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moni-logues · 9 months ago

Text

The Surface

banner by @sailoryooons

Pairing: prince merman!Hoseok x sea witch!reader

Genre: fairytale AU/The Little Mermaid AU, smut

Summary: Prince Hoseok has only ever wanted one thing: to experience life on the Surface. You have only ever wanted Prince Hoseok. When he comes to you, desperate, claiming you are the only one who can help him, you decide to play along. You'll help him achieve his dream and maybe you'll satisfy your own dream, too.

Word count: 20k

Content: unprotected sex, oral sex (m. receiving), Hoseok has sex with someone but he thinks they're someone else, if you're incredibly squeamish, there may be some body/pain stuff that makes you go 😖, potentially a litt yandere-vibed

A/N: Happy my birthday eve to you, dear reader!!!!! This is my very first toe-dip into the world of fantasy/spn!! AND my first collab!!!!! Pleeeeaaassseeee read the warnings (and please!!!! let me know if I'm missing any or any are insufficient). I'm so excited; I struggled with plotting this fic and working out how to get it to do what I wanted and thid is actually v3.0 lmao BUT I'm really happy with it! And happy to be part of the Make Me Your Villain collab!!! Thanks to @daechwitatamic for beta-ng and yelling!!!!

Hoseok swam farther than he ever had before. Swam closer. He’d be inching forward and now he was close enough to be spotted; he knew that. He knew that that was too far, but he didn’t really care.

The first time he swam in this direction and saw the shadows of small boats cross over him, he’d bolted in a panic. Merpeople were not to be spotted by humans. Ever. So he’d raced away, not looking back.

But then he had the knowledge that humans sailed there. He knew that that stretch of water played host to life above its surface, too. They were little boats, not the huge ships he usually tailed. These were much smaller, with handfuls of humans sitting in them, pointing in the distance, holding little boxes up to their faces and lowering them again. Visible. Watchable. It was tantalising.

So he went back. Hung around and waited for a while. Did it again. Watched a boat sail over him and eventually drop anchor near the cove. Went back a third time. Saw the humans jump from the side of the boat into the water. Hung back.

The next time, he swam closer. And the time after that, closer still.

That particular day, he had time. Lots of it. There was nothing calling for his attention, nothing tying him to any place, so he edged closer and a little closer, until he could see so clearly their spindly legs kicking ineffectually through the water, their weird feet and tiny toes. He had never seen humans so close before. He wondered if anyone had. They were fascinating. They dived down and kicked back up, their limbs moving in the water to keep them afloat. They turned on to their backs, looking just like seals from below. They squealed and laughed and talked and Hoseok watched it all with rapt attention. What he wouldn’t have given to approach one. To have made contact. To have asked them all his questions.

He wished he had someone to tell. Someone who would receive the information with not even wonder—his hopes were not that high—but interest. He didn’t have anyone to share his discoveries with, his treasures, his excitement. No one else understood. Some people thought he was weird; others thought his interest in the human world was downright wrong.

But his excitement was palpable that day, floating so close to the humans, he could hear their voices. He could even just about make out their words. And then their speech took on a more urgent tone; there was more frantic splashing, some flailing of limbs. He looked around himself and rose until his head bobbed out of the water. He watched the humans spin, searching for something, pointing this way and that way, calling to each other, looking.

He wanted to help but he didn’t know how. He dipped back into the water and skirted around the edge of the group – still unseen—and then it hit him. He had been so focused on the humans that he hadn’t seen it.

The rip tide tugged him sideways with a vicious spinning force. He was lucky, because he lived in the sea and this was far from his first rip. It might have taken him unawares, but he was able to right himself and spiral through to the other side.

That was when he saw what they must have been looking for.

The rip had tossed him out on the other side of a sharp, rocky outcrop on the west side of the cove. It jutted far out into the sea, sheltering the shore from western winds, and he saw a human woman struggling to the surface.

Her limbs were slow and her face kept dipping under the waves until eventually, she just floated, barely moving at all, moving only with the rhythm of the waves. Hoseok watched with dread and fear curdling the excitement in his stomach. She was too still now, her face too low in the water. Something wasn’t right. There was something unnatural about the way she was lying there, suspended in the water.

Hoseok didn’t think before he acted. He kicked his fins and swam to her, wrapping one arm around her torso and hiking her upwards so her face was out of the water. He dragged her, swimming backwards, towards the shore. He was grateful there was a shore; the other side of the cove had nothing but sheer cliffs and sharp rocks.

He didn’t know what he would do when he reached the shingle beach, but being on land had to help, didn’t it? Land was where the humans belonged.

Hoseok dragged her as far out of the water as he could manage—which wasn’t very far because his tail churned the stones and wouldn’t propel him forwards, so he dragged himself, as well as this human woman, until only her legs were splashed by the waves.

He looked down at her, anxiety churning in his gut. How did humans die? Was she already dead? The thought was nauseating. He knew humans had hearts like merpeople did, so he pressed his hand against her chest and felt nothing. He pressed a hand against his own chest. Felt nothing. He pressed his fingers against the large artery he knew ran down his front and felt nothing. He pressed them to his neck and almost felt something, moved them around until he found the spot at which he could feel his blood pushing against them. He immediately transferred his fingers to the same position on the woman and felt the same thing.

He let out a heavy breath. Relief. At least she wasn’t dead.

But she also wasn’t awake.

��Hello?” he called lightly. “Uh, hello? Are you ok?”

She remained unmoved, but he could barely hear himself over the pounding of his frantic heart; maybe he was too quiet? Maybe merpeople couldn’t make noise outside of the water? He tried again but it elicited no response.

He watched her carefully, listening, training his ears towards her, tuning out the roar of the waves and the squawk of seagulls and the distant sound of voices. He concentrated hard, breathing carefully to slow his own heart, to quiet the thump of it against his ribs and the rush of blood through his veins. There was a wet gurgle as her chest rose and fell, coming from her mouth, but sounding from deep inside. Hoseok knew humans breathed through their mouths, not having gills of their own. So he knew she was breathing.

She was both alive and breathing. He sighed with relief. He could let his worry go and lean into his fascination.

He had never seen a human like this. Close enough to touch—he had touched her. Her hair was the colour of the sun, even wet through; the curls stuck to her skin and Hoseok dared to reach out and brush them from her face. As he took his hand back, he noticed he was shaking. Drops of water on her skin sparkled like gems, glinting in the daylight. The sun was hot—far hotter than he’d ever felt it in the water—and bright. The heat of it burnt away the water on her skin almost too quickly to notice. Hoseok didn’t think she looked all that different from a mermaid, not really. The legs made a difference, sure; she had no gills in her ribs; the webbing in her fingers was reduced to nothing, each digit separated down to the palm. But really, what difference did those things make?

He thought her a wonder. He thought her the most beautiful, fascinating thing he’d ever seen. Her rosebud mouth, lips open and plump. Her skin was smooth and dark; he looked stark next to her. Her torso was whole, one expanse of skin stretching around her back and ribs. Hoseok placed a hand to his gills, fingers playing along the edge; they were flapping uselessly in the dry air. He smoothed them down with his hand, imagined his torso like hers, uninterrupted.

He lay with his tail next to her legs. He tried to picture it split in two, tried to picture himself walking on two feet, upright. He wasn’t the longest merman, but how did that compare to humans? The woman by his side seemed long—were all other humans, too? He figured he would probably never know and the rarity of this moment, the precarity of it, dented his enthusiasm a little. But, he reminded himself, for the rest of his life, he would have this. This human woman, lying next to him, seen by him, touched by him. He wondered how many other merpeople had done that.

He’d heard the horror stories, of course, the kind that teachers tell students to scare them away from the surface. He had never believed them, not entirely. There were bad humans, sure, but there were bad merpeople, too. And looking down at this human, this woman, he knew she was good. He felt a fluttering in his chest that made his breathing hitch. Made him feel almost breathless.

He wished she would wake up and see him. That wasn’t allowed, of course. It was absolutely forbidden to make your presence as a merman known to anyone who lived on the surface. But, who had to know? Just this once. Just this once, Hoseok could have his dream come true, couldn’t he?

She blinked once, then twice, and rolled over to cough and splutter, and he panicked. The tranquillity of the moment was gone. He heard the sound of seawater hitting stone as she choked and it spilt from her lips. He didn’t know what that meant. He watched her back heave as she coughed and was gripped by an intense fear. He wasn’t bad; he didn’t break the rules; he didn’t have the stomach for it.

He was diving in the water before she had rolled back, before she had a chance to see him or even notice him. He had disappeared before he’d even made the decision to disappear. Maybe that was close enough. So much for his wishes to be seen. He just wasn’t brave enough.

Back in the water, he shuddered and realised he could breathe again. With his heart rate finally slowing, he swam towards home, his mind pre-occupied with daydreams about coming back to this shore, seeing more humans, learning some more; pre-occupied with the panic and relief and adrenalin of his last ten minutes.

Pre-occupied as he was, he didn’t see that his movements were being tracked. He didn’t see a royal aide, following at a distance, and then moving off towards the royal chambers when they made it back to court.

He didn’t see you either, though you could see him.

* * *

His mother came to see him the following day.

“Hoseok,” she began, in the quiet, stern voice that had always scared him as a child. “Do you think your father and I are stupid?”

He blinked. He hadn’t been expecting that and couldn’t see the reason behind it. That worried him. He was walking into a trap.

“No, of course not,” he answered, honestly.

“Then it will not surprise you if I say that we do know where it is you go in these waters.”

His blood turned to ice.

“We are all very well aware of your... interest in the surface. In humans and all their detritus.”

He opened his mouth to argue back but the expression on his mother’s face stopped him.

“We know you hunt out shipwrecks and follow boats along trade routes, searching the carcasses of their vessels for rubbish, hoping and waiting they might drop something valuable. We know how close you have got, Hoseok, to exposing yourself to the humans.”

He gulped. He knew he was in trouble. Probably a lot of trouble. He didn’t know what his punishment would be.

“We are not going to permit this any longer.”

That rankled. He was almost 21. An adult in any world. Permission? He found his voice.

“I wasn’t aware I needed permission to go anywhere.”

“You’re a prince, Hoseok, of course you need permission. And you no longer have it. So Sebastien will accompany you through your days for the time being, to ensure you do not go where you should not.”

“For the time being? How long is that exactly?”

His mother looked at him, impassive.

“For as long as your father and I tell him to.”

Then she swam away without bothering to say goodbye. Hoseok didn’t have any time to react before Sebastien was by his side.

“Good morning, my prince.”

Hoseok bit back a spiky retort and swam away, with Sebastien following at his fins. His mother couldn’t be serious. He was being chaperoned? It was an indignity. It was infantilising. It was entirely unnecessary. He flexed his hands into fists and out again, balling and stretching as he swam, as he carried on in his head the argument he wished he could have had with his mother. This would not do.

As he realised where he was swimming—with his new bodyguard—he stopped suddenly. He had been inadvertently leading Sebastien to his happy place, his treasure trove, the place where he kept all the so-called ‘human detritus’ he saved. He was sure his parents didn’t know about that and he didn’t want them finding out.

He swam away, ignoring Sebastien chatting idly at his side, and wondered just exactly what his parents knew. Had they seen him save that human woman? Had they seen how close he had come to being discovered? Is that what this was all about?

* * *

Hoseok looked miserable. Oh, he was smiling, and you were sure he was saying all the right things. But you knew. He was not enjoying his birthday party. There was nothing dazzling in his smile, no halo of light around his head. His laughter rang out, hollow and pitchy, not at all like the tumbling bells it usually was.

No, the prince was miserable. You were sure of it. You had noticed that he had been followed—was being followed—by one of the court’s highest-ranking aides; you saw him behind the prince at every turn, like a shadow, like a ghost. Maybe that was the problem.

You had been close as children, you and the prince, for a time. In that period when you were free, when society meant nothing to you, when prejudices and family feuds still hovered above your heads, out of reach. You had been friends and you felt it then, too, his brightness, his warmth. He didn’t care that the adults treated your family poorly; he did care that they treated you poorly. He didn’t know or care about what the adults said; neither did you. You were friends, the two of you, thick as thieves.

Then one day, all that hovered above you came tumbling down, pouring over you both like ice-water. It became more difficult then, to spend time together, to be friends. He never outright said it, broke up with you in a friend kind of way. You just ‘drifted apart’ because he was welcomed in where you were shunned; he was celebrated and everyone did their best to forget you ever existed.

You should have expected it. He was the prince, after all. And you were a sea witch. People said you were evil; the rumour had it that your whole family was. Matriarchal, and that was just the first problem. You had power. Your mother had had it. Your aunt. Their mother. The way you were told, it went back right to the very beginning. You were the latest in a very long line of very powerful witches.

It took you a long time to understand why that was used against you. You had power. Wasn’t that a good thing? You could do magic. You could achieve things no one else could. You could have made the entire sea a better place for everyone and everything living in it. But no one wanted your input; no one wanted to listen, to hear you. They wanted you to stay quiet. They wanted you to hide.

What boiled your blood was that you did. You stayed at the back, hid yourself away in a cave far from where the royal court lived: merpeople in coral towers and you, tangled in seaweed every time you so much as shook your head. You were older now and you knew full-well why they did it.

They were scared of you. They had always been scared of your family, but now, since the ‘tragic’ death of your mother, they were scared of you. Because you had a score to settle. Because you had a reason to hate them. You had vengeance on your mind.

Vengeance and Prince Hoseok.

Because no matter how much you hated it, no matter how much you didn’t want to want him, you did. You looked at him and your chest hurt with longing and your stomach roiled with hatred. How could it be that you could feel two things at once for the same person? You chose not to examine it these days. It had gone on too long and you were used to it. It felt like your natural state of being: hatred and love in equal measure. Fear and power.

No one had ever tested you. Not really. People came to you for silly little things like love potions and spells to make them smarter or charms to ward off hermit crabs from their gardens. No one wanted to see the full extent of your abilities. So you didn’t quite know what they were.

You toiled, testing yourself on little creatures, to see what you could do to them, how much you could transform them, how creative you could get. There had been a lot of failures at first, of course. So many. But then you started to succeed. And now you never failed. Everything you turned your hand to worked. Your mother had always said you were a natural and now you believed it, too.

You thought you could turn yourself into one of them if you wanted. Not that you did want. Never. Ever. You wouldn’t debase yourself, wouldn’t shame your ancestors with an attempt. But you could do it. That much you were confident of.

You were also confident of just how well you knew the prince. Better than he knew, you were sure. He probably didn’t realise quite what an open book he was to you. It was an open secret that he had a thing for life on the surface, but you saw so much more than that. He had never been able to hide from you: his enthusiasm, his wonder, his furtive glances around himself, the swift flick of his tail as he snuck between two large boulders, the fluidity and flexibility of his body the only things enabling him to sneak through. His little collection. Though ‘little’ wasn’t really the word for it, not anymore.

You had been to see it just once before. It was almost enough to impress you. His discoveries, his treasures, were displayed with such care, it almost touched you. These things, this tat, that he had found floating on the surface or buried in the seabed, he loved them. He treated them like something precious, not like the trash it so clearly was to the humans. It made your heart ache a little: his naivety, his innocence, his propensity for flights of fancy, his dreamy insistence on seeing the good in things, in people. In humans.

It was an open secret, this obsession of Hoseok’s, but it concerned his parents. Sure, he was only the youngest of seven sons—he wasn’t the heir—but he was still a prince. That made him valuable and important. It also meant he had to keep up appearances and it simply would not do to have a Prince of the Royal Court enamoured with... up there. So they had instructed one of their aides (a creeping, odious merman whom you avoided like the plague) to follow Hoseok around, to make sure he wasn’t getting himself into trouble.

Yes, you nodded to yourself, that was exactly what had happened.

Hoseok was getting sick of being followed around. It wasn’t even just that he couldn’t go to the surface; he couldn’t get a single minute of peace! Sebastien was always there and it was starting to grate quite uncomfortably.

He wasn’t enjoying the party and he was getting tired of pretending to enjoy it, so after taking a quick scan of the room, he turned tail and left. Sebastien followed, but Hoseok chose to ignore him.

“Leaving a party early?” you said lightly, as you caught him leaving the room. “Leaving your own party early? That’s not like you.”

His smile was a little tight when he flashed it your way.

“It’s only my party by technicality. No one will miss me.”

You merely raised your eyebrows slightly and raised one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.

“I notice that you are also leaving,” he countered.

“Ah, once the host leaves, everyone else is free to go.”

His brow wrinkled a little and he scoffed.

“Don’t call me the host.”

“Careful,” you joked, “Sebastien here might tell your parents you’re being ungrateful. Look at all this opulence they prepared for you.”

He was about to spit something not entirely kind back at you before he realised that you were taking the piss. He rolled his eyes inwardly at himself. Of course you didn’t care. You never went in for this stuff anyway. He was surprised you had even shown up.

“I am being ungrateful. I would like them to stop looking out for me, stop doing things for me, stop-” he said, coming to such a sudden halt that Sebastien crashed into the back of him, “having me chaperoned like a child just because I like to swim a little farther than others.”

“I’m not sure it’s the distance they’re worried about.”

“Whatever. They just don’t get it. They think it’s dangerous.”

“What is?”

“The surface. Humanity. They think my collecting scraps from the seabed is somehow going to threaten all undersea life, trigger an apocalypse or something.”

“Ah.”

“They just don’t get it. They don’t get it. It’s not like I’m going to go up there and act like I’m human-”

“No? You could.”

He scoffed.

“Oh yeah, just go and flop around on the beach with my tail and my gills and everything. Great idea.”

“... You know I’m a fucking witch, right? I literally have the technology.”

Hoseok stopped suddenly again, looking at you, a little aghast, a little trepidatious. Then he laughed.

“Yeah, sure, one human coming right up!”

You laughed along with him, letting the subject drop, letting it be a joke. It had to be a joke with Sebastien listening in. But you were serious and you needed Hoseok to understand that you could do it. If he asked.

* * *

You thought about it more in the following days, as you watched the prince and his tormentor float around in the water. Hoseok couldn’t even blink without Sebastien there to watch him. You could feel his frustration, his impatience; you could see the dullness diminishing his shine; you could see the time it took for his lips to stretch into his signature heart-shaped smile expand—sometimes they barely made it at all. Was it the annoyance and inconvenience of having a chaperone in itself, or was he pining for a little adventure? Itching for a treasure hunt, fingers twitching to dig through sand and find something broken and useless to take back to his cave of wonders?

The whole sea knew. The prince was being monitored. The prince was being kept on a lead. A short one. There were whispers and gossip and speculation. The worst of these rumours was the one that told you his parents were doing this to get him ready for marriage. That he had been betrothed to a princess in the Caspian sea since before he had even existed and now they had both come of age, the marriage negotiations could begin in earnest.

That would not do. You could not have that.

Your own fingers were twitching; you were as frustrated as the prince, trying to work out a way to expedite this whole thing, to get things moving.

Someone’s hand would have to be forced, you realised. But whose? And to do what?

It hit you, quite suddenly, as you were drifting off to sleep one night. You had been picturing Hoseok amongst all his ‘objet d’art’: his happy face, his preening and polishing, his voice ringing out in a sweet, little tune—the one you liked to catch in your shells and store for later. It was obvious.

With each day that passed, the prince’s frustration grew. As did his misery and his little, daydreamy desires to experience life on the surface. With each day that passed, his parents were obliviously telling themselves that Hoseok was forgetting about it. He was integrating better with his peers, no longer always off on his own adventure; he was finally getting over this little ‘phase’.

It, actually, you thought to yourself as you caught the fleeting idea with a snatched hand, would work out quite nicely after all. You just had to be careful about tipping the scale.

Sebastien wasn’t stupid (you couldn’t get to his position if you were), but he wasn’t exactly sharp. You engaged him in a little idle chat while the prince was dining with his family. Commented on the prince’s interest in life ex-marina. Sebastien had responded a little too eagerly, sharing a little too much (not that he knew he was doing it—not sharp) so it was very easy for you to drop in that you had noticed the prince hadn’t been visiting his little shrine much recently. Sebastien played off his reaction so terribly that, even had you not been so perspicacious, it would have been clear he was bluffing, that you knew far more than he did and he was embarrassed by it. You shrugged, as if the conversation meant nothing to you, and glided away, certain that the seed had been planted.

All you had to do now was wait for it to sprout.

It took even less time than you expected. The sea over the next couple of days was a flurry of anxious activity. No official word had gone out, but something was happening and everyone knew it. Aides were everywhere, in every corner, under every rock, in every reef. The king and queen had an awful lot of staff at their disposal, so it wasn’t long before one of them turned up something very interesting indeed.

It was even quicker that the King stormed down to the prince’s little cave of wonders to give Hoseok what for.

You hung back and watched. Watched Hoseok’s face as it moved from dismay to anger, to fury. You had never heard him angry like that. It was thrilling. It was exciting. It was, you hated to admit it, sexy. He swam forward and you heard him confront his parents, heard his outrage.

But how his father roared. How he hovered above Hoseok, his youngest child, with a face like thunder. How his shouting rippled through the water, carrying it farther than you were sure he’d have wanted.

Hoseok put up a good fight, but he had no power. He wasn’t the heir; he had no leverage, not really. So, his father took his trident and destroyed everything. Even the very cave itself. It was rubble by the time he turned his back on his son and swam away. It was sand. Hoseok was left staring at what used to be his most prized possessions, his secret joy.

It almost hurt when you saw his face, his distress and despair. You watched him sink to the seabed and sob, then you turned around and swam away. You didn’t want to watch that. You didn’t need to. You just had to hope that it worked like you intended.

You slunk back to your cave—your presence having never been noticed—and waited for the prince to come to you.

Hoseok knew they were just things. He knew they were things most people would consider rubbish, garbage, trash, waste. But they weren’t rubbish to him. They were prizes. They were trophies. They were secrets. They were hints of another life, another way of living. They were like the key to a code. If he collected enough, maybe he would understand what life on the surface was like. Maybe once he had enough human things, he would be able to experience Personhood by proxy.

He had always known he would never go there. Could never go there. It just wasn’t done. Not even for a prince. Especially not for a prince. But his parents couldn’t order him to stop dreaming. So he dreamt and he collected and he treasured. He knew no one approved of what they called his ‘obsession’ with the surface. He didn’t care. They didn’t understand. They didn’t see what he could. They were so entrenched in their own, bigoted ideas that they couldn’t open their minds for a second to the possibility that maybe humans weren’t so bad. Maybe they had their problems, but they also had their wonders.

Even outside of his personal curiosity, he had always thought that some sort of treaty with the humans would be advantageous. They were lucky, in his sea, that the water was kept mostly clear, that oil spills only reached them as news. Their unfavourable interactions with humans were limited, but Hoseok knew that wasn’t the case elsewhere. He thought, if they could communicate with them, that maybe agreements could be reached. A relationship with the world on the surface could be mutually beneficial.

No one else saw it that way.

He sat on the sand and wept, cried, sobbed, for his secret little things that were no more. No longer secret and no longer there. He scooped up fragments of them in his hand and let them drift back down. He sifted through rocks and pebbles and sand to see if anything had been left intact, if anything was salvageable. But his father was thorough. And powerful. And there was nothing left.

* * *

The flurry of activity stopped and was replaced by an awkward tension. No one had seen the prince since the argument with the king. No one dared approach either king or queen, not even the other princes. People moved so slowly through the water, as if they were scared to cause too much of a ripple. The rhythm of everything had been upset.

For no one more than the prince. He lay on the sand next to what used to be his happy place for hours, until the sea grew dark and he should have been back at home with his family. The very thought made him sick. He couldn’t. Wouldn’t. The thought of seeing his parents again made bile rise in his throat. His blood boiled with an anguished kind of anger he had never experienced before.

Once he had stopped crying, he spent some time staring around in disbelief. He couldn’t believe that all his things were gone, but he also couldn’t believe that his father had done it. The royal family was a Happy Family, officially, but they were also usually happy in actual fact. Arguments were few. Discord uncommon. There had been little cause for friction amongst them in his life. He wasn’t used to this. He and his brothers fought as kids, but never seriously; no one ever tried to rebel in any meaningful kind of way. It was a peaceful kingdom and that peace started at the very top.

Or so it had been. Even that had been destroyed now. Peace was the very last thing on the prince’s mind. He was torn between his anger and his despair. He wanted to hurt his father, very badly. He wanted to show his father that he wouldn’t let this stop him, that not even the King could break him. He knew he was right about humans, about humanity. He would show him. He also wanted, with a kind of frenzied desperation, to set off over the oceans and retrieve a new artefact for each and every one that he’d just lost.

As time passed and the sun disappeared from overhead, his whirring mind, his racing heart, began to slow and a tiny spark of hope burst in him. There was a way, he had realised. Or, he thought there might be a way. There was a possibility. There might be a possibility. If anyone would have the answer, it would be you.

He called your name and it roused you from a mid-morning nap. You sauntered to the cave mouth and your face pulled into surprise at the sight of him.

“Prince Hoseok, what are you doing here?”

He looked a little hesitant, peering behind you at the darkness of the cave, wondering what lay back there, if all the rumours were true. He knew you. You had been close at one point. He knew you so this was fine. He could trust you; he knew he could. You weren’t going to hurt him. You weren’t like they said. Well, in one way, he hoped you were; he hoped you were every bit as powerful as people said because, lord knew, he was going to need some powerful magic. Powerful magic the likes of which could topple the royal family, people said. What care did he have for the royal family now?

But, the evil part... He hoped that wasn’t true. You’d never given him cause to believe so before.

Still, waiting at the entrance to your home (your ‘lair’ as some called it and Hoseok was never sure if they were joking or not), he felt timid. Small. Not like a royal prince, but like a supplicant. Which, really, he supposed, he was.

“I’m here to ask you to do something for me.”

You couldn’t deny your intrigue. You gestured for him to follow you inside.

He did so slowly, his eyes darting around at all your shelves, full of stuff, fuller even than his own treasure trove had been. He couldn’t imagine what might be in all the containers, what secrets or tonics or poisons they might be holding. He had no idea what it was you did, really. You were the Sea Witch and that was bad enough for most people to never ask anything more... Until they needed you, of course. Hoseok had never needed you, not until now, so he had never paid your work much attention. You flew under the radar for the most part, which was entirely by design.

“Ok,” you said, as you perched yourself on a soft bed of anemones that Hoseok didn’t dare touch. “What can I do for you?”

He took a deep breath, a steeling breath.

“I want to be human.”

You pretended to be surprised, but that was exactly what you had been hoping for. Only an idiot would have been surprised by his request, especially given what had just happened.

“Human, huh? Finally pulling the trigger?”

He looked reluctant to say any more. You raised one eyebrow at him and held his gaze. He looked away.

“My parents don’t understand a thing. They don’t know anything about humans. I want to know. I have to know. They-... My parents can’t control me.”

You shrugged and nodded and caught the look of surprise on Hoseok’s face as you turned to gather some ingredients from the other side of the cave. He hadn’t thought it would be that easy.

It wouldn’t be.

You gathered the necessary items and tipped first one, then another, into the large conch you used for mixing spells.

“You... you can do it?” he asked and you chose not to be offended by the question.

“Of course I can.”

“You... will do it?”

“I will.”

The relieved smile on his face could have lit your cave for weeks. His teeth shone and his eyes sparkled as he laughed and clapped his hands. Victory.

“Thank you! I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, sunshine. There are conditions to all this, you know.”

His face settled back into seriousness, his brow knitting above his eyes. He nodded fervently.

“Yes, of course. I understand. What do I need to do?”

You paused, leaning one hand on the edge of your giant shell and looked at him with a firm, fixed stare.

“You get three days,” you told him. “Three days as a human. You’ll be human before lunch, so noon on the third day will see you turning back as you are now.”

“Oh.”

His disappointment was palpable, but that worked to your advantage, too. You forced a light chuckle.

“I’m good, Hoseok, but I’m not that good.”

(You were, in fact, that good, but he didn’t need to know that).

“Of course! Yes, three days. That’s great.”

“There is a way you can stay longer than that, but it’s not in my power.”

“What does that mean?”

You pushed off the ledge and rounded the basin, coming to a stop in front of him. You didn’t miss the two inches that he scooted backwards away from you. At a different time, under different circumstances, this might have offended you, but you had a reputation; you could hardly blame him for his timidity. He had never seen you do anything like this before.

“You have to put down roots.”

“Right... What does that mean?”

“You have to find a human woman and plant a seed.”

Hoseok continued to look at you blankly, until you rolled your eyes.

“Fornicate. Copulate. Mate. Breed. Fuck.”

His eyebrows shot towards his hairline.

“Oh... Within three days?”

“Is that a problem?”

“No!” His answer was too quick and his blushes beetroot. He cleared his throat. “No, it’s fine, but... You said plant a seed. You mean... a child?”

“Mhmm.”

He blinked, his mind reeling. You gave him a second to process.

“How do I guarantee that? It has to be a child? There has to be... it has to...?”

You nodded.

“If you want to stay up there, you need some connection to it. You need a tether. Just how it works.”

“Oh, right...”

He was nodding, but he wasn’t looking at you. You could see his eyes were far away; he was thinking.

He was worrying. Would three days be enough? And bringing a child into this? Could he? Doubt was beginning to creep in at the sides, but he couldn’t let it. He had to see this through. It felt like his only chance. And you’d already said yes. You could do it. He could almost taste it, he was so close. He had to keep going. He could deal with the seed problem later; he could hardly think about putting down roots when he didn’t even have legs to stand on. First things first and the first thing was becoming a human.

“There’s also something else I need from you,” you told him.

“Anything.”

“I just need a little piece of you. In order to make this work, I need a little tether to you.”

“You need to tether to me? But doesn’t that keep me tied here?”

You liked it when they asked questions. You smiled, benignly, but your eyes glinted wickedly.

“It keeps you tethered to me, the one with the magic? The one who’s transforming you? We can skip that step if you like, but then the spell will do absolutely nothing.”

“Oh.”

He blinked and then nodded.

“Ok, makes sense. Yeah, ok, what do you need?”

“Come here.”

