#snowdrops my BELOVED
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guinevereslancelot · 1 year ago
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snowdrop emoji when
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babyjapril · 2 months ago
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whos up and loving early spring flowers
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ponyisle · 3 months ago
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I think this was a screenie redraw but its been so long i forgor(This was back before i had different names for the ponies, so Wishbright is still called Luna here!)also YES that is snowdrop from the hit short film: snowdrop
introducing the Sleepy Circus! One of my favorite aspects of my AU. its a circus act created by Wishbright before her banishment. She initially designed it for Snowdrop in particular. It was mainly a sensory experience, soft twinkling stars, the gentle billowing of clouds. It's visuals were secondary to how it was intended to make the ponies feel while they drifted off. After seeing how much Snowdrop enjoyed it she started whisking away any ponies who were struggling with nightmares or sleep issues. The circus quickly became her pride and joy. Even neglecting some of her royal duties to put on performances.
Daybreak immediately recognized how many of her subjects were suffering from nightmares after Wish was banished. In an attempt to bring back the Circus she created new acts and performances. Changed the performer's dreary blue and purple uniforms for something brighter. Found a new pony to act of the ringleader in place of her sister.
The show went on after Wish left. But it was never quite the same. By the time she returned both her Circus and her beloved Snowdrop were gone.
Caption from instagram: "Introducing the sleepy circus! created by Luna before her banishment. It’s a circus act that helps ponies in their sleep, providing laughter and comfort as they drift off into their dreams. Before lunas banishment she was the ringleader, guiding the performances and creating new members. Celestia realized very quickly that Luna being gone and the circus having no leader led to her subjects having frequent nightmares, so she created Kitty to be the new ringleader. The circus survives but it’s not the same, and all the previous members feel it.. PimPim is particularly torn up after Luna is banished."
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velaris-fic-repository · 9 days ago
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Winter’s Ball
@sjmxreaderweek May 8th Prompt: Heirs/Lords & Ladies
Adult!Nyx x Winter!Reader, Reader is Kallias and Viviane’s daughter, Ballroom Dancing, Azriel and Cassian are instigators
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Cassian and Azriel had worn twin smirks for the better part of two hours now, their nephew serving as better entertainment at this ball than the food or dancing.
Nyx, Heir of Night, well into his young adult years, could not seem to tear his eyes away from a female on the other side of the expansive white and pale blue ballroom.
The Night Court, as well as many other High Lords and their immediate courts, had been invited to this glittering winter ball by Kallias and Viviane to celebrate their beloved child’s birthday.
The ballroom was decked from floor to ceiling in beautiful ice crystal decorations. Ice sculptures flanked the room as silent, shiver inducing sentinels. Winter’s beloved flora in the form of holly sprigs, camellias and snowdrops brought soft pops of additional color throughout the space.
The female Nyx had been staring at for the better part of the event was happily conversing with Nesta, Rhys, Feyre and, of course, her doting parents, High Lord and Lady of Winter.
Your dress suited you perfectly. A white, jewel encrusted bodice that trailed down to an elegantly bunched waist, leading further into a soft blue gradient skirt. Sheer sleeves covered your arms like frostbite.
Your smile, however, was the thing Nyx’s gaze settled on. You spoke animatedly, genuinely thanking his aunt and parents for attending, much to the joy of all in the conversation. You lit up the room like sunlight on fresh snow.
You bid your thanks to them again, your parents patting you on the shoulders and you took your leave, approaching the dance floor as the string band took up a new song.
You moved beautifully and Nyx found himself following you with his eyes the entire time.
A winter courtier, a cousin of yours, spun you around the room, your laughter mingling with the music and other sounds of the room seamlessly.
When the song neared its end, Azriel and Cassian looked between you and their beloved nephew and shared conspiring grins.
Azriel chuckled lowly, more a visual shake of his shoulders than an audible sound, as Cassian said, “Go get her, kid.”
Nyx barely had time to blink and say, “what-“ when his uncles shoved him directly into you.
You cried out softly as you stumbled on your heels, flailing your arms out for balance. Soon enough they locked on two other, broader arms. You glanced up to find blue grey eyes staring down at you in concern. You knew who they belonged to, but this was the first time you had been this close to them. Their color reminded you of dark river ice or your favorite frozen fjord.
A call of your name brought you out of your head as Nyx fearfully asked, “Are you alright?”
You swallowed, cleared your throat. “Yes.”
“Are you sure?” He asked, attentiveness incarnate, “you look faint.”
Finally recovered, you smiled up at him, “then it’s a good thing I had such a capable male to catch me, isn’t it.”
It was Nyx’s turn to flush. “Yes. Yes it is.”
You took stock in the near dip he still held you in and smirked, “now, despite this usually being the position a dance ends in, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask you, sir. Care for a dance?”
Nyx straightened immediately, still holding you. He raised one hand to his mouth and coughed, recovering in the same way you had. He only let you go to bow and extend a hand.
“Who would I be to deny the female of the evening? It would be an honor to, my lady, if you’d have me.”
You fondly rolled your eyes and smiled. “Please.” You took his hand.
Nyx’s answering grin could have put the stars themselves to shame and your breath momentarily caught as he swept you off into a waltz. The band noticed and pitched into a sweeping, romantic song.
The ballroom cleared for the two of you, the entire assembly watching you twirl and spin, not that either of you noticed.
Cassian smiled as he watched, laying his hand out in Azriel’s direction. His brother responded with a smile and answering low five.
Other would-be suitors of yours grumbled to themselves as it quickly became clear, just watching the joyful glimmer in your eyes, that you would not be dancing with anyone else the rest of the evening.
The party trickled back into its usual form after the song concluded, but to you two, heirs of Night and Winter, the rest of the world ceased to be.
And you wouldn’t have had it any other way.
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parasolladyansy · 2 months ago
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An icy bouquet for my Snowscape fans ❄️ 
I love snow; it’s my favorite thing about winter. I actually did have a little Hail team in the Crown Tundra that was all Ice (since that’s the only type that benefits); if I were to make a Snow one, I’d balance it out with some Water & maybe Normal types (since they tend to have deep move-pools). 🌨️
Like with the Sunny Day one, I had to do some looking around. Most of these are evergreens or late winter / early spring flowers, some coming out of the snow. They also have ancient legends attached to them, &/or share the meaning of “hope, resilience, & rebirth”. 🤍
Snowdrops - one of January’s flowers, they were said to grow when the goddess Persephone returned from the Underworld.
Holly - symbol of the winter solstice, thought to bring good fortune in the coming year.
Cyclamen - a flower that means “I love you” across different cultures, it’s a beloved Valentine’s Day gift.
Mistletoe - an evergreen branch tied to Fimbulvetr (the winter to end all winters), though now we just kiss under it lol.
Snow Crocus - an early blooming flower that closes at night, one of many named after a human friend of the gods (in this case, Hermes).
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sh1-n0bu · 2 years ago
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𝔫𝔬𝔟𝔲’𝔰 𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔨𝔱𝔬𝔟𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔣 2023!
day 18: vanilla with gepard landau from hsr
warnings: very very very soft and gentle, riding, p in a hole, praise, lots of praise and handholding, coming inside
notes: berserk’s casca and guts lovemaking scene</3😔
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being the ever so reliable captain of the silvermane guards is extremely time consuming and exhausting. he wishes to spend more time with you, his beloved and his spouse but he rarely can with his work schedule. so each and every day offs or festival day offs, gepard spends his time trying to make it up to you for always being away on work.
the cons of being married to a man who’s always needed by his country. but you understand and gepard could have never been happier in his life. and you understand everything he does too. he always thanks every aeons there are out there whenever he catches a glimpse of the wedding band sitting snuggly around his ring finger.
but nothing would ever hold a candle to the sight of you in his lap, both smiling and giggling as you talk of everything. anything that comes into your minds. movies, books, new food recipes — everything and anything.
bare with no fabrics to keep you away from each other. face to face and heart to heart. gepard always makes sure to support your weight and try to lessen your load with his strong arms wrapped snuggly around your waist. leaves gentle kisses on every part of your skin he could reach.
it’s gentle. the way you would lift your hips up slightly before grinding down back on him again. hips meeting his in a gentle rhythm as your warm walls clamp down on his hard cock.
