#not tagging lapin cause i don’t like how his turned out

[crazys-art]

[mychemicalimagines]

Happens Like That-Jim Halpert-Chapter 6

Summary: Jim Halpert and Melissa Ford have been best friends since he started at Dunder Mifflin in 1999. Now that a camera crew is following the employees around so they can film a documentary, do they finally tell each other their feelings? Or do they just let them go? Either way, what will become of these two best friends? 

Warnings: Cussing and Smut in later chapters.

Words: 2721

Tag List: @you-a-southpaw-doll @elskinner45 @imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl @goddessathenaofwar​ @simonsbluee​ @oopsiedoopsie23​ @thinemineours​​ 

A/N: Here you go guys!! I hope you like it!!

Mel’s POV: (Flashback)

I look up from my book as Jim walks outta the ocean, the water rolling down his  chest. He grins and wipes some of the wet sand from his face. I giggle to myself. He’d just faceplacted in the water after stepping in a small hole on the water’s edge as the water washed away, going out with the tide. I set my book down as he gets closer.

“You ok, babe?” I ask.

He chuckles. “Yea...that sand was slipperier than I was expecting.”

I laugh. “It’s sand...that goes with the water...what else did you expect?” 

He laughs. “Hush. You’re lucky you’re my girlfriend,”

I giggle and blush, nodding. “You’re right. I am lucky. I still can’t believe it. I came to Hawaii, single and ready to mingle. Now, I’m the luckiest girl ever. All ‘cause you asked me out with a turtle and an ice cream cone.”

He grins. “I’m the lucky one, sweetheart.” 

He leans over and kisses my cheek, making me blush even more than I already was, which just has him chuckling and wrapping his arms around me. I snuggle up to him, forgetting about my book as I look out at the sunsetting on the ocean and think back to how Jim finally asked me to be his girlfriend three days ago. 

It was our second afternoon in Hawaii. We’d just gotten back to shore after a scuba diving trip in one of the coves. While we were walking to the fancy hotel we’d been put up in for this trip, my tummy growled, and Jim made the decision to take us on a detour to get food. I wasn’t about to complain. Food is good. 

We stopped at a little seafood shack, one we’d found the day before and fell in love with. Since we’d already hung out so much prior to this trip, Jim already knew what I loved to eat and what I couldn’t stand. He ordered our food while I looked around in my bag for my sunglasses. When he came back to me a few minutes later, food in hand, I had my sunglasses on my face. 

We ate as we walked along the beach. By the time we’d finished eating, Jim spotted this boat about to head out. He noticed it because there was a giant “Free Ice Cream” banner hanging on the side of it. We hurried over to it; both Jim and I love ice cream, and it being free made it ten times better. It was after we got onboard that we saw it was the kind with the glass bottom in the middle of it so tourists could see into the water.

Jim got us some ice cream cones and I sat down on one of the benches, looking through the glass and see some of the marine life move about below the boat. Within a few minutes, the local captain had the boat leaving the dock, and we were heading out for a tour of the island from the water. I watched the fish swim below, and squealed excitedly when I saw a giant sea turtle swim by.

Jim looked and he chuckled, knowing how happy turtles made me. I was so enthralled with the turtle that I nearly forgot about my ice cream cone till he gently reminded me it was there by wiping some of the melted cream off my hand. I giggled and thanked him and went back to watching the turtle swimming, absentmindedly finishing my ice cream too.

It didn’t take long before the turtle swam outta sight. I got sad since I wanted to keep watching the turtle. Jim gently ushered me to the bow of the boat, and pointed into the water. I looked down and squealed happily again when I saw that same turtle. I felt Jim’s hand on my lower back and smiled as I watched the turtle just swimming, peacefully.

I was so into watching the turtle that it took me a few minutes to realize Jim was talking to me. I looked up at him. 

“Sorry. What?” I asked.

He chuckled softly and smiled at me. “I was saying you look so happy and beautiful, watching that lone turtle.”

I blushed. “Thank you.” 

I looked back down at the water. He took a deep, somewhat shaky breath and whispered my name. I looked up at him, and could tell he was nervous about something. What it was, I didn’t know. He gently took both my hands in his, and smiled.

“Mel. You know I like you, and I’m fairly sure you like me too. Since the moment I met you at work, I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to do this, and if I should even do it. This trip...that turtle...it’s made me realize that I should. I…” He took another deep breath and rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. “Will...will you be my girlfriend, Mel?”

My breath caught in my throat and my eyes watered. I could tell he got a little more nervous the longer it took me to answer. I couldn’t find my voice to answer him, so I pulled my hands from his in order to wrap my arms ‘round his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He hesitated for a brief second before his arms made their way around my waist and held me close as he kissed me back. 

After a long moment, I pulled from the kiss to take a deep breath in. I cupped his cheeks and smiled.

“James Halpert. Yes. I’ll be your girlfriend.” I whispered.

He smiled wider than the Mississippi River after a major flood and whispered. “Yeah?”

I grinned and nodded. “Yeah.”

He kissed me again, smiling against my lips. I giggled into the kiss. He pulled back first and just held me close. After a few minutes, we turned to look out at the water. He kept his right arm around my waist as I laid my head on his shoulder. We stayed like that as the boat continued along its path and the sun slowly set over the island’s mountains to the left of us.

Mel’s POV: (Two Weeks Later)

For the last two weeks, Jim and I have been hiding our relationship from the rest of the staff. Mainly because we didn’t want any interference. We know that Michael would do something to embarrass us or even announce our relationship to the whole company. We wanted to tell everyone on our own terms, which so far no one but our families know. 

Since we were best friends ever since he started the company, no one ever questioned when we left together or rode in the same car. Tonight is the companies Dundie Awards.

Well it’s more like Michael’s Dundie Awards. Every year he puts together an award ceremony to talk about us to our faces, it seems. 

Every year I receive the same award: “Employee Everyone wants to Screw” Award. Needless to say, I don’t really look forward to this event. I step out of Jim’s car when we get to Chili’s. I look over at him, as I walk around the front of the car to him.

“Do we have to go in? We can stay we stopped by, but it was too full?” I whine slightly.

He chuckles. “I still haven’t went grocery shopping, and there’s no food at my house. So we have to stay. Plus, we get to see Michael make an ass out of himself like we do every year.”

I think to myself for a minute. “Deal.” 

I look around the parking lot and see no one we work with. I lean up and press my lips to his in a soft kiss. He doesn’t hesitate to kiss back. We pull away after a second and smile. He winks at me and smiles a little more. 

“Let’s go inside, baby.” 

I nod at his words. He puts his hand on my lower back as we walk toward the building. We instantly know where to go by the music that is playing and Michael on some kind of microphone. 

“You down with the Dundies? You down with the Dundie-” 

Michael tries to sing into the mic when the music is cut off. He looks around and then at Dwight. 

“The waitress tripped over the cord.” Dwight bends down to plug it back in. 

Jim and I walk over to our seats which are next to, Ryan, Pam and Roy. I take off my jacket and lays it across my lap. 

“So we are here, thank you all for coming to the 2005 Dundie awards.” Michael says, taking off his sweater to reveal a tuxedo. 

I roll my eyes and looks at Jim. He glances at me and shrugs before turning back to Michael.

“I am your host, Michael Scott. And I just want to tell you please, please, do not drink and drive. Because you may hit a bump and spill the drink.” 

Before Michael can say anymore, we all hear Kevin say to the waitress. “Just put these on the group tab.”

“Nope, actually this year, uhh, no group tab. We’re going to be doing separate checks.” Michael says into the mic.

Stanley starts a little fight with Michael and I look at Jim.

“I didn’t bring my debit card. Just my ID..” 

“Don’t worry, Mel. I got your check.” He smiles and pats his pocket where his wallet is.

“No Jim. It’s fine-” 

“No, Mel.” He leans over and whispers. “Date night. I’ll pay.” 

I giggle quietly. “Alright if you say so. But I’m not drinking.” 

“Deal.” He smirks 

We hear Roy lean over and whisper to Pam. “Hey. Let’s go to Poor Richard’s.”

Pam just nods and stands up grabbing her jacket. Michael looks up.

“Guys, where you going? Pam, show’s just started.” Michael says.

“Sorry.” Roy takes her hand and they walk out of Chili’s.

I sigh and looks at Jim. “Great. Now my best friend left.” 

Jim glances at me and smiles. I stopped calling him my best friend when he’s around since he is now my boyfriend. Ryan looks at Jim.

“You guys staying?”

“Yeah, gotta eat somewhere.” Jim smiles. 

