#i JUST bought his pirate stand now i gotta look out for this

[littleplantfreak]

[punks-never-die205]

Unseen

afab!reader x Killer

CW: canon-typical violence, smooches, sexy times, second go at life try again style story, 18+ only

Chapter 5: Head Over Heels

You walked along the deck in the practice heels that had been bought for you. You were getting better, but it was like being on lopsided stilts and the deck wasn't perfectly smooth either. If you found a knothole or other imperfection it would throw you off, but after logging a couple hours - spread out in 20-minute sessions you were finding a proverbial groove.

"Now the trick," House starts, "is getting the rest of you to move with the heels."

"... But I am moving with the heels." You insist.

"You're moving forward while wearing heels," She corrects. "You need to walk like you want the world's eyes on you. The heels'll help, but you gotta add some moxie to it."

"Isn't moxie like grit?" You question. "Don't I need something like sass?"

"Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe." House grouses. A lightbulb goes off over House's head, and you swear you can see it. "Pretend you're walkin' toward Killer like it's yer turn to take control."

Your face goes red, and you can't think of anything as a reply. You close your eyes and cover your face, "Oh gods House, that was low."

"Aye, aye. Take a moment and think about it though, you gotta good imagination, use it."

You grumble something rude in response, but you keep your eyes closed and do your best to focus on the idea. You had been content to let Killer take the lead mostly because you didn't know anything practical about leading in those situations. You assumed he did, a healthy 20-something pirate with the means to find himself comfort one way or another probably had done so.

Taking the lead for yourself wasn't something you were against trying though. You let your mind wander over the idea of it. Over the idea of pushing Killer down underneath you, of pinning him with your own body and desires. You could picture him in a mask that was just a little smaller, leaving the recently familiar shape of those lips available for the taking, red tinging his neck as he shifts under you. Muscles flexing against your demands or even actual restraints, helpless as you pushed what pleasures you wanted into him.

Taking a deep breath in you hold onto that sense of control and walk across the deck toward Emma, who was giving you someone to focus on while you practiced under House's guidance. When you got closer to Emma you cast your eyes downward, walking right up to her before shifting your gaze up to hers. Her face goes red, and she turns away.

"Hells, Brat, but that's a dangerous thing to do to anyone." Emma mutters, and you hear House laugh and clap.

"That's how you walk with moxie, Short stack!" House hollers.

Emma fans her face with her hand, side-stepping away from you. "I don't know that Killer's mask could protect him from that. Where'd you learn something like that?"

You smile and shrug. "I just did what House told me to do."

"If that's the case the vice-cap'n's in trouble." Emma murmurs.

"Brat, you better not seduce my entire damned crew!" Kid barks. He's standing next to a pleased House with Killer on the other side of him.

"Here's your test!" House hollers, "Walk toward the Captain like you did Emma."

Kid?! Not Killer?! House, you asshole. You take a deep breath and sigh with a shrug. Heat had said if you could charm the Captain you could charm the world, or some such. So sure, why not? You weren't quite ready to try your moves on Killer anyway – especially not in such a public setting.

You put the scene back in your head or try to. It's progressed a bit on its own and your fingers are sliding over the taut muscles of Killer's body, gently looking for reactions from him as you tease him mercilessly. It prompts the same sense of control and you let it power your walk back toward the other side of the deck.

You focus on Kid's cheeky grin of approval at your steps, and are only vaguely aware of House's slack jaw. You do the same thing to Kid that you did to Emma, averting your gaze as you drew nearer, and then shifting your gaze to his, tilting your head a little to look up high enough. Kid's grin shifts into something different for a moment, before he turns and walks away.

"Good job, mouse." Kid manages before disappearing back into the cabins.

"House?" Killer's voice was almost disappointingly flat.

"Yeah boss."

"What did you tell her to do?"

"A secret House will take to her grave." You say, more forcefully than you had meant to, heat rushing through your face.

House cackles in response and puts her hands up in surrender. "Aye, lass, aye. A secret 'tween ladies." She pats your shoulder. "You keep that advice in yer head though, and you'll be fine in two days."

You can feel Killer's eyes on you as House leaves the two of you standing there. You slip out of the heels, glancing askance at Killer a couple times but not meeting his gaze. It feels like your neck and shoulders are on fire.

Bending down to pick up the shoes, you feel his hands slip over your shoulders as you stood back up. The heat of his breath on your neck and the tone of his voice sending shivers down your spine.

"So, (Y/N)," His thumbs slide over your shoulders, and his voice is low, quiet, and dangerous. "What was going on in your head earlier, hm?"

You bit your lower lip and turn your head toward him just a little. "Mm, what indeed, I wonder."

You intended to tease him more, and you felt his grip tighten a little in response, but at that time Pomp came up the gangplank with some bags.

"Oi, Brat, got some dresses for you to try on." He announces as he comes up onto the deck. You can feel Killer deflate behind you and you couldn't suppress a laugh.

You pat the one hand that was still on your shoulder and turn toward Pomp, stepping away from Killer. "Sure, Pomp." You stop and turn to Killer, lowering your voice. "If you want to continue being tortured, you could always come see the results."

Killer's body shook in one quiet chuckle before he shakes his head. "I think I'll pass. Just don't let House put you in something that isn't classy."

"My goal is something comfortable." You admit with a shrug. "Bonus if I can hide a knife somewhere, or fight in it."

You tried on 5 dresses, with House assessing them. You were surprised, honestly, she talked about body type vs style cut, how parts would hang, what could be pinned or altered. You were a little concerned she was trying to overwhelm you with knowledge so she could strong arm you into what she wanted you to wear, but she cut the choices down to three.

"Alright, Brat. You pick from those three."

You look over them and decide easily enough. While you were musing though a thought came to you. "Can I take two?"

House quirks an eyebrow at you, but doesn't say anything.

"Well, one for the job," You put your hand on an understated, but elegant dark blue option, and then turned to another one. It had a long slit up the side, fit well, but was a sleeveless deal with an alarming deep cut back to it. You didn't want it for the job because you were sure a strong sneeze would cause it to drop. "And this one for, uh, inspiration."

The devilish grin on her face was all the okay you needed. "Sure, sure. I'll even make sure the Captain won't have need of his vice for the evening." House went over to a drawer, shuffled around a little and handed you two small packages, they looked like individually wrapped mints.

"What're-?" you read the package print and go red. "Oh."

"Just in case, Brat. You're both adults."

.

.

.

.

"You best be keeping your back turned." You repeat, keeping a close eye on Killer in the small room as you finish putting on the dress.

"I said I wouldn't look, and I won't." He replies.

"Alright, you can turn and look now." You picture what you had twice before now and took steps toward Killer as he turns toward you. A smirk slips across your lips as your thoughts wander ahead of your actions. You tilt your head up as you look at him, catching the glint of his eyes fixed on you from behind the mask. In the low light of the room, you couldn't see them clearly, but you knew you had his attention.

You slip your hand from his chin down to his chest, pushing him softly and causing him to sit down on the bed. Lifting the leg that was on the same side as the slit, you set a knee against his thigh and lean down to whisper into his ear.

"Imagining this, is how I walked like that." You purr. "Let me show you more."

You hear a shuddering gasp escape his lips, and hear a hard swallow, but no other sound comes from Killer. You lick along the bottom of your upper lip, biting your lower lip at the end and pushing him back just enough to lay him out on the bed. Hiking up the dress enough you put your other knee up on his thigh, sliding forward enough to put your knees into the mattress on either side of him, your ankles hooked against his thighs.

Your hips shift and push against the growing bulge in his pants. Killer lets out a low grunt, and you see his hands flexing against the mattress. You lean over him, putting your hands on his biceps and holding yourself up over him. Shifting your hips slowly, you push yourself against him as you lean down and nuzzle into the crook of his neck.

"I want to drown you in pleasure," you say, as much heat in your voice as there was between your thighs. You run your tongue over the line of his neck, sucking tender flesh between your lips as you come down to his collar bone. You can hear him suck in a breath, the muscles in his arms shifting under your hands. You know he could easily overpower you, and you wonder what was helping him resist right now - your whispered desires, or his curiosity.

You run your nails across his skin, kissing in the middle of his collarbone, and then reach down and pull his shirt up. Killer shifts automatically to help, pulling it the rest of the way up and over his head. You run your fingers over his skin, and appreciated the body beneath you. You trace the lines of muscles and leaned back down to leave kisses as you please. You lick, and nip, and suck different parts of him, listening for the softest sounds that might betray what had brought him the most pleasure.

You slide your hips up to his stomach, trying not to let any sounds betray you as the dress and friction sent jolts through your body. You hadn't expected to turn yourself on so much in trying to turn him on. You pulled the skirt of the dress up, just barely keeping yourself from his view as you turned around, so that you were now facing his legs.

"(Y-Y/N), w-wait," Killer's voice was shaking, but not with fear, and you felt his hands grip your hips.

"Need me to stop?" You question seriously.

"Ah, fuck – no, I just wanted to make sure you were... sure." His last word was practically a sigh.

You undo his belt, pushing the denim down to his knees. "Sure I haven't done this before," you admit, leaning down and freeing his cock from his boxers. You could feel his chest rising and falling as his breathing becomes rough. There's a hasty sound of his mask being snapped free as your tongue licks along his tip.

You lead with your tongue and take as much into your mouth as you can, sucking as you came back up slowly. Killer tenses under you, his fingers flexing against your hips, and you hear a deep groan escape him. His hands run down your thighs, and along the rise of your calves. They're a little rough, calloused and dry, but the light nature of his touch was tickling your skin. You moan from the sensation while he's deep in your mouth and hear him swear because of it.

His hands slide back up your legs to your thighs, and his fingers slip under the dress. Rough hands run over the curve of your ass and his fingers flex, stop, shift a bit and move up to your waist, before coming back down to your hips.

"... Are you wearing anything under the dress?" The tone of his question almost makes you smile.

You wiggle your hips back and forth, similar to shaking your head, and hum, "Mm-mm." against his stiff flesh.

Killer is super still for a couple seconds, and then there's a flurry of motion you almost can't keep up with. The skirt of the dress is moved aside so forcefully you hear it rip, and you gasp in surprise as your hips are pulled to his face and you were no longer giving him head. You start to ask what was going on when he hooks his arms around your thighs, his elbows against your waist, his fingers spreading your inner thighs as his mouth sucks your clit in.

The rush of pleasure against your already sensitive body causes your whole body to tense. Your face is just below his naval, but you couldn't will your body to move against the sensation. One of your hands claws at the bed, looking for some sort of purchase. Your other hands tenses against his thigh, and you manage to suck in a breath.

"Kil-hnnngh-ohfuck!" You can't hope to move against the hold he had you in. When you thought you were starting to adjust to the pleasure, much as it was melting your brain, something thick, wet, and hot plunges deep inside you and your toes curled.

You sucked in a breath and squirm so hard that you managed to wriggle yourself away from his mouth. You didn't continue to move away though, and instead just took a moment to catch your breath.

"Going somewhere?" Killer teases, running his thumb over your wet slit.

"Cr-crazy," you gasp. "I think I'm losing my mind."

"Mmm, gonna give me an ego like the captain's." Killer's voice sends shivers across your skin. You were no longer in control, and you had no doubt you were caught.

Killer moves you, and himself, with ease. How he manages to function when you're already falling into a fuzzy haze was something of a skill to your murky mind. He sits up, your legs on either side of his hips, your knees by his thighs, your back to his chest. Your head was leaning against his chest as a hand covers your eyes. You could feel his cock twitching between your thighs.

There was a soft kiss on your cheek. "Can you cover your eyes for me, (Y/N)?"

You nod, putting your hand over your eyes. Killer puts a hand over yours briefly, turning your head to the side and nipping at your ear lobe. Then both of his hands gripped the already torn dress.

"Don't know if this was for the job, but no one else will ever see you in this." Killer's muscles tense under you before he pulls the dress apart with surprising ease. It was a hot power move, and the dress had already served its purpose anyway.

"Shift your hips, little one," He commands. "Rub your clit against my cock and cum for me." His hands were cupping your breasts, his fingers already teasing and pinching your nipples. You reach the hand not covering your eyes to his arm, using it to steady yourself as you shift your hips. You lean forward a little, shifting your grip ton his bicep and gasping as you were finally following his command.

Pleasure built up inside you like the surge of a wave. The movement of your hips was less smooth, and shaky needy moans escaped you. His commands, the growing pleasure, the hazy fog of your mind, everything was making you terribly greedy. You wanted more than this, you want him deep inside you.

"I... have... f-from, haaa, House," you don't get every word out, but Killer catches your meaning.

"Wait a little longer," His voice is almost as shaky as yours, his breath rough and uneven. "I want you to look into my face the first time I fill you up."

The statement was enough to send you over the edge. Your body tenses and you can't shift your hips well, but as you begin to flounder, Killer takes over. The continued movement makes you shiver and squirm within his arms as he helps you ride out the orgasm, and you hear him grunt into the crook of your neck as his own body twitches against yours.

Killer leans back, still holding onto you, and then shifts so he is cradling you. He kisses along your shoulders and across your back as you both try to calm your pounding hearts. You nuzzle into him, still keeping your eyes closed, and just let yourself exist for a moment.

"How're you feeling?" He questions, running a hand through your hair.

"Glad that wasn't the dress for the job," you answer with a chuckle and felt Killer's silent laugh shift his body behind you.

"Mm, so it was for me then." He muses as you drift off in his arms.

[emerald-echeveria-plant]

All hail

Sophie, humming while brushing her hair: hmmm..

Jim, walks up behind her and covers her eyes: guess who..?

Sophie, playfully: oh gee I don't know, Lukas maybe?

Jim: oh please you already know who it is babe. *Uncovers her eyes*

Sophie: I know, I was only teasing *gives him a peck on the cheek*

Jim: I wanted to give you something that I bought.

Sophie: hm, what is it..?

Jim, pulls out a shell small jewels necklace with small jewels: tada!

Sophie: Jim it's lovely! Thank you..

Jim: I was in the market today and was thinking about a certain someone when I saw this beauty. I thought to myself, huh, who do I know is as beautiful as this necklace that I found.. and you know who said it was..?

Sophie, playfully: I can't seem to put my finger on it.. 🤔

Jim: It was you.

Sophie: oh Jim, you're so sweet.. *hugs him*

Jim, hugs her back: I know.

//The two lean in for a kiss until Lukas pops his head in, sharing a hug with the two.//

Lukas: YAY! Group hug!! What are you guys talking about??

Jim, displeased: oh, hey Lu, were just having an intimate moment.. but it's fine, its whatever.

Lukas: whoops! Sorry about that, didn't mean to ruin the moment. *Rubs the back of his neck*

Sophie, giggles: it's okay, maybe next time Jim *kisses his cheek softly*

Jim, blushes softly: thanks babe.

Lukas: anyway, came to tell you all, Silver and Elinor made breakfast.

Sophie: we'll be there in a while, just gotta finish up getting ready.

Lukas, nods: aight, see y'all later! *Leaves the room*

Jim: now that we're alone.. mind if I can get that kiss?

Sophie: okay you can.. *Gives him a peck on the cheek* now get out because I'm going to change.

Jim, shrugs: whatever you say babe! *Leaves the room*

//Jim walks into the dining area where everyone was sitting at the table. He sits next to Ollie. Ollie notices the lovey dovey look on Jim's face.//

Ollie: Something on your mind Jim?

Jim: huh? Oh it's nothing.. just thinking about how I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

Ollie: what did you win the lottery or somethin'?

Emma: more like the lottery of l o v e

Jim, playfully: pfft yeah right.. Just because I'm with the most beautiful, intelligent, kindest girl in the world doesn't mean- wait.. yeah you're definitely right.

Emma, giggles: remember to have me as a bridesmaid at your and Sophie's wedding ;) *goes to sit down next to Jim*

Jim: that won't be for a while..

Elinor, places a bowl of porridge in front of Jim: aw young love, a precious thing to cherish. Reminds me of when me and Silver were younger. Butterflies in our stomachs and completely all over each other.

Silver: you act as if we still don't do that now.

Elinor: oh I know.. were just not young anymore. *Kisses Silver on the cheek*

Silver: like that makes a difference *hugs her from behind*

Fisch, jokingly: you two love birds gonna join us to eat or make out in the middle of breakfast?

Elinor: heh, you're right. Let's sit down Silver.

//Just as they were about to seat themselves, a comet had scrapped by the chip. Creating a large hole on the side of the ship.//

Silver: oh you've got to be kidding me!

Cetus: huh.. maybe I shouldn't have parked here.. sorry Silver.

Silver, sighs: I don't blame ya lad. No one could've predicted this happenin..

Andrew: we should go to Montressor to get that fixed up. It isn't too far from here.

Silver: I just hope we'll be able to make it.

//Sophie had finally finished up changing. She heard the commotion and worried something bad happened. Sophie rushed towards Jim.//

Sophie: what's going on? Is everything ok?? Jim, are you okay???

Jim: Babe, I'm fine! We just had a "little" accident on the ship.

Sophie: Little??! It felt like we crashed into something!

Jim: ummm.. more like something crashed into us.

Sophie, sighs: okay, this is fine.. We're going to be okay right..?

Jim: of course we are! They're just going to stir the ship towards Montressor, they'll get it fixed then bata bing, bata boom! It'll be fixed up and it'll be like the damaged never happened.

Sophie: I sure hope they do.

//A few minutes went by and Cetus managed to stir the ship towards a docking area. After having a conversation with a repairman, a majority of the crew left the ship. Deciding to explore or purchase since they were on Montressor.

Sophie and Jim decided to take a walk. They held hands as the two looked around the many shops and stands.//

Jim: Do you want to get something to eat Sophie? You kinda missed breakfast back there.

Sophie: oh, um, sure!

Jim: what should we get?

Sophie: hmm, how about.. a smoothie! I just want something light and easy to carry around for now.

Jim: Okay! Let's go!

//The two got into a line at a smoothie stand. As they waited, something caught the eye of Sophie. A few feet from the couple was a group of people reading newspapers. They seemed panicked as they chatted about what was in the news. Interested, Sophie walked over to the newspapers.//

Sophie, picks up a newspaper: huh?

//On the front cover showed a cryptic image of a woman with black hair in a red and black dress. They were holding to what appeared to be a staff. Next to them was a green woman with pink hair. The image couldn't make out what she was supposed to be. Maybe like a plant?//

Sophie: says here that the proclaimed dead Queen Hatred and her henchman Veronica have been spotted inside of Amoretia.. huh? Never heard about this lady before.

???: HEY!

//Sophie turned around to see a guard standing a few inches away from her.//

Guard #1: You! You're coming with me!

Sophie: uh.. no..?

Guard #1: you have to. They've been looking for you.

Sophie:

Sophie: who?

Guard #1: The high counsel of Terra. Now come with me! *Grabs Sophie by her shoulder*

Sophie, tries to jerk herself out of his grip: get your hands off me!

//Jim, who was about to purchase the smoothies, quickly turned his head when hearing Sophie yell. He ran over to her and the guard.//

Jim: you heard what she said! Let go of her!

Guard #1: can't. The high counsel told me not to.

Jim: high counsel??

Cetus: what is going on around here?

//The others had arrived when seeing Sophie and Jim in danger.//

Guard #1: don't I recognize you..?

Cetus: No, I don't believe we've met.

Guard: Wait, I do know you! You're that cursed cephalopid that stole from Terra's merchant ships!

Cetus:

Cetus: it was someone else.

Guard: I'm not letting you go this time! You and your entire entourage are coming with me!

Silver, smugly: oh really? You and what ar-

//A bunch of other soldiers pop out of nowhere.//

Silver:

Silver: I didn't even get to finish my sentence and you already knew what I was going to say.

//In the next scene, everyone except for Sophie were in the dungeon of the Terran castle.//

Valentino: why am I here?? I'm not a criminal like the rest of you!

Andrew: I'm pretty sure coercing with theives and pirates still counts as a crime.

Valentino: what?! I don't know that!

Elinor, sighs: hopefully our trials are fair and they actually give us, I don't know, maybe a few months behind bars? Then again chances of that are very low.

Valentino: you mean we'll be sent to the gallows??? But I still have some unfinished designs to do! Oh this is horrible!

Silver: oh shut it for once Val!

//In private meeting room of the castle, the counselmen were standing in front of Sophie.//

Sophie; who are you people? Why'd you put my family and boyfriend in jail???

Counselman #1: they were wanted criminals that deserved to be locked up.

Sophie: let them go! I demand it!

Counselman #1: you are so much better than them, why do you affiliate yourself with such hooligans?

Sophie: because I love them!

Counselman #2: Miss Sophie, do you know about your royal heritage?

Sophie: royal.. heritage..?

Counselman#2: hm, well you're father was the brother of Queen Illysa. Making him a-

Sophie: prince..?

Counselman #1: correct

Sophie: So technically I'm a.. princess..?

Counselman #2: also correct.

Sophie: I- I-.. why..?

Counselman #1: we need your help Miss Sophie.

Sophie: I don't understand.

Counselman #1: Queen Illysa has been turned to stone and we need your help guidance!

Counselman #2: yes certainly! We need your guidance on how to defeat Hatred!

Counselman #3: what?? I thought we agreed that we'd make peace with her??

Sophie: I-

Counselman #2: no, we need her to wage against Hatred! Why would we make peace treaty with that lunatic??

Sophie: um-

Counselman #3: because Hatred is going to kill us all once she gets her army back! Listening to her demands is the way to go!

Sophie: can I-

Counselman #1: enough out of the both of you! We need her guidance!

Counselman #2: yes with war!

Counselman #3: no, peace!

Counselman #2: war!

Counselman #3: peace!

Counselman #2: WAR!

Counselman #3: PEACE!

Counselman #2: WAR!

Counselman #3: PEACE!

Sophie: F*CKING SHUT UP!!!

//All counselman look at her with a shocked looks on their faces.//

Sophie: please... As your queen.. princess.. whatever.. can you let my family go?

Counselman #1: but they're-

Sophie: I KNOW WHAT I SAID!

Counselman #1: of course your majesty.

//Down in the dungeon, everyone seemed to accept the fact that they were going to get hanged. Except for Valentino.//

Valentino: I can't, I can't! This isn't happening!

Silver: Just say you're prayers. You'll feel less scared.

Valentino: there's so many things I haven't done! Like making a gown for a princess or skydiving or um, uh- I CAN'T DIE THIS SOON!

Guard, unlocks the door and opens it: congratulations, you've all been let go by the queen.

