#the hostile mermaid (m)

[throughthewaves-if]

What do the RO’s look like?

I’ll add the other RO’s appearances here when I announce them.

S- S is 5’9 with tanned skin, straight blonde hair cut along the jawline and left as is, and light blue eyes. Sophia typically wears sundresses with a floppy hat and Simon usually wears a white button-down with some buttons opened at the top and matching white shorts and sunglasses. 

I- Mermaids are huge, so I is around 7ft. Their skin is bronze and their hair is dark and coily and reaches just past their shoulders. Their eyes are purple, and so is their tail. Their tail is a dark iridescent purple with multiple fins on the side of it, and the large fin at the end of their tail has a very ribbon-like texture. As for their chest, Idris is completely bare-chested, while Iris I’d imagine uses some kind of seashell bra with various jewelry pieces decorating it. Most likely because she saw human women covering their chests when they wore swimsuits and thought it looked cool. Here’s a reference for their tail and bra, in case you wanted it.

M- Again, mermaids are huge, so M is around 8ft. Their skin is porcelain and their hair is dark and wavy. Madeline’s hair reaches her mid-back, and Malachi’s hair reaches just below his eyebrows. Their eyes are a forest green color, and their tail is completely black with two fins on the side, and their large fin has a similar texture to that of a bat wing. As for their chest, both Madeline and Malachi are completely bare-chested. Here’s a reference for their tail, in case you wanted it.

A- A is around 8 feet tall (or would long be a better word for a mermaid?). Their skin is a honey tone, and their curly hair is a medium brown. A’s hair reaches their mid back, and their eyes are golden brown. Their tail is gold and blue, with two large fins on the side and the large fin at the end having a very satiny? texture. As for their chest, Altair has some scales running up the left side of his chest and along his arm, and Astrid has scales running up the sides of her torso and covering her chest. Here’s a reference for their tail, in case you wanted it.

L- L is 6’2 and has beige-colored skin, with wavy brown hair that touches Luca’s forehead and Leilahni’s shoulders. L has light greenish-blueish eyes, like the color mint. L is mostly seen in their red bathing suit, but they can be found in tank tops/crop tops and denim shorts when they're not. 

T- T is 6’4 with an umber skin tone with brown eyes. T has black coily hair. Theodore keeps his cut close to his scalp and left as is, while Thalia’s reaches her jawline and is also usually left as an afro. Thalia is usually seen wearing a loose striped shirt with the front tied and white shorts. Theodore wears a button-striped shirt with the top buttons open and white shorts.

Are the mermaid tails inefficient and unrealistic? Maybe, but who cares. Fantasy logic, right?

[depthsasunder-if]

Depths Asunder is an 18+ pirate interactive fiction infused with magic. It follows you, a young and fresh pirate captain, contracted to find a gem that is rumored to manipulate life and death to the wearer. It's a race against other crews who are just as determined to fulfill the contract and collect their riches.

[DEMO TBA] 𓊝 [CHARACTER POSTS]

Content warnings include violence, suggestive themes, substance use, gore, dark themes, emotional turmoil and more.

Your mother was a legend in the seas; a revered pirate captain, her legacy has followed you even after her death. All you want is to live up to the legacy she has given your family name, though all you've amounted to so far is the occasional thievery to survive.

When you're contracted by rich and powerful noble you're promised a swell of riches. In return, you must find and bring back a rare treasure that holds power beyond anything you know. Countless crews have attempted to find it, only to either end up dead or lost.

Now, it's your turn to collect your crew and bring your ship to the sea. You'll go up against not only dangerous mythological creatures of the sea but other ruthless pirates determined to find the treasure before you.

As you travel through the world of Sikara, you'll find that there's an even bigger mystery afoot. Will it all be worth it?

Customize your pirate captain from identity, your nickname, pronouns, gender which changes the story, appearance, personality.

Decide what kind of pirate captain you are: are you a bloodthirsty pirate hellbent on destruction? Or a merciful captain paving a new path? Do you treat your crew with kindness or hostility? Are you relaxed or a dictator?

Customize your ship: name your ship, choose the look, the features and enchantments. Will it help you during your sea battles?

Stop at different locations: will you raid like a typical pirate or help the locals? Will you steal treasure?

Customize your crew and decide who joins you on your journey. And who walks the plank.

Romance a slew of characters that include your ruthless rival, a merperson, a stowaway, the person who contracted you, and your best friend.

Play a character-driven narrative that is both on land and in sea. Discover what Sikara has to offer.

Captain Morgan 'Deadeye' Price [m or f]: Morgan is the bloodthirsty captain of the Lady Triton. They also happen to be your biggest rival, seeing as they're the child of the pirates that killed your mother. Morgan is bloodthirsty, unforgiving, cold and arrogant, and is determined to find the treasure. Part of you thinks they care less about the coin and more about beating you....and eventually killing you.

𓊝 enemies to lovers, rivals

Anton/Antonia St. Marteen [m or f]: The nobleman/woman who contracted you. They insisted on joining you on your travels, determined to see the treasure for themself. You don't know much about them other than the fact that they are stinking rich, which is all you need to know. Unfortunately, being on the sea with them means you're their unofficial bodyguard.

𓊝 bodyguard romance (MC is the bodyguard), forbidden, opposites attract (noble and pirate)

Castor Morgana [m or f]: the stowaway that hid in your ship alongside their sister, Ruth. Majority of your crew wants them thrown overboard, though a few think Castor can be helpful to the cause. It's up to you to make the final choice.

Gaelin 'Straightlace' Haval [m or f]: your best friend, second-in-command, and advisor. Gaelin is levelheaded, logical, serious, and deals little with emotion. They also seem to be the only one who cares little of pirate culture. They just want the mission done.

𓊝 best friends to lovers, opposites attract (possibly)

Sage/Soren of The Sea [m or f]: a mermaid/merman who, in a series of events, ends up on your ship. It's lucky that they grow legs off-sea, but no matter how human they look, they treat you as an enemy. Pirates and merpeople don't mix, and Sage/Soren is determined to keep a distance, even if the world of humans interests them so. They don't trust you, not with all the blood that's been spilled from both sides.

𓊝 romance with merperson, forbidden, doomed romance

Ruth Underwood [non-RO]: Castor's younger half- sister. She seems to have taken a liking to you, following you around like a puppy. How you deal with her is up to you.

+ and more!

Development of Depths Asunder will fluctuate based on my free time. I hope you like it and join me on this voyage :)

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

Authors On THG Writing Hiatus Masterlist (10)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 /

***Active (on this blog) is defined as a blog/writer who has updated within the past year. Inactive (on this blog) is defined as a blog/writer that has not been updated at all in the past year+. On THG Writing Hiatus (on this blog) is a blog/writer who has updated within the past year but has not posted a fanfic in the fandom in the past year BUT they may return to writing in the future. Lists will be updated as needed based on activity. ***

Created: November 17th, 2023

Last Checked:----

SereneCalamity-ff.net

Popular Fic: Combining Fates They were from completely different worlds; he was an over-privileged playboy and she was an angry foster kid with a tendency to smoke too much. But there was something about her that made her stand out. Everlark.

slstrow-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Extra Credit Professor Mellark teaches art history at Panem State University. Katniss is a student in over her head in a class she doesn't need to take. When Katniss gets a poor grade on a paper she turns to Professor Mellark for some extra credit only to find her attraction to him overtakes her good senses and her extra credit turns into something more.

sohypothetically-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Girls Night Out Present day A/U. Johanna Mason copes with a breakup the only way she knows how: going on a man-hunt. She brings her roommate Katniss Everdeen with her and the rest is frat party history. Rated M for explicit language, sexual innuendo, and general snarkiness. Written for Prompts in Panem Places Challenge, Prompt: Frat House. (Ships: Jo/other, Everlark, Gadge, Odesta -- also, major death is not any of the main THG characters)

the-true-mockingjay-ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Baby Bliss Katniss finds out she's pregnant, how will Peeta take the news? A story of Katniss and Peeta's lives through their first pregnancy. 2 years post-mockingjay. R&R. Boy or Girl? Everlark fluff.

TheMaryScribbler-ao3, tumblr

Popular Fic: Forsaken Panem Fleet's annual raid is coming up and Katniss Everdeen will do whatever she can to keep her sister from being discovered and deserted... Even if it means volunteering to become one of the Forsaken. From her home on Station 12 to being deposited on a possibly hostile planet Katniss was ready for anything. Except perhaps her companion. The boy with the bread who was a hidden illegal just like her sister. Will his utter fascination in all the things he has never seen drag her into dangers she could have never imagined? Probably.

TheWeekendSinner-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: The Song Before Dawn Katniss Everdeen doesn’t believe in fairytales. That is, until she meets the strange and hauntingly beautiful creature of the sea, Peeta Mellark. AU. Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”

WildcatPAcer-ao3

Popular Fic: 1 Moment Can Last Forever ""Hey." It takes me a minute to realize that the greeting actually came from me. That I've stopped right behind him, my books hugged to my chest." What if Katniss let go of her pride and thanked Peeta for the bread right off? Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly… Friends-to-lovers, over years. A no-arena Everlark slow burn to end all slow burns!.

wollaston-ao3, ff.net, tumblr

Popular Fic: Alone in a Crowded Room After suffering a serious injury at the hands of his mother, Peeta begins treatment with Mrs. Everdeen. When Katniss is asked to help with his treatment things take an unexpected turn.

writinginthedust-ao3, tumblr

Popular Fic: Into the Woods This was written ages ago for Everlark Birthday Gifts. I can't remember the prompt/ request but they asked for smut and so smut I gave.

[emcads]

complaining about 4 & 5 in the tags so don’t read if u love them 

[drarryspecificrecs]

2022.10 ~ Top 7 longest fics posted on AO3

1. How It Haunts Me by @everything-a-wolf-could-want [E, 125k]

►When Harry escapes from Malfoy Manor and takes the rest of Voldemort's prisoners with him, the Dark Lord isn't pleased...and it's Draco who is punished for it. After more than a month of imprisonment and abuse at Voldemort's hands, the Dark Lord finally falls, leaving Draco broken and unstable. To avoid Azkaban, Draco must complete his final year at Hogwarts, and there's no way he can manage it without help. // Harry has no desire to be anyone's master; especially not Draco Malfoy. But he owes both Narcissa and Draco a hefty debt and this may be the only way to repay them. Besides, all he has to do is get Draco through the school year... right?

2. Sublimation (I Can’t Contain This Anymore) by @boldlyinnocent317 [E, 75k]

►Just another eighth year tale where Harry is obsessed in more ways than before, Hermione doesn’t know it all for once but Ron does and so does everyone else truth be told, Blaise is too fucking cryptic and Draco just wants to be alone and smoke his cigarettes in peace. Besides, it’s all Ginny’s fault, of course. Maybe Pansy can sort that out or... make it worse?

3. What We'd Rather Leave Forgotten by @robinbuckllly [E, 72k]

►[...] “Is there some other element of my service that was unsatisfactory for you?” Draco asked, rather hostilely. “Or were you just planning on standing there for a while, continuing to make irrelevant points?”

4. Ocean Man by @steampunkserpent27 [M, 64k]

►A young Harry Potter joins a crew of pirates, hoping to find adventure and a new life, but instead finds an injured Draco hiding away on the ship. Mermaid scales hold a very high monetary value, meaning they are killed on sight by all pirates. Harry just can't figure out how Draco got onto the ship or what is wrong with him, he certainly acts strange. Now faced with a difficult choice, he will have to decide who he really wants to be.

5. Life at Victoria Road five by @fanarthasmyheart [T, 64k]

►With nowhere else to go, a washed-up Harry Potter crashes on Draco Malfoy’s couch, disrupting the domestic life at this fresh dad’s two-bedroom, Muggle walk-up. From his spot on the couch, Harry watches Draco navigate the wonders of fatherhood. Draco, meanwhile, struggles to understand his urge to take care of his former enemy (it must be the paternal instinct).

6. Beyond the Garden by kateliz [M, 63k, series]

►Draco, Harry, and the gang are settling into their Eighth Year of Hogwarts, trying to overcome the trials of the past years and forge ahead into the future. Draco is wrestling with his wolf-side as Harry struggles to find out who he wants to be, not without needing to contend with some newfound abilities. Draco and Harry work to navigate peacetime, but not before having to confront some ghosts of the past.

7. too bad by @alaniarampigkonia [M, 43k, series]

►Deneb Malfoy and her friends return to Hogwarts for their eight year, hoping to put their past behind them. The problem comes when old feelings resurface and new ones emerge. None of them are going to experience the calm year they so desperately want. /// Or, the year Hanna Potter and her friends become the catalyst for new beginnings.

※ HONOURABLE MENTIONS :

8. Mountain Sound by @steampunkserpent27 [M, 51k]

►Harry is a vampire in a world where vampires have been nearly hunted to extinction. He is on the run, constantly hiding from hunters and looking for the next place to hunker down. He's on the edge of his rope, when he runs into a nervous boy named Draco, who is terrified of vampires. Draco being lonely himself and thinking Harry is human, invites him to stay while his father is away.

