#rolling around in the sand flopping and writhing about it

[anonymusbosch]

decided to bloomscroll instead of doomscroll and now I've got the Yearnings

Liliaceae in the San Gabriel Mountains. Look at them. Goddamn. They're just out there!! damn!!! and I've seen and love Humboldt lilies (my favorite lily!!) and Plummer's mariposa lily and desert mariposa lilies but I've never seen a pine fritillary! a lemon lily! i need i need i need

[rotworld]

2: Centaur

it’s said that only pure virgin maidens can call a unicorn, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

->explicit. contains horse genitalia, weird sex magic to enable human-to-horse genitalia compatibility, dubcon/noncon, semi-public sex, implications of mind-altering magic, gore, murder, kidnapping.

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.

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You’ve never seen anything so beautiful.

The meadow is in full bloom, a sea of brilliance. Here, a profusion of daisies. There, a carpet of poppies. Asters and yarrow and little clovers, flowers you’ve never heard of, colors you didn’t know existed, bloom as far as the eye can see. There are starbursts, blue as the sea, that smell of salt and sand, and cones of pink blossoms that glitter in the light. Petals dance in a gentle breeze like prismic rain, carrying a soft, sweet scent. It feels like a dream. You’re knee-deep in flowers beneath a cloudless sky.

“This is impossible,” you say softly, afraid to disturb the peace. Your fingers graze a curving stem, heavy with bluebells. “It’s autumn. The leaves should be turning. How is everything so green?” 

The king’s men sigh tiredly, looking uncomfortable and terribly out of place in their clanking armor. “Unicorn,” they say, the only word they seem to know. Why are the winds so gentle here, spring-sweet and warm? Unicorn. Why is the water crystal clear and sparkling, the perfect temperature for both a quenching drink and a quick rinse of your dirtied hands? Unicorn. Why couldn’t you see the meadow until you crossed the river and passed a certain willow tree? Unicorn, obviously. They shake their heads at you like you don’t know anything.

“Sit here,” one of them tells you, pointing to a spot among the daffodils. 

Another one stops you just as you’re kneeling in the grass. “No, no, wait, over there is better. There are lilies. Lilies are a symbol of virginity.”

“I think the roses would be best,” a third chimes in. “Seems very maiden-like, doesn’t it? That’s what a maiden would pick, I think, if a maiden were out here, picking flowers.” The other knights nod sagely. “Then it’s decided. Over there by the roses, please. Here, sit with your legs folded like this…”

You roll your eyes. You can’t believe how seriously they’re taking the stupid little details. This whole expedition is a lost cause. It doesn’t matter how much they pretty you up, dressing you in this flowing gown and making you wander barefoot among the flowers. You’re a sheepherder, not a waifish little girl. A unicorn can tell the difference. But the king must really be desperate, because the knights are insistent as they correct your posture, smooth out your hair, and inspect you from every angle.

“Good. Perfect,” one of them says, nodding at his handiwork. “We’ll get into position. Do,” he pauses, waving his hand vaguely, “maiden things. Sing songs. Braid your hair. Whatever it is maidens do.” You watch them clang and clatter away to the treeline, hiding poorly among the rocks and flower bushes. You relish in the space and freedom, flopping on your back in the grass. You couldn’t care less if a unicorn comes or not. The fields are yellowed and prickly at home, nothing like the beautiful softness of this meadow. Your cousin agreed to watch your sheep for the day, so you don’t have a care in the world. You close your eyes and let eternal spring wash over you. 

You open your eyes to darkness.

You sit up slowly, groaning and groggy. You must’ve drifted off. Petals fall from your gown as you yawn and rub your eyes. Snoring drifts from the trees; the knights fast asleep. You stand up to stretch, only to find a new, fantastic landscape stretched before you. The meadow is tinged silvery blue in moonlight. New flowers, unopened buds just hours ago, bloom with a faint glow. A river of stars shines overhead. This must be the dream, you think, or maybe you’ve been dreaming since you crossed the river. Everything about the meadow is otherworldly, a place of beauty and gentleness unlike anything you’ve ever known.

And then you hear it. Softly at first and indistinct, but nearing, gradually louder. A rhythmic gait, too heavy for a human, too pronounced for fleshy feet. Hoofbeats. Your breath catches in your throat. You scramble to your feet and look around. Auroras shimmer above you, rippling ribbons of green. Night breeze blows across the meadow and the grass whispers at your ankles. You see him, trotting across the meadow. You see him and there are tears in your eyes. You realize you’ve never known beauty until this moment.

The unicorn is the color of night, black and deepest blue. His mane shimmers, woven with gemstones and glittering flower buds, and his horn shines like polished onyx. He is a man from the waist up, silver eyed and handsome. There are scars along his broad shoulders, puckered skin that healed a lighter gray. Beneath the waist, muscle twists and transforms into long equine legs. His gait is leisurely, a smile tugging at his lips. 

“My oh my, what do we have here?” he says. His voice is velvety smooth and alluring. Your apprehension melts away even as he stops before you, his front legs bending so you’re face to face. A heavy, coat-like fabric rests across the back of his horse body, royal purple and delicately embroidered with intricate floral patterns. He reaches for you, slender fingers curling along your jaw. You’re sure of it now. This is all just a dream. The unicorn chuckles, a warm and rumbling sound that fills you with heat. “You’re wide awake, little one.”

“You can read my thoughts?” 

“I can read more than that.” His smile widens and he stands to his full height. You fidget nervously as he walks in a slow circle around you, a hand beneath his chin. His hooves kick up petals and glittering pollen with every step. “Hmm, let’s see...a shepherd! How precious. What gentle hands. Ah, but a solitary life. You’ve not known a lover’s touch in quite some time.” Your face heats in embarrassment. His palm trails across your back as he passes behind you, squeezing your shoulder. 

“I thought unicorns only came to pure maidens,” you say. His every touch sends sparks across your skin. You can feel his warmth through the flimsy, thin fabric of your gown. At that, his smile gains a sharp edge, almost predatory. It’s gone as quickly as it came.

“What a delight you are,” he murmurs. “Coming all this way was worthwhile after all.” He begins to walk and you follow without being asked. There are flowers all around you but you pay them no mind now, too entranced by the beautiful creature beside you. You don’t know if you go far or not, time and distance rendered meaningless in the dreamlike embrace of the meadow. He leads you to a large, mossy rock formation, the stone sheared away to leave an unnaturally flat surface. You look back over your shoulder, remembering the knights. Did they sleep through all of this? Should you say something? The unicorn’s hand cups your chin, dragging your gaze back to him. His breathtaking smile obliterates all thoughts of anything else. 

“The stories are an exaggeration,” he tells you. He guides you gently, hands on your shoulders, to sit on the stone. His legs fold beneath him and he sits, his hands carding through your hair. The affection and desire in every touch, every gentle scratch of his fingers against your scalp, makes you hotter. “We appear to whomever we wish to appear to. But I confess, some of us do have a soft spot for virgins.” He presses a sharp kiss to your lips, nipping at you. “We enjoy teaching them pleasure,” he hisses, and pushes you suddenly onto your back. The gown is pulled from your body, discarded in the grass. Night air caresses your bare skin and you squirm beneath his wandering gaze.

Somehow, it only occurs to you now what his intentions are. The gentle caresses, the sensual touches and the heat in his gaze didn’t feel real. They still don’t, but now, naked and at the mercy of his hungry eyes, you understand. “You...you want me?” you say, your voice small in embarrassment. When you say it out loud, it sounds even more ridiculous, but there’s no mistaking this. He rests his arms across your abdomen, gazing up at you with fondness and longing. 

“I do,” he says. “Very, very much. Would you let me have you?” 

You bite your lip, your body trembling as he slips a hand between your legs and just grazes your sex with his fingertips. The touch is teasing, too fleeting, and leaves you aching for more. You nod shakily and he hums, pleased at your acquiescence. “What’s your name?”

He looks rather charmed that you asked, warmth filling his gaze. “I am Myurva,” he says. You give him your name in return and the way he says it back to you, the lascivious purr, makes you squirm. The unicorn rests his hands on your knees, gently but firmly easing them apart. “Spread your legs for me, lovely. I want to see you.” 

Myurva’s seduction is slow and patient even as you writhe and beg him for more. He opens you on his fingers, soothing your frenzied whimpers with sweet nothings and loving whispers of your name. You’ve never been treated with such devotion, such smothering lust and affection. He touches you like the love of his life, kisses tenderly and messily, drags his hand along your side and savors the way you move for him. “So very worth it,” he murmurs, kissing your inner thigh. He has two fingers inside you, caressing your walls and curling just right to reach the spot that makes you shriek. “How fortunate I am to have found you, lovely. I want to keep you. I want to spoil you each and every night.” 

You’re keening for him, sobbing with need, when he flips you onto your stomach. You hardly notice. You spread your legs when you feel his hands on you, kneading your ass. Everything is hot and electrifying, hazy with pleasure. Then his front hooves land heavily in the grass near your head and something enormous rubs against you. “Wait,” you say shakily. You hear a chuckle above you. The fleshy end of Myurva’s cock slides against your ass, smearing precum along your spine. Your heart skips a beat feeling the sheer size of it against you. There’s no way. It’s impossible. You try to push yourself up on your elbows and one of his hooves stamps dangerously near your head. 

“I thought you wanted me, lovely,” he says. He thrusts again, the length of him slipping between your thighs and grinding against your sex. “If you move, I’ll have to chase you. You won’t get far.” 

“You won’t fit,” you tell him, voice pitched in desperation. Trying to squirm just makes him rest his weight against you, crushing you between the stone and the bulk of his body. “You’re going to break me!”

“I’ll go slow,” Myurva purrs. He demonstrates with a slow grind, a gradual roll of his hips. His heated flesh feels so good against you. “I’ll be so, so careful with you. Don’t you remember the stories? I enjoy virgins. I haven’t harmed a single one. They wander the woods in search of me, begging to feel my cock again.” You hear his back hooves shifting, repositioning behind you. He lines himself up and his cock prods against your opening. “Let me show you,” he urges. “Let me bring you pleasure you’ve never known.” He grinds against you again, hot pressure building as he begins to push inside. You gasp his name, beg him to wait, to go slow, to give you a moment to collect yourself, but he chuckles and presses harder.

Your nails rake against the stone and your vision whites out. The burn of the stretch becomes a tingling sensation, numb at first and then blindly pleasurable, lighting sparks in your belly. It shouldn’t be possible but you feel the head inside of you. The pain is a dull ache but every movement chases it away, pleasure washing over you. He rocks his hips and the steady, shallow thrusts push him deeper. True to his word, he fucks into you agonizingly slowly, panting and moaning

“How do you feel, lovely?” he asks, his voice strained. He’s holding back, you realize, his hooves stomping restlessly as he makes small, unconscious thrusts to feel you wrapped around him. “Let me in deeper. Let me fuck you properly. You won’t regret it.”

You don’t think he can get deeper. You try to tell him as much, but a hard thrust knocks the breath out of you. The fullness makes your head spin. You feel yourself pushing back against him despite all of the sensations, the ache inside of you, the impossibility of the whole situation in the back of your mind. He makes a breathy, choked sound and then laughs, fucking you harder. “Ohhh, that’s it. Just like that. I knew you’d love this.” You can hear his cock slamming into your body, can feel the weight of his heavy balls slapping your ass with every thrust. You feel like a cocksleeve, a snug toy for him to fuck. The force of his thrusts drags you back and forth over the stone, scraping up your chest, but the pain is nothing compared to the pleasure he gives you. 

Someone is screaming, crying Myurva’s name into the night. You barely recognize your own voice, the needy pitch, the tremor in every word. You’re so full, so unbearably stuffed with cock, no longer trying to meet his thrusts but letting him move you, ruining you for any human partner. Your knees bruise on the stone. Your toes curl. Your cries build to a frenzied crescendo and you cum impaled on his enormous cock, shaking, panting his name.

“Lovely,” he moans, an obscene sound leaving his lips as your inner muscles clamp down on his cock. “Gods above, darling, I’m going to fill you.” He fucks you wildly, no rhythm, no caution, his whole cock slamming into you as hard and deep as he can get. You can’t move. The whole world turns white-hot and blinding. You go limp, gasping weakly as Myurva begins to grunt, his cock pulsing, his whole length crammed inside you.

You thought you were full already, but then he cums. You feel him straining on top of you, his whole weight thrown forward as he fucks ropes of thick cum into your body. It foams up around his length and makes obscene, slick sounds. You feel it overflowing, trickling down your thighs. It feels like it goes on forever, his moans, his deep, straining thrusts, his cock pouring more and more cum into your body until his balls empty and he finally, with a satisfied sigh, pulls out. 

You make an undignified sound at the sudden emptiness, and the rush of cum that follows. You’re grateful for the stone beneath you, cool against your sweat-soaked skin. Your legs are jelly. You don’t know if you’ll ever walk again. Myurva’s front hooves lift, stepping back from the stone. His human hand caresses your cheek. “You’re truly something, lovely,” he says quietly. “I spoke in jest of keeping you, but now...it’s difficult to resist the temptation.” 

You try to speak but only manage an incoherent murmur of noise. He chuckles and strokes your hair. Distantly, you’re aware of other noises than the two of you. Shouting. Footeps. Clattering steel. You remember suddenly that you aren’t alone out here, arms struggling to lift you. The knights. How could you forget? Shame heats your face. How long have they been awake? How much did they see? How much did they hear? Myurva shushes your protests, pressing a gentle hand on the small of your back. “Rest,” he says. You don’t think you’re capable of doing much else, anyway.

You hear a commotion behind you. The knights, shouting in outrage, drawing swords. Are they going to hurt Myurva? Your eyes widen and you try again, uselessly, to lift yourself and see what’s happening. The unicorn gives you one last gentle caress and leaves you, his hoofbeats stopping somewhere between you and the knights.

“At last, you show yourself!” the knights exclaim. You manage to roll onto your side, craning your neck to see them surrounding Myurva, but he doesn’t look concerned. He glances around, examining each of the men. 

“Let’s see,” he murmurs. “Subjects of King Cornelius. And you want…” The corner of his lips twitch in amusement. “A hostage? Is that right? Your people have no claim over our mountains. A hostage will not change this. My king does not negotiate.” His words are ignored. The knights are wary but they do not back down. You feel like a fool. Why didn’t you ask them what they wanted the unicorn for? You assumed it was something trivial, a silly princess who wanted a pet. Nothing like this. 

Myurva glances back at you. His silver eyes catch the moonlight and glint dangerously. Those are a predator’s eyes, you realize. A thing that hunts and stalks the night. “You worry for me, lovely?” he purrs. “Your every emotion is so tender. I really must keep you. But, alas,” he chuckles, turning back to the knights, “business first, my sweet.”

You hadn’t looked all that carefully at the fabric across the back of his body. You hadn’t noticed the sword sheaths hanging there, hidden beneath the drapes and tassels. You hear steel scraping steel as he unsheathes twin blades, long and curved, as strikingly silver as his eyes. One of the knights tries to say something. “Come quietly,” or some other meaningless thing. He never finishes speaking. You hardly see Myruva move. A flash of silver, a rush of air; that’s all it takes. The knight’s head falls from his shoulders, and his body sinks to the ground soon after. The others begin to scream and scatter, but they’ll never get away. There’s no outrunning a unicorn. 

Laying there upon the stone, you see everything. Prey fleeing and predator giving chase. Swords clashing. Flesh pierced and mangled. Myurva tramples one of them, snaps the man’s ribs with glee in his shining eyes. Their armor does nothing but trap them in slow, awkward shells, easy prey to catch and dismantle. The unicorn moves like a whirlwind across the meadow, death his shadow. Blood soaks the soil and splatters the flowers, almost black in the night. 

You’re on your knees when it’s over, hunched over the stone with your legs in the grass. You can’t stand. You can’t run. You can’t do anything but turn and see Myurva standing there, fresh blood dripping from his swords. He smiles at the sight of you, the shivers wracking your body. “You didn’t know,” he assures you. “I can read you, remember?” He wipes the blood from his blades, sheathing them at his side once again. You flinch when he comes closer, sitting in the grass beside you. You smell the carnage on him. The fingers that tuck your hair behind your ear are wet and warm. “Pleased to meet you,” he purrs. “I’m Myurva, the royal spymaster. And you are the loveliest little human I’ve ever seen.”

You protest weakly when he scoops you up in his arms, standing suddenly. You’re vaguely aware of moving, of being carried somewhere. You fight to cling to consciousness, but it’s slowly slipping out of your grasp. “Hush,” Myurva coos, kissing your forehead. “We’ve a long ways to go and you’re in no condition to ride me just yet. But, eventually…” He chuckles, one of his hands cupping your backside. “Eventually, we’ll have all the time in the world to do whatever we like, won’t we?”

[bibliocratic]

dark!AU, alternative S5 - Elias wins

There are content warnings in the tags, or here on A03 in more detail. Let me know if any further need to be added. 

Upon the Sighted throne, Martin’s presence infringes upon Elias’ knowing. From the clusters of eyes that sprout from the ornate seat like berry plants, he watches Martin approach slowly. The man has taught himself not to react to the multitude of pupils that flicker and swivel in his direction, and he stops a suitable distance from the throne itself. Elias is not ready to grant him the honour of his attention, and Martin knows he will have to wait as long as Elias wants him to.

There are no days here, nor time to measure his tempered impatience. Martin waits, as Elias indulgently observes the horror of the world he has reckoned into being, visiting pockets of terror to glut himself on the visions of the wretched there.

“I trust you have a good reason for demanding my attention, Martin.”

A shiver along the stalks of his many eyes is the only warning the other man gets as Elias sinks back into himself and gazes upon his visitor with his human sight. Martin schools his body still, aborting the shaking that has started up in his legs from how long he has stood.

“He’s been up there for too long,” Martin says. His voice is intentionally flat, stripped of demands, all its edges sanded off to quiet. He can be quite biddable when he tries to be, this wayward servant of the Eye. “Let him down so he can rest, just for a while.”

Elias studies his tamed prisoner carefully. His posture bowed deferential. Servitude has always been a good look on him for all he chafed and strained at his yoke in the beginning, and he will confess he has enjoyed turning his hand personally to this particular task. It took longer to break him in, longer than it took his treasured Archive, but he learned eventually.

He considers refusing him again, to feel the disappointment crumple in him no matter how much Martin tries to disguise its passing on his face. Elias does so delight in hearing him beg.

“And where are your manners?” he asks instead. Idly, studying his fingernails.

“Please.”

“What was that sorry?” he responds, indulgent and toying. He watches a muscle jump in Martin’s jaw.

He sometimes hopes for the defiance of yesteryear, the frustrating spark of refusal that Elias had spend so long trying to snuff out.

“Please, Elias,” Martin says in his flat, defeated voice. “Let him down.”

“And I suppose you’d beg for some time with him? To fuss and dote and play house?”

Martin doesn’t answer.

Elias sighs as if he is granting a great boon, a tax upon his time and energies. He snaps his fingers, the sound sharper in the hollow throne room, pointing at his feet like he’s summoning a dog to heel.

“You know how to ask.”

It’s a small pity, a frivolous, mildly rankling loss, that such humiliation doesn’t summon a flush to Martin’s cheeks any longer. It was quite a sight, in the early days of Elias’ rule, the man’s pathetic desperation to see his beloved warring with the dregs of his shame.

Martin walks forward to the foot of the throne and goes to his knees without a word.

Elias reaches down to comb his hair from his face, fixing some of the longer strands back. Martin used to flinch, his shoulders high, his mind flickering bonfire bright with all the things he feared Elias might do to him. He tenses now, his gaze directly ahead, and Elias knows that whatever he might choose to do, Martin wouldn’t stop him.

“What will you give me?” Elias murmurs. “To make it worth my while?”

“Whatever you want,” Martin replies. The words learned by rote, a dutiful call-and-response.

“That’s right,” Elias hums pleased. “Whatever I want.”

He moves his hand to Martin’s throat, his fingers splayed in a loose grasp, and uses this grip to raise Martin’s head up, force him to make eye contact.

Martin bites down a gasp as Elias slips easily into his head.

Elias buries him. Has him on his back like he’s coffin-bound, trying to open his eyes only to find them fused shut with the weight of the soil above, the burden of the earth around him like a second skin. Martin sucks in panicked inhales, and he swallows dirt in crumbling chunks, and he gags and coughs to expel it but the greedy earth slides further down his throat. Martin might have learned that it’s better when he doesn’t struggle, but his thrashing body doesn’t know that. Elias waits until he’s twitching with airlessness before the pressure eases, and he is suddenly able to pant thin huffs of air, the oxygen deprivation making him woozy and spiked with delirium, and Elias knows just when to retract this respite and let the earth choke him again. This goes on for some time. Sometimes, feeling fanciful, adherent to fickle whims, he allows Martin to see a poky patch of light, permits him to worm and writhe, his skin rubbed raw with the friction, his muscles burning and his impacted nails ruined, moving inch by inch exhausted and degraded to potential freedom before the earth gulps him back down again, shrieking and screaming in muffled terror.

Elias allows his torment to continue until Martin’s convinced he’ll die here, that no one will save him, that he’ll be abandoned in the dark and the crush. It takes a long time; Martin is ever such a hopeful soul.

His pitiful mewling fear makes for such delicious entertainment, a gourmet delicacy for the Eye.

Elias withdraws, feeling full and sated, his attention already drifting away. His eyes observe the trembling wretch at his feet, gasping and coughing, as his addled mind comes back to itself, recalls that there is more than the clutch and the cold.

“What do we say?” Elias asks.

Martin’s too drained, too shattered to hate him. Attempting to rise to his knees from where his body dropped against the hard marble of the floor.

“Thank you,” he croaks out.

Elias is feeling merciful today. A magnanimous ruler of his nightmare kingdom.

“I’ve let him down.” He waves a dismissive hand. “Go.”

Martin does not need telling twice.

-

Elias leaves them alone, as much as they ever are at least.

Cut down from his moorings at the centre of the Panopticon that marks the focal point of the Eye’s gaze, the eyes that scar Jon’s body flex and roll back into his skin. Martin lifts him and carries him the short distance to their sparse quarters as he returns to himself, his endless recitation of horrors quietening into a burble, like the drying up of a river. Martin settles him on the bed, gets a damp cloth to wipe away the sweat that’s sprung onto his face.

“Hey,” he says encouragingly. His voice is dry from screaming. “Hey, you with me?”

Jon looks up. Blinks slowly. Frowns. His mouth moves without sound. This goes on for some time, and Martin had known it would.

Eventually the tight line of his body relaxes. His frown loosening into a wincing confusion.

“Martin?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Martin says, and he can’t keep the relief back. “It’s me.”

