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clown-friend-gt · 7 months ago

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Octomer Chapter Two

CW: Mentions of dead animals

Here's chapter two! There was another part to this that I decided to make it's own chapter while I was editing this, and that will probably be out tomorrow.

Not so fun fact, the first part of this is partly based on something that happened to me once, so if you think the part about her singing to a small animal seems unrealistic, just remember that I actually did that once lmao.

Hope you enjoy!

-Em

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It was the morning after a heavy rain when we first met, many, many years ago. I’d gone down to the beach to comb for treasure washed up by the storm. I’d only been expecting to find some new seashells for my collection. I never thought I’d end up saving a life that day.

It was the sun reflecting off of his skin that caught my eye. Adorning his dark brown skin were little spots of light, like sequins. I approached and as I got closer, it took a moment for my brain to catch up to what it was seeing.

The lower half of his body was like an inky black octopus. His top half was like a human child, only much, much smaller. I wondered if what I was looking at was actually some strange toy. But when I reached out and touched it I realized it was much too detailed to be manmade.

My grandpa told plenty of fantastical stories about his time as a sailor. About finding undiscovered islands, navigating the Bermuda Triangle, and spotting ghostly pirate ships in the night. But one thing he’d never discuss, something he insisted was fake, were mermaids.

“The hopeless dreams of lonely sailors, stuck at sea for far too long,” he’d always tell me.

I never even dreamed he was lying.

The little mercreature didn’t respond to my touch. I poked him a few more times, but he didn’t move. His skin felt oddly dry. I lifted one of his arms, and it flopped right back down to the ground when I let it go.

Carefully, I scooped him off of the ground. Even with my small child-hands, his whole body was only a handful. His head lolled backwards as I lifted him from the ground.

I brought him to my ear and tried to listen to his chest. There was no heartbeat I could hear, and it didn’t seem like he was breathing, either.

The first mermaid I’d ever met, and it was dead.

Maybe a normal child would’ve been disgusted holding what was basically a dead fish. But I was heartbroken. I looked at his little face and tears started to form in my eyes. How could he be dead?

I had no idea what to do. I just started singing. Maybe to comfort his departed spirit, or just to comfort myself. I held onto him and mourned him with a song.

Tears fell down my face and splashed onto his little body. I kept singing to him like it would help, somehow. Eventually, I ran out of song, and it was quiet again, save for the waves lapping softly at the bay.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, closing my eyes, and planting a kiss on his head.

Suddenly, tiny hands pushed against my lips. Startled, I pulled back. Like a miracle, the little mer was alive again, struggling weakly in an attempt to escape my hand.

“You’re alive!” I exclaimed as he looked up at me with fearful eyes. I’d never seen anyone with golden eyes before, and I was mystified for a second.

“How…?” I wondered aloud. Then I went to wipe the tears from my face, and the answer came to me.

“The water!”

I took off in the direction of the ocean. His tentacles wrapped around my fingers as I went along, like a reflex. I trotted along until the water reached my knees. Then I lowered the hand holding him in the water.

Exposing him to the water seemed to give him his vitality back. His movements were a little quicker, livelier. He looked up at me and tilted his head, evidently confused.

“Go on,” I encouraged him.

Slowly, he unraveled himself from my hand, watching me all the while. He slithered off of it and floated in place nearby. He turned and propelled himself towards deeper waters.

Then he stopped and looked back at me one last time, as if to make sure I was really letting him go. I offered him a small wave. Hesitantly, he raised his hand and copied the motion. Then he swam away.

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I saw him again a few days later. It was low tide, and I was spending my afternoon by one of a few tide pools. I laid on my stomach and observed the different sea creatures swimming along. Occasionally, I’d tap the surface of the water and watch the ripples travel across the surface.

Small fish darted through the water. Little hermit crabs scuttled across the bottom of the pool. A starfish crawled over a rock covered in barnacles, hunting for its next meal.

Unconsciously, my eye was drawn to something moving by another rock. It was camouflaged to look like the ground. I thought it could be a small sea slug, but then it moved again. The tentacle wrapped around the rock, and following soon after, a head poked out.

Like his octopus half, his body was camouflaged to match his surroundings. But unlike the lower half, which matched the sandy surface he rested on, the upper half of his body had turned see-through to match the water around him. It was like looking at a weird x-ray; I could even see his bones.

He didn’t seem to notice me staring at him. He was much too busy focusing on his surroundings. He looked from side to side, then made his way around the rock to the side facing me. His tentacles clung to the rock like he thought he’d be pulled away from it at any time.

Then our eyes met. His eyes remained that same golden color, standing in contrast to the rest of his body, which was slowly changing to look like the rock behind him. He pressed his body against it as tightly as possible. His chest rose and fell rapidly as our eyes remained locked.

We stayed like that for a bit, both of us unwilling to make a move. Then he finally tore his gaze away as a new threat approached. A crab nearly three times his size clamped its claw onto one of his tentacles, attempting to pry him away from the rock.