Cetus: the queen? Huh.., she most be feeling extra generous today.

Valentino: YES! FREEDOM!

Guard: not so fast horn head, she wants to see you all.

Cetus: nevermind. We're doomed.

Valentino: ಥ_ಥ

//All of them went to a private meeting room. They opened the doors to see Sophie and the other counselmen.//

Jim: Sophie! *Tries to run towards her*

Counselman #2, stops Jim: now what do you think you're doing???

Jim: huh?

Counselman #2: what? You're not going to bow to your queen? Show some respect!

Jim, looks at Sophie; Sophie..?

Sophie, bows her head: it's true.

//Jim looked very shocked. He tried to take in this new information but he had so many questions. Did she now she was a queen? Why couldn't she tell him?? Or why did they need her now??//

Counselman #2: didn't you here me boy? Bow before-

Sophie: that is unnecessary. Now, please leave us.

Counselman #1: what about Hatred? What will we do and prepare for?

Sophie: I'll figure that out later. I want to talk with my family first.

//The counselman #1 nodded as he and the other counselmen left the room. As soon as they left, Jim went up to Sophie.//

Jim: what the heck is going on??

Sophie: I don't know! They want me to handle a situation with a lady named Hatred?? I don't even know who that is! I don't know if I should go to war or peace but either one seems like a bad option!

Jim: babe calm down! You can think about it later...

Sophie, whimpering: then all of a sudden I'm made a queen and I found out my dad was the brother to the queen and I- I- *falls to her knees* all of this info is too much for me right now..

Jim, gets on his knees: It's gonna be okay, I promise. We'll figure this out together!

Emma: Jim's right! We've got your back Sophie!

Victor: absolutely! If you need some advice just tell us!

Elinor: you know this Hatred lady kinda sounds familiar..

Cetus: you know something about her Elli?

Elinor: From what I learned, she was just a myth at the time. A queen that lived five hundred years ago and almost had full control of the etherium. She was hell-bent on getting rid of all love in the etherium which is why she wanted to take over the etherium in the first place-

Jeremiah: wait, wait.. you're telling me this queen wanted to get rid of all love? What kinda lunatic would do that!?

Emma: almost like it's similar to trying to achieve class equality by killing rich people.

Jeremiah: yeah, I know right?

Emma, looks at him confused: oookkaay..

Elinor: but anyway, this Hatred is a big deal. Legend says she never lost a battle or war, created her own henchman, and was able to conquer multiple planets.

Cetus: Well, Hatred has clearly never met us before. We'll take her down! She'll be so easy to defeat because I mean come on, there's a ton of us and one of her. It's not like she has an army.

Elinor: She has an army.

Cetus:

Cetus: as long as we believe in ourselves we'll win!

Silver: yeah, that believing we'll take us right to the graveyard..

Valentino: I think we should let Terra's army handle it and maybe come up with a battle strategy?

Elinor: Probably. Even if we make peace with that looney bin, she'll ask for the keys to the Terran empire. Then she'll try to conquer the rest of the etherium.

Sophie: wait.. we have to fight her.

Everyone: WHAT?!

Sophie: Using an army won't be enough to take her down. If they couldn't do it in the past, then we can't make the same mistake. We have to make a plan to get rid of her by any means!

Jim: Sophie, are you sure about this?

Sophie: positive.

Elinor: Hm, maybe if we try ambushing her we can take her by surprise and get the job done! That's how they "killed" her in the past! But I'm sure we'll manage to get the job done.

Cetus: sounds like a plan! I'm in!

Andrew: me too!

Jeremiah: let's kill this tyrant!

Emma: heck yeah!

Fisch: I'll die trying if it means getting the job done!

Ollie: Hatred won't even know what hit her!

Lukas: She's going down!

Nomura: Destroying Hatred will be a walk in the park.

Lyka: Question, after we kill her can I take her jewels?

Elinor: Yes Lyka.

Lyka: LETS GO!!!!

Jim: I'll do it if Sophie's up for it!

Sophie: Honey I'm always down to kick some ass.

Valentino: um, I'll just stay here...

Silver, sighs: Alright let's go!

Elinor: I can't wait to beat someone up! It's been so long!

Silver: um.. yer not going lass.

Elinor:

Elinor: what?

Silver: I can't risk you getting hurt. We have cubs for goodness sake. You need to stay here and watch over them while we're gone. You understand lass?

Elinor: okay.. I understand.

Silver: I'm only doing this because I love you and our cubs..

Elinor:

Elinor, smiles softly: then go get em' you big softie! *Kisses Silver*

//Silver kisses her back. They others waited around awkwardly waiting for them to finish.//

Cetus, coughs fakely: kinda running on a schedule here guys.

Elinor, pulls back and awkwardly rubs the back of her neck; oh yeah right, sorry.

Silver: be safe darlin'

Elinor: and you be careful.

//And with that, the heros set off on another ship that the Terran empire owned. They sailed off.//

Silver: where exactly are we going Sophie?

Sophie: a planet called Amoretia. Its gonna be a while so we should plan our strategy on how to take down Hatred.

Silver: aye your highness!

//They sailed for the planet Amoretia. With Sophie contemplating if this was a good idea or not. Well it was too late to back out now. Time to go take down this fool...

Yet as they sailed, in an office on another planet, was a mysterious person sitting at their desk.//

???, Reading a newspaper: huh, says here old Queenie finally found a way to come back. At last, I was starting to think she'd never show up.

//Another person walked into the room, standing at the doorway.//

???: You wished to see me sir..?

???: I did. I want you too set sail for our ship. We're going to Amoretia.

???: Um, can I ask why sir?

???: Hatred is back and I taste an opportunity.

???: If you don't mind me asking, of what kind sir?

???: An opportunity to finally get all the riches I desire. As well as boost my position of power. And that hot-headed queen is going to help me get there. Wether she likes it or not.

???: Right. I'll go prepare the ship sir.

//the unknown person walks out of the room. The first unknown person placed the newspaper down on their desk.//

???: This etherium is going to become mine..

//Their snake like tongue sizzled out as their slit eyes lit up the room.//

To be continued...

((Hatred, Elinor, Valentino, and Jeremiah belong to me

Cetus and Andrew belong to @aalbliii

Sophie belongs to @sleeplessdreamer14

Emma belongs to @the-weirdos-mind

Lukas belongs to @wallymcflubberfins

Lyka belongs to @princssealexis165

Fisch belongs to @komatheterrible

Ollie belongs to @sailingthespiral

Nomura belongs to @authorchanlove))

[fakeloveaskblog]

Janus!!!! You and Remus should go to play Lasertag!!! (is that how it's spelled? is that what it's called?) I'm sure Remus would love that!

(Words: 2206)

Janus: "Hmmm while I am not a big fan of the idea of lasertag it does sound like something he would like.......I shall give it a try"

Remus was banging on the vending machine right outside Picani's office to try and get some candy out. Janus was telling the vending machine it was a stupid piece of shit in support. They had just gotten out of their fake therapy session.

“HAHA!” Remus let out a triumphant laugh as he got the candy. He immediately lunged his goblin mouth down into the bag. Only stopping to ask if his friend wanted any. He said no.

“So...” Janus began. He fiddled with his gloves out of nervousness “I kind of had a falling out with a...friend a few days ago and I could- I mean- Maybe hanging out would I uhm help me to think of something else. IF You want to?! I am totally forcing you to hang out. No saying no allowed totally. Maybe lasertag would be fun?”

His friend had sugar all around his lips as he grinned “Of course J-anus! Anything for my snakey! Hey you can pretend the other people are your friend and fuck them up!!”

Janus didn’t get a chance to respond, his crush had already started to walk towards the entrance. He had a skip in his step and he was flapping his hands around.

“Oh I know a lasertag place not far away! I think I still have one of the highscores there!”

They took the bus to the place. They sat so they were facing each other instead of beside each other. Janus didn’t want to intrude too much on his personal space.

The lasertag place was half filled with teenagers and friend groups. Energy drinks and chips could be bought. On the wall a display of the records of the day, month and all time stood. On the tenth place on the all time records stood BUTTMASTER420.

“Aww I was on the 7th place the last time I was here” Remus pouted.

“It just means you have to get a new record today” Janus replied with a smile.

“That’s the spirit snakey!”

Remus once again paid for everything without giving his friend a chance to pay for himself. Janus felt a little embarrassed putting on the laser tag gear but seeing the stupidly big grin on his crush’s face easily made up for any negative feelings.

The game room was dark with only a few neon lights here and there. The fake walls and obstacles made so the players could duck from lasers were also clad in black. Hell even the fake pirate ship sitting in the corner for some reason was all in black!

The dudes were on the same team, the blue one. Along with some strangers. Even more strangers made up the red team. They had 30 seconds to find a starting position in the room before the 15 minute game started.

The moment they were let in Remus took Janus’ hand. He intertwined their fingers while holding his lasergun steadily in his other hand. He ran into the room, pulling his friend along, towards the pirate ship. To Jan’s surprise he ran past it and instead made them both hunch down behind a box.

“We can wait until some bitches have taken over the ship and then destroy them!! That way it’ll be even more exhilarating!” Remus whispered to him.

“Ah yes. The old stealing ship strategy. Done that many times” He replied sarcastically.

The signal went off showing the match had started. Remus let out a delighted squeal and shot up from the cover to shoot at people. His friend stayed hidden. 

He saw a stranger running and stopped when they saw them. They aimed towards Remus who was currently laughing like a maniac. Janus aimed back at the stranger and somehow shot right on their chest. Before getting up and pulling his crush along to the nearest other cover, which happened to be a fake pillar.

Janus had a small smile on his face as adrenalin rushed through his veins “This is actually kind of...fun”

“Right??? I knew you’d like it!!”

Remus hit his ear a few times and kept blinking rapildy. There was so much sensory stuff going on it was making his skin feel like static. He usually had his headphones with him, but being with his friend was easily making up for the discomfort.

“Seems like a good time for mutiny” Janus suggested while glancing over to the pirate ship.

“Perfect time!”

They ran between covers. Remus was shooting at every single person he saw. Even blue ones. Janus’s gear beeped a few times showing he’d been shot. By the time he’d gotten to the pirate ship his crush was already crawling up the side of it like a rabid spider.

Janus let out a few panting breathes before walking up onto the ship. “Face your doom fuckers!” Remus was yelling while sprinting up to the people on the top of the ship.

A truly epic battle of shouting joking insults and shooting lasers began. No one was paying attention to Janus so he sneaked around them and sat down right at the highest point of the ship. He could see the whole room. Ah yes! This was true power!!! He proceeded to snipe at any little bitch he saw while his crush playfully barked at the other people until they gave up and left the ship.

Remus sat down and leaned his back against Janus’ so he had full sight of the other side of the room. He let out a cackle every time he hit someone. His laugh was like a chainsaw but Jan still adored it.

“This is almost as exciting as getting to plot revenge against people I will never actually hurt” Jan said.

“Indeed. There’s barely any difference between lasers and poison anyway!”

A few minutes went by, just enough so Janus could properly catch his goddamn breathe. before Remus suddenly jumped up on his feet and pulled in Janus’ shirt to get him to move as well.

“C’mon snakey just sitting safely isn’t exciting enough! We gotta jump back into the battlefield! Dive into the ocean of laser and lava!!”

Janus let out a sigh before holding out his hand so his crush could take it and pull him along to wherever he wanted. Which Remus promptly did. They jumped down from the ship and zigzagged across the room while lasers went here and there.

He slid to a stop against a wall. A loud beeping was going off to show it was only 2 minutes left. Remus let go of his friend to cover his ears. He still held up his smile.

“You feeling okay?” Jan asked.

“Mhm” He nodded and moved his hands away from his ears to instead aim at a few people from the red team “We gotta get in a few more points before it ends right”

“Right on it comrade”

They aimed at as many people as possible. Remus seemed a bit out of it but still chuckled when he got in a good hit.

A stranger ran past them. They stumbled against Remus for just a moment. Their hand landed on his lower back but they quickly continued past them to hide behind a cover. 

The sudden push made Remus stumble forward. He froze. The gun hang in the wire connected to his gear. His eyes were wide as he stared down into the floor.

Janus stopped and looked back when he didn’t hear his crush’s laughter anymore. He let go of the gun when he saw the way Remus was holding his hand over his mouth and the way his chest was barely moving.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I...I can’t breathe” Remus let out between gasping breathes for air.

“Is the binder too tight? Ehm is it a sensory overload? What should I-” He rambled out in a panic.

“I can’t....I can’t breathe” Was all he could get out.

“Right. Right...Remus I am going to grab onto your shirt and lead you out of here okay? I won’t do anything more than that”

He waited for his friend to nod before lightly taking ahold of the arm of his shirt and walking through the room to the exit. He didn’t give any of the players running around as much as a chance of accientally touching Remus.

They left the lasertag building and sat down on the sidewalk behind it. Janus let go of his friend and gave him a bit of space. Remus buried his head in his hands while gasping for air.

“Do you need help with-” Janus began.

“I can...I can handle it” Remus interrupted.

His shoulders was shaking and his nails were digging down into his skin. Tears formed in his eyes and he immediately tried to force them away.

“This is so stupid” He mumbled “It was- They barely even touched me- it was an accident- It’s so stupid- so stupid”

“Don’t say that. Sensory overload isn’t anything stupid. It’s not something you can just force away with willpower. All the lights and sound was a bit much for me as well to be honest. So it’s not stupid for you to be overwhelemed either” Janus said in a soothing tone.

The tears kept buldiing up “No. No. It’s so stupid- It happened over a year ago- I should be past it- It’s so stupid”

A cold feeling spread through Janus as he realized it might not only have been a sensory overload but maybe something more close to a flashback. He scooted slightly closer while fiddling with his gloves. He was unsure of how to comfort him.

“I...When....” Janus took a deep breathe “It’s been almost a year since I moved out from my parent’s house...But when I had a window open a few nights ago and the wind suddenly made it slam shut...I...It reminded me so much of doors being slammed shut and....and....So all I could do for the next hours was hide under my blanket with my snake plushie. I knew I was alone in my own apartement...But my body still reacted like I was a teenager”

He stopped to regain his compuser.

“So Remus I promise that whatever you’re reacting to it’s not stupid. Nor is the way you are reacting. I know what’s it like”

Remus looked over at him, his eyes red from crying. “Can I hug you?” He asked with a hoarse voice.

Janus didn’t respond. He simply opened his arms and let Remus cuddle up against his chest. Jan moved his hand up and down his back and and pressed his face into his crush’s fluffy mess of a hair.

They sat in silence for a bit. Every now and then Remus sniffled but he didn’t try to move away. Sometimes Janus mumbled something meaningless but comforting.

Eventually Remus moved back. The tears had dried on his cheeks and his breathing was steady. He stood up and rubbed his palms against his eyes before standing up. Janus did as well.

“You should probably drink some water when you come home. So you don’t get a headache from the crying” He suggested.

“Thanks snakey” Remus let up into a small smile. He suddenly took out his phone and typed something “I ehm...I’m sending my adress to you. I know you’ve already walked me there. but in case you’d forgotten. And in which apartment number I live. I don’t have any job and i don’t sleep much so you can come at like anytime! Just to hang out. If you want!”

“Oh no I would absolutely despise having to spend time with a person I’ve already choosen to spend several very fun hours with”

Remus’ smile moved into a grin “Great! And uh next time we hang out after therapy we can do something you want. I know these past times we’ve done stuff I’m mostly interested so you can choose!”

Butterflies flied around in Janus’ chest “I would love to!”

“Maybe we can invite Remy as well!”

Both of them sighed at the same time “They’re so pretty”

They glanced at each other with blushing cheeks before letting up into laughter and giggling. By the end of it all the bad feelings left by the breakdown we’re gone.

Remus reached out and held Janus’ hand for a moment “Well I shall see you next time! Don’t die!”

He let go and started to walk away, a skip still in his step. “I’ll do my best!” Janus replied.

He stood still with a big goofy grin on his lips and with blush reaching up to his ears. He looked over to you with an excited look on his eyes.

Janus: “Did you see that!? He really does seem to like being with me! Oh I wonder where I’ll take Remy and Remus to hang out. Maybe a museum? Oh and his adress! Exscuse me I am not usually this excited but ahhh I can just go over and hang out?? Whenever I want to??? Should I? I want to! Should I go over to him this weekend? Is that normal? Is that okay?”

[thevoilinauttheory]

Fire

[ FFxivWrite2021 Prompt 2: Aberrant ]

The Five Part “In the Dreams of Ashley” series is done! Go read the others here! {Prelude} {In the Dreams of Ashley: The Wind} {In the Dreams of Ashley: The Fire} {In the Dreams of Ashley: The Water} {In the Dreams of Ashley: The Earth}

[ HEAVY CONTENT WARNINGS - THIS PIECE IS TO EXPLORE ONE OF MY DEEPEST FEARS CONTAINING: mentions of death/blood, regrets surrounding said death, nightmares, detailed suffocation, detailed description of burning to death, suicidal ideation ]

[ also decided to do a music theme this month and all of these will have musical accompaniment lol ]

To dream that you or someone is being burned alive suggests that you are being consumed by your own ambition. To dream that you are being burned by fire indicates that your temper is getting out of control. Some issue or situation is burning up inside you. If you are setting a fire to something or even to yourself, then it indicates that you are undergoing some great distress. You are at the brink of desperation and want to destroy something or some aspect of yourself.

==

“So how did you even get here?” Ashley shoved a dumpling into his mouth, having yanked it from the pot as soon as he realized it was ready. Ruta had set up a fire, a large heavy pot on top of it, filled to the brim with broth and vegetables. He didn’t question where she got it, or even how she carried it - though common sense dictated that she borrowed the pot from the fishermen in Isari, as well as bought the food; they *were* set up right outside it, of course.

“Hm?” Ruta had her mouthful already, slurping up what noodles were left in her mouth. It took her a good minute to finish chewing so she could talk; and in that time, Ashley had already taken to swishing thin slices of fish around until they were cooked enough to eat.

“Y’know, get here. Back in the cells, you said you were from Kugane… but, uh… no offense, but.” “Because I’m Xaelic?” “...Yeah, sorry. That’s rude of me to point out.” Ruta only laughed. “Yeah… I left that part of me in the Steppes. I was capable, but… I thought, as a kid, if they’re gonna leave me tied up to a tree, I might as well go my own way. What’s to say that it’s not going to happen again?” “Tied to a tree? Oof, that’s rough.” “Made it all the way to Kugane and ran into some nice folks who thought ‘who in the hells let this child run around on her own!’.” She laughed. “They adopted me. Real nice people.” “They still with you?” ”Hope so, it’s been a few years.”

He stared at the flames, leaning back on his hands after he filled himself up on food - thinking about her words, how everyone he knew would have moved on with their lives without him. “Where’re Colette ‘n’Hunter? They’ve been gone a while.” “I think they went ahead to scout for a boat. We gotta leave in the dead of night, if we want a chance at getting past those pirates. You know how to swim?” “Uuhh… I’m gonna say “I’ll figure it out”.” He laughed. “Grew up in a desert, don’t really have time to learn to swim.” “You might have to! If we have to jump off the boat and swim our way there. I’m sure Hunter wouldn’t mind dragging you with him - guy loves to swim.” “Does he?” “I mean… he’s told me as much, at least.” “Hm.” That grin on her face only told him how much she was judging him. “What! Leave me alone! Stop staring like that, gods, it’s weird.”

==

“Don’t y’think you’ve been “retired” long enough?” Ashley leaned back in his chair and kicked his legs up on the table in front of him; he stuck the tiniest crumb of paper under his tongue, then closed his eyes. “Nope.” “Kid, you have to *move on*. Shite like this? This happens all the time - you’ve been sheltered way too long--” “Who died and made you th’boss of my life, huh? If I’ve been sheltered, then y’leave me to be the little bitch I am until I’m *ready* to “move on”. You haven’t experienced what I have. I haven’t experienced what you have.” “How’re you going to make any money to live with an attitude like that.” “Off my savings? My life ain’t your business - you can either sit here and enjoy a drink with me, or you can piss off. I don’t care either way, I ain’t working yet.”

==

He didn’t really need the road down memory lane - but it helped ease the pain, just for a little bit. His boots crunched over the shells and rocks that made up the shores of the Ruby Sea, staring at the water as he strolled. He had always questioned why they had referred to it as “ruby”, there was nothing as brilliant or red about it… back then, of course. He had taken its beauty for granted. The crimson kelp that made up the depths against the sparkling reflections from the sun, everything was so… peaceful. To a degree. He couldn’t account for the Garlean control over the area, and had to be on his toes because of it, but it was nice.

He wished his friends were around to witness it - it was dark when they were able to see it, if one could even call it “seeing”, as much as it was a black pit of unknown they were diving into.

He made a stop in Crick - he wasn’t necessarily welcome, but he wasn’t unwelcome either. They regarded him with impassiveness there, letting him relax as he wished or needed to - which happened to be in front of a fire with a pot attached to it, boiling water. How much longer could he stand to be here? The memories were starting to hurt now, they ached, and suddenly he felt ill to his stomach. That was when he decided it was best to leave, standing up to turn back the way he came - watching the ocean once more with the unevenness of the shore beneath his feet yet again.

There was a fisher’s boat floating in the middle, a small Auri woman casting out a line with a basket of fish next to her. Living a carefree, or… mostly carefree life. Living life as she could, and it seemed she was doing well enough. She turned her head and made accidental eye-contact with him-- those eyes, that face.

“Ruta?” He questioned softly, then smiled brightly and waved. “Ruta! You’re safe! Gods be!” As he watched the woman wave back, his vision blackened - flashes of the body of his fallen friend bleeding out on top of her girlfriend’s, looking behind him as he ran.

The next he knew were flames - and only flames. His whole body was searing, the heat too much for his skin. He tried to pull his foot from the ground, to try and run for the ocean, but he could not move. He stayed in place and it only seemed like the relief of water got further and further away the more he longed for it. It started with his legs, that’s where his eyes turned to next. One foot stood solid in the slowly creeping fount of lava, threatening to take the next one over. What happened? How did he get here? There was no way he would have done this of his own volition, was there? But no, he did - he stepped right into it, a wonder, no, a *knowing* of what the consequence would bring. A solace in knowing that this would be the price he paid for his inadequacies.

