#mizzen is just a little guy

[tbosas-incorrect-quotes]

Mizzen:

[quatregats]

He literally has the most embarrassing middle-school level gay crush on his captain and he's being so so brave about it <3

[prefect30]

Little Dove

Instead of Lucy Gray, he gets her younger, little sister, Rosalie Jade.

Thank you guys SO much for the wait. I have been really busy recently with work and haven't had lot of time to write. I know this chapter is a little on the short side, but I really wanted to get something out for you guys. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Previous Chapter

Chapter Five

Chapter Warnings: Talk of death by giving birth by a menace (Dr. Gaul).

“Jessup!”

No! What are you doing? Run!

Coriolanus sat, watching in fear as Rosalie Jade frantically looked around to find Jessup. And when she did find him, he could only sit still as he watched her try to run to Jessup all while trying to escape all of the horrors of the Bloodbath.

“Jessup! Come on, we gotta go!” She yelled at the unaware boy.

Coriolanus glared at the screen in front of him, shaking with fury as he was forced to watch his poor little sister try to save someone who just wasn’t worth saving. Jessup wasn’t even standing when she had gotten to him! He didn’t seem aware of his surroundings, he could barely stand by himself, he could hardly even walk by himself without Rosalie Jade’s help. There was no point in trying to save him. He was just a lamb ready to be slaughtered.

Just let him go and hide.

But Rosalie Jade did no such thing. Rather, she pushed Jessup to his feet and dragged him along to go to the place that Coriolanus had told her about. She saw the divot in the ground a few feet before her and knew that was what he had to have been talking about. So she tried her hardest to get herself and Jessup there, but it just wasn't enough. Coral and her group were gaining on them and they looked bloodthirsty. She tried to pick up the pace, but it wasn't doing them any good. She frantically started to look around before she came to the simple conclusion. They were going to die.

Rosalie Jade had completely stopped moving, quickly whispered something in Jessup's ears, who seemed to have become aware of his surroundings, and he ran.

“What's wrong little songbird? You not gonna fight?” Coral taunted Rosalie Jade.

By now, there was no one else out in the open of the arena, and if they were, they were either in Coral's pact or were dead. The handful that got away all hid in safety, something Rosalie Jade should have done.

“I ain't gonna fight you, Coral. Not anyone of ya’.” Rosalie Jade told the group, cautiously moving closer to them.

“Yeah? Well we're gonna fight you!” Coral yelled, running towards Rosalie Jade.

No!

And within a second, Coral stopped, shooting the trident she had gotten from the Cornucopia right at Rosalie Jade's heart, causing the beautiful golden fork to fly right into her teammate’s chest.

Tanner let out a dreadful scream, his hand weakly gripping onto the trident, eyes looking up at Coral in fear.

What?

Everyone was confused. Coriolanus, the students, Lucky, Coral. Hell, even Gaul was confused. How did Rosalie Jade not get hit, but Tanner did?

Then out of nowhere, Rosalie Jade stood up from behind Tanner and pulled the trident out of him, causing him to scream yet again as she whisper yelled a small, ‘I'm sorry’ to him and then threw the trident straight at Coral's arm.

Rosalie Jade had shocked everyone. She had seen Tanner coming up behind her to trap her in between him and the rest of the pack. So when Coral started to run at her and stopped to throw the trident at her, she had simply ducked, in turn killing Tanner. Then, while Coral was still confused, she took the trident and shot it at her perfectly and quickly ran down to Jessup.

“Ahhh! You fucking bitch! Get her!” Coral hollered at Mizzen and Treech. But it was too late. The cameras had already shown Rosalie Jade pushing Jessup into a safe place, closely following him and hitting a brick over a lonesome tribute's head, stopping her from getting in.

Everyone stared in disbelief at what she had done, let alone gotten away. This little twelve year old girl had a hand in a tribute's death, took the murder weapon out of his body, apologized for it, shot the weapon at another tribute, got herself and her friend to safety, and to top it all off, had struck another tribute over the head to stop them from getting in. That, in itself, seemed to frighten the other student mentors watching while it baffled Coriolanus.

She said she had no other skills and that she didn't want to kill anyone. So how the hell did she perfectly throw that trident at Coral’s arm? She could have easily missed or thrown it at a more deadly area and how did she se-

His thoughts were quickly cut off by hearing one of his classmates, Domitia Whimsiwick, violently puke after watching tributes, along with her own, get brutally murdered.

“Now if you are watching this at home, that was a very graphic and disgusting thing that just happened. So kids, never do this to one another,” Lucky somberly told the camera, “And Miss. Whimsiwick, if you are going to get sick, please do it elsewhere. Now, you can still make bets and change them if you would like Now that e-len-ven tributes are out of the Games. We will be back when there is more action for us to see. And that was the Bloodbath of the 10th Hunger Games.” With that, the screen cut to the Panem symbol and the anthem played.

“Someone please clean that up and if your tribute died, please get up and go to the audience,” Lucky announced, “God, that smell is putrid.” Lucky cringed, gagging.

Coriolanus looked around to see who had all gotten out, and indeed, eleven mentors went into the audience, and when he looked into the audience, he saw Tigris. She looked so sad, having watched kids kill And fight each other. But something else caught his eyes, Gaul. She was talking to one of her gamemakers and nodding to her when she caught Coriolanus’ eye. She smirked at him and nodded towards the screen, proudly.

She’s proud of me. Rosalie Jade caught her attention and she's proud of me!

Gaul was indeed proud of Coriolanus. He had gotten this innocent young girl to chase another tribute to die and hurt another's. But that wasn't the main reason she was proud right now. No, not because of Coriolanus, but of herself.

For the Peacekeepers had found their lost tribute, and she had the perfect welcome back plan for him.

“You might want to get your friend out of here, Mr. Snow.”

What?

It had only been around three hours since the Games had officially started and not much had happened since the Bloodbath. Every now and then, a few tributes would come out of hiding to see if there was anything left in the Cornucopia that could help them, but quickly went back into hiding after seeing Reaper stalking up in the stands. The only tribute that didn’t back down was the girl from District 7, Lamina. She was perched on top of a beam, lying peacefully, for her and Reaper seemed to have made an unspoken agreement, ‘you don’t try to kill me, I don’t try to kill you’. So far, it was working, to the displeasure of the Capitol. They wanted to see death and destruction, and all they were getting was Lamina sunbathing and Reaper angrily staring into the cameras.

Coral and her group seemingly disappeared after the accidental killing of Tanner. Everyone was still in shock at Rosalie Jade’s quick reflexes and thinking. People had thought that she would be one of the first to go during Bloodbath, hence the pity donations. But after her stunt, more donations were raking in, but not from pity, but from the sheer desire to see the young girl bring more death to the arena. The lonesome district girl was the last death to happen in the arena and it was clear that the Capitol wanted more deaths to come from the small girl. But they were proven disappointed when all that she did was comfort and calm Jessup down in the vents.

“He might not like what he’s going to see next.”

Ah, right. Dealing with the anxiety of what might happen to Rosalie Jade and not being able to do most anything to help her if something were to go wrong, Coriolanus now had to deal with Highbottom’s cryptic warnings.

“I beg your pardon?” Coriolanus questioned, but was soon answered by the loud sound of a crash.

“YOU’RE MONSTERS! ALL OF YOU!” Sejanus roared out, face scrunched in anger.

Confused and shocked, Coriolanus looked over at the incompetent fool and saw what Highbottom and Sejanus were referring to. The lost tribute, Marcus, had been found and a helicopter was slowly lowering his bloody and tortured body down while he was literally hanging on by a thread. A pure white rope was wrapped around his hands, slightly tinted pink where his hands met the rope. The rope wasn’t tied very tight, but Marcus wasn’t putting up much of a fight to get out. He looked like he was on the brink of death.

Sejanus had just finished throwing his temper tantrum and had stormed out when the loose rope had broken, and Marcus had fallen right onto the beam next to Lamina. The soft sound of bones breaking could be heard as Marcus landed. Lamina looked at the boy’s broken body and gripped her axe. She looked over to Reaper who was staring right at her, not nodding his head or shaking it, just staring at her. When she looked back down at Marcus, he was already staring at her, nodding his head, giving her the, ‘it’s ok’ sign.

By now, the noise had caused Coral and her group to come out of hiding to see what all the ruckus was. They watched from a distance, trying to decide if they wanted to try to kill Lamina or not. Lamina noticed them almost immediately and wanted them gone. So, as a warning, she looked down at Marcus, who had closed his eyes, and swiftly brought down her axe, killing him in one motion.

“Yes!” Pliny, or “Pup”, Harington, cheered out for his tribute.

But Lamina didn’t stop there. No. Marcus was already dead when she brought her axe down again and again, chopping at his neck a total of five times, with the first being the only one that actually killed him. She held onto his hair, and when she was done, she stood up and took the head, throwing it in the general direction of Coral’s group.

“Oh!” the audience called out.

While Coral smirked at her, she regretted asking her to join her group because she thought she wouldn’t be strong enough or have the guts to kill anyone, but she was easily proven wrong by Lamina’s actions. The rest of her group looked away from the head, gagging and trying not to throw up. Coral quickly turned on her heels, knowing that if they were to try and attack Lamina right now, she would have the advantages of knowing they were there, the high ground, and an adrenaline rush. They would need to sneak up on her and surprise her if they wanted better odds of killing her.

As the group ran away Lamina looked back towards Reaper, but he was nowhere to be found. When she heard shuffling below her, she saw that Reper had collected Marcus’s head and was looking up at her, waiting. Confused for a moment, she gripped her axe again to show him that if he wanted to fight, she would fight back. Reaper shook his head in response, pointing towards Marcus’s body. She raised her eyebrow and moved closer to the body and nodded her head towards it. Reaper nodded back in response. She looked at him like he was crazy and then cautiously pushed the beheaded body down onto the ground, landing it right in front of Reaper’s feet.

He looked back up at her and tipped his hat to her as a ‘thank you’. Lamina just nodded back, still confused with Reaper and his actions. She watched as he dragged Marcus’s and the other dead bodies to the bottom of the Cornucopia, laying them in a line.

He’s making a grave.

Everyone watching was shocked. No tribute has ever made a grave for the other tributes before. It was unheard of, unthinkable. And yet, here was Reaper Ash, doing the unthinkable. When he finished putting them all in a line, he looked down at them again, deciding that Marcus should get his own little spot a bit farther away from the others, as an honor of escaping and of his brutal torture and death. When he completed putting Marcus in his own little area, he looked back up at Lamina, staring right into her soul. She looked back at him and scooted back a bit. And when Reaper finally looked away and started to head back to his spot, she put her head down in guilt, knowing that she didn’t kill Marcus out of pity like he wanted, but out of self gain so Coral and her group wouldn’t come at her.

“Now, was it a mercy kill or for self gain? We may never know,” Lucky softly remarked, “Now if you want to change your bets, do it while you can! Betting closes tonight, but you can always donate throughout the whole Game!” Lucky beamed.

“Woo! Go Lamina!” Pup cheered, sending water and an apple to his tribute.

Instantly, everyone’s attention was on the screen. This would be the first time to see if Coriolanus’ drone idea would work. It took a few minutes for the drones to get there. The first one was carrying the water and was headed straight towards Lamina. Stirred by the noise, she lifted her head and saw the drone at her. She heard another sound and looked behind her, seeing the second drone carrying the apple. She smiled and went to the edge of the beam towards the drone holding the water since it was closer, but her smile quickly dropped when she realized that the drones weren’t slowing down. Just in the nick of time, she lowered her head and covered it with her hands, causing the two drones to crash into each other. Both the water and the apple had been lost because of the crash.

“Hey! It almost hit her!” Pup shouted. Lucky just shrugged at him.

“Will she get another water and apple?” Pup demanded.

“Depends, do you want to spend more of your donations?” Highbottom asked.

“What? No! That’s not fair!” Pup yelled at him.

“Life’s not fair, Mr. Harrington.” Highbottom reminded the angry boy, causing him to yell out and sit down with his arms crossed, very pissed off.

Well good thing no one knows the drones were my idea, just the donations with the food and water.

Coriolanus looked back to Gaul, feeling her burning holes into the back of his head. But when he looked back, he saw the proudness and glee in her eyes. He wasn’t fooled by it this time, though. No. He watched her nod her head towards the screen again, just like she did after Rosalie Jade had killed that girl tribute, just like she did after talking to her gamemaker. He understands now. He knows he wasn’t the reason she was proud. He never was.

And he was going to change that.

Walking home in the summer was never something that Coriolanus enjoyed, but walking home in the summer at night, now that was something he did. It was calming for Coriolanus, having the wind lighting blowing on his face always cooled him down on the hot summer days and ever since the war, the nights were the only time in the Capitol that ever brought Comroilanus peace. There would always be small groups of people who would sneak around and party at night, but other than that, Coriolanus could think in peace. And Coriolanus needed all the time he could get to think.

How did she even know Tanner there? Hell, I didn’t even realize he was there! It was like she saw him or heard him like he was some sort of predator trying to catch her, his prey. Or was she the hunter, and Tanner was the unaware prey? She threw the trident right Coral’s arm, but didn’t throw it to where it would cause her to lose her arm. All she did was put three holes in Coral’s arm. She had perfect aim and could have easily killed her. So why-

“Coriolanus!” Coriolanus quickly looked behind him after being hollered for.

Mrs. Plinth?

“Coriolanus! Oh, Coriolanus. Please, where is he?” Mrs. Plinth worriedly questioned.

“What? Where is who Mrs. Plinth?” Coriolanus just wanted to go home after his monster of a day and Mrs. Plinth hounding him with stupid and vague questions was pissing him off.

“Sejanus! Where is my Sejanus?” She asked anxiously, trying to keep her voice down so as to not wake people up, but failing.

Coriolanus shook his head, “I haven't seen him since he ran off after Marcus got dropped into the arena.”

Her face paled.

“Oh,” She croaked out, “Oh dear. That's not good.”

Pale and softly swaying left and right, she looked as if she was going to pass out.

Coriolanus fights off an eye roll when she looks left and right to see if anyone was still out. Some homes were lit as a result of her distress.

“Maybe he's home already? Came back when you were looking for him. Have you checked your apartment yet?” Coriolanus questions her.

“I did, but not since I left looking for him a few hours ago. Maybe you are right, I should go look there.” She mumbled, almost talking to herself.

“Then how about I take you inside and you can go look for him there. Yeah? Great!” Corilanus cut her off before hse could even start talking, the time to be a friendly neighbor was over. It was time for him to figure out how to save his little sister now.

