#i seem to be hanging in the area of blue/teal/green | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

yostresswritinggirl · 4 years ago

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Readers: We want Red Xiao x Reader x Green Xiao content PLEASE

Exiled: Well yes but actually no

Intermittent

Pairing -> Red/Green Xiao x Reader

Word Count -> 2088

Themes -> Okay, get this: Fluff, Angst, Suggestive scene (but not too bad). It's a trifecta.

Series -> #SojournerSpecials (masterlist)

Credit: @m370N4 for Header

Warnings -> Spoilers, violence, oh gawd there's so many violence

Your lover is going through a phase.

Perhaps you should have expected this much after the things that he's gone through, and the things that he is going through. The Archon War does not pick its victims. Saints and sinners, weak and strong, participants and bystanders; they all have one thing in common, they all can die any day now as the war rages on.

The thought of impending doom puts your heart into great unease as your arms tighten, lips softly pecking the red diamond on the Yaksha's forehead as he sighs in what you hope was relief.

The adepti are strong and aid in this war under the stead of Rex Lapis, but on the forefront of greater danger leads the Yakshas. The fateful battle between Osial and the Geo Archon ended not too long ago to put an end against the Lord's destructive ministrations, but Gods do not die, only slumber; his hatred in great intensities brought forth demonic plague that now haunts the blood bathed lands of Liyue. With his indispensable power and contractual obligation, Xiao became one of the five known Yakshas devoted to conquering those evil.

You were no beast in the battlefield but alongside Cloud Retainer and Ganyu you hold well in ensuring the well-being of mankind, but you only wish there was anything you can do to help the true warriors of the Harbour.

"How are you feeling?" You ran your hands through his chopped hair as his body leans against you, still tense. Xiao produces a strangled groan upon the question, a sound you still have yet to grow accustomed to.

It was a side effect even the glorified Archon did not expect. Yet it was too late to back down from the duties, to turn away from the chaos.

"Still standing, nothing I cannot handle," leaning away from your hold, his honey eyes then sets upon yours in gentle reassurance. Exposed fingers softly brushing against your cheekbone reminiscent of a flutter, so light it sends your heart into a faster pace. "And on your end? I have heard of the mortals establishing a new type of governance, how is it faring?"

Xiao hooks his fingers under your chin in full attention, and the pairing with his tantalizing smile sent your mind melting. "It's going-," your cleared your throat of the strangled pitch you produced and tried again, "Going great! Ganyu made it her duty to oversee it as the secretary."

"That is a fine arrangement." He hums inquisitively but you both know his attention was on somewhere else, what with the way his sharp orbs kept flickering to gaze on your lips. And with how his face was slowly, surely drawing near.

"Indeed, indeed." Breathed you as you closed your eyes, ready to capture his lips for a longing kiss, his other hand rests on your lower back to guide you to his lap—

When the shutter doors slammed open, the interruption causing you to yelp as Xiao embarrassingly hides your head to his exposed chest. That did NOT lessen the warmth of your cheeks.

"Conqueror of Demons! I- I'm sorry to interrupt-"

"Pervases, go on."

"The Yaksha of flames-" A rumbling roar of a scream had all three of you shoot your heads up in alert. And within seconds you had scrambled to your feet, rushing out of the shrine to investigate the commotion. The atmosphere had you choking from the scent of arson, black smoke erupting from the burning grass and natural flora around the area.

But in the middle of the ruins had you almost dispelling the contents of your stomach, your hand shooting up to cover your mouth at the the sight. Besides you Xiao dashes past in a vain attempt to quell the flames— the lick of fire that burned the Pyro Yaksha whole, who screams in both agony and anguish over the deep unknown, skin and clothes turning black and charred.

Xiao's swings barely made a dent to the wall of fire that prevents anyone from coming close to the Yaksha. "Please, leave me alone! Let me go! Stop it!" There was an illusionary sense to her words as she screams at the empty void in front and within her, piercing and aching. You called for her name, shouted, in hopes that she may snap out of it.

Dried up tears came upon her ruby gaze as it flickers over to yours. She heard you. Her lips quivered into those of familiarity and she opens her mouth- only to scream her loudest, one last painful cry, as her body drops as a smoking corpse.

Charred and pure black. Twitching and steaming, but not alive.

You didn't realize you were crying until you felt the comfort of Xiao's hand wiping at your cheek, his red fingerless gloves catching the dampness as you released your sobs.

You didn't notice the gradual decrease of red in his clothing until you looked at him one day without feeling a pang on your chest. When you looked at him with only curiousity upon him calling your name, he offered a smile as he cups your cheek; it didn't feel like the same traumatic time when the Yaksha died, your cheek leaning on his cerulean palm.

It wasn't red. Maybe that's what drove away your thoughts.

"It looks good on you," you mumbled as you watched his now black and green hair sway from the breeze.

"Thank you."

The clouds of Jueyun Karst brings peace to all that gazes on it. That may be the reason why it was Menogias' favorite place to sit by upon finishing her duties for the day, and at times she invites you over when you are done with your own; 'your presence soothes me, it's unfair that Xiao gets to keep you to himself, even if he is your lover!' you giggle at the verbatim the Hydro Yaksha always spouts everytime she drags you away from the other, with a cute yet teasing pout on her pristine face.

Those moments always has you laughing guiltily as you wave to Xiao, who only dons a gentle smile at you two's dynamic.

But she was beautiful and elegant despite her slaughtering hands, with a mind vivid and witty.

And so you find peace next to her, as both of your hands weave cloth into apparels to calm your minds. She had always been an avid fan of stitching and knitting even her own clothes, the only reason you knew how to weave the needle was because of her incessant teachings. Right now she knits a sleeve of beautiful patterns while you took on the duty to make a wooly scarf. Jueyun Karst is cold.

"How are you faring, dear? I have heard you and Xiao-" your hands paused at the implications, "-were witness to the passing of the Yaksha Indarias. Changes are glaring among that of the Conqueror of Demons, but you are a special case who is not under the influence of the karmic binds."

Her cold blue gaze seem to pierce your soul unintentionally and you couldn't bring yourself to look upon them.

You gulped and ceased on finishing the blanket to look at her own work. It was pretty. Tiring and fearful, not just for yourself, but for her too. And especially Xiao.

She holds you close in a soft embrace as you poured your honest confessions; it felt unfair for them to suffer like this, driven to self-destruction or to eternal agony. Menogias strokes your hair affectionately as she reassures your worries.

After all, they knew their oath would come to this.

And they still honored their duties to protect Liyue, for both the mortals and the realm of the Adepti.

"H-How about you?" You sniffled, looking up at her now gentle gaze. "Have you been feeling well? I don't want you to be destroyed by your own mind too."

The Yaksha's gracious smile parts after a pause to finally reply, when a glint from the side suddenly interrupted your peace-

azure pupils dilated upon recognition;

your body flies back upon her powerful push;

blood spurs from her right thigh as a jagged pillar of rock pierces through;

your back and hitting the cliff's compact ground as your vision swims.

No, no, no, no, you recognize that glow even if it was similar to another. Your body whimpers as you struggle to get up, rolling to your side to see the inevitable— the floating silhouette of the Geo Yaksha raises his arm where an orb glows over it, a single eye glows from his shadow...

The last you saw was the flash of neons and black before the world was engulfed by a blinding light.

The next thing you know you were desperately trying not to puke as you cradled the mawled and still bleeding corpse of Menogias, weakly patting her cheeks as your desperate attempts to wake her- to convince yourself that she was still alive. That the spears of stones impaled through numerous part of her body was nonexistent.

Behind you Xiao flicks his head to the side as his mask disperses. His jade spear dripping with blood as her gentle eyes hardened as it squeezes out the tears.

"(Y/N)," your wails turned into whimpers and hiccups, loose arms wrapping around your waist as Xiao pulls you away from the bloody mess. You didn't have the spirit to protest, your eyes still trained on the deceased Yaksha's face as you wept in your lover's arms.

A familiar censer that wasn't there before hangs by his waist.

And when the pain didn't make you weep anymore, a beautifully woven sleeve of blue and clouds adorn his left arm. Those who live after a millenia would not be aware of a reminiscent and deep scar hidden beneath it.

"I was not aware you were out of your domain," the moment he landed, a firm hand grasps your waist to keep you steady on the balcony's railings. Where you're currently perched on, precariously.

You were still unused to the purple cloth that flows behind him. But it matches the wind that comes with him, and the beautiful clashes of colors that makes up who he is now. He was not reminiscent of the red gentleness that he was 2000 years ago, but a teal shadow that lingers at the edges of your vision as a blur.

"I wanted to thank you for purging the malignant monsters that haunted my domain by the cavern," your gaze falls away from the moon as you swing your legs up and over, turning to face the Inn and him yet still remaining seated on the railing.

His eyes were hostile, not at all indicative of the lightness it had long ago. Chest covered in white, and the many memorabilias that dangle with him. Xiao's hands rests on the railing by your side as your fingertip traces the Vajra hanging by his neck, chunky to pointy; Pervases, the name leaves your lips in a whisper.

A guttural growl leaves him in intensity that had you reeling yet still worried for him. Behind his lidded eyes were pure hurt from the fear you conveyed, but he shook his head at all the thoughts that invades. Xiao lets loose a tired yet mocking laugh, "I just remembered something unpleasant."

Before he can turn back to gaze at your ethereal form, you've thrown your arms around his head to pull him against your chest. Your grip and uneven heartbeat alerted him of your will to not cry at his misfortune; such sympathy is wasted on him, yet he wraps his arms around you close in a gentleness that once again reflects his deepest trait.

"...your blessings, not your flaws."

At the sound of your familiar lyrics, as if with a mind of its own, the tension on his shoulders drop immediately into your warmth.

"You've got it all, you lost your mind in the sound;

There's so much more, you can reclaim your crown;

You're in control, rid of the monsters inside your head;

Put all your faults to bed."

Urged the strokes of your hand on his head, the voices quiet into almost nothingness. The Conqueror of Demons smiles again.

"You can be king again."

To the realm of the Adepti and those who knows even the slightest of him, it was nothing to debate about when it is claimed that you were the real reason that the golden-winged king, the Conqueror of Demons— that Xiao still exists today.

If you recognize the song 🤝 big sad

@moaa @dandelion-dreams @witchsungie @lehra @zelos-simp @legionqueensav @snackgod @rxsalinee @cala-ran @wind-wheel @lilydewi22 @yellowflowre @traveler-lumine @nonniechan @creation-magician @hanniejji @gojos-baby @just-some-stars @volleybloop @kookieyachi @xiaophilia @bunniesrorange @anormalguyreader @scarletroseneko

#genshin impact x reader #Xiao x reader #genshin impact Xiao #exile.flower #Angst #Fluff #segcy #Xiao² #I have given in to the temptation #gender neutral #xiao genshin impact #sojourner special

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oxnardsart · 3 years ago

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They still allow lewd stories here right? :3 Someone wanted an embarrassing naked pokemon story so...

I made a PokéPark 3 story in that theme~!

---

Some time ago, Oshawott and his friends had all gone on adventure together through the PokéPark. The water-type investigator made new friends, chased and raced pokémon, and even saved the day! He received praise and respect from Samurott, and was well on his way to greater heights and social standings...

But for today, the super sleuth had earned himself a day off. Now that Samurott was trusting him with more responsibilities, it meant he needed more time off to relax and just enjoy his days in the Cove Area, spending time with all the other pokémon there. There was even an influx of new pokémon he'd never seen before! Thankfully, they all seemed to peacefully enjoy the beach with everyone else.

"Alright! I gotta head to the cove!" Oshawott declared once he was all ready in the morning. The little white otter pokémon pranced around his room, getting a towel and sunglasses, before remembering, "Oh, my suit!"

He dug through his drawer, feeling out what to wear today. They were all speedos aside from one pair of trunks...

He walked over to his mirror, and held them over his belly. He always tried wearing these since they looked cooler, but normal swim trunks were meant for pokémon with actual legs... Meanwhile, Oshawott's torso was oval-shaped, with his two dark blue feet just poking out at the bottom. He sighed and put the swim trunks back. "Maybe once I evolve..."

Instead, the little pokémon grabbed a teal speedo - the color always matched the ocean, sorta. To wear it, he usually took off the light blue fur coat around his oval-shaped body. It was adorned with a light yellow scalchop shell, which he plucked off of himself and set on his bed. "Won't be needing that today!"

From there, the small pokémon tucked his white arms into his coat and wiggled them out of the top. "Huff!" The little guy did his best to slink out of it, pushing his coat downward, he almost looked like Scraggy - who always had their shedded coat hanging around their hips like a baggy pair of pants. Oshawott giggled at the thought, shaking his flat blue tail behind him, pretending to be Scraggy for a moment with his coat bunched up around his hips - the only thing protecting his nudity.

But he had to get dressed sometime, so the little pokémon pushed his fur all the way down, lifted one leg out of it, almost completely nude when...

"Let's go, Oshawott!"

The little pokémon gasped and spun around to see who was at his door! It was his old adventuring friends, Snivy and Tepig!

"Snivy, we should knock first." Tepig gave a polite grunt, before the two friends went wide-eyed, walking in on poor Oshawott in the middle of undressing.

"H-hey!" the partially-undressed pokémon whined as he fell onto his butt. The three friends all gasped as the saw the little otter pokémon's balls and weenie poking up after it slipped out of his fur coat! Oshawott covered it up with his little paws the best he could. "Stop looking!"

Tepig covered his eyes with his hooves, while Snivy gave a smug smirk over the sight. "We've already seen it, it's alright." The smug, green, snake-like pokémon replied, not sounding all too reassuring in her pink bathing suit. "Besides, Tepig still needs to get his swimsuit on too. You can change together."

"We can what?" Tepig gasped, before he felt Snivy's vines lift him up by the black briefs on his orange, piggy body, and carry him into the center of the room. She flipped him upside down, falling right in front of Oshawott, with his black briefs still being held by her vines above. "What happened...?" Tepig woozily wondered as he sat up, confused from Snivy suddenly swinging him around. She started laughing at the sight of his plump little butt, meanwhile in front of him, Oshawott gasped upon seeing the little piggy's balls and weenie right in front of him! He was stuck naked with another male pokémon, right in front of this girl!

"You two hurry up and get dressed." Snivy teased, before she saw both Tepig and Oshawott charge up their fire and water attacks. She cackled and closed the door before it got splashed with hot water.

"L-let's just hurry up..." Tepig offered, standing up nude, and slipping on his own pair of red speedos that matched the ball on the end of his sproingy tail.

Oshawott was embarrassed getting dressed with another male pokémon, but at least they both looked rather unevolved below their bellies, so he didn't have to feel too shy. The sea otter pokémon quickly pulled off his light blue fur coat, and placed it on his bed near his shell, and scurried nude across the room to get his speedo on. Tepig's eyes were wide at the sight of his little white weenie and balls bouncing up and down as he scampered about, but it only lasted a moment before the blushing pokémon slipped his speedos on and over his body.

"There we go, all set!" The sleuthy pokémon grinned, trying not to look embarrassed, but his cheeks told a whole other story. The two laughed and headed out of the room, and out to the cove, with Snivy following behind.

---

As the three friends arrived at the cove, they set their towels upon the sand and laid down to relax. And while Oshawott's friends prefer to lay in the sun all day, he was just a bit more active. And as he saw a cute buneary girl head to the water in her pink bathing suit, the little guy couldn't sit still anymore!

"I'm gonna go swim! Do either of you wanna join?" Oshawott asked his friends politely.

Snivy replied with a smirk, "I'm busy working on my tan." ...Oshawott stared at her confused for a moment, and then looked over to Tepig. "And it looks like Tepig's already asleep. But don't worry, I'll watch over him. You go play in the water~"

Oshawott nodded, it's more fun with his friends, but the great thing about the PokéPark was that there were new friends to make everywhere you looked! He saw a wartortle drying off on the rocks, a family of eeveelutions playing together, Scraggy and Scrafty tossing a disc back and forth along the sand. The cove was known for water pokémon, but he was happy to see fire and other types were okay playing in the water - and that others weren't afraid to get in even with all the electric-type pokémon around.

Oshawott ran right past Buneary and jumped into the water. The cute little guy happily splashing about, maybe even showing off what a fast swimmer he was. He could easily stay afloat at the top of the surface, keeping an eye out to see the other pokémon who were hopefully looking right back at him!

"You're a fast swimmer!" The Buneary girl swam up and praised the aquatic pokémon. "Are you a water-type?"

Oshawott got up and tried flexing his tiny nub arms, "Water you asking for~? Isn't it obvious?" The little buneary thankfully got a giggle out of his silliness. "I'm an oshawott, we're all talented swimmers. Oh, but, I'm the best and quickest oshawott in the whole cove!" Buneary silently looked around to see if there were any other oshawott around or if it was just him...

"Here, just see how fast I can go when I'm REALLY trying!" The oshawott got on his back, smiling up at her, ready to impress. "One... two... three!"

Oshawott zoomed off in a hurry, quickly speeding around the water top on just his back, while looking out for other pokémon, dodging left and right.

Buneary gasped - not just at his speed, but because dear little oshawott was so fast, he left his swimsuit behind! Poor Buneary got an eyeful of the otter swimming away from her, without anything on! His legs were kicking all over the place, moving his torso left and right. This left the little lady with a view of his soft little otter parts bouncing and jiggling left and right. His cute little ballsac was fairly small and tight - it was a natural occurrence for most guys in the cold water! The innocent little penis above it was just the same, but soft enough to flip around and wiggle in front of her, giving the innocent rabbit quite the view!

Buneary wasn't the only one either. Everyone Oshawott swam by eventually noticed him naked! He swam right past a yellow braixen in the water, who watched him head towards her, and swim right by - his smooth, round little belly splashing around under her eyes, while his tiny little penis was wiggling and wobbling just below! She gasped in shock, watching the male swim past her, quite smug with how impressed she must be! Hearing her and others gasp and stare was both a misunderstanding and an ego boost for the little water-type. He imagined everyone was impressed with his quick swimming skills. And while he was fairly fast, most the pokémon, who at this cove worse swimsuits and clothes, were surprised to see another pokémon swimming around naked like this!

Even Braixen's sister, Fennekin, gasped in her red bikini as he swam past the yellow fox. She hadn't seen male pokémon nude before, so seeing one splash around in front of her was definitely going into her own personal pokédex. She looked at her sister, and the two chuckled, knowing they'd seen the same thing. "I wonder when he's going to notice he's doing that..." she wondered out loud.

"Let's just hope it's an accident and he's not doing that on purpose." Braixen shook her head, knowing how perverse some pokémon could be.

Oshawott swam past a pair of Wartortles - who were actually first just watching because they were curious about the impressively fast swimmer of the cove! The brother and sister cheered as he swam by!

"Wow, you're so fast, Oshawott!" The sister clapped and jumped in the water. Oshawott was already blushing - finally, some fanfare! It was nice to see that other evolved water types could see how impressive the little guy was. "I wonder what his secret is?" She asked her brother as the little nudist sped on by between their shell-covered bellies. The two turtles dropped their jaws at the sight, and looked up at each other in awe.

"I think we just saw his secret..." Her brother began to blush. It was awkward enough seeing another pokémon naked, or another male, but having to see something like that alongside his sister felt even more awkward. He hoped no one thought how he might look similar to Oshawott under his shell!

Meanwhile, his sister sounded more carefree, "Wow, he's a lot faster without his fur coat! Maybe I'll see how much faster I am without my shell." The wartortle's sister giggled and dove under water.

Her brother gasped and chased after her, "You better not!"

Poor Oshawott had caused quite a few awkward situations in the water. Many pokémon were blushing, laughing, or caught having to think about this alongside other pokémon at the beach that day. He even swam in front of a family photo in the water! His perky little white nakie parts flopped visibly around as a flash of light crossed him. "Wow!" he thought, "I'm so impressive, people are taking pictures!"

Meanwhile, Litten and Meowth gasped, staring at each other, and then to their father. "Did you see that!? He was naked!" Litten was appalled!

The naughtier meowth sibling swam up to their father, "I hope you got a good photo of it!"

The two looked up at their dad - a rotom, currently in the shape of a phone, floating up above the water. "Unfortunately, it looks like I did catch that little guy's weenie in our nice family photo." The rotom frowned and changed shape, before falling down into the water below. "I can delete the photo from my camera, but I can't delete it from my memory..." Their ditto daddy sighed. Meanwhile, mischievous pokémon were out there actually trying to take a photo of the little Oshawott's weenie on purpose!

---

Oshawott still hadn't stopped accidentally embarrassing himself in the water. But he realized he was probably too far away for Buneary to still see. Sure, being out of sight showed how cool and fast he was, but he didn't want her to get bored and leave. He was just about to turn around when he bumped against a very soft, round, and squishy pokémon.

"Goo...?" He heard a deep voice bellow from up above. It was Goodra! The lucky little oshawott was thankful he bumped into someone so soft and squishy.

"Oh, sorry about that!" He apologized, laying on his back still. Goodra's eyes widened, seeing the much smaller pokémon's tiny little penis bounce and jiggle in front of her. "Thanks for stopping me though, I really gotta go back and see my friend."

"Goodness..." the gentle, feminine goodra gasped. Goodra was a large but sweet-looking purple dragon that was dripping with green slime. She wore a deep purple bikini top and bottom, thankfully someone here was fully covering themselves! She was such a giant, she thought it was interesting both how tiny other pokémon were in height, and how tiny their little weenies could be! Goodra tried not to think too much about the little guy's nub, but she couldn't help having a few odd thoughts about what an odd pairing they would be. She already squished enough partners with her large size!

The sea otter pokémon tried to swim off, but he couldn't! "I'm stuck!" Oshawott whined, his head sticking against Goodra's goo-covered belly. The dragon was known for being a little slimy and sticky. It did cause some pokémon to want to stay out of her way, but on the other hand, it made some like her even more!

"Oh, I'm sorry." Goodra didn't mean to cause more problems, and tried to help pull his big round head off of her tummy. A few other pokémon swam up to watch, wondering what was going on.

"Ugh, I feel all sticky!" The naked oshawott wiggled around lewdly, giving everyone a look at his floppy little winky and balls, which had both seemed to shrink up a little in the water. Perhaps even due to nervousness, it got even tinier, just about an inch or so. It was so short it couldn't even rest down against his tummy, and was stuck pointing up in the air, giving others quite the view of its intimate underside. A small group of eeveelutions were all getting a look at it and enjoying it! "I'm gonna have to go shower after this..." Oshawott whined.

Goodra smirked, looking at the others, and back down at him, "You do look like you're ready to take a shower..." The eeveelutions laughed, knowing just what she was saying.

"Do you need us to help?" A sylveon asked, swimming up closer to the two. She was an eevee that evolved into a fairy-type, with white and pink fur, and ribbons surrounding her body. "Here, I can help pull his legs if you'd like."

"Those are my feet, not my legs!" Oshawott corrected her. "I still haven't grown proper legs yet. But they'll grow in soon!"

The blushing sylveon giggled, as did her siblings behind her, "I'm sure your little parts will grow bigger when you evolve, little guy." She obviously had more than just his legs in mind!

"I'm not so sure about that." A vaporeon swam up close too. "But here, let's help! Sylveon, you use your ribbons to grab his... feet... and I'll use Splash to help get rid of Goodra's goo." And they say Splash was a useless move!

Oshawott panicked, "You're gonna attack!? Is that gonna hurt?" The naked pokémon wiggled and squirmed even more, thrusting his naked hips into the air. It made all the girls laugh even more. He wasn't the most calm, mature, or knowledgeable, was he?

"Splash doesn't do any damage, don't worry." Vaporeon smiled and started to gently splash him, coating him in water, which made the goo less thick and sticky. Sylveon lifted the boy up by his legs, raising his private area out of the water and into the air! Her whole family got a look at his little round white butt. Oshawott's dark blue tail wiggled around nervously underneath. Vaporeon smiled softly, "Ohh, isn't he cute?" This made her siblings laugh even more.

Oshawott looked up, seeing his little white belly and feet raised above his legs. And that's when he noticed... HIS SPEEDOS WERE MISSING!

"AH!" Oshawott yelped, covering his mouth! Where did they go!? When did they come off? Oh no! Did Goodra's sticky goo catch it and tug it off of him? Or did they slide off when Sylveon lifted his butt out of the water? Maybe Vaporeon's Splash attack blasted the speedos off his thighs, and showed his innocent little privates to all the girls surrounding him! "Harmless move, my butt." Oshawott grumbled to himself - with his wet butt shining in the sunlight in front of all the curious girls. He tried to raise his nubby little arms up to cover his privates in front of all the girls' eyes, but he couldn't!

Oshawott tried to cover with his little feet... but they were stuck, spread apart naked, with Sylveon's ribbons wrapped around them! "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" He whined, he was forced to be spread nude in front of all of them! Even a cute little innocent eevee, and a hot-headed flareon, or the cool and wise glaceon and espeon were staring at him. And not at his face, but obviously right between his little wiggling legs! Oshawott thought he might faint from embarrassment!

He tried using his tail as his final resort to cover up - flapping it up against his butt, maybe it could curl around and cover his naked little crotch? He'd do anything for a little dignity right now! He had so many witnesses and other pokémon slowly gathering and seeing what all the commotion was about. All the slaps of his tail hitting his butt just made him stand out more!

The girls giggled, Eevee swimming up and asking, "Why are you spanking yourself??" Oshawott looked down at the cute little fuzzball, way too embarrassed to answer her. This was humiliating enough! He decided to stop using his tail, but as he looked up at his privates, he could see how scared and nervous he was, and how tiny his penis was! Did it shrink down even more? It must have been almost half an inch - it was NEVER this small before! Why now!? Why in front of all these cute girl pokémon!? He knew it wasn't such a tiny little nub normally, but maybe being cold and naked in the air effected it.

Oshawott was ready to give up - just in time too! Because he was finally yoinked free of Goodra's sticky tummy!

"Got 'em!" Sylveon grinned up at the little nudist. He was hanging upside-down in front of her, but thankfully all she could see was his little tushie on display.

However, that meant on the other side... "Oh my goodness..." Goodra gasped. She was getting an eyeful of Oshawott's underside! She could see eeeeverything the boy had to offer! And it wasn't very much. She didn't even mean to, but her instincts brought her to look down closer at his wet, wobbling bits as he squirmed helplessly in Sylveon's helpful grasp. "Wow... ha ha." Goodra softly smiled, she'd never be able to unsee Oshawott's tiny little penis and balls now!

"Okay okay, you can let me go now!" Oshawott struggled and wiggled for freedom. He just wanted to get his tiny parts underwater as soon as possible, find his swimsuit, and swim away!

Syleveon and the others giggled as she slowly eased him into the water - spinning him around to face her as she did. This gave her and the girls all one last chance to see Oshawott on display. They noted how, when upside-down, his penis just barely flopped downward (it would have more if it was longer! But it wasn't. At least not right now.) Even his balls weren't just round orbs that stood in place. The girls all saw how his little ballsac rolled forward, resting over most of his penis when he was upside-down like this. But, after their last glance, Sylveon dropped him in the water, and finally let him get some coverage.

The pokémon splashed in the water, and poked his embarrassed little face out from underneath. All they could see were his cute little black eyes, a big frown, and blushing freckled cheeks. The eeveelutions and Goodra all laughed together, knowing Oshawott now knew what they'd all seen. He was so embarrassed! All these girls had seen his naked little pride and joy, and he couldn't act like a big shot around them at all anymore.

"Umm... so..." he looked around on the water surface around him, "Did anyone see my swimsuit?" He seemed to be getting nervous, and dipped his face in the water to look around for them.

"No, I haven't seen any..." Sylveon reported, "You were naked when I got here." Oshawott's jaw dropped, and he turned to Goodra for answers.

She nodded quietly, "She's right. When you swam up to me, you were already naked. You didn't have a suit on, Oshawott..."

The little otter felt sick to his stomach. Oh no! How long had he been like that!?

"Didn't you notice everyone staring at you while you were swimming by them?" Goodra asked, quite observant.

"What? No, everyone was watching me swim! I'm super fast and... I thought I was just wowwing everyone!" He covered his mouth with his little arms. Maybe they weren't wowwing over his fast swimming skills. "Oh no... is THAT why everyone was cheering me on!? But, the praise... the gasps... the pictures!!" Oshawott's black eyes turned white in shock! "I gotta find them!" He got on his back and began to swim away, "Thanks for your help!"

The girls couldn't believe it! "OSHAWOTT!!" They all pointed directly at his tiny little penis. The male stopping in place, gasping at himself, realizing that his usual quick swimming method was a BAD idea here! He couldn't swim around like this without showing his tiny willy, or his butt behind him!

"Oh no... I just gotta, swim normally, I guess...!" At least that meant he could look around more carefully for his speedo. And with that, he swam back around the cove, with big red blushing cheeks, trying not to make eye contact with other pokémon, but it was really hard not to! The wartortles, Braixen and her sister, and so many others were staring. He didn't even see the rotom anymore that must have gotten his picture! "Oh gosh..." Oshawott almost wanted to cry. To think, someone had naked pictures of him! Swimming at the beach! And it didn't even matter if his weewee was big or small, it was weird and humiliating no matter what!

---

As he got closer to where he last left Buneary, Oshawott still hadn't found his speedo. Thankfully he could keep himself hidden from the pokémon above the water, but he didn't even consider the pokémon underneath the water! There were plenty of fish-type pokémon under the water, who watched as he swam by them nude. An innocent horsea watched him swim up to her. She could easily see his light little penis and balls bouncing gently between his little feet as he unknowingly swam right up to her. Had he thought about it, he would have stopped or covered between his legs! But instead, the curious pokémon watched up with its big red eyes, getting a close view at his adorable little weenie and ballsac swishing around through the water. He swam right over her head - just inches from her face! And as she turned to watch him go, she giggled seeing his little white butt and tail, fully displaying itself nude in front of her, and all the other underwater creatures!

While a lot of pokémon on the sea's floor might not be as concerned as the more mammalian pokémon, there was a certain pokémon who was quite taken by what she saw: Brionne. She was a blue seal pokémon who swam in the sea. She looked like she had a few layered skirts around her torso, and a blue tail that made her resemble a mermaid. She noticed most pokémon above her in the water had swimsuits, speedos, bikinis, and all types of outfits to cover their privates. It wasn't as naughty being an underwater pokémon these days - but she sure noticed one boy swimming around bottomless above her. The pokémon curiously swam under him on purpose, following along, her round, pink nose just inches away from touching his balls. Brionne was as talented as she was curious! She bumped her soft, squishy nose right between Oshawott's balls and penis, causing him to gasp and leap out of the water! Brionne was just as shocked, and hurried away so he wouldn't notice.

"What was that!?" Oshawott whined, looking around, holding onto his privates - realizing he'd just exposed himself AGAIN. He looked a bit grumpy as he stared at the Piplup swimming in front of him. The penguin giggled, surprised to see the otter hop up nude, but could eventually hear why. "Something bumped me underwater... who was that!?" The otter dipped his head under to see - once again, showing off his little booty to everyone on the surface. He saw a lot of pokémon, but none nearby! "Huh..." he thought to himself.

"OH WAIT!" He gasped for breath as he went back up, "I haven't been looking under water enough! I could have lost my speedo anywhere and they could have sunk down... oops..." Oshawott sighed, he really didn't want to swim back and forth AGAIN to try and find his swimsuit. He was more and more okay with just running up to the sandy shore naked and hiding in his towel at this point. As embarrassed as he was, if he'd already flashed his little winky off to so many other pokémon today, he could only worry so much about a few more getting a view...

"HEY!" He felt another bump against his little weenie, eyes widening as he dipped down to see who it was. This time, Brionne stayed put! "IT WAS YOU!" Oshawott point at her, staring down between her legs. He then realized... the cute pop star pokémon and him both had a clear view of his miniscule manliness right there! Not only that! But so could all the pokémon under the water! He spotted a Goldeen and Seaking staring... he also saw a few Staryu and Starmie but... could they even see? And did fish really understand how it was embarrassing to see his little worm dangling between his legs? On second thought, he was just thankful that they didn't confuse it for anything and try to nibble on it!

He did look over to see other pokémon like Dratini and Squirtle, who more clearly understood his anatomy and shortcomings. Both pokémon laughed together, which made poor Oshawott curl his feet and arms in together to try and hide his body best he could. But how could he swim like that? He'd have to expose himself to someone above or under the surface no matter what he did! He felt frozen, or maybe just paralyzed, overcome with worry about just how many other pokémon at the cove saw him this way today.

Thankfully, he felt one more inappropriate touch from Brionne as her whole face and back brushed between his legs! "W-WAHH! HEY!!" The little pokémon squeaked, finding himself on top of the blue seal's back. He grabbed onto her instinctively as the swimming pokémon sped up ahead with him riding her back naked.

"Here, I'll help you, little guy." She giggled, feeling the otter's little balls and penis pressed right up against her backside. Oshawott shivered - this felt so weird! But it was his best chance to hide his nudity - right up against her back! Of course, he was hoping she would stay underwater to keep him hidden, but they were approaching the shore and it was starting to get a little shallow. "Hey! Anybody seen this Oshawott's clothes?" Brionna asked out to the nearby pokémon. "Or seen his mom or dad anywhere?"

Oshawott was dying of embarrassment. "HEY! STOP!" He leaned in close against her - sprawled out naked against her back, wrapping his legs around her sides. He felt his little balls plop out behind his butt as he changed position but he had to tell her, "Don't tell everyone about it! I came here myself, with friends! I'm not a baby!"

Brionne laughed, bouncing him off of her back and up into the air. "Oh you aren't?" The flying Oshawott wiggled in the air, completely naked, trying to land! Everyone must have stared at his simple little bare body as it went up, and landed butt-first on top of Brionne's nose. The seal almost looked like she was putting on a performance, playing with him by the shore for everyone to watch. He spun around on her nose, blushing in part from his exposure to the crowd, who could probably barely see his flopping peepee parts at this speed, but also feeling embarrassed with how his smooth little bottom was spinning on her snout! It felt so weird! But, she stopped him from spinning - unfortunately, she did so with his balls and penis right in front of her beautiful, sparkly eyes. She stared directly at them up close. "Well, you look like a baby! But, if you say you're not..." She giggled and bounced him off into the water gently, waving her fin, "Bye bye for now!"

The embarrassed oshawott watched her tail fly up in the air one more time before she dove back down into the water and swam away.

"Whew... I can't handle any more embarrassment." Oshawott sighed, sinking in the water and staying there for a minute so others would look away... eventually... hopefully...

---

"Oshawott!" A certain brown bunny called out to him from the sandy cove.

"Buneary!" He gasped, it was her! "Sorry that took so long... I uh, ran into some trouble. And..." He wondered if he should even bother mentioning his speedo to her. He remembered doing all this just to impress her and look cool! None of this would have happened if he hadn't tried showing off... maybe.

"That's okay." The polite brown bunny girl smiled innocently in her pink swimsuit. "You dropped these!"

Oshawott's jaw dropped. Did he really... lose his speedo... right from the very beginning?? That meant... EVERYONE along the way saw him! Maybe even Buneary herself! "Oh man!" The otter pokémon felt his face burn bright red. Well... if she already saw it, at least she wasn't teasing him right now.

"Here you go." She held out his shorts, and without thinking, Oshawott started walking out of the water and up to the sand. But, as he noticed Buneary's expression change, looking shocked and bashful as she could see his tiny little poké-penis wobbling in front of him, Oshawott realized what happened.

"OOPS!" He covered his crotch with his hands and crossed his feet, "I'm so sorry! Gah!"

