#lookit this beautiful creature

[milliesfishes]

Enchanted (Part Three)𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

[fem reader] contains: kidnapping, prejudice pairing: billy the kid x fem reader summary: pirate billy x mermaid reader author’s note: based on my love @francixoxoxo 's pirate billy au- leaving the tag below. Pinterest Board Spotify Playlist

Every man had his secrets. Every pirate had his weakness. Both of Billy’s just so happened to lie in the same woman.

The limits of his heart knew no bounds. You were worth every lie, every hidden meeting, every second of his time spent thinking about you. Which, with the nature of his work, was nearly every second. His overall demeanor had improved significantly. He whistled as he worked, breathing in the sea breeze and feeling the sun on his skin. Even Jesse commented on it, teasing him about ‘meeting some woman’.

Whenever the crew came to port, Billy was bounding down the deck, shouting a hurried excuse to the crew as he ran to the spot on the rocks designated as yours. And you were always waiting there with the sweetest of smiles on your face. His girl, his beautiful girl.

You’d greet him with a nice, long kiss every time, much to his pure delight. Sometimes he’d strip himself of his clothes and come in, other times you’d crawl onto the sand of the nearby beach and he’d scoop you up in his arms, walking along the shoreline with you and enjoying the weight of you in his arms. You’d giggle in delight, holding him with your arms around his neck.

Oftentimes he’d just sit right in the surf, with the tide lapping at his feet, holding you between his arms. He loved how much you loved it, the simplicity of being near him. Often, you would bring him little things from the sea’s bottom. Shiny rocks and sea glass. He kept them all in his pocket, reaching to hold one on days at sea. It felt like receiving a piece of you. 

He fell more in love with you by the second, it seemed. Your beautiful, curious nature was his nectar of life. Though he was flattered by your attentions, he wasn’t sure why such a heavenly creature would pay even a modicum of attention to him. Billy was self aware- he knew he was only a pirate, with very little to offer. One day he worked up the courage to ask you.

“You’re kind,” you explained, tracing your hand over his chest fascinatedly. “You’re good, better than most.”

“How do you know?” he wondered, rubbing your arm.

Shifting in his arms, you smiled softly. “I’ve never met another human before. But I figure the stories exist for a reason. Some have told of the horrors they are capable of. My kind themselves are capable of so much hate for humans.”

Looking up at him with your wide, innocent eyes, you blinked doe-like. “You do not scorn the difference between us. You embrace it.” With that, you leaned up and pressed your lips to his, soft. “And I love you for it.”

Stirrings overtook Billy, and he brought his hand to your cheek, kissing you as gently as he could. Pecking your lips, he thumbed your cheek. “You’re a miracle, sweet girl. I love you.”

The sun sank into the sea, and Billy held you all the while, happy as a clam to be enough for someone so wondrous.

Just like every time, the memory carried him all throughout the next week, making him yearn for you. It seemed all he ever did was wish he was with you. 

A week later, the day before they were set to make port, he was spurred by these thoughts, working harder as though that would move the sun faster. The crew was more leisurely, much to his frustration, but he reminded himself that they didn’t have the same motivation.

Tying a line and leaning against the railing, he lowered his hat to shield his eyes from the sun. There was a shout from above, and he peered up at the crow’s nest. Dick was playing lookout today, and he was pointing excitedly at something. “Look! Over there, lookit that!”

Billy cast his eyes over the railing, taken aback when he saw a tail. A familiar tail. When he saw it again, he knew for sure.

He almost shouted at you, but held back, not wanting to reveal to the crew that you were affiliated with him. That could only make things worse for both of you. 

“Mermaid! Mermaid starboard side!” Dick was yelling down to the crew. Billy would have throttled him if he could reach. He tried to remind himself that they didn’t know any better. But then he saw a glimpse of you again. He’d know that shiny, long hair anywhere. That was his girl; he couldn’t let you be captured or worse.

“Nothin�� down here!” he called back up to Dick. “Think it musta been a dolphin or somethin’.”

“Naw, I saw it too!” another crew member was saying, hanging over the railing. Now Jesse was coming to look, and Billy prayed you’d have swum away by now, back down to the bottom of the sea hopefully, far from his captain’s gaze.

He should have figured with meeting you and getting to love you his luck had run out for now. You popped your head up, the sun making you appear radiant. When you spotted him, you smiled, reaching a hand up and waving, smiling in a dazzling way.

Jesse shouted an order to get the nets, and Billy grabbed his arm. “What’re ya doin’?”

His friend raised his eyebrows. “Catchin’ the bitch. There’re folks who’ll pay a king’s ransom for a mermaid.”

“Thought ya said you’d shoot anythin’ ya saw?” Billy knew you’d be able to swim away from a gunshot from this distance, before the ship could get closer. A net would get you tangled, and pull you right up on deck. 

“‘Fore last week I woulda.” Jesse kept his eyes on you, swimming contentedly and smiling up at the ship so innocently Billy’s heart ached. “But there’ve been sightings ‘round port. Offers have been made. Any one of ‘em could set us up for a long while.” He over, meeting Billy’s eyes. “What they do with ‘er ‘s up to them.”

Heart pounding, Billy looked over at you with wide eyes, trying to motion subtly for you to swim away. You tilted your head, likely confused why he wasn’t at least looking happy to see you. 

“Harpoon!” Jesse demanded, and one was thrust into his hand. He made steady aim, and Billy panicked.

“Shouldn’t we wait?” he tried to stall so you’d have time to get away. “She’s too far out, you’ll never hit ‘er.”

“Nah, I’ve got her right in reach,” Jesse squinted, taking steady aim. “There, right there…”

As he thrust it, Billy’s arm shot out, trying to knock his hand. But he was too late. The harpoon was already flying right at you, and he saw your eyes go wide before he heard the sickening sound of you crying out in pain. 

Face pale as death, Billy called upon any sort of higher power to save you, let the wound be shallow, a graze, maybe. His breathing was shaky and he tried not to scream himself. When he saw blood in the water, your blood, his heart nearly stopped. 

Only a bit of relief was provided when he saw your head appear above the water, your hand covering a gash that must’ve been either on your breast or beside it. You looked nothing short of terrified, and the betrayal written on your face was enough to shatter him to pieces. Billy longed to dive in the ocean and gather you in his arms and kiss away any pain, any hurt you were feeling. 

As he was seriously debating the merits, you sank back underwater, the sea swallowing the only treasure his pirate’s heart would ever desire.

Billy felt weak the rest of the day, feeling faint and moving hazily. He was practically shivering with rage and aching with sorrow. His crew, the only family he’d ever known, had attacked you, his girl, his baby, his everything. He hadn’t truly realized how serious the men’s thirst for mermaid blood was until now.

After making port, he ran to the beach, frantically scanning for any sign of you. When he saw the empty setting, he sank to his knees, feeling wearier than he had in ages. Was this what it felt like to die?

He wouldn’t blame you if you never came to shore again. Never associated with him, a filthy pirate on a murderous crew, never another person. Your fascination with humans was likely burnt out by the revelation of their true nature. 

Running a hand over his face and through his hair, the realization of his loss strangled his insides. Should have dove overboard, should have tackled Jesse, should have yelled at you to swim far away…

Looking back at the horizon hopelessly, he was surprised when he saw your head peeking up above the waters, hair fanning out behind you like a jellyfish’s tentacles.

Eyes widening, Billy got to his feet immediately, standing there on the shore. He wanted to run to you, but he didn’t know how you were feeling. The fact that you’d come at all was miraculous.

For a moment, the two of you were standing still, just staring at each other, the weight of what had happened heavy on both your hearts. The heartache in your eyes was nearly causing him physical pain. 

Then you swam forward. His legs moved before he could even think. You called out for him, crawling through the shallows. Billy was wading knee deep, splashing as he made to reach you as fast as possible. 

He met you halfway, falling to his knees and grasping for you, holding you tight to his chest. Clothes soaked through, he hardly cared. You were here. Billy pressed his forehead to yours, his hands on your face, smoothing your hair back as he looked over you, kissing you like you were an angel.

“Oh baby, m’ poor baby,” he choked, holding you tight against him, nearly in tears. “I’m so sorry my love. They’re all fuckin’ bastards, every one of ‘em.”

“I just wanted to see you,” you breathed, your voice catching as you wrapped your arms around him. “I found you…I didn’t know they were going to…”

“They’re pirates, baby; ruthless, awful men,” he breathed, both his hands on your cheeks, meeting your stormy eyes with his sky blue. “I shoulda told ya…didn’t even think…”

“No, I was stupid,” you sniffled, and his heart broke at how desolate you looked. “I knew…I knew not all humans were like you and I just…” Your cheeks flushed rosily, embarrassed by your actions.

“Ya didn’t know.” Billy shook his head. “I was the stupid one. Didn’t even cross my mind that you’d be able to find me.” The waves lapped at your bodies, bobbing you up and down. “Oh my love…my sweet love.” He swaddled you in his arms, scooping you up and standing, water droplets like rainbows sticking to your skin and making your tail sparkle.

Carrying you to the shore, Billy sat you down, his legs on either side of your body as he examined you, fingers wandering to check for injuries. Your hair was covering your breasts, where he knew the harpoon had gotten you, and his hand hovered over it. “Mind if I take a look?”

You nodded, and he pushed your hair over your shoulder to see. There, on the top of your right breast, was a deep gash, still raw from yesterday. Billy felt sick as he looked at it, his hand covering the wound and stroking the skin around it tenderly. “Sweetheart…is it hurtin’?”

Wincing slightly when he hit a certain patch of skin, you nodded slightly. “A little bit. It’ll heal fast though.”

“I’m so sorry, sweet girl.” Billy kept his palm over it, and you shifted comfortably in his arms, nuzzling against him. His face turned serious. “Maybe we should stick to the shores from now on, yeah? I don’t want ‘em to hurtcha more.”

You nodded sadly, meeting his eyes. “I just…I miss you so much during the week. And I hate that you have to have this secret hanging over you, keeping it from your crew…” The disheartenment on your face was a sorry sight to see. “It’s shameful, I know. Having a mermaid as your sweetheart.”

Billy lifted his hand to your cheek again, kissing your nose. “Hey. If I could show ya off to everybody I would. Not a second thought. You’re wonderful.” He smiled in a bittersweet way. “But I can’t have ya gettin’ hurt on my account. These are sea-strained men. All they see in somethin’s what they can get out of it.” His thumb rubbed your cheekbone. “And I’ll be damned if they hurt my girl.”

There was a fierce, raw protectiveness in his eyes, and you smiled just slightly. “You’re not ashamed of me?”

“Never could be,” he promised, leaning in and pressing his mouth to your forehead. “You kiddin’? If I could I’d be takin’ ya into the pubs in town, showin’ all the boys I got the prettiest girl under my arm…” he gave you a soft smile. “You ain’t somethin’ to be ashamed of.”

Leaning in, you rewarded his words with a kiss, looking at him so lovingly he could have melted into sunshine. Your stormy eyes were tender, and he saw a tear slip from the corner of your eye. 

Before he could reach up and brush it away, you lifted your own finger, catching the droplet. Reaching out for his arm, you turned your finger over, letting the tear fall onto a scrape on his elbow. With his own eyes, Billy watched the affliction smooth over, as if the wood of the mast had never marred it.

He looked up at you in astonishment. “They-?”

Nodding, you traced the spot where the scrape had been. “They heal.”

Billy frowned, taking your hand. “Baby you shoulda used it for yourself.”

“They don’t work on mermaids,” you said softly, and he squeezed your hand.

“I see.” Billy brought you gently to rest against his chest, tucking your head into the crook of his neck. He held you tighter than he would have normally, shaken by the experience of nearly losing you.

You laid there in his arms for awhile, comforted from the trauma of your injury by his love. He’d shield you from every horrible thing if he could. 

The day, as always, was too short, but the two of you made the most of it. He kissed you, snuggled you, swam with you…everything you wanted to do. Your playful spirit was back, and he embraced it with everything in him.

Usually on these hours ashore, you’d come to him with questions, things you’d been mulling over the week before about the world above. But today you were silent. It seemed you’d had enough learning about humans for now.

Your skin tasted like salt as he kissed your shoulder, moving your hair to sit over your breasts so he could shift his lips to the back of your neck. Billy hummed appreciatively, pecking the space behind your ear, hands splayed over your middle.