Coriolanus put his hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her towards their apartment building. He had not realized that he had walked home so quickly and that they were only a handful of homes and buildings away from their homes. As they got closer to their destination, he noticed someone waiting outside.

“Tigris?” Coriolanus called out.

“Oh! There you are Coriolanus! I was starting to wor-” Tigris announced, but quickly cut herself off, instantly running to Mrs. Plinth’s side, “Oh, Mrs. Plinth, are you ok? What happened?”

And, oh, how that set her off. Balling her eyes out, Tigris quickly hurried her inside so no one would be woken up by her wails for her lost son.

Coriolanus rolled his eyes, bitterly thinking about how now Mrs. Plinth knew of the Snow’s misfortune. She just had to let her come inside. She couldn’t stay home alone after not finding her son there. ‘No Coryo, it wouldn’t be right’. The second Tigris had said those words, he knew that he had yet another person to worry about keeping their family secret. How he hated Tigris and her empathic heart sometime.

“I j-just don’t know where h-he could be.” Mrs. Plinth sniffled. She had finally stopped crying by now and was just complaining about her lost son now.

“Nor do I know where my tea is, maid!” Grandma’am shouted.

Grandma’am. The only thing making this situation better, or rather funny. She had been hounding Mrs. Plinth down for stuff the second Tigris led her into the barely functioning penthouse. First it was about the laundry that hadn’t been done in two weeks, then she wanted her son’s bedding changed, stating that no man should sleep on those disgusting sheets. Now it was about her nighttime tea.

“Grandma’am, I told you, this is Mrs. Pli-”

“I don’t care who she is! I want my tea!” Grandma’am cut Tigris off swiftly, flailing her arms around like a toddler not getting the thing they wanted at the store.

“Maybe I should go.” Mrs. Plinth murmured, grabbing her robe. In Grandma’am’s defense, Mrs. Plinth was wearing a long, blue nightgown that had most definitely seen better days. It had ragged edges and holes on the bottom. It must have been one of things she brought from District Two. She truly was dressed like a servant made for a Capitolite.

“No!” Tigris called out, causing everyone to look at her, “Please, stay. I can’t imagine what you are going through right now. I don’t know what I would do if poor Coryo here was lost. Please, just stay.” Tigris softly told the odd woman out. Mrs. Plinth looked down at her robe and up at Tigris again. She saw how her eyes were shining with hope, to that, she slowly stepped back towards the living room, away from everyone else. She watched as Tigris’ faced slowly dropped, but she just wanted to go home now and see if her son was finally there now. Besides, she, just like everyone else, can and will never know what someone hopes for. Whether it be good or bad.

Tigris went to open her mouth to speak when she was cut off again, this time by the phone ringing.

RING!

RING!

Coriolanus looked towards Tigris and her face mirrored his. Confusion.

Who could possibly be calling at this time?

RING!

Pushing past Mrs. Plinth, consequently allowing her to get farther away from the kitchen, Coriolanus walked over to the ringing phone.

RI-

“Hello?”

“You’ve got a problem and I need you to fix it.” The voice demanded.

Gaul.

“What?” Coriolanus asked, “D-did something happen to Rosalie Jade?” Coriolanus quickly added, thinking of all the horrible things that could have happened to her.

“Not yet. And if you want to keep it that way, I suggest that you get down here and fix. it.” Gaul harshly barked out.

Is she threatening my sister ?

“I’m sorry Dr. Gaul, but until you tell me what I ‘need to fix,’ I can’t help you.” Coriolanus snapped back just as harshly.

No one threatens a Snow.

Gaul let out a breathy laugh, and just when she went to answer, Coriolanus heard Grandma’am yelling for her tea again.

Now she’s just doing it for attention. She hates tea.

Coriolanus turns around quickly to tell her to try to be quiet since he was on the phone, but when he turns around, all he sees is Mrs. Plinth's pale face. She looked like she saw a ghost and was about to cry again. And when he follows her eyes, he knows why. On the small T.V. screen that the Snow’s were just barely holding on to, there is a shadow covering Marcus’ lone body. But it wasn’t just a shadow, no. It was Sejanus.

“Oh my God.” Coriolanus muttered in shock.

He seriously didn't think this one through.

“Have you figured out your problem yet, Mr. Snow?” Gaul taunted.

Coriolanus gulped, “Yes.”

“Good. We need someone to get him out of there,” Gaul was clearly annoyed by all of this, “He bribed some dull Peacekeeper and the second I find the one who did, well I’ve been wanting a new pet to play with.” Gaul growled out while bitterly laughing out the last part. It was very clear how furious she was, Coriolanus didn’t even know that one’s life could be threatened with something worse than death before he met Gaul. Now he was regretting being so short with her not just even a minute ago.

“Who do you want to g-get him? I have his mother next to me now if you want.” Coriolanus cursed himself for stuttering in front of her.

“Well we wouldn’t want him getting scared and him running on us like a terrified little bunny, now would we?” Gaul chuckled.

Fuck.

“You want me to get him?” Coriolanus timidly asked.

“What a great idea Coriolanus! What a wonderful best friend you must be!” Gaul sarcastically let out, or maybe she was being truthful, Coriolanus would never know.

“I am going to freeze the screens when you go in. You have exactly an hour to get him out otherwise people might start asking questions as to why the screens black.”

“How is this safe, though? How will I get ou-” Coriolanus anxiously started asking the crazy scientist before she cut her off.

“You will be fine. There will be Peacekeepers there to make sure no tributes get out. You will go out the way you came in. Easy peasy.” He could hear her smile through the phone, the smile that proved that she didn’t care if he got hurt, or rather died, or not.

“Listen to me, Coriolanus. Do not mess this up. I fear that my Games may be coming to an end and I need you to help me fix them.” Gaul seriously stated, and with that, she hung up the phone.

Coriolanus just put the phone back down in shock. Grandma’am had been whisked away to her room by Tigris the second she saw Sejanus on the screen. Tigris was now holding Mrs. Plinth in a comforting way, but it was no use, she was petrified for her son’s life.

Tigris looked up at Coriolanus, “Who was that?”

“Dr. Gaul.” This got Mrs. Plinth’s attention.

“She wants someone to get him, doesn’t she?” She asked, standing up, causing Tigris’ hand to fall out of hers. Tigris reached for hers again,  but Mrs. Plinth was already in front of Coriolanus. “I’ll do it. I’ll go in.” She confidently told him as if she wasn’t just about to have another mental breakdown just seconds ago.

“No, you can’t! You could get hurt or die!” Tigris nervously told the older woman.

“I have to, he’s my son.” Mrs. Plinth told the younger girl.

Coriolanus just shook his head, “No, you’re not going into the arena to get Sejanus. Gaul doesn’t want you to.”

Tigris looked at him confused, “What do you mean she doesn’t want her to?”

“She wants me. I’m going into the arena.”

She needs my help. She needs me.

“You’re getting that damned kid out?” The Peacekeeper looked Coriolanus up and down in disbelief.

“Yes, so could you open the doors the second you see us, I wouldn’t like to be killed by any of those animals.” Coriolanus snapped. Of course he didn’t mean his Rosalie Jade, no. She was an angel sent from Heaven for him. But this Peacekeeper was starting to piss him off. He had been giving him a hard time since the beginning. First he wasn’t allowed to bring in anything to protect himself and now they won’t even keep the doors open for him.

“Ahm.”  The Peacekeeper nodded his head, covering his mouth with his hand, stifling his laugh.

Coriolanus rolled his eyes and started to walk towards the entrance of the arena. He looked back at the Peacekeeper and nodded, signing for him to open the gates. The second they opened, Coriolanus knew he fucked up. A red alarm started blinking, temporarily blinding him, and when Coriolanus took his first few steps in, he was sure the entire arena knew someone new was in here.

“Enjoy The Show!”

Shit.

Coriolanus had completely forgotten about that stupid voice that went off every time someone entered the arena.

Well if they didn't know someone was in here, they do now.

Coriolanus knew that he needed to be fast, faster than he first intended when he entered the arena. The animals would sniff him out soon and without anything to protect himself with, he's just prey standing in their open jaws, waiting for them to close down on him and end his mundane and insignificant life.

Coriolanus’ eyes searched the arena, determined to find Sejanus. And that he did.

With his back to the door, Sejanus was still kneeling in front of Marcus’ headless body. As Coriolanus hurried over to Sejanus trying to be as quiet as possible, stepping over a broken bow and shattered glass from the bombing, he saw a bag of bread crumbs and heard sniffling.

“Sejanus!” Coriolanus whisper yelled.

The kneeling boy flinched and snapped his head to look at Coriolanus, “I thought they would've sent my Ma.”

CLICK!

Coriolanus looked to his left immediately, hearing a sound only one of the tributes could have made in this desert of an arena. “Yeah, well I wished they did.” Coriolanus muttered. He was starting to rethink his choice to come and get Sejanus and how he wishes he let her do it instead of him.

“What are you doing Sejanus? It's not safe here, we have to go.” Coriolanus tried to usher the boy up, but he was as still as a rock.

“I'm spreading breadcrumbs over his body. In Two we believe it helps with the journey to the afterlife.” Sejanus mumbled. He truly was hurt from the loss of his friend, even if he didn't consider him a friend anymore.

“What do you think this is going to accomplish Sejanus? Do you really think that you’re helping anyone right now?” Coriolanus kneeled down to his level, trying to get him to think rationally.

“Yes, I am Coryo. When people see-”

CLUNK!

“You really think Gual is going to let anyone see this? Huh? See how an 18 year old Capitolite rebel bribed a Peacekeeper to get into the arena just to spread breadcrumbs on a dead and headless body all because of some District tradition just to be killed by animals?” Coriolanus didn't intend to be so harsh, but he knew that the animals were starting to close in on them.

“They're not ani-”

Coriolanus put his hand up, shutting Sejanus up. “No. Gaul paused the feed the second she saw you in here. No one is ever going to know we were in here. You die here and she'll tell everyone it was from the flu.”

Sejanus looked down in guilt, “I'm so sorry Coryo. I never meant for you to get involved. I just wanted to make a change and help them!” Sejanus sobbed out.

SCREECH!

They were getting ready to pounce, Coriolanus was sure of it. “You want to help right? Well you're not going to be able to do anything if you're dead,” Coriolanus reasoned with him,“You're rich, you have money and influence. Use it. You can't change anything here except the day you die. You want to help do it out there.” Sejanus just looked at Coriolanus and nodded, finally standing up.

“Now let's get out of here Se-”

“Ahhhhhhh!”

“Get them!”

“Kill ‘em!”

Suddenly, voices screamed out and the boys quickly realized that it was Coral and her little posse and they were running straight at them, weapons raised.

“Run!” Coriolanus pushed Sejanus forward, pulling him out of his shock and they both ran as fast as they could to the exit.

Run.

Make it out alive.

To Grandma'am.

To Tigris.

For Rosalie Jade.

THUMP!

Coriolanus looked to his right only to see that Sejanus had tripped right over something.

Seriously dumbass?!

He quickly reached down to help him get up but instantly felt pain in the back of his left arm.

“Ahh!”

Coriolanus then noticed that the dumbass didn't fall over something, but rather someone .

The young male tribute quickly got up and started to attack Coriolanus while Sejanus ran for the exit to get help. “Help! Someone, we need help!”

“Fuck! Get off!” Coriolanus grunted and used all his might to push him off. They both stood up and the tribute started to swing his knife at him and managed to get him on his arm again. Coriolanus dodged the few more swings the tribute gave, but the second he saw Coral and her group gaining on him, he pounced onto the boy and started to deliver brutal punches to his face.

POW!

POW!

POW!

He looked to his left and saw that they were closer now. He looked down and saw that the boy's face was bloodied and disfigured, almost like one of Gual's mutts. He looked back to his left, but something cut his eye before he could even see where they were now.

A large piece of rubble that had a pipe coming out of the top. It was like Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, calling Coriolanus’ name.

He hastily got up and picked up the makeshift hammer. He could hear their running feet and panting getting closer. He could smell their sweat and blood radiating off of them, but he didn't care. Just like Lamina, he chose self gain.

WHACK!

SMASH!

WHAM!

The boy was dead. He had been since Coriolanus had obliterated his face with his fist, causing him to lose too much blood along with his dehydration. But the feeling of hitting the boy over and over again was fucking euphoric for Coriolanus. He couldn't stop, not when he felt this good, this powerful.

CLICK!

“Coryo!”

Shit.

Sejanus finally registered the fact that Coriolanus hadn't followed him and quickly ran back to him to pull him off the dead boy right before Treech started an axe at him.

Running for their lives yet again, the boys ran at full speed, determined not to die. They saw the gates open and quickly ran through them and they closed right before any tribute could get through.

Holy shit.

“You better keep an eye on that songbird of yours!” Coral yelled out, causing Coriolanus’ eye to twitch at the threat. He knew if he even looked at the hollering beast he would end up doing something stupid. But he wouldn't forget about her threat to his little sister.

Bending over himself, Coriolanus panted as he watched Sejanus run into his mother's loving arms.

When the hell did she get here?

Eventually looking up, feeling someone glaring holes into the back of his head, he looked up to see the two different colored harsh eyes of Dr. Gual. She was standing next to Mr. Plinth and neither one of them looked happy. Deciding to look elsewhere, he caught Mrs. Plinth's eye and she smiled at him and then quickly escorted herself and her son into the car waiting for them.

Coriolanus tried to stand tall when he looked towards Mr. Plinth but the ache in his arm didn't agree with him. He sucked in a breath of pain and looked towards Gaul who motioned for him to get into the waiting car to his left.

Looking back at the both of them, he saw the check being given to Gaul from Mr. Plinth. He sat down in the car, driving away with one thought in his head.

Are you proud of me now?

“Did you see it?”

Coriolanus was currently in the hands of Dr. Gaul. She was the one nursing the cuts that he had gotten from the arena. She, the most merciless human being to be alive that let one of her own students get bit by her own monstrous creations, was caring for him.

“What?” Corioanus was confused. He was barely keeping his tears in from the pain. The pain from his arm and the pain for that fact that he actually did kill that boy. The guilt was starting to catch up to him and being grilled questions by Gaul wasn't helping.

“Mankind.” Gaul pulled the stitch tightly, causing Coriolanus to suck in a breath.

“Now who would have thought that Crassus' Snow's baby boy would be fighting for his life in the arena he made.”

What?

“I thought that-”

“And I thought that you would have finally understood after seeing it in person, but I suppose I was wrong.” Gaul spoke over him.