Even as he tried to change his mind - tried to scream for help that could not hear him, the fire climbed only higher. All he could do was cry out in pain as he watched his clothes set ablaze, and his skin begin to blacken and peel. The pain of it all, the searing pain of his skin melting from his bones wasn’t even the worst of it; it was the agony of seeing it happen slowly - the scent of the hairs and flesh charring; the popping, bubbling, cracking noises that followed until he was swallowed whole by it. Each scream, each breath, he was forced to swallow the flames until they choked him - then each cough cooked his lungs; his vision was nothing but reds and oranges until it had gone black, and what was left of him could only fall to try and drag itself to an escape out of pure need for survival. Only to be overtaken by the slow and searing pain of pure fire covering the entirety of his body - the last he heard was not the crackling of his bones like tinder, but the paddles of a boat hitting the still water as it passed right by him.

==

His awakening was a slow one this time, feeling the tears that had dried against his cheek. He woke up next to the flames of the dying fire, left alone by the people of the town around him. He was disoriented, confused. When it finally settled that it was a nightmare, he let out a heavy and relieved sigh.

Not quite the same as the last, but no less painful and terrifying.

[thepaperpanda]

Halloween one shots - Uncharted edition

Summary: two very short stories written for upcoming Halloween.

Warnings: None

Words: 1635

Authors: Cass & Rouge

You remembered how you said you wanted to just spend halloween at home with your boyfriend. Without others lurking around through a mansion you're living in. 

When Rafe was gone, you had the place entirely for yourself, which meant you could do whatever you wanted, as long as it didn't include devastating the property. 

Despite the fact in the house you couldn't find any proper materials, you decided that Rafe will be welcomed with cheerful and resourceful Halloween decorations, no matter how much effort it will cost.

Setting everything around the mansion took you almost a week, with a little help from servants. Soon, a spooky skeleton dressed in a suit with a hat on stood in Rafe's office, right next to his wooden desk. You also used twigs, moss and fake spiderwebs to decorate it, as well as the staircase.

Carved pumpkins also stood on the floors along the corridors, having little candles ignited in them.

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

Rafe saw plenty of Halloween decorations in storefronts on his way home.

He didn't pay much attention to them.

 Halloween was childish to him. All the silly, scary costumes, decorations and trick-or-treating. Stupid reason for kids to bother him every year. Stupid brats thought that if their parents bought them 300$ costumes that they are something special.

 Rafe was more than happy to return home. He missed you and his bed, not to mention a mix of both. He was a horny bastard after those two weeks without you.

 Adler returned home late. Really fucking late but he still had some minor stuff to take care of. After taking his coat off and leaving it in a hallway, Rafe went to his office.

 It was fucking dark. All he could see was a person-like shape standing right next to the window.

Raising an eyebrow, he switched on the light and looked at the fake skeleton.

"I hope it’s Drake's and not some cheap shit she had gotten on sellout,” he muttered unamused with the decoration.

 You were aware of his return, so you went downstairs to greet him. Frowning you found out that his coat was hung on a hanger, yet there was no Rafe in the sight. You tapped your nose, thinking. 

You decided to check within one room he was using frequently - his office.

 Rafe looked up as soon as he heard the door open. "I assume you are the one that put that crap into my office,” he muttered resting his chin on his hand.

 You nodded eagerly at first. “Yes! He does look cute, doesn’t he?!,” you clapped your hands and walked to the skeleton to improve its hat. “Oh, and by the way, hi,” you turned to Rafe and leand forward to place a brief kiss on his cheek. “I missed you and decided to decorate the mansion while you’re gone,” you claimed proudly.

 "First of all, why? And who the hell let you use my clothes?," Rafe asked with a frown.

 You shrugged a little while bending your butt against his desk. “I just thought you’ll be gone for a little longer, so I decided to make something like a substitute of your presence here, maybe just in a more funny way though,” you informed him while playing with the edge of your dress. “Just don’t get me wrong, I don’t think you’re fossilized nor something like that, no. I just thought I could merge this with upcoming Halloween. And I let myself use your clothes. Don’t be mad with me.” 

 "I am mad. You live here for three years now. Have you ever seen me celebrating this bullshit!?," He growled looking at you. "You better remove my expensive clothes off that shit and take it out from my office."

 “But, honey!,” you gasped, “Why? I spent hours preparing all this. I put my heart into preparing decorations, baking your favourite pumpkin muffins,” you counted. “Why are you expecting me to leave my little customs behind?”

 "I don't like pumpkin muffins," he said, crossing arms over his chest.  "Just as much as I hate this shitty holiday or whatever it's called. Get this outta my office or it will fly through the window."

 You lowered your head and let out a sigh. “Okay, as you wish, dear,” informing him, you walked to the skeleton you’d already named Valentino and picked him up with a loud gasp. 

 Rafe sighed deeply seeing your sadness. "Okay, he can stay. Just really, take this expensive suit off. Take my old trousers and t-shirt."

He couldn't bear the sight of your sadness, so maybe keeping that particular decoration and every other you prepared was a good idea. For your well-being at least.

 You stopped and turned your head slightly to look at your boyfriend. “You mean it? Like, really really?,” You asked, blinking.

 Rafe nodded. "As long as your bony friend isn't taking my expensive clothes, this let’s say installation can stay."

 You put Valentino back on his place and walked to Rafe, quickly taking place on his comfortable lap, wrapping arms around his neck. “You’re kind when you want to be,” you reminded him, nudging his shoulder a little. Your hands then cupped his face and held it in place when you leaned forward to kiss him passionately. “I’m glad you’re back and that I’ll have you by my side on the spooky, upcoming night! I hope you’ll be my protector.”

 Rafe hummed deeply. "I can protect you all night in our bed. Just you and me between your legs," he said and wrapped his arms around you before getting up with you.

 “Rafael Adler, you were cute but you had to destroy it with your ambiguity of course!,” You chuckled softly and kissed his temple. “I’ll think whether you deserve the prize or not.”

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

Sam frowned looking at the rubber mask of the werewolf. It wasn't something he was looking for but he got a good idea how to use it this one time.

 He hummed and looked through the shop alleys until he found you in the candy section. After all you both came here to stock up on candies for kids and for both of you.

You wearing a red dress only gave him more ideas.

Putting on the werewolf mask Sam sneaked behind you. He was good at this so why not to use that skill.

 Sam grabbed your hips pulling you tightly against his chest.

"Would you look at that! Big Bad Wolf got his little Red Riding Hood!"

 You let out a loud squeak, which caused few people to look in your direction. You instantly put your hand over your mouth and gasped. “Sorry! I didn’t expect this! Don’t scare me!”

You turned your head slightly and looked at Sam’s mask, which made you scream once more. “Drake, you old bastard!”

 "I am the Big Bad Wolf! And I will eat you!," He growled and picked you up. "Unless the wolf will get a kiss."

 You hummed and shook your head. “No, you won’t get a kiss. I don’t know whether you had your rabies vaccination,” you chuckled at your own words.

 "Oh don't be such a Snow Queen. I had my rabies vaccination, because there is a prince under that fur. So?," Sam hummed, smiling under the mask.

 You leaned forward to reach nis exposed neck where you placed a kiss. “Then I can agree. I want to have the prince only for myself. I demand it. But now, put me down, people are staring!”

 "And that's how the Little Red Riding Hood removed the curse from the prince," Sam said and removed the mask. "I don't know if I will put you down. Why should I?"

 “I’m a little girl that doesn’t like to be lifted up, not counting some particular situations of course,” you smiled. “Put me down, my prince. I need to buy some candies for our subjects for the upcoming fest.”

 Sam thought for a moment and nodded. "Okay. I will but you will do something for me and only then I will put you down."

 You wrapped arms around his neck to support yourself from falling. “What is this?”

 "We will buy those matching pirate couple costumes" Sam asked happily. He knew you hated that idea from the start but maybe this was the right moment to get them.

 You rolled your eyes but nodded in the end. “We will, pinky promise.”

 "Yes!" Sam said loudly, getting other people's attention again.  He kissed you quickly and put you down. "C'mon! They are in a different alley," Sam almost sang, pulling you behind.

 You followed him, gathering packs of candies you had prepared before. When you two got to the point, you checked the costumes out and hummed, thinking. “I need to admit that they look cool. Pity that lady costume covers less than it shows.”

 "Every captain needs his sexy lady," Sam said, wiggling his eyebrows at you. "Besides, we can always use them for some roleplay in the bedroom after halloween."

 As the blush crept onto your lips, you smirked wryly at him. “So, are you a captain, a bad wolf or a prince? Make up your mind, handsome.”

 "I am everything to you. Just as you are to me," Sam explained with a shrug.

 You reached out and stroked his bearded cheek. “I love you. But we gotta get to the checkout now as I’m having a lot of work at home yet, gotta make pumpkin pie, gotta prepare decorations and carve the pumpkins.”

Sam nodded. "Okay. I can't wait to get a slice of that pie." When he started walking toward the checkout, you slightly spanked his butt in fitted jeans. “If you’ll help me then I’ll consider getting you some,” you informed Sam. “Move up, move up, Mister Pirate.”

[searchingwardrobes]

The Christmas Wish: 1/4

Merry Christmas, @snowbellewells​ ! You have become such a sweet friend to me, so I wanted to gift you with something this holiday season. Since we were talking about Hallmark Christmas movies the other day, I thought the perfect gift would be writing you a Captain Swan version of one! I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful Christmas with your family.

Many thanks to @kmomof4​ for being my beta when I know this week is busy with your family. Thank you so much, my dear friend!

This has four parts and one chapter will be posted each day this week, with the last one posting on Christmas Eve. It is loosely based on a Hallmark movie starring Jessie Schram, funny enough, called The Birthday Wish. This fic is set in 3b, but sticking to canon didn’t work at all with what I wanted to do, so it ended up being canon divergent. I think the only canon part that remains is Zelena. There’s no Rumple, no Neal, no cursed lips, no time travel. Yeah, I know, not much canon left, haha. Let’s just say this is more character driven . . . .

Summary: Emma leaned forward, closed her eyes, and a wish bubbled up unbidden from the depths of her heart. "I wish I could just have a simple, domestic life. Is that even in the cards for me?" Breath left her on an exhale just as the wish floated through her mind, and the candle blew out. The "answer" to her wish had to be some kind of trick, however. After all, it wasn’t as if anything in the vision she received could ever in a million years be real. It was ridiculous. Captain Hook, the father of three driving a minivan? Impossible.

Rated G for Hallmark movie levels of fluff and Christmas feels

Also on Ao3

Tagging the usuals: @teamhook​ @xhookswenchx​ @bethacaciakay​ @whimsicallyenchantedrose​ @welllpthisishappening​ @optomisticgirl​ @hookedonapirate​ @ilovemesomekillianjones​ @itsfabianadocarmo​ @spartanguard​ @let-it-raines​ @tiganasummertree​ @vvbooklady1256​ @scientificapricot​ @superchocovian​ @sherlockianwhovian​ @ohmakemeahercules​ @hollyethecurious​ @ultraluckycatnd​ @jrob64​ @wellhellotragic​ @winterbythesea​ @winterbaby89​ @lfh1226-linda​ @carpedzem​ @thesschesthair​ @resident-of-storybrooke​ @cutieodonoghue​ @justbecauseyoubelievesomething​ @juliakaze​  @thisonesatellite​ @therealstartraveller776​ @thislassishooked​ @profdanglaisstuff​ @killian-whump​

Chapter One: The Vision

“Mom, come on! It’s already started!”

Emma hadn’t seen her son this excited since they left New York. Henry was standing in the open door of their room at Granny’s, shifting with nervous excitement from one foot to the other. Emma was on her hands and knees with her head halfway under the bed. Where the hell had her other boot gotten to? It couldn’t have just disappeared. Then again, this was Storybrooke . . .

“Everything alright, lass?”

The sound of Hook’s voice made Emma jerk backwards and smack her head against the bed frame. She scowled at the pirate who was now standing at Henry’s side as she sat up on her knees rubbing the lump that was rising on her head.

“Where’d you come from?” she muttered as she rose to her feet. A dust bunny tumbled from her messy hair, tickling her nose and making her sneeze.

“Sorry,” Hook apologized with a slight smirk that made her think he wasn’t all that sorry.

“I can’t find my damn boot,” Emma snapped at him, almost as if it were his fault.

“Want me to help you look, love?”

“Mo-om,” Henry whined.

“Actually,” Emma replied, pushing her hair out of her face with one hand so she could look at the pair in her doorway - one on the cusp of adolescence and the other looking far more handsome than he had a right to in those ridiculous pirate clothes. Anyone else would look like they were headed to a tacky Halloween party. “Could you take Henry down to the Christmas carnival?”

“I thought we were going together!” Henry exclaimed.

Mom guilt slammed into her at his crestfallen expression. Between figuring out this new curse and trying to stay one step ahead of this wicked witch (Wicked Witch of the West? Seriously?), Emma knew she had neglected time with Henry. It was so different from what he had been used to in the life they had built in New York, and she hated letting him down. Not to mention that at twelve, Henry wouldn’t be wanting to hang out with her for too much longer, and she was missing it.

“I’ll be right down. It’s gotta be around here somewhere.” She really needed to buy an extra pair of boots, but frugal habits born of so many years on the streets didn’t go away easily.

“I’ll guard him with my life if necessary,” Hook swore to her solemnly.

Henry rolled his eyes. “First off, I’m twelve, not two. Second, it’s a Christmas carnival. What’s going to happen? I get hit in the head with a candy cane?”

Hook just arched a brow at her, and she shook her head ruefully. Little did Henry know. Sometimes his lack of memories stabbed her with even more feelings of guilt. She waved him off.

“I know, I know. Just get down there and teach Killian how to overdose on Christmas sugar.”

“Will do,” he told her joyfully as he shot off towards the stairs, Killian hurrying after him.

Emma collapsed onto the bed for a minute once they were gone. She’d told her mom

that having a Christmas carnival on Main Street was a bad idea with the Wicked Witch still out there. On the other hand, she had yanked Henry out of school, dragged him away from his friends and the life he had known, and brought him to this bizarro town. Now he was having to celebrate Christmas here, too. They didn’t have a tree or the Christmas decorations they had bought together last year. They hadn’t made cookies and hot chocolate for their annual viewing of Home Alone. Of course, technically, it was only annual in memories that weren’t real, but that was beside the point. The point was she was now ruining her son’s Christmas too. Ever since he heard about the Christmas Carnival, he’d set aside his Nintendo DS and his cell phone for the longest span of time since they’d arrived here.

Emma got up and resumed her search for that elusive right boot. She finally found it wedged beside the TV, hidden by the window curtains. She yanked both boots on, then turned to glance at her reflection in the mirror. She frowned at her tangled hair and grabbed a brush. Once her golden hair was glistening and smooth, she grabbed her lipstick and reapplied it. It wasn’t until she was touching up her mascara that she scowled at herself in the mirror.

Who exactly are you primping for, Emma?

She refused to answer her own subconscious as she tossed the mascara angrily onto the vanity. It bounced and slid into the sink, but she just left it there and marched out the door.

The Christmas Carnival was literally on her doorstep, filling the street in both directions from Granny’s patio. A choir of children from the elementary school stood on a stage near the post office belting out Christmas carols, led by someone who looked a lot like Mary Poppins (she probably was Mary Poppins, Emma thought with a chuckle). Leroy and some of the other dwarves had gathered around a booth where you were supposed to toss as many bean bags as you could into the mouth of a giant wooden snowman. Merry Men cheered and laughed as they took turns trying to pop balloons in a dart game. There were plenty of other typical carnival games: ring tosses, coin drops, wheel spinners, and one of those “go fish” games where kids tossed a clothes pin at the end of a string over a blanket and one of the nuns from the convent attached a bag of Christmas candy. There were also merchants with booths selling all sorts of handmade Christmas gifts, and food booths offering everything from hot chocolate to corn dogs to cotton candy.

She found Killian and Henry fairly quickly. They had found David at the strong man game. She chuckled to see her father spitting on his hands and rubbing them together before lifting a mallet and slamming it down. A bell went flying up, ringing loudly and impressively as it almost reached the top of the strong man game. With a smirk, her father offered the mallet to Killian. Emma rolled her eyes but couldn’t look away as Killian took off his coat. He really needed to go without that long coat more often, she liked the figure he cut in those tight leather pants -

“Are you kidding me?”

Emma jumped at the sound of her mother’s voice. She turned to see Mary Margaret shaking her head as she watched the men.

“That is just unfair,” she continued. “I know your father is wary of Hook’s feelings towards you, but to challenge him to that game . . . “

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you know . . . “

Emma crossed her arms over her chest and leveled her mother with a scathing look. “Know what?”

“He, um . . . well, that is, he only . . . “

“Only has one hand?”

“Well yeah.”

Emma arched a brow and gave her mother a smug grin. “I think Killian can handle himself.”

Right on cue, Hook swung the mallet with his good arm, and the bell flew up. It didn’t make it as far as her father’s swing, but it was still damn good. Emma smiled as she watched her father slap Killian on the back.

“Killian is it?” her mother asked pointedly.

Emma turned to take in her mother’s curious stare. She tightened her arms further around herself. “Uh, yeah, that’s his name. It’s the name we use around Henry, so you know . . . “

“Okay,” her mother teased, a smirk of her own teasing her lips. She changed the subject, however, by lifting a plate holding a cupcake into Emma’s line of sight. “Happy Birthday!”

Emma cocked her head. “Birthday?”

Her mother sighed. “I know it was almost two months ago. Yet one more moment I missed. I wanted to make it up to you.”

“It’s okay, really.” Emma took the plate and looked at the cupcake. It was chocolate with white icing and blue sprinkles. “It’s not really Christmas-y. Where did you get it?”

“A cupcakery opened along with the new curse. Felicity’s.”

“Is that her real name?”

“It is.”

Emma snorted loudly. “Cute.”

Mary Margaret grinned. “I know.” She threaded her arm through Emma’s and steered her towards a group of picnic tables set up beneath some fairy lights. Emma let her mother pull her to the table and sat down with the cupcake between them. Mary Margaret pulled something out of her pocket with a proud smile. “Felicity even gave me a candle and some matches!”

“Really?” Emma asked with raised brows as her mother stuck the candle into the cupcake. It was sparkling blue with a star on top.

“Mhm,” her mother said, “I told her it was for you and how I missed your birthday, and she wanted it to be special. The cupcake is special too, she said. It’s her Sugar Plum Fairy cupcake, and she was almost sold out. This was the last one.”

Emma spun the cake around, eyeing it. She had obviously been in town way too long if she was suspicious of an innocuous cupcake. The woman owned a cupcakery, for heaven’s sake! She had to sell the damn things. And what better way to drum up business than to pay extra special attention to Snow White? Emma let out a breath as she told herself to just relax and enjoy the cupcake. The bright pink and glittery decorations may not be her style, but it was chocolate, and you couldn’t go wrong with chocolate in Emma’s opinion.

Her mother lit the candle, her eyes sparkling as she sang “Happy Birthday.” Emma squirmed, never comfortable with such attention, praying no one else heard the song.

“Make a wish!” her mother exclaimed.

Emma bit her bottom lip as she suddenly remembered the last time she had made a wish on a cupcake. She had wished that she didn’t have to be alone on her birthday, and seconds later, Henry had knocked on her door.

So Emma leaned forward, closed her eyes, and a wish bubbled up unbidden from the depths of her heart. I wish I could just have a simple, domestic life. Is that even in the cards for me? Breath left her on an exhale just as the wish floated through her mind, and the candle blew out.

“Hey, where’d you get the cupcake?”

Emma opened her eyes to see Henry standing beside her. Behind him were her dad and Hook. Even as her son eyed her cupcake jealously, he shoved a forkful of funnel cake into his mouth. She chuckled.

“I didn’t buy it at the carnival,” Mary Margaret explained. “I bought it at a bakery specially for your mom.”

“Why?”

Her mother, who had the world’s worst poker face, went slack jawed and stammered as she looked at her daughter. Emma calmly removed the candle, licked the icing off, then started to peel away the wrapper before she answered her son.

“Because I helped her set up her baby registry the other day, and after two hours of agonizing over strollers, high chairs, and onesies, she owed me.”

It was only half a lie. Emma had helped her mom register at Storybrooke’s only baby store. Named, naturally, The Stork’s Nest. And it was also true that the experience had been torturous enough to earn her dozens of cupcakes.

She still wished she didn’t have to lie to her son - even half lies.

*******************************************

When Emma awoke the next morning to blurred surroundings, she wasn’t alarmed at first. It always took her a minute to fully awake and adjust her eyes to the morning light. But when she couldn’t see well enough to even find her phone on the nightstand, worry gripped her. She sat up abruptly in bed, trying to blink the sleep away. She squinted, and still all she could see was a white blur that she assumed was the sun streaming through the window and around it only blurry gray. She groped in the general vicinity of the nightstand, knocking over the lamp. She swore loudly as it crashed to the floor.

“Mom!” Henry shouted as he burst through the door.

Emma turned towards his voice, assuming that the moving brown blur in front of her was her son. “I’m . . . fine,” she lied, not wanting to alarm him. “Just go downstairs and ask Granny’s help to go get your gr - I mean, David.”

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

She pressed her lips together and took a sharp breath in through her nose. “Just go, Henry, okay?”

She heard him grumble something under his breath about how he wasn’t a little kid anymore, but she heard the door to their rooms open and close anyway. While he was gone, she rubbed at her eyes, then opened them again, but still she couldn't’ see a damn thing.

“Swan?” Hook’s alarmed voice cried out as he burst into the room.

“Killian?” She squinted at the big black blur in her doorway that she assumed was the man in question.

“I know you said to get David,” came Henry’s voice as a smaller brown blur joined the larger black one, “but I ran into Killian in the hall, and I know him better, so . . . “

“It’s okay, Henry, just give me and Killian a minute.”

“I want to know what’s going on!”

“I know, kid,” she said, her voice softening, “and I’ll explain in just a minute, I promise.”

Henry made no reply, at least none she could tell. She heard the door to her bedroom shut and sensed Hook drawing closer.

“What is it, love?”

“I can’t see,” she confessed softly, reaching out a hand for him.

“What?”

She could clearly hear the strained concern in his voice. Her hand found his, and she used him as leverage to stand up from the bed. He was closer than she had anticipated, and she awkwardly bumped against his chest.

“I mean, except for a light blur over there, and a dark blur I assume is you, I. Can’t. See.”

Emma thought ironically of those black frames with the clear lenses she had worn for

merely fashion reasons back when she was a teenager. They seemed incredibly stupid now.

“How long has this been going on?” Killian must have bent his head closer to hers because his breath was hot against her cheek.

“How long? I just woke up this way!”