Jon’s hand flops around on the bedcovers, searching before Martin grasps it. After so long in the dirt, the warmth of skin shocks him. The grip faint before rousing to anchor their palms together.

Jon squints at him.

“Your hair’s longer.”

“You’ve been up there a while. Every time I asked he said no.”

Jon’s hand reaches up to cradle Martin’s face.

“What did he do to you?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Martin…”

“Please. Jon, please. Don’t.”

Jon stores his questions back into silence. He strokes away the faint tear marks he finds under Martin’s eyes, the only evidence of the price paid for these moments together.

“I’d kill him, if I could,” Jon says. Martin nods and replies ‘I know’ as if that were at all possible. If we kill him. If we escape.

They’ve tried. Elias would have disposed of him without a second thought when they first came here, if Jon hadn’t pleaded for his deliverance. But Martin’s continued existence is no kindness, nor a testament to Elias’ benevolence; rather, he is a perfectly made shackle, a stick to beat an unwilling Archivist with. The last time they tried to escape, Elias made Jon watch Martin’s punishment, a hand-crafted nightmare borrowed from the Desolation. All his eyes forced open, feeding on Martin’s agony even as he begged Elias to stop. Jon had stopped talking about escape after that. In a small section of Martin’s mind that he hopes Elias has overlooked, Martin thinks of nothing but.

There isn’t a lot to say to each other. Jon shivers and quakes with the aftershocks of Seeing, the last vestiges of his humanity brutalized into the service of the Eye. Martin’s mouth tastes of dirt, and his skin crawls where he is hemmed in, but he makes himself push through that discomfort, to lie down next to Jon and hold his body against his own like mooring two sea-shattered pieces of driftwood.

Martin kisses his temple. His cheek. Makes his words whisper against skin, as if they are lover’s recollections should Elias be watching.

“Jon?”

“Hm?”

“Do you remember when I was working with Peter? And you offered me something, and I didn’t take it?”

Jon stiffens. His hand in Martin’s clenches, any hope he might have felt poisoned with such reasonable terror.

“If I made you the same offer,” Martin continues into the hollow of his throat. “Knowing what would happen to you now. What would you say?”

“The same choice?”

“Exactly the same.”

Jon’s grip is bruising.

“You think there’s a way?”

“I know there is. I found something.”

Jon turns over so they are face to face.

“What about you?” comes the whisper.

If Martin succeeds, there will be no forgiveness. If Elias loses his Archive, there will be rage, pitiless and unending, the unendurable that he will be made to endure and an endless world within which to suffer it.

“Like you offered,” Martin promises. “Together.”

Carefully, he moves his hand to cover Jon’s eyes, a gentle blindfold. Without breaking eye contact, he takes Jon’s fingers, and brings them up so they run a line across Martin’s throat.

“Do you understand me?” Martin asks.

His limbs tremble more often than not nowadays, but Jon mimics Martin’s gestures – his hand held flat over his own sight, before tracing a shivering line across Martin’s neck.

“Yes,” Jon whispers.

“Even if it hurts? Even if it doesn’t work?”

“Yes,” Jon repeats. His eyes wet, the light in them calmer and clearer than Martin has seen in a long time. “Together.” He buries his face into Martin’s chest, bringing his arms around form them into one tangled mass. “I love you. I love you and I wish I could have given you better than this.”

“I love you,” Martin replies. “Just a bit longer, yeah? Just a bit longer.”

Jon leans in and presses their lips together. And Martin knows when the time comes Jon will look at him as kindly, with such compassion as Martin releases him from the Eye, and the thought almost rocks him to tears.

“Just a bit longer,” Jon confirms, and Martin folds into the embrace and prays they can both last till then.

[lovingzombiechaos]

A Girl Named Man

AO3 Link here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27404203/chapters/66978391

I’m really excited to present to you my newest work of fiction, based on the early access version of Baldur’s Gate 3. I’ve been playing D&D for about 6 years, and after buying this game for my spouse, I fell in love with it. And I’ve had so many ideas. So, here they are! Explicit, as always. Word count: over 4k. A jolt of lightning shot up my spine as it connected with the beach. Splayed out on the ground, I barely registered the debris thudding all around me. Indeed, the only thumping I registered was the not so steady rhythm of my heart in my chest and ears. By some miracle of the gods, I was alive. And mostly unhurt. I could wiggle my toes. I could grab handfuls of sand. I could breathe, though my lungs were on fire. I lied there gasping for air, eyes staring wildly into the vivid blue sky. 

The kind of blue that was too blue to be real. The kind that made your eyes ache.

Eyes. I covered my own with the heels of my hands, pressing into my skull. As if that would crush the mindflayer spawn lurking in my head. My cheek thrummed at the pressure and I tenderly reached out to feel where the rock had hit me. 

Swollen, I thought as I prodded the cheek, but not broken. One less thing to deal with.

I let out a shaky breath, followed by a half-hysterical laugh. This was fine. Completely fine. Who cared about the mindflayer parasite in my brain? I was alive. Here on the banks of the Chionthar, I hoped. Alive with a tadpole in my brain.

Another laugh escaped me and I clapped my hand over my mouth.

“It’s okay, Dir,” I whispered to myself, my hot breath flitting over my face, “you’re alive. In one piece. You need to get up and function.”

Words I had told myself every day for the past thirteen years. Why would today be any different?

It was tempting to just lie here, in the warm sun and let go. So easy to just let myself drift away. If I rolled over, I could be in the river and it wouldn’t take long at all. And then I would see Jamie again.

But it was for Jamie that I had to go on. That was what got me out of bed in the morning. The idea that I was wasting away my life, when he couldn’t live his. And that is what gave me the resolve to push myself up into a sitting position. My love for him.

The hilt of my longsword poked me in the side. At least I hadn’t lost that. I had lost everything else, including my spellbook and the locket given to me by Aislinn. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, feeling naked and vulnerable. Like I was being watched. Aislinn was going to murder me.

I couldn’t think about that just yet. I needed to gather my wits about me, figure out where I was. I skimmed my fingers over the hilt as I surveyed the immediate area, taking note of the rocky wall behind me, the river to my right and the remains of the ship, flaming hot, a few yards away, half in the water and several dead bodies spread along the beach.

I rose to my feet, brushing the sand from my legs and fluffing it out of my hair. Great, I’d be emptying sand from every crevice of my body for the next month. As much as I wanted to push forward, the dead bodies gave me pause. I’d seen plenty of the dead laying in gentle repose, but never like this. Never seen them with their unseeing eyes staring up at the sky, their mouths agape and jaws twisted. Had never seen limbs form into such jagged lines. The terrible thought of Jamie laying this way made me physically recoil. It was a visceral, horrifying sight. I closed my eyes, the better to block out that horrible image. It was enough to make me want to cry.

Despite the carnage on the beach, and the horror in my mind, my stomach growled and gurgled. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate. Certainly not on the ship.

It was the hunger that forced one foot in front of the other, until I found myself on my knees next to one of the dead bodies. I hesitated, but only for a moment. It was just a dead body. Nothing more. Nor did he have need for anything on his person.

I fished out a few gold coins, some line, a small vial of some sort. No food. I pocketed the coins and the vial and moved to the next body. More coins, more line, bait, a dagger. And an apple. I gasped and then looked over my shoulder. Nothing there.

It was a nasty, bruised apple, the kind I would have turned my nose up at had it been served to me. But gods be damned, it was the best damned apple I’d ever eaten. I ate it all the way down to the core, the juices dripping down my chin. One belch and a sigh of relief later I tossed the remainder of the apple into the river. I glanced back over my shoulder again, a wave of guilt coursing through me.

They were dead and I was alive. Though if I didn’t find a healer, I was royally fucked. And unless I had supplies, I would not be able to find a healer. This was not the time to contemplate the morals of supposedly robbing dead men. Not when I was so close to death myself. Or rather, a death of the self. The thing I was infected with would turn me into a mindflayer. An ugly, gray tentacled mind flayer. With no mind of my own, no action of my own. I reached for my locket. Still gone. I let my arm flop uselessly to my side and blew the stray strands of hair from my face. Standing here was getting me nowhere, and fast.

I pushed onward, clutching the rocky wall as I carefully stepped around the dead bodies of three young men. They must have been fishing at the time of the crash. Bad luck.

Though, I wondered what killed them. I stopped and turned back to look at them with a frown on my face. There was no debris around. That was…odd. I squatted down and examined the face of an elf, staring at the big lash across his neck. It wasn’t a knifes doing, though. A knife didn’t make singe marks in the wound. And a knife that deep in the throat would mean more blood. The wound was cauterized. What?

Looking about, I saw no one save the bodies and the only footprints I could make out were my own and theirs. The beach was eerily quiet save for sounds of water. I was alone, and yet I felt watched, by someone, something.

I stood up and shook my head. Aislinn’s paranoia was getting to me now. 

Whatever killed those men were long since gone.

I went to reach for the locket again and cursed when I remembered I still didn’t have it. I needed to stop faffing around and get going.

I left the three dead sailors behind.After an hour of walking and glancing back over my shoulder, I came across a tall, raven haired woman, standing at what looked to be an entrance of a temple. Littered all around her were the bodies of those brain…things.  

She swung her bloodied mace, hitting the door repeatedly, but it wouldn’t budge. “Blasted door!”

I strode towards her before hesitating. I’d just assumed she was friendly. There was no guarantee. I lay my hand on the hilt of the sword, just in case, and cleared my throat.

She whirled around, green eyes staring wildly as she leveled her mace at me. 

“Stop! Not another step or I’ll…”

The anger melted from her face, replaced with recognition. “Wait…it’s you. You tried to save me on the ship. At least, you made the effort.”

It was her, the half-elven woman I’d found on the ship. Some of the tension left my body and I took a step towards her. My head began to pound, stopping me in my tracks. From far away, she cried out and our minds touched. I felt her anger, her resolve and her gratitude.

It was over just as soon as it had begun and it left me reeling.

“What the bloody hells? It must be the mind flayer tadpole. It connected us somehow.”

I rubbed my temples. “We need a healer.”

She nodded and gestured to the door behind us. “Been trying to get through for the past hour. But I’ve barely made a dent in it so far.”

I stepped back to take in the door. Whatever the temple was, it was built directly into the rocky cliffs. With a closer look, I decided that it probably wasn’t the front of the temple at all, but a secondary entry.

“There’s probably another way in.”

“That’s what I was thinking. Up the cliff there,” she waved her mace towards the cliff. “Though, I don’t know if we’ll find a healer there. Or anywhere in this wilderness.”

“All we can do is try,” I said, eyeing the path. I could see smoke curling up the end of the pathway. More parts of the ship. Lovely.

“You can call me Shadowheart.”

Shadowheart? Well, I wasn’t the one to judge names. I licked my lips and regarded her for a moment. If I told her my name, I knew exactly what words would come out of her mouth. Ah, well, I’d heard worse, and from people better loved than her.

“I’m Dir. Shall we head on?”

Shadowheart did not disappoint. “Dir? As in the elven word for man?”

I wanted to roll my eyes at her. Instead I plastered what I hoped to be a serene smile on my face. “Yes.”

“Your parents must have hated you,” she said with a small smirk as she lead the way up the path.

I followed, climbing the steep slope. “My parents wanted a boy. By the time I was born, my mother was rather stuck on the name.”

“Even for a boy that name is…odd. A human boy called man. Unless, it’s short for something. Is it?”

“Yes.” But I wasn’t going to give her even more ammunition.

She paused, one foot hovering above the entrance to the ship and half turned towards me. Poised and waiting. I knew better than to engage.

Instead I stopped short and took in the mass of writhing purple in front of me. 

Shadowheart’s gaze followed mine back to the ship. It didn’t look nearly as elegant laying in pieces on the ground, a flaming mass of former glory. My stomach lurched, the apple nearly making a reappearance.

“Not so impressive now, are you?” Shadowheart practically snarled, echoing my sentiments.

We marveled at the havoc and wreakage around us and an unearthly cry filled the former helm. The hairs on my arms stood up and my toes curled in their boots. I clasped the hilt of the sword strapped to my hip, drawing it slowly with silent intent.

Shadowheart lifted her shield and gripped her mace. “There!”

An intellect devourer. A walking abomination of a former brain. They had been on the ship. They were the ones calling for me to release them. They had been the ones to kill those sailors.

“Stay back, one strike could be lethal,” Shadowheart said to me over her shoulder as she inched forward, mace at the ready.

To my left another one came from the shadows. A third screamed from above and landed on the flooring between myself and Shadowheart.

With another piercing shriek the three devourers moved in unison. Two towards Shadowheart and one towards me.

I adjusted the grip on my sword and waited for it to come into range before slicing through the meat of the brain. The little faux tentacles on the side swiped at me as I danced out of their reach. The air crackled as they whizzed by. Shit. Too close.

It skidded to a stop and turned to face me again and again, I waited for it to rush to me before making my move. As I thrust the sword into the brain, it wrapped its tentacle around my wrist and I roared in pain. I swung my arm around until it slipped from my wrist and went flying.

It hit the side of the ship with a splat and slid to the floor in a vicious, slick red puddle on the ground. It moved no more.

I held my wrist with my good hand and turned to Shadowheart, who was pulverizing one of the brains while the other smacked into her shield.

Pushing the pain from my mind, I came up behind the other and struck it right in its rear. It gave a blood curdling cry and danced at the end of my sword before collapsing on the deck.

Just when I’d thought I’d seen enough combat. I stood, looming over the dead devourers, and gave my head a shake. Monstrosities.

A sharp pain in my wrist brought me back to the present. I peeled the sleeve of my tunic back and grimaced at the angry, red slice. It had the same crisp edges as did the dead elf’s face, though it wasn’t as deep. Still hurt like a bitch.

I sheathed my sword and sat down upon one of the lopsided stairs. From a cursory glance, it looked like we were in half of the helm of the ship. I didn’t want to spend another godsdamned moment in there, but I needed desperately to catch my breath.

Shadowheart turned toward me, a victorious smirk on her face.“Well, you fight quite well. It seems our survival may not be such a distant prospect afterall.” Her eyes flitted to my wrist and the smirk disappeared. “You’re hurt.”

“Yes. It would seem so.”

As she reached into the bag on her hip, she walked over to me. She pulled out a large bandage and began to wind it around my wrist. When she was done and had tied it off, she whispered. “Take cure.”

The magic settled into my wrist, knitting the skin back together. The pain had already lessened by a considerable degree.

She stood up again and nodded. “It will be good as new in the morning…If we even have that long.”

I pushed myself up to my feet. “Let’s get moving. We don’t know how long it will take.”

“Agreed.”

We skirted through the helm, past the dead bodies of thralls that had been previously hidden, and past the body of a mind flayer.

Shadowheart stopped and spat on him. “Monster.”

“Monster’s too good a word for it.” I said, cupping her elbow. With a little tug, I said, “Come. Pissily staring at it won’t get us any closer to a cure.”

“You’re right,” she sighed and allowed me to guide her out of the ship and onto an unfamiliar patch of sand.

I tilted my head back, shading my eyes from the sun. Too much foliage and fiery wreckage, prevented me from seeing anymore of the temple. We’d just have to keep climb upward and hope we were going in the right direction.

I shrugged back at Shadowheart.

“Something the matter?”

“No, just looks like it’s a longer walk than we first anticipated. Hope we make it before nightfall.”

“You have got to be kidding me. Come on,” she said as she rolled her neck and shoulders. “This is ridiculous.”

“Welcome to, uh, wherever we are.” A pathetic attempt at a joke, but Shadowheart half-smiled at me anyway.

“Well you know---"

“Help! You! Help me!” A voice cried from the brush.

Shadowheart and I exchanged quizzical looks.

“Please, I need help,” the voice insisted.

“I’ll go,” I said with my hand on the hilt of my sword. She grabbed my arm. “We don’t know if they’re friend or foe.”

While she was right, she could also be very wrong. I smiled blandly at her. “I didn’t know that about you either and yet, here we are.”

She threw her hands up. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I headed toward the voice. “Promise, I won’t.”

A tall, white haired elf stepped directly in my path. He had a handsome face and windswept curly hair, nearly as white as snow. His dark eyes darted between me and the brush as he pointed.

“There! Do you see it? It’s just there, I had it cornered just now. Can you kill it? Like the rest of them.”

I sized him up; he was no small elf, tall and thick in stature, with a handsome, haughty face, angular in nature. And red eyes. I squinted. That couldn’t be right. No, they weren’t red, just a rusty brown…

I glanced over. “Where is it?”

“There, just there! Can’t you see it?” His voice very nearly sounded desperate.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” I drew my sword and stepped closer just as a boar jumped from the brush, causing me to jerk back in surprise.

Right into the waiting arms of the elf.

The cold bite of a dagger bit into my throat as his other hand gripped my aching wrist and my sword fell with a clang into the dirt. All while whispering, “Shh, shh,” in my ear.

Behind me Shadowheart roared. “I TOLD you! Let her go!”

The elf ignored her and his breath tickled my ear. “Now, you were on the ship, were you not? Just nod, like a good girl.”

As much as I wanted to remain calm, this was just too damned much. A pounding formed under the skin of the wound and there was a rock jutting into the middle of my back. I was fucking done with the day. Done.

I wriggled into him, taking him by surprise and leaving a trickle of blood at my throat as I slammed the crown of my head into his chin full force. Just as Aislinn taught me. I could almost hear the glee in her voice, telling me every inch of the body was a weapon.

He rolled back, roaring and I scrambled to get up just as Shadowheart ran over, her mace poised for attack. I stomped my heel on his wrist, twisting. He let go of the dagger and I gestured with my head for her to pick it up.

As soon as she grabbed the dagger, I moved my foot off his wrist and stepped back, allowing him to scrabble to his feet.

His handsome face was twisted into a red, wet angry mess of features. “How dare---arrgh!” He gripped his head between his hands.

My head throbbed as visions flashed before my eyes. The streets of Baldur’s Gate. Dark, but busy.

What the fuck? First the githyanki woman on the ship, then Shadowheart, now this elf too. I splayed my hands on my knees, panting as I stared up at him.

He stared back at me. “They put one of those brain things in you too. I felt it.”

I said nothing, observing him. The way his dark eyes flitted back and forth, searching my face.

He lifted his bruising chin at me. “And to think I was ready to decorate the beach with your innards. My apologies.”

I regarded him for a moment and stood up, giving him a curt nod. “Accepted.”

He smiled. “I am Astarion.”

Sigh. Here we go again. “I’m Dir.”

His light brows shot up. “Dir? As in, man?”

Did people think they were clever for pointing that out?

“Yes. And now, we’re in desperate need of a healer. You’re welcome to join us.”

“Are you insane?” Shadowheart hissed behind me. “He just tried to kill you!”

“There is safety in numbers. And it seems he has our problem.” I tapped my finger against my temple.

She sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

The elf grinned and bowed with a flourish of his arms. “Well, then, lead on.”

Lead on? Both Shadowheart and Astarion were both looking at me expectantly. I pretended not to see them as I readjusted my belt and went after my sword. This was insanity. I covered my mouth to prevent another giggle escaping.

“You alright there?”

“Yep, just a sneeze,” I said, pinching my nose as I slid my sword back into the scabbard. “Let’s go.”

“So, do either of you know the consequences of our little parasite?” Astarion drawled as we climbed further.

“Yes,” said Shadowheart. “It will turn us into mind flayers.”

Astarion laughed.

I whirled around and whispered, “Shh! Don’t draw attention to us.”

“Sorry, it’s just….of course it will turn me into a monster. What else did I expect?”

I peered him. He focused down on the soft white sand beneath our feet. His lips pursed into almost a pout. There was a sad, despairing look about him. The urge to comfort him was strong, but he didn’t look like the type of man who would appreciate a kind word and a soft touch from a stranger. He turned his face to the sun, eyes closed and inhaled deeply.

“I suppose we should get moving,” he muttered.

“Yeah, we should.”

“That’s curious,” said Shadowheart.

She pointed at a shimmering rune etched on the rocky wall. I jogged down the slope with Astarion on my heels. I traced my fingertips down the intricate lines. A transport rune. The stone was hot under my hands, yet left me cold and empty. The weave was barely reacting to my touch, leaving an ache in my heart.

“I see you’re alive and well!” An unfamiliar voice said.

Damn. I was meeting all sorts of new people today. I stood and turned towards his voice.

His voice was friendly enough, as was his face, save for the furrowed brow. But, he was more thoughtful than scornful. His brown eyes examined my face closer and his bearded mouth split into a grin, revealing straight white teeth.

“Where the bloody hells did you come from?” Shadowheart cried.

“Netherese rune,” the man said, patting the rune. “Simply viscous with magic. One little touch and now, well, here I am.”

The man turned his smile to me. “Last I saw you, you were laying in a crucibles worth of blood, an intellect devourer nibbling at your ear. Glad to see that my eyes deceived me. I’m Gale. Well met.”

I bowed my head to him. “Well met. These are my companions--”

“I’m Shadowheart.”

“Astarion. I take it you too, were on the ship?”

“That I was. A traumatic as well as instructive experience.” Gale replied, his palms together.

Shadowheart snorted and Astarion laughed aloud.

“An instructive experience? Hardly. Traumatic, yes, I’d say so,” Astarion drawled. “But tell me, Gale, were you also infected with our little…friend?”

“Indeed, I was. Are you aware that after a period of excruciating gestation it will turn us into mind flayers? A process known as ceremorphosis. It is to be avoided,” Gale said with a scowl.

I let my face curl into a half-smile. “Well, yes, I’d agree there.”

He looked between the three of us. “I take it none of you are wizards?”

“No, we are not,” Shadowheart sniffed. “Why?”

“Pity,” Gale said, seemingly to himself. He peered at me with a frown. “I sense a gust of weave coming from you, but I’m in need of more of a tempst.”

I lifted my brows in response, but said nothing. His eyes met mine for a brief moment.

He sighed. “Nevermind that. Our first priority is a healer. I don’t suppose any of you are accomplished healers?”

Crossing my arms over my chest I shook my head.

“That would also be a no,” Astarion replied.

“Hmm. Well, we need a healer, and fast. I’m not sure where we’re going to find one in this wilderness.” He rubbed his chin as he stared at the rune over my head. After a moment he clapped his hands together. “Why don’t we embark on this quest for a healer together?”

Astarion and Shadowheart were both oddly quiet and staring at me. I stepped forward, arms still crossed, regarding Gale. It was clear the man was intelligent. 

Slightly full of himself, but entirely capable. Of course, I was going to say yes, but not before I pretended to think it over.

“Alright,” I said, clearing my throat. “That sounds like a plan.”

Gale flashed his white teeth again. “Excellent! But before we’re off, I didn’t quite catch your name. And by didn’t catch it, I mean, you didn’t mention it.”

Here we go. I licked my dried lips. “I’m Dir.”