“I don't understand? What do you mean, humanity?” Coriolanus obviously wasn't going to get a direct answer about his father from the mad scientist, but he could at least try the other question she asked him, seeing as she wouldn't let it go.

“That boy, the one you kil-” Gaul started, but Coriolanus didn't let her finish, pissed that she even mentioned the now dead tribute.

“How does that have anythi-” Coriolanus sucked another breath in, cutting himself off as she yet again pulled the stitch too tight, clearly annoyed that he cut her off.

“You going back to that already dead boy, repeatedly smashing his skull open when you didn't need to, was true mankind. Mankind in its raw and natural state. Where boys are willing to beat each other to the death just on the pure hope that in the end, they will live, or rather win.” She pulled the last stitch tight, signaling that she still had something to say, and tied it up.

“You didn't need to go back and beat him to the pulp. Imagine what your little dove would say? She would be mortified and so disappointed.” Just like Highbottom, Dr. Gaul had seen the way Coriolanus acted and looked at Rosalie Jade, and what he had called her. But unlike Highbottom, she intended to use this to her advantage and mold Coriolanus into her perfect successor. Coriolanus already fit most of her molds. She just needed his mind to be in the right spot, out of his heart and into his head.

Coriolanus’ tears had finally fallen at the mention of her. If she had witnessed that and seen what he had done to the boy, Coriolanus wouldn't know what he would do to himself. She wouldn't ever want to see him again, and after feeling the warmth that she brought him, there was no way in Hell that he was going back to living his cold and cruel life. Not without her.

“I suppose you should be getting home now, your poor cousin must be worried sick.” She patted his back as a sign to ‘get the fuck out’ and she stood up, walking over to her mutts.

Coriolanus hurriedly buttoned his shirt back up and was careful to not pull his stitches doing so. He stood up and looked over to Dr. Gaul with the intent to thank her for her fixing the wounds she had caused, but he stopped himself when he saw her looking at a mutt she was taunting.

That one's new.

It had to have been a person at one point, Coriolanus knew that much. He could see the remnants of melted skin, and he could smell it too. It smelt ghastly. The thing had finger nails coming out of what was left of its hand every which way. It had no eyes, rather an endless hole of darkness that would lead you to nowhere. It was twitching every so often and Coriolanus wondered how it was still even alive. How any of those disgusting mutts were still alive.

“Can you believe that I studied to be a midwife, helping mothers deliver their precious tiny humans into this unforgiving world while some take their own mothers life just for their own self gain?” She randomly announced, still looking at the new mutt.

Coriolanus just headed closer to the door, not liking how this new conversation made him think of his late mother.

“What a boring world we would be living in if I had continued too.” She slowly turned around looking towards Coriolanus questioningly.

Coriolanus just stared at the mad woman for a moment, before giving his thanks.

“Thank you, Dr. Gaul.” With that, he quickly turned on his heel and left the nightmare of a lab hurriedly.

Gaul just smiled. For she knew exactly what he was truly thanking her for.

“Coryo! Oh thank God!” Tigris quickly ran to Coriolanus’, checking to see if he was OK and that he didn't get hurt.

“What happened in there? What took so long?” She asked when she saw him wince after she touched his arm.

“I'm fine Tigris, a tribute got me on my arm, but Dr. Gaul fixed it up.” He calmed her down as best as he could, but she just would let up. Her baby cousin was hurt and she needed to help him.

After getting him some tea, making sure that the kettle didn't scream so as to not wake Grandma’am up, she finally asked him the question that had been in the back of her mind.

“What happened to the tribute? The one that hurt you.” She whispered to him.

Coriolanus’ eyes met hers and she knew instantly. But their eyes didn't match. While hers showed remorse and even guilt , the only thing in Coriolanus’ eyes were annoyance and power.

“Tigris, he almost killed me. I-I…There was nothing else I could do. I didn't mean to, it was like my mind was on autopilot and I wasn't going to die in there. It wasn't supposed to happen, and, yeah I felt bad, but it also just felt so…so powerful .” Coriolanus ranted, almost feeling as though he needed to explain himself. And when he finally finished, he looked back at Tigris. Oh how he wished he hadn't.

“Coriolanus, when I look in your eyes, all I see is Him right now,” she motioned towards the large glass painting of Crassus Snow overhanging the front door, “All that was in his eyes were hate and greed. You don't have to be like him. You're a good person. You are good. You don't need to be him, please.” She desperately told him, holding onto his good arm.

He just nodded his head at her, just wanting to skip this lecture. He knew he wanted to be his father, he hated his father. Why would he want to be something he hates?

So the two young Snow's walked into their respected bedrooms without the knowledge that their lives would forever be changed after tomorrow, never to be the same all because of a 12 year old.

“Tigris! Do you know where my other pair of pants are?” Coriolanus yelled out, frantically searching his room. He had already worn this pair of pants for almost a whole week and it was starting to become obvious. There was still a tiny dirt stain left on the left knee of the pants from when he fell into the monkey exhibit on the day he was reunited with his little sister. He had watched Tigris struggle to get the stain out that evening, but the small amount of dirt was persistent. While, thankfully the uniform ordered skirt just covered the spot, it was still annoying and shameful for Coriolanus to look at every time he sat down. The skirt riding up just slightly enough that only he could see how the Snow’s couldn’t even afford to clean their own clothes.

“No, I’m sorry Coryo. I haven’t been able to get to the cleaners in a while,” Tigris apologized as she came into his room, looking down in guilt. “Maybe I can visit the Plinths tonight after we get home. I’m sure they would allow us to use their washer machines. They’re both such lovely people.” She said happily, quickly exiting his room, telling him that they were going to be late.

As Coriolanus dressed quickly, he started to wonder about Tigris. Was she ok? Her moods have been changing like a switch, sad then happy, angry then calm. She would be fine one minute then freaking the fuck out the next. As he finished tying up his shoes and walked out to find Tigris humming to herself, he realized something. She would only act like this around the Plinths . Her mood would always change around Plinths . But she was fine around Sejanus, so why not his mother and father?

As the two of them walked out of their barely surviving apartment building and started their walk to The Hall to watch the Games, Coriolanus was just thinking of one simple thing.

What the fuck did the Plinths do for Tigris to like them so much.

“It seems that during the night, Bobbin was mercilessly slayed by one of the beasts in the arena. Unfortunately, the cameras weren’t working properly last night and we weren’t able to see which beast it was that killed him, or rather beasts. Was it Coral and her group or was it perhaps Lamina? Maybe she came down from her beam and decided to continue her little killing spree. We will never know.”

Coriolanus was finally able to calm down after Lucky’s little rant. No one was able to see the cameras to see what truly happened. No one knew Coriolanus and Sejanus were in the arena last night. No one knew Coriolanus killed someone.

“And it looks like someone is just waking up on this lovely morning,” Coriolanus looked up to see that Lucky was referring to Lamina who was looking quite scared at the moment, “Unfortunately for her, others have been up just a tad longer than her.” Lucky joked, as everyone watched Coral and her group taunt and tease Lamina with their weapons.

Lamina stood up, gripping her axe in her hand tightly. She looked down to see Coral tell Circ something and she watched as he started to climb up the beam she had found a safe place on. Coral obviously couldn’t climb up the beam with her arm and Coriolanusu smiled at that.

As he watched Circ get closer and closer to Lamina, he noticed Treech climbing up the other side, gaining on an oblivious Lamina. He watched in realization that Lamina had been set up to die. If she were to fight off Circ, she would be left vulnerable to Treech and vice versa. She was too high up to jump, and even if she did, Coral and Mizzen were waiting for her at the bottom if she didn’t die from the impact.

It seemed that as soon as Coriolanus figured this out, so did Pup.

“No! Lamina! Watch out!” Pup cried out to no one.

But it was too late. Lamina had chosen to fight Circ, unaware of the danger behind her. As she went to swing her axe at Circ, Treech grabbed her hand and swung his own axe. In one swift move, he cut off her hand, causing her to let out a scream of pain and betrayal. He quickly pushed her off the beam, feeding her to the beasts below.

“And to think that they were from the same District. They really do have no remorse, do they?” Lucky asked the audience.

“Whoo! One down, only-”

SPLAT!

And with that, Treech had pushed Circ right off the beam, letting him fall right onto Coral’s waiting trident.

“Woah! Plot twist! Did anyone see that coming? I didn’t, did you?” Lucky joked to Io Jasper in shock. “Well you know what that means everyone! It’s time to say bye Mr. Harrington and Mr. Jasper! Byeee!”

Both students stomped over to the audience section, annoyed by the events that had just happened.

Coriolanus counted up in his how many tributes were left.

Rosalie Jade, Coral, Treech, Mizzen, Reaper, Dill, Teslee, Sol, Hy, Panlo…Shit who else? Oh yeah, fucking Jessup and Wovey. Ok, she only has 11 more. Everyone else was either killed before the Games or during the “Blood Bath.”

“With only 12 tributes left, who do you think is going to win?” Lucky questioned as the cameras cut out.

Next Chapter

[catindabag]

TBOSAS on Crack short take (52)

*Mizzen’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night* Read [this] first.

Mizzen: *is singing to himself* 🎶C’mon, Percy Price, C’mon~. I need my bacon pizzas~. I need them now~. I need my bacon-🎶

Dill: Hey, gremlin, what are you doing? And why are you singing about pizzas in the middle of the night?

Mizzen: WTH, Dill?! Don’t sneak up on me like that! My heart might explode!

Dill: Shouldn’t you be sleeping right now?

Mizzen: Shouldn’t you?!

Dill: Maybe~. But who are you waiting for at this hour?

Mizzen: Nobody.

Dill: I don’t believe you.

Mizzen: Go back to sleep, Dill.

Dill: No.

Mizzen: Then leave me alone-

Dill: I’ll wake up the others if you won’t tell me the truth.

Mizzen: Dill, just go to sleep-

Dill: Reaper! Tanner! Coral-

Mizzen: Shhhhh!!! What are you doing?! Don’t wake them up-

Lucy Gray: Wake who up?😀

Mizzen: Nobody, Baird! Now shoo-

Jessup: Mizzen, stop shouting-

Mizzen: Close your eyes, Jessie!

Jessup: The name’s Jessup!

Mizzen: Tomato, potato!

Coral: Yo, brat, shut your mouth-

Mizzen: Why are you even awake, Coral?! Can’t you leave poor Mizzen alone for the next 3 hours?!

Coral: Why? You gonna cry?

Mizzen: You guys are so mean to poor Mizzen!😫

Tanner: Says the little gremlin who ate Wovey’s last cookie.😒

Mizzen: She gave it to me!

Bobbin: No, she didn’t, you monster!

Wovey: Is it morning already?

Velvereen: No, sweetie. Go back to sleep.

Wovey: Okay~. *goes back to sleep*

Lucy Gray: Hey, guys, look at that!

Velvereen: Look at what?

Lucy Gray: *points at the upcoming pizza truck* It’s a pizza truck! A pizza truck!

Jessup: A pizza truck? At this hour?

Treech: A real phantom pizza truck?! Where?!

Lucy Gray: There! Right there!

Dill: That’s weird. It’s coming right towards us.

Tanner: The pizza guy sucks at driving though.

Lucy Gray: Lol. It’s now swerving in every direction.

Facet: Is drunk driving even legal in Panem?

Velvereen: Maybe it’s just a Capitol thing.

Tanner: That checks out. Capitol people are weird AF.

Treech: Or maybe it must be another one of Reaper’s fever dreams.

Reaper: Why the f*ck would I dream about swerving trucks and pizzas in the middle of the night, lumberjack?!😡

Treech: Why not, farmer~?😏

Reaper: Who you calling farmer?!

Treech: Farmer Reaper busy kissing his hoe-

Reaper: Do you want me to punch you to the moon and back, Tree Boy?!

Lamina: Treech, shut the f*ck up or I’ll cry!😭

Treech: You’re already crying, Lamina.

Lamina: No, I’m not!😭

Persephone: *suddenly jumps out of the pizza truck* Hi, Mizzen!

Mizzen: Oh, thank Panem! Percy, you’re finally here-

Coryo: *is being princess carried out of the pizza truck by Sejanus* Hi, Birdy! How you doing?

Lucy Gray: Oh, Coryo, you look so cute in those matching pajama onesies with your fiancé!🤭

Coryo: Thanks. My soon to be husband bought it for me.

Lucy Gray: Can I have one too?🥺

Coryo: Sure. We’ll buy you a sparkly one.

Lucy Gray: Yey!

Sejanus: *is still carrying Coryo* Hi, Marcus! How are you-

Marcus: Go away, Plinth! Marcus is still asleep!

Sejanus: But-

Vipsania: Yo, bro, you good?

Treech: I’m good, bro.

Vipsania: Bro, I brought you a box of tiramisu flavored energy bars to devour.

Treech: Nice one, bro!

Vipsania: You’re welcome, bro.

Livia: Hi, ✨bestie✨~! How do I look in my pajama onesie?

Facet: Girl, you look ✨fabulous✨ as always!❤️

Livia: Thanks, ✨bestie✨! You’re the best!

Facet: ✨Girlie✨, I know.😌💅

Juno: Hello again, Peasant Bobby Corn Poppy.

Bobbin: It’s Bobbin.

Juno: Corn Poppy.

Hilarius: Where’s Wovey?

Velvereen: She’s asleep.

Hilarius: But I brought her a box of apple berry pie-

Wovey: I’m awake.

Hilarius: That’s great!

Wovey: Now give me my pie, rich clown.

Hilarius: But Wovey-

Wovey: Pie. Now.

Hilarius: Okay.😞

Felix: Hi, Dill!

Dill: Don’t talk to me, you filthy Ravinstill.

Felix: But-

Reaper: F*ck off and die, Ravinstill!

Felix: Andie, hug me! I’m sad again!😭

Androcles: *hugs Felix* Hey, Panlo, where’s Sheaf?

Panlo: She’s busy sleepwalking with the rabid raccoons.

Androcles: Oh, okay. That’s cool.

Panlo: And Gaius?

Androcles: He’s busy fixing the pizza boxes with Clemensia, Dennis, and Palmyra!

Mizzen: WTH, Percy! Why did you bring the other Mentors with you?! I thought this super secret plan was only between you and me?!

Persephone: It was! Well, it was until we had this super secret ✨slumber party✨ at the Presidential Palace!

Mizzen: You had a super secret slumber party without me?!

Persephone: To be fair, it was a last minute thing. But anyway, here we are!