His mouth opened in a silent scream, a stream of bubbles escaping and rising rapidly to the surface. Without thinking I plunged my hands into the water with a splash. I grabbed onto the crab’s pincer and tried to pry it open. It attacked me with its other claw as I did so, but I gritted my teeth and did my best to ignore it.

Eventually, I managed to open the claw wide enough for the mer to slip free. He darted away from the crab and wrapped himself around my arm for protection. I pulled back and the crab scurried off in indignation.

I leaned back on the sand and inspected my arm. The little mer was hugging it with both his tentacles and his arms.

“Not scared of me anymore, huh?” I giggled. He chirped in response.

I stuck out my pointer finger and ruffled his wet, curly hair. He closed his eyes and leaned into it, seemingly enjoying the sensation.

“What do I call you?” I asked. He tilted his head at me like he had the other day.

“Do you even understand me?” Still no recognition. He made some clicking sounds at me, but I couldn’t understand him any better.

He frowned, then spots on his skin began to light up. I stared, transfixed, at the blinking patterns. He looked at me pointedly, then huffed in frustration.

Some creatures use bioluminescence for communication. I learned that much later in life, so I didn’t realize he was attempting to talk to me that way. But the spots of light gave me an idea.

“I think I’ll call you Spots,” I told him. It was a childish name, I know, but I was a child. If I’d known I’d be seeing him again later in life, I would’ve chosen something better. But the name fit him so well when he was small and cute like he was back then.

He climbed up my arm to my hand. I giggled at the sensation of the suckers on his tentacles sticking and unsticking from my skin as he moved. It was like a bunch of tiny, wet kisses.

“That tickles,” I told him with a laugh.

He looked up at me but had no response. Instead, he placed a hand on the heel of my palm, where the crab had pinched me several times. It had turned red and was starting to swell slightly.

“Yeah, he got me pretty good didn’t he,” I said, lifting my hand to inspect it myself. Spots placed his other hand against mine to steady himself, the quick motion sending him forward with a jolt.

“Whoops, sorry,” I said sheepishly. He shot me a look and clicked at me in what sounded like annoyance.

He got over it quickly, turning back to inspect my hand. He looked back at me with concern and made an inquisitive chirruping sound.

“I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “’Sides, I couldn’t just let that crab eat you up, now, could I?”

I lifted my pointer finger to him again. He looked at it for a bit and then, slowly, he put his hand up to it. It amazed me that his whole hand was only about the size of the tip of my finger.

“I still can’t believe you’re real,” I whispered.

A minute or so passed with neither of us making a sound. Finally, I spoke up.

“I guess I should put you back, huh?” I looked at him sadly. Of course, he couldn’t understand me.

I braced my hand against the ground and stood up as slowly as possible. I don’t think it made the ride any easier for Spots, as I nearly lost my balance several times. Each time, he clung tighter and tighter to my arm, leaving small sucker marks behind.

“Sorry, sorry,” I apologized to him each time.

I took careful steps towards the tide pool. Once I was by its edge, I lowered myself to my knees. He took a look towards the pool, then back to me.

“Goodbye, Spots,” I said sadly.

Then I brought him closer to the pool, and he started squealing. His eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth hung open as he did. He only stopped when I took him away again.

“Okay, okay, I won’t put you there. Jeez,” I sighed. I looked around to the other tide pools. Soon, I found one that seemed emptier and brought him there.

He still didn’t seem to want to let go. At least he didn’t squeal his head off as I lowered him into the water. But he clung fast to my arm.

“I’m sorry, Spots, I can’t take you with me. Grandpa would kill me if I brought you back to the house. And you need the water to live,” I argued.

Spots remained unconvinced and unmoved. With a sigh, I brought him up out of the water again.

“If I promise to come back, will you let go?” He just made a disappointed face that tugged at my heartstrings. But I remained determined.

“I promise I’ll be back tomorrow,” I told him. Then I grabbed him from behind with my free hand. It took a bit of effort, but I managed to pull him from my arm. He clicked and whined as I did so.

“See you soon, Spots,” I said as I lowered him into the water.

I ended up visiting him every day that summer. We played together from morning until sunrise. I’m sure Grandpa wondered what I was up to, but I never told him about Spots. He was like my little secret.

I was so sad the day I had to leave to go home. I tried to tell him that I was leaving, but I’d be back again next summer. Of course, he didn’t understand me. And when I came back to visit the next year, he was gone.

#g/t community #g/t #g/t writing #giant/tiny #g/t story #sfw g/t #g/t fluff #mermay #mermaid #merman #oc Spots #oc Sabrina #mermay 2024 #Story-Octomer

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soysaucevictim · 2 years ago

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“it feels like my brain (was floating in a fishtank)”

(See warnings/summary on Ao3.)

[ Prologue/Start ] [ Previous ]

Chapter 4: Circuits of The Imagination

Vee had to work and Feed himself.

Ellis was staying in his study.