He inclined his head. “Well met, Dir. And, without further ado, let us be off!”

He gave no inclination of knowing the meaning of my name. Indeed, a learned man such as himself, would be apt to know the meaning. I smiled at him, a little grateful.

We pushed further up the cliff. Due to the sheer amount of debris and fallen earth, it took a few hours more than we’d originally anticipated. By the time the ancient ruins came into sight, the sun was settling low in the sky.

I put my hands on my hips. “We should stop and make camp soon.”

“Every moment we aren’t looking for a healer, is a closer moment towards death,” Shadowheart hissed.

“We need rest. Rushing won’t get us anywhere but into a load of trouble. Not to mention,” I pulled back my sleeve, pulling down the wrappings. Shadowheart inhaled sharply. The skin on my wrist was half-healed, an angry, throbbing red. “I’m of no use to anyone now with my wrist like this.”

Gale leaned in close to examine my wrist. “Intellect devourer got you?”

“Yes.”

He waited for me to say more. When I didn’t he began to turn my wrist over in his hand.

“Oh, don’t mind her,” Astarion said. “She’s the strong silent type.”

“Indeed,” Gale said, his eyes sparkling as he wrapped up my wrist again, taking care not to wrap too tightly or too loosely. “Too bad we’re not back at my tower. I probably would have a soothing salve for this.”

I allowed myself a smile. “I’m fine. We all need the rest. We’ll be of no use to each other, exhausted and hungry.”

Shadowheart opened her mouth as if she wanted to argue, but then thought better of it. “Fine. But we need to be up at first light.”

I nodded. “Agreed.”

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Never Fathomed All The Fathoms

Word count: 5021

———————

The queen’s advisor. Having to hunt food. HOW INSULTING WAS THAT?!

Aragon stretched her wings and flipped her tail as she noticed a school of pilot fish following behind her. She smiled, trying to use this to mask her agitation, and banked upward into a loop with a big acrobatic twirl of a finish. The feeling of the open sea pushing past her brings a delicious rush, and she could almost feel her agitation ebbing away with the current. She checked her followers: the school tries to recreate her moves, but the individual fish all just end up bumping into each other. Silly scavengers.

She pulled at the woven bag hanging around her long neck, trying not to lose focus. Tomorrow was the hatching of the queen’s first ever pup, the kingdom’s next heir. Everyone was expected to bring a contribution for him or her—even the queen’s most trusted advisor. So that’s why she, Aragon of the Seahorses, was out there in the wild, looking for tribute.

She dove down to the nearby craggy red reefs and wispy seaweed. She swam through the coral stacked high in columns, canting and curving to avoid scratching against their knobby bodies. As she zoomed past, gooseneck barnacles close, and small fish and seahorses dart away anxiously. The pilot fish seem uneasy in the more cramped quarters, so they abandon her, opting to follow a nearby sea turtle, which seems oblivious to its new entourage. She shrugged and then took a pick from an empty shell pile in front of a crevasse. Such a pile would normally indicate an octopus lair, but she actually sees a moray eel staring out at her. It clicks its jaw in disapproval at her presence.

A brave slipper lobster climbs among stinging polyps and stares at her. Aragon circles it and scoops it up in her webbed talons. It waved an antenna in confused protest as she muzzled its claws. Even though she completely outmatched it, the thing still tries to fight back, tries to hold onto its short life. She almost felt a stab of empathy.

For a moment, Aragon stood anchored to the rough rock the reef was growing from, then vaulted herself upwards. She beat her wings, up and up and up, enjoying the warming sensation as the pressure changes. After a quick underwater scan, she broke the ocean’s surface. The dry, cold wind is a shock against her scales. But still, she twisted around and floated belly-up, letting the sunlight beat down on her soft underscales.

Leviathans came in all shapes and sizes and hues, but she never really knew where her rich gold came from. From horn-to-tail, she was a metallic yellow color that glinted like gemstones and ore in the lamplight down in the city. Spirals of aquamarine and emerald green and azure twirled here and there, but not even they could outmatch the burnished pelt her body bore. Nobody in the entire Sea Kingdom had her scales—her mother had told her she should be proud of her uniqueness, and she was, but sometimes she wished to be the same shades as everyone else. As childish as that was for an advisor.

Sighing, Aragon rolled back over and stared up at the bright blue expanse of the sky. She raised her claws up, looking at how sunlight filtered through the thin webbing between them. Even they were gold, though paler than the rest of her.

Lashing her thick, powerful tail, Aragon was about to retreat back into the coolness of the water when she noticed some driftwood and metal floating in the timid waves, and then an island in the near distance.

It was small, with a few palm trees swaying lightly in the wind and some overgrown grass. There was also a strange-looking rock lying in the sand that smelled a bit...off.

Aragon paddled towards the island, noticing more shrapnel and pieces of a wreckage either floating on the surface or lying at the bottom of the shallows. Her talons soon touched sand and she heaved herself up the island’s slope and onto the bay, realizing that the rock wasn’t even a rock at all. It was a human!

It was smaller than she expected a human to be, especially when the pup stories painted them as such dangers to Leviathans- cutting off their claws to use for soup, shaving off their scales for fancy clothes, removing their tongues for frying, using their blood for medicine. But this one didn’t seem to have plans to do any of that. In fact, it seemed...dead.

Aragon took a tentative step forward. The white sand sucks hungrily at her talons, but she pulls them free before she could sink down to her ankles. She craned her neck down, nudged the human with her hooked snout, then jumped back.

Nothing. The human didn’t move.

Aragon tilted her head in confusion. She got closer and sat down this time, eyeing the scrawny little thing. Why was it so thin? What were those weird yellow tentacles coming from its head? Where were its claws? WHY DIDN’T SHE KNOW ANY OF THIS?! She was TWENTY-FOUR. The QUEEN’S ADVISOR. She should KNOW THIS!!

Aragon set her bags aside so she wouldn’t be hindered by them. The lobster she had caught took this opportunity to escape, but she could hardly care. All her attention was on the human before her.

She dipped her head and nudged it again. When it doesn’t move, she buries her snout all the way under it and flipped it over onto its back. Soft, but pale facial features were turned up to her. There were no patches of fur on the chin or mouth like some pictures portrayed, but she still couldn’t tell if it was a male or female. Perhaps it was neither? Gender didn’t really matter to Leviathans- they could come in any form and could chance their sex if they wanted with a simple request to the Whale Gods; was it the same for humans?

Aragon extended one talon and poked the human’s stomach. This sparked no reaction, so she poked again, this time much harder and made sure to press down with more force.

A cough.

A spew of water.

Aragon lurched backwards so fast she stepped on her tail and tumbled to the ground. Her wings sprang outwards in surprise, sand blasting in all directions. For a terrifying moment she could only writhe on her back in the shifting, sucking sand, all four of her limbs flailing wildly in the air, but then she regained her footing and shot for the water instantly, scrambling awkwardly in terror from something not even half her size.

Pressed low to the sand, she watches the human alongside the lobster she had caught. It twitched its antenna and scuttled up the small slope leading to the bay, heard the hacking sounds the surface creature was making, then retreated again, burrowing itself under one of Aragon’s talons. It seemed it would rather take its chances with her than the scaleless thing writhing on the beach.

The human made pitiful noises as it coughed and tried to get up. When it opened its eyes, Aragon could see a flash of storm grey before they fluttered shut again and it flopped over, no longer moving.

A minute passed. And then five. And then ten. The human didn’t move.

Aragon slowly crept out of the water, feeling the lobster cling desperately to one of her claws for a few seconds before letting go, and hovered over the little thing. She poked it in the stomach like before, but it didn’t stir. She had to stoop her head low to press one of her ears to its chest, and her skull was bigger than its torso. She worried about crushing it if she accidentally fell forward.

Thump-thump-thump

A tiny heartbeat. Weak, but present.

The human was alive.

Aragon sat back on her haunches and tapped her chin. From the mess around this island, she assumed something had happened here and this human had been a part of it. However, she couldn’t smell the raw scent this one gave off anywhere else. Where was its pod?

Aragon waded back into the water and began searching the perimeter of the island. There, she spotted an arm sticking out from under some rubble, so she pushed it aside. Instantly, a foul wave of rot filled her nostrils and she reeled away in disgust.

The human’s skin was horribly white, wrinkled and peeling. Pale pink lied underneath- muscle, if their anatomy was anything like a Leviathans. Tendrils of brown waved lazily from its fractured skull. The red trench carved down the backside has become a home to curious minnows.

Aragon may not have known much about humans, but even she knew that this one was very, very dead.

A flash of gold caught her eye- the human was wearing a necklace. She carefully removed it and opened the hatch on the oval-shaped pendant (which was very difficult with how tiny it was in her claws). An image of the dead human and what appeared to be the one of the beach was revealed to her- they were smiling brightly and seemed to be hugging each other with only one arm. The one on the beach was holding up its free talon, sticking up two claws in some kind of gesture.

They knew each other. They were clearly close- kins, perhaps?

Aragon frowned when she realized that the poor human’s clutchmate was dead. It must be so sad and lonely...or maybe it didn’t even know yet?

She walked back up to the beach and found the human in the same exact spot as she left it. She looked down at it pitifully, occasionally glancing at the pendant in her talon. It was definitely the one in the photo. And that meant it was all alone.

Aragon’s tail thumped on the sand as she thought about her options, sending golden grains scattering through the air. A crab came out of the bay a few feet away thanks to the mini earthquake going off on the beach, clicking its claws in agitation. When it scuttled near the human, Aragon threw herself down on all fours over the body and roared fiercely, which was enough for the crab to keep its annoyance to itself.

How strange. Why was she so protective over this scaleless thing? Surely it could defend itself.

However, when she looked down at its stubby little claws and saw no fangs when she checked its mouth, she didn’t think it was in any position to defend.

After a few more moments of thought, Aragon made up her mind: she would bring the human to the queen. The queen would know what to do- she always did. Plus, turning up with one of the scaleless surface fiends will definitely boost her popularity!

Aragon plucked off a golden scale from one of her palms and put it under the human’s not-forked, squishy pink tongue. Holding a Leviathan scale in the mouth was said to grant water breathing for 24 hours—or so the story goes. Hopefully it was true, as she didn’t know how else to transport the gill-less being to the Sea Kingdom hundreds of meters below the surface.

Carefully, using her teeth, she picked the human up by the weird coverings it wore over its pudgy little body. She placed it on her back, between her wings, and then realized it could easily slip off. She grabbed it again, gently cradling it with both talons as if it were a newborn pup. She looked around, picked up her bags, then dove into the water, holding the human close to her broad chest as she propelled herself forward with her tail. After a moment of swimming, she came to a forest of kelp and grabbed a talonful tying them together to make a sling she could wrap around her neck. She sets the human inside of it just in time before a voice called out to her.

“OHHH SEAHORSE!!!”

Aragon rolled her eyes, already knowing who it was. Only one Leviathan would blatantly use her Levia Title, despite her specific orders not to.

Levia Titles were something every Leviathan had. It would come after their real names, was based on something aquatic, and was used quite often, but she never really liked being called “Seahorse”. The only reason she had such a name was because her mother couldn’t think of anything else that was yellow in the ocean, apparently. Not that she HAD to be named after something yellow, but it just made sense with her coloring. At least, to her mother, that is.

After making sure the human couldn’t be seen in the sling, Aragon fluffed up her wings, swallowed her agitation, and turned to the female approaching her.

Boleyn of the Turtles was a perfect example of what the “ancient, original Leviathans” looked like. She had a long, elegant body with large fins sticking out from her head and ankles and back and tailtip. She was a dazzling emerald green color, with the fins being an even more beautiful shade of lime. However, in Aragon’s opinion, her appearance was completely ruined by her infuriating ego and obnoxiously loud voice.

“I was looking for you,” Boleyn said, floating in front of her. She coils up in the way she always does when she stops swimming, and Aragon wonders how that keeps her from drifting away. “Were you trying to get away from me or something?”

“Ah, looks like my plans were foiled,” Aragon sighed. “Back to the drawing board I guess.”

Boleyn deflects her annoyance easily and flicks her with her tail. The curve of her fins are edged with small, pointy spines that scratch uncomfortably against Aragon’s scales. She flapped her wings gently and moved backwards in the water away from the serpentine Leviathan.

“Did you catch anything?” Boleyn asked. “I found a few octopuses but I don’t know if the queen will enjoy them. Didn’t she say they were too oily last time or was that about squid?”

“It’s octopi,” Aragon corrected. “And it was the squid.”

“Oh! Good, good.” Boleyn said. “You didn’t answer my question, though.”

“Just some crustaceans.” Aragon answered. “Not my best catch.” She notices Boleyn eyeing her sling, so she folds her wings in front of her to try and hide it.

“Clearly,” Boleyn agreed. “Come on. We gotta head back before it’s dark.”

The two began to swim through the ocean, the sunlight filtering down from the surface lighting their way until that was smothered by the darkness when they went down deeper. By then, their natural night vision has kicked in, but glowing violet and pink jellyfish also light the path.

“So,” Boleyn started, slithering delicately through the water like a graceful sea snake. “Why don’t you tell me what you REALLY found out there?” Her long, catfish-whiskers are twitching sporadically. Aragon wonders if she could sense her catch.

“An orca.” Aragon answered.

Boleyn raised a brow at her. “An orca? Really?” Aragon bared her fangs at her, but she doesn’t falter. “Come on. Tell me!”

Aragon blew a stream of agitated bubbles from her nose, but spread her wings and was snagged by the current, halting her forward stroke. Boleyn whirled around excitedly and hovered in front of her.

“I found a human.” Aragon whispered.

“A HU—”

Boleyn nearly gave away Aragon’s surprise before she lunged forward and closed her webbed talons over her snout. A few nearby Leviathans turned their heads in confusion. She flared the golden fin running from the top of her head down her neck in agitation.

“Will you be quiet?” Aragon hissed. “I don’t want the whole ocean to know!”

Boleyn nodded, and Aragon slowly pulled her talons away.

“A human,” Boleyn whispered. “Wow. What are you gonna do with it?”

“Show it to the queen.” Aragon answered. “Could be useful, right?”

“Yeah,” Boleyn nodded. “I’m coming! I wanna see her reaction to that! Maybe it’ll finally be the thing you need to become ruler!”

Aragon poked Boleyn in the neck. “Squid brain. Don’t say that so loud. Seymour is a wonderful queen.”

“Dolphin is regal and boring and all about whale politics. YOU are snappy and fun. You would make court SO much more entertaining!”

Aragon actually found herself smiling at the image of her in the grand crystal throne, wearing the shimmering glass crown. She quickly shook that away, though, and started swimming again.

“You incompetent jellyfish.” She said to Anne, who quickly followed after her.

“I speak only the truth!” Anne grinned at her.

Aragon’s wings felt like they had an extra current under them as she shot along through the water. She even found herself doing an excited twirl before she remembered the delicate cargo she was carrying. She gently touched the sling on her chest and felt the form of the human. Still there.

She and Boleyn reach the edge of a rift, and whatever conversation they were having on the way there dies down. They don’t go down into the spreading seafloor below, but instead travel along the edge of the small cliff to find a guideline to the city suspended over the rift. Slowly, from out of the depths comes into view the pulsing glow from the crystalline city.

Home.

As they approached the crystalline caves, Aragon noticed a faint glow, a dulled reflection from the Leviathans within. The city is constructed from giant interlocking blocks of shaped crystals, stacked in a seemingly haphazard pattern to form passageways, gathering caverns, and smaller shelters as needed. Pavilions and terraces, courtyards and gardens, rooms and walkways- it's all there in the sprawling complex of the Sea Kingdom. The city itself rests on a platform suspended over a geological rift, anchored on either side with dark crystal chains and balanced with gas ballasts arranged in the top portion of vaulted domes. However, down below, is a trench that houses the dens of several Leviathans on the upper cliffs, and then various shops and businesses further down, where glowing jellyfish and bioluminescent moss lit up each storefront. Maintaining the balance of the kingdom over the ravine is one of her jobs, although adjustments are rarely called for.

She and Boleyn follow the passageways, through the main marketplace: the Glitter Bazaar (named by the queen’s ward), toward the center of the city: the palace, a giant building not hollowed out from crystal like most of the rooms in the city but rather created from the negative space of the carefully fitted crystal surrounding it. Even the throne room’s giant and elaborately carved arches and columns are just illusions, decorative pieces sticking off from the neighboring rooms. It’s amazing that it’s all aligned so perfectly—but then, it helps that the original architects have worked on this design since its conception. The only thing Aragon doesn’t like about this room is how the walls were designed to absorb light, which keeps the room from getting too bright when it’s fully occupied by phosphorescent Leviathans but makes the space feel empty and dark when she’s there by herself.

On their way there, they catch the attention of a large, burly Leviathan, who swam up to meet them. Flames captured in sea glass orbs make her shiny, dark red scales crackle like hot embers, streaks of gold and bursts of orange and pops of crimson exploding all throughout her body. Her forearms were huge, tipped with thick, coal-black claws, and easily pulled her big body along. However, instead of back legs, she had a cluster of tentacles helping her swim. A few of them were grasping sharks and large fish, her tribute for the hatching day tomorrow. That, along with the natural warmth her scales gave off, gave away who exactly this was.

“Cleves!” Boleyn called gleefully, darting over to the much larger Leviathan.

“Hello, Boleyn,” Cleves of the Sharks said, smiling toothily. “And hello, Aragon.”

“Hello,” Aragon waves a talon.

“And where are you both off to?” Cleves asked, swimming alongside them.

“To see the queen,” Aragon answered.

“Wanna come?” Boleyn said. “Ari’s got BIG NEWS!” She says no more, however, because Aragon flicked her in the nose with her tail.

“Sure,” Cleves said cooly.

Aragon always liked Cleves, and not just because she was different when it came to color like she was. The Leviathan, a Lava Leviathan, to be exact, was always so mellow and relaxed no matter what happened. Plus, the heat she gave off was comforting and hard to not lean into.

The three of them glided smoothly under the front palace overhang and came to a halt inside of the throne room. There, atop the throne made of crystals, sat the queen of the Leviathans.

She was big, but not bigger than Aragon or Cleves. She had wings like Aragon did, though, which were settled calmly against her back. Her scales were bluish grey that shimmered silver in the light. Thin, silky fins ran from her head and down her spine like gently swaying pieces of iridescent kelp. Her tail was shaped into that of a dolphin’s which was probably where her Levia Title came from in the first place. The strands of sapphires and opals she usually wore only added to her beauty, but were no match for the glass crown that glowed every color of the rainbow atop her head.

“Aragon,” Queen Seymour of the Dolphins said, “You’re back.”

Aragon swept out one wing in a bow. At each side, Cleves and Boleyn do the same, although Boleyn’s has an extra flare from the way her tail swishes excitedly, stirring the water around them.

“I am,” She said. “And I bring news.”

“Oh?” Seymour tilted her head.

From the side of the throne, a head pokes out. A small, light pink Leviathan with an underbelly the color of a shell’s interior clambered up the crystals, making Aragon wince when she scuffed a few delicate carvings with her claws, and settled in front of the queen. It was Howard of the Sirens, the queen’s ward, and the easiest way she could be described was: an overgrown axolotl. Short and stubby legs, frills at the side of her head, sorta blobby but endearing (at least to the queen). The fins that stretched out from her upper back and forearms were pretty with how they were colored in every shade of pink, but her face looked too much like a frog’s for Aragon’s taste. Not that Howard wasn’t cute, she was, just definitely not Aragon’s type as a ward.

“And what would that be?” Seymour asked curiously.

Aragon fluffed up her wings to show her importance and went to share the news, but Boleyn beat her to it.

“ARAGON FOUND A HUMAN!!”

Silence.

At least, for a moment, that is.

Whispers. Whispers moving to and fro with the water. Whispers bubbling throughout the throne room. Whispers of disbelief, of awe, of shock, of fear.

The guards and other noble Leviathans that had been in the throne room were frozen, the queen’s wings were stiff, Howard’s eyes were wide, and a small crowd had formed outside the front archway, spilling slightly into the room.

“A...human?” Seymour finally said. She places a protective talon on top of Howard’s head.

“Yes,” Aragon nodded. She held herself tall, barely able to suppress a smirk. What Boleyn had said about her being queen replayed in her mind. “I can show you.”

She carefully removed the human from her sling and pandemonium filled the room- guards lunging into defensive positions with their silver spears raised, nobles backing away against the wall, a pale green servant with a spiraling narwhal horn darting from the room, and several overlapping gasps and cries of shock. Even the queen, who was usually so calm and refined, looked stricken with fear by the appearance of an actual human.

“By the whales,” Cleves whispered. “Is it alive?”

“I think so,” Aragon said. “I found it washed up on a small island north of here. There weren’t any others.”

Seymour stepped down from her throne and Howard scampered after her. They both look at the human with morbid curiosity.

“Woah,” Howard murmured.

“Why did you bring it here?” Seymour asked.

“I thought you would want to see it.” Aragon answered.

“Hmm.” Jane tipped her snout at it. “I suppose we could do research on it.” She turned to one of her guards. “Fetch Parr.”

The guard nodded and swam out. He returned a few minutes later with Parr of the Reef, the queen’s best scientist.

She has a short face with long and smooth metallic horns on top of her head that sweep back from her nose and brow, as well as the neck frills that adorned both sides of her throat. Sail-like wings that start from her shoulders and extend all the way to the end of her extremely long tail move in a graceful rippling motion as she swims inside the throne room. Her scales are a deep azure that’s speckled with starbursts of cobalt and baby blue as if someone had crushed sapphires all over her.

She lands before them, folding her wings and curling her long tail close to her so she won’t hit anyone. Despite this, however, it still wags around like a spastic snake when she sees the human cupped delicately in Aragon’s talons.

“Oh wow!” She exclaimed, bouncing her back talons excitedly. “A real human! I mean, I’ve seen a few before, but always from afar and they’re in their ocean vessels. Never this close!”

She makes a grabbing motion with her front claws, reminding Aragon of just how young she was. She had only turned twelve, the age of adulthood for Leviathans, a few moons ago, yet she had been working as the royal scientist for quite some time now.

Parr took the human from Aragon and immediately began to inspect it. Her snout and claws poked just about everywhere on its body, absolutely amazed by having such a specimen. It made Aragon anxious.

“You have to let me keep the human in my lab,” Parr said to Seymour. Her tail is slapping loudly against the floor.

“No!” Aragon suddenly yelped. Several eyes turned to her and she quickly stood up straight, regaining herself. “I mean- Parr, I know you’re the scientist, but I found it. I should keep it in my care.”

“She.” Parr corrected.

“What?”

“The human.” Parr said. “It’s a girl.”

A girl. Aragon repeated in her head. She had to clench her teeth together to keep from grinning giddily.

A girl. Just like...