it’s loving. in the ways that gepard would let out soft groans and breathy whimpers of your name. in the ways that his hand, shaking and trembling from the sheer amount of adoration he holds for you, as his reach out. hands that are marred with scars and calloused skin would hold each others. two similar wedding bands in the ring fingers of the hands.
it’s affectionate. in the ways gepard bucks his hips up to meet yours halfway. strong muscular arms supporting your weight as he helps you roll your hips down onto his.
it’s revering. in the ways that gepard would trail butterfly kisses from your collarbone, up your neck and to your chin. once at your face, he would litter your face in kisses all over before finally coming in contact with your own.
his touch is always tender with you, afraid that he might hurt you or cause you to feel unloved. you never do. not when gepard is there to kiss the flush of your cheeks, moaning praises about how good you feel. how beautiful you are. how he is such a lucky man to ever have a spouse like you. how he would do anything you ask of him and all you would need to do being a simple gaze or a smile.
landaus keep their word and would never falter. and gepard would be damned if he doesn’t protect your smile. your laugh. your little snores when you cuddle together. your little tears when you cut an onion. your frustration when you see your favorite character of a book be killed off.
gepard landau is a man of his word. a landau never backs down on their words and gepard would never back down on showing his devotion to you.
you, his eternity. you, his sunshine that wakes him up in the morning with your sleepy voice and bed head. you, his cloudy day when things become a little bit too much on work. you, his midnight snowdrops when the festive times of christmas rolls around.
you, his spouse. you, his heart.
with a one harsh thrust inside you that caused you to let out a sharp moan of his name, the captain lets out his own loud whines as he comes deep inside you. catching your breaths together in the warm embrace of each other’s sweat clung skin, the blonde couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle when he realizes the date. placing an almost shy peck on your cheek, his blue eyes crinkle upwards as his pink lips spread in a wide smile that’s so damn infectious.
“merry christmas, my love.”
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starmocha · 12 days ago
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Sooooooooo it's Saturday I might be a little drunk but if you're up for it, I'm throwing another filthy question of the day your way
what do you think would be the guys' reaction if you came at the same time???
and I'm not talking about even having time to warn each other
also none of that "and he/she followed a second after"
talking about same time same time
as he's pulsating, she's clenching type of deal
Cause that's a pretty amazing feeling and all of these boys are saps and down bad for their girl, I know they'd get all emotional in their own way about it 🤭🤗
LOOOOVEEEE THIS. sorry I am getting to this like a week later. It's been a lot of things going on last week orz
Xavier: In the moment, he chokes back on his cry. He is absolutely losing it, feeling like he could get addicted to this feeling. He wants to experience this more from now on, wants this close connection with her. He's kissing her feverishly in the aftermath, completely drunk on her, wanting her again and again, because one time is just not enough for him.
Rafayel: She's his beloved bride. This feels like the perfect moment to him, and he's holding her hand, pressing into the mattress as they come together. She's crying out his name and he's answering her back, kissing her deeply, letting her know how much he loves her, how he would always be hers.
Zayne: something similar happens in my upcoming Snowdrop Conception Fic fyi. The Zayne Hive Mind strikes again lol <3
He's holding her close to him, making sure she is alright. Suddenly, he is cupping her face, holds her so sweetly as he kisses her deeply and he's just murmuring that he loves her over and over again.
Sylus: He has a tight grip on her hips, groaning as he feels her orgasm hits her at the same time he is emptying into her. He knows that he could be hurting her by how strongly he is holding her, but she's not protesting, so they both ride out this wave together. When the moment passes and they're catching their breath, he collapses on top of her, still mindful enough that he's not crushing her. He rolls over, holding her to him and kisses her tenderly, his voice a mix of amazement and teasing, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you, sweetie?"
Caleb: It surprises him at first, but then he grins, letting himself get lost in this feeling as they both climax together. He's panting so hard, thinking she looks so fucking pretty like this coming together with him, feeling his release, just milking him dry. He's holding her close to him afterwards, kissing her, lavishing her with attention and coming in hard with the aftercare.
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i-am-countess-olivia · 3 months ago
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Another lunchtime adventure looking for traces of James Fitzjames in Brighton. This time I set out to see the resting place of his beloved brother William.
The headstone near the Woodvale Cemetery’s North Chapel is gone, cleared to make a garden sometime in the 1970s - thank you @jamesfitzjamesdotcom for this valuable insight. Still, somewhere under my feet, in the bramble and ivy sprawl and the snowdrops that are just beginning to blink open, rest the Coninghams.
I spent some time reading inscriptions on graves tucked around the garden - sometimes when stones are cleared they are merely relocated. No luck.
Take it from an old goth: always make a point of standing over the bones of your long perished historical darlings and having a little chat. Wherever you are, William: hello, I was here, it’s almost spring.
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kierenkowe · 4 months ago
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Really proud of this redraw of the part of the scene my beloved custom Snowdrop is in ^__^ (reference under cut)
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chillin'
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gremlin-girly · 3 months ago
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Part of the Sun, Sea & Sirens Collection
Pairing: Siren!Curtis x f!antartic researcher!reader (Snowdrop)
Tags/warnings: SMUT, dub/non con (for siren song), monster fucking, descriptions of drowning (sorry there's not many other things you can do in the sea lmao), descriptions of animal attacks, blood, descriptions of hypothermia, dry humping, size kink (I made him big and beefy soz), clit play/teasing, nipple play, kinda cum play,talk of mates (as always xoxo),
Not beta'd and I don't give permission for my work to be reposted, translated, copied or put through AI! All work is 18+
Summary: On a routine trip to monitor some penguins, things take a turn for the worst. Thankfully, you're rescued and hatch a plan to get back to your outpost and home with a new found friend.
Word count: roughly 6k
A/N: So many rehashings later we. Are. Here. This was a real labour of love because I had to look up so many things and the story just kept going and going and going... and then i got an integral plot point WRONG. 😩 oh well. Part 2 shouldnt take as long. Enjoy!
Additional Author's Notes to be added later for research links etc. X
Banner by me, made in Canva (image credit to the creators, I sourced these on Pinterest) | Dividers by:
Navigation | Sun, Sea and Sirens Masterlist | Curtis Masterlist | Part 2
Your expedition parka was zipped all the way to your chin as you threw on your ugliest, most beloved bobble hat to brave the harsh freeze of the Antarctic.
“Do you think I could request a parka in any other colour than dehydrated piss yellow?” You ask Amil as you tug on your gloves.
Amil was one of the other four researchers with you on the expedition and probably the one you were closest to, mainly due to the fact that you studied inter-connecting fields; yours being polar marine life and Amil’s being observational oceanography. Oceanography has many fields of study, Amil’s being focused ocean-ice interactions, specifically focussed on how the rising sea levels were affecting the oceanic climate. In the same vein, the melting of the ice caps meant changes to polar marine life; your area of expertise. Many a late night on the desolate planes of the Antarctic had you both chattering away in the common area discussing possible solutions and outcomes of your research.
“We don’t even get funding for better canned food; you’d be hard pushed to find approval for a new colour coat.” He laughs up at you from lacing his boots.
“Yeah,” you sigh and open the door. “Very true.”
You knew that life as an Antarctic researcher wouldn’t be a cake walk. Below freezing temperatures and no fresh food other than fish meant you were limited to a minimum of six months of fish breath. The only upside was watching and studying what little life seemed to flourish in this frozen wasteland. Penguins were a regular feature favourite, some of which had been tagged by the team in order to tell them apart from the others, and you closely monitored them. Sometimes seals or orcas made an appearance, which meant you had to watch on at the edge of your hiding spots as nature took its course.
Looking out onto the vast icy plane before you, the sun’s rays making the snow glitter, you can’t help but wonder if somewhere out there in the unforgiving cold there was a discovery waiting for you to find. You’d heard about bacteria and the like but part of you wanted something more, something bigger, like the abominable snowman or a yeti. Something worth studying. What if there was a culture or language that hadn’t met human connection yet? What if you were the person to make that connection?
Dreams of grandeur and snowman-human communications often occupied your thoughts, even if you yourself knew that it was just a dream.