Mizzen: That doesn’t make sense.😑

Festus: *pops out from the back of the truck* You should be grateful, gremlin! We even had to steal the pizza guy’s truck in order to get here.

Lucy Gray: Nice. But what happened to the pizza guy?

Coryo: Gaius and Dennis knocked him out and tied him up in front of the Presidential Palace.

Jessup: But he’ll be fine, right?

Coryo: Maybe.

Mizzen: So where’s my pizzas and my 10 gallons of milk?

Persephone: At the back of the truck. However, Palmyra chugged all the milk down her throat. So-

Mizzen: That walking anomaly drank 10 gallons of milk without me?!

Persephone: Yeah.😑

Velvereen: I’m not even surprised anymore.

Coral: Yo, Percy Price, how many boxes of pizza did our gremlin ordered anyway?

Persephone: 20 boxes.

Coral: 20 boxes?!

Jessup: For all of us?

Mizzen: No! Not for you! They’re only for me, Jessie!

Jessup: This freaking gremlin-

Mizzen: *screeches like a dinosaur* Only for me!!

Coral: Sharing is caring, brat!

Mizzen: Never, you evil sea witch!

Coral: What did you just call me?!

Mizzen: Sh*t! *tries to climb out of the enclosure*

Persephone: Mizzen, what are you doing?! You could get hurt-

Mizzen: The evil sea witch and her evil minions are bullying me!

Coral: Come down and fight me, gremlin!

Treech: Lamina, fetch!

Lamina: Do I look like a freaking dog to you?!😭

Treech: No.

Lamina: Oh, okay.

Treech: Go get him, girl!

Lamina: I’m going back to sleep!😭

Mizzen: Get me out of here, Price! I need to eat those bacon pizzas before they do!

Persephone: Mizzen, get down from there!😫

Coryo: Felix, do something!

Felix: *is still crying* Don’t talk to me. I’m still sad!😭

Coryo: Get it together, Class Pres!

Felix: No-

Coryo: How are we going to tell them about your brilliant plan to stop the Hunger Games if you keep on crying?!

Felix: What brilliant plan?

Coryo: ✨Operation Restore Felix Ravinstill’s Good Name✨!!

Festus: No! We are not calling it that!

Coryo: Fine! ✨Operation No More Hunger Games✨ it is!

Festus: Bestie, I’m cringing.

Coryo: Ugh! I give up. Call it what you want. I don’t care.

Felix: Then can we stick with ✨Operation Felix✨?🥺

Everyone: No.

[persephoneprice]

hallo! coral for the ask game (if u want)?

hallo! wie geht’s? (this was probs a typo n i’m not trying to call u out. but i don’t have a 277 day duo streak in german for NOTHING 😤)

anyway enough with the silliness, ofc i always want to talk abt my scary girl coral!!

my first impression

fun fact- i thought she was blonde the whole time?? also, i thought she was a very scary girl.

my impression now

i think she’s an impressive fighter/survivor but clearly she’s much more than just some violent girl.

favorite thing about the character

the way she protects mizzen! i think it said a lot about her when she helped him on the beam.

least favorite thing

maybe her focus on lucy gray?

favorite line/scene

he then went back and sat against his pole while coral tore a strip of fabric from lamina's flag cloth and began to bind his knee

favorite interaction that character has with another

the scene in the tbosas movie where she’s dying and says that she can’t have killed them all for nothing. gets my everytime.

a character that i wish that character would interact with more

festus creed

another character from another fandom that reminds me of that character

thalia from pjo

a headcanon about that character

she’s actually fairly friendly if you had met her in district 4

a song that reminds me of that character

coastline - hollow coves

an unpopular opinion about that character

i don’t think she’s a particularly violent person outside of the games

favorite picture

click for a surprise! (the surprise is that it’s one of bel’s little guys)

[shamelessliarkickapow]

Arrvatarr! The Last Arrbender! silly, playful, minimal angst Zutara pirate AU rated M fer Mizzen Mast

Read chapter 1 on AO3 here! Chapter 2, part 1/3

chapter 2, part 2/3

“Get out of my room.”

“Not your room anymore, buddy. All this stuff is the property of pirates now, so, you know, argh.”

The swordsman - Sokka, Zuko recalled with no small amount of venom - waved a dismissive hand at him and then reached up to take down the broadswords he had been admiring.

“Oh, these are nice.”

“You’re holding them backward, idiot. Switch hands.”

Sokka did not switch hands. Instead, he cast Zuko another of his irritatingly smug smiles. “Not really my style, though. I’ll probably trade them for new boots or something. Maybe a new bag. I’ve been meaning to get a bag.” The smugness thickened obnoxiously. “Got any bags, Prince Zuko?”

“Princes don’t tote around their possessions like vagrants,” Zuko sneered, folding his arms over his chest to stop himself from doing something violent.

“Yeah,” chortled the metalbender - Toph Bei-fucking-Fong - behind him in the corridor. “They seem to have trouble picking up and carrying anything of their own. Are you gonna get your stuff or what? I don’t have all day here.”

“You know, Katara made a pretty good point earlier,” Sokka said almost idly as he sheathed the swords and slung them over his shoulder. “You really should put on a coat or something.” Instead of just taking the swords and leaving, he continued poking around Zuko’s scant belongings, pocketing stuff seemingly at random. “It can be chilly in the brig and we wouldn’t want you to catch a sniffle during your stay.”

Zuko watched his Earth Kingdom knife disappear into one of those pockets and worked his jaw to the side. Technically, he would not be breaking his oath if he shoved this guy down some stairs or otherwise knocked him around, but that would no doubt violate the ‘good behavior’ agreement Iroh had made that won them the chance to take some of their belongings before the ship was sunk. Since there could be no escaping and any misbehavior on his part would almost definitely complicate whatever Iroh was planning, Zuko would just have to play nice with these gibbering morons for the time being.

But that didn’t mean that he had to expose a potential vulnerability by letting on that any of the stuff this pirate was stealing meant anything to him. So he stood there, stoically witnessing the ransacking of his few earthly possessions to make sure the things that mattered to him made it off the ship. He would just take them back later. That was fine. This was fine.

He had not felt so violated since Azula stole and burned his toys as a child.

Sokka paused with Zuko’s combed-wool blanket wadded under one arm and cast him an assessing look. “Unless you plan to spend your entire kidnapping with no shirt on? Which I guess is kind of a boss move, but still-”

“Ho ho!” Toph chirped. “No shirt, huh? I thought I felt a lot of skin-on-metal but it can be hard to tell with stuff that isn’t earth. Are you shredded? Got those ripply abs? What’s the chest hair situation?”

Zuko, realizing she was reaching out toward him like she meant to feel him up, took a long step away from her - into the room - and shot her a disgusted look she couldn’t see.

“Do not,” he snarled, “touch me.”

Sokka sighed behind him. “Seriously, Toph. Way to make it creepy.”

“What? We’re pirates! If somebody’s not feeling at least a little sexually threatened, we’re not doing it right. And since you and Suki are joined at the face like some kind of gross romance novel rejects and Twinkles is a kid, Sweetness and I have an image to uphold, here. Besides, she’s the one who really-”

“Don’t bring my sister into this,” Sokka nearly-shrieked. Zuko watched him pat at the air and calm himself quickly. “Look, I’ll keep an eye on Prince Zuko. You can go ahead and get the coal transferred.”

“Fine,” she huffed, then stomped off, grumbling. “Buncha lily-liver pearl-clutching prudes…”

She disappeared down the corridor and Sokka let out a deep breath.

“Teenagers, am I right?”

Zuko glared back at his shrugging, almost apologetic face. Then he snatched up his robe from where he had discarded it before bed and shoved his arms through the wide sleeves.

Sokka stood a little awkwardly, examining the stitching around the edge of the blanket he had pilfered. Zuko felt compelled to break the uncomfortable silence.

“The waterbender is your sister?”

“Katara. She might be nicer to you if you learn her name.” Sokka squinted thoughtfully. “Or maybe not. She’s not a big fan of firebenders as a general rule… and she seems to especially dislike firebender princes so, you know, probably a lost cause there.”

Zuko had gathered as much… and he also knew what her name was. He just didn’t want to let on to this guy. Her brother. Actually, he didn’t really want to talk about her with him at all.

Because talking about her felt dangerously close to reflecting on her looks and threats. And Zuko was intensely curious as to what kind of trouble she thought he might get into. What did that even mean?

But that wasn’t a conversation he was about to have with her brother.

“You’re taking the coal.”

Sokka blinked and then nodded.

“What do you need coal for? You came in a sailing vessel.”

For a long moment, the other guy just stared back at him thoughtfully. At length, he shrugged. “We use it as supplemental heat for our village through the winter. There aren’t enough hunters left to keep us in our traditional fuels - oils and blubbers. Coal is disgusting - no offense - turns the igloos black and smells awful, but it’s better than freezing to death.”

Zuko frowned at him, trying to convince himself that this could be some kind of deception… but he found he couldn’t. “And the food and medicine you wanted, that goes to your village, too.”

“That’s the piracy game,” Sokka said as he went back to picking over the last few things that sat out on Zuko’s shelf.

“You aren’t pirates,” Zuko huffed. “You’re obviously-”

“Do you want this picture?”

The portrait in Sokka’s hand was, in fact, the last thing in the room Zuko might have taken. He tried not to look at it. Sokka peered at him, then down at the image.

“Pretty lady.”

Zuko worked his jaw to the side.

“Maybe I’ll keep it,” Sokka said idly, tilting his head and smiling a little dreamily down at the portrait. “Is this, like, Fire Nation erotica or something because - mm. That’s a nice looking woman right there-”

Zuko snatched the portrait - which was obviously not erotica, it was obviously a royal portrait of a wonderful sexless woman with warm, shining eyes! - from that savage’s disgusting paws and stalked off to grab a blind armload of clothes from his dressing room.

Following along behind him, Sokka stifled a chuckle.

[spiralling-thoughts]

Livia: why don't you just listen to me you selfish brat?

Facet: I AM THE ONE WHO IS SELFISH? You......you..... GUYS!! COVER THE CHILDREN'S EARS what I am about to say should not be heard by little kids!

*Lucy gray covers wovey 's ears, reaper covers dill's, coral cover mizzens , and jessup cover bobbins and Panlo covers sheafs*

Bobbin: hey why are you covering mine?

Bobbin trying to shake his head out of Jessup's grasp: c'mon jessup I want to hear it besides I have already heard All sorts things from my neighbors

Sheaf: uhhh panlo do you honestly think I am a stranger to bad words?

Livia and the other mentors after Facet use every insult and swear he knows off towards her:

[fairyhagmother]

okay i’m sorry i simply have to come here. i just love the persephone lore you are sharing. please, im begging for more persephone thoughts from you.

HIIIIIII LILY IN THE INBOX!!!!

the thing is right, you have heard most of my Pippa lore bc a.it is largely inspired by yours and b.whenever I am struck with a Pippa insight I literally run to yell at you in ur inbox, replies, etc.

+ I 100% believe her situation during the civil war was extremely dire. she literally had to resort to cannibalism. it must have been real bad.

+ I'm so sorry everybody. but her relationship to festus is so, so precious to me. It's one of the first things I was dead set on when I finished the book and decided to forego all feelings of shame and write. a 4 weddings and a funeral AU. as they were my wedding 1 I guess I have spent a lot of time with them and I'm very attached now okay.

+ they literally bring out the best in each other. persephone is actually very shy and quiet and he makes her more adventurous and fun! persephone mellows festus out. she hates gambling so he quits cold turkey for her sake. she makes him feel more confident so he drops the macho facade as he matures. still loves a party though! sorry back to pippa

+basically the moral compass of her friend group. like: no livia dont take apart palmyras pointe shoes so she breaks her ankle come on now. her friends are insanely protective of her because they see her as this pure soul that must be protected at all costs. additionally, vip and livia both know how traumatic the war was on the price household (not the cannibalism I dont think, but they know it was bad), and they really admire / are puzzled by how she emerged from all that while remaining kindhearted.

+ she has a little boy who, at times, violently reminds her of mizzen.

+ she's kind of a blindspot of coriolanus's but not because he underestimates her, but because he finds her so repulsive that he refuses to see her as anything more than an abstract concept. livia keeps saying these insane things about him to Pippa over tea, and Pippa is immediately like. this guy is crazy actually. but festus is like nah Pippa that's just coryo he's a bit of a freak but he's harmless, he was my best man!

+ festus dies out of nowhere. the coroner rules it a morphling overdose. to Pippa's dismay, no one in the friend group is shocked and they keep coming to her and: she should have said something if festus was struggling with addiction! you remember how he was at the academy, etc, etc. where the fuck did these stories even come from you know? well pippa can't prove it but she has an inkling.

+ she goes insane with grief. like. its horrible. she keeps telling everyone that something's off but no one listens to her because as far as they are concerned its just the insane ranting of a recently widowed woman.

+ and as I said, she keeps a box of 'evidence' that coriolanus is somehow behind all these mysterious 'purges'. it gets brought up when snow is tried at the hague of panem circa mockingjay.

+ Pippa feels guilty for having been a passive cog in an objectively evil machine, along with festus. she loved / loves him so much but she never really gets over the fact that they were complicit with the regime. she thinks back to all the times her friends called her kind, and she wonders if they're wrong.

[todd-queen]

"Mizzen walked with a limp, but he would still outmatch most of the remaining tributes if it came to a fight. Coriolanus wondered if, in the end, it would all come down to Coral and Mizzen deciding which District 4 tribute took home the crown."

(pg. 295)

you guys I am losing it over Suzanne and the way she just flawlessly parallels EVERYTHING in TBoSaS to the original Hunger Games. i just.. all the little nuances and foreshadowing that Snow is so oblivious to. he's just thinking things guys, he has no clue of the bigger picture. but we do!!! ahhhh!!!!!!

[leighistired]

Today on things only a few people want to know about, my favorite tav, Mizzen's, first impressions of each companion in alphabetical order:

Astarion: Was not fooled by his little damsel in distress routine, but like 1/3 of his adult relationships have started with someone holding a dagger to someone else so he just rolled with it to get a potentially useful rogue on his team. May or may not be planning to fuck with him when the lie about being a magistrate comes out.

Gale: Honestly wasn't a fan of how arrogant Gale was about his knowledge of magic, but did suspect he might just be a dork. Yes, Gale went to magic school, but Mizzen does know things! Part of the reason he recruited Gale was to talk arcane with him.

