#and yes! little mermaid AU is a hard sell lol

[weather-mood]

Ask game!! 🌪 & 🌀, pretty please? ❤️

Also biggest kudos to you for making the mermaid fic SO addictive because I'm gonna be frank I wasn't sure about it at first, even with the little tipsy snippet you provided here once but now I'm rereading it like a lovefool! 😔 I'm completely captivated and I'm so glad to be SO wrong.

Have a lovely day! 💖

Thank you!!! The Mermaid fic has been so fun to work on, glad you’re enjoying it!!

🌀 Sum a WIP up in tags/tropes:

Enemies to lovers, slow burn, canon-typical violence, possessive behaviour, angst

🌪️ Post a fic summary for a fic you haven’t finished/published yet

I’ve got a feeling that you’re the right thing after all.

Charlie is still breathing when Claudia hauls him back to Rue Royale. The family reluctantly makes room for one more.

Claudia/Charlie oneshot.

[silkjade]

we brainrot together whether you like it or not! It's you're fault you made such an interesting au with alhaitham.

i'm not too sure about how you see Teyvat with mermaids but listen. what if mermaid!reader who finds greater appeal in developing erudition than drowning humans for fun? (unfortunate in it's own way if alhaitham happened to be the one time they tried to do so)

like do mermaids have magic like the witches on the surface?? alchemists??? mermaid!reader being either of the above but being really good at what they do. so imagine all the unknowns of the surface and alhaitham being the one opening they have to explore it

i'm loving this idea that reader and alhaitham engage in a battle of wits all the time (or annoying each other) and that's a huge part of their dynamic.

(also as a side note. would something like mermaid scales be worth a lot on the surface? the lore seems to suggest that intelligent beings aligned with an element are often physically imbued with a lot of elemental energy? possibly sells good for alchemy, magic, medicine, etc depending on how you see it? just a food for thought :) )

ヾ(^▽^*)))

oh my gosh nonnie I LOVE you for sending this ask

okay so in the mermaid au, I hc that most mermaids are of the classic drowning/luring humans to death kind. I mentioned offhandedly in pt2 that some were interested in the human world though! and of course each mermaid would have their own opinions on humans, which can change depending on their own experiences. ex: the current mermaid!reader and whatever they've got going on atm is mostly due to alhthm having soundproof earpieces + the fact that he knows their kind-of-forgotten (to humans) language. I'd say mermaid!reader would also have to have at least a little innate curiosity and interest to the human world in order to agree to the deal. ugh I kind of wish I made this series into full fics so I could've expanded on this more (๑′̥̥̥▵‵̥̥̥ ૂ๑) but if not for the circumstances, mermaid!reader would've been more like the one in this ask

I did think about a sea witch, but it was irrelevant to the current storyline so... LOL anyways. it wasn't going to be like a ursula-type sea witch but more along the lines of hexenzirkel/lisa/signora. since their tails become legs when completely dry, it's very possible to go on land to study human alchemy and stuff, but otherwise they don't have any special magic other than their very alluring siren song. oh! but they are immune to hydro, like hydro slimes (but hotter) ₍ᐢ. ̫.ᐢ₎

this isn't set in stone for this au but, mermaids originate from the dark sea (ik it isn't actually a sea, but it's technically anywhere outside the rule of The Seven, so let's just assume there are also oceans). they're an ancient race that existed alongside the seelie, and after witnessing the destruction of the entire race because of the one human/seelie marriage, that's when they started drowning humans just in case. and then it just continued on for forever.

ok I've been thinking about this next part a lot haha. yes! their scales can be used in alchemy (another reason to drown humans ig lmao) but since mermaid scales are rare and hard to come by as it is + they haven't been seen in so long, most modern alchemists just don't know about it. also I wanted to incorporate irl lore from some folktales that say mermaids grant wishes. so some humans believe that based on old legends but I haven't decided yet if they actually can or what the criteria would be if they could.

honestly i have half a mind to make a spinoff(?) series afterwards maybe that has more plot and lore and angst, since rn I'm currently just building their relationship(??) but I'm glad you enjoy their dynamic because I love writing banter, it's one of the easiest things for me to write !

anyways tysm for sending this and giving me a chance to write down all my scrapped/unused ideas ‎ͼ(ݓ_ݓ)ͽ

[heyyyharry]

Deep End - Chapter 8: Fake Dating (Preview)

...in which Harry and Ezi become a couple.

