#figured i should stop tagging it with just her name since that's a whole constellation

[limielle]

did a silly thing... OH the source !!!

[yunkiwii]

stargazing | au

pairing: non-idol!mingi x gn!reader

genre: fluff დ

warnings: none

wc: 2.1k

requested: no, but i'll tag @su-lix because she has been waiting for this ♡

net: @ateezlovenet

summary: you met mingi at san's birthday party and somehow you both end up talking throughout the whole party, which led to him (kinda) asking you out.

Last week, at your friend San’s birthday party you met this other friend of his, Mingi, and somehow you two ended up talking throughout the whole party ignoring whatever was going on outside of your little bubble. When you told him you knew the names of the constellations and how to distinguish them, he got so excited about it that he just couldn’t help but ask you to teach him someday.

The party ended, you exchanged numbers to keep in touch and now, nine days later, there you were, sitting on the passenger seat of his car making your way to the middle of nowhere, to star gaze together. You still couldn’t believe you actually went on board with this, considering that you barely knew him, but you trusted San’s judgement just enough and, besides, there was no way this boy would hurt you, even though he was really tall he was just like a kid trapped in a big man’s body, too pure for this world and you could see right through him. And he was hot, you would never admit it out loud but that also had a say on your decision.

You felt really comfortable siting there next to him, windows rolled down, your hand hanging on the outside feeling the fresh breeze hitting you on this warm summer evening, as you watch the sun setting down and the sky turning into shades of orange and pink, the busy city being left behind, further and further away from you at every second.

The twenty-minute drive was made almost in absolute silence, but not in an awkward silence way, just quiet, with soft music playing in the radio, a playlist that Mingi swore he chose randomly, but you just couldn’t shake the feeling that he made the playlist specially for this drive, it just fitted the mood too well to be a coincidence.

“So, we need to establish something first.” Mingi breaks the silence as he stops the car in a small parking lot, with only a couple of lampposts lighting the area faintly now that the sun was fully gone, and you hum in response taking your eyes away from the window and facing him. “Is this a date or is this merely educational? I need to know how to behave.”

“Hm… you were the one asking me to come, so it’s up to you I guess…” you smile back at him, praying that he wouldn’t notice your hands playing with each other, a clear sign of how nervous you got the moment he spoke up.

Mingi chuckles shyly and scratches the back of his head, clearly not expecting his question to backfire at him like that. You felt proud of yourself for being able to keep it cool and avoid the question like that, even more so seeing how you left the boy so flustered he wouldn’t look you in the eye.

“It’s a date then!” He decides after a while, smiling at you but when he was halfway leaving the car, he turns back at you again, “This is, if you’re okay with it.”

“I’m already here aren’t I?” you smile back at him, leaving the car as well, satisfied at how things were turning out, although you had actually thought it was clear from the moment he asked, back at San’s party, that this would be a date, yet you still found it sweet that he had to make sure first.

As you step out you start looking around, unsure about the safety of this random place so far away from the so familiar city. It seems like a small village to you, a very quiet one, the chirping of crickets and the croaking of frogs combined with the sound of running water being the only things you could hear, and you realize there’s likely a river nearby which explains why it felt chillier here, making you pull on your jacket’s sleeves so you could cover your hands, still nervously gripping on the other.

Mingi notices your nervous tic easily and approaches you slowly with his backpack hanging from one shoulder, his tall figure right next to you so close that the said backpack is brushing on your arm lightly.

“(y/n), don’t worry about this place yeah? My grandma used to live here, I know this place better than I know myself, it’s completely safe.” He looks down at you waiting for your approval, but you just nod and hum in response, not convincing him. “It’s okay if you don’t feel comfortable here, we can go back to the city and do something else, or I can take you home if that’s what you want…”

“No Mingi, we’re here already let’s stick to the plan.” You look up at him smiling determined and a wide smile forms on his face, and hell that was a beautiful smile, one of those that could wipe all the worries in the world, and you had to look away as you felt your cheeks warm up. “But I would be more comfortable if we stayed close to the parking lot, okay?”

With that said he suggested staying near the closest tree, just close enough to what you considered safe but not too close to the lampposts so that you could still see the stars clearly. He took out a dark blue blanket out of his backpack and as you sat on it, just chatting about random daily life stuff, you began to feel more at ease, finally taking your hands away from each other and resting one on the blanket for support, and the other on your lap.

As Mingi asked you about the constellations, you let yourself fall on your back, getting a laugh out of the boy, while you ramble about how since you were little you looked up more often than you looked down, gaining you a couple of funny falls throughout the years.

“Hey, lay down, otherwise you will hurt your neck.” You chuckled pulling Mingi down by slightly grabbing on his sweater’s sleeve, and he too falls on his back right next to you, your hands brushing every once in a while, sending shivers from the tip of your fingers right into and through your spine. This made you fluster a bit, making you unable to keep the conversation going, so you both just stared in silence into the sprinkles in the sky for a while, until Mingi looks back at you all of the sudden and breaks the silence.

“Is that a constellation?” he points up to the sky, unaware that you had no idea where he was pointing at, his eyes wide open looking at you, excited about the fact that he might have figured something out.

“Mingi, I have no idea where you’re pointing at...”

“Oh, well…” he moves his body closer to yours to try and explain better what he was seeing, your shoulders now touching and he extends his arm right in front of your face so you could follow the invisible line connecting his fingers and the said constellation, “Those five stars connected form a weird «w», is that a constellation?” he looks at you again with expectation.

“Yes!! It’s Cassiopeia!” you grab his arm excitedly pulling it down next to you and, unable to control your nerdy excitement over stars, you start rambling about the said constellation unaware that you were still entangled in Mingi’s arm.

“In mythology, Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus, whose constellation is right next to hers! One day she started saying she was more beautiful than the sea nymphs, the Nereids. One of them was married to Poseidon and so they appealed to him to punish Cassiopeia for her boastfulness. Because of this Cepheus went to an oracle for help who told him they had to sacrifice their daughter, Andromeda, to the sea monster, and so they did; but last minute the Greek hero Perseus showed up and rescued her from the monster. Later, Andromeda and Perseus got married and some other guy showed up claiming to be the right suit for Andromeda, starting a fight. Perseus was outnumbered so he used the head of Medusa which, as you probably know already, turned into stone whoever looked her in the eyes. In this process the king and queen were killed, Poseidon still wanted revenge and so he placed them in the sky, leaving Cassiopeia condemned to circle the celestial pole forever, spending half the year upside down in the sky as punishment for-” you stop yourself from talking as you realise you might be boring him and, worse, you were still attached to his arm like a limp, releasing him immediately and avoiding eye contact, embarrassed by your ramblings and for overstepping his personal space, and finished the sentence weakly, “for her vanity.”

“How do you know all this?” Mingi sits up and he didn’t seem bothered at all, quiet au contraire, he was actually amazed by you and interested in what you were saying. That caught you by surprise since all you were used to was to people telling you to shut up whenever you rambled about things you were passionate about.

“Well, I read a lot about this stuff… I can lend you a few books if-”

“Yes, please! I would very much like that (y/n)!” he says and squeezes your hand lightly in appreciation when you sit up yourself, holding onto your hand a bit too longer than he was supposed to, “Your hands are so cold, do you need another sweater or something? I might have another one in my car.”

As he was standing up to go to his car you grab his hand again, earning his attention back to your face again.

“I know the car is close but-, I don’t want to be left alone here…” You hesitated a bit, but the thought of being left alone there, with his back turned to you, took your mind right to all those crime documentaries you usually watch for fun, but picturing it in the real world doesn’t seem so fun.

“Oh, that’s okay (y/n), I won’t leave you alone. But perhaps we should go back now, you’re really cold and I don’t want you to get sick or something.” Mingi helps you up as you nod in agreement, although the prospect of your date ending didn’t please you that much, but he was right, as the night went on it got colder and you were starting to shiver a bit by now.

The ride back home was a whole different than the one from earlier, your level of comfort with each other went from comfortable silence to an open debate on whether your zodiac sign had a say on your personality or not. No conclusion was taken from it though, since it only led to you getting to know each other better based on the traces of personality you used to prove your own points.

Your trip back home was soon to be over but neither of you were ready to say goodbye just yet, it felt like you’ve just left the city, but you were already back, and it was almost midnight.

“Time really flies by when we’re having fun huh?” Mingi chuckled quietly and you barely heard him, so you assumed he was talking to himself and didn’t say anything. He stopped the car right in front of the pathway to your house, leaning back on his seat and turning his head to face you, “Here we are, (y/n). Thank you for agreeing on this date, I had a really good time.” His smile awakens a warm sensation inside you and you automatically mirror his expression.

“I had a lot of fun too, Mingi, thank you for tonight.”

At this point you knew you should probably say your goodbyes and call it a night, but you just stayed like that for a few more minutes, or so it seemed to you, tracing each other’s features with your eyes, memorizing every bit of it hoping you would dream with each other that night, but in reality, only a few seconds had passed until you became flustered by the boy’s eyes locked on your face.

“Hm, I- I should probably go,” you rush to take the seatbelt off and leave the car, looking back in before shutting the door, “thank you again, Mingi.”

As you were about to enter the house you hear his voice calling you from inside the car, you turn around and see the window from the passenger's side open, his face trying to get a look at you, “When will you lend me that book you told me about?”

You giggled to yourself, seeing this as chance to take control of what should happen next, “Perhaps on our next date, I’ll text you the details!”

He smiled at you and yelled back a “deal” before starting the car and leaving at full speed. You shut your door and lean against it, not quite believing you were actually the one who suggested the second date.

♡MASTERLIST♡

[elles-writing]

Night skies and stars - Kili x reader - Day 9

Night skies and stars

Pairing: Kili x reader

Warnings/triggers: -

Genre: a bit angst, fluff

Word: Spiders – Day 9

Word count: 1986

A/N: My intention was to make this angsty a bit, but turned out to be fluffy.

Tags: @dumbassunderthemountain​ @moony-artnstuff​ @artsywaterlily​ @claraofthepen​

Message me if you want to be added/removed from taglist.

„-and then, there were those huge spiders!“ Kili threw his hands up. Fili and others chuckled.

„I think you’ve got enough of ale for today,“ He said.

They didn’t knew you were there. You’ve had your hood on, so nobody would recognize you. The journey was over, Erebor was reclaimed, Durins survived. You could go home.

But, there was a problem.

You had no home.

When you were younger, you‘ve decided to leave your village. Your family wanted to marry you off, with a man, who was known to be cruel and often drunk. That was the last drop. You runned away, and what you overheard in different tawerns, where you would stop rarely, to get a warm meal, it brang a huge shame on your family. That thought made you grimace.

You met Gandalf once before the quest. You were captured by orcs, and he helped you out. A few months later, you, in exange, decided to help out the dwarves on their quest. They quickly became close friends to you, perhaps a family.

And here you were, running away once again. You weren’t sure what it was or why. It was difficult to put a finger on it, but you thought perhaps because you’ve seen many lovely places of Middle-Earth, you wanted to re-visit at least some of them. You thought of Rivendell. Such a lovely place, that helped you to relax. Though Shire was also nice...

You looked up. Kili was in the middle of another story, though Fili stepped in, and Bofur too. You deeply sighed and looked down. All you were waiting for were Gandalf’s fireworks, and then you’d go to sleep, to rise early and leave.

You stood up, any of the dwarves didn’t noticed you. How could they, there was many people and dwarves in that pub, plus you had your hood on. You paid and left.

However, you didn’t noticed a pair of sharp eyes, that recognized you earlier and followed you, until you were out of his sight.

You climbed up on one roof and sat comfortably to chimney. You were looking up to the night sky, constellations, stars, moon.

When you left it wasn’t easy, obviously. You thought about going back, not because of the marriage of course, but because you were alone in a wild, and the darkness and cold during nights would be unbearable, until you decided to look up for the stars.

They became your friends, when no one else was around. You would often talk to them, about your family, your life, past, present and future, what were your hopes, dreams and wishes. Sometimes it would be something as simple as bright, cloudless night, then it would be a friend, a book, that someone lost on a road, or a food.

While on the quest, sometimes you would sneak a little futher, just to enjoy the stars. They were your hope, they knew what you’ve never told anyone before, your lights.

Once, Kili was on a night watch and freaked out, when he found your bed roll empty. Luckily, he didn’t woke up the whole Company, because you’ve heard him calling your name. You explained to him, why you were away, and so whenever it was Kili’s turn for a night watch and cloudless night, you would go and enjoy the stars. Sometimes, you’d teach him some of the constellations.

Meanwhile, in the tavern, Kili looked around. He already had some ale, but not that much to unnotice you in your cloak, with a hood on. He forrowed his brows. Why you were trying to be unnoticed? Thanks for being an archer, he could watch almost anything from afar without being noticed.

His brown eyes followed you, paying, and quickly walking away. He told Fili and Bofur, that there was something going on with you. You never worn your hood on, you’d usually put your cloak on when you were cold or when was windy.

It didn’t took long, and they‘ve decided to find you. They got up, saying goodbye’s and farewell’s to dwarves who came to Erebor from Blue Mountains and were sitting here with them during the evening.

Once they were out of the tavern, Fili furrowed his brows, just like Bofur and Kili did.

„You sure it was the lass? There was a lot of people inside,“ Fili said. Kili shook his head.

„No, I’m sure it was her. That cloak, I would recognize it anywhere,“ He said. Bofur placed his hands on his hips.

„What would happen?“ Kili scrunched his face, deeply in thought.

„She looked like she was about to leave, but why would she wanted to leave?“ They all were quiet, after this Kili’s statement. The only sounds was loud speaking from the tavern and some singing, coming from a distance, perhaps some street musician or somebody who wanted to make their evening nicer.

„Did you noticed if she was unhappy?“ Fili asked.

„Aye, I didn’t think she was. She was smiling all the time, cheerfull, especially when the town and Erebor recovered a bit.“ Bofur commented. Kili nodded.

„Since the end of the battle, especially. I believe she was relieved,“ He continued.

