he was. Known that her friend Peter was under that mask, smelt his familiar scent. This Gabby had no idea, and didn't care to know. He had a different scent on him, one that meant she had to kill him. No part of her could stop to question it. His words do nothing to slow her, but the web blast does. Sticking to her and inhibiting her claws for a moment as she tries to slash her way out. But even then, she goes for Spiderman, attacking with her other hand.

TRISH:  Trish heard the commotion a block over and she raced up to the rooftop to see what was happening. What was happening was a nightmare. One where the scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Even heroes among the crowd looked hurt by whoever this attacker was. A familiar red and blue caught her eyes and Trish jumped down, mask on, just in time to see the attacker lunging at the friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man -- a young hero that she knew Tony cared about more than most.

Grabbing the attacker's arm, she pulled back and punched the girl in the face on instinct. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Trish cringed at that one... it sounded like something Carol might come up with.

PETER: He'd had her, he'd really thought he'd had her, but his webs had only slowed her. Before he could recoup, before he could quip or breathe or come up with a plan, she started to lunge at him with those horrifying claws.

-- Why didn't he have claws? They looked fun and effective and good in combat. All he had were his fists and sticky nets, which had seemed creative at the time, but, in retrospect, weren't great for when one of the Wolverines was trying to slash him to pieces. He'd disabled the laser eyes on the suit after he'd blasted out a chunk of Aunt May's garden shed, so he was really down to basics. Tony Stark's souped-up excess didn't seem so bad right now.

And then, seconds before Gabby could get him, a masked woman landed a good solid punch to the face. "Wow, that's not subtle," Peter said. But it would do.

It bought him the time he needed to get back on his feet and up in the air to land another punch to the face for good measure. "Time for time out," he said, and stood up, rubbing his stinging fist. He felt bad doing it--this was Gabby, a good kid, not some faceless thug he could leave dangling in a web for the cops to find. But he had to do what he had to do.

GABBY: She snarled at Peter until someone else grabbed her. Someone she wouldn't recognise, even if she weren't under the effects of the trigger scent. The words wash over her--had she been in her right mind she would've snarked back. Probably something about being smaller than Spiderman in the first place, at only 5'1". But today she was five feet of unthinking murder. The punch to the face hit Gabby's nose hard, crunching as it broke, but even Hellcat's strength couldn't deter her.

She swiped at Hellcat right as Spiderman got up and landed another punch. Another break to heal quickly, but without pain it didn't stop her. She kicked at Spiderman hard, before grabbing his wrist and yanking him down to the ground.

TRISH: She barely missed the claws that swiped out at her, tumbling backwards to the ground with a lot less grace than a cat should have. Trish knew she was going to feel the bruises on her back in the morning. She didn't know who this kid was, but they weren't stopping the attack on Spider-Man, throwing him to the ground.

"Hey, stop!" she shouted, grabbing for the girl's wrist to stop her from slicing Spider-Man into a Spider-Ham for tonight's supper. Telling the bad guys to stop wasn't her best move and it never worked, but she was getting kind of desperate here.

PETER: His wrists, she'd gone for his wrists. He was agile, sure, he could land a solid kick if he needed to, but the web shooters were his real weapons. Without them, Peter couldn't get too far. He had a free hand, and he aimed it at her, but she was fast. Too fast. His spider senses wailed as she slammed him to the ground, and the asphalt tore at his costume. This is gonna hurt, they warned him. Yeah, I know. His ribs ached, his cheek was bleeding, his shoulder ruined. He'd be fine, he always was, but it would take a bit. A good shower, some bandages, an ice pack, a few hours hiding in Tony's workshop where MJ and May couldn't find him.

"God dammit," he growled, pulling his head from the ground. He could feel the wind on his cheek, which meant his mask was torn. Shit. With his good hand, he felt for the rip--it wasn't large, just some wear on his cheek where it had hit the street, a little blood welling against the fabric. That would be a bitch to fix later, and he had to stop it from getting too much worse.

At least Hellcat had swooped in to his rescue. "Thanks for the rescue," he said. "This damsel could use some help." He was getting his ass whooped by a child, and somehow, that wasn't the worst thing to have happened to him lately. Peter sat up slowly, groaning, and raised his hands to blast her. Alright, Karen, do your thing. Pick the one I need to take her out. But don't kill her. With a good solid thwip, he webbed Gabby's stabbing hands to her torso. It wouldn't hold long, but hopefully it would give them a little time.

GABBY: She felt something crack under her fingers, but Gabby gave no thought to if it was bone or tech. Nor the injuries that Spiderman sustained as the ground tore at his costume and blood showed beneath the torn mask. He was alive, so she wasn't done.

But before she could finish him off, she felt a hand on her wrist. Her lip curled in anger and she wrenched herself free. It only took a few seconds, but that was all Peter needed it seemed. Before she could attack Hellcat, strong and sticky webbing bound her hands to her body. She was stuck, that trigger scent still filling her nose and driving her to kill, and unable to move. But she was stronger than a normal person, and unafraid to hurt herself to get free, so it wouldn't hold her forever.

[wings-of-a-storm]

So because the space in between the clips of this extended hell week isn’t painful enough, I’ve gone back and revisited the pain of the cafeteria scene. (I can’t help but love that scene though! It is so solid.)

ELIOTT PURSUES LUCAS:

When the cafeteria scene started, I already had one question in my mind: Did Eliott accidentally bump into Lucas when he turned that corner for real, or had he already seen Lucas grabbing a tray ahead of him and was already preparing himself for this encounter before he walks into our view? It is hard to tell since Eliott's reaction never dramatically changes when he looks over and finds Lucas.

It leaves room for interpretation. There is every chance that Eliott had already seen Lucas heading for the line and went to grab a tray to follow him there. He barely looked at the end of the line before zeroing in on Lucas...

It is 50-50, but either way, Eliott saw a chance to talk to Lucas and be near him, and he went for it. Bless this poor guy's heart. He may have triggered the break up but he is clearly missing Lucas so much.

ELIOTT '007' DEMAURY

Eliott cutting in line was actually one of my favourite parts of this scene! It was just so quintessential Creeper Eliott! He is always manifesting out of nowhere to pop up beside Lucas and catch him unawares. And mecs, it is an honour to see his creeping in action :'). It was too dark in the tunnel and at the bus stop he was mostly blurry and off screen. But this, this was a masterpiece.

Creeper Eliott aside, it was also just so friggen endearing and adorable of him to try and sneak in there like James Bond. Like who do you even think you're fooling, Eliott? Those girls and Lucas definitely knew you weren't there before!

I love how he does that little bend and swoop to get his tray in there but then immediately straightens up and grabs food like he was there the whole time and la la la. The pinnacle of cool and calm. But we see you, Demaury, we see you.

I'd love to know what Eliott was thinking though; what he was hoping to achieve by sliding in there and talking to Lucas like nothing was wrong. He was still with Lucille and he was still scared of being a burden to Lucas so it’s not like he had a real reason to talk to him. Did he think they could be friends and he'd at least get to talk to Lucas instead of missing him so much?

Lucas realising Eliott was there though... Ugh. That face was simultaneously hard as marble and soft as sadness. You can almost feel Lucas’ chest constricting, his breath altering, his eyes stinging...

It had only been a few days since his heart (and hand) had been completely shattered and it was always going to be painful as all hell to have to see Eliott again so soon, let alone right beside him... It is almost too much to bear.

A CONVERSATION OF DOUBLE MEANING

"If I were you I'd take both."

I can only assume this attempt at an ice breaker from Eliott is a reference to the first time they 'met' at the vending machine and Lucas helped Eliott pick from two snacks? But this time in the cafeteria, Eliott can return the favour with his own suggestion for Lucas?

The double meanings were just so brilliant though! Of course a seemingly offhand suggestion could so wonderfully remind us (and Lucas) of Eliott's personal affliction with making choices and his fear of missing out.

We know that what happened between Eliott and Lucas had less to do with FOMO/wanting to have his cake and eat it too and more about his fear of being rejected by Lucas if he knew the real Eliott, but still... Lucas doesn’t know that.

I need to take a moment to talk about the Eliott Gaze though. Oh, it is always such an attack on our hearts! The way he looks at Lucas in that moment is somehow so beseeching and forlorn despite him trying to keep things light. It reminds you how much he is suffering too... He just wants to talk to Lucas so badly.

“Sometimes you have to choose."

Hang on, just rolling out the red carpet for the king of comebacks.

Wow, Lucas. What a zinger. And not even a mean zinger, just a heartbroken truth. It was awful seeing how quickly his eyes welled up with tears.

It was so sad because it wasn’t as if Lucas was even waiting for Eliott to make a choice anymore when he made that comment. They had already gone beyond Eliott just needing to choose someone. As far as Lucas was concerned, Eliott had already made his choice: Lucille. Always Lucille. Eliott always goes back to her because he never liked Lucas the way Lucas liked him.

Lucas' eyes felt so: Why aren't I good enough?

How could Eliott even try and salvage the conversation after a pointed comment like that? Lucas was not going to indulge any sort of light conversation from Eliott; his comment cut straight into the heart of the matter.

It was a shame that Eliott chose not to acknowledge the heartbroken barb for what it was and instead tried to steer things back to something light-hearted. I know Eliott was just trying to salvage the situation but it meant he came across as flippant, like he didn’t care that Lucas was hurting.

It would have been so hard for Lucas to see Eliott not only not acknowledging Lucas’ hurt but also making light of it by immediately trying to crack a joke about the kitchen as if Lucas’ feelings didn't matter… Eliott, beloved mec, you can’t just straight up LAUGH at some joke after Lucas stares at you with tears. Keeping things light is invalidating Lucas’ feelings and making a mockery of them...

Like I know Eliott’s safety net M.O. is to smile but oh my god, so not the right time! Especially when it went beyond a smile into an actual grin and chuckle! Like, I know what Eliott was trying to do (trying to break the ice, trying to reconnect, trying to have a moment where he can just talk with him like old times) but it was such a bad choice to keep things light and really unfair to Lucas.