Halsin: Mizzen's first thought about him was utility. He'd heard Halsin was a capable healer and that's what he needed. The fact that Halsin had extended protection to the tiefling refugees was a bonus in Mizzen's book.

Jaehira: Like I said with Astarion, threatening to kill Mizzen is basically a love language to him. That doesn't mean he wasn't generally annoyed at how presumptuous Jaehira is that Mizzen will help the Harpers deal with Ketheric. My boy does nothing for free.

Karlach: Given that his first knowledge of her is as another warlock's target, he is vastly intrigued. Her whole "forcibly recruited" back story adds a layer of positive predisposition for him as well.

Lae'zel: He thought gith'yanki were pirates and is frankly disappointed that this woman is clearly a soldier. Between her militant attitude and her presumed superiority, Mizzen doesn't like her and only recruits her for her(probably) better knowledge of Mindflayers.

Minsc: Would probably think it was funny that this great hero was mind-controlled into doing terrible stuff if he wasn't getting really sick of mindflayer bullshit by the time Minsc is introduced. 50% of the reason he recruits him is to piss off the Emperor.

Minthara: In his canon, Mizzen sniped her ass before even speaking to her. However, if they had met, Mizzen would have been put-off for similar reasons he's put-off by Lae'zel, namely her militant attitude and presumed superiority. He would have gotten off on giving her psychic damage by being trans, though.

Shadowheart: He frees her because she a cleric and that's useful. He's also a big fan of how pragmatic she is immediately and doesn't mind playing a game of secrets with her.

Wyll: When Mizzen meets an infernal-pacted warlock who is a) a full decade younger than him and b) seems to be acting with selfless intentions, he really really hopes Wyll is conning people. Like, Mizzen is genuinely concerned that Wyll is naive and he's about to watch some guy he just met find out what total cunts warlock patrons universally are.

[majorsoapfan]

Hi, yeah, just in regards to the Mentor swap AU, not to give too much away right now but I'm kind of imagining that Sabyn is a little more receptive to Sejanus than Marcus had been. She's wary and mistrustful at first because he's a Plinth and everyone in District 2 knows what they did, but his genuineness and willingness to try and help her any way that he can makes her warm up a little to him. She's lonely and scared and desperate for any kind of kindness/comfort she can get. But then she feels wary again when she realises his interest in her District partner . . .

Ironically too, Sejanus having Sabyn as his tribute is making Marcus pay a little more attention to what's going on between them even as he tries to be subtle about it (Florus has no luck with getting a single word from Marcus though, as like Felix with Reaper, Marcus can tell immediately that he thinks the Prize is his now due to his tribute and so isn't interested in engaging with the guy). Even though his relationship with Sejanus and Sabyn is complicated/non-existent.

Because with the change in Mentor, I'm also going to be digging into what I feel the relationship dynamic between Marcus and Sabyn would have been like here. And it's complex, I could probably write at least 10k in this AU about Marcus and Sabyn's dynamic and their feelings about it alone.

And for Persephone and Coral, well, I touched upon the dynamic between Coral and Festus here and how she immediately figures out his intentions. Mizzen, I think is too young to pick up on the naunces of what Festus is saying, but Coral clocks it right away when Mizzen tells her. Which in turn makes her more distrustful of Persephone's intentions and the 'act' she's putting towards her, like you and some of the other's mentioned in the previous posts.

But Mizzen is Coral's weak spot in my AU's, he always is and Persephone's kindness to him in the wake of Festus' indifference (at least at first) goes a long way in making Coral tolerate her than any food or suspicious kindness ever could.

re: wip game

hello! can you share more about the mentor swap au & victor au?

Hi! Yes I can!!!

Mentor Swap

This was based on the post that I saw on here about how the tributes might have fared had their Mentors been swapped and the kind of relationships that they might have had then and well, from there, I just kind of started to explore different scenarios there.

This fic is more of a character/relationship study thing almost, as I'm currently exploring the relationship between Coral and Persephone and Sejanus and Sabyn in particular and how it develops in the lead-up to the Games and how they also grow to care (or still care in Sejanus' case) for their canon tributes. I'm also planning on touching briefly on the relationship dynamics between other characters like Arachne and Tanner, Felix and Clemensia with Reaper and Dill and even Pup and Lamina's changing relationship now that there is no Mentoring her to make Pup care for her.

And I suppose it wouldn't be one of my works if there wasn't a break-out of some sorts being planned . . .

Victor AU

This one is actually a planned series not a fic so to speak, based on the idea that all of the tributes in the 10th Hunger Games are now all Victors in the modern times for the Games, dealing with the struggles and horrors that the Capitol forced on them after they became Victors.

The idea for the first few fics in the series is to be told from Coral's pov, beginning from the 65th Games and following her pov mainly from there for the first few years. Then in the years following, to expand to other povs as Coral learns about and experiences the dangers in the Capitol, while Rebellion is simmering under the surface and other characters such as Treech, Lamina and Teslee go into the Games and eventually leading up to the 75th Games and the 2nd Rebellion.

This one is slower going as I don't want to publish anything for it until I've planned out in detail how things are going to go with certain characters, in particular the Rebellion, plus making OCs for the first bit of it for people in District 4 so it's slow going for now, but I'll start publishing eventually.

[p-antomime]

Ocean's language.

𖦹 minors don’t interact. ┊ wc: 4,2K.

𖦹 content: sub!reader, mean dom!ran, fingering, overstimulation, dry humping, unprotected sex, hair pulling, objetification, really slight degradation, breeding kink, nicknames.

𖦹 pairings: pirate!haitani ran x prisioner!f!reader.

tokyo rev. masterlist!

Ran whistled once, and it was enough. A sublime whistle, which cut through the air filled with gunpowder and the smell of blood and restored a cryptic order that the entire crew followed without blinking.

— Mhm! Lemme see, lemme see! — He spoke good-naturedly climbing down from the main mast using one of the thick ropes that connected it to the mizzen and foremasts. — What did we get this time?

— They have lots of money, gold! I think they were going to take the West Indian route to get to Europe! — A sailor said, stuffing his hands into bags of gold coins, and Ran agreed, looking around the dock until his attention fell on a group of four people in clothes that belonged to the privateers from the looted ship.

— What about those thugs over there? — The captain asked before whistling to another sailor, receiving a knife thrown in his direction from the air, then grabbing it his right hand and walking to the dock. — It’s not easy to see survivors of our plundering, I can say I’m surprised.

— They came from the Queen. — Ran understood that he was referring to Great Britain.

— Oh, so we have friends of Miss Anne's from Britain. — A mocking laugh escaped his lips. — How good to know. — Ran stopped in front of the group of four people and gestured with two fingers for the linen bags covering the heads of each person to be removed.

In reality, it was a group of three men and a girl, almost all as young as the captain himself.

Ran's frown creased as he stared at this girl with disheveled hair and a cut on her lower lip from fighting with one of his sailors and losing. It was not that common to see Corsair girls; the last time he had seen one was almost two years ago, when he was still aspiring to become a pirate on the dirty streets of Nassau.

— Mhm! — Ran huffed, slapping the handle of his knife against his cheek, looking at that group of outsiders as if he had too many options to use to finish them off at once. — Crew, what do y’all think I should do with these guys here? — Immediately, several voices around the docked ship shouted in unison: "Kill!" and an amused chuckle escaped his lips. — Nah, nah, y’all think so small, we have more fun things to do with captured prisoners!

Ran called to three sailors with two finger gestures, looked at the only girl among those three prisoners and whispered to them to tie the three men to the main mast before walking in front of her and looking her up and down.

— I didn't know the Crown was brainwashing girls now, aren't you too afraid of what awaits you in the oceans, honey? — Your frown creased at the question, you were expecting a quick death, not a humorous conversation.

— The worst that could happen to me has already happened, hasn't it? — You replied, trying to blow a strand of hair away from your face, since your hands were tied behind your back by a rope that was difficult to untie.

— The worst? — Ran shrugged, leaning the tip of his knife on your chin to make you stop moving your face while he talked to you. — Honey, you should thank me for rescuing you from the clutches of those mercenaries. — His head swiveled in the direction of the three other guys being tied to the main mast as a form of punishment.

— They are my friends!

— They were your friends. — The captain replied with a small smile on his side. — Now, they’re my property, just like you. — Your face contorted in disgust and sickness and you tried to move away from the knife on your chin.

When Ran pressed the blade a little harder against it, you thoughtlessly gathered up most of the saliva that was still inside your dry mouth and spat it onto one of his cheeks.

— Y’all are disgusting, disgusting barbarians! You–

Your voice died. As soon as you noticed the whole crew was looking at the captain and at you, and they were not looks of anger or concern, but fear for his reaction, although he remained completely calm in front of you with lilac orbs fixed on your angry face and his hair falling in his face slowly.

— Disgusting? — A small laugh escaped his lips and a hand went to wipe the spit from his cheek. — At least I'm a slob who can teach you manners like a girl should have. — His head turned to the side and a hiss came from his lips again. — Oi, Rindou! Hoist the sails, take the helm, to Nassau!

Ran nodded his head at you and they exchanged two suggestive eyebrow raises before the crew captain hooked a hand through your hair and began to drag you toward the door built into the dock which, by means of a small and narrow staircase, led to the room he usually shared with his brother during the long days of ocean travel.

At that moment you tried to grab the door frame to keep him from pushing you into that sailing room, but Ran simply kicked your wrist away and finished forcing your body inside while you grunted in pain and tried, now, to get his hand out of your hair.

He released you in the middle of the room, kneeling beside the large table containing several maps and compasses, and sat down in the small padded chair beside it.

— So? The fuck was an Anne of Britannia ship doing in these parts? — You rolled eyes.

— As if I’d answer you anything after all this.

— You should, if you knew what was best for you. — He bent down to pick up the bottle of rum that Rindou kept on the small table attached to the bed. — Did you know that the only thing keeping those guys from touching you is me? No need to thank me!

— You're so, so, so kind, Captain. — The tone dripped with irony and sarcasm, and you watched him take a long sip of his alcoholic drink.

— My kindness has limits sometimes.

— May I ask ‘til where it extends? — A wry smile appeared on his lips.

— If you keep acting like a dumb girl, you'll find out soon enough. — You leaned back against the desk.

— How do I know you won't kill me after you've extracted all the information I have? — Ran frowned.

— I thought you were willing to die for the Crown, honey. — And you sighed.

— If I was, I'd be in the Royal Navy; I only die for myself.

— Let's make a deal, shall we? — Your eyes rose up to stare at him. — I'll let you go, you tell me everything you know, I'll let you live, you can even... maybe, if you behave, go back to wherever it is you came from in Britain. — Your frown creased.

— It would be fairer not to have me as a prisoner anymore!

— Mhm, properties don't argue, properties agree to my terms. — You grunted and he looked at you suggestively before taking another long sip of his drink.

— Whatever.

After saying this, you began to talk about almost all the information you had, which wasn't much because you hadn't even been a privateer for a long time. There were less than seven months of you in this sea life versus almost two years of Ran.

Ironically, you felt strangely good to see him paying attention to everything that came out of your mouth. He even giggled lightly at your little jokes about calling the monarchs pigs, and in less than thirty, forty minutes, it didn't even seem like he was the same guy who had dragged you into that body-shaped cabin, but rather an old friend you found again.

Ran did let go of your wrists, but did not allow you to touch the maps on the table or sit in one of the chairs in the room. He liked to watch you from above, to see you have to lift your head to face him, so much so that at one point he got distracted in the middle of what you were saying about the looting of other British ships because he was thinking about how cute you got when you were talking enthusiastically about a subject that you mastered.

— And... — He interrupted you.

— Oh, wait, I think I heard someone calling me outside. — Ran rose from his chair and walked to the door, feeling suddenly too nervous, not trusting his own mind after thinking something positive about a prisoner like you, whom he barely knew.

— No one did–

Before you could say anything else, he was already opening the door, walking through it and closing it locked from the outside. And the whole crew, including Rindou, looked at him curiously.

— The fuck are y’all looking at? Go back to what you guys were doing! — Ran grumbled before swallowing hard, climbing the stairs to the helm and pushing his brother away to take his rightful place as captain. — Will we arrive in Nassau later today?

— I don't think so, maybe tomorrow morning? — Rindou replied and Ran swallowed slowly.

In fact, it was not possible for the crew to reach Nassau later that day and by the time Ran returned to his room after long hours of manning the helm and ordering the guys to leave the prisoners alone on the main mast from time to time, you were already... sleeping. Like an angel on the bed that usually only the oldest of the brothers used, since Rindou preferred to participate in the night watch.

It was understandable that you were tired, your life had turned upside down in a few hours, your brain probably hadn't gotten used to the fast pace of Ran's Man-Of-War yet.

So he let you sleep and promised himself that it would be the first and last time, especially as soon as he lay down next to you trying not to rub his body against yours too much so as not to wake you up and pulled the thin sheets over your shoulders.

In the late night and early morning, probably around four o'clock, he eventually couldn't sleep properly and preferred to go rummaging through the table in search of his maps that he would need to exchange for money or gunpowder in Nassau.

It was morbidly quiet in the room, so much so that he could almost hear your quiet breathing the same way he heard your initial sigh before you woke up rubbing eyes and giving little yawns.

— You sleep too much. — Ran said without looking at you arranging the maps on the table.

— Me...? — You asked without knowing exactly what he was referring to until you touched the soft sheets of the bed and felt a little embarrassed that you had stolen his place there. — S-Sorry, I... — A hiss came out of his mouth, you were supposed to shut up.

— I'm not angry, I let you sleep after all. — Ran raised eyes to stare at you. — But tomorrow I won't be so charitable anymore. — You yawned before putting thoughts in order.

— ‘Cause we’re going to be in Nassau?

— "We”? I was thinking of throwing you into the sea before we got there. — His tone was playful and you rolled your eyes. — But, yeah, yeah, because of Nassau.

For the rest of the morning, the two of you talked about routes and he even let you drink water for the first time in many hours since your old ship was ambushed on the high seas.

In the early afternoon, when Rindou was asleep and Ran took the helm, you, for the first time in the life, found yourself walking down the side steps of the huge ship docked in the Pirate Republic and stepping onto the hot sand of the coast. It would be a lie to say that you were not surprised to see how organized things were there, even if it was a predominantly male place.

Ran, guiding you with one arm around your shoulders, led you to what he called his personal fortress and you teased him about that awful name, but, all in all, it was just a two-story building that looked more like a tavern than a place to be used by a crew to sleep.