You beckoned him to your side and he obeyed quietly. You took his hand in yours and plunged it into the shell; then you placed your other hand on his chest.

“Hold still; this won’t hurt.”

“What are you taking?”

“Just a little bit of soul.”

He flinched and you had to tighten your fingers around his wrist to keep it there.

“Relax, you won’t even notice it missing. And keep still, I need to concentrate.”

You closed your eyes and tapped lightly on his chest with your fingers, looking for a tap. Once you found the spot, you dug your finger in a little harder, focused hard and turned it on. You channelled it through Hoseok’s arm and tipped it into the shell through his fingers.

You were right: it didn’t hurt. He felt a weird pulling sensation in his chest and then it dragged down his arm; it was a little uncomfortable, certainly something he’d never felt before, but it didn’t hurt exactly. He wanted to look and see what his soul looked like, pouring out, but he couldn’t bring himself to open his eyes.

His soul was sweet like nectar and it shimmered as it settled atop the other ingredients. You could feel its pulse, strong in Hoseok’s heart, its rhythm airy and delicate with a stable bass. You liked it. You liked it a lot. You could feel your own shimmer in response to it; you could feel your heart flutter when you let a little of him inside it. You bit your lip to stop a smile. Once you had what you needed for the spell, you siphoned off just a little extra for yourself. Nothing he would notice – you were always careful about that.

You held him there a minute longer, just absorbing, marinating a little. Sometimes this was the worst part of the job. Some people’s souls were vile, horrid, dark, acrid, smoking things; the taste they left in your mouth wouldn’t shift for days. This, though, was delectable. If you’d had another plan in mind, you might have taken more, maybe even all of it; you weren’t sure how you managed to stop yourself.

You shouldn’t have been surprised by its sweetness. It was Hoseok. He was like that. Of course his soul would be pure as sunlight itself. It was the lightest soul you’d ever held. Almost light enough to make you feel bad for doing all this.

Almost.

“Ok,” you began, letting him go and creating a little more space between you. “We’re done.”

Hoseok opened his eyes and looked down at his tail.

“We are?”

You laughed, not unkindly.

“Yes. You might want to start swimming while I finish this off. Surface is a long way up from here.”

“Oh. But... it’ll work? I’ll be...-”

“It’ll work. Trust me. And take this.”

You thrust a little package, wrapped in fisherman’s netting, into his hands.

“Now go on. Get.”

He nodded, first a little uncertainly, but, as if he was convincing himself, each bob of his head grew surer until he was turning around and swimming straight out of your cave and up, up, up.

You gave everything in the shell a swirl, a mix, let it coalesce, then you placed your hands on the bottom and forced heat through them, so much heat that the concoction boiled, the sea water steaming around you. It bubbled and it boiled until there was nothing left in the shell but a pearl. You picked up this pearl and placed it into a clam. You shut the clam over a cord and tied it around your neck. You were going to want to keep this one close.

Hoseok was swimming so hard he barely noticed it at first. Then his tail was tingling. Then it began to hurt. Hurt enough to slow him down, to almost stop him completely. It was a wrenching, tearing, searing kind of pain that made him cry out, that made dark spots dance in front of his eyes and his head feel light. He couldn’t quite tell if his tail was moving or not; there was blinding pain and very little else, but he knew he was getting close to the surface. He couldn’t stop now.

In the space of three kicks, his tail became two, and Hoseok was overwhelmed by the agony of saltwater in his wounds. He couldn’t stop, couldn’t look, couldn’t do anything but try not to die. Try not to drown. He kept kicking, kept pulling with his arms, but his fingers were no longer webbed and they didn’t grab the water like before.

Swimming as a human, it turned out, was every bit as inefficient as it looked. He tried to move his legs in tandem, to kick and flick like he did with his tail but they wouldn’t cooperate; they couldn’t bend like his tail could, didn’t have the flexibility. Every movement sent a fresh surge of pain racing through him and he was finding it hard to breathe through it.

And then he stopped being able to breathe at all. He clutched at his ribs with one hand, expecting to feel his gills, but there was nothing. He opened his mouth to gasp and his throat was full of salt water in a way that felt wrong, uncomfortable, painful. In a way that made him panic. His lungs were burning, his throat was burning, his legs were burning; everything, everything, felt like it was on fire.

His heart was humming, beating so fast it vibrated against his ribs. He couldn’t think clearly, coherently, at all. It was all just a screaming panic, shouting and squealing and howling for him to get out, get out, get out of the water.

When he finally broke clear of the sea’s surface, he choked and gasped and coughed up water. It stung in his eyes and the taste of salt was so strong, it made him gag. He looked about himself to find the nearest shore and saw none in sight. He knew where he was; he saw the sea, his underwater kingdom, in his mind and he knew how to find the nearest shore. He just had to get there.

He dragged himself out of the waves, spent. There wasn’t a single muscle in his body that wasn’t crying out; he had never found swimming difficult before. It had always been as easy as breathing, but that, too, was difficult as a human. He swallowed seawater that made him sick, accidentally breathed it in and choked, found his breathing growing laboured and heavy when he was still miles from shore.

He lay on the shingle beach for a while, waiting to feel something other than pain. Pain and heaviness. Every movement was an effort. Every movement took active thought, especially his legs. He pushed himself into a sitting position and turned his attention to the package you gave him. He unwrapped it and unfolded fabrics—soaked through, of course. Hoseok had seen people wear clothes in books before but he’d never seen any in real life. He wondered where on earth you got them from. He briefly wondered if he wanted to know.

And despite everything: the pain, the exhaustion, the fear, the dread that was starting to settle in his stomach as the adrenalin faded, Hoseok was excited. He had human garments in his hands. They were his and he was about to wear them. He was human.

Human.

The awe and wonder didn’t last long. The friction of the fabric against his skin was almost unbearable. Was his skin sensitive or were the fabrics rough? He couldn’t tell but he could feel each tiny swish, each brush against him as he moved, with every swing of his arm and every step of his feet. It felt like the top layer of his skin was being slowly rubbed away, his soft, supple skin becoming red and raw and oh so sensitive.

The steps hurt, too. The shingle under his feet felt almost pleasant compared to the torching pain he felt in his legs. Like they were being cut open every time, like he was splitting his tail over and over and over again, the torture wouldn’t end.

He felt so heavy. Leaden. Like he barely had the energy to lift his feet at all. He put this down to the swim, the physical trauma, the lack of sleep he’d had that night. But he’d never felt the weight of his body so heavily before. In the water, he floated. The water kept him buoyed; the water supported him, carried him; he moved through it like he weighed nothing at all. On land, he felt no support. On the contrary, he felt as if the air itself were pushing him down, keeping him stuck to the ground, as if it didn’t want him to move anywhere.

It wasn’t at all like he had expected. He wished you had warned him about the pain. He wished he had known a little more before walking into this – literally walking! He was walking! On two feet! It was agony.

Trying to keep his head straight, he knew the first thing he should do was find food. He’d swum so far, he needed something. His stomach was gurgling in an angry, acidic roil that made him feel faint (or maybe that was the pain or the exertion or the atmosphere or or or). He was lucky that this beach was narrow and the town close. The shingle quickly gave way to grass, which was only slightly soothing on Hoseok’s feet, and then the grass gave way to paving.

He followed the path in the only direction it went and it wasn’t long before he found people. Humans. So many of them. He stood, stock still, watching them. It was overwhelming. The sights and sounds and smells of them. There was food grilling, and children laughing, and market hawkers soliciting, and Hoseok had no idea which way to turn. He could barely think at all. He needed-

He didn’t know what. A rest. A break. To sit down? He walked to the nearest chair – a metal frame with metal seat, next to a metal table – and sat; the chair scraped backwards slightly and the scratch of it on the ground brought a man out from the cafe the chair was sitting in front of.

“Hey, you can’t sit there!” the man called, looking none too happy. “Customers only! Those chairs are for customers only!”

“Oh, oh ok,” Hoseok spluttered. “I can be a customer. I can buy, uh-”

“No! We’re not open yet! No service!”

Hoseok thought then that it should be fine for him to sit down if they weren’t open, if there were no customers yet, but the man continued to shout, to shoo him off, so Hoseok stood and moved away. He would just have to try again a little further down the road.

That cafe might not have been open, but there were market stalls with edible wares already cooked and out for consumption. He took a skewer proffered by a weathered old lady and ate it gratefully, even though it was dry and hard to chew. She then held her hand out expectantly and it was at that moment, Hoseok realised he had nothing to trade. What could he offer? He considered the neat, net package that you had provided his clothes in and brought it out of his pocket. He tried to hand it over but the woman started cursing at him in a language he didn’t understand. He backed away from her aggression and this was clearly the wrong move. She grabbed a large metal spoon and came around the side of her table, raising it above her head.

Hoseok ran. He hadn’t known he could run. Would have claimed not to be able to if you’d asked him to at that moment, but the panic set him going and his feet stomped, painful step after painful step, until he was, once more, breathing heavy and laboured, a sharp pain between his ribs stabbing him with every inhale.

This was going to be harder than he thought.

He eventually sat at the side of the road, wondering how he was supposed to navigate this world he clearly knew nothing about. He had been arrogant in the sea. He thought he knew everything there was to know about humans. He had learnt about their culture, he thought; he had studied their ways of life, he thought. It was nothing compared to the real experience of being here. Nothing was how he expected. He was woefully unprepared.

Tears pricked in his eyes and he tried to keep them at bay because he had wanted this. He had asked for it. And you had done it for him. Hoseok realised with a shock just exactly what position this had put you in. The prince was nowhere to be found. He hadn’t told anyone what he was doing. The only person who knew was you. If they found that out, lord knew what kind of trouble you’d be in. They’d have your head if they thought you had brought him to any harm.

But you’d been willing. Supportive even. So he had to make this work. He had to make it worth it. For him. For you. He would make it work and he would return to the sea to explain everything: to show what he had achieved on the surface, to prove to everyone that humans weren’t like they all said. To prove that you had been the truest, kindest and most loyal friend he had. That you had given him all of it. That you weren’t like they all said, either.

He blew out a deep breath. There was a lot riding on this.

He knew he would eventually need somewhere to sleep, somewhere safe. He walked back towards the centre of the market and found a nice-looking woman selling necklaces.

“Excuse me,” he began, warily. “I need somewhere to stay.”

Her friendly smile faltered a little, frozen on her face as she tried to parse his words.

“Ok?” she finally returned.

“Can you tell me where I can... Is there somewhere I can sleep?”

“Uh,” she said, her face twisting into a kind of confusion that Hoseok felt he was being judged by. “I mean, you can get a hotel or something?”

“Ok, where do I get one?”

The woman looked around her, to see if anyone else was really hearing this. She shrugged.

“There are kind of a lot around. Take your pick. There’s one right there.”

She pointed over Hoseok’s shoulder at a white, stone building, and Hoseok’s smile was all the bigger for the relief he felt.

“Thank you!” he called, already making his way towards the hotel.

But things continued to be difficult. He didn’t have a ‘credit card’ for the hotel staff to ‘hold’. He didn’t know what that meant. They told him he couldn’t have a room if he had no method of payment. He tried to offer something else; he was a good swimmer, he said; he could dive for pearls? The two staff behind the reception desk gave each other the same look the woman on the stall had given him. They explained that they only took cash or credit. He didn’t have either of those two things.

He left the building and sat by the road, because there was nothing else he could do.

He tried so hard not to let doubt creep in, not to feel despair, not to start desperately wishing he had thought about this a little longer. He tried to remember things he’d learnt about the human world – things that would help him. But it was already so different here from what he had expected.

The stories he had grown up hearing about human interactions with his kind were awful; humans were brutal and cruel and hunted merpeople for sport. That kind of thing. But he thought they were kind to each other. They had a society. They governed each other: elected officials who were entrusted with their cities and countries. They made art and sang songs and raised animals whom they kept for companionship, rather than labour. Humans were resilient and tough and brave, social creatures. They came together in crisis and performed heroic feats to help others out of danger. Those were the humans he had imagined.

The ones he had experienced so far were not like that at all. Maybe they knew, he thought; maybe they could tell already somehow that he wasn’t one of them. He was different. He hadn’t even been a human for a day yet. Maybe he was doing things wrong. He was sure he wasn’t walking right—the pain made it impossible. He had shown up from the beach in clothes that had barely dried, were caked in salt. His hair was stiff and tangled with it, too. His face felt tight and rough. Maybe they were right to mistrust him.

But how could he fix it? What could he do?

He couldn’t stay there, sitting on the ground. People walking past were looking at him; it made him nervous. No one had been able to show him any generosity or kindness and the darkness of night was starting to cover everything. There were artificial lights hanging from every door, a warm glow from every window that served only to bathe the shadows in a dim, greyish light. Nothing was black, as it was in the deep ocean, but it was all muted, hard to make out, indeterminate. Scarier.

He had to get out of sight. He had to find somewhere safe that he could stay for the night. That was the most important thing.

As hot as it had been when he first arrived on the surface, he could feel the chill now. There was something naked about being out in the air, with no water surrounding him, enveloping him. Even through the fabric of his clothes (which still scored his skin with every movement), he felt the air move, felt it stiffen his skin and raise the downy hairs there. He needed shelter. He needed to be far away from people, for now. He needed to be sure that, if what the merpeople said was true, he would not come to harm this night.

It was with a heavy, sinking heart that he made his way back to the beach. He fell upon the shingle and didn’t even have the energy to cry out, to sob like he wanted to. He had never experienced pain or exhaustion like this. He had never felt so out of place—not just in this world, but in this body. Did all humans feel like this? Heavy and sore and stiff, with the world pushing down on you? His legs were still screaming; they were as unblemished and unmarked as they had been when he’d first checked them twelve hours ago, but the pain was so convincing, he thought he would look down and see his tail, mutilated, bloody, split in two just like he’d asked.

He made his way very slowly, very carefully, to the end of the beach and the edge of the shore. With the cliffside to his right, there was protection from wind, at least, and it was deserted of people. He shuffled forward and sat with his legs straight out, letting the waves wash over his feet.

That was when he cried. He cried with abandon, without thought, without hope, with an aching, broken heart. He couldn’t quite believe that it was happening this way, that all of his dreams were crumbling in front of his eyes. He wouldn’t believe it; there was good in this world and he was determined to find it, but he had never felt so out of his depth. He had no idea what to do. He had no one, nowhere, nothing.

He looked at the waves as they splashed over his feet (feet!) and he imagined sinking into them, imagined them encroaching further and further onto the shore until he was swallowed up by them, swimming, drowning. Could he drown? He was human now and humans could drown, but he was really a mermaid... Would the magic revert? He remembered what you had said about keeping a tether to him; would you know if he were drowning? Could you see him now, pathetic and weeping?

You could. With his pearl at the bottom of your basin, you could conjure up his image and watch his drama play out in the rippling water.

But the sight didn’t bring you much joy. You worried that you had overestimated him, overestimated the humans. You had spent time on the surface but it was still a foreign world; you didn’t know everything. Maybe you should have prepared him a little more, lent him a little of your human currency. You had expected his grace and charm to carry him at least through the first night but he was a different person now. Well, he was a person, not a merman anymore. He was literally out of his element. A fish out of water.

You chuckled to yourself at that one. Then you frowned and rested your chin on your palm, pondering ways that you could make this work if he couldn’t do it on his own. You fingered the clamshell on your necklace and an idea started to form.

It could work. It wasn’t how you had envisaged this whole thing going but... It could work.

With a sigh, you placed the pearl safely back in its clam and floated off to your inventory: a powder there, some shellfish here, gathering together everything needed for yet another expensive spell.

If you need something doing, you thought to yourself ruefully, you’ve got to do it yourself.

* * *

Hoseok was starting to shiver on the shore—something that he had never experienced before and something he would be quite happy to not experience again. The way his muscles trembled and his skin hurt, still raw from the fabric, but bumpy now with goosebumps that made the friction all the worse. He took his feet out of the water and asked himself forlornly what on earth he should do, but he had no answer.

He scanned the horizon out to sea and saw nothing but washed-out darkness looking back at him. He scanned the beach and the land and his attention was caught by a light, wobbling in the darkness and growing larger. It was only when the person holding the lantern stepped foot on the beach that he could see there was a person behind it at all. If he had been less tired, less sad, less hungry, he might have worried, or he might have rallied and put his best foot (foot!) forward, or he might have hidden. But he could do none of those things. He sat and watched a young woman approach.

“Goodness, are you alright?” she asked, when he was close enough to see her form but not her face.

She wore the same thin shoes that a lot of people in the town had been wearing, barely covering her feet, and long, flowing fabric danced on the shingle above them. He could just about make out her light hair and her petite height, but the rest of her remained a mystery.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Hoseok replied, knowing that he was lying but not knowing if she would see that.

“Are you sure?” she queried. “It’s not safe to be out on the beach alone at night like this. I saw you sitting here and I thought you might be in trouble.”

A glimmer of hope flicked in Hoseok’s heart. Could it finally be: a human who was like he had always dreamt humans would be? Kind? Generous? Could he tell her? Could he share his woes? Would she ease his mind? Was this what he had been waiting for?

He decided he had no choice because his only other options were to drown in the sea or starve on this beach.

“I am in trouble,” he began. “I have nowhere to stay, no food, no money. I have nothing. I don’t know what to do.”

He tried to stop his voice cracking, but it cracked of its own volition. He didn’t want to be pitied; he just needed to be helped. But beggars can’t be choosers, he reminded himself.

“None at all?”

You took a couple of steps towards him, still not close enough that he could see your features clearly, but enough to suggest trust, to suggest comfort.

He shook his head in return.

“You should come with me.”

You could see the surprise on his face, the hope that lit it, the worry that creased his brow.

“Just for tonight,” you continued. “I can give you a bed so you can rest. You really shouldn’t stay out here all night.”

Hoseok rose to his feet, biting hard on his bottom lip to stop himself crying out as the pain surged once more.

“It’s not far,” you said, before turning back the way you had come.

Hoseok followed your lantern, back up the beach, down the path, and into the town. You led him into a narrow alley with a single door at the end. It was this door that you opened with a quiet creak, then you led him inside and up a single flight of steps.

“It’s not much,” you said, attempting to sound somewhat apologetic as you opened the door to the apartment.

It was sparsely decorated and the linens were grey in a way that suggested they hadn’t always been. The lightbulb in the ceiling was naked and dim. The plant on the windowsill looked crisp and parched.

You lived comfortably underwater, despite your status as social pariah, because people wanted your little potions and spells and you could charge through the nose for them. On land, it was more difficult. Humans weren’t interested in trading for things; they wanted cash and nothing but. That made it more difficult to be comfortable here. But you had shelter and food and that was more than the prince had.

Hoseok was nervous. He hadn’t known what to expect but somehow, this wasn’t it. He had heard of the way humans warred with one another, the way they oppressed and exploited other classes, the way most of them starved whilst the few indulged. This was so much more mundane. Nondescript. Boring. Homely.

He took a look at the woman now that he could see her properly in the cold light of the apartment. She was beautiful. Not unlike the woman he had rescued from the beach, he realised. Dark skin that somehow shimmered, golden hair that almost looked like a halo with the way it reflected light. Her eyes were dark, too, deep and rich and warm. She felt familiar to him, somehow, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He knew she wasn’t the same woman from the beach, not quite, but there was something about her that he felt he knew, had seen before. It comforted him, quieted his nerves a little.

“I don’t have much to offer,” you interrupted his thoughts with a shy chuckle. “But it’s better than sleeping outside.”

“This is wonderful. I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me. It has been a difficult day and you are the first person who’s shown me any kindness. I don’t know how I can repay you for that.”

You giggled and it sounded like chimes.

“You don’t have to repay me. Pay it forward; if you help someone like I’m helping you, that will be enough.”

Hoseok wondered for a second if he had fallen asleep on the beach and was dreaming this. Because this woman, she was everything he had dreamt; she was what he had been hoping for. The flicker of hope in his chest grew into a flame and he shivered as a warmth rushed through him.

“Would you like something to eat?” you offered and Hoseok jumped at the chance.

You gave him bread and cheese and watched him eat them, at first tentatively, and then with great gusto. Of course, he had never tried these things before, never eaten human food. You placed some fruit on the small coffee table he was eating at and he devoured that, too. His eyes widened as he bit into a pear, ripe and juicy, sticky sweet nectar dribbling down his chin. He hummed with delight and you saw the sparkle return to his eyes.

You knew what you were there to do but you were enjoying this moment. This was the Prince Hoseok you knew; this was how he should be: bright and smiling, his crescent-moon eyes alight with laughter. You sat next to him and picked at some food, too, not really tasting it because the sweetness of the moment was far too strong.

Hoseok only stopped eating when you stopped giving him food, when you only had enough left for a small breakfast in the morning and nothing else. He sat back, resting on his palms, and sighed happily.

“That was the most amazing meal I’ve ever had!” he exclaimed and you laughed.

“You are very easily impressed. There are far more exciting things to eat here; I simply cannot afford them all.”

He shook his head.

“Not at all. That was wonderful. Thank you so much.”

With his stomach finally full, his fatigue hit him full in the face and he yawned widely, a quiet wail escaping his throat.

“You must be exhausted. Please, take the bed. I can sleep on the sofa,” you said, gesturing towards the bed that sat against one wall.

Hoseok thought the bed looked huge and the sofa, small. He thought about what the right thing to do would be. He couldn’t sleep in the bed. It wouldn’t be right, would it? But he was so tired and in so much pain. He looked at the bed longingly, imagining himself stretching out over its surface, letting it take his weight. He imagined it feeling like water, like being carried on the waves, weightless. He looked at the sofa.

“Please,” you repeated. “Take the bed.”

Every manner, every point of order, every etiquette lesson was screaming at him to say no, to refuse, to offer to sleep anywhere but the bed. To not inconvenience you, to not put you out, to not cost you even more than he already had, to not trespass any further onto your kindness. But sleep was calling, louder and more insistent. His wrecked, ravaged body was screaming.

He nodded shyly and offered a quiet thanks before rising and slipping, sore and worn, beneath the sheets. He was asleep before he even had the chance to notice the way the bed fabric, too, brushed rough against his exposed skin.

You watched him. He looked peaceful; his face smoothed of any worries or concerns. He made a fine human, you thought. He was tall and lean and, despite the pain you knew he was suffering, he didn’t let it show: he’d walked straight and held himself high. Royal blood, you assumed.

You wondered how much you would have to engineer this to ensure success. Despite all you knew about the prince (and you knew a lot), this was a blind spot. He had hesitated when you told him of his conditions; the idea of a child had alarmed him. Maybe he would decide he didn’t want to stay human after all.

There were two and a half days left. That was plenty of time, you decided. You wouldn’t push; he was too delicate for that, especially after his first day’s misery. You would cushion his fall, pick him up carefully, and slowly show him both what the human world was really like and what it could be like with you. You would delight him and impress him and he would give himself to you. He would. You were sure of it. He would fall into the world that you would show him and he would give himself to you, body and soul.

You fingered the clamshell still tied around your neck. It held the pearl you created when you turned Hoseok into a human. It now also held the pearl you created when you turned yourself into one.

* * *

The thing about royalty, the thing about the privileged, who’ve never really experienced hardship, for whom doors have always been opened, is that they are resiliently optimistic folk. Everything has always gone their way; naturally, they assume it always will. Even now, after everything that happened to him yesterday, Prince Hoseok was beaming. He was enamoured. He was full of awe and wonder. He was experiencing the human world as he thought it would be.

Because of you.

It was taking a lot out of you, truth be told, because you didn’t have the riches you needed to show him a human experience comparable to his underwater life. He wasn’t a royal here; he wasn’t anyone at all. Doors didn’t open for him and they didn’t open for you. But Hoseok had his charm and you had charms of a very different sort. So you were making it work, but your nerves were rising; with every bit you put in, you told yourself you had better pull this off. You had better seal the deal, make good on this bargain you had made with yourself, see through to the end the promise you swore to your dead mother and her dead mother and all the dead mothers back until time began.

It was your biggest show. It was your hardest work. Your magnum opus.

Or it would be. If—if you could do it.

Hoseok couldn’t let on that this was his first time on the surface; he couldn’t tell you he was really a merman, that a seawitch had transfigured him, that his legs were really a tail. It was too risky, too dangerous. But he kept forgetting that that meant he had to try to hide his enthusiasm, his surprise. Everything here was new to him. Everything here was fascinating and wonderful and intriguing and he could barely contain himself.

He had no backstory. He had no lies to tell. And he hadn’t noticed that you hadn’t asked. But it was dawning on him that, if he were to have a life here, he would have to think of something to tell people about where he came from. But he didn’t have the time, right now, to think of it. There was far too much to attend to. Too much to see, too much to do.

It would have been overwhelming were it not for you. If he’d had to continue doing this alone... well, he wouldn’t have. Couldn’t have. If you hadn’t found him on the beach last night, where would he be? Sinking beneath the waves? Starving on the shore? You had lifted him up and now you were carrying him along, tethering him to the earth, providing him a guiding string to hold. He had never been so grateful for anyone in his life.

Not even the sea witch.

“What do you say?” you asked him, shortly before sunset on that second day.

Hoseok tried to think, but it didn’t really matter to him and he was so overstimulated, he couldn’t have made a decision if he’d wanted to. He shrugged.

“I’m happy to go wherever you like!”

“Hungry yet?”

He shook his head. He had sampled one of everything at the market after lunch and had to spend half an hour sitting quietly so that it wouldn’t make a return journey up his throat. He was still very far from hungry.

That was exactly the answer you were hoping for.

You led him away from town, towards the west where the land rose in a grassy slope, steep and getting steeper, until you reached the top of the cliff. You walked up to the edge and turned to see Hoseok hanging back, looking nervous.

“Scared of heights?”

Hoseok didn’t know. He had never really experienced ‘heights’, wasn’t quite sure what that meant. But the wind was stronger up here and he knew, without having to look, that the sea was a very long way down. It couldn’t be dangerous if you were doing it, he reasoned, but he’d heard too many stories of humans falling to their deaths from cliffs like these – sometimes deliberately, but often not.

You held your hand out to him and his stretched back before he’d even noticed and he inched forward until you could take it and tug him a little further and a little further still. His heart was in his mouth as he craned his neck to peer down into the foaming waves as they crashed and broke against the rock face. You didn’t let go of his hand.

“It’s very high,” he stated unsurely, not knowing if it was really.

It felt high. It looked high to him. But, in a way, everything was high. The sea had depth, not height. It wasn’t the same thing. He might have wagered that it would be, before now, but looking down to the sandy seabed from high above it was very different from looking down at the sea from the cliff edge. Something to do with the environment maybe.

Maybe the fact that he couldn’t fall off the sea and plummet to his death. Maybe that. He’d never been in mortal danger; the sea was a safe place for him and he had all the protection he might have wanted (more than he wanted, actually); he hadn’t really appreciated it until yesterday, when he had nothing and no one.

Now, he had you.

It had occurred to him. The condition of his staying a human. The three days he had to plant a seed. It kept occurring to him. It wouldn’t stop occurring to him. Not when you smiled, not when you showed him yet another wonder, not when you took his hand in your own. He wasn’t sure if he could do it. For a start, he wasn’t completely sure how all that worked with human bodies. For another, he didn’t know if you would want to. He didn’t know what human culture dictated.

You were beautiful. About that, he had no doubt. Was he attracted to you? Yes, he had decided he was. Did he trust you? Yes, as much as he could trust someone he’d just met; as much as he could trust a human. Did you feel the same way? That was a mystery he didn’t know how to solve. You had stretched out your hand to him; you had paid for him to be fed; you had let him sleep in your bed; you had taken him into your home. It suggested something, but he didn’t know what.

Just as it had the day before, his ignorance alarmed him. His recklessness in coming still surprised him. The weight of his deadline pressed down on him and he shuddered, involuntarily.

He looked concerned, you thought, distracted. You could tell he didn’t really like being so high above the sea; you wondered if it were a merman thing or a Hoseok thing. Being neither, you couldn’t know. You took pity on him and led him back down the cliffside, keeping his hand in yours as long as he would let you.

You assumed you would have to lead, that he wouldn’t take charge of the situation—judging by what you had seen so far. You mulled it over as you wandered slowly back into town. He had never really had to work for it, you supposed. He was a prince. And beautiful. And charming. And kind. He had everything going for him, which meant he had the entire sea throwing themselves at his feet, desperate to be picked. He probably didn’t know the first thing about seduction, about attraction—not really, anyway. It struck you then that there was every chance he’d be a really bad lay. There was every chance you would be, having never done it as a human before, but that was besides the point. The idea of Hoseok disappointing you left a sour taste in your mouth but you ignored it; that was not what you were there for. Good or bad didn’t matter. There was one objective and one only. Your own pleasure, your own, secret, little goals were neither here nor there. You had to stay focused.

Because it wasn’t going to be easy. You knew that. That was half the reason you hadn’t planned to do it yourself anyway (or so you told yourself...). It was going to be harder for you than some random stranger. You knew that. It was going to be horrible, you knew, looking into his eyes when he learnt the truth, when he saw you—the real you—for the first time on land. You could picture it: the shock and betrayal, the fear and hurt. It gave you pause. Because you hated him, hated who he was and what he stood for and everything about the systems and society of the place you both lived. But you also loved him, loved his smile and his eyes, his heart and his soul. You wanted him to be yours forever. You wanted him to choose you. He never would. Not really. If he knew you were here, if he knew the human holding his hand was really the sea witch who’d sent him up there, he wouldn’t choose you.

The shocked, betrayed face. The frightened, hurt expression. You sighed heavily, without meaning to.

“Are you ok?” Hoseok asked, his head tilting to the side.

You smiled brightly back at him.

“Of course! Just starting to get a bit peckish. Shall we eat something?”

Hoseok wasn’t really hungry. The market food was still solid in his stomach. But if you wanted to eat, he’d eat. He’d do anything you asked. He owed you everything.

More, in fact, than he knew.

