#interactions || jack 4 !

[halorvic]

[frogchiro]

Krauser sitting and watch you and Leon as you make out and explore each other’s bodies. He’s just curious.

He would make you do it and he's such an asshole about it too :(

He wasn't blind. Of course he wasn't. He saw how both you and Leon looked at each other, how you two interacted and all that shit. Some know-it-all shrink would guess it's some kind of trauma bonding, others would say its raging hormones between two your people, barely in your 20's and thrust into such shit predicament. Jack on the other hand didn't have time or care for speculations or analyzing the two rookies put under his command, all he knew and cared about is that Kennedy and you were close.

It was clear as day to anyone with two working eyes; Kennedy was gentler and more careful with you, for example during your private combat training, trying not to throw you around too roughly or hit too hard. Or how after you were tired out after your training Leon would always nuzzle up to you, nudging you with his forehead.

Or that one time during your first weeks on the base whenever some soldiers tried to harass you, Leon was always there, snarling like a feral mutt in your defense; that memory made Krauser chuckle, but he guesses that a mutt will always try to protect his bitch.

Surprisingly, this wasn't the case when it came to Jack himself. Leon was still protective of you, sure, but not nearly as much, in fact neither him nor you were unresponsive to his...advances. Krauser would be a liar if he said he didn't find you both pretty; nice bodies, good hips, the most fuckable lips and those sweet sweet eyes staring up at him whenever he cornered you or Kennedy with a snarl on his face, the gnarly scars moving slightly when he smirked at the whine or tiny arch he got in response.

Months of build up tension led to this exact moment; Krauser, who herded you and Leon into his office and made you sit on the couch, was now seated in front of it, huge, powerful legs spread wide, the bulge of his cock straining against his military pants as he watched you and the blonde embracing while kneeling in front of each other, your arms wrapped around the other's body and letting out the most delicious whimpers and tiny moans while kissing.

Your gentle, soft hands roamed over Leon's broad shoulders, neck and into his fluffy hair, carding through it and gently scratching his scalp which in turn made the man shudder and break the passionate kiss in order to let out pleasured purr, a string of spit still between you as you pant.

'This is so...embarrassing...' You thought and blushed even harder, not even able to suppress the needy whine when Leon dipped down to your neck to ravage it with hot, open mouthed kisses and making you subconsciously tilt your head to the side to allow him more room which Leon enthusiastically used.

His hands moved from your sides to your front, grabbing at your breasts and kneading them, particularly focusing on your stiff nipples which only made you moan louder and arch even more into his insistent touch; they were still so, so sensitive from last night when Leon suckled them well into the night...

However, your pleasure-pained noises were like music to Krauser's ears as his own hand traveled down his belly to his still clothed cock to give it a firm squeeze, his own husky growl drawing both your and Leon's attention and Jack couldn't help but chuckle at your fucked out, needy expressions when you looked at his obscene display; lounging back in his comfortable armchair, his huge, powerful body laid back lazily with his legs all spread, touching and squeezing his cock through his clothes.

God he couldn't wait until he got his hands on his two pretty, fucked out rookies <3

[follerys-trash-blog]

more mo4 duos + whatever those 4 have going on

[lostinthe--stars]

About Me

I’m 24, from Australia. He/They pronouns only.

I am a PROSHIPPER. Proshippers please interact. Anti’s just block me.

I am a multishipper. I just like having fun.

I’m a fanfic author! Check out my AO3

Side Blogs

I have a number of side blogs for my various fandoms, since my main was becoming a bit of a mess. My main blog is going to be dedicated to my fanfic and general fandom. Check out my side blogs:

Miraculous

Dead Boy Detectives

Sebaciel

BBC Merlin

How To Train Your Dragon

Rise of the Brave Tangled Dragons/Big 4/HiJack

+ more likely to come! i'll also be making a 'messy fandom' side blog, for the fandoms i'm less involved in and don't justify a seperate blog. stay tuned for updates!

Fic Requests: Open

If you have a request for a fic, please send me an ask or a dm!

[satureja13]

It was dark when they left the temple. First we need to cure Jeb (who has been marked for death!) and Ji Ho. Luckily they passed an abandoned computer and were able to buy the cure. (I was in panik and couldn't think of anything else than saving them o.o')

And after drinking the cure, Jeb turned into a skeleton as a side effect... Poor Saiwa. He can't get used to it.

