#no but seriously creepy mermaids for the win. their magic make them look like whatever you think attractive

[imabiscuitinthousandworlds]

The voice drifts over the water, raising and falling with the rhythm of the waves.

How beautiful, you think. You've never heard anything quite like it.

Then, your reason kicks in and you think, what is a woman doing out here?

All there is is water, the endless sea stretching for miles and miles. There is no other ship in sight. It's too far away to come from yours.

The voice rises up again, soft and wonderful, the sound cradling you to the waves lapping at the wood below.

You close your eyes, humm along.

Her voice forms the images of coral reefs, of ships setting sail for unknown regions, of brave sailors full of thirst for adventure and knowledge, confident.

You smile. You remember the same images, only a week ago. And so far you've been lucky; the sails are billowing in the wind, carrying you steadily towards your destination.

You lean on the rail, peering down at the dark blue sea. It's as beautiful as always, deep and unknown, and yet so comforting. You know the sea like an old friend, or maybe a lover. A dangerous lover, you know, but a lover regardless.

You lift a lazy hand to wave the blue ocean, and a hand appears to wave back.

The hand glitters from the water. The fingers are long and slim, elegant but strong. A lady's hand. The skin glitters from the water and the sun, and the skin looks soft.

The voice is stronger. It's sweet sound come from down there, from between the waves. It is the song of the ocean herself.

A face rises between the soft lapping waves. It's the face of a woman, a smile on her lips and the deep green and blue of the ocean twinkling in her eyes as she sings and her hair moves softly with the current.

It is a friendly smile.

She laughs, barely pausing her song and beckons you down to her.

You climb down the Jacob's ladder, never once looking away from those beautiful, beautiful eyes. Those eyes that hold the sea. A lover. Your love.

Her smile grows wider with delight, and you reach out to meet her hand. It is as soft as you imagined and as delicate as it looks, but there is a surprising strength behind it.

She laughs again, the sound like those of waves breaking against the ship's bow, of fish frolicking in the waves.

She pulls you along into the embrace of the sea, and you don't resist.

You have barely let go of the ladder that she stops singing.

You furrow your brow. You barely have time to breathe in as her grip, suddenly much stronger and almost painful yanks you beneath the surface. The water closes around you, salt stinging in your eyes.

She begins to sing anew, undeterred by the water engufing her, too. Only with a moment of delay do you notice that she isn't moving her lips at all. Her mouth is widened slightly in a grin, revealing rows of tiny, jagged teeth.

You do all you can not to waste any of your precious air, but you try to pull away.

Her grip is hard and unrelenting, her skin rough with scales. Nigh invisible skin spans between her fingers - thin, but strong. Strong enough to hold you.

There are slits to the side of her throat, vibrating softly with every breath she takes, every word coming from her. You don't know the words, but you understand what she is singing. She sings of the sea, of raging storms and drowning sailors. She sings of the cold, wet embrace of death and darkness.

You struggle more. You cannot hold your breath much longer. You need to get back to the surface, but as you look up, the light is already far away, and you are descending.

You look back at her. She is still smiling. There is an emptiness beyond her, reflected in her pupilless eyes. This empty, lonely sea is the one that will devour you.

You know, in that moment, that you will not escape her.

It does not stop you from fighting, squiriming in her grip. She smiles, bares her teeth, flutters her eyes at you. Her nails dig into your skin. Her scales glitter in the faint light from so far above. Her hair isn't moving with the currents but on its own accord, like a living thing. Her fish tail is strong, every flap sending you down further.

Come, my love, she sings, in a voice that is rough with salt water and yet ethereal, carrying through the water as easily as your voice carries in air.

Then both of her hands close around your jaw. Her fingers are long and thin and clammy and force your mouth open like they're made of steel. You can feel the last of your air escaping.

You cannot hold this much longer.

You meet her eyes. You know your panic is showing on your face, despair in your own eyes. Her show the lonely, dark blue of the sea around you, empty of emotion.

You are alone. She is not human, not even slightly.

You know there is no escape. You will join the other skeletons at the bottom of the ocean soon enough.

The icy salt water stings sharply at your throat when you inhale, filling your lungs.

You kick at the water with desperation, movements uncontrolled.

Come, my love, she hisses, grinning with all those teeth, her blank eyes staring hungrily, her nails digging into your cheeks. Her scales are glittering just like the sun on the waves above.