Janus always had “affairs” to attend to.

Roman said he dropped Remus off at Huntington Beach, again. Roman said he was going to a climbing gym to Feed, after that.

Vic was having a long shift at the zoo.

Carrie had the weekend off, so it was just her, Patton, and the help in Janus’s estate. She was trying to distract herself from the Dream, reading over technical manuals. She hated having new insight on what had to be going on in Steve’s mind, for who knew how long. To take his perspective as he nearly tore her family apart.

Patton, having caught up with his homeschooling, walked up to her, “Mrs. Espinoza?”

“Hm?”

“Are you feeling sad?”

“… I suppose.”

“Want to do something fun with me?”

“What would you suggest?”

“Can we go to the fair place?”

“Which one?”

“The one with the princesses and knights!”

She smiled, “Sure, let me just get ready for that, then.”

Patton grinning widely made her heart melt.

Remus was back at the beach, he immediately tried to swim again. It didn’t last very long, he felt his Horror was still sluggish after that meal from the yacht party. He had to swim more like a human, needing to actually hold his breath and he wasn’t as quick in the water. It wasn’t as fun.

So, he pouted at the shore line, still soothed by the waves.

After a while sitting there, Remus noticed Cass approaching him once more.

“You look particularly sullen this afternoon.”

Remus flopped backwards onto the sand, “It’s boring when FUN TIMES doesn’t want out.”

“Say, how familiar are you with your capabilities?”

“I’ve only known I was a Beast for like, a little over a year? Sooo…”

“Not much?”

“What? No! Well, kind of?”

“Hmm?”

Remus hesitated but told them about some of the things he did to Steve. He started with how he reached into the guy's mind to plant a potent Nightmare.

The eldritch form of his Horror loomed over the “Hero”. His uncountable eyes stared deeply into the puny thing, floating in the water and struggling to hold his breath. Threatening, inhuman noises resonated from his entire being. Remus beheld him, snaking the tip of one of his many tentacles into Steve’s mouth. The nuisance’s delicious fear was drowned out by knowing Roman could be d-

Remus shook his head and chose not to mention the part about his brother.

“Let’s just say that could’ve happened in much better circumstances.”

He wondered about discussing Horrorspawn. Jude was really fun to have around. It was like having some weird pet-child-thing that’s also sort of you floating around. When its time ran out and came apart, he was a little sad. It bitter-sweetly reminded him of what it felt like having a whole soul again. He held back on that note.

“So, where would you like to go, to rouse you?”

Remus wasn’t sure, he didn’t have nearly as much experience with this side of being a Beast. He assumed he’d have to single out someone specific. He thought about returning to Edison’s AutoMart or Nemeseian Blessings Yacht Club.

“Can we flip a coin?”

It was quite a car ride over to the Renaissance Fair grounds, but Carrie didn’t mind humoring Patton along his wandering babble. Occasionally, perhaps more than her own kids at this age, he would grow quiet.

The child really grabbed at every sense he could. The colors, textures and patterns on the staff’s garb – rich, vibrant, and fanciful. He listened to harpists, flutists, and singers perform music – adoring their charisma and showmanship. He smelled all the delicious food everywhere and wanted to try nearly everything.

His vocabulary didn’t have such words, but Carrie could appreciate the boundless enthusiasm.

Soon enough they sat down for lunch, Carrie ordering them a couple bread bowls. Patton was having some chicken noodle soup and she helped herself to broccoli cheddar. She was amused with him scrunching his nose at the broccoli part.

She let him take the lead, and didn’t mind letting that continue. As they nearly finished their food, he interrupted her by asking, “Miss-uss Espinoza, where d’you wanna go now?”

She looked around for a few moments. She found herself transfixed by a specific pair of joined stands: a bowyer and blacksmith. The Dream reminded her of what she wielded in her nightmares, her fingers itching. She didn’t want a repeat of the Rich situation.

“Hmmm, oh. I’d like to see those folks’ wares.”

He nodded and followed her over there.

The craftsmen immediately looked at her strangely, as she approached. She wasn’t sure who to greet first, the smith chuckled, “Wherefore holla thither, maiden! Mine own name is Giles, what doth thee desire?”

The bowyer rolled her eyes, “You can call me Tasha. As you can probably tell, I fashion the bow components around these parts. Let me know if anything catches your eye.”

Carrie was fast in saying, somewhat flushed about Tasha’s imposing and attractive figure, “Name’s Carrie. C-can I have a crossbow, Tasha?”

Tasha raised an eyebrow, “Do you know how to use one, ma’am?”

Carrie straightened up, “Well, I’ve had some firearms training, when I was in the Air Force. But-.”

Her throat closed up, she didn’t want to touch a gun, but she needed this.

Tasha shrugged, “You’re in luck, I have something ready to go behind the bench.”

Tasha was quick to start giving her some pointers and running down the thing’s specifications, “Normally, this would cost you a couple grand, but we can negotiate a generous discount on it. You can also have a quiver of bolts on the house. I highly recommend you practice on the range while you’re here.”