Buneary closed her eyes and leaned forward so Oshawott could take his speedo. He took it and tried getting dressed, lifting his naked little foot up in the air, but... he watched everyone on the beach stare at him, including Lopunny - who he assumed was related to Buneary somehow. "Ahhh...." Oshawott grinned awkwardly, "I'm gonna go! Thanks! See ya!" And thus, the nude male pokémon scurried back to his friends, holding his speedo in front of his nervous little poke-penis.

"Snivy! Tepig! We gotta use Agility, right now!" Oshawott whined, hopping and skipping in front of the pair. "Come on!"

Snivy sat up, pushing down her sunglasses, giving an unimpressed stare to the bare boy before her. "Uhh, why'd you take off your speedo? People can see your butt, you know..."

"YEAH, I KNOW." He gestured out to the pokémon behind him, "EVERYONE'S SEEN IT. BUT I CAN'T PUT THESE ON RIGHT NOW SO LET'S GO. TEPIG, GET UP!"

The two friends looked at Tepig who rolled over, waking up from his dream. "Huh...? Hey Oshawott! You're okay!" The orange piggy gasped and wiggled happily as his two friends stared at him. "Oh my gosh, you wouldn't BELIEVE the crazy adventure I just had!" He hopped up on his hooves ready to tell his tale. His friends couldn't help but stare at something different below his belly... "There was this other Wish Park! And all sorts of new pokémon were there! And everyone was eating curry! You had the ability to use Fly but-"

"Tepig!" Oshawott yelled at his friend, "You're butt naked!"

The pig stopped fidgeting in place and stared down at his tubby belly, trying to glance below, but he sure didn't see his speedo on.

"Oh my gosh! I left it by the mini-game stand! I gotta go back!" He buried his pig snout in the sand - his big orange butt on display. Snivy would have laughed if she didn't seem so grossed out. "Oh wait, but first!" The hyperactive pig hopped back up and hugged his friend. "I'm so glad you're okay. I thought you'd be stuck in the air forever! I really gotta tell you the whole story after this."

Snivy's eyelids were half-closed and in an annoyed or disgusted tone, she informed the two naked, hugging males, "You might wanna step back a bit..."

Oshawott and Tepig blushed, realizing somethings below their bellies were touching as they hugged.

"Yeah okay. Let's go Oshawott!" Tepig whined, scurrying ahead on all fours like a little pig, "See you at Pikachu's Pad!"

Snivy and Oshawott just looked at each other. "How'd he really lose his suit? Wasn't he asleep?" Oshawott asked Snivy. Surely she had to know if they were there the whole time.

The grass pokémon stood up and started folding their towels, "I thought it'd be a fun prank, but I didn't expect you to be naked too. You kinda ruined the joke."

"Well excuuuuse me, Snivy." He huffed at the princess as he wrapped his towel around his waist.

The two were ready to leave the Cove Area with more dignity than Tepig had.

"Let's go get our naked friend back." Snivy sighed, using one of her vines to pull his speedo out of the sand. "Gross." She tossed the sandy swimwear to Oshawott.

Oshawott shook his head, holding two pairs of speedos in his hand as he walked off with Snivy. "For some reason, I don't think word of this adventure is going to spread around as much as the last one."

The smug snake shook her head and smiled, "For your sake, let's hope not."

#or was he :3 #pokemon #oshawott #story

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yungidreamer · 4 years ago

Text

Made Up

Summary: Our threesome is back again learning and growing. Yunho, Mingi, and their girl try their first day of being out and find the reactions of those around them to be difficult to anticipate.

Wordcount: 7.3k

Content warnings: Some cute moments and humor followed by some less happy moments. Angry sex that is a little rough, some coitus interruptus, and a little resolution.

They stepped through the doors to the third floor salon. It was the second place they had called yesterday, after deciding to move up their day of prissying themselves up, and had thankfully had space for both of the boys, and even her. It had been years since she had let anyone else do something to her hair. She took care of it, mostly kept it up and out of the way, so it was in decent condition. Still, she had some split ends and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get a trim. In the end with all the changes the boys were thinking of making, maybe it was time for her to do a little something as well.

They checked in at the counter and waited for each of their names to be called. None of them had told the others what it was they had decided to get done, wanting it to be a surprise. Yunho was brought back first, then their girl, and finally Mingi.

“Mingi,” said the chipper lean man with well cared for skin and a stylish long undercut. Mingi nodded and stood up, following him back along the long but narrow area where the stylists worked. He could see their girl in the back at a sink getting her hair washed. Yunho was in his chair, chuckling and chatting with the woman foiling his hair to bleach it a little lighter, especially the roots. Yunho met his eyes as he passed, offering a little wave as he went by. They stopped a few seats down, and Mingi flopped himself in the chair, looking at the man behind him through the mirror.

“My name is Jonny,” the man greeted as he started to examine Mingi’s hair. “It’s lovely to meet you today Mingi. So tell me, what are we doing today?”

“I want to go lighter,” Mingi started, running his fingers through his hair noting the dark roots he had developed as it had grown out. “And want to clean up the undercut, but keep the top longer.”

“That is a great choice, hun,” Jonny complemented. “With your long face, it would look really good. Let’s start lightening the color and then we will work on the cut.”

“Okay,” Mingi nodded, letting him throw the apron around him and set the chair at the right height.

“So is this for an occasion or something special,” Jonny asked, not really looking at him as he started to get some things ready to get started on bleaching his hair.

“Yeah, kinda,” Mingi hedged for a moment, trying to decide how to answer. He doubted either Yunho or their girl were near enough to hear, but overcoming the fear of being judged wasn’t about them hearing it was it? “The three of us are having a late Christmas gift. Our girlfriend got us reservations at a nice restaurant in the city.”

“Our girlfriend?” Jonny asked, flashing a slightly confused look at him as he started mixing the toner.

“Ye-yeah,” Mingi cleared his throat and tried to put on the air of confidence he used to hide behind as a kid. “The pretty one over there,” he pointed at their girl who was currently having a section of hair on one side of her head bleached. “And the cute guy we walked by,” he pointed at Yunho a few seats away. “We’re all together. Almost two years now, actually.” The last sentence came almost as a realization to himself. Had they really been together that long? It didn’t seem like it, and yet, at the same time, it felt like they had already been together forever.

“All three of you?” Jonny asked, looking between all of them, a little surprise filling his eyes. “Pfft, so unfair. Even at your age all the cute ones are taken.” Relief flooded Mingi. He had been a little surprised but nothing more, and his comment that all the cute ones were taken, yeah, that felt good to hear. They continued their chitchat, talking about a lot of nothing, with lots of laughter, making the time pass like a flash. Honestly, he had been so caught up in chatting with Jonny, and watching him do his work, that he hadn’t even remembered to try and sneak a peek at either Yunho or their girl.

When he finally remembered to try, the hairdressers kept being in the way. He was impatient and curious, now that it had crossed his mind. Jonny laughed as he saw Mingi crane his neck as he turned to try and get a peek.

“Hun, we are almost done,” he gave a high nasally laugh. “Just don’t move while I have the clippers. We don’t want any accidents.”

“Sorry,” Mingi gave a chagrined smile and stayed looking in the direction the man guided his head. He dutifully sat as Jonny expertly buzzed around him, trimming and shaping the lower part of Mingi’s hair. He had really needed this cut. They had been so busy with school that both he and Yunho had let their hair just grow out over the last few months. He didn’t mind, but it had started to look more and more messy rather than, as he had told himself, carefree. But for the dinner, he wanted to look good, he wanted to look like someone they could be proud of.

Jonny turned him, giving him a few final checks to make sure that he had everything just right, before he brushed the last of the stray hairs off his neck and took off the apron. With a wink he told him, “Okay, hun, go see your loves.”

Mingi jumped off his seat and moved down the length of the room to see what everyone else looked like. He found their girl first getting some last instructions about how to keep the color in her hair and a few tips about keeping her hair up and healthy. Most of her hair didn’t look too different, pulled back in a braided bun at the back of her head with the silver comb. But a section on the right side of her forehead had been left down and was now a vibrant violet that flowed down one side of her face.

“Whaaa,” Mingi breathed, drawing up behind them. “You look so good, babe.”

“You like it?” She asked, smiling at him through the mirror. “It’s not too much?”

“It’s perfect,” Mingi grinned as he reached out to touch her shoulder. “You’re gorgeous with that color.”

“Thank you,” she held his hand on her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You are looking pretty good yourself. I like the light color...actually...you look a little like a Viking. Hot.”

“Should I go and plunder something,” he straightened up and put on a tough face. “Bring you home some treasure from distant lands?”

“Oh honey,” she giggled. “I’d love that, but you and boats are not always a great mix.”

“Hey now,” he protested, hands on hips. “I’ve only had a few chances with boats and like, at least 50% of them have not ended up with all of us in the water.”

“Let’s get that percentage up to like...90% before you take a boat off to war,” her voice quivered with a barely suppressed snicker.

“You gonna teach me?” Mingi pressed a kiss to her cheek, using his hand on her chest and neck to hold her there for it. Her eyes widened at the gesture but she recovered quickly, leaning into his soft lips.

“Anything you’d like, my love,” she agreed.

“What do we have here,” Yunho chuckled as he joined them, running his fingers through his shock of blue-green hair, somewhere between teal and turquoise. The color looked amazing on him, the cheery yet calm color matched his personality so well, it felt like he should have been born with it.

“Wow,” she breathed, starting to turn towards him as Mingi straightened up. “I love it.”

“You look… so good,” Mingi’s eyes went a little wide and he shook his head a little as if it would help clear the fuzz from his mind.

“You like it?” Yunho questioned, looking at both of them. Mingi nodded, his eyes falling to Yunho’s quirked, perfect Cupid’s bow lips. The other boy noticed, and butterflies burst to life in his chest in the second before Mingi leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Yunho froze, shock momentarily stopping his body from functioning. Mingi had made a move, reaching for Yunho while the eyes of strangers were on them. When the surprise had finished washing through him, Yunho happily leaned into the kiss, putting his hands on Mingi’s jean covered hips.

“Awww,” said the girl who had done their girls hair. “You two are super cute.”

“Aren’t they?” Their girl said, grinning up at them.

“They are all together,” Jonny said, coming up behind her to hang off the other stylists shoulder. “Isn’t it cute… and completely unfair. I can’t even find one person who will put up with me, and they all have two.”

“How do you… okay, I think I shouldn’t ask what almost came out of my mouth there,” the stylist said, her voice petering out as the sentence went on.

“I can’t promise we’ll answer but,” their girl shrugged as she stood up and joined her boys. “You can ask if you are curious.”

“Just… is it like everything all together?” She skirted, trying to be tactful as she asked.

“Pretty much,” their girl nodded. “It works out pretty well when you figure it out. And it really helps when it all sort of started that way. It’s always been the three of us with most everything.”

“And again, I weep,” Jonny said dramatically. “I can’t find that with even one person.”

“You will,” Mingi assured him. “You’re really nice and funny.” He smiled and gave him a reassuring thumbs up as he kept one arm around Yunho’s waist.

“You… are… so cute,” Jonny put a hand to his heart and giggled. “If you ever break up, come back and track me down. Not that I’m holding my breath, okay?”

“Mmm,” Yunho narrowed his eyes at Jonny mostly jokingly but somewhere behind his eyes was a little spark of he’s mine. “I definitely suggest not holding your breath on that.” Leaning in to kiss the side of Mingi’s neck, even as he kept his eyes on the other man. Mingi blushed and giggled, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“Don’t you ever, get jealous?” Her stylist asked, looking between her and the two boys.

Their girl paused to think before answering. “No… well not really. I mean, sometimes I wonder if they really need me around, but I’m going to do better about saying something when I get those doubts.”

“She is the very best person,” Mingi said, going to her, leaning down to kiss the top of her head.

“Our girl is the glue,” Yunho agreed, hugging the both of them with his long arms. “And the smartest.”

“Pfft,” she rolled her eyes. “Please. Liiiieeees!”

“No, it’s true,” Mingi nodded fervently. “You are so good to both of us. We probably don’t deserve you.”

“You do,” she assured him. “I’m lucky to have both of you.”

“Come on loves,” Yunho said as he touched them both gently. “We have more to do today.” With a last few thanks, they headed to the front of the shop to pay and head off to their next stop. With their dinner upcoming Mingi wanted to get a new suit and she needed a dress. They’d had places in mind before coming, having found shops only a couple of blocks apart. She would slip into her shop to get a little something she could wear, keeping it a little surprise for the night of the reservation, while the boys went together to get a suit fitted for Mingi.

Yunho and Mingi dropped their girl off at her shop and made their way to the suit and tailoring shop Mingi had decided to get his suit at. When they stepped into the shop they were immediately greeted by a very well dressed man who came to ask, in a slightly obsequious voice, how he could help them today. Slightly startled, Mingi stepped a little closer to Yunho at the man’s sudden appearance.

“We need to get a suit for my friend here,” Yunho answered, putting a steadying hand on Mingi’s lower back. “We have a special event on Friday and we were hoping to get something that was at least fitted for him, if not made for him.”

“Oh wonderful,” he said with a nod. “We should be able to get something made for you in a couple of days if we get it off to the team soon. Let’s get started. Please follow me.”

Both the boys looked at each other, excited about getting something new and fancy for Mingi to wear for the dinner. They were led towards the back of the store where the man set Mingi on a round built in step in front of a set of mirrors. While Mingi took off his extra layers to let the man measure him, Yunho took a seat in a cushy leather armchair a little off to the side.

“What were you thinking of for looks?” The man asked as he expertly whipped his measuring tape around Mingi’s outstretched limbs.

“I don’t know,” Mingi admitted, watching the man through the mirror. “I think I want something in light grey since Yunho’s suit is light grey.”

“Yunho?” The man questioned, without looking up from his work.

“Me,” Yunho replied from his seat in the chair. The man only nodded, kneeling down to measure Mingi’s inseam.

“Alright,” he stood up and tucked his notebook into his pocket. “Let’s look at some fabric.” They wandered over to a wall of gray fabric all gathered together along one section of a wall. The number of options felt overwhelming. Yes, they were all grey, but there were so many different shades, patterns, and textures. He had never seen such a sea of gray.

“What looks good to you?” The man asked, clasping his hands in front of him with a smile.

“I think something simple,” Mingi began. “Ummm, maybe not a strong pattern at least.��

“Good, maybe something classic?” The man nodded, touching the first knuckle of his finger to his chin before pulling a couple of choices off the shelf for a closer look. While the man and Mingi looked at a few more options in the light gray, some checked, some heathers, and a few that were almost solid, Yunho stepped over a few shelves, drawn to a charcoal gray fabric sitting among the darker colors. It was a sort of heather, almost solid, with a fine grain to the fabric which almost gave it a sheen when the light hit it.

“Hey Mingi,” Yunho called as he looked at it on the shelf. “What about this one, I really like it. I think the color would be really good on you.”

“You think so? More than the light gray like yours?” Mingi asked, coming up beside him.

“I think this,” he tapped on the fabric as the man came near to see for himself. “Would be an amazing color on you.”

“You think it’s okay if we don’t, sort of match?” An insecurity tinged Mingi’s voice. He wanted to look like he was with both of them, he didn’t want to seem like he was standing apart anymore.

“I think this is the perfect color for you.” Yunho agreed. “Matching isn’t the only thing that will say you’re with us, you know.”

“I think this color would be great on you,” the man agreed as he pulled it off over the shelf. “It would be great on your skin. Maybe with something bold like red or dark blue?”

“Red,” Mingi said excitedly. “Like a dark red.”

“Come with me,” The man said with a satisfied grin. He led them to a part of the room with shelves and shelves of button down shirts. From one of the top shelves, he pulled down a shirt of deep red, somewhere near the shade of a garnet, deep and rich. “What do you think?”

“Yes, that, I want that.” Mingi nodded eagerly.

“Good, good,” the man nodded with a pleased face. “Now let’s build your suit.”

The three of them sat down and picked out all the customizable elements of Mingi’s suit. They chose notch lapels and minimal padding in his shoulders, given how broad and well shaped he was already. They kept the profile smooth, opting for a welted pocket at the chest and no flaps on his waist pockets. Mingi chose to have two vents on his back since it gave a little sleeker look for his shape. For his lining, he picked a red paisley that felt fun and classic, even if no one was going to see it. At the prompting of the man who had measured him, he chose to get a matching vest with tightly set buttons down the center and a slightly rounded neckline.

“You are going to look so good in this,” Yunho said eagerly as they finalized the details. “I’m even more excited for dinner now. You’re sure you can get this done in a few days?”

“Yes, absolutely, you can pick it up in the early afternoon Friday,” He nodded confidently. “Was there anything else you needed?”

“Actually,” Yunho looked a little shy as he decided to bring it up. “Do you happen to have a tie and pocket square that is something close to my hair color?”

“Hmmm, let’s see what we have,” the man walked confidently to a back corner of the store where ties in more colors than either of the boys thought was possible. With a quick assessing glance at Yunho’s freshly colored head, he turned to the section filled with blues and greens and pulled out three or four in the turquoise to sea green section. Standing Yunho in front of a mirror, he draped them over his shoulders to let him see them on himself.

“Do you like this color?” He asked, holding up a tealish turquoise.

Yunho nodded, then added, “Is there something like this but maybe not quite so bright?”

“How about this?” The man picked up one with a plaid pattern to it in shades of teal and very fine shots of black which accented the pattern. The mix of shades, leaning heavily towards teals and not overly saturated.

“Yes,” Yunho replied firmly. “I love this. It’s perfect. What about a pocket square?”

“I have just the thing to go with this,” the man grinned excitedly before leaning down to open one of the drawers below, pulling out a little box with a pleased flourish. He opened it revealing the same tie, a pocket square in the same pattern and a set of button cufflinks capped with the same material.

“Perfect,” Mingi grabbed his arm excitedly from beside him, giving him a quick kiss to his cheek and bouncing slightly. Yunho laughed and leaned his head towards the other boy.

“What about for you, young man?” He directed the question to Mingi.

“Yes, maybe something that is the same color as the suit?” Mingi suggested, eyes scanning the wall. The man nodded and pulled out a few recommendations from the selection for them to look at. After a few tries, they settled on a dark grey tie with a barely there floral pattern woven into it, which was also a full set with a pocket square and cufflinks. The man cleared his throat and took the boxes with him to the register where Mingi’s shirt and suit order were waiting for them. He took a number for Mingi, to let him know when everything was done or to call if they had any issues, checked them out at the register and wished them a very good day before heading back to the employee only area behind a solid wooden door at the back of the shop.

Mingi and Yunho exited the shop and headed out on the street with their large paper bags hooked around their wrists. Just as Yunho was about to call their girl to check in on her, he noticed her relaxing against the brick wall of the building, entertaining herself by scrolling through her phone as she stood quietly, holding a bag of her own.

“Hey, love,” He greeted, coming close to her. “You should have said you were done, you could have joined us.”

“I know,” she smiled, tucking her phone into her bag. “I want Mingi’s look to be a surprise though.”

“Okay, as long as you know we would have been happy to have you,” Yunho told her, leaning in to kiss the top of her head before lifting her up into a big hug.

“What’s left?” Mingi asked, holding her and rocking slightly as her feet dangled off the ground.

“Makeup, sweetheart,” she replied, smiling into his shoulder.

“How are you doing that today?” Mingi asked, slightly confused.

“I have a look in mind and I need to buy some new makeup to do it with,” she explained. “Plus if we go to a proper counter, I can get some tips and see what the stuff looks like on me.”

“Can I get some too?” Mingi asked as the idea flitted through his mind that… he wanted to look pretty too.

“Do you want to?” She pulled back to look at him, a little surprise showing in the angle of her eyebrows.

“I don’t know,” Mingi suddenly felt a little self conscious. “Would it look bad on me?”

“No babe,” Yunho said, stepping in. “You’d look amazing. I think we should all get it done.”

“No that’s a good idea,” she agreed. “I haven’t done anything on someone else, but maybe I can watch when they do yours and help you with it on Friday.”

“Okay,” Mingi grinned. “Let’s go then.”

“Alright then, just a final touch,” the woman said as she leaned in to brush a last little bit of eye shadow on Mingi’s lid as their girl hovered nearby, taking mental notes. Yunho already had his look, a light natural one that really just made his eyes pop and with a light gloss that made his lips look just that shade more kissable.

When she pulled back, Mingi opened his eyes and gave a few blinks before turning to their girl for her approval. She gave him a smile and a big thumbs up as she looked at him and his finished look. Mingi felt relief even before he looked at himself in the mirror offered to him by the makeup artist. Looking at himself, he liked the way the eyeshadow accented his long smooth eyelids, making them feel a little deeper set. It wasn’t a lot but he felt like his eyes were a little brighter and a little prettier.

“Here are your things,” she passed him the shadow set and eyeliner pencil. “Em over there can help you get the brushes you need. You look so good. It’s so nice to see guys who are confident enough to try on some makeup.”

“My boys are really awesome,” she lifted her chin proudly as she looked at both of them.

“Aww, you’re a good friend,” the woman cooed, cleaning her brushes in the pause between them. Their girl didn’t really reply, just gave a smile as she took the seat, watching Mingi and Yunho get the last of the things they needed.

“Would you mind waiting to do my look until I can shoo them off?” She asked the makeup artist quietly.

“You don’t want them to see you?” She asked, giving her a slightly surprised flash as she looked up at her.

“I want to be able to surprise them for dinner on Friday,” their girl shrugged.

“Oh you’re all having a celebration dinner together?” The woman asked. “I somehow thought it was their anniversary or something.”

“Well, it sort of is,” their girl shrugged, giving Mingi a wave as he held up a bundle of brushes the other person was selling him. “But it’s all of ours.”

“Like…as friends?” She asked, looking between them.

“Like as lovers and friends and partners,” she filled in slowly. She could see a myriad of questions flicker behind her eyes.

“Hey, babe,” Mingi greeted, proudly holding his bag full of goodies along with his bag from the suit shop. “You haven’t started yet.”

“Nope, I want it to be a surprise still,” she gave him a chagrined smile. “Would you mind if I message you when I’m done?”

“Awww I want to see how you do it.” Mingi pinched his lips together and frowned. “Will you show me later at least?”

“Of course,” she rushed to promise him. “How about I promise to teach you how to put the look on me when we get home?”

“Really?” He was actually excited by the idea. “Okay, if you promise. I’ll take Yunho with me.”

“Thank you, my love,” she told him, reaching out to give his hand a squeeze. Leaning in, he pressed a kiss to her cheek before practically skipping off to grab Yunho and take him to look around the store as they waited for her.

“Okay, let’s get started,” the woman said as she saw the two boys disappear around a corner. “First, tell me what you want, let’s get a good idea of what you are looking for.”

“I really want something sort of art deco.” Reaching for her shopping bag, she pulled out a little of her dress, revealing the color and texture of the fabric. “The cut is somewhere similar to something from the 1920s or 30s.”

“I think I have the perfect idea,” the woman nodded. “Something with gold accents and very 1920s and Gatsby-ish, without going in the vamp direction. Sound good?”

“That sounds like exactly what I want,” she replied eagerly.

“Do you mind if I ask you a couple of things?” The makeup artist asked, as she pulled a couple of things out of the drawer.

“Uh, why not… Meredith?” she said, reading the tag on the woman’s shirt.

“Call me Mer,” the woman laughed. “I’m going to start with some foundation, first.”

As Mer pulled out a couple of shades to test out the best one for her, the younger woman looked at her assessingly, wondering why it was she seemed so curious. She was pretty, maybe in her late 20s or her early 30s, with shoulder length blond hair, the top half of which was held back in a clip on the back of her head. Her eyes were a bright green leaning hazel and she had smattering of light freckles over her cheeks and nose that were barely visible under her expertly done makeup.

“Okay, chin up like this,” Mer said, lifting her chin with one finger to angle her face into the light.

“Right, yes,” she angled her face and closed her eyes with a sigh.

“So,” Mer said quietly as she began to use the sponge to put a layer of foundation on. “Two boyfriends, huh? How did that happen?”

“Uh, well we all met in high school,” she answered, purposely staying slightly vague. “We just sort of decided we all fit together and we’ve been together since then.”

“Really?” The older woman asked with interest. “So it wasn’t like two of you were dating and you just sort of integrated someone else?”

“No, it was always all of us together,” she shrugged. “Since the start.” They lapsed into silence minus Mer explaining what she was doing and making notes for her on the order and application of the makeup she was putting on her. The woman really was a good teacher, going through things in a very step by step way, including how things should feel when you are getting the placement correct.

Her lips were the very last thing they worked on, trying a couple of different colors before they settled on a deep bluish red that was just a shade more pigmented than her dress. Her eyes couldn’t help but watch the woman as she concentrated on lining her lips with the smooth pencil. Meredith bit her lip and her eyes flicked up to meet her eyes as she finished lining her lips. She would have sworn she saw a blush spread over the makeup artist's cheeks under the fine powder as she turned away to look for the lip brush she was going to use to apply the lovely new lipstick.

“Okay so when you do your lips,” Meredith explained as she brushed the first layer of color on. “Color your lips completely with a brush and then you want to blot with a tissue. After that, reapply and you can also put on a little powder over it if you really want it to stay. And here, let’s look at the final look.”

Turning the mirror toward her, Meredith let her look at herself. She felt beautiful and it was the perfect look for her dinner celebration with the boys. She turned and gave the woman who had done it a warm smile and caught that same faint pink on her cheeks as she smiled back. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she took a couple of pictures to help her remember and then send a message to the boys that she was done.

“I really hate to ruin your amazing work,” she gave the older woman an apologetic look. “But I still want this all to be a surprise for them.”

“Oh of course,” Meredith quickly nodded and reached for the makeup wipes she kept on the little counter. She packed up new versions of all the makeup she had used on the younger woman as she left her to clean off her face. Sealing them nicely in a bag, she gave her coworker the total so that she could ring the girl up as soon as she was done.

“These things really work well,” she commented when she noticed the makeup artist coming back towards her.

“I know, they are real lifesavers when you need them,” Meredith agreed with a smile as she looked at the other woman’s bare face. She really was just so pretty. “Hey, what if I just put the lipstick on? It is such a good color on you.”

“Sure,” she nodded. “I suppose that really isn’t a spoiler and the color makes me feel really cute.”

“You look beautiful in it,” Meredith admitted quietly as she pulled out the lip pencil again. She lined the lips and put on the first layer of lipstick before she had gathered up the courage to ask the question she had been wanting to ask for the past 45 minutes. “Umm, have you guys ever considered, you know… adding a fourth?”

Her eyes widened slightly as she looked up at the makeup artist who was very diligently swiping her lower lip with the brush. Now she was sure she had been seeing a blush just there under her makeup. Surprise flickered through her at the realization the older woman had a… crush, she couldn’t think of a better word for it, on her… on them. However, that surprise was nothing compared to the level of shock that spiked through her a moment later when, after a second’s hesitation, the woman cupped her cheeks and leaned in to press a very warm, close-mouthed kiss to the lips she had just finished coloring in for a second time.

For a brief moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity, she froze. Even as the woman had asked if they had ever considered adding more people to their mix, she hadn’t thought she would be so forward. It could have been embarrassed curiosity, or that she had an interest in one of the boys. There were a million things that she might have guessed before she would have thought this would happen.

When she finally moved past the shock, she pushed the woman away with a gentle hand on her shoulder, still more surprised than angry. That, however, was not the case for Yunho who had rounded the corner of the area containing the shop just in time to see the woman lift their girls face into a kiss. Time froze and the din of people shopping and chatting was suddenly lost to a buzzing that filled his ears. That moment of their lips pressed together seemed to last forever until their girl finally, FINALLY, pushed her away, the dark lipstick now smudged on both their lips.

A hot anger prickled over his skin and he strode forward, grabbing their girl by the wrist and pulling her none too gently off the high chair she was perched on. He grabbed her shopping bag with his free hand and started to move out of the store.

“Mingi, pay for all her stuff and come outside,” he said to the other boy through gritted teeth. “I’m going to get a cab and then we are going back to the room.”

Mingi nodded, eyes slightly wide at the barely contained venom in Yunho’s voice, moving quickly to pay for the bag of things already waiting at the counter. He had noticed what was happening only after Yunho, when the boy suddenly stopped in his tracks, standing silent as his eyes burned. Mingi turned to look in the direction of whatever had caused Yunho to react like that, wanting to know what he saw. He caught only the last of the kiss, that last half second before she pushed the other woman away. The sight had caused a knot in his stomach and pain lanced through him. But maybe I deserve it, the thought briefly whispered through his head just before Yunho stepped forward and grabbed their girl.

He paid for the makeup, barely looking up at either of the people working there, before he jogged out of the store after the other two. The woman, the one who had done their makeup, tried to apologize or explain, but Mingi just shrugged her off, wanting to get out of there more than anything. He found Yunho on the curb, holding open the door of a cab that already had their girl waiting inside. He met Yunho’s eyes and jogged around the other side of the car to get in as Yunho ducked inside the door he was standing at.

Yunho gave the driver the address of their bed and breakfast then fell into a tense silence. His hand came to rest on her thigh as she sat quietly between them. He couldn’t look at her right now, but he needed to touch her. His grip slowly tightened to an almost bruising level just above her knee as he kept his eyes out the window on the city as they passed it all by.

On the other side, Mingi held her hand in both of his, nervously squeezing and petting her much smaller hand. He didn’t say anything, instead offered her sad half smiles when their eyes happened to meet. Unable to bring herself to say anything, she leaned her head into his upper arm, half apology, half hoping to find some sympathy there.

Pulling up outside where they were staying, Yunho pulled out a few bills, more than enough to pay for the ride and got out without waiting for change. Their girl slipped out quickly behind him, accepting as he grabbed her wrist and led her up to the room without a word.

As soon as they were inside Yunho slammed the door closed behind them, the sound filling the silence like a gunshot. Both Mingi and their girl stood frozen as Yunho leaned against the wall, his head leaning against his balled fists.

“Yunho, I’m sorry,” she tried to start, only to have his eyes turn on her with a dark flash, catching the words in her throat.

“Are we not enough?” Yunho choked out.

“What? No, I mean, yes! Yunho I didn’t—” she started only to have his lips crash into hers. His hands were yanking at her clothes to pull them off. Her shirt was pulled off over her head carelessly, pulling her hair and smearing her lipstick even more, then her jeans as he backed her closer to the bed. He turned her to face the bed, his fingers fumbling with the clasp of her bra.

“Do you want me,” he asked from behind her, his voice a hoarse growl.

“Y-yes,” she stuttered, holding her bra against the front of her body.

“Lie down,” Yunho ordered harshly. She crawled onto the bed and started to turn over only to be stopped by a sharp, “No,” from Yunho who was still stripping behind her. It took her a second to figure out that he didn’t want her on her back. Laying down on her stomach, she turned her face to the side and waited.

“Yunho,” Mingi touched his arm gently. “Don’t do this because you’re mad.”

“She needs to be reminded that she’s ours,” Yunho replied, a chill to his voice.

“It’s okay Mingi,” she said quietly from the bed. “Yuyu wouldn’t… he just needs to let it out.” Mingi let it drop and sat down on the foot of the bed. Crawling up over her on the bed Yunho spread her thighs before reaching for the lube and covering himself. Angling himself to enter her, he took her wrists and pinned them next to her shoulders.

“You love me, you love us,” he said as he slid his head inside and leaned more of his weight onto his hands that held her.

“I love both my boys,” she nodded, feeling the heat of his skin pressing against her. “They are the only ones for me.”

“I don’t believe you,” Yunho growled, his voice quavering as he made the accusation. “Convince me.” With a jerk he thrust into her completely and she stiffened beneath him, but didn’t protest. He was being rough and she hadn’t been completely ready for it, her body protesting at the stretch. Despite his anger and his need to punish her for the pain she had caused him, he paused, gripping her wrists as he waited to feel her relax under him.

“I love you, Yuyu,” she said, forcing herself to relax and turning her face more into the pillows beneath it.

“I don’t--” Yunho exhaled and clenched his jaw. “I don’t believe you. I don’t believe either of you.” He closed his eyes and started moving inside her. She didn’t reply but moved to give him a better angle inside her. Letting go, Yunho moved with all the frustration that had pent up in him over the past few days.

Mingi turned to look at them over his shoulder more than a little conflicted as he felt a pang of arousal at seeing their girl nearly hidden beneath Yunho as he moved roughly in her. Needing a little more space, he moved to sit in the arm chair in the corner of the room. He couldn’t watch, but he couldn’t really bring himself not to at the same time. The bed creaked under his movements and he could hear both of their breathing increase, neither of them speaking.

Yunho pressed his face into the pillows near her head as he moved, taking the comfort of her body. His heart hurt and there didn’t seem to be any words that could explain the tempest of emotions moving through him. The doubts that had come up over the last few days… he had never had them gnawing at the edge of his mind like they were now. He was angry that they were making him doubt things he had never doubted before.

“Yuyu,” she said softly. “I’m not gonna leave. I don’t want anyone else. You’re it. I’m not going to go. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does. It’s only you.”

Yunho squeezed his eyes shut as a prickle of tears filled them. He let go of her wrists and lifted himself up. She didn’t move even when his weight lifted off her, just waiting for whatever he wanted, what he needed. With a far more gentle touch, he coaxed her to turn over and a wave of guilt and hurt hit him in the chest. Her hair was a mess and the lipstick was smeared across her cheek and chin and on the pillow that had been under her face. Even so, she still reached for him, pulled him back to her, wanting to comfort him.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, moving back to her.

“It’s okay,” she soothed, cradling him with her hips and wrapping her arms around his neck.

He curled around her, sliding himself back inside her as he kissed her temple. “I shouldn’t have touched you like that.”

“I’m always here,” she promised, leaning her forehead into his shoulder. “I’ll never turn you away.”

“You should have,” he shook his head.

“You needed me,” she replied softly.

“I always need you,” he admitted. “I feel like I don’t know who I am anymore if I don’t have you two.”

“You’re Yunho,” Mingi said, sitting on the bed beside them. “Best boy, reliable rock, and one of the loves of my life.”

Yunho reached out, taking Mingi’s hand and kissing his knuckles. He entwined his fingers with Mingi’s as the other boy lay down beside them, still wearing his clothes. Reaching out with his other hand, he pressed his palm against Yunho’s broad back. Yunho leaned over and kissed Mingi’s cheek before he looked down at their girl again.

“I like the color of the lipstick,” Yunho observed with a self deprecating laugh. “I just wish it didn’t remind me of…”

“I know,” she agreed, stroking his cheek. “But we can build new memories with it. Someday you won’t even think of it. Or I can just go buy another color.”

“No, I… it’s really pretty on you,” he shrugged and smiled down at her. “Do you mind if we stop? It… I’m not really in the right mood.”

“No, it’s okay,” she easily agreed. “Do you maybe just want us to hold you for a little?”

“Please,” he nodded, his eyes watering. “I just… I just want to be close.” When he rolled off her, she turned on her side, and cuddled up against him, one leg thrown over his hips.

“We’ve really been a fucking mess this trip, haven’t we?” She asked, resting her head against his shoulder as she wrapped an arm around his chest.

“Yeah,” Mingi agreed. “Can we promise to do something actually fun tomorrow? No tears, no running away, no strangers?”

“Yes please,” she said, feeling a couple of tears leak out of the corner of her eye and onto Yunho’s warm chest.

“Can I ask what happened?” Mingi asked, putting a hand over hers as he cuddled closer along the other side of Yunho.

“I’m not completely sure,” she shook her head. “She mostly seemed really curious and then she asked if we had ever considered adding a fourth just before she kissed me. I should have pushed her away faster but I just never expected her to do that.”

“I never thought that would be a possible downside to being out,” Yunho admitted, staring up at the ceiling.