* * *

You’d been distracted through dinner, which had been fine because, without the food to focus on (Hoseok barely ate), he could look around at everything else. He could fire questions at you (questions that were far too revealing—not that he noticed) and comment on his surroundings and commentate with barely any input required. That meant you could contemplate your task. You’d had to rush into this whole thing, take the reins with very little notice at all. This was not how you usually operated.

You were meticulous and organised because you had to be. Always on your guard because you had to be. Everything you did came with its own audit trail because you couldn’t afford to make mistakes. You had seen what that had done to your mother at far too young an age. Not that she actually made the mistake. But when you don’t have the proof of every action you’ve taken and word you’ve said, they can make it look like you did whatever they say you did.

You ate slowly, not really tasting, not really savouring. Your mind was busy, calculating. You had a day and a half left. 36 hours, give or take. There would be another night after this one. You didn’t relish the idea of leaving it until the last minute, but you could spoil the whole thing entirely if you pushed too hard, too fast. So you decided to wait.

Hoseok was determined, this time, to do the right thing and let you sleep in your own bed. He was embarrassed at the way he had behaved the night before: how greedily he’d eaten, how quickly he had relegated you to the sofa. It made him cringe. And then you had spent the whole day playing hostess to him: showing him around, paying for everything, keeping him company, and answering his questions.

His debt to you was beyond belief. He knew he should leave. He knew he should make his own way. He knew he could not rely on you – not even for the rest of his three days, if that was all he would have. He had to find a way to survive independently. He knew that. He had to pay you back. He had to make things right.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight,” he announced when you returned back to your shabby apartment.

You pretended to be surprised.

“Oh, no,” you replied, “not at all. Take the bed! It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

“No way. It’s your bed. I slept on it last night when I really shouldn’t have. Please. Take it.”

You shook your head, scrunching your nose and grinning stubbornly at him.

“No. You.”

He sighed, but the corners of his lips twitched anyway.

“We may have reached a stalemate,” he announced, with solemn mock-seriousness.

You hummed, thoughtfully, running a finger along the bottom of the bed as you stepped closer to him.

“A compromise, then,” you said, poking a finger into his chest.

“And what is your compromise?”

“Well…”

You weren’t shy. Not when you were being yourself and not when you were pretending to be a human. But you were good at acting like it. You looked down and then up at him through your lashes, a small, reluctant smile traced on your lips.

“We could… share?”

You raised a hand to your face, covering your mouth, looking at Hoseok and then away and then back to him, eyelashes fluttering.

The genuine surprise on his face gave you butterflies. You could see his hesitation, watch his mind weigh his options, calculate the costs and benefits of each. He knew too little to have anything to guide him. Anything but you. And you had suggested it.

So it had to be ok, right?

“Share?” he asked, buying himself another moment to think it over, to consider what all this might mean in relation to the condition he had to meet.

You nodded, lip trapped between your teeth.

“Ok!” he answered brightly, hoping it was the right response, and inwardly breathing a sigh of relief when you beamed back at him.

It would be easy to love you, he thought and the sentiment caught him off-guard. He had to be realistic about human life. He wasn’t a prince here. He had nothing. But when he looked at you, he felt rich. He felt like his dream was within his grasp. You were everything he had ever hoped for. He could stay here forever with you, couldn’t he?

He wasn’t going to do anything tonight. Ask or proposition or… or god knew what else. It was too soon. Too early. There was still time. He told himself, there was still time. Still time for him to wake up from this dream he’d fallen into when he met you. Still time to commit to it forever.

You took the left side and Hoseok the right. You curled onto your side, facing him, with the covers pulled up to your eyes. He lay on his back, moonlight from the open shutter illuminating his face in a sharp line that crossed him and left you in the dark.

You watched him for a while: not sleeping, though he had his eyes closed.

“Hoseok,” you whispered. “Where are you from?”

His eyes opened and went to the window.

“Somewhere… close but also very far away.”

“You mean like, culturally?”

You saw him nod.

“Yeah. Where I come from is… very different. More different than I thought.”

“How come you came here?”

He shook his head, eyes trained on the ceiling.

“I had to,” was his simple answer and you let it hang there in the darkness, waiting for him to add to it. “I think I could have stayed, but I’d have got old and I would have looked back and I’d have regretted it. I’d have regretted staying there my whole life. I’d have regretted not seeing everything this wo- this place has to offer. I needed to experience it.”

“Do you like it here?”

He let the question go unanswered for some time. So long that he wondered, after he’d spoken, if you’d fallen asleep in the interim.

“I like some of it. I like you.”

It made your stomach swoop. Even if he wasn’t talking about you. Just the human you were pretending to be. You wondered how a real human woman would have responded to that.

You changed the subject.

“I thought I was seeing things when I first noticed you on the beach.”

A slow smile formed itself on Hoseok’s lips.

“You were… You saw me.”

You reached out and poked his arm.

“I didn’t want to go home not knowing you were ok. If I’d woken up in the morning to a news story about… well, I couldn’t have lived with myself. I realised, as I approached, that you weren’t really in danger. You looked like you were waiting for something. Someone.”

His smile turned rueful and his eyes flicked again to the window, outside of which you could hear but not see the waves crashing on the shore.

“I was,” he said, his voice a low whisper. Then he turned his face away from the light to look directly at you. “I was waiting for a miracle.”

* * *

You no longer had any concerns about the success of your plan. You had no doubt that Hoseok would go along with anything you wanted to drag him into. You didn’t know if he knew what his feelings were, but you did.

It was your own feelings that concerned you.

You hadn’t spent time with Hoseok like this since you were much younger. He was addictive. His smiles and his laughter and the way his eyes gleamed bright all the while. You could feel your resolve crumble and you knew it was bad when you realised it didn’t bother you.

You began to try to re-think things. Reformulate. Work out a way that maybe there could be a future, after all.

Originally, this was where it stopped. This was where your scheming—and your life—would end. You felt the guilt of having had no children: no one to pass your powers and your knowledge down to; you also felt free because you had subjected no one else to a life like yours. It was a heavy burden to be who you were down in the water. But it wouldn’t have mattered much once you were dead, which you were certain you would be at the end of all this. You can’t just ‘kidnap’ the prince, ‘mutilate’, and ‘trap’ him and live to tell the tale. Many had died for less. And you were fine with that. You were living to avenge every woman in your family, every witch, every creature under the sea who lived shunted into shadows, left out of the light, less than. Had been for years.

And for years, your only source of light, the single little gemstone glittering in your heart, was Prince Hoseok. Prince Hoseok and his angelic face, his musical laughter, his charm, his lightness, his brightness, his everything you weren’t and could never be.

You would get to destroy it all in one fell swoop. A beautiful, perfect demise.

Now you weren’t so sure. Weren’t so sure you could do it. You could do it; you weren’t sure you could go through with it. These feelings that you thought you were so used to, not controlled by, not swayed by anymore, were threatening to overpower you. You felt the tendrils unfurl, in the deepest pit of your heart, sending out shoots and roots, embedding themselves further into the bitter, twisted muscle. You could feel them growing through your veins, buds springing up like goosebumps on your skin. You felt them every time his hand accidentally brushed yours, every time you fed him some new food and barely grazed his lips with your fingers. Every time he laughed. Every time he looked at you. Every time. All the time.

Hoseok allowed himself to relax. You liked his company. You wanted him around. He hadn’t tried that hard to leave you—because he had no one and nothing and nowhere else, but also because he recognised that you wanted him to stay. He had realised that, whilst so much was different up on the surface, he was the same. And people liked him. Always had. Yes, he was a prince and there was always a contingent of the sycophantic and the boot-licking, but he had always been well-liked, even amongst his brothers, amongst the entire royal court. He was popular. He was fun. He was funny.

And he was enjoying himself.

He had twenty-four hours. That was enough. He’d make a decision. He was confident in that. He would make a decision soon and he would live with it, whatever it ended up being. He wasn’t pushing himself to find the answer just yet.

He was enjoying himself.

You took him dancing. It felt risky, given what you knew about how much pain he must still be in, how uncoordinated he might be on his two feet, but it was an opportunity to get closer, to show him something new, to show him something you could do. Because you loved to dance. Really only came to the surface to do this one thing.

Certain sea creatures danced, but not like humans did. It wasn’t the same without the sound of feet on floorboards, wasn’t the same without the weight of gravity trying to keep you down every time you pushed up. You weren’t exactly a fan of humans (certainly not in the way Hoseok was), but they had got this right.

Your worries had been unfounded. Hoseok’s legs were feeling better already, he thought, or he was just getting used to the pain. Either way, he wasn’t suffering like he had on the first day. He was a terrible dancer, make no mistake. He couldn’t understand the way people moved their legs, the way their feet moved so quickly they were almost blurs. He tripped and stumbled and crashed about but none of that seemed to matter to you, so it didn’t matter to him either. You held him close and pulled him up and around and twisted and turned and skipped and span until his head was dizzy.

He had never experienced a joy like it.

You took him on a short carriage ride, because there was somewhere else you wanted him to see. It wasn’t that far, really, but you didn’t want him to have to walk and a carriage was as new an experience to him as everything else was.

You made it drop you just far enough away that it wouldn’t spoil the surprise. You gave Hoseok nothing, answering none of his questions, not saying a word, because you were holding your breath to wait for his reaction.

And there it was.

You saw his eyebrows, first raised and then knitted together, and then softening. His eyes widening. His mouth dropping open slightly, in the way that made it perfectly heart-shaped. Then he turned his eyes on you. Was this it? Was this the thing you wanted him to see?

It was.

Like a sea of green grass with hundreds – no, thousands – of red flowers floating on the waves. Hoseok didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t seen anything like this before. It was as if he were in another new world. The red-headed poppies were so numerous, you almost couldn’t see the grass underneath; there was merely a suggestion of verdant growth propping up the riot of colour. What were these things and how did they grow in such great number?

He had been taught, growing up, that humans had no respect for nature. That they ripped up land plants and built over grasslands; they destroyed forests and valleys and wetlands all for their own ends. They would rather look at glass and concrete and chrome than the kaleidoscopic views the natural world had to offer. He had believed them, because he had heard the true stories of what human activity had done to sea life; he had received the messages of the reefs dying and oil spilling and nets catching up all sorts of things they shouldn’t. He thought, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt, as he was always wont to do, that maybe the nature on land wasn’t like the nature in the sea. Maybe things were different up here. Lots of other things were.

Now he saw that he had been entirely wrong. Acres of land lay before him. Acres of useful land that could have grown crops or laid foundations to buildings were ablaze with the bright, bright red of flowers he’d never seen before. And the humans let it happen.

As his surprise gave way to pure, wide-eyed admiration, he noticed that the humans were experiencing it the same way he was. He saw them with their cameras, taking their images (as you had explained to him that’s what they did), keeping the sight forever more. He saw them smile and laugh and frolic. He saw them and saw himself in them. He saw, also, the goodness he had always known was there. The spirit and love and joy of humanity. It was here, in these fields. It was here, in his heart. It was here, standing next to him; you, watching him expectantly, a nervous smile trying to tug your bottom lip from between your teeth.

“Wow,” was all he managed to say.

* * *

It was his last night. What might have been his last night. What could be his last night. Hoseok felt tense. Nervous. Almost sick.

He had decided. He was going to stay. If he could. If he could make it happen. If you wanted it.

He knew he had a home to go back to, if you didn’t. He would always have these three days. No one could take them away from him. And if that’s all he got, if three days on the surface was all he ever got to experience, then so be it. He was putting himself in your hands: himself, his heart, his dreams. His body.

The problem was that he didn’t know how to tell you that. He didn’t know how any of this happened on land. He didn’t know what he could or could not say, or do, or suggest. Which is why he had to leave it up to you. He’d just get it wrong.

It was Hoseok’s last night and you were wondering if you were just imagining the way he was looking at you, wanting him to be looking like that. You could bend reality, but that didn’t mean you always saw it clearly. The heart had tricks of its own.

But you had the advantage over him, because you knew his secrets. You knew that this would be his last chance; you knew that you were his only option. You knew that he wanted to stay. You couldn’t be sure if he wanted to stay enough to sleep with you.

You had suggested wine at dinner because you knew it was what the humans drank and knew it made them silly and loud and boisterous; you knew it lowered their inhibitions and made them do things they often regretted. You didn’t really know how you would react to it—your body was technically human now but you’d never been drunk before—but it had left you feeling warm and a little giddy. It had, blessedly and as you had hoped, made this whole thing easier to think about.

Because your head was spinning a little too fast to think about the bigger picture: the whys and wherefores of how you got here, how he got here, the purpose of this whole thing. You could really only think about the splendid slope of his nose. The way his shallow philtrum led to the smooth, rounded peaks of his cupid’s bow. The tiny, dark freckle there that waited, begging to be kissed. The perfect symmetry of his dimples as he smiled.

You hadn’t indulged in this since you were small. Hoseok had been your first crush. First, last. Only. As a pre-teen, you’d been silly with infatuation over him. Memorised the maps of his freckles and exact proportions of his body. You’d floated around in the sea, daydreaming about him for hours on end, not realising how far you had strayed until your mother had come screaming after you, pulling you back and warning you about being so unaware of your surroundings.

You remembered those feelings now. The fizziness in your limbs and heavy twisting in your gut. Like old friends. Hoseok, too, was an old friend. Your oldest. Your only. Now and, if you got this right, forevermore.

Hoseok had accepted the first glass of wine but recoiled at its taste, unable to believe he’d found something on the surface he didn’t like. You had then explained to him that it was technically a poison and he had been aghast to see you continue to drink it, to look around and see so many other humans doing the same. Every minute brought him something new.

You took his hand as you walked back from dinner to your apartment. It was warm and soft and you were grateful for it. Hoseok was grateful for it, too. His clothes still rubbed at his skin and so much of him still hurt, but your hand in his did not.

You didn’t let go when you reached the door, didn’t let go when it shut behind you and you let the lock click. You tugged him a little closer to you, took his other hand, kept his eyes on yours as you moved closer still.

You hadn’t done this before.

Hoseok hadn’t done this before.

You’d seen it done. You understood the concept.

Hoseok had no idea what was coming, but he had decided what he wanted. He had decided to trust you. And he’d decided to trust his gut, too. If humans were anything like merpeople (and they were), at least some of what was to happen would be instinctive.

He hoped, anyway.

You didn’t say a word, though you had planned to. You had scripted a kind of shy proposition, an awkward hobble of a speech in which you would say and ask and tell. But you abandoned it. Or rather, it abandoned you. Not a single word of it left in your head. So you stopped using it: your head. Stopped thinking.

You pressed your lips to his like you’d seen humans do.

The candle in Hoseok’s heart roared, its flame reaching up his throat and into his mouth. He didn’t have time to think. His body acted for him. For the first time since he crawled onto the shore, his body was feeling something that wasn’t pain. Was feeling something familiar. Something hot and deep and aching.

He didn’t mind the taste of the wine on your tongue, thought it was sweet, actually, had lost the acidic tang of the alcohol that made it poisonous. This kiss was like every kiss that had come before it, but also, nothing like them. Absent, the tang of salt. Present, the wet heat of your mouth and his. Absent, the way he could breathe through his gills. Present, the breathlessness that made him pull away before you pulled him back. Absent, the modest nudity in which the entire undersea world lived. Present, a kind of shy, self-conscious awareness of his hidden body.

An enormous, embarrassed awareness of the bulge in his trousers, the way it couldn’t be hidden. He had been horrified to see it, when he had washed up on the beach, two-legged and naked. He couldn’t believe that humans just walked around with everything on display like that (he had known this already, would have remembered if he’d been in his right mind); he’d felt awkward and conscious the entire time, sure that everyone could see, that it was obscene, that humans couldn’t really live like this?

But never more than now, as it strained against his trousers, which hadn’t been tight thirty seconds ago and were now constraining him in a way that bordered on painful. He kept his body away from you, more difficult now that your hands were skittering up his arms and down his chest, slipping back up his skin underneath his shirt, trying to pull him closer.

You felt a little bit dizzy. Sure, the wine, but also, this. Hoseok. The sweetness of fruit in his mouth. The heat of his skin. The sensation of a kiss—something you’d never experienced before, that you had seen, that had disgusted you—was nothing like you’d imagined. If you had thought about it, if you’d been thinking rationally, you might still have been disgusted by the way your tongues rolled over each other, swapping saliva, the way you could taste him, taste the fruit he’d just eaten. But you weren’t thinking rationally. You weren’t thinking at all.

You were feeling. And it was like nothing you’d ever felt before.

You gave into it.

Hoseok gave into it.

It was, as the humans say, like riding a bike. Though you hadn’t done that either.

Hoseok stopped thinking about it when you removed his shirt and stepped out of your dress. Legs were new to him. That was true. The human arrangement of body parts was new to him but they weren’t all that different once everything was out in the open. You had lit a fire in him and he was happy to stoke the flames. He was burning again, all over, inside and out, but it wasn’t painful, wasn’t torture. It was exquisite. New and familiar at once. Intoxicating.

You fell to your knees and Hoseok thought you had stumbled, bent down to help you up, but you stopped him, shook your head, and he stood straight.

Then you took his thick, heavy cock into your hand and licked the top. You wrapped your lips around it and pushed yourself forward, gliding your tongue along the underside, hollowing your cheeks and sucking. Hoseok gasped and almost fell to his knees himself. He didn’t know what this was, assumed it was a normal part of human sex, briefly wondered if sex actually was different here, if this was the entire act. Then he felt the head of his cock press against the back of your throat and his mind was wiped clean of thought. Replaced by a kind of urgent static that made him want to buck his hips, fuck into the hot clutch of your throat.

You had seen humans do this. You weren’t sure if you were doing it right. Not at first, anyway, but Hoseok had a pained look on his face, his mouth hanging open, his chest heaving as he panted, and you knew that was the reaction you were supposed to be eliciting. You could feel the twitch of his dick as it hit your throat, as you gagged lightly around it. You could just about hear, over the roaring of blood in your ears, Hoseok moaning, your name tumbling from his mouth like a prayer.

You were aching between your legs. You were hot and sticky and you could feel it dripping from you. You felt your walls clench and had the sudden, immediate need for Hoseok’s cock there, not in your mouth. You let it fall, wiped your eyes and your mouth and Hoseok was pulling you to your feet, crashing his mouth into yours, his hands frantic and grabbing.

Neither of you was thinking a second beyond what was happening. Gone were your concerns with your long-planned acts of vengeance. Gone were Hoseok’s worries about committing to life on the surface, about leaving his marine life behind, bringing a child into the world. Gone was the pressure of your subterfuge. Gone was the pressure of all his lies of omission. Gone was everything outside the four walls of this apartment. Gone was the whole world beyond your body in his hands, his body in yours.

Hoseok found that legs made all this much easier. They probably wouldn’t under water, but here, he saw their benefit. Saw the upsides to having two of them, of having them jointed at two places and not twenty. As he knelt over you on the dingy grey sheets of your bed, he almost laughed at the image of him trying to do this with a tail. Maybe there were some upsides to this human body after all.

He placed the tip of his cock at your entrance and pushed his hips forward, a little experimentally, testing the motion, the movement of his hips. He fell forward onto his hands, eyes closed, a long, gasping moan trapped in his throat.

He hadn’t known that humans had it so much better.

Would’ve done this days ago if he had.

You were hot and tight and wet and it was all Hoseok could do not to come right there and then. He paused, trying to catch a breath, gather himself, not lose it all as soon as he had begun.

It was excruciating for a second and the whine you’d let out wasn’t pleasured but pained. You were grateful when Hoseok stopped, though you didn’t think it was for you. Is this what it was like? You had thought they liked it. That was the point, wasn’t it? Humans mated for fun, not just for procreation. You had to assume fun would follow. It had been fun up to that point. It had been its own exquisite kind of pleasurable torture waiting for something to stuff you full.

But now he was and it was like being split down the middle. You wondered for a second if this was how it had felt for Hoseok when he grew legs. Then he started pushing his hips forward again and it tossed all thought out the window.

“Are you ok?” he asked, looking down at you with a frown of genuine concern.

You nodded. You nodded some more. You couldn’t speak because the pressure in your centre was overwhelming, the pain like nothing you had felt before. But you couldn’t stop. You wanted it. You wanted him. You had never been pushed out of your mind like this, brought into your body so viscerally, so violently, with such care. Hoseok brushed a strand of hair away from your face and tucked it behind your ear.

“Do you want to stop?” he asked.

“No.”

You pulled him down to you, down to his forearms, so you could kiss him, so his chest touched yours, so you could distract yourself from Hoseok with even more Hoseok. With your tongue in his mouth, you allowed yourself to cry out as he pushed further. He swallowed the sound and returned his own. You were trembling, your muscles shaking, your skin sticky with sweat.

So was Hoseok.

The pain wasn’t registering anymore, even though he knew it was still there. All he could feel was your cunt squeezing hard around him; it made him dizzy with pleasure. His stomach was churning, twisting; he was bracing trying to make this last.

Because he’d forgotten the point of it. Forgotten that the ending was the bit that counted. He wanted to feel you, he wanted to touch you and taste you and luxuriate in the human experience of this. He hadn’t imagined it but, if he had, even his wildest dreams wouldn’t have come close. Mermaids? He’d never go back.

He paused, to give you a moment, to give himself a moment, a breather. He kissed you, luxuriating in that, too: the way you tasted like no one else he’d ever kissed, the way your mouth was warm and wet, your tongue soft and supple. He liked the way his breath caught in his throat. He liked the way he found himself panting. He even liked the way his shoulders were starting to ache from holding his body up. Liked the way he could feel every muscle of his posterior chain move when he slowly, tentatively began to draw his hips back, when he tipped them forward again, when he set a slow, smooth motion that he found came easily to him.

Having a human body was exhausting. It was hard work. It was heavy all the time and never supported. It had been torture in the truest sense, with every step Hoseok took stabbing daggers into his legs. But he could see the benefits now. Well, he could feel them. He felt more embodied than he ever had before. Somehow separate from the world in a way that made him feel so much more connected to you. You weren’t two small parts of a larger whole. You were the whole.

He had spent time pondering the ways in which air was so different from water. He often thought water came off the better from the comparison. But this was changing everything. It was exhausting and painful and he was so aware of each and every part of his body. And with that, came a gut-churning pleasure that made his eyes water and his head spin. Water had nothing on air.

You weren’t sure it was pleasurable yet. The sharp pain had subsided and the little grunts and groans that Hoseok left in your mouth were sweet enough, but it wasn’t pleasure. Not yet. You were sure it would come. Didn’t mind entirely if it didn’t tonight. There would be other nights.

You hoped, you prayed, there would be other nights. Because it might have been pain, but it was the sweetest pain you’d ever felt. A pain that you somehow longed for, even as you longed for it to end. A pain that made you feel wanted. A pain that connected you to another living being in a way that you never had been. A pain that, in a moment of intense clarity, you realised connected you to women, human women. All human women who had experienced this since time began. You understood a little about their myths about the origin of man, and sin, and punishment.

You understood it. How this could be punishment. How it could be pleasure, too. How it could be worth it.

Hoseok could feel it coming. He was desperately trying to beat it back, to delay its onset, to make this last and last and last. He never wanted it to end, but he could feel his muscles tightening, feel his cock jumping with every thrust. Pleasure was coiling like a spring inside him, boiling rapidly, boiling over.

You gasped alongside him when he came, when his hips and breath stuttered and he filled you with ropes of hot cum. His body was heavy on top of yours, in a pleasing, crushing kind of way that grounded you. At that very moment, neither one of you was thinking about the consequences of what you had just done. What it could mean. What it meant for your best laid plans. You were lying, listening to the soft rushing of your breath and the hammering of your hearts.

It came to you, first, and you didn’t want to think about it. Because you were so full of feeling for Hoseok; feelings that you thought had faded, that had embedded themselves in you in a way that made them fade into the background, made you almost forget they were there, were screaming at you now. In technicolour. Surround sound. Unignorable. Undeniable.

But had you just destroyed him? Destroyed his life? His family?

That had been the intention. Bring down the royal family by having one of their own shun the sea for life on the surface, mate with a human. They’d have known it was you—it couldn’t have been anyone else—and they’d have executed you without trial. But it would’ve been worth it because, forever more, there would be a line of the royal family that ran human, that ran amok on the surface, that no one below the waves would ever be able to forget. It would have been their undoing without doubt. Whatever betrothals lay in wait for the princes would be broken; whatever treaties that were depending on them dashed; the reputation of the family would be in tatters. It would be over for them.

Which was what you had wanted.

But as you lay, absent-mindedly stroking Hoseok’s hair, naked and sweaty and sticky, with a penetrating ache still radiating through your core, you thought about how much that would hurt him. You saw the betrayal on his beatific face and your stomach flipped with fear. Because it wasn’t meant to be you lying here. And that made a difference.

Because you had seen him. You had kissed him. You had had him move inside you. You had loved him your whole life long and now you had to tell him that you had ulterior motives. That you were working against him. That all of this had been the result of your careful manipulations.

There had to be another way. There had been another way. That was how you had designed it. You weren’t supposed to be in this front-row seat. That was the point.

But it was too late now. And you needed a way out.

Maybe he never had to know.

Maybe you could make this work.

Hoseok’s eyes were fluttering shut. He could barely keep them open. He didn’t know if he had just secured his existence here or not. He didn’t know how to guarantee a child. Wasn’t clear-headed enough at that moment to know, for sure, if he wanted one.

He wanted to stay. Oh, he wanted to stay. He couldn’t go back now. But a child?

He felt wicked. He thought about what you might say if you ever learnt the truth. The betrayal. The way he used you for this.

He felt like a coward. He was a pampered prince who had achieved nothing on his own. He had turned to a sea witch in the midst of what amounted to a king-sized tantrum. She had risked her entire existence bringing him here. He had barely survived on his own. You had rescued him. Given him food and shelter and company and the greatest pleasure he had ever known.

He knew he couldn’t tell you the truth. Not if he wanted any part of this to continue.

Because he did. He wasn’t just using you. He wasn’t sure he was using you at all. He liked you. He wanted you. He wanted to stay, not just on the surface, but on the surface with you.

It felt too big. Too confusing. Too difficult. He was a coward, after all, so he closed his eyes and decided to see what the morning would bring.

You noticed his breathing slow, grow heavy and deep, his body relaxing further, his weight pressing down on you harder. He was asleep. That gave you time, you thought. To think of something. Some way out of this. Some way to stay in this.

But your own eyelids felt heavy, kept dropping of their own accord, and you kept losing your train of thought. You gave into it; you would wake early, go out and buy something for breakfast, figure it out in the morning.

#bts fanfic #hoseok fanfic #hoseok x reader #bts x reader #hoseok smut

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thehollowwriter · 8 months ago

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📚🔺🐉💚🍔🤒

All for Silas!

(Still not done sending these 😈)

I'm excited to see more!

📚 BOOKS — What level of education has your oc most recently completed/is currently in (GED, undergraduate, grad school, phd, etc)?

Absolutely none. At all. Ever. At least not "formally" or "officially." He grew up in the Abyss, and there certainly aren't school down there.

Lady Rhoda taught him how to read, write and do math as well history and biology (sex ed at 20 something is better late than never,right?), but he already had steady income, so there was no need for trying "formal" education. He does research things on his own since he doesn't like not knowing things and having that used against him, though.

🔺 RED TRIANGLE POINTED UP — Does your oc know how to use any weapons?

Silas most certainly does! While he mainly uses magic as his weapon, he knows how to use spears, harpoons, knives, and probably swords if you give him one. I feel if guns could actually work under the sea, he'll be able to use one. Also, a fun fact from Silas: seaweed can, in fact, be used to strangle if you use it right.

🐉 DRAGON — What is your oc's favourite mythical creature?

I'd say Sirens from Greek Mythos. He finds them fascinating. It does annoy him that so many think these half bird half women creatures look like merpeople, including the mer people. It's probably the first thing he'll infodump about. Finn has heard his rants about the many misconceptions about Sirens hundreds of times.

🍔 HAMBURGER — Is your oc good at cooking? are they good at baking? which one do they prefer?

Silas is good at cooking! Though he technically can't "cook" anything since they're underwater? But I like to imagine there are heated air vents on his property he can go to cook something, though usually it's just not worth the trip when there are many raw dishes like stuffed crab, seaweed wraps, etc that he can make.

Baking involves cooking in dry heat without exposure to flame, usually in an oven (hah! I learned that in Hospitality), so I guess he could do it in those air pockets and mini volcanoes? But it's far from house and not worth the trip, though maybe he will "bake" on special occasions. He likes it and is good it at it. He prefers cooking, though.

🤒 FACE WITH THERMOMETER — Does your oc get sick easily?

Okie angst time

Hah! Nope! He used to get sick a lot as a child, then (and kinda now too, actually...) he was just sickly because of how malnourished he was. His immune system is something else, truly, as he's been exposed to so many sicknesses and infections it'll leave doctors confounded. It's difficult for him to get sick. Well... though it wasn't necessarily an illness, he gave himself "refeeding syndrome" by trying to make up for what he was lacking when he finally had steady access to food.

Refeeding syndrome is when someone malnourished or starved suddenly begins eating again, and the quick introduction of foods can cause problems and even be fatal. This is why it's best to have the process of healing from starvation overseen by a qualified medical professionals.

Now Silas didn't trust doctors at the time, so he never went to one, but what he did do was simply go back to eating the same amount of food he used to so he didn't keep throwing up and getting sick. Morrigan eventually forced him to go to a hospital. (Silas was horrified when he learned what a feeding tube was)

Tagging: @distant-velleity @kitwasnothere @the-banana-0verlord @cyanide-latte @cynthinesia @jovieinramshackle @skrimpyskimpy for Silas lore hehe

#quinn quips #quinn answers #quinn's friends #leechy #silas clearcove #twisted wonderland #twst oc #oc ask game #ask game #starvation tw

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avonne-writes · 2 years ago

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Ahhh, I love the merpeople love language!!! Now I can't get the image of Luke teaching Aemond how to kiss out of my head, carefully avoiding the other's sharp teeth. It also makes me question, does Aegon know what kissing is? Cause he knows some things about humans. I could see him go all in, shove his tongue down Jace's throat (maybe his understanding of kissing is pretty vague) while also rubbing his feet against him. I'm so in love with this AU!