AU: famous!harry, siren!mc, adult modern retelling of the little mermaid? lol, fake dating, enemies to lovers.

WARNING: MATURE THEMES

All chapters / Synopsis / Moodboard / Playlist

Full chapter: Wednesday, June 9, 2021. Read it now on Patreon.

A/N: Someone complained about the pacing so I decided to speed it up. I'm too busy with the paperwork for my UK visa so writing has been a struggle. Thank you so much for putting up with my weird posting schedule (there isn't one really lol) :P It's getting interesting from this chapter on, I promise.

.

.

.

“Jeff, can I have a moment with Ezi?”

“Yeah, sure, sure. Take all the time you need,” Jeff said as he shot Ezili a wink and retreated to the hallway, looking more excited than ever. The door closed behind him, and Harry turned right back to Ezili, his eyeballs nearly sticking out of his head.

“Are you fucking insane?!” he cried, gripping his hair. “Why did you agree?”

“I don’t see the problem.”

“You don’t--Fuck!”

Ezili crossed her arms as she watched Harry flop back onto the couch. She thought he might need a moment to calm down. Why were humans so emotional and dramatic? Especially Harry. Where did he find all the energy to freak out at least three times a day? Yes, she’d counted.

“I’m not fake dating you,” he said, glancing up at her.

She leaned back against the table, her shoulders raised. “Why not?”

“Do you even know what Jeff was proposing?”

“Yes, I’m not dumb. I learned all about dating on TikTok. You hold hands, kiss, go everywhere together, call each other ‘babe’--”

“It’s not as simple as that!” Harry cut her off. “And I hate the word ‘babe’.” He stuck out his tongue and made a face. “Beb...ew.”

“Cool. I’ll start calling you ‘babe’ then.”

“Shut up.”

“What do you mean, babe? I don’t get it, babe,” Ezili said with a grin that would surely drive Harry insane. She enjoyed pissing him off. And the fact that she knew that he knew how much she enjoyed it, pissed him off even more.

“Dating me is a lot different from that,” he said at last, his voice more relaxed now, but Ezili could tell he was far from it. “Our PR relationship would only draw more attention to you. It’s the last thing we’d want. If people found out--” His gaze jumped to the door, and he spoke quieter, fearing Jeff might hear them from the hallway, “--that you’re a siren, we’d both be screwed.”

Ezili took a deep breath. “You don’t think I’ve already thought of that? Let’s look at it this way. Sooner or later, people will find out that I’m living with you. How would you explain that then? If they think we’re living together because we’re dating, then they won’t ask questions we don’t want them to ask. I can just come and leave your house whenever I want, and you can sell an album from our made-up love story.” The look on Harry’s face made Ezili cackle. “What? You don’t think I could come up with that? Remember, your brain is far less developed than mine.”

Harry didn’t argue this time. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, his face thoughtful. She knew a lot was going through his mind at the moment, making it hard for him to translate it into words. He was probably still on the fence and afraid to take this much risk. She needed to convince him to go for it.

If they pretended to be a couple and spent a lot of time together, it’d be easier for her to make him fall in love with her. Also, their fake relationship would eliminate all the other contestants who were seeking his attention. Making someone fall in love with you was already a difficult task, Ezili didn’t want to compete with a human girl who knew what she was doing.

“Hey,” she said and placed a hand on Harry’s shoulder. He flinched as he thought she’d hit him and acted surprised when she offered a gentle smile. “Your mother keeps nagging you about getting a girlfriend, right? If we do this, not only will you get more people to buy our song, but you’ll also please your mother for a while so you can focus on your career.”