“Me neither,” she agreed. “Promise we can do everything together tomorrow. I’m tired of accidentally ending up alone on this trip.”

“Everything,” Yunho promised.

“Maybe not going to the bathroom,” Mingi added after a second. “But everything else.”

“Fair, yes,” she laughed. “I can generally pee on my own. But if that changes, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay,” Yunho kissed the top of her head. “I’m getting hungry, but I want to lay here just a little longer.”

Masterlist

#ateez smut #ateez angst #yunho smut #mingi smut #song mingi #jeong yunho #kpop smut #kpop angst #mingi #Yunho #YunGi #mingi x reader #yunho x reader

124 notes · View notes

heartofsnark · 3 years ago

Text

Can You Feel The Sun? (Chapter Five): Just To Want It All

Notes: As stated in last chapter notes, i have a decent chunk of chapters done so these are coming out pretty rapid fire. Otherwise, I don’t have much to say other than massive thanks to my friend who reads these over for me and has been cool with me dropping 80+ pages of fic on them in a week. because yeah...I finished another chapter of this.

Word Count: 7885

Chapter Warnings: mentions of alcohol and cursing, if that counts as a warning in cyberpunk 2077.

If you haven’t yet, you can read the previous chapter here!~

Lizzie’s Bar stands out brilliantly in the city; out of all the gangs, she thinks she likes The Moxes aesthetic the best. Vivid pink and bright teal. Their colors splashed across the overpass, along with a neon pink skull sign with hair and a bow. At the side of the building is a towering neon skull girl sign, full bodied with an animated kicking leg and axe held above her head, the same hot pink color.

She parks and gets out of her car, doing a quick scan of the area, searching for more Militech drones. None that she sees, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. The credchip burns in her pocket, remembering some of the stuff T-Bug has taught her. How to crack an encrypted shard and see what’s on it, how to transfer its contents. V rifles through her bag, remembering she had a blank credchip somewhere. If Militech did anything dirty, V should be able to transfer the eddies onto a clean chip.

V makes a beeline to the front door, cement blockers and walls covered in graffiti. More neon signs, the bars name over the door in glowing turquoise letters. Lizzie Jizzie scrawled across an outside wall; two screens on each side of the double stores, all covered in Nicola ads requesting V ‘taste the love’. Groups of people loiter in the open outside the bar. V’s eyes are drawn to the two bouncers outside the doors.

Two women, one leans against the outside wall as she puff away on a cigarette. Short slicked back hair that starts blue and then fades to green, eyes hidden behind sunglasses and a gold septum piercing in her nose. The other one stands in front of the doors, a yellow spiked bat held over her shoulders. Long hair pulled up into space buns, purple roots and pink ends. Both of her arms are metal; black with pink and teal accents as well as spikes along the forearms. Both women are skimpily dressed, no shame in that. The one wielding the bat has a white top with cleavage going beyond her breasts, showing her almost plastic looking skin and the Moxes tattoo across her chest. The other shorter haired bouncer is wearing neon pink pasties beneath a teal bomber jacket. V’s been here before, has maybe seen them in passing, both really attractive. She’s not sure there’s a Mox member who isn’t.

“Hey there, dollface!~” The bat wielder greets her with a grin, as if she could actually see V’s face.

“Interest you in a preem BD?” The smoker offers.

“What you got?” V asks to be polite, she doesn’t honestly even like brain dances. But the girls are cute, so… no harm in a little small talk.

“What don't we got? Women and men of your dreams, synaptic acting A-listers. No washed-up virtuporn boytoys or blow-up dolls here.”

“Auteur stuff - It'll grip your heart and blow your nerves right outta your body. Pure bit-based ecstasy - that’s why people come here.”

“Sure know how to sell it, don’t you?” V signs, trying not to laugh as the bouncers give her the spiel.

“Not a sales pitch, it's a warning. I'll give you one word - bespoke. Not for everyone's synapses.”

“Think you can handle it?”

“Think I can manage it,” she tells them, knowing damn well she has no intent to get any sort of virtus.

“Mmhm. Couple of things you need to know first,” she affectionately rubs her bat, “Ahem. Severe penalties for any unauthorized recording… “

“No drugs, no groping. Someone catch your eye, you do not grab 'em. You find 'em in the catalog, ask for a BD and get yourself a box.”

“No worries, not even my first time here.”

“Door's open. Have fun, Doll.”

“Welcome to Lizzie’s.”

The double doors open and V walks through a blue beaded curtain. There’s a front room, a stand where a woman with a bright pink mohawk is selling clothes, under another Nicola ad and neon letters saying ‘Fuck To Death’ behind her.

“My what a sweet face you have,” she says, her tone honeyed but its clear she hasn’t looked up from the counter, not even noticing as the masked merc walks past through another beaded curtain and double doors to the main club.

“Here in Night City~”

Music thrums as she steps in; the room is lit with strobing pink and teal lights. Couches with neon glowing lights on the underneath, some people with BD wreaths and others playing on their phones. People dancing to the club music and bar tucked away in the corner. She doubts the client will be right at the start of opening, so V finds an empty stretch of couch, sitting down on black leather with a pink neon light at her feet. V slides the Militech cred chip into her mask, it takes a moment, but she manages to crack it and get a look at the inside.

Ten thousand eddies and malware; it was meant to send all of Maelstrom’s data to another server and then fry the systems. Meaning, if V handed it over Maelstrom would get their systems fried, with her and Jackie dealing with the aftermath. V slides the blank cred chip into another slot in her mask’s edge, transfering the clean money over to it. Fucking around with tech and daemons isn’t her strong suit, but if she recalls Bug telling her that fairly simple malware like this could be reworked pretty easily. She works through the coding with her thoughts, the data and interface all on her mask. If she can get the coding right, she might be able to have it send something other than data back to the Militech servers… Shifting and twisting what she thinks will work… if she’s done it right, instead of sending data back to Militech’s server, it should inject the same malware back into their system. If used, it would spike both Maelstrom and Militech.

She’ll call up T-Bug before they hit Maelstrom, double check she did the steps right. If Maelstrom play nice, they can pay and be done, if not...she can fuck over the gangoons, Militech, and walk away with an extra ten thousand in her pocket. She puts the credchips in her pockets, spiked one in her left and clean one in the right.

Time to have a look around for the client. V making a beeline for the bar, bartenders always have all the info. Lizzie’s Bar in neon over the drink station, a brightly blue lit corner where a man works at making drinks, shelves of booze behind him. She climbs onto a blue vinyl bar stool, feet no longer on the ground and unable to resist swinging them a bit. The bartender comes to her; a man with slicked back dark hair, glowing white cybernetic eyes, and silver embellishments run across his cheeks and jaw. His shirt bright blue with a tropical design and if not for a single button above his pants, it’d be completely open. Beaded necklaces bringing even more attention to his exposed chest and stomach.

“Get you something?”

“Looking for Evelyn Parker,” she speaks the woman’s name, not wanting to waste time fingerspelling it even if the sound feels tight in her throat.

“And you are?”

“V, me and her were supposed to meet here.”

“Well, V, it’s a pleasure. I’m Mateo.”

“Nice to meet you… any idea where she’s hanging around?”

“Club's big. Gonna have to look around. Can't do it for you-”

“It's all right, Mateo,” a feminine voice calls out and V’s eyes are drawn to a woman at the bar, “I was waiting for this one.”

There’s something about her, distinctly Mox and also not. Her hair is a short vivid blue bob with bangs cut straight across her forehead. Heavy makeup, a tight silver sequin dress with a dipping neckline, red thigh high vinyl boots, a black trench coat that pools around her knees with a pink and white feathered collar. She holds two fingers up to the bartender and moves to the bar stool closer. There’s a clang and tink of glass; Mateo getting out a bottle of tequila and two shot glasses.

“That won’t be necessary,” V signs before he can fill the second glass, “I don’t drink on the job.”

“Aww, what a good girl,” Evelyn coos, a smile pulling at her painted lips, “Evelyn Parker. I knew it was you as soon as you walked in.”

“And you decided to let me wander around instead of introducing yourself?”

“I wanted to get a good look at you first.”

“And?” V watches as Evelyn takes a swig of her tequila.

“Rest assured, if I didn’t like what I see, you’d know,” she takes another drink, “C'mon. Know a place we can talk where ears won't prick up to listen. We'll be in the lounge, Mateo. Anyone asks we're not here.”

Evelyn takes her black clutch purse and leaves the bar, V puts some money down for Mateo; if nothing else to compensate for his time. V hops down from the stool and follows after Evelyn, through a pair of double doors that goes into a hallway tinted red and pink, booth doors lining the way. The blue haired woman opens up a door, standing to the side as V walks in.

The booth is small, circular with a red vinyl couch around it’s curve, a table in the middle projects a hologram of a stripper who twists and dances. V sinks into the cushions, watching Evelyn stride in and light a cigarette as the door closes behind her. Everyone in the city a smoker it seems. As Evelyn puffs on a cigarette, V is somehow just noticing the gold nail like finger caps she wears.

“Dex had a load to say about you. Called you professional, effective. And trustworthy. I hope he wasn't overselling…“

“You don’t give a shit what he says,” V retorts, not missing the tinge of disdain Evelyn’s voice. V doesn’t need anyone to blow wind up her ass.

“You have trouble accepting compliments?”

“Flattery’s beneath you.”

“Maybe Dex is beneath you,” Evelyn moves around the table, grabbing an ashtray from the table, then sitting down next to V, crossing her legs, “Have you known each other long?”

“First time working with him.”

“Hmmm, I've heard there are two kinds of fixers. Those with stable crews on long contracts and short leashes. Loyalty and predictability they value above all else. Then there's the other kind- Dex's kind.”

“Meaning?”

“Headhunters. They lay their trust elsewhere, not in people but in a thing- their intuition. They bet on potential. And if they lose that bet…It's the last mistake they ever make. I’m hoping Dex’s intuition served him well in this case.”

“Let's get to the point, why am I here, what’s this about?”

“Your target - I trust you know what it is.”

“Arasaka biochip.”

“Mmmhmm, their Relic, secure your soul technology. Arasaka's poured billions into personality transfer technology. But me - I just want the data on this one. The chip is tucked away inside Konpeki Plaza, the hotel. You ever been?”

“Fancy corp hotels? Yeah, no, way out of my price range.”

“The decor's to die for. As you'll see for yourself.’

So, V and Jackie have to bust into some fancy hotel to get the chip people are arguing about on tv. Understood, so far. But, theres a lot of risks involved in a heist of this scale. Its one thing to rip off a dropped piece of cargo or a convoy from a corp; but this kind of top notch tech?

“You know where the chip is, exactly?”

“In a suite on the top floor. The room's occupied by Yorinobu Arasaka.”

V swallows the lump in her throat, the son of Saburo Arasaka, heir to the entire fucking corp. She’s once again finding herself wondering why Dex thinks her and Jackie can handle a job of this caliber, the Arasaka’s seem downright un-fucking-touchable to a merc like her.

“He’s in NC?”

“Don't you read the screamsheets?”

“Not particularly, no.”

“Well, the media couldn't get enough of Yori coming to Night City, it was all over the headlines. He's heir apparent to the Arasaka empire - Saburo Arasaka's only surviving son.”

“So, he trying to take over while he’s in town?” V asks, trying to understand what exactly is going on.

“Only a handful of people in Night City know what the Arasakas' real plans are.”

“And you included in that?”

A smirk stretches across her face, green eyes devious; “Yorinobu is a puppet. He lost all his cards years ago when he failed to do daddy's bidding. Saburo's had Yori's balls in a vise for years. He might just turn the screw and crush them outright if he learns his son's up to no good again.”

“Someone like him is bound to have an army surrounding him, that hotel is probably a fortress by now.”

“Yorinobu keeps exactly no muscle around. Not one guard. Got rid of them a long time ago.”

“Why?”

“Surely you know what they say about Arasaka intel? Sneeze in Night City and a blossom drops from a cherry tree in Tokyo. Yorinobu was convinced his Arasaka security detail reported directly to his father.”

“If you got a spare ache up your sleeve, I’d love to see it.”

“ Now, this should make your tits perk up,” she says, putting the ashtray aside and leans forward.

“My tits are quite comfortable where they are, I assure you.”

“Cute, but more importantly, Yorinobu recently swiped the chip from an Arasaka laboratory. He's made a deal with NetWatch, aims to sell it to them. Have you spotted my ace yet or do I need to spell things out?”

“Okay, no muscle because he has daddy issues and no security on the device because he stole it from said daddy. Any idea where he’s hiding the thing?”

“Likely in a specialized container, one that mimics an organic neural environment. On the outside, it looks like an ordinary briefcase.”

“Which would be where?”

“You'll see for yourself soon enough,” she stamps out her cigarette and stands up, walking to the door, “Provided we're done gossiping about the Arasakas.”

“You know anything else about him?” V asks, wanting to see if she can mine any more useful information about the heir that could help.

“Quite a bit, actually. He studied finance and biotech in Tokyo. Hm, probably didn't have a choice in the matter, come to think of it. Saburo was grooming him to be his successor. But then Yorinobu vanished to chase his own dreams, cut himself off from the corp for years. Long story short, though the black sheep returned, the bitter taste remained. But that's only one side of him. There's another - an intelligent man who has always walked his own path and so has his own designs on the corp.”

There’s no doubt in V’s mind now that Evelyn knows Yorinobu personally, the way she talks and speaks is clearly colored by experience. Some prodigal son who ran away from his father and then came back with his tail between his legs when he couldn’t cut it alone. An odd lump in V’s throat at the thought; running away from shitty dads, being a black sheep…

“Sounds like any other corpo dick to me,” V signs, not liking the parallels her brain is starting to draw.

“Hm. Ever tried to imagine what life might be like for an emperor's son? You have everything, yet you are no one, nothing. At least as long as you remain in Saburo Arasaka's shadow. I…” she scratches almost sheepishly at her neck, her wannabe femme fatale attitude slipping for just a moment, “...sympathize. It's a vulnerability I understand well.”

V is still finding herself finding uncomfortable similarities between herself and fucking Yorinobu Arasaka. Its stupid, she doesn’t know the man and he has the wealth to destroy her for pretending she does. But, a power hungry leader for a father, leaving home, terrified of being under his thumb. Only difference, well many, but most pressing is she’s managed to make it on her own...so far… at least. Not that she hasn’t had her doubts or worries.

“So, what’s next?” V asks, practically shaking her head to dispel the weirdness swimming in her brain. Black sheep or not; Yorinobu Arasaka has a silver spoon in his mouth. She’s a nomad turned Night City edgerunner; their lives couldn’t be more far removed.

“Now comes the best part,” Evelyn opens the door and turns to leave, “Follow me. Got somethin' for you. Should help you plan. Braindance from Konpeki Plaza.”

V follows Evelyn out into the hallway, “ how’s a braindance going to help?”

“Think BDs are only good for fondling virtual tits, jackin' off to in those boxes?”

“Thought that was the main selling point, yeah,” V teases back as they turn a corner in the hallway, headed towards a door.

“No. They can be a very useful tool. Good for analyzing details human perception, even boosted, doesn't grasp. Exactly what you need,” Evelyn teases as they enters a dressing room, a few Mox at the tables painting their faces with makeup and styling their hair.

“What's on the tape?” Through another door and neon lights fade to harsher, darker lighting.

“Yorinobu's suite. The glorious interior,” the walk down a short metal flight of stairs, “You'll need to locate the Relic yourself. Hope I grabbed enough detail to make that possible.”

The stop at the end of the steps, Evelyn turning to look at V with a hand on her hips. Not that V really had any more doubt about it, but she’s been given more evidence that Evelyn and Yorinobu know each other.

“You recorded it?”

“Mhm. BD rec implant. Why, you object?”

“Not particularly, who you know and what you do with them is none of my business, lets see the braindance.”

“Judy'll help. She's a Mox, too,” down another short flight of stairs, deeper into the basement, “Besides, we go back… years.”

Evelyn stops them again outside a pair of double doors, Lizzie’s is starting to feel like a little maze at this point. But more importantly, Evelyn’s paused again, stumbled over her words and showed something under her facade. V felt something was off, a Mox but somehow not, and she’s starting to think Evelyn is purposely trying to put up a front. That she’s trying, a little too hard, to come across like femme fatale or corpo. Evelyn clears her throat.

“V, this is important. Judy's always been there for me. Always helped out. I trust her. But she's a Mox, not the latest member of your crew. Try not to forget. So you'll be a good girl, tread lightly and keep that tongue on a leash.

“Oh, but it's not my tongue you need to worry about.”

“Hmm, can feel you smirking under that mask, keep it up and I’ll tie those hands down, too,” Evelyn says with a wink as they pass through the double doors into another hallway, then through one more door.

Evelyn leads her through the basement doors, a dark little room with servers, netrunning chairs and screens. In an office chair slouching with one leg on a desk is a woman; late twenties or so with olive skin. One side of her hair is shaved, the other shaggy and down to nearly her shoulder, a deep green color with bright pink ends. The woman is heavily tattooed, bright red roses nestled above her collar bones, a spider web on her right shoulder, a cartoon ghost sitting in a shell, and a large number 13 on her bicep are among the standouts. But V could spend hours describing each artwork.

“Ahem.”

“Hey, there you are…” Judy greets Evelyn, a playful almost flirty tone to her voice.

“This is V. She's here for that BD roll. And V, this is Judy - best braindance editor I know.”

“Enough already, gonna make me barf.” There’s a slight accent to Judy’s voice, not unlike Jackie’s.

“Impressive set up,” V signs, at least, she assumes it’s impressive. Tech is already a bit of a blind spot for her, especially when it comes to brain dances.

“Mhm, Analyzers, sensory sig amps, acoustic and emotive wave monitors, facial expression translators.”

“Ahem, Judy,” Evelyn stops the inked editor before she can tell V more.

“All right, all right… Compiled your BD, Ev.”

“What do you think? Will it do?”

“Still pretty raw… but yeah, oughta do.”

“Mhm. V needs to get deep inside, that's most important.”

“So, let's calibrate, tune it to her,” Judy stands up from the table and moves to the desk closer to the door, sitting down below a neon pink light, “Believe me, I've dealt with worse. Should see the dig-Jig Street porn we gotta contend with sometimes.”

Evelyn has followed behind Judy, standing behind the editor’s chair, “So we drop V inside? Let her look, let her rummage around, right?”

“How 'bout it, V? Raw braindance - ever taken a dip before?” Judy leans forward on the desk, looking at V.

“No, not at all, but I’m a quick learner,” that feels like a lie as soon as she says it, “ and need to know what I’m dealing with. So.”

“Siddown, settle in, and we'll get you goin'.”

V turns around to the chairs, either netrunning or ripperdoc chairs, she’s not sure. But, she climbs into one, settling down into it as Judy comes back out around the desk. Judy is nearby, fiddling with a brain dance wreath.

“Be easier to fit without the mask.”

“Mask has optic tech, linked to my neuroport and biomon, should work just like it does with any set of cybereyes.”

“‘Fraid of ruining the mystery?” Evelyn asks, teasing again.

“Mask is for business, lot harder to track a merc if you got no clue what they look like. You that curious, feel free to try and track me down during my off time.”

“Fine, fine,” Judy affixes the BD wreath around V’s head, lining it up properly on the merc before walking back to the desk, “Gotta create your sensory profile first.”

“Go for it.”

“Now, sit still, look at me. Gonna run the analysis soft should feel a slight tingling…”

V’s breath catches as it prickles across her skin, a crackling and warm sensation crawling across every nerve. From the base of her skull, down her spine, across her arms to her fingers, running down her legs to her toes. A vague pulse, a current of something.

“OK now let's set the optics and other sensory sigs. Look smack into these two screens, pretend it's an eye exam.”

The two wreath panels flash and strobe white light, building in urgency and frequency.

“Gimme two more minutes. One more sec, need to get the pain receptor limiters in… OK. All set. Need to test your profile first. Tossing in a sam-”

“We can just use my recording, there’s no point in wasting time,” Evelyn interrupts Judy.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

“I’m fine with just jumping to her BD,” V interjects her opinion, “better to get right to it.”

Judy sighs and rolls her eyes; “Fine, fine, what do I know.”

“Great, I’ll just need to patch Bug in.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Who?” Judy jumps up from her desk, crossing her arms and looks at V like she just asked to summon Satan.

“Runner from my crew, security specialist. She'll tell me what to look for while we analyze. No problem, I assume?”

“Actually, it is a problem! You’re already asking me to cut fucking corners and now you want to bring someone else in?! Not what we agreed, Ev!”

“It’s not a big deal,” V signs, not sure what Judy’s sudden problem is.

“No big deal! You don't quite grasp the risks I took by lettin' you in here! What I'm risking pokin' around with this stuff!”

Judy continues to yell and V rolls her eyes, she’s a BD editor, not part of the actual crew, the client, or the fixer. If Arasaka goes after anyone it sure as shit won’t be Judy, so why is she throwing a fit.

“And you don’t seem to grasp the risk I’d be taking if me and my partner went stumbling into that hotel with no fucking clue as to what we or our runner are up against. I miss one hidden turret and I get pumped full of lead, either my runner links in or I’m gone.”

V makes a point to twist her head and look at Evelyn at the last part; Bug is the most highly trained member of their crew and Dex’s go to runner. Without her involvement and eyes on it, the job won’t be going anywhere.

“Bye then!” Judy yells out, “good riddance and don’t let the door hit you on the way out!”

“Judy, please…”

“Ev, she wants to bring a 'runner in. What part of that don't you understand?! How do I know she'll only perch in this footage, observe, not fuck with anything?!”

“Because Bug is literally involved with the heist, has a dog in this fight, and wants it to go well too,” V signs, hoping the AI voice is getting her annoyance across, Judy does level a glare at her over Evelyn’s shoulder.

“Me,” Evelyn steals Judy’s attention, “I'm your guarantee.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Help me, this one last time. I promise everything'll work out, just like we planned.”

And it hits V, between the flirting and the soft drop in Evelyn’s voice here. The reason Judy is so worked up about this; her and Evelyn have something. Friends teetering the line into something else, girlfriends already, or maybe even more than that. V’s not sure. But there’s something distinctly not platonic to the way they interact. Maybe that’s the play on Evelyn’s. Scam Yorinobu Arasaka then run away with her porn editor girlfriend.

“Fine,” Judy shakes her head and sits back down, the anger gone, “call Bug and we’ll dive in.”

That issue taken care of V rings up T-Bug, the netrunner answering after a ring or two.

“What’s up, V?”

“Bug, listen. I got some useful footage from Konpeki Plaza. It's a braindance.”

“Konpeki? Ohhh, thought as much…” Judy looks up at Evelyn.

“Someone there with you?”

“Client and her...friend...is what I’ll settle on; that’s not what matters right now, its going to give us a layout of the room, a chance to find where the chip is, and some idea of security.”

“All right, see if I can walk you through it. Jackin’ into your tech now,” notifications alert across her mask’s interface, “Mh, you've gotta give me access. Opening port 1779… Secure protocol? Good, I'm goin' in. Should be getting my request… …now.”

“Got it. You ready?”

“Millisec. OK, connection confirmed, now some quick temp ICE and… we're clear. Ready to dance.”

“Let’s do this.”

And with that the wreath panels begin to flash and strobe in front of V’s eyes, quicker and quicker until the world goes out in white. And in the next snap of a moment, one reality becomes another. Her body is no longer her own, she’s placed in Evelyn’s mind standing outside an elevator. What feels like her body, moves to adjust a purse strap, gold capped nails.

“All right, V - eyes open. Gotta find out where Yorinobu is keepin’ the Relic. Everything is controlled by thought and intention; you can step into editor mode, access everything her cyberware picked up a signal of, can scan, rewind, fast forward. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

The doors open, exposing the hotel room, and a horror show of a man walking towards her. V can feel the spike in fear, whether from Evelyn in the moment or V’s own instinctual reaction; she isn’t sure. He’s around eight feet tall, complete metal and cyberware from his feet to his upper lip; more machine than human. Wire, hydraulics, steel; all branded with Arasaka. The flesh section of his head is sickly ashen protrusive veins, glowing red where eyes should be. As he draws closer there’s a whirr of machinery, hydraulics pistoning to give him movement. How is he alive? How is he functional?

“You look like a cut of fuckable meat. Are you?” He asks as he walks past, voice edged with something inhuman.

Evelyn reigns her fear back in, the past version of her walking deeper into the room, where a dark haired man sits at a table in front of a large screen where another blonde haired man speaks back to him.

“I said no,” the dark haired man speaks out, his voice colored by a Japanese accent and V knows it’s Yorinobu. Evelyn continues to walk closer, her heels clicking against the floor.

“They'll have my head for this…”

“Then you shall perish for a good cause.”

“But I-”

“Make yourself comfortable. I need a minute to finish,” Yorinobu tells Evelyn, sparing just a glance over his shoulder.

“Listen in on that conversation, V! Could be something important.”

She wants to watch through first, do an initial watch to look for things and then go more in depth. Two watches at least should mean she’s covered everything. Yorinobu switches the conversation to his holophone, pacing around the room. Evelyn meanwhile puts her purse down on the chair, then walks behind him, trying to keep him in range

“My father is a tired, visionless old greybeard who thinks nothing will change and he'll live forever in his tiny, frozen bubble! You will listen to this - Saburo is an addled despot utterly removed from reality, stuck in some fossilized vision of a world that no longer exists! Of a world that may never have existed! We have not seen eye to eye for the last twenty years. I am quite sure we won't now.”

Yorinobu continues to talk as Evelyn pours herself a glass full of champagne and takes a drink, the tech allowing V to taste the sweet bubbles as if they were on her own tongue. Glass in hand she takes a slow look around the room and walks back to the center of it, sitting at the table, the plush of the cushion letting her sink into it.

“Noted,” Yorinobu says into the phone as he starts to walk back to Evelyn, there’s something in his eyes, “enough.”

He hands up, putting the phone down on the table. Evelyn looks up at him and V through her eyes gets her first good look at the Arasaka heir. Dark hair with the sides shaved down close to the scalp, glasses perched on his nose. His cyberware is surprisingly minimal for a man of his wealth, two streaks of silver going up his neck to his jawline.

“Sorry, to make you wait,” he touches Evelyn’s shoulder and the woman rises, “business can be stupid.”

They’re close and V can feel his hands on her, Evelyn’s, hips. Evelyn’s hand on his shoulder.

“Mmh, it wasn't long,” Evelyn hums and it feels wholy unnatural to feel like she’s speaking with someone else's voice, “Not even long enough for me to grow bored.”

His hands start to creep and Evelyn goes to pull away, movements playful, when Yorinobu pulls her back in. Then he starts to dip his mouth.

“Fuck no!” V yells out as she pushes the thought to enter editor mode, separating her senses from Evelyn’s before she has to feel Yorinobu’s lips on Evelyn’s neck. She looks down and sees herself, though slightly digital, her bright blue nail polish and not gold jewelry. The scene around her has paused and a digital filter over them.

“Something wrong?” T-Bug asks with a slight laugh.

“Nearly had corpo droolon me,” V signs, happy to find the tech allows her translator to work in editor mode, “was going do a watch through, then a second go in editor mode, figured two look throughs would be best...then”

“Then you nearly had to lock lips with Yorinobu Arasaka.”

“Gag, rewinding back to scan the call fully.” With a thought she watches as Evelyn and Yorinobu move in reverse, getting back to win the heir was starting the call. Once she gets where she needs to be she scans his phone and restarts it from editor mode, thankful for the sensory disconnect. She hears the man on the other end of Yorinobu’s call speak.

“Please speak with your father. He's taken a particular interest in this project, he can certainly explain the risks invol--”

“My father is a tired, visionless old greybeard who thinks nothing will change and he'll live forever in his tiny, frozen bubble!”

“I should not even be listening to such things.”

“You will listen to this - Saburo is an addled despot utterly removed from reality, stuck in some fossilized vision of a world that no longer exists! Of a world that may never have existed! We have not seen eye to eye for the last twenty years. I am quite sure we won't now.”

“Read the documentation carefully. The Relic requires specific storage conditions. You MUST provide them.”

“Noted,” Yorinobu hangs up again and V pauses the BD.

“Heard that? Relic docs gotta be around here somewhere. Look for them,” Bug confirms.

“Once we find where the chip is stored we’ll do a clean sweep of the security, okay Bug.”

“Smart thinking.”

V watches half-heartedly as Yorinobu and Evelyn interact; her range of vision and senses limited to Evelyn. She fast forwards through the two canoodling, only mildly catching Evelyn mentioning something about ‘candy’ though V assumes it’s of the nose variety. Evelyn separates away from Yorinobu for a moment and walks to a control panel, offering to lend music to the scene.

But V’s interest is piqued when she catches Evelyn rifling through Yorinobu’s messages, a few spam and scam emails. Then she pulls up an email from Clouds, a dollhouse in the city. Evelyn deletes it, V rewinds back and pauses. The email thanks Yorinobu for his patronage; hmm, heir has a taste for doll prostitutes. Something, Evelyn doesn’t want that email to be there… Its all beginning to make more sense and V’s not sure she likes it.

The merc fast forwards further through the BD, moving through to Evelyn playing awful music and going to meet Yorinobu in his bed. Where he sits with a tablet, the second the screen is clear. She pauses and scans it, bingo.

“Manual details a special temp controlled container. Relic needs to be kept real cool,” T-Bug explains through the technobabble.

“Chip’s got to be in a freezer.”

“Yep. Could damage it otherwise. OK, switch on thermal layer detection in the editor. Should be easier to spot where Yorinobu's keeping the chip.”

V switches with a thought, the world turning into temperature signatures as she searches for unnatural cold places and spots. An air conditioner pumps out cold air, but that would be a stupid place to put billion dollar tech. One malfunction and you lost it all. She rewinds back to get more of a view, a ice bucket for champagne, a fridge?

“That’s just a regular fancy fridge, not cold enough,” Bug tells her when she spends t0o long contemplating it.

V rewinds further and an amass of blue ice cold air from behind a pillar catches her eye, It seems to come up through the floor, unlike the AC, ice bucket, or fridge she has no clear idea where this one is coming from. A secret container in the floor? Seems like a much craftier place to hide expensive stolen tech, V scans it.

“Right, grabbed the heat sig. Matches the spec in the docs,” T-Bug tells her.

“Chip has to be here, we got it.”

“Mmhmm, time to scan security.”

V switches back to the regular mode, looking for what she needs to scan. The camera system first.

“Shit, cameras packed with newtech motion sensors, heat sig activators. IFF.”

“Can you kill it?”

“With access to their subnet, but we need the Flathead bot for that.”

They continue on, with Bug commenting on each security measure they scan. Alarm with fresh firmware, Automated turrets connected to the hotels server. Yorinobu’s pistol, loaded with the safety on. V rewinds and fast forward, searching anything else that might be an issue but comes up empty handed.

“Seems like we got everything. Looks like all their security systems are linked to the hotel subnet. We need the Flathead. No other way to shut down these systems,” T-Bug sumises.

“No way around it ourselves?”

“Nope. Least I'm fresh out of ideas. Think we got everything we need.”

“Okay, but hang on the line with me after we get out of the BD, need you to look over something for me, if you don’t mind.”

“No problem.”

V exists out of the brain dance, a flash of white and the world returns. Judy and Evelyn looking at her from across a desk, T-Bug still in the call panel of her mask. Her eyes hurt, her throat feels dry, and she can feel a migraine pushing at her temples. She fucking hates brain dances.

“Get everything you need?” Judy asks, a dark raised eyebrow.

“From the BD, yeah, got to clear something with Bug while I got her on the horn,” V gets the chip she fucked with out of her pocket and slides it into the proxy reader of her mask, “got a chip I fucked around with; decrypted and tried to rewrite the virus on it, so it will spike the people who gave it to me. But I want to make sure, I didn’t fuck up.”

“Need me to grade your work, V?”

“Kind of…”

“Oh, shit, V. You fucking over Militech?” T-Bug exclaims, a little pride in her voice as she reads over the code, thankfully her voice is only audible to V through her hearing aids.

“Mmhmm.”

“And you don’t want to sign and have your translator read it, because you don’t want to risk the client knowing you’re fucking over Militech while prepping to fuck over Arasaka.”

“Mmhmm, will it work?”

“It will fry the servers of any tech it’s plugged in proper and fry the servers it’s linked to, a Militech van from the looks of it. Won’t be a dent in their bottom line, but will surely piss off some reps. That what you meant for it to do?”

“That was the plan.”

“Preem work then, but I do want to make some...edits,” T-Bug edits the chips code in front of V’s eyes, “there we go.”

“Something wrong with it?” Nerves creep up V’s throat, if she fucked up, she’d rather learn her lesson now.

“Nah, I added a bit of a personal touch for you, nothing wrong with a little style added to your hacking.”

“Appreciate the help.”

“You know I won’t always be here to check your work.”

“I know, I know, but it doesn't mean I won’t take advantage while I can. Thanks again, talk soon.”

“Later, V.” With that V hangs up the call and slots the spiked credchip back into its respective pocket. Judgement, suspicion, and resentment are radiating off of Judy.

“I'll wipe the cache and your data. You were never here.”

Judy stands up from the desk and V tries to decipher a few of the tattoos she sees, noticing more sea themed ones, like a dolphin and sharks. V flinches behind her mask as Judy removes the BD wreath, glad to be free of the contraption, but she could have taken it off herself.

“Thanks…” V signs, despite this, just trying to be polite despite their spat.

“Keep it,” Judy hands her the wreath, V getting a good look at the octopus tattooed on the woman’s hand, “I'll put it on Ev's tab. Portable device for handling BDs. I already uploaded your calibration settings. Not as sophisticated as what we got here, but should do the trick.”

“And it keeps you outta harm's way. Clever.”

“Speaking of harms way, know what I see looking at you,” Judy pins her hands to her hips and gives V that look again, “walking, talking corpses.”

“We needed this recording, just… relax, will you?”

“Relax! If Arasaka finds out you have it, you're dead. I'm dead! If you fuck this up and Arasaka comes knocking on my door!”

“Judy, relax, that’s… not gonna happen,” Evelyn is the one trying to soothe the editors temper again.

“Evelyn, please… no shortcuts. You go that route, city'll always win. So be careful.”

“'Course I will be. Besides, we'll talk in a bit,” Evelyn looks to V, “lets walk.”

V stashes the new BD wreath into her bag and climbs from the chair, following Evelyn out of Judy’s basement space. It’s not like V is heartless or doesn’t know anxiety; but of everyone involved, Judy has the least skin in the game. V can’t spend her time coddling someone who doesn’t have a whole hell of a lot to worry about compared to her, Jackie, or Bug.

“Well? What do you think?” Evelyn asks and V can see that hint of nerves coming back.

“You’re not worried about this coming back on you, if they start looking through everyone he’s been dealing with?”

“They'll have a long list, then. Packed full of big names. Much bigger than mine. You tell me who they check first. Corpo hotshots and cutthroats? Or a little bedroom plaything like me?”

“Well, then... “ V tries to find her words, this all seems, too good, “intel on the heir, on the place, know roughly where the chip is, and how we should get to it… Seems like a perfect plan and job.”

“Mm. Thanks. Now the punch line, please.”

“Seems too good to be true, there’s got to be a catch…”

“Cold feet? Are you looking to get out of it?”

“I want to know you’re in control here; that there’s no secrets, no catches, no surprises that turns this heist from a cakewalk into a bloodbath.”

“V. I have zero reasons to haze you. We’re in this together. Really. Trust me that I got this.”

“Okay, if you say so, what next?”

“V….” there’s nothing good in the way Evelyn pauses, words stuck to her tongue for a moment, “Do this job for me. I mean me alone. No splitting the payout with anyone else. No middlemen. No Dex.”

