#micro march

[crematosis]

[carbonatedmerriment]

day 8: macro/micro!

bluesky

twitter

[polyamoryfacts]

Non-monogamy terms explained with the Ides of March

partner: A knife lies before you. You grab it. It fits into your hand perfectly.

new relationship energy: You feel invigorated. Your friends start gently complaining how you and your knife are joined at the hip.

nesting partner: You have brought the knife home. You can see yourself spending a significant amount of time with the knife around each day.

spouse: You decide you and this knife will stay together till death you parts.

munch: your senator pal Brutus invites you to dinner. You bring your knife. Of course you bring your knife. You have fun and decide to come back.

scene friends: Brutus and his knife like you and your knife.

private play party: They invite you to a more exclusive event. It will be just them and you and about 50 or 60 other people.

don't ask, don't tell: You go there. You have a hunch you know all of those people, but with what Brutus is discussing, you would rather not have it confirmed.

swinging: That night, in preparation for what is to come, you try handling all sorts of different knives. In the end, you return home with the knife you brought. You are happier for it, yet plagued with worry about whether you have done the right thing.

kitchen table polyamory: people sure have brought a lot of knives to this senate meeting.

polycule: You and the others are surrounding Caesar. You can barely make out which knife belongs to whom. Maybe it doesn't matter.

metamour: You stand over Caesar, about to stab him. You glance up and see another person about to stab Caesar. You nod. They nod back.

compersion: They reach out and gently adjust your grip on your knife. And while it is your knife still, in this moment, you both share a bond unique and different than the one of a senator and his knife.

aftercare: Caesar is lying dead on the floor of the hall. You absentmindedly polish your knife. You are not sure if you are present in this reality.

community leader: that asshole Marc Anthony is holding a speech. You realize nothing good ever comes out of someone calling himself "not an orator" in a public speech.

relationship anarchy: the plebs is burning down your house. You are not sure where your knife is or whether you should care at this point.

[angelofalls]

Size differences

[practicecourts]

@jilychallenge I've struggled with my January challenge but it clearly needed some additional prompts, so thank you @jilymicrofics for the Moody March list. So here it finally is @petals2fish.

I loved your Hungergame AU Catching Fire so I hope you will like this Medieval Jily fic. JilyChallenge January 2024 Theme: Love in Tough Times. Prompt: oh lord, o lord what have I done? I’ve fallen in love with a man on the run, Oh Lord, Oh lord, I’m begging you please, Don’t take this sinner away from me (The devil’s backbone / civil wars) / TS Don’t blame me (Oh lord, save me, my drug is my baby, I’ll be using for the rest of my life @jilymicro-oops || Moody March day 4 || despondent || ca 1250 wrds. Read Chapter one: To Hang... on ao3 thanks @tinyluminaryzombie for last minute beta reading (Chapter 2 will be up sometime tomorrow) ! please check the warnings in the notes !

To Hang...

People enter the city through the guarded gates, most are on foot, some on horseback. A few heavy carts, pulled by oxen with laboured breaths, make their way to the heart of town. The smells of baked goods mingle with earth and mud and unwashed clothes.

Lily has escaped her sister's nagging and moves through the throngs of people who have come to watch the procession later today. Unlike others who have come to their wares at the market or in the hopes of making a good bargain, Lily has come on a fanciful whim. She has met someone, a stranger. Rationally she knows he will be long gone. He’s a man of adventures, a sword for hire, who does not linger in a place like this. Still, she's come today on the off-chance she might catch a glimpse of him.

The sun still hangs low in the sky but she can already tell it will be another hot day.

read on...

[vixivulpixel]

Macro March and Micro May implies the existence of Average Size April

[grumpygilly]

Have you seen them?

[robertjw4688]

March opens its

wings, the feathers

protecting

from another

elongated and

sorrowful September.

Robert J. W.

[merlinmicrofic]

March '24 Prompts

With the February Round now closed, it's time to announce the prompts for the round running from now, March 15th, till April 14th! The prompts for this round are:

1. Vulnerable/Vulnerability | 2. "Trust Me." | 3. Tower

For info on how this works, please check this post.

When posting to tumblr, please name ship/characters/gen relationship, the prompt(s) you're filling, and, if needed, rating + warnings (so, for example: "Fill for @merlinmicrofic prompt 'Tower', Gwen/Merlin, Mature, MCD") at the top of your post!

Prompts can be interpreted loosely, although if you pick the dialogue prompt, the line should make an appearance!

Remember, your fic has to be 500 words or shorter! For an additional challenge, make it an exact drabble (100 words to the point!) When you post to tumblr, we'll check wordcounts with wordcount.com

Places/ways you can post: only to tumblr, to our AO3 collection, or to both. Whichever way you choose, do make sure to make a tumblr post of some kind and tag this blog directly, so that we can reblog it, and log it for the masterlist!

Prompt 1 was a submission by @thefollow-spot, thank you so much! <3 Prompts can be submitted through the ask box (see here for more info), and one of the monthly prompts will be picked from those by random choice!