—

※ Word count: 1k ~ 15k

※ Word count: 15k ~ 40k

Because I Knew You (I Have Been Changed For Good) by DracoWillHearAboutThis [T, 23k]

The Bleeding Bite by THE_Machine [M, 18k]

Draco Malfoy's Most Inconvenient Client Yet by greenflowerpot [M, 17k]

Expectations by MrsRupertGrint1769 [E, 33k]

Fake Pretend by suhtmuikkis [T, 28k]

Haunting Perfect by Elisedeluxe [T, 30k]

Pirates, Princes, & Something More by yinysol [E, 33k]

Terms of Endearment by charlie_weasleys_gf [T, 15k]

Travelling Into Your Arms by @tink-wondering [E, 17k]

—

Ongoing Fest/Exchange

※ Fics would be listed elsewhere.

2022 Harry/Draco Food Fair | @hd-fan-fair

Fanatical Fam's Harryween Writing Comp 2022

[bananaslugmothbee]

Make a g/t oc!

Choose your favorite:

chocolate = giant

vanilla = tiny

strawberry = shifter

Choose your favorite:

dog = male

cat = female

snake = non-binary

bird = trans man

bunny = trans woman

rat = demigirl

mouse = demiboy

lizard = genderfluid

horse = agender

goat = bigender

ferret = intersex

fish = pangender

Choose your favorite meme:

No b*tches? = Straight

Amogus drip = Lesbian

Buff doge vs cheems = Gay

Always has been = Pansexual

Trade offer = Bicurious

Gigachad = Androsexual

juan = Gynosexual

This is fine = Polysexual

We are not the same = Queer

Ight imma head out = Bisexual

Flex tape = Ceterosexual

Mr Incredible becomes uncanny = Omnisexual

Favorite time of day:

Morning = Aroace

Afternoon = Asexual

Noon = Aromantic

Dawn = Demiromantic

Evening = Demisexual

Midnight = Allosexual

First letter of your legal last name:

A = Human

B = Mermaid

C = Bogeyman

D = Alien

E = Skeleton

F = Ghost

G = Dragon

H = Ent

I = Goblin

J = Harpey

K = Naga

L = Centaur

M = Slime

N = Kelpie

O = Pooka

P = Gorgon

Q = Cyclops

R = Banshee

S = Gargoyle

T = Elf

U = Wendigo

V = Faun

W = Satyr

X = Sea serpent

Y = Kitsune

Z = Hatuibwari

Choose 3 favorites:

Blue = Spontaneous

Yellow = Extroverted

Green = Hostile

Brown = Neurotic

Red = Sarcastic

White = Calm

Gray = Introverted

Black = Conscientious

Orange = Naive

Pink = Friendly

Purple = Suspicious

Gold = Greedy

Maroon = Benevolent

Teal = Daring

Coral = Cunning

Rust = Loyal

Tan = Apathetic

[shoutaaizawas]

↳ tamaki amajiki x reader → ❝under the sea❞

summary: you fall into the ocean but someone is there to save you. word count: 895 tags/warnings: merman!au, fluff, abuse mention, drowning mention a/n: this was an anon request! i hope you enjoy it.

All you had ever wanted to do was get away from your family and now you finally had. Your family was abusive and ever since you could remember you wanted out. You had been on vacation on a boat in the ocean. It was beautiful but you could hardly enjoy the trip.

A storm had come along, waves and wind crashing into the boat. Were you so desperate to get away from your family that you thought falling into the ocean was a better idea?

It didn’t matter what you thought. You had been knocked off the deck and into the inky waters below. To top it all you could barely swim, not that you even stood a chance with how the waves crashed down on you. Your lungs felt heavy and burned as your body sunk, the water above you dark and the surface felt so far away.

The last thing you saw before you blacked out was a shadowy figure swim towards you.

Everything hurt as you slowly woke, eyes blurry as you tried to take in your surroundings. You had been drowning. Where were you?

Instead of the open sky, you saw the ceiling of a cave. Looking around you realized you weren’t alone. Your body rested on the ground beside the water and in that water was a person. Your eyes widened and you tried to sit up.

The man had black hair and sharp ears. He looked nervously at you as you moved.

“Y-You probably shouldn’t m-move!” He stuttered out. “You’re in a pretty rough state.”

Everything was so disorienting despite his words making sense all your body wanted to do was sit up and move away from this stranger.

“D-Don’t you’ll hurt yourself!” He said reaching forward. If you thought you were scared a moment ago now you really were. As the man moved forward he revealed his top half which was not clothed, and wow his abs were intense. That wasn’t the shocking part, a tentacle reached out of the water and you only realized that said tentacle was attached to him once he pulled himself fully out of the water.

You let out a scream as you scurried back only to hit the side of the cave.

“Don’t come near me! Please! Get away!” You said, cowering away from him.

“I’m not going to hurt you! I-I promise.” He said moving back, trying everything he could to not upset you.

“W-What are you?” You asked quietly.

“Humans call us mermaids or mermen in this case.” He said nervously. “I promise we aren’t dangerous. We’re a lot like you.”

“How did I get here?”

“I saw you in the water, you fell off the boat. You were drowning so I saved you. I would have taken you back to the boat but it just didn’t feel like the right thing to do.” He said. “I-I saw the boat earlier, I heard how they treated you there.”

“Oh.” You said dumbfounded. Not only had you almost drowned but you were saved by a creature you thought didn’t exist and said the creature had overheard how awful your family was and took you away from them. You felt bad for your reaction to him, it seemed he was on your side. More than most people had ever been. “I’m so sorry, I should be thank you.”

Tears welled in your eyes as you realized the gravity of everything. You had almost died, you could almost still feel the burning in your lungs. The darkness of the waves and water as it surrounded you, choked you, and pulled you in.

“It’s okay.” He said watching you carefully. Tears started rolling down your face as your breathing felt short and heart pounded. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe here.”

The merman tried to soothe you from his spot away from you but it did little to help. He moved forward cautiously not wanting to upset you anymore. You didn’t react to his movement so he moved to your side.

“H-How can I help?” He asked.

Words were a waste and you found yourself reaching forward to pull him into a hug. He froze at the sudden movement but you didn’t care as you held onto him. The contact made you feel better, feel alive, feel safe.

His arms hesitantly wrapped around you, patting your back. The odd texture of his tentacles wrapped around your legs, not in a hostile manner but as if it was part of the hug.

It took a while but you eventually calmed down. He was patient, holding on to you, trying to soothe you and calm you down from your panicked state.

“I’m sorry. Thank you.” You said letting go of him.

“I-It’s okay.” He said with understanding eyes and a bright red blush on his cheeks. His tentacles unwrapped and he looked sheepish probably realizing you weren’t used to something like that happened. “Do you feel better now?”

“Yeah, thanks to you.” You said.

“My name’s Tamaki, by the way.” He said. You returned the introduction. “I could take you back to shore if you wanted. But if you don’t want to go back I could take you to my home.” He said.

“Isn’t it underwater?” You questioned. “I can’t breath underwater.”

“It is but I know someone who might be able to fix that.” He said.

taglist:  @sugarmaplewings-fics @lilkiwisfinest @ewwis-but-more-otaku @kandy1410 @moonlightaangel @winnies-headcannons @bkglovesyou @paintedr0ses1 @toobsessedsstuff @spellboundxizi @ourladyofseijoh  @x0doodlebug0x @katsushimaa @mooncademia @moon-write @todominica @why-so-red

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

Sorry if this is a weird question. It’s been awhile, but I think it was your blog that once posted about a list of adult books for YA readers? Did you ever finish that? I’ve pretty much read exclusively YA for years, but as an adult, I’d like to start exploring some books that aren’t about teenagers. Thanks! (And if it wasn’t you, then just ignore this.)

not a weird question, pretty normal question. I don’t know if such a book list could ever be finished, exactly, because more books just keep on coming and there are definitely some I will never know about that are no doubt fantastic, but I have posted two rec lists, which I’ll copy paste here for your viewing pleasure:

The Beautiful Ones (Silvia Moreno-Garcia) - absolutely BUCKWILD romance with a dash of telekinesis; nonstop high society drama and misunderstanding from start to finish, happy ending guaranteed. STRONGLY recommend if you, like me, are a basic bitch who enjoys a bit of Pride and Prejudice.

Binti (Nnedi Okorafor) - a math prodigy runs away from Earth to become the first of her people to attend a prestigious university in space, but shit gets real when a crew of hostile jellyfish aliens attack her ship.

Chilling Effect (Valerie Valdes) - a spaceship captain and her crew take on a series of convoluted missions in order to rescue the captain’s sister, who’s been frozen and held for ransom.

The City of Brass (S.A. Chakraborty) - an 18th century conwoman and a mysterious djinn team up to go looking for a legendary hidden city.

The City We Became (N.K. Jemisin) - a scrappy bunch of Chosen Ones have to band together to defend New York City (which is very much alive) from a huge ass monster.

The Empress of Forever (Max Gladstone) - a lady supervillain gets blasted into space and meets an even bigger, planet-destroying evil space empress. literally WHAT is not to like?

The Empress of Salt and Fortune (Nghi Vo) - high fantasy royal drama about a woman making her way to power in the wake of a political marriage that left without friends or allies.

Escaping Exodus (Nicky Drayden) - a space-faring clan are creating their latest spaceship from the insides of a giant monster when absolutely everything goes to shit (as things are wont to do in science fiction stories).

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars (Kai Cheng Thom) - a trans girl runs away to the big city, where she uses her martial arts skills to team up with other trans woman and form a vigilante gang to defend their own when police look the other way. a fascinating blend of poetry and prose and magical realism.

Finna (Nino Cipri) - two exes working at an IKEA have to team up to save a customer who disappeared through one of those interdimensional portals that all IKEAs have laying around. you know how it is.

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir) - come on, you’ve heard about this one. it’s the one with the lesbian space necromancers? yeah, that’s the one. you got it.

In the Vanishers’ Palace (Aliette de Bodard) - a Beauty and the Beast retelling based in science fiction and Vietnamese fantasy, featuring a young woman falling in love with a “beast” who’s actually a motherly dragon after becoming a tutor to the dragon’s two powerful children.

Jade City (Fonda Lee) - urban fantasy gang wars, pitting one magically enhanced family against rivals and a new drug that lets anyone mimic their abilities.

The Library of the Unwritten (A.J. Hackwith) - hell’s librarian gets sent on a quest to find a runaway soul.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Becky Chambers) - aka one of my favorite books ever, essentially slice of life science fiction following an interspecies crew of deep space truckers making the longest and most complicated delivery of their lives. very warm and fuzzy.

Mort (Terry Pratchett) - one of many MANY Discworld books, but a very good one to start with, following the adventures of a boy named Mort after he’s taken on as Death’s apprentice. you know, like the Grim Reaper? that Death.

River of Teeth (Sarah Gailey) - historical AU in which the United States imported and domesticated hippos in the Mississippi River; follows a crew of hippo-riding crooks and hooligans as they plan one heck of a caper.

Space Opera (Catherynne Valente) - a washed up rock star and his old bandmate get roped into performing in an intergalactic singing competition that will determine the fate of the entire planet Earth. full of aliens, attempted assassination, art, and emotional turmoil.

This Is How You Lose the Time War (Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone) - time-travelling assassins from rival factions fall in love in a poetic and breathless story that spans centuries and reality.

Under the Pendulum Sun (Jeannette Ng) - fairyland is real, and Victorian England is sending missionaries. a woman and her brother attempt to bring the good word to the fair folk, but start to suspect the queen might just be screwing with their heads. PEAK gothic horror with a creepy fairy twist.

Witchmark (C.L. Polk) - a doctor and former soldier with magical powers of healing is trying to live a quiet life and avoid his controlling, aristocratic family’s plans for him, only to get tangled up in a massive political conspiracy when one of his patients mysterious dies. accompanying him in his investigation is a mysterious and gorgeous faerie man. romance ensues.

(this second part is a list I made specifically focused on trans authors)

The Black Tides of Heaven (J.Y. Yang) - twins with Powers rebel against their politically powerful mother, hell yeah

The City in the Middle of the Night (Charlie Jane Anders) - dystopia sci-fi where The Government is controlling a city’s passage of time and light. sounds like somebody should overthrow that…

Confessions of the Fox (Jordy Rosenberg) - I haven’t read every book on these lists, including this one, but it’s described as  “a mind-bending romp through a gender-fluid, 18th-century London” and I personally would love to read that.

The Deep (Rivers Solomon) - mermaids are descended from women who jumped overboard from African slave ships, and one carries the memories of all their collective trauma. what will happen when she decides to explore the surface?

Docile (K.M. Sparza) - sci-f m/m romance story about autonomy and criticizing capitalism; what’s better than that?

The Future of Another Timeline (Annalee Newitz) - murder! time travel! queer ladies! idk, what else do you need?

Freshwater (Akwake Emezi) - a twisty little story about mental illness and being possessed by a god; magical realism ensues.