Sighing contently and resting against him, the light from the setting sun rendering you angelic, you played with his fingers. Billy loved the sight of you all cozied up against him. 

“I wish I could be everything for you,” you breathed, your fins swaying.

“You are,” he whispered against your skin.

“No.” You shook your head and he nosed against your cheek. “I can’t…” Trailing off, you set one hand on his knee. 

Instantly he understood. Smoothing your hair and resting his cheek on top of your head, Billy wrapped his arms around your collarbone, kissing the part in your hair. “Everything aboutcha draws me in. Ain’t a single thing I would change, baby.”

“Really?” You turned in his arms, lying belly to belly on him. 

He drew back slightly so he could look in your eyes. “Not a damn thing. You’re perfect. M’ perfect sweetheart.”

It was incredulous to imagine you ever being insecure about anything. Billy knew his girl was the sun and moon, and he could hardly imagine you any more perfect. You smiled at his sweet words and laid your head on his chest, closing your eyes. 

Billy was amazed with how safe you felt around him, despite all the horror you’d faced from those connected to him. But your natural sweetness and goodness of heart didn’t allow you to ever make such harsh judgements or scorn anybody.

You fell asleep against him, and while normally he would have woken you up so he could get back to the boarding house without arousing suspicion, tonight he decided not to.

He opted to hold you tight and keep you safe until the sun rose again.

You were full of surprises. Billy knew that well, and yet you still managed to shock him in the best of ways.

The week after you’d been injured, he went down to the beach as usual. It’d been a stormy few days, but today it was sunny and bright. Perfect for a day with you.

When he turned the corner and pushed aside a branch, he saw someone sitting on the beach. Billy could see she wasn’t wearing any clothes, and he paused. A naked woman? How had anyone else even found this little corner of paradise? But something about her hair, her build was so familiar that he moved forward. 

Billy’s jaw dropped. It was you. But instead of a shimmery tail, you had two long, smooth legs stretched out in front of you. 

Running forward, he knelt at your side, making sure it was really you. “Honey. You’re…you…”

Laughing happily, you wiggled your toes, looking at them fascinatedly. “Do you like them?”

He was too shocked to say anything, reaching out a cautious hand and touching your knee. There was a slight sheen to your skin, as if the scales had melted into it. “How…?”

“It’s only temporary,” you explained, bending and unbending one leg experimentally. “Just until midnight.”

“Why?” he looked up into your eyes in disbelief. Billy hadn’t even known it was possible to do such a thing.

Reaching out for him, you held his face in your hands. “I wanted to see what it was like. Be with you like a human girl for a day.”

“Oh, baby,” he breathed, unable to stop his slow spreading smile. “You didn’t hafta do that. I’m so happy just bein’ here with ya.”

“I wanted to know what it was like,” you ran your fingers through his hair. “To do human things. With you.”

Now Billy was holding your face. He laughed slightly, leaning in and kissing your forehead, then both your cheeks. “Midnight, you said?”

“Midnight,” you confirmed, opening your mouth and showing him a pearl hidden under your tongue. “That’s when the pearl’s magic runs out.”

Billy grinned, looking over you and remembering you were naked. Just as beautiful as you were with a tail. He looked at his clothes, then removed his vest, pulling his white shirt off and tugging it over your head, covering your torso.

You looked at him confusedly, but then it seemed to dawn on you that to exist in the human’s world you couldn’t be naked. Shifting a bit under the light fabric, you said, “This feels strange.”

“Doesn’t all of it?” Billy chuckled, throwing on his vest. His heart stuttered at the sight of you in his too- big shirt. Prettier than any fish, more precious than any treasure. 

“You’re right,” you smiled, and Billy took both your hands in his, holding them tight.

“You’re gonna stand up now, alright?” he waited until you nodded. “Count of three. One, two, three!” 

He hoisted you up to balance on wobbly legs, and you grasped his forearms as you tried to get used to the sensation.

“How…do you move…like this…” your eyes were trained on your shaky limbs. 

Billy held you steady, nodding encouragingly. “I’ve gotcha, sweet. Ain’t gonna let m' girl fall. Why don’tcha try takin’ a step?”

“You won’t let go of me?” you questioned, looking up at him with doe eyes.

“Never,” he promised, shaking his head. "Go ahead and try it out.”

Eyes glued to your feet, you reached one out, setting it on the ground in front of you and putting your weight on it, dragging the other to rest beside it. You looked up at him brightly, and his heart swelled with pride.

“So good, baby!” he praised, and your smile showed him your pretty white teeth. “Wanna try ‘nother?”

Nodding, you led with the other foot this time, holding it out in the air and catching yourself on the ground stiffly. Billy couldn’t contain his smile; you were too adorable.

He had you take quite a few practice steps before he let go, holding you by one hand now. “You can do it, baby. I’m right here with ya.”

You took to it like, well, like a fish to water. He encouraged you all through it, still holding your hand when you got the hang of it. Only a few times did you stumble, and Billy was right there to catch you, setting you upright and telling you it was okay, that you were doing so good and even humans fell all the time.

Once he’d deemed your walking acceptable, he gave you a kiss on the forehead, telling you how good you’d done, and led you through the forest area. You tripped a few times over the various roots and rocks scattered across the grounds, and he kept a firm hold on you, determined not to let his girl hit the ground.

You looked around wondrously, at the birds and bugs and trees, stopping once or twice to look more closely. Billy enjoyed your awe in the world above, answering every question you asked to the best of his ability. Eventually you made it to the hill overlooking the port. 

Squeezing his hand, you asked eagerly, “Can we go down, Billy?”

He chuckled, nodding. “Yeah, baby, ‘course we can.” Squinting a bit, he gave you a once over. “We gotta get you a dress first though. And some shoes.”

“I can’t just wear this?” you looked down at Billy’s shirt on your body. One of the sides had fallen off your shoulder, and he could see your nipples pebbling under the white fabric. 

Shaking his head, he fixed it so your shoulder was covered. “Ya look cute, but I don’t want ya to get any funny looks.” 

Shrugging, you didn’t put up a fight, letting him lead you to a little clearing. He gave you strict instructions to stay there and then went down into town, purchasing a simple blue dress, shoes, and undergarments. The shopkeeper, thankfully, didn’t seem put off by his selections.

Billy brought them back up to you, removing his shirt from your body and helping you get into human clothing. You frowned at the little half stay he handed you, tilting your head. “What do I do with this?”

“Here-“ he put your arms through the straps and laced up the back. “-like this.”

“Human women wear this all the time?” you asked incredulously, putting your hands over your breasts and shifting the garment over them. “It must be awful.”

Billy let out a laugh at that. “I imagine so. But it goes with the dress. Supports your, ah-“ he gestured to your chest. “-cause on land they get a bit heavy from walkin’ and such.”

“Oh!” your eyes widened as you grasped the concept, looking down at the half stay. “I see.”

He had you put the bloomers on next, which you didn’t seem to mind, since you’d never had anything below your belly before and you didn't want to accidentally flash anyone. Then came the blue dress, which had a wide neck and a ruffled skirt. Billy helped you into it and buttoned up the back, turning you around to see the full effect.

Of course, you were stunning. The dress accentuated your curves, and just made you look all around beautiful. He grinned, brushing your hair over your shoulder. “Look so pretty.”

“I think I like it.” You spun a little, liking the way the skirt twirled out. Looking up at him, you gave a smile sweeter than sugar. “Thank you, Billy.” 

He wrapped his arms around your waist, picking you up and spinning around. You laughed clear as a bell as he set you down. “You’re welcome, baby. Gotta have ya all dressed up for your first day with legs, huh?”

You toed the shoes on, bouncing on your heels slightly. “Restricting.”

“Don’t wantcha to step on any broken glass ‘r anythin’,” Billy explained, keeping a tight hold on your hand as you started walking again. “There’s a lot goin’ on up here.”

You stopped several times on the way to the town to pick wildflowers you saw in the grass. It wasn’t long before your free hand (and Billy’s too) was bursting with the colorful blooms.

He stuck a few of them in your hair and said he'd find a ribbon to tie the rest together with. You were transfixed by the flowers, stroking the petals gently. “I wish we had these.”

In town, you were a little shy at first, but curiosity won over, and you started looking around. All the people, market stalls, buildings, animals; it was all new and fascinating to you. After what had happened the week before, it was nice to see your lust for learning return. He patiently explained everything you questioned, telling you what each building was for and chuckling when you jumped back at the sight of the chickens in the street. 

“That’s where the fishermen bring their wares in.” Billy was pointing at a dock where bearded men were hauling nets of silver fish over their dinghies. 

“And they sell them?” you asked, watching the process.

“That’s right,” Billy nodded, proud you understood. He gestured to a stall where in addition to fish, there were lobsters and crabs for sale. “Over there.”

Your eyes widened as you saw it, and Billy quickly ushered you away, remembering your attachment to some of these creatures. “But that’s not important. C’mere, look at this.”

It was fun, showing you how everything worked, teaching you in real time about how humans live. You were immersed in it, clinging to his arm and walking tentatively through everything. 

A little after noon, the two of you had come to a stall of books in the market, and you were flipping through one containing maps. Fascinated by the illustrations, you traced your fingers over the pictured land and creatures. There was one of a mermaid, and you tugged on his sleeve, pointing it out. That made him smile.

“Who’s this?”

Billy turned to see Jesse standing there, peering interestedly at you. He tensed before remembering you didn’t look like a mermaid. You were safe. 

So, wrapping an arm around your waist, Billy pulled you to face Jesse, the book of maps still open and propped against your stomach. He told his friend your name, and you smiled brightly. 

Studying you closely, Jesse grinned in a way Billy wasn’t sure he appreciated. He took one of your hands, lifting it to his lips in a surprising act of chivalry. “A pleasure, I’m sure.”

“Charmed,” you beamed, and Billy saw that familiar light in his friend’s face he’d only seen when he was in the presence of a fair trader or when he was at the hull. You’d won him over.

“Didn’t know Billy had a girl,” Jesse commented. “Though, he’s had a way about him lately.”

“Really?” You turned to Billy, the news seeming to delight you. 

“Aye,” Jesse nodded, giving you a wink. “Never seen ya ‘round here ‘fore though. Ya new in town, lass?”

“Yes,” Billy cut in, and you shot him a grateful look. 

“Thought so,” Jesse nodded, gaze roving over your body. “Woulda remembered such a pretty gal.”

Billy moved slightly in front of you. Just a week ago, this man had lobbed a harpoon at you with the intent to sell you to the highest bidder. And now he was flirting. “Dunno ‘bout that, Jesse. You’ve got a new girl on your arm every time I see ya.”

His friend laughed at the subtle jab, raising his hands in a show of peace. “Aye, she’s your girl. I’m not doing’ nothin’.”

You merely smiled, innocent to the silent conversation the men were having. “It was lovely to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Jesse gave you a drifting look accompanied by that same sly smile. His eyes lingered on the healing scar just above your breast, the souvenir from your encounter the week before. For a second, Billy thought he would say something about it. 

But instead, he nodded, turning and leaving.

You looked back at Billy with sunshine in your eyes and he melted. Taking the map book from you, he set it back on the stall and put his arm around you, shaking off any bad feelings his captain may have left him with. “C’mon. Still got lots to show ya.”

A day ago he would have said it was impossible to fall more in love with you. But today he somehow stumbled and fell at what he’d thought was the bottom of the chasm, hitting every branch and wearing a stupid grin the whole time.

Over and over, he’d gush about how amazed he was by his girl. What he’d previously thought mundane was now joyous. This little port town that’d become so regular was now a whole new world. He was convinced you could brighten the worst place on the globe, make anywhere exciting.

Sunset arrived all too soon. He would’ve been happy to just go back to your spot on the beach and spend the rest of your time with legs there, but Dick had found them with his own girl hanging onto him and beckoned them into the pub. You’d looked up at Billy with shining eyes, asking if you could try that next, and of course he hadn’t been able to say no.

So now here he was in a crowded bar with you tucked under his arm so you wouldn’t be separated. He’d ordered a rum, knowing you probably would want to try it, and laughed when your nose crinkled adorably at the taste.