Carrie glanced around, “Do you normally do this for customers?”

Tasha smiled at her, “I- we know-”

Giles bellowed cheerily, “Tasha, art thee trying to steal business hence from me? Shame on thee!”

Tasha had a look of endearment, “Honey, please. You take all this far too seriously.”

“Yet, thee did marry me!”

Carrie was entertained by this banter, it did make her think of Vic’s own charm.

Giles turned to face her, “Art thee eke interest'd in one of mine own fine blades, as well?”

“This might sound weirdly specific, but do you have anything like a rapier?”

“Alas, an estoc is the closest thing I has't to eft. I wilt asketh something about these purchases. Art thee planning on most wondrous deeds, slaying the savage beasts of this realm?”

That froze her a moment, she felt something in these two. They weren’t Beasts but- she whispered to them, “A-are you two Heroes?”

Giles sobered, hushed and out of character, “Yes. We are. I warn you, if you abuse our courtesy, you’ll regret it.”

Tasha simply said, “We have our ways.”

Carrie nodded, “T-trust me. I just want to protect- protect-”

She looked around to see Patton had wandered off.

She panicked as she completed her transaction and gathered everything up. Estoc sheathed at her belt, the crossbow and ammunition in their cases. The craftsmen gave her an understanding look, “If anyone asks, you’re just a family friend of ours.”

She had to find him.

Remus was back in Cass’s car.

The coin flip had Remus gleefully telling Cass about how he upturned a certain used car dealership before they met. He wondered if the business recovered after that mess, after seeing the news coverage on it.

Remus mentioned, “I don’t know WHAT you did back at the yacht club, but I’m so looking forward to seeing how the BOTH of us can go rile them up.”

Cass recited a few more verses in response:

“Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?

They that tarry long at wine, they that go to seek mixed wine.”

Remus snorted, “Must’ve been some good shit.”

“You could say that.”

There was silence so Remus fiddled with the radio, Cass didn’t seem to care about being asked. Remus’s tastes were eclectic, but he was in the mood for the station that played a lot of indie rock.

And if you leave here, you leave me broken, shattered I lie I'm just a crosshair, I'm just a shot, then we can die

They had some luck catching strings of green lights heading deeper into Santa Ana. Cass was taking the scenic route to get there.

“Which of the Edisons do you think will be the most... appreciative of our services?”

“I guess the guy with the BlackBerry?”

“Duly noted.”

I know that starting over's not what life's about But my thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth My thoughts were so loud-

“Oh, and I’ve been meaning to ask if you can tell me more about yourself?”

“Well, I-”

Their conversation was cut short by one garishly hot pink SUV careening through the intersection at their side.

Before he knew it, Remus lost consciousness with an unbearably loud crash.

After some frantic scanning, Carrie saw Patton again, across the lane through the stands.

One moment, he was giggling and clapping at a singing lute player. The other, his attention taken by a stranger with a camera, crouching down and tapping his shoulder. This stranger seemed so friendly, but she felt the Dream’s whispers kicking up on approach.

Said stranger had Patton following her.

Carrie started running toward them, fearing for the child.

Alerted, the stranger gripped his arm far too tightly, making him whine in pain as they sped away from Carrie. The Dream was nearly screaming at her, “You know what she is, kill her. Kill. Her. KILL HER!”

She shook her head, thinking, “I can’t, not here! I just need to protect my- the child.”

She still gripped the estoc, not caring what others would think, hoping to corner the stranger.

They were running toward the park side of the venue, where the attendees grew sparse. Carrie was grateful when they finally started to slow down. It was clear the Beast had more stamina than the child, since Patton had to stop and catch his breath a few times. Her angry yanking and dragging him along only made so much progress.

Eventually, Carrie closed the distance, unsheathed her estoc, and pointed it at the kidnapper, “Let. Him. Go.”

Carrie noticed a strangely dull look in Patton as he stared expectantly at the Beast.

“Who might you be?”

Carrie practically growled, inching closer to the Beast, “What does it matter?”

“Why? I’m this ever so precious child’s mother!”

Carrie glanced at the two of them, not seeing any resemblance whatsoever. A rational part of her mind could drum up plausible reasons, but, “I don’t believe you.”

The Beast crouched in front of Patton, cradling his face to look at her, “Pattycake, sweetie. You believe me right?”

Patton hummed, “I-”

Carrie thrust the estoc closer, nearly puncturing her neck.

The Beast pulled her hands away from Patton, startled. Her gaze still went back to the child, “O-okay, I’m just his auntie Roxie! Do you remember that time-”

Carrie broke, “I will find you and turn you into a PIN CUSHION, if you so much as TOUCH that child OR ANY other. And I will RELISH it.”

A quiet part of Carrie was disturbed about the notion, drowned out by the Dream beckoning her forward. Suddenly Roxie’s expression dropped and she leapt away from Patton, wearing the same terror Rich did. Roxie stammered, “P-please, I-I need my family… I-I need…”

“DON’T make me kill you where you stand, fiend.”