If you have any more questions that aren't answered by the posts linked in our pinned post, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Most importantly, have fun! I can't wait to see you dor the second round <3

[crimsonrune]

Comm - Honey, I Shrunk Your Dad (Macro/Micro)

This week sees off Macro March and March Needs Moms, so why not share this piece by @SugaryViolet of a little AU my buddy Toob and I have established with our characters Ocean and Scarlet? You may or may not recall past ScarMoms from past weeks, but none have loomed quite as large as this one! Or at least, she's doing so over her shrunken partner in this case, chewing him out for going and getting himself made all... tiny.  Well, at least it'll leave her with plenty of extra room to sprawl out in bed until this can be fixed.

Posted using PostyBirb

[athenasparrow]

No. 12 - Indulge | Jily Microfic March

Thank you @jilymicrofics for the wonderful prompt. This is the one that inspired them all xx

Read on AO3 | 2,061 words

Smut warning : )

The benefit of being Head Girl, Lily mused, was indulging in the prefects bathroom at 2am on winter break while the rest of the castle was sound asleep. 

The whole room smelt of lavender and Lily could feel it diffuse deep in her lungs as she inhaled the steam that hung around her like a soft cloud. 

She sighed as she dipped her head back against her towel and let her legs float up into the bubbles, wiggling so her periwinkle painted toes peaked out of the water. 

Inside the bath there was no mess. Lily could shed her worries and focus on the warmth of the water and the scent of the bubbles. Because outside this room, there was a lot of mess. 

Lily may have first sailed across the smooth Black Lake to Hogwarts as a naive first year, eager to please her teachers and learn about the newly discovered world, but the lake had turned choppy and dangerous and Lily felt like she might capsize and drown at any moment. Her assignments were certainly more complex, she was confused over whether she should pursue charms or potions for her Mastery…whether she should choose either of them at all, really. 

Lily knew a muggle born in this climate would not succeed at the ministry. But leaving? That felt like giving up a piece of herself she hadn't discovered until eleven, but was nevertheless a part she held sacred. 

And James . He may have been a thorn in her side for six years, but this year? He'd been nothing but kind…attentive…reliable. 

Lily had to admit he’d grown up. 

And there lay the confusion: because she may have been lying to her friends for months, but Lily knew, in the sanctuary of her own mind, that she could admit she was attracted to James Potter. 

She hadn't noticed it at first. Her attraction had hit her as suddenly as a summer thunderstorm.

It was too bad he had stopped asking her out this year, really. 

Lily was pulled from her thoughts as she heard the door creak open and heavy footsteps echoed on the stone floor. 

Lily pushed off the wall and grabbed her wand. 

She wasn't the naive first year anymore . 

“James” she said in surprise as a familiar silhouette rounded the corner. 

He skidded to a stop, frozen and staring at her like a deer caught in headlights.

She would have called him out on it if she hadn’t been staring herself. 

He’d clearly just come in from a fly. His broom hung from his hand and his hair was windswept in such a way that Lily wanted to run her hands through it and snog him. His tracksuit pants slug low over his hips and Lily could make out a small line of his toned stomach as his hand automatically jumped to his hair upon seeing her. 

A nervous habit, Lily now knew.

She was making him nervous . 

She felt a rush of power run through her even though she'd just lowered her wand. 

“Um sorry” James said his hand moving up as if to cover his eyes, though his hazel gaze seemed unable to break the way it was locked on her. “I…ummm…yeah…came in from fly…and wanted a bath…obviously you're here…not that I wouldn't want a bath with you…I mean oh Merlin” 

“Is James Potter lost for words?” Lily questioned, smirking up at him. 

He looked back at her, eyes wide at the teasing, husky tone her voice seemed to have taken. 

His eyes darted down to where Lily knew her breasts were barely covered by the bubbles. His tongue darted out to run along his lips and Lily was overcome with the sudden urge to run her own tongue along his lips. 

“You always take my breath away Lil” he said wading deeper into the intimate moment Lily seemed to have created “I just normally say something stupid instead of stumbling all over my words”

He admitted shuffling his feet, his gaze now on the floor. 

Lily felt her stomach flip at that particular confession and thought back over the years. Was that why, all along ? She thought she might be teetering on the edge of a cliff about to glimpse something wonderful.

Could he….

Lily found she wanted his hazel eyes back on hers, instead of boring into the stone floor.

She leaped.

“James” she whispered, her voice so soft she wondered if she’d have to repeat herself. 

But his head snapped up immediately as if she’d shouted. 

“Do you want to get in?” Lily asked, her hands clenching with nerves under the water, unseen. 

Lily was thankful James had such an expressive face so she could read his reaction before he said anything. 

She saw his eyes widen in surprise, his pupils dilate in arousal, and his fiddling hand betrayed his nerves. Shock and hope settled on his features as he stared at her.

“Yeah?” James asked, eyes seeking hers.

“Yes” Lily reassured him letting a slow smile creep over her lips.

He stepped forward before hesitating, suddenly looking pained “Lily I can’t just shag you” he said “are you…I need…what are you saying?”

“James Potter lost for words again?” Lily asked, though this time her tone was much softer “I don't just want to shag you James” she said softly, surely. “I want all of you” she clarified when he remained silent. 

“I want all of you too” he said clearing his throat as he looked up at her and she was surprised to see his eyes were wet. “I just thought I'd missed my chance” 

“Well you might if you don't get in here” Lily teased pushing herself slightly up so the water settled at her waist. 

“Fuck” she heard James mutter under her breath and felt a smug sort of satisfaction wash over her. 