Of course, of fucking course, there had to be something. Evelyn’s trying to play cutthroat corpo, fucking over a fixer because she has dollar signs in her eyes. But, she’s too damn naïve to the game to know that no merc with the lead in their gun would pull that shit. Greedy mercs who screw over their fixers end up broke on the street at best and swimming with cement shoes at worst. And a high profile one like Dex has the means to destroy her.

“Fucking knew there was a catch, you want to fuck over our fixer.”

“Dex is a middleman. And a useless one at this point.”

“You don't fuck with fixers. That's the one rule every merc in this city knows - and actually follows!”

“But if we're smart…”

“There is no smart to this, a mistake like that will cost me my reputation and without that, a merc is fucking nothing in this city. Are you serious about this?”

“Better ask yourself that question. Do you want to spend the rest of your days blasting scavs? Or become a legend overnight? Your choice.”

“He would put me in the ground, if I pulled some gonk shit like that.”

“I could give you fifty percent, V, . Eddies enough to do whatever the hell you like, without needing Dex for anything. With cred like that, you wouldn’t want for anything, you could retire.”

“It’s not about the money.”

“I thought you were a merc. I thought it was always about the money.”

“No, its not actually. He trusts me, he’s taking a leap with me. And even if he weren’t, I’m not the only person I got to worry about. Bug vouched for me too and Jackie is my partner. I fuck over my fixer, it hurts them too. I’m not going to send them down the river for a bigger cut of the pie.”

“Fine. I never asked. But V?”

“Yeah.”

“I just hope you're as good as you are naive.”

“Pff, you think I’m the naive one, here. Cute.

“If you need me, call. I'll send you my number. Now go. I need a few words with Judy.”

“Later, then.”

And with that V heads back up the stairs, tension draws tight across her shoulders. This whole damn thing with Evelyn throwing her off. The BD and everything seems clear cut, if they get the Flathead, the job might even be easy. But, wanting to fuck over their fixer. Evelyn is not the corpo or femme fatale or whatever she seems to think she is. A doll, V’s sure of that. Evelyn must have deleted the email from Clouds because its’s connected to her and the Mox offer protection to sex workers; must be where she and Yorinobu met. Clouds even has connections to Arasaka through the Tyger Claws. And she managed to become a powerful rich man’s plaything, so now she thinks she’s smart enough to fuck over not only him but Dex too.

She’s a messy client with good intel. V doesn’t want Evelyn to get hurt. The older woman is in over her head and doesn’t know how the merc world works. She doesn’t deserve to get hurt for that, the last thing V wants is for Dex to lose his cool and hurt the woman. But, V also owes it to him to let him know Evelyn put that deal on the table. If she doesn’t, what’s to say Evelyn won’t pull this on another fixer? Or Dex gets another job aligned with her and the next merc she offers this to isn’t so loyal? She has to tell him.

V fumbles with her holo as she walks back through the club, doing some quick research on Konpeki Plaza. Finding their policy on guns. Given the stealth nature of this mission, she can assume the only way they’re getting in is to find a way to get in like regular patrons. Which means they’d be scanned for guns as soon as they get through the door. If something goes south, she doesn’t want her and Jackie left unarmed with a hoard of Arasaka soldiers on their ass.

But they can’t confiscate cyberware.

Might be time to cash in her savings for something. Her holo buzzes in her hand as Dex calls; her stomach drops. Unsure for a moment what to say to him, if she should go ahead and tell him what Evelyn tried to pull. Would he lose his temper? Drop the entire damn heist? Would he hurt her for it? It weighs on her shoulders as she pushes through a blue beaded curtain, considering her options with a finger hovering over the phone.

#cyberpunk 2077 #cp2077 #johnny silverhand #silverv #(slowburn eventual)#evelyn parker #judy alvarez #aidan becker #aidan v becker #female v

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descendantofthesparrow · 4 years ago

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Daughter of the honorable theif - Harry Hook x reader - part 14 - the banquet

*note: I somehow forgot to put Harriet in the last chapter??? So let's just say that she's off doing whatever at the main fair….shes watching Ember compete, no yeah shes watching Ember compete during the competitions XD*

You hummed to yourself as you patted down the front of your forest green ballgown, your handmaidens cinching the back for you, not to tight that you couldn’t breathe but not so loose that the strapless dress would fall. They slipped on simple silver-white strapped heels and clipped a jewel encrusted necklace around your neck, you put on your bracelet, pulling your hair into (your preferred hair style*ignore the pictures hairstyles if u want, those are just suggestions*) that you always did for events like the banquet

In the other room, Harry was being flanked by multiple servants, finding the right suit for him to wear. after all, his date was the daughter of Robin of Loxley, lord of Sherwood, he had to look good.

They settled on a nice blue suit with a white shirt, and a light blue tie, giving him a polished set of boots to wear, which luckily were comfortable enough for him to wear for long periods.

Harry let out a curse under his breath as the servant tying his tie cinched it a little too tightly, he apologized and loosened it “my apologies young sir, the main hall is yet to be finished so we are trying to rush” Harry waved him off, along with the rest.

“it's fine, I can do the rest on meh own, thank yeh” the servants nodded and bowed, rushing out of the room to the main hall to prepare the rest of the banquet. Harry sighed and straightened his tie, tilting his head in the mirror, looking at himself.

He…didn’t look like him, his usually messy eyeliner clean and thin, his hair messy yet styled in such a way that it worked with his outfit.

He patted at his blue vest and grabbed the jacket that was hanging off the nearby closet, swinging it over his shoulders and sliding his arms though.

He….looked good, he’ll admit that….but he wondered if (y/n) would like it?

He smacked his head, why was he thinking that?? (y/n) was just a friend, why was he hoping she thought he looked good!?

He ignored the little voice in the back of his head yelling at him to just accept his feelings, which he didn’t have, he yelled back at himself….great he was talking to himself now, he really was fucking crazy.

He stepped out of his room, feeling his breath leave him as you stepped out of your room, your forest green ballgown trailing after you, your lips stained (best color that goes with green that looks good on you?!?) her feet strapped into silver-white heels.

You looked up, your shadowed (e/c) eyes scanning him, a smile growing on your face “looking good hook!” Harry felt his face flush as he grinned and looked down, rubbing the back of his neck.

“yeh think so? It doesn’t really….feel like meh?” you rolled your eyes fondly and walked over to him, cupping his cheeks and making him look you in the eye.

“Harry, you look like Harry, if only a little polished. now come on, my parents are waiting for us” Harry smiled and nodded, holding out his arm for you to take.

“oh by the way lass” you hummed and rose your brow “yeh look amazing too” you laughed and swatted his arm.

“thank you, Harry” just as they passed by Harriet's room, she stepped out, a gorgeous red and black dress swirling around her, black boots on her feet. “holy shit Harriet you look amazing!”

She smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder and posing “you think so?” you nodded, giving Harriet a once over.

“Really!” you laughed, Harry giving his sister a quick high five as you passed her. Gil was already at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for them.

He had a nice navy suit on, with his usual rings and bull necklace, his hair pulled back into a neat bun. “hey guys” he grinned, “Uma and Erza just arrived too”

The two girls waved, your eyes going to the corsage on Umas wrist, the teal and scarlet blending with the rest of her outfit.

Smirking you nodded at the corsage, to Erza, who grinned and tilted her head, revealing the teal octopus earrings. ‘nice’ you mouthed, Erza had Uma had grown closer since their first date at Romanos pizzeria, and Erza had asked her to be her date to the banquet today.

“wait is…Uma wearing a corsage?” Harry asked you, squinting his eyes at Umas wrist.

“yeah” you muttered, back, fixing your necklace “her dad gave that to her mom every time they went out someplace fancy, shes just carrying on the tradition” Harry hummed, looking up suddenly as your parents joined you in the main stairway area.

“well,” Robin clapped his hands together, your mom smiling at the seven of you “our guests have arrived, and the banquet is ready! Now the rest of you can go ahead and head in, (y/n) and Harry, as you know we will be entering separately, you'll know when your name is called, (y/n) go ahead and take Harry to the balcony doors” you nodded and pulled Harry off to the balcony doors of the main hall, where the two of you would be announced to enter after your parents.

“uh, lass?” Harry worriedly muttered, glancing back at your friends entering the main hall “wha-“

“The hosts of a party enter differently, we, as the lords and ladies of the land, are basically royalty, we get announced in, it's not bad. Gerald, our head servant, will call us in, we walk in, wave, and greet the people, then enjoy the night” you hurriedly explained, pulling Harry behind the doors, waiting for your parents to show up and go through the doors first.

“Alright then…wait how is he-“ you shushed him, backing the two of you up as your parents arrived and stood in front of the doors.

“you'll be announced as my date” you whispered, standing straight as Gerald called your parent's titles and name.

“announcing the arrival of Lord Loxley, and his Lady Marian” the doors opened and your parents stepped through, waving to the cheering and clapping crowd, the doors closed after them.

Harry took a deep breath, pulling at his jacket, you squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek “don’t worry, you’ll be fine, they usually don’t bother me, hell one time I spilled an entire thing of punch one time and they were more concerned that if I was unharmed than the fact I had embarrassed myself” Harry gave you a soft smile, the people of Sherwood did seem nice at the fair earlier, hopefully, the ones here were just as nice.

“announcing, the young lady (y/n), and her date, Harry, of Auradon!” the doors opened, and you and Harry stepped through to stand next to your parents, overlooking the main hall full of nobles, and peasants of Sherwood, applauding for you and Harry, beaming up at the balcony.

“friends, I think we’ve waited long enough” your dad stretched his arms wide “let us enjoy tonight, eat! Drink! And be merry!” the crowd cheered as the band began to play, your parents bowed their heads you and Harry, you bowed back and directed Harry to the stairs on your right, your parents descending to the main hall on the stairs to their left.

As you hit the bottom of the stairs, Erza and Uma pushed through the crowd, Eza hopping into your side and grinning at you “how ya doing, oh lady of Loxley~” you snorted and pushed her face away, tugging on Harry's arm and leading him to the refreshment table.

“shes no fun” Erza chuckled, holding out her arm for Uma to take and followed you.

“lady Loxley, Sir Harry.” Trevor greeted, holding out two glasses of a bubbling yellow-orange tinted drink “your sparkling apple cider” you nodded to him and grabbed one, nodding for harry to grab the other

“thank you, Trevor, how's David?” you asked, sipping on the drink, he grinned and swooned a little.

“wonderful, he built an entertainment system for James yesterday” you giggled with him and nodded, pulling Harry off to the main table, where you, your parents, and friends would sit.

“lass I have no idea what I’m doin’ ” Harry muttered, glancing around at the nobles surrounding him. You looked up at him, tilting your head and smiling.

“Harry you'll be fine, at most, all you'll have to do is smile and wave, I’ll be by your side the entire night, unless my dad pulls me off for some dancing or whatever” you hummed, guiding him to his seat and plopping down next to it.

“alright” Harry muttered, eyes going wide at the huge selection of food before him “i-wha-“ he licked his lips, looking to you for guidance. “eat” you supplied, taking a few legs of turkey.

Harry shrugged and started to shove things on his plate, glancing to his right has Harriet sat next to him. “hey, quite a show on that entrance” she teased, Harry rolled his eyes, biting down on a square of cornbread.

“oh fuck off, wasn’t meh choice” he muttered, ignoring Harriet's chuckle and grabbed the bowl of mutton slices and threw some on his plate.

“oh Embers here!” you cheered, Harry looked up, glancing at his sister, who was turning red as she stared at the approaching family. He snorted and looked to where Harriet was staring.

A large blonde man (who easily could have passed as Gil's dad oddly enough), with a beautiful brunette woman on his arm, the lady knight just next to them, her well-built form mostly hidden in a silver dress, her arms out on full display.

Harry snorted as his sister drooled for a moment before she caught herself and shook her head, looking down at her lap “what the hell is wrong with meh” she muttered, placing her palm on her forehead.

Little John opened his arms, Robin greeting him back and accepting the hug, gasping as the larger man wrapped his arms around your dad and squeezed him “Robin, how nice it is to see you again! We haven’t hung out in a bit!”

“John-“ Robin wheezed, tapping Little John's arm rapidly “can't breathe!” John gasped and released him, holding onto robin's shoulders to steady him “thank you” Robin took a deep breath.

John chuckled and pat him on the back, sending Robin to the ground. Harry winced as you burst out into laughter.

Ember perked up, patting her mom on the back and walking over to the table. “lady Loxley~!” Ember cheered, a thick forest English accent coating her tongue, Harriet's jaw dropped.

“fuuuuck that accent” she muttered, squeaking as Ember smirked and glanced at her, she ducked behind Harry who pushed her away from him. “asshole”

“bitch” Harry taunted back, mentally cackling as ember nodded to you and passed harry to lean on the table to talk to Harriet.

“saw you at the competition earlier~ I would love to know the name of the beauty in front of me” Harriet couldn’t speak, only able to stare at Ember's arms.

“ ‘er names Harriet” Harry offered, slapping his chest as he contained his laughter as Ember took one of Harriet's hands and kissed it, winking at the blushing pirate.

“Harriet~ a wonderful name” Harriet let out a series of babbles, nodding as Ember offered a dance with her later.

Harriet turned to the giggling Harry as Ember walked away to her seat, smacking him in the shoulder and slumping in her chair “fuck off”

Uma, Erza, and Gil joined at the main table a moment later, making their plates and joining in on the simple conversation.

Soon the tables were cleared for dancing, and your mother encouraged the whole hall to join in. you sighed, standing from your seat and holding out your hand to Harry.

“whaaat are yeh doin’?” Harry muttered, looking at your hand confused.

“my mother will make me dance at some point, it'll make her happy if I do of it my own will before she makes me, and you're my date….so” Harry sighed and took your hand, standing and leading you to the dance floor, joining your parents and a couple of other dancers

As you and Harry danced to the fast-paced folk music, you noticed, Ember and Harriet swinging around, giggling with each other, and spinning the other when they could.

You pointed them out to Harry, who let out a loud laugh, sticking out his tongue at Harriet when she flipped him off.

Harry picked you up and lifted you into the air, turning on his heel as he did, you laughed and held onto his shoulders, squealing as Erza took your hand and danced off with you, switching Uma with Harry, who just shrugged and spun Uma for a moment and pulled her away to dance, the sea witch laughed and forced Harry to dip her, he brought her up and passed her to Gil, and caught the girl he was dancing with.

As the music came to its end, Harry spun himself around one last time, catching someone and ending up face to face with them, only inches away.

He lost his breath, you bright eyes staring back into his, his arm wrapped tightly around your waist, you let out a loose laugh and leaned forward to kiss his cheek “thank you Harry” you giggled, grabbing his hand and pulling him off the dance floor, watching as another song started and the dancers come alive once more.

You whispered that you would be getting a drink for the two of you and would be right back, Harry nodded and leaned back on the wall, watching as his sister and Ember danced with each other, matching grins as they stared into each other's eyes.

He jumped as a cup of sparkling apple cider appeared in front of his face, sighing as he looked down the arm and saw (y/n), smiling and looking towards the dancers.

He took the cup and sipped the cinder, snorting as Gil, Uma, and Erza performed this odd three-way mock tango to a song that did not fit the tango

“Thank yeh (y/n)” harry muttered, smiling at you as you rose ur brow in confusion “fer all of this, they’ve been…down since Knotts, and this is jus’ what we needed, so thank yeh”

You grinned and leaned into his arm, “no problem Harry, thank you for coming with me”

Harry finished off his drink and set it on the table next to him, turning to you and holding out his hand “shall we dance?”

You laughed and set your drink down, taking his hand and giving him a curtsy “we shall”

“like its dynamite, and I told you once, now I told you twice now we light it up, like its dynamite!” Erza sang in a loud out of tune voice, laughing as Uma tried to cover her mouth.

“shuuuut up!” Uma growled, squealing as Erza pulled her up and tossed her on the bed.

You chucked a pillow at Erza who pouted and chucked it back. You coughed at the impact and glared at her playfully “come on ‘ood” she taunted, getting into a fighting position.

You sighed and tossed your book on the floor and cracked your neck, pouncing onto the now screaming Erza “wait no I’m sorry ah!”

“too late, face your doom!” you cackled, getting her into an arm lock and holding her tightly to your chest. She tapped your arm almost immediately and you released her, she slapped your leg and rolled away from you, puffing her cheeks in anger.

“jerk”

“bitch” you barked back, a sharp grin on your face. A knock sounded at your door, your mother's face peeking through, Harriet sliding in behind her and jumping on the bed behind Uma, making the smaller girl bounce a bit.

“goodnight girls, try to keep it down” you gave her a salute and nodded, Erza and Uma nodding.

“got it, thanks (y/n)s mom” Erza grinned, Marian rolling her eyes fondly at her old “nickname” Erza used when she was young and awkward. She slinked back from the door and shut it, walking back to her and robins room.

“soooo Harriet” you started, grinning at Erza and Uma “how was Ember?~” Harriet turned red and proceeded to chuck a pillow at you, muttering something about pretty girls and strong arms.

You snorted and grabbed your movie for the night, letting Erza rip open the bag of popcorn and go at it.

“Alright, let's watch Spaceballs!” you cheered, popping in the movie into the DVD player and settling between Erza and the edge of the bed.

“yee” Erza cheered softly, opening another bag of m&ms. Uma slumped into Erza’s side and rose her brow as the opening credits started to play.

“So what's this movie?”

“a comedy” you explained “by Mel Brooks, you'll love it I promise”

“Alright then” she muttered, reaching over Erza’s arm to snatch a handful of m&ms.

About an hour and a half later, your mom re-entered the room, cooing as she looked on the sleeping forms of your little group.

Uma and Erza were curled up on the floor, a fuzzy grey blanket tossed over the two of them, Harriet took the couch, stretched out and an arm tossed over her eyes.

You were dead asleep on your bed, face buried in your pillows. Marian stepped into the room and shut off the TV, cleaning up the half spilled popcorn on the floor and setting the bowl on the entertainment stand.

“goodnight girls” she whispered, kissing your forehead and tiptoeing out of the room.

-end of part 14-

permtaglist

@queer-cosette

@sephiralorange

@lunanight2012

@daughter-of-the-stars11

@musicarose

@random-thoughts-003

@amorathegamingkitsune

@rintheemolion

#descendants #Descendents #disney descendants #harry hook #harry hook descendants #harry hook x reader #harry hook imagine #daughter of the honorable thief

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artnerd1123 · 4 years ago

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Among Us: CR3WM8TS

Beneath the Waves ——————————————

It’s not just the humans who do the exploring. Especially when their ships are so easy to poke around in...

Among Us archive/askblog Fic chapters post

——————————————

at long last!!! we have the introduction of a very special guest! and by that, i mean the one member of the crew who has yet to appear LKSJDF. that’s right, it’s nubnub’s debut! hope y’all enjoy :D

and big big shoutout to @vaaloirr for proofreading this for me!!!!!! y’all should check hir out, ze’s rlly rad :>

###~###~###

SHIP SYSTEM LOG REPLAY: TIMESTAMP [HR:MIN:SEC]: 01:27:02 AFTER ARRIVAL

System setting: DOCKED [STORAGE AND VENT MONITORING]

Location: SECTOR G Ship Status: DOCKED AT [PLANET 326-OCE-894 - SECTOR G] Course: N/A Systems:

Supplies: [ONE] CRATES SHORT

Storage Chutes: CLEAR

Vents: CLEAR

…

Supplies: [ONE] CRATES SHORT

Storage Chutes: MATERIAL BUILDUP DETECTED

Vents: CLEAR

…

Supplies: [ONE] CRATES SHORT

Storage Chutes: CLEAR

Vents: CLEAR

###~###~###

Today was a better day. A simple statement, with much behind it. A better day implied much. It needed a reason. Something to set it apart from the others in a positive manner. To those who cared, it all boiled down to the sky’s sudden roaring. That meant whatever was living above the water might be leaving a gift instead of pain.

The first time it happened, everyone had fled to the deep. The sky was not meant to roar. When it did, it could mean many things. None of them were positive. It could mean death- the large beaked horrors that flew about above the waves were merciless with their soft-bodied kind. It could mean fire raining from above- rare, yes, but it had taken one too many of them for their liking. It could mean horrible flashes of light- the huge crackles of terrifying light leaving those too close to the surface charred and twitching. This time, they expected no different. The seas were always one to change. But danger never had. So when the roaring died down to bring a myriad of different noises, different lights cast into the water and towards the sky, no one was sure what to think. Many wanted to move out of the area. There was more reef, sure. Plenty far away from whatever was scuttling around on the coral. Some wanted to wait in the deep, confident the sky’s beasts would finish off beings that tried to live on the surface. An idiotic choice, with them around. And still others… well. They were a curious species, after all. It was only a matter of time before they found out the strangers had something useful.

###~###~###

The sky finished roaring not too long ago. The water surrounding the coral island seemed to have settled. But all was not as it appeared. Just out of sight, a quartet of scarlet eyes quietly watched the goings-on of the strange house. They guessed that’s what it was- in the handful of months the strangers had been here, the multicolored figures always seemed to retreat inside. There was all manner of things stored in there. They hadn’t gotten a good look, of course- their curiosity wouldn’t lead them headfirst into danger- but peeks in the windows showed plenty of shiny metals and blinking lights. Not to mention they’d sometimes take the top of their shiny coverings off. It was a shock to see that for the first time. But their rainbow of smooth coverings just made them all the more intriguing. It seemed to factor into their very social fabric! The strangers were fascinating to watch. Fascinating to hear, too. The strangers’ voices carried over in the sea salt breeze, making the creature’s smaller set of ears flick forwards. They had to wait until they heard the right thing to head inside. The sounds these strangers made were in some sort of odd, squeaking tongue. Like the delphiins, if a bit deeper in pitch. It didn’t take too long of observing to realize it was a language. Didn’t take too long for those of their people who remained to try and understand it. The creature was certainly doing their best. It took a lot of work, a lot of watching, and a lot of listening. They were getting the hang of it well enough, so they thought. But observation wasn’t what the hidden swimmer was here for today. They eased a bit closer, their large pink back tentacles holding tight to the side of the coral island. Their back claws scraped lightly against the webbed rock, front paws flexing impatiently. Peeking around the side of the strangers’ house, they spotted plenty of them moving about outside. That might’ve been a problem. The sight of them swarming about large capsules, though, put their mind at ease. Ah, yes. The strangers brought each other containers from far away. They didn’t seem to hunt or farm at all, or sit out in the sun long enough to survive, so they needed sustenance from their brethren. Fair enough. Their first set of eyes trailed wishfully after the multicolored swarm and their capsule. The other set strayed to the place it emerged from. It was some sort of house that flew- they’d heard it roar in and out of the sky plenty of times. They also knew that’s where the capsules were kept. Their mind wandered briefly back to the time- a few weeks after the strangers appeared- that their friends and themself managed to knock one of the capsules into the sea. Oh, how they’d feasted on all the food inside… The months after were just full of finding the best ways to get at them. And, of course, how to recognize which capsules had food, and which ones had more strange metal objects. They’d never have to worry about food again, so long as these strangers were around. Of course, there was still the matter of getting the capsules in the first place. Which was easier said than done. They’d been careful to keep track of what colors they saw as the strangers scurried past. In previous trips, their friends had been able to steal an unused covering to sneak around the ship. They noticed the strangers got rather distressed if they saw more than three of the same color walking around during a drop off. They got nervous if there were two, if the other flying house was absent. They’d all whisper about some “eemposster,” and then the creature and their friends would have to lay low for awhile. The bad thing about a drop off like this is that you didn’t know which suits would be in the house. From the looks of it, the creature would be hard pressed to find an unused color. So, waiting on plan B it is. As worried as the strangers were about those “eemposters,” they didn’t seem to guard their flying house after removing their capsules. They had no reason to, they supposed. They had what they wanted. The creature ducked under the waves, tentacles pulling them along the rocks and coral. Their brown fur and bright teal accents kept them relatively well hidden, though the business of unloading capsules did the job better. They popped the top of their head out once they reached the back of the flying house. One pair of ears flicked forwards, they listened carefully to the strangers’ conversation. One of them- a green one with a star shaped marking- was busy talking with another- a bright blue one with a similar star mark. They were leaders, if their observations were right. The green one was gesturing to the flying house, saying something about ‘crayts’ and ‘dun unlohding.’ The blue one seemed pleased by this. As did the creature. Those words- ‘dun unlohding’- was the all clear they’d been waiting for. Turning their attention to the flying house, the creature approached it carefully. There would be a hatch somewhere they could get in… they just needed to remember where it- aha! There, near the water- a hatch surrounded in yellow and black stripes. They chirped to themself excitedly, suckers glowing in satisfaction. They darted closer, eyes fixed on their prize. Once they were under the hatch, they carefully reached a pair of tentacles up towards it. They made sure their suckers had a nice grip on the metal before drawing their body up too. They studied the hatch carefully, their remaining tentacles helping anchor them to the metal surface. It was closed tight, a squarish pattern locking the sides together. Fortunately, this flying house seemed a bit old. The doors weren’t as tightly sealed as they usually were. The creature stuck the tips of their claws in the crack, wiggling and scraping at it until they had a good purchase. Grip established, they carefully braced themself against the side. And yanked. The resulting screech of stubbornly moving metal made them cringe, but there was no shout of confusion from back on the island. They squinted as they yanked again, metal groaning in protest. But it gave away soon enough. It always did. They grabbed the edges of the hatch with their tentacles once it was open enough, holding it so they could squeeze inside. These were the times they were glad their body was so malleable. A dark, dirty metal tunnel yawned before them. They chittered again as their claws hit the floor, proud of themself for sneaking in. Of course, their pride faded the second their tentacles let go of the hatch sides. It shut with a rather loud slam. They didn’t manage to clamp their mouth shut before a surprised shriek slipped out. They slapped their front paws over their mouth, curling into an anxious ball. Had anyone heard them??? Was it over??? They sat silent in the dark for a couple minutes. Waiting. Nervous. … when nothing happened, they let the tension leave their body. Ok. It was ok. They’d just. Move a little quicker this time. Turning their back to the hatch, they started crawling up the tunnel. The dark was no problem- they could see just fine. Not to mention the soft teal glow of their suckers and short horns. It made the whole place feel like a sea cave… if a bit stranger to move in. After all, there was no water up here. They reached another hatch soon enough- it was outlined with the same yellow and black stripes, some red squiggles above it like a label. They weren’t even gonna try to decipher what it said. But they knew it was their way in. They were more cautious with this next hatch, squeezing through carefully and slowly easing the sides back together. It still gave a louder thunk than they preferred, but it was leagues quieter than the last time. Hatch troubles taken care of, they let their gaze trail to the room around them. It was a tall one, with plenty of large capsules sitting around. Some of them even sat on top of each other. The thought of all the food inside was already making their mouth water, tongues lolling out of their mouth… … They shook themself out of it. Focus!!! They scolded themself. They still had to find a food capsule. They took a moment to tuck their tentacles into their back- no need to leave them out to hit things in such a cramped space- before slinking towards the nearest capsule. It was large. Too large to get out of the hatch, unfortunately. But they gave it a sniff anyway, hoping there’d be something worth snagging. The scent of iron and copper greeted them. They curled up their lip with an unhappy chirp. No, not that one. They moved on to another one a little closer to the entryway, tail flicking eagerly.

The process of sniffing and poking at capsules continued for longer than the creature would’ve liked. All the food was better hidden for some reason- it was frustrating. Eventually, though, they rooted out a small capsule that smelled absolutely tantalizing. They stood over it gleefully, claws twitching in eagerness. If it wasn’t foolish, they’d rip it open and chow down right this very moment. However, this wasn’t their home. And they didn’t know how long the strangers would stay away. So they grabbed the capsule, digging their claws through the steel outside to gain a hold. Their tentacles slithered out of their back, lifting their body off the ground as they held the capsule protectively. From there, they picked their way across the room and back to the hatch. It was a little harder to get it open this time. Not necessarily because they couldn’t use their front paws- that was fine- but rather they had to use another set of tentacles to do so. As strong as they were, the slimmer ones on their arms had no suckers to help hang on. But they managed in the end. It was a straight shot back down to the other hatch once they were through. They’d figured out the one in the other room, so this? This was a cinch.

The only signals that anything was amiss was a metallic thunk as the hatch closed, and quiet ripples as the creature disappeared under the waves.

###~###~###

SHIP SYSTEM REALTIME LOG: System setting: DOCKED [STORAGE AND VENT MONITORING]

Location: SECTOR G Ship Status: DOCKED AT [PLANET 326-OCE-894 - SECTOR G] Course: N/A Systems:

Supplies: ERROR - RELOADING…

Storage Chutes: CLEAR

Vents: CLEAR

...

Supplies: ERROR - RELOADING…

Storage Chutes: BLOCKAGE DETECTED - PLEASE EMPTY

Vents: CLEAR

…

Supplies: [TWO] CRATES SHORT

Storage Chutes: CLEAR

Vents: CLEAR

#au:c #cr3wm8ts #among us oc #nubnub among us #groud among us #(bc they do make a brief appearance)#uhh ask to tag #theres nothing super bad i jus know nub might seem a bit unnerving or smth idk LSDKJF #n e way #i hope u guys like...#i had... fun with this...#and now nub is around :>#yey #arty writes

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hokkaidossoul12 · 4 years ago

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So I recently got into the friday night funkin fandom and a idea came to mind, what if I draw Dorothy as a friday night funkin character. I had then idea of giving her a blue heart-shaped microphone with blue dungarees with sky blue fishnet shirt underneath. Oh, if you didn't know this about Dorothy yet, she is extremely nervous about singing in front of other people and if you can see closely her gem is a light purple color (meaning she is scared or nervous).

If I knew how to I would create a mod with Dorothy in it, and this would kinda be a plot/backstory to how she met certain characters. Dorothy would've been gifted the blue heart mic by Carol and Dorothy would occasionally go into a private area where she would practice and sing her heart out. But, someone had soon caught her and began recording her as she sung, not knowing that someone was recording her. The video was quickly posted online where it soon became viral. It was a few days after that people started noticing her and Dorothy was soon crowded by a large amount of people she didn't even know, complimenting her voice and trying to get her to sing for them. Dorothy began to feel confused and nervous as to why people were wanting her to sing, she asked why they wanted her to sing for them when one of them showed her the video of herself up online. She had fear in her eyes at realizing that everyone would know about her voice, she then made up an excuse that she had a sore throat and couldn't sing in order to get away from the crowd. This went on for days, weeks, months even, she would go outside where there'd be a crowd of people waiting for her, and each day she would try to avoid the crowd of people by hiding her appearance with a large coat. But, she couldn't hide her appearance forever as one day the blue heart microphone she had on her had fallen out of her pocket, someone had seen the mic fall from her pocket and they ended up approaching Dorothy to give it back her, as they did so they decided to pull her coat off her to reveal her appearance to everyone. Dorothy shook as people began to surround her, demanding her to sing for them. Eventually Dorothy couldn't take it anymore and she ran away, but the crowd began to chase her. Quickly she ran far from the crowd and into a hidden alleyway right out of sight, she then heard the crowd of people run right past where she was hiding and she backed away in fear, eventually the crowd went away from the area, Dorothy breathed heavily and she backed up into a wall and slid down gently, tears formed in her eyes. She put her hands to her face and cried into her hands, not being able to hold her tears back. But, what Dorothy didn't know was that someone was in the alley with her, they were a rather tall figure with flame orange eyes. They stared down at her, they had a somewhat grumpy expression on their face, it was as though they were trying to hide away to as to not get caught. They scowled, Dorothy was making too much noise, it was going to get them both caught, they quietly immerged from the shadows to reveal their appearance, they resemble the body of person with a dark teal blue hoodie but had a bomb for a head. He got close to her and stared down at her, "hey, keep it down, would ya? your gonna get us-" Dorothy gasped and uncovered her hands from her face, she screamed at seeing the tall figure practically towering over her. The bomb-headed person was quick to react, he covered Dorothy's mouth to muffle her scream and held her against him, he was knelt down now so he could hold Dorothy in place. The bomb wait for a few moment, he then looked at Dorothy, he saw the panicked look in her eyes as she stared at him in fear, "shh...I'm not gonna hurt you, so you can calm down now..." Dorothy's expression seemed to soften now and she slowly calmed down. It was then that the bomb-headed person released Dorothy, she pulled away from the him, she was still nervous. There was then an awkward silence between the two of them, the bomb then took a moment to look at Dorothy before speaking up, "wait...you look familiar...", Dorothy sighed and looked away, "yeah yeah, I know...the video of me is all over the internet", "well...yes, but...your one of Carol's friends, right?" Dorothy looked at the bomb. "How did you know?", the bomb-headed person then pointed to the mic in her pocket, "she told me about you and that you carry that mic around with you." Dorothy spoke softly, "yeah...she got it for me a while ago, she thought I would go out in the world and start a singing

career..." she looked down at the ground before sitting back down, "but...I'm too much of a coward, I can't even sing in front of people without freaking out..." the bomb's expression seemed to soften off like Dorothy's. He knew how she felt. They both fell silence again as they did moments ago, this time they stayed quiet for longer. Dorothy gave herself some time before she was the one to speak up, "so...Carol and you...are you two friends as well?", she saw the bomb blush a bright orange, "well, you could say were...more than that." Dorothy paused for a moment before raising her head, something seemed to click in her head "wait...so your that boyfriend she's been talking about? Whitty's the name, right?" the bomb's eyes widened before he turned his head to Dorothy. "wait...how did you-", "She's crazy about you, loves to talk about you a lot, and I mean a lot", the bomb blushes more at that, Dorothy giggles at his reaction, "it good now that I know who you are, the name's Dorothy" she gives the bomb a small smile. The bomb looks at her and he couldn't help but smile back, "it's nice to meet you too." And so from then on Dorothy and Whitty begun to hang out more, they found many things they could relate to. They both learned each other's personalities and boundaries in conversations, and because of Whitty Dorothy had a boost in confidence in her singing. But, there were many other times where Dorothy had to have some time to herself to roam around. And it was one of those days in particular where she met a certain blue-haired male. Dorothy had decided to wonder down a part of town that she'd never come across before and heard what sounded like live music nearby. Curiosity ended up getting the better of her as she began to follow the sound of the music which she found lead to nearest train station, the closer in she got the more she could here the music. Dorothy then saw a young female in small red high heels with a red dress and merlot red hair, there was also two young males, one with a white shirt and a red symbol who had blue hair with a red and blue cap and a mic in his hand, then there was the other male who wore a green shirt long-sleeved shirt with ginger hair with a mic in one hand and a gun in the other. The ginger male seemed to be rapping/singing while the blue haired male seemed to be singing, it was as if they were having a singing battle. Dorothy continued to watch them sing away with her occasionally humming along to them sing/rap. It was soon after that the battle seemed to be over, both males seemed to shake hands in the end, Dorothy smiled at this. The ginger haired male then left the area, jumping onto one of the moving trains from nearby, Dorothy was surprised by this but then shrugged it off. Once the train that the ginger haired male had gone on left, Dorothy decided to leave, having seen enough around the roam and ready to head back home. But, it was then that the blue-haired male had caught a glimpse of Dorothy as she left the station, his eyes widened, he pulled out his phone to check if it was really her, the blue-haired male recognized from the popular video of her singing online. Believe it or not, he always wanted to opportunity to sing with her ever since the video blew up, he wasn't going to waste this once in a life time opportunity now. He and the female quickly grabbed the speaker and quickly went to the direction Dorothy had gone in. Dorothy had began walking down the streets and across the crossing to get back home with the blue-haired male and red-haired female chasing up behind her. It was then that Dorothy had seen the park inside the town which lead to a convenient shortcut to her home and so she went through the park, as she did she felt the nice grass from the park on her feet, she sniffed the air as she enjoyed the smells around her, she enjoyed the smells so much that she began running through the grass as she felt how nice the wind was on her fur. As Dorothy ran through the grass she noticed that there was a big hill with what looked like a perfect view on the top

with trees and the sun hitting the hill nicely, she then began to run towards and up the hill til she reached the top of the hill to met by more wind blowing against her fur and a beautiful view of the town below, she then sat down on the hill as she saw the view. "wow..." Dorothy had a glimmer in her eyes at the view, she sighed. That was then quickly interrupted by hearing the sound of something hitting the ground behind her, "h-huh?" she turned her head to see the speakers from before then the blue-haired male come toward her. "Beep!" Dorothy backed away from the blue-haired male, putting out her hands in front of her in defense. "l-look...I'm not looking for any trouble, ok?" she had a nervous look on her face as the blue-haired male continued his approach, he then pulled out his microphone and switched it on, "wait...what are you doing?", Dorothy then saw him tap the mic to make sure it was working. The blue-haired male then looked back up at her, "I've been waiting for this for a long time, you have no idea, Dorothy!" she paused for a minute, she tried to figure out what he was talking about until she finally understood what he meant. "woah woah woah! hang on there, mister, I don't do this type of thing!" the male smiled, "sure you do, you are a viral sensation, I thought you sung for a living?", "n-not in front of people...I can't...I-I g-et too nervous." the female went to Dorothy, the red-haired female could see how nervous she was and so she pulled Dorothy toward the speakers, the red-haired female then stuck out her hand "give me your microphone." Dorothy hesitated for a moment before pulling out her blue heart mic and giving it the red-haired female, it was barely even ten seconds before she was about to connect her microphone to the speaker. "w-woah...", the red-haired female then gave her microphone back to Dorothy, Dorothy then saw the female then sit up on the speaker and pull out her phone, pulling up something on her phone before pressing something on her phone, it was then that a slow instrumental song came from the speakers. "how about I help you warm up? I promise it will be simple for you" Dorothy shook, "b-but I-", "it's ok, boyfriend was nervous the first time he tried to sing...but I slowly helped him through it, all you have to do follow the notes I sing." Dorothy then looked back at the blue-haired male, he gave her a thumbs up, "you'll do great, I know you will!", Dorothy paused before closing her eyes, letting out a sigh before turning back to the red-haired female, "alright, let's go then." The red-haired female then waited for the right beat, giving Dorothy a moment to ready herself. The red-haired female then sung a tune to the music, Dorothy then sing the same tune back, the red-haired female then smile, "that's how you do it!" the red-haired female then sung another tune to which Dorothy repeated it back again, the red-haired female continued to sing a tune while Dorothy repeated them back. Dorothy grew more and more confident from this and eventually she began to sing her own tune to the song that was playing, the red-haired female let Dorothy carry on by herself until the song was finished. Once Dorothy heard the song finish she realized that she had done it just herself, she sweated slight "o-oh...I seemed to have gotten carried away, s-sorry..." she rubbed the back of her head, but...the red-haired female clapped, "no no, that was great! how do you feel now?" Dorothy's nervous expression seemed to fade, "oh, well, I feel...I feel..." Dorothy's tail then began to wag, "really good! I don't feel as nervous as I was, thank you for that, miss." The red-haired female giggle, "it's no problem, and you can call me girlfriend", the blue-haired male then approached her again, "you were awesome, Dorothy!", Dorothy turned to the blue-haired male. "thank you, what is your name if you wouldn't mind telling me?", "my name's boyfriend, but most people call me Keith." Dorothy then smiled at both Keith and girlfriend, "it's great to me you both", Dorothy then faced Keith, "And you know what? I

think I'm ready for that singing battle now, Keith." Keith then saw Dorothy skillfully twirl the blue heart mic in her hand as if it were a pen, she then threw it up in the air and caught it in her other hand, Keith then smirked and got himself ready. "I knew you were gonna say that!" and so the battle began between Dorothy and boyfriend to see who would come on top. ((btw, I used the name Keith for boyfriend since some of the people online referred him to that name.))