Michael raises one of the Dundie awards. “And now…To someone who quietly goes about their job, but always seems to land the biggest accounts...the ‘Busiest Beaver’ award goes to Phyllis Lapin!”

Everyone starts clapping and Phyllis gets out of her booth. She walks up toward Michael but making sure to high five Jim and I on the way. Every year she stops and high fives us since we do the same to her. I giggle when she walks to the ‘stage area.’

“Yeah! Way to go Phyllis! Nice work, per usual.” Michael says.

“This say ‘Bushiest Beaver.’” She says looking at the award.

My eyes widen and I look right at Michael.

“What! I told them Busiest! Idiots.” Michael tries to say.

“It-It’s fine” Phyllis says, turning around and walking past us again. 

She squeezes my shoulder and goes to her booth.

“Well, we’ll fix that up! You don’t have to display that one.” Michael says, trying to make up for it.

An hour goes by and I receive my plate of food. I got their Fettuccine Alfredo and right before I dig in, Michael starts talking into the mic.

“This next award goes to someone who is really good at sports. We had our first Basketball game and this person won the whole game for us. Even though they almost broke their nose! The ‘Best Basketball Player’ award goes to...Melissa Ford.” 

I look up as every starts cheering and clapping. I made it so no one in the office had to work that Saturday. I stand up and run over to Phyllis. I give her a quick high five before walking up to Michael. I take the award, but he holds my arm for a second before waving to Jim to come onto the stage. Jim puts down one of his Soft Shell Crab Legs and walks up to us.

Michael leans over to him and whispers. “You have to give this next award. Last year she hit me.”

Jim looks confused but nods. Michael points to the cue cards Ryan is holding.

Jim starts reading. “This next award goes to somebody who really lights up the office. Someone, who I think a lot of us, cannot keep from checking out.” He pauses then glances at Michael. “The ‘Employee Everyone Wants to Screw’ award also goes to Melissa!” I start laughing as Jim shakes his head and continues to read. “This is the 7th time Melissa has won this award. Meaning she’s won it every year since she started.”

I take the award as Michael starts singing. “Hidy ho, you sexy thang. You sexy thang you!” 

I snap my head to him then he stops singing. I walk back down to my seat. Jim follows me down and sits down.

“That was not weird or anything,” Jim whispers.

I giggle and put my awards on the table and start to eat. As we eat our food, Michael continues to give out awards. Angela got the ‘Tight Ass’ award for being everyone’s favorite stickler and for having a great ‘caboose’. The new girl Kelly got the ‘Spicy Curry’ awards, which none of us knows what that means. 

Ryan won the ‘Hottest Temp’ award, because apparently, besides me, he’s the hottest in the office. Kevin got the ‘Don’t Go in There After Me’ award for always stinking up the bathroom. That was going to be the last award because some drunk customers in the area next to ours were trying to get Michael to stop. 

This is usually Michael’s favorite party we have so I decided to make him happy.

“Yay Kevin! Woooo for Kevin, for stinking up the bathroom!” I start clapping to cheer up Michael.

Jim catches on to what I’m doing and starts clapping. “Yeah! Alright Kev!”

More people start clapping and Michael smiles a little.

“More Awards! Not everyone got one!” I shout to Michael.

“Yeah! I haven’t gotten one either! Keep going!”

“More Dundies!” I start chanting.

Jim and I start clapping and chanting. “Dundies! Dundies! Dundies!” 

Everyone starts chanting along with us and Michael smiles widely, getting his Dundies Spirit back.

“Alright, alright!” He laughs, “We’ll keep rolling. This is the ‘Fine Work’ award. This goes to Stanley for all the fine work he did this year.”

Stanley goes up and gets his award. I cheer a little.

“Go Stan! Yeah man! Good job!” I giggle slightly as Stanley smiles a little at me.

“Now, Pam left but the award she would have one would have been the ‘Whitest Sneakers.’ She usually would have one the ‘Longest Engagement’ award but they are actually getting married next week.” I cheer for Pam even though she isn’t there. 

The night comes to a close when Michael holds up the last Dundie.

“This award goes to the prankiest employee we have. It’s the ‘Jim Halpert’ award. It of course goes to Jim Halpert because there is only one of him and we can never get enough of those pranks.”

I start laughing as Jim stands up. He walks up to Michael taking the award.

“Thanks Michael. Umm...this isn’t going to be an every year award is it?” Jim asks quietly.

“Probably not. I just didn’t know what to give you,” Michael answers.

Jim nods and walks back down to me. He sits down. 

“So we got to see Ping. We learned of Michael’s true feelings for Ryan. Very touching. Um.. We heard Michael change the lyrics to a number of classic songs. Which for me ruined them all for life.” Jim says listing everything that’s happened tonight.

“I won two awards.” I giggle. “Which has never happened.” 

“You deserve all the awards.” Jim says, looking into my eyes.

“Wait...Even the ‘Don’t Go in After Me’ award?” I tease.

“Well that one night after pizza last week, yeah you deserve it.” He says, with a semi-straight face.

“James!” I shout.

He starts laughing and clapping  his hands. He then grabs his coat, running out of the Chili’s. I chase after him laughing. This has been a wonderful evening. Successful Dundies this year. 

[theincompetentgenius]

Matchup

hiyaaa!! could i pls get a written matchup for ikesen, ikerev, & mlqc? 💞 bi but i prefer guys! i have an older twin sis~ 5'4 young girl~ medium-length straight-ish black hair & dark brown eyes. ambiverted INTP! hufflepuff/ravenclaw. fun-loving & friendly scorpio. if not given attention, i feel unwanted/sad. quiet w/ people im not close w/. easily annoyed but guilty after 'cause im soft-hearted. playful/serious, childish/mature, competative/laidback, funny/shy, talkative/good listener, loud/soft, kind/quiet, emotional/solemn, sweet/smart, bright/deep, poetic/intellectual, daydreamer/studious, annoying/lovable. hopeless romantic! sorta socially anxious, i have a fear of judgement. my personality is like half fun/happy and half deep/quiet- very awkward. i want to be the best! im not innocent but ppl think i am at first. its easy to make me smile & laugh but i also get jealous often. i have trouble asking for help even if i help others a lot! im the type to do fun stuff and loosen up, but im also the type to just cuddle and have long conversations about life and the world. emotionally mature but a bit emotionally unstable (mental health problems-) i look fine on the outside but on the inside its a MESS. im actually a complex person, and i rlly think a lot to myself. i feel rlly scared tho if im not completely sure if im correct abt smth, n i get rlly anxious when ppl r looking at me blankly w/ smiling- likes: diff kinds of jokes, testing myself, affection, animals, doing exhilirating things, music, movies, books, games, family, friends, astrology, astronomy, learning new things, & mythology. dislikes: too much heat, school presentations, creepy dolls, being under pressure, dirty things. i love weapons (esp swords n guns, i like magic too tho)!! i think they're super cool- omg im super srry cause i think this is too much- tysm anyway!! feel free to take your time (health comes first!) n have a great year! 💞

Aww, thank u so much! This was submitted to me quite a while back and I’m really sorry for the major delay. However, I’ve finally gotten to this. Hope you still enjoy it :)

Ikemen Sengoku

I’d pair you with.................. Hideyoshi Toyotomi!

Honestly, I was having difficult picking just one person since you have such a complex personality (don’t worry, this is a good thing). For a while, I was leaning towards Mitsuhide at first because your personality would’ve made the perfect MC for his route. You’re sweet enough to get him to open up, but not a complete ditz. He’d love to learn all the different sides of your personality, falling for every single piece. After all, there’s no puzzle that he can’t solve.

However, I’m gonna go with Hideyoshi on this one. His simple attitude would best compliment all your different traits, creating the perfect balance. Whenever he’s being hard-headed, your multi-dimensional personality will provide him with another side that he hadn’t considered.

Don’t want to ask for help? Not a problem because Hideyoshi is going to help you anyways (whether you want or not). He’ll be at your side all day, making sure that even the smallest of tasks have dealt with. Once your work is done, he’ll linger around for a little bit, waiting for that last good-bye kiss. 

You manage to pull him out of his comfort zone, going on small adventures together! He’s not the biggest fan of them, but he always tags along to make sure you’re alright. His favorite adventures are when you two go into the forests, observing all the different animals. There’s nothing like seeing the sweet smile on your face to brighten up his day.