„Yeah, she’s been happy. But why would she wanted to leave, then?“ His face scrunched once again. Fili shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

„We need to find her, that’s the first thing. I will go this way,“ He pointed to one of the re-builded streets.

„I will try this way,“ Bofur pointed to another street. Kili looked to the direction he was about to go, and they three nodded.

„If any of us finds her, then maybe we should take her to Erebor, she will maybe feel better in her chambers, perhaps she will tell us what happened,“ Bofur suggested. The brothers nodded and soon, they were on their way to find you.

You were sitting on the roof and didn’t even noticed you’ve started humming a song. It was a song you’ve overheard in one village, and couldn’t get it out of your head. It was a soft, calming, though sad melody.

Kili stopped in his tracks, when he heard that humming. He knew that voice. You’d often be humming some song, when you were on a night watch, to perhaps ease your mind. Especially after the orcs and goblins.

He scrunched his face. The sound was coming somewhere from a roof. He looked up and noticed a silhouette, sitting by a chimney, looking up to the stars.

He looked around and noticed a few barrels. His lips tugged up in a grin.

You were looking around over the town, when you noticed a movement by the corner of your eye. You quickly hid behind the chimney, which was big enough to cover you when you scrunched.

„Don’t worry, it’s me, Kili,“ Your body relaxed. Kili climbed to you and sat next to you.

„Why are you here, Kili?“ You asked him. You liked Kili, how could you not – he was nice, friendly, brave and knew how to make your cheeks heat up by flirting – but you couldn’t imagine he would feel the same way.

„I’ve noticed there was somethin‘ goin‘ on, so I wanted to check on you.“ You couldn’t help but smile.

„Well, I’m sitting up here, waiting for the firework. Gandalf promised it will be worth it.“ You pointed towards the sky. He nodded and for a while, you were sitting in a comfortable silence. Then he spoke.

„Are you going to stay here, with us?“ You shrugged your shoulders. Why did he made it more difficult than it needed to be...

„Well-I thought I would visit some of my favourite places in Middle-Earth, and then I’d decide.“

„You know, it’d be great if you’d stayed for Durin’s Day.“ Kili was trying to come up with a reason for you to stay. He said this nervously. Why was talking to you, out of all women, so difficult? He liked you, especially after you became better friends. Though, Fili would ocassionally tease him, it always looked like you two were best friends.

„That’s not for another few months, Kili.“ You said. He frowned and the tip of his tongue appeared between his lips, as he tried to think of another thing.

„Oh yeah, sure. But you can stay, I mean, everyone would be happy if you’d stayed-“ He started to talk.

„I told you I-“

„Is there anybody waiting for you, back home? And you don’t want to tell?“ He asked. Through his voice was quiet, you could hear everything. He was glad you couldn’t see his red cheeks and wide eyes in shock. He wanted to slap himself to face. You lowered your head.

„Uhm-no. I don’t have anyone, and a...home anymore,“ You whispered. His jaw fell.

„Wait-what?“ You quietly explained to him everything. You didn’t told too much to any of them then, they just knew you traveled by yourself for a few years before you joined them. You were surprised that the talks about family never turned towards you, but perhaps you were lucky.

„And so, here we are,“ you ended, blushing. Kili was silent for a while, processing it.

„That’s...how dare they.“ He growled. You placed your hand on his shoulder.

„It’s been a few years. That’s also why I adore stars so much. Thanks to them, I wasn’t alone,“ You whispered, remembering Kili flirting with that she-elf back in Mirkwood, and talking about something with starlight. He surely likes her, you thought.

„But you do deserve a home, after everything, and-“ You shook your head and smiled.

„I need to find out which place of Middle-Earth would be the perfect home for me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like it here, but I need to find out where I would feel the most ‚at home‘,“ You quoted. Kili leaned closer.

„What if it’s not a place? What if it is a person, or a group of people?“ You looked at him, trying to figure out where he was going with it.

When you didn’t said anything, his cheeks deeply flushed.

„It’s...I, uhm...I like you Y/N, I-I love you,“ He said, eyes wide in realization that those words slipped out, and he groaned internally. He wanted to slap himself again.

„I-what did you just said?“ Your mouth opened in surprise. His cheeks reddened even more, if it was even possible.

„I-uh-I’ll tell everyone you’re okay, I didn’t wanted to interrupt you-“ He quickly stood up.

„KILI, NO-“ You catched his hand when he was about to lose balance and fall down. Instead, he fell back next to you.

„Uh, that was quick...Thanks, Y/N,“ You shook your head.

„Kili, don’t do this ever again! You could fall down-“

„But I didn’t!“

„You almost did! I was worried about you, you dork!“ You sighed, and before you could stop them, the words left your mouth.

„Why do I love you,“ You looked up with wide eyes. Kili’s eyes were wide as well, as you noticed the moonlight.

„Y-you love me?“ He asked. You nervously nodded.

„But you have your she-elf, so just igno-Mpf!“ He quickly interrupted you by a kiss. You slowly melted into the kiss, feeling happy. You didn’t even realized the firework started!

„So, will you stay here?“ Kili asked when you pulled away for air. You playfully rolled your eyes.

„Hmm, I do want to see those places, but I will come back.“ You said. He kissed your cheek.

„Can I accompany you?“ You smiled and pecked his lips.

„Sure thing,“ You placed your head on Kili’s shoulder and looked up, to see the fireworks.

Meanwhile, Fili and Bofur found you (thanks to yours and Kili‘s bickering).  When the fireworks were almost over, they noticed you were about to kiss again, so they yelled:

„Wasn’t it enough snogging for tonight, you two?“ You and Kili just sticked out your tongues on them.

[theshy1sout]

Inseparable - Chapter 9

Tags: Broppy, Slow Burn Fluff, Not Rated, Trolls Mythology AU

Ao3 here

Notes:  So... What can I write about it? I wrote it when I was really tired and I was doing a few things at the same time so I barely knew what I was writing... I'm gonna edit it later, like the last one XD If you find something weird, just tell me. This fanfic suppose to be just a pleasant writing exercise, the plot isn't too deep, it's pretty simple. It's the fluff. Quickly written fluff in Trolls Mythology AU. Guh, never mind, I'm so tired, enjoy the new chapter

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- Before you give me the Staff - Branch says, showing Poppy a bandanna in his hand. - Can you put it on your eyes?

- You want me to blindfold and not ask why?

- Exactly.

- Is that the thing why...

- Yes. I'm sorry.

It is a whole week after the Fest. And it was a really weird week for Poppy. The very next Day she and Branch were walking together and talking about the Fest, the Sharing, Immortals they met, talks they had, the food they ate. Basically about everything. It was one of the best of the best days for Poppy, maybe even better than the Fest. It was just she and him, the Gold Sphere shining warmly, birds singing softly, breeze blowing gently. Just them, talking for hours. As the almost the most talkative creature below the Sky, Poppy was drunk with talk, exhausted with excitement, all smiles with Branch on her side.

And the very same Night, they fought.

It started so simple, with the god asking the goddess for going to rest during the night time and her being stubborn to walk with him instead. Neither wanted to yield, so calm discussion slowly turned into a loud fight. Their yells quickly caught the interest of the nearest Immortals, who surrounded them and before Poppy and Branch realized it, Smidge, the goddess of Honesty, was trying to calm them down. She listened to them both separately and gave Branch the right to Poppy's anger. But she kinda didn't have a choice now, so many Immortals were begging her to go to sleep (and let them sleep, by the way).

Well, after that the goddess of the Day was walking a bit bitter and twisted. She took offense especially at the god of the Night. He forced her to sleep every Night. What a jerk! How did he dare to tell her what to do? And how did the others take his side? Maybe it was a bit childish that she didn't want to talk with him for the whole next day, but still. She felt frustrated every time Branch was checking if she slept. Guh.

But now, staring at the bandanna in his hand, the very typical bandana that friend blindfolds friend to show a surprise, Poppy smiles widely and chuckles, reminding that ridiculous week.

- You would just tell me it was for the surprise!

- Then it wouldn't be a surprise - Branch points out. - I preferred to force you to sleep.

- Please, never do that again - She twists her face. - That was horrible.

The god of the Night collapses a very genuine giggle.

- Sleeping is that bad for you? - He chuckles.

- Yes! - Poppy throws up her hands and the Staff she grabs. - It is so boring! It's nothing, doing totally nothing in the complete silence and darkness in front of the eyes! It's like torture. Torture! I'm not exaggerating. It is torture. Just existing in one place without doing anything productive.

- Charging energy?

- But it's the worst way to do that! Guh, there has to be another way to rest without sleeping...

- Well, I'm sure we'll figure it out one day. Or others will. But now... - Branch lifts a bandanna in his hand a bit higher. - Could you?

- Oh, yes - She gets ruffled a bit. - Sure.

She grabs the bandanna and stops, staring at it.

- Umm... I don't know how to wear it with the Staff in my hand...

- I can take it - Branch says and almost touches it. - Wait. No. I can't. The Night will come and you will see the thing...

- I already know that there is a surprise, so why not?

- No! No, cause this isn't a good place to see it and I have to start the Night right now - Branch frowns, thinking. He hesitates a bit before he asks, with his cheeks turn slightly purple:

- Umm... Can I tie it for you?

Poppy smiles at him and gives him back the bandanna.

- Of course - She has no idea why her face gets a bit warmer.

Branch stands behind her and the white bandanna covers her eyes. Now without seeing, Poppy can feel gentle fingers in her hair so clearly. He's tieing, his touch is accidental, random, not on purpose, but... why does she kinda like it...

When he has finished, she hears a few steps, and the complete Silence falls. She feels the Staff of the Light is taking from her hand. But all she hears in their calm breaths and a grasshoppers' creak far away.

And then she feels two cold fingers putting the edge of the bandanna on her nose.

- Hey! - She chuckles, putting it off. The god's giggle sounds so clear and warm. She wishes she can see his smile, his wide calm gentle smile, but well, the bandanna. The surprise. And as if he reads her mind, the cold touch on her shoulder surprises her.

- Let's go then - She hears his voice. - It will be a quite long walk.

- Why couldn't we just go there during the Day?

- We did. It's not so far, just a 5 minutes walk.

- But how do I suppose to walk and not fall over something?

- Keep calm - She feels a light squeeze on her shoulder. - I will guide you.

- Like that? - She still disbelieves.

- Umm...

She stands quietly for a while before she hears his answer.

- Okay, you're right... - And with those words, he takes his hand off her shoulder. And after a minute he adds: - Can I? Oh, wait, you can't see what I point at...

She chuckles. And then she hears shyly ask:

- Can I take your arm?

- Sure! - She beams, trying to smile at him, but she isn't sure where he is until she feels another cold touch. This time on the arm. Maybe she should wait and let him just grab her, but instead of that she blindly finds his arm and holds it with both of her hands. It is cold, so cold. She feels a light shiver on her back. But now she is stable, not fearing a fall. Now she's safe. It is so weird to feel like that right now. She's blindfolded, harmless, completely dependent on Branch's will. And she feels safe. 

- Come with me - He whispers and starts walking carefully. 

It is a really nice walk. Sounds rounds are soft and pleasant like the nightly sounds are since Branch has created them. The grass under Poppy's feet is cold and a bit wet. And the god's arm is cold, but... It gets warmer under her touch. As if his skin absorbs her warmth. She wonders if he likes it or not. Is he always cold? Has he ever felt something warm? Is her touch sore for him? Or maybe... Or maybe he enjoys it as much as she does...

After a few minutes, his arm is as warm as her. She smiles. Her thumb slides gently about over his skin, making a little thrill. Her heart gets warmer for no reason. Poppy feels now like she doesn't need this surprise... She would like to walk like that a bit longer, maybe the whole Night?

But they stop, and she knows they have to. And she has to lose her hold on his arm and she has to put off the bandanna.

She sighs slightly and opens her eyes. She blinks. She rubs her eyes and opens them widely with disbelief.

- W-what is that?? - She already squeals. Her voice always gets high when she gets excited too suddenly. She doesn't know where to look, how to see all of them. All of the little shiny diamonds on the dark navy sky. They all are sparkling to her joyfully and casually. The whole horizon is full of them.

- This is the Light I've stolen - Branch explains.

 The Night isn't as dark as before. She even can see the god's blue shades. Everything looks a bit more friendly and welcoming. Much warmer. Poppy eyes jump from one dot of light to another trying to adore every single one. But the most beautiful they are together. They are like huge breathtaking paintings in the sky. Painted with the dots of light. With the diamonds' dust.

- How did you call them? - Poppy asks.

- I... didn't

- Can I give them a name?

Branch chuckles.

- Sure.

- I call them "stars" - She says without even a little hesitation.

- Why?

- Because you can do nothing but stare at them.

And she isn't exaggerating. She literally keeps her head up and looks upon the sky with her mouth open wide, with her heart beating fast.

- Well, it's not true actually - Branch points out. - See, I didn't put them randomly on the horizon. Look at the shiniest one - He points at the middle of the stars' path. - It's in the north. So the lost ones can always find the direction to home at Night. 

The goddess glances at the star in amazement.

- I also arranged them into pictures.

She turns her sight on him, frowning and smiling.

- I just thought you could call them boring - He shrugs his shoulders, smiling a bit.

- They are gorgeous! - Poppy beams at him. - But the pictures?! Show me the pictures!

- I call the constellations - He starts explaining while he gets down on the grass. - Come, sit down. Look at the shiniest one - He points at the north. - Five others nearby are also so bright. If you connect them like dots, they become a big troll's hair shape.

Poppy follows Branch's instruction, her sight goes from star to star until she sees the big familiar shape. She gasps quietly.

- And there - The god of the Night points at the west. - This star, this and this, and the three here. - He draws a picture before her eyes.

- Is this... A bird? - She asks, staring at the sky. - A hummingbird?

- Exactly - He smiles, getting down his hand. He leans the Staff against his shoulder like he usually does.

- And here - She points at the stars in front of her. - Those make a muffin!

Branch lifts his eyebrows, looking in the direction.

- Damn straight - He chuckles. - I didn't make it!

- And there - She points at the eight bright stars shining above her head. - This is a funny shape. Like... I've seen it somewhere, but what is this?