On their way to find a save place to sleep, they still looked for that Amazonite... They have to be very careful not to be seen, now that Vlad and Jack have these annoying suns over their heads for 2 days! omg

Still no luck! How are they supposed to proceed with this riddle when they don't find an Amazonite?

They didn't dare return to their accomodation or the Sapphire Retreat. Let alone light a fire. So they looked for a hidden place and slept under the stars.

Vlad and Jack are still awake. They talked for a while and made up again. Vlad promised to be honest from now on and Jack forgave him for what he did to them (Vlad tried to bond with Morgan to spare Ji Ho from the Bond Magic...) they are best friends after all and Vlad already paid for his mistake with his eyesight. Jack: "Is the Bond still trying to convince you to kill us?" Vlad: "It's surprisingly quiet..." Jack: "Maybe it's just happy because you're near Ji Ho. Tell us if anything changes." Vlad: "Promised."

And then they went to sleep too.

The next morning. Early... Since Jeb has a brand new appearance for a few hours, he thought it might be a good idea to visit the market again to look for the missing ingredients for the potion...

Saiwa isn't very happy about it. What if Mami and 'The Boys™' recognize and kidnap him to join them? But they have no choice... Saiwa: "Be careful." Jeb: "I will. Go back to the camp so nobody sees you."

So they went back to pack their stuff together. And Ji Ho didn't give up on that Amazonite. But he only found his second Alexandrite! Unbelievable...

Meanwhile at the market. Jeb bought the ingredients for the potion. No one recognized him. *phew*

Before he left he asked if they maybe have some Nitelite Crystals. The Boy™: "Ah no, I'm sorry. But you could go to the Meteorite Crash Scene. Some Aliens do their research there. There was a giant Nitelite Meteorite Crash a while ago. Hey, and if you like, take one of those Amazonites. They're for free. Lyin' around here on every corner..." What? ö.Ö

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest 🌴 'The Expedition' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: 🎤 'Putting the Boys Back together' from the beginning ▶️ here 🥀 'Disbandment of the Group' from the beginning ▶️ here

[cerealmonster15]

Oh my godddd I said I was going to sleep but then I thought about jamiazu again

[⚠️ nightmare before Christmas event spoilers]

[source]

This flashback scene keeps making me LAUGH like azul can’t help himself trying to butter up Jamil any chance he gets!!!!!!!!!! And what tf does he mean “no matter how many times I see it” bitch how many times have u seen it… he was hiding it until book 4… then again I guess Jamil used it a bunch in book 4 meltdown mode + again in book 6 - which azul also applauded him for in book 6 and remarked how incredible it was in book 4 that he could use it on so many people and keep control of them. So I guess that answered my question LOL he’s Jamil’s biggest fan for real….

And riddle making my favorite Riddle Face ever. I still can’t tell if that face is being aimed at Jamil for how thrilled he was to hypnotize children, or azul for being annoying LOL. I love the second years they’re so funny 😭

Actually while I’m here

[source]

Dude 😭☠️ he’s just Standing There Watching LOL

[source]

My fave was the first team up tho LOL Jamil and riddle are like This Is The Worst Day Of My Life I Don’t Want To Hang Out With Azul Specifically!!! And azul is SMILING SOOOO CHEERILY

I’m too tired to lol for other TLs to screenshot lol these I knew where to find immediately but god the way azul always seeks out Jamil to try and pair up with him for stuff 😭 this boy is RELENTLESS‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

Jamil openly and loudly: you are so annoying. I do not want to hang out with you EVER!!!!

Azul for some reason every time: haha ur so funny anyway are you free later-

[sumbrparty]

ISOLATION

[resident-rats]

Krauser and Leon’s fight represents what Leon could have become this, Krauser and Leon’s fight shows Leon made the correct choices that. Okay but have you considered, homoerotic knife fight between two hot men???