I am so glad Lucas shut that shit right down. The clanging of the plate as he yanked it off the shelf and violently set it down on the tray was the best non-verbal FUCK YOU ever! If I could get it on a t-shirt, I would, because it was ammmmazing. It was so ‘You don’t give a fuck about my feelings, well I don’t give a fuck about whatever the fuck you’re saying.’

It was just such an effective way to cut Eliott off. It used multiple senses - sound and sight - to get the job done. Like, not only did the sudden sharp movement of Lucas’ arm flying up to grab the plate feel like he was visually blocking Eliott’s words or slamming a door shut in Eliott’s face, the noise that accompanied it was like an indirect punch. E.f.f.e.c.t.i.v.e!

Lucas slamming the plate down achieved more than just one hell of a brilliant shut down though; it drew Eliott’s attention to his bandaged hand. Whether Eliott had already noticed it or not previously, he sure as hell saw it then. I imagine that would have added one more piece to the picture of Lucas’ overall current state for Eliott. Lucas is angry, he is in tears, he is physically hurt, and he is nothing like the Lucas Eliott used to see around the corridors. Eliott caused that pain and it is something he has to live with now...

When Lucas storms off, the cheerful act drops from Eliott and he is back to that quintessential nervous, anxious fiddling with his bag strap. The knowledge that he did that to Lucas and he can’t make it better…

I wonder if he realised he had made things worse by trying to engage Lucas in the cafeteria... (I hate this situation so much!)

LUCAS' LONG WALK DOWN THE CORRIDOR WITH HIS PERSONAL DEMONS

Okay this is my favourite part of the whole clip for the sheer brutality of it wrapped in beautiful camerawork.

When Lucas is making that long walk down the corridor and then stands paralysed at the end of it in a tunnel of his personal hell and you see Eliott slowly coming towards him again in the background like his personal demon! That was stunning!

It was like: Oh my god, will Eliott try to talk to him again and push his emotions over the edge? It felt like some ominous countdown.

And then when you realise Lucas is frozen because Chloe is there with the knowledge of his secret, and his friends are there who don't want him near them until he sorts his shit out, it is like: Oh no, is Eliott going to witness this further humiliation of Lucas with no friends? That is the last thing Lucas needs right now when he already feels so stupid in front of Eliott.

And then when Lucas can't handle staying in the cafeteria any longer and dumps his food straight back onto the return shelf, you know that he is going to have to encounter Eliott again so soon after escaping him the first time... And as much as you love Eliott, you don't want Lucas to have to go through that when he is barely holding it together.

What the masochist in me really loves about Eliott's slow approach in the  corridor is that the effects of his presence feel subverted, if that makes any sense. Like normally if Lucas was this vulnerable in school, seeing Eliott making his way towards him would feel like comfort, like Lucas is about to get the support he needs from the person he needs it most from (a partner). But this time, Eliott's role changes and his walking towards Lucas feels like pain… It is so brutal! (But I love it. Why am I like this??)

ELIOTT CONFRONTED WITH THE HELL HE CREATED

There is a part of me that is happy that Eliott has to literally face Lucas’ awful situation and see the personal hell he is in.

Knowing Lucas would be upset from their break-up behind the scenes is one thing, but Eliott having to actually see it with his own eyes is kind of gratifying. I think it helps put things into perspective for Eliott: Eliott left Lucas for an imagined possibility (that Lucas would be burdened by Eliott’s bipolar disorder) but this is actual reality and maybe this is worse because it’s Lucas unable to smile or eat or sit in a cafeteria with his friends. Eliott would need to wonder if it is worse to proactively ‘protect’ Lucas if it means sending him straight into the type of emotional hellhole that Eliott had been trying to protect him from in the first place. That is something that Eliott needs to confront.

All that aside though, wow did Eliott’s forlorn face as he watched Lucas discard his lunch and walk away hit me right in the gut. There is always something so gentle about Eliott, and when it comes to sadness, it is even more pronounced. The way he was looking at the boy he loves in so much pain but is unable to go after him and comfort him… That shit hurts.

In a weird way his despondent face makes me a little happy too though? Because when Eliott and Lucas do resolve their problems, that look is such a nice glimpse into how supportive Eliott will be for Lucas in future times of distress? Like if I was facing a tough time, just seeing those understanding, kind eyes would make me feel so heard and understood and supported. I can’t wait until they reach that point!

For now though, everything is painful and Skam France really utilised the cafeteria scene well to hit Lucas from all directions (like a mean part 2 of Chloe's party). It was a really solid scene, I think.

[valravnocs]

I HAVE FOUR NEW OCS theyre Jr. OCs bc they’re made 2 go with Draha and Warren BUT im gonna post lil baby summaries of them all..... YES i have pics made but even tho the picrew maker says edits r allowed i feel bad........ so idk if im gonna post them or not lol *dies* ANYWAYS

all 4 of these dudes/dudettes r Kin (supernatural beings)

1) Frej (it/its + masc; gay)

Frej is an Ekimmu Netrunner.... roughly summarized from the Nightlife guide, it’s part of a race of kin, appearing as a gruesome corpse that’s born after someone breaks a vow to tend to a grave. Frej was twenty when it died in a car accident, and is one of the rare group of Kin associated with Draha who were born after the transition into the cyberpunk future of the 2020s. Coming from a low-ranking Corporate family, its parents abandoned its grave after both receiving large promotions (grief can disrupt corporate loyalty, after all). When reborn, Ekimmu maintain any and all injuries sustained before death, meaning Frej looks rather gruesome— that’s part of the reason it chose to become a Netrunner, living in the world of cyberspace where people only see its avatar; there’s a lot less fear and judgement on the Net. Moody and rash, Frej takes a long time to warm up to people, but it’s close friends with Eumelia. Vega and Cassian can’t stand it— they feel like it doesn’t take its work seriously enough. It and Eumelia share a morbid sense of humor, though, part of their ways of coping with being a reanimated corpse, and in Eumelia’s case being nearly 3,000 years old. When not jacked in to the Net, Frej tends to dress in bright colors and tacky fashions. He has bright pink hair, no eyes (he usually wears bandages over them), greyed skin and multiple large lacerations on his chest, hands, and smaller ones face (a cut lip, a cut on his forehead, and a chunk torn from his ear).

2) Vega (she/her; bi)

An Animate, Vega awoke in a panic and, upon seeing her body, crushed the head of her creator with her bare hands. That was when she knew if she wanted to live any normal sort of life, she’d have to become a Solo. The head of Draha’s entire squad of Solos, Vega is the best of the best of the best. Incredibly strong AND incredibly smart, Vega also gas excellent reflexes and always knows how to keep her cool. She’s close friends with Eumelia because their work often draws them together— with high quantities of cybernetics and regular weapons as well, if Vega ever needs a repair she goes directly to Eumelia. Vega is fairly close to Cassian as well, viewing him as a younger brother (even though he’s older than her in years). Though er body and mind are that of an approximately 36 year old woman, Vega has only truly been alive for about fifteen years. She’s rebellious and antisocial, rarely interacting with humans, even ones within Drahomír’s ranks. She keeps her hair in a curly black undercut, and her eyes are a cloudy white (she relies on cybernetics to see). Her skin is divided in patches of a dull green, grey, and normal flesh-colored, showing the variations of freshness among the corpses her creator used. The thick black stitching has become a fashion statement for her, as much as her ear, eyebrow, and tongue piercings.

3) Cassian (he/him)

He may look like a fourteen year old, but if you underestimate Cassian it will be the last thing you do. A water spirit called an Asrai, Cassian has actually been alive for forty-five years. He lives in the fountain outside Draha’s mansion, and acts as a lawyer for the vampire. Once working for one of the largest Kin-run corporations, he left that job when he realized he’d much rather avoid the ruthlessness of the corporate ladder. The most respected of Draha’s team and the most ruthless, Cassian benefits from the naturally high intelligence and cool of his race. Serious and aloof, Cassian rarely makes true friends, though he is relatively close to Vega, and he tolerates Eumelia. While he acknowledges Frej’s talent on the Net, he doesn’t think it should act anywhere near as childish as it does. Cassian has light blue-tinged skin and often sheds water droplets, with uniform blue-green eyes (no irises or pupils) and shimmering white hair. He dresses only in suits, generally tailor made because his body is both young in appearance and only around four and a half feet tall.

4) Eumelia (she/her; lesbian)

2,897 years old, Eumelia is a Medusa. Born in ancient Greece, her mother raised her within a small clan of Medusae, but a falling out would mean that eventually Eumelia would go off on her own. Much, much older than Draha, she has more than earned his respect through that fact alone— she doesn’t really have any aspirations for control, though. She’s seen men struggle for power and fail too many times. The best Techie in the business, Eumelia can make any sort of gadget or cybernetic implant your heart could desire, often spending time around Vega; they share a love for the weapons of the future. Casual and laid-back, many men who come to her underestimate her intelligence... and wind up turned to stone. While glamoured, she appears as a regular woman with green hair (the style varies)— when not glamoured, she has snakes for hair and batlike wings growing from her back, as well as luminescent yellow eyes. Her dress style tends to be rather free; why should she stop herself from wearing whatever she wants? She’s almost three thousand years old, after all. If she wants to wear just overalls and a bra with her high-heeled boots, goddamnit she’s gonna. She has a girlfriend currently, a Daemon also on Draha’s paycheck, and they’ve been happily together for about ten years. Eumelia gets along well with both Frej and Vega, but finds Cassian a little too uptight for her tastes.

[aurorapillar]

Title: a bird cage, faded in colour

Fandom: Bungou Stray Dogs

Characters: Chuuya Nakahara, Dazai Osamu, Mori Ougai (mentioned)

Summary: Chuuya is no stranger to pain even before he joins the mafia, but once Corruption awakens it becomes his constant companion

Even before he joins the Mafia, Chuuya is no stranger to pain, he crawls out of the wreckage of the lab worn and hurting, his body covered in bruises and his head thick with fog. Everything aches, but just for that moment he reveals in it because it's proof that he's alive.

The next couple years that follow have their fair share of pain as well, it's not always easy for him to find food on the streets and there's many a night he goes to bed with his stomach growling in anguish. He pushes through it though just like he pushes through the pain of the bruises and broken bones he receives, his ability is strong and he's found himself to be much more durable then the other street kids (just more proof he's not human, a voice in his head whispers, bringing with it a different kind of pain), but still there are occasions he knows it's better to just take the hits, to not draw unnecessary attention to himself by drawing upon his power. In a way, it's the feeling of being weak, of having to be cautious, that hurts more than any of the physical injuries he gets at those times.