Harry bit the inside of his cheek. He said nothing, but Ezili knew it was a yes. She smiled and patted him on the arm. “That’s the spirit. Now, do we have a deal, babe?”

[honestsycrets]

Hard Sell | [ Ivar x Reader: Friends to Lovers ]

hiya! could i please request ivar fluff? 17 and 27 from the cuddly prompt list? (it doesnt hurt so much when you’re here & you belong here) thank you!!♥️♥️

❛ pairing | ivar x reader (friends to... shy friends maybe loves?)

❛ type | oneshot

❛ summary | ivar’s not jealous. he doesn’t GET jealous. maybe it’s hurt-- after all, it’s not him you came to watch...

❛  warnings | voyeurism, best friend to lover au, shy teenagers, 4B Ivar, canon divergent-- brothers are actually brothers, jealousy, jealous ivar, broken bones.

❛ sy’s notes | I know you requested this forever ago and i’m sorry.

Ivar knew that you were in the tree. You weren’t watching him, he knew. You were his… closest friend. If he could have one. Who you were really watching-- and he knew it as true-- was Bjorn and Ubbe. Both two big Vikings, two princes. And, if you wanted a treat, the only brotherly thing to do was to let you.

“Can I use the sword?”

Bjorn stretched, flexing his arms forward and back, flicking his hand up into the air. Yes, he’s reminded, that’s why you’re here. Bjorn Ironside, the next king, all muscle. Ubbe was a pretty face, but not so toned as his eldest brother. “After this. You’ll be the only man home. If Sigurd comes,” he reasons.

“Sigurd won’t go,” Ivar scoffs. “He is too busy being a bitch.”

Beside him, Ubbe stood with his arms folded rocking side to side. He joined his oldest brothers out to the river-- watching them swim with the promise that they would teach him too how to shoot a heavier weighted bow.

“Then you can help him defend Kattegat.” Pbbbt. Bjorn bends down, setting his hands on his thighs, and meeting him eye to eye. “For Princess Aslaug.”  

In the tree, he hears your stifled giggle, and Ubbe’s forehead wrinkles as he turns his head up, his hand hovering above the axehead on his waist. “What are you doing?” Ivar reaches out, slapping Ubbe’s pasty belly, motioning him to watch. “You are supposed to be teaching me. Not hunting little squirrels.”

Squirrels! you shout. And with it, Ubbe whirls around, flicking the axe despite Ivar’s shrilled command to wait. It’s then that you throw yourself off the tree, and with a wet crack, Ivar flinches.

“What are you doing?” Ubbe rushes over, expecting his kill, saxe drawn out. The polished blade is tight in his fist, but where he expected a great kill, he only found you rocking on your side, shrilling hatefully. “You threw an axe at me!”

“What were you doing in the tree?!” Ubbe snaps, despite looking up, where his axe was lodged, and down again. He’d need to get that down. Ivar throws himself, dragging in time with Bjorn’s rushed steps over. When he pushes you over, Ivar drags his feet around, unbinding one of his leather straps and handing it off to his brother.

“Ow, ow, ow fuck! Glory to Frigg--” Bjorn shifts your arm, and your hand connects with his chest, a punch, but then-- a rare stroke over the light sheen of the sweat that glistened them from his spar with Ubbe.

If just for that it was worth it--

“She was watching you! That’s what she was doing.” Ivar hisses, checking your other bones for the pain, but in your brilliance you had landed on your arm, because that was the good and obvious thing to do. Obviously. “In the tree?” Bjorn asks.

“Of course in the tree,” you snap. “How else would I see the rat tail twin-- oof!” Ivar shoves you onto your butt, ignoring your strained complaints. “You’ll make it worse!”

“Stop being dramatic.” Ivar says. “I break my bones all the time and moan less than you.”