She didn't think she’d ever seen someone move so fast to get in a bath. She almost asked him to slow down so she could admire the ripple of his muscles as he lowered himself into the bath.

But it seemed more than the water slowed him down once he was in. Whether he was tentative about the moment that had been building for years, or nervous about what might come, Lily couldn't tell, but he moved slowly, reverently as if he might wake from a dream when his skin touched hers. 

“Your glasses are going to get wet” she whispered, the unfiltered thought leaving her mouth before she had the chance to edit it. 

James huffed an incredulous soft laugh that tugged at Lily’s heart strings. “I can't take them off” he said “Merlin, Lily, I need to be able to see you” he grinned bashfully at her, before dipping his head.

Lily felt a hot flush start at her collarbone and spread up to her face. By the soft exhale that escaped James’ parted lips she suspected it might have crept even lower. 

“You're beautiful” he murmured, finally close enough she could touch him. 

“You're beautiful too” Lily returned honestly, letting her eyes sweep over his top half once more before lingering at where the water lapped at his hips, hidden beneath, a part of him she'd only caught a quick glimpse of when he hopped in.  

She thought her flush may have grown darker when she tore her gaze away to meet his eyes once more. 

Lily felt an involuntary shudder run through her body. She'd never had someone look at her quite like that before. 

She felt his breath stop momentarily when her fingers grazed his chest, only to become more sure in their place when he blew out a deep trembling breath and stepped closer to her. 

“Can I kiss you?” He whispered. 

Lily felt her own breath hitch as she nodded and his face softened before he dipped his head. 

Lily used the grip she had on his abdomen as balance to lean up and meet him. 

He kissed her softly and tenderly, as if they were both testing the waters instead of having flung themselves fully naked in a bath together. 

She couldn't have held the soft sigh of contentment she released if she'd tried. 

She was happy she never tried because her sigh seemed to propel James closer to her, his hands now firm and sure on her waist. 

Lily pulled at his bottom lip gently, eliciting a delicious moan from deep in his chest before pulling back slightly. 

Their kiss had been soul soothing and gentle, full of the tenderness and trust they'd built up over the years. 

And Lily would look back on that kiss as one of the sweetest moments they'd had. 

But right now she was burning for him and she needed him to be sure, so they could burn together. 

“More James” she said, her voice low, her lips inches from him. 

“I'm afraid if I push too hard this dream is going to shatter” James whispered, staring at her his eyes unguarded and vulnerable in his confession.

“This isn't a dream James” Lily said, her arms meeting behind his back. “I'm not going anywhere. I’m on fire for you and I’m going to combust if you don’t-

His lips interrupted her reasoning with a fierceness that had Lily catching her breath. His hands pulled her closer to him, and started to trace every inch of her like he was trying to commit her to memory. 

Lily wondered if she’d find scorch marks left on her skin where his fingers blazed hot against her. 

“Merlin yes James” she moaned long and low as she tried to return the kiss with equal ferocity. 

Lily may have been embarrassed about how ready she was for him, if he hadn't let out a growl that sent her shivering when his fingers discovered her dripping. 

But she didn't have room for doubt: not with the sound he let out just beside her ear and the hard feel of him pressing against her hip. 

She was surprised when he stopped her hand as she moved to encircle him, to drive him to an unthinking mess like he was doing to her. 

“You can't touch me” his low voice spoke against her lips, his eyes shining as he broke their latest set of kisses “I need to last. I want to be inside you”

“I want you inside me too” Lily whispered, her body aching for him, her magic crackling against her skin as his fingers moved again to drive her over into the sweet abyss of bliss. 

When she came, James broke away to watch her and she tried to capture the hazy, hungry, tender look on his face before he leaned in to kiss her. 

Lily wondered how they could have possibly made it through the whole year without this when she felt him pressed up against her entrance. 

He paused, and Lily whined, moving her hips to try and encase him. 

He groaned, helpless to do anything but sink into her. 

“Lily wait” he whispered, looking pained at the stillness he held. 

Her answering noise of protest had his lips quirking, but he cupped her face and his hazel eyes blazed into hers. 

“Lily I love you” he said softly, with the sureness of a thousand times. 

Lily felt her own eyes prickle as a smile burst across her face “I love you too” she laughed, before moaning as he sunk impossibly deeper. 

His hands were under her, moving her with his hips as he backed them against the wall of the tub. His fingers dug into the flesh of her as he bottomed out, his tongue circling her peaked nipples until her own hand crept down to give herself release.

And as she came down from her second peak, James pressed himself impossibly close, his thrusts becoming smaller and deeper inside her.

“Lils can… fuck …can”

“Cum inside me James” Lily demanded, suspecting the question he was wrestling to get out.

“ Fuck ” he repeated as he stuttered inside her and Lily felt the warm release of him fill her.

Her lips sought his immediately, letting him catch his breath between slow kisses.

So Lily may have indulged in a bit more than bubbles and warmth. But Merlin, James Potter was impossible to resist and Lily wanted to indulge in him every day for the rest of her life.

[crematosis]

[hiredpencil]

More of my OCs, the big guy is Icegrove, an Ice Giant, and the smaller one is Unseelie Princess Ravenfrost

[thecandywrites]

Monster March 2024- Day 12- Naga/Lamia- Adjacent- Moray Eel Micro-Mermaids.