“This must be some kind of sorcery, love. You don’t just lose your sight overnight.”

Do you? Emma wondered. She vaguely remembered some movie she had seen once where a woman woke up suddenly blind. It was probably a Lifetime movie, though, and she wouldn’t call those medically accurate by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, she gripped Hooks arms tighter and shook her head.

“Maybe it’s magic, maybe not. Either way, get my phone, call my Dad, and ask him to drive me to the doctor, okay?”

“That will waste too much time. Maybe I could -”

“You can’t drive, and I don't’ think this warrants a 911 call.”

Did Storybrooke even have 911? She should look into that.

“As you wish,” was all Killian said, his voice solemn. The words took her back to a hot jungle, his lips on hers, and his hand tangled in her hair. She swallowed thickly as she pulled her hands away from him. He reached around her, and then she heard the familiar beeping sounds as he opened up her phone. She was glad she had given him that cell phone crash course the first time he’d watched Henry for her.

“And Killian?”

“Yes?”

“Can you explain this to Henry for me? Without freaking him out?”

“Of course.”

Then he brushed a kiss across her brow and swept from the room, leaving her flustered. He’d done it so swiftly, without hesitation, as if it were something he did everytime he told her goodbye. Maybe it had been unintentional?

Needless to say, it had been a weird morning.

*********************************************

“Is your sight coming back?” her father asked, unable to hide the fear in his voice as he drove through the streets of Storybrooke.

Emma squinted out the window of her dad’s truck. “That really bright blue to my right is the ocean I’m guessing?”

“That’s a no, then.”

A strained silence fell between them, but what could Emma say? She hated to worry him, but there was no denying this was really, really bad.

“You sure we shouldn’t go straight to Regina?”

“Not yet,” Emma told him, “let’s rule out a physical cause first.”

“I don’t know if that’s any better than a spell.”

“Believe me,” she muttered, “I know.”

“Your mom Googled it already -”

“That’s never good.”

“- and people with green eyes are at higher risk for eye cancer and macular degeneration.”

“Not helping, Dad.”

“Sorry,” he muttered, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. “It is good to hear you call me Dad again, though.”

Emma’s eyes blurred even further with her sudden tears. “Sorry I can only seem to say it in crisis situations.”

“Hey, all in good time. When you’re ready.”

He released her hand, and Emma resisted the urge to grab it again. She was so thankful to have him with her. How many times had she fantasized about parents who would take care of her when she was sick? Though she would have preferred something less dramatic than sudden blindness. A cold and some chicken soup, maybe.

“I know I’m not the best judge of this at the moment, but aren’t we going the wrong way?”

“I’m not taking you to Storybrooke General. An optometrist arrived with this second curse, and I think I trust whoever it is with my daughter’s eyes more than I trust a possibly drunk Dr. Frankenstein.”

Emma chuckled at the wry sound of her father’s voice. “I bet mom wishes an obstetrician came with this curse too.”

“You have no idea.”

Her father slowed the truck and made a right turn. He assisted her out of the vehicle, and she slipped her arm through his as he guided her to the door of the clinic. She felt him freeze suddenly beside her once the door swung closed behind them.

“You!” he exclaimed in a suspicious voice. “I know you! What the hell is going on? I thought you were a baker!”

“No,” another voice calmly replied, “that’s my sister Felicity. I’m Avery, the receptionist for Dr. Liv Lachesis, the optometrist. Which I should also explain -”

“Welcome,” a third voice spoke up, “how can I help you today?”

“Triplets?!” David exclaimed.

One of the women - Emma couldn’t tell which one - chuckled lightly. “Yes, triplets. It always throws people.”

“Well,” her father sighed, “I have a twin, so I can relate. We’re here for a bit of an emergency, though. My daughter woke up this morning unable to see.”

“That is an emergency. Emma, why don’t you come with me?”

“How do you know my name?” Emma asked suspiciously as the doctor gently touched her elbow.

“Everyone knows the Savior.”

Dr. Lachesis’ words were gentle and soothing as she guided Emma into the exam room and helped her sit.

“Now just lean back Emma, and try to keep your eyes open. I’m going to put these drops in. It may sting a little, but it shouldn’t hurt. Okay?”

Emma nodded her head. Even though the optometrist had a soothing bedside manner, she still felt her stomach knotting with nerves. Dr. Lachesis gently held Emma’s right eye open, squirted two drops of liquid in, then repeated the procedure with her left eye. Emma blinked, hoping to see more clearly. She panicked when instead of blurry splotches of light and dark, before her eyes was nothing but inky darkness.

“It’s going to be okay,” the doctor soothed, as if reading her thoughts. “Lean forward and look into my phoropter.”

Emma had no idea what that was, but she leaned forward anyway. The doctor guided her face forward, and Emma felt cool metal pressed against the skin around her eyes.

“What do you see?”

“Nothing.”

Emma heard a click while the doctor adjusted the machine’s settings.

“Look again.”

Dr. Lachesis’ voice was almost hypnotic, and Emma blinked once again. The black nothing before her faded, and she could once again see fuzzy splotches of color. The fuzzy splotches then cleared, and objects took shape before her. She was outside, dressed in a sweater, boots, and all the normal winter outerwear. Snow crunched beneath her feet and the air was crisp and cold against her cheeks. She blinked again, and tilting her head up saw that she was standing in front of a beautiful blue Victorian home with a welcoming porch, and a turret with windows nestled on one side. It reminded Emma of a doll house she had admired in a store window one Christmas as a child.

Emma then realized there were voices and laughter behind her, and she turned to see a man standing in front of the sliding door of a black minivan. He was bending over, buckling a toddler into a car seat. He straightened and turned towards her, and Emma froze in shock.

“Look, Graham, Mama’s got your shoes.”

Emma squeezed her eyes shut, wondering even more what kind of crazy contraption a phoropter was to make her see what she was seeing right now, but when she opened her eyes the scene hadn’t changed. Captain Hook was buckling a toddler into a minivan. What the hell?

His eyes sparkled with mirth and he was smiling in a way she had yet to see. He gestured with his hook towards her.

“Swan? The shoes?”

She looked down to see that she did indeed have a tiny pair of brown boots dangling from the tips of her fingers. As bizarre as the whole scenario was, she shuffled forward and handed Hook the shoes. He narrowed his eyes and studied her for a beat before turning back to the child before him. He chatted amiably with the child, making him giggle as he slipped the shoes on his feet and tied them deftly with one hand. Emma stared at the little boy of about three, cataloguing his features. He had the same shade of eyes Emma had - a cool, pale green. He had a little dimple in his plump chin, much like her and Snow. His hair was thick and black, curling over ears that pointed in an almost elf-like way. Emma felt her jaw drop as she looked from the child to Killian and back again.

“Mama?” Emma startled when a little girl popped up from behind the little boy. “Mama did Daddy really almost burn down Granny’s when he got you a Christmas tree?”

The little girl looked so much like Emma, it was downright eerie. Except she had bright blue eyes. Eyes that looked really familiar . . . but it couldn’t be!

Killian chuckled as he scratched behind his ear. “Well, in my defense, I was new to the entire concept of electricity.”

Wait a second - did this girl just refer to them - she and Hook - as Mama and Daddy? Then Emma took in Killian for the first time. He was wearing dark skinny jeans and a motorcycle jacket instead of his pirate garb, yet that wasn’t what really surprised her. What surprised her was the charcoal wool beanie on his head. Captain Hook wearing a beanie? Surely this was some sort of hallucination. Emma then glanced down at herself.

“What the hell am I wearing?”

“Wowds, Mama!” the toddler - Graham? - laughed, kicking his little feet.

“Mama, you have to wear the tree shirt to go get the tree,” the little girl added. “It’s ta-dition.”

“That’s tradition, Hope, now buckle up so we can get going,” Killian instructed.

Suddenly, a golden blur rushed past Emma, and she let out a surprised shout as a golden retriever jumped into the van.

“Sorry,” Killian apologized, “the kids begged to bring Nana along. I didn’t think it was a problem since the tree farm is outside.” He paused and tilted his head as he studied her. “Are you okay, love? I can drive if you want. I know your morning sickness still bothers you some.”

Then the strangest thing of all occurred when Killian Jones - Captain Hook himself, put a hand to her belly then brushed a kiss to her lips. It was the kind of quick, familiar kiss a couple shares when they’ve been together a long time. Emma looked down where his hand rested, and sure enough, her belly was swollen beneath her sweater. Her hideous red sweater covered in a garish Christmas tree with pom pom balls for ornaments. She swayed on her feet.

“Emma!” Killian cried in alarm, his arms going tighter around her.

Everything went blurry, again, then dark. Emma blinked her eyes, and suddenly she was back in the optometrist office looking through a metal contraption that must have been the phoropter. She jerked away and leapt up, her gaze darting wildly about the room. Well, at least she could fully see again.

“What kind of crap was that?” she yelled at Dr. Lachesis. “What kind of spell did you put on me?”

“It was my sister who cast the spell. I merely completed it.

“Completion is my area of expertise, sis,” Avery spoke up from the doorway.

“Okay,” the doctor sighed with a roll of her eyes, “I showed you the middle. It’s what you wished for, after all.”

“Emma,” David cried out as he pushed his way into the room, “are you okay? What did they do?”

Emma shook her head, unsure of how to even describe what had happened. Not to mention her father’s reaction if she told him she’d just seen herself knocked up with her third child with Hook of all people.

“Nothing, Dad,” she muttered, “let’s just get out of here.”

After all, it wasn’t as if anything in that vision could ever in a million years be real. It was ridiculous. Captain Hook the father of three driving a minivan? Impossible.

[thegreatestofheck]

The Girl with No Heartbeat Pt.6 ⊰JJ Maybank⊱

(gif not mine. credit to kaipurge)

word count - 6.2k  warnings - none other than the fact that it is completely unedited. I hope no one minds synopsis - It’s movie night! Mera and the gang watch the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It’s all fun and games until something is triggered within Mera that sends her spiraling. a/n - So, this has got spoilers for the first three pirates movies, but only slightly, not much. It won’t be too bad if you haven’t seen it, it’s pretty vague. Also, I’m kind of deciding that there will be some love triangle action going on, so yay for that. Also, I’m sorry it took so long for this chapter to happen. Anyway, enjoy this chapter!! 

***

When Mera stepped into the pod the next day, her shoulders sagged and she let out a deep sigh. She had thought that the pod had been full yesterday, yet somehow, overnight, Ward had managed to fill the pod even more. There had already been enough dread of coming back to work as it was, Mera couldn’t believe there was more in this room she would have to clean. 

“As long as he keeps paying me for it,” she grumbled to herself. Just as she started to clamber her way less than delicately through the mass of stuff toward the bathtub with her ammonia filled bag, the door squeaked open. 

“Hey,” Rafe said from behind her. 

“Hello,” she replied as she tiptoed around a dishwasher. 

“Um, how are you?” 

“Fine. You?” 

“Good, good.” 

Mera glanced behind her to see Rafe still standing by the door with a bag in his hand. His lips were pressed into a fine line and he was staring at his shoes. 

“What do you have there?” Mera asked once she reached the tub. Rafe lifted the bag. 

“Oh, I just bought, uh, donuts,” he said. “Thought you might be hungry.” 

“Why would I be hungry?” she laughed, hoisting the bag out of the tub. Rafe rolled and for a moment he looked like that arrogant boy she remembered the first time they met. 

“Those pogues you live with barely have food to feed themselves. I doubt they have the supply to feed you too,” he said. Mera scowled at him even as she lugged her bag back toward him. 

“And you wonder why I punched you in the mouth when we first met,” she scoffed. Rafe scowled at her as she dropped the bag onto the ground. The metal stove tops inside clattered to the ground, but she didn’t flinch as she kept Rafe’s gaze. 

“If you have a lecture for me, save it,” he snapped suddenly, crossing his arms. 

“I don’t lecture, Rafe,” she said and broke eye contact. She leaned down to pick the bag off the ground again. 

“Right, you just hit people you don’t agree with.” 

“No, I hit entitled, arrogant assholes who think they’re better than everyone else because their daddy has money,” she snapped, sending him a hard glare. Rafe’s mouth parted as he thought up something to say, but then he looked away from her, glaring at the ground. “You don’t want a lecture? Fine, you won’t get one from me. But don’t expect to be making friends any time soon if you keep acting like you own the world.”

“Who said I needed friends?” He asked as Mera pushed past him toward the door. Mera rolled her eyes, settling back into a scowl. 

“Hmm, I don’t know, maybe the fact that you keep following me around like a lost kitten,” she said. She stepped outside and started toward the house, looking for a faucet of some kind. 

“I don’t follow you around!” he said as he followed her outside. 

“Admit it. You’re either madly in love with me or you just really, desperately need a friend. I’d prefer the latter.” 

Rafe spluttered for a bit, crossing and uncrossing his arms as he struggled to find something decent to say. Mera found a hose and set the bag down in the grass beside it. 

“You wanna make yourself useful?” Mera snapped. “Find me a bucket or a tub or something I can use.” 

Rafe stormed away and Mera looked down at her trash bag. 

“Hey, Mera!” Someone called from above. She looked up to see Sarah hanging out a window. “How’s it going?” 

“Your brother’s a bilge rat.” 

“I don’t know what that means, but if it’s West Coast for ‘asshole’ then yeah, pretty much” Sarah said. “Anything I can do to help you?” 

Mera shook her head and let out a sigh. 

“No, I don’t think so, Sarah. It’s appreciated though,” Mera said. 

“So, uh, how’s Kiara?” Sarah asked, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. “And the others? Kiara and the others. You know, because you live with them you would know. At least, you live with John B and sometimes JJ so, of course.”

Mera felt herself smile as she tore open the trash bag. She gagged momentarily at the smell of the ammonia, but then she looked back up at Sarah. 

“They’re all good.”

“Good is good. Good is good.” Sarah let out a sigh and Mera’s smile grew. 

“You and Kiara, are you-”

“No!” Sarah said quickly. “God, no. I like men. Men only. Only men. Kiara and I were...friends back in the day.”

“Why aren’t you friends now?”

“Hold on a sec,” Sarah said before leaning back into the house. “Yeah, Dad?”

Mera waited patiently as she heard Ward and Sarah’s muffled voices. 

“Hey, Mera?” Sarah called down from above once again. “I’ve gotta go real quick, but I’ll be back soon and maybe we can chat then, yeah?” 

Mera smiled up and nodded her head. 

“Catch ya later,” the blonde said before ducking back inside. Despite how angry Mera had just been, Sarah had somehow managed to make her smile. That smile faltered when a tub was thrown at her feet. 

“I’m not in love with you,” Rafe said, standing behind Mera. She sighed and lowered her hands.

“I’ll be your friend, Rafe, on one condition,” she said, turning and standing. Rafe almost seemed to flinch at her. “Don’t make jabs at my family.”

Rafe cleared his throat. 

“Right. No more jabs.”

Mera gave her head a stiff nod. 

“Also, one more thing,” she said, holding up a finger. 

“I thought you said only one condition.” 

“This isn’t a condition. Just a favor.”

“I bought you a donut, isn’t that favor enough?”

“Listen, all I need is something to scrub these metal things down with. I’m not asking you to murder anyone or anything,” Mera said, growing slightly more irritated. 

“I think there’s one in the kitchen,” he said finally. Mera raised an eyebrow. 

“You think?” 

Rafe simply rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on his face as he walked toward the front of the house. 

~~~

“You may not want to touch me,” Mera said with a laugh, holding her hands out as Kie threw her arms around Mera’s shoulders. “I’m gross.” 

“We’re all gross,” Kie laughed. Mera held up her hands, covered in grime and black muck. Kie grimaced and Mera gave her head a little nod. 

“That’s what I thought.” 

Mera started toward the house, Kie strolling along beside her. 

“So, where are the boys?” Mera asked. 

“They’re getting snacks for movie night,” Kie said, a smile on her face. “I’m so excited. We’ve gotta start with the Pirates movies, of course, but I think you’re really gonna like Cinderella, so we’re doing that one next, no matter what JJ says.”

“So, no vampires in Santa Cruz?” 

“No vampires, period. Not until you watch Cinderella, of course.” 

Mera laughed to herself, giving her head a little shake. 

“I was given a movie suggestion today that we should add to the list,” Mera said as she walked into the bathroom. Kie settled herself onto the toilet seat, watching Mera with a wide smile. 

“Sure, what movie?” 

“Pulp Fiction, I think it was called?” Kie rolled her eyes at the suggestion.

“That’s John B’s favorite movie,” she said with a quiet huff. “Who suggested it?” 

“Oh, uh, Sarah.” 

Kie was too immediately frazzled by the mention of Sarah’s name to see the way Mera’s eyes flicked back and forth at her own lie. 

“Why were you talking to Sarah?” Kie asked, a scowl pinching her eyebrows. Mera shrugged, turning on the water and beginning to scrub at her hands. 

“She’s nice to me.” 

“She’s a two faced bitch is what she is,” Kie grumbled, pulling her knees up to her chest and scowling even harder. Mera glanced over and raised an eyebrow. 

“I feel like I am missing a vital piece of information. What happened between the two of you?” Mera continued to scrub at her hands, remembering the way Sarah blushed and stuttered after asking about Kie. There was definitely something going on. 

“She was my best friend.” There was a deep sadness in Kie’s voice that made Mera turn the water down and put more of her attention on her. “We did everything together. She was everything…. But she wasn’t who I thought she was.” 

“What did she do?” Mera tried to remember the way her father used to talk to her when she was upset, how he would lower his voice and reach out to grab her hand to keep her from shaking, how sometimes he would pretend to be distracted with something else so she didn’t feel like she was burdening him with all her troubles. Now, Mera tried to emulate that same feeling for her friend, for Kie. 

Kie scoffed, but her eyes were full of tears. 

“It sounds stupid,” the girl grumbled. Mera was tempted to put a hand on Kie’s shoulder and give her a reassuring squeeze, but her hands were still covered in filth. 

“Your pain is anything but stupid.” 

Kie looked up at Mera, her deep brown eyes still full of tears, but there was a small smile on the girl’s lips. 

“It’s movie night,” Kie said suddenly, straightening her back and blinking away her tears. “There’s no crying on movie night.” 

Mera watched as Kie shoved her feelings back down into the box she kept them in. It was a familiar sight. Mera had seen it in the mirror a million times before. 

“Right. I just have to get this uck off of my hands and then I’ll be ready.” 

~~~

Mera thought that movie night would have been at the Chateau, since it was where they had spent all of their time already. She was surprised when the boys pulled up in the van, the back stocked full of snacks that Mera had never seen before in her lives, but none of the boys got out. 

“You sea lassies ready to go?” JJ asked from the back with a horrible pirate accent, holding the sliding door open with a smile. Mera was caught somewhere between mentioning the accent and asking where exactly they were going. 

“Aren’t we staying?” She asked finally while Kie climbed into the seat beside John B. 

“Kie’s the only one with a TV,” John B said. Mera barely had time to scowl at the unusual name before Pope started to explain it. 

“TV. It’s short for television. It’s like a flat box that displays the movie onto it,” Pope said, popping a red fish-like food into his mouth. JJ offered Mera a hand to help her into the van, which she took even though she really didn’t need to. When she felt her face flush, she pulled her hand from his and settled down across from him, beside Pope, who continued to prattle on about the long and exciting history of television. 

“JJ, hand me the notebook,” Kie said from the front seat. Mera, who had been watching Pope as he talked to her, glanced over at JJ when he didn’t respond to his friend, only to find that his blue eyes were fixed on her. “JJ!” 

The boy startled and seemed to snap back into reality. He pulled a notebook from one of his many pockets and handed it to Kie, not looking at Mera. Instead, he started to fiddle with the ring on his pointer finger. An unholy array of thoughts passed through Mera’s mind before Pope elbowed her lightly in the arm and nodded toward John B. 

“Kie says you’re adding Pulp Fiction to the list?” John B said, looking in the rearview mirror with a large smile. Mera nodded her head. 

“It was recommended.”

“By who?”

“Um, Sarah,” Mera said as she glanced at Kie, who had taken to picking aimlessly at her nails. 

“Sarah Cameron suggested you watch Pulp Fiction?” Pope asked with a tone of disbelief. All Mera could do was smile and nod and pray that they wouldn’t push her any further. Of course Sarah hadn’t recommended Pulp Fiction. Rafe did, but there was no way that Mera was going to tell them that, especially when John B’s smile was so big. 

“What are these?” Mera asked, looking at all the different bags laying in front of her. JJ suddenly reentered the conversation as it turned onto food, a glimmer in his eyes. 

“These are hot cheetos. They didn’t have any takis, so we had to get these. Those over by Pope are Swedish Fish. They’re disgusting-” 

“No they aren’t!” Pope protested, tossing two more of the red fish into his mouth. 

“You’re the only one who likes them. Anyway-” Mera reached over and put her hand in the Swedish fish bag, pulling out one of the oblong candies. Pope nodded his head enthusiastically for her to try it. “We got some Pringles and some Skittles and some chocolates for JB and some gummy worms and some raspberries for Kie.” 

“Really?” Kie turned around in her chair again, a huge smile on her face. “I didn’t think they were in season.” 

“They aren’t but Pope over here wanted to buy some for you anyway,” JJ said with a huff. Mera still held the Swedish Fish in her hand, not sure if she was actually willing to try it. 

“Thanks, Pope,” Kie said, turning her smile to the boy sitting next to Mera. Instead of saying anything to Kie, Pope tried to hide his sheepish smile by turning and talking to Mera. 

“Try it!” He said, motioning for the fish in her hand. “I promise it’s good. JJ just has jacked up taste buds from all the weed he smokes.” 

JJ stuck out his tongue, but the joke was enough motivation for Mera to finally take a bite out of the candy. The outside was almost hard, but the inside was soft and gooey. Mera scowled, unsure of what to make of the sweet flavor at first. 

“See?” JJ said, crossing his arms. “Disgusting.” 

“She hasn’t said anything yet!” Pope protested. 

“It’s all over her face, Poe. She hates it.” 

“It’s actually not the worst thing I’ve ever eaten,” Mera said once she had chewed enough to swallow, which felt like forever. 

“See?” Pope sneered at his blond friend in a mocking tone. 

“She said not the worst, which doesn’t mean it’s any good.” 

“Well,” Mera said with a smile. “When you’ve eaten gull legs, gruel, and barnacles, there isn’t a lot that doesn’t taste good.” 

“There, Pope, you happy?” Kie said from the front, her leg propped up on the dash. “Swedish Fish aren’t as disgusting as seagull legs.” 