Carrie was fighting the beckoning urge to destroy her utterly. The only thing resisting that was not wanting Patton to witness it.

“A-alright, alright. F-fine. D-don’t kill me. I’ll-I’ll get out of your hair…”

Roxie scrambled away from them, quickly getting far enough to have the Dream grow quiet again.

Carrie looked down to Patton, knelt to rest her hands on his shoulders, “Kiddo, a-are you alright?”

Patton seemed to shake out of the daze, wincing about the bruising on his arm, “She did something. Everything got so quiet, I-I could only hear her voice. I was scared and I couldn’t- couldn’t-”

Patton broke into tears and clung to her, she held him comfortingly, “Shhh, I won’t let this happen to you ever again. Not under my watch. You’re safe, now.”

“I wanna go home.”

“I understand. Let’s go, then.”

It was a miracle that the SUV didn’t hit square on Cass’s car, but toward the rear half of the sedan. It was the driver’s side too, narrowly avoiding a direct hit to Cass and barely dampened some of the force on Remus.

As all the airbags deployed, Cass fish-tailed to their left and came to a screeching halt. In moments, both vehicles had to’ve slammed the brakes.

Remus stirred moments after that. He was dizzy and nauseous, his vision swimming between blinks. He slurred, confused and disoriented, “W-what happened?”

Cass was surprisingly more alert, eyeing the other vehicle.

Remus thought, “Oh yeah, we got hit, didn’t we?”

Cass looked back at Remus, “Be careful, don’t move.”

Remus swore he was tasting blood. It took a lot of energy just to try to focus on his surroundings. He wondered if he was going to die.

Cass summoned some unearthly strength ramming open the partially caved in door and stepped out to confront the other driver. The SUV wasn’t nearly as crumpled up as the sedan, but she really shouldn’t have been able to walk out of this like she did.

As she stepped toward their vehicle and the airbags started to deflate, Remus vaguely recognized her from somewhere. Thinking made his head hurt. Did he just see a holster on her? Keeping his eyes open for a very long time hurt.

Cass got in between her and Remus, “Oh, it’s a relief that you were alright after that. Shall we exchange insurance information and settle this amicably?”

Cass sounded so calm, and so did the other driver, almost sweet-sounding, “I do apologize, Father. Oh! It seems you had a passenger, is he quite alright?”

“I will call for help, after we’ve done this formality. You may call me Cass, for now.”

She craned her neck around to see Remus more closely, her fake smile trembled slightly, glancing back to Cass, “Oh, you can just call me Di, and-”

Remus moaned, “… that… name…?”

Her eye started twitching, ever so slightly, “Gosh, is that one of those… day laborers?”

Remus thought some less-than savory things about that, but he still listened to Cass.

“Child, what does that have to do with-”

She shoved Cass aside and stared at Remus with a creepy, subdued smile, “Ah, I knew the vermin behind ruining my beloved hubby’s big day was around here somewhere. I was looking EVERYWHERE, for you! This can’t stand, you see?”

Remus swallowed some more blood, feeling a familiar wrongness about her.

Cass was stern, “You’re over the line.”

“And you’re going to regret intervening on my MISSION.”

She stepped back and the space in front of her rippled. Remus’s guts twisted, peering into the gate. It was a familiar deep sea crevasse, shimmering in a tiny crack in reality. He feared what she would do if she got inside his Lair, but couldn’t make himself move or think to stop her.

She was about to enter it before Cass yanked her away, “I know the game you’re playing here, but I will not let one of my charges be harmed by one such as yourself.”

In between Remus’s blinks, Cass turned into something incomprehensible in his stupor.

Diane’s eyes became saucers, “W-what ARE y-!?”

Cass wrapped something around her neck and lifted her up. She desperately tried clawing herself free. The mass was somehow both solid enough to squeeze the life out of her, but not enough for her hands to find any purchase.

Cass’s voice seemed to reverberate from their entire body, distorted, yet serene:

“A good man takes care of his animals. But even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”

She gagged and fought uselessly, before going slack in their grip.

The intense emotions that wafted from her had quieted, as Cass dropped her unceremoniously. Remus wasn’t even sure if Cass was looking at him, until they shifted back to their “human” form.

Cass swiftly tapped something on their phone, “Yes, Emergency? I’m over at… I just witnessed a car accident. Someone is badly injured. Please, you have to-!”

Cass crushed the device in front of Remus and told him, “Don’t tell them anything.”

Remus slurred, “¿Quiiién? ”

He couldn’t keep his eyes open. The question went unanswered.

The last things he heard was the sound of something being dragged along, doors opening and closing, and a car driving away.

He felt an overwhelming tiredness cloaking him from there.

It was a long and quiet car ride back to the estate for Carrie and Patton.