“In case you haven’t noticed I don’t break my bones like you, you insufferable little prince.” Little? You swirl around on your ass, ignoring Ivar now, ignoring how Ubbe has had enough of the conversation, even with Ivar forming a way to prop your arm in a makeshift sling with his strap of leather.

“Right. You only like to peep on these two brothers to get off.” At that, Bjorn gave Ivar one spare look before hopping up on two feet, flicking his head toward the tree.

“I think he has this.” Ubbe nods, walking to the tree. With Bjorn’s help he’s able to lurch up the tree and retrieve his axe. Meanwhile, you’ve spun all the way around, stubbornly sitting there, despite Ivar knowing that you’re simply pouting to pout-- with cheeks hot with embarrassment, knowing that Bjorn heard, and Bjorn knew, and Bjorn and Ubbe would know the next time that you watched them bathe in the river. If there was a next time.

After some time, Ivar knows that at least-- at least, he’s overstepped his bounds. He drags himself over by setting his cheek to your thigh, ignoring your fingers dangling over his puffy short hair. He cradles your other thigh with his hand, working up the courage to say something, that isn’t another swipe at your tendencies.

“It’s just a break. It’ll heal,” Ivar says to you. You wiggle your fingers in his short hair, rolling your lower lip in, then out again to deal with the pain. Ivar… he can’t help it. He can’t help the need to reach up, tease his fingers in your hair, half up, half loose just like he always liked, but could never find the words to tell you.

“Until then I’ll look just like you. But in the arms.” You tell him, almost kidding, but Ivar adds. “You can’t be like me. You still have an arm up on me.”

Maybe, you laugh. “It doesn’t hurt so much when you’re around.”

“It doesn’t?” he looks up, a mix of wonder and surprise in his eyes, so wide and needy, that his blue eyes almost seem to water with the hope. You bring the other hand that was supporting you on the ground, tapping his nose. “No.”

“Tch,” Ivar settles back, his hand leaving your hair, pouting almost. “I’m sure you’d tell that to Bjorn, or Ubbe, real Vikings.”

“Are you jealous?”

There’s a pause-- just then. His gloved hand soothes over your dress, picking out the branches from the tree that you’d fallen out of, thanking Frigg that the tree was not higher, or you might have cracked your head open too.

“You belong here, you know.” you tell him. He doesn’t answer. If he asked where he might be disappointed. Your hand shifts down, caressing his cheek, and the prominent sideburns that you always told him looked like a wolf. Fenrir, the wolf. Stupidly, you didn’t need him to respond to keep speaking yourself.

“With me. I wouldn’t say that to Bjorn. He is…” a pause, and he wonders what comes next. “Something… sweet to look at, at best.”

“I’m not?” he finds himself asking.

“All the women say you’re the best looking of his children.” You whisper, bending over yourself, smushing him with your chest, and he turns up to look at you. “No woman has ever spoken to me.”

“Best looking-- but you have that temper.”

“What temper?” Ivar says. How could he not know? The anger, the jealousy, and--

“--and Queen Aslaug would never approve of any woman stealing her precious little prince.”

“Tch,” Ivar says. “You’re full of excuses.”

Excuses-- maybe. But good ones. That’s all you can afford to tell him, tap dancing around this… and that. Your lips curl, “But am I wrong?”

No, Ivar laments to himself. You weren’t.

Mother was a hard sell. But maybe not if he was in love.