Branch tilts his head back to see what she points at. 

- You mean this - He draws the shape in the air.

- Yes!

- I didn't make it either. But it looks so clear, it's so visible. I have no idea what it is.

- It's like - Poppy draws the shape on the ground. - I think I saw birds doing that. They were umm... Swans? They were doing it with their necks. They were touching each other's noses like that. - She gets her fingers together, imitating two birds' heads, and forms the shape by connecting the nails of both of her hands. - Like that!

Branch frowns, looking at her hands, and then looks up at the stars.

- It's funny.

- It can be our shape! - Poppy beams.

- What - He chuckles.

- Yeah, like our symbol. Symbol of our teamwork.

- It's kinda useless.

- You bore. It's just for fun! 

The goddess of the Day lifts her hand and forms her hand into half of the stars' shape. 

- And you make the other half - She encourages.

He frowns but also smiles. He lifts his hand and forms it into another half of the shape. And now their hands make it. Two little bows against the background of a huge stars’ constellation.

- You have to know that the stars aren't the only thing I made - Branch says, getting his hand down.

She looks at him in awe.

- There's more? 

- Yes, I've just waited for... - He stops, something gets his attention. He focuses on it for a moment. And suddenly he catches this in the air. He shows her his closed fist. - Look. - He whispers and then blows slightly to the inside of his hand. The tiny, gold light flies from it to Poppy's face. It sits on her nose and she squints at it, making Branch giggles.

She takes it carefully on her finger and glances. It is a little bag with tiny wings. Its body glows in beautiful gold.

- Lightning bug - The god whispers. He gets her face to her hand and blows at the insect once again. The bug flies away, floating low above the grass.

- It's...

- Wait - He interrupts her. - Look at him

She doesn't take her eyes from a tiny bug until she sees another one that lights on the grass. One by one little gold dots light up and start flying about, filling the meadow with a bright yellow glow. After a few minutes lightning bugs are everywhere. Poppy's mind stops working for a moment, she can't hold so many beautiful things at once.

- How many... How much Light did you have? - She asks almost breathlessly.

- Well, a bit too much. After making stars and lightning bugs I still had so much of it, so I told Milton to put it into animals' eyes.

The goddess frowns with a little surprise.

- But why? I mean... Where did those ideas come from? What inspired you? Wha... Don't get me wrong, those all are amazing and my dictionary just stops at the word "wow'' and I can't say anything but that - She says, looking at the glowing bugs and the stars above the meadow. - But... How did you make those up? What for? 

The Silence falls between them. She waits patiently for an answer, thinking that he just needs a while to think about her questions. But what he says is a bit unexpected:

- You... You don't know?

Poppy turns her face to him, frowning with surprise.

- Know what?

Branch shows slowly at the meadow and the sky.

- The stars. The lightning bugs. Don't they look familiar to you?

She wonders what it would be familiar with, but she has no idea what he's talking about.

- No. I have never seen anything like that - She replies.

Branch blinks a few times. Then he stands up, encouraging her with a gesture to do the same.

- I'll show you one more thing - He says in a weird tone and starts walking toward the nearest lake. She follows him, exploding with curiosity in her. When they arrive at the shore, Branch stops and points at the water surface.

Poppy glances at it and smiles. The lake is filled with the reflection of million stars in the sky. It looks like there are twice more of them, now on the sky and the ground. The view is breathtaking.

And then Branch gets the Staff of Light down, close to the water and the Gold Sphere illuminates the surface with its blue glow. Poppy gasps. 

Her reflection. Her pink reflection of the water. She has nave seen it at the Night until now because it was too dark. Her face... Her face full of light, twinkling pink freckles, her hair sparkling like it has thousands of tiny diamonds in it, her eyes illuminate slightly. 

She looks at the stars above her reflection. Millions of tiny diamonds. The lightning bug twinkling in the grass. Illuminating animals' eyes.

- You are beautiful, Poppy - She hears his warm whisper next to her. - I wanted to make the world as beautiful. 

Breathless. She is breathless. It's not like she doesn't know she is beautiful. Every single goddess is godly beautiful and every single god is godly handsome. So nothing is revealing with noticing she is beautiful. Cause she is. But... The way he said it. The way he feels it. She shivers while thinking it loud in her mind. He is adoring her. He is amazed by her. He made this all... Hummingbirds, lightning bugs, stars, and shadows... All because she delights him. And it is... The weirdest feeling she ever has. Her heart is rushing, like after a long run. Her face is hot, and she sees in her reflection that it also turns red. Her whole body melts, like a snowman in the spring. She feels weak, but also good. Why does that all feel so good? 

The goddess finally turns to him and their eyes meet. Is there anything more pleasant than a warm, tender smile on Branch's light blue face? It turns a little purple actually. 

She touches his cheek to his surprise. He blinks but doesn't protest when she's moving her fingers gently across his face. His skin is a bit warmer, but still not as warm as her hand. It's interesting for her.

- Your cheeks turn purple - Poppy says, letting go from his face.

- And yours turn red - He smiles so widely, feeling like a dork.

- Is that some weird Immortals' sickness?

- Maybe... I don't hear about something like that.

- Well - She smiles at him as wide and dork as he. - I feel this only when I'm with you.

- Everything is my fault, as always.

She chuckles.

- I mean... It's a weird thing, but... I like it

His eyes dive into hers. His smile gets warmer, she has no idea how it is even possible. 

- So am I - He whispers.

She heaves a sigh. She can stare at his azure eyes for hours. She wishes she could do something to show him that she adores him as much as he adores her. He deserves to know, but... She doesn't know words for describing it. Can she make such a wonderful thing as stars or lightning bugs? Or hummingbirds? She dives into his eyes and loses her mind for a minute...

- I'm sorry, but... - Poppy feels a bit drunk because of the tension between them. She needs a deep breath. She forces herself to take her sight from Branch's eyes and looks at the Staff. - You have your responsibilities.

- And you have to sleep - The god chuckles.

- Nooo - She groans out, giggling. - Please, no this time

- No, no, I was joking - He smiles and gives her his arm. - Would you like you to walk with me?

- You don't need to ask - She beams, embracing his arm with the full happy smile on her sparkling pink face.

_________________________________________________

Index

[carewyncromwell]

*wiggles in delight* Okay, okay, you know it’s the POTC AU again. X3

Last part is here -- whole tag is here -- Lavender’s Blue is a folk song that dates back to the 17th century, but I used a more modern version in the link because it’s honestly the prettiest one I could find -- Leave Her Johnny is a traditional sea shanty, pinpointing it as being from the 18th/19th century, even though I haven’t been able to find a concrete date of when the original version was actually written anywhere, but whatever, who cares -- the myth of Orion and Artemis has several variations, but I just used one of the most popular ones because it fits the narrative -- I love my dear @cursebreakerfarrier and her girl Jules’s relationship with my precious boi Bill so much --

And that’s it! Let’s get right to it!! Eeeee~!!! *goes off and fangirls some more*

x~x~x~x

When it comes to dividing loot, one of the central tenants of the Pirate Code set down by the pirates Morgan and Bartholomew -- as well as every other specialized code set by individual pirate captains -- was the idea of everyone getting their fair share of whatever treasure they managed to plunder, with the Captain being awarded ownership of any ships. Thus everyone in the Tower Raven’s fleet as well as the Artemis’s crew was entitled to an equal share of the treasure the Revenge’s crew had stored away on Isle de Muerta the last fifteen years. It took a while to divvy up everyone’s shares, but even with how many people there were, everyone ended up with a respectable share, all the same. Both Jacob and Orion also quickly abdicated their possible claims to the Revenge to Carewyn -- a rather generous offer to some minds, considering it was the fastest galleon on the seven seas, but Carewyn could thoroughly understood why Jacob would want no part of it. If nothing else, he already had a rather impressive fleet, and the Revenge had the same bad memories for her as it did him.

It wasn’t long after the treasure was parsed into equal shares and the Tower Raven’s fleet departed that Bill pulled Jules aside.

“It looks like our little adventure is over,” he said with a faintly wry smile.

“...So it is,” said Jules.

She wasn’t smiling. She tried, but she just couldn’t shake the feeling that Bill was worried about something. Her wary expression made Bill turn a bit more serious too.

“You know Charlie and I won’t be able to return to Port Royal,” he said softly. “Your father could likely pull some strings to keep you from being punished, especially if you claimed we forced you, but...”

“I would never claim that and you know it,” Jules cut him off, her tone very reproachful.

Bill’s brown eyes crinkled up with fondness.

“...I know. That’s why I feel a little better telling you this.”

Taking her hand, he then slowly lowered himself onto one knee. Somewhere behind him, Bill could hear a quickly suppressed gasp of delight from Carewyn, and it made him grin around his scarlet cheeks up at Jules, whose face was also alight with surprise and a darkening flush.

“Juliette Farrier -- you are, without question, the most amazing and wonderful woman I have ever met in my life. You’re braver than a lioness and you never let anything stand in your way, no matter what the squalls. In the words of Psalm 143:8, ‘show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life’ -- ”

His entire face was a brilliant ruby red by this point. He bit his lip briefly, only for his mouth to spread into an even broader smile as he tried to hold in a laugh.

“ -- so...if you could accept a pirate as your husband, over a merchant or even a man of the Church...I swear to stand by your side and love you all my days.”

Jules was visibly overwhelmed. Her face flushed and her eyes flooding with tears, she found herself starting to laugh. Then she flung herself down onto Bill, grabbing hold of him around the neck and cradling his head and shoulders.

“Yes -- yes, of course I will!”

The wedding between Juliette Farrier and William Weasley was a very informal, rushed sort of affair. Since there was no church that would’ve married them and Bill couldn’t do it himself, they held it aboard the Artemis with Orion -- being Captain -- officiating the ceremony. Charlie and Carewyn scrounged through the loot remaining in the cave at Isle de Muerta to find a handsome coat made out of brown leather, a navy blue tricorn hat, a well-shined pair of boots, a rather pretty-looking off-white dress, a gold tiara, and a translucent muslin apron. Carewyn was able to cut the apron into a make-shift veil that she then helped Jules secure in her hair with the tiara.

Orion’s version of a wedding ceremony was distinctly not traditional. Rather than quoting scripture, he made a rather bizarre analogy to beavers. To his credit, it did eventually come around to the idea that they mate for life and they build their own home out of nothing together out of whatever’s available to them, which Carewyn thought was actually rather sweet.

Once the vows were read and the bride and groom shared their first kiss as husband and wife, the crew threw a makeshift wedding party on board the Artemis, with Carewyn singing a song for Bill and Jules’s first dance.

“Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly, lavender's green When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen: Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so? 'Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so.”

Once the dance was over, Carewyn couldn’t stop herself from throwing her arms around both of them, hugging them both with all of her strength. Soon Charlie had thrown himself into the huddle too, and the four were all clinging to each other, crying and smiling all the while.

“Jules,” Carewyn said seriously, “I want you, Bill, and Charlie to take the Revenge.”

The three all looked taken aback.

“What?” said Charlie.

“It’s the fastest galleon in the entire ocean, and easily the most feared pirate ship as well,” she explained, her eyes trailing from Charlie to Bill to Jules. “It may need some fixing -- I daresay it’d be a good idea to actually patch up those leaks with more than just magic, and I figure you’ll want to christen it with a new name...but...”

Her blue eyes drifted down to Jules’s shoulder.

“...If you must be considered criminals, with no chance of reprieve...then I don’t want the Navy to ever, ever catch you. I want you on a vessel so strong and so fast...that I can never catch up to you again.”

Bill, Charlie and Jules all stared at Carewyn, their eyes filling up with emotion seeing how strong of a face Carewyn was trying to put on, despite the pain she no doubt felt. Then Jules secured her arm more tightly around Carewyn’s shoulders, resting her forehead beside her friend’s affectionately.

“And if you must stay behind...then I want you to know that we’ll always...always come for you, Carey.”

Charlie nodded, resting his own head on Carewyn’s shoulder as he squeezed her shoulder. “Always.”

Bill’s eyes were streaming with tears. He seemed too overcome by his emotions to speak, so instead he brought up a hand and smoothed some hair out of his best friend’s face, placing a soft kiss to the crown of her head. Carewyn trailed a hand through his hair to comfort him.

“Look...after Percy for us?” Bill murmured in her ear, his voice choked with tears.

Carewyn blinked back her tears as best she could. “Of course.”

Not long later, Captain Jules Weasley boarded the newly christened Revolution with her First Mate and husband Bill and her Quartermaster and brother-in-law Charlie, and the three set off for Tortuga. Orion and the crew of the Artemis had arranged to meet them there and help them with ship repairs, since it would likely only take a scooner like the Artemis an extra day to reach Tortuga after dropping Carewyn off on an island frequented by rum runners, rescued, and returned to the Navy.

The next few days aboard the Artemis was rather more relaxed than on the voyage to Isle de Muerta. Everyone was in pretty good spirits thanks to the significant pay-out, so the nights were spent on deck drinking lots of rum and singing old pirate favorites like Spanish Ladies and Yo Ho A Pirate’s Life for Me. (That last one Carewyn was even able to coax Orion onto his feet and dance with her for, and the rather drunk crew was absolutely beside themselves with laughter, seeing the broad smile and dark flush on their tipsy captain’s face.)

On the last night of their voyage, however, as the sun went down, Orion did not join the festivities. The crew wasn’t too perturbed by it, as he apparently often stayed off to the side rather than get as active as he had that previous night. Despite this, though, McNully still lifted himself up into the rigging and paid Orion a visit at the helm while the rest of the crew drank and sang down below.

“Penny for your thoughts, Orion?” he asked amusedly.

Orion glanced up at McNully serenely. “Oh, merely...meditating on what would’ve happened, had the Scorpion not appeared.”

“The Scorpion?” repeated McNully, as he cocked an eyebrow.

Orion nodded up at the sky, to a certain cluster of stars.

“The Scorpion -- Scorpio. I wonder what would have happened if Apollo had not sent him to sting the heel of the hunter Orion -- what might have been his fate, then.”

McNully glanced from the constellation to down at Orion, frowning slightly.