[portraitofalonelydyke]

if there is one (1) thing i’m gonna do it’s sit in my car and be on my phone. one of my top 5 favorite activities for sure

[blue-bird1967]

While I'm working on metaltango horny stuff, i suggest u choose what I draw next (since this acc seems to be the stronghold of my re obsession)👁👁 So, I have a few ideas:

Some cute sketches about metaltango interactions in re4r, bc I rewatched their fight yesterday and I don't agree with the cruelty of this world. (– Leon u fucked up ur jacket and now u gonna catch a cold, I brought it to u so now take a knife and fight me to the death – Major…💗)

2. RE:Village stuff, Ethan my beloved, cute Winterberg with little Rose

3. I have this obsession after Markiplaer's letsplays to draw Leon as if Mark had voiced him in the actual game, bc all the "AAAAOSOJSDIOS" and "I LOVE MY FANCY POCKETS" "OH NO LOVE OF MY LIFE, I KNOW YOU THREE SECONDS I WILL DIE FOR YOU" sounds so much more realistic than the original>:D

4. Just some cool character concepts with tattoos and such(I read an AU with tattoo artist!Leon and Jack covering his arm scars with a tattoo and it's just GREAT)

[mokeonn]

Currently I have so many bg3 saves bc I refuse to delete my old ones that will likely never be finished (first ever gameplays, not optimized, everytime I open one I get overwhelmed and stop), but also because I keep making new games with the specific purpose of romancing a certain companion, seeing special dialog, doing a specific style of run, or getting an achievement on steam.

[frogchiro]

Been thinking of a resident evil version of your cod hybrid au on the farm 😳

Being the house cat of the little farm cottage— you’re a shy little thing, maybe adopted or bought instead of a stray, so you’re a little soft and weak. Maybe a Scottish fold type? But you’re not a barn cat, you just come and go through the open window of the cottage.

Leon and Krauser being the guard/herding dogs of the farm, always trying to keep you out of trouble and out of danger when you’re out. They’re allowed in the house too— so they have a unique privilege to you.

Luis as the stray cat or fox trying to court you from your bed on the bay windowsill. He keeps getting chased off by Krauser and Leon but he can’t help but keep coming back to visit his pretty kitty in the window!! He wants you under the house porch, having his kittens!!! It takes him a while to coax you down from your windowsill, gently nudging the window open for yourself, but when you do he’s nuzzling and scenting and kissing you like it’s no one’s business. He’s not gonna rut against you like a wild dog, he wants to earn it— you with your face in the grass and ass in the air presenting for him 💖

Heisenberg being a wolf in the nearby woods, always chasing you and scaring you half to death, telling you he’s gonna eat you. He’s much faster than you— but he lets you run, he likes seeing you scared. Really he just wants to mount you and fill you with his puppies. And maybe it’s an open secret— but he marks his territory at the farm so that cougar!Alcina won’t try to get closer from her den in the nearby mountains. She’ll actually tear you apart with her claws and eat you. Krauser and Leon don’t know that, so to them he’s public enemy #1.

Krauser is a big, scarred up German Shepard or mastiff retired from being a military dog, sent to a nice farm to relax while still having a sense of purpose. Between him and Leon, he’s in charge, so he gets first rights to pinning you under him and making you take his knot.

Leon is a little more playful and affectionate— but still snarls and barks, pushing himself between you and whatever he sees as a threat.

You being so soft and domestic, as well as your owners love and attachment to you, makes you Leon and Krauser’s top priority in keeping the farm safe and keeping predators out. You’re their little mission objective.

Being a house kitty— you have a bell collar, so you can’t go around silently. Everyone who hears that pretty jingle knows that a precious little kitty is around! And all the other hybrids are trained onto that sound like you wouldn’t believe.

Yes to everything. Nonnie I've been chewing on concrete and bouncing off of walls ever since you send me that ask I swear to God I'm so NORMAL about this-

You're a sweet and spoiled thing, adopted by the nice older lady and basically got allowed to become the princess of the household, all completed by the cute pink bows in your hair and the delicate pretty collars you're wearing.

You can come and go from the cottage as you please, the thing is you don't really want to. The farm grounds are okay; there is always the huge guard dog hybrids, Jack and Leon, who guard the grounds and of course always have an eye out for their pretty Kitty too, it's the outside world that's scary :(

There are just so many dangers! For example the sleazy but charming and charismatic fox, Luis. You've met him by accident when you were out to gather some flowers and he scared you bad when he suddenly seemed to appear behind you, his bushy tail flicking with delight at your scared expression :(

He was nice and all, very much a flirt but you didn't really mind. Luis was much different from the gruff, grumpy Jack and the excitable Leon; he was smooth like silk, especially his voice when it dipped as he purred to you when he got closer, his sharp fangs just about to nip your fuzzy cat ear when there was a sudden loud commotion and he got chased away by a furious, barking Jack who came barreling at Luis, Leon following right after him.