Billy took a swig and squeezed his arm around you, dropping a kiss to the top of your head. Almost his whole crew was here, as was usual, and they were looking at you fascinatedly. Your status at his side told them everything they needed to know, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t watch. He tried to remind himself that it was just the way you were, that it’d been like this all day. People’s eyes were naturally drawn to you, and you hardly seemed to notice.

The other reason for their staring could be that Billy had never had a girl like this before. He was famously alone, and the crew teased him about being a eunuch. But now he had you. Not just a girl, a gorgeous girl. If only they knew how amazing you really were. 

You seemed to delight in the lively atmosphere, twirling to the music but staying near. When Billy caught a drunk man getting a little too close for his liking, he pulled you in so your face was pressed to his shoulder, keeping his hand on the back of your head. At a glance it looked like he was comforting you. But it sent a clear message: that you were his.

Possessive, maybe. Protective, absolutely.

As it got later, the pub cleared out, and you ended up walking back through the streets, Billy's arm over your shoulders and yours around his waist. The moon was out, and there were stars both in the sky and his eyes. He pointed out a couple of constellations to you, and you hung onto his arm, listening contentedly.

Catching sight of the clock tower in the square, he smacked his forehead, remembering something. “Left m’ timepiece in the bar.” Billy looked around at the empty streets before turning back to you. “I’m gonna run back ‘n get it, alright baby? Stay right here.” He pressed a dutiful kiss to your hairline and jogged back up the hill.

Thankfully, the barkeep recovered it, handing it over and locking the door after Billy left. Sighing in relief, he flipped the pocket watch open, squinting at the numerals.

Both hands were nearly pointing up.

And he had left you all alone in the street.

Billy’s breath was cut short, and he shoved the watch into his pocket, starting to run in a stumbling way down the street. He nearly tripped over his own feet several times, the combination of the cobblestone and his anxiety not a winning one. The boom of the clock tower striking twelve didn't help matters.

How could he have been so careless? The alcohol and energy of the night, the excitement of having you there- it had blinded him, unchained him from the little ticking numbers at a time when he most needed to be.

It seemed he always turned to God with you, and here he was again, praying with all his might that you were still there, maybe kneeling on the ground, your tail tucked under your dress. Please let her be there. Please let her be safe. I’ll never leave her alone again. I’ll never do a bad thing, I’ll give up piracy forever just please let her be safe.

It was for naught, because when he arrived at the spot you weren’t there.

Chest heaving, he checked the corners and nooks around. Nothing. It felt like he’d run the length of the street and you weren’t in any of it. Billy knew in his heart it was pointless, he knew you never would have left unless someone took you. And your tail had reappeared by now, which meant you couldn’t run. He’d stupidly, foolishly left you helpless.

Maybe you were back in the sea? He didn’t know what powers the pearl possessed. Did it just transport you back to the water when your time was up? Rushing to the docks, he looked for any sign of you, hoping against hope that you’d pop your head out of the water and wave at him, your pretty lips forming the shape of his name. Then he’d dive in and let you drag him underwater and drown, dying happy in your arms, thrilled you hadn’t been taken from him.

Scanning the docks, he noticed commotion on his crew’s ship. There were lantern lights glowing from afar. That was unusual since everyone usually spent the night at a boarding house. Heart sinking, he couldn’t help but wonder if this and your disappearance were connected.

Running with all his might, Billy tried to calm himself. The likelihood was slim. He’d go aboard and the crew would be playing a hearty card game or placing bets. And then he’d resume his search, grateful you hadn’t been left at the hands of such heartless men.

Stumbling up the plank, Billy could see everyone crowded around something, shouts overlapping. That didn’t bode well. He pushed through them, unable to help his gasp when he saw.

You were tied up in roughened ropes, pushed against the port railing, squirming and trying to wiggle away. One of the men was stepping on your fins, laughing as you cried out in pain. 

Billy was frozen at the sight of you, his panic palpable. Your wide eyes found his, and he could see the pleading in them, the silent terror. That was what spurred him into action more than anything.

Shoving the man’s boots off your tail, he knelt at your side, ignoring the shouts and jeers from the crowd. For a second, he forgot there was anyone else there at all. No longer did Billy care for image. His girl was in trouble and, his occupation be damned, he was going to save her.

As he got close, you stopped struggling, instead looking up at him. He was enraged to see that they’d removed both your dress and undergarments, leaving you bare breasted and exposed once again. Not a bad thing generally, but a fearful thing in this group of men.

“Baby…baby I’m so sorry,” he whispered so only you could hear, hand on your cheek. “Shouldn’ta left ya alone.” You leaned into his touch, and he could see tears in your eyes, though they didn't spill.

His hands moved to the knotted ropes, starting to untie them. One of the men shouted at him. “Billy, the hell’re ya doin’? We’re gonna-”

“Let her go,” he interjected firmly, getting the first knot undone and working at the second. “We ain’t hurtin’ a livin’ creature to make quick money.”

Looking from the rope to you, he could see you starting to calm down. Trying to comfort you as he freed you, he murmured, “‘m here. You’re gonna be okay. You ‘n me ‘re gonna get off this ship ‘n neither of us’r comin’ back.”

Now the second knot was loosed, and there was one left. Loud protests still sounded behind him, and a few men even tried to grab Billy’s arm, but he pushed them away, solely focused on you. Already he could see the burns the ropes had left on your torso and his heart ached. He’d hold you all night if you needed in order to soothe you.

Just as he was about done, something cold and hard pressed into the side of his head. Billy tensed, slowly turning.

Jesse was standing there, pistol drawn and pointed at him. His face was rigid. “Step away from ‘er.”

“Like hell I will,” Billy spat, clenching his jaw as he looked up. 

“If ya want ‘er to stay alive, ya will.”

This voice came from someone else. Billy heard footsteps and saw the crowd part. The first thing he saw was the cutlass tucked into the man's belt, then the captain’s hat. He was tall, imposing. There was a hollow look in his eyes that felt like staring into the abyss.

Murphy. The dreaded pirate. True commander of this ship.

Jesse was the placeholder for him, the carrier of orders while Murphy remained hidden from his enemies in a supposedly secret location. And now Billy knew why the ship made port here every single week.

Lazily, his boots thumped against the deck as he came over. Billy stood, facing him at his full height, stance protective. When it came to your well-being, it seemed he couldn’t be intimidated by anything, not even a man treated by the crew as a god.

“Well, Kid,” the pirate laughed. “Ya got yourself into quite a storm here, eh? Kissin’ mermaids behind our backs.”

“Thought she looked familiar when I saw ‘er with ya earlier.” Jesse’s gun was still pointed at Billy’s head. He reached down and shoved your hair away, revealing the reddened scar over your breast. “When I saw this. Right where I hit ‘er a week ago.”

“You’ve broken code, Kid,” Murphy said in a gravelly voice, stroking the hilt of his sword. “Fraternizing with merfolk, not tellin’ your crew ‘bout potential profit…when Jesse told me his suspicions I came right over. Couldn’t miss out on a mermaid.”

“Highest bidders 're a day or two’s journey away,” Jesse said, nodding. “Your girl’s gonna set us up real good.”

“She ain’t somethin’ to be sold,” Billy hissed, gesturing to you. “Let ‘er be. Do what ya want with me.”

“No!” you were reaching out, grabbing his arm and tugging. “Billy-”

“Ah, she really does care for ya?” Murphy snorted. “How rare. Merfolk 're oft selfish beings.”

“Just let me untie her,” Billy said in a low, determinedly calm voice, holding out his free hand. “She’s not a threat. Me ‘n her’ll get outta here and you’ll never hafta see us again.”

He held Murphy’s eyes, and the pirate seemed to be considering. He looked at Jesse, who gave a subtle look. For a moment Billy was sure he was going to give in. That he’d be able to walk off the ship with you in his arms, safe from the bastards he used to crew with.

Then there was a punch to his jaw.

It sent him sprawling to the deck, and he heard you yell his name. Two hands lifted under his arms and started to drag him away. He writhed, trying to escape them, to crawl back to you. But another hit was delivered to his stomach, then his mouth. The heels of his boots clicked over the plank’s footing, and then he was unceremoniously tossed to the ground, landing on the cold wood of the dock.

Billy tried to sit up, intent on getting to his feet and running back up, when knuckles collided with his cheek, blinding him with white hot pain. The shouting from the ship was fuzzy, and he reached out into the distance once before his head hit the dock

Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he had one last lingering though of you that haunted his subconscious as his head throbbed. His secret and his weakness had, like every great pirate, lead to the capture of his treasure.

And gold and jewels had nothing on you.

Previous part | Next part

[macsimagines]

sleep paralysis demon ran? halloweeny enough?

very spooky and yandere, but also hilarious because i just watched that brandon rodgers sleep demon video lmfao

TW: YANDERE BEHAVIOR, MINORS DNI, DEMONS, NON-CON TOUCHING, SOMONOPHILIA , Weird warning but the gif i used in this is scary so pls be aware

Yandere!Sleep Demon Ran Haitani

You're just the cutest, Ran has always thought so from the moment his eyes met yours. And he was terrifying. You always thought so ever since he started haunting you as a kid.

Ran learned very quickly that he needs to feed off of fear in order to live, and he picked up on the fact that children were the easiest to scare. And you were always so scared of him darling.

It was almost like when a boy bullies another girl in his class because he had a crush, except the boy was another worldly being that decided you were going too be his personal meal for the rest of your life.

As a little girl he'd always find ways to torture your paralyzed form from everything like pinching to pulling on your hair and sometimes when he was feeling more sadistic biting.

You tried to get help, told anyone that would listen but no one wanted to listen to you cry about the monster hiding in your closet anymore and so you were left to bear Ran's sadistic bullying alone.

Over the years he got better at it too. Jump scares weren't having the same effect anymore you got too used to it over the years, but that fine because he was smart enough to evolve his tactics.

He got very good at creeping out of corners you could just barely see out of the corner of your eyes. Knowing that he was there but being unable to fully make out what he was going to do to you.

Somehow Ran trained himself to be able to whisper at you from all angles making you confused about where his voice was coming from and where he was really hiding at. Sometimes the things he would say would vary from threats, to maniacal laughs to down right unhinged.

"Keep shaking, baby girl, you look so tasty~ Can't wait to take a fuckin' bite out of you~!" "HAHAHAHAHA! Lookit how scared you are? Don't even know what I'm gonna do or where I'm comin' from!?" "You're so fuckin' beautiful. You're all mine~"

Years go by and you're an adult who will never truly have a good nights sleep. It doesn't matter whether or not he's really there and if he's really messing with you. You're too paranoid to sleep more than four hours without worrying if he's going to show up.

He's learned not to push you too far, he can't have his favorite meal going off the deep end. He needs you around. So he'll leave you alone for weeks, just sitting where he knows you can see him, watching...smiling.

Ran delights in terrifying you, the way your eyes go wide and your body shakes, unable to do anything. The way your body breaths so hard and heavy desperate to make any sound for help but choked by his force to keep your fucking mouth shut. He enjoys all of that but truthfully...

Ran loves to watch you sleep. Your delicate features when your relaxed, how soft your body is when you feel safe instead of rigid when you think you're in danger. Your lips slightly parted just enough for him to kiss...

It's unimaginable to a creature like him, but he does find himself wanting to be...affectionate to you. So he lets himself touch you gently, allows himself the privledge of being soft.

And this terrifies you even more... Your fear is so delectable when he's just looking down at you, hands rubbing your arms to soothe the aches he knows you have from working all day, brush the hair away from your face so he can take good looooong look at how cute you are...

Why are you so scared? He isn't trying to be scary right now? He wants to be nice to you. To be good to you... But you're just staring wide eyed and crying even.

"I just wanna touch, just be good and let me touch." he whispers gently, like you'd even have a choice or say in the matter. He wonders if he could have an actual conversation what you might say...

But its the curse of his people, human interaction beyond feeding is forbidden and his biology makes it so you naturally paralyze at the sight of him. Isn't that a shame...

"I just want to feel," he whispers to you crawling onto your bed to really get a good look at you, "Just want to know," he continues running his hand down your sides, you really are so warm, "How soft you really are."

[angelxd-3303]

If you didn't see the newest trailer for the Mario movie, spoilers ahead!

Bowser appreciation time!

Look at this spectacular creature! He's so dramatic and amazing! And Jack Black's voice, my goodness! I have no words. The shots featuring the Koopa Kingdom are just gorgeous.