Aw, yes, I was also thinking about that. 🥰 This headcanon got long...

Precisely because of the sharp teeth, merpeople only do closed-lipped kisses. Even like that, kissing on the lips is considered kinky. They don't have sharp teeth when they're in human form, but they rarely get intimate in that shape - Aemond never - so French kissing is simply not a thing.

So, when Luke leans in for their first kiss, Aemond turns a fraction away so that it lands on the corner of his lips.

Luke pulls back to frown at him only to find him completely flustered (by Aemond standards of course). He leans in again and presses a kiss to Aemond's cheek this time, and Aemond just melts into him. Let's him kiss all over his face, his eye closed, his hands holding Luke tight and his feet caressing Luke's. Who knew that chaste kisses could be so sensual?

Days later, when Luke eventually manages to explain that humans kiss on the lips, Aemond is wary about trying it. It doesn't sound appealing to him. But then it happens, and - Luke's lips are so soft. They feel plush and plump as they press against his, and then there's tongue, and Aemond is scared. He doesn’t want to hurt Luke, not even with his not-so-sharp human teeth, but Luke whispers words he by now understands, It's okay, so he lets Luke part his lips.

For the longest time, he just holds his mouth open, careful not to move so that Luke doesn’t cut his tongue on his teeth. When Luke draws back and laughs, he wants to call the whole thing off even though it felt good. Deliciously sinful. But then Luke tells him to copy him. That it's not going to hurt. And Aemond is so weak for that temptation that he does it, licking cautiously at the seam of Luke's lips and then his hot mouth, and it's explosive. He has never felt this turned on before. His whole body is burning, and he's making a sound no decent mer should but it seems like he left all his decency behind. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to give this up.

Aegon knows what kissing is. Real kissing, not that sorry excuse his people do, he thinks. He's not as uptight as his crab of a brother, he likes to experiment. He spied on human couples having sex on the beach multiple times. So, when Jace closes his eyes for that first kiss, about to lean in, Aegon has full confidence in what he's doing. Sure, it's his first try, but he knows humans have soft teeth so he's not nervous at all. Goes for it with relish. Okay, it's a bit weird to stick his tongue down someone's throat, but he kind of likes the choked-off sound Jace makes. Jace tastes pretty sweet too. Yeah, Aegon has human kissing down perfect, thank you.

Side note: you know what else merpeople don't do with their mouths, right?

#lucemond #jaegon #aemond targaryen #lucerys velaryon #jacaerys velaryon #aegon targaryen #my writing #anon #merman au #merman!aemond #merman!aegon #we're really getting this au fleshed out aren't we 😄#merman-au

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ellorypurebloodculture · 10 months ago

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I will admit, I have... many questions about the Pureblood Culture 'verse, so please bear with me here. Most of these will undoubtedly be about non-binary wixen, because I'm curious.

In a few of these, I mention birth sex. By this I mean essentially the gender/sex assigned to specific genitals in babies.

---

What is the non-binary equivalent to heir/heiress? Is it heir for both males and non-binary wix?

How is the non-binary nature of a wix discovered? Is it determined at birth or discovered later in life like in the Muggle/our world?

If the latter, what happens to magic stored in a wix's hair/signet ring up until that point? Does it dissipate, is it sacrificed to Mother Magic, does it transfer to the cuff bracelet? Is it similar for trans people (magic goes from signet ring to hair/hair to signet ring)?

Is there a Courting Gift exclusively for wix/wix Courtships?

Can wixen tend to their sister's hair if invited, similarly to brothers? If a non-binary child is born before a son, do they get the right to tend to their mother's hair instead?

Is there a trend to how wixen tend to wear their hair, similar to the trend among Pureblood Lords?

Can cousins become Magical Twins? What degree of separation is needed for Twinned bonds when so many families are interrelated?

"Polyjuicing as another pureblood without full and knowing consent is considered Magical Identity Theft and is a serious crime." Is it similar for Metamorphmagi taking the entire appearance of another pureblood? Are exceptions made for Auror infiltration missions i.e. infiltrating the Death Eaters/equivalents in worlds where they exist? What is he punishment for Magical Identity Theft?

Is there a wixen equivalent to Morgana's Secret Arts/Merlin's Secret Arts? If not, can wixen practice the Secret Arts of their birth sex?

Can wizards wear ball gowns at formal events? Can wixen?

S there a wixen equivalent to "Morgana!"/"Merlin!"? Or do wixen use whichever is used by their birth sex?

Is Hogwarts located in Avalon or Magical Britain?

Have you decided on an Attribute for the Prince family? (Just curious, no pressure!)

How many known Chosens have there been? Have Chosens existed without the general populace knowing? Were the Founders Chosens?

Is there a wixen equivalent to Covens and Conclaves? If not, can wixen join the respective group of their birth sex?

Are there differences between types of merpeople (Merrow vs Rusalki vs Mermaids/Mermen, etc.)? Are Syrens different to merpeople?

Can oaths be sworn to Mother Magic/Chaos? How would they work? Would they be more binding than other types of oaths?

In stories where TMR becomes High Lord Slytherin, or Harry becomes High Lord Peverell they 'resurrect' the House in a sense, doesn't he? Would he have to build up the family magic again?

What happens when the sole heirs to Ogliarchy Houses Bond? Is it the Lord Potter, Heir-Consort Nott/Lord-Consort Potter, Heir Nott title layout? Or is it something else?

---

Thank you for whatever answers you decide to give! They are very appreciated!

I adore your username. 💖

1. What is the non-binary equivalent to heir/heiress? Is it heir for both males and non-binary wix?

A person who presents as non-binary uses the title “High Wixen” in place of the gendered “High Lord/High Lady”, “Wixen” in place of the gendered “Lord/Lady”, and “Wix” in place of the gendered “Master/Mister/Miss/etc.”

2. How is the non-binary nature of a wix discovered? Is it determined at birth or discovered later in life like in the Muggle/our world? If so, what happens to the magic stored in the wix's hair/signet ring up till that point?

In general, I imagine it as being known from birth. However, it's also possible someone will realize it later in life. If that's the case, any stored magic would transfer to the cuff bracelet.

3. Is there a Courting Gift exclusively for wix/wix Courtships?

Not that I've invented yet.

4. Can wixen tend to their sister's hair if invited, similarly to brothers? If a non-binary child is born before a son, do they get the right to tend to their mother's hair instead?

Yes, they can.

5. Is there a trend to how wixen tend to wear their hair, similar to the trend among Pureblood Lords?

However they would like. They needn’t follow the trends of either wizards or witches.

6. Can cousins become Magical Twins? What degree of separation is needed for Twinned bonds when so many families are interrelated?

Anyone can become Magical Twins if they either a) are Twinned by Mother Magic or b) perform the Death-Blood Twin Adoption Ritual.

7. "Polyjuicing as another pureblood without full and knowing consent is considered Magical Identity Theft and is a serious crime." Is it similar for Metamorphmagi taking the entire appearance of another pureblood? Are exceptions made for Auror infiltration missions i.e. infiltrating the Death Eaters/equivalents in worlds where they exist? What is he punishment for Magical Identity Theft?

I don't think a Metamorphmagus could perfectly assume an entire appearance. But assuming someone's face and a similar body shape with the intent to impersonate that person would be a crime, yes.

The Polyjuice Potion is restricted in canon. So, yes, given its strict regulation, it's possible an Auror could be authorized to use it to stop a crime/go undercover.

It would depend on what the Polyjuiced person does while Polyjuiced. But, at minimum, time remanded to Azkaban in a low security wing. At maximum, the death penalty.

8. Is there a wixen equivalent to Morgana's Secret Arts/Merlin's Secret Arts? If not, can wixen practice the Secret Arts of their birth sex?

I've literally never thought about that before. Maybe?

9. Can wizards wear ball gowns at formal events? Can wixen?

Yes. And witches can wear trousers. As long as bust-to-knee is covered, then modesty rules are satisfied.

10. Is there a wixen equivalent to "Morgana!"/"Merlin!"? Or do wixen use whichever is used by their birth sex?

They can use both/either, or “Mordred the Betrayer”, etc., but they're most likely to use an epithet involving "Death!"

11. Is Hogwarts located in Avalon or Magical Britain?

That's a very good question. And my brain says, “Both.” It … sort of crosses the veil.

12. Have you decided on an Attribute for the Prince family? (Just curious, no pressure!)

Nope! I almost never write the Princes so I haven't ever felt a need to do so. But they are Attributed.

13. How many known Chosens have there been? Have Chosens existed without the general populace knowing? Were the Founders Chosens?

I've never considered the first question. Yes, most definitely. No, they weren't. That was just Chaos's second son deciding a school needed to happen and dragging the other Oligarchy into it.

14. Is there a wixen equivalent to Covens and Conclaves? If not, can wixen join the respective group of their birth sex?

Yes. Though, I'm unsure what I would call it. Maybe … a Connex? 🤔

15. Are there differences between types of merpeople (Merrow vs Rusalki vs Mermaids/Mermen, etc.)? Are Syrens different to merpeople?

Oh, absolutely. Syrens are different from Merpeople who are different from Selkies, etc.

16. Can oaths be sworn to Mother Magic/Chaos? How would they work? Would they be more binding than other types of oaths?

Yes, absolutely. They're called Covenants. It'd be a magic, blood, and soul-bound agreement. If you break one, you'll be stripped of your magic. And, frankly, you'll probably die, too.

17. In stories where TMR becomes High Lord Slytherin, or Harry becomes High Lord Peverell they 'resurrect' the House in a sense, doesn't he? Would he have to build up the family magic again?

Nope! Oligarchy family magic goes dormant instead of … dying, for lack of a better word, because the deity that started the bloodline still lives, so even when an Oligarchy House is defunct in Avalon, the bloodline isn't technically dead.

18. What happens when the sole heirs to Oligarchy Houses Bond? Is it the Lord Potter, Heir-Consort Nott/Lord-Consort Potter, Heir Nott title layout? Or is it something else?

So, for example, if Tom and Harry bonded in a world where they're both Oligarchy Lords, it'd be:

Tom Marvolo Slytherin, High Lord Slytherin, High Lord-Consort Peverell and Hadrian James Peverell, High Lord Peverell, High Lord-Consort Slytherin.

Children would not have hyphenated names or titles. They would inherit from whichever Oligarchy bloodline gifts are dominant in them.

#ellory answers #pureblood lore #pureblood world building

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adminbryantsaki · 2 years ago

Text

Avian Oviposition.

Day 10 of Spicytober featuring Alpha! Hawks x Gender neutral! Omega! Reader. (I do not own Keigo Takami/Hawks. Horikoshi Kohei does. If this isn’t your cup of tea, blend of spices, or brew of coffee, move on.)

Wc: 1,372

Tw: Abo, Monster fucking, oviposition,person given as a gift to royalty, incubator, person used for s3x only, slightly drunk sex.

You are led through the halls of the Aztec style palace as servants are bustling about preparing for the night’s events. Today the Prince was to be coronated, and you were to be given to him as his mate. Your job was to be at his side at every event. Except for this one. Tonight, you are to not be seen by anyone, except for your attendants. You were keeping your head down and your wings folded close to your body as you were led to your mate’s bedchamber where you would wait until the Prince came to see you and mark you. He would also give you his clutch if he so wished. You entered the room with your attendants and you could finally take of the veil you had been wearing to cover your face and head as you were transported to the chamber. You took in the bare walls of the Prince’s room, wishing that you could have your paint set so you may decorate the walls to give them some life. You peeked out of the room onto the balcony that looked out over the bright blue ocean and pale-yellow sand that stretched for miles and was the home to the merpeople that your people were partners with. Your attendants tended to your needs throughout the day as you were hungry or had grown bored waiting. They were the only ones allowed to leave the room in your stead.

Since your Prince wasn’t allowed to see you until the end of the day, he had messengers send you letters and gifts he had prepared beforehand to give to you throughout the day. You received the numerous gifts and letters from him, some of the letters explaining how excited he was to be with you that evening. He had also sent some of your favorite flowers to the chamber for you to enjoy. He also had some of the activities you enjoyed doing to occupy your time. You were happy when your paints had been sent to you with a note of “Paint something for me on my walls, my love. I’d like to see it.” You smiled and got to work, creating a lovely depiction of a sunset over the ocean that lay outside for your prince on one of his blank walls. While you were painting, you heard bells going off from the church signifying that the prince had ben crowned. You smiled to yourself before you sat back and appreciated your handiwork before one of your attendants told you that you’d have to bathe again to get the paint off your face and body before that evening.

You nodded and was guided into the luxurious bathroom where a bath had been already drawn up for you. You were left to bathe and scrub the paint from your body in the bath that smelled like cinnamon and chocolate for what seemed like hours before one of your attendants told you that it was time to get out of the bath and dress you for the evening. You looked out the window to see the sun going down and lighting up the sky, making it look as if someone had set it aflame. You were transfixed by all the colors that painted the sky and you almost left the room in nothing but your bathrobe. You wanted to be held in your mate’s arms and you closed your eyes. You almost left the room and stepped out onto the balcony where a crowd of people were below, enjoying the party. until you were stopped and sadly pulled back inside by your attendant.

You were placed in a short, strapless dress that had been made out of a stretchy material before you were settled down in the Prince’s bed to wait for him to arrive that evening. You had been allowed to read some books while you waited for your Prince to arrive. Yes, there was the advancements of television and the radio in this time and you had access to them, but those were in a different room than the one you were in and not important to the events of tonight. You had your nose in your book when you heard the door open and someone who sounded drunk stumble in. You found this strange as there were guards posted outside the room and had been told to not let anyone but your attendants who were all the same gender as you were and the Prince into the room. You looked over and saw the scarlet feathers of the Prince. You set your book down on the nightstand and sat up. “Hello? Keigo? Are you here?” You called out from the bed, ready to scream for the guards in the case that your life was in danger. The person came into the bedroom area and you relaxed a bit as you saw that it was only your Prince who clearly looked like he was buzzing from the amount of alcohol he had consumed as his crown was tilted on his head and his uniform was disheveled. You looked into his golden eyes that seemed to devour the sight of you in his bed. “Hello, my love. Are you ready to receive my clutch?” He asked before walking past the sheer curtains and to the bed. “Yes, I am.” You told him as he climbed into the bed. “Finally, I can make you mine. All those months of courting and public appearances--- I want the halls to echo with your screams~.” He told you as he began to make out with you and situate your legs so he could get between them. He kissed you deeper before going down to your neck and giving you the first out of many marks that night. You felt his marking fangs pierce your skin and you let out a cry of pleasure that echoed through the room. He pulled away and licked the trickles of blood that came from the mark before it began to form into his mark. He watched as a golden circle formed with the blood catching under the skin to form a feather and it healing to a scarlet color to match his own feathers. He kissed you roughly as he pushed up the hem of your rather skimpy dress before he fumbled for his belt and pants to get them off. He cursed under his breath and you sat up to help him get his clothes off. He kissed you and thanked you. He laid you back down and wrapped your legs around his waist. He braced his arms on either side of his head, he pulled his cock out, slid into you, and let out a groan as he felt your soft insides. You let out a moan as he filled you up. After a few moments of him letting you adjust, he began to thrust into you while kissing you occasionally. He groaned as he sped up his pace and soon paused to kiss you firmly and begin to drop eggs into your cervix.

You moaned as you felt them drop down and watched as your stomach grew a bit rounded with all the eggs. Once he had given you all his eggs, he picked up his pace of thrusting again into you. This didn’t last long as he soon released his seed into you and pulled out of you, panting, and laying next to you. “Thank you, Y/n. I feel much better now. I hope the eggs take.” He slurred before passing out next to you. You looked down at your rounded stomach before making your way out of the bed and cleaning yourself up with a towel that had been placed by the bedside. You then climbed back into bed and laid next to your Prince, falling asleep as well. The end.

#Spicytober 2022 #admin writes #bnha #mha #bnha keigo takami #mha keigo takami #bnha hawks x reader #takami keigo #keigo takami #hawks bnha #pro hero hawks #mha hawks #mha omegaverse

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kithtaehyung · 3 years ago

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what happened in neverland (m) | jhs

title: what happened in neverland (m) pairing: mermaid!hoseok x pirate!reader(f) rating/genre: m (18+) ; angst, smut ; pwp, enemies to lovers summary: you hate him. he’s your enemy. that’s just how it’s always been. so how the hell did you end up here? warnings: smut, knife “play,” bondage, rope binds, hate sex, cursing, fingering, cunnilingus, penetration, unprotected sex, choking, pussy slapping, spanking, breast play note: it’s been a suuuuper long time coming, but here’s my contribution to the wonderful @kth1fics’s mermaid collab! if you haven’t dove into the last splash yet, please do! note 2: revamped and changed banner on 230903! word count: 4.3k

What wakes you is not the smell of seawater lapping cave walls, nor the faraway shouts of your crew as they engage in an endless battle offshore. It isn’t even the sharp stings and warmth you feel around your wrists.

No.

It’s simply the cool touch of a blade pressing into the soft flesh of your neck.

Your eyes flit as you come to, the first sight you see proving as sharp and still as the weapon at your throat.

Because who else would be this menacing and yet this hesitant?

“Hoseok,” you seethe, abhorring the way he bound your hands together behind your back. Hating the way his eyes seem to bury themselves in yours and rip apart your insides with a mere look. Loathing the way you’re pulled into his sculpted cheekbones shimmering from sunlit waters, illuminated by a single hole in the dark ceiling above.

Searing, painful, gut-wrenching.

And he remains silent, only the fins along his arms moving with waves lapping rocky cavern floor.

Where are you? Why did he lead you here?

Why are you alone?

Hoseok’s voice is low when he finally commands, “Surrender.”

You? Surrender?

He thinks you’re that stupid. What an idiot. Why do all the insipid people you clash with have to be handsome? A shame, really.

But this idiot always gets the best of you, and never gives you the decency of a swift blow. It’s happened time and time again from the very first day you met.

Well, met is a loose term.

During a day long, long ago, at the top of a strange waterfall that kept buried riches, your crew finally found the lost treasure you were seeking for eons. While everyone was on the cusp of looting, Hoseok and his merpeople had discreetly surrounded you and your ship.

It was only at the direction of your sharp second-in-command that your men and women were given seconds to prepare.

The battle that commenced was quick but brutal, and both parties came away with losses.

In the midst of that ambush, you had been on the receiving end of Hoseok’s javelin. If you weren’t mistaken, he could have obviously struck your heart with the precision you saw him boasting that whole time.

But a rush whizzed past your neck before a heavy thump sounded in the mastpole behind you.

Turning to regard the weapon before swinging your suspicion back to him, you only watched the merman’s eyes as they blazed, his taut form squaring up from his spot in the water below.

You thought it a mere fluke. An edge case. Maybe he missed and was glowering in his mistake.

But it kept happening during the months following, their days and nights filled to the brim with war erupting between pirates and merpeople across Neverland.

Whether he would have a weapon aimed at your flesh or not, he would seem to shy away or pull back when he could have slain you at every turn.

So why did he allow you to live?

Why was he taunting you so damn much?

Damp hair clings to his forehead while some strays drip salty tension onto your cheekbones.

Still, he says nothing.

Finally breaking, you smash your teeth in fury, bits of sand grinding between,

“I’d rather die.”

And this time, Hoseok doesn’t miss a beat,

“Really? We can test that theory.”

Oh?

You can only quirk a brow.

Why does his threat make you shiver? Has it always been this way? Why do you want nothing in this moment but to claim his lips while his dagger is at your throat?

“Do it then.”

“I will.”

Metal draws more blood, but your eyes remain trained on his face—a face you hate but one that makes your chest burn. You feel the way his body assumes its land form above water, with his bare pelvis burdening yours.

Still, he waits.

And waits.

What the fuck is his game?

“What are…” You breathe out, your voice shaking just enough to annoy. “What are you waiting for?”

“Give me a second,” he rushes out.

Pinging a drop of fear into your heart.

He’s going to do it this time.

Hoseok’s going to deliver his killing blow.

He’s in his human form to drag your body further into the cave when he’s done doing you in.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

You can already picture the clouds above this dark cave wave goodbye as the ground prepares to swallow you whole. Everything you’ve accomplished in your gritty, arborrent life seems quite trivial as you await your fate.

Only to trudge through grueling seconds more.

Is he toying with you again?

This is humiliating.

Hoseok has you in the perfect position for a kill and yet… Nothing. It seems his only goal is to keep you at the edge of death, playing with your heartbeat and twisting your perception of reality and choices.

Weak.

Your bones start to tremble from ire and your breaths turn to smoke. Impatience transforms into rage as your frustration finally spews from your dry mouth,

“Do it, you coward! You always hesitate! Why? Is this fun to you? Is this all a game? Well, I’ve had it! I’m not surrendering, so get this over with or I’m going to k—”

The dull clink of metal is all you register before saltwater and passion press against your lips, coating them in a warmth rivaling the burning ship you’re not occupying.

Your arms remain captive, but you try your hardest to wrestle them free. For what, you aren’t sure.

Are you wanting to push him away? Find a weapon to sink into his side?

Or are you wanting to wrap your arms around his form, pulling him flush against you and never letting him go?

Months and months of warring did not prepare you for a battle of this caliber. His lips constantly move on the offensive, his tongue attacking your mouth and demanding no resistance.

And in return, you kiss with the same ferocity, pulling your back up from the ground to claim your own dominance over him.

He cannot best you here. You will win. Win, and win, and win.

“What are you doing,” you manage to ask between rough kisses and breaths and hazy thoughts.

“I don’t fucking know.”

Another toe-curling kiss is pressed into your very being and you squirm, lifting your hips to feel more of his muscled form.

A thousand potential scenarios and problems cloud your mind, shadowing the thrill you feel in your thrumming bones. What if someone sees you in this cave? What if someone wanders in from the tree line or somewhere farther down the shore? If either one of you were caught on each other’s tongues, mutiny would be inevitable.

You’re the captain of the most powerful vessel.

Hoseok’s the prince of the merpeople.

And in Neverland, the two of your kind have never, ever gotten along.

It’s this strange phenomenon that made you question your own feelings towards Hoseok since the day you both met. Because even though you’ve come to resent him with every fibre of your being, you’ve never experienced the same intense emotions with anyone else.

A weak protest ghosts over his tongue, “This is wrong.”

The man pulls away and looks at you with judgment. “You’re a pirate, for Pan’s sake.”

“And you’re in my way.” You don’t comment on the way his speech and demeanor seemed to mirror your own habits. Instead, without your permission, your head leans forward to claim his beautiful lips once more for a quick taste. “Now let me go.”

“No.”

Tremors roll down your curves as your throat is attacked by another weapon. Fire burns your skin where his lips leave you, trailblazing their way down your collarbone and pushing the white fabric of your shirt aside.

Images of destruction and darkness cloud your mind, but they are being chased away by the hands gripping your hips, scar-riddled and battleworn and you have almost forgotten how.

Your vision is clearing, but only in the metaphorical sense, for your gaze is quickly being shrouded in lust and desire for the man chucking daggers and swords into your soul. The man that is overstepping generations of rules to consume you; the merman that spares your life and tears it down at the same time.

“Hoseok,” you whisper, the syllables broken and shaky. You roll the letters around your mouth before he intrudes it again with his tongue, and you swallow every drop of his essence that he provides, singing his name in your mind when you can’t say it out loud.

He can probably still hear you.

A hand grabs the back of your head as Hoseok—your Hoseok, your enemy, your driving force—slowly separates his lips from yours.

You watch as he dives into your eyes, face stricken with confusion and something akin to grief.

“I’ve been holding back,” he whispers, and the sound reminds you of waves crashing against the rocky shores you made berth, of the thousands of islands you vowed to conquer.

Is he referring to all the times he’s spared your life? Or about this sudden display of desire?

“Me, too,” you proclaim after a quick decision, pushing your body even closer into his slick torso. A heart beats reverently against your chest, thunderous like a tempest and matching the rhythm of yours. “Get me out of these binds and I’ll show you just how much.”

Hoseok has a knife nearby.

But he’s smart enough to not use it.

“Sorry, love,” the prince sighs over your nose. “I know what happens once I cut those ropes.”

“And here I was thinking you were an idiot.”

A groan rumbles through your throat as he devours you with everything he has, claiming you with his clinking teeth and angry fingernails.

And you respond in kind, rutting your impatient hips into his muscular pelvis and pushing your upper body up until he slams it back into the ground.

It’s a clash of wills. Of dominance. Of passion.

“Fuck you,” you grit out as he toys with the tight material around your wrists, pushed flush against the small of your back.

Smug, he gives you no response as he rips your loose fitted linens in two, exposing your breasts to the universe and beyond. His breath leaves in a groan as his eyes rove over your heaving chest. “Is that a promise, pirate?”

“Untie me and you’ll see.”

“No.”

“Coward!”

“You really need to expand your vocabulary, don’t you?”

You thrash underneath him, feeling helpless but thrilled under his control and his heavy stare.

Where did this Hoseok come from? What happened to the man that keeps allowing you to live?

“Let me go, you spineless son of a bitch!”

“Ah, there’s a new one.”

He reaches out a hand to play with your chest as you continue to wriggle your torso, and the contact of his fingers against your skin makes you flinch.

A moan escapes you as you throw your head back, and for a moment, you stop your struggling.

“Don’t fight it,” he rasps from above you, roaming his eyes from one mound to the other. “You’ll just make it worse.”

You grunt as he pinches a nipple, pulling it and causing the slightest bit of pain. Why do you feel so exhilarated? “You’re despicable. And here I thought you were a prince.”

“I am.” Hoseok doesn’t continue, but instead leans down to take one of your pebbled nubs in his mouth, swirling his tongue around like he owns it. As you rattle off more insults, you suddenly feel a hand shoot out to wrap around your throat in a warning.

Gasping, you can’t bear both the feeling of his tongue on your breasts and his fingers around your column while being so, so constricted. It’s all too much.

You’re a writhing mess when he releases your nipple with a pop and leans over your face,

“And right now, I’m the one you’re going to listen to.”

You breathe fire into his mouth when he kisses you again, and you can feel the smirk on his lips when you respond in kind.

Because you can’t escape his power, no matter how hard you try. Your enemy already had you in a chokehold from the very beginning, and he only intrigued you with each pass, with each near death, with each infuriating battle.

Hoseok knew that would get to you, just like you knew there was a certain attraction existing between your soul and his.

Now that the tension has come to a head, you know it’s not stopping until you’re satiated.

And frankly, you don’t know if anything the both of you do will be enough.

“No chance,” you finally gasp as he releases the hold on your neck.

Of course, you only said that to piss him off more. You’re liking this side of the normally level-headed prince of the sea, after all.

So much so that it’s starting to frighten you.

“You won’t be disagreeing with me in a bit.” Hoseok goes to undo your bottoms, wrenching them down your legs before deciding to tear them completely.

As he rips through your ensemble, you sneer while tightening your fists against the ropes. “We’ll always disagree.”

“I agree.”

You lift your head to look down at his body, but he’s already taking residence on yours again, a slick hardness poking your pelvis.

No stranger to a man’s build, you aren’t thrown by the sudden weight. However, you are wary of how substantial it feels. “Are you really not untying me?”

“Indeed.”

“It’s starting to hurt,” you whisper in a rare complaint, expression hiding the sting but not successfully.

Hoseok simply looks down on you like a hunter observing its prey. “You won’t be worrying about it in a second.”

You’re about to respond that he’s wrong when you feel slim fingers at your entrance, the sudden touch electrifying you and causing you to arch your back.

“Hoseok!”

You watch with surprise as the merman brings his digits up to his mouth, aiming a lidded gaze right at you as he slides them between perfect lips.

“I knew you’d taste like this.”

Hating yourself for being curious, you ask, “Like what.”

Instead of responding, the prince simply lifts a corner of his mouth before backing away.

“What are you—!”

Your legs jolt as Hoseok dives right into your folds, his long tongue reaching areas you would not have thought possible. The cave is completely gone in your mind as he attacks you; nothing exists around your body suspended in pleasure.

Licks, slurps, nips, thrusts. Every action only serves to weaken you more and more.

There are no ropes binding you. There are no waves lapping at your trembling toes. You’re simply in your own world, with your body coiling tighter and tighter.

His name tears from your lips and ricochets around you in a lust-filled symphony, and sweat pools on your skin from the mere heat of his passion.

Fingers dig into your legs as you attempt to squeeze his dark hair between your thighs, and you moan when he presses his tongue flat against you and shakes his head. “I can’t!”

Hoseok doesn’t stop, and when he feels you pulse faster and faster around him, he only goes harder, deeper. Harsher. You’re almost on the brink when he pulls away only to slap a wet hand against your cunt, and you yelp.

“Fuck! Just do it, Hoseok.”

Another quick slap to your cunt has you seeing stars embedded in the cave top, and the merman finally raises his body to wipe swollen lips.

“Just do what,” he questions, voice gravelly and full of amusement.

“You know what I want.”

“Say it.”

In another futile attempt, you wriggle against your binds. “I don’t have to fucking say it.”

Hoseok simply sticks a finger inside of your throbbing core, knowing he brought you close already. “I’m commanding you to.”

“No.”

Another finger slips inside, and you’re bowing upward at the way he curls just right. “Say it, you filthy pirate.”

You feel the tension building inside of you again, and just when you’re about to reach the summit, Hoseok pulls away.

Filthy.

Of course he thinks you are.

Of course you can’t be as pristine and perfect as the merpeople he surrounds himself with. So pure. So self-righteous. So proper.

Which is why it’s damn peculiar you’re doing any of this with him.

But right now, you feel a certain kind of filthy in his presence and, to your frustration, it’s not unpleasant.

Finally, you cave.

Because you know in your heart that you two will never meet like this again.

Mouth hanging open, you relent in a wisp,

“Fuck me.”

“What? Didn’t hear you.”

Gritting your teeth, you retort, “We’re in a goddamned cave, you idiot. You heard me.”

A hand comes down against the side of your ass, and you jolt away from the pain.

“Louder.”

