#i went on a trek w the lowest of expectations and it was one of the best experiences of my life | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

quickspinner · 4 years ago

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Blue Lightning

This is a sequel to Pink Frosting and while it should be mostly self-explanatory, it will make more sense if you read that story first.

Happy birthday to one of our lovely, dedicated fandom cheerleaders and fellow writer, @bloody-no-kissu! I'm a bit late but I hope you enjoy it anyway. <3

This fic was inspired by a few things. One of the @mlweeklyprompts a few weeks back was Trope: Blankets/Shirt Collar Shifting Just Enough To Have Bandages Peeking Out, and there was also this really cool video of a strong lady dancing in roller skates going around, plus it was Bloody's birthday and she inspired the original Pink Frosting fic, so all of those influences just came together to inspire and motivate this fic. I hope you enjoy!

Read it on AO3 | Fiction Master Post

Luka hummed to himself as he left the boat, which wasn’t unusual, but there was an extra bounce in his step as he began the familiar trek to the T&S Bakery. Because it was Wednesday, and Wednesday was his unofficial date night with his extremely very official girlfriend.

Girlfriend. The grin that split his face wasn’t at all in line with his reputation for being calm and easygoing. He and Marinette were dating. Luka would never get tired of that thought. He was dating Marinette and she was his girlfriend and it was everything he’d ever pictured in idle, wistful daydreams.

Man, he felt lucky. He’d been in love with Marinette for years, but no matter how close they became as friends, she never seemed ready to cross that line. Luka had just accepted that it wasn’t going to happen, and tried to just be the best friend he could be to her, right up until she flung herself right across that line and into his arms and kissed the daylights out of him. It still gave him goosebumps thinking about it, even though they’d been dating for months now.

Luka greeted Sabine on his way through the bakery, waving to Tom behind her, and then puffed his way up the frankly indecent number of stairs it took to reach Marinette’s room. Her door was open and he knew she was expecting him, so he just called a greeting as he peeked in cautiously.

“Hi, Luka,” Marinette said distractedly. She was leaning half into her closet, reaching for something above her head. “One sec, I just need to get this down.”

“Do you need a hand?” Luka asked, lips quirking in amusement as he came the rest of the way into the room. Marinette gave him a dirty look over her shoulder and he just grinned innocently back at her, folding his arms across his chest.

“No, I got it,” she grunted, rising up on her toes and catching the edge of the box with the tips of her fingers. Luka’s eyes automatically flicked to the hem of her shirt as it rode up, expecting a glimpse of toned muscle rippling under smooth skin, but that wasn’t the view he got.

“Here we go,” Marinette sighed, bringing her heels back down and turning to set the box on her desk.

Luka was beside her before he’d even made a conscious decision to move. He caught her arm and lifted it out of the way, pulling her shirt up to expose her side.

“Luka!” she gasped, jerking away and shoving her shirt back down, but they both knew it was too late.

Luka straightened and looked at her, lips tight. She blushed and folded her arms, turning away from him a little, tugging the hem of her shirt lower. Not that it mattered. He’d already seen, and as much as he preferred to let Marinette have her space and come to him when she was ready to talk about things...but, well, he was human, and seeing her hurt was not something he could just let go.

“Marinette,” Luka said, his voice tight though he tried to keep it calm. “What happened?”

“Nothing important,” Marinette shrugged, and then she shrank under his gaze. “I just fell.”

“How hard did you fall,” Luka asked, one fist clenching as bad memories flooded in, “That you needed bandages on your ribs?”

Marinette pressed her lips together and stepped back from him a little. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Maybe not,” he sighed, fighting the urge to catch her and pull her back. “I’d like to think by now you should have a little faith that I’ll try, though.”

She blushed at that, and looked ashamed, her gaze falling to her feet. Luka sighed again and forced his fingers open, then tilted her chin up to meet his eyes. “Just tell me, Marinette,” he said, some of the hurt he was trying to hide seeping into his voice. “Do you really feel like whatever happened is so bad that you can’t share it with me? Haven’t I always supported you?”

Her eyes flicked up to the pink-tipped locks falling over his forehead, and she flushed with shame. “Of course you have,” she murmured, shoulders slumping.

“Then please, trust that I’ll be here for you however you need,” Luka urged, letting his hand fall to take hers. He tugged her gently over to her chaise and they sat down together as Luka considered his words. “I’ve always tried to let you talk about things in your own time, but I’m really kind of scared right now. I haven’t seen you hide an injury like this since—” Since she’d been fighting supervillains and bullies on the regular. Not that he was supposed to know about that first part. “Since the bad days.”

“No,” Marinette sighed, bringing her hands up to frame his face. “It’s not—not like that, Luka. It’s just...well...stupid. I feel stupid. I did something stupid and I didn’t want to tell you and now you’re upset with me.”

“I’m upset that you were hiding that you were hurt,” Luka told her, putting his hands over hers. “I—you know I hate to pressure you, but you’re hurt and I’m not feeling very reasonable about it.”

Marinette chewed her lip and looked away with a sigh and a defeated expression. “It’s really not a big deal. Not like you’re thinking anyway. I really did just fall. On my skates.”

Luka blinked. “Your roller skates?” he asked stupidly, and Marinette rolled her eyes at him.

“Yes, my roller skates. I was wearing pads but I...well I was trying a trick I saw one of the other girls do, but I didn’t land it, and I hit the rail on my side, and…” And she had enough experience with rib injuries after everything that happened that she’d just taped herself up and gone on. But—

“So this happened at derby practice?” Luka asked, confused about why she would try to hide it, especially if the rest of the team knew.

Marinette winced. “No. After derby practice. After everyone else was gone.”

Luka’s frown deepened. “You tried a new trick without anyone spotting you? Without anyone even coaching you? While you were alone?”

Marinette sighed, pulling her hands away and turning away from him. “And that’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

Luka sat there for a moment, lips pressed together, and then he stood up abruptly. “I need a minute,” he said shortly, crossing her room and jerking open the trap door. He went down the stairs quickly, and paced in the living room where he didn’t have to hide the thunderous expression on his face. Part of him wanted to yell at her, to lecture her, to tell her how stupid and irresponsible that had been, and what if she had hit her head and there had been no one there to find her? He knew from his own ice skating experience that you couldn’t just pick up a jump without coaching, without having someone to break it down for you and show you how to achieve it safely.

And why would she do something like that, especially after how hard she had to work to convince her friends and family that she could be trusted on skates at all without killing herself? She finally convinced them, all of them, that she wasn’t a disaster waiting to happen, that she could actually be good at something physical. Luka had seen it; he’d been there at every bout and seen the way her friends had slowly gone from skepticism to grudging respect to enthusiasm.

Finally, Luka stopped pacing and put his hands over his face, taking a moment to breathe and calm down. He needed to hear Marinette out and freaking out wasn’t going to do anybody any good. The last thing he wanted to do was damage her trust in him.

She looked miserable when he came back into her room, curled in on herself, one hand on her injured side and staring at the floor. It broke his heart a little and Luka sighed to himself as he crossed over to her, sitting back down in his place beside her. He cupped her cheek and raised her face so he could look in her eyes. Her lashes were wet and he hated it.