After joining the Sheep, the pain in Chuuya's day to day life goes down drastically, there's strength in numbers and with a group of them working together it's easy to obtain the things they need; no longer are there any nights spent hungry or huddled up in a ball trying to stay warm while the wind whips through a too-thin shirt, anything they need they take. He's stronger now too, there's no need for him to retreat from or submit to anyone anymore, he's able to throw caution to the wind, dominating anyone who tries to go against them without going so much as a bruise.

Good things don't always last though and when Dazai and the Port Mafia first enter his life they bring with them fresh pain. He's grown used to being in control and so when Dazai's fingers wrap around the back of his neck, snuffing his ability out like one would a candle, he once again feels the old familiar pain of weakness creeping upon him.  Being forced to cooperate with the stupid waste of bandages only drives that pain in deeper, but Chuuya's not one to just lie down and suffer, he pushes through does his best to cause his temporary partner as much frustration as he can in revenge for the pain.

When all is said and done though, none of the hurt he's felt up to the point prepares him for the pain of betrayal. The knife wound in his gut is agonizing, but it doesn't compare to the sheer pain in his heart as those he considered friends glare at him with hostile expressions and speak of killing him.  

(It hurts, it hurts so much, but still, he forgives them, it's not their fault)

Joining the mafia brings with it a new set of pains, he's not the only ability user around anymore and for all his skill in fighting he's never had formal training before, more often than not he falls into his bed at night feeling bruised all over from being slammed into the mats. It's a good sort of pain though and he's a quick learner so it's not long before he leaves trying with only the pain of tired muscles rather than a beating.

(He can't do anything to train away the pain of Mori's punishments on the few occasions he messes up a mission though, can't use his ability to defend himself from it, all he can do is submit and remind himself that even he didn't have much of a choice, he still chose this life)

Sometimes the pain comes in his dreams too, it's never anything too bad, just the poking sensation of needles and bruising grips on his limbs, but there's always a painful sense of fear accompanying it. He's never quite sure if they're just dreams or memories, never can understand any of the words spoken in them, but he always awakens drenched in sweat and breathing hard.

Those dreams go away mostly after he discovers Corruption, something he would be grateful for if it hadn't brought new troubles with it. With Corruption's awakening pain becomes a never-ending presence in Chuuya's life, the first time he activates it, it feels like he's being ripped to shreds and even after Dazai shuts it off all he can do is collapse on the ground in agony as blood trickles out of his mouth and eyes.  

(He's never quite sure if the sound of Dazai crying his name in terror as he falls unconscious is just a pain cause hallucination or if it really happened)

It takes him a week to wake up afterward and several more for the burning pain to disappear, and even then there's a dull ache in his bones that doesn't disappear. He mentions it to Mori's once during a checkup, but the man merely hums thoughtfully and tells Chuuya it will most likely fade, before adding that sometimes people need to suffer for the good of the organization.

(It doesn't fade, but Chuuya never brings it up again.)

He desperately wants to never use Corruption again, but Mori's is not one to ignore any tools in his arsenal and so a warehouse is set aside for them to test it in, Dazai always nearby to shut him down before he goes too far out of control.  The first time he uses it on a mission is ironically of his own choice, the relationships he builds are of great importance to him and the sight of his dead friends during the Dragon's Head Conflict makes him angry enough to not care about the pain.

His actions net him an executive position and gives birth to the powerhouse duo Double Black, it's an exhilarating prize but at the same time a curse for he's proven the usefulness of Corruption and guaranteed he'll have to use it again.

And use it again he does, though thankfully not as often as he had feared. Whether it's out of consideration to Chuuya, or more likely just out of logic, Dazai always figures it into their plans as only a last resort, it's only under Mori's direct orders that they ever start off with it.  

No matter how many times he uses it though, the agony of it never lessens; every time he activates it while his body carries out its rampage he remains trapped within his own mind, writhing in agony as his power tears him apart from the inside. It's only when Dazai activates his ability, shutting it down, and he's able to collapse into unconsciousness, that he's granted a reprieve.  

Each time he uses it the lingering ache gets worse, no longer is it just a dull ache in his bones but a burning pain in his nerves and chest, he never says a word though just learns to work through the pain. There's no room for useless people in the mafia and he doesn't want people to think his pain makes him a liability, doesn't want to risk his position. He'll take to the physical pain over the pain of being alone again any day.

(He never even tells Dazai about it, he's come to trust the other boy with his life and loves him like a brother, but he's well aware of how cruel he can be. He doesn't want to risk his mockery or even worse risk being seen as weak.)

When the day comes that Dazai leaves the mafia, it is both a new pain and a relief to Chuuya. On the one hand he was angry, Chuuya was creature of loyalty, even if he hadn't really wanted to join in the first place, the moment he'd become part of the organization he'd devoted himself to it; Dazai didn't get to run away after he'd put so much effort into making Chuuya join, he didn't get to betray the mafia just like he'd made the Sheep betray Chuuya, it wasn't allowed!

(And maybe, just maybe, there's a small part of Chuuya that's hurt he didn't invite Chuuya to come with him, to leave a place where sometimes he felt more like a weapon than a person. He doesn't know how he'd have answered if Dazai had invited him, but he'd thought that maybe Dazai had also thought of him as family, so the fact that he hadn't hurt)

On the other hand though, with Dazai gone, Mori couldn't make Chuuya use Corruption, not when no one could stop him. As much as Mori's made Chuuya felt like just a weapon at times, Chuuya knew that he had plenty of value outside of Corruption, enough so that Mori wouldn't throw him away as a suicide attack.    

With Dazai gone he'd be free of a bunch of pain, he'd no longer have to deal with an annoying waste of bandages, and he'd finally get the chance to make a name for himself outside of Double Black.  When he thought of it like that, the situation really wasn't painful at all! And if it took a bottle of expensive wine for him to fully convince himself of that, well, no one but him had to know.  

Of course, Dazai had to ruin it by showing up again four years later and pick away at the scabs covering all that pain, still, as annoyed as he was at being outwitted by Dazai yet again, it had been nice to fall back into their old habits of bantering with one another. He remembered Kouyou commenting once not long after they'd first been partnered that they squabble like a pair of siblings and the horrified looks they had both given her. Truth be told it had made Chuuya kind of happy, he certainly hadn't thought of Dazai as anything like a sibling back then, but it had been nice to interact with someone his own age who didn't fear his ability and would say whatever they wanted right to his face.

Those days were long gone though, the two of them were on different sides now, there would be no more team-ups where they spent just as long attacking each other with insults as they did taking out the enemy instead they would be each other's enemy. Or at least that was what he'd thought but then The Guild had attacked and the weretiger had proposed their organizations form an alliance, and suddenly he was back to fighting side by side with Dazai again, even if it was only for one night.

They had easily slipped back into their old roles, Dazai insulting Chuuya's appearance (and not for the first time in his life Chuuya wished he had a mind-reading ability so he could figure out if Dazai really thought his outfit was bad or if he was just messing with him; then again, Dazai's mind would probably be a terrifying thing to read) and Chuuya would sling back whatever insult he could think of to try and get a rise out of him. He knew he was going to be remembering the slight fear in Dazai voice when he'd threatened to send his address to all the women he'd made cry, for years to come.  

Of course, it was just their luck then that one of the Guild members would be conscious and attack them as soon as Chuuya reached the doorway.  Once again they switched back into their old roles as Dazai strategized and Chuuya attacked, but none of their attacks had a lasting effect and Chuuya couldn't stop the feeling of dread as he realized what their only remaining option was.  Not having to use Corruption even once during the past four years had been wonderful and now, despite what Dazai said about leaving the choice up to him, he really had no choice at all.

Stripping his gloves off, Chuuya approached the creature while chanting rhetoric stanzas that would unleash his ability,

"Oh granters of dark desire, do not wake me again!" As soon as the words were finished pain shot through his whole body, it was likely the pain hadn't increased from the last time he'd used Corruption, but four years without doing so certainly made it feel like it had.  Part of him wanted to scream, to beg Dazai to stop him already, but he had no voice with which do so right now even if he wanted to so instead he focused his attention on the fight, trying to ignore the way the tearing pain in his chest and the blood creeping up his throat and seeping from his mouth. It seemed like an eternity before the creature was defeated, one of Chuuya's gravity balls finishing it off after the damage Dazai's bomb had caused, and really why hadn't heard used that earlier, the stupid waste of bandages.  

With the creature defeated, he waited for Dazai's touch to end his ability and free him from his mad rampage, but moments passed and nothing happened and all the while his body continues to toss around gravity balls, destroying the landscape around him while the pain his body was in increased. Finally after what seemed like an eternity a familiar hand grasps his wrist.

"The enemy has been eliminated. Take a break now, Chuuya." Dazai's familiar voice washes over him and he collapses bonelessly to his knees, coughing harshly as blood dribbles down his chin onto the ground.  

“I told you to stop me as soon as it was over.” He manages to gasp out between coughs, his whole body is an all too familiar mess of pain and he hates it.  Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Dazai crouching down next to him, an infuriating grin on his face.

“I was going to, but it was entertaining, so I had to watch.” He comments, his grin never falling and as agonizing as it is to do so, Chuuya turns his head to glare at him,

“I used Corruption because I trusted you.” He growls out, trying hard to hide the hurt in his voice the Dazai’s words had caused; knowing the man as well as he did, it was a 50/50 chance on whether he was joking or serious but that didn’t make the fact he’d let Corruption stay active longer then he needed to any better. He didn’t have the energy to stay angry at his old partner at the moment though, he could already feel his senses beginning to dull as unconsciousness crept in on him.

Raising a fist, he punched Dazai in the chest, though with his current amount of strength it turned into little more than a light tap,

“You... better take me...to the extraction point.” He manages to gasp out before he can’t keep himself upright anymore and tips over, Dazai’s soft assurance that he will, the last thing he hears before blacking out.