Checking everything one last time, you and Amil begin to make your way to the boat.
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The boat wasn’t really a boat, per se, more of an inflatable red dingy. Funding really was low.
As Amil tugs on his life jacket, a lovely neon orange to match the yellow of the coat, you do a check of the boat; ensuring no bite marks may have appeared over night from a bored polar bear. You give Amil a quick thumbs up as you begin the arduous process of fighting your life jacket on whilst Amil checks the recording equipment. On days like these when the sun is bright penguins are out in droves. Which means so are all the predators.
You hate to idly watch by and do nothing but, research is research, and mother nature is cruel and unforgiving at the best of times. You and Amil heave the dingy onto the dark water clambering in quickly before it moves too far, the buoys along either side of the dingy bob frantically at the nuisance but quickly settle as the tiny engine roars to life and you set off across the water to the penguin outpost.
“Do you think we’ll see any orca today?” Amil asks, tinkering with the camera.
“Possibly.” You say casually, manoeuvring around a stray ice plate. “It’s quite warm today, so I’m hoping we can see the seals on the beach.”
Amil chuckles. “They are cute when they sunbathe. Maybe Marnie will be a little more confident and say hi.”
Marnie was one of the seal cubs you’d miraculously managed to put a tracker on. A sweet white ball of fluff who was so shy she rarely peeked her head past her mum.
“I doubt it. But damn it,” You groan. “She’s just too damn cute!”
You stall the boat about twenty metres from the penguin outlook and watch on with a happy smile as they waddle around. The water is quiet, barely making waves against the boat and you and Amil make the silent agreement to move a little closer to the giant ice floe with the oars.
“Oho,” You whisper to Amil as he focuses the camera lens, pointing to one of the penguins carrying a small pebble. “Looks like someone’s trying to propose.”
Watching the tiny penguin hop over others to an awaiting mate is probably the sweetest thing you have ever been blessed to witness in real-time. Coos and caws of excitement from the penguins erupt all over the floe and you and Amil cheer on silently from the dingy, grinning widely at each other. It’s only when the penguins chatter dulls again that you hear another noise.
You check behind you, the water inky black even in the sunlight. There aren’t any ripples, no black fins protruding the surface. But the noise remains.
“Do you hear that?”
Amil looks at you and strains his ears before nodding. “What the hell is that?”
You shrug helplessly. It’s an eerie howl, low and gravelly. You’ve never heard anything like it before, and you’re supposed to be the expert. Looking back to the water you squint, hoping to see something. You think you catch a glimpse of a tail but you can’t be sure; the water is too dark to see anything unless it was at the surface. However, a sense of unease creeps in, like you’re being watched.
“We should go.” You say, making a grab for your oar. “I don’t like this, Amil.”
Amil rolls his eyes and scoffs. “You can’t be serious, we just got here! Scared of your marine monsters you always hope to see?”
You shake your head, cold sweat rolling down your back even in your many layers of clothing. “It’s not that it-“
You pause as fear seeps into your bones, quietly muttering. “Listen.”
Amil frowns but follows your instruction. The penguins have stopped chattering. Huddled together on the ice floe, they’re almost silent apart from the occasional squawk from a young chick. A predator must be near, one that you can’t see, and suddenly you’re wishing that you’d never asked for a bigger discovery.
The howl comes again, then what sounds like the bang of a drum. You wrack your brain for answers, but you can only settle on orca. But if it was orca you'd have seen them by now. They hunt in packs, they’re mammals and need air, a dorsal fin or a snort for air would have pinpointed them for you. But you also know that orca, for all their intents and purposes, don’t hunt humans. Their intelligence alludes them to the fact it’s not optimal to eat you but that doesn’t mean you want to get close enough to test that theory.
The sound of water splashing makes you turn your head but there’s nothing but quick ripples when you look. You’re ten miles from the shoreline you came from, your camp another five inland on a snowmobile. If your dingy tipped, you’d have maybe fifteen minutes of swimming to complete before going hypothermic if you were lucky. And that’s if whatever was in the water was happy to only eat penguin.
“Amil,” You whisper hurriedly, grabbing your friend’s attention. “Your oar. Let’s go.”
Amil, now pale-faced after finally understanding your predicament, shakily picks up his oar. You both gently dip your oars in the water and watch them disappear as you slowly begin to row backwards from where you came. A curious, or brave, penguin steps down to the edge of the ice floe and dives into the water quickly followed by another handful. You sigh, grateful for the distraction until one of the penguins slams into the side of the dingy, making it rock violently. You grip the wide sides and peek overboard. Only darkness stares back.
“Hooooo,” You breathe out nervously, nodding at Amil and begin rowing again. Another penguin smacks into the dingy, this time catching a rope from one of the buoys that may have not been as tight as you thought, ensnaring itself in a knot as the bouy bobs away from you. Your training and research dictates that you should always let nature take its course, however, if you were a tiny little penguin furiously trying to escape an unknown monster, you would be grateful for a helping hand from a piss-yellow-coat-neon-life-jacket-wearing hairless yeti.
You lean over the edge of the boat, ripping the small swiss army knife free from your deep pockets and sawing at the rope frantically as the penguin splashed around in a blinding panic.
"Amil!" You scream sending ripples across the surface, half turning to look for your friend for help. "AMIL!"
It happens so fast, you only catch snippets of the next few moments; the feeling of hot steaming breath on the back of your neck as teeth sink into the faux fur of your hood, the growl of triumph in your ears as you're yanked backwards viciously, the look of terror on Amil's face as he reaches for you, centimetres from your own outstretched hand as you hit the water and the taste of winter ice filling your mouth as you try to scream.
The last thing you hear before the being dragged under the ice is Amil screaming your name.
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You can't remember ever being so cold.
Your body seizes as your legs flail helplessly. You feel incredibly stupid. Leopard seal. Of course, it was a leopard seal. Not much was known about them other than a few measly facts like their singing, their size and their territorial behaviour.
Ice burned in your lungs. You were lightheaded, low on oxygen and dizzy. However, escape would be futile. You feel the maw release you and for a few moments you begin to float upwards - you scrunch your face waiting for the killing blow only to be barrelled into by something bigger.
Which can never be good.
It feels like you're moving diagonally. There's a howl, a grumble and you swear you can hear a man's voice tell you you're safe. Half convinced you're dead or dying you don't give it much credence until you breach the surface of the water and are thrown onto ice.
You cough and splutter salted ice water from your lungs and heave a sharp, deep inhale of air. You don’t know where you are, or how you’ve survived but everything aches from adrenaline. Moving to sit up, you notice you’re on thick, clear ice that surrounds every corner of your vision but it blurs before you can make out anything distinguishable.
Your dehydrated-piss yellow parka has absorbed too much water and weighs down on your shivering body. Panic settles. You need to get out of these clothes ASAP and get dry.
That’s rule one of hypothermia avoidance.
The zipper slips from your fingers a few dozen times as you try to undo it, teeth clicking together like a ghostly xylophone echoing against the ice. There’s a swish of water behind you and you think the seal has decided to finish what it started. You half turn, ready to be met with a maw of sharp teeth, but instead you’re met with a beast of a man clambering out the hole in the ice.
His arms are thick with muscle, straining as he heaves himself from the water. His hair is close cut but because his face is focused downward, you can’t make out any features on his shadow-cast face. Your eyes trail his torso; like the rest of him he’s huge, with taut muscle and dark, thick hair that runs from his chest all the way down to his abdomen. His body is littered with scars, ranging from silvery slices to pink teeth-marks. He’d clearly wrangled with beasts plenty of times.
You breathe out slowly, watching the rest of his form emerge from the depths. Scales dance around his hips in what little light is available and you blink rapidly as more and more appear. You think, finally, that you’ve drowned and this is the final image your brain has decided to subject you to; a giant merman with a tail as blue as the midnight sky.
Maybe he’s here to finish what the seal couldn’t.
The thought terrifies you and you shuffle backwards, your hands failing to find grip in the ice so you end up blindly kicking your legs. The movement makes the man (monster?) raise his head, cementing you to your spot as bright, frost-blue eyes connect with yours.
A vicious thought enters your brain; about how you wanted this. You wanted a discovery and by a sick twist of fate, you’ve gotten it.