Pope scowled and threw another fish in his mouth as Mera chewed quietly on her own. Mera sat back and let them all talk to each other, passing insults and jokes that Mera didn’t quite understand. But she laughed anyway because one day she would understand and one day those jokes would be funny to her too. 

She wasn’t sure what she expected Kie’s house to be like, but the grandiose mansion was not it. For a moment, she felt her heart plummet. But when she glanced over at Kie and saw the same look of disappointment, Mera felt a warm feeling return. 

“Your parents know we’re coming, right Kie?” Pope asked as he looked up at the large, white house, carrying a bag of snacks in his arms. 

“Of course they do,” Kie said with a roll of her eyes. “Why wouldn’t they?” 

“Because last time you didn’t tell them,” JJ said. “And we got a nearly three hour lecture.”

“Right. Well, I did tell them this time.” Kie turned to Mera. “And they are so excited to meet you.” 

Kie’s mom wasn’t there when the five showed up, but her dad was more than happy to welcome them inside. 

“Hey, Big Mike!” JJ said as they all walked inside, Kie taking the lead. Mike, Kie’s dad, did not seem impressed by JJ or his toothy grin. Pope shook his hand, which made Mr. Carrera almost smile, but he ignored John B completely. 

“You must be Mera,” Mike said when he finally came to her. Mera forced herself to smile and she nodded. She shook his outstretched hand. 

“That I am.” 

“And you’re…John B’s cousin?” Mike looked between Mera and John B for a few moments, eyebrow raised just like his daughter did. 

“Why does no one believe that she’s my cousin?” John B grumbled, crossing his arms. Mera simply laughed. 

“Yes. He’s my cousin.” 

“Well, I’m glad to finally meet you. You’re always welcome here,” he said, still smiling. 

“I didn’t get an always welcome invite,” said JJ, to which Kie rolled her eyes. 

“There’s a very good reason for that, JJ.” 

~~~

There was only mild interrogation before Mike decided it was okay to leave them alone and lock himself away in his room. With the lights shut off, the popcorn popped, and candies in a wild array around them, all five teens wrapped themselves in blankets and settled down in front of the TV. 

It took some getting used to for Mera. A lot of getting used to. At first, the lights from the screen hurt her eyes and the music was so loud. But by the time the movie actually started, she stopped cringing. Mera was settled near the edge of the couch between Kie and Pope so she could steal Swedish Fish from his bag but still reach the popcorn (which, she discovered, was heaven sent. Way better than gull feet). 

She let her mind stop wondering how hard it must have been to invent the thing before, stop trying to figure out how it worked, stop lamenting over her lost centuries, and let herself just enjoy the movie placed before her. 

It was part romance, part sea-faring adventure. Inaccurate as it was, Mera found herself enjoying it. She laughed with the jokes, shoved her face full of popcorn when things got tense, and exclaimed more than once about how cool Jack Sparrow was. 

“Just wait till the next movies,” Kie gushed. “You’ll love them all even more.” 

There was no question as to whether they would put in the next movie. In the brief time it took Kie to slide out of her spot and put the next disk in, the boys were berating Mera with questions. 

“How accurate was it?” 

“Did you like it?” 

“Did you notice when-” 

“Did you ever meet Jack Sparrow?” 

“Jack Sparrow’s fake, you idiot.” 

“I’m pretty sure it was Captain Jack Sparrow.” 

“Right, right.” 

The second movie started and everyone went silent. Again, Mera was enthralled. There was no turning her head from the screen. If someone even opened their mouth to speak, she was shushing them instantly. She didn’t want to miss a single second. 

By half way through the third movie, Kie had fallen asleep on Mera’s shoulder. Pope didn’t last much longer before he too fell asleep, his empty bag of Swedish Fish fallen on the floor. John B stayed awake until the big battle started. Mera had no idea how he slept through all the cannon fire. She flinched almost every time one went off and every time, Kie would squeeze her hand in her sleep. 

“He’s not dead,” Mera whispered into the darkness, the first time she had spoken since the post-second movie interrogation. She looked across the couch toward JJ, who was the only one left awake. He was shocked to see the light of the television illuminated the glimmer of a tear on her face. “He can’t be.” 

JJ wished he was closer, just so he could reassure her that everything would be alright. Even though her worries were relieved just seconds later, he couldn’t help but wish he was closer. He barely looked back at the screen the entire rest of the movie, watching the way her eyes lit up near the end with the scene at the beach, watching the way another tear slid down her cheek at the painful departure of the two lovers. He watched her smile at the final scenes with Jack and Barbossa and Gibbs, watched as her mouth fell open with shock when the credits started to roll. 

“There’s a little scene at the end,” JJ whispered to her. She finally looked over at him and nodded, trusting that he was telling the truth. She read through all of the names, mentally thanking everyone of them for their contribution until, just like JJ said, there was a small scene at the end. 

It was simple and it was short, but by the end of it, Mera had more than one tear rolling from her eyes. The movie ended completely and JJ shut the TV off, but Mera still stared at the now blank screen. 

“What did you think?” He asked, giving her a few moments to process. At first, all she could do was nod her head. 

“That was….” Mera let out a long sigh as she struggled to find the word that suited it best. “Epic.” 

“You really liked it?” 

At the near giddiness in JJ’s voice, Mera finally tore her eyes from the screen to look at him and nod. 

“I’ll probably have to watch it a million more times.” 

“We have to watch Lost Boys first,” JJ said, slouching down farther in his chair. “And Interview With a Vampire.” 

Mera laughed quietly and Kie stirred beside her, groaning quietly in her sleep. 

“Kie said that we have to watch Cinderella first,” Mera told JJ as she looked down at the sleeping girl. JJ made a fake vomiting sound. 

“That’s a princess movie,” he said with a disgusted look on his face.

“So?”

“Princesses are for girl’s, Mera!” 

“From my experience,” Mera told him, crossing her arms gently. “Boys have been more infatuated with princesses than any other breed since the title was even thought up. More boys would give their right arm and leg to marry a princess than, say, a pirate.” 

“I’d marry a pirate,” JJ said confidently. Mera felt her face grow hot and she was suddenly grateful for the darkness to cover her. “I, uh, I just mean that not every guy is looking for a princess to fall in love with. That’s all.” 

“Right, of course.” 

The mood fell flat. JJ cleared his throat twice like he was going to say something else, but never did. Eventually, Mera gave up on the awkward silence. 

“Goodnight, JJ,” she said suddenly. “I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Night, Mera.” 

They fell silent again. Mera tried to squeeze her eyes shut and pray for sleep, but her mind was still racing at a thousand miles a minute. Not only were the movie scenes still bouncing around her head, but she was actively trying to convince herself that JJ hadn’t just said he would marry a pirate...in the presence of a literal pirate. 

Of course he didn’t mean me, she thought to herself. I’m not really a pirate anymore, now am I? 

Mera didn’t realize that the movie scenes in her mindseye had shifted from what she had actually seen on the television, to something more fantastical until she was already asleep. Fiction morphed with reality until she was back on the sea once more, the taste of salt in the air as sea mist sprayed through the air. 

She was on top of the Black Pearl, with two captains at the helm. At first, she thought it was Jack and Barbossa, like it was in the movies, but when they both turned around, she realized that they were strangers. She didn’t recognize their faces because their features were blurred beyond comprehension. Despite not knowing what they looked like, Mera felt like she...knew them both. 

Two captains of one ship. She couldn’t tell who they were, but the feeling of familiarity was too real to pass up. 

And then things got even weirder. 

She heard her father call her name, but it wasn’t the name she was used to hearing from his lips. 

“Mera,” he whispered to her from somewhere behind. When she turned, he wasn’t there. “Mera.” 

From behind again. She spun, this time hoping to catch him standing there, but there was nothing but the sea mist. She scowled, confused as the two captains shouted contradictory orders. The boat tugged and it pulled, trying to obey the commands of both of her captains at once. 

“Mera!” This was a different voice. The voice of a song, but strict and stern. This time, when Mera turned, she found herself standing face to face with her siren sister, Ira. Her deep brown skin glittered in the sunlight as water dripped down her nude body. Her lips were pursed, expertly covering the fangs that hid beneath. Her brown eyes sparkled, but in every way that made Mera shiver. 

“You left us,” Ira hissed. Mera heard her words inside her head, but her mouth did not move. “You abandoned your own family.” 

“No.” Mera shook her head and took a step backward. 

“Yes, Mera.” 

“Mera!” A third voice called. Mera spun around and the ship changed. No longer was she on the Black Pearl with it’s two captains, but she was back on the Iron Anchor, her mother standing by the stern. Ira was gone. 

“Mera!” Her mother cried out. “Look out!” 

Mera spun around, ducking under the swing of a sword with milliseconds to spare. As she stumbled backward, still wearing the pajamas Kie had leant her, Mera realized what was happening. 

Cannon fire echoed through the air, the smell of sea salt air replaced by gunpowder and burning wood. The mast of the Anchor lay toppled over, creating a wonderful walkway for the British ship that bobbed a few yards beside them. They were being attacked. 

She fell back into the flow of fighting almost instantly. Without any protection and no weapon, Mera needed to think smart. She ducked and evaded until she could get a clean shot at a gut or the groin, waiting for the right moment to grab a weapon. 

“Mera!” Her mother’s voice called again, but from much closer. There was no time to look for her though. All Mera could do was fight to stay alive. It suddenly felt as if Mera was the only one left fighting the British, that they were all ganging up on her and she was nearly defenseless to stop them. 

“Mera,” her mother said from somewhere that she couldn’t see. “None of this would have happened if you hadn’t left me.”

“I’m right here, Mother,” Mera said, grinding her teeth as she fought to keep the sword of her opponent from running her through. 

“You left us.” Her mother’s voice was weepy. “I lost your father and then I lost you. I am so alone.” 

“No!” Mera cried, shoving her opponent off of her and into another British soldier. “I’m right here.” 

She heard her mother scream, the same ear splitting cry Mera had heard the day her father had been run through. Turning slowly to face the other side of the boat, Mera saw the Commander of the British ship holding a sword that was deep in Amarylis Briarheart’s gut. The same Commander that had killed her father.

“No!” Mera screamed. She ran across the suddenly empty deck, with no opposition in her path. She didn’t hesitate to grab the Commander and pull him away from her mother. They fought, just as they had done once long, long before. And just like before, the Commander sunk his sword into Mera’s side. For half a second, she felt the sting of metal tear through her flesh, and then she just felt numb. Clenching her jaw, Mera didn’t even look back at her dying mother before wrapping her arms around the Commander’s neck and leaning over the edge of the boat, toppling down deep, deep into the darkness below. 

“Mera,” a voice whispered like a lullaby. She wasn’t sure if it was Ira or her mother or Kie, but the voice was quiet and calm, like a wave lapping against a quiet shore. 

“Mera.” 

The ocean was cold and it was dark, but Mera could barely feel anything. She recognized the numbness. It faded quickly as her lungs began to burn and the salt of the water began to stab at her wound. 

And Mera waited. She waited for Ira to come like she did before. She waited for the offer that she would accept so she wouldn’t have to die. But Ira never came. 

“You took immortality from me once,” Ira’s voice said, though she was nowhere to be seen. “And you gave it up for some boy!” 

“He didn’t deserve to die,” Mera replied. 

“Maybe not.” There was a pause. “Then again, maybe you did.” 

In one swift motion, Mera felt something tug harshly against her neck, dragging her down, down, down, away from the light of the sun and into the depths of the sea. Mera screamed, or she tried to, at least. One arm around her neck became a dozen hands across her entire body, pulling at her flesh, tearing out her hair, yanking her down to the sea floor. 

“You have blood on your hands,” an unfamiliar voice boomed throughout the ocean. “It’s time for you to pay for it, Mera.” 

Her screams never stopped as the sirens she once called her brothers and sisters tore into her skin as she had done so many times, shrieking her new name as they did so as if it was an insult on their lips. 

“Mera! Mera!” They cried. 

“Mera!” The booming voice echoed. 

“Mera!” Ira hissed in her ear. 

“Mera!” Her mother shrieked for her as she fell over the side of the boat. 

“Mera!” Her dad breathed as he died. 

“Mera!” the two mysterious captains yelled, both vying for her attention. 

“Mera!” 

With a gasp, she shot upward, her eyes snapping open. 

“Mera, are you okay?” Mike Carrera knelt in front of her, holding her wrists in his strong grip. Beside him sat Kie, eyes full of worry and fear. She looked around. To Pope, who was sitting next to her still, a hand on her shoulder. To John B, who was standing behind Mike and Kie with a fist pressed to his lips. To JJ, who sat on his knees beside her, fear etched into every feature. 

“What…?” She gasped for breath, noticing how hoarse her voice was. “What happened?” 

“You were screaming,” Kie told her quietly. “And shaking.”

“It must have been a nightmare,” Mike said, dropping his hands from her wrist back to his side. Once his grip was gone from her, Mera realized how badly she was shaking. Sweat beaded down her neck and spine, her muscles refused to relax as she tried not to look at the worried faces that surrounded her. 

“Yeah,” Mera murmured. “A nightmare.” 

“Are you okay?” Pope asked, his hand not leaving her shoulder despite how damp it was. Mera nodded her head slowly, not really trusting herself to speak. 

“I’ll get you some water,” John B said. Mera didn’t even have the strength to thank him. 

“Why don’t you sleep in my bed?” Kie asked, leaning forward and putting a hand on Mera’s knee. She just shook her head. 

“I would rather stay out here,” she said. “If that’s okay with you guys.” 

She glanced at Pope and JJ, almost worried they would kick her out for waking them up. 

“Of course that’s okay,” Pope said and gave her his best reassuring smile. John B returned with a cup of water that Mera took with trembling hands. 

“K, can I talk to you?” Mike asked, pushing himself to his feet. Kie nodded, following after him once she had given Mera’s hand a tight squeeze. 

“Here,” John B said, “We can sleep on the floor. You and Kie take the couch. It will be more comfortable that way.” 

Mera couldn’t find the strength to protest. Pope and JJ almost silently moved off of the couch, dragging their blankets and pillows with them onto the floor. She flattened herself just as quietly, straining to her ears to hear what Mike and Kie were talking about. Being a siren had left her with three unchanged physical characteristics; the unnaturally sea green eyes, an unbeating heart, and ears that were very tuned in for hushed conversations. This was one of the rare moments that Mera was grateful for it. 

“...anything happen at home?” Mike asked Kie. 

“Not...not that I know of. She’s had a tough life, though,” Kie replied. Mera felt the all too familiar weight of embarrassment press down against her. She wanted nothing more than to sink into the holes of this far too comfortable couch and stay there forever. 

“I might not know much, but I know those kinds of nightmares aren’t good for a kid,” Mike said. Mera could imagine him with his hands on his hips, a concerned dad look on his face. In the brief moments Mera had met him, he almost reminded her of her own father. It made her sad. 

“She’ll be fine, Dad,” Kie said. The confidence in her voice gave Mera a little bit of hope. 

“You don’t need to fix her, K.” These words were spoken even quieter than the other ones. The silence was deafening. “I know you want to fix that boy and you can’t, but that doesn’t mean you should take on another charity case.” 

“That’s not what this is, Dad!” Kie’s anger was evident even through her hushed tone. “JJ and Mera don’t need to be fixed. They’re not broken. They’re people who are hurt and they just need something stable and safe.” 

“And that has to be you?” 

“Not necessarily.” 

“But it is.” Kie was silent. “Look, baby, I know why you want to help them, but you have to take care of yourself too. They have to take care of you too.” 

“They do! I-”

Mera couldn’t stand to listen to any more. She rolled off the couch and tiptoed toward the sliding glass door that led to an outdoor patio. She didn’t even care to look and see if the boys were asleep yet. 

The fresh air felt good against her hot face and skin. Out in the open, she felt like she could breathe again. Lifting her head and she breathed deeply through her nose, Mera looked out toward the horizon, gazing at the glittering ocean set before her. The moon shone bright in the sky, reflecting off of the surface of the water. The stars twinkled above and shimmered below. If Mera could look past the trees and the buildings and the streetlamps, she could almost convince herself that she was back on the sea, with the wind in her hair, and the smell of the salt covering the musk of the men. 

But her moment of bliss was interrupted by the ever present ocean call. Her brothers and sisters sang to her from under the wave, luring her back to the water so she could pay the price for her sins. She had gotten a taste of what that might look like tonight in her dream and the thought scared her more than anything. The lullaby made her knees weak and she felt her breath go ragged again. It was too hot to go back inside, but she couldn’t stand being out here much longer. 

Luckily, her break came when the sliding glass door opened again. 

“Hey.” 

It was JJ. 

Mera brushed away a stray tear or two that managed to squeeze it’s way out of her eyes before half turning her head toward him. 

“Hey.” 

He walked forward, joining her at the railing. He leaned up against it just like she did, looking out over the water. For a moment he was silent and she wasn’t sure he was going to say anything else. His presence was enough to drown out the siren call a little, but she knew that if he spoke, she wouldn’t be able to hear it at all. She just wanted to be rid of it. 

“What were you dreaming about?” He asked finally. 

“Nothing pleasant,” she told him with a sigh. 

“Mmm.” He looked down at his hands. “We triggered something, didn’t we? Watching those movies?”

Mera shrugged her shoulders. It was possible. Probable, actually. But she had enjoyed herself. It was fun, until she fell asleep. 

“We’ll take a break from pirates and the undead for our next movie night,” JJ told her. “We’ll watch Cinderella.” 

Mera felt herself smile. 

“That sounds good to me.” 

When she looked over at JJ and saw the deep blue of the sea in his eyes, she felt the ocean call once again. But this was different. This wasn’t luring her to her death, but pulling her closer to something else, to him. And it wasn’t just a quiet song in the back of her mind. It was a roaring choir, a thousand times louder and a thousand times stronger. 

And a thousand times harder to resist.

~~~

tagging -  @lolitstiana @drew-starkeys @youfookendonut @x-lulu @diverrdown @parkerpetertingle @simonsbluee @abbiesthings @apoguecalledjj @outerbankslut @sexualparkour @localfangirlx @kaitieskidmore1 @ma10427 @bricksatanakinswindow @acvross-the-universe @jjjmaybank​ 

if you want to be added to the taglist, just let me know! ❤

[lennonhudson]

Go InBetweens

Self-Para

When: During the Spongebob Party

Triggers; OCD

Lennon watched Bodhi getting ready for the party from their couch. She sat with knees drawn to her chest, eyes following her brother around the apartment. “You should’ve been the pirate from the theme song. I would’ve paid money to see you in a wig and eyepatch,” she commented before resting her chin on her knees once more. Bodhi turned and gave Lennon a pointed stare. “Ignoring that, you sure you don’t want to come?” he asked, standing next to their door. Lennon nodded, chin still on her knees. “I feel like something bad is going to happen,” her voice was quiet now. A sigh left Bodhi’s mouth, walking over towards Lennon and putting his hand on her head. “Bad like to me? To you? Here?” he questioned. Lennon gave a shrug in response. “You want me to stay?” Bodhi asked, looking at his sister. “Nah, I’m good. I’m just going to watch The Outsiders. I,” she paused. “Just text me to let me know you’re okay? Like when you get there, periodically.” Bodhi gave a nod, ruffled her hair, and left.

Lennon waited for a few seconds before getting up, and locking their usually unlocked door. Trudging past the couch and toward her room, the woman paused for a second- she closed her eyes, and shook her head before walking back to the door. The lock was in position but Lennon still turned it, unlocking and locking it once more. Turning once more, Lennon made it to her room before pausing yet again. “It’s locked,” she told herself, ignoring the anxiety. Once in her room Lennon grabbed a box of Chakra Lotus incense that was running low, picked a stick, and placed it into the holder before lighting it- almost as if it were a ritual. Over to the laptop to turn on The Outsiders, and then back to the mess of pillows that Lennon sat atop.

One of her favourite things was the weighted blanket that was currently wrapped around the blonde. She was lucky that Wes was still close with Bodhi, and indirectly her, after they broke up- he was the one who bought the blanket for her after all. Opening her copy of The Outsiders book, Lennon began to read- having the movie on as a sort of background noise; As well as a way to compare the two mediums. It was something Lennon would often do when she read a book that had an adaptation. Reading through a few chapters, Lennon suddenly stopped rushing to the bathroom to wet a towel to put on the back of her neck. “I can’t,” she muttered, going back to her room and picking up her phone.

Phone up to her ear, Lennon counted the rings before the other end picked up- surprisingly. “What?” a curt voice on the other end of the phone answered. The woman could feel the tightness in her chest lighten a little. “Ry,” she greeted her cousin, “I- I feel like something is going to happen. Like I feel like Bodhi is going to do something dumb.” She went straight to the point, just word vomiting to the man on the other line. There was a silence before a concerned, “Bodhi level of dumb?” sounded. Lennon shook her head as if Ryder could see her. “No. No just. I dunno,” she confessed. “Then I don’t know what you’re worried about. He’s done shit before. Bo will, what, drive off to Joshua Tree for a few days and then return like everything’s fucking fine.” Lennon knew Ryder was right. “Why are you calling anyway?” Ryder prompted. “I. I don’t know. I feel like if I tell someone I’ll be speaking it into existence and then that’ll be the worst that happens. I’m. Can I come stay with you?” A scoff came from Ryder. “No, abso-fucking-lutely not. Back the fuck up.” She groaned, “Please.” “Lennon, no. Didn’t you just move there?” he asked. “Yeah- but. I just. I feel like an alien masquerading as a human here sometimes!” Ryder let out a sigh. “Okay, and?” he asked. Ryder was never particularly helpful, but she knew he cared. Afterall, he was still speaking. “Ryder.” “You all are kind of bizarre. If you’re having trouble ask Bodhi. I really have no clue what to tell you. Don’t give people attitude maybe? That’s how Bo always has people at his fucking feet,” Ryder told her. “Can I at least come visit?” Ryder laughed at her request, “Yeah, you can come. I miss you.” “Miss you, too, Ry. I gotta head out. Johnny and Ponyboy are in the church,” Lennon said, eyes on her laptop. 

“Uh. Okay. Call me if Bodhi goes to Joshua Tree or whatever. And call if the dumb thing happens. Hang in there kid. Your human impersonation will get better.”  Ryder hung up leaving Lennon to try and jump back into her book after relighting the incense once it burnt out. “Everything is okay...”

[angelatmidnight1]

You Got Out-Witted

I got the inspiration for this fic from this video plus my love for bad jokes and puns :D.