(Several hours later when he awakes alone, in pain and in the exact spot he had been, he curses his own foolishness.  Curses how he’d let their easy banter and teamwork lull him into thinking that things were somehow back to the way they used to be, he’d let himself forget for just a bit too long that they weren’t partners anymore and that he couldn’t count on him the way he used to.  And as he lays there on the ground, still too exhausted to move, he thinks that maybe false hope is the worst pain of all)

[shiroatlas]

Take A Break

Summary:  I was missing two scenes in season 7 so I took them and wrote them into one. Shiro thinking about Adam and visiting Keith at the hospital. Relationship: Shiro/Keith (can be read as platonic), talks about Shiro/Adam Word count: 1.1k Basically just a post season 7 drabble.  Read on AO3

What Shiro feels isn't quite emptiness. It's too present for that. It comes close, though. It's a numbness that somehow expands in his chest every time he tries to take a breath.

 This was easier to deal with right after the attack. Commands had to be given, there was so much work to do. After the speech, though…

 Nothing.

 People tell him to get some rest and take a break. They don't really know how hard those things are for him. When the days end and everything goes quiet. That's when his thoughts start to circle. For a long time now, he's been dealing with this by himself and it's probably what makes him realize more than anything that they're back on Earth.

 There are debriefs and counselling sessions, trauma intervention, psych evaluations. Every possible safety net for soldiers like him. The terms feel familiar and fitting. PTSD and survivor's guilt neatly packed into his little kit of traumata.

 But even though rationally Shiro can categorize and even digest these feelings, he can't really move past them, except when he's in the middle of a mission or piloting a ship. It becomes harder every day to just be himself.

 When he's not forced to function, he doesn't function at all.

 He tries to breathe again and the constriction in his chest is still present. Shiro lets out a quiet sigh and presses his knuckles against his sternum, pressing against this knot he's well aware he's only making up. He just can't stay here any longer.

 After slipping into his clothes, he rushes out of his room. He wanders for a while before he gives into the urge and heads to the hospital. It's officially past visiting hours, but not by much and the hospital personnel isn't very eager to push for rules when it comes to the people who saved their planet. Shiro still thanks them with a soft smile and a nod before he knocks gently on Keith's door. He only enters when he's asked to come in. Once he closes the door behind him and stands in the middle of the room, Shiro isn't entirely sure why he came here.

 "I… Am I bothering you?" he asks, suddenly nervous because he doesn't have an explanation why he came.

 "Not at all," Keith says and looks at him with curiosity. They know each other too well by now. Keith knows that something is off.

 Shiro tries to dissolve the awkwardness with a small smile and he sits down in one of the chairs next to Keith's bed. They haven't seen each other in almost a week. Shiro visited the paladins a couple of times, making sure they were all doing okay. But they were usually surrounded by friends and family and he didn't want to intrude.

 "You look better," he says now, taking in Keith's face. There are still a few cuts and bruises and the bandage around his head. But he doesn't look so fragile anymore.

 "I'm feeling better," Keith replies, still this questioning look on his face.

 "That's good."

 Shiro drops his gaze and stares at his own feet for a few moments. There is silence for a while until Keith breaks it. "Are you okay, Shiro?"

 It's so hard to answer that question. "I think so."

 "I missed you, you know?" There's no accusation in Keith's voice. But there is something. It makes Shiro look up.

 "I'm sorry," Shiro says. I thought you wanted to be with your mom.

 "I did," Keith admits and he pushes himself up so he's sitting up a little straighter. "But I was worried about you."

 "Worried?" Shiro asks, raising his eyebrows. "Why would you be worried about me?"

 "Because you weren't here. And I knew from the others that you weren't with them either. So I didn't know…" Keith stops short for a moment, dropping his gaze before he looks back up when he sorted through the words he's trying to say. "I don't like it when you're alone."

 It hits him hard. Because that's the core of it all, isn't it? Everyone coming home to their families and loved ones. All of them welcomed with open arms,  embraced.

 One again, they're quiet, but this time it's Shiro who breaks the silence. He doesn't even know where it's coming from. "It's ironic. And somehow typical for us. That he broke up with me because he didn't want me to risk my life. He told me that he wouldn't be waiting for me and I believed him when I left. But I still… I thought I could at least see him again. Reconcile. And I didn't think we'd get back together, but I wanted to tell him that I made it… I've never thought about the possibility that he wouldn't."

 Keith doesn't say anything immediately and Shiro is grateful. He didn't come for Keith to tell him that he's sorry even when there's no one to blame.

 "This will always hurt," Keith finally says. "I know that. But I think after everything – he would have been glad to see you again."

 Shiro has been thinking about what he would have wanted from Adam. At first he thought it was forgiveness, but that's not it. And maybe Keith has found his answer. Maybe he just wanted someone to be glad he made it home.

 "Thank you," he says. "That means a lot."

 It really does. Even when it makes Shiro feel even more out of touch with the rest of this whole planet. There is no place for him here. And somehow he thinks that had he been part of Voltron, he would have woken up in a hospital bed alone.

 The thought alone makes him feel bad. That he envies the people he cares about more than anything their families and loved ones. He stands up, ready to tell Keith that he wouldn't keep putting this on his plate when Keith looks up at him and swallows. "I'm glad you're home, Shiro. I'm glad we're back here together."

 Shiro exhales. Something is happening between them in this moment. It's like everything they've been through together culminates in this feeling that lingers between them. "I'm glad we're back here together too, Keith."

 "I'll get out of here tomorrow," Keith says and Shiro can tell he's trying to make his tone a little lighter. "How about we watch a movie and just hang out? We can order pizza. I'd die for pizza."

 The smile comes easy. "Sounds like a plan."

 Keith smiles and Shiro nods.

 Relax.

 Take a break.

 For the first time Shiro thinks he might have an idea how that works.

[sleepychai-fics]

Pirate!Lance x Mermaid!Reader - The Beginning of Our Adventure

Request: Anon: Can you write a reader- inserts story on pirate AU with Voltron characters? Lance as a pirate and his s/o as a mermaid. She gets caught in the net and gets hurt due to the net cutting her tail and arms. Please make the story fluffy and romance! Thank you very much!

here you go!

I hope you enjoy it!

sorry it took a while to post

Tag List:

@fanderrawr​​ @dontcallmecedge​​ @thecinnabitch​​

Want to be Tagged?

Words: 1710

I weave in and out between rocks and seaweed, my tail swishing at a desperate speed. My gills inhaling and exhaling water in exhaustion.

I spot an opening between a valley of rocks and immediately rush towards it. A smile begins to stretch across my face as I near the exit.

I swim faster, already dreaming of a happy escape. But that dream shatters as pain explodes throughout my body.

I scream in agony as a net wraps around me causing me to slam into the rocks. It doesn’t take me long to realise small spikes poking through the nets roping, sinking into my skin.

My screaming continues as I thrash around, trying to get free from the net but only making it worse as the spikes cling more onto me, scratching and cutting away at me, blood blending in with the surrounding water.

I feel my body being yanked up, the spikes further digging into my skin. I fight uselessly against the net, trying to gain some sort of freedom from it.

I gasp as I’m quickly pulled above water, the gills on my neck closing automatically. Water and blood drip off of my body and into the water below.

I look below with a weak and mournful expression, believing it may be the last time I see it as unfamiliar hands grip my tail and use it to harshly pull me onto a ship and toss me carelessly onto the floor.

I grunt and let out a quiet sob. I lay there, lifeless and stare up at the foreign faces.

Two men stare at me with wide-eyed shock. One has a black trench coat and matching knee high boots with one arm being some sort of mechanical prosthetic. The other adorns a red bandana on his head, wearing a grey shirt and black pants with similar boots to the other one.

I can faintly hear their voices.

“Oh shit.”

“That’s not a fish.”

More hands from behind start removing the net from me, some-what careful of my body.

I hear more gasps from me, as well as others around me, but fail to recognise who made them as exhaustion slowly pulls me in.

Before I lose consciousness, I feel my body get carefully torn away from the net and secured in a set of arms.

When I wake, it’s a combination of light and dark. It doesn’t take me long to realise that I’m in warm water. It doesn’t worry me, until I notice it isn’t sea water.

Blurs of colour invade my vision as I slowly open my eyes. Even without focusing, I can tell I’m in a tub of some sort. Dark walls rise up a good arms-length before a barrier of light ends it. In the light, I see blobs of blue, white and faint bits of red with a tan patch above it. On the horizon of the light, I see movements of white and orange.

I lay there, still and alert. Waiting for any movement.

I stare at the figure closest to me, matching as its’ hand slowly reaches out to me, making ripples in the water as it enters.

In a split second, and with a strong flick of my tail, I shoot back, completely startling the figures nearby.

I grunt in pain as my head crashes brutally against a wall. I bite back a scream as pain explodes throughout my tail. I breathe in the pain, trying hard to ignore it as the figures begin to crowd around me.

I lift myself out of the water, despite the raging pain in my arms, and sit myself up on a window sill.

My vision clears almost instantly and I quickly recognise the black trench coat and the red bandana. I hear frantic voices as if they’re in a panic, but I ignore them, my own panic too high to register words.

I pull myself back, my back connecting to the window. My breaths come out shaky and strained. I slap my hand on the window, attempting to shatter or break it in some way, but to no avail.

I return my gaze to the unidentified figures, tears spilling freely from my eyes. I focus solely on the trench coat man who has his hands up in front of him as if acting with caution.

When he speaks, it’s less frantic then before, more calm and slow.

“We’re not going to hurt you. We just want to help you.”

I stop still, letting the pain catch up with my tail. My breathing comes in shallow and goes out fast, my chest heaving along painfully.

I finally decide to look around the room at all the figures. There are five different figures, including the two I’ve seen before.

One has long, white and wavy hair tied neatly into a ponytail. A pink coat adorns her white shirt and matching white pants. She has dark skin and bright features including two small markings under her eyes.

The one standing next to her wears a similar coat except or orange and buttoned up. His white pants contrast with his dark grey boots.

Another two are set off to the side, further away from everybody. They both adorn similar outfits, with white baggy shirts and light grey baggy pants being held by different coloured belts, one being green and the other being yellow. They also wear matching black boots. The taller of the two wears a yellow bandana strip – different style to the red bandana person – allowing a few strands to peek out of the bandana. The shorter one has a cap on a tilt, their ruffled hair sticking out from the cap.