“LIE DOWN!” He bellows, icicles shaking above you. He slides across the ice so quickly, grasping you by the shoulders to keep you still. Your wide eyes can’t even cry because you’re so scared. He seems to briefly register your fear because in a softer voice he adds, “I need to get you warm and dry. Trust me.”
You nod wordlessly, stuck between fear and logic with your chattering teeth. The merman, for lack of better a word, tears at your ugly coat and hurriedly peels away at your layers. Your shock doesn’t even let you feel embarassed about being naked in front of the merman, too busy focusing on your own survival to even think about letting a bit of bare skin get in the way.
The ice floor beneath you is cool against your skin but not freezing, yet you still shiver. The merman lifts you with ease, holding you close as he moves across the open space to a nest of furs you’d missed when you’d first breached the ice. Setting you down gently, he wraps you in a fur leaving only your face and wet hair visible. The scent of the fur is overwhelming; leathery, salted musk that had mingled with the creature's sweat. It was strangely comforting, considering the situation you were in.
“Th-thank you.” You slur, cosying yourself beneath the blanket. “A-are we s-s-safe here?”
He grunts and nods in response but doesn’t say anything else, watching you carefully. To say he’s huge is an understatement. He’s positively gigantic, towering over you with a fretful look etched along those strong features. He’s borderline stauesque, almost unmoving muscled ivory skin that looks almost blue in the reflection of the cave. Your discovery, your saviour, your merman was the most beautiful specimen if you’d ever seen one.
“What’s your name?” You puff out slowly, trying to keep your breathing steady as you fight the tiredness settling in your bones. Adrenaline levels in your body must be dropping but you can’t sleep yet, not until you have some questions answered and can safely stay warm.
“Curtis,” he murmurs, leaning down closer to inspect your face. “It’s Curtis.”
“Curtis.” You murmur back and a smile creeps onto your lips. A big, beautiful creature called Curtis was your saviour. A sea monster called Curtis is almost laughable but it's cute. He's cute.
“What’s so funny?” He asks raising an eyebrow at you quizzically, his head tilting slightly. His eyes are possibly the bluest you’ve ever seen and you’re utterly lost within them.
“Nothing.” You say quickly, ducking a little further under your fur to hide your lips. You give him your name, smiling dumbly at him. He says it slowly, savouring it on his tongue and your heartbeat quickens.
You're a scientist. He's a discovery. Why are you so wound up like a teen with a crush?
His blue eyes are still watching you closely as his large tail curls around your tucked knees and, with what you can only be described as purring, nudges at your forehead with his.
A wave of warmth rolls over your body and settles between yout thighs, making you sigh with delight. You blink up at him lazily, well-aware that it’s most likely the hypothermia making your brain turn to blissful fluff, but you’re suddenly more concerned about the fact he may get hypothermia too, even as a merperson.
“Where’re your furs?” You ask, shuffling your legs against his tail. He was emanating heat like a merman radiator.
He chuckles. "You're using them."
“Oh.” You blink in slow surprise. “We should share then.”
Curtis watches you with amused fascination and you gingerly lift the furs, offering to share your warmth with him.
“You need them more than me.” He counters and you shake your head.
“I can’t have you going hypothermic on me, either.” You huff before shivering. “Just please get under here.”
Curtis sighs through his nose, draping a heavy arm around your waist, tugging you closer to his huge body, letting the furs contain your heat. You squeak but the moment your bare chest touches his you can feel heat pour from him and instead of making a point to divide up sides, you hum with delight. Curtis mimicks your hum and you feel that tide of warmth wash over you again.
“You’re so warm.” You whisper and his grip tightens.
"Hush," He sighs, his other arm acting as your pillow and pulling your face into his chest. "You're safe now. Close your eyes and rest."
Your face is buried into the hair on his chest, inhaling a musky mix of salty sea water and sweat as your arms wrap around him. You shudder with cold as you fight away the impending feeling of panic. Amil thought you were dead. Was Amil safe? Did he get back to base? Your friends, family...
"I need to get back to the base." You breathe quietly. Your legs brush against the scales of his tail and your surprised to find that they're soft, not scratchy. Moving of their own accord, your legs rub against the scales, the friction building much needed heat. "They need to know I'm okay."
"Stay here tonight." Curtis rumbles and you feel your argument die in your throat. "That's tomorrow's problem."
A large palm moves soothingly up and down your back, and you find yourself curling into him, chasing his warmth. You don't know what's come over you. You should be terrified, you are terrified, but it's lost within a cloud of fog over your brain. Your body wraps itself around Curtis like a second blanket, a leg hitched over his hip to press close to his body under the fur.
You find your body slowly melting into him and you sigh with contentment; despite anxiety's slithering tendrils curling at the edges of your psyche, you felt safe. Comforted.
Horny.
That couldn't be right. Your brow furrows slightly as you chide yourself. You're a scientist. adrenaline has done one over on you, and although you aren't a psychiatrist, you could make a safe bet that this feeling was linked to the fact you almost died gruesomely and Curtis was your saviour. Plus, he was easy on the eyes too.
From where your head is on his chest; vibrations rattle along your skull as Curtis, for lack of a better word, begins to purr. That rolling warmth you felt earlier returns, your body slowly drawing itself from sleepiness. Then the sound stops as you fidget, fighting your body to stop itself from grinding against Curtis' scales.
"I'm sorry," Curtis murmurs against your ear and despite the warmth emanating from you both, you shiver. "I was getting too comfortable."
"Too comfortable?" You echo, peeking up at him. His eyes meet yours, searching your face and studying your reaction with budding curiosity.
"I didn't mean for-" He looks apologetic. "It's my song."
You blink up at him. "Song?"
He nods gently taking your hand closest to his chest and placing it where your head had been resting, near his heart and then he hums.
The same vibrations rumble through his ribcage, brain fog descends once more making you feel giddy while your stomach swoops with anxiety. However, despite the anxiety, you find yourself humming back and matching his vibration with your own.
You argue to yourself that you mimic him, that you're doing what you'd do if you found another animal; trying to understand how they communicate. But deep down, within the roils of terror, you knew your body acted of its own accord.
"Your soul called to mine in those cold, dark waters." Curtis' low baritone echoes around the cave, sending vibrations across the thick ice beneath you. "And I responded. You feel it don't you? When I sing?"
You couldn't deny the feeling but then he adds in a whisper, "That's how I knew you were mine."
You can feel the thud of his large hear pumping beneath your palm. You're part terrified, part intrigued; how was this different to the dreams of your yetis and snowmen?
The other part, the deeper, darker part of you knows what's he's saying is true. You're both connected somehow and you can't deny your attraction to him, even if you are still frightened of how your body is reacting to him.
It must read all over your face because Curtis chuckles, low and deep. You peek up and catch a small smile and his glittering blue eyes as he looks at you like he's won the lottery and it makes both your heart thrum. He moves his face closer, pressing his forehead to yours and nudging your nose with his again. You move your face slightly and Curtis moves again, this time capturing your lips in a sweet kiss. It's short and unexpected but it still leaves you breathless.
"I am sorry if I scared you earlier," he murmurs, his nose nudging yours as he purrs again. "I wanted to make sure you were safe and unharmed."
"Stop doing that." You eke out, face flushed with embarassment as you grip onto his shoulder. Damp heat had settled between your thighs and you desperately needed friction.
Curtis looks at you quizzically before realisation dawns. "If you need to use me," He says with a small smile. "Do so. I won't mind."
You bury your face into his chest to hide how red your face is.
"Anything my mate needs or wants from me is yours."
Mate.
That word rips through your mind and you try to argue
"I'm not - we're not..." You say thickly. "Mates?"
"It's a rare occurrence for humans to be mates but it does happen." Curtis nods. "Believe me, I was just as surprised as you are. I thought there was no one for me. But then I heard you."
You cast your mind back to when you were in the boat. Had he been watching you then? Was the gaze you felt his and not the leopard seal?
Or was it beneath the surface of the water? Did your scream send vibrations through the water that he happened to hear? If so, that opened up a research possibility.
Vibrations we're a clear method of communication, nothing surprising about that since a lot of marine animals would use the water to their advantage. Without meaning to, had you bound yourself to him?