@tephi101 @alicedopey @supernaturalvikingwhore @tootie-fruity @titty-teetee @queen-see-ya-in-valhalla @ethereallysimple @deathbyarabbit @deathbyarabbit @readsalot73 @natalie-rdr @lol-haha-joke @lisinfleur @hissouthernprincess @marvelousse @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol @vikingsmania @wish-i-was-a-mermaid @lif3snotouttogetyou @gruffle1 @cris101071 @gold-dragon-slayer @babypink224221 @wonderwoman292 @naaladareia @beyond-the-ashes @generic-fangirl @chinduda @laketaj24, @peaceisadirtyword, @ly–canthrope @cris101071 @daughterofthenight117 @unassumingviking @ladyofsoa​, @inforapound​ @winchesterwife27​ @feyrearcheron44​@readsalot73 @squirrelacorngliterfarts​ @gold-dragon-slayer​ @medievalfangirl @sallydelys  @bluearchersstuff @affectionrabbitt​ @whatamood13 @notyouraveragegirl17 @igetcarriedawaywithyou​ @unacceptabletatertots @ivarandersen @stra-vage @tgrrose @cookies186 @learninglemni-blog @theleeshanotlouise @soiproclaim​ @msmorganforever @itsjusttaralove​ @beyond-the-ashes @supernaturalvikingwhore​ @mblaqgi​ @wuxiesalt @hopplessdreamer @therealcalicali @rekdreams-fandom @moondustmemories @athroatfullofglass @poisonedjoinery @strangunddurm @shookforyoojung @peachesnpisces @tierneygonzalez @hexqueensupreme @nohemi2500 @queenmissfit @alicedopey @dmv49 @sallylebecks @terrainhead @mybarnesmyhero @youurkryptonite @lif3snotouttogetyou @vikingsmania @looneytunes20033 @bat-fam-blob @oneofthelothbroks @lovelynerdytraveler @chinduda @whatamood13 @honeyofthegods @ilvebeenabad @queenbeeta @wonderlandofsu @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie

[cyclone5000]

Taiyama for the send me a ship prompt post, if you haven't been asked yet :)

send me a ship and I’ll tell you...

who’s the werewolf and who’s the hunter

You know this reminds me of that one time I was shitposting twitter...and I thought it’d be funny if Yamato was the big bad wolf. And instead of Taichi being little red riding hood, he was the lumberjack that bursts through the door at the of the day. And Yamato is like “...hot damn I went after the wrong person” lol, that’s kinda like a werewolf/hunter thing right?Tbh if Taichi was the werewolf and Yamato was the hunter...I also think it could be pretty funny. xD Yamato would be super serious about hunting down all werewolves, and then Taichi is like, “You know I understand you got like a vengeance thing going on. But I just found Scooby snacks are real so let’s pause this fight for like 25 minutes while I run to the store and get some.” 

“I’m holding a shotgun with silver bullets at your skull and you’re thinking of Scooby snacks??” 

“I can get you some--” 

“I don’t want any!” And idk after Yamato winds down they can be like buddies and they are usually fine with each other and if Taichi gets too rowdy Yamato just pets him behind the ear and calms him down lol

who’s the mermaid and who’s the fisherman

Yamato would make the prettiest mermaid...it’s very hard for me to think about it the other way around. Especially if Taichi was like, the most typical fisherman there is lol I’m talking vinyl coveralls and those super thick gloves to handle big fish and everything. Lol, he has a small boat and just sells what he can to trading ports to sustain his lifestyle and that’s it. When he sees Yamato stuck in his fishing net, of course Taichi is hella shocked lol. He tries to return Yamato back to sea right away, but Yamato’s tail was injured pretty badly. So Taichi takew him back to his house and fills the tub immediately and tries to help Yamato heal as fast as he can. Cue the disney styled romance after that. 

who’s the witch and who’s the familiar

Lol they are both witches but Yamato is better at spell casting than Taichi. So any time Taichi is being too annoying, Yamato turns him into an animal and Taichi is stuck like that for a while lol. Anyone who comes by thinks that Yamato has a special way with animals (as he turns Taichi into whatever he feels like) and needless to say they get surprised whenever the little fuzzy cat on Yamato’s shoulder is actual a person. 

who’s the barista and who’s the coffee addict

@pikkachan once drew this kind of AU once. You can see the comic strip here. It’s cute :PBut tbh, I would like it if Taichi is the barista and Yamato’s the coffee addict. But Yamato isn’t just a normal patron of the coffee shop. Oh no. Yamato always has a guitar strapped to his back, orders the same black coffee with no sugar or cream and gingerly sips it cold as he strums and hums in the crook next to the window. 