Luka leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull away if she liked, but she only closed her eyes and let her cheek sink more solidly into his palm. Luka kissed her softly, and she pressed into him, clutching at his hoodie for a moment. He slipped his other arm carefully around her and focused on his feelings for her, kissing her as tenderly as he knew how. I’m here, he thought at her, I’m not going anywhere. You’re safe and I love you. I won’t leave you.

Slowly she relaxed against him, tension easing out of her as they kissed and kissed again. She got like this, sometimes, afraid she would suddenly be too much for him, that he couldn’t possibly love her at her lowest—as if he hadn’t loved her through every up and down for years, even if they’d only gotten together recently. Luka was happy to reassure her in any way she needed.

When the kissing wound down to an easy, natural end, Marinette buried her face in his shoulder. Luka held her, rubbing her upper back softly, staying well away from the bandages. “Can you tell me why now?” he asked softly, after a few minutes.

Marinette groaned. “It’s stupid.”

“Tell me anyway.”

Marinette sighed and pulled away from him, going over to grab her tablet from her desk. She brought it back with her and plopped down next to him, pulling up a video.

Luka watched the video, recognizing Marinette’s roller derby team by the uniforms, though the faces weren’t people he knew. They were on the rink but it wasn’t a bout; it looked more like a dance. The video shifted and showed what looked more like a skills drill, people weaving in and out of obstacles, cheering and showboating the whole time.

“The team—well, the whole league, actually—does exhibitions like this,” Marinette explained. “For fundraising or just to get their name out there. This one was a few years ago, but there’s one coming up soon. Some of the girls have been practicing some choreography and things for it, and I just...well that one—” she pointed to the video as a girl pulled off a trick that looked simple, though Luka doubted it really was. “I thought maybe I could do that one. I was the last one leaving the rink anyway, so I just...decided to give it a try.” She made a face. “Obviously, it didn’t go well.”

“Did you tell anyone you wanted to learn some of these tricks?” Luka asked, frowning slightly.

“No,” Marinette admitted quietly. “I guess I...well…I didn’t want any of them to see me mess up. They don’t know clumsy Marinette, except Alix, and I didn’t want to be that person anymore.”

“Marinette,” Luka said softly, sliding his hand up to squeeze her shoulder. “It’s not clumsiness to fall when you try something new. I’ve fallen on the ice rink lots of times. It’s just part of the learning process. You’ve got plenty of strength and flexibility, it’s just teaching your body to do the right things in the right order. If you want to try and be part of the...exhibition team, or whatever you guys call it, then I think that’s a great idea. But I want you to do it safely. If you got hurt, it wasn’t because you aren’t capable, it’s because you didn’t have anyone there to teach you. Do you really think the team will laugh at you? Did they laugh at you when you were first learning to skate the incline rink?”

“No,” Marinette admitted, and then made a face. “Well, sometimes. But not in a mean way.”

Luka kissed her forehead softly. “And they won’t laugh at you in a mean way now. Even if you try and don’t like it, or you’re not any good—which I highly doubt since you’re amazing at everything you really put your mind to—they won’t tease you for it, will they? You’ve been so happy since you started doing roller derby, Marinette. If you want to get involved in more team activities I think that’s awesome.” Marinette gave him a tentative smile, and he smiled back. “If you want, I can come to your next practice. If you just want some moral support while you discuss it with the girls.”

Marinette’s lips turned down. “I should be able to do something like that without you.”

“You’re plenty able,” Luka said, resting his cheek on her hair. “You just don’t have to.”

He felt her sigh and consider. He came to her practices, not regularly, but often enough that no one would think much about it if he was there. He had the impression from the giggling and whispering that the other girls thought it was cute.

“You really wouldn’t mind?” Marinette asked in a small voice, and Luka turned his face and kissed her temple.

“You know I love watching you in those shorts,” he teased, and then yelped as Marinette jabbed an elbow in his gut. “Ow,” he pouted.

“Here I thought we were having a serious emotional conversation and you just want to ogle my butt,” Marinette huffed, folding her arms.

“I learned how to ogle you and carry on a serious conversation at the same time years ago,” Luka teased. “It’s practically a survival skill for teenage boys. Especially those of us lucky enough to have super hot girlfriends.”

***

A few days later, Luka lounged on the bleachers at the rink, a pair of headphones plugged into his guitar as he noodled idly and watched the team. He’d been a little self-conscious at first, but Marinette had been excited the first time he asked to come, and Suzette gave permission, so he tried not to think too hard about the fact that none of the other significant others ever seemed to show up. He grinned and winked at a couple of Marinette’s teammates when he caught them staring. They giggled and waved as they went on their way. The girls all knew he was completely devoted to Marinette, so he felt safe flirting a little, just for fun. Really it was less about the flirting and more about making Marinette look good. He had an inkling that Marinette kind of liked showing him off, which did all sorts of pleasant things to his insides, so he did his best to be charming without being a creep.

When he could spare the attention, at least. He loved watching Marinette on the rink, strong and graceful and confident, now that she’d moved past the initial awkwardness of learning how to move in her skates and building up the muscle she needed. Luka could see, even if Marinette couldn’t always, how much she contributed to the team and—

Something banged on the rail in front of him and he started as Alix grinned at him, eyes knowing under her helmet. “Wake up, Couffaine,” she laughed, banging the back of her pad on the rail again for good measure. “Your lovesick puppy look is distracting everyone.”

“Sorry,” Luka grinned, chuckling. He turned his attention back to his guitar as Alix rolled her eyes and skated off. She caught Marinette around the neck and gave her a vicious noogie, complaining loudly that her boyfriend was getting drool all over the rink. Marinette tossed her off and chased her around the rink. She still wasn’t quite fast enough to catch Alix, but the entire team whooped and started around the rink, and the whole thing became some kind of free for all that Luka couldn’t quite follow, until Suzette intervened and got them back into their drills.

Finally Suzette called that the team was free to go and just the exhibition squad should stay. Luka put aside his guitar and walked out onto the rink, slipping an arm around Marinette’s waist as she skated up to him.

“Ready?” he asked softly, and she nodded. They made their way back to where Suzette was giving instructions, and all eyes turned curiously their way.

“Um,” Marinette began nervously. “I was hoping that maybe I could, um, join the exhibition squad? I know I’m new and I don’t really know that much but I’m a fast learner and I could—” She cut off the ramble as Luka squeezed her hip.

Suzette smiled warmly at her and Alix gave her two thumbs up. “Of course you can,” Suzette told her, and then her smile faltered slightly. “Although I’m not sure if there’s enough time to get you up to speed with the other girls for this exhibition…” She looked down her clipboard, tapping her pen on her lips thoughtfully. “We could have you do a solo skills exhibition like Alix, except…”

“Alix is a lot better than me at all those things,” Marinette shifted uncomfortably.

“You haven’t been doing them as long,” Suzette reminded her kindly. “We could maybe use that as an asset, though. Show them a beginner level drill while Alix handles the advanced stuff. If we came up with a few things and you really drilled on them—” Suzette began, but she was interrupted before she could finish the thought.

“What about jam skating?” one of the girls spoke up. Everyone turned to look at her and she shrugged slightly. “It’s always a crowd pleaser. It’s fun and as long as the song is killer, it’ll look good even if it’s simple. We start out teaching her the basics and if she can manage some fancier tricks we can work them into the routine later. Marinette’s strong and flexible, I bet she can make it look good, and that way she can still participate but we don’t have to shoehorn her into something where she’ll have to do a lot of work to catch up.” She looked at Marinette. “How does that sound? I bet you can put together a killer outfit. If you like it, we can work on more complicated stuff for the next fundraiser.”