Then there’s the tan figure, the one who tried to reach out to me. His white shirt is baggy at the arms whilst his blue buttoned up vest hugs his torso. His slightly off-white bootleg pants capes over his black boots. His brown hair compliments his blue eyes.

But there’s something different about him. Water drenches his entire body, dripping from his hair, face and arms. But that’s not the only liquid on his body. Blood clearly stains his arms and chest, almost enough to make it seemed like he’s been completely splashed with it.

I make eye contact with him, much longer than anyone else. Something sparks in me when I gaze into his blue eyes. It calms me and allows me to focus more on my situation.

When he speaks, his soft voice almost completely relaxes me.

“We didn’t mean to scare you. Nor did we mean to hurt you.”

I furrow my brows in confusion at his last statement.

“H-Hurt me?” Although my voice is weak and feeble, they manage to hear me.

The girl with the white ponytail steps up and I stare at her as she speaks.

“We mistook you for a fish. A large one in fact. We captured you, unknown to your actual species, with our spike net which we use for typically big fish.”

My eyes grow wide during her speech and they didn’t go unnoticed.

“We figured that the least we could do was bandage you up.” The man in the black trench coat says.

I look down my body, finally noticing the large bandage wrapping around my tail, slowly being covered in red spots. My arms are almost in a similar condition. I flinch as a hand touches my shoulder. My eyes trail up the hand and focus on the soft gaze of the blue vested boy. I seem that it’s the blue vested boy.

“Don’t worry. We’ll help you get back on your feet- TAIL! Get back on your tail! That makes no sense whatsoever.” He corrects himself and I can’t help but let out an airy giggle.

Our gazes meet once again, and the same feeling of content returns. We smile softly to each other, this time a different warm feeling spreads over me.

~ A few weeks later ~

I weave between coral and seaweed, narrowly missing them with expertise. I spin a few times, enjoying the moment before making a sharp turn upwards.

I flap my tail back and forth, gaining more speed every passing second. I see the gleaming surface approach which influences me to go faster.

I shoot out of the water, gaining metres of air in a second. I bend my body as my target comes in sight. I turn my body as momentum slowly dies down, threading myself through the hoop attached to the front end of the ship. As soon as my body passes through the hoop, I dive back into the water with talented ease. I circle around the ship in ecstatic before resurfacing near a small life boat.

I smile up at lance as he practically beams at me from the life boat.

“You did it!” He cheers.

“I did it!” I echo to him, doing a small backflip. “I could never have done it without you.” I say to him as I swim closer to the life boat, floating in front of Lance.

Lance leans towards me, faces only a few inches away. “That was all you! I could never have taught you anything like that!”

I giggle and lean up to him, placing a quick peck on his lips. “Thank you Lance. For everything.” I watch with amusement as his face burns a bright red.

He looks at me with dazed eyes before leaning down and capturing my lips in a long and hard kiss.

I lose myself in the sensation, wrapping my arms around his neck. I feel his hands cup my cheek, holding it gently as if I’m porcelain.

When we part, it’s like a swarm of butterfly’s flutter from my lips, leaving them with a tingly feeling.

I instantly loose myself in Lance’s blue eyes. I watch them as they sparkle from the suns’ reflection off the water.

“That…That was amazing.” He whispers enough for me to hear.

I giggle at his statement and place a peck on his nose. “I could say the same thing.”

We lean on each other’s forehead and lose ourselves in the other’s gaze.

Words didn’t have to be exchanged, as our thoughts were enough explanation; Our adventure has only just begun.

[greyskywrites]

Wolf’s Price

[First] [Previous] [AO3] [ko-fi]

XII. Half Wild

5.2k

The young man who’s leg I had taken off was named Vigi. He was healing well, though he was about to go mad from being bedridden. I eased him onto his side, so that he would not fall victim to bedsores, and laid a clean blanket over him. “You’re very lucky,” I told him. “Not many live after they get that sick.”

Vigi said nothing, head resting on his folded arm.

“Has your family been to see you?” I asked.

“They have to work,” Vigi mumbled. “And I’m no good to them now.”

Anarin was just the next bed over, washing arms and feet. She looked over, and shook her head. “Don’t be stupid,” she said. “You’re much more useful alive than you are dead, or else your father wouldn’t have brought you here.”

Vigi said nothing again.

“I’m going to make you a cup of tea,” I told him, “it will help with the soreness.”

As I went to the fire, Anarin finished what she was doing, and moved to Vigi’s bed. From the hearthside, I watched her sit behind him, taking out his braid and combing his hair with an ivory comb she had brought. She gently worked out the tangles of days of neglect, smoothing long brown hair out into her lap.

Slowly, Vigi’s shoulders relaxed. Anarin was braiding his hair again when I returned, from the nape of the neck halfway down his back, where it was tied off with a length of leather cord. Then she helped him to sit, so he could drink.

“You shouldn’t overwork yourself,” I told her, noting how tired she looked. “It isn’t going to get any easier for you as the weather gets colder.” It was yet difficult to tell that she was pregnant just by looking at her, but soon enough the swell would show under her skirts.

Anarin shook her head. “Boredom kills the spirit,” she said. Her son was playing with children outside, because Anarin had grown to dislike leaving him in the castle. I suspected she wasn’t sleeping, but she refused to discuss it with me.

Her men were not happy with her new hobby, that much was clear. Haris was almost always trailing behind her these days, which Anarin muttered was the agreement she had made to continue working. He would sulk out by the door, keeping an eye on Veland, while Anarin and I worked inside. After, we would make our way to the feast hall, and I would watch Anarin instruct the men working there.

Most all of them were Sarenn, and Anarin spoke to them in their own language, so they listened to her as they never would to the few Kressosi officers who sometimes came to inspect and criticize their work. If those officers made true nuisances of themselves, Anarin would remind them who was closer to the commander’s ear, and the problems would go away. This feast hall was her domain to command.

I didn’t know what she was up to until she brought one of her carpenters to the lodge. He was a respectable looking man, not the sort who really wanted to be in the lodge, except that “Mrs. Emiran” had asked him and was paying him for his work.

He had brought the beginnings of a wooden leg and the boot that would fit it to Vigi’s thigh. Anarin explained to Vigi that they needed to be sure it would fit correctly, though he would not be able to wear it until the leg had healed. They took some measurements, the carpenter nodded, and promised Anarin it would be finished soon. “

It will take some getting used to,” Anarin told Vigi, a hand on his shoulder, “and you may not be as fast at first, but you will be able to walk about on it.”

Vigi wasn’t quite so somber, after that. He smiled more readily, and wasn’t so grim when I changed his bandages or moved him to one side or the other.

We were there late one day, I think Anarin thought I wasn’t paying attention. Very quietly I heard her ask Vigi if he would know the man who shot him, if he saw him again. Vigi said he would.

“What do you think you’re about?” I asked her in a whisper, when we had a moment alone. “Or do you think your men just won’t notice if wolves start killing their men?”

Anarin’s eyes gave nothing away. “Do you want justice, or not?”

I let out a breath. “Why don’t you leave that justice to me, and not your forest friends?”

Anarin gave a small smile. “Perhaps. First we have to find him.”  

#

I once nearly drowned in the river I was named for. I was only a child, prone to doing foolish things like playing on the rocks when Alvild had told me not to, heedless of how fast, how cold the river was, until I fell in and my breath seized in my chest and my limbs went stiff as oak wood.

The strangest thing was that I wasn’t afraid. I didn’t have time for fear, I think. My head broke the water and I sucked in a breath before it pulled me down again, into the freezing dark.

I would be rescued by a fisherman’s net, flung out across the river when he had seen me fall in, and hauled to shore tangled in its cords. “Hells, girl!” he shouted as he pulled me free, “You’re lucky to be alive!”

I was surprised, when I saw that I was bloody. The water had numbed me, so that I didn’t feel it when I struck the rocks. “You must have seen the grinning face of Death herself,” the fisherman said, furiously rubbing my arms to put warmth back into them.

I suppose I had. What I did not tell the fisherman, what I never told another living soul because I was not certain I even believed it, was what else I had seen.

The stories tell of the great snakefish of the Lor, who waits for the end, growing fat on the dead who are left to the river.

I saw her, then, the pale grey flesh of the creature lurking in the water, and the great watery eye as big as a man’s head that took me in, and nudged me back to the surface, as if telling me it was not my time to die. Something changed in me that day that has never been quite the same. A sense that I owe that river a debt.

#

The feast hall was completed not three days before the first snow of autumn, and Anarin held a small celebration for all those who had worked on it. It was nothing extravagant—fires in the hearth, a barrel of ale, roast goose with radishes and onions—but there was a general good humor, pride taken in what they had built. I watched Anarin float about the feast hall, greeting the men and thanking them for their hard work and craftsmanship, and I watched the men glow under her attention.

She could have been a queen, if she wanted to. She could perform the right graces, make people feel seen and cared for. It was as if the incident the first day we arrived had never happened.

Anarin was talking about legacy, about this structure they could take pride in. All the attention was on her, so no one noticed as I stepped outside into the thin layer of snow, sucking in a cold breath of air.

I pulled my shawl tight against the chill and leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes. I could feel winter breathing down the back of my neck, and I wondered how Anarin felt when she met the Wolf face to face, if the fear was as deep as I thought it would be.

I heard the crunch of boots in the snow, and opened my eyes to find Emiran, pulling a cigarette from his coat pocket. I was a little surprised—most men of his rank would carry a pipe, if they wanted to smoke.

Emiran noticed me and nodded, cupping his hands around the flickering flame of a match as he lit his cigarette, watching the quiet street. “Does she worry you as much as she does me?” Emiran asked, not looking at me.

“Commander?”

“I’m not blind, Tyna.” He let out a breath, looked very tired. “I can see how you look at her.”

I folded my arms across my chest, pressing my hands under my elbows to keep them warm. “I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”

Emiran laughed softly. “I thought Andon’s physician would be a better liar. Ah, well.” He rubbed a temple with the heel of his hand. “I understand, if that’s any consolation.”

“All due respect, Commander,” I said, light as I could, “you don’t understand a damn thing about me.”