Then there is of course the huge wolf hybrid, Heisenberg. He's a mean old wolf who always loves to scare you half to death :(( Chases you the moment he spots you, his huge sharp teeth gnashing in his maw as you sprint back onto the farm grounds, yowling your pretty head off as he just lets out a loud bellowing laugh, cat calling you and teasing you that he will just eat you alive :((

He's awful! And the worst thing is that you both know he's much faster and stronger than you which he effortlessly proved when he chased you down once and actually caught you, pushing his hard leaky cock to your wet cunt and growling low in his throat that he'll mount and pup you, then drag you back into the forest to his den :( Luckily Jack chased him off right on time but the whole ordeal left you exhausted and embarrasingly wet; afterwards Krauser had to eat you out with a snarl, mumbling about having wolf smell on you so you had to be scented.

Last but not least there is also the huge but elusive cougar hybrid, Alcina. She's elusive and you only saw her once or twice at sundown when the sun was low already but she was no less intimidating, her huge fangs and glowing golden eyes glinting in the setting light. The sight made the fur on your back and tail stand, she was so intimidating!

You even started to call her 'Lady Alcina' since she had this elegant but dangerous air around her, making you both scared and curious about the huge wild cat hybrid.

But despite everything, at the end of the day you got to curl up inside the warm cottage, the fire roaring in the fireplace as you laid all comfy in the nest in the corner of the room, Leon cuddled up right behind you as he diligently preened and scented you while Jack laid on his side and observed his mates take care of each other <3

[provincial-charmer]

As Boundless As The Sea

SURPRISE! It's Chapter Two! Immediately! Because I already had it posted elsewhere so I figured why not! Also hey, first mention of an actual canon character!

If you want taken back to Chapter One, it's over here!

Rated: E for Everyone, briefly slipping toward PG

Warnings: Mentions of religious persecution, the Spanish Inquisition warrants a warning all it's own, brief implications of watching a burning at the stake, brief mentions of torture that Marco doesn't fully listen to because he briefly DISSOCIATES, which, also, warning for very brief dissociation

Recommended Listening: "Map and Willie" by Dave Grusin, from The Goonies soundtrack

Chapter Two: Enter Captain Gutiérrez

In which we are introduced to our central antagonist, as well as our treasure map. Can't have a treasure hunt without one of those.

 Captain Aurelio Guiomar Gutiérrez was a mountain of a man. With a heavy mane of hair in varying shades of grey and white and a large, fur-trimmed coat laid over his already broad shoulders, no light came through the door so long as he stood there. I might have been deceived into thinking there was light in his eyes, but it could have been a dim reflection of the sun, too ashamed to look upon him fully.

 It also could have been the firelight of Hell. I couldn’t tell. What I could tell was that he came to me with all the joy of a carnivore in his face. And what brought him joy only ever brought me misery.

 He returned my greeting by tipping his hat as his smile grew wider still. “And a good morning to you as well, Marco! I hope you’re enjoying your break!”

 I looked down to the beignet in my hand. In response, I told him with false playfulness, “I was enjoying it, before you showed up.”

 He laughed. It was a heavy sound that shook the bones of any who heard it. Which wasn’t a compliment. “Oh, don’t worry! I won’t take too much of your time! I just have a new job for you! That’s all!”

 “Oh, good. ” I responded, knowing it wouldn’t be good at all.

 “Now, now, don’t give me that!”  He then said to me in a scolding manner I assumed was intended to be playful, only to clap a hand onto my shoulder with far too much force for my comfort. “I think you’re going to enjoy this one!”

 I rolled my eyes. “You’ve said that before…”

 “And I’ve meant it every time! If I may?”

 As he gestured to my house with his free hand, I sighed. Of course he wanted in. As if I could refuse him.

 “You may.” I removed his hand from my shoulder so I could step aside. “Right this way, Capitán. ”

 His smile grew wider, showing more teeth, before he had the dignity to close his mouth and enter. Now, when he smiled with a closed mouth, that was one of the only times I could have been fooled into thinking his smile was pleasant. That was how I figured many felt about him. He might have been pleasant to listen to for some – somehow – and he might have been pleasant to look at for others – somehow – but as soon as he opened his mouth… 

 “May I also take one of these?” He then asked me, as he pointed at the basket of beignets in passing.