#HokkaidosSoul12 #FridayNightFunkin #Whitty #Carol #Girlfriend #Boyfriend/Keith #Boyfriend #DorothyTheDog #backstory #FNF #Shy #Click on keep reading for the backstory #ModCharacters #au? idk

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midnightartemis · 4 years ago

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Chapter One

The call came suddenly like it always did. A new home. A new foster parent. A new school. At least this time I would be starting right at the beginning of the year. That was easier. I could work with that. I only hoped that this one would last.

I had my small bag of things packed within five minutes and I sat waiting anxiously on the edge of my government-issued co-housing bed. I wondered what shitty luck the universe had decided to drop on me this time.

It wasn’t that I was a bad kid. I tried to keep my head low, my grades high… it’s just that I usually got the short stick when it came to foster parents. The bad eggs. The abusers who somehow slipped through the cracks of the shitshow that is the United States child protective services.

It had become some sort of sick game for me. I move into a new home and it’s okay for a few days, weeks even. Then the abuse would start and I would start gathering evidence. When I had enough I’d wait until a particularly bad day to call the cops, drop the evidence, and get their licenses revoked.

I was a survivor. I could take the punches, the days without food, the yelling, and everything in between, but others couldn’t.

I check my watch and grab my bag. Time to go. My caseworker and house mom are waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. My caseworker is a tall, skinny woman with white-blond hair and a kind face. She tried her best, she really did. It wasn’t her fault I always found the worst homes. My house mom, known affectionately as Aunt Z, was much the opposite, short, large, and with a permanent scowl on her face. I also couldn’t blame her for that. She had to deal with all the girls who came through. I had only known her for two months, but that was long enough to know that she had a big heart. My heart hurts a little at the thought of leaving her, but I had very little control over where they sent me. Miss Holdo, my caseworker, breaks into a huge grin at the sight of me. “Miss Niima! All ready to go?”

I nod. It wasn’t like I had much of a choice.

“Girls,” Aunt Z barks. “Get in here and say goodbye to Rey.”

I bite my lip. I didn’t want a big send-off. I hardly knew most of the girl’s names. I only ever talked to most of them at group therapy sessions. It was better to not get attached. One by one, they trailed in. There were six of us in total. Most of them mumbled a goodbye and slunk back out of the room, but Ara raced up to hug me with tears in her eyes. She was the youngest of the group and had grown attached to me over the course of the summer. I hugged her back.

“It’s okay. I’ll make sure to text you and visit if I can.” She sniffled back her tears and I ruffled her red hair.

“Alright, time's a-wastin. On with you.” Aunt Z grumbled but affectionately patted my shoulder. It was her version of a hug.

Miss Holdo smiled and I followed her out the door, chatting as we walked to the car. “I think I found a good one, Rey.” Her eyes were a little guilty. “We’ve had really good success with her in the past. She only takes cases like yours and as soon as she saw your profile, she called me to ask about you.”

Great. I tried to hold back that flicker of hope in my subconscious. I had gotten my hopes up before and, yet, here I was again. I got in the passenger seat of Miss Holdo’s car and immediately took a piece of gum from the container on her dashboard. She started the car and I buckled up. She handed me the AUX cord as she always did.

I plugged the cord into my beat-up iPhone and started scrolling through my songs. Hozier sounded good. “Where are we headed?”

“Not far, just an hour. Republic.”

Republic. I had never been. New school. New people. New everything, then. Okay. “And this foster mom?”

“Unmarried. A bit older, in her fifties. She seemed very nice and very interested in you. She runs a tavern on the northeast side of town by the river.”

I frown. “Is she going to make me work there?”

“No. She told me that she likes to keep her work separate from her home life, especially when there is alcohol involved. She let me check her cupboards. There’s not a drop of alcohol in that house, Rey.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

“I did a super thorough inspection. Even called her previous cases. They all stayed with her until they came of age. I really think this could be a good fit for you, Rey.”

In other words- don’t fuck it up. All I wanted was to put my head down and get through junior year in peace. “If you say so.”

We drive in silence. I look out the window watching the town of Jakku, Vermont slide away into the past. Holdo is bobbling along to the music and I close my eyes, soaking it in.

It’s late afternoon when Republic appears in front of us. Worn down houses and trailer parks line the streets of the southside. There are sketchy gas stations and abandoned storefronts. People sit on their porches and stand on corners, their eyes watching Holdo’s sleek black car as we drive past. I’m waiting for her to put her blinker on and turn off the main road towards one of the broken-down houses or parks, but she keeps going. The cracked sidewalks get a little nicer, the storefronts, less abandoned. We pass through two stoplights and then we’re crossing over a river and a trainyard. This side of the river, the houses are nicer, many of them newly renovated. We pass through a downtown shopping area filled with little boutiques, an ice cream shop, an old fashioned movie theater, a coffee shop. It’s quaint, perfect. “I think you missed your turn.”

Miss Holdo laughs. “Nope.”

Shit. Well, okay. I’d dealt with rich fosters before. It didn’t end well for them. Let’s just say that the dad was a little too hands-on. The anxiety is back in my chest. I worry my lip between my teeth. The downtown area slowly morphs into old historic houses and residential housing.

“I want to show you your new school first.” She seems much too excited. We keep driving until the historic houses have turned into rows of newer developments and gated communities. She takes a turn and we pull into the parking lot of a huge tan building. New Republic High School is marked on the side in large silver block letters. The front is filled with huge windows and the inside looks incredibly new and clean with white walls and wide stairs and solid oak doors leading to classrooms and offices.

I raise my eyebrows and Miss Holdo chuckles at my shocked look. “I know. It’s huge. Some of the best teachers in the state work here. They were very impressed with your transcripts, especially with everything you’ve been through. They still want you to take some placement tests, but they’re excited to have you.”

“Oh, okay.” I think I’m in shock, just a little bit. It all seemed too good to be true. Everything was completely different from the shitty schools in Jakku.

“Oh, shoot. We better go, I don’t want you to be late to meet her.” Holdo sped us out of the parking lot and back towards town. We pass by the new developments and into the historic district. We turn down a tree-lined road filled with huge Victorian, Colonial, and 1920s style houses. Everything seems picturesque, each lawn trimmed and cared for, the vines perfectly placed. Holdo slows and we pull up in front of a tiny 1920s bungalow. I breathe a little sigh of relief that it’s not one of the giant houses that flank either side. There’s a huge, old oak tree out front, a little brick path leads to the steps of the porch. There’s a light on. A white swinging bench is hung from the porch roof. The siding is painted almost a teal, seafoam green-blue with white trim. Flowers line the house and there’s a seashell wind chime hanging from the porch. My nerves make my stomach twist.

Holdo turns off the car and we get out. She grabs her bag of paperwork and we start up the path. I’m holding my breath as we climb the stairs of the porch and Miss Holdo knocks on the door.

“Oh! One second, one second! I’m here.” The door swings open and I look down at the smallest woman I think I’ve ever seen. She can’t be more than four-six, four-seven. I tower over her at five-eight. Her eyes are huge behind her round, black, thick-framed glasses. Her grey hair is coiffed perfectly and she’s dressed like she’s been working in the garden all day. I smile. She opens her screen door and beckons us in. “Come in, please. I hope you’re hungry. I made burgers on the grill. It’s such a nice day out and I couldn’t resist. Oh, where are my manners? You must be Rey. I’m Maz. Maz Kanata. I would prefer Maz over Mrs. Kanata, but,” she clicks her tongue. “I’ll also take ma.”

I’m completely overwhelmed. I glance at Miss Holdo and she shrugs. The door opens straight into the living room which is filled with an eclectic assortment of chairs and a couch. Art hangs on almost every surface and there’s a small TV over the fireplace. It’s warm and inviting if a bit chaotic. A set of stairs leads up to a second floor. We follow Maz through the living room and into a large kitchen. Everything seems like it was pulled out of a vintage magazine and cobbled together with love and color. There’s theory to the chaos. An archway leads to a dining room with a huge colorful table and none of the chairs match. A door in the kitchen leads to another porch outside. This one isn’t covered, but it overlooks the backyard. I can’t help but gasp at it. Stone paths circle raised garden beds. There are a hoop house and a pond and a bench beside a huge fir tree surrounded by flowerbeds. It’s beautiful. What the hell is happening?

There’s a table on the porch beside a grill and it’s been set for three. Maz hurries over. She’s awfully fast for an old woman. “Sit, sit. Please. I wasn’t sure if either of you were vegetarians, so I made some bean burgers that can make even a carnivore cry.”

I smile and take a seat. Shock. Yep. Definitely in shock. What’s the catch? Maz builds our burgers and piles our plates high with chips and fresh fruits and vegetables. She pours us a glass of lemonade each and finally, takes a seat. I hesitate, looking between Holdo and Maz, unsure of the protocol. Everyone was different. Maz's huge eyes glance at my plate. “Well, eat up, hun. You’re as skinny as a stick.”

I eagerly dig in and moan. It’s so good. “This is the best burger I’ve ever had.”

“Good. I’ll teach you how to make them. Now, business is best discussed over a good meal, let’s get on with all the legal mumbo-jumbo.” Maz winks at me and I giggle to myself. She was definitely different, like no foster I’d met before.

“Right.” Miss Holdo wipes her fingers on a napkin and pulls out my case file. It was far too thick and I glance at Maz, but she didn't seem fazed. Right. She would have seen it. “Miss Niima is to remain in your care for the foreseeable future. She will be taking classes at New Republic High, as we discussed. We will have weekly check-ins in person for the first two months. And if all parties are comfortable after those two months, we will move to bi-monthly check-ins until Miss Niima turns of age on October 13th, 2021, one year and two months from now. Miss Niima will also continue to go to group therapy sessions once a week with the local therapist. I believe you’ve already contacted him and gotten an introduction session set up?”

“Oh, yes.” Maz pulls a card out of her pocket. “Here’s the number and the date and time of the appointment.” She looks at me. “Wednesday afternoon, once you get out of school. But, we can schedule around any after school activities you want to take on.”

“After school activities?” My jaw drops. I’d never been given the opportunity.

“Oh yes, they have a billion different little groups and teams there. I’m sure you’ll find something.”

“Okay.” Holdo grins. “All I need for you to do is sign and Rey is in your care.”

I sign and then Maz signs. It didn’t take a lot for me to sign my life away. It was signed away a long time ago. This wouldn’t last, it never did.

“Now.” Maz folds her hands together. “I like to set down my expectations for you in front of your caseworker so that we can all be on the same page. If that’s okay?”

Again, not like I have much of a choice. I nod, curious to know. “Yeah. Yes.”

“School comes first. You can get a job if you want to, but you have to keep up your grades. Judging by your past transcripts though, that won’t be much of a problem, but I know that junior year comes with a lot of stress. I will make sure that you are safe, fed, and clothed. It’s up to you how you want to take my hospitality. I’ll hold you responsible for your actions, and breaking rules will have consequences. All the rules are posted on the fridge and you are welcome to discuss them with me at any time if you would like to amend them or add more. Okay?”

I nod.

“School night curfew is 10 pm. For every time you’re more than five minutes late, that curfew will be moved up by fifteen minutes. Weekends, we will start at 11 pm and go from there. There’s also a list of chores you’ll have to complete. They’re designed to help you become a self-sufficient adult. So, you’ll do your own laundry and clean your own room and dishes. You’ll also help me cook and work in the garden on the weekends. But,” Maz’s large eyes go very serious, and I still myself for the catch. “Above all, I want you to build relationships and trust. Trust goes both ways, Rey. You have mine, right now. From the start. If and when you have problems, I want you to be able to come to me. I will never call anyone on you as long as there’s no immediate harm to anyone. I’m on your side. And, I’m here for the long term. That means we work through our problems, together, okay?”

That was not the catch I was expecting. My heart is racing and I feel like I’m about to cry. It’s too good to be true. I guess I would believe her when I see it. “I- yeah… Okay.”

Maz smiles. “Good. School starts in the morning. I’ll be starting you off on a twenty-five dollar allowance. It should be enough for snacks at school and coffee with friends. If there are any other supplies you want, talk to me and I’ll see if I can get them for you. How’s that sound?”

“Okay. Twenty-five a month is more than I usually get, so-”

Maz chuckles. “No, sweetie. Twenty-five a week.”

My eyes go wide. “Oh.”

“I’ll be taking you to school and picking you up, but if you want to start learning to drive, I can make that happen. This is going to take a lot of communication, Rey. Probably a lot more than you’re comfortable with. But you can ask me any questions you want, okay?”

I nod, feeling overwhelmed.

“How are you feeling, Rey?” Miss Holdo looks over at me, a gleam in her eye.

“Ah… A little overwhelmed. I guess.”

“That’s perfectly normal. Should I let you get settled in?”

“Yeah.” I glance at Maz and she’s happily biting into her burger. She’s strange, but… I think I like her.

“You have my number, so don’t be afraid to call. I’ll see you Saturday morning at ten, okay?” Miss Holdo stands to leave and grabs her paperwork. “Thank you for the dinner, Maz.”

“Any time, hun. You should call more.” Maz raises her eyebrows.

“Sorry, Maz. I will. I promise.” Miss Holdo gives Maz a small hug and I’m left bewildered.

Maz sees my face and chuckles. “Long before she was your social worker, Rey, Amilyn was causing quite a bit of trouble for me.”

I suddenly understand Holdo’s certainty that I would be a good fit here. “You were in the system?”

Holdo nods. “Almost didn’t get out of it, if it wasn’t for Maz. She’s a good one, Rey. I promise. Just keep that nose out of trouble.”

“I don’t go looking for it,” I grumble. Holdo smiles and bids her goodbye. Maz gives a big old sigh and starts gathering plates. I automatically grab my plates and follow her into the kitchen.

“Just put the scraps in the compost bin and set your things on the counter. I’ll take care of it tonight. The rules are on the fridge if you want to read them over and sign them. We can discuss any of them that you want to.” Maz steps up on to a stool so that she can reach into the sink and starts running water for dishes.

I shyly make my way over to the fridge and read the list. It’s what she basically already told me plus a few extra notes about cleanliness and food. Anything not marked in the fridge is fair game. Shower regularly. Add necessities to the shopping list before Friday. All of it was already more room than I had ever been given in most households, that is beside the ones that didn’t give a shit. The last bullet just says- Respect is built. Love is given freely. Responsibility is learned. Trust goes both ways. Beside the rule list is a whiteboard daily chore chart. Weeding the garden is marked for Saturday and Sunday (subject to weather). Clean dishes and homework are marked every day. Sweep is marked every other day. Laundry and clean room are unmarked. The date of school starting and my therapy appointment is marked in red on a calendar. Despite the eclectic feel of her house, Maz seems incredibly organized. I pick up one of the markers stuck to the fridge and sign the rule list. I date it.

“All good?” Maz is waiting for me at the entrance to the living room. I nod and she gestures for me to follow her. I climb the stairs behind her and we end in a hallway. There’s a door in front of us, and another to my left and right. Maz gestures to the door in front of her. “My room. You need anything at any time and I’m in there you can knock .” She points to the door on my right. “That’s the office. There’s a computer in there that you can use to research, watch your Youtube videos. Though I think they give out laptops at that school now. I don’t know, I’m not the most technologically up today as the kids these days. I apologize in advance. There’s no cable and I can’t figure out the Apple TV doo-dangle-thing.” She points to a half-open door on the right side of the hall. “That’s your bathroom. I never go in there so, you’re responsible for telling me when shit breaks. I went out and got you some supplies, but if there’s anything else you need, let me know. Now…” Maz opens the final door on my left and flips on a light. She leads me into a simple room, painted cream and blue stripes. There’s a twin bed covered in a white comforter pressed against the wall, a wooden desk under the window, a dresser against the wall with a record player and a box of records, and an open door to a walk-in closet that looks like it’s filled with clothes. I can’t help but stop and stare.

“This is mine?” I set my one bag down at my feet.

“All yours, hun. You can arrange it and paint it how you want. Most of this stuff is leftover from previous girls. You can have whatever you want and anything else, I can put in storage. I think Jyn left a lot of her old clothes and you’re about her size.” Maz looked over the room. “Tomorrow, if you want, we can go shopping for any clothes you might need. Underwear. Bras. Whatever. Oh, and this is for you, for your first day.”

Maz picked a plain blue backpack up off the bed and handed it to me. I took it hesitantly and unzipped it. It was filled with notebooks and pens and pencils and even a calculator. Tears sting at my eyes. It’s too good. It’s too good to be true.

“Oh, hun. Can I give you a hug?”

I nod and her surprisingly strong arms wrap around me. I break and tears fall and I’m sobbing now. I didn’t deserve this. I didn’t deserve any of this.

#reylo #ben solo x rey #reylo fanfic #reylo au #high school au

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ruthoakenshield · 4 years ago

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Worthless Little Shadow (chapter 6)

Worthless Little Shadow (chapter 5)

The next morning Little Shadow woke up in a huge, soft comfortable bed. She laid there thinking how odd it felt after being on the run for nearly two and a half months now. She had gotten used to sleeping on the ground, in the cold and it felt odd to be in a soft bed again. She wondered how long she would end up staying here in Erebor before they would find out and drive her from the mountain. At least she now had decent clothes and two heavy cloaks to take if she had to run again.

She looked around the room. It was decorated with all kinds of purple amethyst stones and gold and silver embedded into the woodwork and furniture and it reminded her of her mother. She missed her dearly.

Little Shadow got up and slipped her feet into soft fuzzy lined slippers and wrapped herself in a thick housecoat that Dis had put at the foot end of the big bed. She wandered around the room and admired the different decorations. She wondered if this Fili was the dwarf her father had arranged for her to marry. He said something about heading to a kingdom to marry a princess, but the princess disappeared. Was he talking about her?

She tried to remember what he had said next. Something about receiving a raven messenger telling him that his future bride had disappeared, that the father had looked for her and that he had freed Fili to find a different bride.

If it was her father, she doubted he looked for her all that hard. He had always hated her. Mad that her mother never gave him a son to continue the lineage and now he would have to turn the kingdom over to her cousin as an Heir. Her father beat her and starved her after her mother had died in an accident and when that didn't work, he sold her off to whomever would take her. She wondered how desperate Thorin was to send Fili off to marry her not having ever seen her nor corresponded with her.

Would she have run if she had gotten the chance to meet Fili or correspond with him before arriving for the wedding. He didn't seem to happy about the arranged marriage either. If she was the one he was supposed to be marrying, how will he react when he finds out? Will he be mad and start to beat her like her father did when she refused to go through with the wedding arrangements? Will Thorin?

Shadow started to become very afraid thinking about all these 'what if's' she wished she had someone she could trust to talk to. It had been so long since she talked she wondered if her voice would even work anymore. She poked her head out into the sitting area to see if anyone was in there. She didn't see anyone so she closed her bedroom door and began to hum a tune her mother used to sing to her when she was a little girl.

As she sang, she started to get ready for the day. She looked in her wardrobe at all the pretty blue, green, purple, silver, and teal dresses Fili and Dwalin had bought for her. She wanted desperately to wear her purple dress that Kili had bought her, but he had bought it for the celebration tomorrow. So she grabbed the teal dress and looked at it. It was pretty. It had gold embroidery along the hem, the waist line, cuffs and collar. Small teal and purple stones were sewn into the patterns of the embroidery and sparkled as she moved the gown. She laid it on the bed and took out a set of undergarments and then the pair of black slip on shoes. She found an undertunic to wear with the dress like Dis had shown her how to do. She liked how it looked so she decided to go wash up.

Shadow hummed along to her mother's tune in her head as she washed her face, neck and chest. She brushed her teeth and combed out her hair. Unsure how to style such short hair, she just left it as it was. She looked in the mirror and wanted to cry. She missed her long hair. She had cut it to spite her father after her mother died and had hoped it would be a deterrant to him marrying her off. She had planned to run away long before he announced the arranged marriage, but he had kept her under lock and key.

After her father had whipped her, a guard who witnessed it, took pity on her and helped her escape. He told her to go to Rivendell and seek sanctuary with Lord Elrond, or go to Lothlorian and seek sanctuary with Lady Galadrial.

He gave her what coin he had and wished her luck.

She looked into the mirror and cried. She wished her mother had never married her father. But she, too had been arranged into the unhappy and loveless marriage. Her mother never told anyone about the beatings she suffered at her husbands hand. He was always careful to place the blows where her clothing would hide the evidence. Same went for his treatment of Shadow.

She splashed cold water on her face to wash away the tears and began to sing her mother's song again to try to comfort herself.

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

Dis met Balin in the hallway of the Royal wing as he hurried with a paper in his hand. "Good Morning Balin! What is your hurry?" she asked. He stopped and gave her a bow. "Good morning Dis. I have some news on the missing princess. Where is Fili?" he asked. She told him he was still asleep.

"Dis, will you go wake him and Kili and have them meet me in my study as soon as they can?" he asked. Dis frowned and nodded. She hurried off to go wake the boys and get them ready to meet with Balin.

Balin hurried back to his and Dwalin's suite and found Dwalin just had come out of his room to have breakfast. Dwalin looked up at him and Balin held up the parchment from the raven. "Come, brother, we need to have a talk with Dis and the boys!" Balin said.

Dwalin frowned. He grabbed the bowl of fruit and some honeycakes and carried them to Balin's study. The two brothers had just sat down when Dis and her boys entered. "Dis, lock the door, I don't want anyone walking in on this conversation." Balin said.

He explained to Fili and Kili their suspicions and that Oin confirmed that Shadow had been not only starved, but also whipped and beaten prior to them finding her. They explained how they noticed how well she danced and suspected she was not just a peasant girl. Balin told them he had written a message to the father of the missing princess asking him for a description of the lass and whether or not they wanted the dowry back, and asked where they had searched for her and why Erebor was not informed.

"I just got this response this morning." he says and shows them the parchment.

Dear master dwarf,

I apologize for not informing you of my daughter going missing. We have focused our search to a day's ride around the castle and did not find her. You may keep the dowry as an apology for the inconvenience of the prince's aborted trip to meet her. Again, my apologies for not letting you know about her going missing sooner. It slipped my mind until I got your raven and I realized that in my worry, I had forgotten to tell Erebor about it.

My daughter, Raca, is 4'6" tall and has shoulder length black hair. (She cut it to spite me after her mother's death.) She has green eyes and is very thin as she refused to eat after learning of her mother's death. Please if you find her in the Caravans coming into Erebor, inform her that we want her to come home, unless the prince still wishes to marry her. I will understand if he does not.

Thank you for your letter, and again, my apologies.

Belial Ironfist, King of the Rhun Mountains

Kili and Fili looked at each other with jaws hanging open. It was her! "How in the world did she get half way across Middle Earth in the amount of time it took me to get halfway to the Sea of Rhun and then meet up with the caravan a month out of the Blue mountains?" Fili asked. "Why did she run?" he asked Balin with worry etching his face. "Why didn't she te......" he trailed off.

Dis looked at him puzzled. "Honey, what do you mean? Why didn't she what?"

"Ohhhh nooooo!" he exclaimed suddenly realizing that she knew who he was now. "She heard me tell Uncle about what happened when we arrived at the gate! No wonder why she flinched and whimpered when I was talking to Uncle!" he said as he put his head into his hands. "She realized it was me who she was supposed to marry and didn't say anything! Balin, what are we going to do?!? I love her!!! I WANT to marry her!!!" he moaned. "If she finds out we know, she is gonna run again! I can't let her do that! I can't lose her! She's my One!" he moaned.

Balin, Dis and Dwalin all looked at each other clearly worried for the situation now that they know what is going on.

"Tell you what, Laddie, I think the first thing we need to do is to sit down with Shadow and talk with her. She seems happy in your presence despite knowing you were her arranged husband. Perhaps she has decided she likes you now that she has gotten to know you. Maybe if you actually would ask her for permission to court her and go through that process with her, she may be more open to marrying you instead of doing it as a forced marriage. But we need her to talk with us and answer our questions. I have no intention of sending her back to her father if he truly did treat her the way we think he did, but he seems to place the blame for her weight on her shoulders. We need to know if it is true she refused to eat, or if he was truly starving her." Balin explains.

"Once we have all the facts, then I will have a meeting with Thorin to explain everything. He is under enough stress right now and I won't bother him with this until we know exactly what happened and why." he assures Fili.

"What about if she tries to run?" Kili asks quietly as he tries to console his brother.

"I have asked Dwalin to keep an eye on her and to show her some of Erebor to keep her entertained so she can't run on us till we get this worked out. Expect Thorin to keep you two busy so Fili can't spend much time with Shadow until we get can get things sorted out." Balin warns the boys. They nod sadly. "Ok, Balin." they reply quietly.

"Come on now, let's go and see if the Lass is up and wants some breakfast." Balin says as he stands and puts the letter into his coat pocket. They all stand and head for the door. Balin unlocks it and they head down the hall to Shadow's door. Balin knocks and no one answers. He opens it and peeks in. He can hear music and opens the door and they all follow him in. They stand in the sitting room for a few minutes trying to figure out where the pretty music is coming from.

Kili finally starts walking around the room quietly listening. He waves Balin over to the bedroom door. "Someone is singing!" he whispers. They listen for a minute and Balin chuckles. "I haven't heard that song in a VERY long time! Amad used to sing it to Dwalin when he was a wee pebble of a dwarfling!" he sniggers. "Come away from the door and let Dis go and see if she is ready for breakfast." They quietly walk back over to the rest of the group and Balin tells Dis to go and see if Shadow is ready to come have some breakfast."

Dis heads to the door and knocks. The music stops and no one answers. She knocks again and calls out, "Shadow, dear, it's me, Dis. May I come in? I was wondering if you were ready for breakfast or if you needed any help getting ready.

The dwarves see the door open a little and Dis slips into the room. About 15 minutes later, they come out and the dwarves' jaws drop when they see Shadow in her dress. Dwalin nudges Fili and Fili takes a hard swallow. She is wearing the teal dress he had picked out for her. She looked stunning in it. His Amad had put Shadow's hair up in a twist around her head so it looked like a little crown. She had placed little flower hair pins into the crown of hair and woven a silver ribbon through it.

Balin came over and grinned at her. "You look lovely this morning, dear Little Shadow! Do you like your new clothes?" he asks. She blushes and drops her head and nods a little as she looks at the floor. He chuckles and whispers to her. "Look! You stunned the rest of them speechless!" he grins. He watches her tilt her head up just enough to peek out from under her lashes and she grins when she sees their stunned expressions. She quickly ducks her head again and Balin chuckles again. "Come, lass, you must be hungry." he says as he guides her over to the dining table and they all sit down.

Dis calls a guard over and has him tell Bombur to bring up enough breakfast for them to Shadow's room. He hurries off to do her bidding and she rejoins them at the table.

Balin smiles at Shadow and says to her, "When we arrived, lass someone was singing in your room. Was it you? It sounded lovely! I hadn't heard that song in a long time! Our Amad used to sing it to Dwalin when he was a wee pebble of a dwarfling!" he says with a grin. Dwalin's face turns pink and Shadow covers her mouth and giggles. Earning a chuckle from Dwalin.

"Aye, lass, if it was you singin' ya have a lovely voice! You should use it more often. We'd all love to hear it." he says softly with a genuine smile. Shadow ducks her head and looks at her hands.

"Amrâlimê (my love) was it you who was singing?" Fili asks as he takes her hand in his and gives it a loving, gentle squeeze. She looks up at him and nods. "It is beautiful, my love, why do you hide it from us? Why do you not talk?" he asks her. She sighs, and looks down at their hands. "I was afraid." she says quietly.

Fili gets up and pulls her to stand. He leans down and places his forehead against hers after tilting her chin up. "I love you, Ghishavel, please, don't be afraid of me or my family. I know you know I was the prince who was arranged to marry you. And although I do not understand why you fled, I am willing to hear your tale. I still want to marry you, Amrâlimê, but I wish to leave the choice up to you. You are my One, and if you'll have me, I'd like to court you and do this properly like normal dwarrow do instead of according to an arrangement our kings have made. What do you say? Will you let me court you? Will you share your tale with us here so we can understand why you fled?" he asks quietly as he holds her hands.

Shadow keeps her eyes closed when Fili raises her head to face him. She feels him place his forehead against hers and he begins to talk to her. When he tells her he loves her and still wants to marry her but is willing to leave the choice up to her, she looks up at him surprised. She begins to be afraid, and she knows he can see it in her eyes, but when he says he wants to hear her tale and her reasons for running and doesn't seem angry or upset, she looks back down at their hands.

He has intertwined his with hers and she can feel the heat from his seeping into hers. He has brought their hands up to their chests as he spoke to her and she looks up into his eyes again when he asks to court her. She sees the love he has for her and how concerned he is for her. She sees worry in his eyes and she swallows hard. When he asks her what her answer is, she thinks back to how he has treated her, and she realizes that not once has he treated her like her father had done. She realizes she feels safe with him and she opens her eyes and looks into his again. She nods.

"Ghishavel, let me hear you say your answer. Please, my love, you have such a beautiful voice. Please do not hide it from me." He pleads. Shadow blushes and looks at him. "Yes, you may court me my Lion Prince." she says quietly. He beams and kisses her forehead. "Thank you, My Little Shadow." he says and pulls her into a hug. Kili is bouncing in his seat and Dwalin chuckles, "It's about time!" he teases them and everyone starts to laugh.

Fili has Shadow sit down and he parts a section of her hair and begins to weave in his family's braid first, and then a courting braid. He clips both braids with their respective beads he had carved for his One. Ironically, he has used Sapphire chips in it and they looked stunning against her teal dress she wore. Next he moved to her other side and repeated the two braids on that side. Clipping them with the other two beads. She looked down and held the beads up so she could admire them. She turned them and traced her finger over the carvings on them. She looked up at Fili and smiled.

He grinned and asked her if she liked them. She nods, and he raises an eyebrow. "Yes, Fili, I love them. Sapphires are one of my favourite stones." she says quietly. He grins and kisses her cheek. "I'm glad you approve." he says then sits down next to her back in his chair. "Now, my love, will you share your story with us?" He asks quietly as he holds her hand and plays with her fingers.

Shadow sighs. "I don't even know where to begin." she says sadly. "Lass, why don't you begin by telling us about your family." Balin says gently. "You already know about all of us, tell us about yours."

Shadow closes her eyes and sighs. "My mother was about my age when she was forced into an arranged marriage with my father. He was cruel and abusive. He was always careful about where he would land his blows, making sure they would always be covered by her clothing. When she got pregnant with me he stopped beating her.

After she had me, though, he began again because she did not produce a male heir for him. He hated me and called me Raca, which means 'worthless and good for nothing'. He often beat me as well as Amad. I was always afraid when he was around. As I got older a couple of the guards, who watched me grow up, became friends with me and would give me a heads up when he was coming so I could prepare.

When Amad died in an accident, he began to lock me in my rooms and not provide me with food. Sometimes my guard friends would be able to slip me food so I could have something to eat. When he announced that he was going to marry me off to some prince from up north the day after Amad died, I became very afraid. I didn't want to be forced into a brutal and loveless marriage like my mother was. I cut my hair short to spite my father and hope the prince would refuse to marry me." Shadow explains with a quiet voice.

"Lass, how long was your hair before you cut it?" Dwalin asks curiously. "It dragged on the floor, Master Dwalin. Amad never cut it other than to trim the split ends." Shadow told him. His eyes got wide. "What did your father do when he saw you had cut it?" Dwalin asked.

Shadow dropped her gaze and played with Fili's fingers for a moment. "He made two guards hold me and he tore my dress in the back and whipped me with his horse whip. He refused to let anyone tend to my wounds for three days." Shadow replied.