A Prince Charming for Princess

Based off of A Moray- Which is a spoof of "That's Amore" by Dean Martin. And Morays are really just a different kind of nope rope in the sea.

As always, thanks to @borealwrites for their amazing Monster March 2024 Prompt List.

Monster March 2024- Day 12- Naga/Lamia 

Adjacent. Watersnake /Eel micro mermaid. 

That's a Moray 

Pedro flicked the lights on and off in rapid succession to let his collection know it was feeding time as everyone eagerly partially hung out of their hides to let him know that they were more than ready to eat. 

Predro began to sing one of his favorite songs on feeding day. 

‘That’s a Moray’ which was sung in the style of ‘That’s Amore’ by Dean Martin. 

Pedro knew his voice wasn’t as smooth as Dean Martin. But it was still fun. 

“You're snorkeling beside a reef, you think it's safe, but think again…” Pedro began to sing as he fed his moray micro mermaids in their tanks around his tank room. 

“While you're just swimming around, and you see fangs and a frown, that's a moray!” He cooed to see his morays smile at him as he dropped their food into the tank. 

“You were minding your biz and you hope he minds his, that's a moray.” He offered as he fed the older ones first. 

“He's an Eel, not a friendly seal, and you start to feel that's it's really the end now. You can't run, it's no longer fun, life, it could be done, this is a really bad weekend now. You're to scared to move, He sees you, you're seafood now that's a moray.” He continued to serenade as he watched his elderly moray micro mermaids do their best to devour their food. Bless their little hearts. 

“Better not stick around, or a you- going down, that's for sure, you have got to get gone, cause you're just a big prawn in his doorway. You should flee or. You're gonna be chicken under the sea for a moray.” He cooed as the older, cranky ones grabbed as much food as they could carry and slipped back to the comfort of their caves. 

“You are frozen like a stone, floating there all alone, with a moray, a moray. Your poor heart starts to pound. As he stares you down like a gourmand, like a gourmet. Does he want to bite. Does he want to fight? How's his appetite? Your whole life flashes by you. Why you stay? He don't want to play, live another day, that moray he don't like you.” Pedro cooed as he pointed to his most favorite and crankiest of older moray males who he was sure was living for pure spite, who managed to flip Pedro off between heaving mouthfuls of food as Pedro barked a laugh and waved in response before shaking his head as the older one managed to get his food back to his cave. 

“What a you gonna do now, you're a facing the jowls. Of a moray? Of a moray? If you back away slow, maybe he let a you go try and see. As you drift towards the shore. You're in danger no more! Huh! Guess you ok. You face death and you live, you can a tell your grandkids the great store-any of your day with a moray!” Pedro finished with his older ones and went to his current breeders who seemed eager to be fed as well. 

“Yes, yes, I know, I know, I’m coming.” He agreed as he closed the lids on the last line of tanks before moving to the wall where he had the active breeders. 

“When an ell bites your thigh and you bleed out and die, that’s a moray.” Pedro continued as he slipped the fish into 

“When the jaws open wide and there’s more jaws inside, that’s a moray.” He continued as he made sure to put in extra food for the little ones to eat up as the food- practically incited a feeding frenzy among the kids.

“See the thing in the reef with the big shiny teeth that's a moray a moray. Put your hand in the crack and you won't get it back from a moray, a moray.” Pedro kicked his voice up high as if he was trying to sound like a chorus girl which got the younger ones to giggle as they were happy to eat. 

“He can swim, he can glide but he'd rather hide in the coral. In the coral. If you dive, stay alive, listen to me there's a moral, a moral. Use a prong 10 feet long when you meet that mean Eel called a moray. A moray. He's hungry and you see you are the meal he'll adoray. Adoray. Down below, you'll know he's that meanie, they call him a moray, a moray. Put your hand in that crack and you won't get it back from a moray, a moray. See that thing in the reef, big shiny teeth, that's a moray. A moray! He's hungry and you'll see, you are the meal he will adoray. Adoray. Down below you will know he's a meanie, they call him a moray, a moray. Put your hand in that crack and you won't get it back from a moray, a moray. When the Eel starts to shine like a, you've had too much brine, that's a moray. A morey!” Pedro kicked his voice into the highest of falsettos to get the chorus just right, but he did it and his food got a show in watching him try to sing and dance a little to his own song before. 

“You gonna be ready for that mating tank?” He asked his largest tank- the pool of subadults- about to go and be paired. As they all practically wiggled and nodded once they finished eating their favorite meal before they happily got into his net as he poured them into the buckets he used to transport them from his home to the aquatic center. Because in the world of micro mermaids, Pedro was one of the best breeders of them because he understood that like their purely fish like cousins, morays, like other kinds of fish really just needed a good and secure cave to “wait” out their prey items. And while juveniles needed to be fed twice a week, the adults actually did best with only feeding once a week or even a week and a half, because, like sharks, they were prone to overeating and then dying from organ failure. 

And honestly, in captivity? All they needed was enough length of the tank that was at least three times their length, since for normal moray eels, they needed at leat one and a half times their length for their tank size. But those got so much bigger than micro-mermaid moray eels. 

Plus micros were just- so stinking cute. As one in particular seemed reluctant to get in the net as she looked at him expectantly. 

“Oh my goodness! You spoiled brat.” Pedro teased before he put his hand in the tank and she swam up against his hand so that his whole hand could pet down her long body as he just laughed and shook his head. 