The Merry Spinster (Daniel M. Lavery, published under the name Mallory Ortberg) - a collection of short stories drawing inspiration from classic fairy tales, Biblical mythology, and more recent works. the way Lavery reimagines “The Velveteen Rabbit” is one of the creepiest things I’ve ever read, and also one of my favorite short stories.

Ninefox Gambit (Yoon Ha Lee) - you like big ol’ dramatic space operas? I’ve got one for you right here!

[bemused-writer]

Witch Hat Atelier Fairy Tale Pictures

What does one do when they have insomnia? Write more meta, of course. Since I went over the Valentine pictures for Witch Hat Atelier, I figured it would be fun to also over-analyze the fairy tale pictures! I'm just going to preface this with the warning that it's been a little bit since I've read any fairy tales so... if I get anything wrong that is why. (^^)"

I'll start with Coco here, who is very fittingly depicted as Alice from The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland. There's no doubt that Coco has landed in a mad world, one she's always dreamed of but found to be much stranger than she expected. She's curious and bold, so Alice seems like a good pick. I don't think that kid was scared of anything. 8D And she was definitely willing to investigate everything around her! Having said that, she wound up in a lot of trouble because of that, and while things turned out all right in the end, there was a lot of danger along the way. Perhaps Coco's journey will be similar.

Agott is Snow White, but she's not about to be tricked into eating that poisoned apple. If anything, she might be the one experimenting with it! Visually, Agott fits Snow White pretty well: fair skin, dark hair, etc. There's also the matter of her liking company more than she lets on (our "seven dwarves" or just the other students). Another thing about Snow White: she's very helpful and diligent. She cooks and cleans with all her might. Likewise, Agott works hard to teach her fellow students (Coco in particular) and winds up being more of a team player than she probably expected. Because of Snow White's helpful nature, I think it's fair to expect Agott to take on a similar role in terms of being someone you can rely on; I expect Coco will come to rely on her as the series goes on.

Tetia is ... Puss in Boots? I think? I can't read the Japanese there. Anyway, assuming that's what she is, I have to admit I'm not terribly familiar with the tale, so I looked it up! It seems to be a rags to riches kind of story that emphasizes working hard and passing various trials. Wikipedia also notes it emphasizes dressing well, and Tetia is certainly stylish with her desire to customize her future witch's hat.

So, the rest could certainly be applied to Tetia. She works very hard and always with others in mind and she may have been poor. We know the least about her, so it's hard to say much about how she's similar to Puss in Boots outside of her being courageous and working hard for her goals.

Olruggio's makes me laugh. XD I'm pretty sure he's supposed to be Sleeping Beauty (I think the vines are a reference to what the Prince fights to get to her?) and that's fitting enough because, well, the man really wants to get some rest. However, let's not leave it at that and let's see if we can find something a little deeper to his being Sleeping Beauty!

Well, Sleeping Beauty is induced into a magical sleep that can only be broken by true love's kiss. And she falls into this slumber because she's been cursed. As we know, things haven't been going great for Olruggio in the latest chapter and he has been "cursed" to lose his memory. A symbolic sleep, if you will, where he is unaware of what is happening around him, just like Sleeping Beauty. Likewise, this can only be broken if something jogs his memory. Whether it's a "prince" or not remains to be seen.

Qifrey is continuing the Alice in Wonderland theme to compliment Coco, which is suiting once more. He is the rabbit that so famously led Alice deeper and deeper into the mad world of Wonderland and, well, that kind of speaks for itself here. (^^)" The rabbit may not have had evil intentions, but he wasn't perfectly helpful either.

Tartah is Pinocchio, and I like this take in particular. He wants to be a "real boy." That is, he wants to make his way in witch society regardless of his impairments. Pinocchio finds joy in the end when his wish is granted after he's honest, and as we can see Tartah is an honest boy. Perhaps this means happiness is in his future and he will be permitted to study magic? That would suggest witch society itself changes, and that couldn't hurt.

Beldaruit is the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, which means we now have a trio of madness being passed from teacher to student. The Cheshire Cat largely amused itself and had no qualms with messing with people. Yeah, I can kind of see how Beldaruit fits the bill... But the Cheshire Cat didn't really intend to cause harm either; arguably it offered advice. Beldaruit is always extending his hand to others, but it often results in the negative (Qifrey and Coco both). Will he be able to change this in the future now that he has a new student?

We don't know Suzie too well yet, but here she is portrayed as Cinderella! Hard working, stylish, and a wish fulfilled all characterize this princess, and I can see these qualities in Suzie as well. She must work hard to be an assistant at her age and she definitely has style. Will she have a wish granted? Hard to say at this point, but I'm rooting for her.

And then there are all of the Knights Moralis depicted as mermaids. This is actually quite fitting: nowadays we have a tendency to think of mermaids as positive creatures. Beautiful, alluring, all of that. But they're also dangerous and willing to lure sailors to their deaths. Likewise, the Knights Moralis should be trustworthy and they're certainly all very stylish, but as we've seen they take their methods too far and become more like vipers. Fitting indeed.

Riche and Euini share the same theme: Little Red Riding Hood with Riche as Little Red and Euini as the Wolf. This fairytale gets interpreted a lot of different ways, but straightforwardly it's about a girl trying to reach her grandmother while being hunted by a wolf. We know Riche cares deeply for her brother and wants to make him proud. We also know that she and Euini are inextricably tied together, though the hostility of the relationship in the original fairy tale is replaced by mutual care and growth. They need each other and have learned from one another. Riche takes the lead and Euini follows, sort of like Little Red and the Wolf. I'd say these two are the closest we have to a "canon" couple, so it makes sense they'd share the same fairy tale.

And that's all I got for now. (^^)

[lunewell]

The Norwegian Mermaid Association - Part 2

Part 1 can be found here

Word Count: 1688 words

Written for MerMay

CW: Attempted Drowning

Can also be read on Wattpad

This is Part 2 of The Norwegian Mermaid Association, and follows Morten, who after his discovery of mermaids, goes to find a mermaid of his own.

For someone who’s entire world view had just been shattered, Morten was coping surprisingly well with it. It had been about a month since the mermaid incident, and only a brief breakdown later he was already alright.

Well, actually, more than alright. This discovery had awakened Mortens childhood love and curiosity of the supernatural, and he often found himself wandering through mossy forests or enthralled in the depths of the sea, wondering what was hidden around him. Some might consider it a problem, the way he seemed to find it harder and harder to focus on the fishing, more and more caught in the ripples of the waves, but Morten found it nothing short of delightful.

His co-workers, however, were not quite as happy as himself. They couldn’t bring themselves to be angry at him, as they had all at one point or another experienced the shock, but they were rather annoyed. Morten couldn’t blame them, not really. He was well aware of how much of a nuisance he was being right now.

Which is why, it came to him as little surprise, when Thomas approached him with an offer; “why don’t you take a little break from work?” he asked one day, leaning on the rail of the small fishing boat next to him, “you’ve been awfully distracted lately, and I think you need some time to think.”

Morten started into the waves, biting his lips. Truth be told, he didn’t want to leave the waves hiding so many secrets, even if he was slowly getting on everyone’s nerves. He twiddled his thumbs, stiff and quite tense. After a while had passed in silence, he heard a sigh next to him. “If it helps,” Thomas began, voice lowered, “you could always take a break at a more… tempting spot. There’s a mermaid hotspot not too far from here, it’s where we met our wives.”

Morten eyes lit up at that. He himself had little interest in the wife part, but even the idea that he would be able to communicate with one or the creatures was more than enticing. Thomas smirked, clearly having picked up on his excitement; “I’ll give you the directions when we get back to shore.”

———————————-

Though he considered himself rather mature, Morten was vibrating like a sugar-high child. The spruce trees around the large lake and river mouth stood tall and proud in the slightly overcast sky, and though he had yet to even see a singular mermaid, he could hear their chattering and laughing flowing through the wind.

Following the voices through soft grass and over sun-bleached rocks, it wasn’t long before he was but branches away from his desired destination. Quite literally, in fact, as the only thing obscuring the creatures was a few branches of an oak tree.

With a deep breath, he reached out to the soft leaves hanging off the solid tree, and pulled it to one side.

It was not the first time Morten saw mermaids, his breath still caught like rock in his throat. Spread all around the shore, there were five mermaids with brightly coloured tails in hues of purple, blue, red, and green that scales sparkled majestically, all having flowing hair and distinctly non-human traits that were so awe-inspiring that he couldn’t stop himself starring. They were joking playfully between themselves, an odd language that sounded reminiscent of an odd dialect of Old Norse.

One of them- the one with night-coloured curls and a spotty, grey, rainbow-hued tail, saw him gaping and gave a playful, but undoubtedly mischievous smile. She turned around to the group speaking rapidly, before hushed voices giggling, before all eyes and tails turned to him.

“Hello,” he whispered a bit unsure of himself, “I was wondering if you would be willing to, uh, tell me a little bit more about your species.”

Another round of looks were exchanged between the girls, before the spotty one looked up with a grin, and answered him not in Old Norse but in perfect Norwegian; “why, of course. Why don’t you come with us into the water, and we can discuss it in full…”

A feeling of fear, a gut deep feeling carved from years of reading about the spirits in the water, coursed through him. And yet, there was something in her voice- safe, trusting, melodic, and lulling like the waves, that made him instantly comply and step towards the high waves.

His feet stumbled closer, while his sub-conscious screamed that something was deeply wrong, and his heart began to race. It wasn’t long before he felt the first drop of water wet the tip of his shoes that he had been too unaware to take off, and it was an even shorter amount of time before he felt it spill over and onto his socks.

The shock of the icy water against his skin snapped him out of the trance just in time to see a series of sharp claws lunging out toward him. He tried to leap away, heart hammering, but ten hands had already grappled and dug deep into his skin, the water around him turning a light red, and submerged him underwater. His nostrils burned from the water as he wiggled desperately, lashing and thrashing hopelessly as the mermaids kept ripping his clothes and skin.

He was going to die here, in this watery grave, shredded by hostile mermaids. He could already see the vision blackening at the edges, and as a sharp claw gripped tightly around his throat, he closed his wet eyes and prayed that his death was not too far away.

Then, like a prayer answered, everything stopped.

For a good second, he’d thought he’d died. He no longer felt cold- in fact he was surprisingly warm, and though he was sore, he was surrounded by an odd sense of tranquility that could only be explained by a fading soul.

“Are you alright?” a soft, mellow voice asked gently, and Morten realised for the first time that the hammering around him was not the grasps of hands but his own, very alive, beating heart. He hesitantly pried his eyes open, fully expecting to stare at death. In all fairness, based on the way his heart leaped at the sight in front of him, it might as well have been death.

A blonde man- no- merman, with warm brown eyes which looked at him in a way that made his heart melt, had pushed him safely on the shore and was now cradling his body. Half the creatures cheat was covered by not scales, but inhuman skin that connected to a tail which he immediately recognised as one of a porpoise harbour.

He was the most beautiful thing Morten had ever seen.

“Sorry about them,” the stranger said, in a tone that sounded completely genuine, “not all of us respect your species, and I promise we’re not all like that.” He trailed off, giving another blinding smile that made Morten’s pulse go on cocaine, before finally reaching out a blue skinned hand; “I’m Kjell, and you my darling human are?”

“M-m- Morten,” he mumbled, mind still caught at darling human, “I uh, yeah. My name is Morten.”

“Morten. That’s a gorgeous name,” Kjell said with a little wink that’s sheer charisma could kill a man. “So, what brings someone like you out here?”

A pang of uncertainty hit him, unsure of whether to tell this merman- the same species that had violently attacked him earlier- the reasons for his visit. However, looking at the violent hues of caramel and chocolate in Kjell's eyes, he could see nothing but genuine curiosity and a playful and friendly twinkle.

Plus, he honestly didn’t know if he had the resilience to deny that face.

“I’m actually here to learn more about your kind and other potential folklore creatures,” Morten explained, “I only found out about the existence of otherworldly creatures- or, uh, people, I suppose, so there’s a lot I want to learn.”

He was rewarded for his honesty, by Kjell lighting up like a Bonfire. “Oh!” he exclaimed, grabbing Morten’s cold hands in his own warm ones, “you should have told me earlier! I love heaving humans about my culture, and I have an entire cave of artefacts and cultural items! It’s under the water- don’t worry, there’s air- and I could take you down if you want.”

Morten, far too occupied by his companions stupid grin and his warm hands, was about to reply the quickest yes of his life, before Kjell interrupted him with a gasp. “I’m sorry,” the merman apologised, letting go of his hands, “I completely forgot that my kind tried to drown you. You probably don’t want to go right back after such a traumatic experience, and certainly not with someone like…” he gestured to his tail, “me.”

A part of him- the one who had gone for the safe choice of a fisherman in a largely fish centered city- wanted to agree with Kjell, and forget this day ever happened. After all, even if he truly admired Kjell, they were both still men, and it was probably safest for the both of them if they just forgot meeting.

However, a much more selfish, and deep part of him already knew what he wanted. Meeting Kjell’s eyes- and with warm cheeks- he gave his answer; “please, take me down there. I trust you.”