 I wanted to say no. But he was my guest. My higher-ranking, terribly influential guest. “ Sí, sí puedes. But only one! I want there to still be some for Perlita when she gets home, do you understand?”

 “ Sí, sí, I understand…”

 He said this as he took the biggest beignet out of the basket. Bastardo. 

 Now Aurelio, he loved dragging his visits out well into the day. I hardly saw him in years past due to the War of the Agreement, so I didn’t have to dread his visits very often. However, seeing now that he had come back to stay, he seemed to want to take as much of my time as possible. Normally, I would tolerate those conversations to a certain point, then say a key word or phrase that would signal to him that it was time to go.

 Not here. I wanted this conversation to last no longer than it needed to. So as we approached the coffee table, I got right to the point. “Now, what am I translating this time?” I asked him. “Not another religious text, I hope?”

 I took my first bite out of the beignet after asking him this. And I will admit, the sugar certainly helped me to tolerate him. But only a little.

 “Not at all!” He started to tell me with a wave of his hand. “This request has nothing to do with the church whatsoever!”

 Ah, wonderful, I started thinking to myself, I won’t have to deal with the –

 “Instead, this request comes from Her Royal Majesty, Queen Isabel de Farnesio!”

 As quickly as my relief came, it went, and with it went my appetite.

 For all my work for the Navy, this much could be said: whatever the Navy made me do was almost always within the realm of what I knew, and they were almost always completely transparent with me on who made the request. This was one of the few benefits to being employed by those who knew exactly the limitations of my education. It also helped that I knew exactly who to curse out when I was losing too much sleep.

 But for all the translations I had made before, the requests never came from royalty. This… this was unheard of.

 “… Queen Isabel?” I asked him, slowly, to which he gave but a single nod. “What in the world would she want me to translate?”

 His smile grew, and there were the teeth again. I regretted asking immediately. “See for yourself.”

 The Captain then removed a scroll case he had so carefully concealed under his coat. Had I been paying more attention when he had come in, I’m certain I would have noticed it sooner. But I did not. Instead, I stared at this case, struck silent by the mark of the Spanish royal family upon its seal.

 Luckily, I always kept a pair of gloves in one of my pockets, should it get too cold to head out bare-handed. So to protect the case from the evidence of my eating, I put them on before handling the case myself. Even though the case was clearly made by the Crown, and so was in no danger of breaking to my touch, I was still as cautious as could be in opening it. But the cap twisted off easily enough, releasing to me the smell of sea salt and stale blood.

 All things considered, I was relieved to smell nothing worse.

 Slowly, I tipped the case so what was inside would slide into my open hand. What then slipped out nearly stopped my heart. For something of this case size, I expected it to be made out of linen, or perhaps cotton.

 Instead, what fell into my hand was papyrus.

 For those who may not know, papyrus is made from the pith - or medulla - of the papyrus plant, rather than the cloth that we use. It was most prominently documented as being used by the Egyptians, but was used by other cultures of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as several Asian cultures.

 Up to this point, I had never been given the honor of handling papyrus. The last I had seen of it was on display in someone’s home in Venice, back when I had lived there many years ago. There, no one was ever allowed to touch it, given its age. It may very well have fallen apart if anyone so much as bent it the wrong way.

 Yet here it was. A piece of history, sitting in my hands.

 I was captivated. He could have presented me with the crown of the King himself and I would have regarded it with less respect.

 Carefully, so carefully, I moved everything else on the coffee table aside to unroll the scroll fully. I did this as slowly as I could, not just to see what was on it, but to listen to the sound it made. It had a satisfying crackle to it that pleased the ears. I made certain not to fracture or tear it in the process. Not that I needed to, as it appeared an entire section of the scroll was missing when fully unfurled.

 What I saw upon it then was… a map. An honest-to-God map.

 “… Capitán, ” I slowly started to ask, “How did you…”

 Then I stopped myself. I didn’t need to ask how. It was the Spanish Navy. The greatest likelihood is that they stole it. Instead I asked, “Where did you even find this?”