The sea is a lover, you think. This monster is a lover, just the same. Beautiful at first glance, easy to fall in love with. Dangerous and deadly just beneath the surface.

You love her anyway. You always have.

The last thing you know is a cold, too big jaw and rough, scaly skin pressing up against your mouth. Soft hair that-is-not-hair drifts around you, hiding the emptiness. Too many, too small, too sharp teeth scrape against yours as she pulls you into one last, passionate kiss.

You can feel ice creeping through your limbs, your vision going black.

Come, my love, she sings, and you hear both the hiss and the beautiful song at once. She is both. She is the sea.

I'm coming.

You inhale, too tired for desparation, and the salt water is like oxygen in your lungs.

The sea is lover. Dangerous, deadly, beautiful. Sometimes, the love goes both ways.

[fizzingwizard]

Yay it’s my favorite time of the week! Digimon Adventure:! Can’t believe we’re already at episode 16! This week somewhat recapped the mission we’ve been on for... 14 episdoes now x’D and I realized I forgot all kinds of shit. It’s so funny, when I was ten and watching Digimon Adventure I could remember everything, but now that I’m sadly an adult I can’t keep track of these high paced children’s shows!

(Supposedly they spoon feed kids stories so they can understand it more easily... but I gotta say I think I’m the one that needs the help, bahahaha)

ALSO... apparently there was an earthquake this morning! It was too north of me so I didn’t feel it (I was... also sleeping >-> so...) But it was right when the show started airing so the info came scrolling across the screen. At first it said

“Just in case, be careful of tsunami”

and like just three min or so later

“There is no need to worry about a tsunami due to this earthquake”

Phew! Also, Digimon causes earthquakes! Hide yo wife hide yo kids! Is that meme still current?? Does it matter???? I’m a millennial, boomers hate me, gen Z hates me, at least let me have my memes! XD

OK enough goofing off, on to what really matters, freaking Digimon man! This episode gave me tons of Taichi spam. Mmm my favorite kind of spam! But it also gave me avocado cheeseburger spam too!

So although I completely forgot about it, I was pretty excited for this ep when they allegedly return to the real world! Last week’s preview made it pretty obvious it was going to be either a fake reality or the evil Digimon had taken over the real world much more deeply than we realized. Fake reality made the most sense. But they tried to trip us up anyway! The opening shots are clear references to the famous episode 21 of 99 Adventure, although given that was the best animated episode of the entire show, this one just doesn’t do it justice.

He’s not sweating, the sun isn’t as intense... it just makes Fizz nostalgic

Finding them suddenly home, the kids are all pretty bewildered at first. Predictably, Mimi is the first to recover. What motivates her?

AVOCADO CHEESEBURGER! AVOCADO CHEESEBURGER!

From Burger Jack’s bahahahaha

Mimi starts excitedly listing all the things she wants to do now that they’re home. Aside from eat delicious burgers, she wants to take a shower, change clothes...

I’m like “Oh, so these kids HAVE been feeling the effects of how much traveling they’ve been doing!”

Seriously though why didn’t anyone comment on it before now?? In 99 Adventure most of the kids couldn’t shut up about the lack of basic necessities and creature comforts. It was really easy to feel how much they were struggling! Everyone in this series is so darn serious all the time. Sora even brought that big bag of emergency supplies but we only rarely see it get used.

Taichi and Koushirou are a little more wary, though they come across as mainly confused.

Mimi wants to go eat burgers right off, but Taichi convinces her they should go home first. “Oh yeah, I have parents” - Mimi, probably.

They get on a train. The Digimon are very cute. They finally notice that no one’s paying attention to them. It took 0.3 seconds for Tokyoites in ep 21 of 99 Adventure to start freaking out over Koromon, so this was a big clue if you somehow missed that there’s something not right.

On the other hand, for a world that is presumably an illusion created by some Digimon, it sure is, er...

... accurate in surprising ways, bahahaha

(no seriously did we NEED bikini girls?? did we NEED them? I know it’s everywhere on every train for all kinds of proucts but did we NEED them here)

(the TEEN 17 in particular is killing me)

Some gratuitous Taichi spam

Mimi lives in the affluent Shibuya area now so the kids split up to continue on home. I love Taichi called her ‘ojousama.’