Like that, the need to smile disappears. A deep sadness replaces it.

Don’t think. Don’t think about her. Don’t think about it.

“She’s young, too,” Parr went on. “Probably still a pup for humans. Well, not THAT young, but definitely not an adult.” She looked back at the queen. “I can figure out more if you let me keep her.”

“No.” Aragon stepped forward, shaking off her sadness. “I’m sorry, Parr, but I should keep her. I’ve imprinted on her already. Plus, she has MY scale helping her breathe underwater.”

Seymour looked at Aragon skeptically. “Are you sure you can...?”

Aragon knew what she was thinking about. She lashed her tail furiously, creating small whirlpools around her.

“I can take care of her just fine.” She growled.

Seymour studied her from talon-to-tail before nodding.

“Alright. Take her.” She said. “But know that this isn’t permanent. Humans don’t belong here. So don’t get attached.”

—

Aragon’s den was in the tallest crystal tower on the castle, a large room she had carved herself, with a terrace for a spectacular view of the kingdom and easy access to the ocean to swim. Violet and emerald and gold sea glass orbs were strung around the ceiling, glowing from the bioluminescent paste covering them. A large, bowl-shaped bed was at the far side, softened with bits of kelp and seaweed and other palpable materials. Beside it, a smaller one lays. This one had a jagged gold-and-green piece of an eggshell lying quietly in the bedding. Aragon approached it and picked it up carefully. She held it to her chest for a few moments, then gently set it on a shelf.

She took the human out of the sling and looked at her for a moment. She found herself running a delicate claw over the scaleless thing’s soft, fleshy face, twirling what must be fur on her head. It was messy and tangled- she must not groom herself. Silly little thing.

She set the human on the smaller bed after making sure the bedding was fluffed up and soft enough. Then, she climbed into her own bed, punched the nesting a few times, circled herself around twice, then flopped over. She watched the human from the edge of the nest.

“Are you awake?” She whispered like she had done with her egg years ago.

No answer.

“Do you have a name?”

Surely she did, but the human didn’t answer. Aragon leaned over and nearly squashed the poor thing with her head when she checked her heartbeat again.

Thump-thump-thump— it was still there.

She was still alive.

“You need a name,” Aragon mused out loud. She rests her chin on her talons, inspecting the human. “I’m sure you already have one, but you need a Leviathan name if you’re going to stay here.”

She flipped her tail back and forth, thinking.

“Orca.” She finally said, smiling. “I like Orca.”

The human actually stirs, twitching its little stubby claws and making a tiny noise that ripples in the water, but doesn’t wake up. Aragon leaned forward and gently licked her cheek to calm her.

“Sleep well, little one.” She whispered before curling up in her own bed.

—

Two hours later, Aragon can’t take it anymore. She snaps up, picks Orca up with her teeth, and lays her in her own bed. She curls her tail around the human’s body protectively, then resumes sleep.

This time, it comes peacefully.

[my-whumpy-little-heart]

Llyr and the Pirates - Day 1

Day One: Anchor

This is for the first day of @amonthofwhump‘s Water Whump May challenge, and I’ll be posting a bit of the fic (hopefully) every day this month! This takes place with characters and the universe of my ongoing story Persistence, but it’s a few years before then and doesn’t have to be read for understanding.

@galaxywhump, you asked earlier to be tagged in this, and @spiffythespook you asked to be tagged in all my writing, but considering this will be every day this month I won’t tag you more unless you specifically ask me to. Content Warnings: mythical creature whump (selkie), drowning, blood/mild gore, brief emeto mention (Llyr (pronounced Leer) is a selkie, so just a note for anyone who doesn’t know what that is: it’s a mer-creature that is most often in the form of a seal, but can shed its seal skin to take on a human form. In order to turn back to a seal, though, it needs to keep its skin in its possession and--in my personal rules and universe--intact)

Llyr had just fallen asleep when he felt the impact.

He had found a small pocket along the coastline, not far out from town, to finally get some sleep in. It fit his seal form fairly well, and it should have stopped him from floating back out to sea. He laid on his back, head poking out above the surface to breathe, and he’d drifted off in the warm water.

He barely felt the ripples coming in from the boat’s arrival, but as soon as the anchor slammed into his body, it forced the breath from his lungs and he choked as it pulled him down. Water enveloped his slippery skin as the hooked anchor sunk into his side, sinking and dragging him with it.

He gasped instinctively for air and only felt water rushing into his lungs, filling them to the brim before he could think to stop. The immense weight of the metal sent him tumbling down. The seafloor came up to meet him, crashing into his back and pushing out the water already filling him. The instinctive gasp his body took forced it all back in, and he was choking all over again.

Llyr’s vision clouded with dark spots as he writhed and fought under the immense weight, and blood clouded the water around him where it spilled from his side. He only struggled harder as the pain flashed acutely, the saltwater rushing into his wound as he loosened the anchor’s hold.

Frantic thoughts flashed through his head. He couldn’t die like this, because of some idiotic human sailors that couldn’t manage to lower their anchor down properly, and because he’d been slow enough to get caught up in it. He struggled again, harder, and he was nearly free when the anchor suddenly moved.

It pulled sharply backwards, digging its prongs deeper into the sand and nearly burying Llyr as well. Pain flashed nauseatingly when the anchor tore further through his side, gritty sand rubbing up against the wound and he convulsed with a sob that couldn’t escape his waterlogged throat.

The anchor pulled again and his mouth pulled open in a silent scream, the sensation of his body being torn apart nearly unbearable. In a last ditch effort to escape, he bucked up and freed part of his tail from the anchor, swimming and pulling on the skin still stuck on there. He wasn’t going anywhere. The bleary surface of the water was so far out of reach for his rapidly tiring body.

He was so damn tired and all he could think about was passing out right then and there, but then he shot forward and he didn’t care anymore. He couldn’t breathe and he was suffocating and drowning and dying but his body refused to give out. Llyr broke the surface and he heaved, gasping for breath with lungs full of water he didn’t have the strength to expel.

Tiny hitching breaths came between coughs as water and bile spilled out to the floor, but as he emptied his lungs, each breath came bigger and more sustained. He was breathing and sobbing but he was alive, a gash on his side still leaking on to the sand.

A gash he realized, as his eyes finally focused weakly on the glistening red liquid that trailed through the water and right to him, that his body couldn’t recover from. His breaths were weak and he’d lost so much blood, but through weak and blurry vision he could see there was a clear hole, half the length of his side, where the skin was gone.

He shivered at the realization that he’d shredded it when he pulled away from the anchor. Blood poured and lightheadedness pulled him up and away from reality, but Llyr knew he was in no state to recover it. His only hope was… shedding his skin and hoping that, however deep this wound, it hadn’t cut far enough to maim his human form.

Shuddering with unsteady breaths, Llyr rolled up on to his side and focused. God, what was he even doing? He’d never used his human form before. He’d never even tried to shed his skin; he was too young. Or that’s what his mother told him. Too young and impressionable to be associating with humans, the worthless scum, and to be the subject of their lusting, greedy gazes.

Well, damn it, mom probably wouldn’t want me to die either, he thought with a snarl and forced himself to close his eyes. Slowly, he grasped on to the unfamiliar human form always stirring under his skin, burying his senses deeper into his consciousness to grasp hold of it. He felt himself reaching and digging, prying open the jaws that trapped him inside his seal skin and stepping out, legs separated, fingers long and spindly, and everything so unfamiliarly human.

Llyr opened his eyes to see his skin lying far below where he stood. He stood, he realized with a startle, looking down to see the unsteady legs holding up his body, and seeing long, sopping wet hair flop in front of his eyes. His side was still covered in a smear of blood, but it wasn’t bleeding so heavily now, the wound only remembered in red stained waves and a bloody tear in his sealskin.

Legs shaking with the effort, he crouched down to reach for his skin, which became more of a slowed down fall to the ground as he lost his balance and fell to the side. His shoulder fell against a rock, and the rest of his body slammed on the ground with a grunt. His fingers curled tightly around the skin, and he dragged it closer to his chest as he tried again to stand.

Llyr looked up in preparation to get up, but a pair of legs was already standing right in front of him.

“Oh hey, buddy? Are you okay?”

Next part

[himbowelsh]

Jet lag & Webgott. I know the theme is PAIN but can I request something mildly to very funny??

a little fall of meme can hardly hurt me now  ( accepting )

‘make it funny,’ you say, at which point i instantly forget the concept of humor

By this point, David has become fluent in Joe’s bitching, whichever language it’s voiced in.

It’s an acquired skill — frankly, one he could have lived his entire life without acquiring — but knowing where Joe stands makes navigating their relationship a lot easier. When it comes to the little things, Joe wears his heart on his sleeve. If he doesn’t like a particular TV show, he’ll say it… loudly. When it’s snowing, he’ll agonize about it until David’s tempted to shove him outside and lock the door; when it’s too hot, he’ll strip without shame, hissing like a disgruntled cat all the while. By now, they’ve been dating long enough that David knows Joe like a familiar book, leafed through a hundred times over. Sure, sometimes he could do without all that context, but a working knowledge of Joe’s quirks makes dealing with him that much easier.

Joe Fact #263: He can’t stand long flights.

It’s not like he’s a nervous flier. He’s just… a lot to handle. Part of it has to do with Joe’s inherent restlessness, a genetic predisposition to never hold still for more than a minute; part of it is just Joe’s talent for being annoying. And he can be… really, really annoying. Damned obnoxious. He doesn’t read, he’s hardly interested in the movies — he just spends the entire flight complaining. Why can’t he get WiFi? Why can’t he order another gin and tonic? Why are the seats so lumpy? Why do you want me to close the window, Web, look at this view, it’s priceless —

Having the window open makes him air sick. Joe knows this.

It’s not a massive problem, but during any long flight, it becomes an inevitable one. Queasiness is just another thing Joe gets to complain about on long flights. Part of David thinks it’s all a ploy; an excuse to get up and move around the cabin, even if it’s just to hide out in the bathroom and try to get WiFi signal. 

To be fair — on their trip to the Amalfi coast, when Joe had to sprint to the bathroom mid-flight and stayed there for over an hour, he probably wasn’t faking it.

Flying with Joe is unbearable for everyone involved… so when Joe announces his new solution, David’s optimistic. They’re two days out from a trip to Hawaii when Joe reveals a bottle of air sickness pills — apparently “the best they sell on the whole Internet, Web, I checked.”

David’s skeptical. “Are you… sure you can’t just make it?”

Joe huffs, genuinely offended by the question. “Fine! This time I’ll just blow chunks all over you. In-flight entertainment’s gonna be The Exorcist. How about that, Web? Fuck.”

David rolls his eyes — but he doesn’t argue anymore. At the time, it seems like a testament to his self-control.

Oh, how naive he was.

The pills make it through customs in their carry-on bag — something Joe gloats about for the next half hour, like he’s just pulled one over on the government, even though David looked it up and medication is allowed on planes. While waiting for their flight, Joe insists on Cinnabon. Insists, like it’s the only thing he’s ever wanted. He pouts, he pleads, and finally he just tows David over to the stall without any forewarning and sits him down at one of the tables. (Joe Fact #312: Arguing with Joe while he’s got a pastry craving is like reasoning with a brick wall.)

The cinnamon bun in front of Joe is larger than your average infant.  “You ever heard of ‘tempting fate’?” David can’t help but ask around his own mouthful of pastry. 

Joe reaches over and smears frosting on his chin.

Without any delay, they make it on their flight in record time. Joe waits until they’re sitting, buckled in and watching the flight attendant go through safety procedures, to dig the pill bottle from his bag. A strange sense of unease churns David’s stomach, though he can’t for the life of him say why. Joe glances over, smirking; as David watches, he pops the two pills and swallows them dry.

“There. This flight’ll be smooth sailing.”

With four and a half hours of airtime ahead of them, David can only pray.

Joe’s not the researching sort — that goes without saying — but David has always been. He never takes a medication without looking up the full list of side effects in advance. When, twenty minutes into the in-flight movie, Joe’s head starts to loll against his shoulder, he’s not surprised.

“You alright?” he murmurs, turning just enough to speak the words softly into his boyfriend’s temple. Joe shifts, sighing heavily, and tries to straighten up again. It’s more effort than it’s worth.

“Might just end up sleeping through this thing,” he mutters. “Movie’s a snorefest anyway.”

It’s some movie about a dog. Neither of them have been really paying attention. “Okay,” David replies, keeping his tone casual. “That’s fine, just… get some rest.”

Joe shifts in his seat, making himself more comfortable. For about ten minutes, David stays very still. He doesn’t move; he doesn’t fidget; he doesn’t even breathe loudly.

When he looks over again, Joe’s dead to the world.

Oh, thank god.

David tilts his head back to grin at the ceiling, fist pumping the air without a sound — definitely earning a few sideways glances from other passengers, but he doesn’t care. Finally. After all this time, all this anticipation —

There’s no time to waste. He rummages through the carry-on at his feet, emerging with three large books, and headphones dangling from between his fingers. David drops his tray table, sets up his classical music Spotify playlist, cracks open the first book, and orders a Bloody Mary.

Peace at last.

The amount of long flights he’s endured through Joe’s whining… the amount of poking he’s had to deal with, the amount of dirty jokes whispered in his ear, all the times Joe’s stolen his books or drained his phone battery… he’s earned this, okay? As David leans back in his seat, it’s impossible to keep from grinning. Slumped against the window, Joe’s soft snores are easily drowned out by his headphones. They’ve got another five hours of flight ahead, and David plans to enjoy them.

Which he absolutely does, for the first hour. By the second, Joe’s got a specialty airline pillow under his head and a blanket tucked around him; David’s wallet is thirty dollars lighter, but it’s worth it. He runs his fingers through Joe’s hair absently, still engrossed in his book; after a while, he finishes it, and starts another one.

Somewhere around the third hour, Joe stirs, face smushing up against David’s shoulder. Gently, David repositions his head, only to find his boyfriend blinking drowsily at him.

“Hey, Web…” Joe’s voice is raspier than usual, thick with sleep. “How long’ve I been out?”

“A little while. We’re about halfway there.”

Joe hums, head flopping back against David’s shoulder. After a minute, he becomes aware of the blanket around him; a small huff escapes him, turning into a chuckle halfway through. “Aww, Web. Knew you cared.”

“As though I’d ever hear the end of it if you woke up with a sore neck.”

As though just to spite him, Joe cranes his neck at an unnatural angle to look up at him. “Wouldn’t be the first time we woke up sore together.” He pauses, thoughtful, then grins. “Wanna renew our mile high club membership?”

David shakes him off.

“Okay, okay, shit —“ Joe straightens up, disgruntled. Even sitting up in his seat, he sways a bit, as though rocking to turbulence no one else can feel. Davis observes as he gradually slumps against the window again, all the energy drained out of him. Mile high club — uh huh, very likely.

“These pills have any weird side effects?” Joe asks after a moment, brows furrowed. David rolls his eyes.

“How many times have I told you —“

“Read the fine print, yeah, damn it, Web. I get it.” Joe’s eyes scrunch shut. “They’re just not gonna — gimme an extra toe, or turn me green or anything, right?”

“No.” David diverts his attention, recommitting to his book with new stubbornness. “Orange, maybe.”

“That’s a color I can live with.” Without looking, Joe reaches over. Whatever he’s trying to grab, he ends up smacking David in the jaw. Hard, damn it. As David draws back with a muttered curse, Joe’s hand finds his chest; he gives it a few solid pats, maybe as an apology. “Mind if I sleep the rest of the way?”

“Please,” David rolls his eyes. “Be my guest.”

After a while, Joe’s snoring picks up again — and David is left to read in peace. He makes it through about a quarter of the next book before his eyes start hurting, and he finally has to set it aside. He orders a snack. He watches some late-night show. He doodles a bull shark on his napkin and daydreams about the white sands of Honolulu.

By the time the plane’s begun its final stretch, David is more than ready to start vacation. His pulse thrums with muted excitement, mind racing with all the things he wants to do as soon as they step off the plane. Every slight jolt of the plane as it descends kicks his anticipation a little higher.

By all rights, it should also jar Joe awake… but when David looks over, he’s surprised to find his boyfriend still sleeping.

“Hey,” he says, nudging Rip Van Winkle’s blanket-clad shoulder. “Nap time’s over. We’re almost there.”

Joe groans, shifting in his seat. When David tries again, he blindly smacks him.

“Jesus — will you —“ With a huff, David yanks the blanket away, leaving Joe bare. Suddenly exposed to the plane’s crisp air conditioning, Joe’s face scrunches up. He writhes in discomfort for a moment, fumbling around for the blanket, before at last cracking an eye open to look at Webster.

“You’re a sadist, Web.”

“I’m tired of watching you drool,” Webster retorts, busy packing up his carry-on. “Come on, rise and shine. We’ll be on the ground in a few minutes.”

Joe gives a drawn out sigh, as if it’s the greatest inconvenience in the world to ask him to be awake. Still, he props himself up. Over the next few minutes, as the airport tarmac slowly comes into view, he pulls himself from the syrupy haze of half-sleep, back into the land of the living. By the time they’re on the ground, he’s still blinking hard and rubbing his head, but awake.

“At least we’re had an easy flight,” David chirps as they make their way up the aisle.

“I dreamed I was on some tropical island, with a buncha pool floats, and the local girls were letting me eat fruit slices off their chests.”

“I already told you, we can’t do that in public — plus I have to wear sunscreen! I burn! Why do you want to eat fruit that tastes like sunscreen?”

“Just leave a spot bare —“

“I can’t stand tangerines,” Webster declares, cutting the argument off before it can take root. “Find a better fruit. If it’s pineapples, I’ll consider it.”

“That’s because you, like pineapples, are disgusting.” 

Joe suddenly stumbles, bracing himself against the ramp. On reflex, David catches him by the arm  —  but Joe isn’t falling, apparently, just steadying himself. When David raises his eyebrows, his boyfriend rolls his eyes and brushes him off.

“I’m fine, quit lookin’ at me like that.” A second later, Joe is on the move again. “Just a little jet-lagged.”

To be fair… David did enough research on the motion sickness pills in advance to know they made you drowsy. He just… didn’t look up how long it would last. 

By the time they’re collecting their luggage, Joe is lounging on a nearby-bench, half-asleep; David has to haul every suitcase off the conveyor belt on his own. He also has to hail a taxi by himself… and, when they pull up in front of the hotel, with Joe dead to the world against his shoulder, pay for it.

“Come on,” David mutters, dragging his boyfriend out of the car. “Home, sweet home.”

Joe wakes up just enough to blink at him in amazement. “Wow, that was some vacation, Web!”

The bellboy who comes out to greet them blinks at the sight of David, two suitcases braced against one arm, a comatose body against the other. With barely a word of apology, he deposits Joe on the luggage trolley. Joe, who seems delighted with this turn of events, just pulls his legs up. 

Hopefully the hotel has a big bed, because it seems like they’ll be spending their first night in Hawaii getting to know it well.

[dragonquesttbh]

Reward

For @thechavanator and @elfo98 !! (No spoilers, just El havin a naughty dream)

10. Dreaming of each other

Erik dropped his knife to the ground and wiped sweat from his brow. "Thanks man, you really saved my ass back there. Um, in fact..." He strolled over to El and closed the gap between them, hand stroking his cheek. "I think the Luminary deserves a reward," he breathed.

El gasped as their lips were crushed together– Erik's mouth, on his, effortlessly tearing his composure apart piece by piece with each swipe of his tongue.

Erik laughed mischievously, breath brushing El's lips as he drew back. "Don't act so surprised. I've wanted you for so long. I've wanted to snatch you up ever since you pissed me off in that cell."

El swallowed then dutifully parted his lips, whining as Erik greedily took possession of his mouth. An expert thief– unapologetically taking exactly what he wanted.

Not that El would ever want him to apologise.

"Me too," El gulped between breaths. "I want you so bad."

Erik flashed him a cocky grin, hooking a finger into his mouth. "You liked that, huh? You want some more?"

El nodded and let himself be shoved to the ground with a thud. Erik pounced on top of him and kissed him ferociously, a demanding hand tugging at his hair, bending him to his will.

His head thumped against the ground. He groaned, seeing stars as he searched for that familiar mop of blue.

Erik bent over him and pressed a finger to his lips.

"Shhh."

He stole El's hands and pinned them above his head, dipping his head down to El's to take his mouth once again. He licked a trail over his lips then sucked at the soft flesh of the lower one, mercilessly yanking at his hair as he sank deeper into El's mouth.

His other friends became a distant blur, irrelevant, as he drowned in a sea of tangled hair and unspoken promises.

His eyes fell shut, back arching up against his partner. A whimper spilled from his lips.

Bliss.

-

Then opened to a new blue, an endless horizon. His clothes, now soaked through, clung to him as the warm desert breeze soothed his skin, the edge of the oasis just tickling his ankles.

He gasped as a familiar lop sided grin crept up into his vision.

Gone was the green tunic, the blue trousers, replaced by.... considerably less.

Erik peered down at him in a seriously disheveled version of Serena's dancer's costume, the top half long since discarded, the reflection of the oasis bouncing off his bare chest. Damp blue flopped into his face, and El couldn't help but reach out to stroke it from his eyes.

Erik grinned and ran his hands over El's drenched shirt, feeling the outline of his muscles as the fabric stuck to them. "You're all wet," he whispered, lowering his mouth to El's ear. "Might as well finish the job."

El whined as Erik sank his teeth into his neck, fervently nipping a line down to his chest. He cried out, falling victim to his disarming touch.

Erik laughed and licked over the wound.

El desperately fumbled for a handhold, settling on Erik's hips then slipping an experimental hand under the visible line of his underwear.

Erik brought his head back up to El's and pressed their foreheads together. "Cheeky," he panted. "I like it."

He tossed El's belt to one side, the half-cape at his waist quickly following it on the sand. El quivered as he snuck his hand into his pants, thieving fingers moving swiftly to unravel him.

Erik bit his lip and smirked, casting his eyes up El's body. "Thoughts?"

El almost choked at the sight– Erik half naked, glistening under the sunlight, touching him.

"I need you."

Erik laughed softly, bringing their mouths together with affection.

El's eyes fluttered shut.

Then Erik's mouth ghosted away.

-

When they opened, his vision was no longer dazzled by blue, but clouded with pale pink.

Cherry blossom..?

He jolted up, then groaned. Of course: Hotto.

But where was–

The air was stolen from his lungs.

Erik, standing at the edge of the cliff, red silk kimono blowing in the wind.

He cast a wanton look back at El then beckoned him with a single finger.

El lurched to his feet and scrambled after him.

Erik laughed then disappeared around the corner in a flash of silk.

El's eyes darted around desperately.

A giggle from behind.

Red silk came over his eyes. Then lips against his cheek.