You shake your head, nose and cheeks brushing against the coarse hair on his wide chest. You didn't want to think about it but at the same time it was all you could think about. From the way he spoke, it sounded like these merfolk mated for life. And it didn't help that you were so hot and bothered by him that you just wanted to crawl on top of him and-
Your right leg hitches itself over his tail, the thick muscle sits between your legs now, soft scales biting gently against your skin. You timidly roll your hips forward and a groan wracks your body as your clit rubs over the slightly bumpy scales. It feels better than good, it feels amazing and you roll your hips again, biting your lips this time. You can't stop yourself, the pleasure you feel easing the ache you'd been feeling.
Curtis' left hand, the one that had been running up and down your back, grips the back of your thigh and hoists you higher, your face closer to his and your needy cunt pressing against the his scales. His nose nudges yours again, and you raise your lips to his with no hesitation. He tastes like salt water and when you hum, licking away the salt with your tongue, Curtis' grip on your thigh tightens and lifts it higher letting the furs slip away and bearing your cunt to the icy cave.
You gasp quietly and peek at him through tired lashes, his blue eyes dark and focused on your face as he adjusts his wide hips. Then you feel it, the heavy weight of his thick cock moving through your folds easily, slowly. To say he was huge was understatement. His cock matched his imposing size; and when his scaled hips rolled back and the leaking tip of his cock brushed your throbbing clit, you jutted your hips forward to meet his. You want to climb him, fuck him, milk him. And Curtis seemed to know this, smiling at how your lips part and how your eyes beg for more.
"Needy little thing," He chuckles. "But not tonight. It'll be too much for you."
He places a chaste kiss to your forehead, moving his hips again, your pussy clenching as his cock ruts between the soft of your thighs, giving your clit plenty of attention. It's not long before your moans become high and breathier and you cum with a shudder and a loud whine over his cock.
"You look so beautiful when you cum. I can't wait to see you stretched over my cock." Curtis murmurs as he continues to thrust through your silky folds before he reaches his climax, coating your thighs with thick sticky spend.
You cast a glance downward, watching the scales shimmer in what little light you have. The scales fall in a V shape around his hips, dark hair of his snail trail disappearing under them. His cock, strangely, is where it would be if he were human only difference is that it's protected by scales. Your fingers delicately trace the line where scale meets skin as Curtis tugs the fur back across you both, shuddering at your touch.
He huffs a breath but allows you to continue, his own fingers tracing patterns against the back of your shoulders.
"So pretty," you murmur sleepily, watching his muscles twitch under your touch.
"Rest." He urges quietly with a kiss to your forehead. "We can explore eachother more tomorrow."
You hum in acknowledgement, your eyes slowly closing. It's not long before you're asleep, dreaming of merfolk and their communication, society and their mating rituals.
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When you blink awake, you're not sure how long you have been asleep. It may have been hours or minutes but you're cosy and warm with Curtis still wrapped around you, now acting as big spoon. His legs are tangled with yours, which is strange because, if your memory served correctly, he was a giant merman last you checked.
Your face heats as your realise that your inner thighs are still sticky with Curtis' cum. So that wasn't a dream. But Curtis doesn't have a tail anymore. You remove left arm entrapped under the arm Curtis had lay across your waist, exploring down his thigh; muscular, some coarse hair, but no scales.
You frown.
Maybe in your vulnerable state you'd assumed he was a merman. You make a small grumble of frustration. Curtis stirs gently, his cock twitching against your ass.
"Snowdrop," He mumbles, voice thick with sleep. "Go back to sleep."
You angle your head to peek at him and see his eyes are still closed but his arm around you squeeze you tighter. Your face heats with embarassment as you mutter a quick apology.
"Go back to sleep." Curtis repeats, snuggling into you again, his beard tickling the nape of your neck.
Your mind starts to race, subconsciously wiggling further back against him under the furs. You shift your legs every few moments, remembering the state you were in; blissed out after humping his thick cock. Shame and arousal wash over you. He'd not only let you do it he'd encouraged it; using you only after you'd cum and not pushing to fuck you. Your heart strings tugged, even if it was the bare minimum. He seemed to have genuinely taken to you and you were still trying to make sense of him; you almost felt guilty for it.
There's a sigh behind you and Curtis' big hand that had been been draped over your waist slowly made its way between your thighs, finding your clit and rubbing slow circles, making you gasp and jerk in surprise.
"I'll help you get back to sleep then, Snowdrop." Curtis murmurs, angling the large arm under your neck to fondle at your bare tits. He rolls a nipple between his thumb and forefinger as he he rubs at your clit, swiping some of his still-sticky cum over your sensitive nub. You groan pressing your ass back against him. His fingers dip downward to your cunt, slipping in one thick finger as he kisses and nips at your neck, slowly pumping you a few times before adding a second finger and letting your walls constrict them.
"Your cunt is still slick." He comments, his half-hard cock pressing against the curve of your ass. "You must have been having good dreams."
Your pussy squeezes at his words and you can feel his smirk on your neck, his fingers pressing against your walls to keep you stretched open. His thumb swipes at your swollen clit and he tweaks at you nipple, earning himself more moans of pleasure.
"Curtis please." Your back arches against him, letting the pleasure wrack your still-tired body.
"I'm sorry, Snowdrop. If I don't stretch you open you'll never fit on my cock." He purrs, kissing your cheek softly. "We can't have that, can we?"
You groan in response when his fingers start to curl and move inside your pussy. Curtis was right, you were still wet, and your orgasm was pending on release as he holds you at the edge; curling and pumping his fingers all while toying with your nipples and clit. It was too much.
"Curtis," you gasp, weakly reaching for his face, behind you, twisting your neck uncomfortably to place sweet kisses against his lips. "'M gonna cum."
"That's fine, pretty thing." He murmurs. "Cum for me."
Gentle kisses are placed to your temple as you heave breaths, shuddering as your cunt gushes around his fingers. Curtis' fingers linger inside you for a few moments before retreating, and you watch in a haze as he takes a long lick of them, savouring your cum against his tongue. His eyes are almost predatory black as he looks down at you.
"You taste..." He trails with a happy hum, lapping at his fingers. "Delicious. I'm going to enjoy ruining our bedsheets when you're ready."
"You know what bedsheets are?" You giggle softly as he slides back beside you, pecking your lips as your body still thrums with remnants of your orgasm.
"Of course." He replies but doesnt elaborate further. His arms wrap around you, holding you close and he starts to purr with contentment. Your body grows tired again, relaxing into his hold.
"Curtis," you whisper.
"Mm?"
"Thank you." You curl under his chin, twisting your legs into his as you fall away into sleep, holding him tight.
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When you wake, hours later, you're greeted by the smell of cooked fish and smoke. There's an ache between your legs from your two earlier trysts, however, the need for food is at the forefront of your mind now. The trysts can be addressed later.
It's only a moment before Curtis appears at your side, wrapped in layers of fur and holding a freshly cooked fish out to you. You take it, blowing on the charred skin and try not to think about what you're eating as your teeth sink into the flesh. You're so hungry. Hungrier than you've ever been and the fish is finished in seconds and you look up at Curtis sheepishly.
He smiles softly. "Good. You have an appetite."
One of his hands cups your cheek, gently tilting your face to look up at his. "There's plenty of food for you."
When Curtis turns to get you more fish from the fire, you take a moment to glance at your surroundings. You're in an ice cave. Naturally occurring hollow structures in ice or ice floes. You'd been in them before, when out exploring; they make excellent shelters from the elements since the ice is so thick. The cave is almost sloped, with the entrance higher in the ice.
Curtis is near a small fire by the entrance of the cave, ensuring no smoke is getting trapped to suffocate you both and, not far from where your lying in the furs, is the hole Curtis had emerged from the day before. Sea water sloshes three inches from the surface. So you were on the ocean at least.
Looking behind your makeshift bed was very few items. Some cans of food, a small roll of tools and what looked to be spare fur clothes to fit Curtis' enormous body.
Your tattered clothes are next to Curtis drying out and when you look over at him again you can see that he definitely did not have a tail. You rub your eyes and double check.
Nope. No tail.
It must have been your mind playing tricks on you. However, he is as handsome so that was still an excellent discovery.