“Well...he would’ve kept hunting with Artemis, I suppose,” he said slowly, “like he did before.”

“Yes...but would he have been able to do that ad infinitum? Would they have been able to hunt together, side by side, for the rest of Orion’s life, until he’d lived to a ripe old age? Or, like it’s said happened to the goddess Calypso...would it be too difficult for a goddess and a mere man to walk the same path for more than a short while...when the paths set before them are destined to diverge?”

Orion’s voice was very detached, but McNully knew him well enough that he could hear the quiet intensity in his voice. This thought exercise of his had been more than simple meditation, this McNully was sure of.

The First Mate considered Orion for a moment, contemplating his answer.

“...Well...I suppose that’s something Artemis and Orion would’ve probably had to plot out themselves, if it’d come to that. Reckon those sorts of things are always a 50-50 thing, no matter who the players are.”

Orion glanced at McNully out the side of his eye. “‘Those sorts of things?’”

“Yeah -- heart-related things. In the story you’re talking about, Orion was the only man Artemis ever loved, right?”

Orion’s dark eyes flickered down to the crew below. “...Aye.”

“Well, love kind of involves communication, so I’ve heard,” said McNully amusedly, “and while I’m no expert in love, I do pride myself on my communication skills. And from where I stand, I’d say that it’s up to those people to decide whether what they’ve got is more important than what ‘path’ they’re meant for or not. And unless there’s action on one or both people’s parts, there’s a 99.5% chance that both them and everyone around them will be left wondering forever what could’ve been.”

Orion didn’t answer. McNully followed his gaze down to the newly redressed Commodore Carewyn on the deck, who was leading the rest of the crew in a sea shanty.

“Oh, the wind was foul and the sea ran high... Leave her, Johnny, leave her! She shipped it green and none went by, And it's time for us to leave her.

Leave her, Johnny, leave her! Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her! For the voyage is long and the winds don't blow, And it's time for us to leave her.”

Orion’s eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly, darkening with an emotion that McNully couldn’t place -- then, rather swiftly, he turned and headed for the stairs that led down to the main deck.

“I’ll take the first watch in the crow’s nest, McNully,” he said levelly. “Please see that the crew finishes up soon, so that we can start our nightly rounds.”

“...Aye, aye, Captain.”

The crew didn’t pay mind to the Captain walking past them on his way to the crow’s nest, but Carewyn couldn’t help but notice that he avoided any of their eyes.

Not long after, the crew all started getting ready to go to sleep down below in their makeshift cots and hammocks. Carewyn, however, was too disconcerted by Orion’s behavior and couldn’t help but approach McNully. When she did, he merely shrugged and told her not to worry -- Orion liked to go up to the crow’s nest alone to meditate, and it didn’t always mean he was in a bad mood. All the same, Carewyn decided to stay on deck and take the watch with Orion.

McNully considered her for a moment, before he finally added an aside to her.

“While he’s meditating, there’s only about a 45% chance he’ll talk to you. But...keep in mind that there’s only about a 25% chance that he’d talk to me. ...I reckon those are odds worth chancing.”

And so Carewyn made her way up into the crow’s nest. She found Orion there, resting his arms on the railing of the crow’s nest with his eyes closed and head bowed.

She settled herself next to him, resting her arms on the railing beside his. At first she was reluctant to speak, considering how clearly focused he was despite his eyes being closed. Then, at last, the Commodore finally brushed her newly retied ponytail over her shoulder and settled on asking him.

“...Would you prefer me to not say anything, while we watch together?”

Orion was quiet for a moment. Then, without opening his eyes, he murmured, “...You could sing something.”

Carewyn smiled slightly. “All right. Any requests?”

“‘A Maid in Bedlam.’”

It hadn’t taken him long to come up with it. Carewyn’s smile spread a bit, before she looked out at the sea and sang it for him. 

“Just as she sat there weeping, her love, he came on land. Then, hearing she was in Bedlam, he ran straight out of hand -- He flew into her snow-white arms, and thus replied he: ‘I love my love because I know my love loves me.’

She said, ‘My love, don't frighten me, are you my love or no?’ ‘Oh yes, my dearest Nancy, I am your love, also. I have returned to make amends for all your injury... I love my love because I know my love loves me.’

So now these two are married, and happy may they be, Like turtle doves together, in love and unity.

All pretty maids, with patience wait, that have got loves at sea -- I love my love because I know...my love...loves...me."

A ghost of a smile had settled into the corners of Orion’s lips as he listened. When Carewyn finally finished, he opened his eyes and looked out at the horizon.

“Did you sing that song, while you were on the Revenge?” he murmured.

Carewyn looked at him in surprise.

“...How did you know?”

“A mermaid was singing the song around our ship one night while we were bound for Isle de Muerta. She said she’d learned the song from a maid locked in the brig of a pirate ship.”

Carewyn’s eyes softened in understanding. She looked back out at the sea too, her expression becoming a little more serious.

“...While I was on the Revenge,” she said softly, “I...well, I wasn’t myself, at points. I was scared, and angry...and that night...”

Her eyes darkened.

“...That night...was the worst of all of them. I don’t even know how I fell asleep. But I did, and...sure enough...there you were.”

Orion looked up, startled. Carewyn’s lips were spread in something of a bittersweet smile even though her gaze was still on the sea.

“I said you appeared in my dreams at random, but I don’t think that’s wholly true,” she admitted. “You wouldn’t appear whenever I felt cheerful or excited. Instead you always seemed to appear...whenever I was drowning. Whenever I was in a dark place...hopeless and useless. Whenever I most felt...like I deserved to be alone.”

It was strange saying any of this aloud. It made Carewyn feel oddly fragile and vulnerable. With a swallow, she put on the bravest smile she could as she forced herself to meet Orion’s eyes.

“...I guess...whenever I end up in that place...remembering when I was able to help you...it helps, somehow. It...orients me, like a compass. It helps me remember how much better I feel about myself, knowing that I can take care of others.”

Orion stared at Carewyn, his mouth slightly open as his eyes searched her expression. They rippled with an intense emotion, but Carewyn couldn’t quite place it -- was it empathy? Pain? Longing? Relief?

His kohl-lined eyes drifted down to his belt. Then, carefully, he detached his little black-lidded compass from his belt and held it up in both hands so she could see it.

“Would you like to hear the tale of how I first acquired this compass?” he asked.

Carewyn looked down at it curiously and nodded.

“It was a gift,” said Orion. “A gift from a king, who was captured by an enemy kingdom and then sold into slavery. He ended up on a ship owned by the East India Trading Company, bound for the Caribbean...a ship I’d joined as a cabin boy. I was fourteen, going under the name ‘Smith,’ as it was the only name I’d been given at the time, besides ‘boy.’

“Not long after the ship set sail, I overheard the king planning a slave revolt against the sailors on board -- and I had to make a choice. 1, I could report what I heard to the captain...or 2, I could say nothing. Instead I picked a third option -- I helped him. I left his manacles a little too loose that night and told him where he could safely maroon the sailors who didn’t want to stay. So when the revolt happened...the king dropped off the entire crew except me. I agreed to stay long enough to help him sail home, since he and his people didn’t have any experience sailing a British ship. The king named me his First Mate and asked me to call him by his given name...Amari.”

Carewyn's eyes widened in amazement. Orion smiled gently at the look on her face and nodded, before his expression grew much more serious again.

“It wasn’t long after, however, that Cutler Beckett -- the man who owned the slave ship -- sent pirate hunters out to retrieve his ‘stolen cargo.’ On our way back to the Ivory Coast, we were locked in a sea battle, and Amari was mortally injured. As he lay on the deck, he made me promise to take his family home...and once I did...he gave me his compass. I used it to safely sail us away from the pirate hunters and drop the crew off close to home, before I took the next ship out of Africa, which plopped me down in the Caribbean.

“When I landed in Port Royal, however, news had already reached the Navy positioned there of my ‘theft of Company property.’ I was immediately locked in irons, branded, and set to be hanged the following morning. I barely remember now how I managed to shake off the soldiers escorting me to the jail, but sure enough, I did...”

Orion’s dark eyes softened slightly -- he reached out to take both of Carewyn’s hand and place the compass gently in her hands, his own hands cupping around hers so that she’d hold it.

“...And, as fate would have it...ran straight into you.”

Carewyn’s wide blue eyes ran over his face in disbelief.

She’d heard so many bizarre tales of the infamous Orion Amari and his exploits, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember having heard anything about how he became a pirate in the first place. And to hear now that it was all because he’d helped a ship full of slaves return home...to keep a promise he’d made to someone he’d clearly respected...

She’d known Orion was a good man -- but she realized that before that moment, she’d had no concept just how good.

Her eyes softened upon the compass in their joined hands.

“...It’s no wonder you’ve kept it even after it broke, then,” she said gently. “It’s truly very special.”

Orion’s dark eyes rippled over her face. “Aye...but it’s never been broken, however much it hasn’t worked for me, recently.”

Carewyn blinked in confusion.

“My compass does not point North -- nor has it ever done so,” he explained. “Instead...it points to whatever you want most in this world. If you wished to find treasure, it would point you to it. If you wished to escape, it would point you to safety. If you wished to sail homeward ...it would point the way.”

Carewyn glanced down at the compass and then back up at Orion’s face, feeling a bit skeptical despite herself. The pirate captain’s mouth spread in an amused smile.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked.

“I didn’t say that,” said Carewyn primly. “It’s just...hard to believe...”

She once again looked down at the compass and then back up at him.

“...Is that really true?”

Orion’s eyes twinkled. “Every word.”

Carewyn considered him for a moment carefully, her eyes scanning his face as she thought this over.

“...So I suppose the reason it’s not working for you...is you don’t know what you want?”

Orion’s face grew a lot more solemn.

“On the contrary,” he said softly. “It’s more...that my heart is so focused on one thing...it’s made it so the compass, in my hands, will point nowhere else. Ever since you escaped the Artemis...it’s been locked in place.”

His hands adjusted on top of hers holding his compass, his thumbs resting on the sides of her wrists.

Carewyn’s gaze fell down to their joined hands -- then, her eyes slowly widening, she looked back up at Orion.

“...When you came to Port Royal...”

Orion inclined his head. “The compass was pointing me there.”

“And...Isle de Muerta...”

“I only found because the compass was pointing me there, too.”

Orion’s voice was still as level as ever, but he suddenly looked quite a bit paler. Something in the back of his calm, serene eyes seemed oddly tentative -- insecure.

Carewyn stared at him, hardly daring to believe it. If she was understanding Orion correctly, then...the thing his compass had been pointing toward...

...was her.

Her heart had swelled to a seemingly impossibly large size in her chest, almost painfully so. It made Carewyn unsure of what even to say or do -- she couldn’t contain her emotions, and was forced to cover her face in both hands, cutting herself off as she struggled to regain her composure.

At long last, she took a breath.

“‘She said...‘my love, don’t frighten me...are you...my love, or no?’”

Orion straightened up visibly as she slid her hands from her face, beaming up at him with perhaps the most emotional, most beautiful smile he’d ever seen on her face.

“‘...Oh yes, my dear Orion...I am your love, also.’”

[goliath-de-senfina-sango]

Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Danny Phantom
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Danny Fenton & Wesley Weston
Characters: Danny Fenton, Wesley Weston, Jazz Fenton, Maddie Fenton
Additional Tags: Walker is mentioned repeatedly, Phantom Family AU, Revelations, being a lil shit is genetic apparently, Danny swears in stars and constellations and space stuff, Wes swears with cuss words
Summary: Prompt from Tumblr: I wish you would write a fic about Danny being a little shit to Vlad by revealing him to Wes.
Wes comes over and nearly gets Danny’s half life ended, which leads to further family revelations that leave Danny’s head spinning.