She looked up at Fili when she felt his hand grip hers tighter. She could see he was grinding his teeth trying to control his temper but the anger in his eyes deceived him. "Do not be angry, my love," she says quietly. "I deserved it. I should not have cut my hair. I was trying to mourn Amad's loss and the news of him selling me off to a prince I had never met, was too much for me."

"Sweetheart, no one deserves to be horsewhipped for such a thing, even if it was done out of spite." Dis tells her. "And he should've allowed someone to tend to the wounds. You could've gotten a very bad infection from them not being cleaned and treated!" she said calmly.

"Lass, Oin said you had bruises on your belly when he went to clean all the cuts and scrapes you had when they found you. How did you get those?" Balin asked.

Shadow closed her eyes for a moment and took a few shallow breaths.

Twice I tried to escape. Some of the guards were sympathetic, while others betrayed me and my father caught me the first time I tried to run. He beat me and those were what was left of the bruises he gave me.

The second time I tried to escape my friends who were guards were working that night, they guided me through the castle and gave me their fastest pony. My one friend told me to make for Lothlorian or Rivendell and beg them for Sanctuary from my abusive father. He told me Lady Galadrial ruled in Lothlorian and Lord Elrond ruled in Rivendell. He gave me what coin and food he had and bid me to make haste as the prince was to arrive in two days.

So I ran, and my pony carried me to the Gap of Rohan where it fled one night. I then carried my pack and followed the Greyflood river until it split in two and followed the right fork. There I met with the caravan near the Fords of the Bruinen." she tells them.

Dwalin laughs. Causing Shadow to look up at him puzzled. "So that's how she got to where we were, Fili, She had a two day lead on you!" he teased.

Shadow looked at Fili and raised an eyebrow. "I had wondered how you managed to escape when I was half way to your home and then make it to where the caravan was. You had the two day head start!" Fili told her.

She giggled. "I'm sorry I made such a mess of things. Had I known how nice you were, I may not have ran. But no one even let me communicate with you before we met and I feared being sold to be a slave and a punching bag for someone else like Amad was." Shadow said quietly and hung her head.

"I understand now why you ran, Gehyith, I am not upset and promise never to raise a hand to you. Anyone who does will be severely punished. Dwarrowdams should not be treated the way you and your mother were. You deserve to be loved and cherished and pampered. You are a treasure to be honored and protected. Not abused and beaten and whipped." Fili said as he stroked Shadow's cheek.

"So now what do we do? Where do we go from here?" Shadow asks as she looks at the rest of the dwarrow sitting at the table. Just then there is a knock at the door. Balin chuckles.

"Now we have some breakfast." he grins.

"It is good to hear you talking, Little Shadow." Kili says between bites of eggs and honey cakes. "You really do have a pretty voice to listen to!" he says with a grin. Shadow blushes. "Thank You Kee." she replies.

Once everyone was done eating, Balin asked Shadow, "Do you think the two guards who helped you escape would be willing to vouch for you if we sent them a note using a raven? Thorin will want a third party to confirm what you told us is the truth."

Shadow sighs, "IF they are still alive, they MIGHT, but they may also fear rebuttal if my father finds out they helped me." she replies.

"Lass, do you think they would be willing to move here if we offered them a position as palace guards? They could be your personal ones since Fili is the crown prince, and should you agree to marry him, you'd be the crown princess and one day queen." Dwalin asked.

"IF they are still alive, I believe they would jump at the offer mister Dwalin. They disliked my father but continued to serve because of me. I do not know what became of them once I left." Shadow explained.

"I will send a Raven to inquire whether they are still alive, and guards at your father's home, and if they are not, to find out where they went." Dwalin tells Shadow. "IF they are still there and are alive, I will offer them the position and when they arrive, will assign them to be your personal guards." he tells Shadow.

Shadow beams and says, "OH!!! Thank you mister Dwalin!" he chuckles and nods.

"Now that just leaves how do we tell Uncle?" Fili asks.

"Leave that to ME!" Dis says with a twinkle in her eye. Kili and Fili get HUGE grins on their face and Balin and Dwalin look at each other and also start to grin. Shadow looks at everyone confused. "Why are you all grinning like that?" she asks.

"Because no one tells Amad 'NO'." Fili tells her, "Not even Uncle Thorin... our King!" Shadow looks at Dis and Dis just smiles smugly. "Don't worry, Sweetheart. Fili will be courting you with Thorin's blessing by the end of the day." she says and the two boys cheer.

Shadow just chuckles and shakes her head amused.

@fizzyxcustard @thorinthehottotty @queenofmankind @demoiccheese83 @dumbassunderthemountain @deepestfirefun @thetherianthropydaily @daisy-picking-lady @legolaslovely @lotr-hobbit-imagines @aspookybunny @ellavaneck @emrfangirl @midnight-reader-morning-sleeper

#fili durin #Reader #kili durin #Dwalin #Balin #dis #escaping arranged marriage #abuse #rescue the guards!#she talks finally

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celery8705 · 5 years ago

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The Wolf Howls for the Wind: Chapter 1

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23276377/chapters/55742713

The last thing Cloud remembered was walking to his prized motorcycle, Fenrir. He was finally heading home after grudgingly meeting with President Rufus and the Turks in Junon. During that time, Shinra was going through a monster problem in the town, and they needed his swordsmanship to help them. He refused at first, but after seeing Priscilla and the townsfolk who helped him on his first journey, there was no way he could say no. He wasn't going to leave them defenseless against those beasts. He made it clear to Rufus that he only helped on behalf of the townspeople, not for the Shinra Corporation.

The drive home to Edge was going to be a long one, and Cloud would have to pass by Kalm to pick up additional supplies. He was able to stock up his travel bag with canned and non-perishable foods to hold him over until he got home. Just as he reached his bike, a bright, white light engulfed him. He flinched by the sudden brightness, quickly shutting his eyes and shielded them with a gloved hand. Several seconds passed, spots flashing behind his eyelids until the intense light dimmed and eventually dissipated.

Slowly opening his eyes, Cloud found himself in a desert valley, the sights of people, buildings, and his trusted motorcycle disappeared before him. Mako eyes searched the area through blonde bangs for anything that looked remotely familiar. He did find one recognizable place, but it was the last place he expected to see. Was this an illusion? Did his mind play tricks on him?

Behind him stood a tall, slim ivory tower that widened towards the top. Two large mechanical rings surrounded the middle section of the tower in a crisscrossed manner, and specks of light glittered from the top.

"Why am I back here?" Cloud asked aloud to no one in particular, confused. He remembered being summoned to this place a few years back, and a tsunami of memories flooded back to him. He recalled all the battles he had gone through, skirmishes he felt there was no point engaging in. There seemed to be no end in sight until he and his companions were able to break the cycle and returned home.

Cloud wondered if he would reunite with the companions he met during his time here, like the righteous weapons master, or the flirtatious thief with a tail. The sound of footsteps resounded from a distance, gradually growing louder. Turning his attention to the source, he saw a young man and woman walking in his direction.

The athletic man had disheveled blonde hair with spikey layers, wearing an open yellow shirt with a white hood hanging in the back. He wore black pants, his left pant leg shorter than the other, which revealed the tight red shorts beneath. A black overall-type top went over his clothing, secured with a belt in the middle. He had a wide grin as he spoke with his female companion.

The petite woman had her blonde curls in a high ponytail and wore a red floral dress with matching elbow fingerless gloves and red boots. A sash of purple, pink, and white wrapped around her waist, a dagger attached to her right hip, and white-flowered tights covered her legs. Her cape, which matched with her sash, swayed from side to side as she walked next to the young man, laughing at what he mentioned.

The man shifted his attention to Cloud, and his grin grew. "Hey, is that Cloud?" the man questioned excitedly and jogged towards him, the woman following close behind.

Cloud studied the pair after his initial surprise dissolved, the haze that fogged his memories becoming clear. He knitted his eyebrows together in thought as he searched in his mind information about these two individuals. "Tidus…Terra…" Cloud said slowly, their names returning to him.

"It is! Cloud, it is so good to see you!" said Terra with a pleased expression and pressed her hands together in front of her.

Yes, now he remembered them. He fought alongside these two the first time around. At that moment, he recalled all he learned about them. "It's good to see the both of you, too," Cloud replied with a nod. "It's been a long time."

Terra chuckled. "It has been, hasn't it? It looks like you are doing well."

"I know! You look different, and look at all those blades you're sporting there, bud!" said Tidus, excited as he pointed to the different shaped blades sheathed in the harness Cloud wore. His expression was similar to a child receiving a gift or going to an amusement park. "Looks like Firion will have some competition now for the most weapons carried."

Typical Tidus. Even though he just arrived in this world with a foggy memory, Cloud now recalled the different personalities he encountered here. Tidus was one of the warriors with a cheerful and somewhat childish personality. Hence it didn't come as a surprise to him how excited he'd get over little things. "I see you're still the same, Tidus," Cloud said, shaking his head and smirked. He turned his gaze from his companions to the ivory tower that stood before their paths. "So, I take it you're heading there?"

"We sure are. Mind if we tag along?"

Cloud shrugged, "Do I have a choice?"

Tidus laughed and wrapped an arm around Cloud's shoulders, unconsciously causing the swordsman to tense up. The younger man failed to pick up Cloud's unease with physical contact. It was nothing against Tidus, but Cloud wasn't the touchy type and often kept the physical touches to a minimum. "You've changed Cloud, and not just in appearances. You never cease to surprise me." Cloud shrugged Tidus off, feeling anxious from the contact. When it came to something like this, Cloud could probably count on one hand just how many people he was that comfortable with. Good thing the other two didn't seem to notice.

Terra giggled, a hand covering her mouth. "I'm sure we will have plenty of time to catch up. I want to hear what you've both been up to. But first, let's head to the tower and see what's going on." Cloud and Tidus nodded. The three warriors moved forward and made their way to the lone structure ahead.

---

Cloud, Tidus, and Terra reached the base of the stairs that led to the meeting room. There were others Cloud recognized from the last time and some who were new. It felt surreal to him, to find himself back here with the warriors he fought alongside with before. Well, most of them anyway. He noticed one person was missing from the original group, a wind warrior who wandered and went wherever the wind took him. Cloud briefly wondered if the other would make an appearance to this meeting.

They all walked up the steps and entered the meeting room, where they were met with a large, spacious blue room. Enormous open windows looked out towards the barren valley and blue skies, and in the center of the room stood a gigantic azure pillar with a rotating crystal and lights swirling within. Two large mechanical rings surrounded the post, and an arch stood below them.

Standing within the arch was a woman, with long blonde hair that gradient into a red color at the ends. She wore a long white cage dress with tints of sky blue and green towards the bottom of her skirt. Attached to the back of her dress were five gold and blue swords that gave the appearance of wings. She carried her staff, the top of it consisting of mechanical rings and a center that spun at the top. The woman's gold eyes observed the room as Cloud and his companions filed in. "Thank you all for coming here; it could not have been easy. I am pleased, however, that you answered my call. I am Materia."

---

Once the meeting adjourned, some of the warriors left the tower while some lingered behind to interact. Again, the warriors were all summoned to fight in a war between gods. Cloud didn't like the idea of fighting for the gods, and it seemed like it was the same for his allies. Would he be bound to endless battles, repeatedly fighting for the gods' sakes like last time? The thought of it agitated Cloud, even more so than his meeting with Rufus and the Turks earlier.

"Hey, Cloud." His focus shifted to a shorter male with layered blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, who wore a white sleeveless shirt with a jabot collar and a teal vest. His signature golden tail swayed from side to side as he walked up to him.

"Zidane," he said, turning his full attention to him.

"Heya, I was wondering if you've seen Bartz?"

That's right. Cloud wondered if the other warrior was going to attend the meeting since everyone from before was there, but he wasn't able to spot the familiar wanderer. He wondered if the wind warrior was even summoned by the gods at all. He shook his head. "I haven't seen him. I thought maybe he might've been with you causing trouble."

Zidane rubbed his nose and chuckled. "You make it seem like we're such deviants."

Cloud cocked an eyebrow, giving him a challenging but slightly amused look. "Well, aren't you?"

Zidane placed a hand over his chest, acting as if he was hurt. "Oh, you're too much Cloud. My heart can only take so much."

"Heh. You never change Zidane. Dramatic as always."

The genome laughed. "What can I say? I like to put on a show," he said with a bow and smug expression. Once he calmed down, Zidane's playful expression shifted to a concerned one. "So, about Bartz, do you think he's even here at all? Everyone we know is here, and I see a few new faces too. Maybe he wandered off somewhere?"

"It's hard to say. Maybe we'll run into him soon."

"Probably. I hope Bartz is not getting himself in too much trouble. Anyway, I'll see you around, Cloud! I'm gonna hang out with the ladies," he said with a wink and ran off, catching up with Terra and two other warriors, Squall and Lightning, as they headed towards the exit. Cloud rolled his eyes. Zidane was always a ladies man.

As the other warriors filed out, Cloud also decided to be on his way as well but was stopped when the sound of doors opening reached his ears. The blonde swordsman turned and saw Materia stand at the top of the stairs, her piercing gold eyes cast on him.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, trying not to sound irritated. He was not in the mood to play the gods' game. Cloud wanted to go back to his world, to the friends and family who waited for his return.

"I've been hearing whispers about a warrior who has wandered astray. I can feel his spirit not far from here."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. Could it be someone he knew? Was it Bartz, the warrior he and Zidane were just discussing? Was he okay, did something happen with him? "What do you want me to do?"

"Seek him out, then return with him. While you are on your journey, seek out Spiritus' forces."

The swordsman pondered on Materia's request. The thought of servicing the goddess ground on his nerves. But after what he and the other warriors have gone through, Cloud considered them all his friends even though he may not show it. If he were to be stuck in this realm again, then he'd best do what needed to be done, even if he didn't agree with it. But if this lost warrior was indeed Bartz, then he wanted to make sure he was safe, and the same went with his other comrades. He wasn't going to do it for Materia. With a look of determination, Cloud asked, "Where is he?"

"I can sense his energy past the ruins to the south. The portal nearby will lead you to him."

Without another word, Cloud turned away from the goddess, left the tower, and began his journey.

As he left Materia's domain, Cloud passed by the other warriors from the meeting but didn't stick around long enough to mingle with them. He acknowledged them with a nod and kept walking in the direction Materia guided him to. He approached the ruins, where he saw a few more of his associates. He continued to walk briskly, set on completing his task.

"Oh. Hey, Cloud." He turned to the source of the caller and saw his ally Vaan, a young man with an open crop vest made of metal fastened with a pendant, and a red ribbon sash wrapped around his waist to hold up his dark pants. Vaan stood up from his crouched position on a slab of rock derived from the ruins. "Striking out on your own?"

"It's a one-person job. That's why," Cloud replied, looking away and feeling awkward. He was the type to not engage in idle chatter. Even though they were friends, he was always more inclined to listen and observe rather than lead a conversation. He felt there was not much he could contribute.

"Ah, gotcha. Wouldn't want to hold you up," Vaan said with a wave.

Without another word, Cloud turned and continued to walk in the direction he headed for, leaving Vaan with the Onion Knight Luneth and a newcomer with long ears and tail named Y'shtola.

It didn't take long before Cloud saw a portal emanating white light. The gateway projected an image before him. It was a different realm from the desert valley he was in right now. This world consisted of giant blue crystals, with the starry skies surrounding the area. What a strange world, Cloud thought. He had never seen anything like that before, but that didn't faze him from his objective. Taking in a deep breath, Cloud stepped through the portal, engulfed by the light.

---

Cloud stepped out from the gateway and found himself on the other side. He glanced back at the gateway, seeing the barren wasteland he was at moments prior as the portal closed and disappeared behind him. There was no turning back now. He turned his gaze forward and observed his new surroundings for any signs of his ally or anything that would bring him harm. There was ample open space, with multiple floors that appeared to go higher up to a certain point. The stars seemed to travel past him at high speeds, and there was nothing but darkness behind him, giving him a hint that he might be going through space.

Cloud gripped the handle of his sword. He had a feeling there was an evil presence nearby, possibly more. He had to prepare himself. Cloud grabbed the smaller blades in his harness and assembled the parts with the base sword to form one large one. With the pieces assembled, he continued forward towards the top of the area, swinging the sword to have it rest on his shoulders.

He traveled up a few levels up when he heard the sounds of what sounded like a battle unfolding, as the yells and blades clashing reached his ears. Cloud started with a cautious walk, readying himself for a fight. It wasn't until he saw two familiar figures that he began to break out into a run.

One of the fighters was a young man with brunette hair wearing sky blue, adorned with hints of gold and gray. It was Bartz; he had found him, and he was battling against his enemy Exdeath. As he ran, he caught sight of someone standing on one of the large crystals high up and observed the battle. Cloud gritted his teeth at the sight of the familiar silver-haired swordsman who tormented him for years. His enemy levitated in the air, readying his seven-foot Masamune to strike down Cloud's ally.

Just as his arch-nemesis beelined for Bartz with his sword, Cloud launched himself up and blocked the blade. Cloud deflected the first attack, stopping Sephiroth in his tracks, then followed up with two other attacks, pushing the other man away with the last one. As Cloud came back down, he landed on the steps behind Bartz with ease, his back to his comrade. He stood straight, his sword ready in front of him as he faced his enemy.

He heard the familiar voice belonging to the younger warrior behind him, who sounded confused. "Huh? Cloud?"

Sephiroth landed with barely a sound at the base of the steps in front of Cloud. Exdeath teleported in front of Bartz at the top of the stairs. Cloud kept his gaze forward on Sephiroth, who turned around to face him. He had to be prepared for whatever he was going to throw at him. "So, Cloud, we meet again." Sephiroth's smooth voice reached his ears, causing Cloud to grip the handle of his weapon even tighter, but then he heard Bartz's voice.

"Cloud, what the blazes—wait, that is your name, right? Cloud, like puffs in the sky?" Bartz asked, still confused.

Cloud furrowed his eyebrows, trying to focus on their current situation rather than the jab on his name by the wind warrior. Damn it, Bartz. This isn't the time, he thought. Though at the same time, he was glad Bartz remembered him. That meant less explaining he would have to do. He turned his head to his left, catching a small glimpse of his companion behind him while keeping his guard up. "So, you remember me. Then you know what's going on."

Bartz groaned. "We're back here again?"

Their conversation was cut short by the deep and irritated voice of Exdeath. "You… What is the meaning of this?" he demanded to Sephiroth.

"I'm trying something," Sephiroth said as if he was having a casual conversation about the weather.

"What?" Exdeath asked, confused.

Cloud readied himself when Sephiroth walked forward with a smirk and prepared himself to defend. He locked eyes with his adversary, who had that sadistic glint present in his mako green eyes. "Just humor me," Sephiroth said, bringing his Masamune up in front of him in a readying stance.

"Cloud, why are we back here?" asked Bartz, glancing behind him. "I thought it was all over!"

"We can talk about it after. Stay focused, Bartz," Cloud replied cooly.

Sephiroth chuckled, then dashed forward with incredible god-like speed, swinging his sword at Cloud. With quick reflexes, Cloud blocked the oncoming attack. He pushed his enemy away and charged. He briefly noticed Bartz and Exdeath re-engaged in battle in the corner of his eye. Turning his attention back to Sephiroth, Cloud bolted once again at him, skillfully blocking and parrying the onslaught of attacks the other man threw his way, the clashes of their blades ringing in his ears. He evaded Sephiroth's sword that aimed for his head, feeling a light brush of breeze as a result of the swing. Cloud did a backflip, landing with grace. Charging at the other man, Cloud and Sephiroth crossed blades again, both exhibiting their impressive swordsmanship abilities.

With blades crossed, Sephiroth chuckled, his snake-like green eyes boring into Cloud's. "So, once again, you're a puppet of the gods. Is that why they sent you here? You haven't changed, Cloud," Sephiroth mocked, pushing away the blonde man back.

"Shut up!" Cloud yelled, his blood beginning to boil. Sephiroth always had a way to get under his skin. He knew what buttons to press to get him riled up. Cloud swung the fusion sword, the weapon once again clashing with Sephiroth's. "I'm no one's puppet! I came here on my own accord!"

Sephiroth scoffed as if that was the most absurd thing he heard. "We shall see about that. You do not yet know the full extent of what lies within you." With superhuman speed, he attacked Cloud with a combination of swings of the Masamune, giving himself the advantage as the blonde struggled to keep up.

Cloud was unable to dodge or block one of Sephiroth's attacks, as the Masamune pierced through the fabric of his top and grazed his right side. He groaned as pain shot through his torso, where the blade broke through the skin. As he jumped back, the sharp edge created another scratch on his side. With a growl, Cloud used his cross-slash attack, sending Sephiroth back. Just as he was about to charge at the other swordsman, he heard a pained yell coming from Bartz.

Immediately, Cloud shifted his attention to Bartz, pinned to the wall with Exdeath's large hand wrapped around Bartz's throat. The wanderer squirmed, feet dangling three feet from the ground as he clawed at Exdeath to loosen the grip on his neck. With his right hand, Exdeath used his telekinetic abilities to bring his sword up and point it at Bartz, ready to strike.

Cloud had to think of something quick, or his friend would surely perish. There was no time for him to run over and stop Exdeath. Releasing and unfolding one of the smallest side blades from the fusion sword, Cloud hurled it in Exdeath's direction. Just as the evil tree released his blade to impale Bartz, the side blade collided and deflected it away from the wanderer. Cloud took this opportunity to bolt at the armored being, jumped up into the air with his sword above him, and came down with his braver attack. Exdeath teleported away from Cloud's attack, dropping Bartz in the process.

With incredible speed, Cloud grabbed the side blade sticking out from a crystal and continued on the offensive, using both the fusion sword and side blade to attack his opponent. Exdeath swung his left hand forward, sending a wave of light towards Cloud. The swordsman rolled to the side, dodged the attack, and countered with blade beam to propel a projectile of fire from his sword. His opponent teleported away and reappeared behind him as he swung his weapon at Cloud. With the two blades in his hand, Cloud blocked the onslaught of attacks from the tree warlock. While his edges crossed with Exdeath, Sephiroth appeared behind him, ready to strike. As Cloud prepared to block his arch-nemesis as well, Bartz jumped in front of Sephiroth and blocked his attack. The wanderer parried another attack from Sephiroth, pushed him back, and followed up with a black mage spell, shooting a fireball at the silver-haired swordsman. Sephiroth dodged the attack and jumped back to the top of the stairs.

Cloud made brief eye contact with Bartz with a nod of thanks. He refocused on Exdeath and pushed him back with incredible strength. He parried another blow and countered with a climhazzard attack, which slammed the other back into the crystal wall and smashed the blue formation of gems. A cloud of dust emerged from the crash where Exdeath landed. "Whoa, now that's what I call a fight!" Bartz said with excitement, coming to stand next to Cloud after warding off Sephiroth with a big smile on his face.

With a growl, Exdeath stood up from the rubble of broken precious stones and teleported to the top of the stairs next to Sephiroth. The superhuman stood nonchalant as the warlock came up beside him, and exhibited a curious look to the skies. Exdeath noticed this and asked, "What are you scheming, Sephiroth?"

"That's for me to know," the silver-haired man replied calmly, as he raised a hand to the heavens as if reaching for something. A sinister smirk pulled at his lips. "Trust me—you'll like it."

All of a sudden, blocky slits in the sky appeared, spreading quickly in the heavens and revealing a dark realm. Within those large rips were serpent-like creatures that seemed to swim within the world beyond. Cloud watched in confused horror as the slits created several more across the sky and consumed their environment gradually. There was something familiar about these beasts. Cloud shook his head; this was no time to be thinking about it and gripped his sword again. Gritting his teeth, the former soldier launched himself towards Sephiroth, his enemy quickly blocking his attack. With their blades crossed, Cloud glared at his former hero. "What did you do?" Cloud demanded with a glowering look.

"Don't you worry," Sephiroth started with an unblinking expression, unfazed by Cloud's attack on him just now. "Eventually, our goals will align."

Confused for a brief moment, Cloud let his guard drop, and Sephiroth took full advantage of that. He parried Cloud's sword to push him back and throw off his balance. He managed to block the next attack but wasn't able to maintain his stance and was thrown back with the last assault, the force sending him flying down the steps. The next thing he knew, Cloud slammed back into Bartz and sent them sliding on the ground. When they came to a stop, Cloud quickly sat up. He needed answers from Sephiroth.

"And when they do, we shall meet once again," said Sephiroth. With that, he walked into the portal that appeared behind him. Exdeath soon followed after Sephiroth into the gateway, both of them disappearing.

"Get back here!" yelled Bartz before he groaned in frustration, throwing his fist down in anger.

"They'll …align?" Cloud asked, unsure of what Sephiroth had meant before his departure. What was Sephiroth planning? Also, what did he mean earlier, about not knowing the full extent of what lies within him? Perhaps it was his way of playing with his mind again.

As Cloud got back on his feet, Bartz said, "Let's get outta here. This place is gonna crumble."

There was no need to dwell on Sephiroth. He was positive they were going to run into him again. His expression softened as he turned to Bartz, lowering his guard. "Sure. They'll all be glad to—" Cloud was interrupted when a white light appeared beneath their feet. He and Bartz looked down, and he realized it was a glowing portal opening up beneath them. Without having a chance to react, he and Bartz got sucked into the portal, disappearing from the area.

#Cloud Strife #Bartz Klauser #Clartz #Kurabatsu #5/7 #7/5 #Dissidia NT #The Wolf Howls for the Wind #May put previews here but post full chapters on AO3

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sablesides-writing-corner · 5 years ago

Note

The Little Mermaid With Royality?

Patton rested his fins on the rocks calmly, dragging his hand through the seaweed as he watched the sun dance in the water. His best friend in the entire ocean, Virgil, was crouched by his side, chewing on his nails.

"Virgil, if you keep knawing on those nails of yours they're going to bleed!" Patton said, batting Virgil's hand away from his mouth.

"Sorry Pat, but are you sure this is a good idea? That ship could be filled with all shirts of traps!" said Virgil, his tail flitted through the water almost enough to cause a hurricane.

Patton laughed "Of course we'll be alright! I wouldnt let anything hurt you!" he ruffled Virgil's hair. Virgil mumbled something Patton couldnt hear and they swam over to the seemingly abandoned ship.

"How could something so beautiful be dangerous?" Patton pondered aloud.

Virgil shrugged "Maybe it's the sharks, maybe the human diseases, who knows, I dont think we should be h- WHY ARE YOU SWIMMING INTO THE BOAT!-" he swam after Patton, who had already made it halfway through the ship at that point.

"Look at all of this stuff! I wonder what it all does?" said Patton, picking up a fork and poking the top of it with his fingers. Virgil sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We should probably head back shouldn't we?" said Virgil, glancing around the ship like the walls could collapse at any moment.

"Virgil! We've barely even finished exploring!" Patton exclaimed, circling yet another table of seemingly random objects. Patton was so immersed in examining the table of objects that he didnt notice Virgil speeding past him, followed by a giant shark.

"PATTON- A LITTLE HELP HERE!" Patton jolted up from the table and swerved in Virgil's direction, letting out a shocked gasp. He swam after Virgil and pulled him through a hole in the hull of the ship, swimming around the outside until they lost the shark in an anchor.

"Virgil I'm so sorry! I couldnt see it!" Patton wrapped his friend in the tightest hug he could muster until Virgil began tapping the side of his face to get him to let go.

"Its not your fault Pat, you got overexcited," said Virgil, smiling. "Now how about we go ask Remus about the stuff we got from the ship?" Patton nodded and swam to the surface. They reached the bay area where lay a merman with green scales and a moustache.

"Well if it isnt the raccoon and the kitten!" Remus clawed his way over to the edge of the rocks and peered over the edge.

Patton lay the things he'd gathered from the ship in front of him "Can you tell me what all of these do?" he said, tilting his head to the side.

Remus examined the items, he held the fork up to his face "Well, this ones obviously for hair," he said, dragging it through Virgil's bangs. The merman batted him away, annoyed.

Remus continued explaining what he assumed the human artifacts were for, well until sunset. Patton thanked him and swam back to the castle with Virgil, where his father, Deceit, was waiting for them.

"What were you thinking! You could've been killed out there!" Deceit swam back and forth in front of his son.

"But I didn't-" Patton interjected under his breath. Deceit glared at him out of the corner of his eye. "Right, not a good time for jokes, sorry," Patton swam back a bit and looked to the side.

"I've been contemplating it for a while now, I'm quite tired of you swimming off all the time to explore human ships and talk to exiled mermaids, Logan!" Deceit called toward the back of the castle. Yet another merman joined the group, and swam directly next to Patton. "Logan's going to watch you from now on, so you dont risk getting hurt anymore," said Deceit. Patton let out an indignant gasp of protest.

Logan placed a hand on his shoulder, "Its for your own good Prince Patton, he's just doing what's best to protect you,"

"That doesnt make it any better," said Patton, swimming out of the room. Virgil and Logan followed close behind. Patton ducked into a cave and swam as fast as he could through a network of tunnels, hoping to lose the two. He reemerged in a cave covered in what most would label a hoarder's heaven, but to Patton was a museum of priceless treasures.

"I just dont understand all this nonsense about humans being bad bow could a world that makes all this cool stuff be a bad thing!" Patton said, running a hand along the side of a music box.

"Maybe because it's a society of ruthless killers bent on the destruction of all of merperson kind!"said Virgil from behind him. Patton jerked backwards a bit.

"Virgil's right, the human world is in fact an utter disaster, it's best if you stay as far away from it as possible," said Logan.

Patton turned around and averted his eyes "But they've made so many good things. . ." he said under his breath. Virgil and Logan placed a hand on each of his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.

"Good things dont always come from good people, and you dont actually know how they use this stuff as humans Pat," said Virgil. Patton pouted and swam back out of the cave. He surface once more to stare at the sky, Virgil and Logan joining him shortly after. The night sky was covered in gleaming white stars that sparkled in the water like diamonds. Patton continued swimming lazily in circles, watching the stars glimmering above him.

A sudden noise and spark of color above him alerted Patton to an approaching ship. Logan and Virgil called for him to come back to them, but he didnt listen. He swam up to the ship and latched onto a net hanging from the side, climbing up to an opening, where he watched the humans inside with interest.

They were all so different form each other, but one in particular caught his eye, a man with auburn hair and eyes like fire, the way the moonlight caught them it was like watching fireflies dance. A large shaggy dog bounded around him until it raised its snout in the air, and turned its eyes on Patton. Before he'd realized what had happened the dog raced over. Patton lost his grip on the floorboards momentarily, but was caught by the man.

Patton was to stunned to speak. He stayed there in stunned silence for eons. Someone called for the man and he ran off, Patton took the opportunity to flop back into the water.

"Patton what were you thinking!" Virgil swam up to him in a frenzy.

"Boys-" Patton sputtered. Logan facepalmed and dragged the two of them back under water. Only for a flash of light to alert them of debris falling into the water. Patton immeadietly began to panic. He swam through the sinking ship debris and located the fiery-eyed man, sinking toward the bottom of the ocean. Patton dragged him up to the shore as fast as he could, but he'd underestimated just how far such a trip would be. By the time he dragged the man up to the shore the sun was rising. Patton cupped his face in his hands.

"Come on, wake up, I know you can do it," Patton said, he let a few song notes escape his lips, the man blinked. Patton thought about staying until he'd fully woken up, but thought better of it as he realized how his father might react. So before the man could wake up, Patton dove under the water again.He swam back into his grotto, where Virgil and Logan awaited him, staring at a new addition Patton hadnt remembered bringing there. It was a statue of the sailor boy, and it looked so like him Patton half expected it to burst to life at any moment, and he halfway wished it would.

"We found this in the ship rubble, thought you might want it," Virgil smiled. Patton hugged him and swam around the statue, examining its features.

"Its so life-like," Patton said, smiling.

The euphoria was short lived, as the familiar hiss of Patton's father joined the chorus of ooo's and aah's from Patton while he traced the statue.

"Patton, what's all this," said Deceit.

Patton froze and spun around "D-Dad, how did you find me?" he said, backing up against the statue. Logan avoided looking Patton directly in the eyes. "Logan? This was all you?" Patton said, he sounded hurt.

"All this human obsession nonsense stops now, Patton, I'm tired of it." Deceit raised his the trident he always had at his side, and the room was engulfed in a flash of yellow. As the color subsided, Patton took in exactly how much damage had been done to his beloved grotto, and he began to cry. Only when the face of the once beautiful statue floated to the bottom of the chasm, did Patton swim away. He swam so fast that it felt as though he could form a whirlpool. He hid himself away and rested his head on a nearby rock, breaking into choked sobs.

"Poor thing. . ." said a girls voice.

"If only there was a way to help him. . ." said another.

"Oh wait, there is," the girls said simultaneously. Patton looked up. There were two eel-like mermaids wading in front of him.

"You really think you can help me?" Patton said, he dodnt know who these girls were, but at this point he'd do anything to get to the human world, to get to him even if it cost him dearly.

"Of course we can! We know someone very powerful!" said the girl with pink and blue hair.

"Follow us!" said the one with blonde and teal. Patton swam toward them, and followed them to what looked like the skeleton of a sea monster.

"Girls! What have you brought for me today!" a tall man swam out from behind what seemed like a cauldron, Patton noticed that he had many tentacles instead of one single tail, it reminded him a bit of what Remus always said he wished he had instead.

"They said you could- help me," Patton whispered. The man smiled and swam over to him, squinting as though Patton was some sort of insect he was planning to experiment on.

"Of course, a prince in love with a prince, I live for matchmaking games you know, one might say it's my entire purpose," said the man, there was something sinister in his eyes, but Patton took no notice of it. "Of course, love is never meant to be easy, I will need something from you," he said.

"But I have nothing to give you, all I held dear has been destroyed," said Patton. The man held a finger up and shook it.

"I'm not asking for material objects. . . What I require is. . . Your voice," Patton gasped and jolted backwards.

"But without my- how would I- he'd never be able to-" he tripped over the words as they fell out of his mouth.

"You're a cute boy! What more would you need! Humans only care about looks anyways!" said the man, examining his reflection in a nearby mirror. He turned to Patton and held his hand out. "Now, you'll only have three days to get a kiss from your prince, so make it quick, so do we have a deal?" he asked.

Patton looked around, the two mereels nodded at him. He turned back to the strange merman, and shook his hand.

"Good, now all I need you to do, is sing," said the man. Patton opened his mouth and the melody spilled out easier than a wave current. The man began to chant something, and Patton felt his voice begin to waver. His fins seized up in pain as though they were being torn apart with a knife, his lungs- when did he get lungs?- began to fill with water, he felt like he was going to die. Something seized him by the arm and dragged him up to the surface.

When Patton's eyes reopened he was met with the faces of Virgil, Logan, and Remus. He tried to ask what happened, but all that came out was a choked squeak, his voice was entirely gone.

"Alright Sunshine,let's get you some clothes before someone sees you like this," said Remus. Patton noted the glare he was getting from Logan, which suggested his first draft of the sentence was probably something different.

After hours of gathering enough ship sails and seaweed to make a serviceable outfit for Patton, his three friends disappeared back under the water. Patton heard barking and hid behind the nearest rock.

"Cmon boy! What'd you see!" the sailor ran out from behind the cliffs. Patton peaked over the rocks to look at him, only to get a face full of dog slobber and fall backwards.

The sailor helped him up "Oh dear- sorry about. . . that" he paused abruptly, clearly star struck. "May I- have your name?" Patton opened his mouth, before closing it abruptly, remembering his voice yet again. "You cant speak. . . can you," the sailor seemed distraught. "Well, I'm Roman," he said. Patton smiled. "Let's get you somewhere warm shall we?" said Roman, lifting him up and running to the palace. Patton's face flushed, Roman's chest was warm, and his home even warmer.