That was all Kjell needed, before he dragged them both back into the water. Unlike the mermaids, Kjell was not so much gripping as holding him- tight enough to be led but loose enough as to be easy to escape, the fingers stroking up and down his wrist in a repetitive motion. And as they dived deeper, Kjell leading him along in what was almost a gentle waltz in the water, occasionally shooting a reassuring smile, Morten understood why all the seamen dated mermaids, and got the feeling that he might be seeing Kjell a whole lot more in the future.

[pridebooks]

It’s Trans Day of Visibility, so have some books!!

Full list of books (with synopses) under the cut.

First picture: Books by trans authors (most also have trans characters)

Memoirs of a Man’s Maiden Years by N. O. Body - "I was born a boy, raised as a girl. . . . One may raise a healthy boy in as womanish a manner as one wishes, and a female creature in as mannish; never will this cause their senses to remain forever reversed." So writes the pseudonymous N. O. Body, born in 1884 with ambiguous genitalia and assigned a female identity in early infancy. Brought up as a girl, "she" nevertheless asserted stereotypical male behavior from early on. In the end, it was a passionate love affair with a married woman that brought matters to a head. Desperately confused, suicidally depressed, and in consultation with Magnus Hirschfeld, one of the most eminent and controversial sexologists of the day, "she" decided to become "he." N. O. Body was identified as Karl M. Baer (he/him).

Spy Stuff by Matthew J. Metzger - Anton never thought anyone would ever want to date him. Everyone knows nobody wants a transgender boyfriend, right? So he's as shocked as anyone when seemingly-straight Jude Kalinowski asks him out, and doesn't appear to be joking.The only problem is ... well, Jude doesn't actually know.Anton can see how this will play out: Jude is a nice guy, and nice guys finish last. And Anton is transgender, and transgender people don't get happy endings. If he tells Jude, it might destroy everything.And if Jude tells anyone else ... it will. Matthew J. Metzger (he/him) is a queer trans man.

I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver - When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.But Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity Mason Deaver (they/them) is nonbinary.

George by Alex Gino -When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she's not a boy. She knows she's a girl.George thinks she'll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte's Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can't even try out for the part . . . because she's a boy.With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte -- but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all. Alex Gino (they/them) is genderqueer.

Starglass by Phoebe North -  Terra has never known anything but life aboard the Asherah, a city-within-a-spaceship that left Earth five hundred years ago in search of refuge. At sixteen, working a job that doesn't interest her, and living with a grieving father who only notices her when he's yelling, Terra is sure that there has to be more to life than what she's got. But when she inadvertently witnesses the captain's guard murdering an innocent man, Terra is suddenly thrust into the dark world beneath her ship's idyllic surface. As she's drawn into a secret rebellion determined to restore power to the people, Terra discovers that her choices may determine life or death for the people she cares most about. With mere months to go before landing on the long-promised planet, Terra has to make the decision of a lifetime--one that will determine the fate of her people. Phoebe North (they/them) is genderqueer.

Power Surge by Sara Codair - Erin has just realized that for the entirety of their life, their family has lied to them. Their Sight has been masked for years, so Erin thought the Pixies and Mermaids were hallucinations. Not only are the supernatural creatures they see daily real, but their grandmother is an Elf, meaning Erin isn’t fully human. On top of that, the dreams Erin thought were nightmares are actually prophecies.While dealing with the anger they have over all of the lies, they are getting used to their new boyfriend, their boyfriend's bullying ex, and the fact that they come from a family of Demon Hunters. As Erin struggles through everything weighing on them, they uncover a Demon plot to take over the world.Erin just wants some time to work through it all on their own terms, but that's going to have to wait until after they help save the world. Sara Codair (they/she) is nonbinary.

Out of Salem by Hal Schrieve - When genderqueer fourteen-year-old Z Chilworth wakes from death after a car crash that killed their parents and sisters, they have to adjust quickly to their new status as a zombie. Always a talented witch, Z can now barely perform magic and is rapidly decaying. Faced with rejection from their remaining family members and old friends, Z moves in with Mrs. Dunnigan, an elderly witch, and befriends Aysel, a loud would-be-goth classmate who is, like Z, a loner. As Z struggles to find a way to repair the broken magical seal holding their body together, Aysel fears that her classmates will discover her status as an unregistered werewolf. When a local psychiatrist is murdered in an apparent werewolf attack, the town of Salem, Oregon, becomes even more hostile to monsters, and Z and Aysel are driven together in an attempt to survive a place where most people wish that neither of them existed. Hal Schrieve (xie/hir) is a genderfluid trans man.

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender - Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings. Although he’s the ultimate film buff and an aspiring screenwriter, Nate’s seen the demise of too many relationships to believe that happy endings exist in real life.Playing it safe to avoid a broken heart has been his MO ever since his father died and left his mom to unravel—but this strategy is not without fault. His best-friend-turned-girlfriend-turned-best-friend-again, Florence, is set on making sure Nate finds someone else. And in a twist that is rom-com-worthy, someone does come along: Oliver James Hernández, his childhood best friend.After a painful mix-up when they were little, Nate finally has the chance to tell Ollie the truth about his feelings. But can Nate find the courage to pursue his own happily ever after?  Kacen Callender (they/them) is a demiboy.

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee - Captain Kel Cheris of the hexarchate is disgraced for using unconventional methods in a battle against heretics. Kel Command gives her the opportunity to redeem herself by retaking the Fortress of Scattered Needles, a star fortress that has recently been captured by heretics. Cheris’s career isn’t the only thing at stake. If the fortress falls, the hexarchate itself might be next.Cheris’s best hope is to ally with the undead tactician Shuos Jedao. The good news is that Jedao has never lost a battle, and he may be the only one who can figure out how to successfully besiege the fortress.The bad news is that Jedao went mad in his first life and massacred two armies, one of them his own. As the siege wears on, Cheris must decide how far she can trust Jedao–because she might be his next victim. Yoon Ha Lee (he/him) is a trans man.

Second pic: Books with trans characters

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky -  Alone at home, twelve-year-old Grayson Sender glows, immersed in beautiful thoughts and dreams. But at school, Grayson grasps at shadows, determined to fly under the radar. Because Grayson has been holding onto a secret for what seems like forever: “he” is a girl on the inside, stuck in the wrong gender’s body.The weight of this secret is crushing, but leaving it behind would mean facing ridicule, scorn, and rejection. Despite these dangers, Grayson’s true self itches to break free. Strengthened by an unexpected friendship and a caring teacher who gives her a chance to step into the spotlight, Grayson might finally have the tools to let her inner light shine.

Beautiful Music for Ugly Children by Kirstin Cronn-Mills - "This is Beautiful Music for Ugly Children, on community radio 90.3, KZUK. I'm Gabe. Welcome to my show."My birth name is Elizabeth, but I'm a guy. Gabe. My parents think I've gone crazy and the rest of the world is happy to agree with them, but I know I'm right. I've been a boy my whole life.When you think about it, I'm like a record. Elizabeth is my A side, the song everybody knows, and Gabe is my B side--not heard as often, but just as good.It's time to let my B side play.

Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin - The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is…Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson - David Piper has always been an outsider. His parents think he's gay. The school bully thinks he’s a freak. Only his two best friends know the real truth: David wants to be a girl.On the first day at his new school Leo Denton has one goal: to be invisible. Attracting the attention of the most beautiful girl in his class is definitely not part of that plan. When Leo stands up for David in a fight, an unlikely friendship forms. But things are about to get messy. Because at Eden Park School secrets have a funny habit of not staying secret for long…

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller - Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class—and the nobles who destroyed their home.When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand—the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears—Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge.But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchinson - A good friend will bury your body, a best friend will dig you back up.Dino doesn’t mind spending time with the dead. His parents own a funeral home, and death is literally the family business. He’s just not used to them talking back. Until Dino’s ex-best friend July dies suddenly—and then comes back to life. Except not exactly. Somehow July is not quite alive, and not quite dead.As Dino and July attempt to figure out what’s happening, they must also confront why and how their friendship ended so badly, and what they have left to understand about themselves, each other, and all those grand mysteries of life.

I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman -  For Angel Rahimi, life is only about one thing: The Ark – a pop-rock trio of teenage boys who are currently taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has given her everything – her friendships, her dreams, her place in the world. Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark too. He’s their frontman – and playing in a band is all he’s ever dreamed of doing. It’s just a shame that recently everything in his life seems to have turned into a bit of a nightmare. Because that’s the problem with dreaming – eventually, inevitably, real life arrives with a wake-up call. And when Angel and Jimmy are unexpectedly thrust together, they will discover just how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.

The Pants Project by Cat Clarke - Whoever wrote the uniform policy decided (whyyy?) that girls had to wear skirts, while boys were allowed to wear pants. Sexist. Dumb. Unfair. “Girls must wear a black, pleated, knee-length skirt.” I bet I read those words a hundred times during summer vacation. The problem wasn’t the last word in that sentence. Skirt wasn’t really the issue, not for me. The issue was the first word. Girls. Here’s the thing: I may seem like a girl, but on the inside, I’m a boy.

[throughthewaves-if]

How do ROs react if MC sensed that ROs have feelings for MC and says this "If your feelings are sincere, show me with a kiss"?

P.S. The MC has no intention of taking initiative.

Same with Aquarii, I decided to answer this in the stage where the ROs have only just realized their feelings for MC.

Simon/Sophia- S would giggle and lean in to kiss MC. They know the many risks, and S knows MC’s feelings will likely change very soon. But, just for a moment, they allow themself to indulge in MC’s soft lips. Can’t they live a lie for just a little longer?

Idair/Iris- Would kiss MC without question. They’re certain of their feelings for MC, but they also cannot deny there’s a bit of selfishness involved in this kiss. What other mermaids can say for certain that they’ve kissed a cute human before? Not many, that’s for sure. They’ll certainly brag about this kiss to any mermaid who will listen. Maybe one day they’ll learn to kiss and not tell.

Malachi/Madeline- M would not kiss MC, they have not accepted their feelings for MC yet. They’re aware of some budding emotions, but they refuse to outwardly admit that they’ve become quite fond of the curious human. They’ll push the feelings down for as long as they can until M cannot possibly deny them anymore. But at night, while they lay soundly against their bed, they’ll imagine the possibilities of if they said yes, and allowed themself the freedom to live a life of certainty. Just this once.

Altair/Astrid- Would not kiss MC. A is already risking so much just by being friends with MC. A relationship is completely out of the question, even if A does feel so strongly about the human. But, while examining all of MC’s wonderful features, A wonders if this might be a risk worth taking.

[ao3-feedshance]

The Prince of Land and Sea

by DaddyVanillaBear

In a world where men of the sea and land are separated by fear and hostility, a young prince of the sea breaks an age old rule and visits the surface in order to see what the colors that light up the sky are. Never in his wildest dreams did he think of doing such a thing, never did he dream of seeing a sailor- of talking to one! And perhaps in his moment of insanity he marked the other with a kiss that would connect both their hearts together with a red string that simply would not break.

Perhaps the sailor didn't want the string to break.

Words: 8121, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Lance (Voltron), Lance's Family (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron), Kuro (Voltron), Coran (Voltron), Haggar (Voltron), Hunk (Voltron)

Relationships: Lance/Shiro (Voltron)

Additional Tags: Voltron Fable exchange, Little Mermaid AU, Merman Lance, human shiro, Merman Shiro, non Canon, mentioned greek lore, Brief Mention of Blood, brief character harm

source http://archiveofourown.org/works/21087224

[chisie12]

Kisame Week Day 3: Blood in the Abyss

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20036536/chapters/47871880#workskin

The worldbuilding is going crazy but I don’t know if I’m ever gonna use them all. Sorry it took a while. I hope you enjoy!

Rated: Teen/Up for swearing

~*~*~

“I never thought such a random quest will trigger this.”

“Mm.”

“Are you really getting slack-jawed at this, Beast? It’s a fallen kingdom, a pile of rubble and stones.”

“A golden rubble. How much money can I get if I sell that?”

“You sell that and NPCs will stab your ass.”

A scoff. “As if.”

“Those mermen with shiny stabby sticks might.”

“What mermen –!”

It was a step too near, too close for the comfort of the NPCs. A breach of their borders, even if their sacred kingdom had fallen, they would protect it till their last breath!

Seeing danger approaching, Tailless Beast quickly swam to the side, dodging the valiant charge by the NPC Mermen. As they tried to escape, he couldn’t help but wonder how she had been able to catch sight of the mermen when he was unable to. Ducking under the rubble, Akira and Tailless pushed off the fallen pillar with their legs, briefly increasing the distance between them if only for a little, and with the small extra distance, the two players could finally observe the pursuing NPCs.

 Grieving Merman Guard (Level 52)

HP: 280,000/280,000

 Tailless Beast pursed his lips, bringing his broadsword up to his side, sick of running away while Akira furrowed her eyebrows. That word was nagging at her mind, magnified and dancing teasingly. Normal NPC monsters would not be named as such, unless...