Danny Fenton was having a weird and not particularly pleasant week. His Dad had finally encountered the Box Ghost, who took one look at him and glitched out like a Bethesda character before apparently regaining his memories. Apparently, the Box Ghost was Jason Fenton, older brother of Jack Fenton. The Box Ghost was Danny’s Uncle. That was weird as fuck to discover, especially when he implied that Box Lunch would be a person he’d have to deal with soonish. He was going to have a cousin. His already living cousin, Wes, had decided later that week to ruin Danny’s life by asking him right in front of Jazz and Mom if he still had that giant green dog thing he’d crashed a game with. Danny dragged him up to the third floor of Fentonworks, shoved him into his room, and learned very quickly that Wes had figured out that he was Phantom the moment he focused on him. “Orion, man, you can’t just imply I’m a ghost in front of Mom or Dad!” “Why not?” Wes stared at him like he’d grown a second head - he hadn’t, he knew the sensation - and Danny took a moment to redirect the energy surging to his eyes over his skin and outward. It blanketed the room in a wave and left what Tucker had described as the feeling of touching an old tv and feeling static on your fingers all over the place. Wes rubbed his arm and raised a brow at him. “Wes, tell me what Jack Fenton is going to think if you tell him ‘hey that ghost kid you shoot at all the time is your kid’? Actually, no, how the fuck did you even figure it out?” “You look like you put on your suit and then someone turned on the color inversion filter on their camera. Blue skin, white hair, black and white suit.” Wes paused and poked Danny’s cheek, looking him in the eye. “Your eyes should be orange instead of green though if that were the whole case. How’d this happen? Last time I talked to you, you n Tucker were talking about building a motorcycle that could fly.” “The hoverbike has sorta been put on hold, I’ll admit,” Danny grumbled, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. He pulled his hands away from his face and Wes was still there, tall and stupid and overly observant. “If I tell you what happened, do you promise not to out me to my parents?” “I-should I treat this like you’re in the closet?” Wes snorted at the idea. “Closeted dead guy. Alright, I can get that. But uh, if you’re dead, why are you still…” he wiggled his hand and then gestured at Danny’s room. “In a house with ghost hunters?” “Well, to start with, I’m not actually dead. Not entirely, anyway.” Danny sat down on his bed and Wes followed, and after taking a moment to triple check that Vlad’s bugs weren’t in his room with another wave of energy, Danny told Wes the story of the Accident. It was a short story, but he was slow about it. He’d never really discussed it with anyone, Sam and Tucker just sort of knew better than to bring it up and Jazz probably thought he’d tell her himself in his own time. By the time he finished, Wes looked almost as uncomfortable with the situation as Danny felt. “You know, not to sound like a cheesy 90’s cartoon character but this is why you shouldn’t give in to peer pressure.” Danny snorted and laughed at that, and Wes grinned even when Danny elbowed him. “Ok, so I’m putting together that you did a bunch of dumb shit and found yourself decided to be a superhero. What the fuck was up with the dog, or the mayor getting kidnapped? Your eyes were fuckin red when you stole a bunch of shit that one time too.” “Ok in order of what all happened: Axiom labs euthanized their guard dogs and one of them came looking for his squeaky toy but forgot where it was and no matter how many times I shoved Cujo back into the portal-” “ Cujo ?” Wes snorted and ruffled Danny’s hair. “Have you been reading the stuff Sam gives you or did your emo phase just never really end? You have the emo bangs.” “I do not!” Danny huffed, running a hand through his curly hair that, well, Wes couldn’t really ruin a mess, could he? “You’re the one with actual bangs, sasquatch hunter.” “Acknowledging that Big Foot is real doesn’t mean I’m gonna go and shoot it.” Wes crossed his arms and rested them on Danny’s head. “By the way, any idea when that growth spurt is due?” “Bold words for someone with his shins within targeting range.” “I can and will put you in a headlock Astroboy.” “I can slam dunk you through a hoop like your precious balls.” Wes said nothing to this and simply leaned more onto Danny’s head. “If I snap my neck because of you I’m suing. Anyway no matter how often I yeeted Cujo back into the Ghost Zone-” “I beg of you to call it something cooler. Call it the afterlife even, just. Please.” “He just kept digging his way out. So, I looked at his tag, saw that he came from Axiom, and we ended up in there, while getting shot at by the Red Huntress-” “Valerie, right?” “H-” “She appeared as the Huntress literally the same time the dog shit was happening, and I am getting increasingly worried that no one has noticed that she sounds the same in her Red Huntress suit as she does in the Nasty Burger mascot suit.” Wes dropped his arms to Danny’s shoulder, but still rested his chin in his hair, humming loudly. Danny slid into that spot between and snorted when Wes fell onto the bed. “I can’t tell you how pissed she was that I outed her to her dad about being the Huntress so that she wouldn’t get herself killed fighting Pariah Dark. Pretty sure if you tell her or anyone else about that, she’ll shoot you.” “I mean, it’d probably get her swarmed by so much hostility she stops shooting at you, so that’d be a plus. I’d just come back and bug you anyway.” “You’re a jerk, but I guess you’re alright.” Danny flopped back. “The mayor thing was a ghost, this douche bag prison warden named Walker in the GZ who decided that since I broke out of his prison I owe him over a thousand years and he’d make my home a prison instead.” Wes stared at him, clasped his hands flat against each other, and took a deep breath. “There are so many things wrong in that sentence. Why were you in ghost prison?” “I did ghost crimes.” Wes looked and sounded like he was in some deal of pain, and Danny couldn’t help but grin. “Dad’s anniversary present for Mom fell through the portal while I was cleaning up by shooting things into their proper place,” he covered Wes’ mouth as he opened it, “and so I flew in after it, but it was a ‘real world item’ as though the Ghost Zone is fake somehow, and that was ‘Against The Rules’ according to Walker.” Danny rolled his eyes. “I got the present out and back to Dad but I had to like, get to him at your mom’s place.” “Did you fly all the way from Minnesota to Arkansas for a present?” “Arcturus, no, not with my powers.” Danny laughed, laying back on his bed. “That’d take me like, 8 hours at top speed. No, I used the Speeder.” “Have you modified it to get into space?” “Not yet.” “Do you have permission to mod it for space travel?” “Do I have permission to be dead?” “Touche.” “Anyway, Walker is stronger than me, even when possessing a human, so when all eyes and cameras were on me he possessed the mayor and dragged me back inside to make it look like I was dragging him in. Whole invasion was his idea.” “Danny?” “And then with the robberies when my eyes were red, did you know about Circus Gothica? Cause me and some other ghosts were under the control of the ring master of the circus, Freakshow, who had this freakin crystal ball thing that could control ghosts attached to his staff. It shattered after a very long fall, thank Astrea.” “That’s really fucked up. You’ve had a fucked up life.” “Yeah.” Danny shrugged. “I guess I have.” “Know what’s more fucked up about this?” Wes had a too big grin on his face and Danny narrowed his eyes. “Do you remember my mom’s last name?” “Wal..ker… no. ” The two of them were thundering down the stairs in seconds, Danny half shouting in the livingroom. “ Mom was your dad, by chance, a law enforcement officer, or jail warden or something?” Mom looked up at him from the staff she was tinkering with on the table - note to self, sterilize the table before dinner - and blinked at him a couple of times before smiling and nodding. “Why yes, he did. Warden James Lamont Walker ran the Spittoon prison when he was alive. He was a good man, if a bit strict.  To my and Alicia’s fury and grief he was murdered during a prison break.” Mom stared off in the distance, the air around her curling with a dark cold that Danny was sure only he could see. Then she softened up a bit and smiled softly at them. “Why?” “No reason, auntie, I was just curious about something and Danny thought we should ask you.” Wes played with the hem of his shirt while maintaining eye contact and Danny wondered if he had a tell for awkwardness like that. Then he realized he was rubbing the back of his neck. “Do you have any pictures of him?” “Oh, yes! They’re in the shed! My boxes are actually labelled.” “Uh oh, careful, Dad might hear of organization and come to tear it up,” Danny said with a laugh, half dragging Wes out the back door. When they were out of his mom’s considerable ear shot, Danny said softly, but with feeling, “Fuck.” “Got locked up by grandpa, huh? That’s like, the worst way to get grounded ever .” Wes snickered and watched Danny run-walk up to the shed, hand glowing so softly you could only see it by staring directly at it as he turned the knob. “There are odds, slim ones, that this is a whole different Walker. It might even be his first name.” “Who the hell names their kid Walker?” “Walter, Wayne and Wesley Weston.” “Alright then.” For a few minutes the two of them searched through the mess known as the Fenton Family Shed for a box with a label neither had thought to ask for. Eventually, they found one labeled Scrapbooks and carefully eased it out of the mess of it all. “Y’knonw, Danny,” Wes said as they opened the box and started flipping through scrapbooks with just enough care not to damage them. “I’m feelin kinda good about investigating a ghost with you. Is this how it is with you n your boyfriend and best friend?” Danny almost tore a page out, turning to stare at Wes. He must’ve felt the temperature drop for a second because he looked up with a raised brow. “What?” “Boyfriend?” “Tucker. Tucker Foley.” Danny’s jaw dropped and Wes’ confusion morphed into a shit eating grin. “You know, Tucker spends most of his time with you Foley? The one you build shit with all the time? The nerd that you get sick in sync with? I’ve seen you lose a pencil and then he puts one behind your ear while you look for the one you lost. You made him a custom gaming computer disguised as a console.” Danny’s face burned red as a tomato at this point and he shoved Wes. “Shut up I’m not dating Tucker!” “I have to ask Jazz about this now, you’re killing me.” Wes snorted and flipped a page. He blinked down at the scrapbook and pointed at a picture. “James Walker. This look anything like him?” Danny took the book and looked at the picture. Looked at the several pictures of the man with his daughters, wearing a black pinstriped suit in a handful of them. And he let out a long, loud groan. “I hate this week, I hate it so much.” Wes started cackling and Danny scowled. “That reminds me.” He kicked Wes in the shins and grinned. “Much better. Also, Wes, I gotta tell you. I’m not one of a kind, as far as my living status goes.” “Oh what, there’s another Schrodinger’s little shit flying around out there?” Wes rubbed his ankle and hissed. “Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but that fruitloop we call a mayor may have been elected because he possessed literally everyone that was voting.” Wes went silent and stared at him, and Danny nodded. “Think you can pester him instead of me? He wants to kill Dad and thinks that he can get Mom if he does that.” “Danny. My Dad works for Masters.” “This puts you in the perfect position to mess with him, I say. Just act like you’re there to see your dad.” “You oblivious asshole. I fuckin love you, cous.” “Same here, skyscraper.”

[bts-fantasy]

Liar Pt. 7

Pairing: Taehyung(Jungkook)x Reader

Genre: Angst

Previous — Next

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

„Don‘t you want to pick up the call?“ Taehyung‘s eyes were locked on your screen trying to ignore the way his heart dropped when he saw the little heart attached to Jungkook‘s name.

You shook your head not wanting to leave the warmth that Taehyung was offering you but also because you didn‘t have the energy to talk to Jungkook now. So you let your phone ring and you stayed in his warm embrace as he stroke your back gently up and down making you feel as if everything was just half as bad as it seemed a little while ago.

Eventually, you fell asleep on him but Taehyung didn‘t mind at all since he had the chance to look at you for as long as he wished for. He noticed the freckles surrounding your little nose that reminded him of a tiny star constellation and your rosy lips were slightly apart as you slept soundly.

You took his breath away in a way he had never expected. Now all he was wishing for was to know the feeling of your lips pressed against his and your fingers intertwined together.

But the intimate moment got interrupted by a loud knock on your door. Taehyung looked down at your small figure still fast asleep and carefully got out of your embrace as he laid your head down on one of the soft pillows laying around on your couch.

He rushed to the door before there could be another knock that could actually wake you up from your peaceful slumber and opened it only to stumble back in surprise.

Jungkook was looking back at him just as surprised but his expression was quickly replaced by an annoyed one. He crossed his arms raising his brows at him.

„What are you doing here, Taehyung?“

Taehyung looked back at your sleeping figure before he turned around to face him again. Jungkook was trying to catch a glimpse inside of your apartment to see if you were alright but Taehyung‘s tall frame was blocking the view much to his annoyance.

Jungkook was ready to push past him but the elder pulled him outside and closed the door behind him so they could talk without disturbing you. Taehyung‘s eyes were serious as he stared at him explaining the reason behind his visit. Jungkook carefully listened to him but he wasn‘t ready to believe anything that came out of Taehyung‘s mouth as he kept looking at him with a skeptical look on his face.

„Okay, now that you‘ve apologized why are you still here?“

Jungkook was not in the mood to beat around the bush and came straight to the point. Seeing Taehyung here only made everything even harder for him. The confidence he‘d gained after talking to his friend Jennie was slowly fading with every second he was looking at his opponent. The guy who owned your heart.

He hated his perfectly shaped face as if he‘d jumped straight out of a K-Drama series and his boxy smile that feigned innocence.

But no matter how outnumbered he felt by Taehyung, there was a little shine of hope inside of him that wanted nothing else but to finally confess his feelings to you. No matter how the outcome would be he had to let it out in order to fix this mess he‘d made. He hated avoiding you and the past few days had been the hardest time of his life because he wanted nothing more than to talk to you normally again without having to put a mask on.

Even if he wanted to be your everything just like you were his, being your anything was still better than being nothing to you.

Taehyung sighed contemplating whether he should tell him the truth or not but decided to be honest in the end.

„Well... she started crying after my apology but I don‘t think it was just because of me. And when you called earlier she didn‘t want to pick up and then she fell asleep.“

Jungkook‘s face had turned pale when Taehyung finished explaining the situation and he felt the gnawing sense of guilt inside of him because he knew exactly that it was all his fault. Every excuse he told you, every lie, just so he wouldn‘t have to see you were replaying like a broken record right in front of his eyes showing him just how badly he had been treating you because of his own incapability to keep his feelings at bay. He felt even worse now and there was just one thing on his mind at that moment: He had to see you and explain everything to you.

However, Taehyung stepped in as soon as he took a step towards the closed door blocking the way. He just shook his head looking at the younger with a serious look.

„I don‘t think that‘s a good idea.“

„Shut up and let me in, I need to see her“, Jungkook growled back slowly losing his patience with the elder. But Taehyung wasn‘t going to let him pass so easily.

„Seriously? She had a rough day and finally fell asleep and you want to disturb her now? What kind of boyfriend are you?“, Taehyung‘s desperate voice was echoing through the hallways as Jungkook stood still like a statue. He had completely forgotten the fact that Taehyung was still thinking he was your boyfriend.

„She‘s sleeping?“, Jungkook asked with a calm voice now watching the other nod. He sighed clearly frustrated and overwhelmed about the whole dilemma going on inside of his heart and mind. He hated the fact that he was so close to you yet still so far away from reaching you and it was driving him insane. Taking a deep breath to cool his head down he thought about confessing to you later when you had a clear mind as well.

Jungkook looked up at Taehyung who was still standing at the door watching his every move like an eagle that had spotted his prey.

„Can you tell her I was here and that I need to talk to her, it‘s important“, he told Taehyung with a defeated expression painted across his face. He didn‘t want to leave and he certainly didn‘t want to leave you alone with Taehyung again but what could he possibly do? He wasn‘t your boyfriend for real and you were free to do whatever you wanted with your life after all.

So he left your apartment with his shoulders hanging low after Taehyung had promised to tell you as soon as you woke up...

A/N: Sooo... part 7 of this (unexpected) series is finally out!🥳

I promise there will be more action soon!! 🎬💁‍♀️🏾

What would you do in her situation? Tbh I would rather die single than being caught up in all this drama😩

And I should srsly stop using Taekook for every series I do. I will do one with two different members soon☺️ So let me know if you have any ideas for a story or just let yourself surprise I guess🤷🏾‍♀️👀

Tags: @tahaing @tangledsparkles @apurpledheart

Masterlist

[stuffylana]

The Last of Millenniums, chapter one

Genre: Science Fiction

Word count: 1610

Tag list: @amongwriters @storyteller-kaelo @mouwwie @alinakerrin @indievixen @nkta-ink @starrywritingg @magsiswritingnow @outaspacestudent @crypticsx @wasting-ink-not-youth (omg it’s already eleven of you, and I haven’t even posted a chapter yet *the tears of recognition streaming down my face*)

The chapter is under the cut!

‘... and after years of work, we are ready to announce that our first book, The Last of Millenniums, is available on bookplate.sg!’