Taichi wonders if Yamato and the others got home okay too. Koushirou wonders if whatever was causing the blackout has really been defeated. (Mimi’s theory is “Sora-san and the others must have done something about it!” Which I just liked because by naming her she identifies Sora as the one she feels closest to awww)

They won’t say it, but the truth is these two are kinda disappointed... lol

However they won’t be disappointed for long... because this midnight train really isn’t going anywhere. *wink* see what i did there

Mimi’s walk home has also turned into a labyrinth. Which is totally normal for Toyko subways really. Mimi gets so tired from walking that she starts hallucinating that Palmon’s head is in fact an avocado.

Girl you got a problem but no judging. I got the same problem.

AVOCADO BURGER!! Think of it in your heart and it will appear!

Now that’s not creepy at all.

Several episodes ago we learned that Mimi has never seen The Mummy. Apparently she’s never seen any horror movies at all, because she still approaches the counter to order her freaking burger even after seeing the cashier’s shadowy clearly evil visage.

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR LITTLE GIRL

On finally realizing that this train can’t go anywhere but Shibuya, Taichi and Koushirou get off and reunite with Mimi, who has learned nothing and continues talking to people. The only possible result of this is...

... creepy eyes appearing and trying to EAT her

Mimi: “Taichi-san!!”

she could ask her partner for protection but Taichi’s around and he’s everyone’s big brother so

The cause of all this mischief turns out to be this creepy dude! He’s kind of cute!

Also rather larger and more solid than I anticipated!

Of course this nightmare won’t end so easily.

You know you’re in for it when the walls are covered in glowing red eyes. That uh, shoot laser beams at you.

Cyclops: Not lasers! Concussive optic rays!

It turns out there wasn’t just one creepy dude, there were many. I’ve found my Halloween costume!

Our heroes finally figure out that this world is not their real world when they come across these tetris people.

For someone who’s never watched a single scary movie, Mimi does an impressive white-girl-in-a-horror-flick face.

I know she’s not white I’m saying she’s good at impressions she should become a comedienne

Now that we know the blackout in Japan is still ongoing and causing all sorts of issues, we get our usual peek into what’s going on for the people of Tokyo. We get to see Hikari! She’s cool as a cucumber. Her mom’s freaking out and packing a suitcase. Her mom says “Hikari go get ready!” Hikari just says “Oh I’m ready anytime!”

Hikari: I’m not worried about anything, big brother’s taking care of it!

Awww we get to see Miko! And that looks like a cat carrier <3 Mom’s not leaving their furry friend behind in the dark while they evacuate to grandpa’s place in Ibaraki...

... She is apparently cool with leaving behind her only son though! X’D

The letter reads “Taichi, we’re going to Grandpa’s place in Ibaraki. Call me when you get home.” The arrow says “Address.”

Ibaraki is a bit over an hour from Tokyo (I used to live there!) so not too far and very easy to get to by train. Still... there’s a huge power outage, I can only assume Mom’s reason here really is evacuation and not just “seems like a great time to go on a visit!” but she doesn’t know where one of her kids is and she’s just like “eh no worries he’ll figure out his way home!” Does she KNOW her son is 11? Japanese kids use trains very independently but again, POWER OUTAGE. ONE HOUR+ AWAY.

I’m remembering episode 1 when Taichi was acting like such a Dad and his mom was totally on board. Apparently that is going to be a Thing in their family. Taichi is the kid in Home Alone. Scratch that, he’s like the pets in Homeward Bound X’D

Mimi is understandably disappointed that she doesn’t get to shower... I mean see her parents... I mean, eat a freaking avocado cheeseburger

But Palmon knows how to make her feel better. “We’ll come back here someday and eat avocado cheeseburgers together.”

Mimi: “Heck YEAH I’m psyched!! AVOCADO CHEESEBURGER!”

this show understands the only true way to a woman’s heart is through food.

Our heroes are surrounded by Homunculus from FMA.

They merge together forming the aptly named EYESMON!!! lmao

Look at freaking long Greymon’s cyborg arm is. Whut.

AtlurKabuterimon gets hit by a train buhaahaha. Somehow this was way funnier to me than Lilymon getting hit by a plane or buildings falling on MetalGreymon.

The kids are outnumbered when look who appears!

The three of them sitting on Zudomon is the cutest thing ever also I JUST NOTICED ZUDOMON’S DOLPHIN PATCH WHAT THE HECK HAS THAT ALWAYS BEEN THERE!??!?!?!!?