A man dresses primarily in black with dark sunglasses on approached the two, "Who's this you've brought with you Roman?" he said.

"He doesnt speak, or can't, rather, but he washed up on shore, he seems shaken up so I brought him inside," Roman smiled. Patton waved at the man, hoping he came off as friendly. Roman set him down, "Remy will show you to your room," he said, gesturing to the man in sunglasses. Remy held his hand out and Patton took it, allowing himself to be lead into a room full of the prettiest garments he'd ever seen.

It took him ages to pick out something to wear, but he finally decided on a light blue sundress and a hat that nearly fell over his face. He walked out of the room and back into the entrance way.

Roman's jaw dropped "Wow. . . you look brilliant," he said. He walked over to Patton and placed a hand on his cheek, Patton felt like he might melt on the spot. "I'm going to take us out into town, get to know you a little better I suppose," he said.

The town was the best experience that had happened to Patton. The colors and structures were beautiful. But the best part was carriage ride with Roman, watching the trees pass with his head resting on the prince's shoulder. He didnt want anything about it to change.

Ok, maybe he had lied about the carriage being his favorite part. They'd take a boat ride shortly after, and some familiar faces had helped set a mood for it.

"So, a little angel told me your name was- Patton, I believe?" said Roman. Patton nodded and smiled. "Well, Patton, I want to ask you something," Patton leaned forward in excitement.

Roman leaned forward, and Patton realized he was trying to kiss him. But in his excitement he didnt notice that two tails under the boat, tipping it over so he and Roman collapsed into the water.

Patton was mortified after that, he felt as though Roman would think it was all his fault, and the later morning didnt help much either. A mysterious man had shown up the previous night, the last night Patton had to get that kiss. To Patton's horror, he saw a ring on the man's finger.

Patton ran to his room, utterly distraught. He tried to cry, but no sound came out. He raced to the window and watched the love of his life leave with a stranger that he didnt even recognize, the raced to the docks to watch them leave, collapsing near the shore as tears fell from his eyes.

"Sunshine!!! Sunshine!!!" Patton looked up, the sun had started to set, he saw three familiar faces frantically swimming over to him.

"Its the sea witch!"

"He used your voice to hypnotize the prince!"

"We have to get you there before th wedding starts!"

The sentences jumbled in Patton's brain like a tornado. Remus grabbed him by the arm "Hold onto to me, I'll get you there," he said. Patton didnt argue, he obviously couldn't.

By the time they got to the ship Patton had already given up hope. But nevertheless the quartet ascended the ship. Virgil lunged at the witch with raging speed, an anger burned in his eyes that Patton had never seen before. Fear flickered in the eyes of the attending guests. The witch's eyes narrowed, he was finally distracted. Logan took the opportunity to snatch the necklace away from him. He held it to his ear and his eyes when wide, he slammed it into the ground and Patton felt a tingling sensation in his throat.

Roman whipped around just in time to hear Patton's song return to him, his eyes sparked with realization. "It was you- this whole time it was you-" he attempt to run to him, but the witch used his rapidly forming tentacles to knock him back, he grabbed Patton by the waist and disappeared under the water.

"LUCAN!" Patton heard his father call from below the surface, he had no time to wonder how he'd gotten there.

"Dee! It's been oh so long since I've seen you!" Patton was spun around to face his father, the cold metal of a knife was felt on his throat. "I expect you know why you're here now? Hm?" Patton felt tears falling down his face, his father's face had turned entirely green. He let go of the trident.

"DAD! YOU CA-" Patton felt the knife press further into his throat. Lucan took the trident in his other hand, and Patton watched his father shrink to the size of an eel.

"Poor Dee, he just loves so recklessly doesnt he, if only hed learned sooner when family matters, he could've avoided this whole thing couldnt he have?" Lucan smirked, and Patton realized that they were rising out of the water. He saw Logan and Virgil's faces in the water and tried to reach them, but Lucan had wrapped a tentacle around his entire body, he couldnt move.

"Now isnt this nice, you get to watch everyone you love die because you care more about a stupid obsession than your friends and family!" the words cut Patton worse than even the knife could have. Tears stung his face as he watched the whirlpool's forming in the water drag his friends underneath. He'd given up, resigned to whatever his fate may have been, when Lucan let out a scream. Patton fell, and was caught by someone. Roman had steered a ship into Lucan's side, causing him to drop the trident. The small snake under the water lunged for it, and Patton's father rose out of the water with a streak of lightning, which struck Lucan right as the ship landed another blow. Lucan sunk back into the ocean with a scream.

The skies cleared, and Patton raced through the water to embrace his father once again. "I'm so sorry. . . I never should have made that deal"

"Its not your fault, Pat, I should've known better," Deceit said, wiping the tears off of Patton's face. "I have a surprise for you," he said. Patton felt warmth envelop his body, his fins began to split again, but this time it felt natural.

He opened his eyes again to see a shining blue dress,and a pair of legs. He turned to Roman, he had abandoned the ship and was racing toward him. He embraced Patton and spun him in his arms. Deceit smiled, Virgil, Remus, and Logan resurfaced with broad grins on their faces as well.

"I'm glad we've both found out voices, I dont know what I would've done if I'd lost you forever," said Roman, planting a kiss on Patton's cheek. Patton rested his head on Roman's chest and listened to his heartbeat, and he sung his heart out as they stood there in the now shallow water, lost in their love for each other, reality only a distant memory.

#cori answers #little mermaid au

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uzumaki-rebellion · 5 years ago

Text

“Wet Sugar” [Part 3 of 30]

Summary: Erik spends a night out on the town with Klaue’s men but returns to the compound to face some discord with Yani...

Mature audience only. NSFW.

Welcome to new folks coming aboard the party train! What it do to the folks who’ve been hanging with me for a minute! Next update coming in the next few days. Comic-Con is happening and I have some Afrofuturism stuff to do in town, so spending this time getting Part 4 together. Shout out to anyone in Chicago going to WakandaCon! Show out!

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"Can't do without you for sure Amount a place I and I explore Still nuh find nobody else I adore Dem cyaan stop we, yeah Yuh love a sumn wah mi have to protect You are my balance and my ease to mi stress Your vibration never fail me yet Wull on pon me, yea…"

Jada Kingdom - "Wull On"

The bartender in front of Erik was quite generous with the hard liquor inside the mixed drinks she prepared for Klaue's men.

The large glass in Erik's hand was called a Voodoo Hurricane filled with three types of Cruzan rum, pineapple juice, and grenadine syrup. The ash-blonde white woman tending the bar gave it to Erik to try for free when he didn't like the last drink that she mixed for him. Polk, Huntsman, and three other of Klaue's men, two white Zambian born men named Beatty and Gertz, and another Black American named Shipley, sat at the bar with him slinging back shots and loud banter.

The upscale pool bar they sat in was part of a Marriott five-star hotel chain on Frenchman's Reef, a good ten-minute drive from the compound. A mostly white crowd mixed and mingled around them, and Erik saw right away why the men wanted to come here. Lots of Barbie doll looking jump-offs that were there for a good time and were not shy soliciting it. Several times he and Shipley, in particular, had been approached and chatted up.

Erik caught Polk side-eying him and Shipley. All three of them were the only Black men on Klaue's team, and although Polk was attractive, more muscular and taller than Erik and Shipley, his mack game was lacking. He sat at the bar just thinking a tight ass muscle shirt and expensive jewelry around his neck and finger was enough to attract and keep women. He lacked the verbal finesse to keep the women interested, overtalking and butting in whenever anyone else had a thought to share. He tried too fucking hard to be the "it" guy among them.

That shit always irritated Erik when he hung out with other men. Niggas couldn't stay in their lane and always overcompensated when they felt they were lacking. The nigga was cringy as fuck.

Shipley was more adept at chopping it up and making the ladies feel comfortable, but dude was a colorist and ignored the non-white darker women hanging around them. Erik did his best to mind his business and enjoy being out for a change, even tolerating the bullshit music the pool D.J. was playing.

The few Black women that did roll up to say hello were jaw jacking Beatty who looked like a basement rate Captain America. He looked no different than any Cali white boy Erik knew back home, but his baby blues and neat haircut made him attractive to them. The fact that his hair was cut exactly like Steve Rogers was the only real game he had, along with the teal silky pec-clinging shirt he wore. And what did he care if some Black women wanted to get that basic vanilla substitute?

The Voodoo Hurricane was pretty good and he ordered another much to the delight of the bartender who seemed intimidated by his judgment of the first bad drink she suggested.

Another group of women entered the infinity pool area, and two of them were Black and not staring at Beatty. They were checking for him. Little furtive glances his way as they eased past the vista view of the ocean, their spring dresses billowing in the soft breeze.

Erik allowed his eye to wander over them both, and the drink coursing through his body warmed up thoughts of fucking later on. He was on the prowl.

The women he eyed made their round of the pool and went to stand near the edge of a lounge area filled with plush seats. Shipley noticed the women Erik was watching.

"That looks like a boss crew," Shipley said.

"Co-sign," Erik said.

Shipley made comments on each woman like he was going down a shopping list.

"That one in the white, she would be a keeper, but…" Shipley sucked in a breath.

"But what?" Erik asked sipping his drink.

"She got a little too much in the trunk, bruh."

"Nigga, is you on crack? You can't ever have too much ass," Erik corrected, rolling his eyes.

"I heard that!" Polk said, trying to wedge himself into their conversation.

Shipley didn't even make a note on the darker-skinned black woman standing next to the lighter-skinned woman they were peeping.

"The girl in the green is more your body-type," Erik said, wanting to see what this dude would say about her, "She got that good smooth skin, and that thigh gap shit you like, player," he said.

Shipley's nose crinkled.

"She aight…"

"Aight? You buggin'," Erik said.

"That's a dime piece for sure," Polk said.

"If you say so," Shipley said looking away from her.

Polk gave Erik a look, and Erik smirked.

"You don't like the sistas?" Polk asked.

Shipley gave out an exasperated sigh as if he'd had this conversation before.

"I like Black women," Shipley said.

"What's wrong with that one then?"

Polk was pushing him, giving Erik his own sly smile because they both wanted to hear Shipley say it with his chest.

"Nothing," Shipley said.

"Nothin'? She the finest one out the bunch," Erik said.

"I said she was aight," Shipley said.

"I'm going in fellas, wish me luck," Beatty said as he picked up a whiskey sour and meandered over to the new women.

"Hold on, I'm coming over too," Polk said.

Erik watched them leave and his eye caught Klaue walking in with a forty-ish looking white woman with loose sienna hair. Wearing a light linen suit with his hair freshly trimmed, Klaue actually looked pretty decent stepping out.

"Gentlemen," Klaue said as he joined them at the bar.

Erik and the other men raised their glasses to him.

"Amy, these are some of my associates," Klaue said as he swung his arm around Amy's waist. Erik nodded at her as Klaue gave her their names.

"Seems really active tonight. I know a couple of cruise ships pulled in," Klaue said while eyeballing other women.

Huntsman was getting a little more blitzed than everyone else, a never-ending parade of shot glasses going down his gullet.

"Whoa, the night is still young Huntsman," Klaue said. The tone of his voice let Erik and Huntsman know that Klaue wasn't pleased with how he was looking at that moment.

"I'm good, Boss," Huntsman said.

"Let's keep it that way, shall we?" Klaue said slapping Huntsman on his back that was an obvious warning.

Klaue glanced at Erik.

"Yo, Huntsman, let's go for a walk buddy. Check out the scene a little more," Erik said.

He was glad that he shot an email to Tahir to get him to the island. With some behind the scenes maneuvering, Erik believed he might be able to get some strings pulled to have Tahir get into Africa not by plane, but by boat.

Huntsman grumbled about leaving the bar, but the look in Klaue's eyes must've made him reconsider giving lip.

Erik led Huntsman around the pool to get a closer look at some of the cruise ships that had docked in the distance.

"What's it like being the golden boy?" Huntsman asked.

"Golden boy?" Erik said.

"Klaue's new errand boy. I know you're assigned to keep me in line. That used to be my job."

"Well then get your shit together before you get replaced," Erik said keeping it one hundred.

"Replaced? I've been with Klaue for a long time—"

"Then you oughta know how to act. Out here being sloppy—"

Huntsman stepped close to him, his chest bumping Erik's as an angry sneer creased his lips.

"Kaffir—"

"I got your nigga right here," Erik hissed, his lips curling up as he shoved his chest back into Huntsman's.

"Hi."

Erik and Hunstman both turned to see the attractive black woman that Shipley dismissed. Up close she was even prettier, her make-up using gold tint to highlight the richness of her melanin. Her big false eyelashes gave her face a glamorous look like she had spent a whole day getting ready to flaunt her beauty.

"Your friends over there were heading into the hotel restaurant to share some appetizers and drinks and asked me to let you know," she said.

Erik's eyes darted over her head and he saw Polk and Shipley waving them over with the other five women standing with them.

"Sounds like a plan," Erik said. He slapped his hand on Huntsman's shoulder, "What do you say, Buddy?"

Erik gave the man a look to let him know he didn't have a choice. Huntsman smiled at the woman.

"I think I'm a lucky man to see such a lovely woman come gather us," Huntsman said. He held out his arm for her. The woman looked at Erik, a slight tinge of disappointment sliding across her face.

"Sheryl, come on, there's a table ready for us."

A thin white brunette came over and grabbed Sheryl's hand.

"Are you guys coming?" The brunette asked.

Erik blocked Huntsman as he stepped in front of Sheryl.

"The more the merrier," Erik said.

Sheryl smiled and Erik followed the two women. He could hear Huntsman grumbling and catching up to them from behind.

###

Erik pretended to be engaged with the impromptu gathering inside the hotel restaurant. He sat near Huntsman to keep an eye on him and Klaue seemed to be pleased that the man had calmed down on drinking, sipping ginger ale and water instead. The women seemed thrilled to be around the dullest men Erik ever had the displeasure of suffering drinks and food with. The one thing that kept Erik from going bonkers was that he would get to spend more time with Klaue alone the next day to lay out more groundwork for Angola. They would start planning after lunch and Erik would begin the patient task of teasing out information about Klaue that he could use to keep the man by his side.

One of the servers covering their large group came over to take fresh drink orders. Erik asked for bourbon on the rocks, but after the server left, he changed his mind. He left the table and went to the restaurant bar to catch the slender Black woman with the thin microbraids who took his drink order.

"Excuse me, could I change my bourbon to a rum and coke?"

"Sure," the woman said.

"I'll take it here at the bar," Erik said, needing a break. He was bored and ready to leave. He could hear Klaue being the life of the party, and his woman Amy was laughing at everything he said. Checking out the space, the indoor crowd was full of middle-aged white wealthy tourists and a sprinkling of people of color.

"Here you go," The server said handing him his rum and coke. Her smile was charming and a sincere warmth emanated from her. He leaned in toward her.

"This ain't really my scene. When you go out to kick back and have fun, where do you go?" he asked.

The server leaned her arm on the bar as the bartender began to place her drink orders on her serving tray.

"Places to drink or dance?" she asked.

"Both."

"There's a couple of clubs near the port if you don't want to travel far. What kind of music do you like?"

"Black people," he said smiling at her.

She cracked up.

"Okay, I hear you."

"I know you have to work," he said pulling out his cell phone, "can I have your number and you text me some places?"

"Sure," she said giving him an accusatory look.

"Listen, I'm not trying to use this as a ploy to pick you up or nothin'. I see you have a ring on your finger, Ma."

The woman grinned.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Eva."

"Erik," he said holding out his hand for her to shake.

"I get off work in an hour and some of my friends working here with me are going to a spot you might like."

"I can catch a cab and follow you there," Erik said excited that the night was looking better.

"Tell you what, meet me in front of the hotel in an hour and we'll show you a good time."

She picked up her tray of drinks.

"See you in an hour, Eva."

Erik watched her walk over to their table as Sheryl approached him with one of her friends, an Asian woman named Michelle who had playful eyes and a bubbly personality.

"Running away from us?" Sheryl said.

"Actually, I am going to bounce in a bit," he said.

"Where to?" Michelle asked.

Shit, how to leave without getting anchored to them…

"Meeting up with some folks I made plans with earlier," he said.

"Ah, too bad, we were going to go hang out in town," Sheryl said.

"Yeah, too bad," he said taking a big swig of his rum and coke.

The bar was filling up and the restaurant was catching the final late-night crowd. Erik strolled over to the hotel registration desk and reserved a room. One of Klaue's compound rules was no outside people coming into their world. If the guys wanted to have a little nookie action, they had to keep it outside. Erik decided to be preemptive so it wouldn't be obvious if he did hook up with someone. He texted Klaue to let him know he was leaving.

True to her word Eva and three of her co-workers met him out front. She and her friends were dressed up for dancing. Introductions were given and when Eva's fourth friend showed up with a car, Erik flagged down a cab to follow them.

The spot they were going to wasn't far and Erik waited for them in front of the club while they parked. He went through their names in his head so he wouldn't mix them up, and when they saw him waiting for them, he saw Eva nudge one of her friend's shoulders and the other woman had a shy grin on her face as her eyes snuck glances at him. The bass was already rattling the windows of the place and when Erik followed them inside, he felt right at home. He ordered the women drinks and they grabbed some open seating which was easy because the dance floor was packed.

"You wasn't lying," Erik said very loud so Eva could hear him.

He spent time talking to them all before he was ready to get on the floor. He asked the woman who kept sneaking peeks at him to dance, and he saw a big grin spread on Eva's face.

The woman, Bernadette was cute and gregarious and Erik had fun dancing with her even though it was hard to really groove with so many people around them. They must've hit the Hip Hop segment of the music because the beats kept banging hardcore.

Erik rolled up the sleeves of his thin cotton shirt and Bernadette's eyes grew big when she saw his scars. There was the momentary look of disgust that some people gave him, but then she saw the uniformity of the markings were even on both arms. Her eyes sought his, and he just smiled at her. His eyes flitted around the room and he caught the attention of another woman who was scoping him hard as she rocked her body against a thin brotha with locs longer than Erik's. Her eyes dragged up and down his body. The keloids didn't even make her blink.

The music segued into dancehall and the woman left the guy she was grinding on and walked past Erik. She let her arm brush against his back and he chuckled, but he kept dancing with Bernadette who now didn't appear to care about his scars as she wound her hips and turned around. She tossed her ass back on him and he kept a polite distance between them.

Eva and the rest of her friends joined them and he left them to go to the bar after a few songs played.

He asked for bottled water to keep his head clear and watched the crowd for a moment. The place was full of baddies, and Erik spent time admiring all the shapes and sizes and colors. The music was not for amateurs and he found his hips rocking and his feet lifting in time to the big sounds vibrating his body.

Ninety minutes in, he spotted the woman who needed to be with him. He had noticed her after he went to the restroom, and after sharing another round of drinks with Eva and company.

Tall, thick black locs pulled into a high pigtail that cascaded down her back, her dark brown skin shimmered with sweat and good health. Her thin orange halter top covered tangerine-sized breasts. Her top half was runway model, but that bottom half was hood booty. There was something regal about her that caught his attention. Her whole demeanor screamed Queen and royal badness.

Fuck it.

He sauntered over and asked her to dance.

Her name was Isis and her fingers had no problem trailing up his arms, feeling his scars before she was rubbing her hands on the wide planes of his chest and wrapping her fingers around the nape of his neck. He held three fingers on her waist as an old school lovers rock thumped around them.

They were stuck together the rest of the night, and she had no problem hopping into a cab with him and returning to the Marriott.

He had plenty of condoms on him, and after they showered together and he had her on top of him between the cool sheets of the hotel bed, he realized that being regal on the dance floor didn't always translate to regal sex. She rode his dick like she was trying to film a low-budget porno. It would almost be comical if it weren't for the fact that he was really trying to have good sex.

"Slow down, baby," he whispered as she bounced on him like she was the energizer bunny.

"You're fucking me so good!" she cried out, and he knew this was a lie because he was barely moving because she was so busy trying to do him instead of just being in the moment with him. When he was younger, he was into fucking hard and fast all the time and switching positions constantly, but his grown ass knew how to give the real deal now, and this woman was doing too much for no damn reason.

"Isis, Ma…take your time. We have all night."

He sat up and gripped her shoulders forcing her to stop moving.

"Let me enjoy you, baby," he said circling his hips slowly and thrusting up in unexpected intervals.

His full lips took time to suckle and kiss each small breast, his tongue licking her nipples and his teeth grazing them to make her feel instead of just doing.

"Look how beautiful you are," he whispered to her, raising her up and down by her hips. Her eyes watched his and he saw the internal shift taking over within her. She started wiggling on him again, but this time with intentional moves that were done to help her receive pleasure from him.

"That's it…yeah…just like that…give me that pretty pussy…"

She groaned and her head dropped foreword. When she bounced on him now, it was so much better. He felt his dick sliding up into her easier, his condom slick with fresh wetness from her. Her body was getting in tune with his. Finally.

He made Isis cum twice before he took her from behind finding much-needed release as he filled up the condom, happy to not work out his hand for a change. Isis curled up on him after he disposed of the condom, and he thought of having another tryst, but the passion just wasn't there for him. He wanted to leave and go back to the compound, but he also didn't feel like getting dressed and leaving at three in the morning looking for a cab.

He spent the rest of the early morning listening to Isis breathe on his chest, and when the sun rose, he gave her cab money to return home. She wanted them to have breakfast in the restaurant together, but he told her he had to do a conference call within the hour. They went through the motions of exchanging cell numbers, but the moment she left, he deleted her contact info and went back to sleep.

###

Jamie the compound guard opened the front gate and allowed Kendall and the rest of the three-man gardening crew to drive in.

Yani stood near Jamie waiting to give detailed instructions to her cousin and his co-workers. Klaue was very particular about what he wanted to be done, and she wanted to make sure her cousin stayed within the lines. They were still on a trial basis with the man ever since he fired his last gardener for uprooting some prized yellow cedar and passion fruit flowers that he wanted to grow randomly around the compound. Klaue had a need to have the wild and cultivated plant life side by side.

"Hold up, Kendall," Yani said, stopping him from driving over to the garage.

"Kendall!"

Yani looked over her shoulder and saw Klaue walking up from the front house entrance.

"Hello, Mr. Klaue," Kendall called out.

Yani felt a little nervous watching the man approach them. He wore khaki shorts and a yellow polo shirt, his hair slicked back from being in the shower.

"Did you do something?" Yani hissed under her breath and Kendall shook his head. The other two gardeners shook their heads too.

"Hi, guys. Listen, do you think it would be possible to transplant some pencil bush over to the lower house, like right near the grand window?"

Relieved that nothing had happened to jeopardize their Aunt's reputation for recommending Kendall and crew, Yani backed away from the truck and noticed Erik walking through the front gate. Dark shades covered his eyes and his clothes looked a bit rumpled. His locs were pulled back by a dark hair tie.

"Look what the cat dragged in!" Klaue chuckled.

Kendall drove the truck past them and Yani hung back to be nosey. She didn't see Erik at breakfast when she arrived that morning so she assumed he had slept in. But when the men showed up like this, it only meant one thing: they had been out all night.

Yani wondered what type of woman he would pick up after two days of being on the island. Some fellow tourist, or a local? She knew she should probably get back to the kitchen to help Leona finish chopping food for dinner and organizing the shopping they needed to do to get ready for the rest of the men that were due to arrive in a few days, but Erik took off his sunglasses and the sly look in his eye when he smiled at Klaue made her stay there. Why did his walk of shame look so shameless?

"So none of those beauties we were with last night were good enough for you?" Klaue asked.

"I just needed to get out for a minute."

"Where'd you end up going?"

"A place over in West Charlotte Amalie…Rush…"

Yani felt her lips part when he said that. Rush was the spot for locals. Her people in particular. How did he find it?

"Miss Leona has some lunch saved for you. We can meet up at my place at two. The rest of the guys went snorkeling in Megan's Bay, so we will be able to speak privately….Yani…"

Klaue turned his gaze on her and Yani felt very self-conscious when Erik regarded her too.

"Yes, Mr. Klaue," she said straightening her back, wishing she had fixed the cuff of her red track pants or at least ironed a t-shirt instead of just grabbing the clean one folded over the balcony to dry at her Aunt's apartment.

Klaue stepped closer to her.

"I saw on the gate surveillance streams that you had your baby here the other day. I know I have made myself clear about having outsiders on site. Correct?"

Yani felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment.

"Yes, Mr. Klaue. I had a family emergency. Won't happen again."

"Good. Killmonger. Two."

Klaue left them standing there. She wanted to run into the kitchen and hide, her eyes couldn't even look Erik in his face. He only slipped his shades back on and walked past her, not even speaking.

She trailed behind him into the front house and he ended up going to where she was headed. The kitchen. Leona wore disposable food prep gloves while slicing up bell peppers and cucumbers near the garbage disposal. She stopped cutting when she saw Erik's face and a smile beamed from her.

"Mr. Killmonger, I have a sandwich and fruit salad saved for you."

Yani watched her Aunt head to the refrigerator.

"I can get it Miss Leona, don't let me interrupt you," he said washing his hands in the sink and then opening the fridge door. He pulled out a turkey on croissant plate and a small bowl of mixed fruit. He grabbed a soda and sat at the kitchen table. Yani washed her hands then slipped on gloves herself.

"Mr. Killmonger, go enjoy your meal out on the patio. We're going to be cutting up onions soon. You don't want to be crying in here with us," Leona said.

"I'm good. Don't mind me, cut away."

Leona smiled again and Yani rolled her eyes at her Aunt. She grabbed a clean cutting board along with several red onions and moved to the far end of the kitchen counter where a small cutting table stood.

"Seems like everyone had a good time last night," Leona said.

Yani stared at her Aunt. She normally ignored the men while she worked, keeping her interactions simple. It was an unwritten rule. Better to know very little in case some shit went down. There had been men here before that scared Yani, and her Aunt taught her how to maneuver the compound by being silent most of the time and rarely seen.

But here she was chatting up Erik like he was one of her nephews at their apartment.

"It was okay. I left to hang out at this club—"

"Yani knows the best places to go—"

"Auntie!" Yani snapped.

Leona glanced over at her.

"For true!" Leona said.

Yani felt Erik's eyes on her and she tried to use better concentration while cutting up the onions.

"I went to a place called 'Rush'. You know it?"

"Serious? My nephew Kendall performs there this weekend. Yani used to sing there when she had—"

"Let the man eat, Auntie," Yani said without looking up from the cutting board. She quickly grabbed a piece of bread from the kitchen bread box and stuck a big piece between her lips to absorb the fumes of the onions before her eyes watered.

"My Great-grandmother used to do that," Erik said.

"Oh yeah?" Leona said her eyes darting Yani's way.

"I don't know if it actually works all that well, but my Nana swore by it. I do it when I cook sometimes."

"You cook? Really?" Leona said.

"Yeah. My Nana was pure D Geechee so I grew up in her kitchen…working, not just eatin'."

Leona tittered and tossed her chopped cucumbers into a large mixing bowl. She rinsed her gloves and cutting board, then started in on some white onions.

"What's your favorite thing to cook?" Leona asked.

"I make a mean okra stew."

"Serious?"

"Yeah. Whip that up with some red rice and a good trout fish…hmmmm…some good eats."

"You like okra? Then you'll like how I cook okra. I'll make you some with stewed oxtail—"

"Auntie," Yani said after pulling the bread from her mouth. She was annoyed with the two of them. She just wanted the serene quiet that working in the kitchen normally gave her, the repetitive motion of slicing and dicing relaxing to her. The kitchen was her respite and these two were disturbing her peace.

"Can yuh nuh cut and nuh interrupt mi gyal…"

Leona gave a tongue-lashing that made Yani suck her lips.

"Maybe I should cut everything up myself and you can sit and have a cup of tea with him—"

"Don't talk to your Aunt like that. It's disrespectful," Erik said.

Yani stared at him.

"You not my father," she said enunciating clearly so he wouldn't lose the meaning in her heavy patois.

"Yani!"

Yani's eyes snapped to attention when she heard the shrillness in Leona's voice.

"Mr. Killmonger, please excuse my niece—"

"I'll excuse myself," Yani said pulling off her gloves and tossing them in the trash can. She cleared her cutting board and put the onions in the fridge. Her eyes swept over to Erik, and the glare on his face gave her pause.

Leona kept cutting her vegetables and stayed quiet.

Erik stood up, lifting his plate. He cocked his head to the side, and an eyebrow over his left eye arched up. He looked a little heated.

Yani made a small moan of annoyance in her throat, then sucked her teeth and padded over to Leona.

She kissed her Aunt's cheek.

"Mi no mean nothin', Auntie. No disrespect."

"I know," Leona said kissing Yani's cheek back.

"I'm going to call Twyla, check on Sydette."

Leona took her bowls of cut veggies and placed them in the fridge. Yani stepped near Erik.

"Yah get too comfortable, Killmonger," she said brushing past him.

She didn't like the smirk on his lips or how they teased up his dimples.

"You don't get to call me that. I told you what my name was."

"Asshole?"

His full lips displayed their abundance when he smiled at her. His big white teeth and those gold slugs were the better to chew her up with if he chose to go full wolf on her. They were intimidating but underneath that intimidation was something darker and more sinister that was bubbling up when he put that rough tone in his voice to tell her what to do. He wasn't one to test. He brought his face closer to hers so her Aunt couldn't hear him.

"Watch your mouth, girl. I'll have you calling me Daddy if you keep it up."

The moment the words left his mouth, she felt her milk let down, the sudden warmth and tingling in her breasts catching her off guard, and her hands clutched at her nipples too late, the heavy leaking staining the front of her t-shirt.

Erik's eyes shot down to look at her fingers. Two large and growing spots wet her fingers and she pushed past him, running out of the house through the back patio door, scrambling down the side steps that led to Leona's compound apartment underneath.

She was mortified that Erik saw what happened.

She yanked off her t-shirt and bra, rinsing them off in the bathroom sink and then tossing them into the apartment clothes dryer. Topless and still leaking, she grabbed her breast pump on the tiny kitchen table and Sydette's baby bottles. She cleaned the apparatus and her breasts quickly then sat on the couch and allowed the machine to relieve her milk flow.

She didn't think she could face Erik again.

Her tits were going haywire around him, and he was pushing buttons in her. He irritated her, and when he told her that he would make her call him Daddy…she believed him. She knew the type of men Klaue employed. What made Erik more dangerous than most was that he was beguiling. He didn't have to say or do much to let one know that he should be obeyed. All it took was one eyebrow to lift and his neck to tilt and she was scampering over to her Aunt to make nice quick- quick. Triple quick.

She spent only twenty minutes pumping both breasts and filling up the bottles. She put the bottles in the fridge and cleaned the pump and her chest. Her bra and t-shirt were dry, and after she put them on, she could hear her cousin Kendall calling for her.

She opened the apartment door and Kendall stood there with his garden goggles on, his gloved hands gripping a rake.

"Come get Jerome," Kendall said.

Yani followed him to the middle house where another gardener stood with a hedge clipper down below the pool. Jerome was wedged between a hedge and a row of passion fruit flowers where the men needed to work.

"He won't move," Kendall said resting his weight on the rake.

"He won't even let us work around him," said J.B. who was so ready to clip and move onto the next house.

"Jerome. You know better. Come from there," she said clapping her hands at him.

The iguana turned his head away from her.

"Tuh? That's how you treat me? Your big sister? Jerome!"

He ignored her.

Yani walked past him and grabbed a few leaves from his favorite tree. She crumpled them in her hand and pretended to nibble them, moving further away from where he was.

"I have these delicious leaves all to myself. You want some, Jerome?"

His head turned in her direction slightly and he took a step forward.

"They are so good," she said, pressing the leaves near her mouth.

He still wouldn't leave his spot. Her voice probably didn't sound pleasant to him, probably still tinged with irritation over Erik. She whistled a little tune for him and he scrambled over to her. She fed him the leaves.

"Thank you, Yani!" Kendall called.

"No problem," she called back. She looked above the hedge wall and saw Erik looking down at her from the pool area. He watched her feed Jerome and the look he was giving her made her feel weird.

"Yani, can I talk to you for a minute?" Erik called to her.

No.

That's what she wanted to say. Her cousin Kendall and J.B. glanced over at her.

She didn't want to be near him again. He'd been throwing her off balance since he got there. Stole her water. He'd seen her naked. Saw her boss scold her. Ruined the tranquility of the kitchen. Witnessed her milk soak her clothes. She wanted him to go away.

"Yani, c'mere girl."

Kendall's eyes grew wide at the tone in Erik's voice. He stopped raking the leaves and watched her. She let some of the leaves in her hand drop down for Jerome and she walked back over to the steps that led up to the pool.

Erik had cleaned up and changed clothes. His locs were loose around his head again. His sleeveless white mesh shirt looked comfortable on him with the basketball shorts he sported.

They were alone up in the pool area, but she knew Kendall and J.B. were down below trying to listen. She guided Erik away from the wall and over to the patio furniture.

"I don't want us to start off on the wrong foot with each other," he said. His voice was gentle and she felt comfortable looking him in the eye.

"Me neither," she said.

"I've been crowding your personal space. You seem like the type that likes to be alone, or not around a lot of noise, and I just stepped on your toes with that. I'm usually pretty good at reading people's comfort levels, and I've been ignoring yours. I want to start over. So…peace treaty?"

"I guess," she said.

"Don't guess. I'm going to be here for a while, so I want to get along with you."

"I don't usually interact with the men here."

"I get it, but when we have to, I want us to be cool. Understand?"

"Yeah."

He walked back over to the pool wall and looked over.

"Does Jerome always come to you like that? When you whistle?"

"Yeah."

"It sounds cool when you do it. You add vibrato to it, and a little wobble in there too."

"Yeah."

"I'm into sound, so I notice stuff like that."

"Oh."

"Can you whistle from here and make him come over?"

Yani walked over to the wall and stood next to Erik. They could see Jerome on the grass below still chewing on the leaves she left for him.

Yani puckered her lips and whistled a melody she made up for Jerome when he was a baby, the one that always got him excited and let him know that she was nearby. Jerome stopped eating and lifted his head in the direction of her voice and scuttled over to the wall trying to find her. She made the pitch higher and he looked up, shocking Erik when he scrambled straight up the wall and onto the ledge where they were.

"Okay nigga, damn!" Erik shouted at Jerome.

Yani doubled over with laughter when she saw how fast Erik leaped back from the wall and jumped behind her while grabbing her arms and pushing her toward the iguana for protection. She laughed so hard her stomach muscles began to hurt. She wiped tears from her eyes and they could hear Kendall and J.B. cracking up too.

"I wasn't expecting him to fly over here like that! You should've warned me that this nigga ran track!"

Yani's hand reached out and grabbed Erik's arm while she cackled at his expression even more. When she looked over at Jerome, he stared at both of them and it sent Yani into another fit of laughter. It was the smooth feel of the keloids on his arm that brought her down from her giggle fest.

Erik's body felt warm and she was tempted to run her fingers across the length of his wrist and bicep to see what skin like braille felt like. Could she read an extraordinary story across his chest and back? She released his arm wondering what skin-to-skin contact with those keloids would feel like. Would it feel rough after a time? Did the woman he surely slept with the night before rub her body across his chest? What did it feel like to spoon with him and feel those lumpy scars pressed into one's back? Were they sensitive? Did they itch? If she licked her tongue across a row of them, would they irritate or tickle him?

"I better get back to the kitchen," she said.

He nodded his head but she didn't move. She could hear Kendall and J.B. shuffling down to Klaue's main house. She turned to look at Jerome. Erik was still flighty around him. She had a leaf in her hand. She gave it to Erik.