“Beast, stop!” A forceful tug at Tailless Beast’s large arm interrupted his skill and he shifted his glare from the returning Merman Guards onto the smaller, human figure by his side. His jaw opened, pointy teeth bared in a snarl, the urgency rising higher within him but Akira simply returned it with a deadpanned. “Calm down, will you? You’re always looking for a fight!”

Before the furious Blade Master could retort, Akira had already pulled him out of Atlantis borders and the pursuing Merman Guards immediately halted their bloodthirsty pursuit, stopping a couple of meters shy from them. Up close, they could see the smooth skin of the Mermen, darkened by the black circles and bags under their dull eyes. Scales gleamed, though dull, under the dim shine in the sea from their waist down, revealing hips entirely covered with the same scales that ended in long, thick fish tails instead of legs. In the lore of Eden, it was said that the Merfolk were humans blessed by Suijin, the Water God that presides over all things water, a manifestation from the people’s beliefs of a benevolent presence that resided in the element. And water to them, was the source of life!

With intruders beyond their borders, the Merman Guards relaxed their stances and started to swim back to their positions when a gentle voice called out to them.

“There are no words that I can offer you to ease your grief, but the great land of Atlantis will always be remembered and revered in my heart,” Akira solemnly said. When the two Merman Guards turned around, they saw the Elementalist bow at the waist, long hair softly waving in the water at her lowered head. Moving their spears to their left hand, the guards held out three fingers with their right hand, thumb and little finger folded in, and placed it over their hearts before also lowering their bodies into a low bow, returning her respect with one of their own: The Trident’s Heart, where their king and the land of Atlantis would forever remain in their hearts. Seeing the situation, Tailless Beast gave his respects and bowed as well, but the guards blatantly ignored him and addressed Akira.

“We thank you, kind traveller, for your words. If I may so bold to ask, what is your purpose in visiting Atlantis?”

Akira was silent for a moment as she contemplated her words carefully, before deciding to risk it with the truth, praying that Mermaid Knight Rie was at least someone respected in their ranks since they were both of a similar profession. “I was guided here by Mermaid Knight Rie with the hope that I could uncover the truth behind her death.”

Like a crack on the dam slowly spreading outwards, the guards’ smiles slipped away, eyes widening in agonised disbelief as words tried to crawl out of their trembling lips. “Y-You know... of Her Highness – M-Mermaid Knight Rie?”

Akira sneaked a glance at Tailless Beast, who had turned to look at her too. That little stumble caught their attention, piquing their interest. The Merman Guard was pale as he lowered his head, his friend edging closer and placing a hand on his shoulder.

Before, Rie had been just a mere Mermaid Knight. A Mermaid Knight that, to Akira, was not anyone special, that this quest would be simple enough to complete. Now, however, that simple Mermaid Knight turned out to be – possibly – a princess. A new turn of events,  a different perspective. The quest was no longer as simple as they expected. Because in the end, it was different if a mere Mermaid Knight died; her death most likely insignificant, definitely not enough to affect Atlantis’ downfall. But a princess? That was on a whole different level. A princess was, could be, reason enough for the entire fall of the kingdom. And then, thinking about it, if it was a princess... Akira turned to Tailless Beast.

What was a simple quest, now turned to be a complicated plot – their two quests, likely related.

“There’s probably a big boss to fight. Yay for you.” The edges of her lips curled while she sent him a whisper.

And he happily returned it with a toothy grin, “That makes things interesting.”

A soft chuckle under her breath, a small shake of her head and she turned back towards the guards before lowering her head slightly. “I do not personally know of Mermaid Knight Rie. I’ve only been tasked to find out the truth behind her death.”

The two guards stiffened, tails waving in the sea ever so slowly, but Akira noticed that they were inching back bit by bit. “By who?”

Her mouth clammed shut, forehead creased. She couldn’t exactly tell them it was a quest given by the game, but she couldn’t not answer them either. If this continued, the conversation wasn’t going to end well. Unless...

Akira’s head perked up, eyes bright with hope and she lifted her hand, deliberately slow while she observed their reactions. The guards’ faces twisted back into hostility, the grip on their spears tightening as they in return watched her hand suspiciously. They knew of Elementalists, of the magic they hold over the elements, that a mere wave of their hands can control an element’s will and bend it to their desires. Even if the one before them wore red coloured robes that indicated her control over fire, it wouldn’t be surprising if she knew a water spell or two.

Akira’s fingers inched closer to her chest, still agonisingly slow, but extremely careful as they slipped into her robe, little by little, until a cold smooth surface tickled her fingertips and her fingers gently wrapped around it. Words were stuck in her throat, the silence tense and suffocating and heavy, sparking with hostility and wariness, and she looked into the eyes of the guards as she slowly tugged the item out, fingers uncurling to reveal the pearl on the necklace. Mermaid Knight Rie’s Tear.

“T-That...” The Merman Guards had their eyes and mouths dropped open in stunned silence, before they started to tremble, mournful gazes shifting from the pearl to Akira and they swam a little closer, as if to confirm what they saw was true, that it wasn’t the light in the water playing tricks with them.... But the iridescent gleam on the pearl, a shimmering ivory tinted with the colours of the rainbow dancing together, it was real.

It was definitely real. Genuine. Only hers and those of the royal blood could produce that pearl. But was it really Rie’s?

Steeling his resolve, the other guard that had remained silent lifted his head to look at Akira and spoke up, “Kind traveller, may I perform a test to determine its legitimacy?”

“Of course you may, esteemed guard,” Akira agreed immediately. Her hands wound around the back to remove the necklace when a calloused hand, marked and hardened from the years of battle, of wielding the spear to protect his home, stopped her gently with a fleeting touch and the guard graced her with a soft smile and shake of his head. With the same hand floating below the necklace, he flipped it over palm up and waved it around fluidly at the wrist, almost like algae twirling with the currents. Streams of water collected at his fingertips, separating from the sea itself and convening in his palm like a second pocket of water, which swirled up to fully encapsulate the pearl and his hand in a mini globe. Tailless Beast and Akira watched on curiously, wondering silently at the lack of reaction when the guard flicked his thumbnail over his second finger, easily drawing blood with the swift cut, blood that was drawn to the pearl like a moth to a flame. The blood stopped short by the pearl, bobbing sluggishly, its movements growing slower and slower when the pearl gleamed a pale golden glow, like a small star in the sky.

As the golden glow gleamed, the blood slowly started to dissipate, dissolve into nothingness, but it was the wound on the guard’s finger that truly held their attention. That little tiny cut upon hardened skin began to seek each other out, one cut epidermis layer to another, like a pair of long lost lovers finally reuniting and the cut flicked gold, the colour emerging strong at one end and tracing along the cut, where the colour passed was where the gap in the wound welded shut.

Tailless Beast and Akira’s eyes widened further with each passing second as they watched the marvel, surprise evident in their attentive gazes, coming out as murmured gasps escaping under their breaths. There was only one thing they could fathom. If Mermaid Knight Rie was truly a princess and she possessed – possibly the only one who did because why else would the guard wish to check? – the ability of healing, she would have been desired by many, by multiple parties that wanted that power, that in a war, she could possibly, simply, turn the tides of war. Was the entire sea their search site!?

“It... it is, H-Her High – Mermaid Knight Rie’s tear. It is. Oh King Aenon, was this your will?” The guard wailed, sorrow rolling off his cries in waves, agony, relief flooding his system, and he was joined by his partner who sobbed and shook, tremors attacking his robust body.

“I apologise for having to interrupt,” Akira voice out, soft and gentle, just barely audible for the guards to hear, melding into their cries like a soft cloud. “But I hope to succeed with the task I've been entrusted to. May you point us into the direction of Mermaid Knight Rie’s tomb?”

“Y-Yes, honoured guest. Right this way.”

“Thank you, brave men. Is it alright if I brought a guest along?”

“Yes, yes. Of course. As long as the person is a friend of honoured guest, he or she is welcomed.”

Akira looked at Tailless Beast, face half angled towards him with a smile, a small upwards tilt of her lips at a corner with eyes half lidded, full of taunt and confidence. “Hehe.”

Tailless Beast scoffed, strapping his broadsword back onto his back and moved to take a step forward.

[Clear Shadow sent a video message. Click to view.]

The corner of his lips twitched. He averted his gaze to glance at her, hearing the giggle echo in his mind.

“Aww, not going to open it, Beast?”

“No.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, whatever you say.”

He watched her walk away, following after the Merman Guards who waited upon her. He glanced back at the message as he fell into step behind her, curious and dreading the content.  They swam through the rubble, past the golden kingdom, clean from any red algae that would grow in these deep waters with only colourful corals littering the ground. The journey was in silence, the guards occasionally pausing and looking back, waiting for Akira to catch up before continuing once again. Tailless Beast felt the curiosity return in the endless silence following them.

“Tch.”

He tapped on the message, opening the video and immediately after, a loud, lilt voice blared in his ears as the man started singing: “Never gonna give you up; Never gonna let you down –!”

Akira twitched when she felt a heavy stare on her back, only to find Tailless Beast glaring at her heatedly. With a knowing giggle, she waved and kicked her legs harder to catch up to the guards. A growl rumbled at the back of his throat as he chased after her grumpily.

Soon, they left the borders of the kingdom, leaving the plains covered in red algae and towards a rocky area. Every now and then, schools of small marine life would swim past the group and without fail, they would swim nearer to Akira, butting their heads at her midriff, wishing to be pet, tails wagging almost like excited pups. The guards would always watch with a smile, tinged with sadness as Akira traced her fingers along the fishes, sometimes even letting them nibble on her fingertips. They never rushed her, never voiced out their impatience, only waited wordlessly, almost in obeisance, whereas Tailless Beast scooted further, watching the scene with an unexplainable emotion.

“I'm sorry! I don’t know why this is happening!” Her mellifluous laughter rang clear, glee infectious as the three men felt their lips curving wide.

“We’re going to take forever to reach the tomb,” Tailless Beast grumbled under his breath, fingers itching for a battle.

The guards shook their heads before waving them to continue. “The tomb is not far now.” The light dimmed and tall rock formations appeared in their vision after a few more moments of swimming, and they came upon a small cave’s mouth, dark and cold. An aura of resentment leaked out the entrance in black tendrils, eerily waving them around in a dark welcoming.

 [You have discovered The Azure Garden Grotto.]

 “This? Is where the tomb is?” Akira was sceptical. The underwater cave didn’t resemble a tomb at all.

“To answer honoured guest,” one of the guards clasped his hands and bowed, “This is indeed where Mermaid Knight Rie was buried. King Aenon had gifted this place to her on her 18th birthday and it was where she wished to be buried at if s-she passed on. As written in her will.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

“Then, we will take our leave.” The Merman Guards bowed and left.

Akira watched the cave, the dark entrance a deep void where no light passed. Tailless Beast frowned. “What are you waiting for?”

“Calling a few friends over,” she replied simply.

“What? Why!” he growled. More people meant more shares, more shares meant that his share will have to be reduced! The area before them was unexplored land, treasure for all to take, mobs to kill, experience to gain.

“You can go ahead if you want.” She bowed slightly and gestured welcomingly for him to go ahead, and he did without a glance back.

He walked past her towards the cave’s mouth, through the darkness, only to be rebounded and forced back by an unknown, unseen force. She reached out a hand to steady his staggering steps.

 [You do not meet the requirements to enter.

Party members: Minimum 5 members; Maximum 10 members.

Party level: Minimum Level 40; Maximum Level 45]

 “What the fuck?”

Akira shrugged with a mischievous smile when he redirected his wrath onto her. “My friends should be here soon. I've sent them the coordinates.”

Tailless Beast leaned against a rock, scowling at having to wait some more when he remembered something. “Can they even make it here?”

With a shake of her head, she could only smile helplessly. “I hope so. The coordinates triggered the system just now and I think they’re – ” Three separate balls of light suddenly appeared, glowing brighter and brighter as water surged towards the element. Faint silhouettes flickered within. “ – teleporting here.”

Tailless Beast straightened himself while his hand moved to grip his broadsword, a familiar shadow amongst the silhouette giving him uneasy feelings, yet the closer he observed the figures under the dimming light, his lips were pursed tight and muscles taut. “You know them?”

Akira glanced over at him, noting the icy chill in his deep voice, unlike the usual growls and snarls he’s bestowed upon her so far. No, this was a silky, smooth tone, calm and unnerved, almost so calm that she shuddered involuntarily. She turned back to the three men that appeared before them. “You could say that.”

“Wasn’t he chasing you down just yesterday?” Tailless Beast nodded his chin at the Earth Elementalist Misty Forest who now stood wielding his wand at Level 43. The hell happened to him too? How did he power level up?

Akira laughed nervously as Misty Forest – Yamato – found his wand particularly intriguing. “Yes, he was but we settled our differences.”

“And him?”

His tone was flat, unyielding in the slightest as he gestured at the Level 45 Shadow Hunter, the first advancement of the Ninja class, School Beauty King. The man wore a mask that covered the lower half of his face, silvery grey hair spiked up, defying gravity even under water. She and Shadow Hunter exchanged glances. ‘What the fuck did Kakashi do to piss him off?’ With a smile and a tilt of her head, she looked at Tailless Beast in confusion. “What about him? Have you guys met before?”