The day always ends with the two of you heading back to his room, laying on his bed, and looking at all the cool stuff that you found. He’ll have his arms wrapped around your waist, resting his chin on top of your head, listening to you rave about the adventure. But when you remind him that there’s no place that you’d rather be than in his arms, Hideyoshi can’t help but turn into a puddle. It’s just a night of cuddles and endless affection.

Hideyoshi is also the best person to go to when you’re feeling like a complete mess. Even if he’s busy, he’ll always put time aside to comfort you. If you’re feeling scared or unsure, the warlord will stroke your hair and remind you about all the times that you’ve been right (and all the things you’ve accomplished because of that). Even if things go awry, he’ll always be there to hold your hand for comfort’s sake. After all, you’ve guided him through his messes, so now it’s his turn to repay the favor.

Another Possibility: Mitsuhide Akechi

Ikemen Revolution

I’d pair you with............... Ray Blackwell!

So there’s not a lot of leeway here since your description really just screamed “RAY” to me. However, I feel like I could throw you at Blanc! He’d do his best to make you feel welcome in the Cradle and slowly crack through your quiet demeanor. Once he learns what’s inside, bunny boy is absolutely charmed! It’s hard for him to stay away, especially since he just gravitates towards your cheery energy. Nevertheless, the Black Army King won over in the end.

When Ray first meets you, he appreciates your quiet side. Not too noisy or annoying, unlike certain members in the Black Army. Besides, you seem to have your head screwed on straight, so he won’t have to worry too much about you getting into endless trouble. Your maturity throughout the entire situation will only garner his respect.

When Fenrir cracks a crude joke and you stifle your laughter, Ray raises an eyebrow. There’s definitely more to you than meets the eye and he’s interested in what exactly hides behind your quiet exterior. While he may not go out of his way to search for it, Ray takes mental notes when you do something that pleasantly surprises him.

Bookworm buddies!! Every now and then, you two engage in a reading competition: who can read the most books throughout the week? For the prize, the loser has to listen to the winner’s commands for an entire day. While the winning party varies, it’s always a close call.

Ray is always teasing you for being a hopeless romantic. However, that’s just his way of hiding how he thinks that your mentality towards love is adorable. If he’s completely honest, you remind him of the main heroine in most romance novels. Does that mean he’s willing to be your love interest? Why don’t you ask him and find out ;)

Ray notices the twinkle in your eyes when you watch him practice with his sword. When you ask him about it, he’ll happily show you all the types of swords and guns that are used in the Black Army. He even gives you confidential information about the latest gun prototypes. At one point, he’ll even gift you with the weapon of your choice (you can customize it however you want). Whether you choose to use it is up to you (but little tip here: Ray finds it hot when you carry it around on your belt).

Another Possibility: Blanc Lapin

MLQC

I’d pair you with............ Victor!

Before I unveil first place over here, I think you and Kiro would also have amazing chemistry too! You two would mesh so well together, being the biggest balls of sunshine. When you’re feeling down, you can always expect his teddy-bear smile to cheer you up in an instance. It gives me such “wholesome couple vibes” that I’m not even sure how to put it into words.

So you must be wondering, “Why Victor?” It’s because our loveable grump needs some sunshine of his own (a ray of sunshine that he won’t throw out the window or chastise to death). From the beginning, Victor takes a liking towards you. You’re mature, dependable, and want the best for the company. Even if you’re not directly involved, he appreciates your efforts towards becoming the best. There’s something about you that makes him want to root for you.

And so he does, pouring a decent amount of money into your dreams. However, Victor will constantly watch you from the side (after all, he’s gotta see how his investment is being used). This may cause you some discomfort, but he’s doing it to make sure that you get to the top of your dreams. 

When you’re feeling unsure of yourself, Victor will give you the guidance that you need. He’ll try his best to give his input on the situation, making sure that it gets you closer and closer to the answers that you need. Once you manage to pull everything together, he can’t help but feel a little tug on his chest. It’s a combination of both pride and something a little sweeter.

Victor also finds your multi-faceted personality quite impressive. It’s amazing how you can show a range of emotions and feelings, especially when you’re dealing with different types of people. He doesn’t have such a range of emotions, so he tries to pick up on a few of your traits. It doesn’t always work, but you always get a good laugh out of it.

Whenever Victor has had a long day at work, the two of you lay on the grass and watch the night sky. There’s something about the stars that calms him and he wouldn’t have known it if he never met you. So he’ll always be grateful for the peace that you’ve given him. 

Another Possibility: Kiro

[violentmouths]

We Can Do Bad All By Ourselves, Thank you!

So both @clevermentalitybeliever and I love each other's OC's so I thought 'Why not make them a little duo?' So I did! After a few questions I've decided that this is going to be an interesting polyamorous relationship between my oc (Grima Li), her oc (Lanea), and V.

I'm gonna take a little break from my other works to get this one going as I kind of like where this is going.

Idky but I'm gonna tag some people who might like this (idk)

Um, @birdgirl69 @skvaderarts @dhalia111 @krazy06 @lessy86 (I really love your black Harley, girl and hope to get to know you soon) @thedyingmoon

And let the show begin:

***

Chapter 1: The Spider Plant and The Witch

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Went the grandfather clock, it was the only audible thing in the apartment unless you wanted to count the sounds of pages flipping and the gentle breathing.

Lanea looked up from her book to see her friend sitting on the floor infront of the large clock, unsure if she was meditating or watching the hours tick before her eyes.

Lanea rolled her eyes, shaking her head as she went back to reading. Her spider eyed friend gave her the book 'Lord of the Flies' to help past the time, and although Lanea was only a few pages in, she could see why Grima liked the book. Sure it wasn't Watership Down, but held similarities to it, such as the boys having to work together to survive on the island until help came; but most of all, it was dark.

"When do we meet Dante, again?" Lanea asked, flipping a page from the book "At Fu Inlé..." Grima whispered still looking at the clock, the sounds of the cogs inside of the clock ticking somehow calmed the little spider plant. "Rephrase that Ms. Li, I don't understand your language." Lanea grumbled, she couldn't stand when Grima spoke in Lapine. Not because it irritated her, but because she didn't know what any of it meant; it was like going to a foreign country and not knowing how to read, write, or speak the language.

You were in the dark, whether you liked it or not.

"Fu Inlé means after moonrise, Lanea... I don't feel so comfy going out during ni frith... "

"Can't you close your three eyes?"

"I like my five eyes showing..."

"But you close them everytime you're around him."

"I don't like they way he looks at them..."

"But when all are open, it's kind of hard to choose which pair of eyes to look at." Lanea laughed, placing the book mark into the book to stop her from losing the page she was on, she placed a hand on her mouth to cover up her laughter.

"Not really, no..." Grima trailed off, leaning forward and pressing her hands against the carpeted floor, she gently pushed against the ground, letting her legs slowly rise to the ceiling. "Just look at the bottom ones, like Nero does..." she added, Grima has now placed herself in a handstand. But instead of putting her feet on the ground again, she just let her feet touch her head. Lanea shook her head as she closed her book, placing it on the coffee table in front of her.

"You sure like Nero..." Lanea stated, slowly closing her eyes "I'm surprised you haven't stole him from Kyrie yet." She added, slowly opening her eyes and looking at her friend who was placing her feet back on the ground before standing up straight.

"...I see Nero like a brother, we have fun together... Although I must say he does remind me of my brother except more outgoing. I can't steal him away from Kyrie, I like their relationship. It's a sweet bond they have going on there and for me to just take him away from something that makes him truly happy, I. Think. Not..." Grima explained, Lanea couldn't help but put her hand on her mouth from that response, she didn't expect Grima to say such things. The monstress had the boys eating out of the palm of her hand, yet made no moves. "Soooo," Grima trailed off as she put her hands on her large hips, twisting her upperbody to look at Lanea. "You and Dante... He found you, and yet, no moves made there..." She said through certain clicks and croaks, Lanea scrunched her face at what she just heard.

"I could never be with such a man! He's terrible with money, he refuses to use it responsibly; his debts could be paid if he just wasted it on the bills! I could do soooo much better than that! Also- he found me after my village kicked me out... I, owe him that... He put a roof over my head. I- admire his caring attitude, as-is well as his hospitality. Like you see Nero as a brother, I see Dante as a good friend. Nothing more, nothing less." Lanea answered truthfully, looking down at her hands that she now placed on her lap. Grima nodded her head before turning around and looking back at the grandfather clock.