I mean!!! Look at it!! It's so beautiful!! It's every bit as dramatic and foreboding as I wanted it to be!

Also the Goombas??? I'd die for all of them, LOOKIT their grumpy faces!!!! I have a feeling these little guys are gonna give us a lot of laughs!

Koopa hype aside, good to see these two getting along. They're gonna have such dudebro energy, calling it now. Also, the effects when they use a power-up looks absolutely amazing!

Mareach my beloved!! Also, why did they light a fire surrounded by fire flowers?? Idc, they're adorable!

Ofc I had to include these shots of Luigi, the expressions are so amazing. This whole scene was incredible! Poor baby, someone save him!

In conclusion, this movie looks absolutely beautiful, the character models are awesome, the effects and surroundings are tear-jerkingly gorgeous, and the story has so much potential. I'm so excited for this movie, you have no idea!

[i-was-bored-so-this-happened]

Greensleeves Chapter Ten: Dream A Little Dream Of Me

Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3 Wordcount: 4.5k Warnings: Canon-typical violence

The party has bought entrance to the goblin camp, but find themselves unable to complete their mission. Something greater is at work

Read on AO3 Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

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The goblin camp is in sight. The party had permitted themselves a short break to regroup and try to establish a plan. While Lae’zel and Astarion are in favour of going in blades shining, Gale makes a solid argument for diplomacy allowing for a quicker and more precise extraction of the druid Halsin. Wyll, however, warns that they shouldn’t over-plan and Xaph and Shadowheart have to agree. The stab-happy Astarion and Lae’zel are outvoted, and she starts complaining about their reluctance to go to the gith creche until she’s assured that it’s their next priority once they know the tiefling refugees will be safe. There’s an outpost before the camp proper, guarded by goblins and a pair of worgs as well as a scout up high on cragged rocks that Astarion points out to the others. Xaph has been shuttled to the front of the group again, rather unexpectedly. There’s nothing to track.

“A war drum,” Lae’zel points to the thing, “One of those can summon warriors far and wide. Should we fight, we must destroy it.”

“Lookit, Klaw! Supper’s here!” They’ve been noticed. Xaph draws nearer and nearer until the worg starts to growl. Absentmindedly, she holds her fingers out to let her smell them. She won’t attack until ordered. The goblin who had spoken, bringing everyone else���s attention to the party, looks up at Xaph. Is that admiration in his eye, that she’s not scared of the worg? If it is, it’s replaced quickly with disgust. “Unless you’ve got another reason to be here, feck-shite.” The worg’s tongue, hot but not rough, licks up the arm of Xaph’s leather armour,

“Good coat on this animal. Healthy shine,” she remarks, sliding a hand up the creature’s head to reach that place between its ears she knows would make its tail thump if it was sitting on the ground, “From the nordiland worgata family?”

“How’d you know?” the goblin asks, “Dumb as a rock, but world-class at tearin’ out the throats of wee ones, she is. Rest of her litter’s inside, in the pens,” Worg pens. What other animals are in there? A bear, perhaps. “Beautiful beasts.”

“I’ve never seen a pack up close,” Xaph admits, “Always wanted to. They have an unfortunate reputation, these beasts.” No, she’s not a smooth talker or a good liar but she can talk about animals for days, “Battle-tested, I assume, to be trusted to guard the gates?”

“‘Course. Ripped out three bellies on our last raid alone. Be a shame if you came all this way without havin’ a look…” the trainer says. Diplomacy. Bonding over animals. This is working, “But I can’t let you pass just like that. Celebratin’ a raid we are,” he pats the worg’s side, “This one’s first outing. You’ll have to wear our war colours.” He indicates a particularly stinky pile of worg dung that sits at his feet. That’s the catch.

“Any designs in mind?” Xaph asks mildly, and the goblin cackles.

“Whatever calls to you.”

“Whatever calls to me…” Xaph acts as though she’s deliberating over the choice when really she’s trying to wrangle her worm. Images are easier than words, and she pushes an image of her scooping up a fistful of the dung and flinging it in the goblin’s face into her companion’s minds. Her tail curls up to her handaxe secure in the loop of her pack.

“Oh, yes, Xaph, darling,” Astarion smiles, “We must join the celebrations.” That’s approval if ever she’s heard it. She follows through with her projection and even as the goblin howls curses and the other sentries beat their shields with the pommels of their swords, Xaph passes her axe from her tail to her hand and buries it in the worg’s ribcage. She whispers a goodbye to the animal, a would-be-blessing. The beast is too surprised by the betrayal to keep Xaph from knocking her over and dragging the axe to her hind legs before pulling it out. Chaos has broken out around her. With guttural warcries, Lae’zel has plunged into the heat of the battle, finally allowed to draw blood. Astarion, ever the bright-eye, sends a bolt of flame into the rickety frame of a wooden structure that collapses on top of one goblin and brings the two who had been standing on top of the structure tumbling to the ground. None of the three of them move again after that. Gale-

An arrow catches Xaph’s side, just under her arm, and the force makes her twist and fall off the worg’s body. They’d forgotten about the archer on the rocks. Shadowheart changes directions and slides onto her knees at Xaph’s side, slamming her shield between them and another arrow as it sails towards them. 

“Come on. Up you get.” Shadowheart says, mumbling a healing word as she hauls Xaph upright. Warmth rushes through the tiefling, not only from the healing but from the affection Shadowheart is showing. She warms even more so when the cleric sends a scorching bolt of yellow light at the scout and he falls from the rock, burning. A second worg, smaller than the first, is barrelling towards them. Xaph nocks an arrow, breathes, and speaks a single word. Laqueum. When she hits the creature, thorny vines sprout directly from the shaft of the arrow and ensnare it, bringing it to the ground. The rush of magic is even more relieving than that of healing. She’d been worried that she wouldn’t be able to perform any spells. She wasn’t exactly a wizard before the nautiloid, her grasp on the Weave shaky, but she’d felt the loss as keenly as a sting. It feels the same as it had when she’d first fired an arrow again. Magic. Gale. He’d frozen last time. Surprised, or inexperienced. 

Turns out, he’s not difficult to find. Wyll races away from him in hopes of intercepting a goblin’s path to the war drum, and pulls Xaph’s eye to the wizard. She holds the image of the trapped worg in her mind and darts towards her friend but…but…he claps his hands together, and as he separates them the sound reverberates until it’s something far deeper. A clap of thunder. Detono. A wave of air kicks up dust and knocks a handful of goblins over before they’re close enough to hit him. Astarion weaves between them once they’ve fallen, stabbing with wild abandon, and Gale’s attention is turned elsewhere. This is the Wizard of Waterdeep, cradling a miniature storm in his hands as easily as he breathes. Wyll is the Blade of Frontiers, delivering well-practiced flippant lines as eldritch-red energy cracks goblin bones. Xaph is the Sunset Ranger, her arrows finding home in eyes and ears and hearts before her targets even know she’s there. Lae’zel ploughs through opponents like a scythe through grass, Shadowheart picks up the pieces with bright yellow flames and Astarion darts between the warlock and the wizard to make their kills a little bit bloodier.

Still panting for breath and some of them spattered with blood a few minutes later, the party advance on the goblin camp. A trio of drunken guards had been easy to take out after the battle at the gates, and now bottles of wine clink in Astarion’s pack and Gale holds a locket Xaph had found.

“So much for diplomacy.” Lae’zel comments.

“We can’t say we didn’t try to be civilized about it,” Gale says, “They were the ones who…well-”

“Wanted Xaph to smear shit on her face.” Wyll finishes the sentence for him

“I’m not quite that feral,” Xaph assures them, “Pity, though. They were well cared for animals.”

All that stands between them and the goblin camp now is a bridge, spiked barricades leaving a zig-zag path. The party pauses momentarily, sharing looks. They’re ready. They think. Xaph steps foot on the stone bridge and falls. Her skull vibrates, and she swears she can hear her tadpole squeaking with joy. Is this it? Are tentacles about to burst forth from her jaw? Pain blooms in her kneecaps as she hits the bridge, and her tail pinches as someone behind her lands on it, but the greatest pain of all is in her head. She brings her hands to her temples, to her ears, to her horns, pressing in and in and in to try and relieve the pain, to squeeze the tadpole out, anything. Judging by that pinch in her tail, the groans and screams behind her, her companions are experiencing a similar pain. Xaph can’t stop the screech that’s building in her throat. Maybe if she’s loud enough it will stop. Maybe if she’s loud enough she won’t feel it any more.

Hear my voice. Obey my command.

***

They are not ready. The Absolute has spoken to them. The strange box in Shadowheart’s possession that Xaph had entirely forgotten about had…protected them? All bravado has shrunk to simply courage, and that is not enough. Camp is set up, hidden among some trees. Just a short rest, they say. Just a little break. But the sun is beginning to set. Xaph snaps the fire into existence when hunger starts to rumble in her stomach. She sits with her knees pulled to her chest and her chin resting on them. Her eyes are pinned to Gale’s fingers. It’s calming, to watch someone who looks like he knows what he’s doing. They’re perpendicular to one another, Gale’s legs behind Xaph’s back as she faces the fire.

“I really don't,” his voice is almost startling, almost. People haven’t been talking much, “Know what I’m doing, that is.” Xaph lifts her head up and frowns at him. Gale taps the side of his head with the butt of the knife he’s using and gives her that wry smile, she recognises it from their first night at camp.

“The wee one.” She whispers, repeating his words from that exact conversation, and his smile warms. It rivals the fire, the way it burns itself into Xaph’s memory.

“Oh, I know my way around a carrot alright, but this?” he gestures towards the glow of light that indicates the goblin camp. “Out of the frying pan into the fire, so to speak.”

“You’re not used to combat, are you?” Xaph asks, letting her chin touch her knees again. It occurs to her a moment later that this is a rude question to ask, but he doesn’t seem to take it as such,

“Not my forte, as you might have noticed.” Gale says sheepishly.

“You did well today. Thunderwave is an impressive spell in the right hands.” She says the word and her eyes jump from his face to his wrists. Those strangely purple veins.

“I’m out of practice.” He protests.

“Not many goblin camps to ransack in Waterdeep.” Xaph reminds him. Hair falls in his face and he blows a puff of air upwards to try and get it out of the way but when that fails he uses the back of his hand to push the stray strands back. 

“Well, I-”

“Take the compliment, wizard,” Xaph cuts in. He has a habit of doing that. Deflecting positive words. Sometimes Shadowheart will take them for her own when he bounces them away. Xaph rocks forward onto her knees and reaches out to tuck another errant piece of hair behind his ear. She’s careful to curl her fingers and use her knuckles rather than risk catching his skin with her nails. His skin is warm against hers. His eyes are doing that honeypot thing. Honey, spiced by the flames reflected in his pupils. “You did good.” She holds his gaze. She needs him to know she means it. His face crumples just a little bit, but she misinterprets it and pulls back and it’s effort to not lean into the absence of her hand. “Does it hurt?”

“It always hurts.” He tells her. It’s true. The pain is always there, usually wrapped around his ribs and his vertebrae and it often pushes in on his knees. Today its focus is on his shoulders and it doesn’t matter how often he rolls them and stretches his arms. The arcane hunger is still there. The sending stone Xaph had given him is buried at the bottom of his pack, in his tent, far enough away that he can’t be tempted by it. He can’t accept it, but he hasn’t got the conviction to give it back to her. Every time he casts a spell, bile rises in his throat and his lungs burn. Xaph’s concern brings cool comfort. A little.

“Did that locket help?” Xaph asks, her fingers leaving him to go to the chain around her own neck. It’s the locket Arabella’s mother had given her. It’s what allowed her to cast dancing lights, and he knows that if she was so quick to give up her mother’s ring she would give him this too without question. Gale pulls the necklace she’d given him earlier from his pocket. It’s still intact. “Hells, Gale, why haven’t you used it?” She wants to push the metal into his collarbone, where that tattoo forms a target, but she doesn’t. That would be crossing a line, surely, a line she doesn’t have permission to approach. He holds her gaze, but Xaph doesn’t back down.