Emiran was quiet for a moment, puffing on his cigarette, and he shrugged. “Maybe not. I don’t understand her, either.” He sighed, and for a moment I felt almost bad for him. I, at least, had the luxury of knowing who Anarin was, and why she was important. The poor bastard had no idea.

“Do you believe all this?” Emiran asked. “All this about gods and spirits?”

I watched him from where I stood. “That’s like asking me if I believe the winter wind is cold, or the stars shine at night.” I had felt how barren Kressos was, not the land itself, but its people. Every flower and leaf sang for them, and it was as if they couldn’t hear. Or perhaps they chose not to.

Emiran shook his head. “I know she leaves at night,” he said. “She comes back smelling like the forest, or like dust.”

“She has trouble sleeping,” I said, as if that would satisfy him. “She probably leaves so she doesn’t wake you.” I tried to think of ways I could direct him away from this topic, some way to put any of his fears to rest, for Lya’s sake. Suspicious men were dangerous men. “There are herbs that would help her sleep, if she would take them.”

Emiran looked carefully at me. “You know where she goes at night, don’t you?”

I met his gaze. “I know many things, Commander. Not all of them concern your mistress.”

He looked about to speak again, so I was swift to interrupt him. “This place makes her uneasy. Wouldn’t it be the same for you, if you were in her place? Her people were slaughtered here. I don’t think her sleeplessness has any more significant cause than that.” I turned my gaze away from him. “She cares deeply for you, Commander. It seems to me the least you can do is trust that fact.”

Emiran leaned back against the wall. “I should never have come to this place,” he muttered. “Should have retired years ago.”

On that, at least, we agreed. Fate would have drawn Anarin back here sooner or later. Emiran was an unnecessary element.

Emiran flicked the last of his cigarette into the snow, in a way that spoke of a much younger man, a discontented soldier who knew better than to speak of that discontent. “Promise me one thing at least, Tyna,” he said. “Whatever you have to do to me, don’t let any harm come to her, or her children.”

I glanced away. “I don’t harm children, Commander. I prefer not to orphan them, too.”

He nodded, and left me without saying anything else.

I lingered out in the cold, listening to what I could hear of the celebration inside through the heavy wooden walls.

If Emiran did not rest easily inside Morhall, it was not hard to guess why. Anarin said she was ghost-haunted. Like as not, she wasn’t the only one, not when Emiran was sleeping beside the widow of a man he had killed, harboring that man’s only living son. Whether or not the souls of the dead truly linger, that tension would be in the air, and Emiran not understanding why.

#

I don’t know how Anarin found his name, because so far as I knew, Vigi had yet to leave the lodge since I had removed his leg. I had no way of knowing if it was the right name, but in the end, I suppose I didn’t care. It is impossible for me to watch my people suffer, day after day, knowing why they suffer, and not think that someone must be punished for it. Someone must be prevented from creating further suffering.

It couldn’t be done within Morhall, Emiran’s scrutiny would be on me before the man had drawn his last breath. If it happened outside of the castle walls, I knew I could make sure I was not noticed. I could make sure there was nothing anyone could prove.

It is an easy thing, to follow a man who does not know he is being followed. Easier, when he is already drunk, and means to become drunker. I wore plainclothes, and a hood over my head.

No one noticed me follow the men into a tavern, no one noticed as I hung back and watched where they sat.

I had been hired to kill men for less than this, so I did not know why it sat so uneasily with me.

A slip behind, a pretend fumble, bumping into the man, and muttering an apology as I slipped away again, too quickly for him to notice the needle pricked into his skin. I moved to the hearth, and waited to be sure.

A few minutes, maybe more, and he convulsed, vomiting across the table. People were slow to be alarmed—it was not as if vomit was uncommon in a tavern. Spasms, however, were.

I did not need to see the whole of this. He was past saving, now.

The night sky was clear as I stepped outside, and I could hear the wolves howling in the forest. I did not stop to listen to them.

#

Alvild knew it was me who had killed Agi. We did not speak of it, but I knew it in the way she looked at me. She began to give me new lessons, in how to process the kinds of mushrooms and herbs I had once been forbidden from harvesting.

We wore leather gloves that were coated in oil, to keep the poison from seeping through our skin, thick cloths over our nose and mouth, and a thinner cloth that we could see through over our eyes. “You can kill yourself working carelessly,” Alvild told me. “Remember that.”

The poisons we made were kept out of sight of visitors, in a particular chest, carefully labeled. I hadn’t realized before that Alvild already had a collection, that I now added to.

There was a man that came to the house sometimes, Alvild had always sent me away when he came, and I had assumed he was someone I ought to avoid. It turned out that he was the one that she sold the poisons to. He was dressed like any other Sarenn man, but when he removed his hood, his hair was cut close to the scalp, which shocked me more than the burn scar on the side of his face.

I had never seen a man who didn’t wear some kind of braid, whether the flat plait of the sleek haired, or the several tight rows bound together of those with hair as wiry as Alvild’s. Criminals were sometimes shaved, I had heard, but they were usually condemned to die, and if the judge was feeling merciful, their hair might be given to their loved ones.

This man, when he spoke, revealed himself by accent to be Kressosi. I could see that he would have been handsome, without the burn that marked him. His skin was the same gleaming red-brown of cherry wood, eyes the cool dark brown of forest soil. Had he been a woman, Alvild might have lost me then.

He hardly glanced at me, while he spoke to Alvild. “There is trouble coming,” he said.

Alvild waved a hand. “There is always trouble coming.”

“I may not be able to cross the river for some time,” he said, handing her a purse that alarmed me with how heavy it was. “So, whatever you have, I’ll take it.”

“Are you trying to kill an army?” Alvild asked. “Or maybe their horses?”

The man did not smile. “If I cannot cross again before next spring, I still need to eat through the winter.”

Alvild shrugged, and sent me to fetch the chest. She had me tell him what each thing was, and finally he looked at me, but not the way most men did. He was listening, patiently, and nodding as he inspected the bottles and jars, loading them quietly into his own trunk.

“You have questions,” he said, as I trailed off.

I gazed at him for a moment. “Who are you?” I asked. “What do you need these for?”

His mouth quirked up at the corner. The side of his face that was burned was pulled back in a sort of perpetual grimace. “I sell them to Kressosi apothecaries, who can’t get the herbs that grow this far north. I’m not an assassin, if that’s what you thought.” He pointed at his face. “Too recognizable.”

I think I was meant to laugh, but I couldn’t. “What happened to you?”

He nodded a bit, looked amused. “War. That’s all.”

#

Vigi stood uncertainly on his new leg, wincing a little at the unfamiliar pressure on his not-quite-healed leg. The carpenter Anarin had come with was explaining how the joint worked, how he would have to adapt to the new gait. We had quite the little audience out in front of the lodge, where the light was good enough that we could see and the ground frozen enough that Vigi could stand on it.

It was nice work. Plain, but functional and strong. I wondered how much Anarin had paid for it.

Vigi’s father was so overcome, he could hardly speak. He was an older man, and Vigi clearly a younger son. Vigi had mentioned something to Anarin about older brothers who had been killed when the Kressosi took Morhall. Anarin had spent a great deal of time speaking to Vigi and the others, getting to know them, and I watched them look forward to her visits, while Haris skulked about by the door, keeping his distance.

Veland was often there, too, practicing his Sarenn with the bedridden and their caretakers. It didn’t escape my notice that his favorite people, however, were the ones who could speak at least a little Trader’s Tongue.

Vigi’s father tried to thank Anarin for her help, but she shook her head, refusing the thanks, and smiled, putting her hand on the old man’s arm. “I should be thanking you, for welcoming me.” It was a pretty little game she played, she would have been formidable as someone’s first wife, rather than being wasted as a wife so low-ranked her sons would have had to seek out lords to pledge their service to, and her daughters compete for desirable marriages.

Haris was restless, and it was making the others anxious, so I went to stand by him. “If you don’t stop fidgeting,” I said in a low voice, “they’re going to think you’re liable to shoot someone.”

Haris was grinding his teeth. “This is absurd.”

“If it makes your household more peaceful you don’t have a right to complain,” I muttered. “You don’t have to babysit her.”

Haris did not look at me, but I knew what he was thinking. There was no force on earth short of Death that would make him leave me alone with Anarin.

I didn’t blame him for not trusting me, I just found him to be an irritating inconvenience. “She’s happier, doing this work,” I said, quiet. “Did she do anything like this in Kressos, or did you and Emiran keep her cooped up like a nightingale on a gold chain?”

Haris did not visibly bristle, but a muscle in his jaw tightened. “A man died in a tavern, a few nights back,” he said. “Poisoned.” His eyes slid to me. “I don’t suppose you would know anything about that.”

“I’m hardly the only person who knows how to brew poisons, Mr. Haris,” I said coolly. “Why should I harm someone so inconsequential?”

“Yes,” he said, “why would you?”

A tugging on my skirt drew my attention, and Veland held onto my knees. “Auntie,” he said, “do I have to practice my writing today?”

I arched an eyebrow. “Did your mother say you had to?”

He screwed up his face in a frown, and I laughed. “Bring me your notebook. We’ll practice writing your name and a few other words.”

Haris looked no more pleased about this than he did about anything else. I knew he was fond of the boy, but this jealousy was childish. I left him by the door to settle by the fire with Veland. His handwriting was getting a little better, in that fewer of his letters were backwards. I gave him a sentence to write down, would correct his letters, and have him write it again.

Veland gripped his charcoal stick tightly, frowning in concentration as he wrote. I cleaned my tools while he did so, to keep my hands busy.

“Auntie,” Veland said, looking up, “why do some people write, and some people don’t?”

I glanced at him, and considered my answer. “Some people, like the Hasi,” I said, nodding at him, “focus their time on memory, so that they remember messages and stories correctly, even a long time later. Others spend that time on learning to write, so that things can be written down and kept, and you don’t have to remember them exactly. One isn’t better than the other, but if you only know one, it’s hard to move between the two. Do you understand?”

Veland thought for a bit, and nodded. “I guess so.”

Anarin found us by the hearth, and put her hand on Veland’s cheeks and pressed a kiss into his hair. “Time to go, Puppy,” she said, and seeing his work, she smiled at me. “Thank you, Lady Tyna.”