The silk fell away, and he was inside, gazing at the vision before him.

Erik, lying on his side on an inn bed, leg cocked up so a sliver of pale flesh peeked out between the vibrant red of the kimono– begging to be touched.

Then El was on him, kissing him, touching him, feeling him. Erik's legs wound around his back as he cried out in ecstasy.

"Yes," Erik gasped, writhing underneath him.

El closed his eyes as Erik moaned, losing himself to the sound of his cries. He buried his head in Erik's sweat slick neck, tasting salt.

"You're perfect."

.....

El groaned loudly as he grasped onto Erik tighter, burying his clammy face in his chest. His constant wriggling had meant that the lacing of his tunic had come loose and his cheek was pressed up against Erik's bare torso.

"Shh," Erik whispered, stroking a thumb over his silky hair. "You're okay, you're safe."

Sylv gasped excitedly and clasped his hands together. "Ooh! Somebody's getting a morning snuggle!" he sung, taking little consideration for the rest of the sleep-addled party members, who were gradually peeling themselves off their bed rolls.

"Hey, don't wake him, he's sleepy," Erik hissed, putting a protective hand over El's exposed ear.

Serena squealed. "Look, Veronica, they're cuddling!" she gushed.

Veronica rolled her eyes and flopped back onto her bedroll with a huff. "No shit."

Erik ran a gloved hand through El's hair as he squirmed. "Shh, it's okay. It's just a nightmare. You're safe now, you're with me, Erik. Your best friend."

Jade glanced at them and chuckled. "I think you mean boyfriend."

"We're not– fuck sake," he groaned, gently patting El's back. "He sometimes gets cuddly in his sleep and I let him, coz he's been through a lot and I want him to feel safe. That's it. He probably thinks I'm his mum or somethin'."

El shifted further on top him and grasped a handful of blue hair. "Eri–h!"

Veronica sniggered.

"Hey it's okay. Whatever it is, you'll be alright." He glanced up at Veronica, who was shooting him an obvious I told you so look. "Shut up..."

El pressed his cheek against Erik's, face tightly screwed up.

"Hey, what's wrong, partner? You in pain? What's wro–"

El rolled on top of him and Erik felt a hard press against his thigh.

His dagger? He reached between them and scrambled for the worn leather sheath.

His hand paused.

Oh.

That dagger needed a whole different kind of sheath.

Erik blushed heavily as El groaned on top of him.

"Ah, hah, s-someone's happy." He patted El's back and turned away from his sweat sheened face, straining to keep his eyes on the tent canvas.

"What's wrong honey? Your face has gone all red." Sylv leant over him and pressed his hand to his forehead with concern, frowning.

"He's, he's got..."

Sylv tipped his head to the side.

"Morning wood," he murmured.

Sylv giggled and clasped a hand to his mouth. "Are you okay?"

"Mm-hm. Nothin' I can't... handle," he muttered, feeling El's fist tighten on his hair.

El mumbled then shifted entirely on top of him, faces still pressed together, and Erik was suddenly overwhelmed by the heat of his body pressed on top of him.

Sylv held his palm over his growing smirk. "Well, aren't you gonna help the poor boy out? He obviously wants you to assist with his... Wood trouble."

Jade slapped her knee and snorted. "No way... The little shit!" An evil grin tugged at the corners of her mouth, her eyes turning decidedly dark. "Go on, help him. Aren't you supposed to be the Luminary's special little helper?"

Veronica pushed herself up, fighting for breath as she cackled. "Yeah, Eri–h!" she mocked.

Erik growled, desperately trying not to think about El's dagger digging into him. Though, the more he focused on the feeling of it against his body, it started to worryingly feel more like a swor–

El whined softly as he snuggled closer into him, face shifting across Erik's, the corners of their mouths just brushing.

Erik gulped, mouth suddenly dry.

El mumbled and shifted again, lips touching Erik's, groaning against his mouth.

A wolf whistle sounded through the tent. Followed by a cheer.

Erik was powerless to do anything but hold his breath, eyes wide, trying to battle the havoc El's touch was reeking on his traitorous body, particularly in one area.

El squirmed a little more then settled, mouth still resting partly on Erik's.

Erik cursed internally, the problem in his pants now rivalling El's. Various erotic, and slight less so, solutions to the problem ran through his mind, polluting his thoughts.

Erik groaned and peeled his eyes open, barely aware that he'd even closed them, and stroked a shaking thumb across El's cheek.

Don't wake up, not now. Don't–

El opened his eyes with a flutter.

Then immediately yanked his face away, panic flashing through his eyes.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realise I–!" El jolted off Erik's body in horror and curled up into himself, burying his head in his hands as he rocked.

Erik lay frozen, staring up at the tent canvas, running his tongue over his chapped lips. Then his body finally caught up and he cringed. "Don't look at me..."

He could just make out Sylv whispering some comforting words.

Then a whimper next to him. A familiar one. His eyes darted left. El's curled up form– shaking quietly.

An image that instantly awakened his Luminary-protecting instincts.

Erik bolted upright and shuffled next to him, wrapping a tentative arm around his shoulder. He pressed his lips against El's ear.

"I've got one too, y'know. One that you caused," he said shakily, still reeling from utter disbelief.

El, having an erotic dream, about him?

The thought did instantly alleviate the guilt about the ones he'd had about El, though.

El looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "R-Really?"

"Yeah," he breathed, planting a kiss over a stray tear. "What were you thinking about? What fantasy can I make come true?"

El smiled and glanced at him bashfully. "You. You're my fantasy."

Erik grinned widely and tugged El closer.

"Aw, you're so damn adorable! And, well, if you're stuck for ideas, I remember I always wanted to..." He dropped his voice to low murmur, one that only El could hear. "...y'know, after we jumped off that cliff together. And then..." He pressed his mouth closer to El's ear, ensuring that only he could hear the utter filth spilling from his lips.

El's eyes widened. "That's... ambitious."

"What are you two whispering about?" Sylv asked, eyebrow arching.

"Nothing!" El stood up brightly and offered Erik his hand. "We're off to Hotto."

Erik gleefully took it and let himself be pulled up, adrenaline coursing through his body as their fingers twined. The opposite of before, he realised, when he'd pulled El up onto his horse at the Door of Departure. Brushing their sides fondly, he glanced down at the birthmark on El's hand and gripped onto it tightly– the hand he'd never wanted to let go.

El looked across at him, patiently waiting for his response.

He ducked his burning face behind a palm. "Sure, but why Hotto?"

El offered him a mischievous smile. "To get you a kimono."

[trashcanband4]

Father Duo Ch. 3

  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Chapter Title: The Arrival. Pairing: Eventual Daryl x Reader. Setting: The Prison. Word Count: 2,138. Warnings: Rape, non-customary situations.

We were sitting in the truck looking at the prison. "Dad this place is perfect!" I said excitedly turning in my seat to look at him and he looked at me like I was crazy. "What?" I asked looking playfully offended.

"This isn't a joke Bay." He said giving me a scolding look.

"I know. I wasn't jokin’."

He sighed at me like I was the most ridiculous person in the world. "Look at the amount of walkers in that prison yard. Do ya really think just the two of us can clear that? Even if ya were the best shot in the county, which yer not, we wouldn't have enough ammo to take them all down."

"So we'll find a different way." I suggested with a shrug and he rolled his eyes. "This is the safest place we've found so far. Are we just going to let the walkers have it?" I might have always been a bit quiet back in the old world, but I always spoke up when I had something to say. My gut was telling me that we should at least try to clear it out.

My dad rolled his eyes when I gave him puppy dog eyes, something I hadn't done since I was five. But it still had the same effect because he huffed out another breath. "Err fine we'll give it a try." He pushed the squeaky truck door open and I followed him around to the bed where he started digging through the hunting bag. "Use this." He handed me a knife then pulled his out of the sheath on his hip. "We'll see if we can take them out through the fence." The lid of the big silver toolbox creaked when Dad opened it and pulled out some bolt cutters and an old wire dog leash. I was wondering what he needed these things for, but I quickly found out when we got to the fence of the prison. He cut a hole in the fence with the bolt cutters that was big enough for us to duck through then laced it shut with the wire. We were relieved to find that there were no walkers between the two fences.

The ones in the prison yard quickly caught our sent and were soon scratching at the barrier eager to eat us. Dad started stabbing the walkers in the head with his knife and I followed his lead as always. I tried not to think about who these people were before they changed, and succeeded. My mind was mostly numb to the things I killed, but every once in a while my eyes would catch something, a pierced ear or a unique tattoo, little things like that that would reanimate my mind and make it wonder.

I switched the knife to my left hand often to keep from wearing myself out too fast, but eventually I lost all feeling, emotionally and physically, and had to stop. "Dad I can't do this anymore. My arms feel like jelly." I wiggled my shoulders making my arms flop at my sides for emphasis. He smirked at me before we stood back to examine what we had accomplished. We hadn't even taken down half of them and I quickly figured out that this might take a while. Since gas in the truck was running low we couldn't drive back to the house. So we would be sleeping in Old Red again.

After all that walker killing I just wanted to kick back in the truck and get some rest. Problem was that we were both covered in blood that had splattered from the walkers as we took them down. Funny, I hadn't noticed it when we were killing them, I guess I was too busy concentrating on getting the horrible job done and over with. "You look disgusting." I said to Dad with my hands on my hips. He just laughed at me and said that I did too. "Is there anywhere around here that we could wash off? I'm not eating or sleeping with this much blood on me." He nodded and made a follow me motion. He led me to a wide river that I eagerly jumped into, clothes and all. I didn't have any soap so I just did my best with out it. I used the sand that I could grab with my toes to scrub the blood off of me then did the same to my clothes. Dad and I switched places, he took a dip in the river and washed his clothes while I watched for walkers.

We walked back to the truck not caring that we were fully clothed and soaking wet. When we got back to the truck Dad changed clothes not bothering to dry off. Since it wasn't much longer until sundown he started a fire then went to hunt. I grabbed a towel and stepped around to the driver's side of the truck to change into something dry. Most of the clothes I had brought from home were too big on me since I had lost even more weight. Not that I minded, I liked my new body, but I feared that if there wasn't any food left in the prison then I would become one of those girls that were so skinny you could see their hip bones poking out. So far I didn't have to worry about that. I still had a little pooch, but having weighed 195 lb at one point I figured this would never go away. So I dug through one of the bags that I had packed with scavenged clothes until I found a set that fit me.

I had just put on clean under things when a hand went around my mouth and I felt the cold metal of a knife blade at my throat. My back was pressed tightly to a muscular chest. "One peep and yer dead." A rough, unfamiliar voice whispered in my ear and I cringed from his hot breath on my skin. "Ya hear me?" my nod was jerky and my whole body was trembling but I couldn't make it stop.

The nasty smelling hand that was on my mouth slid down to my chest and into my bra. I gritted my teeth and hot tears ran down my face. The man made a quiet sound of enjoyment making my insides twist. I wanted so bad to scream out for my dad, but I knew if I did that this man would have no problem slitting my throat open. That's just how most men were now days. The man kept the blade at my throat as he slid his hand down my stomach and around to my rear. I couldn't help the suppressed cry that came from me when his rough hand hit my butt. I regretted it the second it happened, because he pressed the knife tighter to my throat. The thin skin split open and I felt sticky blood run down my chest.

His calloused hand stung like hot embers as it ran over every inch of me. All of a sudden the knife was gone and replaced by his hand around my neck as he shoved me to the back of the truck and made me lean over the side of the bed. My hands were free, and gripped the side of the truck. I could see the ammo bag sitting in the corner closets to me and while the guy was distracted with my body I slowly slipped my hand into the truck bed and into the bag. My fingers shakily curled around the handle of the first weapon I felt, a large knife.

I can't even begin to tell you what I was thinking as I crossed my legs at the ankles, which pissed off the man, because I cut off his access to my body. This worked to my advantage, because as soon as he stood up straight with his fist reared back to punch me I quickly spun my body around uncrossing my ankles as I did. My arms were flung out to the side as I spun and I used the momentum to slam the knife into his side. I watched his face contort in pain before I pulled it out and he yelled out as he collapsed to the ground. I took that as my opportunity to run.

I mostly tripped over my own feet as I ran to the prison, undid the cable on the hole, slipped in, quickly retied it and I ran to the closest watch tower. I didn't even feel the effect that the gravel was having on my bare feet. I flung the door open and stabbed a walker that was inside before I ran up the stairs and to the top. The moon was bright and I could see the man still on the ground writhing in pain.

He didn't get up and soon I saw Dad coming out of the woods with a rabbit and a squirrel. I called out to him and I could see his head as it turned in my direction. "Watch out!" I didn't know if he caught what I had said, but I saw him run around to the other side of the truck and struggle with the man. My dad ended up tying the man's hands together then his feet. When I saw that Dad had the man immobilized I made myself leave the tower. As soon as I got to Old Red my dad started checking me over for wounds, I was completely unharmed other than the small, shallow scratches that the gravel path left on the balls of my feet and the thin cut on my neck. After that he let me go to the truck to change into the jeans and t-shirt that I had laid out.

"Wanna tell me exactly what happened?" Dad asked when I joined him at the fire and I told him everything. "Well ya did good, ya protected yerself, but from now on ya need to be on guard all the time." I nodded at him not wanting to talk. "And yer telling the truth? He didn't…?"

"No. He just…", I cringed inwardly and outwardly, "touched." I explained letting a shiver run down my spine. He nodded looking almost as pissed as I felt. We sat there for a while both just staring into the fire before my father asked a question that I was going to grow to hate with a passion.

"Are ya okay?"

"No, yes, I don't know." Dad just looked at me. "I hate him." I sat there with my knees pulled to my chest as Dad focused on the meat over the fire. "Is…is that bad?" He shook his head and swallowed hard before he looked at me.

"No sweetie it's not. Its normal to feel anger at someone for doing something like that. But you have to remember, do unto others…"

"As you would have them do unto you." I said with a nod, but I never really understood that phrase. It could be looked at two ways. Option one, I should treat him with kindness and respect, because that's how I would like to be treated. Or option two, he treated me like crap so that meant he wanted me to treat him like crap back. Now that I think about it if he wanted me to do option two, shouldn't I do option one just to piss him off? Jeez this stuff was annoying to think about. I decided that I would do the first choice because it seemed to be the more moral of the two. "What are we going to do with him?" I asked as we sat eating by the fire.

"Don't know, what do ya think we should do with him?"

"I don't know, that's why I asked you." That comment pulled a small smile out of him.

"We'll figure it out in the mornin'. For now he can stay there. Ya can go to the truck when yer done eatin'. I'll take watch." I put my plate on the ground then walked around the truck to climb into the back seat, but a movement at the edge of the woods caught my eye.

The man was illuminated by the light inside the truck and it was the first time I had looked at him since the attack. From what I could see he was an older, blond headed man and wore only an old black vest and loose fitting jeans. "What ya lookin' at sugar tits?" he asked not even trying to get out of the ropes. I just ignored his question and climbed into the truck to try and get some much needed rest.

Daryl Tags: @jodiereedus22 @mtngirlforever @zzeacat @winchester-angel@moodygrip @beegnc @hells-mistress @lighthope08 @sapphire1727@luisadontcurr @chloebabyboo @ilkaeliseb @twdeadfanfic @ravengalaxia@1lluminaticonfirmed @my-current-fandom-is @nikkiloves-bailey @coffeebooksandfandom @lonewolf471 @gruffle1 @mblaqgi @calumstuffs@beltzboys2015-blog @neontiger007  @lonewolf471 @sourwolf-sterek32 @dixonluvv @dotslabyrinth @kayln97 @art-flirt @beltzboys2015-blog

[seeingteacupsindragons]

My fifth prompt, for https://twitter.com/waldmotel! This prompt was “something about a selkie,” so.

So.

Sean met the seal when he was only seven.

They weren’t rare, especially not in fall when new pups were being born and the beaches were full of tiny creatures barking with the full force of their new lungs. But this seal was different—somehow. It approached him, even where he stood at least twenty meters away like his dad insisted, looking for shells. This one came right up over to him and nudged against his hand, making him yelp and drop the conch in his hands to the sand, unsettling himself to land on his butt.

The seal nosed into his hand.

“H-Hi,” he said, looking frantically around for his dad. Seals weren’t dangerous. They weren’t dangerous, Dad said. Dads are never wrong.

At least, his dad said it was safe as long as he didn’t touch the seals.

“I-I don’t have any food for you, you know.”

The seal nudged his hand one more time and then rolled onto its back, then its belly, then flopped away from him.

Sean stared at it in awe.

The next time he came to the beach, the seal was waiting for him. And the time after that.

And then, pretty much every time he came to the beach until he finally left for university.

The first time Sean returned home after four years of studying computer science, he stopped by the beach the same afternoon. The seals were there as they always were, but none looked like the one he was looking for.

Turned out, that was because it had grown as least as much in four years as he had, and just as he was sitting down to rest his legs, a familiar dappled coat forced its way into his personal space.

“Hello, there!” he said. “Missed me, huh? Or do you do this to everyone now?” It hadn’t, not when he was growing up—if Sean’s dad was in sight, the seal stayed far, far away, even when Sean spotted it next to it marine companions and waved.

The seal barked directly into his ear and he winced, cupping his hands over them to dampen the noise. “Hello,” he said, not knowing what else to say. Over the years he had made the seal his companion, talked endlessly to it. It was comforting—telling someone all his problems who couldn’t complain about it.

But he didn’t know what to say now—he was content. And anyway, it seemed like the seal wanted to talk more than he did.

He watched it wander away from him, almost as if pacing across the sand. He bit back a smile. Could seals even pace?

Then it flipped over and writhed on the rough sands of the beach and Sean darted forward, hesitating a foot away. What was he supposed to do if seals were ill? Could they throw up? It looked like it was about to throw up.

The seal flipped over onto its back, spraying sand across Sean’s feet and he finally reached down to help it back into the sea, at least—maybe that was the problem, it had been on ground too long?—and found himself face to face with a lovely, brown-skinned woman with red hair splayed across the sand in front of him. He froze for a moment, then glanced around once more, finding the seal vanished and the woman only barely decent with a soft, brown-and-gray dappled hide.

Seal skin.

“Selkie,” he breathed out. “All these years, I’ve been talking to a selkie.” “Yes,” she said, sitting up. The seal skin slipped from her chest to pool in her lap, and Sean winced. At least no one else was there on a gloomy day so close to winter. “I’m here to be your wife, if you want me.”

Sean laughed and offered her a hand to help her to her feet. She stood on unsteady legs, unused to the movement, and took a few wobbling steps back and forth to get used to the action. “Maybe marriage is traditional, but nowadays humans start with a date. Come on, I’ll buy you dinner. There’s a great seafood place nearby.”

[kyloripped]

Lazuli

Hey folks, I’ve had a fic rattling around on my phone for nearly a year so I thought it was finally time to post it! In honour of Mermay I have a written a small Mermaid!AU in which Hux is a grizzled sailor and Ren is a mermaid. As usual I thank @sugardaddyhux for sitting with my for hours in a coffee shop last year and helping me build the foundations of this idea. I’m nervous as I haven’t written a proper fic in a while but here goes! Here is a bit of the fic, the rest is on my Ao3. Enjoy <3

[Ao3 Link]

The ocean was boiling, rolling in anger. Any ship foolish enough to dare set sail soon felt the grizzly waves slap against their keep as the sea roared its discontent.

Armitage Hux was no fool, and yet he braved the unforgiving waves. No matter how black the sky became he would not tolerate trespassers on his land. And trespassers there were; somewhere in the mass of grey manifested the dark, unwanted outline of a ship.

Whalers or some other stubborn trawlers invaded his waters. The calm morning had been coveted by many ships, but most had the good sense to quit when they saw the dark hull of his ship stalk the waves to warn them away. Not this particular ship though, which had clung to the horizon line with some kind of irritating defiance.

The storm had caught both of them by surprise. What had begun as a trading of biting insults had been sucked away by the howling wind, had been dulled by the force of the waves shunting their keels from side to side. Hux had leaned against his stern and shouted at them to leave his waters, but the wind stole his words.

The wind now howled around them in salt bitten fury and the invading ship keeled to the side. Hux, a safer distance into the shallows, felt his breath sucked out of him as he saw the inevitable; an unseen rock smashed against the intruder’s hull. A ripping noise mixed with a crescendo of screams and the boat hovered uncertainly for a moment, suspended for one second of pure disbelief as it was silhouetted against the iron sky. Hux was clutching at the prow for dear life as he saw the water break over their stern.

There was nothing to do but watch; one moment there was a ship, the next there was great jagged hulks of debris floating against the waves. A discordant shout of, “Don’t let go of it-!” had cut through the roaring, but that could have been mere fancy. Hux clutched the damp wood as he felt the sea ready to suck his ship into its own watery maw.

But Hux was a sailor. A wind bitten, jaded thing, but a mere storm would not faze him. He leaned into the wind as he felt the boat shift, his eyes on alert for any rock or fast moving current that may rise up to thwart him. The pounding of the sea was a rhythm he loved almost as dearly as breathing. Trusting his old ship to guide him he started steering starboard towards the safe haven of the shoreline.

And then he saw it; the shape of a hand seemed to rise up out of the graveyard of scattered debris like a small beckoning flag; help. Help me. It hovered above water level before sinking, then rose up again to catch his attention.

The sight tormented him. To go back for what was quite possibly a dead body was madness, but the hand looked like it was moving. It tugged at Hux like a compass point, and before he knew it he was changing course.

When Hux had managed to heave the ship towards the shape the first thing he registered was the dark crisscross of a net floating in the water and dissecting it into squares. The next thing was that there was a man twisted in that net- a large shape pulled underwater by the cruel bonds encasing it. Hux could just see dark hair floating above the water level before it was sucked down again.

Mind in autopilot, he reached into the icy water to grab at the net. He nearly toppled overboard as it yanked away from him. Thinking it was the current, Hux just pulled harder until the rope began to rise towards him. When the face finally broke the waves Hux almost lost his grip.

The eyes were yellow. Bright and mistrustful, they narrowed as the dark lips split into a snarl. The bared teeth seemed all incisor as they glinted up at him in fury. Hux stared dumbfounded and unable to understand what exactly he was looking at.

But the creature, for creature it was, had its neck constructed by the net, the one free arm struggling to rip free from the bonds encasing the rest of him. The more he struggled the tighter the net closed in on his throat.

There also seemed to be blood billowing from a nauseating wound in the chest which made a cloud of red amongst the grey. It billowed and coalesced like ink spreading to stain everything it touched. Hux’s hands were red to the elbows as he leaned into the water.

Teeth gritted, Hux pulled at the cruel net ensnaring the creature. He knew without a doubt that it would die if he left it to be strangled in these turbulent waves. And even more, he knew that to let go now would mean losing the most important catch he may ever find in his career.