Summary: Mirage wants the last donut and sends his decoys on a secret mission to get it. He didn’t realize that Wattson already beat him to it and they spend the rest of the morning telling each other corny jokes. Mirage is a trickster for a reason, and believes that his jokes are funnier than Wattson’s, only to come to realize that there’s one joke that she knows about that makes everybody laugh.

“Bamboozles for the foozles, haha...oh boy.” Mirage chuckled nervously to himself as his decoy ran in front of him and, instead of running in a straight line, face-planted into the wall beside the kitchen. Ever since his gear got a huge update, Elliott was spending the better part of the morning learning how to better control his decoys. He was normally perfect at it because, well, he is perfect after all, but for whatever reason, he was having trouble getting the decoy to walk through a doorway. This would have been fine if there wasn’t something on the other side of said doorway: a warm, freshly baked vanilla frosted donut sitting all alone in a nearly empty box up on the countertop. Lifeline had gone out even earlier in the morning to surprise her fellow Legends with donuts from a nearby bakery and bought enough for everyone to have as many as they wanted. Gibraltar ate most of them, Caustic only had one, Bangalore opted out, and Revenant and Pathfinder, for obvious reasons, left theirs untouched. Loba didn’t have one since she hadn’t woken up yet and, since Octane managed to snag extra ones before making a mad dash out of the room, only one donut remained. “Anyone touches this donut whose name isn’t Loba,” He remembered Lifeline saying with her shock sticks drawn, “will be my new drum set!”

Mirage shuddered at the thought but shook it out of his system, his plan was foolproof. Not only was he getting in some practice with his decoys, which he totally didn’t need, his plan was to have the decoy go into the kitchen in his place to make sure the coast was clear. If it was, he’d go in afterwards and grab the goods before anyone could catch him. Then, if and when Lifeline found out that the donut was missing, he’d be in the clear, and he’d have one extra donut to celebrate his victory.  And who said he couldn’t work on his killer quips while he was on this secret mission? Just as he sent out another decoy, which was good looking, if he did say so himself, he heard someone giggle behind him. Elliott practically jumped out of his skin and spun around with his hands up, the decoy following his lead. He expected to see Lifeline standing there ready to use his beautiful, beautiful face as a cymbal, but saw Wattson instead. 

“Foozles...pfft, I like that one.” Natalie giggled as she took a bite of the donut between her fingers. Elliott looked at her, then the donut, and then back at her, the disappointment falling on top of him like a ton of bricks.

“Where’d ya get the donut, Nat?” Mirage tried to ask as casually as he could, feeling his lower lip quiver as the engineer pointed over his shoulder. 

“Mademoiselle Ajay brought donuts for everybody this morning. They’re délicieux~ (delicious).”

She responded happily , munching away at the treat until it was nothing but crumbs. Noticing the way he was looking at her,  her face fell and suddenly took on a guilty look that tugged at the trickster’s heartstrings. “Didn’t you get one?”

“Oh, nah, I didn’t...but, don’t worry! Don’t worry. I’m not supposed to eat sweets anyway ‘cause, ya know, carbs and all that. Gotta stay fit for the ring.” Mirage reassured her, perking back up to toss his hair and put his hands on his hips, which made her smirk. “So, ya like foozles huh? Came up with that myself.”

This made Wattson giggle again as she brushed the sprinkles off of her hands, nodding. “Oui, it is very clever. Oh! Let me tell you a joke I heard. Maybe you can add it to your repertoire.” She offered with an excited clap of her hands which made Elliott grin. 

“I don’t know, my jokes are pretty septact--setpact, setapcul---er, amazing. Show me what you got.” Elliott answered, following the engineer to the common room’s sofa and having a seat. 

“Okay! Do you wanna hear a joke about paper?” Wattson grinned, chuckling at the confused expression on his face. “Never mind, it’s tear-able!” 

Mirage blinked, then snickered, then finally laughed when he caught up to the punchline. “Oh I get it, tearable paper but it sounds like, hahaha, that’s funny.” He chortled as Natalie joined in on the laughter. Unlike his smooth laughter, Wattson’s was light and kind of squeaky. Once the two calmed down, Wattson gently pushed his shoulder and smiled at him eagerly.

“It’s your turn! Tell me one of your amazing jokes.” She demanded, swiveling her legs in an attempt to contain her excitement. Elliott smiled, Wattson was adorable, and he brought both of his arms up and hooked his hands behind his head so that he could properly lounge. 

“Alright, hey did you know spring was here? I got so excited I….wet my plants.” He quipped with some added finger guns for good measure. Wattson burst out laughing and crossed her arms against her torso, her nose wrinkling from how hard she was laughing. Elliot chuckled, finding her laughter contagious, and watched as Natalie wiped her eyes and beamed at him.

“You mean they were soiled?” Natalie wiggled her eyebrows and it was Mirage’s turn to split his sides. 

The pair’s dorky laughter filled up the common area of the dropship and found its way into various nearby rooms. After dishing out some more jokes back and forth, Natalie accidentally snorted and covered her face with her hands, hiding her bright pink face. 

“Say it again, say it again!” Wattson laughed, her voice muffled by her palms and Mirage, his ego soaring, sported a wide grin.

“Okay, okay. What did the pirate say on his 80th birthday?” Mirage smirked, watching Wattson’s shoulders shake with contained laughter. “Argh, Aye Matey.” 

Natalie shrieked with laughter and sunk into the side of the couch, letting another snort slip as she hid into the cushions. “You’re so funny, Monsieur Witt!”

Elliott chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, I’m good, I'm good. But there’s two of me, so I’m good twice! Boom, check out that math.” He grinned as he summoned a decoy, fist bumping it before it immediately disappeared. Natalie’s laughter came to a halt and she turned to face him, blinking away her tears of mirth and raising a brow.

“Are you saying your jokes are better than mine?” Wattson pouted as she crossed her arms against her chest. 

“No! Well...actually, yeah. But I mean, look at you! I’ve never seen someone turn so pink.” Mirage teased as he poked at her cheeks and laughed when she pushed his hand away. 

“Arrête ça! (Stop it!) My jokes were just as funny as yours,” She whined. Mirage put his hands up as if surrendering but didn’t stop smiling. 

“Alright, how about this: I’ll say your jokes were half-good. They did make me laugh...a little bit. Okay?” Mirage replied and Wattson, still pouting, suddenly offered him a smile of her own. 

“Okay, Monsieur Witt. Maybe my initial jokes were ‘half-good’ as you say, but I have another that’ll make you laugh way more than a little bit. Wanna hear it?” She asked in a sort of a sing-song voice, scooting closer to the trickster with the bright look of mischief in her eyes. Mirage eyed her curiously yet didn’t back away even when she closed the distance between them.

“Sure, oh and you can call me Elliott. Keeps away the gray hairs.” He chuckled, flinching when Wattson suddenly pulled him into a tight hug. Mirage blushed and was thankful that she couldn’t see it but was now more confused than curious. Wasn’t she supposed to be telling a joke? “How do you make an octopus laugh, Elliott?” Wattson whispered. Mirage furrowed his brows and fidgeted in her grasp but she didn’t budge. 

“Uh, I don’t know. Sounds like that’s the sity-four, uh sixty fort….ugh, the million dollar question.” He stammered only to let out a surprised shout when she suddenly pushed him backwards. Since Wattson had already trapped Mirage’s arms to his sides when she hugged him, she had no trouble pinning them beneath her knees and keeping them there. The engineer dramatically lifted her hands in the air and wiggled her fingers with a huge smile on her face.

“You give it ten-tickles~!” She cheered before reaching under his arms and wiggling her fingertips against his armpits. Mirage dropped a high pitched squeak before dissolving into frantic laughter. 

“WHAHAHAT THAHAHAT’S NAHAHT A JOHOHOHKE!” Elliott screamed as he writhed against the cushions in a tickle-induced panic. Natalie beamed, happy that she caught the trickster off guard, and swiped her nails up his arms before tickling under his chin and the sides of his neck. 

“Yes it is! And it’s pretty funny, don’t you think?” She asked innocently, to which Elliott responded by whipping his head around and ruining his immaculate curly hair. 

“NOoohohohoh it’s NOHOHOHohohoht! THIHIHIHihihihs ihihihihs cheheheheatiihihihihng!” The trickster yelped, his laughter taking on different pitches as he tried to trap her hand between his neck and shoulder. Natalie wasn’t having it and moved her wiggling fingers to his sides, where he started bucking like a bronco and dipped into heavier laughter. Damn whoever made him so ticklish. 

“I’m not cheating, tickling is a part of the joke! And if the joke isn’t funny, why are you laughing?” Natalie smirked and, since he was wearing more casual attire (excluding his holo tech), she was able to reach underneath his shirt and squeeze his bare sides. Mirage flung his head back and convulsed with desperate laughter, kicking every pillow within reach off of the couch. “STAHAHAHAHAHAHP NAHAHAHATHAHAHAH STOHOHOHOHP!”

Natalie paused and, after pretending to think about it, she shook her head and went back to squeezing the trickster’s sides. “I have a better idea,” She replied, having to raise her voice over the sounds of his wild laughter. “Either you stop laughing at my terrible, unfunny joke, or admit that my jokes are just as good as yours!” 

“BAHAHAHAT I’D BEHEHEHEH LYHIHIHIHNHGAHAHAHAH!” Mirage wailed before falling back into a fit of laughter, barely hearing Natalie gasp and put on a mock offended look.

“How dare---you know what, fine! Then laugh it up, mon amie!” Natalie commanded, suddenly twisting a finger into his navel and delivering playful pokes to his abdomen. When she switched spots, Elliott’s laughter calmed down to giggles and he sputtered when she decided to alternate between poking his stomach and scratching at his bottom rib. 

“NAHAhahahahahteheheheh cohohohohohme ohohohohon! Truhuhuce! Leheheheht’s cahahahahall it a draaahahahahahw! Ah! I wahahahahnna truuhuhuhuhuhce!” Mirage snickered uncontrollably and flinched as she kept on poking, snapping his head upwards and searching her eyes for even the smallest ounce of mercy. Natalie shook her head, she was resolute, and she paused again to hover her hands above his sides.

“Non, no truce. Either stop laughing at my bad jokes, or tell me that they’re funny!” She demanded, smirking as he arched his back whenever her hands got too close. “Do it, or I’ll tickle you until you’re as pink as I was!”

Mirage didn’t answer her, too preoccupied with gulping down as much air as he could. Natalie waited for him to catch his breath and give her some kind of answer but, when he didn’t say anything, she narrowed her eyes and resumed tickling his sides. Mirage jolted and, since he nearly tossed Natalie up in the air, she reached behind her and squeezed the trickster’s thigh to balance herself, unknowingly causing him to finally dip down into hysterics. 

“NOOOHOHOHOHOHOH! NAHAHAHAHAHAHT DOHOHOHOHOHON’T! DOOHOHN’THAHAHAH!” Mirage screamed and kicked his legs against the cushions, his eyes shining with tears of mirth. Wattson looked at him, then his legs, before grinning and turning around so that she could face them. 

“Don’t what? Don’t do….this?” Natalie tilted her head and squeezed the trickster’s thighs eagerly and giggled as raw, unfiltered laughter spilled from his lips. “Or maybe this? Is this what you don’t want me to do?” She continued as she spidered her nails underneath his knees before returning to attack his thighs. 

Mirage tossed his head side to side like a crazy person as he laughed and laughed, his kicking fruitless as Natalie’s fingers kept on squeezing and wiggling against his hypersensitive legs.  Natalie pinched the spot where his thigh and hip met and he bucked with a snort, causing her to join in on the laughter.

“That’s a funny sound! Let’s see if we can make it again.” She smiled, continuing to lightly pinch the spot and laughing harder when he did snort again.

“AAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH NAHAHAHAHAHTTHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA SAHAHAHAHAHAH!” Elliott shook with hysterical laughter with tears streaming down his cheeks. Natalie looked over her shoulder and stopped tickling, poking his thighs and knees at random intervals to keep him giggling.

“So? What do you think of my jokes, Elliott?” Wattson questioned, her nails finding the underside of his knees again and gently scratching. Mirage coughed out a giggle and breathed heavily, blowing loose curls out of his face.

“Hehehehe...y-you’re jokes are gohohohood. So gohohohood, mahahybe eehehehven behehetter than mihihihne.” He gasped, letting out a sigh of relief when she climbed off of him and pulled him up to give him another hug. 

“Merci, Elliott. I’m ex-static that we could agree, hehe~!”

[lawssword]

Day: One Affection

Word Count: 1.8k

Luffy slipped his hand into Law's, lacing their fingers together as they walked through the grocery store. Law tried not to pay it any mind. Tried not to pay attention to the second glances thrown their way.

"What do you want for dinner?" Law asked. "There's still cilantro left, it would go well with tacos."

"Oh!" Luffy's voice hitched with excitement and he hugged Law's arms to him. "We can make those chicken tacos that Sanji made on New Years'."

"I think we could make it work," Law said with a small smile. "I think we'd need sour cream, lime, and chicken."

"Can we get rum and orange juice too?"  Luffy asked.

"Captain Morgan's?" Law asked.

"Yep, the pineapple one!" Luffy agreed.

"Deal," Law said.

"You're the best Torao!" Luffy smiled and kissed Law's cheek. That definitely caught some second glances of people passing by. They gathered everything they needed for dinner and headed for the checkout.

"Oh, the rum!" Luffy said.

"I know, I'm going to grab it, you get the groceries and I'll meet you at the car," Law said. Law couldn't exactly get it with Luffy with him.

"Shishi, okay," Luffy said. "Oh, can we watch Pirates of the Caribbean when we get home?"

"Of course," Law said with a small smile. He let go of Luffy's hand and disappeared around the corner. Law found the rum that Luffy wanted and went up to the counter to pay. He set the two bottles he got in the back seat and leaned against the car, waiting for Luffy.

Luffy was coming out the automatic doors of the grocery store with the cart full of groceries in no time. Luffy propelled himself down the parking lot towards Law, standing on the cart.

Law shook his head as Luffy went horribly off course. He stepped out in the lane that Luffy was the middle of now. Law caught the cart and Luffy came to a halt, doubling over on the cart.

"I think you missed the turn," Law commented, he pulled the cart towards the car and opened the trunk.

"Maybe," Luffy said, smiling all the same. "But I knew you'd catch me."

"How corny," Law muttered as he started getting the groceries put away. Luffy grabbed a couple bags and got them put in the car too. Once the cart was empty, Luffy wrapped his arms around Law.  

"Dinner is gunna be so good!" Luffy exclaimed, looking up at Law with a smile that made his eyes disappear. "I can already smell the chicken."

Law tilted Luffy's chin up just a bit and leaned in to kiss him.

"Oh," Luffy muttered, he stood on his toes and met Law halfway. Law pressed his hand to the small of Luffy's back and hugged him close. With his other hand, Law closed the trunk and they slowly parted.

Law smirked and looked at Luffy in that way that made Luffy curl his toes. "Get the cart put away and I'll start the car." Law's voice was quiet. He only spoke as loud as he needed to for Luffy to hear him.  

"Okay," Luffy said. Law's hand fell from his back. Luffy spun the cart in the direction of the cart return and propelled it and himself forward with his foot. The car tipped back with Luffy's weight but Luffy took it in stride and took the chance to steer the cart into the return. Law chuckled to himself and got into the car.

Luffy hoped in and Law pulled out of the parking spot. As soon as they were on the road Law took Luffy's hand in his. He kissed the back of it as he drove and rubbed circles on Luffy's hand with his thumb.

It was only about ten minutes before Law pulled into his assigned parking space that was labeled the same as his and Luffy's apartment. Luffy's bike was parked in the spot next to them.

"Im so hungry I could eat 12 whole tacos!" Luffy exclaimed, jumping out of the car. "No, 14!"

Luffy started heading up the stairs.

"You're not getting even a tortilla if you don't help me with groceries," Law threatened.

"Oh!" Luffy gasped. "I forgot!" Luffy backtracked all the way to the back of the car and helped Law carry in the groceries. They for everything up to their apartment in one go. Luffy called it a win.

Law started putting the groceries away as soon as the bags hit the ground while Luffy got the movie ready.

"Torao," Luffy called. "Which one is the first?" Luffy asked.

"Curse of the Black Pearl," Law replied.

"It's not on Netflix!"

"Disney Plus."

"Oh!"

Luffy let the intro play out but paused it before the actual movie started.

"Do you need help?" Luffy waltzed into the kitchen as Law got the last of the groceries put into the pantry.

"Nope," Law said.

"Oh, that was fast."

"Mhm." Law already started unwrapping the chicken they had bought. Luffy stood by Law's side and ran his hand up Law's back.

"Can I help you make dinner?"

"Well, that depends, are you actually going to help, or are you going to eat everything when I'm not looking." Law glanced at Luffy as he poured seasoning over the pan.

"I wanna help you cook!" Luffy insisted.

"Hm, alright then," Law turned on the stove to heat up the pan and turned to Luffy.

"Promise you won't eat anything until all of dinner is ready and we're watching the movie," Law said.

"I promise!" Luffy assured.

"Ah, so I have your word," Law smiled like he had Luffy caught in a corner. "And you can't break your promise."

"I would never!" Luffy insisted.

"Alright, then," Law grabbed the onion and tomato he had left out to cut up for the tacos. "Cut these up for the tacos."

Luffy stood on his toe and kissed Law's cheek, he took the vegetables and set them on the counter next to the stove. Luffy dug out a cutting board and knife before he stared with the tomato.

"Am I supposed to cut it like little squared or like it's going on a burger?" Luffy asked.

"Squares." Law laid the meet onto the pan in front of him.

"Uhh," Luffy cut the tomato in half and chopped off the leaves. "I don't know how to do that. "

"Hold on," Law said. Law turned to the sink that was behind him and washed his hands before coming up behind Luffy.

"Hm?" Luffy looked over his shoulder at Law while Law put his hands over Luffy's, guiding the knife.

"Cut it in half like this," Law said. Luffy turned the knife sideways with Law and cut it down the middle.

"Oh! I've seen Sanji do this," Luffy said.

"Still need my help?" Law asked.

"I got it!" Luffy said with confidence. Law brought his hand from Luffy's to Luffy's waits and kissed his cheek.

Law turned his attention back to the chicken it wasn't cooked enough for Law to break it up for the tacos yet. Law opted to take care of the cilantro in the meantime. He cut off the stem and separated out all the leaves.

The knife Luffy was using slipped and Luffy jerked his hand away. The knife clattered against the counter.

"Did you cut yourself?" Law asked, he took  Luffy's hands in his, checking Luffy's fingers for damage.

"No, it just slipped," Luffy said. There were no cuts on Luffy's hand to contradict the statement.

"Be careful," Law muttered, turning his attention back to the cilantro while Luffy finished up the tomato. Law set the cilantro aside and checked on the chicken, he flipped it and put more seasoning over it.

Luffy started on the onion, cutting it up the same way he had with the tomato. The onion was a lot easier since it wasn't so soft. Or at least that's why Luffy thought the tomato was hard to cut.

"You gotta peel the outer layer," Law said.

"What?" Luffy had no idea what Law was talking about. Law came over and took the onion.

"The outer layer is all dried up, we can't eat it, so you take it off," Law explained and he pulled off the outer layers.

"Woah!" Luffy watched in amazement. Law set half of the onion back down before doing the same to the other half. Luffy set back to cutting it.

In movies whenever someone cut onions, it made them cry, but that wasn't happening at all. It must be one of those things that aren't real. Or at least that's what Luffy thought before his eyes started to sting.  Luffy squinted to ease the stick as he brought the knife down.

Onto his finger.

"Ow! Son of a bitch!" Luffy yelped. The noise made Law jump.

"Luffy-ya," Law sighed, though part of him knew that They'd end up like this. Law fond the cut on Luffy's hand. It wasn't too bad but Law wasn't going to give Luffy another chance to cut himself. Law reached past Luffy for the faucet and turned on the tap.

"Let the water run over it, I'm gonna grab the first aid kit," Law said.

"Oh," Luffy muttered, sticking his hand under the running water. "It stings!" Luffy yanked his hand away.

"Leave it, you were handling food, we need to make sure it's clean," Law said, he brought Luffy's hand back under the water. Luffy winced. "I'll be right back."

Law grabbed the first aid kit from under the bathroom sink and returned to Luffy in the kitchen. Law set it on the counter next to the sink and popped it open.

"You can turn the water off," Law said. Luffy did just that while Law grabbed some alcohol wipes and band-aids. Luffy let Law take care of the cut, watching him put Neosporin and finally the bandaid over it.

"How long until you're a doctor again?" Luffy asked.

"At least four years," Law said.

"I dunno, I think you could be a doctor now," Luffy said with a grin.

Law chuckled, "Maybe a nurse in another year.

"But look at how well you patched me up," Luffy said.

"It's a bandaid," Law countered.

"Still," Luffy said.

"I don't think a hospital would agree with you," Law said.

"I don't care." Luffy stuck his tongue out at Law just as Law looked up at Luffy.

"You're so childish," Law muttered with a small smile.

"Shishi," Luffy grinned, "I'm just fun, Torao!" Luffy leaned forward and kissed Law. Law wrapped his arm around Luffy and tilted his chin up just a little to get a better angle. The smell of the chicken starting to burn made Law pull away.

"You made me forget about the food," Law sighed and turned to the stove.

"Save the food!" Luffy leaned over the counter, with his head over the pan.

"You're in the way," Law muttered. Luffy moved as Law flipped the chicken, it was a little scorched but otherwise fine.

"YAY!" Luffy cheered. "You saved it!" Luffy hugged Law, wrapping his arms around Law's neck. "I love you! You're the best!" Luffy kissed Law's cheek.

"Love you too," Law murmured.

[peterthepark]

First Times With Steve (II)

Steve Harrington x Reader

Warnings: F L U F F & some angst

A/N: i highly recommend reading the first installment of this HC before this one! you can find it it here:

- PART ONE

First Time Talking About Marriage:

it’s been a good five years together when steve mentions it to you on christmas morning

there’s snow outside, freshly made hot cocoa on the dining table, while pirate sits by the christmas tree and steve is in the kitchen of your apartment

“so, i was thinking...” he starts, flipping over a pan of pancakes

“oh, well, that���s never a good sign.” you tease, finding satisfaction in the loud groan he makes

“nancy and jonathan’s wedding thing is in a month.”

you’re nodding your head as if he can see you, taking a sip from your cocoa

“when is ours gonna happen? i was thinking early november or maybe even late august. but like next year. sometime soon, hopefully.”

and you SPIT OUT your cocoa everywhere because this has been brought up like once

you have to get up and go to the kitchen because you are not having this conversation from another room

“are you being serious right now?” you stand beside him, helping him put the pancakes on a plate

“yeah, actually. too soon? i love you, Y/N. you know i wanna grow old with you.”