Heaving and hating that you’re liking everything that’s happening, you tighten your arms behind your back while you obey, “Fuck me.”

“Louder.”

Another slap to your cunt has you yelling,

“Fuck me, Hoseok!”

And the prince seems pleased, situating his body over yours before positioning himself at your pulsing, aching folds.

“Some captain you are,” he taunts, “Surrendering to an enemy so easily.”

“I’m not surr—Oh, fuck!”

The first intrusion makes you grunt because of his sheer size, and you have to breathe through your mouth as you take him in.

Holy shit, he is enormous.

“You humans are always so tight,” he grunts, looking down at where he joins you and grinning dark at the way your stomach bows up. “I love it.”

“Hah,” you huff, trying to chuckle through the pain. “A merman that.. gets around, huh? Some.. prince you are.”

“It’s not like that,” Hoseok responds immediately, and the look on his face is a strange one. It’s like he doesn’t know why he’s defending himself.

After a moment, when he’s fully sheathed inside of you, he groans low before admitting, “There’s just been one other.”

“I don’t need to know about your life,” you grit, moaning when you feel him twitch while you’re getting accommodated to his length.

“I know. I know you hate me and everything I am.” Hoseok starts moving, thrusting his hips in small movements.

All the while, you’re completely thrown by his words.

Aren’t you supposed to hate him? Do you actually feel that way? Yes, his kind has warred with yours for millennium and yes, you’ve never been more angry with another living entity after each time he spares your life.

But is that it?

When the hate ebbs away… what’s left on the shore?

As his thrusts get deeper, your body starts scraping against the rocky surface of the cave, and your wrists start burning in earnest.

Swept up in his confusing verbiage, you don’t realize that you never offered a response. You’re about to when he continues, seemingly to himself as he watches his length slip into your folds,

“I know you won’t ever change how you feel, either.”

What?

What does he mean by that?

“And it’s so. Fucking. Addictive.”

With each word, your body is thrust backward with a powerful move of his hips, pitching you into a moaning mess.

It doesn’t matter how your arms burn with each slip across the rocky floor, how your shoulders are heated with strain and tautness. Emotions and feelings twist around in your head in a whirlpool and you’re wondering if you imagined everything Hoseok admitted.

Did he know he was speaking out loud? Doesn’t he know the natural order of things was to hate one another? If so, what’s happening now?

Seriously, how did the both of you end up here?

You decide to play along, wondering if this was just another one of his games. Spitting fury, you feel his dick twitch inside your fluttering lips when you respond,

“I can’t stand you.”

Hoseok groans in return, grabbing at your breasts bouncing against your torn linens.

“You’re such a weakling, always letting me go. I hope you drop dead and sink to the bottom of the sea for all of your kind to witness.”

“Fuck,” he moans, bending to nip at your chest again, biting down hard around your mounds. His cock continues to pump inside, hitting deep and causing you to pulse around him. Harder, stronger, faster. Your legs are starting to shake and your arms are liquid. “You feel so fucking good.”

“I feel you in my stomach—fuck!” You can barely feel your limbs anymore as you succumb to simply being a vessel for his pleasure, limp and unmoving as he takes you in a secret hideaway.

It’s freeing, in a way. All you’re left to do is feel. Puffs of desire mingle with his as you get closer and closer to your release.

Only thinking of how your body responds to his and ignoring how perfectly he fits between your legs, you loll your head to the side as you rasp out,

“I’ll always hate you.”

A hand shoots out to capture your throat, pressing your head into the ground and heightening your senses.

“Good,” Hoseok commands. “Despise me.”

There’s an energy in his words. Layers to his language. As you leer at him from a most vulnerable position, you feel surprisingly…

In command.

It doesn’t matter that you’re bound, garments torn to shreds, burdened by his beauty and weight, oxygen supply fading. You have the feeling that you could tell him anything and he would believe you. Obey you.

“Hoseok,” you struggle to say between his fingers, voice petering out. When he releases you, your chest expands and collapses before you say in the smallest of tones, “Untie me. Please.”

And the prince is wary, pausing in his thrusts to contemplate his options.

You feel euphoric as he keeps his cock lodged inside of you, unmoving, pulsing with your own rhythm.

Reaching a decision, Hoseok keeps his eyes on you as he reaches for his knife, eyebrows knit in anticipation as he lifts your head up and cuts you loose with one swipe.

And you move.

Immediately, you snatch the weapon from his soft grip while shifting your weight to switch positions.

Hoseok slams into the rocky surface of the cave with a thump, and you’re already pinning his arms down to proactively shut down his offense.

But he doesn’t fight back.

Not even when you press his own weapon right against the side of his neck, just as he had done to you.

His eyes are unblinking as they narrow, the only thing moving his chest as it rises and falls under your hanging breasts.

One second passes, then another.

And then time bends as you wait, still feeling incredibly full between your legs as his dick continues to penetrate.

Why are you waiting? Why are you the one hesitating now? You have him right where you want him. You can end this endless dance once and for all.

“If you’re gonna do it, love,” Hoseok rasps, and your gaze snaps into full focus again. You didn’t even realize you left the present. “Let me admire the view first.”

You growl in frustration when your cunt pulses at his words, knowing he can feel any reaction in the most intimate way. Words are ice when you sneer,

“Sorry a filthy pirate is the last thing you’ll see.”

Hoseok simply smirks, cocky even when faced with an imminent end,

“Filthy in all the right places. Beautiful in all the rest.”

Your heart grinds to a halt.

What did he just say?

Nothing is making sense. Your fingers are trembling on the knife, your other hand digging fingernails into his chest.

“You’re—you’re infuriating,” you stumble, not knowing what else to say as anger boils with something foreign in your soul.

A soul his breath pierces right through,

“And you’re magic.”

Why can’t you do it? Deliver the blow. End it!

But the truth cannot hurt any more than this.

Because you can’t.

And you won’t.

Frustration streams down your cheeks as you chuck the weapon away, grabbing Hoseok’s face before consuming him.

You hate him, hate him, hate him.

How goddamned weak you are.

Your hips roll hard into his pelvis, and your wrists burn when he clasps them in his fingers. The sound you make clues him in and, before you can pull away, Hoseok throws his arms around you and pulls you flush against his chiseled build.

Broken strings of words are whispered in your ear as he keeps thrusting into you, filling you to the brim and causing moans and desire to pour from your throat. They cascade into the ground, washed away by the water lapping against Hoseok’s legs as he plants his feet to penetrate deeper.

As your aggravation erodes, pure and absolute pleasure slips into its place, and you’re brought to another plane.

“That’s it, love,” your prince grunts into your ear, lapping at it with his long tongue. “Let go for me.”

And you do. You’re reaching the brink, the edge of the world, the precipice. Your battered, worn body is hitting its limit and twisting in your core.

The sounds leaving your lips are shorter and higher pitched as you approach the high you’ve been seeking, and you can’t register the sweeter nothings being spoken into your sweaty neck and tangled hair.

It’s too much. And yet, not enough.

Your hands shoot into his dark locks as your legs squeeze around his form, and his name leaves your mouth in a long, drawn out moan as your release erupts. White hot light showers your vision as you become a shuddering mess, wave after wave after powerful wave blowing you over and locking your limbs.

“Fuck,” Hoseok groans, your orgasm demanding enough to pull his from him at the same time. You want to watch how he looks, but you’re pressed flat against the juncture between his neck and shoulder, anchoring yourself in your most chaotic release yet.

But you can feel the hot strings of his essence coating your insides, painting you with passion and forbidden secrets.

As your muscles and bones settle, the only sounds you can hear are the subtle sounds of water and the heavy beat of Hoseok’s heart.

Thump, thump, thump it goes under your cheek, and you do nothing to make it stop.

What happens now?

Where do you go from here?

You don’t exactly know, but in this moment, it seems unimportant. You can’t see the way your ship is toppling, awashed in flames as more and more arrows are being launched aboard. The victory of Hoseok’s army can’t be heard by your ears like they can by his.

Above everything else, you can’t know the real reason Hoseok brought you here.

Because it was up to him to deal with you, the captain of your ship, while everything burned to the ground. Up to him to capture you with a swift blow to the head and swim you to the shore you would die on. Up to him to ensure that his people would never be under your wrath again.

But. Once more. He would rather you find out that he spared you than deliver the killing blow.

He chooses you over everything else, already surrendered to the fact that you would never, ever do the same.

And as you lie still, alluring and oblivious to your future on his steady chest, he decides that he will gladly bear the brunt of your hatred every day of his life.

As long as you live.

fin.

ahhh so how do we feel!

a/n: hello!! i am so so sorry this took forever to release. i am pretty sure there were seven different variations of this story and i just couldn’t stop wrestling with all of them. i hope the end product was enjoyable! thank you all for reading and i’ll see you next time :D

a/n 2: so hali made this amazing fantasy fics post and this somehow made it on there dfdskjf i was like oH GODDDD and revamped it a little bit to update the writing just in case people find it again dkfjdsk. hope you enjoyed if you found your way here!

#bts fanfic #bts scenarios #bts imagines #hoseok smut #hoseok angst #mermaid hoseok #hoseok x reader #bangtansorciere #the last splash #houseofddaeng #btsgoldnet #heartsforbts #ryenwrites #*ryenfictalk #*latest

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sinfulforrest · 3 years ago

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This is one of my new ocs, Pelleas! If you want to know more about this awful man, there'll be info under the cut! >u<

Pelleas is a prince from a royal line of merpeople and has grown up being adored by all. That adoration and attention has however turned him into a vain and rather spoilt man. His bloodline is blessed with the powers of hydromancy, and he loves showing off with it. Over many years, he began to grow bored of his life under the waves and yearned to explore above the waves.

Breaking the royal code, he would begin to sneak out and would exit the water, unknown to his family and people. When not in water, his tail begins to twist and split into legs, and though it was painful, he was excited. He could now do what he wanted amongst lesser beings! He found that he loved the party scene and because of his cutesy façade, men, women, and folks in between would find themselves buying this charming stranger drinks. His feminine sense of style would draw people in, and that would further his superiority complex and would make him more absorbed with his vanity.

Eventually, using treasures from the deep, he would buy a little villa by the ocean for his base of operations for his…activities, as well as doubling as a nice convenient spot for him to store his mountains of clothes that he found himself buying. As his alcohol tolerance is much greater than that of a regular human, he could be totally sober whilst his drinking partner would be drunk, and he would eventually offer to take them home for a fun time. Depending on how he feels, he’ll either simply have sex with them and then keep them around for a while to practice his hydromancy on before discarding of them, or if he felt greedier, he would invite them back to the ocean for a night swim.

He would make his victim skinny dip, and he would follow behind them so that they wouldn’t see him slowly begin to melt back into his true form. Then he’d rush them, pushing them out further into the sea and would begin to grow more aggressive when he’d feel them struggling against him. To put it bluntly, he gets extremely turned on when seeing others drowning and struggling in the water, and he would take great pleasure in prolonging the speed at which somebody drowns. He enjoys when people watch from a distance, unable to do anything as he drags the victim down under the waves. When the victim eventually drowns and if Pelleas still hasn’t satisfied his urges, he’ll take the drowned body lower and lower and have his way with it until he feels content. The body will never be seen again.

He is very unlikely to fall in love with any of his captives, as he just sees them as cheap tickets to give him a thrill, but if he did, that captive would truly be in hell. He’d be huge on waterboarding a resisting captive with his hydromancy and would look for new ways to use his powers by torturing his beloved. He’d say that they’re blessed to feel his powers for themselves, but…they’re really not.

This is all the info I have for Pelleas right now, and to those who read this far…thank you! I hope you like the sound of him! >w<

#btd oc #btd #original character #whump #whump oc #monster boy #merman #mermaid #merfolk #boyfriend to death #murderbabe #murder oc #pelleas #monster oc #femboy #hunting for love

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noir-drabbles · 2 years ago

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Thanks again for answering my questions Noir! (I’m the anon who’s been shooting you all the mermaid questions) I’ve learned so much about these boys, so much so I thought that I’d shoot you another ask about them, and that’s the question that in time people will be eventually asking, how tf does nsfw time happen with them? I mean, not considering the “they’re literal merpeople” aspect of it, with Rakan I could kinda see it happening, we could feasibly fuck him, but with Valenio? Where would we even, how would we?-

Yeah I’m gonna leave this up to you to explain LMAO

-🐙Anon (I thought I’d claim an emoji to make myself known lolll)

Welcome Octo Anon!

Also HAAAAAAA buddy I fucking forgot. I'm so ace it didn't even cross my mind. But I do have an answer don't worry.

Valenio does eventually have his curse lifted, no need to worry, granted he does shrink down to be as huge of a man as Rakan. So intimate times are entirely possible after the fact.

Though that isn't to say he wasn't lusting before he got smaller. That man is so deprived of any sort of intimate touches that he's basically real fucking backed up.

So much so that just whispering into his ear is enough for him to orgasm. He's that sensitive. Just make sure no one is within range. Nobody wants to be in the situation where they have to explain what the fuck happened.

I'm actually not a big fan of penetrative sex, specifically when the reader is being penetrated. I like it the other way around. So these two boys will get railed by the Reader when they beg for it, don't worry.

#valenio #noir rambles #dearly detested abyss #admin.noir

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drarryruinedme7 · 4 years ago

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Last year I made a post with all my fave Drarry fics from my first year of fandom. Have my second year wrap up! Listed by Rating and then length.

RATING: TEEN AND UP AUDIENCES

Beautiful by @xx-thedarklord-xx (2017; 8.9k)

Summary: With the second task looming closer, Harry escapes to the Black Lake to open the egg, in the hopes of avoiding Myrtle. The Mersong isn't just helpful in figuring out that Mermaids are real, it attracts his very own handsome Merman.

*I didn’t know I love merpeople AUs until I read this one. It was cute and sweet and I’m really glad I read it.

Hermione Granger's Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run by @waspabi (2017; 93.3k)

Summary: 'You're a wizard, Harry' is easier to hear from a half-giant when you're eleven, rather than from some kids on a tube platform when you're seventeen and late for work.

*What can I say. This is a masterpiece, it absolutely entered my heart to never leave it again. Best AU ever!!!

Away Childish Things by @letteredlettered (2018; 153.8k)

Summary: Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

* This has been the turning point of my Drarry passion this year. First, I discovered Lettered (good Lord why hadn’t I before?!) and then, well. This fic brought out so many feelings in me and I’ve already re-read it something like 5 or 6 times in the span of a few months. Amazing.

RATING: MATURE

you’ve got the antidote for me by Kandakicksass (2018; 20.7k)

Summary: When Harry Potter unintentionally severs their soulbond before it can fully form, Draco Malfoy resigns himself to a slow death and decides not to burden Harry with a soulmate he's made it very clear he doesn't want.He's never been selfless before, but for Harry, he can try.

* The angst!! It’s usually not my cuppa, but this was bittersweet and just so well written, I couldn’t stop reading. Find the rec for this one at this post.

RATING: EXPLICIT

Give Me Sweet Oblivion by @tryslora (2012; 4k)

Summary: Italy seems like a long way to go to keep a fetish secret. But the club is exclusive, and the far away location, and Muggle nature, promises anonymity from Wizarding Britain. The only problem is that sometimes, great minds think alike.

*Super hot, I love finding old gems like this one. Plus, Italy. Go, folks!

Shiny Things, Slightly Damaged by @lqtraintracks (2020; 5.3k)

Summary: Harry may not ever have had to see it if McGonagall hadn’t decided it was a good idea to hold a ceremony on the grounds outside before the Sorting in the Hall. And by ‘it’ he’s referring to Draco Malfoy on a motorbike.

*jsklajdksajfa This one! THIS ONE! Slayed me. I read it feverishly and then like, fainted at Draco on a motorbike.... this fic surprised me and I 100% loved it.

A Ghost of Blissful Feelings by @alpha-exodus (2020; 6k)

Summary: Harry hadn't expected to spend his eighth year fucking Draco Malfoy, but it's the only thing that helps him let go.

*Dunno guys, I’m amazed by how much this one hit me. You should read the tags before diving in, but it was darkish in the right way, Harry and Draco suffers and find peace in a ‘’special’’ way, but I stand by it. Hot and intense.

Tell Me (What you Need) by @keyflight790 (2019; 6k)

Summary: Even though Harry was paying for his Dom, there were limits; breaking points in which someone would refuse, no matter how many Galleons were pushed in their direction.

*Okay, I may be biased because this is a gift for me, but Chris never lets down with her amazing writing and this has everything I need and more: Dom!Rentboy!Draco and a perfectly sweet Harry with a Daddy!kink. I mean.

Dangerous by Faith Wood (2014; 6.3k)

Summary: Being trapped in a dungeon with Malfoy — who's a werewolf, a former Death Eater, and a giant git — is definitely dangerous. Harry has no reason to be excited. None at all.

*Y’all know Faith Wood is like my n.1 fave Drarry author. I have no idea why I had never read this one though!!! It’s actually phenomenal, scorching hot and just dsjkafjaks love this werewolf!Draco. OMG.

Scent and Sensibility by aidaninkling (2018; 7.5k)

Summary: [...] Draco's always known he'd be married off as a trophy omega, but suddenly his mother's trying to make him king by promising him to some stupidly good-looking alpha and she just won't stop smiling at him. Does fate's cruelty know no end?!

*This blew my mind. A/B/O AU so hot I melted while reading it and I loved it so much that I re-read it three times IN A ROW. No kidding. Read it.

The Eighth Tale by @letteredlettered (2012; 12k)

Summary: Draco Malfoy tries to fix the past, but instead mucks it up some more. For Harry, it all becomes quite clear.

*Back to Lettered. I love Time Travel fics, and this just delivered perfectly. The ending was also enigmatic enough to keep me wandering, which I always appreciate in these kind of stories.

Sex, Lies and Veritaserum by @letteredlettered (2011; 17.9k)

Summary: This entire fic is one long conversation about sex.

*LOL alright, I’ve developed a new obsession this year (clearly). This was ...gosh! Hot but it also gives away a certain level of intimacy and trust between Draco and Harry to be so open about their kinks... it was perfect.

On One’s Knees by pir8fancier (2008; 33.8k)

Summary: The war is over and to the victors go the spoils.

* The fic which made me fall in love with DownAndOut!Draco.

The Pirate and the Prince by @nerdherderette (2019; 49.2k)

Summary: Draco can't believe that fate and circumstance have made him a stowaway on the Master of Death's ship. He doesn't know what's worse: the dread pirate's legendary vendetta against the aristocracy, or the fact that his captor is the most infuriating yet irrefutably fascinating man Draco has ever met.

*Okay y’all. Nerd is a great person and author. She is phenomenal. And this fic shows it so well. The pirate!AU the Drarry fandom both needed and deserved. Sublime.

Unhook the Stars by jad (2016; 70.5k)

Summary: [...] Seventy-thousand words of pornographic discourse between two boys-turned-men that still haven't learned how to communicate like normal people – with words. Guest appearances by Pansy Parkinson, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Blaise Zabini, Teddy Lupin, Gregory Goyle, the Weird Sisters, ex-wives, several Weasleys, a Boggart, and a Honey Badger.

*Again, Dom!Draco and such a beautiful sub!Harry. They stole my heart. In this fic they grow up together through the aftermath of the war and they just... they have this intense Dom/sub relationship, I can’t... explain how much I loved this. Scorpius also makes his appearance and it’s so real and cute!

Such Great Heights by aideomai (2015; 93.3k)

Summary: Draco Malfoy, wide-eyed and pale and in a decidedly ragged shirt, was crouched next to the pile of whatever the dragon had been eating. Harry threw himself to a halt and yelled, “Merlin, how many times do I have to save your life?”

*This is one of the last ones I’ve read. Find my rec for it here. Such a cool fic, with a shunned Draco who gets to be so happy in the end, it made me happy too.

Burn The Witch by @lettersbyelise (2019; 95.8)

Summary: When Harry Potter is sent in to investigate Draco Malfoy’s successful potions company, posing as Draco’s bodyguard, he doesn’t know the case will launch a series of events that will change his life — and Draco’s. A story about choices, scars, Chopin piano pieces, and finding all kinds of love in the most unexpected places.

*I do not have the words to express what this fic means to me. First of all, it’s how I met Elise who’s an amazing person and who I’m glad to call friend. She’s the sweetest. And also incredibly talented. This fic will take your breath away from the first word to the last one. Smol!Scorpius is perfectly characterised and my absolute favourite bit of the fic.

Who we are in the shadows by @quicksilvermaid (2019; 99.7k)

Summary: What happens when you’re forced to become the very thing you despise? Ex-Auror Harry Potter, tossed out of the Ministry for something he had no control over, has been looking for a way back to his former life. When he comes across Draco Malfoy in the criminal underbelly of Wizarding London and in need of protection, Harry figures bringing him in to face the Ministry's justice is his ticket back to everything he's lost. But nothing is exactly as it seems. Not even Harry himself. And as he gets drawn further and further into Malfoy's world of honour and deception he finds himself questioning everything he thought he knew—about his childhood nemesis, the Ministry job he misses so much, and most of all, about himself. What happens when you’re forced to see that you were wrong?

*Another incredible person who I got to know better thanks to her breathtaking storytelling and her sweetness for sharing it with me. Quick made something amazing with this fic and I urge you to read it. It was my first creature fic ever, first time I read about werewolves and I totally fell in love with it. Sheer perfection.

Freedom to be by @quicksilvermaid (2019; 169.5k)

Summary: Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived. 12 years after the war, he's become the Boy Who Lived For Everyone Else. He has the perfect wife. The perfect house. The perfect job. The perfect friends. Only nothing feels perfect. Until one day he stumbles across a club called Release and begins a journey of self-discovery that takes him to a very different place.

*Well, could I just miss out on another one of Quick’s great works? With, again, Dom!Draco!??? No, I couldn’t! This is such a great exploration of BDSM and what it means and Harry’s path into it.

19 Years and 5 Minutes Later by TheMightyFlynn (2015; 202.8k)

Summary: Five minutes after his happily-ever-after, Harry finds himself locked in the public loos with an angry Draco Malfoy and a need that he has denied for 19 years.

*Find my rec for this fic here. It’s really long and has Ginny bashing, but it’s totally worth it!!

#drarry #drarry squad #drarry fic rec #drarry rec #draco x harry #draco malfoy #harry potter #drarry fics #drarry fanfictions #my recs #two years of drarry #amazing authors #amazing stories

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bedbellyandbeyond · 3 years ago

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Drop Off

(Story Post)

The middle school grades were already off for the summer which is how Diederich and Nari were able to take their Europe trip, but Dax’s second grade class was only just wrapping up that week. He still had classes to teach leading up to his weekend trip with Nathan, but he always went to his boyfriend’s place immediately after school. He knew Nathan felt overwhelmed having to take care of the twins and Wano by himself, so Dax tried to be as available as possible. On Wednesday, he came home surprised to see none other than Jeffrey Matthews standing in the front hall with Ben strapped to him. Nathan was there as well, drilling him like it was a game of 20 questions. “I told you, he didn't invite me,” Jeffrey was saying. “I just came by to give Wano a gift.” “What kind of gift?” Nathan demanded. “Good afternoon?” Dax announced himself as he came in. “Hello, Jeffrey. What are you doing here?” Jeffrey rolled his eyes. “Like I've been telling Nathan, I brought over a gift for Wano. That's all.”

Wano came down the stairs at that point and went over to Jeffrey eagerly. “Hello, lovemate. How are you?” He gave Jeffrey a peck on the forehead. Nathan frowned. “Wano, did you invite Jeffrey over?” Wano shook his head quickly. “No, this is a surprise to me!” “I brought you this,” Jeffrey said handing Wano a box. “Made it myself!” Wano opened the box excitedly to find a cake inside. “This is for me? Why?” Jeffrey just shrugged. “I was saving this recipe to make for Bler for Father's Day, but you know, he’s gone, so I made it for you.” “Is that a chocolate cake?” Nathan asked. “Chocolate's not good for your Eclulan diet, Wano.” “I still like it,” Wano said. He smiled at Jeffrey. “Thank you.” Dax went over to his boyfriend and rubbed his back. “Nathan, relax.” Nathan placed his hands akimbo. “So, if that's everything, Jeffrey you can be on your way.” Jeffrey frowned. “Why are you so pushy? I came a long way. I would at least like to stay for some of the cake I made.” Wano looked at Nathan and then turned back to Jeffrey. “No, I am sorry, Jeffrey. You cannot stay.” “What?” Jeffrey huffed. “Why not?” “I did not get permission for guests,” Wano said. “But it is okay, I can see you this weekend! I will be at APID while they go north.” Jeffrey softened a bit. “Oh yeah? Okay. Can you save some cake until then?” “If you want, you could take it and bring it back to APID Friday,” Wano suggested. “No, no. You should have some while it's fresh. Just save me a piece,” Jeffrey said. “Jeffrey, if you'd like, I could drive you home again,” Dax offered. “Naw, you just got home,” Jeffrey brushed off. “I've got a bus pass.” “I insist,” Dax said. “After all, we have car seats and that'd be much more comfortable for Ben than being carried a long way, wouldn't it?” “I guess so,” Jeffrey said. “Right now, or can I say goodbye to Wano?” “Of course, you can say goodbye,” Dax said giving Nathan’s hand a squeeze. “It'll only be about twenty minutes there and back, babe.” “Thank you, Dax,” Nathan said. Jeffrey wrapped his arms around Wano's neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “Text me, okay?” “Yes,” Wano said. “I will show you how much I love eating your cake.” “Nathan can't have any because he's being mean to us, okay?” Jeffrey decided as he pulled away. “I'll see you later.” “Okay.” Wano gave Ben a pat on the head. “Goodbye little Ben.” Jeffrey grinned and made Ben wave. “Say ‘Bye Wano'! Bye bye!” Ben just looked up at Jeffrey. “Buh?” “He's not much of a talker,” Jeffrey admitted. He gave Wano's bicep a squeeze. “Alright, see ya, handsome.” “Bye.”

On the way to Ollie's apartment, Jeffrey was clearly upset. He’d asked for the aux but he wasn't settling on any song for more than a few seconds. Dax found it very distracting while he drove, so when a song he knew came on, he told Jeffrey he liked it and it was left on. “So, you and Wano,” Dax tried to make conversation. “Pretty serious, huh?” Jeffrey frowned. “Yeah… I don't get what Nathan has against us being together. We're both adults. It's none of his business.” “Well, Nathan cares about Wano a lot,” Dax said. “And I think he's more concerned about the fact that you guys won't be able to be together because of Wano's immigration status.” “He got an extension,” Jeffrey said. “Can't he get another one?” Dax sighed. “I don't think it's happening… I think Wano will be deported one way or another. He can reapply to return but it's hard to say if it would hold and how long it would take, considering he violated his VISA by acquiring a criminal record.” Jeffrey pouted. “Still… He's still here for now. He should be able to do what he wants.” “That's not really true,” Dax said. “His staying with Nathan is conditional. He can't leave the house and he must behave himself. Nathan is partially responsible for him considering he’s housing him. We're just trying to make this transition smooth so he's in good standing with APID should he be allowed back.” Jeffrey crossed his arms. “How is seeing me misbehaving?” “It's not really about him seeing you so much as… Well…” Dax frowned. “He says you're both trying to make a baby. Is that true?” Jeffrey shrugged. “Well, it’s normal for two adults in a relationship to have sex… I don't really like condoms and stuff. Most aliens can’t carry our STDs anyway. And if I get pregnant, I get pregnant, I guess…” Dax sighed again. “Do you see how that can come off as irresponsible? Wano's not…the brightest, and he's driven by a lot of very, I want to say, basic instincts, so I'm not really that surprised if he thinks having a baby will make everything great, but I know you’re the smarter one. You have the ability to be the responsible adult in this situation. Do you really honestly think having a baby right now, with Wano of all people, is a good idea?” Jeffrey huffed. “…You know, you're not my dad… I don't need your life advice.” “No, I'm not your dad,” Dax agreed. “But I was your teacher once, and I do care about all my students. You have a lot of potential, Jeffrey. I would like to see you thrive in this world. You have options. You are capable of making good choices.” Jeffrey just went silent. Dax just gave up for now and decided not to bother him the rest of the way. When they got to the apartment building, Dax went up with him to make sure he got in safe. Jeffrey's cousin was there, and he looked rather upset when he saw Jeffrey. “Where've you been?” Ollie asked. “I texted you and you didn't answer me.” “I just went out. I don't have to tell you everywhere I go,” Jeffrey stated as he took off his shoes. “I was worried about Ben,” Ollie said going over to pick up the baby. “I thought you might've taken him to a bar again…” “That was one time,” Jeffrey moaned. “Can you get over it?” “And who's this guy?” Ollie asked looking Dax up and down. “I'm Dax,” Dax said. “I—” “He's a friend of a friend from group,” Jeffrey said. “He offered me a ride home.” “I actually taught Jeffrey in high school,” Dax said rubbing his neck. “Never expected my partner to be in the same pregnancy group as him, but here we are.” “I'm Ollie, Jeffrey's cousin,” Ollie said. “I went to the same school as Jeffrey some years before him. I don't think I remember you.” “I was only there a couple years,” Dax said. “I work at APID E now.” Ollie shrugged. “Are you an ‘alternative person' like they're calling people these days?” “Uh, well—" “Ollie, you know that’s rude!” Jeffrey snapped. “It's alright, Jeffrey,” Dax said. “My situation’s a bit hard to explain.” “We're fairies, you know?” Ollie said, smoothing out Ben's hair. “Probably wouldn't guess from looking at us. Jeffrey's more than me. That's why he's so short.” “That's actually quite interesting,” Dax mused. “Is it a matter of being mixed, or are fairies like merpeople, where the child will always be a merperson no matter if one parent is human?” “It's a bit of both, I think,” Ollie said. “Fairies have been interbred with humans over a long period of time so we've sort of evolved with humans… But, uh… It's like this. Both of Jeffrey's parents were fairies making him a high blood fairy. Only my mother was a fairy, making me low blood. But I'm still considered a fairy 100%. Any kids we have will be 100% fairy no matter what.” “So, even little Ben too then, despite his alien heritage?” Dax asked. “That’s right. Low blood like me but still 100% fairy,” Ollie said. “That’s truly lovely,” Dax said. “Since embracing my native heritage, this topic has always fascinated me. I did my Masters thesis on the ‘Blood Quantum’ and it’s negative effects on indigenous groups in Canada—" “Ugh, if you guys are gonna nerd out, I’m going to my room,” Jeffrey said taking Ben with him. Ollie waited for Jeffrey to close his bedroom door before sighing. “Sorry about my cousin… He’s very scholastically averse.” “Oh, I know, imagine trying to teach him French…” Dax said. “But please, I’m now a bit invested. What sets a fairy apart from a human?” “Hm, some basic stuff,” Ollie said. “It’s mostly magic sensitivity. But physically… Can’t grow facial hair, generally short, can’t really gain weight, some magic ability, sometimes inhuman hair or eye colour. Oh, and the ears.” Dax tilted his head. “Well, your ears aren’t particularly pointed or anything… And you’re rather average height.” “Low blood as I said.” Ollie spread his arms. “All I really got was the eyes, the lack of facial hair and the metabolism. Although, if I try hard enough, I can gain some muscle where Jeffrey can’t… I think I’ve even heard of low blood fairies getting big and muscly and growing beards. Never met one, though I don’t really know other fairies outside the family.” “You do look rather fit,” Dax commented. “You have great calves.” “Thank you, I’m a runner,” Ollie said proudly. “And you’re not too bad yourself.” “Ah...” Dax rubbed his neck. “I’m a bit of a yoga and swim nut. Although I’ve been a bit out of shape lately…” “Are you kidding? You have very tight buns,” Ollie complimented. “Well, thank you… I really should start working out again…” Dax said, rubbing his neck. “I keep looking up some fun smoothie recipes I want to try for workouts, but I haven’t found the time. Not to mention the protein powders are expensive, and I kinda need it with my diet.” “Well, the one I get isn't so expensive,” Ollie said. He moved to the cupboards. “You know what, the taste's been a bit different lately so you should try some of mine and if you like it, you can get it online at wheylux.com.” “Oh? Alright, sounds promising,” Dax said. “I can order it, you don't have to share.” “No, no, it's no big deal,” Ollie said grabbing the container from his cupboard. “It really is reasonably cheap, and you don't need much each time. I take a teaspoon and it lasts so long.” “Well, alright. I'll try it,” Dax said. Ollie made up a tiny Tupperware for Dax and handed it over. “There you go. Keep the cup. I have plenty.” “Well, thank you,” Dax said pocketing the product. “I appreciate it.” “Don’t mention it.” Dax smiled. “I should probably head home though. Promised I'd be back in 20.” “Don’t let me keep you,” Ollie said. “Dax, was it?” “Yes. Dax Olivier.” Dax stepped out the door. “And Ollie, right? Are you a Matthews as well?” “Larson,” Ollie offered his hand. “Oliver Larson. Or just Ollie.” Dax shook his hand. “Well, it was nice to meet you, Ollie.” “You, too. Safe drive. Thanks for dropping off the brats.” Dax chuckled. “No problem.”