The rope cut into the blue tinged skin without mercy and there was another howl as the creature was brought above the water level. What a howl it was- it cut through mouth, then air and then bone. Struggling, Hux pulled and pulled and cursed the sea, the creature and himself for being so stupid to risk his life this way. Somehow the whole weight of the body thudded to the deck as it was hauled aboard. Face down and with dark hair spread on the salt-bitten wood, the creature did not move. Body sagging and bloodied tail motionless, the trauma of the net and turbulent sea seemed to have overcome it.

Tail. Hux gawped at the whole length of the man… no, the mermaid. He felt dizzy as the realisation came to him. The tail was an enormous, coiling mass of dark scales scratching against the decking. Bright red blood was seeping into the wood as if it were thirsty for a drink. The rest of the creature was thickly built and so huge with it that it made Hux feel hopelessly small. The broad back was crisscrossed with the pearlescent slashes of old wounds and the hands had unfurled to show sharp webbed fingers.

It needs to die, was Hux’s desperate, immediate thought. One wouldn’t haul a shark on board no matter how much that doleful black gaze cut through the heart to clutch at some kind of mercy. But this was no shark; the large dark lips were still open in a silent scream of pain even as the yellow eyes were shut. It had been a human scream that had come from that mouth. Feeling nauseous, Hux steered towards the shore.

Later on, Hux would never know how he managed to drag the creature across the sand and to his door. Some last vestige of adrenaline perhaps, or maybe he knew that it was the only way to save the creature. He pulled and heaved and a long red line was carved into the wet sand to be sucked back down by the time he reached the blue front door. The creature was still motionless, still succumbing to either injury or fatigue.

The body dragged another line of red grit on the spotless wooden floors as Hux heaved him towards his bathroom. The long, dark tail flopped hopelessly behind them, and Hux saw with a jolt that the tip of his marvellously long fin was torn to shreds. His legs tingled in some kind of hopeless empathy as they entered the bathroom.

Across the white tiles they went. The huge body thumped heavily to the floor as Hux let go, rolling his shoulders and grimacing at the ache there. He stretched out to turn on the taps over the bath. As the water fell into the tub he turned back to the creature.

Its eyes were open.

Hux barely had time to move before the creature darted forwards. There was a horrible discordant screech bouncing around the bathroom as it writhed in his direction. Hux gave a shout as he clutched the bathroom wall for safety. Jaws snapping, the beast accidentally slapped its long ruined tail against the side of the bath. The resulting groan of pain was low and long. Hux took the moment of weakness to leap over the figure and towards the door. Hearing it crash behind him, he stood in the corridor for a moment with chest heaving.

A mermaid. In his bathroom. A mermaid. His breaths began coming quicker then. Knowing that accepting the truth would most probably lead to meltdown, Hux locked the bathroom door with a shaking hand. He would think about this rationally and deal with when he had formulated a plan that did not involve him being bitten by those frightening teeth. His thoughts were accompanied by the crashes and shrieks coming from behind the locked door, but Hux was practised at ignoring unwanted things.

The next day was tense. There was the odd thump from the bathroom but otherwise the creature had seemed to slump into uneasy silence. When Hux was making himself some much needed breakfast, he wondered if the creature was hungry. The image of the flashing incisors lunging towards him killed any thought of going back into the bathroom however.

The house was eerily quiet. Hux sat on his doorstep in the afternoon to fix some fishhooks that had bent out of shape. As he absentmindedly twisted the metal he cut his thumb on the sharp barbed tip. The small bead of blood reminded him of the great slash in the creature’s chest and he all but recoiled.

When Hux's rumbling stomach prompted him to make a late lunch he threw some kippers into a pan and began frying them. He watched the fish sizzle in the butter, and his eyes were drawn to the little tails poking the sides of the pan. Did the mermaid eat fish? Hux couldn’t decide if that counted as cannibalism. But he must surely be hungry by now. He would never be approachable if Hux starved him out. Before he quite knew what he was doing, he was stood outside of his bathroom door with a plate of kippers. Feeling stupid, he pressed his ear pressed against wood and listened.

Nothing. But, no, that wasn’t quite right- there was a quiet splash coming from within. Gathering his courage, and more importantly the plate of fish, Hux turned the key.

Inside the bathroom was in utter disarray. His neatly folded towels were scattered on the floor, his bottles of shampoo and gel thrown under the sink. There was water everywhere. As Hux observed this horrifying sight, he saw that the yellow eyes were peeking up at him over the lip of the bath. Although the bath was comfortably large the creature was too big to fit in fully and his tail was flopped over the side like an enormous wet beanbag. But he had managed to dip under the water level. They regarded each other for a moment.

Hux was the first to move. Refusing to be intimidated, he walked in clipped footsteps towards the bath with the plate in hand. Stopping at the edge, he proffered it.

The yellow eyes looked up mistrustfully. Hux waited.

“Eat.” He said in a clear, slow voice.

There was one long blink at this. It took hux a few moments to realise that the creature may not understand him. He brought a hand up to his mouth and made an eating motion.

“For you. Eat.” He repeated, snapping his teeth.

There was a slight splash as the mermaid twitched at the noise. His ripped tail flicked more water into the floor. Hux sighed. This was hopeless.

He bent to leave the plate on the floor. As he walked back to the door he heard the sloshing of water which indicated that the creature had moved. He couldn’t resist turning, and when he did he saw the gleaming, blueish torso rise out of the water. The wound there was ghastly but bloodless now, and small beads of water stuck to the skin like small pearlescent beads. The yellow eyes blinked once at Hux as he retreated although he could not make out the expression sat there.

Safely outside, Hux clutched at his temples. His head hurt. He had to find some way of dealing with this creature….no. Ren. Hux’s face creased into a frown. How did he know that? His ear itched, or maybe it was some intangible place he couldn’t reach that did. He did not relish the sensation. He made his way back to his fishhooks, his mind echoing to unfamiliar word. Ren. Ren.

***

[Find the rest of the chapter on ao3!

[pyrewriter]

Explanations (Part 2)

Kaleido had found Fe's apartment and kidnapped her, pinning her two stories above the front entrance stairs forcing her to watch as he put bystanders into mazes. "You see Agreste, I can help these people far more than you ever could" he said gloating about his power looking over his work "I can make them face their problems and vices".

"Forcing them to confront the things they already struggle with isn't going to make them better, it will only destroy them" Fe' retorted "If you would just-".

Kaleido turned with a look of disgust "Silence you incompetent quack" he said looking up at her "My contract was terminated all because of your name". He turned back dismissing her with a wave of his hand "Pfft 'Agreste' your name belongs in fashion". 

Fe' grit her teeth "And what do you know about MY FAMILY YOU EGOTISTICAL TWAT" she screamed with fury in her voice. 

Chat heard Fe' shout and picked up the pace "I'm going ahead, don't lag behind" he said over his shoulder as he began to run on all fours. Ladybug tried her best to keep pace with Chat but he was too fast for her to stay with him as he leaped from roof to roof with practiced ease. 

"Oh~not much, but soon I will know everything I need to" Kaleido stated deviously looking up at Fe' as she struggled and writhed against the ink that bound her. Chat had arrived and made his presence known with a shout as he jumped from the school roof arms above his head. Kaleido jumped back as Chat struck the ground where he had just been with his staff shattering the stairs, "How did you escape your labyrinth so quickly?" he demanded. Chat stood and threw his staff at him but it missed flying past hitting a hydrant causing it to burst and spew water into the street washing away some of the mazes.

"I dealt with that shit long before you made me relive it, no shut up and fight" Chat said cracking his knuckles. 

"Ha! with aim like that you real-"            

Chat tackled him into the puddle that the hydrant had formed, "I said shut up".

"Augh!" Kaleido exclaimed as he threw an ink blob at Chat hitting him square in the chest but it only splattered against him before being washed away. "What!?" he looked down at himself and saw his ink was runny and smearing "DAMN YOU" he yelled throwing a right hook, Chat took the hit without flinching. 

"HAHA Not so tough without your ink are you" he mocked kicking his opponent in the gut hard enough to make him slide back, their fight quickly devolved into a brawl. Chat had landed multiple devastating blows that would crumple a normal human to Kaleido's sides and jaw as he tried to pummel him into submission. Ladybug saw Chat had the situation handled and didn't want to get involved so she decided to gather the nearby mazes, placing them together for when she cleansed the Akuma. Kaleido wasn't going down, changing tactics Chat started aiming for pockets, when he hit his front shirt pocket Chat heard and felt something break. 

The Akuma flew from the pocket moments later which caught Ladybug's attention and she acted on instinct, cleansing it immediately. Doing so freed all those trapped in their mazes but it also dissolved the ink suspending Fe' causing her to plummet to the ground. 

Ladybug was slow to recognize her grave error and tried to use her power before she hit the ground "Miraculous Ladybug" but she would hit the ground before it would work, luckily Chat was faster and had already caught her. 

However he too acted on instinct and tossing her back into the air caught her on his shoulder and with an exhale said "Light as Balsa".

"What" Fe' said as what Chat had just said and done sunk in.

Chat quickly put a hand over his mouth putting Fe' down "Uh...*BEEP BEEP* Oh, would you look at that gotta go, glad you're safe bye" he said quickly before launching himself onto the roof. Fe' zoned out as she stared at where Chat had disappeared as gears in her head began to turn. 

"Are you alright?" Ladybug asked putting a hand on Fe's shoulder. 

Fe' looked at Ladybug for a moment before realizing that Ladybug had asked her a question "Y-yes I'm fine thank you for saving me" she said.  Looking past Ladybug she saw a confused looking man that she assumed was the Kaleidotherapist "Is he going to be ok?" she asked pointing.

Ladybug looked over her shoulder to see what Fe' was pointing at "Oh yeah, he's just gonna be a little confused and maybe ashamed of what he did" she responded casually. "You must excuse my partner, he's been through a lot recently" she said.

Fe' looked back to where she watched Chat disappear "Yes...I'm sure he has..." she replied with a look of near horrified concern.

Ladybug caught her expression and tried to change the subject "There's a few things I'd like to ask you, is that alright?" she asked.

Fe' shook her head trying to clear her mind "Y-yes of course, what is it you'd like to know?".

Ladybug twiddled her thumbs looking down "I'd like to ask you a few questions about Adrien Agreste, he is your brother correct?" she asked, Fe' was silent.

Trying to formulate a lie with enough truth to sound believable, Fe' sighed "Yes we were brothers ,now brother sister, but I have not heard from him in quite some time and I have not had any contact with him since moving to Paris". She sniffled  "I wish I could have been of more assistance and I hope he's ok, we haven't always had the best relationship with father but..." she forced a tear.

Ladybug stopped her "That's all I needed to hear, please don't force yourself to talk about it". 

Fe' wiped her false tear "Thank you Ladybug, I need to get to work now so if you would excuse me" Ladybug nodded before zipping off in the opposite direction of Chat. Fe' watched until she was gone "I definitely need to talk to him when I drop by the tavern later" she thought as she entered the school. 

Ladybug had gone until she was just out of line of sight "Tikki, Spots Off" she de-transformed and snuck into her room from the balcony. Marinette flopped onto her bed "Well Tikki, that was our last lead and it went nowhere fast".

"Don't give up Marinette, I'm sure you'll find him soon" Tikki said sounding encouraging, "Besides, he's a model whose face is known around Paris, how long can he hide?" she added.          

"I guess you're right" Marinette sighed, then she heard her parents call from down stairs.

"Marinette, the villain is gone now, you'll be late if you don't leave soon" her dad hollered.

She rolled her eyes "Oui Papa, I was about to head out now just give me a moment" she called back grabbing her bag and heading down stairs saying goodbye to her parents on her way out. Outside she met up with Alya asking "So what did I miss, I kinda slept through this last attack and what happened to the hydrant?". 

Alya wiped out her phone "Girl you amaze me sometimes, but you missed an interesting fight to say the least" she showed Marinette the video of Chat arriving and subsequent brawl.     

Meanwhile Chat had stopped on the top level of the parking garage where he left his bike  and de-transformed "Plagg, Claws In". Adrien let out a heavy sigh "Well this was certainly an eventful morning eh, Plagg" he said putting his helmet on and grabbing the other.

"Certainly was, kid" Plagg replied hiding in the second helmet.

Adrien bit his cheek "I just hope I didn't give myself away to Fe' back there" he thought to himself as he started the bike and headed for the tavern. 

Fe' had met with the principal and received her full time schedule for the year. Now he was introducing her to the class she would be working with the most "Hello everybody, my name is Felix Agreste but please call me Fe' and I'm sure you have questions so please ask away". 

Ivan was the first to ask "Why are you dressed like that if you have a boys name?" he asked trying his best to sound genuine and not offend.

"Ah one of the elephants in the room" Fe' said leaning herself on the teachers desk "I am Trans ,pre-op, from Male to Female and have yet to legally change my name" she explained. Then gesturing to herself "However if you are uncomfortable or confused please do not hesitate to refer to as simply 'Agreste' if it is easier, anything else on this matter?". 

Rose was the next "Pronouns are 'She, Her' correct?" Fe' gave a confirming nod.

"That leaves only one more elephant in the room which I'm sure I can guess, my brother Adrien Agreste correct?" Fe' asked looking at the faces of the class. Most of them looked to the empty seat next to Nino, whom she met at the tavern and knew the truth of his disappearance. Most of their expressions changed to that of concern but one girl in the front seemed almost on the verge of tears "You there what's your name?" she asked pointing at her.

The girl had Jet black hair that shimmered with a beep blue "M-my name is Marinette but most people call me 'Mari' for short" she said wiping her eyes. 

Fe' gave her a gentle and warm smile "Marinette, my door is always open to you if you need if you ever need to talk or have questions" then looking to the class "-that goes for all of you". She brought herself to a standing position "I do not know where my brother is and we haven't talked in years but I have never known him to act rashly without reason" she said leaving the room. Once in her office she pulled out her phone and tried to call Adrien but there was no answer, her theories about Chat were making her crazy and she needed to find out what happened. She started making a checklist in her mind of parallels between Adrien and Chat "Their hair, eyes, they both wear masks, not to mention that catch".

Adrien was at the tavern and helping Milo unload the wood and tools they would need to repair or replace the table and booths along with a floor sander and gallons of stain and sealant. He had left his phone and wallet in the locker room, they decided that removing the booths and tables so they could sand and refinish the floor should come first. They worked throughout the entirety of the day to finish the floor, only taking a break to let the new stain and sealant dry. 

School continued as usual with Alya and the class plus Luka meeting after school to search for Adrien as they had everyday since he ran away. Marinette and Nino ,however, did not join them, Nino had told Alay that his uncle needed help renovating. Marinette had said she was going to talk with Fe', Alya fully supported and encouraged her. 

*Knock knock knock* "The door is open" Fe' said sitting organizing the various bits and bobs on her desk.

Marinette entered closing the door behind her "M-miss Agreste, I'd like to talk to you about some stuff".

Fe' looked up from her work for a moment to see who she was talking to "Ah Marinette was it, how are you holding up?" she asked as she continued to arrange her desk. "From your reaction in the classroom earlier it seems my brother's vanishing act has impacted you quite a-bit" she stated.

"That's actually one of the things I wanted to talk to you about-" Marinette said twiddling her thumbs.

 Fe' raised an eyebrow "And what would the other thing be, my dear?".

"You're not much older than us so how did you get a job as a full fledged student counselor?" Marinette asked. 

Fe' lowered her brow "Oh...that's what's troubling you my dear, well I may not look it but I'm 22 going on 23 soon and I worked extremely hard to get into accelerated courses". Then looking Marinette in the eye asked "Now what about my brother did you wish to talk about?".

Marinette froze for a moment before saying "You said you never knew him to act rashly".

"-without reason, yes" Fe' confirmed.

Marinette began to pace "Right, but...what did you mean by that, from what anybody can tell he just up and left his home and his friends after very clearly being severely injured somehow. I mean I wasn't here so I don't know what happened exactly but I saw the video that my friend Alya took and he was coughing up blood so-".

Fe' had heard enough to know what the class knew about Adrien "Marinette" she said ,her voice carrying knowledge in it's tone, "-I know Adrien better than any living person and you don't know the kind of person he is". 

Marinette was taken aback "What do you mean, He's kind, caring, considerate, and just perfect" she said. 

Fe' stood from her desk looking her in the eye "You know the mask he was forced to wear because of our father" she said raising her voice slightly. She paused to recompose then in a level yet somber tone, "If you wish to know the real story of Adrien Agreste then I will be in the classroom during lunch this Friday". Fe' gathered her things and checked out for the day "I have some things I need to attend to, I'm sorry I couldn't help but I think it's best if I tell everyone everything at once".

Marinette was silent as she followed Fe' out of her office and watched her leave calling someone on her phone, she stood staring as Fe's words sank in "The real story of Adrien Agreste". The sound of a motorcycle shook her from her stupor, descending the stairs she saw Fe' taking the helmet offered by the rider whose face was concealed and handing him what looked like a kitten. The rider paused putting the kitten in his jacket then looked through the door, Marinette felt his eyes on her ,it was a familiar feeling, she moved to descend the stairs. The rider had taken off and was gone before she could get down and confront him "I'll have to ask Miss Fe' about that man tomorrow" she said to herself crossing the street to her home. 

"You got some explaining to do, Brother" Fe' said leaning in so he could hear her over the wind ,Adrien didn't respond, after a few minutes he parked the bike in the same spot as last time. 

"Well I'd say it's safe to assume you got the job" he said stretching out as they walked adding "Tavern's closed for today and the others are out for a bit so it's just us" as he held the door. 

Fe' smiled as she entered "That's good because we have a lot to talk about, wouldn't you agree, 'Kitty'?".

Adrien was closing the door behind them and slammed it on his foot at her words "OUCH!" he yelled.

"Oh suck it up if you can take a food truck going 45(mph) and sneak your ass out of the emergency room you can take a door to the foot" Fe' said rolling her eyes.

"Still hurts dammit" he argued before switching topics with a sigh "So...was it the catch or the phrase?".

"Both really" Fe' replied plainly.

He sighed again "Figures" he deadpanned "Plagg, no point in hiding now" he said then turning to Fe' "Well you know now so I'm sure you got questions so ask-". 

Fe' cut him off with a hug, she was crying "You big stupid idiot ,I've read the headlines, how many times have you put yourself in danger like that?". He hugged her back with nothing to say "You really are a glutton for danger aren't you!".

Adrien patted her back "Some things never change do they, Fe'?" this time she had nothing to say as she pulled him closer listening to his heart beat. 

They stood there for a while as Fe' sobbed lightly, after a few minutes she stepped back from him "You didn't tell them your history?" she asked. 

Adrien shook his head while Plagg answered "They only knew the model and they didn't seem too interested in his history so he left a lot unsaid and unshown". 

Fe' wiped her tears and crossed her arms "Well they're trying to understand why you ran away from everything and I told that girl ,Marinette, I would tell your real story".

"After what I did they deserve to know, just give them the short version will you" Adrien asked. 

Fe' nodded "I didn't plan on telling everything but they will have questions that I can't answer".

"I'm sure they will but all I can do is tell them I'm alive, maybe we can coordinate with Nino so I can call sometime soon and tell them myself that I'm ok" he said with a shrug. 

Just as Adrien finished his sentence Nino burst through the door shouting energetically "Welcome back Black Cat, I got your..welders...mask-oh".

Adrien face palmed " Speak of the devil-" he mumbled "Well if you didn't figure it out before you would have now" he said still facing Fe'. Then looking to Nino "She knows now too, no she won't tell, but we need your help". He explained that he would need him to attend Fe's story time at the end of the week.

"Ok, ok but can we talk details tomorrow, oh maybe we can hit the pool when we do ,there's no search party tomorrow so we can all relax at the pool" Nino suggested. 

Adrien agreed "Milo and I are probably going to be too sore to get any real work done so I don't see anything wrong with a little RnR". 

Fe' did as well stating "I didn't bring any bathing suits with me but I'm sure Adrien doesn't mind helping me shop for one and he can explain to me all that's happened with Chat". Adrien deflated at the thought of being dragged around in public for an extended period of time even if it was with Fe'. With plans set for tomorrow they went their separate ways, Adrien dropped Fe' off at her place again taking Belial with him this time and parked his bike in the same garage. 

"Evening Ladybug, you ready for patrol?" Chat asked stretching his arms and back.  

"Chat...why did you stop?" Ladybug asked sounding sad.

Chat was confused "Stopped what LB" 

"That" she replied.

"You're gonna have to-"

Ladybug turned getting in his face "Why did you stop calling me 'Your Lady' when did you change..." she crossed her arms holding herself "what did I do that made you change so much?".

Chat walked past her taking a seat on the edge of the roof they were standing on "You just got back and it appears we're both dealing with a lot in our civilian lives". 

Ladybug joined Chat taking a seat next to him "You still haven't answered my question, Chat"

He sighed "If I told you what was going on it wouldn't take much for you to figure out my identity but to answer your question, you wanted to keep it professional and I accepted that".

"What do you mean?" Ladybug asked watching Chat's mask looking for any sign of emotion.

"I thought the purple one of me would have been enough for you to figure it out" Chat said as Belial jumped into his lap. 

Ladybug looked over Paris "So you gave up?".

Chat chuckled "I didn't 'give up' Ladybug, I accepted reality and dropped a facade but..." he leaned to lay on his back "-I will admit I've been a little distant lately and for that I am sorry". 

Ladybug let out a sigh of relief, his words were ,in a way, reassuring "So when are you going to show me what's under that mask, Kitty?" she asked jokingly. 

Chat laughed "What happened to 'we can't know each others' identities'?".

"Touche'" Ladybug said standing up offering her hand to him "Come on we got patrol tonight" Chat smiled and took her hand. Paris was quiet ,save for the volunteer search parties looking for Adrien, after patrol Chat needed to feed Belial. Once Ladybug was gone he dropped by his camp to recharge and get some cat chow before heading to his sleeping spot. As Adrien drifted into a dreamless sleep Plagg visited Marinette and Tikki again to continue the discussion about Chat's heart, Plagg had managed to put her mind at ease. 

"He will always fight with you, he just doesn't want to make you uncomfortable or end up pushing you away" Plagg told them "He is fiercely loyal, just give him time and he'll open up". 

The next morning Adrien woke up before the sun was even peeking over the horizon, Belial was sleeping curled up in his hood and Plagg was still asleep in his pocket. "Gotta get Plagg that triple cheese I owe him" he thought to himself before climbing down as quietly as he could and made his way to the nearby cheese shop. He bought an 8cm wheel of Camembert and put in the pocket Plagg was sleeping in as a good morning present, in the meantime Adrien sat on the bench where Belial appeared. As the sun began to shine over the rooftops and onto the streets Plagg had awoken and gorged himself on the Camembert wheel while Adrien stroked Belial's back in his lap. Out of the corner of his eye Adrien saw a figure zip by ,Ladybug was early, but there was nobody nearby so "Plagg, Claws Out" he transformed right there on the bench.