“It won’t be pleasant to watch.” He tells her. Xaph doesn’t move, except to take the carrot and knife from his hand. She slices into the vegetable without looking at it, trying to instil a sense of normalcy and prevent the others from wandering over and whining about food. Gale lifts the silver chain until the crescent moon locket dangles in between them. He pulls it to his chest. To where his heart sits. As Xaph watches, his entire body reacts to the magic within the metal. What Xaph had thought was a tattoo, that circle with the spindly lines that reach up his neck and over his jaw, they shine. Bright violet, almost white. His back arches and his jaw clenches and the grimace on his face pulls the skin of his throat taut. His name falls from Xaph’s lips and she has to resist the urge to reach out and hold him in some way, any way. This is painful, that much is clear. That bright violet light lifts from the circle drawn in his skin and purple energy pulsates around him, a miniature cyclone that encloses him and Xaph. In the next moment, the purple stuff is pulled back into his body. And he breathes. Eyes closed. Still tensed. Xaph’s hand falls to his knee, the closest part of him, and the point of contact is enough to bring him back to earth. His hand is still pressed to his chest, rubbing the flat of his breastbone.

“Gale?”

“It’s working,” he tells her, “The magic is like a lullaby that sings to sleep the demon inside. A metaphorical demon, I hasten to point out,” he says quickly, “Unlike in your…unfortunate case. But I’m afraid it’s no less dangerous - and no less bound to wake up again to continue its ravages,” he hasn’t quite managed to slip back into his regular eloquent cadence, and his breathing is still heavy, “Such is the nature of all monsters.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling…better.” Xaph is hesitant to use that word.

“On the plus side, my tower in Waterdeep has never been so free of clutter.”

“Let me rephrase,” Xaph proposes, “I’m glad you’re letting me help you. Admitting yourself to aid is bravery in itself.” Gale’s glad that she looks down at her own hands because the warmth of her words hits him directly in the face and he knows he’s a terrible blush. She’s unendingly kind to him, and he doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve such softness from this woman. It’s the same softness she shows beasts three times her size. All of them strays, as Astarion had said. 

“I know I ask a lot from you with few answers in return, but in time all will be told. I promise.” Promise? He can’t promise that. She deserves truth, but not that much truth. He can’t promise her this. It’s too much. She’s cupped her hands and brought them to her mouth, whispering words in a language he doesn’t understand. Magic blooms between her fingers, he can feel it, the thing in his chest lurching towards it even though it’s just been fed. The worm squirms in response, and he can sense hers moving in tandem. Still connected. The words are clearer in his mind, though he still doesn’t recognise them. Dearc fearrad. Yellow-green magic coats the tieflings hands. Chartreuse. Tendrils of it push out from between her fingers and form thin fern-like leaves, bringing light notes of fennel to the air. Matha súbh. Druidic magic, surely. Druidic language. Fás slán measan. When she opens her hands, they’re full of glowing golden berries. Gale opens his hands below hers to catch what she drops. 

“Eat. They’ll help.” He obeys. It’s shaped like a raspberry, but it tastes nothing like one. It tastes like her, he realises. Or at least, it tastes like how she smells beneath sweat and mud and blood. Ginger. Saffron. Cherries, right at the end. A single strand of her magic buries itself in his chest and catches on his every breath, a string of green light arcing across the orb. The burning ache in his shoulders is cooled, just a little, and he can straighten his back without as much complaint as before. Goodberries. He’d read about these. A transmutation, taking threads of the Weave and sewing them into reality. To heal, to help. He eats another because he doesn’t know what to say, and because of a twinge in his chest behind where his hand still sits that has nothing to do with his condition. “I know we haven’t known each other long, Mr of Waterdeep, but you are my friend. You have kept my secret, and I keep yours. I care about you too much to watch you stumble around in pain. ” Friend. She cannot get further attached than that. She can’t. This is an adrenaline-allyship, fated by the worms in their heads and coincidence. Nothing more. Nothing good comes from trying to further a connection made through adventuring. A good shag, maybe, but now is not the time to think of baser wants over needs. He is her friend. She can’t keep looking at him, watching him eat. Xaph moves to put the other berries in a nearby bowl, but they go flying when Astarion plonks himself down next to her and bumps her elbow. 

“Oh, sorry,” he says, with not an ounce of an apology in his voice. Before Xaph is forced to crawl around in the dirt to pick up her treasures, Gale waves a hand that lifts each and every one of them through the air and into the bowl. Astarion either doesn’t see this or doesn’t care, because he cuts directly to the chase, “Darling, Wyll’s bleeding and someone needs to take care of it before I do.”

“Fuck’s sake.” Xaph sighs, pushing up onto her feet. When she bends over to pick up her alchemy pouch, then the bowl, the open sides of her shirt fall forward to show the slight curve of her stomach and the red band of her small clothes bound around her chest. A mostly healed scratch sits on the side of her ribcage where she’d been hit earlier today. Once she’s collected her supplies she whisks off in the direction of Wyll’s tent. She taps a pole with her foot as a way of knocking on the door, then ducks inside. The tell-tale orange of her dancing lights makes the green fabric of the tent glow from within more than the oil lamp Wyll had set up. Gale pushes a third berry into his mouth and looks at Astarion, who’s looking at him as though he knows something and doesn’t like it.

“What?” the wizard asks, cherry aftertaste on his tongue.

“Don’t act so naive,” Astarion drawls. He reaches out as though to pluck dust from the shoulder seam of Gale’s robe, “I can hear it, you know, the way your heart goes pitter-patter-pit,” slender fingers tap dance on Gale’s shoulder, “Every time she calls you a good boy.”

“Excuse me?” Astarion is always forward, but this is shockingly so, “I’m not sure I understand what you’re implying-”

“Oh, yes, you do-” Yes, he does.

“She’s never said that.”

“No, not in those exact words, but that’s what it feels like she’s saying, isn’t it?” There’s stolen wine clutched in his hand. Is he drunk? Can vampires even get drunk? No, he’s not, Gale’s making excuses for him. Astarion pushes his whole weight onto Gale’s shoulder - bringing back the pain Xaph had just smoothed away - and stretches himself up to his full height, “Just bed her already, friend. If only to make her realise she has better options.”

***

Wyll and Lae’zel are on first watch, but the air isn’t cold enough to chill Xaph into her tent so she stays with them for a short while. They’ve hidden themselves in a copse of maple trees, which have proven to be common in this part of the world. Seeds twirl down around them on occasion, like shooting stars. Eleasis is drawing to a close. It won’t be warm enough to sleep outside for much longer. Xaph ensures Wyll’s arm is securely bandaged and will be kept clean until the cleric rises in the morning. Lae’zel stares up at the moon - if they didn’t know better they’d say she was misty-eyed - and shares her ambitions of becoming kith’rak, of battling among the stars, in the Astral Plane. Her voice is less grating now Xaph knows it, her heavy consonants mingling with the rustle of the trees and pausing for Wyll’s gentle requests for translation of gith words. Xaph is slowly drawn into sleep. A smile burns behind her eyelids.

She dreams. She hasn’t dreamt since the tadpole had taken her. It’s one of those dreams that tricks her into thinking she’s waking up, but her surroundings are entirely different. She lies on hard rock, blue grass brushing at her nose. White pinpricks in an endless lavender void above her, blocked by a face. Not Astarion’s, as had happened the other night. Another tiefling. Perhaps the most beautiful woman Xaph has ever seen. Her forehead is high and clear, and thick braids of hair are piled on her head in tiers. Her horns twist straight up, wrapped in silver ornamentation. Her eyes glow blue. She is familiar, and yet totally alien.

“I came just in time. You are transforming.” That voice. Xaph knows that voice, knows the way it echoes through space. This voice had spoken to her on the nautiloid. Xaph finds that she can move, that she’s in control of her body, and lifts herself onto her elbows and scoots backwards. She’s too close. Xaph can’t speak. She can form words but no sound comes out. “I saved you before.”

Before Xaph can even try to ask when, she’s falling. Falling from the nautiloid, but the wind doesn’t roar, her clothes don’t sting when they whip against her skin. She can’t smell anything. A scream builds in her throat again as she tumbles towards the beach…but she stops. Suspended upside down a few feet above the sand, the sky reverting back to that strange cool-toned void. The woman walks towards her, upright, and draws level with Xaph.

“And I’m here to save you again.”

Hadn’t Xaph wondered why the fall didn’t kill her? Hadn’t she been surprised by her lack of injuries? Can this be true, or something conjured by her mind to explain the phenomenon? Surely it can’t be divine interference - the gods wouldn’t touch her but to smite her - and it’s unlikely a devil would interfere with another’s investment or put on so pretty a show. The image of the beach recedes, the world turned until Xaph is the right way up. She sees a stone bench, wooden latticework with trailing ivy and unknown purple flowers.

“You will not become a mind flayer. Not while I’m around. I’ll protect you,” the woman stands. Offers Xaph a hand. It’s just a dream, there’s no reason not to accept it. Her grip is strong, the metal of her gauntlet should bite into Xaph’s skin but it doesn’t, “We haven’t much time, so listen closely,” she strolls casually towards the edge of the rock they stand on, indigo tail swaying. Xaph twists to look behind her and finds her environment has changed from a peaceful garden to something more like a temple. When she follows the mystery tiefling she sees little more than the same lavender colour, interspersed with bright spots, as far as the eye can strain, “There is great potential within you. It comes from that parasite. Your instinct is to resist the power it gives, but you must accept it. Nurture it. I will keep it from consuming you but for the sake of both of us, you must learn to wield it.” With a wide sweep of her arm, the rocks obscuring Xaph’s view clear. She has very few words to describe what she is shown. Another mass of rock, huge, that takes a bit of imagination to see the skull shape it forms. It is broken into shards, the empty gaps covered by turquoise and yellow energy. Shields. Flaming projections of people fly around it as the panes of energy pulse. “A fight for the fate of Faerun. A fight we are losing. For now. You can change that, but only if you embrace your potential.” There’s a moment’s pause. “I have to go. The enemy is closing in. I will be back.

Xaph wakes, really wakes, in camp. She’s lying on her stomach, her nose tucked into the crook of her elbow. She can smell the soil, her sweat, the leftover smoke of the fire. There’s a blanket over her shoulders. Thick, dark grey with crimson stitching around the edge. Wyll’s. He’s lying down. Lae’zel is curled in a ball next to him. Xaph crawls to them more than walks, leaving the blanket behind, needing to make sure they are asleep and not dead. No one is on watch. She grips Wyll’s shoulder and shakes him.

“Wyll. Wyll.” She didn’t know she’d miss her own voice so much. The warlock rolls over with a deep frown and hunched shoulders, but he wakes easily enough.

“Xaph? What happened?” his voice carries none of the signs of sleep. He hadn’t been out long, “We were…then…We were just talking, and then I was…dreaming.”

“Dreaming? Wyll, what did you dream?”

“I haven’t dreamed since our little cruise,” Wyll tells her. His frown remains, though out of confusion rather than irritation at being woken up, “I saw a man. A tiefling. He said he saved me, from the nautiloid.”

“That’s what mine said too.”

“What?”

“I had a dream. About a tiefling. Who said she’d saved my life before-”

“-and he would save me again. If we…”

“If we…” “If we open ourselves to further ghaik infection,” Lae’zel’s voice startles them both, Xaph’s tail whipping to the side. The githyanki is a light sleeper, it seems. That tracks, “It is a projection put forth by the tadpole. I have never heard of such a thing…but it must be. It must be.”

[quins-makeshift-menagerie]

They’re SO MUCH BIGGER and more Two-like than I thought! I LOVE IT! Even tho he’s a bigger boi I can’t help but still love him. Lookit this goofy goopy lil creecher.

But, like, actually tho, they would be absolutely terrifying to see in motion on all 4s like this tho. Especially if it’s fast.

Something that looks frail, but isn’t, and most certainly has something WRONG, AND can move terrifyingly fast? Dead. I’m dead on the spot. Heart stopped before Goops even got to me. It’s one of my favorite flavors of horror. I missed the timing on the body-horror submission ask (and tbh I have an essay’s length of a response for my favorite elements) but he his SO MANY of my favorite body horror details. Gosh I love it when I can just look at something and can be brought to silent tears.

Like, no they don’t have much in terms of stable muscles or fangs (that I can see at least) but that thing will catch you and suffocate you with its own viscous, sloughing off, non-newtonian fluid textured tissue and painfully invade your body with its own. Gag-worthy and violating. Writhing in your viscera and crawling under your skin. Nothing you can do to stop it once it’s inside. Victims reduced to horror and helplessness.