Which pisses off Taichi. Because the pretty blond boy keeps playing acoustic versions of popular songs where everyone can see him-- so a bunch of people keep showing up at the coffee shop causing a crazy rush at three in the afternoon! Oh every time Taichi sees Yamato’s golden blond hair from across the street he just starts cursing under his breath. Why does this hipster guitarist keep showing up on his shift?? How come Taichi is always the one taking his order and having to hand him his extra bitter coffee?? And why does he always stare at Taichi as if that’s gonna compel him to give him stellar customer service! Lol well once Taichi learns the reason why he can’t look at mystery guitar man the same way again.

who’s the professor and who’s the TA

I’m not the biggest fan of these kinds of AU’s. But Yamato can be the professor and Taichi can be the TA. Especially if Yamato didn’t really think Taichi would be a serious student when he met him. And he was correct, Taichi is a little absentminded with his studies. But doesn’t mean he isn’t passionate about the material :D 

who’s the knight and who’s the prince(ss)

Oh I had this AU in my drafts for a while....well idk when I’m gonna write it so I don’t think it’s that big of a deal if I share. 

Yamato is the prince and Taichi is the knight. While Yamato’s has the royal family’s blood flowing in his veins, Taichi’s family has been nobility serving in the royal guard for generations. Because Taichi and Yamato are similar in age, they were close while growing up. And as Taichi excelled in his studies of combat and strategy, it was obvious that Taichi would serve as Yamato’s sword when they’d get older. 

During their teens, Yamato adjusts well enough to expectation that is placed on him. Taichi doesn’t though. He starts to rebel, and starts losing interest in his family’s customs and traditions. Taichi finds himself wanting to live life away from the castle and its kingdom as he learns more about the world around him. 

Taichi comes to Yamato one night and tells him about how he’s wants to run away and travel the world and stuff. And while Yamato knows of how unhappy Taichi is, he also doesn’t want the one person he really cares about (outside of his little brother of course) to leave. 

Taichi promises that if Yamato ever needed him, no matter where he is he’ll always rush to be back by Yamato’s side. And with that Yamato lets him go. It’s not till years later when they’re all grown up that they meet each other again :P

who’s the teacher and who’s the single parent

Taichi is the single parent and Yamato is the teacher. As Taichi’s son gets older, he also starts loosing interest in hanging out with his dad. This of course bothers Taichi, and as much as he knows that he should give his son space--he also is very lonely!! Taichi is very upset that his little boy is growing up and he feels like it is happening to fast. lol needless to say, Taichi starts getting whiny whenever his son doesn’t want to spend time with him. When his son says he wants to take the guitar lessons  after school. Taichi says yes without thinking its a big deal. When Taichi’s son comes back completely enamored by his super cool new music teacher, Taichi is no longer okay with it. One day he stops by these music lessons just to see who the hell this guy even is. And if Taichi wasn’t so proud and a single dad who loves his son dearly--he probably would admit that Yamato is kind of cool. 

who’s the writer and who’s the editor

Yamato is the editor who is so sick of Taichi skipping past security to barge into his office to give him “His best story yet!” Yamato just doesn’t get paid enough to deal with shit like this. 

[marinette-buginette]

Turn Loose the Mermaids(Part 31)

AU belongs to Taulun

Welp, this is probably my worst chapter yet. I apologize in advance. You will want me dead after next chapter anyway, so let’s enjoy the little victories lol. Thanks to @miracujess for being my beta and dealing with my shit