So this was the reunion ep after all! I’m a little disappointed just because I wanted something more dramatic.

What Fizz, illusion magic and homunculi plus exploding Shibuya isn’t dramatic enough for you?

I mean EMOTIONALLY dramatic. Like, someone should hug.

Oh well. This is the face Taichi makes when he sees Yamato. D’aww. I guess i’ll be satisfied with this.

Yamato gets them started on a plan and they all fight as a group!! But Koushirou’s realized that this Digimon, whatever it is, is what’s causing the blackout. They can’t properly defeat it...

... and it’s already the night of the third day. Soon their 72 hour window will be up. Then Ariel will turn back into a Mermaid and the Sea Witch wins :’<

We end with an ominous digivolution! Next week....

Orochimon!!! I love multi headed monsters.

More Taiyama action!!! Lookin a bit beat up but still cool!

OK so in sum this episode was pretty fun. I still feel like the writers for this season just don’t dig in deep enough to really make things come alive. They’re so concerned with battles that they miss moments for fun character interactions etc. And in the end, the whole of this episode can be recapped simply as “They discover the world they’re in is an illusion and they fight the bad guy.” However, we got a lot of fun with Mimi in particular, and though we didn’t get the kind of Taishiro teamwork my heart yearns for, at least we saw them sticking together and hashing things out.

I really do hope this show dials up the character relationships a bit soon though. We keep getting tidbits so it’s not like they don’t have things planned. It’s just a matter of execution. Anyway I’m happy to have the whole group (well as many as we’ve got so far) together again!

[sureuncertainty]

A Dark and Stormy Night: Ch 6

Overview: A modern day retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, reimagined as a ghost story in an old mansion in the middle of nowhere.

Words: 2300

Warnings: language 

Author’s Note: MORE GAY SHIT YEET Previous chapters: one, two three four five    Ao3 link

Fernanda stared at the daunting task in front of her. Shelves, reaching so far up towards the ceiling that it seemed endless. She felt like she was standing in front of the library from Beauty and the Beast, but the problem was that Fernanda was no Belle and she absolutely hated reading. Okay, maybe the shelves weren’t that tall, but to Fernanda they may as well have been Mt. Everest. And to take out all the books and alphabetize them… there had to be hundreds of books on those shelves. This task would take seventy years to complete. Fernanda took a deep breath.

How had she ended up here? The middle of the night, in a mansion on the side of a creepy highway, in the middle of a thunderstorm, alphabetizing books in the library room of said mansion, in order to win the affections of a cute girl she’d just met but also had been making out with earlier. Or rather, because said girl’s very scary mother had commanded her to, once she woke up from her ghost-induced sleep that she’d put her under. And it had all started because she’d been dragged along on a trip she didn’t even want to go on.

She had to admit though, the cute girl was nice. Other than that though…

“I’m so sorry, Fernanda!” Miranda burst into the library, panting as if she’d been running a long way. “I’m so sorry, my mother is… ridiculous, I have no idea why she’s treating you this way.”

“Nah, it’s cool,” Fern found herself saying.

“No, it’s not. Are you… are you in shock? What was it? The ghosts? Ariel’s not mean, but he does whatever my mother tells him to do.”

Fern stared at her. “Ariel? Like… from The Little Mermaid?”

“That’s the part you’re hung up on?”

“He’s a ghost, you said? Uh. Okay.” Fern had a weird feeling as if she was dreaming, like if she pinched herself, she’d wake up immediately, but as dreamlike and strange as this felt, she was fairly positive she was awake. Suddenly another option sprang to mind.

“Oh my god. Miranda, did your mom drug me?”

“What?!”

“That would explain the hallucinations… the fact that I passed out earlier… and now he’s trying to keep me busy while it wears off? Is any of this even real?!”

“It wasn’t drugs, I promise!” Miranda cried. “It was just one of Ariel’s spells. He’s a ghost, and has ghost magic.”

“Oh. It wasn’t drugs. It was ghost magic. Duh.”

“No, I’m serious…” Miranda said. “Trust me, Fern. I’ve lived here my entire life, I’ve seen what these ghosts do. I know it seems weird and crazy but this is my life, this is my normal. I can imagine this might be a shock to you… just like it’s… kind of a shock to me as well to be honest.”

“I mean, yeah, you’ve seriously never seen another person in your life before until me? Like that’s fucking insane.” She glanced back at the bookshelves and sighed. “Well, better get to work I guess. Dunno what other choice I have. Guess it’s not too bad. Not when it’s for you.”