She grimaced whenever she glanced at the kid favoring his injured arm. She muttered to him once, “I’m sure Vic can help you feel a little better. I’m sorry-”

Patton smiled at her despite the wincing, “’sokay. She-”

He gulped, Carrie nodded, “No. It was my responsibility to make sure that didn’t happen.”

“You’re sad again.”

Carrie was mentally repeating to herself that this wasn’t going to happen again.

Patton carefully touched her arm as she drove, “I know you care about me, Miss-us Espinoza.”

She smiled a little and was caught off guard by him saying, “It’s like Vee says, ‘shit happens and then you die’.”

She sputtered at that, “Young man, language!”

Patton gave an all-too innocent shrug.

When they arrived, Vee was there and clearly restless. Patton was quick to run to him for a hug. Vee was smiling until he saw the subtly darkening bruise on his brother’s arm. The older brother was glaring daggers at Carrie immediately.

“On your life, you BETTER not’ve laid a hand on him.”

Carrie waved her hands in placation, “Patton just asked me to take him to the-”

Patton supported her, “The Renaissance fair, Vee! It was a lot of fun!”

Vee was snarling, Carrie knew it was about her but he was facing Patton, “Fun? Why are you HURT.”

He then turned to Carrie, “And why are you armed to the TEETH now!?”

Patton wasn’t fazed, “She scared off a bad lady. Who did something weird to my head, I think?”

Vee desisted, barely, “Bad. Lady?”

“She was kind of like you and Mama Jannie – but… scary?”

Vee looked almost insulted a moment, Carrie would’ve snorted if the tension wasn’t so thick.

The older brother looked at her, cautiously glancing at her weapons, “Did you kill her?”

“No. I think I found something that she feared? Or…”

Vee went rigid, “You inflicted that on her.”

She retreated for a moment, “I-I had to do something!”

Vee slackened and sighed, “I don’t smell any new blood on you. I don’t really see that kind of restraint. Ever. In people like you.”

Patton looked up at Vee and smiled encouragingly, “It was amazing, V-!”

Vee seemed to melt, “Look. Maybe I should tell you m-”

Carrie’s phone buzzed. She hesitated a moment, but her gut told her to answer it.

“We’re with the Providence Saint Anne Hospital, is this Carrie Espinoza?”

“Speaking.”

“Are you Remus Espinoza’s mother?”

Carrie felt a cold pit settle in her stomach, “Yes, why?”

“He was in an accident and admitted to our care a few hours ago. His condition is stable but still being monitored. We have already contacted your husband, will the two of you be available to come here to see him?”

“Y-yes, of course! I can go right now. A-and I’ll try to get his brother there too.”

“Okay, do you have something to write down the phone and room numbers?”

She shakily pulled out a notepad and pen from her bag and jotted everything down before the call ended. Patton tugged at her pant leg, “Is Remus okay?”

Vee seemed caught off guard and concerned. She briefly wondered if it was for her.

Carrie simply said to the two of them, “I can only hope so.”

“Thank you for giving us some more detailed history to add to Remus’s charts, Mr. And Mrs. Espinoza.”

Carrie, Vic, and Roman stood near Remus’s room, talking with his doctor.

Vic asked, “How is he?”

The doctor answered, “Remus experienced some whiplash injuries and a concussion from a side-on impact. Given some of his test scores, we just ordered a CT scan and would like to hold him for a couple days.”

Carrie asked, “What happened?”

The doctor glanced at some charts before answering, “The first responders were admittedly puzzled by it. It looked like a hit and run, both drivers involved weren’t on the scene. And the vehicle your son was found in was registered to… an out of state missing person. You might get more information from the police department on that.”

Roman fidgeted, “Is he going to be okay? Can we see him?”

“We still have to wait a little bit to be certain, but Remus appears to be in better shape than expected. But, yes, take it easy with him. We don’t want to-”

Remus shouted from his room, “I can hear you!… ow.”

They filed in quietly and orderly.

Vic held the hand that didn’t have an IV in it and ruffled Remus’s hair, “Oh, mijo. What have you gotten yourself into?”

Remus winced in thought before shrugging, “I… don’t remember?”

Carrie’s demeanor softened, “Easy, Rejoe. You can tell us when you do.”

The moon was waxing outside.

Remus didn’t remember when he last fell asleep. Or if he had passed out.

He was lying in a hospital bed, confused why he was there a moment, before his senses caught up. He was told not to strain himself physically or mentally. As much of a contrarian he liked to be, when he tried to claw at what happened in the car accident his headache flared up.

Teeth. He remembered seeing too many of them. But nothing coherent to connect with it- it was like a nightmare. But then, Remus knew he couldn’t have those anymore.

He regretted immediately his impulse to shake his head to clear it. All he got from that was an intense dizzy spell. He laid back, to quell the predictable nausea, and huffed, “This sucks ass.”

It was a small miracle he didn’t break anything else in the crash, that’s what the nurses said to him, anyways. Remus tended to avoid that growing up – he guessed being an actual monster just made him weirdly flexible.