You shuffle under the covers trying to hold the fur over your chest when Curtis returns, holding two fish out to you. You're halfway through the first when you notice he's just watching you eat and you hold the second one out to him.
"You'd better eat too." You urge, feeling guilty for stuffing your face while your saviour hadn't taken a bite.
Curtis shakes his head and smiles down at you. "I've eaten already. I was making sure you there was enough for you after you woke."
"Oh thanks."
Curtis raises his eyebrow. "Especially after your... restless night."
You blush hard, stammering out an apology.
"It's quite alright, Snowdrop. No need to apologise." Curtis settles beside you, watching you tear through your fish. "It's my duty to make sure you're well taken care of."
You almost spit the flesh all over him. "Your duty?"
Curtis nods and looks at little sheepish. "As your mate. You may not remember the conversation from last night since you were running on adrenaline."
You did but were half convinced it was a mixture of death defying hypothermia and your imagination. Clearly, he wasn't a merman but he was perhaps a weirdo living in an ice cave. Though, surviving this long in the uninhabitable plains was ny impossible...
"I, erm..." you swallow your fish meat thickly. You sit a little straighter. The last thing you want to do is piss him off, considering his size and stature you'd be easy to... well, do anything to. However, you can't resist blurting the question that's been bothering you since you woke up the first time this morning. "Do you have a tail? Sorry. I just remember seeing a tail and I think it was a fever dream."
Curtis blinks at you and chuckles. "Yes."
"I thought so - wait - excuse me?" You look dumbfounded and you're sure he's just messing with you.
Now Curtis looks as confused as you do. "All merfolk have tails?"
"Hoooookay," you say, your mind racing. So last night was not a dream or your brain playing tricks. Curtis purrs in response and you feel your skin prickle and when your eyes meet you can tell he thinks he's being cute.
"Hey," you snap, cheeks growing red as heats spreads from between your legs. "Don't do that. I have more questions."
"You didn't seem to mind it last night." Curtis says but bows his head to you. "But ask away."
"How long have you been out here? Where's your family? What-"
exactly are you?
You don't voice the rest of your question, thinking it a bit too rude, but Curtis doesn't seem to mind as he begins to tell you about his time out in the great frozen unknown.
He'd been left for about a year on his own. His family, what he called a pod, was a myriad of merfolk that gathered together as a family unit. According to Curtis, his pod had never truly settled like some merfolk had and spent most of their time travelling the sea in an almost continuous migration.
"With the ice melting, pollution and sea travel, it's been harder for us to keep hidden and find refuge." He explains, then fixes you with a funny look. "I don't know how it'll work with a mate like you."
"Stop calling me that." You chide softly, but it still makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. "So, what happened?"
"I decided that enough was enough. That we should settle as a unit, like we should have years ago." He grumbles and then shrugs. "We didn't know where to start or if it would be safe when we got stuck here. The cold water killed off many of the elderly. The children struggled to acclimatise and the leopard seals and some orca saw them as easy pickings. I sent them on the migration path early urging them to settle someplace. Myself and a few others volunteered to stay behind to keep them safe on the journey out of these waters."
The last part went unspoken but you could piece it together; Curtis had been the only one of the volunteers to survive. The cold must have had a hard time affecting that gigantic body of his.
"Well, surely you could find them again?" You press. "If you migrate every year and travel there has to be-"
"I wouldn't know where to begin." Curtis sighs dejectedly. "We have different routes. And with how dangerous the sea has become..." he shakes his head. "I made my choice to protect my pod when they left this place. I can only hope they found somewhere to settle."
His big blue eyes look at you, hoping for understanding and your heart aches for him. You place a small hand over his reassuringly and give him a smile.
"But what about you?" You say gently. "You can't stay out here. It's uninhabitable for a reason."
"I like the cold." Curtis huffs haughtily.
"Yeah well," you huff back. "Mate or not, I can't survive in those waters for more than fifteen minutes without thick insulated SCUBA gear. And without water or proper food, I would die within the week. Give me a beach in the Bahamas with a few cocktails and I'd be golden."
You give him a sideways glance and see him shift his hunkering form uncomfortably, knowing you were correct. Clearly the thought of abandoning his post made him uncomfortable, the mere thought of his pod returning and not finding him anxiety-inducing. You sigh through your nose, trying to think.
"We could go to the research outpost where I was stationed," you say slowly, watching his expression shift to unease. "Plenty of food and water and shelter."
Curtis harrumphs but then an idea swims from the depths of your brain amd you clap ypur hands together, startling Curtis as the sound reverberates around the cave. You turn to him beaming.
"We could find your pod." You say excitedly. Curtis' eyes narrow.
"I know you're right about going you don't need to manipulate me, Snowdrop." He grumbles, shoulders slumping. You scoot closer patting his thigh, still brimming with excitement.
"No we have maps, tech, SONAR-" Curtis' eyebrows raise as you speak. "We could map out where your travel paths are. We do it with orca and other animals all the time. If we do that we could narrow down the areas you visited most and where the pod would most likely settle."
Curtis eyes are sparkling by the time you've finished speaking and he's grinning at you almost madly. "So, I have a smart mate."
"Don't call me that." You snip quickly, but you're still smiling at him. "Do you know a way to get us to the out post safely? By foot?"
Curtis' face falls and his thick brows furrow with thought. "There aren't enough furs or food if we went by land." Curtis explains. "But there are no predators. Only the sun. We would starve to death or freeze long before we reach where I found you in the water."
He pauses and looks slightly apologetic as he continues. "But if I took you beneath the surface, the journey would be done in less than an hour. Less than a day if I take supplies with me."
You nod along thoughtfully. "I'm sensing there's a but?"
"But," Curtis sighs. "We would be crossing through leopard seal territory. Again. You could potentially drown, be injured or killed and that's before we're out of the water."
"I could go hypothermic." You finish and Curtis nods. "And you don't know how to get to the compound or how to work the equipment."
"But underwater is our best bet." Curtis says slowly. "But what if my pod comes back to find me?
"We could leave a message in the ice to head to the out post." You suggest. "Leave my contact information? We could always-" you can't believe you were saying this. "-Come back and update the messages if we don't locate them elsewhere."
Curtis looks visibly relieved. "We could?"
"Of course." You give him a reassuring smile. "My research is based out here anyway I could... try and bring you with me."
Curtis smirks. "I could always follow your boat."
"Right. Merman." You smile sheepishly. "I'd have a hard time explaining that to the other researchers, gotta make sure you don't get kidnapped by the men in black."
"No one could keep me from you." He says firmly, making a sweet rumbling sound that keeps you still as he kisses you adoringly. You can feel yourself literally swooning and it's almost laughable until Curtis pulls back, looking at you with a soft smile. "But I have to get everything ready for our journey."
You nibble at your fish, now cold after your chatter. The plan was that Curtis would make trips back and forth with the clothes and what little belongings he had, scouting the area first before taking you. That way, not only was the journey safer, but he could focus on moving faster with you in his arms and when you reached your destination, could wrap you in furs that would be dried in the sun.
You re-dress into your clothes from the night before, still a little damp in places and the piss yellow coat now had a smokey salt scent to it, and watch Curtis undress to jump into the ocean.
Your eyes trail his muscular legs, all the way to his torso and your face heats when you see he's been watching you oggle him for the past two minutes.
"If we survive the trip," he says, voice sultry as he ties a leather belt with a sheathed hatchet around his waist. "You can explore me all you like."
You bluster, about to argue back when he dives through the hole and vanishes for what feels like an age.
You shouldn't be attracted to a fish man. You chide yourself, pacing the ice cave to stay warm. The more you thought about Curtis, your circumstances of meeting, your research despite your current mate situation, the more you realised that regardless of being his mate (however that happened) you'd have been attracted to him anyway. And from what you'd seen and heard from myths and stories, you much preferred having a hunk of a mermaid than some terrifying sea creature that wanted to eat you for dinner. You shudder, remembering the leopard seal. At least you'd have Curtis for protection.
After what felt like an age, Curtis' head pops out of the hole in the ice.
"Bad news." He pants. "The ice floes have moved. It may take longer than anticipated to reach your out post."