First | Next

Tortuga was like no other place Marinette had ever seen. Albeit, she had only been in two ports so far, of which the second hadn’t been the most… pleasing experience, not with strange women trying to take her Chat away from her or with lecherous stinky drunks who ended up with cut tongues. But besides those incidents, it had been welcoming and enjoyable and, dare she say, comfortable. But this place, Tortuga, was giving her shivers. The port was well lighted, but it still felt as if lingering shadows were ready to jump you any moment. And while the joy in the air and the relaxed and euphoric state of people might have been enjoyable any other day, Marinette didn’t feel right in that atmosphere right now. And the streets were stinking! What was up with this port and poor cleaning? Hell knows what diseases will appear because of it. Chat didn’t seem to fare any better. As they were walking along the streets, keeping close to each other and holding hands, Marinette could have sworn she heard him cursing and saying something about how he hated Tortuga. With all the dirt on the ground, Marinette decided she had been inspired to pick a dress that reached above her ankles. She glanced around, noticing all the oddities that were sold at the stands of the merchants. Fish, alcohol, a variety of tools, weapons, but she also saw poisons and some rather weird looking animal limbs. Instinctively, she pulled herself closer to Chat. Her husband wrapped an arm around her and squeezed her shoulder, comforting her. Stopping suddenly, Chat moved aside to free the path for other walkers while pulling her along. Raising her hands, he kissed her knuckles and looked down at her.

“Marinette,” he sighed, “have you thought about… ?”

“My answer is still no,” she stated firmly. As he gave her an exasperated look, Marinette shook her head. “Forget it Chat. I said before, I’m saying it again. I’m not running.”

“But it is your only chance to survive, if this goes badly. I don’t want you to die.”

Marinette rolled her eyes, but as she spoke her voice was soft. “I lived for almost 161 years now. 160 without you. We just found each other. What do you want me to do, Chat? Let you die and go and lurk in the depths of the sea for another century hoping I will meet you again? I’d be damned if I leave you.“ She gripped his hands tightly and looked straight into his eyes as she promised “If we go, we go together.”

Chat looked at her, obviously not satisfied with the idea, but at the same time, his heart began beating faster at her words. He truly didn’t deserve her. Placing a long kiss on her forehead, Chat squeezed her hands. They were in this together.

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

The Shark’s Fang was one of the best taverns in Tortuga, and there was a general knowledge that it was the tavern the Black Cat of the Seven Seas and his crew frequented. So it wasn’t a surprise for anyone that the only people in there were the workers and the pirates. The chatter was lively and everybody seemed happy to get a drink, Nino most of them all. Everybody went silent as Chat Noir himself appeared.

“Leave me and my crew alone,” he ordered, and the workers immediately scattered through the back door. A group of women who had been lurking around gathered in a corner and exchanged looks, not really eager to leave when they hadn’t got any proper business that night. Max took out a little bag of coins and threw it their way, then motioned for them to get out. The captain wasn’t looking very patient right now.

Chat wasn’t surprised in the slightest when all he had to do was say something to get people to listen. His reputation as the most blood thirsty pirate certainly helped. Redirecting his attention to the crowd in the pub, he simply stated: ”I’ve got news for you. It is about Ma—the mermaid.” The word didn’t sit well with him, but as far as he was concerned, only he and Nino knew Marinette’s name, and he wasn’t about to give it to everybody without her permission.

“Did you find a buyer?” It was Max who broke the silence, and judging by his tone, Chat figured he was disappointed. He did make a habit of talking with Marinette about the life under the sea and mermaids in general. He was one of the ones who, dare he say, befriended Marinette quite fast.

“No.” Chat shook his head. “There is a problem. She isn’t entirely a mermaid.” The whispers of surprise and chatter among the crew turned to silence as Chat extended his hand. Marinette entered through the door holding her husband’s hand and giving a small wave at the crew. “And frankly, no one is selling her as long as I am alive.”

There was a dead silence for a few very tense moments. And then the whole room burst in shouts of all kinds.

“She has legs!”

“What the actual fuck, she has legs?”

“Lahiffe, did you spike my drink again?”

“Well, I prefer it that way, ya know, she is a nice lass and a great singer though.”

“The stories are real! I knew it, take that Max.”

For his part Max was up on the table. “You have to tell me more about this phenomenon!”

“So this is how you’ve been fucking! I can’t believe we all lost the bets.”