“That sounds really fun,” Marinette admitted shyly. Luka squeezed her hip again. “I’m sure I could come up with a great song,” she added, glancing up at Luka. He blushed a little and winked at her.

“I’m sure we can find something,” he agreed.

“Okay then,” Suzette grinned. “You can work with Danielle and we’ll see how it goes, and work it out from there. Welcome to the squad, Marinette.”

***

A couple of weeks later, Luka was lounging on Marinette’s chaise while she sat hunched over her desk, brainstorming outfits for her exhibition skate. “How’s the jam skate prep going?” Luka asked, bending over to plug his guitar into the tiny pink amp that now lived under her chaise. Marinette had giggled all afternoon the first time he brought it over, but it was perfect for letting him practice while she worked, without being in her way when he wasn’t there. Marinette had decorated the casing with some of her flower decals and now it felt like it had always been part of her room.

“Not bad,” Marinette said, refocusing on the outfits she was sketching. “It still feels a little awkward. Danielle’s trying to teach me this quick-change move and I keep getting my feet tangled up, but she promises me that’s normal and that I’m doing well.”

“You mean she didn’t call you clumsy and laugh you off the rink?” Luka chuckled, and Marinette pitched a discarded, crumpled up sketch over her shoulder at him, smiling in satisfaction when she heard it bounce off his head.

“You were right,” she said, reaching for a different pencil. “Is that what you want to hear?”

“I just want to hear that it’s going well,” Luka said innocently, and Marinette rolled her eyes. The soft notes of Luka’s guitar—no, actually, that was a lot more energetic than the last thing she’d heard him working on.

“I haven’t heard that one before,” Marinette observed.

“I know,” Luka chuckled. “I thought you might like something with a kick for your jam skate, so I’ve been messing around with a few things. I think I’m on the right track with this one.”

That got her attention, and she put her pencil down and got up from her desk. “You don’t have to write something new,” Marinette protested, shoving his legs aside so she could sit down next to him on the chaise. “You’ll have to finish and record it, and there’s not much time if I’m going to get a routine worked out and practiced—I can use a commercial album, or one of Kitty Section’s songs.”

“I want to,” Luka shrugged. “Mom can record it for us. It’ll be good enough quality to play over the PA system. I can finish it in a couple of days, no problem. Besides, it saves you guys having to do anything about getting rights and stuff.” He grinned, reaching over to rub his thumb along the furrow between her brows. “Put a Kitty Section patch on your outfit and we’ll call it even.”

Marinette rolled her eyes. “I would have done that anyway.”

“I know.” Luka leaned over and kissed her cheek. “You’re the most supportive girlfriend I could ever ask for. You might as well be the band’s PR manager at this point. The least I can do is support you too.” He kissed her lips, too, since he was there already, before winking and sitting back.

“Mm-hmm,” Mariette smiled, sliding over and leaning into his space before reaching up to flick his pink-tipped bangs out of his face. “You’ve always supported me. I’m sorry I didn’t...well, that I hid things from you before. I should have trusted you would understand.”

Luka smiled, though his gaze was suddenly fixed on her mouth. “Forgiven. I’m just happy you’re happy now. I—Mmm.” He cut off in a contented hum as she closed the last bit of distance and kissed him. He smiled at her when she pulled back, but she set her hand on his, pushing lightly, and she grinned when she saw him swallow as he set the guitar aside.

As soon as it was out of the way, Marinette slid into his lap and put her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly. “You’re the best,” she sighed, and then kissed him again. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

Luka tried to answer but a kiss just below his jaw ensured that nothing came out but a strangled squeak. Marinette had no intention of letting him argue, and Luka seemed to realize that, so instead he just put his arms around her and closed his eyes as she peppered kisses over his face and neck. At last, Marinette took his face in her hands and kissed him slowly and tenderly, and as she pulled away, a sudden inspiration hit her. Luka opened his eyes and found her looking at him intently.

She reached up and traced a line with one fingertip from his forehead, down over his eye, to his cheekbone.

Luka raised his eyebrows. “Marinette?”

“Hmm?” Distracted, Marinette was still staring at him—not at him, exactly, but at his face. Except she wasn’t really seeing his face, her mind already racing, elements she had been struggling with suddenly coming together in her mind.

The warm pressure of Luka’s mouth on hers brought her blinking back to reality. “Marinette,” he murmured, before kissing her again. “Come back to earth, please. At least long enough for me to say goodbye.”

“Oh,” Marinette gasped. “I’m so sorry, Luka, I—” but he was already shaking his head.

“Don’t be sorry,” he said fondly, brushing her bangs back gently. “I get it. But I’m not going to see you tomorrow so I’d like a decent goodbye before you get lost in the zone.”

“Of course,” Marinette smiled, and put her arms around his neck, forcing herself to focus on him for the moment as he kissed her. “I love you,” she breathed against his lips, and he smiled.

“I love you too,” he whispered, and kissed her again before pulling back. He packed up his guitar and slung the case over his shoulder. “Don’t forget to eat,” he told her, chuckling as he saw her already shuffling around on her desk. “Set your alarm so you don’t stay up all night.”

“I will,” Marinette said, smiling at his care of her as she went over to her desk and flipped to a new sheet of paper, sparing a moment to appreciate the way he always knew when to give her space. She hummed a little bit of the peppy song he’d been working on as she picked up her blue pencil and began to sketch.

***

Despite her genuine excitement and enthusiasm, Marinette had had her reservations when Danielle suggested jam skating. She was acrobatic enough, when she wasn’t being a total klutz, but Marinette hadn’t been sure she was graceful or rhythmic enough for something that was supposed to be a kind of dance. She’d trusted her teammates though and it turned out that she was actually halfway decent at it after all. And it was fun.

“Yes, girl,” Danielle yelled from where she was leaning against the rail, watching Marinette. “Now you’re getting it! It’s about time you stopped thinking so hard!”

Marinette flashed her a grin as she whipped by.

“This music is killer,” Danielle commented when Marinette finished and skated back to her. “What’s it called?”

“Oh,” Marinette reached up and ruffled her bangs away from her sweaty forehead. “I don’t actually know if it has a name? Luka wrote it and recorded it for me.”

Danielle grinned. “Are you kidding? Is there anything that boy won’t do for you?”

Marinette shrugged, blushing as she looked at the floor. “Not much,” she admitted, grinning. “He’s pretty amazing. He’s always been there for me, even before we were together. Even when it hurt him.”

“Ooohkay don’t get all sentimental on me,” Danielle said, throwing an arm around Marinette’s shoulder. “I’m not trying to pry into your business. I don’t know what happened in the past but right now? You two are pretty sickening. Gotta admit, though, I wish I had a relationship like yours. Does he have a sister?” she teased, and Marinette shoved her back with a grin.

“Yes, and you’ve seen her before, the tall girl with the black hair and the purple tips and the cute blond girlfriend hanging all over her.”

Danielle groaned, dropping her head back. “Figures.”

Marinette patted her shoulder sympathetically.

“Well, you’ve got the rink for a while longer,” Danielle sighed, leaning over the rail to grab her bag from the bleachers. She slung it over her shoulder. “You can stay and practice a little more if you want, and then next time we’ll work on putting some fancy stuff in the middle.” She poked Marinette in the belly. “Maybe some breakdancing-type moves during one of those sick guitar riffs. Might as well show off some of those crazy ab muscles of yours.”