"Shit," you hiss, passing him his few belongings wrapped tightly in a fur. "How much longer?"
Curtis shakes his head, taking the fur parcel from you. "Perhaps a few minutes? The good news is that I can't see or hear any sea leopards."
You sigh with relief. "Okay. Phew."
You give him a short smile and he rises higher out of the water to catch your lips in a wet kiss that leaves you a little lightheaded and you murmur out a quick "be careful" as he disappears below the surface of the dark water.
The second time he returns, he's a lot faster. He gives you a once over, trying to give you a reassuring smile when he sees your worried expression.
"You ready?"
You nod, breathing quickly, trying to steel yourself.
"I'll be with you." He affirms. "I'll keep you close and take you to the surface as soon as I can."
You look down at him, fear and cold making you shake but you manage a smile when you see his soft features look at you with such affection and brace as you slide into the water.
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Sliding into the water was a lot more difficult than being pulled in. Even with your layers the icy water still penetrated to your skin and the darkness that enveloped you made your heart jumps erratically. Thankfully, the hulking mass that was Curtis was there to hold you as you took one final gulp of air and dipped under the surface.
He moved fast. Now that you weren't actively drawing, you could feel the pressure of speed from the beat of his tail against your body and in mere seconds you were breaking the surface, bobbing together in the freezing open ocean.
The sun, as always, was high and bright and you had to squint as the snow and eyes glittered back into your retinas.
"Okay?" Curtis asks nudging your cheek.
"Yeah. Let's keep going." You nod with a smile, taking another deep breath as Curtis ducked back under, following the route he'd mapped as quickly as he could.
Maybe it was because he was enjoying how close you were - or that he was so focused on his mission to get to the outpost that he didn't notice the leopard seal barrelling towards him from the depths.
When he did notice, it was too late to move out of the way but Curtis turned his shoulder, wrapping his arms to protect your head as the sharp canines of the leopard seal sank into his flesh and you squeaked in terror.
Curtis cried out and glowered into the black eyes of the seal as it challenged him to move.
"Fucker," Curtis' voice echoed viciously through the water. "You were watching this whole time."
Your brain was racing, you couldn't open your eyes but you needed to breathe. Curtis was stuck in a catch twenty two. If he released you to the surface, the leopard seal would release him to chase you as the easier target and, being injured, Curtis would struggle to keep pace. Even if he managed to keep the seal occupied, you weren't able to reach the outpost on your own besides the fact that another seal could potentially be nearby. Although they hunt in pairs often, it didn't mean they never did.
The other option was to fight off the seal here and now. But by doing that, you could run out of air and drown in his grip before he could reach the surface.
Curtis growled, and you could feel the anger and anxiety reverberate through your soul. You pat Curtis' side blindly with a loud snarl of the seal so close to your face and a grunt from Curtis as he keeps the seal at his shoulder. Your eyes are squeezed closed and the lightheaded dizziness from the lack of oxygen is making it hard to focus but you find the hilt of the hatchet, tearing it free from it's confines and jamming it into the snout of the seal as hard as you could.
The seal releases Curtis' shoulder with a sickening shrill, and Curtis tears through the water, upwards closer to the surface for you to breathe. He half throws you onto his back and you pretzel your legs around his waist, your arms wrapping around his neck as he takes off again. It happens so fast that you barely comprehend it, your body producing a fierce amount of adrenaline that you can't feel the cold anymore.
"Well done back there!" Curtis shouts to you, pride clear in his voice and your heart swells, but it's shortlived when you hear a trill from behind you. The leopard seal had given chase; clearly not happy about missing out on dinner and second time. "We're close, don't worry."
You burst from the water first, grateful for once to see a wide open plain of snow and the distant outline of the outpost. You roll off Curtis' back and go to pull him up but his hands claw at the ice as he yells out, his tail splashing angrily in the water.
He goes to clamber out again, when the seal knocks into his side and back down under the water.
"CURTIS!" You shriek, falling to your hands and knees at the water's edge. You search the surface and can't see a thing, panick brewing as you try to think of how to rescue him. You're no mermaid. You're lucky if you get away with no hypothermia a second time.
You clutch the hatchet with white knuckles and then an idea.
"Bring it to the surface!" You call out to the ocean, hoping Curtis hears you. "Bring it close!"
So much for leaving the animals alone.
Moments later Curtis appears again, maw of the leopard seal snapping furiously at his face with a Cheshire Cat like grin. Until you swing the hatchet into it's back.
It wails, it's head turning to you as you reel back with the hatchet in hand, raising it in threat again and-
It stops. It growls lowly but stops fighting Curtis and looks directly at you, considering you almost thoughtfully before moving off Curtis entirely and disappearing under the ice floe.
Both you and Curtis wait a few moments more, just in case it returned, but when you begin to shiver Curtis heaves himself out of the water with a groan, collapsing into the snow. Blood oozes from the wound, slowed from the cold, but you take great effort in tugging him away from the water's edge with his good arm.
You look over his shoulder wound hurriedly, they're deep but nothing that wouldn't heal. However, his tail and side have some pretty nasty scratches and bites too.
"We have a first aid kit at the out post." You tell him, lifting his torso steadily into a seated position so you could wrap him in a fur that he'd left. As you look up out to the sea, you can see the head of the leopard seal watching you both with a managing gaze.
You shiver. "Come on, let's go."
Curtis grunts you see his tail shimmer and in one blink it's gone, replaced by two tree trunks for legs. Questions for later.
Gathering your few supplies you both clamber on and slowly make your way to the out post in shuddering silence, focusing only on conserving your energy until you get to the outpost.
End of Part 1
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A/N: That's part 1 folks 😵‍💫😭 I had to cut it here because even though I'd written it... turns out the other creaure I wanted to add doesn't even live in the antarctic (and I hate to say this but I found out from a tumblr post that the artic inst a shortened name for the Antarctic and if you look up the difference you can probably guess what animal it was and i feel so stupid lmao). This took so much longer than anticipated honestly. But the good news is part 2 gets to be re-worked a little and hopefully won't take as long. Though I don't know if I want to do a one shot for the next one (it's either Lloyd or Steve) and then continue the series as it was posted (Ari, Jake then Curtis)...
Taglist
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@stargazingfangirl18 @awkwardgiraffe726 @looking1016 @jeremyrennermakesmesmile @irishhappiness
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samuraiko · 6 months ago
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He's Still Gone, I'm Still Here
So a Twitter friend of mine asked for a vignette of Keyleth dealing with the PTSD of her time in Vox Machina, and my mind kept going back to something that Matt had said and that Marisha had loved. And from that came this.
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Twelve hours later…
She lies in her bed, the massive furred form of Trinket curled up around her, protecting her as though she were one of his cubs. She can still hear the songs of the people of Vasselheim outside her window, singing of victory and gratitude. But she still feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
Two weeks later…
She lies in her bed, too exhausted to wash away the dust and blood from her foray into Pandemonium. She can still the voice of an elven woman in the back of her mind, talking of loss and comfort and pain. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
Eight months later…
She lies in her bed, her eyes fixed upon the massive cherry blossom tree that stands in the distance. She remembers the slight weight of a raven on her shoulder, its cool feathers beneath her fingers, its beak against her cheek. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
Six months later…
She lies in her bed, the covers pulled tightly over her head, though she can still smell the warm, salt-kissed sea breeze of Shamal Bay outside, still hear the soft susurring of the waves against the shore. She can still hear that voice, that beloved, beautiful voice, so warm against her ear as her own words failed her. So many things she wanted to say, and so few moments to say them. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
Days and months and years later…
She lies in her bed, guilt tearing her in two, the warring emotions of joy and love and grief and anger and regret and frustration burning the tears from her eyes. She can still hear her mother's voice, not just a memory anymore but real, but deep, deep down, she wishes it had been someone else coming through that tree, running to her, arms outstretched, pulling her close. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
Another year later…
She lies in her bed, eyes and nose red from crying, the taste of too much ale in her mouth from celebrating the completion of the Crisis Orbs and the Widow's Garden and the Snowdrop Memorial Trail. She can still hear Percy and Vex's speeches, and then afterward, in private, their shared grief and mourning. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
And another year later…
She lies in her bed, wounded and exhausted beyond all imagining after the attack, the smell of blood and death and rage still simmering in the air like heat above the desert. She can still hear the cries and wails and chants and prayers from outside as soul after Ashari soul are sung to the afterlife, but she also can still hear, whether real or just her imagination, the sound of feathered wings rushing just behind her, out of sight. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
Six years later…
She lies in her bed, battered, poisoned, clinging to life, though whether out of a desire to live or a refusal to die or sheer spite against Ludinus Da'leth and Otohan Thull and Liliana Temult, she cannot say. She can hear the anxious whispers of her retainers, of the herbalists, of the Master of Defense marshalling the Tempest Blades, but even louder in her ears, drowning out all else, she hears an agonized scream that echoes unrelentingly in her memory. And still she feels the cold, still feels the emptiness.