"I... Well, monsters stick together, we have a bond that not alot of humans can put a finger on. I got your back if you got mine, ya feel?" Grima started off, looking at the top of the clock before dusting it off, "I find it awfully amusing how you think I should get with Nero and I think you should get with Dante..." Grima trembled, Lanea's eyes widened as she slowly got up, reaching for Grima "And were both like 'NOPE' to them!" Grima laughed, Lanea sat down and grumbled at how Grima was only trembling because she trying to hold in her laughter.

Grima stopped laughing, gently rubbing at her chest "... But I gotta pay Dante back, I promised him that after the mission with Urizen..." She whispered, Lanea cocked an eyebrow at what she just heard; why does Grima need to pay back Dante?

And for what?!

"How much do you owe him? I can help you if you want, Ms. Li?" Lanea cooed, reaching into her back pocket, Grima turned her upperbody around again "I-it's not with money, Lanea..." Grima trailed off, making Lanea blush really red. It didn't take her very long to figure out what Grima meant by that. "Y-you can't be serious, M-Ms. Li! H-how did you get yourself in such a predicament?!" "I told him 'perhaps when this... Mission is done, I could pay my debt to you on a Thursday at four...? Perhaps?' And he agreed to my payment... But I haven't been able to pay him back..." Grima replied, walking into the kitchen with Lanea following behind her "Ms. Li... So many Thursdays have passed-" "I understand you want me to get this over with immediately, but I kind of enjoy a bit of 'element of surprise' I don't know when... And neither will he, let's put this to rest now shall we?" Grima interrupted, turning around to face her and smiling sweetly, causing her petite friend to blush cherry red. Lanea couldn't believe that Grima would mess around with someone like Dante, after everything she just told the monstress, Grima would still have sex with the great demon hunter.

Grima Li and Dante? What a nauseating if not luscious thought?

Lanea could just imagine her friend being ravaged by such a man, her gentle gasps and moans escaping her lips as she claws into the desk. Dante holding onto her love handles as he starts off slow before he begins to pick up speed causing her Ms. Li to moan louder. Yearning for more as he slaps her caramel colored ass again and again, making Grima moan louder.His calloused hands would go straight to her medium sized breasts, squeezing them enough to make marks while Grima's moans get louder and louder as the minutes ticked by as they'd exchange kisses whenever they got a chance. But those kisses would become sloppy, the thrusting will get harder, and Dante's cock would go deeper.

It would probably be a night Grima would never forget, but a thought Lanea wishes she could throw away as it already plastered itself to her brain...

Grima walked to the first cabinet she saw and opened it up to see endless labeled mason jars of tea leaves. "I'm feeling... Earl Grey." She said to herself as she got on her tiptoes to reach for the mason jar above her head.

Lanea stood four feet behind Grima to give her space, she still couldn't shake that image out of her head.

Lanea's eyes traveled all over her friends body, following each dip, and every curve "Then again... I bet she likes those breasts of hers squeezed." She thought "Or spanked until her round ass is black and blue..." such thoughts didn't sit well with Lanea, and she wanted to remove it so badly!

Lanea swallowed as she closed her eyes "W-what about V?!" She blurted out, waiting for Grima's response. It was silent for about two minutes before Grima slammed the cabinet door shut.

"The Black Rabbit of Inlé is not allowed to be talked about in this house!" Grima growled, slamming the mason jar down "S-Surely you'd rather have him in bed than Dante... V is really sweet to you Ms. Li, you should give him a cha-" "No, no, nope. I refuse to be seen with that mole-snouted, muckraking, hutch-hearted sheep tick. Remove this piece of the conversation away from my ears." Grima boomed, Lanea put a hand over her mouth, letting it drop after.

"But he likes you Ms. Li... You can hear it in his voice." She whimpered, Grima put her hands on her hips "A-any man who gets with you would be very lucky..." Lanea's voice started to soften, Grima sighed before looking at Lanea, "I don't just like men, Lanea... I go for women too." She mumbled, catching Lanea off guard "S-she likes women too?" Lanea thought, she could feel the warmth in her cheeks rise again. "Lanea... Do you like El-ahrairah?" Grima asked "I can hear it... In the tone of your voice." She added.

This made Lanea blush harder than she ever could, the idea of being with V never really came to mind as they were always on the battlefield; not a place to be thinking such.

Grima walked up to Lanea, placing a hand on her shoulder "Anyone who ends up with you is gonna be one lucky fella..." she whispered, smiling after. Both women were staring into each others green eyes, causing silence in the kitchen. Lanea's lime colored eyes widened as she kept a pale hand over her mouth, quickly putting the other hand over it.

"Now, tea Lanea? Or no?"

***

I'm quite fond of this little series here, more chapters soon, as well as for the V Experiences since Grima's birthday is coming close... See you all soon, and I hope you enjoyed!

Oh! Pay no mind to the darkened words, my girl Raunchy likes doing this... 'Thing' where she writes it all down to receive some type of 'hidden message' when there isn't any (I think)... Anyways by now!

[lovingsiriusoswald]

We’re Cursed - Edgar Bright x Andromeda Mercia (OC)

Title: We’re Cursed

Featuring: Blanc Lapin

Word count: 5172 words

Genre: Dark, Thriller, Angst

Trigger Warnings: graphic murder, death, gore, abuse, hostage, anxiety, minor spoilers for Edgar’s route

Tagging: @myotomespace for liking Andromeda and vowed to protect her, @the-cashewpeia for waiting to read this, and @plumpblueberry for inspiring me to write about an OC and the angst from that fic

Other notes: Check out Andromeda’s profile to get to know her! The angst was fuelled by Edgar’s route, I’m currently on part 20 and I’m loving the drama!! Despite the length, I still feel like I poorly did this lol, but nevertheless, I hope you like this!

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The Royal Advisor was busy discussing with her King about a request from the Hearts Quarter when a soldier barged in. “Forgive me, my King, Lady Andromeda.” He panted as he kneeled on one knee and bowed, the two superiors in front of him nodded towards him to continue his sudden entrance. “Your mother’s store was attacked just now, holding your Aunt Bella and subordinates hostage. The soldiers are still trying to free the hostages, the Jack of Hearts sent me to inform you immediately.”

Underneath Andromeda’s schooled features held the panic she’s learned to hide, but her quivering voice gave her away to her superior. “King Lancelot.” Her silvery voice crumbled into a soft, urgent whisper.

“Go, Andromeda.” Lancelot didn’t need anymore excuses from her to send her out, and the moment he stood from his desk, his Royal Advisor immediately dashed towards the stables. She mounted herself up on the horse that was already waiting for her and quickly ushered him to gallop as quickly as he can.

Chants of vicious taunts made her deaf as she made her way through Red Territory, jumping over fences and taking sharp turns to get to Central Quarter quickly. Her knuckles had turned white as she gripped tightly on the reins, breathing ragged from sheer panic, and eyes glossy from tears threatening to spill. If anything horrible happened to Auntie Bella, to anyone working under my mother’s business, She gulped at her own thoughts. I will be forever damned, completely failing my father, and lose the only family I have left.

The horse skidded to a halt and she threw herself off the saddle, taking in the sight of the ransacked shop from outside. An explosion erupted from inside and black smoke started coming out of the windows, then a bright light that faded into nothing as quickly as it appeared. “Auntie Bella!” She screamed as she ran towards the door but her soldiers blocked her path.

“Lady Andromeda, the Jack—“ The young soldier was interrupted when the door swung open and Edgar was holding the frail woman in his arms, followed by several more soldiers behind him, taking the hostages safely away. She pushed past through the soldiers and as Edgar placed Bella onto her feet, she threw her arms around her aunt tightly. She gripped on her dress as if her life depended on it and she kept pulling her closer.

“Andromeda, dearie.” Bella whispered and she gulped thickly, pushing back the pain coiling around her throat. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“Auntie, they were after you—“ She pulled away and her aunt’s hands were quickly placed on her cheeks. The dirt from the explosion had tainted her aunt’s dress and Andromeda wiped off the ones smeared on her jaw. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner—“

“It isn’t your fault.” She gently smiled at her. “But you have to be careful, they were after the vault.” Once the words registered in her head, her breathing grew heavier and her eyes wider as she turned back to the store. The vault had her mother’s items, the only place where it told the story of her life, as her father described.

What do they want from mother?

“Edgar, call in Blanc, immediately. We need to find out what they took from her.” Her voice was low and her eyes darkened with rage, yet her features were as calm as ever—monstrous and deadly as her soldiers described once, after an attempted ambush to take down the Queen of Hearts. She stepped towards the ruined shop, the glass shards cracking underneath each step. The smoke had dispersed when she went in, the crystals from the emergency response unit sucked in the hazardous mist and bowed deeply when they see her.