Marinette giggled, and waved as Danielle left. She did a few lazy loops around the rink, practicing her footwork, letting the breeze of her passing cool the sweat on her skin. She was tired, but it was the good kind of tired, the ache of hard work and the glow of accomplishment.

“Looking good. You always do, though.”

Marinette swung around, nearly losing her balance, to find Luka standing at the edge of the rink, grinning at her.

“Luka,” she skated toward him, beaming. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I thought I’d go home with you,” he said, and then, to her surprise, he hopped over the rail, and she saw he had a pair of skates on. “But I was hoping maybe you could show me some moves first.”

“Really?” Marinette backed up a bit to gaped at his feet, and then looked up at him. “But...you don’t have to do that.”

“I know.” Luka shrugged his hoodie off, laying it over the rail, and stuck his hands in his pockets, shrugging as he glided towards her. “But it’s important to you, and you like it. So I’d just like to give it a shot.”

Marinette swallowed hard, still drifting backwards, eyes darting over the muscles in his arms and shoulders, the easy motion of his hips as he skated towards her, and the sly smirk curling his lips—

Crap. He was smirking because she was staring. He bent down as he reached her, mischievous blue eyes peeking at her through the pink-tipped strands falling over his forehead. “Marinette,” he sing-songed teasingly, and blushing, she shoved his face away. He stumbled a little on his skates—Marinette supposed they weren’t exactly like ice skates, where she’d never seen him so much as wobble.

Luka chuckled and maneuvered next to her. “Okay, so where do we start?”

Marinette swallowed her nerves. “Um, the back and forth? Like this.” She demonstrated with her feet.

It didn’t take him long to get the hang of it, or the next two she showed him. Marinette wanted to pout. Luka was all sinuous, fluid grace, and it wasn’t fair. Oh, she knew he had his fair share of clumsy moments, usually when he was thinking about a song (or sometimes when he was thinking about her), but when it came to something like this, something that depended on rhythm and showmanship...he was in his element no matter the medium, and it showed. He had a confidence in himself and his body that she’d never been able to match outside of the suit.

Then he looked up and smiled at her, and she was reminded that this strong, hot, gorgeous man thought she was the greatest thing on earth, and she felt...she felt like it was true. Her smile lost some of its tightness, and some of the tension went out of her body, and she quirked a challenging eyebrow at him.

“Okay, how about this one?” She knew he’d be able to do it, because this one was all balance and hips, but it wasn’t about how he moved right now. She put her hands behind her head and kicked her hips out to get the momentum she needed, and grinned to herself when she saw that she had his complete, undivided attention. It was intoxicating, having that complete laser focus entirely on her, and it made her want to really sell the performance.

“Well,” she said, after he’d watched her for a moment. “You think you can do it?”

“Show me again,” he said, his voice at least an octave deeper than it had been a moment ago. “A little slower, please.”

Marinette did it again, slower, keeping her eyes on him as much as she could. He shook his head slightly, lips curling. “You’re too good,” he murmured, and then smirked at her before trying the move himself. He had it down before long and Marinette giggled.

“Okay, let’s put it together,” she murmured, sidling up next to him. Marinette started some music on her phone, counted out the beat in her head, and began putting the moves she’d just shown him together in a simple routine.

Luka watched her intently for a moment, and then started to move next to her. It took him a couple of tries but he got it, and they grinned at each other as they moved around the rink in synch. It wasn’t perfect, they both stumbled a couple of times, and more than once they forgot where they were in their little routine, but they giggled their way through it and Marinette thought they were actually doing pretty well.

Impulsively, Marinette flipped out of formation with him, circling around him as he kept going with their little routine. She threw in a little flare here and there when she knew he was watching, and then moved around to skate in front of him, mirroring the moves. That was harder and it took more concentration, she couldn’t show off as much. But it was worth it to be facing him, to see the way he looked at her.

Finally he put on a quick burst of speed and caught her around the waist, and then stumbled over his toe stop, and Marinette had to hold him up, laughing. He grinned sheepishly as they skidded to a less than graceful stop, but didn’t let her go.

“You know something,” Marinette said, looking up at him through her lashes. “My boyfriend is really hot.”

“You know something else?” Luka said, already bending towards her. “My girlfriend is irresistible.” He nipped at her jaw, palm flattening against the small of her back to press her close to him as he mouthed his way down her neck. Marinette tilted her head back and moaned softly, letting her hands drift down to his biceps. Luka moved down to her collarbone and Marinette leaned a little too far back. She yelped as her skates began to roll out from under her, but Luka caught her, letting her feet slide between his as she hung in his arms. He grinned down at her, and she giggled. “Maybe we should continue this somewhere a little more stable?” he suggested, with that same gentle mildness as always, that never mocked her or made her feel like she was...too clumsy, or too awkward, or too much of a spazz, or just too much.

This was one of those moments it hit her, how much, how truly he loved her, and as always it made her breath hitch in her throat and her eyes burn, and she yearned to show him how much she appreciated it, and how much she loved him in return, for just being the sweet, trustworthy, patient, dependable man that he was.

She bit her lip, tightening her fingers on his biceps, and leaned up enough to kiss his lips lightly. “Let’s go.”

Luka smiled, and lifted her back onto her feet. He held her while she got her legs back underneath herself, steady as a rock as always. She smiled up at him, at his soft blue eyes looking at her under the pink-tipped fringe of his hair, and hoped the little surprise she was planning for the exhibition would show him how much she really did appreciate him.

***

Juleka was smirking, and Luka didn’t know why, and that was...worrisome. He tried to look like he didn’t care too much, because if she thought he really wanted to know, she definitely wouldn’t tell him.

“Are you coming to the exhibition today?” he asked, as casually as he could, and Juleka’s smirk got broader, and now he was really worried.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Juleka mumbled, her expression shifted to a wicked grin.

Oh, that was bad. That was almost definitely bad. Especially given that Juleka had disappeared for almost the whole afternoon for the last two days. Coupled the fact that Luka had picked up a couple extra shifts and hadn’t seen Marinette in a few days...he had concerns. As if Marinette didn’t knock him on his ass (mostly metaphorically, but occasionally literally) on the regular without special Plans.

Yeah, with the way Juleka was suddenly cackling at him, he was pretty sure he was doomed, he just wasn’t sure how .

It was a really long day, and when they finally slipped into the seats Tom and Sabine had saved for them, right up in front, the grins on Tom and Sabine’s faces didn’t do much to ease Luka’s concerns. He tried not to let his knee bounce as they waited, but gave up even trying to keep his fingers in control, letting them tap out the rhythm of the music playing on the leg he was desperately trying to keep still.

***

“That feels like a pretty big crowd,” Marinette breathed as she peeked out of the locker room door.

“Good,” Alix said cheerfully, adjusting her helmet. “More people means more money.”

“Yeah, of course,” Marinette said lightly, like she wasn’t suddenly shaking in her skates.

“Hey.” Marinette jumped as Alix threw an arm around her shoulders. “I know it’s kinda freaky, but you’ll be fine once you get out there. Besides, you and I both know there’s only one person in that audience you actually care about impressing.” She took a lock of Marinette’s hair in her fingers and waved it in front of Marinette’s eyes, before letting it slide away. “I hope you brought a mop and a bucket because that boy’s going to melt down completely, you know that right?”