“For me?”

“Yeah, dude, your mom told me I had to do this and I figured I had to build credibility with her, you know? Like so she likes me and stuff. So I can, uh… you know. Be… With. You?”

Miranda stared at her, something in her chest fluttering at the way Fern looked at her. She took a deep breath.

“Oh,” she said in a very small voice. “Um. Do you… uh… need help?”

“No, no, no, don’t worry, I got this!” Fernanda said immediately. “I don’t need help, trust me.”

“Please, here, let me just…” Miranda reached across and grabbed one of the books to check the author’s name and Fernanda shook her head. “No! I got it.”

Normally, Fernanda would complain or just refuse to do such a tedious task, but in this case… it seriously was like she almost wanted to do it. Was this what being a nerd was like?

“Thanks,” Miranda said quietly. “For doing that. I’m so sorry about my mother.”

“You said, uh… you said that you… that this is your life? And that you’ve never… even seen another person besides your mom before? That’s… that’s seriously insane.”

“I’ve read books! But… yeah, I mostly just stay here with my mom and the ghosts. The ghosts aren’t too bad, but they get boring after a bit.”

“The… ghosts. Get boring.”

“Well, yeah! I mean there’s not much for them to talk about, they just hang out here, not really knowing what to do. Not everyone comes back as a ghost you know, and also not everyone can even see them. My mom basically  makes them work for her so she can feel like she has control over something in her life.” 

“So uh… how… how did you… like… get here? If you don’t mind my asking.”

Miranda sighed, picking up a book and stroking the spine absentmindedly, sitting in one of the large chairs by the shelves to watch Fern work. “I don’t really know. Mom never really explained it to me until… tonight actually. But… I guess Mom had a brother, my uncle, who was really jealous of her, and took the money my grandparents were supposed to give to her. They gave her this house which was, nice of them I guess, but like… even a giant house like this is boring once you get used to it. It’s just me and my mom, and it feels like it’ll be this way forever…”

“Why don’t you just leave? Is your mom keeping you trapped here?”

“No! Trust me, if it were up to her, I wouldn’t even be here. She’s the only one wh can’t go home, but… I… I chose to stay. With her. Until I’m old enough to do stuff on my own at least. I mean, I’m only fifteen.”

“I’m sixteen, but like… I can do stuff on my own. Couldn’t you at least like… I dunno, make a trip into town or something?”

“I mean… maybe… but I don’t know anyone.”

Fern set down the book she was holding and looked Miranda in the eyes. “You know me.”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

“Hey, I know! You should like… come back with us. Just for a bit. Maybe if I find my dad and stuff, I can convince him to let you come back home with us and stay for a while. I’ll show you my house. It’s big but like… not a mansion or anything.”

“Oh… um… I’d have to ask my mom. I wouldn’t want to hurt her.”

“Yeah, but like… what about what you want?”

“I want Mom to be happy!”

“Yeah, but like what would make you happy? What do you… like? What do you love? What’s something that you couldn’t live without! And don’t say your mom.”

Miranda thought for a second. “Uhhh… I really like… painting! I paint sometimes. And listen to music.”

“Holy shit! Music!” An idea burst onto her, and she reached into her pocket to pull out her cell phone. Still no signal but fortunately she had some songs downloaded. She pressed play on one of her favorites, and turned the volume up, setting the phone on the shelf. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before. Music will make the time go by faster.”

Rock music blared from the tinny speaker of Fernanda’s phone, but Miranda smiled, bobbing her head to the beat. “This is nice! Not really the kind of music I usually listen to, but I like it!”

“Awesome! This is one of my favorite bands. I got a poster of ‘em up in my room back home. Still waiting for them to come through on tour sometime… It’s been a dream of mine to go to one of their concerts for like four years.”

“Maybe if I came to the city with you…” Miranda said slowly. “I could… listen to more music. Or see more paintings.”

“There’s like an art museum nearby. It’s for nerds. Which… I guess you are.”

“But… I can’t,” she said, averting her eyes. “Mom would never want me to leave her. She’d be so lonely. I can’t imagine being here alone with no one but the ghosts for company. Caliban can be funny sometimes, but even he gets old after a while, and Ariel is awfully dull…”

“You must really like your mom, huh?”

“Of course I do. She’s the only family I have.”