It’s happening. The history of twenty-ish centuries is revealed.

I have always been curious about the past. It always is the reason why the world became the one we live in now. And, to be honest, I always thought I had to be born a couple of centuries ago. All this technology-controlled life doesn’t feel right. My own personality doesn’t feel right. While everyone does their job and starts a family, I keep on searching for my own self. It’s hard, especially when you read the old books (thanks to the Internet that has so many of them in free access), and see that lots of people had the exact same problem in twenty-ish centuries: they had to find their purpose. And it’s always different for everyone.

But there is one thing I know for sure: if you have a life to live, then live it to the fullest, do your best and never give up. Well, if you live with your parents, then don't take this advice too seriously. Sometimes, giving up on what you want is the only way to avoid arguments with them.

Okay, I lied. I’m not sure about that. It’s difficult to be sure if you don’t even know who you are and why you exist, but I’m gonna figure it out. In some ways, I hope the new book helps me with that, and that’s why I’m here, at the presentation, - to get my copy signed and, of course, ask some questions.

But somebody in front of me grabs a microphone I was going to take, and clears their throat.

‘How was the given information researched?’

‘We used the last-millenium written books and newspapers along with the websites. Also, we used our ancestors’ notes and journals to deepen the information with some POV.’

‘And how can we know all the facts are true?’ they pluck the bottom of their shirt, and embrace a flash drive hidden under the belt. They quickly glance at it and put it in the pocket instead, glaring at me. That’s just a flashdrive, for goodness’ sake. Or is it not?

‘We never claimed they all are. Please don’t forget it’s a work of historical fiction, and that we tried our best to describe a thousand years in one novel, and  some things were made up in the process to add a fictional twist. However, all settings, events with historical value, and used names are the ones that genuinely existed the days the events took place.’

Oh, I’m excited. I’m not even mad that they took the microphone right out of my hand; the questions were exactly what I wanted to know. Although, there is one thing I still have to ask about.

I step forward and take the microphone as they pass it again.

‘Does your story confirm or deny the existence of superpowers shown in the movies?’

‘Neither.’

‘Then how is it historically accurate?’

‘Just like the old history student’s books. Have you ever read about mermaids in them?’

‘No, but since we have explored forty percents of the world ocean, we know they are real!’

‘Yes, but they weren’t important for the world development. Neither are superpowers. Next question, please!’

Phew. Is this the decent reason to think they don’t exist? I hope it is.

Since I was a child, I have had some strange moments with the lights. Sometimes, the rooms became just as light as I needed them to be, and sometimes they were so bright that I couldn’t keep my eyes open. It was rare, but it happened. I hope those were just some dreams I had, but sometimes it felt way too real. But if superheroes didn’t affect history, then they just didn’t exist? They can’t appear out of nowhere, right?

‘Hey, are you okay?’

Somebody softly taps my shoulder, and I turn around to see who it is.

‘I’m Calea Reesence,’ the girl, who is now in front of me, extends her hand, and I shake it. ‘I see you’re quite interested in my father’s work, aren’t you?’

‘What?’ I turn my head back. Right. I was staring at the wall with a book cover the whole time. ‘Yeah, kind of. I love history.’

‘So do I,’ Calea smiles and adjusts the sleeves of her dress. Oh goodness, her smile is… dazzling. I would say I love it if it wasn’t this bright. She is bright. ‘What should I call you, mysterious stranger?’

Despite the tenderness of her voice, it still makes me flinch.

You met an awesome girl. Don’t mess it up.

‘Sorry for being rude. I’m-’

‘Carthie, we’re leaving in five!’ my brother interrupts me, and I sigh. This is too early!

‘Sorry…’ I begin, but Calea cuts me off with a sweet chuckle.

‘You apologize too frequently, and we just met. I take it Carthie is your name, right?’ She smiles again and twists her thumb ring.

‘Right. But could you please call me Phoebe? I just like it better.’

Calea raises her eyebrow and squints her eyes. Great. Why did I have to tell her this? We won’t probably see each other anymore.

She takes a glass of dragon fruit champagne from the tray one of the waiter robots brought, and exhales.

‘Yeah. It really fits you. Phoebe… I hope we can meet someday again. I wanna use this name more often. Nobody has called themselves so for centuries. Here,’ she pulls out her phone from the dress pocket and gives it to me. ‘Give me your number. I’d like to have a cup of coffee with you someday. We could, you know, talk about names and stuff…’

She keeps saying something, but I don’t really listen. A girl just called me out? I didn’t mess up? I? Didn’t?

Okay, I should probably just type my number and get excited later. Furthermore, she might have thought my brother was my boyfriend, so maybe she just wants to be friends.

I’d love that too, though.

As I touch the numbers on the keyboard, my brother comes up and smirks, but doesn’t say anything.

‘Here,’ I smile and return Calea her phone. She takes it, and our fingers touch but I don’t know whether it was accidental or not. ‘I saved it.’

‘I’ll call you tomorrow, then,’ Calea locks her phone and puts it back into the pocket. ‘Have a good day.’

‘You-’ I cut myself off the moment she hides in a crowd. Ugh.

‘So you’re going on a date?’ Elriot smirks again, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, and we both head to the exit.

‘It’s just a walk. Moreover, I’m not sure she would call. She must’ve been nice, that’s all.’

‘If you say so.’

I unlock my handbook as Elriot and I exit the building, and the light gleams on the display. I look up, and a smile touches my lips. The night lights are already on, among the infinite constellations. When I was a child, I thought they were the moons, but now I know: the moon isn’t half as beautiful as they are. Maybe, that’s because they change colors as they shine?

I smile to myself again as we approach the car, and Elriot touches the button to open the door.

‘So, carrot, did you get your copy signed?’ mom asks as we get in. I forgot to!

Ugh.

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘Well, she has a chance to,’ Elriot’s lips curl into a half-smile, and he elbows me.

‘Elriot!’

‘What? It’s not me who has a date with the author’s daughter!’

‘And you, as a nice brother to have, should’ve stay mute about it. It’s not even a date, and I told you that!’

‘Of course, it’s not.’

Mom smiles and turns around to me when the car stops at the red traffic light.

‘I’m happy for you. Don’t forget to get some good sleep! I won’t wake you up if you’re gonna stay up next day.’

I don’t reply and turn my sight back to the sky. Why can’t Elriot keep his mouth shut?

I’ve already had my heart broken before, and he knows that. The last thing I would ever want is to hear the words of sympathy if it doesn’t work out. We don’t even know each other. And even though I thought it would be a date, I don’t think I want it to be one anymore.

It’s nearly midnight, and we are finally home. As I come into my room after washing my hands, the first thing I do is fall on my bed with eyes closed. I don’t wanna do anything but sleep.

The robotic voice reminds me that I still have one more thing to do.

‘Good evening, Carthelia. Would you like to journal today?’ my best friend, Velmena, levitates closer and hands me my tablet. My secret tablet nobody can see.

‘Sure,’ I sit on the bed and take a tablet, unlocking it with a finger.

‘Do you want me to bring you something else?’

‘No, thank you, Velm,’ I give her a short smile, and she levitates back to her charger.

Journaling… This is my only way to track what’s going on. Or, maybe it’s not. I just love it.

I open my journal app and note things that happened tonight. My phone vibrates, and I smile the moment new text appears.

Unknown, 11:57pm:

Hey, Phoebs, is that you? It’s Calea. Just wanted to make sure I got your number right.

The new day is going to be good.

[writingkeepsmewhole]

To Close

This is part 14 of A Touch. Reader and Negan grow closer as the days pass. Reader beginning to help Negan more and more. Her slowly realizing that she might be getting a little to close. 

Negan x Reader

Warnings: Language, mentions of past rape, drinking.

Let me know if you wanna be tagged: @dead-head-joker @cryiner @collette04 @catlovescats @blumenkind72 @frozenhuntress67 @chloebabyboo @daddys-littlewhitegirl

Part 1 Part 13 

Over the span of the next few days I saw a different side of Nergan he was still a cocky flirty and made me want to smack him from time to time but he seemed to care about what I thought on things. It was like we saw a different side to each other. He knew about my past and I had a peak at his. We relaxed more around each other. I found myself spending more and more time with him. I was getting used to Simion and Arat. Me and Alexia was friends. I think me and Negan was as well as messed up as that might sound. I felt more comfortable with him then I have with anyone in a while. I felt safe with him. I found myself with I’m most of the day. Like I was his secretary.

That’s where I was now in his room sitting on his bed looking over the new shipment.

“What are you doing?” Negan’s smooth voice fills my ears.

“Going crazy.” I say smiling at him continuing my dancing.

“I believe it.” He says chuckling.

“This is a good song.” I say lifting the ipod he gave me. Lucky for me it was full of decent music.

Turning his chair away from his desk he got up and walked to me. Leaning down he takes the ear bud I offer him.

He puts it in his ear just as the second verse of Love You Like A Love Song Baby By Selena Gomez starts. I can’t help but blush realizing how the lyrics seem to fit my thoughts for Negan. He got under my skin in a good way. I don’t know how to explain it but he did.

“Not bad angel but it’s not really my type of music.” He says but not moving. Leaving us very close.

His hand was next to my thigh on the bed making him lean over me. His face only a few inches from mine the ear bud still placed in his ear as Criminal by Britney Spears started. He licks his bottom lip my eyes jumping to the movement. Reaching up he grabs my chin tilting my head back slightly. My heart speeds up and my hands get sweaty just as his mouth hovers over mine. In just a moment I would be kissing Negan but something in the back of my head makes me pull back. I didn’t want to be used or become a wife I couldn’t let myself get wrapped up in this, in him.

“Calendars.” I say earning a confused look from him as I break the silence ruining the moment.

“You asked me what you think would help things run smoother. Calendars. I made one for Rick’s wife back at the prison to keep track of stuff. I think if everyone had calendars we could keep track of what day we got a shipment in from one week to the next. Plus it would help with how people feel. They could feel more in control. Have birthdays or holidays even.”

“And how would we make them?” He asks moving to sit on the couch.

“That’s simple. At the prison I did it on one of the walls. I used a checkered blanket and a different pins to mark days and what day it was. But if you wanted to mass produce them we could make block calendars. A bit of paint and one bored could make a large amount easily.”

“And what year do you think we are in? Let alone the mouth.”

“Who says we have to do it the way things was before? Each season is roughly ninety days. So we give them two blocks to show days one threw ninety and another block for the season. Make sure everyone knows what day it is to write on their reports.”

“You think this will work?”

“I do.”

“How will we know when it’s the next season?”

“The plants around us tell, stars only some constellations are out in certain seasons. The weather. It’s not perfect but it’s something to get back to.”

“Damn darlin’ you really are something else. You write me down a plan I can give to the workers and I’ll be sure it’s done.” He says smiling.

“Okay.” I say happy Negan liked my plan.

“Now how about we finish this up?”

I nod and look back at the mess on the bed.

I don’t have time really pick back up where I started when a knock comes from the door.

“Come in.” Negan says taking his glasses off.

He always did that making me wonder if he didn’t want people to see him with them on.

The door opened revealing Frankie holding a basket.

“Am I interrupting?” She asks looking at me.

“Oh umm no sorry was just trying to help out.” I say feeling embarrassed.

Even though I knew me and Negan isn't anything I still felt like I was the one in the wrong when one of the wives caught me with him.

“I’ll clean up and be out of your hair.” I say as Frankie sets the basket down.

“What brings you here?” Negan asks standing up and walking to her.

“It’s our day to have lunch together remember?” She says it easy to pick up on her annoyed tone.

I quickly stack the notebooks and move to set them on Negan’s desk. I place the Ipod on the top and start heading towards the door.

“Angel.” Negan says making me stop and look at him.

I stand there as he picks up the ipod and hands it to me.

“This is a gift. You are meant to take it with you. Not unless you don’t like it. Is that it?” He says leaning down getting close to me.

Meeting Frankie’s eyes It hard to read what she is feeling or thinking but I doubt she happy about Negan giving me gifts.

“No I love it. Thank you.” I say blushing.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yes.” I say Negan’s eyes making my whole body warm. I felt like we were having a secret conversation only problem I didn’t know the code to understand what he was saying.

“Good. Have a good day Y/N.”

Nodding I quickly leave the room feeling confused and horny. Shaking my head to clear my thoughts I head to one of the mess halls.

I haven't seen Mark in days I didn’t know what Negan said to him but he was keeping his distance. I felt more normal then I have in a while.

Closing my eyes I roll my neck it sore. Being bent over papers would do that to you.

When I bumped into someone I let out a noise when I hit the floor.

“Your still here?” Asks a voice I've only heard of a few times since I been here.

I look up seeing Dwight.

“Yeah? Why would I leave?”

“I guessed when the rat left he would have taken you. I guess he didn’t think much of you?”

“What are you talking?” I ask standing up.

“Daryl left or did Negan not tell you that?”

Feeling upset I try to walk around him feeling guilty for not thinking about Daryl.

“You can run from me but you can run away from the truth. Your just a lay to Negan nothing more. Your a whore.”

I stop in my tracks that word always getting to me. My parents called me that when I got pregnant. The Governor called me that as he rapped me. I would be damned before I let another man call me that again.

“I’m a whore?” I ask turning to face him.

“Funny you say that because last I checked? It was your wife fucking Negan to keep you alive. I work for my points. I don’t lay on my back.” I say my head snapping to the left when he smacks my cheek.

“Don’t talk about her!” He yells pointing at me.

“Don’t say her name again.” He say walking away from me.

It’s not until he is gone do I spit the blood out from where I bit my tongue.

I spend the rest of the day folding clothes it feeling nice to do something I was used to. The past few days cooped up in Negan’s room has made me miss the mindless washing, hanging, folding of laundry.

“Hey Y/N?” Alexia says walking up to me.

“Yes?” I ask looking up at her from sitting next to a bucket of water.

“How about after this you come with me back to my room?”

“I’m flattered but I’m straight.”

“Haha funny. Just because i’m bi don’t mean I want to fuck you.”

“Language.” I say us both laughing.

“No really I bought some wine and I refused to drink alone.”