“I’ve created a monster is what I’ve done.” He playfully chastised himself as used his fingernails to scratch down her back as she seemed to try to hold and still so he could scratch that one itchy spot on her back that she could never reach. 

“You need a man -girlfriend. You need to get yourself a man with really sharp claws to scratch your back all day. I swear, you pull this at the breeding tank and they’re gonna think my tanks have parasites.” He urged as he seemed to satisfy that itch and get a few more before she seemed reluctant to go into the net. 

‘What?’ Pedro used ASL to sign to her. 

‘I get mate, you bring me back here, to my new home? Promise?’ She signed to him as she pointed to the tank she wanted to move into once she would come back from finding a mate. 

‘Yes, you in net. Go- find mate.’ He signed back to her before she seemed to nod and sigh as she finally swam into the net so he could put her in the same bucket as her other siblings and cousins. 

Pedro- as a last ditch effort- then poured in a bucket full of algae eating fish so they could feast on the huge PVC pipe system that was in this tank so that Pedro could keep batches of at least a few dozen moray micros all at the same time. 

“Get a head start for me guys.” He urged them before he began to put lids on the buckets so that the eels wouldn’t get out or lose water as he drove them in. Once the lids were on, he used his fingertips to drum a little rhythm beat as a way to ask if they were still ok before he got several beats back by all the individuals inside the bucket at the lid. 

“Good to go.” Pedro smiled as he got them up and walked the buckets by twos- one in each hand into the back of his van where the back seats were laid down to have enough room for all of them.

“Pedro!” Dr. Ethel Atwood greeted happily as she waited by the bay of the center as many others were coming to drop off their micros to her. 

“Hey Madre Ethel, how are you?” He asked as he hugged her tightly. 

“I’m good, I’m good, so? How many did you bring me this time?” She asked excitedly as he walked her to the back of his van to open the hatch. 

“Twenty seven, 15 females, twelve males.” He beamed. 

“Ooh, that’s great. And how many are you hoping to bring back with you?” She asked.  

“Only two pairs. Princess and Big Blue.” 

“And how is Princess?” Ethel asked as she happily helped get two buckets as he grabbed two more as more assistants grabbed the rest and brought them over to receiving. 

“She demanded a back scratch and practically made me pinky promise I would bring her home. I figured it was better to scratch her back at home than here, were everyone might think I have parasites or something.” Pedro offered. 

“Oh nonsense. With as pristine as you keep your tanks and as wonderful as your micros are, One even sneezes and you’re there with a tissue.” Ethel waived off before she tapped on the lid and grinned when she got a tap back as she took a screwdriver to open the lids of the buckets. 

“Well hello gorgeous! Aren’t you just so pretty! You’re daddy’s little Princess aren’t you? Yes you are.” Ethel cooed to Princess as she recognized her from the pictures Pedro had shared with her as Princess seemed to preen at the praise and show off her pretty colors as Ethel did a quick test of the water to make sure the levels were within a good range as Princess tried to rub against the stick before Ethel happily dipped her finger in and scratched around Princess’ head as Princess practically melted into the bucket before the others wanted scratches too. 

“You raise some of the most socialized, friendliest micro morays. Why’d you think they were practically stingray micros.” Ethel cooed as she was happy to pet them all affectionately. 

“Ok, ok, I need my hands back, I need to sign off on some paperwork. You can get more pets from the others once you’re released into the mating tank.” She urged as she reluctantly pulled her hands from the water as she pat them all on the head before she had to dry her hands off on a towel on her hip as others came with clip boards for her to sign off on as they were quick to take the buckets and bring them over to the huge mating tank with it’s huge grid of pvc pipe, all freshly cleaned as others were dumping buckets of morays into the tank as most were eager to practically flee to the PVC pipe and the “safety” it represented and also, eager to take up a “cave” in the set up to hopefully attract a mate. 

But Pedro’s micros continued to flutter at the top and swam from assistant to assistant, eager to get pets from everyone they could before he came in to the space himself from waiting to see the other micros who were arriving, and needing assistants to help bring them to the tank, but were sidetracked with the super cute micros who wanted pets. 

“You attention whores! Like I don’t pet you enough at home. Come on now, you need to focus on getting a good mate, not getting as many pets as you can.” Pedro put his hand into the water and agitated it. Which was his signal to get their attention. 

“Mate! Find a mate!” He urged them as he signed to them as he pointed to the others once he put the buckets he had picked up as he pointed down to the PVC pipes before Princess playfully splashed him with a giggle and then went down to meet with the others after she put her name over the cave she wanted, right in the middle of the matrix as she had put her blanket and pillow in the tube and kept her bag of exchange gifts with her as she met all the other males that were already in there and others that were moving in. As it was clear, she wanted to make sure she met every single male in there and that could be met. 

‘Is that all of them?’ She asked Pedro when it seemed there was a pause in the buckets of others being dumped in. 

‘No, more are coming.’ He signed back. 

‘How many more?’ She asked. 

‘3 more Big People. I don’t know how many micro-eels- each Big Person will have.’ He answered as she looked from him and looked inside her bag. 

‘I only have 5 more gifts. I don’t have enough for everyone, most did not bring any courting gifts at all and had nothing to trade with me for.’ She signed to him worriedly. 