I nodded, and glanced away.

#

Some young men are given to racing elk during the rut, when the bulls are so riled they would run thrice around the world and still be unwilling to stop. I didn’t think anything of it, when I saw a handful of young men placing flags around the edges of the empty fields, setting the course for a race. I thought nothing of it when I saw a few brave young soldiers and Sarenn boys gathering their elk, each shaking heads and snorting, pawing at the ground with short ribbons tied into their antlers.

Thought nothing of it, until I saw a scarlet scarf wrapped over a head of black hair perched lightly on that demon of a bull I would have known anywhere. Emiran and Haris were nowhere to be found—the sly witch had given them the slip, and sat among all these cocky young men with her chin held high and the reins tight in her fists.

I felt out of place among the many men and the young girls that had slipped away from their mothers to watch, but I had seen elk races before, and horse races in Azira. I knew how badly they could go awry, and my heart hammered in my chest seeing Anarin there. I heard the muttering, people wondering what the commander’s woman was about, even though they must have seen her running the beast ragged a dozen or more times.

I held onto the branches of a weather-worn apple, foot levied against the roots so that I could see above the crowd. The elk were brought into line, stamping impatiently and bugling. Someone gave a blast on a horn, and the muddy snow was tossed up behind them with the impact of a dozen cannonballs.

A ribbon of scarlet out behind her, that was how I tracked Lya, bent low between the arcing prongs of Bili’s antlers.

She had been a girl once. That thought rang in my head like the pealing of a Kressosi temple bell. She had been a girl. When I had met her uncle, Benwulf, he had spoken of his niece, half-wild, who played cards and raced her father’s elk. The memory had needled itself into my brain because of how much I disliked the man when he had made a comment about the kind of husband it would take to tame a girl like that.

Five bulls pulled away from the main pack, Anarin’s among them.

A coal in my chest burned at the thought of what she had been sent away to, the things that had forced her to become small and meek. That was why she liked that demon bull, why she indulged his wilder tempers. She would not beat the wild out any creature like men had tried to beat the wild out of her.

The course took a sharp turn, and I watched Bili leap, twisting in the air so that he was just that little bit further ahead, powerful back legs propelling him forward. Anarin had tied no ribbons on his antlers—she had painted them, a fierce bloody red, tipped in white. There were just three of them in the lead now, one stripling of a boy in a Kressosi uniform and one slightly older Sarenn, with a bright red beard. But I could tell, even then, that their bulls did not have the sheer fury in them that Bili did. He was younger, the scale of his ribs greater. The steaming breath of those bulls whipped out behind them like wildfire smoke.

My knuckles were white around the limb of the tree to which I clung, watching them. I wanted to have known her, the feral girl who had been too big for the men around her. I wanted to have known Anarin when she was still more wolf than woman. I wanted to see her, sixteen and besting every man in Arborhall who wanted to race an elk.

Another corner, this under the boughs of an aged fir that snagged Anarin’s scarf, tearing it from her head. The scarlet ribbon fluttered in the wake of the passing bulls, and clung to the branch that had claimed it.

There is a sound, to the closing stretch of a race. The pounding of cloven hooves. The heaving of lungs. That faded from my mind as I saw Anarin’s face come into view.

I had seen her composed, seen her angry but contained. I think I had even seen her afraid. Now I saw her with her lips curled back in a snarl, thick strands of black hair come loose from her braid and whipping her face, fists white-knuckled around the reins, no trace of the demure mistress, of the soft and doting mother. My heart soared for reasons I could hardly bring myself to name.

The other two bulls began to lag, and Anarin whipped Bili harder.

It is hard to describe the sight as I saw it, the red paint on Bili’s antlers, the way Anarin’s hair—so quickly falling out of its braid—streamed out behind her, the clods of mud tossed up behind them. A woman half-wild.

They thundered past the last pair of flags to a cheer, and I abandoned the tree, pushing my way out of the crowd as Bili slowed, and Anarin circled back, sitting a little straighter, an exhilarated smile on her face, lit up from within like a midsummer bonfire. I couldn’t help but echo it, a strange light feeling in my chest.

I meant to call out to her, to share even a little of her joy—and that was when I noticed Emiran.

He came riding toward her, a look on his face that I knew from other men. Anarin saw him too, and I saw her smile wilt like flowers in a drought. The light feeling in my ribs turned to stone.

Emiran caught Bili’s reins, and bowed his head to speak to Anarin so that they would not be overheard, but I could imagine well enough what he was saying from the way the fight went out of Anarin, and something like embarrassment filled her frame.

I thought that might be the end, everything I had just seen in her would be buried once more.

I don’t know what Emiran said, but Anarin stiffened and jerked back, and Bili snorted and tossed his head, shoving back Emiran’s gelding. Anarin spurred Bili to a trot, and cut across the course to the tree where her scarf hung. She yanked it from the boughs, the pretty thing I knew that Emiran had bought for her, and tied it over her undone hair. She looked half a witch, and the barely concealed scowl on her face made people keep away from her as she returned.

“Sargis!” I called.

Her head turned, and I saw some of the anger ease out of her face. “Lady Tyna,” she said, pulling Bili to a stop. “I didn’t know you were here.”

I went up to her, staying clear of the bull’s head, as he panted and snorted. “You’re insane,” I said, “but that was amazing.”

Lya smiled. “I’m sure to pay for it, but thank you.”

I put a hand on her leg before she pulled away from me. “Lya,” I said, my voice soft. “Please at least wait until you’re no longer pregnant to do something like that again. I want to see you race, but—that was very dangerous.”

She looked at me oddly, and after a moment, she nodded. “I will. You can’t much race during the winter, anyway.” Her eyes flicked toward Emiran, and her lips twitched as she tried to hold back a grimace. “Please tell everyone at the lodge I won’t be able to visit them today.”

I nodded. “You’ll be missed.”

There was such immense sadness in her eyes, when I said that. She only gave me an expression that was more grimace than smile, and clucked her tongue to Bili. The bull gave a great snort and walked to Emiran, who was watching me coldly. I hugged my arms across my chest and met his gaze, hating him and everything that he was.

Anarin went away with him, and if I was glad of anything, it was that I didn’t see her head bow as she rode away.

[murkrees]

of anemones and declarations; dong sicheng ft. renjun & chenle

summary: if injuring yourself and nearly drowning in the sea meant that a very cute (and shirtless) mermaid boy had to take care of you, so be it. 

pairing: winwin x reader

genre: mermaid! au, fluff

Your summer had been boring so far, to say the least. You huffed, the wind ruffling your hair as you walked through the docks of your uncle’s vacation home while swinging your water bottle. There were summer houses all lined up within the beach, but only your uncle ever stayed here. Even then, he was spending the next week in the neighboring town to visit his old friend, so it was only you in the summer house. It gave the illusion that you had the beach all to yourself. To be honest, however, you couldn’t blame them. There was nothing here.

You set down your water bottle beside you and squatted along the edge of the dock, peering in to get a view of the sea. You couldn’t see much, given that it was nearing sunset, but the dark orange hue of the sun gave a pretty sight to the waters. One of the most pleasing things about being here was for the aesthetics. Water and the sea had always been calming to you, a refresher to the day’s stress. You could really stare at it for the whole day.

That was, until you saw a flash of something glimmering. You jumped up, startled before leaning closer to the edge of the dock. Why wasn’t this fish in the deeper parts of the water at this hour like every other fish? What kind of fish shone and shimmered? You sharpened your eyes, about to lean closer when you spotted it again. There, a little farther from the dock. It had teal scales, which glittered at the bounce of sunlight and two large fins as the end. The farther from the fin, the scales became less and less until they connected to a human torso.

Startled, you jumped a little away from the water. However, given how close you were to the edge of the dock, your balance went askew and you lost your footing. You let out a little cry as you splashed into the cold water, desperately trying to grab onto the edge of the dock. However, a sharp piece of the wood ran a long gash through the side of your arm, and you hissed in pain as it made contact with the salty water.  

You tried your best to swim your way to shore, but it was just too far away. You kicked and kicked to keep your head afloat and above the water, but it was proving hard to you seeing as you could only use one arm. You didn’t even have the time to breathe in before water filled your mouth. You choked at the overly salty taste, panic already overtaking every corner of your mind.

It wasn’t long before you felt the edges of your vision darken and your limbs weaken, falling limp as you sunk deeper into the sea. You felt your eyelids flutter closed unconsciously. The last thing you felt before blacking out was the current’s whoosh of something big making way toward you and two strong hands grabbing your hips, propelling you toward the shore before you blacked out.

“Chenle, you idiot, she saw you!” Someone hissed quietly, “I told you to be more careful! Who knew what would happen if gege wasn’t there to help us-“

“I know, I know,” a higher pitched voice whined, “I’ll be more careful next time.”

Your eyes fluttered open to see an cove of some sorts. There was water in the middle, but you were lying on the edge of the cold stone floor. Two teens were poking out from the water, arguing in hushed voices. One had the brightest red hair you’d ever laid your eyes on while the other had curly, blond hair. From the clear water you could see the outline of a tail. You blinked, making sure you weren’t hallucinating, but the tails remained. The redhead had a matching red tail of while his younger-looking companion had the blue-scaled tail you had seen earlier.

You went on a coughing fit, spitting out water. You tried to get the taste of salt out of your throat, but to no avail.

“I think she’s awake, Renjun-ah, Chenle-ah,” a softer, more mature voice called out. They instantly ceased their chatter and turned to you, swimming closer with their faces full of curiosity and concern.

Once you regained your breathing, you turned to the new voice. What you saw almost took your breath away again. In front of you was a man around your age, with light blond hair swept off his face and pink strands toward the back of his head. His tail was a light gray color, complimenting his puppy-like eyes, long nose and lips so beautiful it wasn’t human. To top it all off, he, like the other two, was very much shirtless.

You tried to sit yourself up, letting out a small cry as pain shot up your arm. In an instant he was by your side, an arm against your back to support you as he helped you into a sitting position. He turned to the redhead, cocking his head in signal. He nodded and swam off somewhere, returning with your water bottle in hand.