Its more than just a creature of horror, it’s dread. The sickeningly cool, thick sludge pooling and making your stomach feel heavy and churning kind of dread (which is quite fitting considering that might be a bit what it feels like to have that goop shoved down your throat), and mixed with fear is just *mwuah* a horror delicacy.

FANTASTIC. Beautiful. 100/10 did NOT expect this from such a cutesy series but I am PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. As much as I love and could happily drown in slice-of-life family fun with the mittens, I CANNOT wait to see what you do with Spoopy Goops here! I’ll be patient but also vibrating with excitement.

Genuinely glad to hear all of this!!! I was so worried how Goopy would be received but seeing everyone love(and fear lol) him makes me so happy 💕

[keisocool]

Silk So Fine

this took way to long like wayyyyy to long😻🙈 enjoy my lovessss

Tw : Assault, war crimes , arson, mentions of sa

She was the sun reborn the epitome of beauty, the moon her face her hair as wild and calm as the sea both equally beautiful the stars and moon looked upon her beauty and elegance she was Kayiah , was the earth goddess of island of Grenada She was known for her beauty, strength,intelligence, and was a powerful protector of the earth and its inhabitants.

One day, Kayiah was banished from Olympus by her fellow goddesses and gods who were jealous and accused her of being "too wild and uncontrollable."

As she wandered she was chained to the earth, so she started creating life, with her tears and sorrows she created a plethora of creatures. Each and all her children, she wanted them to keep her companion non of which want to and only kept breaking promises and cutting deep her making her heart break even more.

Her beautiful smooth dark brown skin began to turn to stone and she no longer had love in her heart for her children the whole island began to decay they started to beg for mercy and as she did they kicked her out casting her out to sea after a pirate attempted to make her his "wife." Instead of taking her side she was kicked completely off the island.

She walked away far from humanity she came across a island if you can even call it that it was just a flat floating rock adrift at sea. She cried and cried hard everything that's she's ever known has been stripped from her time after time.

This time her tears made the rock flourish green everywhere. She was trapped in this rock mentally so she did what any person would do after crying she fell asleep. Thick vines cover she brown skin keeping her attached.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

50 years passed she wouldn't know she was tossed into a deep sleep. She hasn't aged a day all her dreams were blank. That was until that fateful day.

"HEY GUYS LOOK AN ISLAND " a pirate with a straw hat yelled excitedly. "Calm down luffy it's just a grassy rock i doubt there's anything of worth here" an orange hair girl said not surprised by her captain.Nami-swannn~ she's so precious", a blonde male said with heart eyes. As the crew approaches the mysterious floating rock,they noticed the thick vines covering the surface and decided to investigate.

"G-Guys I don't think we should be here " a cowardly voice said. 'For once I'm with long nose" swman grumbled. The Straw hat didn't care Island means food. Food is food, the one named luffy was being the curious captain he was and climbed up the vines only to find a beautiful statue woman with brown skin, sound asleep wrapped up in a pile vines.

He nudged her awake trying to wake up the sleeping beauty, but she remained motionless . "Hey lady do you have food?" The curious captain asked. Even though she heard him she couldn't wake up so intranced in her slumber she made a vine craft of 3 ripe mangoes.

"WHOAAAAA FOOOODDDD" the loud captain yelled,"did you do that?" He said while stuffing his face. "YUMMY can I have more please?" He asked with a grin. She made more Her body twitched just a bit the first time in a long time she heard voices clearly. The crew stumbled across their captain stuffing his face laughing with a statue of a beautiful woman.

" HEY GUYS LOOKIT" an overly excited captain was pointing to which the crew looked at the statue cracking. Then a woman fell out of said statue on to the grown dressed in fine silk hatler top and skirt with golden sandals. hues of green,brown, white and gold adorn her. She laid still unable to breath her pierced nose twitch.

The crew pondered what to do with her, but eventually they decided to take her aboard their ship, where chopper nursed her back to health.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

As she slowly regained her consciousness she opens her eyes and looked at her surroundings. She was . Guysss come here she's awake"a raccoon dog spoke as a Piece of stone breaking off of her once hard skin turning back soft and full of life everyone flocked to see "who are you ? "Luffy asked. "I am a goddess "she replied still dazed from her long sleep. The whole crew looked at her in disbelief. "NO WAY SHE COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE A GODDESS" the crew was in . "You were trapped in that rock for 50 years," Nami said with concern. "We found you and brought you aboard our ship." "You must simply let me repay you for your kindness as she made heaps of gold, precious metals ans fruits. Everyone's jaw was on the floor." I am Kayiah, the earth goddess of Grenada," she replied, her voice soft and melodious like silk.

"Well I'll be off now" she said with a smile, as she arted to walk away because it had been awhile since she last walked she tripped falling face first.

The silence was loud the a hearty laugh emerges from the Straw hat. "You're odd you should join my crew" He said with a smile " no thank you,but can you direct me to the next island It would be much appreciated" she stated with a smile still trying to get up "nah but if you were part of my crew then maybe I would help you " He said with a grin she gave him a blank stare , she walked over to the deck as everyone stands around her awaiting her decision. "Your Pirates right?" She asked knowingly looking up at the obvious pirate flag "Yes but what does that matter big sis can i call you big sis how did you make all this gold" a orange haired navigator spoke up " Then id have to decline" her accent still pervelent.she sat on the railing maintaining eye contact she jumped off the railsof the merry with a splash .

"MY HAIRR" the brown skin girl screamed as the water spit her back into the ship her clothes drenched and her curls drenched,she stood up and started making a raft with palm leaves then was about to dive in when a beautiful raven haired woman tapped her shoulder." Um I don't think It's wise to go out to sea in that raft especially when Nami said there was going to be a storm". She got up slowly and turned around "miss I'm very thankful you and your friends saved me bit I can't over stay my welcome, i don't have the best history with pirates" she replied with a unique expression "no is okay we totally get it" the navigator spoke up "you don't have to trust us we're currently on our way to skypia ". She felt something warm and fluffy wrap around her leg. She looked down confused and saw the little reindeer tearing up "momma" it said give Kayiah the cutest puppy eyes 'hell why is there a reindeer on board' she smiled gently at the crying reindeer picking it up I guess ill stay till the storms over.

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

Lookit this Buff Cat living in my friend's neighborhood

Look at this very seasonal Friend. The little hint of white on the chest. Beautiful. I love to see cats. I love to look at them. Such creatures.

[roddaprime]

lookit these beautiful creatures waddle like the nerds they are

Just a group of penguins walking

(via)

[mrvlbimbo]

AHHH EDDIE MUNSON LITERALLY OWNS ME HOLY FUCK

this is a request btw but if you dont wanna this could easily just be us geeking abt this beautiful man

okok sO y/ns like this good girl teachers pet-- pleated skirts and mary janes and all-- with straight a's and she's sent to tutor eddie bc man is failing with a capital F so they're studying in her pink room with a bunch of awesome stuffies (in my head a lot of them are dragons and gargoyles and eddie's nerdy lil heart fricken explodes but this is just me being stupid in love) and he has full intention to do absolutely zERO work

(corruption kink and dom!eddie if you couldn't tell by now jdjjd)

and the whole time he's just teasing her (cough degrading her cough) and flirting with her (cO U G H praising her ahem) and- oops now they're fucking *acts shocked*

fin

(also i'm 19 minors pls away away *sprays you with water*)

oh gosh. This is filth, genuinely. I don't know how I wrote this with a straight face. I need to go to confession or smthn.

content: innocence kink, unprotected sex, creampie, improper use of a study date, I literally never know what to put in this part, not proofread bc I'm lazy

Eddie paced around the delightfully pink room, taking note of how the frilly edge of the bedspread matched the girl spread out on top of it to a tee.

In his dreams this is exactly how her room looked, sans the adorable stuffed animals that even he couldn’t have conjured up in his imagination. He plucked one off the bed, inspecting it carefully as if it were some precious item. "Your room is uh...cute,” he commented.

“Oh jeez. I mean to put those away before you got here.” She shook her head and her bottom lip between her teeth, coaxing the stuffed animal out of his hand and carefully setting it back on the bed.

“I think they’re cute. Didn’t take you for a bat girl though,” he teased, gesturing to her large collection of unorthodox stuffed animals. It was made up of mostly bats, with a few dragons and other miscellaneous fantasy creatures.

“Oh yeah. I wanted to rip the head off of one of them, ya know as a reference to Ozzy Osborne, but my mom said it was too vulgar.”

"You're cute too,” he said confidently. She had noticed the way she looked at him in class and when their teacher paired them together to help get his grade up, he knew it was his chance to make a move.

"Hm?” She hummed.

“You’re cute too. Like the bats.” His voice pitched slightly, still unsure of his actions. She sat on the edge of her bed, blinking up at him with wide sparkling eyes.

She shook her head, looking away and hiding the shy smile on her face. “Oh. I don’t think-“

“Aw. Why are you getting shy on me now?” he teased, cupping her face. His thumb brushed over her lip, pushing its way into her mouth when her lips gaped slightly.

“Mmmm,” she whined around his finger, looking up at him though her fluttering lashes with an innocent and confused gaze.

“Lookit you. All innocent and yet you’re sucking my finger like a-"

She tongued his finger out of her mouth, pushing it away harshly and whining the residual drool off her face. “Eddie. We need to study," she warned.

“Alright, baby. Whatever you want. How about you sit on my lap so we can focus on each other better?” He sat in her bed, back against her headboard. He waited comfortably for her answer.

“O-ok.” She hesitantly straddled his lap, knees shaking to hold her a respectable distance above him.

He gripped her waist, tugging her hips down to meet his so she was resting more comfortably on his lap. “So. Tell me about the Pythagorean theorum.”

“Basically…” She droned on about the sides of a triangle and how they all related to each other. Her voice stuttered slightly when his hands fell from her waist down to her thighs, pushing up her skirt and digging his fingers into the flesh of her legs.

“Mhm, keep going. Did I say you could stop?” he asked, his voice innocent enough but he was clearly mocking her.

“Why is your lap so hard?” She questioned, hips stuttering and involuntarily rubbing against him.

“Because someone is soaking right though their panties onto my cock,” he chastised, running two fingers over the seam of her and feeling the wetness seep through.

“I didn’t mean-“ she started to apologize but she was quickly interrupted.

"If you're gonna get them all wet, you don't really need them do you?" he asked, hooking his fingers into the band and tugging it back. The fabric snapped back against her skin, causing a whimper to leave her lips.

"Uh, no. I guess not," she replied slowly. Before she could finish he was already prying the underwear off her body, gently sliding them down her legs.

She whined when she pressed her uncovered cunt back to the denim of his jeans. His arms wrapped around her waist, pressing her tightly to him but stilling any motion she could have made with her hips.

“Aw, none of that. Do you want me to help?” He asked, slipping one hand down to grip her ass and squeeze.

“You’re gonna make me feel better?” she whimpered, a pleading look in her eyes.

He could already feel her wetness dripping onto his lap, easily sliding two fingers into her. “Yeah. I’m gonna make you feel so good," he cooed, curling them against her walls. A smooth metal ring bumped against her clit, sending a shiver though her body.

He teased his fingers in and out of her, revealing in the way her body shook violently against him. "Pleeeease," she whined, grinding herself down on his digits when he stopped moving.

"This isn't enough for your greedy pussy?" She didn't respond, instead wailing against the skin of his neck, drool dripping from her mouth against him.

"More." She rolled her hips, seeking out friction from his unmoving fingers.

"Alright. Alright." He slipped his fingers out, making quick work of unzipping his pants and tugging his boxers over his hard cock. The appendage slapped against his stomach, angry reddened tip already leaking with pre-cum.

"Oh. It's pink!" she yelped, fingers ghosting over the shaft as she examined it.

"Y-yep," he gasped when she wrapped her fingers around it finally.

She giggled when it twitched against her soft palm, lazily jerking him off and watching the way he reacted.

"You want me to put it in?" he asked, peeling her fingers away and replacing them with his own.

She nodded, lifting her hips so he could run the head of him against the silky wet folds of her cunt. He rubbed the tip around her bundle of nerves, giving an adequate amount of time for her to get desperate.