‘I-worried, not enough. Miss mate- no gift.’ She swam up to the glass and barely had enough room between her and the glass to sign that to him as she looked worriedly up at him and about ready to cry- if she could. 

‘Your mate- should only want you- no gift needed or wanted.’ 

‘What if- you- wrong?’ She asked. 

‘These- are not the only mates to be had. You- still my Princess. Your Prince Charming will see you that way, without a crown.’ He signed to her. 

‘My siblings tease me. That I’m Spoiled and Brat.’ She signed to him with a frown. 

‘Siblings are siblings. They tease and make fun. Not serious.’ He reassured her. 

‘Others not know- fun and tease, others think- serious. Mock me for no crown. Others call me ‘Royal Brat’ or ‘Your Spoiledness’ instead of Your Highness’ She signed back. 

‘Do you want a crown?’ He asked. 

‘No! No.’ She shook her head violently. 

‘So how can I help?’ He asked. 

‘More gifts? For my Prince Charming?’ She asked. 

‘Yes. Only because you asked and want it to be fair.’ He caved before he dug into his pocket to pull out a special plastic bag and opened it before he opened it and then put it under the water’s surface so she could get more pretty little shells and other little trinkets as she practically grabbed everything and scooped it into her bag as she had to swim extra hard to keep holding it all before she dug into the bag to get the treasures from the back before Pedro tipped the bag over sideways so she could get in easier and the treasures out easier before she took them all and then took the bag and rolled it up to keep with her. 

‘Thank you Big Daddy.’ She thanked him before she kissed his hand and then quickly swam back to her tube to organize her new treasures, and her old treasures, using her pillow case to store the exchanged gifts as others came to peek in on her as her more jealous siblings seemed to sneer at her treasures while others were eager to take any she didn’t want so that they could have more for the others too, namely- her brothers, since so far- the clutches were male heavy and her sisters already had their pick of other suitors. 

Once she organized the gifts and “decorated” her tube as such, she could do little but sit and wait for the others to come. 

And wait, and wait and wait as she could do little but comfort her single brothers who didn’t have a mate as they all practically crammed into the “communal” tubes to wait it out together. 

“Are you sure you shouldn’t just pick your favorite now?” Big Blue asked as she rested her body over his as they waited. 

“No. I want to meet all of the males first. And then pick from there. It’s not fair to the ones who aren’t here yet to choose now without them.” She sighed as the lights started to grow dimmer before the blue night lights went on. 

“Shit.” She said before she bolted out of her hole and began looking around for Pedro as she swam around the tank before she swam up to the surface and splashed like crazy before Pedro and the others turned on flashlights and shown on her. 

‘Where others?! It’s night! I won’t see them!’ She signed to them in a panic as she practically began to hyperventalate. 

“Traffic. Stuck in traffic. Car accident on highway.” Pedro signed and said aloud. 

‘Are they ok? Did they live? Die in bucket?’ She signed worriedly. 

‘No, they had further to drive, and put bubbler in bucket to keep water good.’ Pedro signed back as she blew out a breath of relief as she put her hands to her chest and stomach. 

‘But all females are already paired now. I’m only 1 not mated. Because I wait to meet all. Brothers not mated- panicked.’ She signed to him. 

“They are still a few hours away. You and others should sleep. You meet them when you wake up.” Pedro signed as her shoulders slumped and frowned. 

‘Ok, I wait, I try patient.’ She signed. 

“Princess, your Prince- worth waiting for.” Pedro encouraged her. 

‘Hope.’ She signed even though she still looked downcast. 

“You want pet? Feel better?” Pedro offered. 

‘Yes. Always good pets.’ She signed before he reached in and she snuggled onto his forearm as he pet down her head and the rest of her body as her sisters seemed to sneer and taunt that ‘she needed a bed time story and tucked in by Big Daddy’. As Princess just frowned and snuggled into his arm for comfort. 

“Hey, can someone get ahold of Big Blue for me?” Pedro asked since his hands were currently busy with Princess. 

“Yeah, I got him.” Another said as she took out a lazer light and grinned when- like a cat- seeing a red lazer light and instantly wanted to go hunt it before she brought it up to the edge of the tank and into the light of their flashlight before they moved the flashlight, so it wouldn’t blind the others. 

‘Big Daddy Pedro wants to ask Big Blue some things.’ They signed before Big Blue nodded and swam up to where his sister was laying and silently crying into Pedro’s arm as he continued to pet and soothe and console her. 

“I need you to communicate with him for me. My hands are busy.” Pedro requested. 

“Okay, what do you want to ask him?” Arthur asked. 

“Ask him who is making Princess cry.” Pedro asked. 

‘Who makes Princess cry?’ Arthur signed to Big Blue. 

‘Our sisters- mean, jealous of Princess- favor and gifts. Even when she tried sharing, they not take and be more mean. Now- they spit- mean words like poison. Turn every male who will listen- to not mate with “Spoiled Brat”. And to push her away. Hurts Princess feelings, make her hide. They even made her a crown to mock her.’ Big Blue signed. 

Pedro and Arthur then had a whole conversation in Spanish about it and what they should or shouldn’t do about it. 