“I know,” Marinette giggled. “That’s the plan.” She and Alix grinned at each other and shared a fist bump.

***

There were several clubs participating in the exhibition, and the programs were interesting but the wait was killing him.

He sat up a little straighter when Suzette finally took the microphone. Marinette was up first, he knew. Suzette introduced herself and told the crowd a little bit about the team, and then began to back up to the sidelines, calling, “Ladies and gentleman, give it up for our very own Petty Gâteau, Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Marinette’s new to the team and she came to us with barely any experience on skates and a lot to learn, but with a little perseverance and a lot of hard work, she’s become an absolute terror of the derby track! Not only is she a great jammer in the bout, she’s been learning jam skating and today she’s performing a routine she calls Blue Lightning.”

Luka had barely registered the name when Marinette burst onto the rink, throwing her arms up in the air as the spectators applauded, and Luka lost his breath as he watched Marinette take a lap around the rink, hyping the crowd. Marinette wore a black sleeveless crop top that left her toned arms and midriff bare, with a sparkly blue lightning bolt lined in pink emblazoned bold and proud across her chest. She wasn’t wearing her helmet for the jam skate and her hair was loose, its bright blue streaks whipping around her grinning face—wait.

Luka’s mouth dropped open and he stood up, gripping the rail as he stared, and Juleka began to howl with laughter beside him. Marinette’s hair had always had a slightly blue look to it in the light, but now it was shot through with bright, jagged streaks of blue. His blue. His knees went a little weak and his heart began to pound as she locked eyes with him and winked. God. He dropped heavily back into his seat as Tom and Sabine began to giggle.

“Either I owe you big time,” he muttered to Juleka, who was practically in tears from laughter at this point, “Or I’m going to kill you. I haven’t decided which yet.”

Marinette really only got a glimpse at his face when she whipped by but she liked what she saw. She waved and blew kisses and circled to the center of the rink. The excitement of surprising Luka already had her on edge, and the energy of the crowd was addictive, so when the music started she maybe put a little more snap in her hips, a little more sass in her smile, a little more whip in her hair, and she had to laugh the next time she passed Luka, who was by now leaning on the rails for support while Juleka patted his back with faux sympathy.

Marinette laughed as her feet wove through those quick-change moves she’d had so much trouble with a few weeks before, grinning triumphantly when she managed them without trouble.

She wished she could have seen Luka’s face when she “fell” back, landing on her hands and kicking up into a handstand.

Marinette finished her routine with a flourish and took another lap around the rink, waving both hands at the audience, though her attention stayed on Luka. She skated up to him as Suzette cried, “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for our own Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

Luka leapt to his feet as she approached, and his hands were on her face before she even leaned over the rail, and as they shared a brief but fervent kiss. Through the whooping and applause they heard Suzette laughing over the microphone as she announced, “And just in case you were wondering, she’s taken.”

Marinette pulled back, blushing prettily, and turning even redder as she saw the way Luka was looking at her. She blew him one more kiss, waved to her friends, and skated off the rink to get changed for the bout.

She was fired up when it came time for the actual competition, throwing her weight around and pushing off with her strong legs. There was no hesitation about her anymore as she worked with her teammates, calling out formations and strategies, slamming herself up against bodies of teammates and opponents alike as the situation required.

In her eagerness she got called for a penalty, and since this was an exhibition bout more about entertainment than anything else, she ended up doing one armed push-ups balanced on her toe stops. She grinned to herself as she heard Luka’s roar cheering her on. Her quiet boyfriend knew how to make himself heard when he wanted to.

She maybe did a few extra push-ups, just to show off, and nearly fell over laughing when she saw Luka pretend to swoon onto Juleka. He nearly landed on the floor when his sister shoved him off mercilessly. Marinette blew him a kiss and got back in the bout, but she felt as if his eyes were burning her the whole time, even when she couldn’t see him.

They certainly burned her when the bout was over and she could look over at him again. Deciding it was best not to go over there again this time, she let Alix tug her along with the rest of the team back to the locker room.

Marinette took her time getting ready, lingering until the locker room was empty. Alix was the last one out before her. She smirked at Marinette and gave her a two-fingered salute on her way out of the door.

Marinette slowly, deliberately packed up her things, enjoying the pleasant flutter of anticipation in her stomach, the rush still singing in her veins, and then slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the locker room, humming Blue Lightning under her breath.

Sure enough, no sooner had she come out of the door than a strong arm slipped around her waist and whirled her around so that her back was against the wall. Luka loomed over her, grinning as he nudged her nose with his. “Hi,” he said breathlessly. “Anything else you need to do?”

“Nope,” Marinette giggled, letting her bag slide off her shoulder and to the floor.

“Good,” he sighed, and bent down to kiss her—more softly than she expected, but as soon as she kissed him back and lifted her arms around his neck, he pressed her into the wall with a little moan and kissed her and kissed her, murmuring sweet little things that she barely managed to take in, about how proud he was of her and how amazing she was and how much he loved her while she squirmed and giggled and kissed him back. She laughed into his mouth as his thumbs slipped under her shirt to stroke across her abs.

“Luka, that tickles,” she told him.

“You’re so unfair,” he fake-whined teasingly. “You’re feeling up my muscles all the time, and then you go out there like that and now I’m not allowed to touch?”

“Your muscles are really nice,” she defended herself, grabbing his hand and sliding it flat against her stomach. “You can touch, just....” She cleared her throat, but her voice still sounded huskier than usual as she said, “Harder.”

Luka growled and kissed her again, rubbing his palm firmly across her belly, and maybe she shifted a little on purpose to make her muscles flex beneath his hand, and he moaned into her mouth. Marinette couldn’t help reveling at least a little bit in her power over him, shifting again, and the noise he made had her giggling into the kiss.

“You covered it up,” Luka murmured, reaching up to stroke the hair that now looked almost completely black.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, it doesn’t show as much when my hair’s up,” Marinette remembered, reaching up to touch her pigtails.

“I want to see it again though,” he complained, and Marinette giggled, reaching up to pull the bands out of her hair. She shook it loose and smiled up at him.

“Sorry. I wasn’t even thinking about it, just put it up out of habit.”

Luka smiled and threaded his fingers through her hair, letting the strands slide slowly through them so he could admire the fall of the blue streaks. “It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.” He sighed and rested his forehead on hers gently. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to,” Marinette told him, rubbing her nose against his lightly. “Besides, fair’s fair.”

“But I didn’t—”

Marinette’s finger on his lips silenced him. “I know,” she smiled. “You weren’t expecting anything from me. But what I meant was, it’s only fair that I get to wear your colors if you get to wear mine. In fact, I was thinking maybe I need to start incorporating a little more Luka-blue in some of my accessory designs. Don’t think I don’t know you’ve been buying out my online shop, monsieur.” She giggled. “Not that wearing my flower keychain on your guitar case was particularly subtle.”

Luka smiled, unrepentant. “I like having little reminders of you. Thinking about you makes me happy.” He bent and kissed her softly. “I’m not opposed to you thinking of me, either, so if it makes you happy, I’m all for it. Now, can I take my amazing girl for some ice cream, or are you too worn out to go walking all over Paris looking for Andre?”