“why are you crying? babes?”

suddenly you’re a mess and you can barely get any words out because holy shit this man wants to marry you

First and Only Wedding:

the wedding is in early november as steve suggested

it’s small, not too many people

the party and robin and everyone from hawkins attends

your parents are there and so are steve’s - even though his relationship with them isn’t that good - he still wanted them present for the day

it’s a beautiful gathering, filled with tears and laughs and memorable stories

you’ve never seen steve so happy

he’s crying as soon as you walk down the aisle

he can’t wait to grow old with you

First Honeymoon:

you and steve go to hawaii

you both wanted to save money first for a house, so you decided to go somewhere new but fairly near

he’s sporting one of those ‘dad’ hawaiian shirts, hair fluffy from the coastal breeze

you guys are literally naked most of the time

steve got this really nice beachhouse from a relative, so you already know that it’s gonna be a fun time

it’s relaxing and peaceful, and you and steve are able to spend quality time together

“you look beautiful today, my wife.”

“why thank you, husband.”

he starts to introduce you as his wife a lot

to random people

to people who don’t give a crap

he is so thankful that you married him

First House:

you move to the city

steve found a great job offer and you as well

so, you find a quaint house near your old apartment

it’s still within driving distance of hawkins which is nice

and even though you both wanted to stay there, you knew that it was time to grow up and move on - but your friendships in hawkins never fade

you’re able to buy this cute house in the suburbs

there’s a big backyard so pirate can run around, and eventually your kids too

steve and you are so overwhelmed with paperwork and moving in on time

“are we seriously homeowners, steve?”

“i mean. that’s a house, right? and it’s ours?”

it takes a while to move in since you want everything perfect

steve helps you with making your dream house

“saw this couch at the mall today. think it’d look nice with our house, so i went ahead and bought it.”

he’s a really good interior designer too?

First Pregnancy:

two months after finally moving in, you’re pregnant

steve is at work when you find out, but you’re sure that you’ll tell him when he gets home

you actually FORGET because when he arrives you’re passed out on the bed

and suddenly, you’re waking up in the middle of the night, and the thought that you’re literally pregnant comes back to you

so you shake your husband awake

“steve, love.”

and he groans, pulling you tighter to him.

“you’re crushing the baby.”

“mmm, i love being your baby.”

and you’re staring at him because you know it’s gonna hit him soon

“steve?”

“wait, what did you say?” and he finally opens his eyes

“im pregnant.”

First Child:

more like children

because you’re literally pregnant with twins

its scares the shit out of you, but steve knows that you’ll be an amazing mom

the birth is smooth but painful

you have a boy and a girl - the complete package

your son: harley harrington is the older twin

your little girl: stella dee harrington is the younger twin

there was one condition that you both had agreed on while picking names

because dustin was the only child of his family, you and steve decided to give one of your kids his name

he’s their big brother, after all

dustin is bawling when he finds out that the ‘dee’ in stella dee harrington stands for him - he loves you guys so much

anyways, children are not as easy as you thought

but steve seems to be great at it

your kids are perfect

stella definitely looks more like you

but HARLEY is literally a carbon copy of steve

they both have good hair

they can’t be separated

and they really love pirate

the harringtons are actually a bunch of dorks

First Argument:

of course, there’s been a few arguments during your marriage

but this one

this one was bad

steve starts coming home late at night

he doesn’t spend as much time with you or your kids anymore

you don’t know what happened but it’s heartbreaking

so you wait for him to come home

it’s midnight and you’re getting really worried

“why are you out so late all of a sudden?”

“Y/N...”

“steve, what’s wrong? you can tell me.”

but he can’t tell you

he tells you everything but not this time

you try to be understanding but you’re getting worried and steve mistakes it for something else

“i would never cheat on you. i can’t believe you’d think that.”

“i never said anything, stevie. you know i wouldn’t - i don’t think like that. im just concerned.”

there’s no yelling or shouting but it’s still as painful because of how distant steve seems

that was the first night in ages that he never told you that he loved you

he leaves the next day to go to hawkins

and you still don’t know why

First Apology:

steve finally opens up to you after a week of being gone

you knew something has gone wrong because of the way he looks: bags under his eyes, smile forced, voice too soft

“baby. come here.”

any bad blood between the two of you has completely dissolved

steve sobs into your embrace, and you feel for him

“do you wanna talk now?”

“it’s my dad. he’s sick.”

oh

“im so sorry, steve.” you kiss his forehead, “is there anything i can do?”

“i need you and the kids. we gotta - we gotta visit hawkins, yeah?”

steve’s relationship with his dad has always been on the rocks

so you know he’s torn

he doesn’t know how to feel

but he has his family to support him

“i’m sorry that i’ve been so selfish and distant. i didn’t want to bring you down with me.”

“i want to be there with you through everything. i made a vow to you, steve harrington.”

First Family Vacation:

it’s france

because steve made that promise to you years ago

your little love lock surrounded by other locks on that bridge of ponts des arts?

it’s still there

harley is making fun of it

“eternally in love? now that’s lame, mom.”

“your dad thought of it. not me.”

“Y/N!”

but stella actually thinks it’s cute

and you tell them how their dad promised to take you back here once they were born

now the kids are gagging because their parents are such SAPS and ROMANTICS

but they also admire that

because it shows them what love really is

they have so much fun

harley can’t stop eating crepes

and stella doesn’t take off the beret (the one you wore on your first trip to france) that you had given her

so cute

so sickening

you’re one big happy family

the harringtons

[freewheelshippin]

PIRATE pt 1 (ish)

It’s summer!!! I want to think about swashbuckling pirate AU adventures!!! I’m still thinking I might just snippet and snapshot the rest of the ideas I have here so it’s like a big bathtub full of toys I can do whateeeeever I want with, but you know. It’s me. I don’t do a damn thing without 1) slowburn 2) tappin into that Too Much Gene. So here u go, a setup. 

Takes place right after the events of Pirates of the Frontier drama CD-- you don’t have to have listened to be able to enjoy my offshoot, but you can read a great translation here and hear the whole thing here if you haven’t and would like to! (I still gotta find a sauce and watch the stageplay of it...but this is not about that!) 

Not much by ways of content warnings other than some reference to alcohol. Onwards!

Ikki came back with a smile that awarded Malreaux and the White Devil their first agreement. 

“Oi, Cap’n,” Malreaux growled. “Who the hell is she?” 

“Our new boatswain!” Ikki said without a shred of doubt in him. “She overheard me trying to recruit someone and said she was looking to join a crew.” 

The White Devil clicked his tongue, turned on his heel, and began to stride towards the ship. 

“And where the hell do you think you’re going?!” Malreaux barked after him. 

“I will let the peasantry sort their problems out,” he said, not bothering to even turn around and acknowledge them. “While I rest in my quarters.” 

“Don’t you fucking care who the hell Ikki decided to bring onto the ship?!” 

“I do not. Whomever is brought aboard is a new recruit and therefore beneath me. If they intend to be a turncoat, it is simple to kill them where they stand. Good night.” 

It was barely sundown. 

“Oi! OI! Get back here and deal with your problems like an actual crewmate, you hoity-toity bastard!” 

“...So what’s he do on the ship?” the new boatswain asked plainly. “Other than be a pompous ass?” 

“Be a pompous pain in the ass,” Malreaux muttered, giving up on getting the pale specter to listen. He crossed his arms, and his expression seemed a few words away from an outright snarl. “The cap recruited him barely two weeks ago,” he said pointedly, glaring a hole in the new recruit. 

“Malreaux, calm down, please!” Ikki pleaded. “Don’t worry, he’s not a bad person. He’s already helped us lots, and he cares…just, in his own way.” 

Malreaux looked incredulously at his captain, brows knit. “He threatened to throw you and your lucky pendant overboard because you ate some of his fucking macarons.” 

“But he didn’t!” Ikki defended. “Because he wants to find the Red Angel, too, you know, and we’re the only other people in the world he can do that with!”

 His crewmate sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead where it creased before giving Ikki’s recruit the once-over. 

“So who the hell are you?” 

“You can call me Maighread,” she replied coolly enough. Malreaux studied her expression, meeting her eye. She held his gaze challengingly, but he couldn’t shake the feeling she was hiding something.

“And what the hell makes you think you’re worthwhile joining us,” he said flatly. 

“Well,” she started, shifting her weight. She had an impractically big sword with her, and she began to lean on it. “For starters, Mr. Pompous, Pale, and Pillow Princess is proof positive you’ll all strangle each other at sea if you go much longer without a boatswain.” 

Malreaux snorted. “You think you can get him in line, huh.” 

“Oh, sure. Ikki tells me he’s a sweet tooth, I’m sure there’s a solution that involves padlocking the galley unless he’s been a good boy and pulled his weight.” 

Ikki laughed at that remark. “He’s going to be so dramatic if you do that!” 

“He’d shoot off the lock if you did that!” Malreaux barked, though he liked the idea of someone else on the ship who thought of the White Bastard as a problem. “But you still haven’t answered the fucking question about why I should let you on the ship.” Ikki opened his mouth before Malreaux cut him off. “From your mouth! I wanna hear whatever snake oil you fed him myself!” 

Ikki sighed. “I’m sorry, he’s just looking out for us.” 

“No, no. I get it. Honestly, there’s not much story to tell. I’m a scholar, and I’m on a hunt for rare plants and animals that haven’t been recorded yet.” She opened a pouch on her belt, showing it was stuffed with drawing tools, and handed Malreaux the book strapped at her hip. He took note of the tattoos scaling up her hands and arms as she handed it to him; the images were fearsome and aggressive, but not from any dangerous allegiance he confidently recognized. 

“What the hell’s a scholar doing looking for a tiny pirate crew like this, huh? Shouldn’t you have fancy navy escorts?” He flipped through the book. Indeed, they were mostly sketches and notes of flowers, plants, and animals, the pages warped and slightly shimmering from dried-up seaspray.

“Fancy navy escorts are a natural disaster with government funding,” she supplied. “You heard about the ones that torched a whole island just for fun? The way I see it, I’d rather trust a small crew headed by a good man to take me to new places we don’t know how to respect yet.” 

“And what kinda scholar needs a big dumb sword like that?” 

“Family heirloom,” she said flatly. “My dear old departed khun yai meemaw would flood the seas with her tears if he found out I wasn’t taking ole necklopper everywhere for protection,” she continued facetiously. 

Malreaux met her eye, still frowning. He tossed her back her book. 

“I don’t like her,” he remarked to Ikki as he crossed his arms. 

“Why not?” he asked genuinely. 

“She seems like bad news.” 

“She seems like a good person, and she’s already offered to use her skills to help me find the Red Angel.” 

“You ever met a scholar covered in ink like that?” Malreaux replied. 

“You’re covered in ink like that,” Maighread shot back. 

“Yeah,” he snorted. “And I’m bad news. But we’re short on hands, the captain likes you, and I’m just the cook. We’re ditching you at the next port if I’m not convinced by then,” he said, shouldering the pack of goods he’d bought as he went to board. 

Maighread shouldered her sword again. “I’ll be on my best behavior, chef,” she called after him, letting a long sigh of relief out when she thought Malreux was safely out of earshot. 

“That went great,” Ikki cheered, patting her heartily on the back. 

“...Really,” she said, looking at Ikki disbelievingly. 

“Well, why else do you think our crew’s so small? I know he’s kinda rough, but I don’t think I’ve known anyone who’s worked harder to keep me safe. Normally he’s way, way angrier about how annoying someone I want to recruit is or just doesn’t let them onboard to begin with.” 

“I’m glad I had you vouching for me, then,” she replied with a tired smile. “So, all that’s left is to fetch dinner and we’re good to depart?” 

“Yeah! I ordered ahead of time. Four whole portions of fresh steak, to celebrate our new crewmate with,” Ikki replied with a beaming, infectious smile. 

--------------------------------- 

Maighread set to work immediately, as promised, but with gusto and ease like her sealegs had been built on this ship. The White Devil was goaded into tasks he complained furiously about but did impeccably, she took plenty on herself, while Ikki and Malreaux redistributed their responsibilities amongst one another. There was less for Malreux to do, in a relieving way, and he could focus more on the meals they relied on to keep spirits high and their bodies alive. 

She was talkative at meals, but evasive about any real questions they had about her. She only started conversation with Ikki, and seemed to avoid Malreaux outside of duty. So when she asked Malreaux for a favor at the next port, he was caught off-guard. 

“Assuming you don’t still think I’m a disaster waiting to happen.” 

“...You earned points just for getting the pale bastard to pull his weight. Figures he’s wicked competent.” 

“I won’t lie,” she started, encouraged. “I feel a little bad. Some stuff I assigned him was out of pure pettiness. I just can’t fuckin’ stand how he thinks he can order me around and call me peasant.” 

Malreux’s mouth crooked into a smile. He told himself it was because someone else was as sick of that shit as he was, and Ikki was too forgiving, even when he was the one the White Devil was taking most advantage of. “It’s what that fop needs. He can’t keep going around like this, and it pisses me off he’s got all that fancy magic that means we can’t just kick his ass.” 

“Oh. What, that rope trick he does?” 

Malreaux groaned. “My ribs still hurt from last time.” 

“What?” She grinned at him. “You’re serious, he used it on you?” 

“Did the captain seriously not tell you how we met that bastard?!” he grunted irascibly. 

“Why don’t you tell me all about it later? Sounds like a conversation you can’t have in polite company,” she said with a challenging smile, leaning ever so-slightly-back into the busy port town behind her.

“Shaddup!” Malreaux barked. “You really wanna undo all the good will you earned?” 

“Well,” she replied, the smile softening into something more relieved, “it’s nice you admit I’ve earned any to begin with. Lemme earn some more. I got an idea that’ll get us some coin, but we gotta go now.” 

“Fine. I can see just what kind of bad news you are that way.” Maighread’s face fell for a half a moment before she stopped herself from giving away anything more. 

“Oh, just the worst. Like, fuck you and the boat you rode in on. C’mon.” 

They strolled through town. Maighread tucked her sleeves into her bracers despite the heat, hiding away the markings lining her arms, even as townsfolk gave them extra wide berth as Malreaux didn’t bother to hide his. 

She took them to a liquor distiller in a back alley, unmarked and unpopular, where she negotiated buying barrels of rum wholesale to age in the ship’s hold. They’d sell them at different ports and spread the word of the distiller, and they’d likewise keep some for the crew to do with whatever they pleased. She looked pointedly at Malreaux as she paid for it with her own money, and he could only snort and gesture to show he got the point. 

Malreaux was strong enough to pick one barrel up over each shoulder. He caught out of the corner of his eye that she’d seemed ready to roll hers back to the ship, but she tried to hoist hers up the same way once Malreaux had lifted his up. 

“What the hell are you doing,” he growled. “Don’t try and show off if you’re not strong enough.” 

“I’m strong enough,” she replied with more venom than he’d seen or frankly expected from her. 

“You aren’t if you’re just gonna slow me down.” Malreaux started to walk ahead, back to the ship. She trailed far behind, like he expected, as she insisted on carrying them herself. He met her part-way back after loading them onto the ship and seized one of them off her shoulder. 

“What’re you trying to fucking prove?!” he scolded.  “You’re the fucking boatswain, who fucking expects you to be freakishly strong like me?” 

She snorted, trying to hide how heavily she was breathing. “Oh, yeah, ‘cause the first thing Ikki thought when you met was ‘hm, that guy’s really strong, I better make him my cook!’” She paused. “...ah, shit, nevermind, he might’ve thought that.” 

Malreaux, despite himself, laughed. She looked so relieved when he did, and he set the barrel down as he sighed heavily. 

“......Look,” he started, despite everything telling him he shouldn’t bother for just another seafarer who’d leave him for dead someday if it suited her.  “I’m still not convinced on you, but I’m not gonna kick you out just ‘cuz you don’t lift a barrel like I do.” 

“....it’s about my pride, too,” she admitted, but she laid the other barrel on her shoulder down on its side, bracing her foot on it to keep it from rolling away. 

“Well.” Malreaux kicked a barrel over to roll himself. “Can’t fault you for having that. Just stop doing stupid shit ‘cause of it, you’re gonna make trouble for me ‘n Ikki.” 

Maighread didn’t reply verbally, but the look she gave him was grateful, and she kicked the barrel in front of her gently to get it rolling towards the ship. They didn’t talk outside of practicalities as they loaded the rest of the barrels, but Maighread walked side-by-side with him from then on. 

It was as he passed her a handspike for the turnstile that she started a new conversation. 

“Can I ask you something?” She notched the first one in, and he tossed her the second one. 

“What.” 

“Nothing big. I just wanna know how you met Ikki. You two really look out for one another.” 

Malreaux hesitated as he took his place opposite her. 

“Haul,” he signaled, as he gripped and leaned into the handspike. 

“Haul away,” she replied, and they groaned forward, slowly lifting all the barrels off the deck to lower into the hold. “You gonna answer my question or not?” 

“I got left behind by my old crew and he picked me up.” 

“....like a kid and a stray,” she offered, a touch of apprehension in her voice. 

“Exactly like a kid and a stray.” 

 “I mean...it still sucks to get stuck like that, even if it got you a good captain.” 

“No. I dug that hole for myself. I must’ve fought everyone on that crew at least twice over and drawn blood from them at least once. I didn’t know shit about how to be on a crew. It was a long time coming.” 

“...huh.” 

“What?” 

“Oh, nothing, I’m just. You’re impressively honest is all.” 

Malreaux narrowed his eyes, even if the compliment didn’t feel sour. “Just baring my fangs. I never said I wouldn’t kick you into the sea right after we get all the rum loaded.”

“Heh. I’ll fight you tooth and nail when you inevitably don’t double-cross me.” 

“What’s that confidence for? Tch.” 

She laughed before they reversed and slowly lowered everything into the hold. Malreaux wanted to dislike how natural these motions felt together, but instead his body just felt lighter. 

In the hold, as they untied the lines holding the barrels together, she insisted they take a little sample of the rum. She said it was for comparing the taste later. Malreaux thought it was for making sure it wasn’t water with a shot of piss. 

“....He deserves it,” Malreaux admitted after the slight burn of the rum fired the nerves in his tongue until it almost hurt. 

“Hm?” 

“Ikki. If someone’s going to put their faith and trust in me, I owe them my best. That’s how it works, doesn’t it?” 

“It should.” She took the cup from him. “I can promise you I’ll abide by that, too.” 

Malreaux steeled his gaze on her. If she was a charlatan, she was a goddamn good one. 

[elisaphoenix13]

Trigger The Light (Ch.1)

It was just the three of them. Tony, Nebula, and Quill. The men were in bad shape after almost a month of drifting in space (Quill could keep them on track for Earth, but actually flying the ship would burn their resources faster), and miraculously, Carol found them and got them back to Earth. They were both taken into the compound and given an IV before meeting up with the remaining Avengers and discussing their next move. Tony shut down when he saw Stephen and Peter on the screens in front of them, as well as another teenage boy, and when he tried to leave the room, he collapsed. Quill kept uncharacteristically quiet throughout the whole thing as he studied each face that popped up on the screens, and only when the others talked about going after Thanos did he say something.

"The ship needs repairs." He mumbles.

"How long will that take?" Steve asks and Rocket was the one to answer.

"We can leave in the morning. Quill...you gotta stay. You're in no shape to go back out there."

Quill shrugs. "For once in my life, I want to stay on Earth. Just make sure you bring my ship back in one piece."

That had been the end of that conversation. The able bodied team members left to confront Thanos in space the next morning, and Tony and Quill took the next few days to recover. The engineer's baby daughter had survived the snap out of his entire immediate family, and when they were well enough to leave the medical ward, he approached Quill in the common area. The outlaw had been lazily scrolling through the internet on one of Tony's Starkpads, but nothing processed in his mind. He wasn't in the mood to try to catch up on what happened in the past thirty years while he was gone, and he didn't really see the point because of the Snap.

"Quill."

The man looks up at Tony and finds not only baby Diana on his hip, but also another little girl standing beside him with an overnight bag. He had recently met her just a couple of days ago, found out her name was Cassie, and that her Dad was one of the victims of the Snap. Her mother and stepfather were in the middle of traveling and they had no way of contacting them.

"I...I can't stay here. I bought a cabin by a lake and I'm taking the girls with me. You're welcome to come if you want."

Quill looks at the trio standing a few feet away and he nods. "Yeah...sure."

__________________________

Five years passed. Tony and the girls made the best of it, and Quill stayed because he bonded with Diana and Cassie. It wasn't like there was much for him out in space anyway. Rocket and Nebula were borrowing his ship, out doing who knows what, (helping out the world and the universe probably) and Quill was helping Tony raise the girls. Well, not so much raising...just helping. Being the uncle Diana called him and making sure Tony didn't get lost in his head or lock himself in his lab too long. There were very few pictures of his late family around the house and those few still hurt the engineer to look at sometimes.

"UNCLE QUILL!" Diana yells from outside, and the pirate flies off the couch and out of the cabin to find the little girl standing under the apple tree and looking up. Cassie was a couple feet away reading a book.

"Shit, don't scare me like that. What do you need kiddo?"

"I want an apple!"

Quill looks up at the tree and, considering how high up the lowest apple was, figured that not even Cassie would have been able to reach. He was the tallest member of the household anyway so it made sense that Diana automatically thought to ask him for help. With a smile, he grabs three apples, tells the little girl to wait, and walks back inside with the fruit to wash them. After that, he goes back outside and hands one to Diana before following her over to her little fort and handing another apple to Cassie.

"Is Tony in his lab again?" She asks as Quill sits on one of the lawn chairs and Dia crawls into her fort.

"Nah. I think he's making dinner actually."

"At least it's not you. We still haven't refilled the fire extinguisher." Cassie sasses and Quill flicks her forehead.

"Maybe we should talk about that window you broke-"

"Okay truce!"

Cassie bats away his hand and he chuckles as Gerald walks over to see what all the excitement is about. The alpaca nudges Quill with his muzzle when he notices the man's apple, and the pirate groans before taking a knife out of his pocket. He cuts off a slice and offers it to the animal and then gently pushes him away.