“Lady Andromeda, Blanc is on his way.” Edgar said as he followed behind her. She inspected the markings on the vault, the steel door had dents and holes and the lock had been destroyed. She glanced at the bent crowbar nearby and pushed the door open, the storage room then greeted her with a puff of dust. She swatted the air in front of her as she stepped in, the room grew colder and it was enough to make the Jack behind her more cautious. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, why is there a vault in your mother’s shop?”

“This store was her office, her second home.” She explained as she stepped over the scattered papers and cloth. She bent down to reach the wooden box that fell on the floor, turning the crank a few times. The music box opened and a distorted tune of a lullaby played. Edgar knew it was bad omen, but he didn’t speak and let her continue. “Father requested that her items to be stored in here. It was a sentiment or tradition that he practiced in the Mercia family. ‘All things must be stored away in the dead person’s happy place, to help their souls remember their happy memories upon their departure, and the only exception are the items to be inherited by their kin,’ they said.” The horrible tune stopped, the wires inside had snapped from their fragile state. She placed the box on the table and inspected the open journals that were covered in dirt and dust. She wiped them away and scanned the designs her mother had made throughout the years, including the uniform she was wearing.

“Lady Andromeda, I came as soon as I heard.” Blanc bowed towards her and she nodded once.

“Thank you, Blanc.” She closed the journal with a soft thud. “You know all of my mother’s items, we must know what was taken.” Her flat tone pushed the Rabbit to quickly assess the room.

“What’s Blanc relationship to your mother?” The Jack asked as they tried to clean the mess inside the vault. It took a moment for the Royal Advisor to answer, she has to take away the information about her past in the Land of Reason and she needs to choose her words carefully.

“Blanc had close family ties to the Mercia and Windsor family. From what Father told me, Mother entrusted Blanc with the complete list of her items, stated in her will, to keep track of what must be kept away in this vault in due respect to the Mercia tradition.” She hoped that Edgar would no longer ask any more questions, as she was afraid she might have to start lying to her general.

“None of your mother’s items were taken, Lady Andromeda.” The White Rabbit walked towards them with a confused look. “I’m not quite sure why the suspects would attack this place.”

“May I ask,” Andromeda whispered as the realization crept on her neck. She glanced back at her mother’s old desk and thought that the items inside the vault were found around Cradle. “What.. items were in here?”

“Items from Cradle, Lady Andromeda.” He spoke slowly and the woman’s fist clenched immediately, confirming her theory. “The items from the country you were born in are within the Mercia residence, as they were to be inherited by you.”

“They’re after those.” She quickly turned to leave the room. Her heart pounded in her ears as she asked herself, how did the culprits know? The skirts of her uniform fluttered as her feet guided her back outside, the tulle cloth that draped over her shoulders floated on the air around her as she mounted her steed again. “Edgar, we need to go to the Mercia residence, quickly. Do not bring any other soldier but Blanc, I will rely on your strength.” The Jack somewhat understood what caused the urgency and her orders, so he obliged. He and Blanc mounted the same horse and the Rabbit’s face almost drained from color when he heard her vow, “And I will show no mercy for harming my family and destroying my mother’s keepsake.”

The horses took off as they returned to the Red Territory, no words were exchanged between the three as they made their way. Andromeda was busy asking herself the many questions that had been ruining her the moment she realized the goal of the culprits. No one knew of her birth at the Land of Reason, let alone the visit there. She knew that the items were the only link to travel the unfamiliar world, and to have them in Cradle were almost useless and odd for them. There were only a handful of people who knew about it and she couldn’t think of who could be the traitor—but nevertheless, the Jack with her will eliminate them. Her chest weighed heavily as she thought of the execution that would soon take place. She didn’t want him to be involved in her mess, but the duties bestowed upon him were tightly wrapped around his wrists, controlling him like a puppet.

They slowed to a stop when they reached the tall gates of her old, not-so-humble abode. The gates were bent and open, a sign that the culprits had arrived. The three of them proceeded cautiously as they glanced over the bodies of the unconscious guards that littered the once beautiful front yard. She took a deep breath as her heels clicked over the steps of the front porch and pushed the main doors wider. The living room was wrecked, paintings and pictures were scattered on the floor alongside the broken porcelain vases and dirt. The sunset’s rays no longer held the beautiful light it once had, another bad omen that Edgar noticed. The sound of something dropping from above them made them all turn their heads towards the blood-stained staircase. A maid rushed down the steps with a horrified expression and immediately held onto Andromeda’s open arms. “Lady Andromeda, they took—they took your mother’s chest—and they—they let me go to tell you that they’re waiting for you—in—in the Cage.” She stuttered and breathed heavily on her master’s shoulders, slowly calming down when she felt her hand rubbing on her back. Edgar’s grip on his sword tightened as his blood ran cold at the thought of what ‘the Cage’ could mean.

“Who are they?” She whispered.

“Please forgive me, I wasn’t able to see who they were because they had cloaks that hid their faces.” The maid pulled away and bowed deeply.

“It’s alright, please get to safety along with the other maids and guards. Blanc, please help her.” She gently requested and Blanc nodded. They scampered through the different rooms and aided with the injured and wounded out of the residence. She turned to the Jack behind her and there was panic evident on her shaking frame. “Whoever they are, they know the layout of the house very well and went straight for my mother’s items. They also seem to know that I’d be here as soon as I can.”

“I will protect you, Lady Andromeda.” Edgar vowed, his gentle smile was long gone the moment they arrived at the gates. “I promise.” He stood in front of her and carefully took her shaking hand, then placed a soft kiss against her pale knuckles.

“I believe in you, Edgar.” She looked up at his jade eyes and the soft smile he gave her eased her senses. He lets go of her cold hands and placed it back against the metal handle of his sword.

The two of them made their way up the stairs as Andromeda guided her to where the Cage was. Cold beads of sweat trickled on the side of her face as she remembered the faint memories of torture along the hallways and at the horrors that lay beyond the doors at the end. She was certain that she could cut the circulation on her hands if she clenched them any tighter.

Meanwhile, Edgar had no idea what her life was like. All he knew was she was his equal, trained to kill any disturbance in the Red Territory or traitors and subduers. If walls could talk, they’d tell the most horrible tales that even Edgar would never have thought of.

They entered the tiny room that was illuminated by a dim orange crystal, showcasing the silhouettes of the man sitting on the chair at the center and the other standing just beside him. The room was undisturbed, Andromeda realized. The terrible cage was the only room that she’d so far was ironically the most peaceful one yet. “What a beautiful woman you’ve become, Andromeda.” The man sitting down chuckled and her face immediately drained from color. “I hope you haven’t forgotten me, I was your military instructor.”

“Why would I forget the man who taught me how to kill?” She answered monotonously, hiding away the fears that shook her to her very core as she was reminded of how cruel he was.

“Ah, sentimental as ever. I knew this room would be a fitting place to capture you.” The outline of his evil grin made Edgar’s blood boil with rage and in contrast, his hands had grown as cold as ice. “If you resist, Andromeda, you’ll be in a world of pain again.” The man cocked his head to the side as he stood. The hood fell from his head and finally revealed his face, making both generals shudder at the sight of the scar on his eye. “But first, I see I must eliminate the Jack of Hearts first before getting to you.”

“Edgar, stay down.” Andromeda’s voice was colder than he’d ever heard and pulled him away unexpectedly to stand in front of him. She didn’t want him in her mess, and she was going to make sure of it. He may be cursed with the duties bestowed upon him by the cruel fate, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t going to change it.

Edgar noticed she stepped over a thick, open line across the cold, gray, concrete floor and returned his gaze on the back of her head when she heard her giggle softly. The tune was supposed to be lighthearted, but hers weighed heavily with ferocity and cruel delight. She took a step closer to the man and the apprentice behind him reached for the chained handle just above him, then pulled it twice. The light flickered, then metal bars erupted from the open crack behind her. The sound of metal gliding rang through his ears painfully and he was about to reach out to her, but he was too late. “Andromeda!”

“I said stand down.” She said firmly as she reached to her hair. The lights flickered again and her hair was up in a ponytail, revealing the emblem underneath her nape. Her instructor chuckled again, grinning maliciously over the lady. Edgar attempted to break the metal bars that separated him from the woman he vowed to protect with his sword, but to no avail. He was starting to shake in frustration and anger, but all he could do was watch.