Marinette shrugged. “Andre’s is nice, but I think my legs would prefer the little parlor on the corner if that’s okay.”

Luka chuckled. “Sure thing.”

Fiction Master Post

#quickspins #pink frosting #all that remains #derbynette #pink luka #lukanette #lukanette endgame #i am lukanette trash i admit it #endgame lukanette #luka couffaine #marinette dupain-cheng #miraculousladybug #miraculous ladybug #ml fics

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mzargentum · 6 years ago

Text

The Stormsender’s Daughter | Chapter XIII | Devil’s Gold

Chapter XII | Chapter XIII | Chapter XIV

Word Count: 4,118

Warnings: Sexual situations, physical abuse, murder

As the sun finally rose against the horizon…

Muerlin nonchalantly enjoyed her nutritious breakfast, a couple pieces of bread and canteen water, perched on a large hill near a small village.

It had been nearly a week since her journey began and so far, it could’ve been worse considering.

It took forever to make it away from the city to the more rural areas where people stayed, but that wasn’t the main problem at the time.

The biggest issue was making it through town with tattered clothes and a shirt that was covered in bullet holes and blood…with no wounds.

Lucky for her, most of them didn’t have radios so there was no way for them to assume she was the Pythoness rather than some kid that was having a reeeeally rough day.

So the villagers were more inclined to assist her. Among finally having an actual bath, she was given new clothes as well as a small satchel for her belongings as well as a holster.

Even though all she had on her at the moment was a canteen and the switchblade she received from Lunafreya, she accepted it nonetheless. At least the ankle holster would be useful.

Muerlin was at a comfortable distance from the city to relax for the time being, but she couldn’t afford to fully lower her guard.

If she knew one thing about the Empire…and their gracious Chancellor…is that they were persistent. Nothing was going to steer him from his search for her…and she knew it.

She could hear them scrambling in the distance foraging through caves, trees, in the most random nooks and crannies they could think of.

Jeez…she thought to herself with an eye roll. Just because she was a wizard didn’t mean that was a reason to throw all practicality and logic clear out the window, but she figured she should be grateful that they weren’t really experts on the matter.

After everything that happened leading up to now, she could use a break from her Imperial stalkers.

As the sun’s rays began to finally blind the lagoon eyed maiden, she took it as her cue to trek on.

Dusting the dirt from her bare thighs and shorts, Muerlin leaps down the hill, sticking a firm landing upon its base.

Once she stood from her crouched position, the young wizard turned to view the actual height of the hill. It wasn’t the tallest she had ever seen, but anyone under her age falling from it would definitely be in some serious shit.

Ever since Muerlin received a larger dosage of her power from the Fulgerian, her overall senses and abilities, as well as her reflexes and nerve activities have heightened to great proportions.

She could already sense the presences of people as well as animals in her vicinity, but with her enhancements, she could detect any disturbances within a radius of 40 kilometers with minimum focus. 60 at max.

Though much concentration was required, her field of vision was nearly 360 and, unlike before, everything stood out to her. She noticed every motion of every object and creature.

Her audible range had extended both in loudness and in pitch. From the lowest frequency possible almost reaching to that of a dolphin, hence how she could even hear the Nifs from so far away.

Yet because of Asteria’s overall animalistic nature, these heightened abilities wrecked absolutely no havoc on her physicality, which she would gladly thank her for.

Somehow her pain tolerance had heightened as well. Pain was, of course, still evident, but it seemed her entire body had underwent a complete rewiring.

I mean, should she expect anything less from a God?

However, despite the beneficial factors of finally accepting her true self, there was still a matter of addressing the elephant in the room…

The daemonic essence within Muerlin’s veins was still very prominent and continued to slowly make its way up her wrists. Her hands were still pitch black so she was still forced to keep them covered in some sort of way.

Her general disguise was a good way to keep the imperial’s off her scent, but these markings would be a dead giveaway. Especially if a lowly, gullible villager decided to rat her out in hopes of some sort of payment.

Lucky for her, the marks upon her feet barely reached her ankles so that was one less thing to worry about.

So as long as she kept moving and stayed out of trouble, she’d be fine.

Heh…easier said than done.

Hours went by…

Muerlin, however, paid little attention until…

*growl*

“Ugh…”, the young wizard groaned in frustration toward her roaring stomach. “Now? But we just-”, the girl suddenly paused upon looking toward now setting sun.

“Ohhhh….dammit”, Muerlin cursed herself under her breath.

She hadn’t eaten since that morning and the despite the daemon energy creeping around in her bloodstream, she really didn’t think taking on a swarm of daemons alone would be the smartest idea.

Looking around, she noticed there was not a haven to be found and it’s not like she really had any decent camping supplies. It had just been easier to find places to sleep in towns. Unfortunately, she was miles from one.

But a good ways in the distance, she suddenly noticed a light flick abruptly. Centering her attention on the anomaly, it was suddenly revealed to be…

“A house?”, she chuckled with a puzzled eyebrow. “All the way out here?”

Judging by their location, it seemed to be the only one and it looked rather huge from this distance.

Normally, the sketchiness of the situation would warrant an alternate solution, but she could feel the evil presence of the daemons preparing to rise from below.

Sighing out of frustration, the young wizard reluctantly made her way toward the house.

What Muerlin was not aware of is what immoral deeds were done within this mansion...

All throughout the inside was plush and polished and roaming about the halls were pristine young women dressed in sequins and glitter.

Tutu skirts, and tight shirts, most without the support of a brassiere. The halls riddled with countless doors, all leading to a chamber unique to the previous.

...And within those chambers, were numerous Niflheim soldiers lavishing in the pleasures of the women’s “forbidden dances”.

“Ugh! I TOLD you that motherfucker would do this!”, a ravishing young platinum blonde, only sporting a pink lace thong and black stilettos, shrieked as she her prized physique bounced furiously as she stormed down the hall. “BIRDIE!!!”

“What?!”, an older, yet youthful strawberry blonde haired woman raced from a separate room to confront the screaming from the hall. Intercepting the young blonde, her baby blue eyes pouring with angry tears over her plush rosy flesh, “Crystal, damn, what’s the problem? Where’s your top?”

“That piece of shit did it again!!”, she shouted. “I told you, he’d tear it! I told you!”

“Oh, hell, again?”, Birdie sighed trying to keep the angry baby faced girl calm. Her plump cherry lips curved into a frustrated pout. “I made that one too”.

“He grabbed it from the collar with his giant sausage fingers and tore it off from the center!!”, the girl whined. “And I really liked this one!!!”, she whimpered with a stomp, the bottom of her shoe clicking against the solid floors.

“I know, shug”, Birdie gently reassured the girl trying to soothe her, “how ‘bout this? Why don’t you head to the dressing room and find yourself a new outfit? I’ll handle our rude guest”, she smiled toward the saddened doll before she stomped off toward the dressing room.

Birdie’s gente myrtle gaze darkened to a vengeful glare as she made her way down the hall toward the soldier’s room. Each step more and more fierce and prominent than the last.

The force of each stomp rattling her porcelain cleavage within her emerald corset dress. Her strawberry locks bouncing at every strut. Her raging aura growing more and more intense as she closed in.

So potent and toxic that it woke the soldier from his slumber. His heart rate increasing at an alarming rate as the doorknob turned before...

“Good evenin’, sir”, Birdie’s silky voice slithered throughout the room upon her entry, leaning against the doorway. A lustrous scarlet red smirk on her face. “Seems like someone got a little too frisky, eh?”