His bed was pretty close to the window.

When he turned to face it one of the several times hoping for the scenery to change faster - Cass showed up, turned back to him and looked outside. Cass simply said, almost embarrassed, “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Huh?”

In a few more blinks, Cass was gone.

When asked, the nurse told him his last visitors were hospital staff and family, no one else.

@milktea531 @r0sethrills

Feel free to ask to be on a tag list, if you wish!

(I’ll probably tag every other cross-post.)

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#begotten au #sanders sides #roman sanders #remus sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #spilled musing

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katsukis-sad-angel · 4 years ago

Text

Bad Day

Just a fucking terrible day.

Bakugou was walking up the steps to your shared apartment, a permanent scowl set into his handsome features. He turned the corner on the landing and continued up the plastic-lined staircase, wondering why your apartment was still 4 floors away, why both elevators were out of order, and why the fucking hell he couldn’t keep a hold of his goddamn keys.

That’s all that could be said.

Before he could make it to the brick building he called home, he’d encountered a villain attempting to rape a quirkless woman in an alley. Long yellow tentacles with their serrated edges turned out were wrapped around her trembling form. These slimy appendages curled out of the man’s abdomen and dragged her across the asphalt no matter what she did to fight them off.

He was already tired and ready to get home to you, have some dinner, maybe watch a movie and de-stress between your sweet-smelling tits. So when a limb from the tentacle bastard sliced his arm open, the hero quite literally exploded, freeing the woman and alerting the police to the area. Paramedics had offered to patch him up a little before continuing his walk, but he just snatched the roll of bandages and walked away.

His head felt heavy from loss of blood and he just couldn’t grasp his keys. They kept slipping through his fingers and onto the steps so he’d have to bend down and pick them up for the umpteenth time that hour. His feet felt like lead as well; feet catching the edge of each step and making him lose his balance as he pulled himself up onto the next landing.

When he finally made it to your apartment door, it took him several minutes and several paragraphs of colorful insults before the door would budge and he let himself inside. Sighing, he leaned against the door to close it. He just wanted a shower and something comfortable to fall onto. Food? Irrelevant. First, he needs to get his boots off. As he was unhooking the straps, he noticed something. He had been so deep in his mind that he hadn’t noticed it until now. From the kitchen, he heard a song, your favorite dancing-in-the-kitchen song, and your melodic voice singing along.

Once his boots were in their corner, Bakugou hoisted himself on his feet once more with a grunt and followed the sounds to where you were standing at the stove, swaying gently from side to side as the song continued.

Turning the burner to low so the food wouldn’t burn, you turned around just as your boyfriend entered, catching him as he flopped his sore body into your arms and wrapped his own around you. Reaching to the counter behind you, you restart the song, a feat in and of itself because you had your arms full of needy boyfriend.

“Bad day?” You ask, threading your fingers through his sweaty blonde locks.

Katsuki made a noise of confirmation and squeezed you tighter, allowing the scent of your freshly cleaned skin to calm his racing mind. All that mattered now was your voice, gently singing the lyrics he could never learn against his forehead.

Occasionally he’d try to sing the correct words and harmonize with your honey-like tones, but he never got the words right. You’d giggle and he’d blush and his big hands would squeeze your sides lovingly and you bury your face in his chest, the song never ceasing on your lips.

I love you too much,

To live without you loving me back.

I love you too much

Heaven’s my witness and this is a fact

I know I belong

When I sing this song

There's love above love and it's ours

'Cause I love you too much

You lead him to your shared bedroom, still swaying from side to side, still singing along with Diego Luna, but you had to get Katsuki cleaned up first. Taking the bandages from his fist, you make him sit on the edge of the bathtub so you can patch him up.

First, you wash his face, cleaning off the day’s grime and sweat with a cool cloth, then after rinsing it you begin to dab the dried blood off of the cut. He hisses when you press a little to hard, but when you give him an apologetic look and the song changes, he relaxes.

This time, it’s Sia singing from the kitchen.

You smile and lip-sync to the solemn tune as you wiggle the bottle of hydrogen peroxide in front of Katsuki as a warning of what was coming next. He sighed, opting to focus on the words of “Snowman” rather than the bite of the peroxide being swabbed on his wound. Katsuki watched as you stuck a waterproof patch over the wound and helped him stand. You then moved to where he had been sitting to start a shower for him.

He pouted, disliking being babied but he didn’t really want to complain. He attempted to take his top off, but taking off a skin-tight hero costume with one working limb was easier said than done. When you heard him grunt, you hid a smile and helped him get the injured arm through and left him to do the rest.

15 minutes later you heard the shower turn off, so you stopped setting the table to help him again. You made a quick stop at the closet to grab a hoodie, sweatpants, etc for him before knocking lightly and entering the bathroom.

Katsuki stood in front of the mirror massaging a towel into his scalp to remove excess water when you came in. Seeing him shirtless, you had to stop yourself from biting your lip and smacking one of the thick thighs that peeked out from under the towel around his waist.