Chat raised an eyebrow. “I’m glad to see your priorities are in order, Le Chien.”

“Hold up a second.” Chat’s piercing green eyes settled on the person who spoke. If he remembered correctly, his name was Claude.

“I assume you have something to say,” Chat said nonchalantly, his eyes looking over the others’ faces. At a first glance, this man seemed the only one truly bothered.

“Are you telling us that we ain’t going to sell our biggest catch ever so you can satisfy your dick?” Marinette heard Chat growl. “I’d be damned if I don’t get any coin off that sea wench’s tail.

A chorus of other voices began disagreeing. A sudden wave of tension seemed to pass through the crowd. There were little details, Marinette’s noticed. The way Kim’s back muscles tensed, the way Max reached for his pocket tentatively, Nino settling his bottle on the table, his fingers latching dangerously onto it. Marinette’s grip tightened around Chat’s hand. He squeezed back, but his eyes focused on his crew. Then his lips curled into a grin, but it wasn’t anything Marinette had seen before. It wasn’t playful, or fond or amused. It was rather lethal looking with just a tiny hint of mocking. Marinette admired how well he could hide his inner turmoil and feelings.

“Gentlemen, let’s settle, shall we?” his eyes slid over to Alix who already reached for her gun. “Don’t pull that up Kubdel, there isn’t need for it. I certainly hope my crew isn’t barbaric enough to fill this lovely tavern with blood. We all know how hard is to get the stains out.”

He took a couple of steps forward, in a nonchalant manner, but Marinette noticed he positioned his body in front of her. Her eyes moved from his form to the crew of pirates in front of her. The tension was thick enough to be cut with a knife.

“Claude, it seems like you have something more to say about this. And given our diverging opinions, I’m sure we can take this outside and solve it properly, through a duel.” his right hand tapped the hilt of his sword, challenging. “With you and everybody else who wants to settle this matter.”

The pirate paled considerably, while other’s exchanged looks. No one had ever gotten alive out of a sword fight with Captain Chat Noir. This was the man who killed a royal navy admiral when he was 14. And three others during his piracy years. Claude’s shoulders dropped, considering his options. This might not have been such a good idea.

“You know, “ Max’s voice broke the silence. “Ironically enough, since she is with us our success against trade ships increased, not to mention the fact that we had some of our best catches during this period of time. If coin, is your main concern, I’d say it is better to keep her with us, given she seems to bring us good luck.”

Marinette smiled at Max over Chat’s shoulder. She will make sure to thank him later. Maybe tell him more about the marine life.

“Kante, I appreciate the notes, but please, if Claude wants to fight his way over this argument he is more than welcome to do so.” Chat looked at his crew member expectantly.

The other pirate gulped. “It’s alright, Captain. I’ll just sit down.” because he wasn’t insane enough to get in a sword fight with the man who dueled the most frightening pirate of the Seven Seas at 19 and won. He had one bit of preservation instinct left.

“So be it then. Anybody else?” he looked around expectantly through the crowd. The opposing voices simply avoided his glance. “We are settled then. Does anybody have anything to add?”

“Yes.” to everybody’s surprise Nino climbed on the table taking a big gulp out of his bottle. “Finally you all assholes will share my pain of dealing with their romantic bullshit! You will all have to hear them fucking too, from now on, and lose sleep. Fucking finally, I’m not alone to deal with this anymore.”

The chorus of laughter filled the room at Nino’s antics, whatever surprise of him knowing already being set aside fastly.

“Bring more rum!” Nino shouted again, hoping one of the tavern workers could hear him. Then he waved his hand towards Marinette. “Come here sister, I’m in the mood for a song.”

Marinette laughed happily. Giving her husband a fast kiss, she rushed in the middle of the crowd and began singing with Nino. Chat looked at the whole scene and sighed in relief. This, turned out better than he could ever hope for. Seeing Marinette gesture for him to come over, he joined the celebration.

Maybe luck was upon him, at least.