— So? — You asked looking at him after scanning that spacious room with an ocean view with your eyes and crossing arms over your bust. — What’s your plans for me? — Ran sat down in a chair set up in front of a table similar to the one he had on the ship.

— It depends on how useful you are to me. — You walked over to the large window in the room and propped your elbows up there without caring that he grunted at your lack of discipline.

— When I left home a few months ago I wasn't planning to become a pirate, my mom would kill me if she knew. — You looked over one shoulder and saw him looking at you as if to ask if you were serious. — What?! She thinks I went to Spain...

Then a good-natured laugh escaped his lips.

— Theoretically, you’re in a part of Spain, those Spanish ruled Nassau before the British took this piece of land from ‘em. — Ran answered, rising from his chair, walking over to the window and standing beside your with his elbows propped up against the its frame. — And what are you, huh? Mama's little girl? — You looked at him offended.

— Eww! No, your dumbass! — Your eyes rolled and then stared at the horizon of the ocean. — But seriously, answer me, what's your plan for me? — He shrugged.

— I don't usually bring women aboard my ship. — You opened a provocative smile.

— Why? Afraid that I'm better than you at what you do? — Ran raised an eyebrow before he slid his gaze down your body and, in the end, gave a mocking laugh.

— There’s nothing you can do better than me. — You squinted your eyes at him.

— You sure about it?

— Absolutely.

The two of you remained silent, just staring at each other as if whoever looked away would be considered less strong than the other. It was a competition between just the two of you and before you could anticipate the captain's next actions or words, his body leaned toward you, your heart beat a little faster and you tried to move the head in the opposite direction until Ran tangled fingers in your hair and kept your face still.

— Afraid you might like it? — You ran your tongue over lips, feeling how close his breath was to your face, and your eyes fell from his lilac orbs to his ajar mouth.

— I won't. — A small chuckle escaped him, you shrugged your shoulders.

— So can I do it?

You honestly didn't want to answer out loud, didn't want to give him the satisfaction of having given up the imaginary tug-of-war between you two so easily, so your hands were only on the back of his neck, trying to get his face closer to yours more calmly, to give you time to think straight. But, calm?

Haitani Ran doesn't know that. Nothing in his life was calm like the ocean.

His lips brushed yours hard, took yours in a needy, intense kiss that lasted no more than five seconds without deepening and having his tongue slide into your mouth while his hands slid from your hair to your back and then your waist to finish gluing your body to his and you desperately tangled fingers in his thin blouse because you had the impression that your legs would waver as he continued to assault your mouth with fervor.

Ran was good at what he did, you had to mentally admit that to yourself. He was good enough that you didn't even realize that his fingers had sneaked into your clothes and were now brushing against the warm skin of your belly as his body walked blindly backward and carried you along until you both fell onto the bed, your body on top of his.

Your hips rolled against his and a small moan escaped from his mouth against yours, the kiss being undone only for Ran to start leaving nibbles and kisses on your neck. His hands hooked around your waist and began to move your body against his, your wet pussy rubbing against his cock over the layers of clothing you were both wearing.

— Fuck, Captain, I thought I was just your property not your fuckdoll. — You teased him and let your head fall back to allow his mouth to mark you however it wanted.

— Now, you're both. — Ran retorted with his hands clenching around your ass before taking them to your blouse and pulling it up. — And–

His voice was interrupted by two knocks on the bedroom door and he rolled eyes before shouting a "What?!" in the direction of it. You slid eyes down his frustrated face and slowly leaned in to leave little wet kisses on his neck and collarbones that were exposed by his ajar blouse.

While Ran concentrated on what one of his men was talking about on the other side of the closed door, his lips couldn't stop leaving little grunts as yours worked on his neck and your pussy continued to rub against his dick.

— Man! I'm kinda busy right now, if... — Ran bit his lower lip as he felt you roll onto his lap and a hand clamp down on your thigh in a silent command for you to stop. — Fuck! Call Rindou, I'm so fucking busy right now, in a few minutes I'll be down to take care of everything! — A small smile appeared on your lips as you felt your captain's fingers slide into your pants and brush against your folds.

It didn't take long before the two of you heard footsteps distancing themselves in the hallway and Ran's attention fell on you before his other hand tangled in your hair and pulled your face away from his neck.

— You're such an attention-seeking whore, aren't you? Tsk, you can barely think straight when it comes to cock. — You bite the lower lip feeling more of your slick wet your underwear, which has been pushed aside so that his fingers can start rubbing your clit.

— You're the one who can barely contain your own moans when a girl is humping over you, you're the only manwhore here. — You replied, wrapping hands around his blouse to expose his chest and trying not to let anything but gasps escape as Ran was busy playing with your pussy between his fingers.

He stared at you for long minutes before, without warning, slamming them inside you and making you roll eyes up with your body falling forward against his. His cock even hurt just watching you being disassembled so easily like that.

— How cute, all your attitude disappears as soon as you have something filling your pussy. — His mouth latched onto your neck again and seconds later his fingers were moving in and out with the wet noises getting louder and louder and you bit his shoulder to keep almost no moans out and he pulled your face back by your hair until you were staring at him. — Hm? The fuck d’you think you're doing? Lemme hear your moans! — Your walls tightened and those digits curved right up against your most sensitive spot, it was impossible not to let whimpers and moans escape and try to force your hips against his hand. — Or are you afraid of my crew knowing that you spread your legs for a guy like me so quickly like this?

— Afraid? — You said breathlessly as your hands dropped to his pants to unbutton them, his digits increasing their rhythm inside your tight pussy and causing some of your slick to start running down the inner thighs. — You're not even ngh that good at this. — They curved inside you again.

— I'm not the one who's almost crying to keep from moaning about two fingers, you lie very badly. — His fingers kept hitting your most sensitive spot and you swore you were starting to get blurred vision as the orgasm threatened to wash over your body.

And Ran knew it too, he was fucking your pussy for the first time and it wasn't hard to understand how your body behaved, so much so that only seconds before you actually came with your legs already trembling, his fingers came out of you and left you frustrated moaning in irritation.

Seconds later, one of his arms was pulling you to your feet and he began to guide you to a spot that you only realized was the bedroom window when your back slammed against the window frame and a warm wind whipped across your face. Your pants came completely off your body halfway down, and now Ran was wrapping your legs around his hips after getting rid of the rest of his own clothes.

— T-The fuck are you doing! Oh my... — He put a hand in the middle of your bust and forced your body back until your back was completely against the window frame and you desperately tried to grab his broad shoulders for support.

— I like to show off my new toys. — Ran looked at you suggestively before rubbing his cock between your wet folds, your entrance literally pulsing over his tip, you so needed to have something filling you up; he knew it. — And I know my new lil‘ toy wants to cum so badly, doesn’t it? — His face tilted so that his mouth hooked onto your tits and leave kisses on your skin. — But, if you want it so bad, why don't you try fucking yourself on my cock, hm? It's right below you, you just have to work a lil’ harder to get me inside you, doll.

You choked on your own saliva, shame burning unmercifully inside you.

That guy was crazy. Completely. And you didn't exactly hate it, in fact, quite the opposite: your pussy started to throb even harder just to have him deep inside you.

— I fucking... — You leaned elbows on the window frame, angled hips just above the tip of his dick until you felt it brush against your entrance and, only then, slowly lowered the body, feeling him fill you completely little by little and widen your walls the way you so desperately needed. — H-Hate you, Captain. — His hands hooked around your waist squeezing it tightly and Ran let his head fall back, you were fucking tighter around his shaft than on his fingers.

— Yeah? You do? — He pulled out of you only to slam harder on a second thrust, you let your head fall back whimpering at how good it felt. — But, your pussy loves me, my plaything doesn't know how to make her pussy obey? — You denied with the head, unable to respond properly once Ran started to actually pound hard inside you.

Your body moving against that window frame and the orgasm again beginning to ache deep in your belly. Your legs shaking around his hips and moans mixing with his to form an even louder noise that his crew was probably hearing from downstairs.

Your tits going up and down and eventually being picked up again by the soft lips of the man above you, mind unable to think straight about anything other than him and the more his fingers squeezed every inch of skin on your body, the more you were absolutely certain that marks would be left behind once he finished using your pussy, which happened not long after.

The first person to cum was you, with your body being held against the open window and pussy clenching around his shaft not wanting to let it go and very soon Ran was pushing his warm cum as deep as he could before he slowly forced your waist up, stepped out of your warmth and started spreading with the tip of his cock the cream that was still pouring out of your in piles.

It was as if he was marking you as his property as he did this, and a wide grin appeared on his lips as he watched your pulsing, leaking entrance.

— This, now, you're perfect for me, doll. — Ran whispered, pulling you away from that window and letting you stand on the ground even though your legs were still threatening to wobble. — See? I told you there's nothing you can do better than me. —You gave him an annoyed look before feeling his hand brush across your cheek and pull your face into a quick kiss. — And unfortunately for you now, your captain has some things to take care of downstairs. — His arms slung around your shoulders and guided you to the bed to get you sitting up again. — But maybe we can continue this another time.

You didn't really understand the language of the oceans, but Ran's you were beginning to, and so you couldn't hide the small smile that appeared on the lips. Maybe he wasn't that bad, maybe.

— Can I consider myself a member of your crew then? — You asked, watching him gather his own clothes and begin to put them on.

— You'll need more than just spreading your legs for me to join my crew, doll. — He replied and you ran your tongue over lips.

— How much time will we spend here? — Ran looked at you suspiciously before walking to the door.

— A week, maybe less.

— Perfect. — You answered, letting your tired body fall onto the bed.

Ran left the room already dressed without knowing exactly what was going on in your mind.

ㅤ🏷 tagging: @festive @wakaslut @strawberrysanzu @bontensucker @wakasa-wifey @manjiroscum @inu1gf @keisaint @vlyntage @saaraunicorn @ranilingus @dokidokimanji @mizurimirai @sleepy3 @kuroaka @slut4manjiro @zuuki @qudvxnkanx @hirwishin @izanaswifey @dessceased @binglebonglerightonthemoney @horny-inarizaki-stan @mrsvaleska @goldenmnr @semisgroupie @k-ryuuguji @no-name-jack .

[chaseatinydream]

pirate king (31) || atz

“HAVANA-OHNANA-”

The five of you are walking along the streets, footsteps echoing on the cobbles as you take in the sights about you. It’s a bright and sunny day, with a stiff breeze keeping the temperature cool while you tour the town. You’re dressed lightly for the day, your hair done up in the pin Wooyoung had given you a while back to keep it out of your face.

But Jongho. What is Jongho doing?

Seonghwa sighs, turning to look at their maknae. “Well, he did get drunk yesterday after we told him I was staying with the crew and sobbed for a whole hour about how happy he was.”

“Let’s not forget how he danced around the ship trying to do a striptease to celebrate.” San mutters under his breath. You gulp at the thought and cover your eyes, as if that could change what your eyes have already seen.

You’re probably still traumatised.

“HALF OF MY HEART IS IN HAVANA-”

Yeosang stares worriedly after Jongho, who’s still dancing his way through the marketplace, belting out some song none of you have heard before at the top of his lungs.

“Is he still drunk?”

It’s funny how Captain actually let Jongho go into town with you and the others after the little fiasco yesterday. After returning to the Treasure on your little rowboat, Seonghwa had immediately explained to Captain and the rest about all that had happened. Hongjoong had simply listened quietly to Seonghwa, nodding in understanding when his cook had told him about how he had been tempted to stay in Nassau.

“It was understandable.” Hongjoong had shrugged.

But when Seonghwa had declared he was going to stay with the crew no matter what, you swore you had seen Hongjoong sigh a silent breath of relief under his breath, the tense muscles in his shoulders relaxing.

The rest of the crew hadn’t been quite so reserved in showing their joy.

Yunho and Wooyoung, once again the life of the party, had snuck down into the storage hold and swiped an entire cask of aged fire rum, giving drinks out to the whole crew, much to Hongjoong’s horror.

And absolutely the entire ship had gotten dead drunk.

The last time when you had gone drinking with the ATEEZ crew, you had thought you had seen everything. From flirting with inanimate objects to burning down restaurant kitchens, it had been bad. Until you had seen this.

Two words.

Absolute. Pandemonium.

What happened had literally been the stuff of nightmares. Your master, soft spoken oddball Choi San, had only managed two glasses of alcohol before he had gone streaking across the main deck of the ship, dressed in a grass skirt of medicinal herbs which you had been forced to toss this morning due to hygiene purposes. You had managed to save his clothes from being lost to the unknown, but your sanity had been sacrificed in the process as you tried to drag him back to the sickbay all with your eyes firmly shut against the evils of the world.

Mingi. The silent, steady quartermaster was one depressed drunk. After a few minutes of cheering like a lunatic with the rest of the crew, he had suddenly stood up, walked over to the captain’s cabin and lay down on Yeosang’s bed, hugging a terribly ugly plushie that you assumed your master had sewn years ago, a yellow bean in blue suspenders and clearly missing an eye. To it he had sobbed his life story, which mainly involved how he had joined the Treasure and how he wished Hongjoong could have had a better life. You had chosen wisely to leave the cabin before the room flooded with his tears.

Only to run in Jongho, who was in the middle of the main deck attempting to do a striptease along to a tragic ballad he was singing at full volume, hyped on by the rest of the crew chanting along. You had gone already nearly gone blind trying to escort San back to the sickbay, but with Jongho, you weren’t quite as lucky.

For a moment, you had very nearly wanted to claw your own eyes out. Fortunately for you, you had been saved when Jongho had decided to do a swan dive over the side of the ship into the sea all while screaming something that sounded suspiciously like ‘yeet’, prompting the only other sober person besides you on board, Seonghwa, to jump into the frigid waters to rescue him.

And gods. Rational, gentle, innocent and sweet Yeosang had gotten drunk. And when he got drunk, he drank even more. And when he drank even more, boy did he let his mouth run. You never wanted to hear the words that he had used to describe his father leave his mouth ever, and in the morning when they had been slightly more sober than before, Hongjoong had threatened to wash his mouth out with rubbing alcohol if he ever heard them again.

Which was rather ironic, considering that Hongjoong himself had been Yeosang’s most ardent supporter and listener the night before, cursing his own father with all sorts of colourful and creative words that had nearly made your ears bleed. The two had sat in the bow with a bottle of fine, powerful whiskey between them, screaming all sorts of unrepeatable expletives into the dark of the ocean. You had carefully kept clear of the forecastle deck, but even from the main mast you could hear them shrieking words like ‘shitbag’ and ‘bastard can’t even aim a gun properly-’ over the howling of the wind.