The soldier merely stared at the woman in confusion as well as light arousal as she looked toward the shredded blouse on the floor.

“Oh, dear”, she facetiously pouted. “That was such a nice top too...”.

“Poor poor Crysie”, the woman continued. “That was the 5th stop she’s lost in the past two weeks...y’know I made them”, her voice began to take a more vicious tone.

“...it takes a lot of time...and effort to make these girls look nice for worthless pigs like you...and this is the thanks I get?” The man’s heart skipped a beat upon the click of the lock as the fear of the woman in front of him rose through his abdomen.

“Looks like we’ll have to teach the young man some manners, won’t we?”, Birdie grinned as she slowly approached the man. Her curvy hips swaying back and forth with every step as she shut the door behind her.

“L-Look, lady...”, he whimpered as he scooted against the headboard of the bed, “I...I didn’t mean to ruin the shirt, hones-ghk! Auggghhh!!!”, the man was abruptly silenced by a sharp backhand to his jaw, Birdie’s pointed nails leaving a vicious gash against his face.

“Oh, no, no, no”, the woman’s soft sensual tone returned. “It’s too late for that now...but don’t worry...it doesn’t take much to teach a man...”, a she smirked as her petite hand slid down the front of his pants, intruding his boxers, light whimpers erupting from his throat.

“Please...”.

“All it takes...is a little....persuasion”, she whispered before a blood curdling scream echoed throughout the halls, even to the dressing room at the end.

“There...”, a dapper man in a gold quite delightfully beamed, as he consoled the still mostly bare Crystal. “Sounds like he got his taste of the Strelitzia Reginae”.

“W-what’s that?”, Crystal asked the man.

“The Bird of Paradise”, he grinned. “Daddy’s favorite flower”.

Moments later, Birdie emerges from the room. Her hand, up to her wrist, gloved in crimson as well as a few droplets that stained her dress.

“Ugh...gross”, she sighed upon the few before shouting. “GALAHD!!”

Followed by a brief silence, the woman began to check her surroundings. Noticing no one, she began to call out once more. “GALA-”.

“I’m here”, a small yet firm voice sliced through Birdie’s yelp, startling the woman.

She spun around to see the girl she was addressing already in the room, beginning to place the torn flesh into a trash bag.

Birdie never liked the girl. She was always so quiet, and quite frankly, it creeped out the older woman as well as all of her girls. Her clothes were worn and she never wore shoes, but the main reason why they were fearful of her...was because of her milky grey eyes.

Not that it was anything new. Her eyes had always been this way...ever since the incident...but because of how they frightened the girls and put them on edge, Birdie demanded for them to always remain hidden.

They were always kept hidden away by her hair so she trudged about doing the bidding of anyone in the mansion with any authority over hers.

A slave to their unholy cause.

“Well...make sure you replace the sheets. And get that blood out, ASAP, y’hear? I don’t wanna see none of that nastiness when I check later”, she commanded to the girl.

“Yes, ma’am...”, she mumbled dragging the castrated and maimed corpse off of the bed to get into the bag.

“Good girl”, Birdie nodded before an abrupt knock on the door captured her attention. Glancing at the child clean up her mess, she began to shut the door to conceal the smell before approaching the front door leaving the girl alone in a dark room with a rotting corpse.

Although, her senses remain unhindered.

A light sigh escaped Muerlin’s nostrils as she took in the vast flamboyancy of the mansion as well as it’s size.

The doors were way too big for this to be a regular home. Especially with it’s random placement in the literal middle of nowhere.

A slight shiver crept up her spin as one of those giant doors slowly slid open with a loud creak.

Staring toward the dim red lighting beyond the doorway, a shadowy silhouette of a woman appeared.

“Can I help you?”, Birdie greeted the silver haired wizard. Light sass in her voice.

“Um...sorry, I hope I’m not intruding”, Muerlin’s lightly accented voice fluttered through the woman’s ears. Upon closer examination of her, she actually noticed the silver in her hair as well as a random shading upon her wrists under her glove.

The woman’s eyes suddenly lit up upon her realization of their new guest’s identity and her attitude took a complete 180.

“Oh...”, Birdie smirked, her delightful tone making the microscopic silver hairs on the back of Muerlin’s neck stand at attention. “Not at all, deary. How may we be of service?”

“Well...”, Muerlin began to explain with a light chuckle. “I’m just traveling through the countryside and seems I lost track of time and ventured too far without any proper plans for food and shelter for the night”.

“Oh, you poor sweet baby doll”, Birdie cooed at the nervous teen bending down toward her. “Not to worry, precious. I’m sure we can find something for you”, her sinister silky voice crept through the young girl’s mind followed by yep...already regretting it as she slowly made her way inside.

“Take a seat, sweetheart”, Birdie calmly suggested, gesturing to one of the plush chairs in the foyer. “Make yourself comfy”.

As Muerlin sat down, a rather foul aroma floated through her nostrils causing her to scrunch up her nose in slight disgust.

Upon realizing this, Birdie attempts to cover up the incident. “Uh, I will be back in a jiffy, sweetie”, the woman chuckled. “There’s someone special I want you to meet. Stay right here, shug. Right here”, she grinned before hurriedly heading down the hall.

The further out of sight the silver haired girl became, the quicker Birdie’s pace. Her heart pounding against her eardrums as her excitement grew. Once she finally reached the farthest end of the hall, her excitement had grew to such immense proportions, she practically kicked the door open allowing it to swing and slam against the wall.

“Goddammit, Birdie!”, the man in gold shouted, startled from his favorite whore’s outburst. “What in the hell has gotten into you?!”

“Our big break, Dion Honey, that’s what!”, she loudly whispered toward the confused man.

“What does that even mean?!”, he began to calm down.

“It means that tonight is the night we finally get to stick it to them Imperial bastards”.

“How?”

“The Pythoness is here!”

The man immediately calmed down upon hearing this news before fixing his tie. “Well, alright...let the game’s begin”.

A few moments later, Muerlin begins to get used to the silences despite the overall creepy nature of this place.

Although she notices the hordes of bare bodies floating about in skimpy sparkly outfits, her presence still remains unknown, thankfully.

“Welly, well, well, what have we here?”

...or it did.

Muerlin’s gaze quickly shifted to the slender man in a golden suit as he approached her. She was surprised at how well she hid her anxiety toward him.

His hair seemed a million times shinier than his outfit despite the fact it was a dark brown, but if the point was to keep the waves in place, it was working for him spectacularly.

As much as she hoped his thin mustache wasn’t smoothed out by the same gel, she was almost certain she was incorrect.

She had to give him some credit by the fact he was very sharply dressed, but his appearance coupled with Birdie’s and the obviousness of what this mansion actually was, it made her incredibly uncomfortable and in that moment, her regret for even considering this place skyrocketed.

“This is our new special guest I was telling you about”, Birdie explained, that sly and creepy grin still plastered upon her face.

“Special, indeed”, the man’s slimy voice slipped through Muerlin’s ears. His light brown iris’ examining her body thoroughly.

“Dionysus Mammon”, he gently took her hand placing a damp kiss upon it, “but you can call my Dion”. The fibers from his mustache tickling her knuckles. “A pleasure”.