“You really are as stupid as ever. You’re a woman, Andromeda. You can never protect a general. ” The words used to be painful for her. “He was your only chance of getting out of here alive, and you pushed him out to protect him. My, you should be watching yourself more, you don’t have to pretend to be selfless. This room is where we’d punish you, correct? For every idiotic thing you do. Do you wish to reminisce those lovely memories? Would you rather I finish you off before I kill him?”

“I would rather finish you before you even take another step.” The smirk on her face was terrifying enough to surprise her instructor and catching him off guard. She quickly threw a powerful kick straight at his chest, making the man fly across the room and startling his companion who rushed to his side immediately. She had hit his sternum too hard that it made breathing too difficult for him. “I hope you know how much I wanted to do this for a long, long time.” Her heels’ icy clicking was just as cold as her smile as she made her way to the cabinets. She pulled at a drawer and an intimidating longsword glimmered against the dim light. “How about a trip down memory lane, master?” She teased.

She strutted towards the chair and sat with her perfect posture as she aimed the tip of the sword dangerously close to her old instructor. He pushed the apprentice away from him, “Go back! Call for reinforcements—“ In one swift swing of her arm, she threw the longsword at the young man and pinned him by his arm to the wall. A loud cry erupted from him and Edgar’s eyes widened in shock.

“Why don’t you be a good boy and watch the show? You’re gonna learn a thing or two from here.” She smiled sadistically at him, the young man was frozen in place as he watched the woman—the monster—in front of him tell the tales that made the room earn its name. Edgar was certain the woman beyond the steel bars was not the same woman who he’d often tease at the Headquarters. He knew she was strong and capable of murder, but this—this was a completely different persona and he admits to himself that he was terrified.

“Now, where do we start?” She chuckled again and turned her head towards the older man. “Ah, how about that time that I fell during practice from balancing on my tiptoes for too long? I remember very clearly how you dragged my poor, small, eight-year-old body like a rag doll and threw me to this very wall.” She sounded like she was talking about a happy memory in her life, but her words stated the dreadful tortures she had to endure just because she was a girl. She pointed at the visible brown stain against the rough wall, “The blood is still there, isn’t it lovely? You bashed my head there like I was an animal, I even remember counting up to twelve before you stopped because Father arrived.” She stood and despite her small frame, she was fuelled with the rage that was bottled inside her for more than a decade. She pulled on to his hair to make him meet her gaze, watching the haze of monstrosity cloud her light brown eyes. “Why don’t we do that again, hmm? It’s your turn to feel that.” She started bashing the weakened man’s head harshly against the same spot on the wall. “C’mon, master. Count.” She laughed as she kept ramming his head, completely ignoring the splatters of blood that stained her cheeks and dress. The man was screaming beneath her and before she could hit him against the wall again, Edgar called out to her.

“Andromeda, that’s enough!” He was hurting—God he was hurting—to see the woman lose to her rage. He would do anything for her at that moment, to save her, to take her away from this horrible room, to forget the horrors of her childhood.

“Aww, looks like someone saved you just in time.” She let the man fall and groan in pain on the ground. “Edgar, I’d really appreciate it if you let me kill him. You’re bound to do it anyway, weren’t you? Let me save you from the misery.” She turned to him and a gentle smile painted on her face. It was a lovely smile, but terrifying with all the blood on her.

“No, Andromeda, I’ll save you—“

“I’m far from saving, Edgar.” She walked towards him and looked up at his eyes. “Let me save you from my hell.”

“You’re a monster!” The apprentice charged at her with the longsword that was once on his arm.

“Andromeda!” Edgar pushed himself closer to the rails but she stepped away and towards the young man. She ducked as he swung the sword, then quickly disarming him. Cruelly, she grabbed the sword and turned, slashing the weapon and slitting his throat open. The fountain of blood rained on her dress and splatters had stained Edgar’s gloves. For a split second, he saw her eyes glow red—or was it the light reflecting on the blood?

“You raised me to be a monster, why is he so worked up about it?” She turned back to her instructor and forced him to sit on the chair. “Now, I hope you know why I’m doing this, master.”

“An—Andromeda, please.. forgive me.” He was pleading for his life now, something that satisfied her completely. An amused chuckle escaped her lips as she sauntered in front of him, blocking Edgar’s view of the sinister smile on her face.

“You are aware of the oath you’ve taken when you’d become my instructor, correct?” She cocked her head to the side and looked down at him. “The moment you betray the Mercia family, the Jack of Hearts is bound to take your head.”

“Please! Somebody had only ordered me to betray you, it was not my intention in the beginning! I swear on my life!”

“Really, now? From whom? Tell me and I might free you from this hellhole.” Her voice dropped to a threat as she leaned close. She inhaled the familiar scent of blood, sweat and tears, remembering very clearly that it smelled almost similar to her childhood; but to know it came from one of the men who had abused her, it was almost addicting.

“The Magic Tower! They wanted to steal your mother’s items and lure you to them. They wanted to conduct a study on you—they know you’re from the Land of Reason—”

“I see, that’s enough.” She spoke louder over him in hopes of hiding away the last of what he said, but Edgar still caught wind of it and drew in a deep breath. He was going to ask her a lot of questions tomorrow, but right now, he was focused on getting her out of here. “I admire your cowardice, to immediately beg for your life and quickly change your side.”

“You—You promised you would spare my life!” He shrieked as she picked the sword up again.

“I did no such thing, master.”

“You truly are a monster! I hope I see you in hell!” He yelled at her.

“Kindly prepare a seat for me right next to Lucifer. You did teach me how to become like him, in case you’ve forgotten.” She smirked and a soft laugh was heard from her, making the man freeze in his spot. “And I quote, ‘Once you’ve betrayed the army and the bloodline, off goes your head.’” With a powerful swipe, she brought the bloody longsword down and had cleanly sliced the deadman’s head off from his body.

The moment she stood straight, the air grew colder as she realized the monstrosity she had done, watching the pools of blood stain her uniform more. She was absolutely sickening to look at, and she didn’t want Edgar to see her in such horrifying state. “Call in the maids to deal with—“

“Open the cage.” It was his turn to order her, something he’s never dared to do. He could no longer stand watching the woman crumble into a demon that did not suit her. In his head, she was still pure. She was only driven by the hatred she’s never got to release and brought justice to herself. When he learned about the abuses himself, he felt no qualms about bloodshed—he wanted to do the same thing she’d done just now. She was an angel raised to be a demon.

The Royal Advisor stepped over the corpses, the ends of her uniform was completely drenched with blood and had left bloody shoe prints across the concrete as she made her way to the metal handle. She pulled twice, not realizing that she’d stained the handle. The bars went down and he rushed to her, ignoring that he would be bloody mess as well. He held her tightly from behind, feeling her body tense and rested his lips against the temple of her head. “Don’t hold me, I’m covered with blood.” She whispered weakly, heart breaking into two as the man she loved was tainted with her sins.

“I don’t give a damn.” He whispered and she swallowed a shaky breath. “Let’s get out of here, this place does not suit you.”

When they left the Cage, she called in several maids and guards to clean up the mess that she had done. The subordinates were familiar with the routine, despite only doing it thrice in the entirety of her life. They were taught how to dispose of the evidences as soon as possible by the instructor himself, as oath of serving the Mercia family without a doubt. A maid retrieved the chest that held Andromeda’s items, and handed it to him. “Lady Andromeda requested you to hold this for now as she changes out of her uniform and clean herself. She also ordered me to take your jacket and glove to clean off the stains.” He obliged to her request, taking off the tainted clothing from him and holding the chest carefully.

“Edgar?” Blanc quietly approached him. They were in the living room, it turned out that the subordinates were cleaning up the moment they heard the blood-curdling screams from the Cage; they knew that the execution had taken place and that Lady Andromeda was safe. “How is she?”

“Horrible.” He admitted. “She took them down with her own hands, I was supposed to be the one doing the dirty job—but she was enraged. She was unstoppable.” His gentle smile contradicted the discomfort in his eyes, the incident still too fresh in his mind. “And I learned she was from the Land of Reason.” The White Rabbit’s eyes moved away from his and there was an uncomfortable silence around them.

“Please, protect her with your life.” Blanc spoke a few moments later. “Now that someone else knows, they’re bound to come for her again and again until she’s captured.”

“You no longer need to remind me twice.” The Jack of Hearts snickered. “It is my duty and my life’s purpose to protect her.”

No words were exchanged when Blanc finally left and the subordinates had burned the evidences deep within the forest, leaving him and the ruined woman alone in her residence. She wore different clothes, a pure white dress embellished with gold details that hugged her body beautifully. The draperies on her shoulders fluttered against the cold wind and she looked as ethereal as ever, but the sadness on her eyes clearly showed how colder her soul had become. They mounted their magnificent white steeds and made their way back to the headquarters.