"Alright, now get out of here. Go raid the garden."

He stands up and herds the alpaca away from the girls' area and he watches curiously as a car pulls into the driveway. As far as he knew, neither he nor Tony were expecting company, so he waits until the car is parked and sighs when Steve and Natasha climb out of the car. Another person gets out of the back seat but was quickly hidden behind Steve as the trio made their way over to Quill.

"It's been a hot minute since we've seen you." He says to them and pulls the Captain into a hug. The hug gave him the opportunity to see who else came with them and it had his eyes widening. He recognized the man as someone that had been on the monitors when he and Tony made it back to Earth. A Snap victim.

Steve moves away and motions toward the shorter man as Diana leaves her fort to hug Natasha. "This is Scott. Scott Lang. He's-"

"Not to be rude, but they said Cassie was here." Scott interrupts.

Before Quill can turn to ask Cassie if she knew this man, she was rushing past him and falling into Scott's arms. The way he held Cassie was clear enough to the pirate that Scott was Cassie's father, and it brought a warm feeling to his chest. It was nice to see that the teen got one of her parents back and how happy it made her. Quill loved the girls. They were family, and he would do anything to keep them happy.

"I'm a little confused." He finally says after a few minutes of letting Scott and Cassie reunite and they all look at him. "Weren't you snapped?"

"No. That's partially why we're here." Steve answers.

"Explanation after food. I'm starving." Scott says just as the screen door opens.

"Hey! Chow time!" Tony yells as he heads toward them after stepping off the patio. He raises an eyebrow when he notices the three extra people. "Good thing we always make extra. Porcupine eats like Capsicle."

Tony then notices Scott and his mouth drops open as the younger man leaves Cassie's side and hugs the engineer. Tony pats his back in bewilderment and Scott pulls away after a few seconds to endlessly thank him for taking care of Cassie. They all go inside, Natasha carrying Diana on her hip, for dinner and once Scott gets a good amount of food into his stomach, he explains where he had been the last five years. The conversation did get sidetracked to Cassie's care again and Tony had recovered enough from his earlier shock to hold his hand up to quiet Scott.

"Hang on. I'm not the only one that took care of her. Quill had a part in it too."

Quill stops chewing on his bite of pasta and shakes his head after swallowing his food. "I didn't do anything." He clears his throat when Scott's golden eyes settle on him. "Tony did all the...parenting. I just...babysat sometimes I guess."

Tony and the girls immediately denied his words. They let Scott know that Quill did a lot for them just like Tony, and Scott stared at the pirate for a few more moments before turning the conversation back to the subject of the Quantum Realm and his theory. When time travel came up, Tony rubbed his hand over his face as he thought it over.

"We've all lost someone. Maybe I didn't lose a lover, but I still lost friends." Scott says quietly and Steve nods.

"We all did. We lost friends...family. You lost your kids."

Natasha reaches across the table to gently grab Tony's trembling hand. "You lost Mama Bear too. We all lost him. He means everything to us too. If it weren't for him, this family wouldn't be one."

Tony inhales and let his breath out slowly. "I...I can only promise to try. I don't want this to backfire and end up without more of you. I can't risk the girls."

"That's enough for us. Take all the time you need so you're confident it will work." Steve says.

The billionaire nods and they all finish their dinner on a more positive note. They all caught Scott up on what they could, and afterwards Steve and Natasha left for the compound after Tony promised to call them when he found anything. Scott obviously was going to stay with them because Cassie was with them, and Tony showed him upstairs to the room he would be using. The one next to Quill's.

Quill himself was cleaning up after their meal. Since he couldn't do much cooking, he was usually stuck with the chore to do the dishes and clean the kitchen. Which took him a little longer since there was more to clean. Even though there was a fifth person living at the cabin now, it was still quiet and Quill just assumed that Scott and Cassie were catching up. Maybe all four of them were. Diana was only a baby when the Snap happened but Scott still knew her brothers and Stephen. The pirate was pretty much a stranger. He only knew Stephen and Peter for a few hours.

"Shit!" Quill hisses under his breath when he cuts himself on a knife hidden in the sink full of soapy water.

"There's a reason there's plastic on one end." Scott says from beside him and the pirate nearly jumped out of his skin.

"The hell?! How long have you been standing there?"

Scott smirks and Quill's heart flips at the sight.

Wait.

Where the hell did that come from?

Sure, Gamora was just a really good friend when he lost her, but was he actually attracted to Scott? Maybe the younger man was nice to look at, and maybe his eyes were really pretty in the light of the setting sun...

...Quill was in some serious trouble. It hadn't even been five hours and he was pining after Scott. This wasn't him. He flirted. Looked at potential lovers all together, not specific parts. Not golden eyes, not the shy smile Scott was giving him, not how the man smelled of mint and oranges. Stop. Stop paying so much attention.

"Do you need a bandage or anything for that?" Scott asks as he motions toward Quill's finger.

"No. It's not that deep. I've definitely had worse." The pirate sucks on his finger and then returns to his task of finishing with the dishes.

"I...uh...wanted to thank you. For taking care of Cassie when I couldn't."

"I told you, Tony did everything."

"That's not what he and the girls told me."

"You're welcome then I guess. She's a good kid." Quill says as he puts the last of the dishes on the drying rack and dries his hands. "I thought you would be spending time with her."

"I had a few hours with her, but she and Dia are getting ready for bed."

Quill looks at Scott and blinks. "Hours? How long have I been cleaning?" He looks at the clock. "I must have zoned out. Beer?"

Scott nods and Quill grabs a couple of beers from the fridge, and the two make their way into the living room. Once they collapse onto the couch, Quill hands one of the beers to Scott and then turns on the tv, putting a movie on. The rest of the evening passed in somewhat comfortable silence as they watched the movie, and just when Quill was about to strike up a conversation, he looked over at Scott and found the man fast asleep. He turns off the tv when the movie ends and grabs the blanket off the back of the couch, throws it over Scott, and grabs their empty beer bottles. He rinses them before throwing them in the recycling, and quietly asks FRIDAY to turn off the lights before retiring to bed himself.

[aquamarineicecream]

Rewind Sanders Sides Superhero AU - Chapter 2

Ao3 Link

>Chapter 1

>Chapter 3

Buying discount Halloween candy at five A.M. was always a good idea, especially when you hadn’t slept at all in the past twenty-four hours. The surprise on the cashier’s face was evident, but Remus disregarded it as he dumped the armful of candy he had been holding onto the checkout counter with a mischievous grin. That grin only grew as he watched the cashier take in his appearance, from the worn black pirate hat on his head to the machine gun strapped to his back.

“So, how much will it be?” Remus asked, moving the dark gray mask covering his eyes up to just beneath the brim of the large feathered hat. The teen behind the cash register just stared at him for a moment, still taken aback by all the weapons Remus had on him. Remus assumed the boy could only hope they were fake. It was only when Remus cocked his head slightly to the right and his expression turned impatient that the teenager quickly started scanning and bagging the candy in front of him.

“Since most of it is 50% off it’ll be, um - ” The boy paused to read the number on the screen in front of him - “$167.93.” Remus didn’t look fazed by the high cost as he pulled five fifty dollar bills out one of the four pouches on his belt and dropped them on the counter without even checking to make sure it was the right amount. He picked up the bags and turned on his heel to leave as the cashier scrambled to get the correct amount of change from the drawer. “Wait, sir - ” the teen started, attempting to call out to the customer before he made it out of the store.

“Keep the change!” Remus interrupted, shifting the six bags full of candy he had bought to one arm so he could wave goodbye to the perplexed boy behind him before pushing out of the convenience store’s glass doors. Remus adjusted the bags so he was once again carrying three bags on each arm as he marched out into the crisp autumn night. He loved the feeling of the cool breeze on his face. Remus decided that since it was never too early to start the day, he’d go to the park for a while to relax and enjoy his first meal of the day.

As Remus walked the short way to the park, he contemplated what he was going to tell the people who had hired him for his current mission. He had known the mission was cursed from the start, of course. No one ever paid that much money for his services unless they seriously meant business. Then again, it was hard not to mean business when you ordered a hitman to take out your enemies. Although he knew that logically he should be suspicious of the rich strangers, he never had lived a life led by logic, had he? And furthermore, he always enjoyed a good challenge; it was what kept his job interesting, after all.

Remus plopped down on a lone bench under an old willow tree once he reached the park. He didn’t particularly care that a middle aged man who appeared to be homeless had already been sitting there. Remus had no qualms about setting down the bags in the space on the opposite side of the man. He lowered the black cloth covering his mouth before talking.

“You changed, little bro,” Remus addressed the man in the thin, torn coat next to him while he started looking through one of the plastic bags holding the different containers of candy. The man glanced at him in confusion before Remus took out a bag of 3 Musketeers and tossed it into the tired man’s lap. “Here, eat up. I got your favorite.” The man frowned as he opened the large bag and took out one of the individually wrapped chocolates before speaking in a rough voice.

“I don’t know you.”

Remus cackled in response. “Oh c’mon, admit it. I know it’s you. I always know it’s you. I mean,” Remus paused mid-sentence to laugh again, “I may be getting a little crazy around the edges but ever since we were kids you couldn’t fool me.” Remus grinned at the ground for a minute before getting his candy of choice from the bag. The other man just unhappily unwrapped his candy before eating it. He didn’t respond until after Remus had eaten a few sour gummy worms, but this time his voice was much livelier and more arrogant than before.

“You do know that technically even though you’re twelve minutes older than me, we’re still twins, right? So it’s not fair for you to call me your little brother,” the man said, through a mouth full of chocolate. Remus turned to face his brother and smirked when he saw the young man was dressed in his usual outfit of a white suit that strongly resembled a prince, save for the bright red cape that had a large gold ‘C’ on the back.

“Twelve minutes still counts as older, Ro.”

“What are you doing here? What time is it even? And more importantly, how much money did you spend on just candy?”

“Hey quit scolding me! You’re gonna sound like your nerd friend soon. He always has something to say about me, too. I only spend a hundred something dollars. And it’s sometime after four, I think,” Remus said, as he gave up on the gummy worms, choosing to start attacking the candy corn instead.

“A hundred dollars only on candy?!”

“It was on sale, Ro, what else was I supposed to do? God, when did you get so booooring?” Remus rolled his eyes and ended up deciding to wrap a gummy worm around a candy corn before eating it so he would have an excuse not to pay attention to Roman’s noise of offense. “Oh yeah, it was when you decided to get all high and mighty. All princely.” Remus scoffed and ate his combination of candy.

“I can’t believe you’re still bitter, Remus. It’s been literal years!” Roman crossed his arms, looking annoyed. “And you still haven’t answered my first question, though I bet I already know the answer.”

“You’ve gotta remind me what that question was cause you know how bad I am at remembering stuff.” Remus was still smirking to himself as he treated himself to more of the delectable treats before him while Roman glared in his direction.

“You’re going after Virgil Messana, aren’t you?” Roman’s tone was accusatory but Remus didn’t bother looking up from the mixed Hershey's bag he was rifling through.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Remus.” Roman had stopped glaring for the moment and instead had taken to getting out another piece of candy. He missed the frown on Remus’s face as Remus finally looked up from his own bag.

“What gave me away? I was so careful that he wouldn’t see me.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Roman started sarcastically, “Maybe the fact that you hit me with a car while I was going after him!” Roman turned to glare fiercely at his brother.

“Wait, that was today?” Remus responded lightly. “Oops. My bad, Ro. But I guess you’re right. I am after him. I was hired by some shady fellas to get rid of him. I still don’t get why though. He’s just some skinny kid our age.” The container of Lemonheads on his lap was forgotten momentarily as Remus fidgeted with the edges of his fingerless black leather gloves.

“It’s weird to think that we have the same target again. And not a good kind of weird.” Roman ate another piece of chocolate before continuing, “But the good part about doing this my way is that I got to read Messana’s case file.” Remus looked intrigued before Roman had even finished speaking.

“What does it say? Who is this Mr. Nobody from Nowhere that everyone wants dead?” Remus looked borderline desperate, as though his life hinged on getting the answers to his burning questions. Roman, on the other hand, looked almost smug to have the upper hand over his twin.

“It’s getting late. I should really get going, Remus. The others will be worried if I don’t get back soon.” Roman flashed Remus his signature grin before grabbing a handful of chocolate and slipping it in a hidden pocket in his suit. He moved the bag from his lap to the bench beside him before standing up and dusting off his knee length cape. Remus grabbed Roman’s hand, looking at him like a child trying to convince his parents to buy him ice cream. Roman, however, simply pulled out of his grasp. “I really do need to go. I’d hate for Logan to wake up and see that Pat and Dee and I are all still gone. I’ll see you around. And you know I’d wish you good luck if we weren’t after the same target.” Roman hesitated for a moment before adding in a much softer tone than with which he usually spoke, “Take care of yourself, brother.” It was clear Remus hadn’t been paying attention or cared enough to acknowledge it though, so Roman turned around with a sigh, his sad expression only lasting for a second before it morphed into what felt like someone else’s face entirely.

“Ro, wait!” Remus called after Roman, after the former had already walked a bit away. Roman instantly froze in place, waiting with bated breath to hear what Remus had to say. “At least tell me why Messana is so important!” Remus shouted, causing Roman to release his breath. Roman should’ve known to expect another question about their target. After all, he had taught himself by now not to expect anything even vaguely reminiscent of fraternal concern nor caring remarks from his brother.

“They said that if he lived, this guy Virgil would change everything,” was Roman’s only response. Remus stayed silent, for once at a loss for what to say. The beaten down, middle aged man in the weathered brown coat walked out of the park without another word, disappearing in the light of the sunrise.

Next Chapter>>

Tag list: (let me know if you want to be added or removed)

@milomeepit , @captainhadeslover , @yep-another-fander , @pattson , @lala-the-rebel , @artistictaurean , @ironwoman359 , @ab-artist , @wicked-rosie , @starsinger , @superarrowholockian , @shapoodle , @virgil-the-virgin , @fun-with-colors , @theloveliestsweetspongy , @anastasialestina , @inferablossom , @confused-pat , @midnighteclipse98 , @silversmith-91 , @pattons-second-cookie , @harboring-hatred , @creativenostalgiastuff , @sadb0tt , @today-only-happens-once , @thelogicalloganipus , @the-shark-boi , @mantha-has-fallen , @averaillisa , @emochechirecat , @camillenicole , @thedukeofdeodorant-main, @time-out-for-thee , @sandersstuffsblog , @letsmoonkid , @iampengwing , @5150brotherbear , @approximately12lbs-of-ducks , @bexxbeauty , @elvis-has-been-dug , @ollyollyoxinfree , @magsnine , @littlewolf432 , @logical-princey

[bilgisticallykosher]

Sanders Asides: Are There Healthy Distractions? reaction

Pre-anything: I'm not expecting to love this one as much as the last episode. Nothing terrible, but the disgusting trash man intro is just a hard thing to beat.

I’m expecting this to be SvS part 2. I'm expecting some sort of reaction and conclusion to Virgil's reveal at the end of DWIT. I'm therefore looking for any sign of confidence from Virgil immediately pointing to him being Deceit. I think it's likely not going to be addressed until late in the episode. Virgil angst until he comes back. Will Deceit be wearing Virgil's current hoodie? People have theorized that since he took notes on Roman's advice, it's possible for him to be better at pretending to be someone else. Especially someone who pops in, as opposed to rising up. 

I'm also anticipating Thomas to come up with a different solution to the callback/wedding thing. Namely, Logan asking him if he'd just speak to Lee and Mary Lee, and ask to celebrate another time, more privately, and if he could go to the callback. Like, there's definitely a reason Deceit threw Logan in the back where he thought he'd have less influence. 

I'm also waiting on Roman angst. We needed to meet another character (there's no way it wasn't Remus) before entering Roman's room. 

OH GOSH they're doing animation, right? Or, another medium? That's gotta be for Roman's room! I was thinking maybe stop-motion or fluid animation. I'd also LIKE Deceit's name reveal, but I'm not sure we'll get that. 

Post-title screen. I thought this was an old TS & Friends I'd missed. I, didn't love Frozen. This is an understatement. Okay. Still really like the name Sanders Asides, it's funny. That's. Hm. Well, it looks like Virgil. In a different outfit? Intriguing. So, distractions, like distracting yourself from wedding/callback? Also, "Are there healthy distractions?" Almost like "Can lying be good?" (At least, I have misremembered the title as "Can distractions be good?" at least five times already.) 

Okay I'm also focusing too much on my theory and supporting it. I know Frozen has been used as a metaphor for Depression and/or other mental illnesses, so, maybe that's why Virgil's the focus in the title screen? 

WATCHING! Y'know, despite the Jewish thing, I've only ever seen two episodes of The Goldbergs, didn't really get into- YES HELLO THOMAS. What. Is this an actual ad? Why does he sound like a pirate? HA! He acknowledged it. "What the hell is that accent?" Idk, a little Remus, a little midwest? 

Okay, that was the opening? Wondering if the red jacket plays any special significance, or they just saw it and bought it. 

I like the effects of the A. Virgil is. There already. Hnnnnnm. I dunno, man. This is supposed to be part of the chronological series, right? Oh it's a skeleton onesie! Canon onesie for Virgil! 

WOAH EVERYONE! Ooh, Roman's Beast? I wonder if that'd change depending on what show either actual, or character, Thomas is in. They're all there! Different order, too!

OH MY GOSH is this taking place twenty minutes after DWIT? IS THIS DECEIT??? I failed at not pushing my theory, whoops. I'm still suspicious. (Roman's floppy horns.)

Literally nobody believes that you didn't put all Frozen answers in, Ro. "I don't wear those anymore, they're too childish." Still waiting on Logan angst, too… probably after Roman. 

"Thomas is in a bad place" Virgil looks uncomfortable, but he also didn't seem so offended when Roman pulled his "twenty minutes ago" line. Well, it's definitely Logan, "Thomas is at home." Haha. Also, Roman's hood falling down was hilarious??

Okay, screw it, I'm pushing this. Virgil did learn last episode that repressing problems isn't the way to deal with them. But I feel like Deceit would also keep pressing for them to acknowledge why he feels bad? Also, Thomas's face, wow, discomfort. 

I don't get the "Thomas in the movie" joke, it's a snowflake? "Or neutral." Burn! "This weird ice cutting song." Man, where's the Critic? "Externalization" he had a little smile, guys. 

Some Logan vs. Patton tension AND some Logan vs. Roman tension. "Fear will be your enemy." Virgil looked at, Thomas, I think? Damn guys, this might actually be Virgil. 

Okay I watched this four times, Virgil and Logan do not shout Joan. And Thomas does it sadly afterwards. "Passage of time," This might actually be Virgil! 

I just choked! Oh my gosh, you guys, he is naked my throat hurts from not screaming. I'm having trouble getting over this. This cannot be a shock to anyone, but I want to hear him say "I sleep in the buff" several thousand more times. 

"Did I screw everything up" oooh, I was wrong, it's Virgil, but who cares, buff. Thomas is looking at his phone, is it not too late for callback? 

WOAH going right for Patton's throat! Ahaha, the tallies were hysterical. 

"Why have a ballroom with no balls?" "*snrk*" Don't lie, Thomas, that's hysterical. 

Patton's sadness and "without trust issues" hmmm. Shut out [her] whole life, is this supposed to be a comparison to anyone? Logan's "hey, yeah!" Is oddly hilarious. 

Is the "he" that Virgil's talking about the director? "Well she really shouldn't be letting go of anymore of her clothing." Oh my gosh. 

Oh, today is April 13th! The wedding is at night, so is he already missing the callback? ICE TOILET!  Remus, my god. Also, just noting, minus hair and makeup, this is some easy Remus-ing for the crew. They didn't have to deal with the whole outfit. 

Good point, Logan! This is not how Roman shows affection! Especially towards Disney! You guys, what if Roman is Deceit?... No, he hasn't been pushing the callback enough. But like. Beast/Prince symbolism? Hm. I'm watching him. 

Wait, what the hell party? I, I'm confused, wait he's telling Thomas's friends? That doesn't sound like he's going to the wedding? Who is "he"? If he were missing the wedding, it'd be him talking about Lee and Mary Lee.

Unless he sent someone else to the wedding in his stead? So he could go to the callback? Did he send Deceit? That's. Unlikely. But misrepresenting his side? Idk idk. 

"If he lied on purpose." MUSIC! Wait what's this about unsympathetic judgemental jerk? Who are they talking about??? This had better be revealed at the end. I went back, judgemental jerk used twice, and combative compatriot sounds like Deceit, what other "he" is there, but the Sides can't be seen by others, so????????

The music is still going. Rico? Oh, is that the answer? So is this unrelated to the wedding/callback? Okay, party isn't wedding. That was also an incredible act of breath control from Thomas. Standing ovation, dude. 

Oooh, the grounding thing! Ice machine! Ice machine is one of my favorite Shorts characters, guys, I love him, he a loud boy. "Deodorant" *excited noise*... oh, no that's fine. 

But I mean. Couldn't he do something now? Call or text an apology? Logan "have I mentioned that you called me cool yet" Sanders. Long ice powers list. 

I just realized that the voting hat was Deceit's! I- oh, he's just literally off-screen. I'm. Fairly certain that I was wrong now, yes. Virgil hissy. Ha, they didn't want to do Deceit's makeup. Understandable. Oh, is this the animation thing? 

"Love is an open wound" ooooh, nice. That was actually a cool re-write. In the buff. Is Thomas legit writing fanfiction now? 

I do not like the holiday season, I'm Scrooge. I do love Joan, though! DARK SIDE SWEATERS I would legitimately never wear them. Ever. Because X-mas. But eyeballs and demons. 

Logan angst is still incoming. 

So, it was tied to the main narrative, but… Virgil wasn't addressed? So, is it just loosely tied, but not necessarily sequentially? It's real cute seeing them all hanging out together like on everyone's fanfics, and that had to be crazy to edit. And hey, the Frozen stuff was better with commentary. But I'm still waiting on SvS part two, I think. And post-DWIT "fallout," but I did really enjoy all of them together being (relatively) cute. 

Sorry for being really focused on one theory. And, really, it's not like I'm disappointed with the episode. In and of itself, I liked it. It's just that I was expecting a direct continuation of the last two episodes, which this was not. And that's fine! I just, I hope we get that continuation. Like Thomas said, narrative has been building up for certain things, and they've been waiting on other aspects for a long time, so I'm sure they're even more excited to show them to us as we are to watch them. And have I mentioned editing? Must have been some job to do all that. Really great.