“Yes,” came the snarl almost immediately. “He goddamn stole my drops!”

Kakashi stared at Tailless Beast. “Ahh, I remember you now. Thanks for the Ivory Shells that time.”

A growl ripped through the large blue man’s throat as he instantly lunged at the Shadow Hunter with his broadsword drawn. Kakashi easily sidestepped the attack and Tailless Beast swung his arm out horizontally, only for a much smaller, more fragile wand to meet its blade head-on. Akira grunted in a grimace as the force of his strength threw her backwards, the wand’s durability dropping to 2.

His small black eyes met her pained blue ones and a phantom image flashed over her countenance; a similar face, the long navy hair tied into a ponytail, the flower kanzashi tinkling with the breeze, and the anger dissipated, a trace of worry flashing through them. “A-Are you...” Words had escaped his lips, soft, gentle, and he then clammed his mouth shut. Uncertain. Confused. But he resolutely shot forward still in that moment, reaching out his other hand and caught onto her arm. He brought her near, steadying her on her feet.

“He can be a little arrogant,” Akira coughed as she gripped onto Tailless Beast’s arm, “But I swear he's a good Shadow Hunter, Beast.”

He pulled his arm back, the warmth of her palm lingering upon his skin and he turned his head. “Whatever. As long as he doesn’t slow us down.”

[Clear Shadow invited you to her party. Accept? Reject?]

Glancing at her wide grin from the corner of his eyes, he shook his head and accepted the request.

[Tailless Beast joined your party!]

[Misty Forest joined your party!]

[School Beauty King joined your party!]

[Good Boy Tobi joined your party!]

Tailless Beast observed the latest member. She was a level 42 Cleric, a branch of the White Elementalist class. The White Elementalist and Black Elementalist, unlike the normal elemental classes, were unique where the former focused on: Summoning magic, Healing magic or Bless Magic, while the latter concentrated on Illusion Magic, Necromancy or Curse Magic. And unlike other classes of warrior, rogue or ranged whose first class advancements were at level 20, Elementalists had their first advancements at level 45 after choosing their first element at level 10.

“Hello!” Good Boy Tobi greeted cheerily with a wave of her hand and grin on her face, but the voice that sounded...

Tailless Beast suppressed the twitch in his eyes. She... Good Boy Tobi... was a he? He looked up and down the female character, dark luscious locks a stark contrast against her white robes, then glanced at Clear Shadow and shook his head. He wished he was more surprised by that fact but with someone as weird as her, it wasn’t all that surprising anymore.

“How long can you guys stay underwater?” Akira asked the three newcomers who were breathing easily underwater.

“We managed to buy only twelve Oxygen Pearls,” Obito, who played Good Boy Tobi, chimed in. “We’re already using three.”

“And they last for two hours each pearl,” Yamato tacked on at the end. “So we have roughly eight hours.”

“They cost us a lot too! Why the hell are Oxygen Pearls so expensive...” Obito grumbled under his breath.

“How close are you to levelling up?” Akira turned to Kakashi, ignoring the grumbling man.

“I just levelled up to 45. It should take a while.”

She nodded, less worried than before. If he levelled up in the dungeon and they couldn’t complete it... ah, it was too troublesome to think.

“Are we ready to go in or not?” Tailless Beast interjected, directing the question at a blankly staring Akira.

“Maa, does it look like we have other things to do?” Kakashi folded his arms behind his head and walked forward while Akira snapped back to reality.

“No one asked you, pretty boy,” Tailless Beast snarled and quickly hurried from behind.

Yamato and Obito smiled, following suite as Akira walked first into The Azure Garden Grotto, unimpeded. Past the complete darkness, a large cavern meters high and wide sparkled, lit by an azure- emerald light, a rare sight of bioluminescence as they swam through the water.

Suddenly, a black shadow flashed past them in a blur, screeching in an agonised, despairing wail.

 Avenging Spirit (Level 40)

HP: 15,000/15,000

 “The monster isn’t even strong,” Tailless Beast tutted.

That’s when a system notification appeared.

[Stage 1. Kill 100 Avenging Spirits. 0/100 killed.]

A feral grin flitted onto his face as he held his broadsword ready. Pulling his arm back, ready to hack at the taunting monster when a dragon whose flesh and body was made of water slammed directly into the Avenging Spirit. Kakashi released his hands and swam around the monster.

-6,589! A critical hit!

The Avenging Spirit wailed louder, its icy voice piercing their minds and a bright light enveloped Tailless Beast, immediately dispersing the stunning effect. Purification! Kicking his legs, he pulled his arms back, muscles of both his hands taut as he gripped the handle tight. With a cry, he cleaved the Avenging Spirit in two before spinning and slicing the shadow at its head with his second slash.

“Hehe, this is going to be fun.” Akira grinned toothily and waved her right hand just as an entire mob of Avenging Spirits appeared, covering the beautiful cavern in black clouds. Elements of water started surging towards her palm and she brought her other hand forward, running it horizontally before her chest, from her right hand to the left, and water surged together, converging by her palm and it grew, lengthening as though she was pulling a something out from her hand. The sword manifested itself from water, both sides sharp as the water constantly circulated to maintain its shape.

“You gotta work hard, Obito,” chirped Akira just as Yamato started chanting an Earth Spell. “Can’t let those spirits get us.”

“But I don’t have that many blessing spells like a Priest!” Obito mockingly shrieked in horror, hands palming either side of his feminine appearance, only to quickly glance at something from the corner of his eyes and calmly waved his hand out at Tailless Beast, enveloping the man once more in a bright white light, healing him. There was a carefree smile lingering on his face.

“You’re doing a good job though,” Akira grinned as she joined the fray. A thick branch gurgled, shooting past her body and speared through an Avenging Spirit rushing towards her. She lashed out with her water blade and sliced the face, causing it to screech in a dying wail.

“You can count on me!” Obito chuckled, staying close to Yamato.

The quieter man was chanting once again, sets of archaic runes muttered from his lips while his other hand focused on controlling the branch he summoned, swinging and wreaking havoc as he pleased. One syllable, two syllables, and an emerald light shone in the side pouch hanging on his hip. A few seeds floated out, dropping onto the ground right beside where the first branch took root and they rapidly grew. Thick and sturdy, the Branch Dragons took the form of snakes, ready to skewer some spirits. There would occasionally be a flash of white light or two around the battlefield, more healing than purifying the members, but their health constantly danced at the same level, never below 65%.

Tailless Beast glanced over at Akira, more specifically staring at the water sword in her hand. “Aren’t you an Elementalist?”

“I am. Just a little bit special,” she winked as she stabbed at a spirit sneaking up behind him.

He stretched out his arm, piercing the head of another spirit chasing after her. “You’re weird. A sword using Elementalist?”

“Admit. I look cool,” she laughed, planting a foot at the spirit and kicking it away.

He rolled his eyes with a scoff, but she caught a glimpse of a lopsided smile upon his lips when she twirled around, seeing him bring his sword down on another kill.

It took them a little over an hour to fully clear the 100 Avenging Spirits.

The second stage began. And the third, and fourth. Each stage’s killings increased exponentially, each stage the spirits a level higher than before. When the fifth stage came about six hours after, when Kakashi, Yamato and Obito ate their last oxygen pearl, they were all tired and grumpy at the mindless killings. However, despite their first dungeon run together, they worked well together, almost like a good oiled machine (and Obito will argue saying that it’s because of his perfect heals that they’re good!).

The enchanting scenery did nothing to quell the annoyance, even when they saw lights akin to fireflies floating in the water, swimming freely when they finally neared the end of the dungeon. Not only did killing one spirit give such pitiful experience, this dungeon was simply too mind numbing! Kakashi wasn’t even near 50% in his experience bar!

...

[Stage 5. Kill 50 Avenging Spirits. 0/50 killed.]

“Ahhh! Finally!!” Obito cried out. “I don’t have any mana pots left. I just want this over with! I'm not going on anymore special quests with you, Shadow!”

“How many do you have? I’ll give you some,” Akira asked as they tried to catch a breather. “And come on. Without me, you can't even come here. We’ll be getting first clear.”

“Only two intermediate pots and a few basic ones left,” he sighed dejectedly. He had stocked up on lots of potions before he entered as a precaution, but this dungeon had eaten up lots of his mana as he tried to keep everyone’s health stable. Those spirits can be quite annoying to deal with but it was more annoying to deal with his teammates that loved charging into the freeway without second thoughts. “And no, you guys suck.”

If the others purposely ignored him or didn't hear, he didn't know.

“Take some, I’m not using as much mana.”

Obito gratefully accepted the dropped potions, animated tears streaking down his face while the group continued forward, their killings evidently slower when a high pitched screech rumbled through the waters at their 49th kill. The shrill sound stabbed their minds, forcing them on a seven second stun.

Tailless Beast at this moment observed his skills that were on cooldown while stunned and a message popped up from Akira.

[Clear Shadow sent you an image. Click to preview.]

‘Might be a clue to the quest!’ he thought and frantically opened the message, only to scowl at the sad green frog and the words ‘feels bad man’ written below it. He glared at the scene happening before them without moving his head, seeing as he couldn’t move yet due to the stun, all the while pretending that it was Akira getting stabbed at with his glaring daggers.

At the next second of the stun, black tendrils emerged from the corpses of the Avenging Spirits, converging together into a huge lump of ink. At the third second of the stun, they watched as the gigantic Avenging Spirit loomed over them. Unlike the previous spirits that lacked a face on their heads, this one only had a crescent slit that was curved like a bowl, silvery sharp and wide. It grinned, revealing many rows of pointed teeth arranged neatly, and lifted its arms where two claws similar to reptiles flexed.  Curling and uncurling its fingers, a maniacal cackle echoed in their minds.

 [You've been inflicted with Hatred of the Spirit. All stats reduced by 20%.]

 A grey ghostly skull appeared above their heads and the entire party felt their bodies grow heavier, strength and speed weakened.

 Avenging Spirit (Elite) Level 45

HP: 200,000/200,000

 “Ah, fuck.”

Obito and Akira exchanged bitter smiles at the Elite Boss taunting them; the former worried at how heavy his job would be as his heals would be reduced significantly with the curse while the damage taken would increase, and the latter

At the fourth second, the Elite boss slowly raised its hands as though it was lifting something and a dark murky blob reached out from way below, appearing from the crevices of the rocks, cackling from the shadows while they latched onto the team’s feet, steadily pulling them down into the abyss as they retreated back into their abode.

-100!

-100!

-100!

-100!

-100!

A continuous string of damage ticked away at their health but they could do nothing to escape, not with the final three seconds of the stun still in effect. Their hearts pounded loudly in their chest, screams of protest banging loudly in their minds – just how broken was this boss!?

So much happened in such a short span of time and they were forced to be sitting ducks, watching their fate before their very eyes.

‘No, no, no. Like hell I'm falling like this!’ Tailless Beast struggled against the stun, willing his body to move. Robust muscles bulged, taut and defined while veins crawled under his skin. He tightened his grip on the sword, yet his fingers never moved. The fifth second passed. His eyes shifted to the side, catching Akira’s fiery gaze coincidentally, both sides unwilling to give up. No way were they going to be bested by a damn boss. Not when they just started on this quest!

Simultaneously, two gentle lights shone from their chests.

‘The necklace!’ they thought.

Fuelled further by their will, the light suddenly broke, dissipating into tiny shards flickering in the light that enveloped the pair. The tenseness of their muscles loosened, a heavy weight pushed off their shoulders. Akira gripped onto her sword, running a hand over the blade as she called forth another wave of water, making it surge towards her weapon. With a graceful twirl, she lashed out her sword, elongated by a few meters as it sliced the water with a shrill sound. The Elite boss cried out in pain, charging forward in retaliation when a thick silver blade halted its advance. Tailless Beast sliced and slashed with all the strength and brute force of a berserker, his movements oddly smooth in the water, connecting swiftly and efficiently as he took on the boss’ aggro.

With the stun over after seven seconds, Yamato began chanting, calling upon the soggy dead wood lying on the ground. Kakashi turned to face the black tendrils dragging them down while his hands became a blur in a series of hand signs. At the last hand sign, he pulled down his mask for the briefest of moments as he spat out a large water bullet, the force strong enough to knock them astray. The dead wood floated up. Pointing his wand at the tendrils in the abyss, the Wood Arrows swam and pierced the monster, causing it to shriek and run away into the shadows where they couldn't touch it anymore.

Obito held the cross with both hands as he chanted out a spell, the holy light surrounding him growing stronger by the second. The light travelled from his body to his outstretched arm, trailing around it like a coiling snake before it shot forth, a pair of feathery wings unfurling from its back.

Level 40 Healing Angel, his newest skill in his arsenal. It flew around the cavern, continuously healing the entire until the thirty second timer was up, negating the damage done by the Elite boss.