‘If her sisters are mated, have them leave the tank with their mates now then. And be taken to their new homes. Get them out of there. Have all other males who avoid her- take the tubes on the outside. To keep as much distance between them and her. I want all who don’t believe the lies, to take up the tubes around Princess in the middle. When that’s done, come back and get Princess and put her in the middle tube. She will fall asleep soon.’ Arthur signed from the message that Pedro gave him. 

‘Ok, I’ll go get them. But I need more light.’ Big blue said before they turned the blue lights up the highest they would go as Big Blue practically glowed blue as he went around and got, not jus this own sisters, but all the other mates and got them out and had them go to the opposite side of the tank that Pedro had Princess on as they were scooped up and put into temporary holding tanks as the others seemed to reorganize themselves accordingly. And once that was done they came back and gently picked Princess off of Pedro’s arm and swam her back to her tube before they piled into it with her so they didn’t feel as alone. 

Four hours later, the sound of buckets being dumped didn’t even wake the micros as the new micros immediately fled to the open tubes to try to get some more sleep as they were beyond tired, and cranky and irritable for having to be stuck in a bucket with nothing but their siblings for anywhere from 8 hours, to 16 hours as the siblings were eager to put as much space between them as possible. 

In the morning, to the newcomer’s horror. The whole mating tank was still- very male heavy. 

‘Where are all the women? We only see a few females who are not our sisters! One has 5 mates crammed into her tube!’ They signed to their owners as the old males were overly aggressive and desperate to court the new females. 

‘Those are not her mates, those are her brothers, they all stayed up to try to meet you and couldn’t stay awake until we came so late last night. None of the others even tried to stay up.’ Their owners explained. 

‘So there was only 1 female who waited for us?’ They signed. 

“Yes, her name is Princess, she wanted to wait to meet everyone first, to make it fair and even for everyone. Sadly, she was the only female who did. All her sisters made fun of her and were really mean to her and even turned all the males against her. So she only has you new guys to choose from.” They explained. 

“Well our sisters deserve her brothers then.” They decided as they went back and got their sisters and told them the news just as their sisters were seeking solace from their overly eager pursuer and hid behind their brothers for safety as the sisters then practically moved all of their things and moved as close to the center as they could, around the ring of guys around this Princess. 

“Princess?” The now, patiently waiting males tried to gently call out to her in the center tube when all they saw was one female wedged in the middle of five guys all squished in around her before she seemed to stir and then lift her head before her eyes went wide before she looked back down and tried wriggling and squirming, which got her brothers to look up before they all tried to move at once to try to get out and only got stuck further. 

“Blue! You have to wait for us smaller ones to move around you!” Princess urged before she directed, based on how her own body was squished in the tube to tell which of her brothers to move and when and how to move to get them unstuck before they listened and eventually got unstuck and out as she had Blue get out last before she did. 

“Good luck Blue.” She urged him before he swam out as she seemed to duck into a closed off connector tube to get her bag of gifts as she then emerged and made a point to meet every other single new male and get to know not just him but his brothers and his sisters as she even gave gifts to the sisters since they had- out of boredom and stress, either accidentally or purposefully break or crush their gifts to stay sane while they were stuck in traffic and apologize for sleeping so late while also not staying up late enough to meet them when they really did come in. 

“It’s ok. It’s just really nice that at least you cared enough to wait. Thank you.” All the males were so gracious and happy that- she practically was a Princess in her own right. And just so sweet and so kind and thoughtful and had a heart big enough to care in the first place. 

Blue was happy to explain why the tubes were occupied in the way that they were as now the new females were eager to avoid all the males in the outer ring altogether. 

“So, are you looking for a Prince?” One in particular, Killian- asked her. 

“No. I’m not a real Princess, it’s just a name, a term of endearment my Big Daddy gave me. But, it’s just stuck.” She shook her head no. 

“So you’re not looking for a guy named Prince.” Killian gently teased. 

“No, no, just, someone who- had our circumstances been reversed, would have waited to meet me too. And waited to at least give me a chance. Before deciding against me without meeting me at all. Or think that I wasn’t worth the wait either.” She answered. 

“So, would any of you had really waited for me? Be honest. I’m not even that pretty, or smart or anything super special and I’m only Princess by name, nothing else. I don’t have a castle or even that big of a tank to call home or even a rich Big Daddy, but every dad should see his daughters as their little Princesses. That’s what I’m looking for, a man who will look at our daughters and see and treat each one as his precious little Princess.” She asked. 

“But you’re the one thing no other girl in here was- by choice, patient, and kind and fair. And you deserve a real Prince Charming. And while I feel pretty unworthy of the wonder that you are, and while I too, wanted to meet everyone first too, and broke all my courting gifts to keep myself from breaking out of that damn bucket to crawl my way here, so while I’m practically empty handed, I can honestly, and confidently say- I would try, every day, to be as charming as you can stand and be the best mate to you I could be. I would be honored if I could ever have daughters be just like you.” Killian offered. 

“Well your hands aren’t empty now, are they?” Princess offered as she slipped both of her hands into his and gave his hands a squeeze with hers. 

“Really? Me? You’ll take me?!” He asked. 

“Yeah. All the others looked away guiltily when I asked if they would have waited. But you never did. You just nodded yes. And had we been in each other’s fins, I would have been happy such a great guy like you would have thought I was worth waiting for.” She smiled as she pulled him closer before he grabbed her face and kissed her deeply and soundly and practically swam in corkscrew to get her back to her tube. 