As much as Muerlin wanted to slap the gel out of this guy’s mustache, she needed a place to stay...so, trying not to be rude, she forced herself to smile with a light chuckle. “Th...The pleasure’s all mine”.

“This young lady was hoping to find a place to stay for the night”, Birdie explained. “She got all turned up and didn’t get a chance to eat”, the woman pouted with false concern.

“Is that so?”, Ferdinan asked the young woman, perching himself upon the edge of the chair she was sitting in.

His cologne filling Muerlin’s nostrils nearly rendering her comatose.

“It is, sir”, she continued to force her smile, while trying her hardest to hold her breath. “...unless it would be too much trouble?”

“Oh, nonsense”, the man waved his hand in the air with a toothy grin at her. “It would be no trouble at all”.

“Thank you, sir”, Muerlin graciously nodded, still heavily creeped out by his demeanor.

“GALAHD!!!”, the man loudly snapped his fingers.

After a moment, the young girl emerged from the dimly lit hallway rather hastily approaching the group.

Her appearance was fairly unnerving to the young wizard. Not really because of her in general, but the juxtaposition between the clearly pristine and pressed, dolled-up duo in front of her and the ghostliness of this girl rose suspicious.

Her clothes had clearly been lived in and there was no telling how long her feet had been bare, or when was the last time she had a proper bath.

Her hands seemed to be the cleanest thing about her.

Like they had been recently washed.

“Yes, sir?”, her voice was solid. Monotoned. No sense of emotion behind it in any way. Almost robotic...and chilling.

Her long pitch hair shifted just enough for Muerlin to notice an eye, but the girl’s gaze was toward the floor so she was unable to really make it out.

“Please escort our special new guest to one of the empty rooms on the second floor”.

Upon receiving the order, the girl suddenly peered up to the silver haired girl revealing a light grey and blue iris behind a milky film.

Muerlin’s gaze upon the eye intensified though her face never changed expression.

She noticed the girl’s eye dart around in her direction and it seemed they widened every second.

What was she possibly looking at? Muerlin had no idea, but whatever it was...judging how sharply the grey eyed girl’s gaze returns to Muerlin’s teal pools, it had her shook.

A deafening crack abruptly broke the wizard’s trance, causing her to jump in her seat.

Muerlin glanced toward the two snappy dressed adults in front of her to notice a gold plated pistol dangling in front of her face in Mr. Mammon’s hand.

“What did I say about showing people those disgusting eyes of yours?!”, Dion shouted, his voice snarled and cruel. His general suave demeanor instantly shifted.

It took a few seconds for Muerlin to realize the girl was on the floor holding her face in one hand while trying to hoist herself up with the other, clearly struggling not to make a sound or tremble.

“Well?”, Dion hissed at her.

Upon removing her hand from her face, her gaze was once again plastered against the floor, however Muerlin could clearly see the black and purple blemish around her eye as well as the hint of red shaded upon her pale palm.

“My apologies, sir”.

“NOT...to me”, the man instructed.

“...Apologies, miss”.

Completely dumbfounded by the fact that he actually forced this girl to apologize to her, Muerlin was more and more eager to get away from those two.

“Now then”, Mammon’s gentlemenly manner returned like nothing happened as he holstered his pistol, “would you kindly escort our guest to her room? Be a good little one and make sure she’s comfortable. Can you do that little favor, sweet-pea?”

“Yes, sir”.

Muerlin felt absolutely sick to her stomach. Sleep and food now came second and third to getting the hell out of here, but what would happen if she just left?

She didn’t want to risk them blaming this girl for her sudden departure. So, she reluctantly followed the girl, with no rebuttal.

Feeling slightly better now that there was some distance between her and those two.

Slightly.

Moments before midnight...

The luscious moans and fervorous groans that usually echoed through the halls had long ceased.

And toward the end of the hall, a mere glimmer was shown through a cracked door.

“You and me have hit the jackpot now, Big Daddy”, Birdie sensually beamed as she gently knocked the ash from her cigarette without knock it off it’s holder. “The Emperor will surely be pleased”.

“Yes...he would be...wouldn’t he?”, Dion responded half-heartedly as he sat at his desk, staring intensely into the fireplace pondering to himself.

Birdie however appeared so enthusiastic about their apparent success, she didn’t seem to catch this.

“The Chancellor’s prized possession walks in our humble establishment”, he began expressing his thoughts, “and is now counting sheep in one of our rooms”.

Rising from his seat, he slowly paces about his office. “One phone call...and we finally get the reward and position we so rightfully deserve in the emperor’s circle”.

“We’ll be the talk of Niflheim, baby”, Birdie hummed against her cigarette before taking another hit.

“Yes, yes, but...is this really the answer?”

Birdie’s parade suddenly came to a halt at Dion’s words. “What’re ya talking about?”, Birdie’s voice shook with light concern. “We’ve got this in the bag. Give the Pythoness to that creep Izunia and we’ll live like royalty until death do us part”.

“Yes, but...is this all my great legacy will be? Will I only be the man that captured the Pythoness?”

“What you tryin’ to say?”, Birdie’s demeanor beginning to sour.

“Returning the Pythoness to the Chancellor would get us in with the gold, but...keepin’ her for myself, makin’ her one of my girls...my girl...with her at my side...why, I’d have Aldercapt at my balls”.

“Now, hold on there, Dion”, Birdie nervously chuckled as she rose from her seat. “We already got a plan. Gettin’ under Aldercapt’s skin would be nice and all, but gettin’ in his circle, we’d be swimming in dough”.

“True...but makin’ that ol’ shriveled motherfucker sweat, I become the circle”, Dion’s greed continuing to get the best of him.

Birdie gulped with anxiety at Dion suddenly turning his back on their reward. HER reward. Instead of splitting the fame and glory, he was actually willing to make the Pythoness his personal favorite. His new personal favorite.

“Now, Dion, what in heaven’s name gave you such a ridiculous idea like that?”, Birdie tried to keep it together.

Dion was silent. His back to the woman.

“Really. Makin’ that child one of your girls just to piss off the Empire”, Birdie snorted hoping that he’d come to his senses and agree. “Now, what we need to be doin’ is-”, a pitch black tunnel suddenly placed directly between the bridge of her nose silenced Birdie.

“I’m sorry”, Dion softly murmured. “I don’t seem to recall asking you for your input, sweetheart. Please...”, he paused before before slowly removing the safety, “...enlighten me if I am mistaken”.

Sweat began to build upon the woman’s brow as she balled her fist, trying to push her rage back down.

“Not at all, baby”, the woman reluctantly replied.

“That’s what I thought”, Dion hissed before returned his weapon to it’s rightful spot on his side, in his jacket.

A sudden light echo caught Birdie’s attention outside the room, down the pitch corridor. Dion heard nothing over his avarice.

“In a few days, the name Dionysus Mammon will be the name of the Niflheim Empire...”, the man sinisterly beamed as Birdie began to slowly shut the door.

“...and Aldercapt will be the footnote”.

______________________________________________________________________

Tagging: @digitalkanvas @insomniasix @aquathemermaidstripper @glacian-apocalypse @a-new-recipehhh @prettyprompto @dizzymoogle

#final fantasy xv #ffxv #final fantasy xv oc #the Stormsender's Daughter #muerlinian zephyr #The Pythoness #sibyl ramses #dionysus mammon #bird of paradise #birdie #brothel #ardyn izunia #iedolas aldercapt #niflheim

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