 When I looked back up to him, he looked too proud. “We happened to recover it from the hands of a recently acquired prisoner of ours,” He answered, “one Capitán Jack Sparrow. ”

 I actively had to hold my breath to prevent myself from sighing again. Captain Jack Sparrow. Of course. It couldn’t have been anyone else, out of all pirates, no no. It just had to be him…

 The Captain continued, either ignorant to my recognition of the name or uncaring of it. “At first, he didn’t want to tell us anything about it. He tried giving us every name and excuse he could, if it meant we could have let him and his scruffy friend go. Pájaro terco. ”

 He scoffed, before taking another bite of his beignet. He didn’t even wait until he was done chewing before going on. Luckily he got nothing on the map.

 “Once we placed him in the hands of the Inquisition, they wasted no time making him sing.”

 A chill came over me then. As it always did, whenever the Inquisition was brought up in conversation.

 The Spanish Inquisition, or the Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición, as was the full title, was a truly wicked organization, loudly professing their loyalty to the Crown of Spain and God above while committing the most heinous crimes in their name. They claimed to know the word of God, yet acted with such wickedness that I felt even the Devil would have crossed himself in their presence.

 No part of our history involving them was good. There was not one good thing they did for us, as a people, a community, or a civilization. My own personal history in dealing with them was especially unpleasant. So much so that I neither saw Captain Gutiérrez’s mouth move nor heard anything else of what he said.

 All that was in my mind was fire. Fire, and rain, and the curses that my mother spoke above a raging storm, scorned by an auto de fe.

 I struggled to force the images out of my mind as I looked back down to the map. I had no immediate recognition of the geography compared to modern charts. And aside from the unfamiliar coastlines drawn out, there were several islands scattered around the paths marked on the map that I couldn’t immediately recall. I couldn’t even make out the end of the trail. That was the section that had been torn off.

 How unfortunate.

 “… it’s truly a shame they didn’t have to whip him much. Considering what he said to us, I feel he should have lost more skin for it. Ah, well.”

 It was then I remembered where I was, and who I had the misfortune of talking to.

 “It is beautiful, isn’t it?”

 I looked up to see Captain Gutiérrez regarding the map and I with a familiar fondness. One that seemed to seek some kind of approval from me, for reasons I could never figure out. To satisfy this, I agreed with him. “It is. In all my years of working here, I’ve never seen anything like this. Do you know how this came into Capitán Sparrow’s possession?”

 He thought well about this. I figured he was looking for the right words, as I had assumed by this point that there were some things the Spanish Royal Navy knew that I, being a common man, was not privy to. So as much as I imagine he didn’t want to be, he had to be careful with what he told me.

 During this silence, I briefly imagined the satisfaction one must have found in being in a position that was able to tell him ‘no’ and get away with it. I also fantasized about a quarry in one of his big game hunts overseas devouring him with the same elegant carelessness that he devoured the beignet.

 I quite liked the idea of it being a lioness. Or a bear. Or perhaps a particularly humble little family of piranhas that he tripped and fell into the jaws of while trying to cross a river.

 I liked that last one especially.

 Eventually, he found his answer. “Well, according to Sparrow, he, eh… acquired the map from a rival of his. A piece was torn off in his escape, so that remains with the previous owners. When he finally told us where he believed it led, Queen Isabel was most interested in authenticating his claim, and sent me out to find one who could translate the languages present.”

 “I recognized one of them as Ancient Greek, then recalled you mentioning you had studied Greek while you worked abroad. So I went to find you at once.”

 On my second look at the map, I noted that yes, Ancient Greek was there… alongside Egyptian hieroglyphs. The latter was used on the names of locations such as land masses, cities, rivers and oceans, and the former was more common as fragments scattered throughout. In my mind, the parts in Greek were likely notes made by whoever purchased the map when it was first made. The hieroglyphs had to be from the map’s creators.

 An Ancient Egyptian map with notes from an Ancient Greek expedition… were it any other circumstance on any other day, I would have been beside myself with joy. It just had to be a work-related translation…

 “Well, you should consider yourself lucky you managed to catch me when you did.” I then told him. I did my best not to let my disappointment at the situation show. “I’ll have plenty of time to translate it for you, seeing as you caught me before I could even schedule my next hunting trip. ”

 I brushed my fingers gently over the surface of the map as I said this. It was a marvel holding such a priceless piece. Alas, I couldn’t ignore who it came from. It was a map valued by a pirate , after all. If Jack Sparrow himself was interested in it…

 I had to ask. “Where did he say it leads? I imagine he would have been after something incredibly valuable for the Queen of Spain to be interested…”

 Captain Gutiérrez straightened himself up and told me, beaming with well-contained excitement, “ Well, if Sparrow is to be believed… then it may well lead to Atlantis.”