“Hm. Must be nice.”

“What?”

“You know. Having someone who like… actually cares about you. And shit.” Fern mumbled into the book she was holding, which she quickly shoved into the stack.

Miranda didn’t say anything for a second, and Fern felt her face flushing. There was something about this girl that made her want to be honest about the way she felt… she barely knew her, and yes they’d kissed a bit earlier, but this was… different. This was a type of vulnerability that Fernanda never showed with anyone, not even her past girlfriends. She’d always been more of a casual relationship person.

“I’m sorry,” Miranda said finally.

“’s all right,” Fern said as flippantly as she could. “My dad’s all right, I guess, he’s just… really busy. So’s my mom. They both work, and they care a lot about making money so they kinda just buy me shit and leave me to my own devices. I’m sixteen years old and I literally still have like… a nanny.”

“What’s that?”

“Oh, you know, like a babysitter. Someone who watches you and keeps you out of trouble. Dad hired this punk ass lady named Stephanie. I used to have a crush on her when I was little. Then I realized she’s wayyyy out of my league. But… she stuck around, for whatever reason. I think she’s the only person who can fucking stand me.”

Miranda was quiet again for a few seconds, and the blare of the music was the only sound. “I can stand you,” she said. “I like you a lot actually.”

Fern’s face heated up again and her heart skipped a beat. “Oh.” She stopped reading the spines of books and stared down at the ground. “Thanks.”

“Of course. You’re… so interesting. So much more interesting than everyone else I spend time with. Even more interesting than my mom.”

Fern burst out laughing. “Oh. Glad to know I’m more interesting than your mom.” 

“That’s a huge compliment!” Miranda said, almost indignantly.

Fern looked up at her, and it was as if her heart had melted. She sat there, looking so innocently confused at why Fern was laughing so much, her blue beanie pulled down almost to her eyes, her knees drawn up to her chest on the couch, staring at her through her big brown eyes, and suddenly, Fern was overcome with emotion. But not just… that she wanted to kiss her (which she very much did). It was… weirdly  more than that. She wanted to know her better. To spend time with her. It was a strange feeling, unlike how she’d felt in previous relationships or even with previous crushes.

“Miranda, I hope you realize that I’m being serious when I say I’ve never felt this way about anyone else in my life. Not any of my exes. Not any of my crushes.”

“How… do you feel?” Miranda asked, leaning forward on the edge of her seat.

Fern stood and walked over to where she sat. “I think… I’m falling for you? Like seriously falling for you.”

“Oh. Like falling… over?”

“In love.”

“Love? With me?”

“I know you probably don’t wanna be with me. You don’t know me, okay? What you see of me now, this is… a weird part of me, a part of me that’s not… normally me. I’m not… I’m not making sense. I guess… I’m not the type of girl to… alphabetize books. I don’t normally do this. I’m… I’m loud and obnoxious and I talk too much and I’m selfish and entitled and… and I’m not the person for you. You’re quiet and sweet and innocent and I say fuck every other sentence and I…”

Miranda cut her off with another kiss, a very soft one this time, and then she pulled apart, putting her hands on Fern’s sides, and Fern’s face flushed deeper, if possible.

“I don’t care about any of that,” she said. “You’re bold and you’re beautiful, and I like when you say fuck even though I don’t know what that word means.”

I could show you, was what Fernanda wanted to say, but she didn’t. Instead she just giggled slightly and pressed her forehead into Miranda’s.

“Thanks. That… means a lot to me.”

“You mean a lot to me. Do you want to be… like my… uh… what’s the word…?”

“Girlfriend?”

“Yes. That’s it. My girlfriend.”

“Fuck yeah!” Fern cleared her throat. “Uh, sorry, I mean, uh, yes. Yes, yes, I would like that very much. To be your… uh… your girlfriend.”

Miranda smiled, the sweetest smile Fern had ever seen, and she noticed the dimple on one side of her mouth, and her golden freckles sprinkled across her face…

“Thank you,” Miranda said softly. “Sorry for distracting you from your job.”

“Are you kidding me? That doesn’t matter,” Fern said, waving her hand dismissively. “I only want you.”

She leaned forward and kissed her again, and this time it felt even better than the last time, more real if anything. All of her insecurities seemed to melt away.

So it made sense that she didn’t even notice Prospera in the corner of the room, smiling as another part of her plan fell quite neatly into place.