He's still gone. I'm still here.
A few months later…
She lies in her bed, the massive furred form of Trinket curled up around her, protecting her as though she were one of his cubs. She can still hear the songs of the people of Vasselheim outside her window, singing of hope and of faith. But now she feels the cold turn to fire, feels the emptiness filled by a singular, all-consuming, all-encompassing purpose, and a familiar rage that burns hotter than the sun.
He's... he's... I'm still here. I'm still here. I'm still here I'm still here I'mstillhereI'mstillhereI'mstillhere...
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neverniko101 · 3 months ago
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CHAT
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WE HAVE A CONFESSION /SILLY
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seemebaremyteethforyou · 3 months ago
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LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS TW: SNOWDROP - DEREK HALE
this is my beloved abandoned child Language of the Flowers: Teen Wolf's Version. If you're interested to know more about it check out the first post, and here you can find all the works of this series. This is actually one of my favorites eveeeer, also also I just realized that this series just turned 2 yearsss!! sooo happy belated bithday to my favorite child (don't tell this to my mpseries haha) I hope u guys like it <3
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euphoriaishername · 29 days ago
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Wrapped in The Gentle Snow's Embrace
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Chapter Four: The Festival of First Frost
The Festival of First Frost had not touched Elaria in eight long years—not since the passing of the King and Queen, not since joy had become a quiet thing hidden behind palace walls. But this year, it had finally had returned, and with it came the echo of something sacred.
The preparations had consumed you.
For days, you were a blur of silks and scent and frost-kissed flowers—overseeing final touches on the lantern rows, choosing the musicians’ sets, greeting emissaries from distant kingdoms who arrived with wagons full of gifts and winter spices. You smiled graciously, laughed politely, but never stopped moving.
And the Thirteen Kings… watched.
They saw you flit between duties like snow on wind—graceful, quick, never lingering. They stood from balconies, corners of ballrooms, watching without being seen. You hadn’t spoken to them again since the garden.
But they remembered you. How could they forget?
“She doesn’t rest,” Minghao said, one evening as they watched you orchestrate a thousand moving parts in the courtyard below.
“She works like she’s trying to carry it all alone,” Wonwoo murmured.
“Maybe she is,” Joshua said, quiet and thoughtful.
The morning of the festival arrived wrapped in silvery mist. The air held a soft chill, the kind that kissed cheeks and turned breath to mist. Frost curled over the palace rooftops in intricate patterns, painting them in lace.
Within the grand castle, you stood before a mirror as maids tied the final silken ribbon on your gown. It was the deepest blue of winter oceans, embroidered with threads that shimmered like stars and edged in icy silver. The train flowed behind you like a frozen river. On your head, you wore a circlet of crystal and pearl, shaped like snowdrops and water lilies.
You were quiet, heart beating with a strange rhythm. Excitement. Nerves. Hope.
At last, the castle doors opened. And the world held its breath.
You stepped out onto the frost-dusted steps of the Grand Terrace. The courtyard below, filled with Elarian citizens, nobles, merchants, and travelers, fell into perfect silence.
And the kings—arrayed along the upper balconies in regal dark cloaks and silver trims—rose to their feet.
“There she is,” Jeonghan whispered, lips parting.
“She looks like winter was made for her,” Seokmin murmured.
“She is winter,” Hansol added.
But Joshua… he said nothing. He simply stared, as if you were something he’d never seen before and might never see again. His eyes held wonder—and something warmer.
You stood tall beneath the rising sun, its light making the crystals on your gown catch fire. When you spoke, your voice echoed over the grounds, steady and kind.
“My beloved people of Elaria,” you began, hands clasped gently before you, “and honored guests from across all lands…”
Even your breath shimmered in the cold morning air.
“We gather today not just to mark the turning of seasons—but to welcome what is new. The first frost teaches us that change can be beautiful. That silence holds music. That stillness can carry magic. And that even in the coldest of nights, joy may still bloom.”
Your words moved through the crowd like a balm. People leaned in, eyes wide, hearts warmed.
“In your eyes, I see hope. In your smiles, I see the promise of spring. And in this frost, I see magic—yours and mine, waiting to awaken.”
Seungkwan whispered, “She doesn’t speak like a ruler. She speaks like she’s one of them.”
“Because she is,” Chan replied, in awe. “And they love her for it.”
You took a small breath, smiled a little playfully, then raised your voice gently. “Now then—are you all ready?”
The crowd roared back as one: “Yes!”
You smiled wide, and your eyes sparkled with mischief and wonder.
“Then,” you said, lifting your hand, “Let the Festival of First Frost… commence!”
Your fingers swept upward—and the sky answered.
From your palm, a stream of pure magic soared into the air—a swirling dance of icy blue and silver light. It burst high above the courtyard in a bloom of crystalline fire. Snowflakes rained down, but they didn’t melt or sting. They glittered like stars, each one shaped uniquely, fluttering through the crowd in a sparkling storm of awe.
And in the very center of the explosion—an enormous ice blossom unfurled, suspended mid-air, slowly spinning, casting light across the palace and reflecting in every eye.
Children gasped. Elders wept. Even the kings were silent.
Then, Seungcheol broke it. “She’s more than a symbol,” he said, voice low. “She’s becoming a legend.”
Joshua still hadn’t spoken. His gaze stayed locked on you. Hoshi nudged him playfully. “Say it.”
“Say what?” Joshua replied softly, though a smile tugged at his lips.
“That you’ve never seen anything like her.”
Joshua looked down at the shimmering field of snow and light, at your face lit with joy, arms lifted toward the sky like it had always belonged to you. He whispered, “No. I haven’t.”
And above them, your magic hung in the morning light, as if the frost itself had chosen you to carry its wonder.
The Festival of First Frost had begun.
But something deeper had already started to bloom. Maybe in their hearts.
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coyotelip · 4 months ago
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yay thanks to @ultravioletbrit for tagging ♡
new year snippet ☆
new part for my memory loss au "my beloved ghost and me"
Despite his unconscious state, he can feel the boy's heart beating hard in his chest, like a bird trying to get out, to escape from the cage of snow-white ribs. Life is trying to leave Regulus, but still remains imprisoned in his body.
His lips are blue snowdrop petals on the snow. A small symbol of spring coming to James in such an unexpected way. He pays attention to every scratch on his face and hands, to the cuts on his legs, and thinks about their origin. The ragged wounds do not look like the result of any spell he knows. And with the experience of real magical warfare behind him, James thinks he now knows all the existing attack spells. He has seen what the wounds they cause look like. He has seen people die from these wounds. He has inflicted them himself.
The sight of unfamiliar damage confuses James, but at the same time gives him an unexpected relief and peace of mind in knowing that there is still some evil he has not yet discovered on this earth. That he is not completely tainted by all the existing filth among humanity. He allows this thought to envelop him.
In the end, James wonders about everything but the most important thing. The elephant in the room is breathing heavily on his back - how did Regulus Black end up on his doorstep after being considered dead for months?
np tags ☆ @jeguluses @jmeslovr @emlovessid @w1tch3-writes ☆
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silentshadows2002 · 1 year ago
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Hello all my little Shadows!
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So for this week's artwork i decided to do a little bit of fan art, specifically of Princess Luna in her old original form, and Snowdrop from the Snowdrop animation on YouTube, a beloved fan character being a blind filly pegasus who made the first snowflake, and i know it's fan-made, but a part of me just considers it cannon because Snowdrop is precious and deserves all the love in the world.
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