You had chosen not to dwell too much on that. After all, you had bigger problems to deal with.

Yunho and Wooyoung had been attempting to swing around the masts. The three of you were rigging monkeys, so this was nothing unusual. The problem with that was that Yunho and Wooyoung were on the verge of getting into a fist fight on the yardams, and that scared you more than it should have.

Because the two of them were fighting over the mast.

“The main mast is the best mast of the three! She’s tall and gorgeous, with such a slim and sleek figure! What does your mast have?” Yunho screamed from above, clinging onto the main mast’s rigging like it was his one true love. You had wondered briefly who he was talking to, until a voice from the mizzen mast had shrieked back in response.

“The mizzen mast is made of the most exquisite conifer! I’d like to see your mast made of anything better!”

It was Wooyoung, the drunk idiot second only to Yunho.

The first time you had caught wind of their argument, you had briefly wondered if you were the drunk one instead, but then you remembered that you hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol.

“Guys,” You had tried to cajole them into coming down from their dangerously high perches, “The masts are just big sticks-”

From the horrified screeching above you, you would have thought you had just murdered their firstborn children.

“How dare you, Haechin!” Yunho had blubbered, sloshing alcohol everywhere from above and you had been forced to dive out of the way to avoid a shower of rum. Wooyoung had thrown his wooden mug at Yunho with all the fury of a professional thrower but without the aim, so his shot had gone far off. The piece of tableware had flown through the air and hit Jongho straight in the forehead when Seonghwa was trying to haul him back on board, so the maknae simply toppled back into the ocean, much to Seonghwa’s horror.

“Don’t you dare call Chon Ha’s name wrongly!” Wooyoung had screeched from the mizzen mast, dangling upside down from the ropes, failing to recognise the hypocrisy of his statement. “Names are important, Yun Hoe!”

“What did you just call me, Poo Young?”

You had merely stood at the main deck for a long moment, staring up at the masts as you wondered how on earth you were ever going to get them down, the two slinging insults at each other with all the maturity of a five year old child split between the two of them.

“They’re very passionate about this.” Seonghwa had appeared at your side with a limp, kicking Jongho slung over his shoulder. He watched as the two flung rude hand gestures at each other, occasionally forgetting that they needed their hands to hold on to the rigging and almost tumbling off the masts, but somehow managing to save themselves at the last moment. “That’s how the two of them started talking when Wooyoung first joined the ship.”

You had stared at the cook incredulously even as Jongho attempted to struggle out of the sackcloth Seonghwa had tied him up in to save what was left of his shredded dignity. “By talking about which mast is better?”

Seonghwa had shrugged in reply. “Every time they get drunk, they flirt with inanimate objects. Along the way, Wooyoung and Yunho just… fell in love with the mizzen mast and main mast, I guess.”

Maybe the maturity of a five year old split between the two of them had been a little too generous. You doubted they had more brain than Shiber even if you put their minds together.

“I once woke up to see Wooyoung getting it down the mizzen mast. And Yunho attempting to seduce the mast with terrible puns about… you know.” Seonghwa had mumbled, shaking his head as he massaged his temples. He had clearly seen terrible things, you could see the trauma of his experience on the lines of his handsome face. What a difficult life he has been through. “Well, anyway, I need to get Jongho below deck before he attempts to go skinny dipping in the sea again.”

Your eyes had widened in horror as Seonghwa hoisted a whining Jongho higher up his shoulder. “You can’t leave me alone with these two idiots! You’ve known them longer, you should know what to do!”

But Seonghwa merely waved over his shoulder, opening the hatch to below the decks and rolling Jongho’s body down the stairs.

“Look at the blue she dresses herself in! The beauty of her robes, she’s such a fine mast!” Yunho screamed above you, and for a moment you had been very tempted to just grab Mingi’s ax from the cabin and hack the entire mast down.

“You’re merely dressing a swine in pearls!” Wooyoung waved his fist back furiously, his face red from hanging upside down or from the alcohol, you didn’t know. “What matters most is the person within!”

“That would have been so much more touching if he hadn’t been talking about a mast.” You shook your head, completely exasperated. But Wooyoung and Yunho had obviously not forgotten about you, because they turned to you simultaneously.

“Haechin!”

“Choo Ha!”

Their voices echoed together. “Which mast is better?”

You had buried your face in your hands. This was actually a real conversation. These two grown adult men had just asked you which big wooden stick was better than the other.

You’d had enough.

“Neither.”

Yunho had slid down his rope precariously to stare at you in the eye seriously. Then he screamed “What?” so loud in your ears you were pretty sure one eardrum had just given up on you, the sound ringing in your ears. But you had forced yourself to keep your calm.

“The foremast is better.”

Now that you think back on it, you had probably broken them. The two of them had merely gaped at you in shock and horror, and Yunho had actually slipped from the ropes to land in a crumpled heap right next to you.

Sobs had burst out from the mizzen mast.

“How could you say such a cruel thing, Choo Hoo?”

That was probably why the two other rigging monkeys had refused to join your little excursion to Havana today. Neither Wooyoung nor Yunho had met your eye, probably still unable to accept by what you had told them.

It was either that or the roaring hangover both of them had.

Suddenly, a screech pierces the air, much like a dying ostrich and you clap your hands over your ears, eyes flitting around for the source of the noise. Yeosang, too, flinches, but manages to stay a lot more composed than you. He must be too used to the sound of cannon fire and Wooyoung’s shrieking laughter.

“What was that?” You gape, but then all you see is a fruit cart, overturned, and suddenly, it explodes into flames.

Yeosang dives at you, knocking you to the ground as bits of charred wood fall all about you. To your left, you see your master crouched behind another stall with his hands protecting his head. To your right, you see Mingi and Seonghwa ushering a small girl to safety and away from the explosion.

“What happened?” You ask as Yeosang crawls off you, brushing ash from the knees of his pants as the two of you rise to your feet. The navigator frowns, coughing from the sheer amount of smoke as he attempts to see where your battlemaster has gone.

“Where’s that dumb maknae?” San yelps from the ground, and you can see him clutching a small Shiber stuffed toy to his chest protectively. “I swear, if he got into some sort of shit-”

“Language, San!” Yeosang chides, but the tips of his ears turn pink in embarrassment at his hypocrisy. Then he catches sight of something, and his eyes widen in sheer horror. “What the fu-”

You clap a hand over his mouth before he can say anymore.

“-urry cute bunny.” Yeosang manages to save his mouth from a date with rubbing alcohol. “Is that Jongho? With my new explosive, highly dangerous smoke bombs?”

You almost choke in shock as you stare into the clearing smoke. Then you see it. Jongho, hooting madly with laughter as he raises another hand bomb in his hands. Yup, definitely still drunk. “Oh, fu-”

What has Jongho done?

Before you too have a date with rubbing alcohol, San spots the town law enforcement approaching, the sound of their boots thundering across the stone pavement. The healer looks at you determinedly. You glance at him, intending to convey your message to him. Your master has always understood you intuitively, much like how you and Wooyoung can communicate through touch alone.

We’ve got to get Jongho out of there before the officials spot him.

San nods seriously in agreement.

Then he opens his mouth and screams. “Abandon ship!”

With that, he shoots down a small lane and out of sight before you can say a word. To your horror, Mingi and Seonghwa bolt as well, as if this is a drill they’ve practiced thousands of times.

Your eyes widen. Those little shits...

You and Yeosang exchange grim looks. Neither of you want to do it, but you’ve been saddled with the responsibility. You’re going to murder San when you get back to ship.

“We need to save Jongho’s ass.”

“We do.”

Saying it out loud doesn’t make it any easier to do.

So this time when Yeosang swears rather colorfully, you don’t bother stopping him.

Yeosang takes your hand and yanks you with him as he grabs Jongho by the scruff of the neck. The surprised maknae barely has the time to react before Yeosang is dragging him down the street with you, deceptively strong for such a lithe person. The three of you duck into an alley, just as the officers dash past you, shouting for the offender to step forward and admit to his crimes.

“Let the world burn!” Jongho crows, attempting to toss the bomb to the ground. Yeosang struggles against him, trying to get him to let go of the bomb and simultaneously attempting to shut him up at the same time. Honestly, what on earth did Jongho drink last night? How was he still drunk even now?

Then the memory comes back to you.

This morning, Jongho had woken up with a hangover, like everyone else on the ship. He had come to you, looking for something to help with the headache, so you had suggested a common household remedy, a splash of gin with a tomato based drink to take the edge off.

Just a little gin, you remembered saying. When you had walked into the storage hold to clear up after the night before, you had seen an entire bottle of gin, empty and bone dry on the floor. At the moment, you had wondered if Jongho had drunk the whole bottle himself in the morning, but you waved it off, Jongho couldn’t be that stupid, and the empty bottle was probably just from last night.

Well, apparently Jongho was that stupid, because he had likely downed the entire bottle of hard liquor by himself in the morning and had gotten drunk all over again.

“I heard some noise coming from over here!”

You and Yeosang exchange glances and begin panicking simultaneously. Your eyes search the alleyway desperately for some means of escape, but all you see is a shop with grimy windows that are too dirty to see through…

And that is perfect.

You pull on Yeosang’s sleeve and tug him into the door, the tinkling of chimes signalling your arrival. The two of you barely manage to bundle the screeching human shape that is Jongho into the shop after you before you hear the guards run past the door. The three of you land in a tangled heap on the ground.

“We’ve got to catch those offenders!”

You groan in exasperation and feel tempted to slap your forehead, but you reach over and smack Jongho instead. The maknae yelps, but at least he drops the bomb into Yeosang’s outstretched palm before abruptly falling unconscious.

“I wish we could kill him.” You glare at his form. Today was supposed to be a relaxing day off, one in which all of you could relax together, and you and San had intended on visiting the herb garden markets for rare plants and the like. Now it seems as if you will have to wait until tomorrow to wait for the fuss to die down.

“How may I help the three of you?”

You jump in shock, scrambling backwards and almost knocking Yeosang over. He moves in front of you protectively, and from his sleeve you see the glint of something silver just in case.

But it’s just an old man standing there, with greying hair and eyes that seem to keep shifting colour. You frown. At one moment they seem to be blue, then brown, then grey, and in the end you give up on trying to decide exactly what shade they are. He must be the owner of this shop.

“Ah!” You and Yeosang exchange glances and your eyes flit around the shop, your foot shoving Jongho’s prone form behind you as you try to find a suitable excuse. “We were… ah… we were looking for a book.”

It’s a bookshop, after all.

“That’s nice to hear. You rarely get youngsters such as yourself who are interested in books.” The old man smiles warmly, and something in you feels like you want to stay with him somehow. He radiates a sense of comfort that you want to keep with you at all times. “Are the two of you married? He seems like a sweet boy.”

You spit and Yeosang chokes at the same time, you reach over to slap his back as he tries to recover from his coughing fit. “Thank you, sir.” Yeosang thumps his chest, heart racing beneath his skin at the man’s words. “But we’re just friends.”

“Oh?” The old man raises an eyebrow, and you frown again, wondering how his eyes can be such a unique shade that you cannot identify. “Then again, there are always more choices. Fate changes, you know, like a stream flowing down a mountain. It curves and winds, overcoming whatever is in its way. No path is definite.”

You cough awkwardly. “Yes, sir.”

As weird as this conversation is, you’d prefer him to ask you about this than Jongho’s body. Maybe the man is too senile to think otherwise about a dead drunk body on the floor.

“Anyway, I might have the book for you.” The old man moves about the shelves, searching for something, you don’t know. You glance about you, the shelves are made from tree roots grown into the wall, the books leaning against a wall of soil. Then you realise why the floor is so soft. It’s a carpet of soft green grass, well kept with tiny flowers blooming. Your eyes widen in wonder at the beauty of it all.

“Your shop is beautiful.” You gush, astounded at the effort that must have gone into creating and maintaining this shop. “You must have worked hard on it.”

The old man’s fingers still on the spine of a book. “Well… I have a… talent for these sort of things and I enjoy it… I suppose you could say I have a green thumb.”

With that, he pulls out a book from the shelves and offers it to you. “That’s a beautiful necklace, by the way.” He comments, gesturing to the silver chain hanging from your neck. You smile as you accept the book gratefully, Yeosang peeks over your shoulder at the cover.

“Thank you. I’ve had it with me for a long time.”

The Little Mermaid.

“Isn’t this a kid’s storybook?” Yeosang asks, studying the rendition of the mermaid drawn on the cover. The old man nods wisely.

“It is sometimes the simplest things that hold the most truth.” He says and you nod gratefully, reaching into your pocket to pay him for the book (and for harboring the three of you from guards). But he stops you. “Ah, don’t pay me. I have a feeling you might need that book. Have you ever heard of the saying, do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it? Although it may be a little different… in this case.”

You don’t really understand what he’s saying and shake your head, but take the book anyway. “Thank you very much, sir.”

Yeosang hoists one of Jongho’s arms over his shoulder and the three of you prepare to leave, but the old man calls out to you one last time.

“Chin Hae?”

“Hmm?” You turn around in response to your name. The old man smiles at you, and suddenly you feel something wet sliding down your cheek. It’s a tear, you realise in shock, and hurriedly wipe it away before he can see.

Why are you crying in front of an old man.

“That’s a beautiful name. I’m glad they chose it for you. Stay safe.”

You frown a little at the strangeness of his words, but you thank him anyway for the compliment and well wish. Then you and Yeosang are out of the shop, the chimes swaying as the door clicks shut. The old man stares after the three of you, watching through the window as you speak to Yeosang about the book.

“Chin Hae, huh?”

He glances around the shop. This is such a measly sight of what he can do, but you complimented it and called it beautiful. If only you could see the true beauty of it, like you’ve always wanted to.

“Maybe soon.” He murmurs to himself and snaps his fingers.

Suddenly, the old, aged trees shrink back into the wall of earth, the plants wilting and dying in mere seconds, the flowers falling to the earth and vanishing into the soil. The books, shelves, everything disappears in mere seconds, and suddenly, the old shopkeeper is standing in the empty alleyway all by himself.

Except he’s not an old man anymore.

The skin on his face stretches and smooths out once more, his skin darkening till it takes on an earthy brown tone. The colours in his eyes swirl together, twisting and mixing in a kaleidoscope of shades until it finally settles on one single hue.

A bright, unearthly green that no one else in the world can replicate.

[uselessgaywhovian]

Holy Shit, D&D Y'all.

We dungeoned our dragons so hard today y'all

We had an extra long session to make up for being off two weeks, and OH MY GOD, EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO MUCH. brace yourselves, word dump is coming.