#lore #Dax #Jeffrey #Wano #Nathan #Ollie #Ben #werewolf #alien #fairy #thunderbird

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sleepylixie · 4 years ago

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The Prince of Pearls

Seawalker/Merman! Yang Jeongin

Word Count: 1.6k, Fantasy, Beware of suicide, mentions of depression I’m sorry you guys

A/N: THIS FIC DOES NOT REFLECT THE CHARACTER OR LIKENESS OF THE REAL YANG JEONGIN IN ANY FORM OR MANNER. ONTO THE FIC!! I love this for so particular reason, I really don’t know why,

( @aliceu and @rebecca-noona welcome to the cult yet again. Today we’re serving Sex on the beach with a side of Fantasy Fries)

Requests are open for SKZ and BTS! || Masterlist

Every heard about a time when the lines between natural and supernatural were so blurred, they lived as one? Ever heard about a mortal loving the sea so much, he became one with it? Come, let me tell you the story of the Prince of Pearls.

The sea was an entity of dread to mortals, bringing fear in its unpredictability and terror of the unknown that lay within it.

But for this village off the coast of what would become Busan, South Korea, the sea was nothing more than a god- given blessing for it brought them a bond other inlanders couldn’t even fathom-

Merpeople.

Not more than 80 years ago, the first Mermaid queen had reached out to the Busan chief, hoping to find themselves an agreement of mutual benefit.

Despite strong disagreement, the chief agreed to the Queen’s behest,

And it was evident, soon enough, that his decision had been for the best.

Her people were curious and benevolent, she claimed, if not slightly impish in nature- They were curious of their land counterparts and wished to observe them from as close of quarters as they’d allow-

They brought with them deep-sea treasures like the pearl and opal for the village to trade in return for their acceptance of her kind.

Busan thrived with their newly acquired trade of rare gems and medicinal weeds from the sea floor, and quickly warmed up to their newest neighbours.

Soon enough, it was no oddity to see a band of children splashing and laughing at each other in the shallow waves with a trio of mer-children

It was commonplace to see the mothers sitting at the rocks at the edge of the beach, talking marketplace gossip with their underwater counterparts responding with their own equivalents.

Busan grew well with the merpeople’s companionship, the village blossoming into a robust little trading town.

Yang Jeongin was the name of the current chief’s son, a young boy with a polite, if not a little shy disposition which was often mistaken for coldness.

He wasn’t of the chief’s blood, for his wife was too weak to bear a child. He was picked up by his wife at an orphanage, being swept away by the baby with hair like ebony and a smile like nectar.

He wasn’t a child of many words, often choosing silence and smiles as much as he could.

That is, until he saw the ocean.

The second the waves touched his toes, Jeongin seemed to evolve- no more was he the timid, reserved child his school friends knew him as.

He was a bright, vivacious little thing, unashamed in his loud laughter and witty in his responses, attracting every mer-child’s attention without a smidgen of hesitance.

It was like he bloomed into his true self when he was in the ocean only to retreat into himself again on land, much to his parents’ exasperation.

“Your life is here, on land, Jeongin,” his mother would reprimand him every time he came back past midnight, tracking sand off his feet and pockets full of coral. “You give too much of yourself to the ocean.”

He would smile his shy smile again, complete with the shiny puppy eyes, and his mother would melt, yet again.

And so grew Yang Jeongin, from a reserved child with an affinity for the ocean, to a young man with a love for it.

He was never curious of his true parentage, for his adoptive parents had never made him feel less than their own son by blood- What was the need to look into history, when the present was as beautiful as this?

His hair was black as midnight, cut short so they hung slightly over his coral-brown eyes, brushing at high cheekbones. He stood tall and proud, like a chief’s son should, with swimmer’s shoulders and work-roughed palms. Despite his nature, he was loved by the village, an unconscious charmer who had eyes for nothing but the sea.

Jeongin had begun to spend as much time as he could in the underwater world, loving it all way too much to be able to stay away.

He could stay underwater for long minutes, swim unnaturally fast with his human limbs, even understand the merpeople’s underwater tongue like it was his own.

There was no doubt, of course, that the merpeople loved the chief’s son. He was forthcoming with his questions, nimble with his trickery and brilliant with his words, all qualities that they treasured very greatly amongst their own people.

“Join the sea,” they’d mock him, laughing their bubbly laughs when Jeongin would frown for he knew he had responsibilities on land that he had no choice but to shoulder. “I wish, my friends.” He’d respond in their tongue, a wistful look in his eyes.

But at least his underwater friends would always be there for him, no matter what-

but one day, they disappeared.

One winter morning, Busan woke up to find the merpeople had retreated into the deep sea, far beyond measure.

Busan was lucky that their trading season was over and that they could tide away a few months without the precious cargo the merpeople used to bring for them

But what were they to do if they never returned?

The pressure of the decisions fell onto the chief’s family- who were facing an entirely different kind of dilemma altogether.

Their son had fallen into a spiral of darkness after the merpeople left, retreating so deeply into himself that he was barely a shadow of his old self.

It felt like something was missing inside Jeongin, even when he stood at the sea. It was a sickly, poisonous sensation that left him unable to even stand the sight of the ocean- a place he couldn’t stay away from not too long ago.

No amount of talking from his father or pleading from his mother could get him to leave his room- the windows closed, the bed turned away so he would not catch whiff or sight of the sea and it’s breeze.

The healer came up with nothing that could allude to his strange behavior; his body was entirely fine, she said. His mind, on the other hand....

If only they knew.

If only they knew how he cried at the edge of the beach every night, where nobody would hear him, screaming and begging for the underwater race to come back, bring their ocean magic back with them

The water felt like a trap without their presence, a dark shroud falling over his senses that used to be open and clear even under water.

Maybe that was why Jeongin gave up, one night.

He couldn’t take the emptiness inside him anymore, he couldn’t take having to watch the very thing he loved so much tighten a noose around his head every time he so much as smelt it’s air

So he gave himself to the sea, walking right into the water that felt so poisonous, allowing it to rise from his knees, to waist, chest, shoulders, nose, eyes....

and let go.

It was a full moon that watched the boy with the midnight hair walk into the very water that gave him life, only to never come out again.

When he felt water rush into his nose, Jeongin’s immediate reaction when he came around to consciousness was to panic and try to push his way to the surface until-

The water wasn’t constricting his lungs at all. The water didn’t feel suffocating, like it did for all those months before.

Right in front of him floated the same people who he’d cried for, all those nights when he felt hopeless and lost in the land.

“I am sorry you had to live that way, young one.”

The oldest spoke, his merman tongue unfamiliar with his language.

“Where am I,” he breathed out, finally allowing his eyes to rove over his surroundings- his extremely clear, unblurred vision.

That was when he looked down at himself- and nearly blacked out in shock when he saw not two legs, but one tail. A strong streamlined tail with shimmering bronze dorsal fins, obsidian scales rippling throughout the length of it.

“Welcome to Atlantis.”

He took to life underwater better than he could have ever imagined.

Word went out about the newly arrived merman, formerly of human nature but unforgiving in his love for the sea, much like the rest of them. They accepted him graciously, offering him room and tutelage with his true-blooded peers.

He learnt about how merpeople were formed- first by divine intervention, then procreation and rarely, like in his case, when a mortal with a great love for the sea gave his life away to it.

What Jeongin never understood, however, was why the merpeople that had resided in the waters next to his town decided to leave so suddenly.

When asked, he was told that the merpeople royal court had decided against further interaction with the humans with no explanation at all.

It was sad, he was told.The mer people loved the companionship of their land counterparts, and it pained them to leave the little town that had quenched their curiosities and accepted them without question.

He thought long and hard, over his tutelage, about what the relationship between the merpeople and his human ancestry could bring to the both of them- and then it struck him.

As a human child turned merperson, he could be the perfect conduit between both the worlds- a seawalker who could broker a peace with the landwalkers.

He threw himself into his studies with new vigour, for it felt like he had found a new purpose in life.

Jeongin rose through the ranks with just the lure of his voice-

For it was easy to accept his words, especially when they were paired with his easy charm, simple smiles and fox-like cunning now veiled behind new sapphire-blue locks.

His new home wondered about him,

“Is it true that he’s part siren??”

“His land family wasn’t his blood family, what’s to say he truly has our blood in him after all?

Atlantis took to calling him the Prince of Pearls, a fond nickname for the newest addition to their large family who had ideas bigger than them all, a heart filled with compassion and beliefs clad in iron and adamant.

Everybody knows about the seawalker from Atlantis, all midnight hair and trickster allure, the tale of a mortal from the wrong side of the sea now a voice of reason for everything he had learned to believe.

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goldgalaxytea-fanfics · 4 years ago

Text

The Little Jellyfish (Asra) - Chapter 1: So hold my hand

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Multi, Other

Fandom: The Arcana

Relationship: Asra Alnazar x Reader

Characters: Asra Alnazar, Reader, You

Additional Tags: MerMay, MerMay 2020, Mer AU, mermaid au, Alternate Universe, AU, Mer Asra, Jellyfish Asra, Merperson Asra (The Arcana), human reader, Reader-Insert, x Reader, gender neutral reader, male reader - Freeform, Female Reader, no specific pronouns used for reader, Frozen (Disney Movies) References, First Meetings, Movie Night, Frozen movie marathon, Sleepy Cuddles, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, One (1) forehead kiss, Mer Asra learns about the human world, Little Mermaid Elements, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Eventual Sex

Words: 1,949

Summary:

Notes:

This is the first part of a series for MerMay 2020! Each part will be a separate story featuring a mer!love interest x human!reader. There will be 6 stories in total, one for each LI! Full disclosure, each one will end in fishy horizontal tangos👀

(Chapter title from "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men)

Chapter 2 ▶️

Series Masterlist

Merpeople weren’t real, they were simply stories told throughout the centuries to entertain people. They were myths, legends, folklore, or at least, that’s what you thought. So when you saw a person in his birthday suit stumbling around the beach near your house, your first thought wasn’t omg what if that’s a merperson that just got legs and that’s why he’s falling over like a toddler? No, it was holy shit is he drunk out of his mind? Though since it was the middle of the day and there hadn’t been any parties nearby last night it quickly shifted to oh my god he’s either on drugs or bat shit crazy. You tried ignoring him, but it was difficult watching him stumble around like a newborn foal, especially with the adorable pout he had every time he tumbled back down onto the sand. You sighed, grabbing a towel and heading outside, silently praying that you wouldn’t grow to regret this decision.

“Hey…” Vibrant purple eyes snapped to yours, the pure wonder and awe swimming in them surprised you, he looked like a kid set loose in a candy shop. If this was a cartoon he’d have literal stars in his eyes. Seriously what the hell is up with this person? You took in the rest of his appearance, pointedly avoiding anywhere below his waist. A white tattoo of an unfamiliar symbol rested right above his heart, a stark contrast to his golden brown skin. The sun shining favorably upon him almost gave him the illusion of actual gold. White fluffy curls danced around his head in every direction, almost like a cloud had descended from the sky just to rest upon his head. He was so gorgeous he couldn’t possibly be real. What the literal fuck. This was just getting weirder and weirder.

“Um… are you okay?” Your eyes finally drifted back to his, shocked to find he had been checking you out as well. Your cheeks grew warm, but you couldn’t blame it on the warm weather. Clearing your throat and avoiding his intense gaze you hold the towel out to him. He tilted his head curiously. “You, uh, you should cover yourself. This isn’t a nude beach so you’ll probably get in trouble.” His soft lips parted as he finally spoke.

“Oh, right, forgot about that.” His voice itself sounded like the world’s most beautiful song, yet what he said was the stupidest thing you’ve ever heard. Who in their right mind forgets they can’t be nude in public? Your heart sank. Maybe he wasn’t in his right mind… You swept your doubt under the rug, he obviously needed assistance and you were determined to see this through. Besides he seemed harmless. He took the towel, long slender fingers brushing against yours. You jumped, his fingers were freezing. Worry settled heavily in your chest. You were no doctor, but it was definitely not a good sign he was cold in the middle of one of the hottest days of the summer. “Would you like to go to my house?” You spoke before you could even weigh the pros and cons of that kind of offer. He blinked. “I could give you some proper clothes to wear until you can get your own.” You offered your hand to him. He stared at you for a moment, thinking over your offer. His curious expression broke into a wide smile as he took your hand. You helped him up but refused to let go of his hand, trying your best to transfer some heat into the icy limb. He did his confused little head tilt again and your heart skipped a beat. It's not fair that he's so other worldly hot and so goddamn adorable. “Your hands are cold, I’m just trying to warm them up.”

“Thank you.” He flashed his blinding smile again. Yeah, he’s definitely going to be the death of you. The both of you walked in silence, it was quite peaceful really. Until cold arms wrapped around you. You shrieked and jumped away from him. His eyes were wide, but he refused to look at you. Instead choosing to stare sadly at his hands, like they were at fault. “I apologize-”

“It’s okay!” You quickly cut him off, not being able to stand him looking like a kicked puppy for another second. “You just surprised me.” You opened your arms in invitation. It only took a second for him to throw himself into your arms, practically tackling you. The force nearly toppled you over but you managed to keep the both of you on your feet. He nuzzled his head against yours.

“So warm…” He whispered. You laughed, trying to suppress your shivers. It felt like hugging a block of ice, this definitely isn’t normal. You speed walked back to your home as fast as you could with a half naked person clinging to you. As soon as you got in the door you freed yourself from the handsome stranger’s embrace, a soft whine escaping him as you hurried to get him clothes and blankets. You returned to him with the large pile, dumping it on the couch as he watched you with curious eyes. He hadn’t moved from where you left him. You gestured him over and he came immediately, nearly tripping over the end table.

“I got some warm pajamas for you and some blankets so you can keep warm. Do you feel sick?” You inquired. He merely shook his head and went to grab the clothes from the couch. “Wait! You’re still covered in sand.” You smacked your head, how could you forget that so easily? “My bathroom’s down the hall so you can rinse off.” You pointed in the direction. He didn’t move, just staring at you. “Do you... do you need help with the shower?”

“Yes…” He sheepishly mumbled. You grabbed the pjs and then his wrist, guiding him down the hallway.

“It’s okay! I’ll show you how to work it.” You set the clothes on the counter and showed him the shower, demonstrating how to turn it on and off and how to change the temperature. He paid full attention to your mini lesson, very interested in the shower and how it worked. Once you felt confident he knew what he was doing you left him to his own devices. Making your way back to the couch you took a glance at the time. Oh it was 6 PM already. You headed towards the kitchen, deciding to make some Chicken Noodle Soup. It would quickly warm the mysterious stranger up and hopefully help with whatever was wrong with him.

As soon as you poured the soup into two bowls soft footsteps came down the hallway. You turned to smile at him as he entered the kitchen, trying to hold back a laugh. His hair was somehow even puffier now. Without thinking you reached out to feel how soft it was. Your hand gently drifted through what you swore could’ve been a real life cloud. A pleased sigh broke you from your trance. Embarrassed you pulled your hand back as if you'd been burned. He pouted while you quickly changed subjects.

“I made us some lunch." You carried the bowls over to the couch, setting them down on the table. You patted the other side of the couch, motioning him to sit next to you. As he sat down you realized the irony of what he was wearing. You had grabbed the first pajamas you could reach, which just so happened to be Frozen themed pajamas. You laughed, earning another curious stare from your beautiful companion.

"Why are you laughing?" He was confused but your good mood must have been infectious, for he was smiling along with you.

"Your skin is ice cold and I gave you Frozen themed pajamas." You snorted at the sight of blue snowflakes and Olaf scattered all over the white fabric while his brows furrowed.

"But… those clothes are not made of ice?" He questioned. He can't be serious. You observed his lost expression. Holy shit he's serious.

"Frozen is a movie about-"

"What's a movie?" He asked. You blinked, processing what he had said.

"You're… you're not from around here are you?" You wondered aloud. That would explain why he didn't seem to understand anything. It was a flimsy excuse but it was the best you could think of. A musical laugh brought your attention back to your guest. His eyes were mischievous, like he knew something you didn't.

"That is correct. I'm from a very different place than here." He didn't elaborate.

"Okay. Well it's probably better to just show you instead then." You turned on the TV and put the movie on. His violet eyes were glued to the screen as soon as the opening sequence started playing. He paid no mind to you as you wrapped the both of you up in a large fluffy blanket. His eyes only strayed when you handed him his bowl of soup. His eyes stayed on you, observing how you ate your soup before copying what you did. He hummed pleasantly as he devoured the warm food. You tried your best to focus on the movie but it was honestly more entertaining to watch him and his reactions to it instead.

The farther you got into the film, the closer the two of you got. By the end he was pressed up against your side as he cried onto your shoulder. You held him and patted his curls in comfort. As the credits rolled you were both practically cuddling.

"It's over?" He asked, disappointment laced through his voice.

"Yeah it's over. But there's a second movie!" He perked up at that.

"Can we watch that movie too?" He gave you puppy eyes. Even if you wanted to it felt impossible to say no to that face.

"Of course! It wouldn't be a Frozen marathon without the second one!" He happily hugged you. You hid your blush by starting the next film. His attention immediately focused back on the screen, but his arms stayed wrapped around you. You didn't complain, settling your head on his shoulder. You noticed he had grown warmer. He wasn't as warm as a person normally should be, but he wasn't freezing anymore. He felt more lukewarm than anything. Despite that though he felt so comfy. You imagined this is what cuddling a cloud felt like. The softness of him against you was like a siren's song lulling you to sleep. The events of the movie faded away as you succumbed to the gentle lullaby. Soft white locks tickled your face as you realized you were hearing a lullaby. Your new friend was quietly singing along to the movie, voice soft and sweet as you felt his song pull you deeper into the inky abyss of sleep. The last thing you could recall was something soft pressing gently against your forehead.

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿🐚‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

You awoke slowly, wiping the sleep from your eyes as you remembered the events of yesterday. You searched for the gorgeous stranger but he was nowhere to be found. The only trace of him was a conch shell left where he had been sitting the night before. It was as white as his hair with the same strange symbol as his tattoo carved into the smooth surface. You examined the shell’s beauty, wondering if you'd ever see him again. Your heart sank as you realized you never got his name, let alone a way to contact him. So it was not likely. It seemed that the movie night would be your only encounter with the mysterious person.

Oh how wrong you were.

Notes:

Fun fact! The Frozen pjammies in the fic are based on pjs I have irl😂

Also Frozen is one of my favorite movies so ofc I'm going to put it in a fic if given the opportunity🥰

Chapter 2 ▶️

Series Masterlist

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mystwright · 5 years ago

Text

Siren’s Song PT.1

Characters: You,Taehyung, Jungkook

Genre: smut, angst, supernatural, Taehyung x reader, Jungkook x reader

Warnings: Mentions of death, sex

Word Count: 4,404

Masterlist

From the shore, a young woman stared at her foolish boyfriend splashing frantically around in the sea.

“Come on, get in! The water feels great!”

She looked at the waves crashing near her feet and hated that what started as stupid joke soon turned into reality.

“I don’t know” She replied hesitantly. “Isn’t it cold?! Or what if someone sees us?” She asked. “You know what they will do if we get caught, right?”

“No! It’s not cold at all! Now get in before someone does come!” He yelled back.

She contemplated the situation but backed away to avoid getting wet.

“Come back! I feel like someone is going to see us!”

“Stop being such a scaredy cat!”

She looked at the sea again and sighed. He was such a fool for always doing anything for her.

“I’m sorry” She whispered to herself.

“Alright!!” She said giving in. She kicked her shoes aside, careful not to get any sand in them. “Turn around!! I don’t want you to watch me!!”

“What are you trying to hide?” He asked.

“Nothing!! Now turn around before I change my mind!”

He laughed out loud but obeyed.

“You better not try anything funny!” She yelled as she moved her hands around to take her clothes off.

“Ready?!” He asked pretending to take a peek.

“No!!” She yelled back. “Turn around or I’ll change my mind!”

Standing only in her bra now, she made sure that he was not looking before beginning to make her way into the water towards him.

“See, babe? Everything is fine!” He replied once he heard splashing nearby.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever” She replied with a smile as she finally reached him.

The waves became calm as she wrapped her arms around him. There was still some distance between them but he didn’t mind. She was there with him now.

“Why are you complaining if you’re the one who wanted to come out here?” He asked with a grin.

She quickly kissed him.

“Who said I was complaining?” She replied. Before saying anymore, she looked at the water surrounding them. “But if I’m being honest… I am a little nervous though”

He huffed and stuck his chest out. “Don’t worry. I’m here! I’ll protect you!”

She laughed but let him go in the process, swimming a few feet away from him.

“But who will protect you?” She asked.

“What do you mean?” He quipped. “It’s just you and me! We’ve got nothing to worry about! Now come back here! It’s lonely swimming out here all by myself”

She seemed distant but he was determined to make her feel better.

“Hey… What’s wrong? Is it too cold out here? We can go back”

She looked at the sea surrounding them. As gentle as the waves were, she knew it was merely the calm before the storm.

“I don’t know. Maybe we should go back”

He began to make his way over to her but she looked at him and just shook her head backing away.

“No… Let’s stay like this” She replied, changing her mind.

He stared at her confused.

“Be honest… Tell me what’s wrong”

“Sorry.. it’s just, you must think I’m crazy for dragging you out here”

“No” He replied. “I’d do anything you ask”

Guilty, she looked away. “I know. You’re crazy”

“Only for you!” He smiled.

They both began to laugh. It was moments like this that she would miss.

“I wish we could just stay like this” She replied.

“Why not?”

As the laughs subsided, he looked at her in the moonlight. She was as beautiful as ever but now that she was in the sea with him, he began to see her in a new light. The gentle waves had soaked through her bra. Mesmerized, he tried to get his mind off of her nipples peaking though but before he could do anything, he felt something grab him from underneath the water.

“What the? Something’s got my leg!” He yelled.

Struggling to fight whatever it was that had his leg, he began to scream.

“Help me!”

“I’m sorry” She replied as she looked on.

From across the way, she watched unfazed as his head bobbed up and down in the water. Eventually his screams stopped and all that could be heard were the waves again. Beneath the sea, he continued to try and gasp for air but there was no such luck for him as water made its way down his throat. As he struggled to swim back up to where she was, he became horrified at what he saw. Under the same moonlight that had cut through the water, he saw two giant fish tails attached to human bodies swimming above him.

“Took you long enough” A new voice called from behind her.

She turned and saw her fellow sister swimming next to her now.

“Shut up, it was my first time”

“Mmmmhm….” She replied unimpressed. “Too much unnecessary chit chat in my opinion”

She looked at her sister annoyed now.

“Do you know how hard it is to lure someone out here?” She asked. “It takes a whole lot of convincing since no one wants to touch these damned waters”

Her sister gave out an exasperated laugh. “Geez. Why so mad?” She asked.

She turned away. “I’m tired … let’s go before they have nothing left for us”

“Ohh don’t tell me that you actually had feelings for him. I don’t blame you… he was kinda cute” Her sister began to joke.

The young mermaid looked back at where he once was.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now come on… before someone sees too”

---

It was no secret that your kind existed. In fact, mermaids were often marveled for their beauty but feared for what they really were. As legends would have it, mermaids were far from innocent. Not only did mermaids kill humans.. they also ate them.

As a mermaid, you had heard numerous tales about your kind since you were young. To mankind, mermaids were smart, cunning, and untrustworthy. To their credit, they weren’t wrong. But so were the humans in their own way. Due to their constant abuse of the sea, pollution had caused the water in which you lived in to become barren, causing your kind to resort to drastic measures to survive.

You had watched numerous ships sink in your life time and had seen hundreds drown and die in front of you. At times you felt bad about taking a life but then the hunger would strike and always overcome that feeling. You were curious about the life outside the sea but you knew better than to go on land by yourself as it was unsafe. In no time, people going missing at sea were no longer deemed just an accident and soon a war waged against humans and your kind. Borders began to be built around the land and sea and anyone seen crossing on either side were either captured or killed on sight.

As the years went by, food became even more scarce. As you watched your fellow merpeople succumb to death due to starvation, you knew you had to cross the border to find food for yourself or perish along with the others.

“Be careful up there Y/N. The human world is not like ours. If they find out that you are a mermaid, they will kill you.”

You sighed. “I know, mom”

“When you reach the human world, you must find clothes quickly and don’t forget what I told you....”

You sighed again. Not because you did not want to heed her warnings but that you wished she knew that you could do this. You hugged her one last time to reassure her.

“I’ll come back. I promise… and I’ll be back with some food soon for everyone”

You both swam up to the surface. Not to far from you was the wall.

“We’ll cause a distraction. As soon as they have their eye on us, swim to the gate.”

You nodded.

“Make sure no one sees and crawl in quickly.. And Y/N…”

You looked at your mother one last time expecting criticism.

“I’m proud of you for doing this. I love you.”

After your mother’s last words, she swam off before you could reply.

Against the currents, you hid, waiting for your que to go. Before long, you heard an explosion from above and alarms began to blare to alert the others.

“Not yet” You told yourself. “The gate…”

More shots were fired and soon you heard the gate drop down. Heavy footsteps bantered against the ground and then stopped as they tried to find your mother..

“Now” You told yourself.

You could hear the commotion behind you as you crawled through the gate and onto land. It was late in the day but you still needed to make sure that no one could see you and dry off quickly so you could gain your human legs. As you crawled undetected, you expected the pain of being out of water for the first time to hurt like hell. Those who had done it before described it as having the water literally knocked out of you. First, your lungs struggled to adapt to the air completely and then your tail would split into two… That was by far the worst part it seemed and you shuddered thinking about the thought but continued.

Your arms were bruised from crawling up the gravel road but off in the distance was finally someone’s house. You searched the premise for anything that could help dry you off and saw that a few items were left to hang on a line. You tugged the fabric and saw clothespins fly to the ground. Finally dry, there was no pain as your mermaid tail suddenly turned into a pair of legs in front of you. You wiggled your toes and stared at your new human form. Confused, you began to wonder why others felt pain when you had felt nothing. Was it just a lie they told to keep your kind safe and away from wanting to go on land?

You got up slowly and marveled at the new feeling of feet but found yourself struggling like a doe. You instantly crashed to the ground and scraped your new knees. A few more tries and then you could get it, right? You got up again but knocked a few items over to the floor.

“Who’s out there?!” You heard an old voice calling.

“Who are you and what do you want!??” It continued.

You sat back down with the random fabric wrapped around you. If he knew what you were, your mission would have been all for nothing.

“Please help me” You weakly responded.

An old man peered around the corner. In his hands was a familiar instrument you had seen before. A gun was what your mom called it.

“Who are you?” He angrily asked.

“I’m Y/N” You tiredly replied.

“What are you doing out here by yourself at this hour?”

Before he could continue, he saw your bruised arms and knees. “Who did this to you?” He asked.

“Please, I need help” You replied.

He looked at the condition that you were in and saw the blood on your legs.

“Come here, let’s go inside. I already called the police before I came outside… They can get you to a doctor”

You began to panic at the mention of the police.