She was prepared for her punishments tomorrow morning, smiling a little as she convinced herself that her body could endure a few more hits. She couldn’t appreciate enough the oddness and be fascinated over the items in her mother’s chest—all she could think of was the scar she’d left on Edgar’s heart after her cruel display. She stood from her sofa and made her way out of her room. She wanted to apologize and promise him that she would never dare spill another drop of blood, thus the commitment to her new uniform. She’s burned away the tainted one as a physical reminder that that will be the last time she would let her emotions overrule her judgement.

She stands in front of his door, just a few minutes before lights out. She took a deep breath and raised her hand to knock at his door, “Oh!” The door swings open, revealing a surprised Edgar clad in his yellow shirt. “S-Sorry to bother you, were you going somewhere?” She averted her eyes, breath hitching in her throat as she lost the confidence she just had earlier.

“No, no. I was going to visit you. Come in.” He smiled at her and opened the door wider for her. “Would you like some tea, Lady Andromeda?”

“No thank you, this will be quick.” She sighed and finally looked up to meet his warm, teal eyes. “I came here to apologize, it was horrible of me to make you stand there and watch the execution.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.” He took her cold hands in his warm ones, silently praying to God that her soul be freed from the doom they both shared. “We’re cursed. We have no other choice but to serve in a cruel world despite our morals and jurisdictions. You did nothing wrong, love. You acted upon justice—and you’ve achieved it. There is no greater glory than that.”

“You don’t deserve a monster, Edgar.” She gulped. “You deserve someone better—someone who isn’t cursed with the same fate our ancestors had bestowed upon us, someone who doesn’t have blood-stained hands, someone pure.” She wanted to free him from the hell she’s grown in and push him to the skies that he deserved to be in. He pulls her into an embrace, snapping her out of her own anxieties. His warmth was too inviting to ignore, parting the clouds in her mind.

“I am a demon myself, Andromeda, who fell in love with an angel who was raised to be a monster.” He pulled her waist closer to his, taking in the scent of her, clean from sins. Her heart raced at his sudden confession, but he didn’t seem to notice what he said and reassured her that his words were genuinely from the heart—something she never thought a Jack would do. “If I let go of the woman who’d seen and known the worst of me and pulled me out of it to be the best, I would never forgive myself.” He gently cupped her chin between his finger and thumb, slightly grazing the pads over her pink lips. “I know my confession is sudden, but will you let this demon save you from hell?”

His gaze burned towards hers and she was completely entranced at the passion that glimmered brightly on them. Their was a magnetic pull around them, and they didn’t bother stopping themselves from falling into the blaze that set both of their hearts on fire. Tongues lapped and swirled through their kisses as he gently pushed her to the wall and flush his body closer to her, his hands tracing and touching everything he could reach through her dress. If their kisses could take away the pain that she’s endured all her life, she’d be able to forget the horrible memories. He roughly cupped her face in his hand as he pulled away, a whine escaping her lips. “I promise I will protect you, with my life.”

“I promise that bloodshed will no longer be an option.” She finally smiles genuinely, finally able to breathe and free from the constraints of her past.

Another passion-hazed kiss sealed a silent promise—that life is theirs to choose and no curse or duty would decide what their fates will be.

[jattendschaton]

Ladynoir July: Day 4-Favor

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Ladybug laughed loudly as she swung over Chat Noir’s head, missing his hand as he attempted to catapult himself high enough to touch her. “Missed me, kitty!” she teased, turning around to face him while she gloated. “Maybe I just like the chase,” he winked at her. She shrugged, still smiling widely, enjoying the wind whipping past them and the darkness that surrounded them. “That’s good news for me, ‘cause I’m faster than you.” “Now, you know that’s not true, bug. I thought you hated liars?” “I think your mouth’s writing checks your feet can’t cash, minou.” She giggled when he lunged at her, dancing out of the way artfully and tossing her yo-yo to wrap around a street light far beneath them. “Purrhaps it’s time I prove myself,” he called, trying to keep up with her changing directions. “Perhaps it’s time you set your sights on an easier target,” she called back, swooping past Carapace’s hiding spot to take the attention off of herself. “You suck,” Carapace yelled to Ladybug, joined by the newest member of their tag team. “Can you only win by hiding behind the competition, Spots?” she asked dryly, picking at one of the green, snake scale patterned pieces that covered her arms. “All’s fair in love and war, Viper!” Ladybug shouted, running off along a low building. Once she was out of sight, she hopped onto a small, flat-topped building, lying in between two larger ones so she was mostly hidden, biding her time. Despite her talk, she knew she wasn’t as fast as her partner. She needed to let him tire himself out a little before rejoining the game, because she knew he would be after her the moment he saw her again.

It was no secret that Ladybug and Chat were competitive. When one of them had been tagged, it wasn’t enough that they tried to pass it along to someone else, they were determined to tag each other. She wasn’t sure how long she could remain unseen, especially with Chat’s incredible night vision, but she knew Carapace was tricksy enough to keep him on his toes, and she was pleased with how easily Viper had slipped into her magic. Chat wouldn’t be able to resist going after them, Ladybug was sure. She opened up her yo-yo, bringing up the tracking feature. A black dot blinked on the screen, moving slowly farther away from her location, indicating Chat’s position. She suppressed a laugh, happy that he was still distracted and not intent on finding her yet. Just as she moved to drop her weapon back against her side, a fireball shot past her face, nearly singing her ponytail. “Shit shit shitshitshitshit,” she muttered, throwing her yo-yo to the nearest building and swinging in the direction of her partner as quickly as possible. Once she was within sight, he bounded over to her giddily, not yet picking up the shift in mood. “Are you trying to lose, my lady?” She placed her hands on her hips, stance rigid and ready to fight on a moment’s notice. “There’s a fire demon down there. I think he’s behind the brick building on the corner of the street.” He immediately sobered. “How do you want to do this?” “We need to get Viper out of here now.” She pulled out her yo-yo, twisting it apart and hitting a few buttons to video chat Carapace. “She can’t be around for this.” He picked up with a dopey grin on his face, mouth already open with what Ladybug was sure would have been an ill-advised quip, but she cut him off before he could say anything. “Carapace, we have a fire demon by us. Get Viper out of here. Drag her to Fu’s if you have to. And call Lapin. I don’t know how much force we’re going to need for this.” He nodded and jumped into action and Ladybug’s screen went black. Chat took a step towards her. “Now what?” “Now we distract the demon ‘til Carapace gets back.” “My specialty.” He shot himself off of the building with his staff in the direction she’d indicated, Ladybug hot on his heels. It didn’t take long to find the demon, fire-types weren’t known for their discretion. It billowed in the breeze, feeding off the oxygen, flames licking the air. Almost anything that got caught in its sphere of influence turned to ash, lighting up brightly before disappearing into the night as a puff of smoke. Ladybug could feel her chest constrict at the sight, forcefully reminded of images she desperately wished she could forget. She pressed on, darting out of the way as fireballs were shot in her direction, mostly dissipating before they could reach her. Chat Noir was still in front of her, prepared to charge at the demon, staff at the ready. She looped to his side, taking a defensive stance. “You good?” he asked her, eyes never straying from the beast in front of them. She didn’t even have time to reply before it attacked much harder than before. Fireballs were thrown out mercilessly, holding their shape now that she was closer to the demon. They both spun away, leaping and rolling and jumping behind other objects just avoid the fire’s touch. Each time the fire consumed something new, Ladybug’s vision swam. She couldn’t look past the flames, letting them spin a tail of destruction and death in front of her, deafened by screams of ghosts roaring in her head. She kept envisioning her family in those flames, couldn’t shake the feeling of desperation and hopelessness, unable to see the fire raging in front of her as anything other than the fire that raged in her past. A fireball caught on the edge of her shoulder, bringing her back to the present with heat and pain. She couldn’t do this. She was not capable of doing this. Ladybug ran away from her spot, charging at Chat Noir and grabbing him around the waist, hauling them onto the nearest building. She started speaking before their feet had even touched the ground. “I have to go.” Chat looked startled. “What? You can’t go!” She hated to have to do this. Hated to have to beg for someone else to do her job. “Please, Chat. Please. I can’t do this. I know I should be able to, but I can’t.” She stepped away from him, afraid to show the raw emotion she knew was plastered across her face. “I need you. I need you to do this for me.” “Of course.” She looked up at his face and suddenly he was right in front of her, taking up her entire field of vision, all that she could see. “Of course I’ll do this for you.” He grabbed her hands and squeezed. “I’d do anything for you.” Even as she exhaled, she felt her breath catch in her throat. She didn’t want him to see her watery eyes, but she was captured in his gaze and determined to let him see how grateful she was. “Thank you.” She slid her hands up his forearms to his elbows and pulled him slightly closer to his body so their chests were touching. “I can’t ever tell you how much this means to me.” He smiled at her softly, encouragingly, as if he wanted to ask her to try, and she leaped off the building, lashing out her yo-yo and getting herself as far away as possible.