The flash caught Ladybug's eye and she jumped down to investigate only to find Chat "Did you really just transform in public like nothing was wrong with it?" she asked already annoyed.

"Yes I did" Chat said shrugging "But I am curious as to what the Ladybug of Paris is up so early?" he added.

Ladybug shook her head mumbling "I will never understand you" then speaking up "I wanted to get patrol over-with early, have you finished your rounds?".

"No but I was just about to start" he replied.

"We can do it together then, I'll finish this half and you start on the other"Ladybug offered.

Chat nodded "Sounds good, we'll meet up at the Eiffel tower when I'm done" Ladybug returned his nod and they went their separate ways. Ladybug finished first and waited for Chat at the tower for around ten minutes before he arrived with a black eye, "Couple of muggers...one had a bat but he won't be swinging anytime soon". Ladybug wanted to ask what he did to the other guys arms but thought it best if she didn't ask.

"I need to go, you gonna be ok?" Ladybug asked pointing to his eye.

Chat waved it off "I'll be fine, the swelling'll be gone soon and it'll be just a bad bruise by the end of the day" Ladybug shrugged with a sigh seeming to accept his response before zipping off. School went by quietly, Fe' got to know some of the school staff, Marinette spread the word about Fe's story time on Friday, and no Akuma so no Ladybug and Chat Noir. Adrien spent the day lounging around hid camp reading his magazines, playing with Belial and chatting with Plagg about what they're going to tell Fe' about while they shopped. 

It was almost time for school to let out "Hey Nino, since we're not doing a search party today you got any plans later?" Alya asked "If not do you can come over to my place to hang".

Nino rubbed his neck "Actually I'm going to the pool with that friend of mine ,the shy one, and I don't wanna-"            

"OH, hold up let me send a group invite to the class and we can all go" Alya said cutting him off, pulling out her phone and sending the invite before he could protest. She patted him on the back "Great idea, Nino".

Nino sighed thinking to himself "Well so much for privacy, I need to warn Adrien while he's out shopping with Fe' and hope he doesn't kill me". 

Eventually the final bell rang and Fe' called Adrien to come pick her up again to take her to the mall, he was there with Belial shortly. The sound of the bike made Marinette remember that she wanted to speak with the rider but again they were gone before she could confront them. During the ride Plagg and Fe' talked about the things Adrien had done as Chat Noir and what happened to him in greater detail than the news articles she had read. At the mall Fe' was like a kid in the candy store and Adrien followed her around voicing his opinions when asked.

"Oh come on are you just follow me like a shadow and speak only when spoken to or are you going to help find something cute to wear?" she asked sounding frustrated.

Adrien pointed upward petting Belial with his other hand "Womens swim swimwear is on the second floor, I think you'd look cute in a two piece with ruffles and a skirt" he deadpanned.

Fe' blushed a little "T-too blunt you dork!" she stammered before turning to the elevator with a huff. 

Adrien looked down at Plagg, then to Belial and shrugged "She wanted my opinion" he said before hurrying to catch up with Fe' to walk beside her. After trying on several one and two piece swimsuits Fe' eventually found a top and bottom that matched Adrien's original suggestion. Adrien had been running all over to get what she needed, along the way found a bandanna with no pattern ,he grabbed two, one to cover his face the other his head. When Fe' asked what they were for as they checked out he tapped the left side of his hospital mask. Nino was already at the pool with the rest of the class and had been there for only about ten minutes and was waiting in the changing room when Adrien arrived. 

"I thought it was just going to be us" Adrien said annoyed that he would have to be on guard.

Nino rubbed the bridge of his nose "Yeah that was the plan, but I told Alya I was coming here and she invited the whole class"  

Adrien shook his head as he began to change "Good job" he said sarcastically. 

Nino turned to give him privacy "But the good news is I told her I had a really shy friend who hates crowds" he snapped making finger guns "guess who it is" he said matching Adriens sarcasm.

Adrien sighed "Well I planned on staying in the hot tub most of the time anyway" 

"See, everything works out in the end" Nino said with a laugh, then asked "Fe' using the girls room?".

Adrien had finished changing and tapped Nino on the shoulder to let him know it was safe before replying "Yeah, she's probably out there already mingling with the others". Holding up the bandannas he explained "I just need to cover up and I'll join you as 'the shy friend' in a minute". Nino nodded before leaving the room to join the Fe' and the others in the main pool, Adrien exited shortly after with his hair tucked under one bandanna and his mouth covered by the other. He walked holding one arm trying to portray someone who was shy and timid which wasn't hard for him, scars were dotted across him which is why he commonly avoided activities that would force him to expose himself. 

Luckily everybody was distracted talking to and complimenting Fe', allowing him to get to the hot tub, turn on the bubbles, and get in before most of them noticed him. 

"Hey Nino is that your 'shy friend'?" Rose asked pointing toward the hot tub.

Nino turned to see who she was talking about "Oh yeah, he doesn't like crowds but that doesn't stop him from enjoying himself" he said waving it off. 

Rose swam over to Juleka, whose head was bobbing quietly in one of the secluded corners of the pool "Hey Jule, if you're uncomfortable why don't you join Nino's friend" she encouraged. Juleka peeked over the edge of the pool toward the hot tub and the boy who had his eyes closed and nodded before getting out and walked over to the hot tub shivering.

"Uhm d-do you mind?" she asked in her usual hushed tone, Adrien opened his eyes looking at Juleka and saw her in a deep purple halter top with a seamless bottom shivering. He quickly moved over to give her room gesturing for her to get in, she stepped in and immediately relaxed thanking him as she took a seat across from him. He waved his hand to signal there was no need for thanks before leaning back letting himself sink until the bubbles were at eye level. The others continued to go about their business, When Adrien would come up for air he had the perfect vantage point to see everyone in the main pool.

After a while of sitting in silence he began to look at each of his former classmates to see what they were wearing every time he would poke his head above water. All the boys wore swim trunks ,except Kim of course, who was in his swim cap and speedo doing laps on one side of the pool. Adrien was surprised by the girls swim attire however, Rose was in an all pink one piece, Alix wore a sporty two piece, Mylene and Sabrina both wore a simple one piece that suited them nicely. Chloe and Alya were in two pieces that were heavily inspired by Queen Bee and Rena Rouge respectively, Marinette wore an open back one piece that Alya definitely picked out. 

Adrien hid his head partially in the bubbles leaving his nose above the water, the bubbles tickled his eyelashes making it difficult to keep his eyes open so he closed them. "Huh guess I was missing out on a lot of fun with them" he thought to himself letting out a sigh, a quiet but sharp inhale caught his attention. When he opened his eyes he saw Juleka covering her mouth and wide eyed with a look of concern on her face. He gave a puzzled look before realizing he could open his eyes ,the bubbles had stopped, he looked down "Too bad my face is-...was the only normal thing about me" he thought.

At the same time Fe' was preparing to make an announcement "Is the whole class here, Dear?" she asked.

"Yes Miss Agreste, Alya invited the whole class" Marinette answered with a nod. 

Fe' smiled "Good, then I won't have to repeat this" she said before projecting her voice "Everyone, since you're all here I think it's time I tell you the real story of Adrien Agreste". Everyone had dropped what they were doing, silence fell over the pool as they gathered near the edge of the pool where Fe' was sitting to listen. They were only a few feet from the hot tub where Adrien and Juleka were sitting still as statues, "Now everything I'm about to tell you is the short version but I assure you they happened" Fe' began. The further she got into the story ,sticking to major events and the things Adrien did for her in New York, the more the class began to understand his attitude toward everything. 

Juleka's eyes wandered to the scars that matched the events Fe' was explaining, as the story progressed it became more and more apparent to her who she was sitting across from. Adrien sighed and lifted his head bandanna just enough for Juleka to see his hair, she pointed at him ready to say his name but he was faster. 

Crossing the hot tub he covered her mouth raising a finger to his own whispering to her "Talk to Nino" before slowly removing his hand, Juleka nodded as Adrien sat back down. The others didn't notice as the story continued  

"When they moved to Paris I stayed behind to study...and that, that is one decision I wish I hadn't made", Fe's tone had become even more somber than when she had explained the death of their eldest brother. She went on to tell what she knew of their mothers disappearance and the relationship between Adrien and their father making a side note "-so that's the other reason he hated Christmas". Fe' rubbed her eyes "And that's everything there is to know about Adrien Agreste, the man who takes every hit, bares every scar, and does it with pride, I just hope he's ok" she said looking over her shoulder at him.

Previous Chapter(Part 1)   Next Chapter(Part 3)   Chapter Guide

[lulucarrington]

The Black Out Job

CHAPTER 2: Meet the Crew

Summary: Possessing extra-sensory abilities that make him an outcast, Leo steps into the shady world of magic and crime in order to make ends meet. Wacky hi-jinks, drama, and Ken’s increasingly ridiculous wardrobe ensue.

Pairings: KenVi, Luck, NBin

Rating: T (Ratings will vary by chapter)

 Chapter 1: HERE

 Ravi woke to the chime of his phone. He rolled, confused, out of dreams of Jaehwan sitting on a rock and singing at him, to grope for his phone. He found Butt, a roll of papers, and eventually- finally- his phone.

 “What?” He groaned at the phone. “I was asleep.”

 “My friend said yes.” N’s chirp was far too cheerful for, Ravi squinted at his clock, two in the afternoon. He flopped back in bed, groaning again.

 “He does? That’s nice.”

 “That’s all you’ve got to say? How late were you up last night? Or was it this morning?”

 “Late. Now drop it, mother Cha. What does your friend want to do?”

 “I suggested we meet at the club.” N sounded unsure, which was new to Ravi.

 “The Reef?”

 “Yes. He knows it, and he can do work in the back while we continue on… Though, it has to be in the back. He can be sensitive to sounds and stuff.” Ravi couldn’t help the questions that started to creep into his mind. N was probably the most secretive of them all, and this sudden piece of his life had Ravi fascinated. Why a friend of his appearing so suddenly? How did he know N? Were they truly friends, or friends like Ravi and N were friends? How long have they known each other? Would N ever tell Ravi how they knew each other? Was this the start of N telling people things? He’d gotten lost in his thoughts and had missed N’s last comment.

 “Sorry, what?”

 “Sorry snooze boy, I was saying: Did. Hyuuuuuuuuuuuk. Giiiiiiiiiiiiiiive. Yoooooooou. The. Gemssssssssssssss?” N exaggerated.

 “Yes, thank you. Now, what time does your friend want to meet?”

 “What time do you think you’ll be ready? Got enough time to buff your tattoos for Ken?”

 “Ha, ha, Tinkerbell.” Ravi knew N hated the comparison to cartoon fairies. “Remind me to shake your wings on my tits when I’m done. Body glitter never quite shimmers the same way as fairy dust.”

 “Fine, no Ken talk. But Ravi…” N’ pause was long. “Look, I know I don’t talk about my life much, but my friend… He’s important to me, so handle him with kid gloves- he comes off cold, but he’s just shy. We’ve been friends since we were teenagers.”

 “Alright,” Ravi’s gut swirled at the omission. “I’ll ease him into things.”

 “Show him videos of Butt. He loves animals, so that’ll warm him right up to you.”

 “Gotta love a man who warms up to a man showing him videos of his Butt.” Ravi snorted.

 “Oh, that too- he’s been on about some tall hot blonde guy he sees around. I’m pretty sure he wants to bang Hyuk.”

 “Wait,” Ravi sat up, accidentally rolling Butt over. “Is this friend tall, dark and mysterious? Possibly looks like he was commissioned by Cartier? May or may not buy six cakes in one sitting?”

 “Sounds like him.”

 “Well Hyuk’s going to try and work his awkward fuck game on him the second he walks in.”

 “I hope we remember to film it. And I’ll meet you and my friend at 10, let’s say?” Alarms went off in Ravi’s mind.

 “Won’t that cross over with our meeting?”

 “Yes.” He could practically hear N’s feral grin. “So, he can help translate any conversation he hears, if you get me. I’ve got to run, later!” He hung up without waiting for a reply. Ravi let the phone drop to his lap as he sat up, knowing he should get up, but going to sleep at 11 am had left him exhausted. He knew he needed to stop pulling these kind of nights, but he was so close to a breakthrough- he had the gems. Writing the spell would be easier now. The gems meant the spell he was attempting to construct just lost 12 possible outcomes, and potentially made it stable enough to forgo several of the charms. It would make it lighter to carry, therefore easier to control.

 “Finally up?” Hyuk had let himself in at some point, and was standing in the doorway eating cereal straight from the box.

 “Yes. And we have work tonight. N’s friend agreed to meet us.”

 “Want me to come?”

 “Yes. N thinks we should have him around for the talks. He can eavesdrop on any… Personal conversations he just happens to be near.” Hyuk nodded his agreement as he shovelled another handful of cereal into his mouth. “What’re you doing here anyway?”

 “Payments came in. I put them on the counter in the boxes, cash in the drawer.” Hyuk nodded out the door. “Want me to meet you here or the club?”

 “The club, let’s say nine-ish?” Hyuk nodded and wandered away, Butt leaving Ravi to chase the possibility of dropped cereal. Ravi was tempted to check the cereal to see if Hyuk was leaving with it (he probably would), but the shower beckoned. He barely opened his eyes until he was under the hot spray. It finally woke him up completely, and allowed him a moment to wake up completely.

 It seemed like his plan was progressing smoothly, so he let thoughts of it slip and drift around him.

 He pulled up the dream of Ken and blushed despite being alone. He’d had a couple of similar dreams recently; and all of them were about Ken. The first, he had been walking along a beach, when a pile of nets and driftwood caught his eye. It shifted, as he watched it, and a pale hand flopped onto the sand. Ravi rushed to it, and his heart caught in his throat. Tangled in a net among the driftwood, was a mermaid. Unlike real mermaids, which were more like goblin sharks with arms, this mermaid was… A fantasy. Pouty lips, wide terrified eyes, and glorious scales leaped up at him from between the coarse lines of netting. The mermaid was staring at him in equal surprise.

 “Will you free me?” It asked, and he realised the mermaid was Ken. The playful tone was unmistakable.

 “Um. Sure?” Ravi found a knife at his belt, and began to saw at the ropes. Since when did he carry a knife?

 “When I’m free I shall give you a kiss.” Ken declared, his hands clutching at the netting. The statement startled Ravi so much he’d woken up. The dreams were all like that- always Ken, always around water, always that damned pouting! He had half a mind to bite that bottom lip if Ken pouted at him again.

 This latest dream was no different, he was on the deck of a ship, sailing past a rocky reef. On the rocks lay Ken and several others that he hadn’t really noticed because Ken was there. He was having trouble noticing KEN because Ken was there. He lay, draped in thin, nearly translucent cloth, staring out at Ravi’s ship with desperate hope. He called out to Ravi, promising to tell Ravi all kinds of things, sweet things, whispered suggestions of passion, and more. If only Ravi would come closer, so Ken could whisper in his ear.

 As his ship neared the rocky shores, Ravi felt hands pulling at his clothes, voices begging him not to go, but his mind was filled with Ken. He wanted to hear those secrets, to feel them slip from those pouty lips onto his own. He wanted to rip away the flimsy gauze and expose Ken to him, to get on his knees and-

 Hyuk slamming something in another room brought Ravi out of his reverie, and he immediately attacked his hair with some shampoo, as if he could wash the thoughts from his head. He was NOT going to fantasize about that peacocking menace. He wouldn’t give Ken the satisfaction of knowing all that flirting was getting to him, even if he never told Ken about any of it.

                                *                    *                         *

 Taekwoon was seated at the bar, sipping a drink as slowly as he could, hoping Hakyeon would finally show up. The club was always too much for him, the lights too bright, the smells too much. He knew it came from spending more time around animals- he had taken on enough qualities that his world was more sensitive than that of the average humanoid. It was starting to get to him.

 If Hakyeon was late, that meant Taekwoon would have to endure this club for even longer, and he knew he was going to get a headache. He sighed, and decided he was going to try dancing, if only to tell Hakyeon that he missed seeing it. He turned, intending to get up, when a newcomer caught his eye. Taekwoon recognised the man instantly. It was the Blonde Corner Store Man. Unusually tall, and blonde, possessing a boyish smile he often graced Taekwoon with whenever they passed each other, he’d been a fixture of many shopping trips for the last few months. Taekwoon couldn’t help but feel a little weak at the knees upon seeing the man again- something about him drew Taekwoon in. He was like an asteroid, being pulled into the gravitational field of a planet. He was ready to crash on the planet, to talk to this man without fear.

 “Hey!” Hakyeon’s voice behind him nearly sent Taekwoon jumping into the writhing crowd below. “Miss me?” Taekwoon shot his friend a look. “Sorry I was late, everyone decided it was Talk to Hakyeon day. Took me forever just to get out the door.”

 “It’s fine, just… You know. The sensory overload.” He scanned the crowd, looking for the blonde. Hakyeon would understand if they waited a minute, so Taekwoon could at least ask the guy for his number. His heart jumped when he realised the blonde was nowhere to be seen, He couldn’t have left! Taekwoon wasn’t ready for him to leave! He felt a little hollow as Hakyeon gripped his arm and steered him away from the bar, down towards the bathrooms and long dark hallways Taekwoon was sure led to something shady and possibly illegal.

 “Don’t worry, we’re headed somewhere quieter. Ravi doesn’t like noise much either, aside from Jaehwan, but even then, we’re all putting bets on how long it takes Ravi to hex him.” Hakyeon grinned as the aforementioned man came gliding over. Taekwoon was once again impressed by Jaehwan. He made his skin-tight pants look effortlessly flexible as he slid to Hakyeon’s side.

 “N! How is my butterfly prince this evening?” Charm practically oozed off of him as he leaned forward and grinned at Hakyeon, who ignored the greeting.

 “This is the guy Ravi wanted to see.” He started.

 “Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Broody here?” Jaehwan eyed him up and grinned before recognition sparked. “Woonie! You’re an Omnilingual? Can you talk to snakes?“

 “Yes, but he doesn’t want to talk to yours. Just let Ravi know we’re here, please?” Hakyeon sighed. Jaehwan pouted in return.

 “Fine, mother Cha. You’re no fun.” Said Jaehwan. “Now, come on, Ravi’s in a mood today.” Taekwoon followed the pair, who continued to chat in a friendly manner, to the back of the club. Walking into the back halls was even more surreal in its underwater quality than the club itself. These halls were filled with the deep, slow darkness at the bottom of ocean trenches, with only the echoes of music crawling in as if from another universe. It even seemed to muffle Jaehwan and Hakyeon’s chattering to damp whispers. Taekwoon enjoyed it immensely. After threading through several tight hallways and going up several flights of stairs they reached a doorway, in which stood the blonde man.  “Hyukkie!” Jaehwan greeted him with a wave. “Is everyone else here?”

 “Hongbin’s on his way. Apparently he needed to have the last word and got chased a few blocks out of his way.” The blonde’s smirk nearly set Taekwoon’s hair on fire. He looked up, saw Taekwoon, and a look of electrified shock zapped through his features. “Who’s this?”

 “My friend. The one Ravi needs to see.” Hakyeon waggled his eyebrows as he pulled Taekwoon’s arm meaningfully. “You can talk to him in a minute.”

 Taekwoon dug his heels in, but Hakyeon was on a mission. He waved shyly at the other man as he was dragged into the dim room. It was lit mostly by the same blueish light as the club, but this room felt calmer and more serene than even the hallways had. In the center of it, standing in front of a low-backed leather chair, was a purple-haired man. He had his arms extended, one hand carrying a closed fan, the other was palm-down above a wispy symbol chalked on the floor. As Taekwoon watched, he opened his fan and began to scythe it through the air between the symbol and his other hand. Leo could feel the air pressure of the room change, while the man’s voice, deep and soft, began to weave a song even Taekwoon’s considerable language skills was having trouble following. The man was seeking something- searching for… A person? A book? Looking for their hiding place? He repeated the phrases over and over as he began to glide around the symbol on the floor. It was a foreign dance Taekwoon had never seen before. The grace and swiftness of it astounded him, and belatedly he realised this was a spell. This was magic. Before Taekwoon could sink deeper into amazement the man opened his eyes and noticed them. He stopped, closing his fan and free hand with a snap that left green spots dancing through the air.

 “Oh, N, you’re here?” The deep voice said as Taekwoon blinked the spots out of his eyes, amazed. “I’m sorry, I was working on… My search.”

 “It’s fine,” Hakyeon seemed unaffected by the display, but Taekwoon was enthralled. He’d never seen a spell cast before! Hakyeon had given him charms and spelled trinkets, but it was nowhere near as interesting as the song and the lights! “Sorry we’re late. I couldn’t get two feet without someone wanting to chat, it was a nightmare.”

 The purple-haired man gestured dismissively, before turning an uncomfortably intense stare on Taekwoon. Without the theatrical spell, he looked like someone’s fantasy professor, complete with gold-rimmed glasses. He gestured, and Taekwoon heard several others moving around behind him.

 “It’s fine. Once Hongbin said he’d be late I knew the rest of you would drag on too.” His tone turned friendly once he’d chided Hakyeon. “I’m Ravi.”

 “I’m… Leo.” Taekwoon had to remember to call himself that. And Hakyeon was N now.

 “I’m sorry for the group meeting, but we’re a small organization, so I like everyone to know who’s around.” Leo nodded. “As N explained- the nicknames are more for my sake than anyone else’s. As a wizard, I get into it with others who can cast spells. The last thing I need is someone pulling your full name or more out of me in a duel.” Leo nodded along- N had explained it all to him on the way. “And you know N already. The other members of the crew are Ken, who owns this club, Hongbin, who isn’t here yet, and Hyuk,” Ravi gestured behind Leo. Leo turned, and saw the blonde man again. They exchanged a small smile before Leo returned his attention to Ravi. “It’s nice to finally meet face to face. N has told me… Well he’s told me next to nothing about you, but that’s more than he generally tells me.” The man’s eyes never left Leo’s, but he continued. “And no amount of N making faces will change what I said, N.”

 “Get to the point before Ken gets here. It’ll be embarrassing for everyone watching you two.” N replied, sinking into a chair near Ravi.

 “Right. Mostly, I want you here for this,” He produced a slim folder from the chair behind him. “N says you can read any language-“

 “Read, listen to, and speak it.” Leo felt the need to clarify things. Ravi’s expression brightened.

 “Well, I’ll get you set up here. Though, I will have to take a meeting at one point. Would that… Bother you?”