The man grabbed it, popping the cap open and tipping the contents into your mouth gently, “You should drink up to replenish your health.”

He pulled the water bottle away after a moment, and you hurriedly gulped down the contents, the water soothing your dry throat and washing the taste of salt away. You wiped your mouth with your good hand, suddenly embarrassed.

“Thank you, er…?”

“Sicheng. These are my brothers, Renjun and Chenle,” he indicated to the redhead and the blond. Chenle sent you a tentative wave while Renjun inspected you, as if observing you.

It was Chenle who swam forward first, a little hesitant, “Listen, uh, I’m really sorry that you fell into the water and that wound on your arm! I was only playing near the surface with Renjun gege which I know I shouldn’t be doing but did anyway and we saw you and I was so intrigued because we rarely ever see humans around here and I wanted a closer view on you and you accidentally saw me and-“

“I think that’s enough, Chenle,” Renjun cut in, sending a sorry smile to you. You nodded, still too dazed to really process anything, “We saw you drown and Chenle called for gege to help you. Thank god he came in time.”

“So you’re, uh,” you cleared your throat, wincing at how awful you sounded, “Mermaids?”

“Mermen,” Sicheng corrected you with a shrug, and once again you were captivated by how beautiful he could make a simple gesture to be, “But more or less.”

You were suddenly aware of how messy you looked. You ran a hand through your salt-streaked, dry hair, cringing at how rough and poofy it was, “I didn’t expect mermen to be real. I thought you were just stuff made out from fairytales and folklore, like The Little Mermaid.”

Chenle perked up, “I love that story! Except we don’t have a blue king that carries around a trident all the time or underground cities or whatever. It’s just us.”

“So do you have a name, or are we just supposed to call you Human?” Sicheng questioned quietly, not unkindly. A blush crept up your cheeks, a little embarrassed.

“I’m (Y/N),” you muttered. Sicheng moved closer to you, pulling out a few seaweeds and an unfamiliar paste. You looked at it warily, wondering what he was going to do with it.

“Relax, it’s going to help your wound heal. Can you give me your arm?” He held out a hand, and you reluctantly put your hand in his, “This is going to a hurt a bit.”

He scooped some of the paste with his fingers and rubbed it over your gash as gently as he could. You hissed through your teeth at the pain, distracting yourself with studying the features of Sicheng’s face. He was leaning so close you could see each individual lash of his. You thanked Chenle for breaking the pregnant silence, as he moved to the edge of the water and rested his head atop his crossed arms.

“Say, (Y/N)-noona, can I touch your legs?” You looked down on them, a little flustered that somebody would be asking you this odd question. However, his face was so expectant you found it hard to say no. You unfurled them from their criss-cross position and patted them.

“I don’t see any reason why not,” With that, his hand reluctantly left the water and traced a line on your leg. He poked and prodded them, and you giggled a little when he touched your feet, “That tickles, Chenle.”

Renjun joined in, sending a questioning look at you. You nodded, wiggling your toes at him. They asked you what a calf was, how many toes you had and how it felt to walk on two feet all the while Sicheng was wrapping the seaweed around your arm as a kind of bandage.

“What is it like up there in the human world?” Renjun asked, a glimmer to his eye.

“Well, for starters, we have four seasons-“

“What are seasons?”

“Be quiet and let her finish, Chenle-ah,” Sicheng nodded at you. You found yourself blushing, but you tried to shake it away.

“It’s when the climate changes. There’s autumn, winter, spring and summer, which is happening right now. School goes off during this time.”

“School? Isn’t that a group of fish?”

“It’s where a bunch of people go to learn,” you answered, “Don’t you have those in the sea?”

Renjun shrugged, “We mostly learn how to keep the corals safe and how to avoid getting netted from our brothers.”

“Finished,” Sicheng breathed out, pulling away to admire his handiwork. You had to admit, you were impressed. The seaweed wrappings were neat. Satisfied, he let go of your hand. You tried not to be disappointed at the loss of contact with him, “You probably need to get back, don’t you? It’s already dark outside.”

Chenle whined, while the redhead’s lips turned to a frown. You could tell they wanted to hear more about the human world. Truth be told, you felt like this whole encounter would shimmer away to your imagination once you left the place. You bit your lip worriedly, “Will I see you guys again?”

“Of course,” Sicheng answered. The younger boys whipped their heads toward him, confused, but he continued, “We’ll alternate shifts. Besides, these boys need to take care of your wound as a punishment for being too careless around the surface.”

“Can you tell us more about your world tomorrow, noona?” Renjun questioned, and you nodded eagerly.

“I don’t see why not.”

Each day after that for the next few months, you visited the cove. At first you were skeptical it had been a delirious dream, but the seaweed on your arm proved otherwise. Some days, it would be Renjun and Chenle, and on the others it would be Sicheng. You found out that Chenle seemed to never run out of topics to talk about and that Renjun had an unquenched curiosity for the human world.

For Sicheng, you found out that he was attractive in whatever he did and was a total sweetheart.

“Earth to (Y/N)-noona? Hello?” Renjun waved a hand in front of your face, trying to snap you out from your thoughts. Chenle snorted from eating his peanut butter and jelly sandwich (which you had brought a few weeks ago for them to see what human food was like. Chenle had gotten addicted to it and begged for you to make one every time you came).

“Noona’s too busy thinking about gege,” he quipped. You blushed scarlet, stuttering protests. He only smiled devilishly, knowing he hit jackpot. Your crush on him wasn’t a secret, and the two teens liked to tease you mercilessly over it. However, you were a little skeptical; you were absolutely positive Sicheng had no feelings for you, and even then, you weren’t even sure if human and mermen relationships even worked.

You sat at the edge of the stone, your feet dipping in the water. Renjun pulled himself up beside you, unknotting the seaweed wrap around your arm and washing the paste from yesterday off gently. It had to be removed and replaced each day, you learnt.

The three of you fell into a comfortable silence, Chenle munching on his sandwich happily, Renjun replacing your wrap and you watching the whole process happen. You had gotten attached to the two, thinking of them like little brothers you never had.

“Hey, (Y/N)-noona,” Renjun started out softly, his tone different from his usually playful one, “You really like gege, don’t you?”

“W-What brought this on?” You questioned, but Renjun just hummed. Sighing, you knew there would be no escape from this situation, “But yeah. I really like Sicheng.”

“I don’t get it,” Chenle finished his sandwich and flipped across the water, sending water splashing everywhere. Renjun let out a cry of distaste as the blond emerged, “Why don’t you just confess, noona?”

“It’s not that simple, you know,” you sighed, “He probably doesn’t even like me back.”

“You never know, noona,” Renjun tutted, finishing up with the seaweed wrap before looking up to you with a crooked grin, “Now tell us more about hospitals, please.”

“You took long,” Sicheng looked up at you from his sitting position on the edge of the stone as you entered, his tail slapping lightly against the surface of the water.

“I almost forgot Chenle’s sandwich,” you held up a Ziploc bag, smiling sheepishly. Sicheng patted the space beside him, and you sat down where he indicated.

Immediately, he took your arm and placed it on the lap of his tail, pulling off the seaweed wrap Renjun did yesterday and washing away the paste. The wound was almost healed, with it now being a pink outline. You had to admit, the paste and wrap was doing a good job. You looked up to study Sicheng’s face, with him being taller than you. He was focused on your arm, a furrow to his brow and an intense look in his puppy-like eyes.

“Do you – are your ears pointed, Sicheng?” You questioned, only realizing the detail now. He looked at your confused face for a moment before continuing to rub the paste in your arm, a small, embarrassed smile on his lips.

“One of them. It’s not a mermaid thing, if you’re wondering. It’s just a me thing.”

“Can I… touch it?” He nodded, and you reluctantly brought one of your hands up to trace the outline of it, eliciting a shiver.

“Careful,” he tilted his head up to look at you straight in the eye, his voice suddenly huskier. He worded each sentence of it carefully, talking in a slow tone, “It’s a little sensitive.”

You bit your lip, nodding at the close proximity between you two. He looked back down to focus on wrapping the seaweed. One of your nails dragged a line in where the point was, and to your surprise, Sicheng let out a throaty groan.

He looked up at you for a second time, this time tying something on your wrist. There was something almost dark in his eyes, and you found yourself entranced in them once more. His hands found your hips and squeezed them gently as you worried your bottom lip.

“Do you know,” he breathed, eyes darting to your lips, “How much you drive me crazy, (Y/N)?”

“H-Huh?”

“Do you know how difficult it is to control myself in front of you? How hard it is to refrain from kissing you right then and there when your eyes light up at the mention of your hobby or when you’re telling the boys about your world?”

“Sicheng,” you brought both hands up and entwined them behind his neck.

“Do you know how worried I am that one day you won’t pass through that entrance in this cove?”

“Dong Sicheng,” you tilted your head up, both of your foreheads and noses already touching, “I’ll always come back to you.”

With that, you brought your lips up to his, sealing the promise.

“Say, noona, is that an anemone bracelet on your wrist?” Renjun asked. Chenle choked on his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You nodded, holding it up for him to see.

“Yeah, Sicheng gave it to me yesterday. Isn’t it pretty?”

“N-Noona,” Chenle coughed a few more times before calming himself down, clearing his throat, “You do know what an anemone bracelet means, right?”

“They have meanings?”

“Of course,” Renjun quipped, “Don’t flowers have meanings in the human world too, noona?”

“Well, yeah, they do, but I didn’t think you paid attention to those kind of things,” you shrugged, “What does an anemone bracelet mean, then? Enlighten me.”

“It’s a declaration of love,” a new voice said, and you whipped your head around to see Sicheng emerging from the surface of the water, “It means I devote myself to you and only you.”

“O-Oh,” you gulped as he swam closer to you. Renjun had moved away from you, splashing back into the water and trying to steal a few bites from Chenle’s sandwich, “I thought it was Renjun and Chenle’s shift today.”

He wrapped an arm around your waist and buried his face in the crook of your shoulder, his voice a little muffled, “What, am I not allowed to see my girlfriend? That’s the term you use in your world, right?”

“Yeah,” you smiled, running your hand through his hair, “And for the record, Dong Sicheng, I’m in love with you too.”

cr. gif not mine unless stated!