 I looked up to him from where I sat.

 He looked down at me from where he stood.

 The silence weighed heavy like an anchor between us.

 Did I hear him correctly?

 I might not have. Best to check.

 “… Atlantis.” I slowly said.

 "Sí,” He repeated. “Atlantis.”

 “The ancient city, lost to the Greeks.” I went on. “The city said to have spurned the gods, and to have sunk beneath the waves for it? That city?”

 “One and the same!”

 As I slowly looked back down to the map, the academic in me wanted to laugh. All through my years I had heard scholars and sailors alike tell stories of their search for it, only to return humbled and empty-handed. And I myself had participated in my own share of debates as to the validity of its existence. I was among the audience believing the theory that Atlantis was invented by Plato to try and warn his own people to be more humble. Nothing else would have made sense to me. There was simply no way an entire city could sink to the bottom of the sea without any outside record or evidence.

 It was a cautionary tale to me. Nothing more.

 And yet, part of me wanted to believe in it. That part of me that grew up loving the tales of my father’s expeditions – that believed every fantastical story my brother Thorello told me to help me sleep at night – wanted to believe that Atlantis was real, and that it was out there, waiting to be uncovered.

 Waiting for someone like me.

 That, and there was no denying the age of the map before me, nor whose hands it came from. It would have taken a master to try and recreate a map like this for any kind of forgery. Even if it proved to be yet another dead end, I allowed myself the briefest moment to fantasize…

 Realistically, it could have been a ruin, like so many others. A husk of its former self. It might not have even had much to offer in the way of monetary gain. But oh, the possibilities! Mosaics and pottery! Glimpses of ancient artwork and architecture! Undiscovered historical records, memories from the people that lived there, depictions of now-extinct wildlife, or perhaps even the fragments of an incomplete epic… the possibilities were endless!

 Oh, if only it had fallen into someone else’s hands! If only it wasn’t the Spanish Royal Navy that had found it! I knew exactly where all that was found in Atlantis would go if they got their hands on it.

 Still, the map I held in my hands was real, there was no mistake about that. Whether the destination was real or not had yet to be seen. All I knew was that I had my work cut out for me in translating it.

 Which begged the question… “So how much will I be paid to translate it?”

 Captain Gutiérrez grinned. “That’s the best part,” He started to say. He proceeded to finish off his beignet with a few final bites before continuing. “ If it happens to lead to Atlantis, and if we are able to claim it in the name of Spain, then I’ve convinced them that it should be a valuable enough find to dismiss what remains of your debt! Rather clever of me, don’t you think?”

 There were no words I could recall, in any of the countless languages I had been taught, that could at all describe all the conflicting feelings that arose in that singular moment. But I will still try to explain, in brief, to the best of my ability.

 See, my debt to the Navy, at the time, was not the traditional kind of debt. I wasn’t told specific numbers to work toward paying off, nor was I allowed to even ask how much was left. If I tried, all I got were vague answers. Professional speeches that sounded perfect on paper, yet gave no real human comfort.

 Not once, in eighteen, almost nineteen years of service, was I ever told, “doing this will absolve you of the rest of your debt.”

 It felt too good to be true. Like a dream I had yet to wake up from, before the tiles beneath my feet suddenly collapsed out from beneath me and dropped me into sea.

 But that was just it. It was too good to be true. If not for just one word in that entire conversation, I might have jumped for joy. I might have kissed a man, even, if not for that one accursed word.

 "… ‘If’?” I asked.

 "Sí. ‘If’.” Captain Gutiérrez confirmed. That proud grin on his face fell when he said that, but it fell in a way I couldn’t read clearly. I could never quite tell if his hopes for me were sincere or not. “Sadly, it will not be so easy for me to convince them to pay you as much if it doesn’t lead to Atlantis. So I suppose you’ll need to authenticate it first.”

 “After all, there’s no speaking for what has not yet been proven, is there?”

 I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy. What little hope had stirred slowly turned to hatred. Hatred that I didn’t allow to show in my voice, knowing just how much power he had over me in this situation.

 “… No, there isn’t.”

 “As I thought!” He clapped his hands together. “How soon can you have it done?”