 “No,” Leo felt nervousness twist in his stomach, but he ignored it. Ravi grinned, and turned back to the symbols on the floor. Somehow, if he was being honest with himself, Leo had expected something more dramatic or clandestine in nature. So Ravi being so casual and at ease had tilted everything a little, and Leo was unsure of his footing. It would be like any other job, he reminded himself, that’s what N said. So this kind of informality would be expected. The spell was interesting, though. He enjoyed that.

 “Oh, and Ken’s got your money, someone remind me to give it to you when he gets in here.” Leo nodded mutely as he watched Ravi carefully erase the symbol on the floor and move a chair over the space.

 “No need!” Ken’s trilling excitement poured into the room as the man himself strutted in. “Ravi, don’t you look Ravishing this evening. Looks like you’re still taking your handsome pills.” Leo had seen Ken flirt, but the terrible greeting could have won a prize. Tonight, Ken was dressed in something dark and tight, with a purple streak edging the low neckline. It was almost demure compared to some of the outfits Leo had seen.

 “They make them in chewables now.” Ravi returned. “Now give Leo his money.”

 “Leo like a lion?” Ken turned a big grin on Leo, who nodded slowly. “Is it because you’re a beast in-“ Hyuk’s hand hit Ken’s shoulder, and Leo heard a faint crackling sound, and Ken was leaping away towards Ravi.

 “Ignore Ken. He was born without manners.” Hyuk came to stand near Leo, leaning against the wall.

 “I’ve met him before.” Leo mumbled. He’d been so ready to plunge into a conversation earlier, but disorientation and anxiety had clouded him over once again. He was nervous of trying to start a conversation with Hyuk now.

 “That’s good. And, since Ravi was a little… Tactful about it. He wants you to listen in on his meeting. Some of the people invited have been shifty lately. If they’re whispering anything weird or not related to the meeting, you tell him about it, right?”

 “Um. Sure. I’m… I’m not sure what to listen for?”

 “Just anything that doesn’t sound like it’s about that contract.”

 “Okay.”

 “And… Um… Do you want any food or something?” Even in the blue wash of the lights, Hyuk’s cheeks were pink.

 “If it wouldn’t be a problem? Where do I get some?”

 “No, sit,” Hyuk put a hand on Leo’s shoulder, pushing him towards the table they’d set up for him. Hyuk’s hand was hot. It was extremely hot- the heat of it radiated several inches across Leo’s skin, and he almost thought his clothes would catch fire from the scalding sensation. “I’ll see what’s being served upstairs tonight.” It took Leo a moment to remember the restaurant Ken owned, which was several floors above this one in the next building.

 “Thank you.” He sat, and watched Hyuk leave, which took some time, as Hyuk had paused mid-way through the room. He watched Hyuk carefully remove his shoes and rub his socked feet on the carpet for a moment, before leaning over and giving Ken a static zap that sent the other man leaping out of his conversation with N into the slender form of a newcomer.

 “No matter how many times guys have poked Ken, the big ones are still a surprise, huh?” The newcomer laughed at Ken, giving Hyuk a wide smile that had to have at least 56 extra teeth in it as Hyuk grabbed his shoes and escaped Ken’s angry muttering.

 “Shut up,” Ken sniped, giving the newcomer a dirty look. It was ignored in favour of Leo. The smiling man made a beeline for him, grinning the whole way.

 “Hongbin!” He announced, once he was close. “And you’re…” He paused, appearing to listen to something. “Leo.” Leo nodded. “You…” He paused again, and looked surprised. “You know N and… And someone thinks you might like Ravi’s butt?” Hongbin frowned. “I thought he might like Ravi’s dog Butt. Not Ravi’s butt. We all know that butt is reserved for Ken’s hands.”

 Ravi, Leo noted, appeared to have gone suddenly deaf for this conversation. The dynamics of this little group were confusing, to say the least. “And Leo, Hongbin is a psychic. You’ll get used to this kind of thing,” N waved at Hongbin, who was staring at him with a curious smile.

 “Hyuk’s touch is warm, isn’t it?” He said softly. “He’s a fire elemental. He can’t help it.” Leo had an image of curling up against Hyuk for warmth, as a cat would, and Hongbin’s eyes widened. Embarrassed, Leo turned back to the document. “I won’t tell.” Hongbin whispered, and turned back to the rest of the group.

 Leo worked without interruption after that. Some waiters pushing large carts filed in soon after Hongbin, and Ken directed them on where to put giant dishes on the tables around the room. Leo was dutifully ignored by the staff as he worked, one only coming close to put a glass of water beside him. The contract seemed fairly standard, all jargon and long-winded sentences, and Leo carefully typed it all out exactly as he read it. He’d let Ravi decide on whether he wanted clarification later. He was actually enjoying himself, he found. He listened to the others chat, and as the room began to fill with others- most of whom were humans as far as Leo could see- the chatter became more interesting. Two of the humans had noted Hyuk’s current absence, causing Leo to realize he’d been gone for well over two hours. Neither Hyuk, nor the promised food had joined him, and it hurt a little to realize it. Leo wanted both of them to get back to him now. Two others kept checking the time, and they seemed to be expecting a third person, even after everyone had taken a chair. With no empty chairs, Leo couldn’t help but spare a thought to puzzle over who they might be waiting for.

 He continued translating, though, and kept his curious ear on the conversation. Most of it was Ravi and a dark-haired white man whose name Leo hadn’t caught. His two associates were still periodically checking their watches and whispering to each other. Most of the phrases included the very popular “Is it time yet? They said he’d be here?”, and the equally repeated “No you idiot.”, followed by, interestingly, “But we need him for this to be absolute-“ which was quickly muffled or cut off. After the sixth muffled comment Hyuk strolled in. He looked calm, but Leo could see the bags in his hands looked scorched, and his previously styled hair was wild. He moved in and whispered something to Ravi, who nodded but continued a conversation with the white man. Hyuk, on the other hand, was moving towards Leo, but his eyes were fixed on the two whisperers while his expression was an ugly, twisted thing.

 “Those two!” He hissed as he sat down beside Leo, carefully setting the bag between them. “Why are they here?”

 “I think they came with the white guy Ravi’s talking to. I’m not sure what they’re here for though.” Leo whispered back. “They keep waiting for someone, according to their whispering.” Leo relayed the whispered comments to Hyuk, whose frown soured into a deep scowl. “Why?”

 “They’re my brothers. They said they’d gotten out of… Out of their previous line of work, but if they’re thugging for hire now… I need you to tell Ravi what you heard.”

 Leo carefully stood, feeling awkward as hell as he approached the crowd of leather chairs. Fortunately, most of the chairs’ occupants ignored him, though one or two spared him a bored glance. When he came up behind Ravi’s chair he leaned down, like he had seen Hyuk do, and whispered:

 “The two in the dark suits, to your left. They’re Hyuk’s brothers, according to him, and they’ve been whispering back and forth a few times about someone arriving? And needing them for something.” Leo repeated the phrases again, and Ravi nodded, much like he had with Hyuk.

 “Tell Hyuk to-“ Ravi began, then, in a blinding flash, everything went white.

[janeykath318]

Nothing But His Fish Bones 7

[ezzydean]

“You shouldn’t be trusted with small children, should you?” and Momo

have a MomoSouKisuHaru cause I can

“You shouldn’t be trusted with small children should you?”

If Momo were someone else or if the words had come from someone else he might have been mildly offended.  Heck even a few years ago he would have at least acted affronted and huffed and flailed a little bit for comedic effect.  But since he’s Momo and it was Haru who spoke and he’s a somewhat almost mature adult of twenty-four he simply opts for the most mature response he’s capable of with a three month old puppy wriggling in his arms and trying to dive into the water lapping at his feet: he sticks his tongue out at Haru and makes a somewhat awkward attempt at a rude gesture.

“I always imagined that if you were an animal you’d be a cat.”  Momo sets the puppy on the sand and watches him dive into the water barking and biting at the small waves and generally having the time of his life.  “But now I’m thinking that you’d be a dog.  Just a big lazy puppy who loves playing in the water and when it’s time to be done you’ll flop in the sun for a nap.”

Momo settles himself onto the towel next to Haru where he’s been sunning himself for the last half hour and they watch the puppy bounding around for a few minutes until he gets tired and stumbles over to flop between Haru and Momo.

“See?”  Haru gives Momo an unimpressed look and rolls onto his stomach, careful not to disturb their companion.  Momo starts running his fingers through Haru’s hair.  “You’re practically twins.”

“I still don’t see how we wound up with a dog,” Haru says sleepily a few minutes later.  “I blame Kisumi.”

“You blame Kisumi for everything.”  Haru opens his eyes to meet Momo’s for a moment and then shrugs.

“Talking about me again?”  Kisumi’s weight hits Momo like a sack of potatoes and he tumbles forward onto Haru with a pained noise.

“Don’t even think about it,” Haru grunts at the sight of Sousuke’s bare feet digging into the sand next to his face.  “Because if you do it you will be sleeping Gou’s couch for a week at least.  You can join Kisumi cause he’s already going to be there.”

“Aww Haru,” Kisumi pouts.  “I thought you loved me.”

“Admittedly I do have a few strong feelings for you.  Right now with you digging Momo’s elbow into my spine ‘love’ is nowhere near the top of the list.”  Sousuke’s toes wiggle in the sand and Haru glares at the offending digits.  “And you’re both dangerously close to squishing the dog.”

“Oh no, Pepper!”  Kisumi wriggles and writhes and jams Momo’s elbow into Haru’s lower back.

Sousuke grabs the puppy and cradles him safely in his arms.  “I told you we’re not naming him that.”

Momo drapes himself gently over Haru’s back when Kisumi hops to his feet to chase after Sousuke, bickering playfully about puppy names, and hums happily.

[ehsopenmind]

The first thing Benjamin saw as he woke was the glittery trail of a shooting star. It flickered in the dark skies, lost in the mix of deep blues, swirling purples and vibrant pinks. The boy groaned and sat up, his head aching. He brought one shaking hand to his forehead and surveyed his immediate surroundings. He was perched atop a grassy hill, that overlooked a great body of water, which churned with oil black waves and reflected the sliver of a pale silver moon. Gnarled pine trees were scattered around the hill and stretched their twisted limbs toward the open sky. The boy looked up to find branches shadowing him, and he leaned backwards to feel the roughness of bark against his shoulders. He frowned, not knowing whether the tree had always been there or if it had appeared as soon as he’d noticed the other trees. He swallowed and got to his feet, swaying side to side before regaining his balance. He placed his palm against the tree, as if to reassure himself that he was in a physical place, before trying his voice.

“Is there anyone out there?” he called, fear crawling up his spine. He regretted speaking out once the words had left his tongue and squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to block whatever phantom monster would jump out at him. Seconds passed, and ,still, he was left unharmed and pressed against a tree. He blinked and saw no change in the layout of the world. He cautiously stepped into the thick grass, his legs brushed by the thin dark green blades. The sky was lit with the glimmering trails of stardust left behind by shooting stars and the winds blew his hair in all directions, its’ cold fingers working up and down his scalp. He shivered and inched even further down the  hill, guided only by the faintest sense of direction, urging him down the hill, and to the rolling waters of the sea, for he assumed that’s what laid ahead of him.

The water tossed and turned, the crash of surf against land almost deafening. He stopped a few yards from the water’s edge, his eyes stinging with the spray of salted liquid and his body convulsing with violent shivers. He squinted out toward the foaming sea, the moonlight barely light enough to reveal the thrashing of some sort of animal. It squirmed within the waves, with scales glinting and glowing green eyes wide with suppressed terror. A mighty tail whipped back and forth, creating swirling whirlpools in the midst of the turbulent waters. Benjamin’s mouth opened with shock. It was a dragon, caught inside the roaring ocean. He felt another pang of fear, and resisted the urge to run and hide. His nurse had warned him about such creatures.

“Dragons are beasts of legend, child.  They walk the earth, they writhe in the seas, they dance on air and they crawl through fire. They are elemental beasts, with old magic that can shake the land, flood valleys, rip apart buildings with terrible winds and tear apart mountains with fire. They want nothing more than to rid the earth of humans, for they hate us. We took everything from them, and they will not hesitate to kill. These monsters are dangerous my child, and can only be defeated by the lucky stroke of sword on scale or by ancient magic. I pray that you will never encounter one my dear.”

Benjamin wiped away tears, the voice of his nursemaid echoing in his mind. She would never know that he had been taken away, she’d assume he was dead.

He stared at the dragon, it was flailing in wild attempts to free itself, but couldn’t escape the onslaught of waves across it’s body drawing it toward the shore. He trembled with both terror and cold, his teeth a chattering of bone. The dragon was howling, a low haunted noise that grated against the boy’s ears. It shook the ground beneath the boy and stirred the waves. It was clear that the beast had power, though it was still trapped, a fact that puzzled the boy. How could something so horrifying and powerful be trapped in mere water? He wiped away at the salted spray dripping down his pale face and shouted into the wind.

“Stop it!” The boy blinked in surprise as the dragon quit it’s flailing attempts to free itself and turned its wide head to face him. Benjamin swallowed, his courage draining away. “You can’t escape if you’re making it worse!” he called out, his voice carrying out in loud ringing waves of sound. The dragon tilted its head, still being carried by the waves toward the shore. Benjamin bit his lip. He had the dragon’s attention, though he wasn’t sure why he wanted it. He was following pure instinct now. The dragon was coming nearer, actually starting to swim with the wave, toward the boy, it’s gaze curious.  The boy felt words form on his tongue, though he wasn’t quite sure how to say them. He wiped again at the rain slicking his forehead and frowned, noticing the dark cover of cloud that had swallowed the starlight drenching the land in heavy draughts of rain, but strangely there was still an abundance of light, though the boy could not name it’s source. He glanced back at the hill and then at the advancing dragon, who was coming nearer every second. Making his decision, Benjamin scampered back up to the cover of the trees.

The dragon touched down onto the sand of the beach and started its climb up the hill, it’s breath steaming in the cold air, green eyes glowing and turquoise scales glinting oddly in the light. It’s wings flared as it scrambled for claw holds on the steep slope, which was slippery with rain. Benjamin took a step backward, his brown eyes wide with anticipation. The dragon was certainly beautiful, with curled blue horns and dark edged ridges that rose down the length of it’s back. Its wings were leathery and criss crossed with webs of navy blue veins pulsing underneath the folds of skin. Its toned muscles stood out, bulging against scaly armored skin. The eyes were surprisingly full of intelligence and seemed to survey his entire body, assessing him.

The beast snorted with irritation as it kept sliding and pumped its powerful wings, trying to take flight in the wild winds.

“Careful.” Benjamin warned,  concern toward the creature taking hold of him. The dragon made a grunting noise and took to the air, its strong wings beating as it tried to keep itself aloft. Benjamin stared as it glided overhead, landing in between two large pine trees. It stomped around, snorting small flickers of flame and growling deep in its throat. Benjamin blinked, inching toward the dragon with hesitant steps. It turned it’s green glowing stare to him and it cocked its head.

“You aren’t scared?” it asked, which startled Benjamin. It was not as deep and rumbling as one might have expected, but softer and higher, like a young boy’s.

Benjamin shook his head.“I’m plenty scared.” he replied bravely. The dragon bent its head low, so as to look at the boy closer.

“But I can sense no fear emanating from you, at least not toward me.”  

Benjamin frowned.“You can differentiate fear sources?” he questioned. He now realized that he really wasn’t afraid of the dragon. He was more frightened of the prospect of being isolated in this strange place. The dragon wore an amused expression, the corners of it’s eyes crinkling.

“Yes I can young son of man. You are far from home.” It noted pointing a nose in a southerly direction.  

Benjamin looked off at the roaring seas and bit his lip. “Then I cannot reach home, if it is over an ocean.” the dragon smiled, revealing white smoothed bone sharpened into fangs.

“I suppose not. I would offer to carry you, but the wind is too strong and you do not know how to breathe underwater.” the dragon shifted its weight, staring at the waves, a thoughtful gleam to its eyes. “What is your name?”

“Benjamin.”

The dragon nodded slowly. “I have heard of this name.” It stood taller, wings twitching and claws digging into the soft dirt of the hill. “My father used to tell stories of a son of man called Benjamin, who brought the seas forth and ruptured mountains. Who carried himself on the air like a bird and who split the earth open for lava to flow. He had the magic of dragons, our ancient magic. My father says he must have stolen it, but the son of man was kind and taught dragons how to speak. He was our friend, and then he was taken from us.” The dragon’s voice turned cold as he continued, tail absently swinging back and forth behind him. “The other sons of men came, with weapons and tried to kill us. Benjamin tried to help. He attempted to reason with the soldiers but they would not listen. They claimed that we were dangerous monsters. But we only killed the sons of man when they threatened us with their steel and fire. The bullets did not kill us at first, but the sons of man are smart. They learned how to kill us quickly and then they came after us. Benjamin used his powers, and many of his kind were killed, but still they did not give up. A lucky gunshot wounded him and before we could get him to one of our camps, the leader of the sons of man grabbed his body and hauled him away. We never saw him again.” The sorrow was clear in the young dragon’s voice.

“Did you know him?” Benjamin asked.

The dragon shook his mighty head.“I did not, but I’ve heard enough of him to feel like I did.” the dragon laid down, curling its tail so that it flopped over onto it’s front claws. “My name is Airell, and I am pleased to meet you.” he paused,  chuckling. “I am supposed to kill you actually.”

Benjamin’s eyes widened. “Kill me?” he echoed.

The dragon shrugged. “Of course. Since Benjamin was taken, my father ruled that all humans that we meet must be killed, but lucky for you, I like you.”

Benjamin hugged himself, a new sense of fear resting on his shoulders. This dragon did have the capability to kill him.

“Now you are afraid? After I’ve told you I would not harm you?” the dragon muttered, green eyes staring down at Benjamin with confusion. It stretched its head so that it was level with the boy’s face.

Benjamin shook his head. “I was afraid, when I first saw you out on the water. I was taught to avoid you, and your kind. I can see that not all of you are mean spirited beasts.”

Airell sighed and his head rose, small puffs of smoke rising from his nostrils. “Your kind only sees the outside, the claws and fangs, fire breath and magic. They see only a threat, nothing within. They do not know our ways, they do not try to learn them. The sons of men are creatures made of demons locked within minds riddled with insecurities and judgments. They feed off hatred and choose to judge others based on the first few seconds of greeting. I have been taught to shy away from them, that they are incapable of love. But… you hold something in your heart boy. I do not know what it is but it is not love. It is something powerful, and I suppose that the wizard will want to explain this, your role in it all.” The dragon stopped, watching a few stars fly past. Its expression saddened, and it dug its claws deeper into the earth.

“How do you know of my future? We have only just met. How do you know of Elmerus?” Benjamin questioned, settling himself beside the dragon, who did not seem to mind the small human child pressing against his scales.

“I know of many things, past, present and future, but I wish to keep the future hidden. It is best that people do not know of the events that alter their lives, so as to keep them from changing their destiny.” Benjamin swallowed, looking up at the great lizard, his hair falling in his face and eyes shining with worry.

“Is my destiny so terrible that you would not give even a simple warning?”

The dragon smiled a bit, a deep chuckle escaping it’s throat. “You amuse me little son of man.” Airell spoke lightly, it’s eyes tracing the flight of shooting stars flickering across the marbled purple and blue skies. The wind roared, ruffling Benjamin’s hair and causing shudders along the dragon’s wings. The trees branches jerked back and forth, snapping sounds filling the air. “However, I should not be so open with a son of man, even if you carry an air of trust about you.” Airell continued, though he made no move to leave. “It wouldn’t be wise.”

“But you’re still talking.” Benjamin pointed out.

The dragon chuckled, shifting it’s weight and peered down at the human child. “I am, aren’t I?” Airell smiled and looked back up at the sky. “The night is waning. You should be careful boy, once the day strikes, I will not be able to protect you.”

The boy’s eyes widened.“I’m in danger? What from?”

The dragon sighed, and moved to stand. Benjamin scrambled out of the way, his feet slipping in the wet mud.

“Oh son of man, if I were allowed to tell you of your enemies and of your future then I most certainly would. Alas, it is forbidden and so you must forge your own path.”

The boy bit his lip and scanned the breezy hilltop and the thrashing of the waves. His mind was running over the dragon's words, reeling from the information thrown at him. There had been a man named Benjamin who’d befriended the dragon tribe and who’d been slaughtered by his own brethren. Then there was the mysterious ‘something’ in his heart. That sounded ominous. Not to mention the apparent danger he was in.

“You aren’t real.” he decided, staring up at the great lizard with a look of fierce determination. “This is just a dream and you’re part of a test. I’m not in any danger , I’m back in Elmerus’s hut.”

The dragon raised the slight ridges above it’s eyes that seemed to serve as eyebrows. “Is that so? You are sure of this son of man? For it is foolish to make such bold assumptions. You cannot be sure that you are dreaming nor can you be sure that you are not.” Airell stretched his wings a bit, cocking his head as he peered down at the young prince. Benjamin shrank under his gaze and backed away slowly, worry flashing across his features as he looked down at the ocean below.

“I am...I need to be sure of something. It is strange to be thrown from place to place, without knowing what you are supposed to do, or how to act. You...you are a new factor in this world turned upside down. I am hesitant to become close to you, or to believe you. It is hard to trust anyone.” The boy sat himself among the tall grasses and wet earth. A shiver worked its way down his body, tears welling up in his eyes. The dragon stared at him, a mixture of worry and disgust written on it’s handsome snout.

“You are admitting weakness young one, not a wise course of action, especially in the presence of a dragon. My kind is not as forgiving as I tend to be. Nor are we very merciful. Your concern over your situation is warranted. The suddenness of the changes in your life are not easy to deal with. Trust is hard to gain for anyone, but rest assured that I am your appointed guardian at least in this realm.”

The dragon sat down, it’s tail curling neatly across it’s talons. Benjamin would not look up at the creature, face burning with both shame and gratitude. Airell had been right, he should never have admitted weakness, but it made him feel better to know that this fire breathing beast was on his side.

“Thanks.” he mumbled a yawn escaping his mouth.

“Do not thank me quite yet young prince.” the dragon warned, wings spreading as he took off. It was then that Benjamin noticed the rays of red and orange light illuminating the hillside, setting the water aglow. The sun was rising in the sky, the dark night ebbing away, melting into red and orange and light blue. The dragon was already high above him.

“Wait!” Benjamin cried, leaping upwards.

The dragon shook his head. “Shhh little son of man, it is time for you to go back.” He paused as if considering it’s next words. “Do not fret, for we will meet again.”

The boy watched as the blue scales disappeared into the mass of sunshine soaked clouds. Dark black dots lined his vision and dizziness dropped him to his knees. He blinked once, twice, before collapsing to the ground and sinking into sleep.  

-Aela Krubsack