“I hope we have nothing but daughters from here on out!” He crooned as she laughed as she hung onto him and swam with him. Happy that she found her Prince Charming after all.

[practicecourts]

day 8 Moody March Jily micro has turned into a @jilymicro-oops (ca 1050 words) || Uneasy

Read of Rats and Men on ao3 or under the cut.

Of Rats and Men

Lily did not need a man in her life, never mind what her sister might say and think about the matter.  She had her own place, a nice job, three good friends that made her feel appreciated, respected and loved. So really, what could a man possibly add to all that? For her physical needs she was also well set, the satisfyer pro 2 had never let her down. In fact, ever since she’d gifted it to herself her highs had reached peaks no boyfriend had ever managed.  So, no man needed.  Lily was not afraid to be alone, she also didn’t fear the dark. She didn’t like spiders, but they too provided no need for rescue, nor did a leaking tap. Over the years she’d learned a thing or two about the odd job around the house.

She’d just finished rewatching Pride and Prejudice, which always put her in a good satisfied mood. She wasn't a hater of romance, she just didn't believe in it much, outside of fiction.  Indulging herself, she found the part where Mr Darcy hands Elisabeth into the carriage, and watched it, again and again and again. She relished the tension that seemed to crackle from the screen. All fictional, of course, in real life a touch could never be so loaded.

With a sigh, she got up from the couch, the cold of the night air brushing her bare legs. Then she froze.  A dark something was in her room.  It didn’t move so she didn’t either, she held her breath. She clapped her hand in front of her mouth and her other over her heart that beated as if she was racing instead of standing stock still.

A rat. A rat in her house. She could make out its body, the long tail must be curled around it. Just thinking about its tail made her gag. It wasn’t rational. She might be small, but there was not a rat big enough in the world to really hurt her. That wasn’t the point. It was a bloody rat. With teeth and diseases and wriggly feet and a naked scaly tail and it was in her room.  With a scream she turned, fled through the door and rushed outside. She didn’t feel the cold, all she could think of was that she needed someone to help her. This late the streets were empty, some rooms in the street still had lights on, but before she could decide which doorbell to ring, a man appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, into the beam of the streetlight. 

He was tall, a mop of untamed black curls adding to his towering presence. He wore glasses that gave him a trustworthy look, and the way he moved was all confidence. Lily was so relieved to see someone oozing strength and confidence that she nearly jumped him, without a second thought she grabbed him by his arm.  “You’ve got to help me, there’s a rat in my house. Please, can you get rid of it for me?” she said with hardly a pause between her words, and then she was pulling him along. At first he didn’t move, he just opened and closed his mouth.

She never gave him a chance to say anything before she tugged at his arm again and said, “Please, help me. It’s in my living room and I can’t go to bed because I’m too scared to walk past it. I'll get you a broom or something, but can you please, please just come and chase it away?”

Rigidly the man started to move alongside her and once inside she pushed him into her living room, grabbed a broom from the cupboard and handed it to him. She pointed to where the rat still sat and whispered, “There, it’s right there. It hasn’t moved. Please can you kill it?” To his credit the man nodded in understanding and carefully took the broom out of her hands. He shrugged off his coat and loosened his tie as he stepped into her living room. Lily stared at his back, forgetting about the rat for a moment because he looked rather good in his perfectly fitted shirt. She wondered if he had just come from some kind of fancy dinner, when he started to shake. 

She frowned. Was he afraid? The man stepped closer to the rat, poked with the stick end of the broom and proceeded to lift something from the floor.  “I think you’re safe to come in now,” he said, and she could hear the laughter in his voice. Warily, she stepped closer and peered over his broad shoulder, when he turned around she gasped.  At the broom’s end one of her black espadrilles was dangling in the air.  Right now would she'd give anything to be able to scroll back in time, to before she had grabbed a stranger from the street dressed in nothing more than an oversized t-shirt to save her from her footwear. Her sister was right, she was a freak.

Suddenly feeling very uneasy, she tugged at the edge of her shirt, which did exactly nothing, except draw attention to her state of undress. “I'm so, so sorry. You must think I’m a complete lunatic for…well… thinking there was a rat.”   “It's alright,” he said and stepped a little closer. With a solemn face he held out her shoe. “Here, best to face your fears head-on.”  Lily stared at him and when she saw his lips twitch began to giggle uncontrollably; she simply couldn't stop herself.

Her cheeks still burned with embarrassment, but she was now doubled over laughing with a complete stranger in her room.

Feeling still foolish but somewhat better she took her shoe, and her fingers brushed his hand. She looked into his eyes, still crinkling from laughing but she knew he felt the same shift in the air around them. The room was full with something like anticipation. She held her breath, not sure what was going on, not sure what it was she was waiting for. 

He ruffled his hair and cleared his throat. Then he stuck out his hand.

“Hi, my name's James, and if it’s not too forward of me, I would like to give you my number. Just so you can call me in case you need help, erm,  should you find the other one," he pointed at the shoe that was pressed against her chest, "scurrying around.”

Lily took his hand, “Hi, I’m Lily, and I’d like that very much.”

It was never wrong to reconsider the things you thought you could well do without, such as rats and men, after all.

[hjbirthdaywishes]

March 19, 2024

Happy 47 Birthday to Ebon Moss-Bachrach.