“Oh I see how it is. You don’t want to sleep with me you just want to get me drunk?”

“Pretty much yeah. Is that a problem?”

“Not if me being a light weight ain't?”

“Nope that means you’ll have fun sooner.”

“Alright sounds good. Just come get me when your ready.”

“You got it.”

It’s sun down when I finish my last load. I walk into the shed fully aware the way I tense up and look around my shoulder the whole time I’m in there. I try to ignore the stain on the floor or the way my skin crawls. The feeling of Nick grinding on me fresh in my mind. That something I didn’t have with the Governor after that day I never had to go back to that place. I don’t know why Rick decided to burn it down but I was thankful I couldn’t go back. I would take only one place making me feel this way thank you.

“Hey.” I jump at the voice making me spin to face the door. Alexia standing there.

“You okay?”

“Fine. Ready to go?”

“You betcha.” She says swinging her arm and grinning making me roll my eyes and laugh.

I follow her to her room making me realize it’s only a hallway away from mine.

“Are we having a sleepover?” I ask when I walk in snacks and bottles of water sitting on the table.

“Yes and we can like talk about our crushes and braid each others hair.” She says making me laugh.

“No I figured we could relax tonight. Have a brake.”

“Your not dying are you?”

“No! What I can’t hang out with my best friend?”

“Aww I’m your best friend I’m gonna cry.” I say sitting on her bed holding my chest.

“Oh shut up. Yeah your my best friend the first one got eaten I need a back up.”

“You should get a back up for me just in case.”

“Why you plan on leaving?”

“Well ya know everyone hates me here.”

“No one hates you.” She says handing me a glass of wine and sitting across from me.

“The only people that like me are you and Negan. And I know Negan sees me more as a challenge to get in my pants then the fact he enjoys being around me.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Have you seen his wives? Why would he bother with me?”

“Did you ever think he likes you.”

“Guys like him don’t like girls like me.” I say drinking the sharp liquid running down my throat.

“I think you are wrong about that. Negan doesn't let his wives do half the stuff you do with him”

“I have to work unlike them.”

“Not that. He took you on a run alone. He asks to spend time with you and you don’t have sex and the biggest one of all you sleep in his room.”

“It’s only when-”

“Nope you can’t change my mind. Negan likes you. Probably because your so stubborn.”

“Hey.” I say pushing her arm making he laugh.

“Trust me I've been around Negan long enough to know when he likes someone.”

“Have you had sex with him?” I ask curious and nervous at her answer.

Was I jealous about the thought of her sleeping with him?

“Eww no I’m not into the whole older man thing.”

“You act like he’s eighty.”

“Hey you do you. I’m just saying I like em more my age.”

I roll my eyes and sip at my drink.

“It’s weird huh? We don’t really know how old we are. I mean not really.”

“Yeah but I never liked my birthday.” I say earning a weird look.

“How could you not like your birthday?”

“It was just another day that proved my parents liked me when eyes were looking but the rest of the time I was shipped off with a nanny or after I got older left alone. I don’t know. I messed up childhood. Being rich ain't what most people think.”

“Wow I see it now.”

“What?” I ask looking at her taking a drink.

“Well we all know about Negan being crazy but your messed up too. Your both so fucked up you have to go together. There is no one else to match you with.”

“Match me with? What are you saying Negan is my one and only?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Besides your eye color and cute nose missed with his dark hared would make the cutest babies.”

Laughing I shake my head.

“I think your drunk.”

“Oh my gosh I have an idea.”

“Do tell.” I say finishing my drink and getting up to pour me another.

“You know about the bar here right?”

“There is a bar?”

“Yeah a lot of guys go there in the evenings to wind down. I say we get changed and go there and get us a nice body to lay with tonight.”

“Okay that sounded gross and I’m not really up to sleeping with a stranger tonight. I umm….”

“Oh right... “ She says biting her lip.

“Hey don’t worry about it. It sounds fun.” I say trying not to kill the night.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I can be your wing man, or woman.” I say laughing.

“Awesome. Let's get ready!” She says grinning.

I get the feeling tonight was gonna go one or two days. Extremely well or all hell was gonna break loose.

[jessdidathing]

otp masterlist

Below the cut are #218 lines from the albums I’ve been listening to on repeat for the last few months that can work for ship tags. They’re divided into categories based on my interpretation, but of course they can be used however you see fit. The lyrics below are from songs by Tristan Prettyman, The Haydaze, the band CAMINO, and Hey Violet. 

GENERAL SHIP (79)

i’m craving your kiss on my neck

because one kiss wasn’t enough

that moment was magic

i remember when i first saw you

cause you’ve got all my love

you’ll get the very best of me

now i’d be foolish to let you get away

lately you’re all i dream

baby i just want some time with you

say you adore me

let’s see you try to fill me

you’ll get the very best of me

keep it coming with the love i can’t resist

your lovin’ tripped me and i fell

i’ve had you on my mind

everyday i stumble getting caught up on you

i’ll let you fall in love with me

sweet kisses in the summer taste soft like honeydew

i’ve been writing you love letters one at a time

put my love on the line

tell me you love me

in that moment i loved you

you got my heart on a string

you got me under a spell

i’m just gonna love you like you love me

i don’t think my heart has ever been so true

i just can’t seem to shake wake break it or quit you

you asked me once and i said yes

believe me when i tell you that my love hasn’t changed

you’re on my mind all the time

it’s not the same when you’re away

what am i to do with all this love for you

told the whole world that you were all mine

i would grant all your wishes if you promised me a thousand kisses

give me all your secrets

fate chose me and you

i could call you my new religion

she stimulated every corner of my mind

you ransacked my peace of mind but i’d rob a bank a bank just to make you mine

all the guys love your pretty blue eyes but i wanna know why you’re crying

won’t you come in from the cold and be my city girl

i swear i’ve never seen such a pretty girl

i wonder what it feels like to kiss you under streetlights

i got your heart on my mind

common sense falls second place to the way it feels when you kiss my face

i would not change my stubborn heart

are you feeling what i’m feeling ‘cause it’s feeling really right

don’t wake me if dreaming i could stay here all night

no fortune teller; i guess we’ll leave this up to fate

i don’t want the you without the mine

when i jump i wanna do it so recklessly

cause when we touch baby no one can deny sparks fly

tell me i’m the one and i’ll turn off the sun cause you’re the only light i want

there’s a constellation in your eyes

the rest of the world is living in the dark when we light up the sky

when i rise you illuminate my sky

on paradise i overdose

this can only end one way

i’m the lock and you’re the key

you can have me any way you like

it makes me wanna be all yours

i feel my heart and we react like chemicals

we’re embedded in my mind

i see you watching me

it won’t be too long before me and you are doing what lovers do

let’s roll the dice and we’ll both make our moves

i never thought it would be this deep but then you kissed me

something happens to me when i feel your heartbeat

i live for these moments

the only thing i’m looking for is someone who understands

when will i learn it’s never just a goodnight kiss

you just have to say the word and i’m there

feelings like this they need a home

i’d love to think i’m yours and you’re mine

let our souls just collide and give in

we’ll build it up or break it down

puppet on a string; can’t control myself with you

i only know myself with you

take my pure and wash it all away til i’m cured

TOXIC RELATIONSHIP (38)

tw: mentions of cutting in this category

you’re making me promises that i can’t hold you to

because one kiss wasn’t enough

all the lies and the alibis and the hypnotizing

i’m through with all your games

i don’t think you’ve ever been good for me

we ain’t got no direction

don’t give up on me so soon

if i get too close you’re gonna pull me back in

but we both know it’s too late

don’t know why i’m always letting you in

you look like heaven oh but you put me through hell

we’re both playing the same game

i know that you’re no good for me

you were a match and i was gasoline

i don’t feel anything anymore

the scars will fade away and i may never be the same

i opened up; you snatched the key

you broke my window; shattered me

mama took one look at you and said run away

try to cut you out but still you’re stuck in my veins

poisoned by your love but i can’t get enough

bad judgement is what we’re made for

second guess these words of mine

thought i could fix you by myself

you make a boy like me feel used

you were my cure and i was your dark angel

you don’t love me like you should

it’s like a game to see how much i can take

light me up and let me burn

it’s like a drug; i can’t say no

this can only end one way

it’s too late; no one can save us now

we’re all emotional wrecks

i don’t wanna be saved

cheers to regrets; wash it down with some booze

when will i learn to turn my back and say goodbye

when will i start to see that you and me are only guaranteed to crash and burn

you know it turns me on to hate you

ONE SIDED RELATIONSHIP (36)

you’re making me promises that i can’t hold you to

and i suppose i could tell you how i feel

maybe you should know that i do have a crush on you

i remember when i first saw you

cause you’ve got all my love

you said you miss me more when i go

c’mon and waste my time

i wish that you couldn’t take your eyes off me

everyday i stumble getting caught up on you

i’ll let you fall in love with me

i’ve been writing you love letters one at a time

put my love on the line

gonna figure out how to make you mine

no matter how hard i try to fight it

don’t give up on me so soon

i would tell you that i love you even when it didn’t show

you wanna make a move

i guess so maybe we’re not meant to be

i’m hooked on you and i’m freaking out

you’re on my mind all the time

i could never love another like i loved you

guess i’m just young and foolish

i remembered texting you then had a drink; maybe a few too many

i’m lonely and she’s the only subject i could ever follow

ever since we crossed that line got your green eyes in the back of my mind

i can’t be just friends

i know what i said but these feelings they keep running the red

she won’t stick around for sure

i don’t mind wasting time; i’ll be fine

hide my heart; how i feel and pretend this is real for a while

i want to lay it on the line but all your calls decline

i wanna call out your name but i’m scared of what you’ll say

you don’t even gotta catch my fall

i will not forget all the wonderful things you’ve done

if i say too much it’s my consequence

i promise babe; you’ll be just fine

EXES (54)

cause you know love is just a hit and miss

i’m through with all your games

and this reminds me of last time

cause i fell hard but not hard enough

everyday i stumble getting caught up on you

no one else will do; baby i still want you

we ain’t got no direction

don’t give up on me so soon

our love fell out of winter

how did we get so far

i never thought you’d let me go

i was gonna marry you

if i get too close you’re gonna pull me back in

but we both know it’s too late

then all at once you changed your mind

don’t know why i’m always letting you in

you look like heaven oh but you put me through hell

i guess so maybe we’re not meant to be

i’ve never loved the way i loved you

you gave up on us

letting go has never felt so easy

you already got your second chance

you lost my interest

i don’t feel anything anymore

you said you would never let me go

i could never love another like i loved you

touch down on the red eye; i got red eyes too

no sleep when i think about you

if i stop forgetting it’ll hurt like hell

you ripped my heart with your sticky fingers

i gave you my heart and you gave me up free of charge

sometimes i still think about you

i don’t tell you all the things i used to

i spaced myself from you cause i got tired of hurting you and now i’m hurting too

but now that it’s over you know i’m feeling better

tell me you’ve never loved me

tell me it wasn’t real

pictures disappear and every memory will fade

since the last time we kissed i learned a thing or two

i’m still rocking your hoodie

i used to put my hands in your pockets

you’re someone i’ll never get over

can we go back to the way it was

this is the part where i smash your shit

you got my attention then you stomped it out

you’re there and then you’re gone

you’re a part of my past now

i’m making you history

if you’re wondering why i’m leaving; stop a second and count the reasons

you got my affection then you threw it out

all you’ve got is doubt

i sent you to the lost and found

you don’t get it; i’ve got my reasons

the one regret that i can see is how i let you get to me

CHEATING (22)

tell me; was she better

was she everything and more

i’m through with all your games

this love was meant for wandering eyes and faking

no matter how hard i try to fight it

if i get too close you’re gonna pull me back in

you gave up on us

you already got your second chance

if i stop forgetting it’ll hurt like hell

you’re on the lam and i’m lonely

if you wanted out you know you could’ve called me

tell me you’ve never loved me

this can only end one way

the world is ours at least it is tonight

let’s take this way too far

every night i’m undressing with him and i’m thinking of you

i know it’s the wrong thing to do but i kinda want to

say your name while our tongues are tied

don’t say it’s unholy if i let you come hold me

i know it’s wrong that i want to be here in your arms

i can taste temptation

cheers to regrets; wash it down with some booze

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS (31)

i’m craving your kiss on my neck

because one kiss wasn’t enough

i think i kinda just want your kiss

cause you know love is just a hit and miss

that moment was magic

baby i just want some time with you

c’mon and waste my time

keep it coming with the love i can’t resist

you’re gonna bring this girl to her knees

we’re both playing the same game

you wanna make a move

baby just promise me you’ll keep me up all night

i’m hooked on you and i’m freaking out

i always thought that i’d be fine with you

you said that i could come by any time but i can’t fall in love tonight

i got your face in my mind and it was fun running around for a while

common sense falls second place to the way it feels when you kiss my face

she won’t stick around for sure

call it what you want but i need you tonight

call it a waste of time; call it right but don’t call it off

i pushed it all away cause i wanted to see you this way but still i wish you’d stay

i don’t know how long i can wait to call you over so we can waste the night away

tell me you’ve never loved me

cause you hold me like a woman

come with me don’t kill the vibe

where have you been all my night

getting you off is my new favorite hobby

lipstick on your neck brands like a tattoo

good moves and bad motives

come on let’s wake the neighbors

when did you get the nerve to call it love

SECRET RELATIONSHIP (8)

you’re making me promises that i can’t hold you to

you said you miss me more when I go

baby i just want some time with you

i’m so tired but don’t you dare quit

i would tell you that i love you even when it didn’t show

you wanna make a move

the world is ours at least it is tonight

don’t ever tell a soul cause they’ll say that we’re crazy

FRIENDS TO LOVERS (15)

and i suppose i could tell you how i feel

maybe you should know that i do have a crush on you

cause you’ve got all my love

you’ll get the very best of me

your lovin’ tripped me and i fell

everyday i stumble getting caught up on you

i’ll let you fall in love with me

i’ve been writing you love letters one at a time

gonna figure out how to make you mine

no matter how hard i try to fight it

take all the time you need

in that moment i loved you

you wanna make a move

i’m hooked on you and i’m freaking out

i can’t be just friends

[targsdaenerys]

show me the sun ch (6/20)

SUMMARY: Clarke, the princess of Arcadia, had been imprisoned in immortal walls by her own mother. Four Thousand years after her release date, she is found by those of the new world. In the orders of survival, she is forced to stay in the home of Bellamy Blake, a new guard in a mystery industry. between adjustment and hatred, Clarke needs to see what exactly is meant with imprisonment.