 Slowly, I breathed in, then out. Re-imagining the piranhas helped, to some extent. “If you’re only asking for authentication,” I told him, “it should take me no more than a day or two, once it’s clean. A full translation of the map will take much longer, depending on if you want me to make a fully translated copy or merely make notes on what the original says.”

 “We’ll prioritize authentication, then.” He said this with a honeyed sweetness that, to me, tasted like poison. “I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

 I smiled back at him as he rose, as he passed me by, even as he broke his own word and stole two more beignets out of that little woven basket. I let him think I didn’t notice. Only when I knew his back was to me did I let it fall, scowling as I had wanted to for the entire conversation. As he made ready to leave, I heard him pause at the door. I could feel him staring at my back. How I loathed the sensation.

 “Oh! And thank you for the beignets! They’re delicious!”

 My hands slowly tightened their grip on the table as he left. It took every good grace within me to resist the urge to throw the remainder of the basket at the back of his head. But that would have wasted perfectly good food. Then Perlita wouldn’t have been able to have any.

 Once my door was shut, and I knew with absolute certainty that he was gone, I let myself relax. I was left alone with my thoughts, once so neatly organized, now all disoriented by the weight of the task laid before me.

 I reached up to pinch the bridge of my nose.

“Mierda...”

 Whatever beignets were left in the basket, I left for Perlita. I was no longer hungry for them. Instead, I washed my hands properly before taking the map, the case, and my gloves up to my office to begin work. By the time she finally came back about six hours later, that’s precisely where she found me.

 Alone, in my office, working the daylight away.

 As usual.

[skylesbian]

.

[satureja13]

It took a while until they reached their final destination. They had to sneak and made sure nobody followed them. But now they are finally at the end of their Jungle Adventure!

They way inside is barred... Ji Ho: "How are we supposed to enter?" Saiwa: "There must be a way. We've made it this far already. Let's search the surroundings." Jeb: "But stay together! And be careful! Gods when I think of only Jack and I survived - I..I..."

Jeb was interrupted by the Droid, who was beeping excitedly... He was standing in front of a pedestal. Jack: "So other Jeb said, we need the crystals for the pedestals by the ship. Leaves the potion..."

And really, as soon as they placed the potion at the pedestal, a crack opened! It was a bit of a hassle to slip through the vines and the narrow crack, but eventually they all made it to the other side.

There is the Ship! But it's in a cave and the roots keep it in place...

Saiwa: "So when we place the crystals and the meteorites - something will happen. But Ji Ho's pedestal is on this side and we are on the ship. This might divide us and Jeb ... the other Jeb warned us and said we have to stay together!" Rubyn: "But he also told us to do so..." Ji Ho: "I think you have to go ahead and I stay with Rubyn to find a way to use the meteorites to travel! Now that we have all the information from Albaleyh and ... the other Jeb and this pedestal here. And then we can meet again soon. And bring Kiyoshi back." The Bond only hears that Ji Ho and Vlad will be divided...

Saiwa shared his recordings from Albaleyh with Rubyn before they leave. Jeb: "I really hope we are doing the right thing here, Ji Ho." Ji Ho: "The other Jeb and Jack must have been sure it works out. If not they wouldn't have lead us here, hm? We will be together soon." Vlad was very, very silent in the background...

Jack was just about to explore the ship...

When Malfoy appeared in front of him! (Malfoy can sense any kind of magical interferences.)

Vlad shouted: "Jack! Wolf!" The Bond pushed him towards the others. The others who are going to keep him from Ji Ho - again! And Jack knew what was about to happen in an instant. He shifted to stop Vlad the Bond from killing them. Jack is the only one strong enough to keep Vlad at bay.

And Vlad knows that very well... he still has the scars, you know?

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest 🌴 'The Expedition' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: 🎤 'Putting the Boys Back together' from the beginning ▶️ here 🥀 'Disbandment of the Group' from the beginning ▶️ here

[neon-danger]

Judith Ward loves to prey on Alex in my game. Inviting him out and just calling him randomly. She's a predator. He doesn't even like her. I like, uhh, you know what all the ones I know by name were in older games too. I like the updated Sims 4 Don Lothario I guess, I manually updated his design as the old one was just bad and I'd otherwise be stuck with it from my save being old.

New Don Lothario would treat me so wrong and I would thank him