Handing off a few seeds to Kakashi, Yamato watched Akira and Tailless Beast pin the Elite boss down while his senior quickly swam around, planting the seeds in the small crevices of the rock walls. The last location of their fight was at a smaller cavern that narrowed near the end, with an arched roof filled with stalactites and large stalagmites on the bottom.

‘This place must have been on land before it was sunken underwater,’ Yamato thought, knowing that stalactites and stalagmites couldn’t form underwater, but could stay underwater for a long time as they slowly dissolved back into the water. He caught Kakashi’s signal as the man planted the last seed and he started chanting. Magic ripples surged around him, robes dancing around him quicker and quicker. Multiple green lights pulsed at different points in the walls, answering to his call. Leaves sprouted out of the seeds, stems unfolding from their abode and they charged towards the Elite boss fearlessly, winding around its large body in a tight grip.

Earth Lock!

The three damage dealers swam back, landing on small platforms in the walls as the sturdy branches tightened the hold, unyielding even when the Elite boss struggled hard against the restraints.

“I can only hold it for three seconds!” Yamato called out. His face was twisted in a grimace, veins appearing on his forehead while he fought to hold his skill.

Akira, Tailless Beast and Kakashi shot forward at the same time, the strength from their calves travelling to their feet as they pushed off the walls on their toes, weapons drawn and skills activating. They unleashed their strongest moves, attacking at the weaker spots like the neck, spine and skull, praying, hoping that the spirit would register the extra damage like ordinary beasts.

-9,731! A critical hit!

-5,054!

-9,352! Another critical hit!

-5,571!

-3,899!

-2,421!

“Can you guys stop critting and making me look bad?” Akira laughed while she flipped back and retreated a distance away, landing solidly on her feet when the Elite boss broke free, large splinters and wood chips flying towards them, and his health firmly dropped below 75%. “This would be much easier if our stats weren’t lowered.”

“Well, you can’t exactly use your fire magic, Shadow,” said Kakashi, “And you are playing with a toothpick.”

“This toothpick can kill you, okay!”

With a cry, the Avenging Spirit swam towards Tailless Beast who sent a blade light crashing into its body but the spirit suddenly turned translucent and the attack passed right through. “What?” Instinctively, he brought the blade up to his face, parrying the claw aimed at his head. A pressure built up in his chest when the force slammed into him, instantly sending him crashing down onto the bottom and he sprayed out a mouthful of blood.

“Beast!”

Akira swam forth, stabbing her sword through the spirit, but like Tailless Beast’s, her sword went through as though it was only water.

“Watch out!

She refocused onto the Avenging Spirit a beat too slow. A sharp pain burned from the inside, spreading out through her veins. Her gaze grew blurry, the lump in her throat hard and heavy as she gritted her teeth. The spirit pulled its arm back, bringing the impaled Elementalist closer to its face. She blinked her eyes with a grimace, forcing her vision to sharpen and she saw, in a slow, slow curl, the spirit widened its grin in a dark satisfaction, the silvery teeth bright against its black face. Its arm was cold to the touch, slimy yet rough when it was pulled out, tips of the claws scratching deeper into her exposed skin and she spat out a fog of blood as the pressure caught in her throat was released.

“Shadow!!”

Crimson blood slithered in the water, a dark red cloud tainting the beautiful waters of the grotto and Akira floated lifelessly in the water. Seeing its masterpiece, the Avenging Spirit laughed joyously while it swam around the blood, occasionally flicking out a tongue to lick at it, tasting the iron taste upon its taste buds.

An earthquake soon rumbled across the cavern. Tailless Beast quickly jumped and swam away, narrowly avoiding the broken falling stalactites. A deep guttural snarl rumbled through the walls, vibrating loud and clear, and the team felt their bodies stiffen. A large silhouette appeared at the end of the cavern, fast approaching the fight. They held their breaths in fear, feeling suffocated by the overwhelming presence rolling off its figure. Out of the shadows and into the gleaming waters appeared a four-meter-long great white shark, its size easily dwarfing the Avenging Spirit. Silver armour adorned its robust body, enhancing the strong aura rolling off its figure.

 Spirit of Sharkman Kelo (Elite) Level 80

HP: 760,000/760,000

 “Ah, fuck.”

[mjwiththefangs]

Beautifully Deadly (NaLu) #6

Chapter 6

Vampire/Supernatural AU

Rating: M

Summary:  "Supposedly an entire kingdom disappeared when their queen went beyond the borders, remember?" When Natsu Dragneel leaves the kingdom to investigate mysterious disappearances, he finds a much bigger adventure than he was bargaining for, including a beautiful vampire hidden away in an ancient castle. She has little to say about her past, or why she's locked away. Who did this to her? What has she been feeding on? One thing Natsu knows for sure that she is dangerous... Could she have something to do with the disappearances? "I'm sorry, Natsu, but I'm just so thirsty."

Chapters: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7

Read it on: AO3 & FF.net

AN: Hello! so this chapter ended up being cut a bit short- just because there was too much I wanted to cram in and ended up deciding (to avoid waffling in this chapter!) that all the other things can wait until later. Thanks to that, this chapter is a little bit shorter than the last one! I hope you all still enjoy, and let me know what you think!

As always, shout out to my Betas @mannyegb and @bmarvels !

Review shoutouts! to: KatanaNoNeko, NaluGrey, KJacket, YunaYue, takeagamble27, MadisonMikazuki, Delightfulxxx, ChaosreigN 

Thank you!!

There are certain beings within this universe that choose to remain anonymous. Some have existed as long as time and fallen to obscurity.

One individual prefers to be this way, it makes his work much easier. It helps him avoid awkward situations. Before, when his existence had been caught wind of, he found himself approached with requests about fate. Some asked when their time would be, others asked what the cost would be to avoid ever meeting him again.

They called him Death. He was the very first Reaper. He had a name, reserved only for the few that truly piqued his interest. One such in particular was a blonde woman, tainted by a cursed existence which should not have been hers to bear. She had not sensed what he was, or maybe she just did not care.

He had been perplexed by her. His dark onyx eyes had observed her with curiosity. She had been in a rush, he had dryly joked 'in a rush to meet your death’. The woman had held his gaze with honey gold eyes, and for an instant, he felt that desire in her. That desire to escape.

So, he gave her aid. He pointed her in the direction of shelter. Offered her… provisions of a certain kind. She reluctantly accepted, though never asked where he had gotten them.

Now, he wondered how she was, his mind absently wandering. He had not felt the tug of her soul, beckoning him to take her to the other side. Perhaps she would still be in her shelter.

How long would she survive without feeding, he wondered. Would she ever truly understand what this fate was that had fallen upon her?

He recalled their last meeting, unbidden. She had stood before him, her fists trembling at her sides. Her eyes bleeding crimson, drowning in darkened shadows. She was desperate.

'Please.’

He understood what she was asking. He reached into his dark robes, presenting a pail to her. She took it with greedy hands.

'You should follow your heart’ his advice slipped out. She reminded him of another blonde he had known, so very long ago. The deep recesses of his heart ached at the sorrow and pain on her features. He could at least offer her some salvation. He decided then, as she met his gaze unafraid, to gift her his name.

'You can call me Zeref.’

.

Lucy began to descend the stairwell, intending to get a basin of clean water for the blue feline. The cat himself purred happily in her arms and rubbing his wet fur against her. She wrinkled her nose.

‘Just what kind of trouble did you get yourself into before finding me?’ She asked. He meowed at her again and raised his paw to lick it clean. He smelled bad. The odour from his cerulean fur was like putrid fish and pond-weed.

Lucy hoped that she still had some of her good soap leaves left over to cleanse his stench. She really did have to ponder what he had done to find himself so damp and smelly.

The small blue cat, however, was already plotting his next escapade with the strange fish lady.

.

Juvia, meanwhile, was not having such a good evening.

She had only returned to her waters the day prior, and the weather had been most unpleasant, though for once that was not by her doing. The dusklight earlier had been irresistible as it shone on the lake’s surface. She had indulged herself, lazily paddling and creating ripples across the surface, flicking her tail languidly to create waves. She had sighed, closing her eyes and floating through the water.

What she had not expected, however, was the almighty chomp of teeth on her teal-scaled tail. She had squawked her displeasure, her leisurely swim disrupted. Her eyes snapped open as her torso dropped below the surface, her perfect balance ruined. Her tail flailed ungracefully above water, the biter temporarily dislodged. She glared, bursting above the surface once more to give the cretin a piece of her mind!

She whipped her head around, azure locks flicking over her shoulder. She had heard what she swore was giggling above her. Her head snapped up. A blue-furred cat floated on fluffy white wings, he held paws over his mouth, his eyes were wide and watching her like she was his next meal.

‘I am not dinner!’ She exclaimed, her face burning red with anger. She yelped when the cat flew at her again with his mouth wide. The mermaid had ducked, and eyes flashing blue, heaved her tail, and hurled an enormous portion of water towards the cat instead.

That had been that. Her assailant had yowled his displeasure and shook out his wings before hissing and fleeing.

Now, Juvia remained sour-faced, floating on her back. There was a large crescent shape left behind on her otherwise pristine scales.

She sighed, still frustrated about having her pleasant night disrupted. Gazing at the darkening sky, she could see the waning crescent moon. Although not a full moon, it still entranced her. She felt eased into calmness and opened her mouth to sing.

Singing was always her solace when she felt upset. Tonight was no different.

Further away, unbeknown to Juvia, a man had caught a glimpse of blue descending the sky and grinned to himself. He had to be on the right track. He continued his course in the direction of the lake, frost crackling underfoot.

.

The Fire Dragon King was observing the Titania at work. He couldn't decide if he was watching meticulous planning or organised chaos unfold before him. But the distress on the Valkyries’ face was clear.

Gray had flown the coop. A day or two ago in fact. All of her plans had been thrown into disarray and she needed to reconvene. As such, her troops were stuck in limbo.

Erza had needed him here. Sure, part of it was to stop his magic destabilising further. But his command over ice would have been essential to protect the kingdom. She had to change her plans.

As such, before her stood Lyon Vastia and Ultear Milkovich. They were both close with Gray; Lyon had been apprenticed to Ur alongside him and Ultear was Ur's daughter. As such, the 3 of them were like family. They had certainly mourned for Ur together.

Erza studied the two of them carefully. Like Gray, they were gifted with the Ice Element. Lyon was a Yeti, his mop of snowy white hair and piercing eyes giving him away, despite using his magic to appear human-shaped. His ice magic worked with nature itself, allowing him to form ice that looked like other creatures and behaved as though alive. He had sought Ur out to train him to be stronger when he was just a small boy.

Her violet orbs drifted over to Ultear, who stood with a shoulder towards the Red-head. Her skin was pale, white enough to camouflage her with snow, if not for her ebony dark hair.

She was a rare creature known as a Yuki-Onna, a Snow Girl. She was usually a recluse, often omitting her presence at the castle in favour of the written word. She had always had a strong affinity with the Ice Element, her mother had been a Khione, daughter to the North Wind, and Deity of Snow.

Ultear's state of being was partially her inheritance of the ice element but she ultimately had her awakening as a Yuki-Onna after almost losing her life to the cold. As a young child, she had been foolish, venturing out into a snowstorm and had fallen dreadfully ill. Ur had used her powers, smiling as she accepted this fate, and taken the cold threatening her daughters’ life into her own body.

Ultear would always remember the dark-haired man, how he smiled gently at her, his presence ethereal, time stopping all around them both. The way his onyx eyes met her sadly, she was so young.

Then suddenly he was fading from view, time sluggishly restarting around her. He smiled at her again, this time with warmth. He turned away from her, leaving her arc of time as a parting gift.

She regained consciousness soon after to Ur’s loving smile, brushing the hair from her face. She understood years later her mother's sacrifice. By taking that cold into her body, it had slowly begun to freeze her from the inside. It seemed ironic, Ultear thought, that her mother was killed by the same element that she had mastered.

Her piercing crimson eyes opened, and she turned to face the armour-clad Valkyrie regarding her. She held the woman in high mutual respect and currently shared her irritation with a certain ice demon.

Ultear, temporarily foregoing her irritation, decided to get to the point, ‘What do you need me to do, Titania?’

Erza nodded, silently agreeing they could get mad at Gray later. ‘I normally wouldn’t ask this of you, Ultear. I know how you prefer your solitude, and your charms have always proved invaluable. But right now, I need you as close to the perimeter as possible. You have mastery over ice that we have not known since Ur was still with us. I need you to build ice walls if you see any hostiles approaching, and if you have to, freeze them with your ice, or Arc of Time. Just keep them out.’ Erza instructed and Ultear thought for a moment, before nodding once.

Erza turned to the sullen Yeti beside the Yuki-Onna. ‘Lyon.’ He made a noise, signalling she had his attention.

‘Your frozen beasts are perfect for patrolling. Keep them divided if you can manage, but position some at the weak points of the border, and reserve some for the palace.’

‘Yes, Captain.’ He said in a low voice and she dismissed them both with a smile of thanks.

Igneel still remained atop the stairs overlooking the exchange, his hands clasped behind his back. Deep lines of worry were drawn across his face. His ears twitched when he heard heavy footfalls approaching.