WORDS: 2,646 / 12842

PAIRING: Bellamy Blake x Clarke Griffin (The 100)

TAGS: princess!clarke PrincessClarke guard!Bellamy Immortality ImprisonmentWrongful Imprisonment Alternate Universe - Fantasy Bellamy Blake is a History & Mythology Nerd Rapunzel Elements of a sort clarke loves to read Hurt/ComfortAngst Heavy Angst Angst with a Happy Ending Fluff and Angst Sexy Protective Bellamy bellamy saves clarke

READ: Ch I / Ch II / Ch III / Ch IV / Ch V / Ch VI

CHAPTER VI

When Clarke awoke, it felt much like another day in the palace. Outside, she though a bird chirped, and the bright morning sun shone through the curtains. Of course, her maids would usually open the curtains, but she had no maids that morning, nor permission to open the curtain.

She didn't remember falling asleep. She remembered being exhausted, sure; and cold, as the water drained from around her. Octavia gave her a towel to dry herself off with and tried to be strict about going easy on her side. The angry scab made Clarke want to avoid it, but she patted away the droplets around her and put on the set of clothes Octavia brought in not much after.

That was where it ended. Maybe there was a time in there before she stared into the darkness until her eyes ashed into sleep, that she was given something to eat. Smaller than the dinner she was given originally, but still bigger than her regular daily rations.

The silence that swept the room was too loud for her to focus, to hear if anyone was saying something on the other side of the door across from her. She heard nothing, so Clarke stared at her hands until she did.

There was a distant knock on a door, and some scuffling until it was opened.

“You said you needed a repair,” the voice said. It was muffled.  

“Yes, in the bathroom. This way,” Octavia’s responded. The door clicked, perhaps shut.

It was a few seconds before a soft knock sounded on Clarke’s door. Her eyes moved to it as it opened, and Octavia slipped in. She smiled when seeing Clarke awake, and looked back at the door as another body followed through.

“Okay, c’mon. Quickly, Maya.” A figure in some sort of green get up appeared, the torso filled with all buckles and jagged lines. The hat the person was wearing was removed, and a head of thick, curly, black hair cascaded from it. The girl carried a box at her side, the same sort of shape as the one from Clarke’s prison, but it looked sturdier and more promising as it was propped next to the girl as she kneeled.

“This is Maya, Clarke. She's going to check your side.” Octavia kneeled behind Maya as she opened the box.

The inside wasn't much different than what should have been in Clarke’s, hence whatever happened for it all to break. Small bottles, tubes, rolls of bandages...more modern to that present world, yes, but the basics were all the same.

Pulling her eyes away from the box, she looked at Maya’s face. She was focusing on removing the quilt from Clarke and lifting the light shirt Octavia had given her, but felt Clarke’s gaze and made quick eye contact, smiling back tightly.

The air was a small bit colder than it was under her blankets, and it bit her skin in tiny chill bumps as Maya lifted her shirt. Clarke’s wound was covered in a simpler bandage by Octavia after her bath. It didn't give the sensitive area as much cushion as the original did, and Clarke spent most of the night on her opposite side to avoid any further uncomfort.

She saw Maya wince as her fingers pulled the adhesive off Clarke’s skin. Her fingers that grazed Clarke’s skin hurt more than it, though and Clarke only shuffled into the mattress involuntarily. Her eyes welled just a bit as the remainder ripped off, the air opening to the raw nerves under her skin.

Clarke didn't know exactly when Maya’s hands were covered, but when she did notice, Clarke realized Maya’s hands were covered in light blue, loose and partially wrinkly.

Maya took a damp cloth and lightly brushed around her wound. It was warm. It also made Clarke cringe a bit, and she gripped the pillow under her head.

“You can tell me that patrol isn’t having a surprise check, you know.” Maya stopping working to look to the open doorway, and Clarke’s eyes flicked to follow. Bellamy’s expression was as tense as the room was since his voice surfaced. He leaned against the frame, thick arms crossed over his ribs. Bellamy’s eyebrows were furrowed as he looked at Clarke's exposed side from afar. Suddenly, she felt hot but wanted to cover herself all over again. The cloth that had paused was uncomfortably warm, and between his gaze and it she felt as if the wound would sear off.

“Sorry, Big Brother.” Octavia stood up from the corner of Clarke's eyes. She gestured to Maya. “I was just focused on getting her in unsuspected.”

Bellamy’s brows rose as he sighed and pushed off the surface,  and Clarke felt numb, knowing his mind was in a vexed state. He didn’t appreciate it at all; any of this effort for his prisoner. If it was actually true, and if death was expected if she was to be suspected, then his annoyance at her presence, Clarke admitted, was valid.

She probably would have backed away when Bellamy stopped at Maya's side, looking down at her. But Clarke was frozen. Between how much her nerves were tingling and the thought how much pain moving her side would entail, she couldn’t move at all.

So Clarke closed her eyes. She did so subtly, and they probably didn't even realize since they were already cast down to the doorway. But still it felt like her eyes were wide open and he was staring right back, his eyes and constellations reading out loud what exactly he had planned for her.

“Relax. I’m here to help.” Maya’s voice was calming, and the rapid rising of Clarke’s chest settled seconds after she realized it had actually begun. “Open your eyes. Don't fall asleep on me.”

She did, and her eyes opened to be inline with Bellamy’s hips. She kept them there, not daring to look side or down the slightest.

“She didn’t get that much sleep last night,” Octavia whispered behind Maya. Her black curls moved as Clarke assumed Maya looked back at her.

“Has that been happening often?”

“I mean,” Octavia shrugged, “it's only been a few days, and we’ve been letting her keep to herself. She came out last night hungry.”

“Sounds like we’re taking care of a cat,” Bellamy snarked. Clarke wanted to roll her eyes. She didn’t, mainly because there were still cats around?

“That’s what maybe happens when one would take in a girl from an unknown place,” Maya replied, returning to her task.

“At least she came out, Bell.” Octavia came into Clarke’s line of sight, by Bellamy’s side. “It’s a start.”

“Yeah, sure.” He bent at his waist, but not far enough where Clarke saw his face. She knew the next statement would be directed at her. “The same thing goes for tonight, yeah?  You come out or you starve.” One of his hands left his side.

“Ow, stop it.” Octavia took a step back.

“‘ Ow’ ? What do you mean, ‘ Ow’ ?” Clarke looked up at them then to see Bellamy’s hand being swatted away from Octavia’s head.

“I told you, I hate when you put your hand on my head like that.” Octavia crossed her arms, looking back at Clarke’s side. “Messes up my hair.”

“Yeah, well I don't recall it hurting you being an excuse.”

“It was just...the first thing to come to mind. Forget it,” She murmured. Clarke’s sweat turned icy. It was her. She pushed her against the sink.

“No, let me see.” Reluctantly, Octavia moved forward so Bellamy went behind her. She winced as she touched a specific part, and he gently moved her hair out of the area. “There's blood, O’.” This caught Maya’s attention, her turning to them. Clarke took the chance to pull in a breath. He turned her around. “What happened.”

Octavia shook her head. “Nothing.” She turned to Maya. “Really, nothing. I just hit my head picking a cup up in the kitchen.” Clarke caught her eyes as they made their way back up to Bellamy. “I’m fine.”

“You should’ve told me, Octavia.” Maya continued on Clarke. “I’d have no problem with coming by earlier, and it probably would’ve worked better with our plan. I'll look at it after I finish her.”

Slowly, Clarke released her breath. She prayed Maya didn’t notice.

+

Maya worked on her for a while after that. Clarke kept her eyes cast down, hoping nothing of her odd-ease body language gave anything of what really happened away. If Bellamy found out it was Clarke, who inflicted a head wound on his sister, she didn't exactly want to think what followed it. She recalled Octavia’s secondhand confession that Bellamy was protective, and as if he had heard her say it, the scene he pulled was a perfect example of what she meant.

They watched the whole time. She didn't see, she kept her sight at Bellamy’s socked feet, but she felt it. The tension in the room could be slight with the draw of an arrow. And at the same time, the arrow was also splintering her wound. Everything overall made Clarke hot all over, and yet the cold sweat returned every time Bellamy so much as shifted on his feet.

She still didn't know these people. She knew his last name was Blake, sure. She knew they were brother and sister, and that Bellamy was in a position to go into ancient prisons. That was it.

And then again, nothing of the times she did know were even relatively true. He could be lying, he probably was lying. Blake sounded like a common enough name. They looked like they might have been the same blood, but they also easily couldn't have been.

And Octavia, the girl was the most untrustworthy of all of them. And Clarke knew first hand, now; she had just watched her lie to her brother’s face. She had been so tucked in when Clarke had met her, scared of the creature in the bed, and not but hours later she was bathing and feeding and soothing it.

Nothing, nothing, made sense.

Nothing connected, nothing was a hard fact. Nothing was like Bellamy’s constellations or the scratchy carpet. Because at first look one would see the stars, and at first touch, one would know the texture. It wouldn't change after then; it was patent. Clay that had been dried into the tunnels of the mind.  And better yet, each of them turned out to be cruel, a kidnapper or an uncomfortable flooring. Because nothing was as good as it seemed. Everything was too good to be true.

It annoyed her. So much, Clarke wanted to strangle someone...something. Anything. Her hand under her pillow grasped it, and she held it there as the skin tingled.

“Alright,” Maya said, pulling her shirt back down. “Now, let me see your hand.” Clarke didn't move it, so Maya took her elbow in two hands, placing Clarke’s hand in front of her. “You didn’t get this wet, right?”

“Right,” Octavia responded.

Maya started unwrapping the bandages. Clarke wanted to look away. She couldn't. She wanted to close her eyes. She couldn't. Maya said to not fall asleep, and if she closed her eyes she would.

So Clarke watched as her ruined hand was revealed.

It actually hurt to look at it. She lost a lot of feeling in it already, and the pain she felt every day from starvation dulled it out, anyway. But it still hurt, perhaps emotionally instead.

Her patience in her prison was usually tight. Everything would work the same way it has the day before, and so when it didn't, she get mad. She had been doing her job, and she had limits. Immortal objects should have expected to do the same.

That's why she never bothered to learn how to draw with the right. She did for several months, yes, but it wasn't long before realizing it was just a waste of paint she never knew when would empty and gave up.

Looking at her dominant hand’s flesh now, Clarke wished she'd had wasted the hells-damned-paint.  Because with this hand, painting...it would never happen again.

Octavia gasped, just the slightest.

“Jesus,” a deeper voice murmured. At that, Clarke almost gasped herself. But she didn’t, because her focus was on her left hand, broken and stung in front of her.

 Her inappropriate use of it was probably partially the blame. As was her putting it on the burning door in the first place, but…

The skin, if one was brave enough to call it that, was various fuschias on pinks and purples and yellows and red. Where her palms creases were was crusted blood as well as new, with torn and burnt flesh where there never should be.

Maya glanced at Clarke. Clarke did not glance back.

“I’m going to have to clean this all out. Is the okay?” Clarke stayed silent, and she saw Bellamy rub a hand down his face. Octavia and he had sat on the floor sometime during her unwrapping.

“I’ll get some towels, and motrin,” Bellamy stood as exited the room. Maya nodded absently.

“Octavia, I want you to go take a shower, wash out your hair. Don’t use shampoo, use the sterile soap in my med kit. It’s in the bottom right compartment. Only one squeeze.” Hesitantly, Octavia did what Maya asked, quietly leaving the room. She passed Bellamy who was on his way in.

“I got bowls of cold and hot water,” he said, his hair coming into view as he placed them down. “And towels.”

“Thanks, Bellamy.” He sat back on his heels and watched as she placed a towel under Clarke’s hand and wet a washcloth in cold water. In the distance there was rain hitting marble.

Carefully, Maya dubbed the cloth on Clarke’s palm. She didn’t know who actually did it, but there was a sharp intake of breath like it wasn’t Clarke with the burnt hand, but the other person.  She didn’t have the energy to do make any noise herself, though, so Clarke appreciated his or her partaking in it.

Clarke felt guilty as Maya washed her hand. It wasn't much of one anymore, and the glares of Bellamy must have been distracting.

“I need to clean out the bacteria, okay?” she looked at Clarke for any approval, or life, even. Clarke frowned at the new word. Bacteria? She wanted to sound it off her tongue but found her mouth dry. Her lips moved anyway. “It's going to hurt. They should have done this in the lab, where sedating is an option. But I don't have enough -”

“Why didn’t they, then?” Bellamy asked from behind her, his head nodding at Clarke’s hand. Maya shook her head.

“I don’t know. My guess is they wanted to see how her body healed.” both Clarke and Bellamy must have worn a confused countenance because Maya looked between them and continued. “They’re goal is to learn more about the pre-apocalyptic world. That includes how people - or things,” she clarified, “reacted differently than how we do.”

“You’re saying that she,” he gestured to Clarke, “is from the pre-apocalyptic world.”

“She may be,” Maya shrugged, looking down at Clarke over her shoulder. “It’s hard to say, though. So far she is having the same reactions as all of us. I can't get into the security reports of her mountain, either. Not until they find her, which I wouldn’t recommend at the moment. But...she may be.”

+

Maya was there for hours later. Her hand felt heavy when she finally left, filled with new healing oils and creams and technology. Octavia told Clarke she would come back the next night and left Clarke alone with a small plate of food on the table. Clarke ate it when it turned cold.

Her whole stomach of food returned not an hour later as she dozed off to a sleep of cages and glowing bars. Where she woke up to four walls and a closed door.

The bath chamber’s floors were comfortable, anyway, and Clarke stayed there for the majority of her sleep.

Like she said. Too good to be true.