So we escorted Aubreck Drallion, the new councilman who we just salvaged a bunch of promissory notes and deeds from a sinking ship for, to Seaton so he could cash out the notes and pay us our 10% (10,000 gp!). Poppy, the little orphan girl we accidentally adopted the last time we were in Seaton, said she wanted to come along with us. Since we were, y'know, acting as security for the councilman and his moderate fortune on this trip, Bree tried to say that we'd take Poppy another time and leave her back with Eda, who's been looking after her and the two boys we'd found her with, Jack and Oscar. Their parents were apparently in Deadwater prison so they were on the street. We had brought all three of them back to Saltmarsh for Eda to look after last time we were in Seaton.

Well we get everything ready and head out on the road, and when we go to make camp the first night... we find Poppy stowed away in the wagon. Apparently she found a Ring of Invisibility and used that to sneak away and hide in our supplies.

So Bree gives her a come-to-Jesus talk about how when we say something's dangerous we mean it, etc., etc. but now it's too far down the road to take her back so we press on. We get to Seaton without issue. Drallion heads off to deal with his business, and we've got the day in Seaton to do what we want.

Now, the last time we were in Seaton, Bael-lys took exceptional dislike to the head of the Deadwater prison. So the first thing he wants us to do is go kill this guy. Which we did manage to talk him down from open murder because Shamys was like "Well, first of all, I feel like this is not the type of guy you just challenge to a fair fight. There are quieter ways to kill someone like that. But also we're in town so Mr. Drallion can get the money and pay us, and murdering the head of the prison seems like it would prevent that business from happening."

......... and then Poppy fucking ran away.

Shamys noticed first and took off after her, which shouldn't have been a problem catching up to a 6 year old as a Tabaxi rogue but the kid fucking disappeared. We had taken her ring away, so we thought she couldn't be turning invisible, but she was just fucking gone. Most of us kept searching for a few hours. Meanwhile Bael-lys decided to go deal with the head of Deadwater whose name I can't remember. Since he didn't want to get us all in trouble for murder, he decided to just.... go get some horse laxatives and stop by the bar where the guy stopped for a drink every night after work. Lucky for him, the elf lady who runs the bar at the Magnificent Mizzen is into Bael-lys, and she doesn't much care for the Deadwater guy, so he was able to convince her to help him slip the laxatives into a drink. Everything went off excellently for him.

Anyway, it gets dark and we still haven't found Poppy. What we did find were some posters for a pair of missing boys... who looked an awful lot like Jack and Oscar... the boys whose parents were supposed to be in prison, leaving them abandoned... but before we could look into that more, there was a huge flash of light from the Temple of Procan, which was where Drallion had gone when we got to town. So we run for the temple and find a whole bunch of dead clerics, an expended Glyph of Warding, and Poppy hiding under the altar. She was pretty shaken up, said she'd snuck in to hide a token of Umberlee in the temple (worship of Umberlee isn't allowed in Seaton so she doesn't have a temple, Poppy said she thought Umberlee would like her hiding a token in Procan's temple because Procan would hate it). Poppy said she was hiding and there was a fight, then the bright light, then it was quiet... We didn't have long to check around beyond confirming that fortunately Drallion was not among the dead. Then the city guard showed up and shooed us off, fortunately they didn't think we were involved.

So we go get rooms at an inn and in the morning check out more about the missing boys poster.

And uhhhhhhhhh turns out the boys we knew as Jack and Oscar, whose parents were in Deadwater and likely dead, leaving them abandoned... were actually Luke and Ezra, whose parents were very much alive and free and looking for them. So Bree comes back and questions Poppy...

... and then shit got REALLY fucked up.

Poppy didn't really have an answer about Jack and Oscar, and then she decided it was time to drop the ruse... She turned into Xendros. Then Arnot the Huge. Then Keladek. And then finally into Gellan Primewater.

POPPY WAS GELLAN GODDAMN PRIMEWATER

THE ENTIRE FUCKING TIME

HE WAS NEVER IN FUCKING PRISON

FUCK US SIDEWAYS

Anyway, we get into a fight. He has a crazy high AC so few of our attacks hit, and those that do he practically laughs off the damage. Shamys, who doesn't know who this guy is or what's going on does get ready to bolt, but the "fight" only goes on for two rounds before Primewater gets tired of toying with us and disappears. Fun fact: Counterspell did not stop him from disappearing, however he did. Which can only be a good thing, tbh. If he'd actually attacked, we'd probably have been fucked. But he did apparently steal a spear from the Temple of Procan, and he's still interested in the trident that Yara has, wherever she is... so that's not at all worrying. Totally fine. Definitely not gonna be a problem.

We pack up and head back to Saltmarsh in a hurry. Bree goes to see if Poppy is actually still with Eda. She wasn't. So that's not good. She also checked on Jack and Oscar, trying to see if they were actually Luke and Ezra. They didn't recognize the names... but we also found they didn't remember anything before meeting Poppy. So we were pretty sure their memories were modified... Also Eda confessed that Poppy was a very inquisitive child, and particularly liked asking Eda about her job on the town council...

Bael-lys went to check on Xendros, since we're now also super suspicious of her since that was one of the forms Primewater appeared in. Xendros was waiting outside her shop for him, already knowing what had happened in the creepy way that she does. She swore that she was real and was not Primewater, and what she gave to prove it was FINALLY EXPLAINING HOW SHE CREEPILY KNOWS WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO ALL THE TIME apparently it's thanks to the sword Bael-lys has that Xendros had enchanted and apparently put a little extra moxie on that lets her keep tabs on us... But she also agreed to help with the boys and checked them over and undid the spells on them.

Guess what, they were Luke and Ezra, the missing boys from Seaton. Once the magic on them was dispelled, they didn't know where they were or how they'd got there, and were incredibly confused. Eda arranged to go to Seaton to settle everything and check on the Primewater situation.

Well, at this point Shamys goes with Drallion to settle our payment, we each get a nice 2,100 gp, and settle down for the night.

Bael-lys has a weird dream, first about his father's death and then this weird ghosty thing causing trouble for his mother. So he wakes up and immediately decides he needs to go home to the Dreadwood and see what's up. He goes to the Seagrove and meets our new party member, Hans. He'd actually been sent by Bael-lys's stick-up-the-ass brother to come get him, because there was trouble with their mother.

So we pack up in a whirlwind yet again and hit the road to the Dreadwood. We ran into a random old man asking for directions on the road, and after the shit with Primewater the party is SUPER SUSPICIOUS of everyone and Bael-lys for some reason demanded to search the old man's bag? So the old man gave him the bag and fucking ran away, thinking he was being robbed??? it was a Time™.

We make it to the Dreadwood, fight off a surprisingly large pack of hobgoblins, and get escorted??? To a palace???? Because Bael-lys is a fucking prince????????????? what is going on.

EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING SO MUCH Y'ALL. EVERYTHING.

[catindabag]

TBOSAS on Crack short take (54)

Lucy Gray: Wovey, sweetie, not to sound weird, but how do you address ✨The Amazing Lucy Gray✨ again?

Wovey: The Annoying Birdy from 12!

Lucy Gray: The what?! Who told you to call me that?!

Wovey: Bread Boy Pablo.

Panlo: Ha! That’s what you get for stealing my hair curlers, Baird!

Lucy Gray: I needed those hair curlers to look pretty on TV, Pablo!

Panlo: It’s Panlo! And my Mentor gave them to me as a gift!

Lucy Gray: Your Gaius Brat can suck a di-

Circ: Yo! What about Circ with the quirk, Wovey?

Wovey: Mr. Smarty Pants.

Circ: I can live with that.

Teslee: And me?

Wovey: Curly Tops.

Teslee: Okay.😞

Hy: How about Hy?😀

Wovey: Who are you again?

Hy: Nevermind.

Sol: And Sol?

Wovey: Never heard of her.

Sol: But-

Mizzen: How about me, Wovey?

Wovey: You’re ✨The Gremlin✨.

Mizzen: Eh. Could be worse.

Coral: And me?

Wovey: You’re the angry babysitter.

Coral: That checks out.

Jessup: How about me?

Wovey: You’re Mr. Baby Blue Suit.

Jessup: But my suit isn’t even-

Treech: Me next!

Wovey: Lumberjack.

Treech: Nice!

Lamina: And me?

Wovey: Salty Tears.

Lamina: Wovey, why?!😭

Sheaf: How about me, sweetie?

Wovey: Sheaf the Chief.

Sheaf: Wow. Andie was right!

Tanner: How about your big bro Tanner?

Wovey: Mr. One Eyed Joe.

Tanner: Did Treech taught you that?!

Brandy: *is on top of a tree* It was I! Brandy Sharp Candy! *evil laughs*

Tanner: Get down from there, you mangy little shi-

Brandy: Never!!

Dill: How about me, Wovey?😀

Wovey: Shorty.

Dill: That doesn’t make sense. I’m taller than you.

Wovey: Reaper gave me a gumdrop to call you that.

Reaper: Dill, I-

Dill: Reaper, you lying traitor!

Bobbin: How about me, partner?

Wovey: Bobby Corn Poppy.

Bobbin: Curse you Juno Phipps!😫

Juno: Yo, how’s life, peasants?😌💅

Bobbin: What the heck?! How did you guys get inside our enclosure without us noticing again?!

Apollo: We paid the Peacekeepers to let us in again.😀

Hilarius: Hi, Wovey!

Wovey: Hi, Mr. Rich Clown!

Lucy Gray: Hi, Coryo!

Coryo: Hi, Birdy.

Mizzen: Where’s the food?!

Coryo: Oh, that’s right! We brought you guys 20 boxes of the Capitol’s best spinach puffs and 24 bags of their signature cream cheese bacon today.

Lucy Gray: Nice!

Tanner: Can’t wait to try that!

Mizzen: Blondie, hurry! Toss those spinach puffs to me!

Coryo: Wait-

Mizzen: Feed me and only me, Snow Bae! Feed me and only me!!

Sejanus: Yo, back off, gremlin! Coryo’s my Snow Bae! Not yours!

Mizzen: *hisses like a cat* Be gone, you evil rock merchant!

Sejanus: I’m not a rock merchant!

Coryo: Calm down, Mizzen. These spinach puffs are for everyone-

Mizzen: I am everyone!

Coryo: No, you’re not.

Mizzen: I am the Bacon King!

Coral: Treech, get the ropes before the gremlin eats our food again!

Treech: For the last time, Coral, I’m not your servant!

Marcus: Is it lunch time already?

Sejanus: Hi, Marcus! My Ma made this delicious pie just for you!☺️

Marcus: Ugh. My giant headache’s back again.😩

Sejanus: But-

Marcus: Marcus is too busy nursing his headache, Plinth!

Sejanus: But do you still want my Ma’s homemade pie?🥺

Marcus: No!

Sejanus: But- Coryo, help me!😭

Coryo: Marcus, do you want me to leave you my boyfriend’s mother’s blueberry pie before we leave?

Marcus: Obviously.🙄

Ginnee: Hi, Moonshine!

Diana: Hi, Gin!

Ginnee: Diana, did you bring the thing?

Diana: What thing?

Gunner: The “thing” that I told you to secretly smuggle yesterday.

Diana: Yup! As promised by the moon goddess, I brought you one of Gaius Breen’s spicy banned books that you really wanted to read-

Ginnee: Shhhhh! Don’t say that out loud, girl!

Otto: Say what, Ginnee?😒

Apollo: Otto, buddy, I thought you knew?

Otto: Knew what?

Apollo: That dear Ginnee requested my lovely twin sister to bring her a very spicy banned book to read.

Otto: What spicy banned book?

Apollo: 50 Shades of Gray.

Diana: Yeah, that’s true.

Ginnee: Lies! All I can hear are lies!

Diana: And she also wanted me to bring her an official copy of the Twilight Saga.

Ginnee: Otto, I can explain!😭

Lucy Gray: Yo, is the 50 Shades of Gray all about me?

Coral: Everything’s not about you, Baird!

Lucy Gray: That’s incorrect.

Otto: Ginnee.

Ginnee: Yes?

Otto: Your taste in books is trash.

Ginnee: I know!😭

[persephoneprice]

No cause imagine how good of parents the mentors r to their kids bcs of the 10th hg....

IM UNWELL

persephone is SUCH a good mother u cannot tell me otherwise

and clemensia not letting her kids being near snakes

diana and apollo naming their kids aft ginne and otto...

vipsania never using rat poison in her house/never letting her kids near it

hilarius telling his kids abt wovey and him being SUCH a good father.

i cannot. i desperately need u to make hcs abt all the mentors as parents (except the very very minor characters iykwim)

good morning my anon friend- i’ve missed you!

persephone

you’re 100% correct- persephone thrives in being a mother.

- she’s the one their friends call for parenting advice/problems. once, a hysterical vipsania called her sobbing because her baby just would not calm down. pippa was over within 20 minutes and spent the night trying to sooth the crying baby so vipsania could get some rest.

- their friends kids love going to the price-creed house. not only does persephone dote on all the kids- festus is always down to be the fun parent and play whatever games the kids are playing with them.

- i’ve said it before, but she sees mizzen in her sons. she doesn’t directly tell them about mizzen in fear of them mentioning it to the wrong person- but she does teach all them about marine life and tell them exciting stories of a red-headed sea captain and her little side kick in a sweater vest.

clemensia

i think after her experiences, she’d be a little more protective of her children.

- absolutely no snakes around. ever. if one of their friends houses has a pet snake- nope, they can come here but you can go there. and forget about the reptile enclosure at the zoo.

- she’s like. the pta mom. she’s super involved in her kids school and is the one organizing fundraisers and stuff.

- she tried to hide her snake scales from her children for the longest time. one day, her daughter finally came in at the wrong moment and saw. she excitedly exclaimed that they were the most beautiful thing in the whole world and asked when she would get hers.

vipsania

- always down to get dirty and have fun. all the kids love her because she plays sports with them. once, her and festus made a bet about who would make a better coach. they both signed up to coach little league and in the end, neither of them won the tournament- somehow dennis fling coached the winning team. their friends still bring it up to make fun of them- how do you lose to the guy who tried out for sports every single year and got rejected every. single. year.

- vipsania has to remind herself not to put too much pressure on her kids. growing up as a sickle, it was drove into her that she always had to be the best and that she always had to win. she doesn’t want to push that onto her children and praises them even if they don’t win or didn’t get the best score (but she has to admit those participation trophies in their house make her cringe.)