Finally he settled inside her, bottoming out with only a little pain. He stayed still for a moment, letting her get used to the stretch. By the time he started to gently thrust his hips, her pussy was already drooling around him.

Her legs were shaking, doing no favors In helping her fuck herself on his cock. His hips thrusting up into her were doing most of the work along with his hands cupping her waist and sliding her over him like a pocket pussy.

It was only minutes before she was spasming around him, one hand tangled in his hair while the other was clawing at the neck of his shirt.

"S'good," he slurred, cum spilling inside of her at the same time as she convulsed in pleasure.

"mmmMMm," she moaned, slumping against him, exhausted and drowsy.

"Was that good?" he asked, far too shy for their current situation. Both of their laps were sopping with their combined fluids before he even pulled out.

"Yeah," she murmured, nuzzling her head against his chest affectionally.

"I still don't know the pythagorean theorem," he joked, giving her a little kiss on the forehead. A bit of affection exchanged before he got up to clean them both off.

taglist here:

@angelsarecallin @sebby-staan @niviiera @chaoticgurl @evqans @slut-for-matt-murdock @multihaven @tinyboxxtink @hold-our-destiny @weh-heh-heh @battiebabe216 @captain-satan @avril-reblog-cave @dragon-ash13 @stxvercgersslut  @fangirl199812 @variety-fangirl @buckybeefybarnes @strangerthings64 @baddestbiddiesonly

(lmk if you want to be added)

[dragon-64]

Hello Bravestarr fandom, I come with weird headcanons.

This shot is in the intro just long enough to plant the idea in my head that, oh Cactus Heads are a whole race of creatures and there’s one living peacefully in town. (It looks like it might be an early design for Cactus Head? But it’s in the show now so they’re canon in my book.)

So, headcanon: Cactus Head’s race are cactus symbiote cyborg squid things. They are laid as eggs inside a young cactus which they will grow with for the rest of their lives. The cactus protects the squishy squid within and keeps them moist and cool. Communities of these squids keep large, well-tended plots of cacti and raise their children communally. These communities are usually built in cool, dark caves where the squids can live comfortably outside their cybernetic shells, emerging during the day so their cactus can get plenty of sunlight. When the squids are old enough to wriggle around on their own the top of their cactus is carefully cut away from the roots. At this point the cactus is receiving nutrients directly from it’s connection to the squid. (They are able to dig theirselves out but a clean cut is considered safer and more aesthetically desirable.) They are all hermaphrodites.

When they reach young adulthood they get a cybernetic body which helps them travel in the desert. These bodies can look wildly different for different individuals and body modification is common practice. Despite being natives of New Texas the squid’s reclusive nature and camouflage has made them a rare sight.

Young squids have weak psychic abilities which they use to interact with the world and communicate their needs to the cactus tenders. These psychic abilities fade as they reach adulthood but Cactus Head’s cannons work by amplifying his psychic abilities. He also comes off as oddly perceptive and empathetic to other members of the gang.

Cactus Head is a bit of a loner compared to other, more community-driven squids. He does keep a little garden of cacti and succulents at the Hexagon because it makes him happy.

That’s it for the headcanons for now but just lookit his eyes and lil nose poking out. A beautiful weirdo cactus gremlin.

TLDR: He’s kind of a Dalek.

[seacollectsrivers]

terror 4: punished, as a boy

oh no i’ve wholly forgotten what year anything takes place in. this is five months after what? the last time we saw Sophia and lady Jane or after franklin died??

charles dickens mention!!

ok I assume it's after the events of the last episode, and the terror and erebus is officially not where they were supposed to be

"lady Jane had supposed bylot island" lmao get em!!

I dont like lady Jane on a personal level, but I like how grounded she is. and bold, in that society. she reminds me of grandma Guthrie tbqh!!

fuck them uppppppp

idk if I've mentioned but I really dig the intro. it's beautiful and short enough for me to never skip it

brooding alone in a dark room. a Mood.

is this jopson!! ive heard about this lad. he's a dote!

oh god I dont know WHY but I keep forgetting the tuunbaq's an issue. or like I imagine the ships are safe zones, like some kinda video game??

I dont know Edward. I dont know Strong. sorry to these men.

now hang on this lad is 13 at best?? don’t bring him??

oooh ok I think I know who Strong is

aurora lookin all pretty up there :)

ONCE MORE the sound design!!!! the MUSIC!

hmmm no nope I am Worried this will NOT end well

jesus did it really lay a trap???

oh god this is. this is gonna weigh heavy on Crozier isn’t it :(

.....how much alcohol did they actually bring for this mission. hasn’t it been like, more than a year.

this is such a serious and dour scene, with death looming and alcoholism and all, and yet I'm here like aww.... lookit them. domestic scenes :)

sharing of pained history timmmeee

oh well ok apparently thats just common knowledge hahahaha sorry crozier

"regretted how it had happened" but not that it happened i guess?

brains out man's alive???

I don’t wanna watch this but i’m also scared ill miss something

ugh I don’t like the redcoats mostly bc I don’t like the military worship that it seems some of these lads have

oh worm. ghosts is it.

well I'm once more Worried.

oh worm NOT ghosts that is NOT a ghost!

wait, is that birthday boy???

oop racism in james jumped out

listen i know how racism works but have they completely forgotten they're the ones who killed her da. obvi the creature isn't her doing but like,,,, if you're believing she's acting out of revenge....

wholly unrelated but I love the sliding doors at the ships

oooh look at crozier in his lil embroidered waistcoat! I would like more of it!

"false" ok but 2 of those statements are objectively true.

this might be my aro ass jumping out but I do get Sophia. you kinda had to be practical about stuff like that, esp as a woman. can't live on love always you know.

the Franklins can choke on their classism and racism tho idc lol

o fuck o god

ok but crozier yelling. 😳

aight i’m. I think i’ve been kinda assuming hickey to be a s1 silver type. like I assume everything he does has an agenda, when he hasn't really actually, so far, done anything to warrant that? he just gives off a vibe lol.

like I don’t particularly trust him but I think I'm giving him too much credit. I don’t know what his end goal is here, except a genuine belief that she's the cause.

he’s very theatrical i like his storytelling

it’s his SMILING thats why, anytime he says anything he has this like hehehehe i’m so clever smile

oooh she’s netsilik! Good to know

the only part of the punishment i understand is the lashes. do I gotta look up naval language once more

"bring me a full chart and I'll show you exactly where we are"

disrespect to the girl go OFF crozier!!!

ah, ok, I think I get hickey a little more.

I am WORRIED about this punished as a boy thing!!!!

whippings are. ouff.

ok i’m gonna be honest I skipped the whipping scene, ill look up a recap bc I'm :T

"I know you dream of such things" tf does this mean

goodsir's genuine outburst of no! when asked if he's been lashed skjshd he's a DOTE

oh noooo scurvy? nooo :(

tobacco! from whomst 👀

i’m SO glad its goodsir feeding the Netsilik woman, only man I trust

"this is not how englishmen act" oh boy.... Google how do I tell 19th c earnest men about the atrocities of the English empire

looking up a recap, the whipping stirred up some sympathy from the men for Hickey? so I assume the tobacco was like a we’re on your side kinda deal

[m4rs-ex3]

ok but also

callum: she is the most beautiful creature, in every village, kingdom, and the entirety of xadia, i have ever and will ever see. the way she moves makes it seem as though she is simply a bolt of lightning: striking with efficiency and precision, and stealing your attention with its magnificence in less than a second. she is a goddess among men, the girl you see in your dreams and never forget, and perhaps just a dazzling illusion from the moon herself rayla: lookit the lil guy ! ! ! ! over there--the one rolling down the hill--all mine. PRECIOUS jesus christ i love 'im to death

rayla, about callum: he may be human, but he's not what they've taught me humans are. he has a beautiful soul and makes me feel both more love and more in love than i knew was possible. we understand each other on a level that amazes me every time i think about it. all my priorities have shifted faster than i can keep up, and i find myself continuing on just to keep him safe. i love him so much, and him loving me is just more than i could ask for.

callum, about rayla: lo. lo oK AT HER. SHE'S SO FUCKINF HOT. FUCK

[jaybug-jabbers]

My Favorite ACNH Villagers by Species

Hey all. I recently was gifted the new Animal Crossing game and have been playing it like mad. I decided to judge all the characters in the game and choose my favorites.

This list is extremely opinion-based, reflecting only my personal tastes. Also, I’m very picky. You’ve been warned.

As a final note, the list may be subject to change as I play the game and meet villagers and experience new stuff. Thus, this is a snapshot of my current impressions.

Alligator: Drago

Standing out among all the other gators, Drago’s appearance as a mythical beast plus a laid-back attitude wins my affection.

Anteater: Anabelle

Anteaters are cool creatures, but pangolins, which Anabelle is based off of, are even COOLER. Her cheerful peppy personality is also a plus.

Bear: Klaus

The designs for all the bears, for some odd reason, seem to universally repel me, except for Klaus, who somewhat intrigues me. I’d never have him in my village, but I appreciate the distinctive design.

Bird: Piper

Finding a Bird that I like is surprisingly difficult. Sparro’s design is nice, but he’s a Jock, which is kind of a killjoy for me. Piper just seems like a nice standard bird.

Bull: Rodeo

While the bright-blue Bull Stu is also a very pleasing design, Rodeo has to be the winner here. His terrifying appearance is at odds with his relaxed personality.

Cat: Raymond

Yes, he’s the super-popular among the popular; the truth is, I love him too. He’s a very striking character.

Chicken: Ken

While Becky and Egbert are also nice-looking chickens, Ken must win for his beautiful dark coloration and the fact he’s a ninja chicken.

Cub: Maple

Judy is immensely popular, due to her beautiful gradient coat and her intensely sparkling eyes, but I’m not sure she’s won me over. I think I prefer the plain, ordinary-colored, cute little Maple. Stitches is another popular Cub, but the stitch-eyes unnerve me terribly.

Deer: Erik

There are so many Deer characters I love! Erik, however, is the sweetest for me.

Dog: Shep

Most of the Dog characters don’t do much for me, just being rather ordinary dog designs. I’m not much of a dog person, anyway. Shep has that cool sheepdog fringe, though, and seems like a pretty cool dude.

Duck: Molly

I’m repelled by all the Duck designs except for Molly. They really went a little nuts with the weird faces for the duck characters, y’know? The popular Ketchup was not selected because I don’t usually like food-based creatures.

Eagle: Amelia

There are a ton of cool Eagle characters! I basically love them all, but I need to pick Amelia because she’s based on the fabulous Caracara.

Elephant: Cyd

Tia is a very popular Elephant, for her adorable design based on a teapot. I admit she’s very cute. But Cyd is … I’m not sure what Cyd is. He’s really weird. I can’t help but be drawn to him. LOOKIT THOSE EYES MAN.

Frog: Jeremiah

The frogs look kind of bad to me, overall. Their gigantic bulbous heads unnerve me. I know the art is a chibi-style, of course, but the heads of the frogs seem oversized even for chibi. Maybe I’m crazy. I dunno, I just don’t care for them much. Ribbot is a popular frog, and I kinda dig the uniqueness of the robot concept, but he’s a Jock, so ehhh, pass. I chose Jeremiah simply for his appealing colors and his name.

Goat: Kidd

I love goats in real life, and I thought I’d like more AC goats, but I don’t really. Sherb is a very popular goat right now, and while he’s cute and all, Kidd seems the coolest to me. He’s purple with nice hair and a well-contrasting horn color.

Gorilla: Boone

I do not like monkey and ape characters. I never have. So I’m very biased here. Boone seems the best of the Gorilla bunch, though, with his bright, eye-catching baboon markings and almost dignified presense. I wouldn’t have him on my island, but he’s the most tolerable.

Hamster: NOPE

There’s something about all the hamsters that troubles me greatly. I could never have any on my island.

Hippo: Bertha

I think it’s hard to make a stylized Hippo character that isn’t at least kinda ugly. They have oddly-shaped honkin’ faces, and it’s awkward. But Bertha is a pretty sweet hippo gal.

Horse: Victoria

There are a lot of horses in the game, including a Zebra, a sparkling Unicorn, a creepy dark horse, and a princely Colton; but I’m choosing Victoria soley for the racehorse motif. This may change over time, but for now I find it charming.