"Give it to him, he likes being fed by hand," she said.

Erik took the leaf and stood next to her.

"I better not lose a finger…" Erik warned.

He held out the leaf and Jerome's mouth opened wide, his sticky tongue was a brilliant pink. He lunged forward and snapped the leaf out of Erik's hand.

"Oh!" Erik shouted, jumping behind Yani again, his hands gripping her shoulders shoving her forward again. What a wuss.

Jerome scampered back down the wall.

"Is he gone for real?"

"Yeah."

"Don't be saying that and he jumps back up here again."

"Lookie, he's heading over to the trees."

Erik still held her shoulders in a vice grip and his head leaned over her to check for any lying on her part.

"Gone," she said.

"You really are a Dr. Doolittle with him."

His warm breath was in her ear and her body tensed up when she felt a tiny tickle of his scruffy beard on her cheek.

"Mmmphh…" she sighed closing her eyes, her teeth nipping into the side of her bottom lip.

"What's wrong?"

The dulcet sounds of his voice coming from his throat vibrated in her ear and went straight to her chest. She exhaled loudly; the sides of her chest were so aware of his fingers grazing the outside fullness of her breasts. She swallowed hard and stepped backward instead of forward like she meant to and she felt her back press into him. Her fingers slid up her stomach and before she could cover her nipples through her shirt, he could already see what was happening…again.

"Don't cover yourself. I wanna see," he said, and she felt the sensuous pulse of arousal unravel her sense of embarrassment. She let her fingers and hands fall away from her chest.

"Does this happen a lot?" His voice was low, almost a pure growling in her ear.

"Sometimes…a lot more lately," she gasped feeling woozy.

"Does it hurt?"

They both watched her shirt darken, her milk ducts saturating the cotton, the leaking feeling more like a slow trickling the more he spoke to her.

"No."

Her shirt was sticking to her pebbled upturned nipples. It probably wouldn't have been so noticeable, but since she had Sydette, her tips were so much larger than their already big size.

"Damn," he muttered, "can I touch you?"

"I have a boyfriend," she uttered with a paucity of believability in her tone. His soft breath chuckled. He knew she was lying. Truth was, she was dating someone, but they weren't anything official yet, and Chez was still kind of around scaring away potential suitors, but right now, Erik's hands on her shoulders had her tuned up full throttle…

"You don't have to lie, Yani. If you don't want me to touch you, just say so."

She felt her hips winding on their own.

"Yeah…."

"Yeah what?"

"You can touch me."

His fingers slid from the sides of her breasts and lifted them up to feel the heft and weight. Once he started plucking at the wet material and pinching her tips, her hips automatically thrust back and she could feel the outline of his dick pushing back on the crack of her ass.

"Damn, girl," he uttered again. His hands slipped under her shirt and squeezed her fullness. She could feel her nipples weeping over his fingers. He squeezed harder and he pushed his hips into her backside. His dick had grown so much bigger.

His beard was pressed against her temple and his voice was straining to remain cool and calm.

Lifting her shirt up he groaned with the pain of lust as he took in the sight of milk streaming from her nipples.

"You feel me," he whispered, the groan in his throat cut off when she rocked back into him.

She couldn't believe what they were doing. So out in the open. No one was there to watch them; they weren't within view of security cameras. It felt so illicit to be with him, a complete stranger to her, a man who riled up her work life. Now he was playing with her breasts, pinching her nipples, and making her baby’s milk dance in reckless drizzles down her chest.

"Erik…" she whispered, feeling her thighs rub together, knowing her panties were wedged into her folds from her squirming.

"Does this make your pussy wet?"

Her hands shot up to hold his wrists as he plucked and pulled her sensitive tips.

"Fuck it," he croaked.

He spun her around and let his left hand hold up her right breast, while his right hand released his thick erection.

When Yani saw his dick, she thought he was going to fuck her right there, and in her reckless state she would've gone along with him even as she wondered how all of that went into a woman.

But he stroked himself, the pretty darker brown hue of his erection heavy with thick veins. He could probably dagger a bitch to death with that thing.

"You got me so hard."

"Somebody might see us," she said with weak conviction. She didn't care who saw them. She was only now thinking of how this would end. How would they venture on after this was over? Would he treat her different?

"Ahhh, baby…" he grunted, squeezing her nipple and letting the dwindling lactation dribble onto the skin between his thumb and index finger.

Yani found herself squirming, squeezing her thighs together, trying to get friction onto her clit. Erik's eyes saw her hips and legs moving.

"Play with your pussy."

It was a demand.

Her left hand pulled the band of her track pants and panties out while her right hand burrowed deep into her apex.

"Hmmm," she groaned.

"I know your shit is so wet. Make yourself cum. I know you wanna cum, right?"

She nodded, feeling her eyes water from how slick she was down there.

"I wanna fuck you," he uttered under his breath as his eyes closed halfway, still focused on her wet breasts. When those words slipped his lips with such raw need, he gazed up at her face suddenly, and she knew he hadn't meant to say that out loud. He wasn't always in control of himself.

She liked that.

Liked it so much that she started cumming in her own hand, her eyes wet and blurry as she let her mouth fall open and a gurgling sound of pleasure flew from her lips.

"Oh…fuck...Yani…"

Erik's fist pumped his glans and she watched a long ribbon of pre-cum drip down onto the cement between their feet.

"You gon' make me nut right now…"

His hold on her breast tightened, and she kept her body still with her fingers still rubbing wide circles on her sated clit.

"You gon' make me nu-!"

His cum shot out, the heavy spurts hitting her breasts, stomach, and part of her arm. The thick milky semen dripped and mingled with the milk from her breasts painting her silky brown skin with zigzags of vivid dripping white fluid.

"Fffuckkkk!"

The gluttonous sound of his release caught her up in his frenzy, and a whine bubbled up from her throat as she watched the last of his semen spill from his tip.

Deep exhalations and inhalations moved his chest, his hand still circling her breast. His eyes stared at the mess he made on her co-mingling with what came out of her tender nipples. He fixed her bra cups and pulled down her shirt.

"Don't move," he gasped as he fixed his shorts. He walked over to a stack of pool towels on the patio table and grabbed one. He brought it back to her.

"You have a change of shirts here? I can give you one of mine if you don't have anything to change into."

"I have some extra shirts in the apartment," she whispered, still feeling light-headed from his touch.

"Okay, good, I gotta go see Klaue. Go fix yourself up."

Yani threw the towel around her shoulders and let it cover the front of her shirt. Erik watched her face and moved closer to her until he was almost touching her body again. Her skin felt alive and feverish like a brilliant sun was buried deep within her flesh.

What would they be now?

Erik leaned down and kissed her lips. She turned her head away suddenly. Strange. Kissing him felt more intimate than what they had done. Stranger still, she wasn't ready for that level of closeness when he had her head spinning.

For the second time in two days, Yani found herself running away from him.

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part Five] [Part 6]

Tag List:

@fonville-designs @soufcakmistress @cherrystainedlipsbaby @tclaybon @thadelightfulone @allhailqueennel @bartierbakarimobisson @cpwtwot @shookmcgookqueen @yoyolovesbucky @raysunshine78 @the-illllest @terrablaze514 @l-auteuse @amirra88 @jimizwidow

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dontatmethanks · 5 years ago

Text

Part of your world

A leviHan Fic (mermaid AU)

AN: Ah Finally, I give you chapter 4! Sorry it took so long 😭 please enjoy!💕

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Chapter 4

Recruitment day came on Wednesday, and everyone was excited to meet kids. Hange and Petra had helped Nifa decorate the lobby in the main entrance in time for their welcome, complete with a sign that said ‘welcome recruits!” Nanaba put out name tag stickers and little goodie bags for the kids, eager to meet the new interns or servants as she liked to cal them under her breath. Much to Erwin’s displeasure.

Hange was in the middle of working Levi through his exercises. He was in the water, back against the rocks. He lifted his tail up above the water and held it there for a few seconds before dropping back down, exhaling profusely. He did this multiple times until Hange stopped him at the three minute mark. This exercise kept his tail flexible enough to make up for his missing tail fin.

“Good job, Levi.” Hange praises him and squats down next to him. He grimaces in pain slightly and sinks into the water, head tilting back and pants softly.

“Tomorrow we do weights.” She tells him and he groans and glares at her.

“Are you trying to kill me you shitty human?” He whines, eyebrows pinching, and she giggles.

“Nah just trying to help you get stronger.” Levi huffs, looking up at the parted clouds in the sky.

Hange takes a moment to examine him closer. She looks at his facial features as he stares up at the sky above him, his gaze has gone soft, almost unguarded. His steel eyes are half lidded, full fluttery lashes brush against his pale cheeks as he blinks. Thin eyebrows are relaxed, matching dark, silky looking hair flutters against his pointed ears. Hange blinks slowly, her eyes remain glued to him unable to look away.

‘He’s a very good looking specimen.’ She thinks.

What? Hange double takes.

WHAT?!

Before Hange can even comprehend what just happened, Levi swivels his head to meet her gaze and she freezes, cheeks bursting into flames. Levi raises an eyebrow at her and opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted by her phone chiming from her bag. Hange praises the whatever power that was above the as she practically launches herself away from the mermyd and rummages in her bag.

It was Moblit who sent her a message that the recruits have arrived. She jumps in excitement, causing Levi to give her a weirded out look.

“Ah, Levi!” She yells at him, twirling around to look at him.

“What is it shitty glasses, you’re freaking me out.” He chides at her.

“We have some newcomers coming to the center, kids actually. They’re going to be volunteering here for the rest of the year.” She explains to him, her big smile never wavering.

Levi gives a her blank stare, not understanding a word that came out of her big mouth.

Hange scratches her head, “basically these kids are going to be helping us with our work. They learn about this place as they go, and we help them find opportunities for their future.”

Levi blinks, children? Human children? He internally shudders.

“As long as they don’t place their filthy hands on me or the water I don’t care.” He drawls in a monotone voice. Hange tilts her head at him curiously.

“It’s okay for them to meet you?” She asks him slowly. He nods, making her smile so bright it almost blinds the mer.

Hange leaves him to his own devices and heads to the main building in a frenzy. When she makes her way into the lobby Nanaba and Mike are already greeting the kids. Hange stops to take them in. There are seven of them, eyes wide as the juveniles look around the main lobby. Hange can feel their excitement raidiating off of them in waves.

Hange worms her way next to Nanaba near the front desk, Erwin is there too His voice booming as he introduces himself. When he catches sight of her he gestures for her to come foward, she happily obeys and walks infront of the young teens.

“This is Dr. Hange Zoë, She is the head of our research and rehabilitation department.” He tells them and Hange gives them a huge wave and her best grin.

“Hello everyone, I’m so glad you chose to volunteer with us, we’re going to have lots of fun and learn so many new things!” Hange’s energy is ecstatic.

“She will be showing you a tour first, please make sure to write your names on a name tag. We’ll have ID’s ready for you by next week”. Erwin finishes with a clap of his large hands. The kids all began to murmur in excitement with each other as Petra handed them each a blank name tag and a marker.

Once all the kids had their name tags, Hange raised her arm and pointed towards the elevator.

“Alright everyone! Single file into the elevator, the tour has commenced!” Hange, Nanaba and Mike showed them the their way around the main building before making their way to the medical wing.

“While you guys won’t be dealing with a lot of the patchwork, you will be assisting with things like helping to transport patients in and out of their enclosures when medical assistance is needed.” Hange explained to them, stopping near one of the medical rooms.

“Who knows? Maybe Dr.Petra will give you an opportunity to sit in as well.” Hange says, giving Nanaba a sly grin, who responds with an equally devious expression.

One of the teens raises their hand, it was a boy with straight blonde hair that almost reached his shoulders. He had bright, ocean blue eyes that shined curiously underneath his bangs.

“Yes? Er-” Hange craned her neck to read the name off of his name tag. “Armin!”

The boy smiled shyly and nodded before asking, “eh-um, I read on your website that you guys take in a broad range of species that are mostly aquatic and that you specialize in the more unique err-specimens.” The boy behind him groaned. His short hair had an ash blondish almost light brown color to it.

“Really Armin, you can’t even wait until after the tour for questions?”

The girl next to him socked him on his shoulder with her tiny fist. She too was blonde like Armin, hers was a little longer and tied in a loose ponytail over her shoulder. She was the smallest of the group but it seemed that she packed a punch. The boy rubbed his shoulder and was about to yell at her bofore the boy on the other side of the girl gave him a murderous glare. He had shaggy brown hair and piercing teal eyes.

“Shut up Jean.” The boy tells him and the the other boy-Jean-attempts to grab at the teal eyed boy. He stops in his tracks when he meets the steely glare of another girl who stood on the other side of the teal eyed boy.

“Touch Eren and you’re going to be single for the rest of the summer.” The girl’s voice almost sounded sinister. She was asian, with short dark hair that ended just below her ears. A long fringe fell over her face just between her grey colored eyes. “I wasn’t even gonna do anything Mikasa, gosh.” Jean said and crossed his arms in an angry pout.

Hange laughed, “It’s alright, I’ll answer any questions that you guys have throughout the tour.” She turns to Armin, who perks up instantly.

“You’re definitely right, we do specialize in the more special cases and species.” They’re moving towards the other side of the campus now, where the enclosures are.

“Most of our patients indeed are the usual specimens like dolphins seas turtles and sharks, ranging from the more endangered to the more common.” She stopped near the gate of the patient area, there was a large sign that read ‘Authorized personnel only’ in front of it.

As they made their way through the area the kids ogled at the various enclosures that they passed. Mike introduced them to Hans, a 50 year old Hawksbill sea turtle. He was brought to them two years ago with a missing flipper and a fractured shell. The teens were in awe when Nanaba introduced the to Winnie, a vampire squid aka Vampyroteuthis infernalis. Nanaba had found her when she was a little polyp in some sketchy ‘exotic’ pet store. She was in terrible condition, the owner kept her in a cramped tank that was never cleaned. So Nanaba bought her and brought her in and they’ve had her in their care ever since.

Hange then leads them to Sawney and Bean’s enclosure. The two reef sharks were very curious and immediately taken a liking to the new recruits. Hange was not surprised in the slightest, she let the kids feed them a couple of baby squids.

They stop at enclosure that was built underground, Hange turns towards the group of unsuspecting teenagers and grins.

“You guys are going to love the next few patients.”

Mike opens the heavy steel door of the enclosure’s entrance that leads to some stairs. Hange leads the group inside, the space is huge, the walls weren’t walls they were giant tanks that connected into one big watery enclosure above ground.

One of the teens presses her face against the side of the glass. It’s a girl with hair as brown as Hange’s that’s tied up into a high ponytail and long bangs that framed her face.

“There isn’t anything in here.” She says, eyes scanning through the deep blue water. Before anyone can retort, a large figure swims pass them. All the kids jump and gasp at the looming figure.

The creature was very large. The head resembled that of a horse, it’s tail was long and adorned with flowy skirt like fins. It had two front webbed ‘legs’ and a beautiful blue and green color pattern across its entire body. The group of kids were left with their mouths hanging open at the sight.

“Meet June, she is a Scottish water horse.” Said hange.

“Otherwise known as a Kelpie. She’s a total sweetheart, pretty old in age but loves to play fetch with pool toys.” Hange giggles as June swims closer to the group and snorts at them, creating little bubbles in the water. The kids became more enraptured with June, they all crowded near her as she curiously eyed them while swimming around in happy movements.

Hange explained to them that she was the subject of an illegal traveling circus, they had her as some kind of exhibit. When they were shut down she was brought here because she had spent her entire life in captivity and knew nothing about surviving alone in the wild. Kelpies usually stick with their mothers for a while before going off on their own, June never got to experience that.

“Hey, she kind of looks like Jean.” A boy with a buzz cut teased and everyone in their group except Jean burst out in a fit of giggles. Jean grabbed the boy and pressed his knuckles against his head.

“Say that shit agin Connie.”

He only laughed as Jean rubbed his knuckles against his head.

As the group made their way through the entire campus Hange would answer their questions with gusto. Sasha, the girl with the brown ponytail, asked about lunchtime and Hange told them that she had one more patient to introduce to them before lunch.

As they approach Levi’s enclosure Hange stops and turns to them.

“Our next stop is another special, have any of you heard of the ‘Homo Aquatis Melusine’?

The blonde haired girl perked up and shot her hand up. Hange took a peek at her name tag.

“Historia!”

Historia’s cheeks colored a little before answering in a small voice, “you mean Mermaids?”

Hange nodded with a smile. “Ah yes indeed, mermaids, merfolk, water people, Triton’s children. We’ve created many names for them, yet we still have very little knowledge about them. Mermyds are extremely stubborn and highly unpredictable, so I ask you to please be mindful. This one has been through trauma and is making a difficult recovery. This is the first Mer to be in our facility so we are still learning the ropes around caring for him.”

The teens are practically vibrating with pent up curiosity, hange grinned a little.

“No way, you mean we’re actually going to be working with a Mermyd?” Eren practically yelled, Hange Cringed.

“Yes and no, he is a difficult case. I will have at least one of you assisting me once in a while so he won’t be too overwhelmed.” She responds

“I read that they can be dangerous.” Said Armin, Hannge looks at him curiously. While she was sure that Levi was definitely a force when he was in the wild, she wouldn’t say that he’s dangerous now that he’s in rehabilitation.

Hange hums, “Yes they are. Like any other wild creature, including us, they have the tendency to react violently when it comes to difficult situations.

She claps her hands together, “Now, I’m going to have you guys change into wetsuits, just as a precaution.”

As Nanaba and Mike hand out suits to the kids and direct them to the bathrooms, Hange makes her way into Levi’s enclosure.

She smiles when she notices that he is in his hammock reading-er- attempting to read one of the books she left him. The mer squints at the letters in front of him, small lips attempting to pronounce each word.

“The cat in the hat, that’s a classic.”

He looks up at her and squints.

“What do you want?”

Hange pouts at him, “I’m giving the new volunteers a tour, you’re up.”

Levi freezes, his usually guarded expression cracks a little. Hange puts up her hands.

“They’re not going to be in here, they’ll be up there.” Hange says to him while pointing at the observation deck above the water. He visibly relaxes. Hange bends down to examine his tail, carefully telling her fingers over the bandage.

“How’s it feel?” She asks him softly, looking up at him. Levi stares back at her, his tail twitches slightly under her touch but he does no pull away this time.

“It’s better, doesn’t hurt as much like before, but it’s uncomfortable to swim with.”

Hange hums and unconsciously strokes the scales of an uninjured area of his tail. Levi’s breath hitches slightly and he shivers making Hange snatch her hand back.

“I’m sorry did I hurt you?” She apologizes but Levi shakes his head, cheeks redden slightly. Hange let’s out a sigh of relief.

“Good, hehe” she stands and checks her watch, “Okay the kids should be finished changing by now.”

Levi buries his face back into his book. Hange scoffs and moves the book away from his face. He glares at her.

“Hey, don’t be a pouty fishy, human interaction will be good for you.”

The Mer rolls his eyes.

“Are a bunch of snotty human brats supposed to magically heal me?” He says before crossing his arms against his naked chest.

“No, but it will make it easier. They’re nice kids.”

Levi looks back her, she giving him a small sad smile. Her chocolate eyes gaze at him warmly and it stirs something up inside him . He feels hot all over again, he sighs.

“Alright, But if anyone one of them even sticks a finger inside the water I won’t hesitate to bite it off of them.”

Hange laughs one of her bubbly and breathy laughs that make her eyed crinkle behind her glasses and he shoulder shake.

And the Mermyd could only stare at the goofy four eyed human, as she continued to cause whatever was happening inside his chest to flutter rapidly against his will.

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

AN: Aaaaaand scene! Look at Levi blush hehehheee 😈 and yessss our fav teens have finally arrived! Let’s just hope Levi doesn’t chew any of their fingers off hehee.

Thanks for reading, see you in the next chap!😘

Part 5

#POYW

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artisticestheticreads · 5 years ago

Text

The Heat of Trinidad (1)

A/N: IT’S M’BAKU SATURDAY!!!!!! This is the official first chapter of my very first M’Baku series. In this chapter, the leaders of Wakanda are sent to various locations to help make the world a better place. M’Baku is sent to a place way different from home but sees a vision for sore eyes. I hope y’all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

WARNING: none..yet

SONG RECOMMENDATION: Ola by Olatunji

It was a breezy, sunny day in Wakanda and in the Royal Palace, all the council members were in attendance. The Dora Milage stood in a neat, precise along with the Jabari Tribe. King T’Challa was on his throne with his ambassador and Prince of Wakanda, N’Jadaka, to his left and the Great Lord himself, M’Baku, to his right. M’Baku had no choice but to wear clothing supplied to him by the Wakandian seamstresses, to respect the elders. He sat there in a chocolate tone sweater, matching slacks and shoes made by Shuri herself. “Now, as I have said before, we need to help supply our brothers and sisters all over the world which is why the WPS will assign an agent into each and every part of major police departments to teach those dumb idiots how to actually protect and serve...for everyone”, N’Jadaka said as he stood with a hologram in front of him as he wore an all-black attire like M’Baku but his sleeves were rolled up and accents of gold throughout the shirt and loafers.

T’Challa nodded, still seated and said “thank you, Prince N’Jadaka. Very good work.” N’Jadaka nodded and sat as T’Challa stood. “Council, as the King of our country, I will be assigning each official here to each part of the world to talk to each president, royal figure or whoever is in charge. Then in a few months, I will be going to the UN to finalize everything.” T’Challa looked around before looking at M’Baku who seemed bored out his mind. His heavy legs swung back and forth, wide apart and his arms rested on each armrest of his wooden chair. T’Challa stood with his hands behind his back and said “Lord M’Baku, would you like to proceed with plans?” When T’Challa sat, M’Baku watched him. He took a deep breath and sat up slightly, hands folded before standing.

“Alright then, while we are gone the Queen Mother will be in charge until T’Challa is back. My tribe will stay behind to protect while the Dora Milage except for Oya will be with each one of us. Of course, the warriors will be back after flying us out. We have been randomly assigned to a different party in the world. According to Brother T’Challa, we will be there for a few months as we watch our assigned areas. He thinks it will be better if we get to know them as much as we can and report back to him the process of our agent’s work; before and after.” He slouched back into his seat and tilted his head towards the king. “Ah, well then. Princess Shuri has randomly selected through her database of each area and paired with each of us. She had no say so. Is this correct”, T’Challa said and Shuri nodded as she stood.

“Each of our results will be transmitted from my lab to our beads telling us where we are headed off to tomorrow afternoon. Each one of our ships will be disguised as aircraft from each place so we won’t cause any unwanted attention. No need pack because since we have all your measurements, you will have supplied you all with everything you need. We won’t know where we will be until we are on our flights”, she said before sitting. T’Challa’s arms lied beside him when he asked “any questions”. He didn’t even get to finish because M’Baku interrupted. “With all due respect, why on Earth do we all need to go?” T’Challa looked at N’Jadaka and the prince explained “if T’Challa, Shuri and I all went alone it would take almost eight months to go to every part of the world. We need to help our fellow brothas and sistas fast before we become extinct.”

M’Baku said “alright but why can’t we know where we are going now and why do we have to wait until we are onboard to know where we are going? I thought your ‘technology’ is ‘perfect’ and ‘efficient.” Shuri said “well since there is so many of us, the system might take a little longer. But no worries, the system also has matched each of us where it thinks we will fit best.” The meeting went on until M’Baku stood in front of the window; T’Calla and Erik walked to his opposite sides. “Looks like you not up for helping us out, brotha”, N’Jadaka noticed. M’Baku folded his arms and said “the last time we tried to help the world, half of the world was almost dusted. We should have stayed to ourselves.” T’Challa placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder and said “well, you did help in the battle, brother. You provided Queen Mother a helping hand and did what you could.”

M’Baku still stood there in thoughts as his brothers continued to talk. M’Baku hated change, he wasn’t sure why. He just did. That very night, he sat in his dining area alone eating dinner, all alone as usual. Being so, he was comfortable doing so. Once he was done with dinner, he showered and lied in bed in the nude as the cool mountain air kissed his skin, causing him to sleep. The next morning, a knock on his door woke him up. He stood from his bed and wrapped a towel around his waist before making his way. The knocking stopped once he opened the door to see one of the Dora Milaje and a member of the WPS, N’Jabu. N’Jabu was about twenty-four years of age, 6′1 and around 230 lbs. “Morning, Lord M’Baku. The Royal Family has given us your clothing for departure” the young man said handing him a wooden box. “We leave in an hour. We will be on the aircraft waiting.”

With that, they left M’Baku to get dressed. Once he was back by his bed, he opened the box; it made him raise his brow, unamused. Meanwhile, T’Challa was in an all-black suit with a grey tie and black dress shoes outside the rides. Shuri was in orange camouflage pants with a black tank, jean jacket and skater shoes on his left. N’Jadaka wore a navy blue hoodie, jeans and Adidas Superstars with his dreads braided and grill in. M’Baku walked out and Shuri turned to greet him. “Good morning, Great Gorilla Brother.” T’Challa turned along with N’Jadaka who put his shades on. “Goddamn, that shirt is bright as hell, bruh.” Shuri laughed as she raised her beads up recording everything. “Peter and MJ have to see this.” M’Baku was in a bright red wife-beater with a pair of black swim trunks on and sandals.; his face serious and aggravated.

“I do not find this funny. Not. At. All”, he walked towards them and looked down at Shuri, who still recorded. “Where in colonizer hell are we all going? I need to know why I am dressed like this.” N’Jadaka said “well, my results came in last night. I’m going to LA, again” with his hands in pockets. “Yeah, mine came in too. I will be in New York City with Nyla. She’s already there so yeah. And I might even get to hang with Peter and the crew as well”, Shuri said. “And, I and Okoye will be in Washington”, said T’Challa as Okoye stood behind in an all-black suit like the Secret Service. “Well, mine has not come in at all and I am highly disturbed.” Shuri rolled her eyes before signaling before going to her flight. M’Baku looked around at all the officials who bored and saw all the ridiculous clothing.

Soon everyone boarded and buckled in. N’Jabu wore something similar to him and Laya wore a pilot uniform. M’Baku rubbed his temples as he sat still waiting for his results. “Lord M’Baku. Please prepare for take-off”, Laya said over the intercom and they were off. M’Baku sat back in his seat trying to look over at the window but found it difficult since he sat in the middle of the ship. N’Jabu sat in the corner reading in M’Baku’s eyes sight on the right. “What are you reading over there, young man”, he asked and his agent looked up. “Our manual for assisting the officiants, Lord M’Baku. Agent Nyla Miller wants to make sure we do our job correctly, sir.” M’Baku nodded and said “carry on” before he leaned on his right hand.

Once he started to fall in a deep slumber, he heard his beads beep a few times. The lights flashed and generated as the ship changed to a plane aircraft and M’baku stood up, still watching and moving to the window seat available. Finally, the words were readable and his eyes squinted until he looked outside.”Trinidad and Tobago”, he said to himself. He looked to the view below and saw how clear it looked. The water was an ombre of teal, blue and aqua. The trees stood tall and so green he couldn't believe it. The plane landed on a private landing strip of the Piarco International Airport. Once they were safely down, the pilot announced “we have landed in bright and sunny Trinidad and Tobago. Good luck on your months here, Lord M’Baku and N’Jabu”; M’Baku did not want to leave that plane.

When N’Jabu and M’Baku left the plane, a short, older woman with a light complexion stood with a group of men, both secret service and to help with luggage. She wore a navy print skirt suit and her braids up and away from her face. “Hello, gentleman. I am Paula-Mae Weekes, the president of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Welcome to our country, Lord M’Baku, and Agent N’Jabu.” She held out her hand to be shaken and they took it. “Lord M’ Baku, you and the Agent you have brought will be staying at one of the best-gated communities you have to offer. You both will have separate housing to yourselves for your stay.”

“Thank you, President Weekes. It is a pleasure to be sent here instead of the US and having to meet their ‘president’.” She softly smiled and said “yes. I bet it is. Now, let us drop you off so you can get used to the country and all we have to offer.” The men began to pack their things in the car and as the President gave them a tour, M’Baku all the murals around town. “I see you like art. Every mural is done by one of this country’s best artists, Rae, and the youth’s art group. You may see them around from time to time.”

“Rae, I like that. Strong name. Very good. Very good.”

They soon arrived to see a one-story yellow home with white roofing a nice cut green grass. There were shrubs around with a garden of yellow dandelions next to the entrance. M’Baku looked around to see everything so bright and lively; he saw the change and despised it but kept a poker face. “Okay, the front home will be for the Lord and the back home is all yours, N’Jabu.” N’Jabu bowed his head to the president and they thanked her before she left. M’Baku walked into his new for the next few months and saw the dark-toned kitchen that was completely different from the outside. The tile was an onyx marble against the oak hardwood island and countertop. He checked the cupboards to see red and white dishes already washed and stacked.

The drawers below had plenty of silverware for a family of five and tools for baking and cooking all alike. He walked around to find the study, very calming and nature-filled with ferns in every corner of the room. The bathroom had an earthy tone as well with wasabi shade on the walls and accents of brown and gold essentials around. When he went into the bathroom where all his luggage was, he walked into see a cream wall color surrounding him but what caught his eyes was the bed. It was a tall canopy with sheer, cream drapes around it. The bed itself looked like it can hold three of him and he gave a side smirk.

His kimono beads lit golden shade which indicated that N’Jadaka was calling. “Hello, brother N’Jadaka. How is Los Angeles so far”, he asked settling in the plush sheets. “Ah, man. Just like what I remember. So, I see ya made it. Where did they send you?”

“Trinidad and Tobago.”

“Ah, man. That’s way different than the mountains, big man. Ya think you can handle it?” M’Baku stood at the back window looking out to see the big tall trees and a pool in the pavement. “I can manage”, he responded with a smirk. He decided to sleep the entire day and get to know Trinidad better the next. He showered after his call with the Prince and lied in the nude, falling asleep like he usually did.

The next morning, his eyes open to the curtains blowing inwards. The air was humid yet relaxed him. He slowly stood, every muscle at attention and stretched his limbs. Making his way to the bathroom, the Lord looked into his closet to see a buttondown shirt with various colors and beige shorts. He rolled his eyes but decided to just get it over with. After his morning routine, he dressed up and realized that the shirt looked like too much; he unbuttoned it to show off his body. He looked into the mirror to see the outfit and was impressed, didn’t look too bad but who was he kidding. He is M’Baku, he makes everything look good.

He slipped on the shoes Shuri gifted him to match any outfit by simply scanning the garment and matching it; the pair changed to a red tone. He looked over to the vanity and saw a wooden box. The note was in Xhosa but he read it in English. “Can’t have you lookin’ like anyone else. Thank me later. -The Prince of all Princes.” He rolled his eyes as he opened the box and saw a gold, thin chain with an ankh dangling from it. His eyebrow rose and he held it in his hand. He placed the jewelry on saw that it actually made his copper skin shimmer and pop.

He decided to walk into town where President Weekes gave them a tour. He walked amongst the many of people. Whether they were short or tall, plump or skinny, light or dark, the all looked they belonged on the island. He walked over to a mural of Mother Nature with an afro and tending to animals. He had to admit it was an impressive piece of art. Once he looked around the corner, he saw a group of children in baggy clothing, covered in paint walking somewhere. He went back to looking at Mother Nature when he heard the most beautiful voice ever. Her voice was so soft and her accent was so soothing. “Okay, children. I loved all the colors each one of ye has chosen’. What do ya tink we should call it, eh?” All the little hands went up and she looked to see who to chose. She saw a lighter complexion child and chose her. “I tink we should call it, um, ‘Aura’.” The older 5′10 woman looked to the painting and said “Aura? Mandy, that is beautiful.”

“Mine was better, Miss Rae”, a little boy spoke up and she placed her hand on her wide hips. “Is dat right? And what was the name you came up with, hm, Randal?” The liitle boy shrugged and said “colors”; the group laughed and Miss Rae shook her head, smiling. “Silly boy. Maybe next time. I guess that will do for today, everyone. Go ahead to the bus and they will take ye back to the center while I clean up. See ye all tomorrow.” She waved to the class as the driver navigated them on the bus and drove off. She stood alone with her arms folded stepping away from the piece.

Rae wore a pair of jean overalls that had the straps down, a mustard yellow turtleneck muscle tee and her Converse were covered in paint, legs as well. She took a tiny paintbrush from her deep pockets and dipped in the black paint before climbing the on to the ladder. M’Baku walked slowly to her, just watching. Her skin was bronze, golden like the most desired treasure known to man. Her bone structure was so precise with a slight extra chin underneath. The apple of her cheeks was so adorable and raised when she smiled slightly. With her hair pulled pack into a low bun, he can observe her features more. He walked to stand behind her, noticing the slight sag of her heavy breasts. As he stood behind her, he noticed the thickness of her thighs, the fluffiness of her bottom and the slight jiggle in her arms.

When he looked up to see her painting, he met her dark orbs and she looked down at him. The sun above cast a halo around her head. “Can I help ye”, she asked and he stood frozen. She placed her brush behind her ear and stepped down to look at him. “Hello, sir. Are ye lost or someting?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am. I just saw you were painting and jus thought I watch you work. It is very beautiful.” She nodded and looked him up and down. “Tank you. I’m Raelyn but everyone calls me Rae”. She held out her hand to be shaken and he did so. “My name is-” She held her hand up and said “I know who ye are. Ye are Lord M’Baku of Wakanda.” He looked to her and said “how did you know that?”

“I do watch TV, Sir M’Baku. The president announced it last week.”

“So, how come people are not all over me? I’m used to people doing as such.” She looked around and said “maybe because ye look like one of us. Ye could easily just be another islander. That should be a good thing. Ye don’t unwanted attention.” He looked to her with a slight shrug. “Well, since ye want to watch do ye mind holding the ladda fuh me”, she asked as she climbed back up and he placed his arms to secure it more with his foot. “What are you doing to the painting if you don't mind me asking?”

“I’m usin’ black paint to outline what the kids did to make their colors pop more. It makes it look cleaner and more polished. I do this to every mural they create then it becomes a whole picture.” He watched as she continued and something in his gut asked why is she so beautiful? “So, Miss Rae, you work at the youth center? What is that like?” She looked down as she still painted and said “I love art. I love kids so it’s a dream to do this. Molding their minds to become bright and wise individuals.” And she loves children and art, just the perfect woman. “Your partner must be very proud.”

“If that is ya way of asking if I am attached to someone, I am not.”

“Oh really? Why?”

She looked back to him as she stepped down and said “ye know. For a ‘Lord’, ya ask a lot of questions” with a tilt of her head and squinted eyes. “I am a very curious person. I like to know how things work.”

“Well, curiosity killed the cat.”

“Maybe I care like any other person, Lady Rae.” She turned to clean up and retract her ladder before stepping to him. “Ya know, M’Baku. My mudda has always told me that there is a difference between caring and being nosey.” She started to walk to her black pick up truck, packing everything inside as he watched. “How can I see you, again? I mean when can I see you again?” She turned to him with a straight face and said “don’t worry. Ye will find me, only if it’s meant to be.” She walked over to her driver’s side, honked her horn once and drove off. He looked over to the painting to see she had painted a woman with her hands out to her hands out and eyes to the sky. He wondered how can she be this extraordinary then said to himself “I need to see her again.”

*𝒯𝒜𝒢𝒢𝐸𝒟 𝐿𝒪𝒱𝐸𝒮*

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#M'Baku #m'baku x reader #m'baku x oc #m'baku series #The Heat of Trinidad series #bp fandom #bp fanfic #artisticestheticreads

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