“I can’t” You cried. “My legs.. I can’t move”

The old man put his gun aside and walked over to you to give you a hand. You stumbled onto your new legs but felt more familiar with them as you walked with him into his home.

“I’m sorry for yelling at you earlier. You must have been through a lot tonight..” He began to say to you.

You remained silent and continued to focus on your legs.

“Are you from around this area? You must be scared all out here by yourself” He continued.

You finally shook your head. “I’m not from here. And scared?” You asked. “No, are you?”

The man looked at you and smiled

“No”

You smiled back and then moved your hands up to gently grab his face.

“Thank you… but you should be” You replied.

The smile that was present before began to fade away at your words. Before he could process what was going to happen next, you opened your mouth to reveal your mermaid teeth and took a bite out of his neck, instantly killing him.

You ate what you could. After finishing your first real meal in months, you sighed in content. Still covered in blood, you knew you had to clean up if you wanted to get out unnoticed. You dragged what parts remained of the man and moved it off to the side. It was a shitty job, but you were in a rush and needed to clean yourself up.

You took off to look around his home and soon found a bath. Unsure of what could happen, you carefully got in and remembered what your mother told you. If enough water touched you, you could turn back into a mermaid here.

You turned the knob and sure enough, your tail came back. Desperate, you cleaned and dried yourself quickly and found what clothes you could.

You left the man's home and made your way further into town. You didn’t know where you were going but you knew you had to get away. Behind you, sirens had begun to go off. Unsure of where to go, you quickly turned into the next building to get away.

As you walked in, smooth music began to play in front of you. You continued forward and into the room.

“Party of one?” A young woman asked from behind a desk.

You continued looking around.

“What is this place?” You asked.

The woman looked at you surprised. “Oh is this your first time here? This is a jazz club! The only one in town!”

She was much too chipper for you.

“Jazz club?” You asked.

“Yes, and the next show is about to start soon too! Let me get you seated” She quickly looked at her seating chart and then back to you. “I’m sorry but is a bar seat okay for now? This is our busiest time”

You thought of the police outside and nodded.

“That will be fine, thank you”

She smiled widely and led you in. “Follow me”

True to her words, the club was filled with patreons. She led you through a group of people and pointed to the bar.

“Have a seat and someone should be over to help you soon!”

As you sat down, you looked at the bottles in front of you and let out a sigh in relief. You were away from all the police outside but now you were in another new territory. Would alcohol have an effect on you? Water though ... if enough water were to come in contact with your skin, you would instantly turn back into a mermaid and give your position away.

“Hi beautiful, can I buy you a drink?” A raspy voice called.

Was this really how humans courted each other?

You turned and saw a plump man with way too much cologne on. Either way, he could be your next meal if you planned everything correctly.

“I would love one” You replied.

“What would you like?” He asked smiling.

Your knowledge on types of drinks were too limited.

“Why don’t you decide?” You replied.

The man smiled and signaled a bartender over.

“Two gin and tonics, please”

“Coming right up” A young man replied from behind you.

You turned to look up at the bartender and was taken back by the man behind the counter. For the first time in your life, it felt as if the world had stopped spinning as you looked at the person in front of you. Raven haired and skin kissed ever so lightly by the sun. His rolled up sleeves also revealed what looked like art on his arms.

“I haven’t seen you around.. first time here?” He asked breaking your concentration. He smiled and you could tell that your face was burning.

“Uhh.. Yeah..” You replied. “I just heard about it and decided to come check it out”

The man simply smiled again and nodded as he scooped up some ice.

“Well, welcome to The Foundry. I’ll be making your drinks tonight”

You nodded and continued to watch him.

“Thanks..”

“What’s your name?” He asked.

“Y/N” You replied.

“That’s a pretty name” He replied.

“What’s yours?” You asked.

“Jungkook”

A loud cough was suddenly heard behind you. Too preoccupied with the bartender, you forgot about the man who ordered you the drink in the first place.

“I think your boyfriend is calling you” Jungkook said.

You shook your head and gave out an embarrassed laugh.

“He’s not my boyfriend. I don’t even know who he is, to be honest” You replied rather too loudly.

He tilted his head slightly and chuckled. “Ah, I think he heard”

You turned and saw your next meal angrily walking away.

Damn.

But you didn’t really care. At the moment, you just wanted to know more about Jungkook.

“How long have you worked here?” You asked.

“Too long” He replied. “But ever so often, someone as beautiful as you comes in and makes me realize that my job isn’t too bad after all”

You laughed and he joined in.“Does that line actually work?” You asked.

He winked at you. “I guess we’ll see, right?”

“Bar tender!” Someone yelled.

Jungkook peered over. “Sorry. Work duties. If you need me, just call me over”

You nodded and then turned back to face the crowded room. It was a rather dark club, but the atmosphere was perfect with the music and crowd.

“What are you doing here?” A deep voice asked you. “You’re quite far from home, aren’t you?”

You turned around and saw another young man next to you now. Unlike the plump man who had got away or the bar tender.. this man was different. Nonetheless, what was with men and them questioning you?

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” You replied.

“Quite the bullshit. I could smell you from a mile away”

You were taken back by his words. Just kill him and go! Your mind told you.

“Leave me alone” You replied, not wanting to cause a scene.

“Bartender!” You called.

You continued to sit at the bar by yourself and waited for Jungkook to come back.

“Ah! Good! You’re back” You told him.

Jungkook grinned but stopped when he saw who was behind you.

“Taehyung… is something wrong?” He asked.

“Taehyung?” You asked back..

Tae looked at you for a moment and then back at Jungkook.

“Actually, there is..” Taehyung took a hand and wrapped it around your shoulder. “My sister from out of town just decided to surprise me.. I’m a bit shocked”

Jungkook looked over at you.

“You didn’t tell me you were related to the boss”

You looked over at Tae to try and figure out what game he was playing. Tae simply smiled and waited for your response.

“Surprise?” You nervously cheered.

“Let’s get her some food, now!” Tae suddenly ordered.

“I’m the bartender, not the cook” Jungkook objected from under his breath.

Tae looked at Jungkook with a silencing glare. Remembering his place, Jungkook quickly fumbled around for something to write on and with.

“What would you like to eat?” He asked as he grabbed a nearby pen.

“I don’t know… Anything, really…”

“Get her the number one. Say it’s on the house.” Taehyung answered.

Jungkook nodded and then turned to look at you. “I’ll be back with your food. Enjoy the show, okay?”

You nodded and soon Jungkook was gone.

You turned and saw that Taehyung was still standing by you.

“Sister??” You asked. You laughed. There was no way! “Who are you?”

“I don’t have time to discuss this with you right now. Come to my office upstairs when it’s over.. We’ll talk later”

You were skeptical. Not only did you not know who he was, now he wanted you alone in a room with him?

“What makes you think I want to go there?” You questioned.

He smirked and leaned in. “You’re a mermaid” He whispered into your ear.

You stopped. “How did you know?” You asked.

He gave you a wink and left.

Was he one too?

Taehyung made his way to the center stage and the room became silent around him. The lights dimmed and soon all eyes were on him as he began to sing a soulful song. You looked around the room and saw that the audience seemed to be in a trance. They swayed to his words and looked blissfully unaware. You looked over at Tae again. He grinned and it seemed as if he knew that you were finally connecting the dots together. He was a mermaid as well.

You watched in awe. You have heard about the power of a siren’s song but never like this. While it was common to set one man on a boat in a trance so he would crash or go overboard, you had never seen a full room turn all at once.

“Your brother is really good” Jungkook said startling you. In his hands was your meal, a plate of perfectly cooked fish next to some greens.

“He is, isn't he?” You replied as he set it down.

“Do you sing too?” Jungkook asked.

You continued to listen to Tae.

“Yeah, but not as good as him”

---

You climbed up the backstairs behind the stage once the performance was over and knocked on the door to Taehyung’s office. The door opened and once again you were led into a strange new place. Much like the club downstairs, the room was adorned in the same manner. In all honesty, the word “office” was an exaggeration as it seemed more like an actual living space.

“Have a seat” Taehyung said.

You did as you were told and waited for an explanation from him.

“According to legends, I’m supposed to be the one seducing you with my voice. How did you learn to sing like that?” You asked.

He laughed as if he had heard that question one too many times.

”Practice” He admitted.

You looked around the room. He definitely had a taste for finer things.

“How long have you been living on land now?” You asked.

“For a while. My parents…. they wanted a better life for me and so they helped me to cross over.”

Tae looked over at you. “I don’t even have to ask you. I know that you’re new”

“What gave it away?” You asked confused. You thought you had done a pretty good job of not getting caught so far.

“Your scent and the way you were dressed” He answered.

You looked down at the mismatched item of clothing and felt embarrassed.

“My options were pretty limited.” You admitted.

“What do you mean?” Tae asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I needed clothes… and so I took it from the first person I saw.”

“What do you mean the first person you saw? Did you kill someone already?” Taehyung asked.

“Of course I did. How do you think I got these ugly clothes?”

Taehyung sighed. “I knew you were trouble the moment you walked in… god, there must be cops everywhere trying to fish you out.”

You waved your hands in protest. “No one saw me, I swear!”

He shook his head now.“You don’t know that… and now you probably brought them straight here”

He looked at you again and you became nervous. As opposed to Jungkook who had a kind look to him, both were handsome in their own right but Taehyung gave off a stern look. For a moment, you thought he was going to kick you out.

“If they come in, stick to the story of being my sister.” Taehyung said surprising you.

You looked at him wide eyed and shocked.

“You’re letting me stay here with you?”

Taehyung looked annoyed but nodded. “Of course I am. You’ll probably get caught and die out there without me. I don’t want that on my conscious.”

You glared at him for a moment, but it was true. You didn’t know much and now you had shelter and possibly a new friend.

He got up from his seat to retrieve some items stored in a cabinet nearby. “There’s a bath in the room over there. I’m assuming you know how to use it? Clean yourself properly. Once you’re dried up and in human form again, put on this uniform and come back down.”

Before you could object, Taehyung had thrown something your way.

“What is this?” You asked.

“Do you sing?” He asked ignoring your question.

“I’m a mermaid” You answered. “You know that I do”

“Great. That is your new uniform then” He replied.

“Uniform?” You asked.

“You’re gonna have to work for me if you want to stay.. plus it can be your alibi for now. When word gets out that someone was killed, the police will be going around town. You’re a new face here and an easy target, Y/N. If anyone asks, tell them you are my sister and that you are from out of town. If they continue to ask about you, say you desperately needed a job and that's why you are here.”

He turned back to you and noted the confusion on your face. From across the room, you stared at the flimsy looking material and contemplated throwing it back at him but stopped as he was right.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I’ve never worked before” You confessed. “At least not here on land. I’m used to the sea…”

For a moment, it seemed as if Taehyung understood but then continued. “Don’t worry too much about it. I’ll be here. Plus, I’ll have someone show you around. Now hurry up so we can get back downstairs before anyone suspects anything”

You got up from your seat and walked over to him.

“What is it now?” He asked.

“Thank you.” You said. “I mean it.”

“Don’t thank me yet, Y/N.You have yet to survive the human world”

----

Read PT.2 Here

Masterlist

#bts #bangtan #bangtan boys #bangtan sonyeondan #bts smut #bts angst #v smut #jungkook smut #bts scenario #bts scenarios #kim taehyung #jeon jungkook #bts v #bts jungkook #bts fanfic #bts imagine #bts reactions #bts masterlist

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thecandywrites · 5 years ago

Text

Of Heaven and Fire Part 7

Woo, do we have more characters to introduce you to. Ok, obviously- upper right is inside a hurricane, now imagine more angel looking creatures flying on the inside of it, all of them glittering like gold and diamonds and pearls. Upper middle ish- what a moura mark looks like- now imagine it gold, and at the base of your skull where your head meets your neck. Yes it takes up most of the back of your neck. Yes each one is very intricate and henna styled but different and unique among individuals, like a fingerprint. Ok, once that chain and cuff came off, that silkver rope thing was still there, tied similarly to that, but invisable and while Benyana could feel the effects of it, she couldn’t physically feel it tied around her. Upper right- Benyana.

Now for the guys underneath those pictures. From left to right, Crown Prince Cordene, the son of Crown Prince Delmal who we met in the last part. Next to/ the right of/ him- Lord Suriel, Remiel’s apprentice in the royal court of the crystal angels. to his right, the Lord Ralitar- a minor prince, tasked with finding Benyana, we’ll get to know him later and next to him is the fae Prince Matae. And then if you’ve ever seen Sinbad where Eris pulls Sinbad under the water and how HUGE she is at first- yeah, grandma.

Now the last row- Prince Oriles, think little mermaid but...higher fantasy-ier? And more creature-ish (I know those aren’t really words.) and of course Benyana as a siren, then we have the next to are sirens/mermen who were totally part of that orgy. and last but not least- Brock. He’s so outmanned and outgunned it aint even funny. Luckily our girl is on his side. Caution, the next few parts are gonna be that carcrash that collided with a dumpster fire. It’s gonna get MESSY. I can’t wait. Now, go get some popcorn and/or twinkies and some wine, or any other beverage you prefer.

Also this is going to be relavent- (I’m sorry that gif looks like it’s having a siezure but it’s all I have)

Tagging @probablyclever @imherefortheforthefanart @funmadnessandbadassvikings and if anyone else wants to be tagged, just let me know.

Of Heaven and Fire

Part 7

You woke up to Brock pressing soft kisses into the crown of your head as his arms were wrapped comfortably around you as your body was still pressed up against his. His warmth radiating off of him and seeping into you until you were positively saturated with it and felt it in every inch of you.

“Good morning.” He purred when you woke up, a smile blooming on your face as you stretched out before you relaxed fully against him once more.

“Good morning.” You mirrored, a lazy, sleepy but still sated smile on your lips before he dipped his head down and kissed you good morning, a kiss you returned as you were once again relieved that he was ok, he was safe and sound and having him this close made you feel happy, you could protect him as long as he was near you, the closer the better as you reached around him and started to scratch his back.

“Oh, oh, that feels glorious.” He praised as he gently scooched you back to lay on his belly so you could access all of his back as you giggled and obliged, scratching all over before you moved up and moved his thick braids away from the back of his neck before you were met with a golden tattoo on the back of his neck which made you pause.

All mouras were born with a golden tattoo on the base of their skull where their heads met their necks, usually over an eighth vertebra in their neck since moura’s had naturally long and graceful necks like any proper bird, usually their moura cloak originated from this mark, it was unique like a fingerprint and their moura cloak would have a golden design on it that matched this mark exactly and when the moura cloak laid over this, the moura cloak would stay active, but- if a moura cloak were taken off, and perhaps buried, there was a gold piece of metal, that looked like a metal collar of a dress shirt that would remain once the actual feathers rotted away. A moura cloak could be revived and grow out again IF it was reattached to the wearer and you would bet your life that there was a gold collar belonging to him in TriKeng’s estate, either buried in his garden or in a jewelry box or something, he must have hundreds of them by now, stored away because the gold collars are otherwise indestructible, impossible to melt down or hammer apart or destroyed by any means. The other way to revive it was to be born again in the ashes then the collar would turn to dust wherever it was and reappear on you after you were reborn.

“I see you found my birthmark.” He noted, his voice muffled by your pillow before you traced the pattern, happy he couldn’t see your bittersweet face as you did so.

“Are you the only one in your family with it?” You asked, forcing your tone to be casual as you traced it, it was a gorgeous mark and it complemented his green skin incredibly well before you wrapped your hands around his neck and massaged it, giving yourself to opportunity to feel the vertebrae in his neck as he moaned out a pleasured groan, counting the vertebrae in his neck and counting down from his skull. One... two... three... four... five... six... seven...and eight and you forced yourself not to cry. What a different life he and his family could have had if TriKeng hadn’t been a selfish purist as you realized if TriKeng had actually allowed his mother and her sister in the colony, and welcomed orcs in, you would have grown up with him. He would have absolutely been your friend, possibly a childhood sweetheart and all this mess would have never happened. All because of TriKeng who was the real enemy in all this. You had to figure out a way to get Brock and his family the justice they deserved.

“No, all my siblings and my cousins have a mark like it, but not exactly.” He answered. “But in my clan it’s only my mother and her sister and their children who have it,.” He revealed.

“It’s beautiful.” You praised in a low murmur.

“Thanks.” He smiled as you made a mental note not to let him see yours.

“I noticed last night your tattoos glowed…” You prompted as you traced them over his body before you got to his side which made him squirm, he must have been ticklish which gave you a lopsided grin.

“Yeah, they’ve been doing that a lot lately, it’s honestly, really weird and it freaks most people out.” He answered honestly as you hummed thoughtfully as you realized all those merpeople, that’s what they found most entertaining, is to see you light up as you realized, if anything you were just a passing distraction and fling to them, which you were ok with. Honestly they were that to you too and frankly you didn’t care if you ever saw them again or not. It had been a fun evening, a wild night- that was for sure. But one that you didn’t want or need repeated now that Brock had effectively rocked your world right.

“I noticed your marks do the same, is it a moura thing?” He asked.

“Not necessarily, lots of species have bioluminescence, does it ever hurt for them to light up?” You asked thoughtfully.

“No, actually it feels good.” He answered.

“Good.” You nodded.

“So why do yours light up?” He asked as he turned to look at you which made you smile bashfully as a deep blush dusted your cheeks.

“Well they light up when we heal, as a siren though they were always on, which was nice because deeper water is really dark.” You deflected.

“And obviously when you have sex.” Brock pointed out, bringing you right back to the point.

“They do, but that in itself can be a downside. You grow up seeing your parents room light up a lot and once you’re old enough to understand what’s going on it can be embarrassing and keep you up at night, your older siblings when they reach sexual maturity get sexually frustrated easily and the only thing that can keep the light out is heavy furs which in the summertime is inconvenient because you’re already hot and especially when there is already so many of you sharing a room, you start to get snappy with each other and most in the colony have special doors and shutters on their windows to keep the light in so the whole neighborhood can keep their nose out of your business and apartments with these light proof rooms go for quite a bit of money.” You explained.

“Like how much money?” He asked curiously.

“Well, moura money is in silver, in a colony where everyone can turn everything into gold, moura gold is nothing- that’s what you give the merchants and outsiders, silver and copper is what you use with everyone else in the colony and what you ask for in change from the merchants, true gold however is rare and especially precious and of course hoarded whenever possible. So a decent apartment with the light features goes for about 500 silver ryal a month.” You answered.

“So what’s the difference between moura gold and true gold?" He asked.

“Moura gold behaves like wet clay in the hands of a moura, true gold doesn’t, all merchants think that moura coins are minted to be disks that are slightly curved and printed with a finger print.” You answered as you grabbed a seashell that was used to decorate the wall and turned it to gold and then smooshed it like wet clay and made yourself your own moura gold coin that was slightly curved like your thrumb before you gave it to him and held your breath to see if he had that ability without his cloak as he took it and tried to bend it with his teeth but it wouldn’t budge which made you blow out a silent breath of relief after he gave it back and settled back onto his belly so you could keep scratching his back.

“So that’s why most couples choose to build their own house, carving a place out in the mountain sides and engineering a way to get water into it by pumps and pipes so that each home has plumbing, both to bring water into the house and waste out of it and to catch rain water, a feat made easy since you can buy all the tools and materials from merchants for moura gold which they have no idea is any different and I would greatly appreaciate it if you kept this a secret, mouras can lose everything if this is found out.” You urged him.

“On my honor, I won’t tell a soul.” He vowed which two weeks ago you would have made a snappy comeback to but now, it gave you relief and comfort to hear.

“So with all that considered it’s much cheaper to build a house than it is to rent one, but the location of the house is just as important as the size or kind it is. Houses close to the markets are prime realestate so you don’t have to drag or carry your goods home since most of the passages are too thin for a cart but are ok for a wheelbarrows. The colonies have sectors because many different kinds of moura can make up a colony and so the royal moura who leave the courts to live with us, each court has its own aesthetic and they still like to settle in the part of the city that reminds them of home and each areas compete to see who can build the prettiest buildings or people compete to see who can build the prettiest houses or most decorated areas of town. Usually the bigger the house- the more kids you want and some want to get as far away from their parents as possible and some want to stay as close as possible but mostly location matters if you want to set up a shop, most places, the bottom floor is the shop and the upper floors are the house and moura’s number 1 product is food, food of all kinds there’s entire centers that are hawker centers near the heart of the city where you can go and get dumplings and noodles from the orient- curries from the spice district or all these different kinds of ales from a brewery or even colony specific foods because each colony has it’s own unique dishes it created upon it’s being built, that’s why merchants come from far and wide to sell food stuffs and especially spices of all kinds.” You explained.

“So what are your preferences for food?” He asked.

“Honestly I love it all, but I gotta say seafood is really high up there, that crab and those scallops and shrimp especially” You answered with a fond smile which he returned as his face turned towards you.

“So what’s your preference for a house?” He asked thoughtfully. Oh. Oh gods. Fuck. Your KNEES just got week and you weren’t even on them as a thought of how magnificent he would look building you a house danced in your head. You wondered if he would ever consider leaving the business of warchief behind to live in Suchi, if he would be happy there. Or would you be happy somewhere else? Perhaps, in his clan, on the lovely river with the sound of the sea always in your ears.

“I don’t know, honestly I like a little bit of everything. But having been away from home, I miss my family like crazy, but being away from them has given me opportunities to experience things I probably never would have. I would have never known I had family in the oceans if I hadn’t been on a boat.” You answered and you could see the guilt Brock tried to cover over in his own expression.

“Wait you have family down there?” He asked.

“Oh yeah, it was my grandma that pulled me from the hold. She lives in a nice cave, she’s lined one of her walls with sunken ships and keeps a really big blind shark as a pet and a volcanic vent in the cave keeps things warm and cozy. And it was she who introduced me to the dragons, Yingshen and Pantaou and they are very much old oriental water dragons, guarding a huge nest of eggs that sits on top of the vents and there are huge, just huge schools of fish that swim around the rich waters and the floor is just crawling with crabs and huge lobsters but because it’s so close to the nest, there’s no way to get at any of them because the eggs themselves are delicate and if a crab pod were to land say on an egg, I’m pretty sure they would damage the egg and those dragons would not hesitate to kill whoever was responsible for putting their fishing stuff over the nest.” You answered.

“So what does your grandma look like?” He asked because he had had the most horrific nightmare last night of a huge siren trying to eat him.

“Oh she’s probably two to three times as big as this ship, if not bigger, the deeper things live and the older they get the bigger they get apparently, although my grandma was the only really big siren I met, all the others were my size but they lived in shallower waters in coral reefs and stuff, of course me coming down there was a big deal because after I made that deal with the water dragons, my grandma took me to meet the rest of the family and I got to meet aunts and uncles and a whole school of cousins and all their friends and they got a clam that is- I shit you not- is as big as this bed and they cut it up for all of us to eat and it was really, really delicious, like I’m pretty sure anyone else would die trying to harvest them but man oh man were they good!” You retold with a fond smile.

“So what made you come back?” He asked.

“Well, actually I had a dream my grandma was trying to eat you for enslaving me and she’s big enough and mad enough right now to do both and I wouldn’t put it past her, like part of me really just wants to get you back to shore as soon as possible and I can not begin to tell you the panic I would feel if you were to leave my side right now, it’s ridiculous.” You explained as he rolled over onto his side to face you to listen attentively to you and his face was just fond and adoring as he considered you. Grateful that your connection was strong enough to share dreams now.

“So what kind of beds do they have down there?” He asked, wanting to avoid the subject of your tethering, hoping that now that it wasn’t on you anymore that you would hopefully never bring it up again and hoping that now that you were no longer tethered, that it would be left in the past and that he would hopefully never have to admit what it really was. The fact that it came off proved that you now loved him. It wouldn’t have come off otherwise. You were his. And that’s all that mattered. Everything would be ok and together the two of you could solve all the problems that came against you as a couple. He would happily build you the biggest and best house in the clan, he would even model it after your own home if it meant you wouldn’t get homesick. He would even follow any and all moura courting rituals to make sure you felt that he did right by you and that you felt he earned your love and affections and respect. This hadn’t been nearly as hard as he thought it was gonna be. Now he was just going to enjoy the fruits of the now established relationship.

“Um really big sea sponges and there was a cloth down there that they used for curtains and stuff and it felt like silk but not quite.” You answered, hoping he wouldn’t ask if you actually slept on one.

“Sea silk.” He explained.

“What’s sea silk?” You asked, hoping to distract him by veering the conversation away from the subject.

“It’s a cloth that the merpeople make, I don’t know how they do it but it washes up on shore a lot but if it dries out, it shatters like dried out kelp but as long as it’s wet and stays wet- it’s fine.” He explained.

“Huh.” You murmured as you stored that away mentally.

“Well it’s good that you were with family, they took care of you, I thought whatever had taken you had eaten you shortly after.” He revealed as he scooted closer to you and wrapped an arm around your waist to pull you to himself again possessively which you didn’t mind one bit.

“No,” you shook your head. .

“So what kind of house do you want?” He asked and your cheeks blushed harder as your smile got giddy.

“Well I guess that depends,” you began.

“On?” He asked as his nose danced and encircled yours, his lips so torturously close to yours you could almost taste him as you gulped as lust started to haze your senses as your breathing started to labor again.

“What I can build you?” He offered and the thought melted your heart and you couldn’t take it anymore, you kissed him, hard and murmured an ‘uh huh’ in confirmation as your leg hiked over his hip, your core already dripping in anticipation as it grinded down over his hardening cock before it was hard enough to spear you before you rolled him over to ride him, savoring the feeling of being joined with him as your moura marks lit up and pulsed again as you watched as his tattoos did the same while his eyes drank you in and watched as your lower belly bulged ever so slightly again as he started to fantasize what you’d be like pregnant with his child and it nearly sent him over the edge as he grabbed your hips and drove up into you as you had to brace yourself on his chest again, feeling his heart pound under your palm like a steady drum.

“Gods I love you,” Brock professed and you just beamed before you bent over and kissed him hungrily so you wouldn’t have to answer if your mouth was already preoccupied because returning that didn’t feel...completely honest. Now that the shackle wasn’t on you anymore, you could sense you could lie again. at least partially but you didn’t want to. You didn’t want to be dishonest in this moment. You didn’t want to ruin it and instead you sped up, using every move you had to get him to cum as quickly as possible as your own climax quickly approached as his fingers sunk into your hips, to the point the softness dimpled around his fingertips as he helped move you on him before he rolled you over and really drove into you with much more power than you possessed and it was exactly what you needed to cum, your moura marks getting so bright both of you had to close your eyes to keep you both from going blind.

Once your orgasm finally snapped and flooded you with euphoria and Brock had emptied himself again and you both rested and recovered and basked in the afterglow.

“I love you so much.” He repeated.

“I love you too.” You professed, his bright happy smile making the half truth seem like a whole one as he kissed you sweetly.

“I love you more.” He returned.

“Probably, yeah,” you giggled as he snorted a laugh.

“Well, I’m a patient man, I don’t mind proving it to you every day until your love is as strong as mine.” He insisted.

“That’s gonna be a long time, maybe even a lifetime.” You returned, keeping your tone light and teasing.

“One worth living if it’s with you.” He returned confidently and you hugged him to hide your own guilty expression. Shit. Did you really want to live the rest of your life with him? Would you be happy? Was he really your mate? Well your moura marks shone that it was but right now- you weren’t so sure.

“Ok,” you whispered in his ear as you kissed his cheek and his shoulder and buried all of your doubt before you heard Cugas knock on Brock’s door.

“Brock! Get your ass up! We got a problem!” He hollered.

“What’s wrong?” Brock hollered back. “What the fuck are you doing in Yana’s…” Cugas began before he opened your door to see Brock quickly covering both of you with the blanket and shield your body with his.

“Hey! Hey! Knock bro.” Brock complained as Cugas just stood there, his eyes about to pop out of his head as his jaw hit the floor before he quickly slammed the door shut, splintering the door and the door frame as you and Brock dissolved into giggles before he got off you as your moura cloak became an outfit once more before you wrapped a blanket around himself as he looked at his still sopping wet clothes on the floor.

“Go and get some dry clothes.” You gently urged him before he agreed and took your blanket with him and left your room to see Cugas pacing the hallway about to have a crises as Brock quickly went from your room to his own as you walked over to where the chain had been thrown and picked it up, keeping it away from you just in case it decided to reach out to grab you again like it had a life of it’s own like it was some kind of venemous snake.

“What the hell?” Cugas asked as he came into your room to see you holding the chain as far away from you as you could.

“No way,” Cugas shook his head in disbelief as you laughed mirthlessly.

“So what’s the problem?” You asked.

“Uh, it’s just an entire school of merpeople and selkies and sirens as big as the fleet circling the ship demanding to see you.” Cugas explained.

“Shit, make sure Brock doesn’t go near any windows and doesn’t come to the top deck or he’ll be snatched off the deck and drowned!” You quickly dropped the chain and pushed past him as you rushed down the hall.

“Why?!” Cugas called after you.

“Because they’re really here to kill him!” You answered over your shoulder as you sprouted wings once more and flew out of the first door and flew out of the ship like a bat out of hell before you swam over the water in the eye of the hurricane, watching as everything stopped swimming around the ship and swam so they were under you like a moth to a flame.

“Well that’s the first thing to make sense all morning.” Cugas murmured to himself before Brock came out of his room, barely tucking his shirt into his pants.

“Who’s here to kill me?” He asked before Cugas grabbed him and shoved him into his first mate’s room across the hall on the interior of the ship.

“Everyone apparently.” Cugas answered.

“What are we doing in here?” Brock asked.

“Yana asked me to keep you away from the windows and off the top deck because apparently there’s a giant fucking school of selkies, mermaids and sirens, giant ones, circling the boat that have been demanding to see Yana and right now all the crew is hiding below deck because they will snatch anyone off the deck, I’ve had to knock out several of my crew so didn’t they actually listen to the siren’s song and jump overboard.” Cugas explained as he lit a lantern. “And in the meantime you’re fucking her?! What the fuck?!” Cugas demanded.