His features relaxed into a smirk, ‘Metallicana, It's not very often you join me up here.’ He turned towards his companion, holding out a hand in greeting.

Metallicana boomed a short laugh, clasping his hand warmly and slapping his shoulder. The man was decked out in studded leather, with several piercings adoring his features. He had salt-and-pepper coloured hair, which pointed wildly in several directions. He was a Dragon, similar to Igneel, but unlike him, Metallicana was not a pureblood nor a Drake.

‘Igneel! I wanted to make sure you were keeping busy!’ His voice was gravelly as he spoke, ‘I did wonder if you had any updates about my Son.’ he finished in a quieter voice.

Gajeel was still considered part of the nest, even though he had taken his Mother’s wolf heritage. The draconic blood in him was still prevalent in his unusual diet of raw iron.

Metallicana missed him dreadfully. He had also come to speak to Igneel to offer words of empathy. After all, Natsu had gone now too.

The Fire Dragon King sighed heavily. ‘I’m afraid not, old friend. I suppose Natsu wanted to go after him.’

The iron-studded man closed his eyes and sighed softly, musing. He squeezed Igneel’s shoulder in his hand and opened his eyes again to meet his gaze.

‘I am sure they’ll return when they’re ready. Though, that may take longer than either of us hope.’

Igneel nodded. They had to believe that.

His attention was stolen by insistent, frustrated mewling. He titled his head, searching for the cause of the noise. Metallicana raised a studded eyebrow, his features perplexed and leaned sideways to peer around the King.

A small white cat was hissing furiously, spitting and screeching as she leapt around one of the wagons. She batted and slashed her claws on the tarpaulin covering the cart.

Igneel watched the cat with knowing eyes, a feeling of conflict bubbling in his chest. He didn’t have long to ponder though, as Metallicana asked ‘Isn’t that Carla?’ rubbing his chin, ‘She’s always with Grandeeny’s daughter, Wendy, right?’

Igneel rumbled a ‘Yes’, under his breath, already moving to step towards the irritated cat. Carla was still hissing vehemently when Igneel reached her. The snowy cat startled, fluffy wings bursting from her back and she leapt upwards, turning to face him as she did.

Carla meowed loudly in his face and fluttered down, rubbing herself along his leg. He crouched to scratch her gently behind her ear, he flicked his gaze upwards to the cart.

‘You can come out now, Wendy.’

A small whine came from the back of the wagon and the tarpaulin shifted slightly. Shocking blue hair framed her face, large chocolate coloured eyes looking owlishly out at him. Carla yowled indignantly, Wendy raising a hand apologetically, silently begging her to be quiet.

Igneel kept his voice low, hoping to soothe the girl, ‘Your mother would be worried if she knew you were out here. She's making medical drafts with your Aunt Porlyusica. Why don’t you go find her? I'm sure they could use your help.’

She gnawed on her lower lip, briefly averting her gaze and glancing back at him, nodding shyly. He offered her his hand, helping her out the wagon.

The iron dragon watched with bemusement, catching the young girl’s eye when she was back on solid ground, chuckling as she flushed with embarrassment and jogged towards the castle, Carla hot on her heels.

‘She’s certainly free-spirited.’ Metallicana chuckled, his eyes following her retreating form. 'But then, Wyverns always are.’

Igneel cocked his head at the other man, and with a half-shrug responded with

‘They’re both still Draconic, and as such valuable to the nest’ he smiled and gestured towards Erza. 'I need to speak with her, but I shall meet you in the study after.’

Metallicana returned his smile, and with a nod and wave, he returned to the castle.

Igneel breathed deep, his attention turning towards the Valkyrie. He wanted to know her plan of action, and gift to her the lacrima he'd been holding onto.

It was a simplified communication lacrima, part of a pair, and could not be detected by other lacrimas of the same variety. The pair specialised in exchanging data on the others’ environments and the respective holder's thoughts and feelings, including magic energy transfers. Essentially, Igneel could scout and aid them from the castle.

He approached her and cleared his throat.

.

Elsewhere, Jellal was becoming anxious. He was sealed in a guest room at Avatar, and whilst he'd been told he could move freely, he knew that wasn't the case. His magic was pulsating within him, fluctuating with his temperament, and purposefully reminding those nearby of his power.

It was also acting as a sonar, alerting him who was in close proximity. He needed to concentrate. Jellal Perched himself on the bed, elbows on his knees, resting his chin behind interlaced fingers. He sought out the bond between him and Erza, the one created when he first began to watch over her as a guide; the same magical bond that altered dramatically when the two of them became lovers. It was like feeling along an invisible thread, and gazing through a keyhole at the other side. He could sense her alertness. Igneel had gifted her something, he noted, feeling the orb shape in her hands. She was tilting her head now, feeling him tugging on that thread. He could see her in his mind’s eye, fuzzy, but becoming clearer the more he focused on her.

Her beautiful scarlet hair whipped around her face, her sharp eyes scanning her immediate vicinity. He could have gazed into those pools of violet until the end of his days if she’d have only let him. Those eyes settled, seemingly meeting his own.

The Angel smiled softly at her, his fingers unconsciously moved to stroke her cheek, as if he were truly with her. Her own usually stern expression softened, his name falling from her lips.

‘I don’t have much time. You can find our location here.’

He had always found this method of communication unusual. It wasn’t quite telepathy. It was something akin to a data transfer, he supposed. He made sure she knew his location, how he’d found it and even the coordinates he’d memorised earlier.

Suddenly, his magic spiked violently. His image of her face rippled. She nodded in understanding. He wanted to reach for her. She knew. Instead, he simply whispered ‘I love you’ and abruptly severed their connection.

Mentally realigning himself always felt like awakening from a dream. It was disorienting to say the least. But Jellal was used to the strange sensation. His magic demanded attention for more urgent matters.

His cyan coloured eyes snapped open and swept to the door. His magic was reacting furiously. Someone was approaching. He tilted his head back, sitting up and straightening his shoulders. His eyes narrowed. He urged his magic into a calmer state. He allowed it to still spill from his person, as though it was lurking just beneath the surface.

Jellal could sense the approaching hostility. It seemed he’d failed to avoid raising suspicion. There was a knock on the door.0

[highfivecalum]

Our Home Place {CH} 5

NATALIE TRIED AS hard as she possibly could to cover the hickeys on her neck and collarbones from the man she had slept with a few nights prior. Her makeup did a good job at covering the imperfections on her face, but not so much the dark marks left on her skin. She kept her hair down, trying to get it to stay in place to hide her neck until Calum left so he didn’t see, and she hoped it would stay that way.

Calum hadn’t noticed when he opened for Natalie that morning. He was in too big of a rush to get to work since he had so much to do that day and Natalie was eternally grateful for that. He, like always, told her to call or text him if she needed anything and then he was off for the day, leaving Natalie and Lily to themselves.

“So, Lils, what do you want to do today?” Natalie asked as the two of them sat on the couch and, surprisingly, watched Spongebob instead of Peppa Pig for once.

Lily tapped her chin and tilted her head, deep in thought, as she thought about what she wanted to do. Natalie hoped it was something fun, something that involved leaving the house, because quite frankly, she was getting bored of sitting inside and watching TV all day. “Let’s make a fort!” Lily exclaimed.

“Make a fort.” Natalie thought about it and figured that it was better than sitting on her ass watching cartoons all day, so she agreed. “Okay. Where do you want to make the fort? In here or in your bedroom?”

“My daddy’s room!” Lily jumped up from the couch and raced up the stairs, not waiting for Natalie to follow her. Natalie had never been in Calum’s bedroom before, not until Lily demanded they make a fort in there, and her eyes widened when she looked around. It was a simple room; white walls, an en suite bathroom, a walk in closet, a king sized bed, and a balcony attached to it. There was a bookshelf full of worn out books, an acoustic bass hanging up on one of the empty walls, and a flat screen TV mounted onto the wall across from his bed.

Lily threw all of the pillows on Calum’s bed onto the floor, pulled up the cushions from the small gray couch in the corner of the room, with Natalie’s help, and opened the trunk at the end of the bed and took out a few blankets. Natalie had guessed that Lily and Calum had done this before, or Lily and her old babysitter, but she doubted it when remembering that Calum said her last babysitter was mean to her.

Lily gave Natalie instructions for what to do; stack those pillows, lean those cushions against the bed, put blankets here and there, and when it was done, Natalie was quite impressed with her and Lily’s work. The fort looked more like a tent, and honestly, it looked quite cozy. With all of the hardwork setting up their fort, Natalie was hot and her hair was bothering her, so she threw it up into a ponytail before crawling inside of the fort with Lily.

Lily turned Calum’s TV on and flipped through the channels before settling on Frozen, which was playing on ABC Family, and rested her head on Natalie’s shoulder. The two stayed in their little fort, watching animated movies, until Lily dozed off, leaving Natalie awake by herself. She didn’t mind, really, taking that time to respond to the million texts from Allie, Michael, and her mother, and scrolled through all of her social media up she was completely caught up.

After awhile of switching between staring at her phone screen and the large TV screen, Natalie’s eyes started to droop as fatigue took over her and Natalie found herself drifting off to sleep along with Lily.

❋ ❋ ❋

Calum slammed the front door up and threw his briefcase onto the kitchen table in pure annoyance before stomping up the stairs. He hadn’t seen Natalie and Lily in the living room, so he figured they were upstairs in Lily’s bedroom playing with dolls and whatnot, but Calum didn’t expect to see his daughter and her twenty-two year old babysitter, asleep, under a fort that he knew Lily made Natalie make with her on his bedroom floor.

Calum smiled at the sight, his heart fluttering and his annoyance faltering just a tiny bit at the sight of the two of them. He crouched down and shook Natalie’s body lightly. She groaned in her sleep, making Calum roll his lips into his mouth to stop his laughter, and her eyes squinted open. “Have a good nap?” Calum asked quietly, a small laugh leaving his lips.

“Shit.” Natalie carefully moved Lily’s head off of her stomach and onto the pillow next to her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Calum waved her off, telling her that he didn’t mind at all. “Do you want me to put Lily in her bed?”

“Nah, it’s fine. Let her sleep.” Calum stood up, helping Natalie up in the process, and smiled down at her. He hadn’t noticed the hickeys on her neck, not yet, since the lights were off and the sun had gone down completely, so the two of them were standing in the dark. “‘M gonna change. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Natalie nodded her head and shoved her phone in the back pocket of her jeans before leaving Calum’s room. She wouldn’t have minded staying in there while he changed, but she knew that was inappropriate on a million levels. She sat at the island and scrolled through her phone once more as she waited for Calum to join her so he could pay her.

Calum came down shortly after, clad in a pair of black sweatpants, a white t-shirt, and checkered Vans and Natalie’s mouth drooled at the sight of him. Calum in a casual, laid back outfit was a dream. Honestly, Calum in any outfit was a dream. Natalie leaned back in the stool and watched as Calum poured himself a glass of water, downing it in one gulp, and poured another before turning to face her. The smile on his face diminished when he saw her neck. Hair up in a ponytail, the hickeys covering her neck on full display, made Calum’s stomach turn.

“What?” Natalie furrowed her eyebrows.

“Nice neck.” He mumbled. Natalie’s face heated up and she instinctively covered her neck with her hand, although it was no use, Calum had already seen and as hard as he tried to, the jealous pit in his stomach was something he couldn’t ignore, and his annoyance was back in full force. Calum had had one of the worst days at work, an employee messing up all of the numbers so badly Calum had to go back weeks in order to be able to fix it properly, and now this? Seeing the girl he was harboring feelings for, even if she was his daughter’s babysitter, with hickeys all over her neck that weren’t from him? He just wanted the day to end. “Real classy, Natalie.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Calum had never been cold towards her, had never judged her, and here he was; nose scrunched up in disgust and the tone of his voice harsh and hostile. Natalie wanted to crawl into a hole and die. “I-I’m sorry.”

“You know, you might have forgotten, but this is your job, and showing up to my house, to watch my daughter, with your neck covered in hickeys really isn’t professional.” Calum scolded her and Natalie looked away from his icy stare. She knew that if Calum saw her neck he wouldn’t be too happy about it, but she hadn’t expected him to act like that. He fished a few twenties out of his wallet and dropped them in front of Natalie with a blank expression on his face.

Without a word, Natalie reluctantly picked up the money and put it in her wallet, got up and slung her purse over her shoulder and made her way out of the kitchen and to the front door. “Natalie?” Calum called out her name. She cracked her knuckles nervously and spun around to face him, thinking that maybe he would apologize for being so cold and hostile towards him, but she was wrong. “My mom is watching Lily tomorrow, so don’t bother coming in the morning.”

Natalie felt like somebody had stabbed her in the chest with the way Calum spoke to her; eyes looking down at this phone, never making contact with hers, and his tone sounded as uninterested as it possibly could have been. Natalie nodded her head although she knew Calum wasn’t even bothering to look at her and left the house. Natalie knew that hooking up with a random stranger wasn’t her best idea, but she never would have thought that it would end like that.

❋ ❋ ❋

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