Kangaroo: Walt

While they experimented with a number of eye-catching designs for the Kangaroos, Walt’s understated slate blues and intense face wins me over. Also, he has a cool scar and is a cranky boy.

Koala: Yuka

The enormous noses and widely-spaced eyes of the Koala characters make it difficult to make them cute, but Yuka seems pretty sweet.

Lion: Leopold

I definitely do not care for any of the Lion characters except for Leopold. Leo is a magnificent, regal-looking fellow I would want to have a cup of tea with.

Monkey: Don’t like any of ‘em

I mentioned previously my bias against ape and monkey characters. I can’t possibly choose a favorite from them.

Mouse: Chadder

As with the Hamster characters, I also do not like the Mouse characters. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with the body design, but … hm. Most of the faces for them are unpleasant. Chadder’s face is actually quite neat, though, and I like his little suit. The cheese motif is kinda cute, too.

Octopus: Marina

I love the idea of having an Octopus villager. Octopi are awesome. It will take me time to adjust to the mouth they went with here, though. I think I would have preferred a beak, which is what actual octopi have.

Ostrich: Flora & Julia

I adore almost all of the Ostrich characters. I would be thrilled with any of them. (Except for Queenie. Yuck.)

Penguin: Hopper

Penguins are sweet birds, adored by many, and rightfully so. Hopper is definitely king of the bunch, though–based off the crested penguin, the eye-catching, cranky little fellow will waddle his way into your heart.

Pig: Boris

I’m not normally a fan of pig characters. But there’s something about Boris! What presense he has! What magnificent fangs! What lovely colors and impressive attitude!

Rabbit: NOPE

They sure went all-out on trying out a wide variety of wild faces on these rabbits. I honestly hate ‘em all. Mira comes closest to being OK, but no.

Rhino: Merengue

I previously noted I don’t really care for food-based characters. So I feel quite mixed about Merengue. Animals that are also food disturb me. But her design is admittedly well-done and very cute. She won’t be on my island, but I understand why people like her so much. She’s certainly the most interesting Rhino character.

Sheep: Dom

OK. I know I said how much I dislike Jock personalities. (The reason is simply because it gets tiring to hear them talk about nothing else but working out.) But Dom gets a pass. He’s the only one I will tolerate a Jock personality for. His character design is screamingly adorable and pleasant to look at, and the contrast between a tiny, fluffy cute little sheep wanting to get crunk is hilarious.

Squirrel: Marshal

There are several cute Squirrel characters, including the very lovely Poppy and the skunklike Tasha, but the highly-popular Marshal is popular for a reason. His sweet little grumpy face and simple but effective colors are wonderful.

Tiger: Rolf

There’s something rather dull in the Tiger designs. I don’t know what it is, exactly. Rolf seems to have some attitude and toughness about him, so I chose him, and white tigers are pretty. But overall, the Tigers underwhelm me. This is surprising since I am a big cat fan. I dunno … I think it’s the snout in the big cat design I don’t like. It looks weird.

Wolf: Skye & Kyle

The wolves look really nice in AC, and I like a surprising number of them. I could not settle on a single one, so I chose both Skye for her gorgeous coloration and cute eyes and Kyle for his pretty Wild Dog colors.

[subtleshenanigans]

Just something I wrote - probably won’t do anything further with these characters.

In Bloom

————

————

Birch Brickpaw, mother of the dibbuns of Redwall. Brickpaw for her speedy cuff and sizable paws.

Badgers don’t name in clans like otters, not in a traditional sense. They like codes and riddles and secrets to share. It’s about fitting a long name, a meaning, into something simple. Like Hares, but not broadcasted.

Birch had grown up in the plains, in a humble home. Her mother grew flowers and herbs, her father farmed. It was a simple life.

“My little garden,” her mother would say. “See the flowers? They bloom in their own time. But the week you were born, my oh my! It made no sense. Borage, Iris, Rosemary, Catnip, Hyssop - they all bloomed with one another, so I named you for them.”

“I thought daddy said I was named after a tree,” Birch had asked in puzzlement. They looked over to where her father was splitting logs.

Her mother had winked. “Well, that’s what he thinks.”

It was happy, and simple. Her father called her ‘little sapling’ and marked as she grew. Nights were warm in summer, they holed up in winter at Redwall Abbey, came back for spring and sent gifts from autumn harvest.

Until one day they went to Redwall in late summer, and her father and mother kissed her brow, worry etched on their features.

The Abbot held her paw as they watched them leave, with the Skipper of otters and his entire crew.

And the door shut behind them.

And her parents didn’t come back.

———-

She would always be thankful for the otters, who under a new skipper, had tried their best. They hadn’t hid what had happened to them, and she was thankful for that as well.

Abbot Verum wasn’t that old, even as she was full-grown now. He had raised her, and trained her, and though she still held a temper after losing her parents, she was a kind, loving creature.

It was customary to have a Badger Mother at Redwall, and while Abbot Verum assured her that she need not take the position, she found caring for the little ones soothed the hurt in her heart. Even with the add-on of Brickpaw, she was gentle, and kind, and never raised a paw in anger. Discipline, don’t punish, and only if truly needed was her motto.

Many dibbuns were under her care throughout the seasons; the mischievous and the shy and the clever and the kind. She took in orphans and helped raise those who had parents. Life was beautiful, even if the hurt never truly left.

So when Skipper Wagrudder and his crew came one somber day, five rescued oarslaves and an orphaned babe, who was she to say no?

Until she found out it was a rat babe.

“Birch-“

“No, Verum.” She growled. That thing needs to be taken out of the abbey, immediately.

It was the first time Abbot Verum had ever been mad at her.

“That thing, as you put it, is a babe, with no family, and no home. He will be staying at Redwall Abbey, regardless whether you take him on or not.” He folded his paws into his habit sleeves, and his gaze softened. “I know you’re angry, and you have every right to be. But my child, don’t blame him for what happened.”

She watched him leave, the hurt aching.

—————

He’s a rat! Vermin, he’ll grow up one day and murder us left and right.

. . . but he’s also just a little baby. Will he really?

All vermin are the same!

. . .but, art they?

She remembered something her dad said once.

“Well, sapling, vermin are vermin, it’s true. But I knew a weasel once, and he wasn’t so bad. He made tools for cooking - I can tell you he shocked me right out of my fur when he first pointed that knife at me! But he wanted me to try it out. Gave me some of our nice spoons and ladles too. Said if I cooked him something and he liked it, I could keep the tools. Odd weasel, just liked making useful things I suppose.”

————-

The babe is wrapped in a shawl, chewing on the fabric and making it wet. It’s fur is gray with a blueish tinge. It doesn’t look too different from a mousebabe.

“They called him Houndstongue, according to Skipper,” Sister Fallow says, rocking the babe. The Abbot sits in the great armchair. Cavern Hole is empty this late at night, except for them, and Mother Birch, who watches from afar.

“Hmm, well we should change that. A new name for a new start,” the Abbot looks right over his glasses at Birch. “Any ideas?”

He reminds her of a periwinkle. “Pervenche.”

She doesn’t realize it was even her who said that, until she flees, his voice echoing up the stairs.

“A lovely name, I think.”

————-

By time he’s toddling around, which isn’t too far off, her fears come back tenfold, as does her doubts.

It will kill everyone I care about-

But-

But he cries, the first time he sees a fire lit, and crawls to hide behind the Abbot. He’s scared to take food without asking, and even then is scared to ask.

And he plays, tentatively at first, but then joins in more. Skipping and twirling and giggling with the other dibbuns, who look at him no different from themselves.

He holds his tail in his left paw, when he’s nervous, and chews on his right. He wants to learn to spell, doesn’t want to learn to swim, and likes cloudgazing with the others.

And Birch grumbles to herself, berates herself, because her she was, judging a child. A child who will grow and learn, and who better than her to teach him.

“Everyone is able to love, as much as they are to hate,” Sister Fallow mused, that night he was named. Before Birch fled. She hoops his nose, and he sneezes. “And this little fellow needs a lot of love, I think.”

————

Seasons pass, and he is walking instead of toddling. He’s wary of Birch, but knows the other dibbuns trust her.

“Ma Birch! Lookit meeee!”

It’s Ringul the squirrelmaid, hanging from a branch by her tail. Birch gently plucks her off. “Naughty little Ringul, you’ll fall on your head.”

She sets her down. “Now go off and play.”

“Butter kite stuckina tree!” Edin the otterbabe huffs. Thankfully, Birch is used to hearing baby speech run together.

Sighing, she crouches down, “Well master Edin, I’ll have to go get Addle, but for now-“

There’s a tug on her dress. “Mama, I’ll get it.”

And before she can respond - it’s the first she’s heard his voice - he’s scrabbling up as well as any squirrel, and back down, slipping a bit but using his tail to wrap around limbs and branches.

She wonders, then, is it really only because they corsairs rats are good at climbing?

——-

Pervenche still calls her Mama instead of Mother Birch or Ma, and she, in bewilderment, allows it.

Pervenche is still scared of fire, too, so he turns his back to it to enjoy its warmth. He wakes in his sleep with silent cries, and Birch only knows because she checks on the dibbuns every night.

But as he grows, he learns. He gains good friends, finds a skill in penmanship; Brother Mells teaches him how to plant crops.

“All the dibbuns are shaping up to be fine abbeybeasts, aren’t they?” Abbot Verum comments, one evening. Most of the young ones are helping set up for a late summer supper; Ringul and Pervenche helping with the lanterns.

And Birch thinks about the hurt that has steadily begun to leave; about small, tentative smiles and how he snuggles in her arms as she brings him up to sleep.

He’s no longer a little babe, but the worries she had had long since faded.

He sees her and the abbot staring, waves a paw after elbowing Ringul so that she’ll join in too.

“Yes,” she says at last, “they really are.”

[tlbodine]

The last point-and-click adventure was so much fun, it’s time to dig into another! This one, Chook & Sosig Walk the Plank, is a game-within-a-game about a cast of colorful creatures (some of whom are ghosts) playing a pirate-themed tabletop RPG. 

It’s also the product of a one-person game studio, which is frankly astonishing because look at this detail 

The game is part of the Itchio Bundle, and you can pick it up for yourself here: https://armor-games-studios.itch.io/chook-sosig-walk-the-plank

After meeting our charming cast of creatures, the game begins! 

This game is beautiful and it’s also very funny. You start your pirate adventure by having to help fix a broken fountain so you can join the pirate crew, because of course it’s something like that. There’s a hint system involving the ghost chicken who is cheating at the TTRPG by reading over the DM’s shoulder. Sometimes the game cuts away to the scene at the tabletop. Everyone gives meta-commentary. Some folks might find this all a bit precious but I think it’s fantastic.

Also I cannot get over how cute these characters are. Lookit those stupid widdle feet! 

[dappercritter]

"A weapon to surpass [REDACTED] … Oh, it’s beautiful! Lookit the edge on this one! You’ve really outdone yourself, lads! Still, I think there’s some room for improvement…” – Zander S. Hunter, CEO-elect of Nebula Energy (recorded speaking to Bio-Major employees following unveiling of Project Spartoi prototype)

Vague story teasers aside, Gigan was my favourite design to work on so far. I originally imagined him as a much cybernetic and creepy creature, looking like a cross between a shrink-wrapped turkey vulture and a mass produce Eva unit, but after Godzilla vs Gigan Rex came out, King convinced me to go with something a little more streamlined and that could plausibly come from chicken genes.

There’s still a bit of my more mechanical prosthetic idea in the legs as well as a MV Mechagodzilla tail weapon you can just see if you look closely, but I’m much happier with King’s more techno-organic take.

Remember to support King’s work (preferably on his patreon; can’t have my lead artist being a starving one) and stay tuned to this tumblr for more updates on my dream project.

Now starring my favourite kaiju!

A commissioned godzilla chaos theory prototype gigan for @dappercritter

Half chicken and half translated dorat genetic material, this cyborg boasts a variety of features. A bisected sternum with a built in buzzsaw, hands replaced with large serrated hooks, rotating bladed tail tip, a cockpit helmet that covers its undeveloped eyes with a visor and gives it an extra robotic eye that can shoot lasers, artificial skin over where scales didn’t grow, and robotic legs with 2 way hydraulic ankles and hybrid carbon nanotube yarn muscles.