“Hey, the cuff came off and she asked me to.” Brock answered, a love drunk haze oh his face as his tattoos started to come alive and pulse again and Cugas could see he was starting to get hard again.

“Yesterday she was ready to set you on fire and today she’s fucking you, what the hell happened between those two points, girls just don’t flip that big of a switch that quick.” Cugas argued disbelievingly.

“Well she met her grandma and met her oceanic family and missed me and had a dream I was in danger and came back.” Brock answered.

“So because she had a bad dream- she came back and forgave you for enslaving her for two weeks and promptly emptied your balls?” Cugas repeated.

“Ew, not like that.” Brock frowned in disgust even though, yes, that was an accurate description of the events.

“Bro, you know I love you like a brother and I have your back, but there is a really, really big piece of the puzzle that’s missing and you’re too love drunk to notice.” Cugas argued.

“Look the shackle is off! That’s proof enough!” Brock argued.

“Well then it’s faulty and broken.” Cugas argued.

“No it’s not!” Brock argued.

“Did she say it? Did she actually say the words ‘I love you’?” Cugas asked.

“Yes!” Brock insisted.

“Did she say it first or did you say it to her and she replied with that?” Cugas asked. “And was your dick in her when she said it? Was she close to orgasm or just had an orgasm? Because you know as well as I do that afterglow makes you say shit you don’t really mean, or better yet, was the shackle on her when she said it?” Cugas pointed out.

“She said it, I believe her, that’s all there is to it!” Brock argued.

“Brock! Bro! Actually think with the brain that’s in your head and not with this.” Cugas said as he slapped at Brock’s hard on as Brock quickly backed up so that he wouldn’t connect with it.

“Bro, something is wrong. I am telling you I feel it in my soul. Something is majorly off and this isn’t adding up! I think she made friends down there and they’re out to do whatever it takes to keep her, she told me to keep you safe which means she knows you’re in danger and is protecting you because even though that tether isn’t physically on her- it’s still active.”

“If that’s the case- she still can’t lie then, so she was telling the truth when she said she loved me.” Brock insisted as Cugas growled in frustration.

“Fine, then believe her, but watch her, let her prove she loves with acts other than sex.” Cugas insisted before he poked his head out of the door and called a crew member to watch Brock so Cugas could go up on deck and see you with his own eyes as he saw you hovering over the surface of the water towards the middle of the eye where the winds and waves were the most calm since there was a current that all the boats stayed in just inside the eye that was traveling with the current of air above it so that meant that one side of the boat had rain and winds while the other had sunshine but a constant breeze in the direction of the hurricane, the water under where you were hovering however was boiling with merpeople as you talked with them before he saw heavenly moura and angels alike flying down from the cyclone and grab you up and fly up into the eye storm and talk to you themselves for a bit as they completely surrounded you before he heard something on the other side of the ship before he turned to see a huge hand come up from the water before it started to reach for him which made him scream which got your attention before you lit up like you were pure fire as you flew across the eye to get to the hand.

“Shit! Grandma no!” You screamed as you dove and collided with the hand, pushing it back the other way until it fell back into the water, leaving a trail of fire in your wake as the hand closed around you before the actual angels dove down into the water before they were swarmed by selkies, merfolk and sirens as Cugas just watched helplessly from the side of his ship, not knowing where to look because obviously it was all out war down there.

“Oh shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, fuck!” He cursed as he got a harpoon and got one of the rowboats ready as he called for his crew to come and help lower him down.

“Captain, you can’t!” They argued.

“Do not disobey my order! Lower me down you can have a mutiny while I’m off the ship!” Cugas roared before they followed his order and lowered him down.

Meanwhile you had flown out to sea, hoping to lure everyone away from the ship, trying to greet them happily as they all clamored for your attention, asking you why you had left.

“I was worried about my friends.” You managed to answer them as they all reached for you but before you could touch any of them, royal heavenly moura and angels came down to you.

“Benyana!” They called making you turn your head up before your angel reflex kicked in again as you felt yourself float up to them as they swarmed you too and flew up with you.

“Yes?” You answered.

“Oh your mother will be most pleased, we must get you home! Your mother came and pleaded to the heavenly moura king to help look for you and you actually came to us! This is the best sign! You’re unharmed, but tethered still.” A young angel said as he came and reached out before an invisible tether glowed around you, it was wrapped and tied around your neck and your body as it suddenly halted you from going any further up into the sky which you were grateful for.

“Wait! Before you take it off, tell me exactly what it is.” You pleaded before the angels inspected it as the heavenly moura inspected your wings, happy to see such a glorious and perfectly symetrical pair you had- gorgeous blue and green shimmering to your feathers showing off your siren heritage as other feathers were shimmering diamond and gold and platinum while all the feathers had opalescent and pearlescent quality to them. I sign of greatness indeed and you were quite gorgeous. Your aesthetic was greater than even their own, and they were royal, supposed to be the most magnificent in the heavens as the young princes grinned at each other, happy that they hadn’t been pressured into marrying anyone yet because that you were obviously a bride worth waiting for, much less fighting for.

“It’s a “truth, love and protection in all things” tether. It keeps you from being dishonest but it’s very weak, here, let us take it off.” They said before the angels pulled at it and it came off and all at once you felt as free as a bird and not tethered anymore and you expected to feel all those affections for Brock reverse but they didn’t. They remained which made you realize that your feelings for him were genuine and wholly your own. “Can I have that back, just in case, it might come in handy later.” You requested before they gave it back to you, now that it was off it was simply a length of silver rope.

“Come, you need to have your angelic ability awakened.” The young angel said before he hugged and kissed you and in that kiss you felt more power than you had ever felt in your life come alive and start to pulse through your veins as your body grew bright as your muscle tone and fantastic body condition came back and a strength you had never felt before flooded your body, you felt you had the power to start flying in the opposite direction of the hurricane and it would stop and swirl in the new direction to follow you. That and Mr. Angel was particularly handsome and a really good kisser and it stole your breath away and made you feel lighter than air.

“What did you do?” You asked as he pulled away, his own eyes hazed with love drunkenness now.

“Well first, I’m Suriel, your grandfather Ramiel is my mentor, he told me to keep a close eye on you as he flew your mother home.” He answered.

“My mother came to the hurricane to ask for the heavenly moura’s help in finding me?” You asked.

“Yes, she was here not even a day ago. My name is Prince Cordene, my father is Crown Prince Delmal who is taking the throne this summer. When the festival ends tomorrow, I will lead the charge of fifty legions to escort you home.” He explained as he took your hand and pulled you away from Suriel to have you to himself before he kissed your hand and looked at you like you were the greatest treasure he had ever laid eyes on.

“And I am also leading a hundred legions of angels to lead you home as well.” Suriel answered as he pulled you back to him as Cordene frowned, not wanting to be outdone.

“Awesome.” You smiled happily before you heard Cugas’ scream.

“Shit! Grandma no!” You screamed as you immediately left the angels and heavenly moura and came to Cugas’ rescue as you flew as fast as you could, your new angel heritage helping immensely, leaving fire in your wake as you flew into her palm and pushed her hand back and then her hand closed around you and pulled you to the ocean as you changed into a siren the moment you touched the ocean, the change being effortless and not hurting at all.

“Grandma! What were you doing! You nearly hurt Cugas! Cugas is a friend, not food! Brock is in the center of the ship and guarded. And no you can’t crush the ship to get at him.” You insisted before you heard the merfolk start to battle the angels that started to dive down after you as you swam to investigate.

“Stop it!” You screamed, your voice enhanced by your siren form and your angelic heritage as the sound made everyone stop and cover their ears as the scream then traveled and broke all the windows on the ships as even the crew on the ships had to cover their ears and those at the bottom of the cyclone faultered.

“Stop fighting! You’re fighting each other for no reason!” You argued as you swam over to them and broke them up before Prince Oriles came to investigate, trident in hand as he stopped and stared at you in awe, you were now by far the most magnificent goddess divine he had ever seen before he noticed the scene.

“Enough.” He said as with a wave of his trident the angels were one side and the merpeople were on the other with you in the middle as he swam around you to get a better look at you.

“I’m Crown Prince Oriles, what seems to be the trouble?” He asked you.

“I was just about to ask that. Seriously? What in the world is going on?” You asked them.

“One at a time.” Prince Oriles said before Suriel came forward.

“This is Princess Benyana Auksa, she is the granddaughter of King Tehnore of the heavenly moura realm, but she is also the granddaughter of Supreme Chancellor Ramiel serving King Madan in the Crystal Realm in the crystal heavens, she is a daughter of Suchi, a mixed moura colony, two weeks ago a clan of orcs, ruled by a moura orc led an attack against Suchi, she led the counterstrike, she turned the tide of the attack and gained victory but in the commotion, she was captured and then enslaved by the moura orc who led the charge and he tethered her to himself using an enchanted silver anklet and an invisible curse which she is now in the possession of.” He explained as you pulled it out of a little purse as you presented it to him.

“Detestable.” Prince Oriles scrunched up his face in disgust as everyone else nodded in agreement as you felt they all collectively looked at the ship and you could sense they were calculating how to wreck it.

“Ok, that moura orc has no idea he’s part moura, someone in Suchi stole his moura cloak when he was an infant and has repeated that heinous crime with all of his siblings and even his mother and her sister and all of her children. Without those cloaks they are powerless, they don’t have any of the gifts moura’s do and restoring to them their birthright and give them justice is now my priority, my own two week enslavement is nothing compared to the 34 years they’ve had to endure without their birthright. It is my responsibility as a daughter to Suchi to clear it of this dishonor and exposing the real wrong do-er in all of this.” You insisted.

“Even if that culprit is as close as a family member?” Suriel asked.

“You say that as if you know exactly who it is?” You challenged before you swam up to him.

“Is the culprit either my father or any of my brothers?” You asked as he grimaced.

“Worse.” Suriel gulped.

“How much worse? My mother or any of my sisters?” You demanded as all he did was swallow as his eyes got wide. “Are you fucking kidding me? Who is it?!” You demanded, the water around you starting to boil.

“TriKeng is Rhoslan and her sister Kalnu’s father, it was he that took their cloaks and took all of their children’s cloaks to bury the fact that the only thing his seed will sprout in is an orc womb.” He answered.

“And where are the cloaks?” You smirked, your hunch was right.

“Buried deep under the ancient tree, impossible to dig up because the three has been growing around them for so long. He has used fae magic to imbed them in the tree.” Suriel answered.

“And that tree is ancient and blessed and the whole colony would be against me destroying it to retrieve them.” You realized. TriKeng had wisdom and age on his side and many things working in his favor. But you were undeterred.

“But back to you dearest.” Your grandmother interjected. “Your majesty, she’s also the daughter of my son Rhen, who is a siren halfing I bore when I lived on land about 50 years ago. She has also obviously inherited the siren heritage as well, and only last night she finally got to meet her oceanic family but was pulled away because of that damn tether. Which when her father Rhen came looking for her in the oceans only yesterday, that tether nearly strangled her and choked her when he got too close, what kind of monster puts such a thing on another creature? Especially one as precious, magnificent and treasured as she is?” She demanded trying to focus the blame back on Brock.

“True.” Prince Oriles conceded.

“So. Where is her captor?” He asked.

“On that boat.” She pointed to the ship before you put the tether away before he lifted his trident to destroy it.

“Wait, don’t do destroy the ship!” You requested as you reached out and pulled the trident back as he looked at you strangely as he noticed the trident obeyed you. The trident was only handable by royalty and this was proof you were of royal blood and therefore more than worthy to be his queen and his trident took to you well.

“The ship’s captain is a good friend of mine, he’s been fighting for my freedom since he laid eyes on me and his crew is good, the whole fleet is great and are just innocent fishers in all this. Please don’t destroy all of them just to destroy one man.” You pleaded.

“So mild and kind despite the abuse you suffered.” He cooed as he reached up and held your face in his hand, marveling at the softness of it. Softer than seasilk itself as your whole body just glowed with untapped power and potential.

“I am the one wronged, therefore let the vengeance be mine and mine alone to get. Besides, I’m a much bigger fan of making love instead of war.” You countered, knowing that was the best way to wrap him around your finger as he was hooked like any good fish on the line.

“Besides, right now, I feel my home is in Suchi unless a greater one can be offered to me. For now, bless all who wish to- to follow me home, and if my angelic and heavenly moura brethren will help me, let Suchi be the host of this year’s summer solstice festival.” You offered which appeased everyone before you broke the surface to tell the heavenly moura who were hovering over the surface of the water which they eagerly took before they kissed you excitedly and then left to rejoin the others in the cyclone before two doors opened up underwater to reveal an elven prince and a fae prince.

‘You have got to be kidding me.’ You thought to yourself before you swam up to them.

“Hello,” you greeted as both of them looked at you in awe.

“Are you here to take me home?” You asked as they both nodded dumbly, unable to really speak because you were that bewitching as you swam even closer to them so that you could see both of them out of their portal doorways at the same time.

“Well there’s no need, I already made a deal with the Hurricane Breaker Clan, when this fleet sails back to their harbor, they’ll escort her home.” Your grandmother revealed as a chill traveled down your spine. Fuck. The enemy of my enemy is my friend- well played grandma.

“Yes, but when I do get home, I just asked the heavenly moura and the angels here if they would convince the elders of Suchi to hold the summer solstice there, it’s a moura coming of age festival and it will be mine this summer. If you wish for a chance to court me, court me as a moura first then as you wish to second, I swear I’ll give you an equal footing with everyone else.” You promised as both of them nodded dumbly.

“Now, go and make ready for my arrival.” You urged them before you blew a kiss at them and that was more than enough for them both to close the doors and retreat out of there along with the angels before you addressed the merfolk that had remained.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a captain to reassure that he and his fleet aren’t in danger, and it would mean a lot to me if you didn’t try to harm them or the ship or the fleet, actually, you know what? Grandma, if you could go to Pantaou and Yingshen, and request that when the hurricane dies down, I’ll have the fleet drop the nets, if all of you would be oh so kind as to steer the various schools of fish into the nets and if you could get all the best crabs into the crab pods and stuff them full and make sure they don’t disturb the water dragon nest, and grandma if you could ask the dragons to just ice the holds for the fish. I want them to stay frozen long enough that we can go straight up the river to the foot of the mountain and have someone bring a crane and we can pull the blocks of iced fish right out of the boats and load them onto carts and I want the river deep and wide enough that the boats can sail right up the river with ease, Suchi has never had good seafood and they’ll need it for the festival especially. I want the Stormbreaker Clan to have all the proceeds from the sales of the fish. But if Hurricane Breaker clan will ensure their safe arrival and that no one from Stormbreaker will be harmed at all. Since Stormbreaker itself was led by someone who was simply misguided. A mistake that shouldn’t cost them everything, especially their lives, the sins of one shouldn’t endanger everyone else.” You insisted.

“Consider it done.” Prince Oriles agreed.

“Thank you so much.” You cooed to everyone as you swam around them, kissing all of them sweetly, grinning when they seemed to fall under a spell you weren’t knowingly casting but in this moment, you were going to use everything at your disposal to protect Brock and his family and clan.

“Now, go get ready for the party of your lives in just a couple of short months.” You cooed before they all all swam away except for Prince Oriles and your grandma.

“Grandma, was one of your terms to Hurricane Breaker Clan that they would feed you Brock?” You questioned.

“You’re very astute.” She praised. “Well, you must fill your hunger differently, because Brock is mine and I will exact my vengeance how I see fit, I’m certainly powerful enough to exact it myself. Trust me to do this at least for myself.” You pleaded.

“Oh come on,” she complained before you got infront of her face.

“Grandma, swear to me you won’t harm him, or anyone else from Stormbreaker. Please.” You pleaded.

“Fine, I swear.” She swore.

“Thank you.” You thanked her before she swam down to meet with the dragons.

“Till we meet again Prince Oriles.” You dismissed him but he didn’t take the hint, he just reached out and wrapped an arm around you and kissed you deeply as you kissed him back, hoping that would be enough to get rid of him. And while he tasted really good, it still just wasn’t quite right either.

“Ok, enough, enough, I need to get back to keep my hosts from worrying too much about me, but I look forward to seeing you again soon.” You cooed before you gave him another parting kiss and made sure he was gone and out of sight before you swam over to Cugas’ little row boat and he nearly shot you with the harpoon before you put your hands up in surrender.

“Woah, don’t shoot, it’s just me,” you offered before you climbed into the boat and changed back into yourself, spitting all the water that had been in your lungs over the side of the boat before you changed back.

“Are you ok?” He asked worriedly.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just stopped a world war.” You answered as you wrung out your hair.

“Is that what that was?” He asked as he started to row back to the ship.

“Yeah, so, uh, we’re both blessed and fucked.” You leveled at him.

“Yeah, I figured. Brethren?” He mused.

“Ha! Oh yeah, almost all of them in fact, so come to find out, my mother somehow has two fathers and a third adopted one, one is a very high ranking angel in the crystal heavens that encircle the planet, her other father is King Tehnore of heavenly moura who they both have finally, after 45 years of her life have finally come forward to claim her however Elder TriKeng has been my adopted grandfather ever since we moved to Suchi. So now once this festival hurricane dies tomorrow, fifty legions of heavenly moura and a hundred legions of angels are going to escourt this fleet all the way back to the harbor and then back to Suchi.” You informed him.

“Fuck.” Cugas gawfed.

“Oh but that’s not all, Suchi is going to host this summer solstice. And not just all the mountain moura will be in attendance, all the angels, heavenly moura, elves, fae and merfolk are coming because now Prince Oriles down there is going to gift every merperson the ability to come out of the water and be on dry land for as long as they want to to also attend the solstice in Suchi.” You revealed.

“Holy shit.” Cugas blinked in surprise.

“Yep, and now because I’m now the claimed granddaughter of a king of heavenly moura that makes me a princess and because I’m also part angel and part siren, I’m now apparently the most wanted bride everyone has ever seen in their lives and no man, well other than you- can look at me without practically falling in heads over heels for me and all of them want Brock dead because he’s the only thing between them and me. Do you have any idea what I had to do to keep him alive?!” You complained which made Cugas grin as he rowed.

“I can’t even imagine.” Cugas answered.

“Brock isn’t gonna like this but it’s the only way to keep him alive, much less your clan alive, one heavenly moura could burn the clan to the dirt, fifty thousand of them...much less a hundred thousand angels they could scorch the continent a million times over, there’s no way Stormbreaker would survive.” You fretted as you just sat there and held your head in your hands as he rowed the boat back to the ship.

“So you said something about blessed or was that the blessed part?” He asked.

“No, that was the fucked part. The blessed part is once the hurricane dies- drop the nets and the sirens will herd all the fish you can candle into the nets and drop the pods and they’ll place them around the dragon nest and personally herd all the lobsters and crab into them. And then once everything is on board, the dragons will ice the holds because I know for certain that Suchi and the other mountain colonies would give you all the gold you can stand for that fish, all we need is a way to pick the iced blocks out of the ship and put them on carts and by the time the carts make it up the pass, the ice should melt enough that the fish will be easy to get and easy to sell and no one will get sick eating spoiled seafood.” You explained.

“Oh that’s a genius move!” He praised.

“Thank you.” You smiled.

“Wait, that was your idea?” He asked.

“Yeah, while they’re so eager to please me for some unknown reason- might as well maneuver things to the best possible advantage. Besides, I have someone in Suchi I want you to meet.” You grinned mischievously.

“Oh yeah? Who?” He asked curiously.

“My brother Adris.” You grinned.

“How much is he like you?” He asked a goofy grin started to spread on his face.

“More than he likes to admit, but you offer him my room on your ship and offer to take him to the sea to meet his oceanic family while you fish again or better yet, once we’re in Suchi, you feed him seafood like you fed me seafood and he’ll be trying to choke on your cock for dessert.” You revealed.

“Is he as pretty as you?” Cugas asked eagerly.

“Oh, much prettier. And you are so his type. Huge powerful muscles, captain of your fleet and a heart of gold and the fact that you’ve been fighting for my freedom since day one is going to go a very long way and your sympathy and empathy and easy going nature when you’re off the ships and in private are going to be huge draws for him. Like he’ll teach you all the dances for the solstice and I’m pretty sure he’d like to stake a claim before the solstice even starts so you can’t be stolen away by a prettier face with finer dance moves. By the way are you a bottom or a top? Because he’s a bottom.” You revealed.

“Top.” Cugas couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yes,” you cheered, having wanted to play matchmaker with Cugas since you met him as he managed to row the boat back to the ship and the crew was able to bring the boat back up to the deck and once you got on the deck you went back to your room where you laid out the rope and the chain, just looking at them though made your anger rage before you went to Brock’s room to get your blanket back, grateful he wasn’t in there and cleaned up the rest of your room, hanging up the wet clothing and towels so they would dry out as your side of the ship was facing the storm before Brock slipped into the room.

“Oh good, you’re safe,” Brock blew out a breath of relief before he hugged you from behind and while you wanted to enjoy it, your anger started to boil before you pushed him off of you.

“Get off!” You grunted as you pushed him away, a feat made much easier with your returned strength and new abilities before you got his wet clothes off the line and pushed them into his chest.

“What, I don’t, I don’t understand…” He answered as he looked at you in confusion.

“I am so angry at you right now and I need time and space to think ok?!” You snapped at him as you started to aggressively clean your room, a trait you learned from your mother.

“Well, let’s talk it out. We can figure this out.” He insisted as he got a chair and sat down and you wanted to rip his head off of his body but instead you grabbed the silver rope and the silver belt and lead and threw them at him.

“Tell me exactly what those fucking things are!” You roared but he caught them before they could collide with his face.

“It doesn’t ma- ah!” He flinched as he dropped them because they burned him.

“Oh, this works.” You grinned before you took the chain and wrapped it around his wrist before it tied itself snugly.

“For once, don’t lie to me, tell me the truth and the whole truth, what are these things?” You demanded as the chain got long enough that you could walk across the room to get a chair before you sat down far enough away that he was out of reach.

“They’re…” He began as he tried to take it off but it just tied itself around him like a snake and you just shook your head.

“Wow, you don’t really love me do you? Because if you really did, you’d be honest with me without me having use magical means.” You spat as he just looked wounded that you would say such a thing.

“I do love you!” He insisted.

“Then why did you enslave me?!” You demanded.

“Because there was no other way to keep you!” He finally confessed.

“Look, I was... am…, fuck, still very desperate ok? You’re a moura, the most angelic being to walk the face of the earth and I know I don’t deserve you in my life and the world thinks that orcs are barbaric stupid meatheads who only know war and fighting and that’s not true! My clan is young and small and we’re trying to abandon the old ways so that we can embrace a new way of living that doesn’t involve us risking our lives for things like food or clothing.” He explained.

“So how does enslaving me help with any of that?” You asked.

“Because you’re my mate! Mates are supposed to walk with you through life and you’re supposed to help and support each other and all anyone ever sees when they look at me is either someone to fear or someone to manipulate. All the women in my clan all want me just so that they can be warchieftess, everyone outside of my clan wants nothing to do with me because I’m an orc and my people have been the enemy of everyone for all of history and I can’t be Warchief without a warcheiftess or even a warlord by my side and my dad is getting old and I’m running out of time and our enemies are growing stronger but we’re growing weaker and I need you to help me and I know I fucked up. I know I did, and I will always regret the way I did things with you until the day I die. But this was the only way I knew how to even get to you because you’re special! You’re supposed to be different from everyone else! You have magic and abilities and power that I can only dream of and ever since the Shaman showed me a vision of you I haven’t been able to hardly eat or sleep or anything until you could be a part of my life and it was like I was possessed and I knew if I didn’t get to you sooner than later, before the summer solstice that you were going to choose someone else and I’d be lost and my clan would implode or dissolve and our territory would be lost and we would all just end up being slaves to others and I can’t let that happen, my family has worked too hard their whole lives just for everything to be lost because Suchi wouldn’t even open it’s gates to us. Every successful kingdom has a moura ruling by their side and they’re all just...so happy and their kingdoms thrive and peace envelops them and they have no problems and all they know is ease and success.” He explained, oh if only he knew the treachery within the royal moura households.

“I went to the Shaman who told me all about the moura to begin with and he told me that my soulmate was a woman by the name of Benyana who was more beautiful than the moon and the stars in the heavens or the sunrise and sunset and he gave me a vision of you and of us and how happy we would all be and a vision of what our clan would become with you as warchieftess and how we would handle each problem together and find solutions and that you were a daughter of Suchi, a moura who would unlock all those secrets and gifts and would bless the clan and we would be the first of the orcs to lead a new way of life and that the clan would reap from Suchi. All I had to do was go to the gates and that you would come to me and all I would have to do is reach out and touch you and you would be mine.” He explained.

“So I went and I was stopped at the base of the mountain and the merchants stopped me from even climbing the trail and the other orc clans thought I was a scout for an army and nearly killed me before I had to flee for my life and so I came back home and regrouped and went back five times, each time, the merchants would send word to Suchi and the gate would be closed by the time we got up there and then we met with the elders who cursed us before they would even hear us out. And I just had had enough, so we surrounded the city at the base of the mountain so they couldn’t warn Suchi of our arrival and the shaman gave us all magic spells in glass jars, all we had to do was break the jars when we were at the gate and weapons big enough and strong enough to break the walls would come out and when we broke the jars, trebuchets came spilling out and piles of meteorite balls and so we attacked.” He revealed.

“And I knew it would take longer for you to like me, let alone love me but it was the only way I knew how to get to you and when I heard your voice giving orders, I froze and I nearly died but I knew your voice like my own and when you came out of the flames at me I knew that that was my chance so I called to you and you just hovered there as a bird so I figured you were just a shapeshifting moura and once I had you, I ordered the retreat and when I got back I went to the Shaman again and he tied the silver tether around the silver cuff and chain and it disappeared and told me to put this on you and that it would keep you with me and it protect both of us and would come off when you loved me and when it came off, you wouldn’t fly away, you would stay with me because you wanted to.” He revealed and your heart broke.

“Do you have any idea what the ramifications of taking me will be?” You questioned your sternness softened considerably.

“Well I figured you’re gonna be resentful for a while.” He admitted.

“Yes, that’s true, but this is now so much bigger than just you and me Brock. Look. I’m not just a normal run of the mill moura, since I left, my mother went back to the heavens where she proved out to be the king’s daughter. Which makes her a princess and makes me a princess and therefore- worth something to them, to all of them, apparently. Tomorrow, when the hurricane festival ends- fifty thousand heavenly moura will surround this ship and escort me home. If that wasn’t all, my mother has two fathers- don’t ask me how, I don’t know, but my mother’s second father is somehow an angel, who is a grand chancellor of the crystal heavens, who is sending a hundred thousand angels to also escort me home. One heavenly moura could burn the clan to ashes. One crystal angel can destroy the continent, they are sending enough fire power to destroy the planet thousands, if not millions of times over. And if that wasn’t all, my grandmother, my father’s mother, the giant siren three times as big as the ship? She made a deal behind my back with Hurricane Breaker Clan who will be at the docks waiting for us, who will also be tasked with escorting me home and then she demanded that once I’m home, they escort you back to her by whatever means necessary where she gets to eat you and I can tell you now there isn’t a place you go and run away from or sail away to that you won’t be found. And if that wasn’t enough, someone- if I had to guess, Elder TriKeng, my adopted grandfather- has also tasked a Fae Prince and an Elven Prince to come to my rescue too and they’ve been searching all the realms and found me in the oceans just now, each of them has an army a hundred times bigger than Hurricane Breaker. And if that wasn’t enough, I now have a merman prince who controls the literal oceans trying to court me too. You may have captured me but there is no way you get to keep me and live.” You implored as you scooted closer to him to grasp his hands. “Do you know what I had to do to just get everyone to agree to not kill you immediately? I had to agree to give everyone a shot at courting me, and I literally had to pull my grandma’s hand back from crushing this ship and drowning the crew just to kill you and I had to pull back Prince Oriles’ trident back from destroying the ship to kill you too. I may be strong and powerful but even I can’t fight all of them off. I’m sorry. It’s literally you against the rest of the world for me at this point. And I know for certain that one wrong move on my part- everything turns to shit and everyone dies. Fae’s don’t take rejection well like they would murder everyone in my family, in Suchi and in your clan if they find anything offensive because Fae have thier own set of rules and they are harsh and deadly. I had to agree to at least court all of them just so they didn’t kill you or at the very least the rest of your clan.” You revealed as Brock just stared at you, an unreadable expression on his face before he turned and thought for a moment.

“Is there any way you can get- in writing, the rules and steps associated with each way each of them courts? Is there any way you can set out the definitions and parameters to be courted? Like no matter the outcome- none of the competitors can harm either you or your family or your colony or the other competitors, make it as fair of a game as possible? But one that I can play and hopefully win?” He proposed as you blinked in surprise at him before you promptly launched yourself into his arms and kissed him all over which made him laugh as he held you, the chain easily falling from him as he held you and kissed you back and hugged you tight. Still, just so happy you came back to him.

“Are you sure you’re going to be ok with that and keep your cool? Because I’m pretty sure part of every courting ritual is a coupling session.” You winced.

“It’s your body to do with as you please, as long as your heart stays mine, I don’t care.” Brock insisted.

“Well now my body is mine.” You chuckled.

“Yeah, I know, I made a huge mistake and I should have found another way to go about it and I will be forever sorry about it and maybe one day I’ll be able to make it up to you.” He apologized which made you smile before you ground down on his hardening member starting to poke at your center before you realized- sex with him should be the benchmark moving forward.

“It’s going to be ok, we’ll get through this together ok?” He proposed as he broke for air.

“Sex then paperwork?” You proposed.

“Deal.” He laughed as he picked you up and carried you to bed and pulled off the covers as your moura cloak became a full body tattoo once again before he rolled you over to fuck you in the doggy styel position as you made sure your neck craned up so that your skin would cover over your own moura mark at the base of your head but a good back scratch had you curving your spine the other way so he would scratch all of it, which of course, had your hair falling forward and just as he entered, he froze.

"What the fuck…" He breathed before his finger reached out and touched your gold moura mark with a ghost like softness.

Fuck. He found your mark.

"OK I can explain…" You began.

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