[legends-of-direbear]

National Salami Day || Brobastian: TTL AU

Tagging: @sebadasssmythe and @squaredancing-weston

Time: Post-“A Thing”, Post-”I love you”

Setting: Brobastian’s house, Lima, Ohio

Summary:   Brody admits—he’s not really sure what to expect coming home tonight.  It’s National Salami Day, which just happens to coincide with the anniversary of when he and Sebastian first started their…thing.  The last two years, they’ve gone out and danced and drank and come home and had a lot of good sex.  It’s what they do for all of the random, conveniently placed holidays they’ve always celebrated (Thanksgiving, Bastille Day, Elephant Appreciation Day, among others), and it’s worked pretty well for them, so far.   But this week Bas suddenly had this crazy impulse to know Brody’s schedule—to want to do dinner, which Brody had gone along with, showing only mild bemusement

Brody admits—he’s not really sure what to expect coming home tonight.  It’s National Salami Day, which just happens to coincide with the anniversary of when he and Sebastian first started their…thing.  The last two years, they’ve gone out and danced and drank and come home and had a lot of good sex.  It’s what they do for all of the random, conveniently-placed holidays they’ve always celebrated (Thanksgiving, Bastille Day, Elephant Appreciation Day, among others), and it’s worked pretty well for them, so far.  

But this week Bas suddenly has this crazy impulse to know Brody’s schedule—to want to do dinner, which Brody had gone along with, showing only mild bemusement.  The guy’s just been such a moron—more so than usually, he means. The older teacher is actually a little confounded by it, even if it is kind of adorable how “secretive” he’s being, all but demanding Brody announce himself whenever he decides to leave or enter a room.  

That said, Brody goes ahead and grabs a bottle of wine—a crappy one (French imported), since obviously Bas is planning something, and he doesn’t want to look like an inconsiderate ass—and heads home after practice.  He’s wondering if maybe he’s putting too much thought into this—maybe Bas is just planning some really elaborate sex thing, and doesn’t figure they’ll have time to go out.  Or maybe he just wants something simple, like pizza.

He turns onto Juneau Drive, still in thought, and the first thing he notices is the smoke.  It’s not black and deadly, but it’s fuzzy and pouring from the house.  His house.  He speeds up, heart suddenly pounding, and slams the car into park as he hits the curb, jumping out to hear the smoke alarm screaming into the night, and he’s pretty sure he forgot how to breathe.

The teacher throws open the front door, and the smell is just awful.  If he wasn’t so amped up on fear and adrenaline, he’d probably gag a little because what the hell is that?  

Finally, after longest moment in history’s consideration, three things happen simultaneously that cause Brody to relax enough to breathe again: he can see that the smoke has not engulfed the whole house, and that it’s not going to burn to the ground; he realizes that the smell is grease, which his mind quickly deduces as the cause of the fire; and—most importantly—Brody can hear the sound of fluid angry cursing just beneath the angry pitch of the smoke alarm.

The blue-eyed man quickly moves through the house and into the kitchen, and sure enough, Bas is furiously trying to battle the persistent flames in the pan, with something burning away with a little less gusto in the sink and on the wet counter.  He doesn’t really think too hard on it—Brody knows his priorities, and the first thing he does is take the adorably frustrated peacock in his arms, throw him over his shoulder, and carry him in long strides back the way he came in.  He unceremoniously dumps the man on the ground, a quick glance-over revealing that besides looking dirty and smudged (and maybe a tiny bit tearful), Bas isn’t really injured.  And so Brody leaves him on the grass, turning to jog quickly back inside, where he grabs up the baking soda from the cupboard and proceeds to douse the flames.  His counter is burned.  And the sink. And the pan is pretty scorched. But he was never that picky about the kitchen anyways—they first two will still function at least, and he can buy a new pan with little hassle.  Brody quickly climbs up on a chair to disarm the smoke alarm, turning on every fan in the house and leaving the windows open before he finally is able to get back outside to Sebastian.

His lanky form hasn’t left the grass.  His arms are petulantly pulled across his chest, face scrunching into a pout as he glances up to watch Brody reappear; the tiniest glimpse of relief flickering in his perfect green eyes before resuming its sulk.  Brody has to bite down hard on his lip in order to keep from smiling, because now that the guy is safe, it really is adorable.  

“Are you okay?”  He squats down in front of him, leaning on his knees as his thumb traces along the other’s face, more careful in its inspection this go-round.

“I had it handled,” is the short, grouchy reply.   And Brody loses the battle with himself as a burst of air escapes his carefully trapped throat in what is obvious amusement.

“You mean, you meant to set the kitchen on fire?” he asks, eyebrow cocking slightly in gentle skepticism, and the love of his life scoffs in response.

“Yes, Brody—the directions specifically stated to add a dash of salt and burn the house down,” he bites back acerbically, causing Brody to laugh-cough a second time.

The older man shakes his head, angling it slightly as he tries to catch the surly green gaze.  “What were you even doing?”  Sebastian is a worse cook than Brody—while Brody is merely impatient when it comes to learning new things, Sebastian really has no experience in the kitchen, and up until recently lived off fine dining prepared by a staff and then takeout.

The grumble is obviously a sign of Bas’ awareness of this fact, albeit with its normal level of stubborn resistance against specifically acknowledging it.  “Lapin Braisé.”

Brody knows the words are French (bad sign), and he racks his brain trying to recall what the hell the dish is… “You were making rabbit?” he finally realizes.

“Lapin.  It’s sophisticated—something you would have no experience with, Brodes.  I thought I could inject a little culture into your lackluster world, but your damn stove is defective or something, and when was the last time you bought a decent pan anyways?…”

The older man doesn’t even try to hide the smile that blooms on his face by now.  He just shakes his head with a soft “I love you” (which still feels really damn good to say), and wraps his arms around his moron’s tightly curled, angry body.  The older man’s lips kiss him gently until the other’s muscles relax; until a lanky pair of arms finally snake around Brody’s solid frame, fingers twining through his hair and tugging, as Bas’ own lips hungrily began to reciprocate; and the older man pulls him closer, rocking his hips against the other now straddling his lap.

Eventually, Brody forces himself to pull away, because—yeah, a little too public out here on his lawn.  He quirks a mischievous eyebrow up at the other and smirks.  “Why don’t I lock up, and we’ll grab the bed and get the hell out of here? Grab something to eat--get a room over in Findlay?”  It’s pathetic that the nicest hotel in a twenty mile radius is still only 3 stars, but for nights when they just want to escape for a minute?  It really isn’t so bad; and the memory foam mattress topper that Brody had invested in a year ago keeps Sebastian from tossing and turning while actually trying to sleep (which they do get around to doing, eventually), so the lack of quality goes by for the majority of time unnoticed.  Bas whines slightly from his place on top of him, but Brody knows the guy will be happier having sex somewhere away from the literal smell of his (or “Brody’s kitchen’s”, as it’s sure to remain) failure.  And sure enough, after the next moment, there is a begrudging sigh of agreement and the long legs disentangle themselves from his waist.

As they pile into the truck, still parked haphazardly on the sidewalk, Brody’s blue gaze shifts over to Bas, who finally looks over and eyes the other semi-defensively. “What?”

Brody smiles again, broad and beaming and just so damned happy.  “You really are kind of amazing, you know that?” He knows the words might seem a little disjointed—after all, Bas has basically ruined their International Salami Day dinner and part of the kitchen, and scared Brody (and likely himself) half to death in the process.  But really, when Brody thinks back on the whole week up to now (especially now), it just reminds him of how lucky he is to be the one that Sebastian Smythe decided to care about—to love.  Because the guy really never does anything halfway, and Brody doesn’t think he’ll ever really get over someone thinking he is really worth all of that.

So when Sebastian blinks, before shrugging his shoulders with a quirky “Of course—where have you been?”, Brody just leans over to kiss him again, before shifting the truck into gear and driving off into the night.