“Feeling any better?” You ask guiding him back into a sitting position after leaving his clothes on the counter.

You saw him nod out of the corne of your eye and you smiled, fishing in one of the cabinets for the first aid kit so you could finish fixing his arm. When you found it, you plopped down on his lap and gingerly moved his arm to where you could access it.

Upon removing the waterproof patch, you found it mostly clotted over, but some blood still oozed out so you added a few layers of gauze before wrapping it firmly with bandages.

Katsuki’s face was buried in your shoulder while you worked, taking the pretty scent of your shampoo from your shower a few hours ago. Your skin was very soft and warm as well and he was so tired…

“Katsu, baby-” You patted his cheek to rouse him, “You can’t go to sleep yet okay? You need to eat so you don’t die on me. Come on, let me see your eyes…”

They were the color of rubies with flecks of orange. They looked likt the explosions that came from his very palms and to you, they were the most beautiful things you’d ever seen.

“There we go…” You cupped his face in your palms, thumbs brushing over the dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep and then his cracked, dry lips from dehydration.

“I’ll take care of you until you’re all better.”

masterlist

#that domestic fluff has me in TEARS #TEARS #PERIODT #katsuki bakugou #bakugou katsuki #katsuki bakugou x reader #katsuki bakugo x reader #bakugou katsuki x reader #bakugo katsuki x reader #bakugou #bakugo #bakugou fanfiction #katsuki bakugou fanfiction #my hero academia #boku no hero academia

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god-of-identity · 4 years ago

Text

i’ve been listening to way too many creepypastas.

@irrelevant-proxy-bitch as promised, my creepypasta sona/oc origin story. hopefully it meets the standards, heh

Genesis Caveat Origin

or, How I Became a Proxy

That thing is watching me again.

I first noticed it after a particularly boring day of school. I hadn’t paid attention in most of my classes, instead opting to scroll through Tumblr, mess around on Discord, and listen to Creepypasta readings on Youtube. I’m probably failing most of my classes at this point. I can’t bring myself to care. I can’t bring myself to care about much of anything these days. Fiction is the only thing that piques my interest, those made-up worlds are so much more entertaining than the boring one I’m stuck living in. That’s probably why I like writing so much, I can create and destroy whole worlds with no consequence to me, I can control everything and nothing, and it can be as entertaining as I want it to be.

I’m getting off-track. Sorry.

I’d been ignored all day, as per usual, so when I was walking home and felt someone watching me, I was confused and more than a little curious. I normally walk at a fairly quick pace, but I slowed my steps a little when I felt I was being watched. I turned to look behind me, but no one was there. The sidewalk was empty. Actually, the whole street was empty, which is what caused my anxiety to spike. There were no people, no cars, even the storefronts looked empty. I turned back forward and picked up my pace again, walking quickly all the way home. It wasn’t until I’d reached my front door that I realized the feeling of that stare had vanished the instant I’d turned around.

Since then, I’ve felt that stare every time I walk home from school.

After the first day, I didn’t bother looking back. Something told me I wouldn’t be able to see anyone if I did. I was more than a bit creeped out by the whole thing. Why was someone spying on me? How long had they been watching me before I noticed? I was half-convinced I’d been singled out because I’m a textbook wallflower- no one at school would know if I went missing, and they definitely wouldn’t care. If someone snatched me while I was on my way to school, my parents wouldn’t find out until I was late getting home, and by then their frantic calls to the school and police wouldn’t do a thing- I’d probably be long gone.

I guess I was right about that part, heh. Just not for the reasons I thought.

. . .

I’m getting ahead of myself. Where were we? Ah, right.

It’s the seventh day of me being stared at as I’m walking home from school. For the past week, caution won out over curiosity, and instead of trying to spot whoever’s stalking me, I’ve just gotten home as fast as I can. I also made a habit of texting my parents when I leave school- they know how long it’s supposed to take me to get home, so if I get kidnapped they’ll know sooner. Same as when I head to school in the mornings, because I’ve been feeling the gaze on me then too.

I think part of me always knew it wasn’t human.

Shit, sorry. Focus.

Anyway, walking home. Seventh day in a row. Blah blah blah. Only this time, my curiosity outweighed my caution. Maybe I was just so damn bored of the life I had, that I’d do anything to mix things up. Actually, I’m sure that’s what it was. Suffice to say, as I walked down the eerily empty street, this time I slowed my steps instead of speeding them up. Then I slowly turned my head to look behind me. And saw it. The thing that was stalking me. I only caught half a second’s glance before it vanished, but that was enough. The details flashed in my mind. Tall, freakishly so. Black suit, torn sleeves. Something like tentacles raised up behind it. And the face- no face. At least not that my mind allowed me to see.

Then it vanished.

I spun back forwards and sprinted the rest of the way home.

The minute I got home I locked myself in my bedroom, drawing the curtains closed and booting up my laptop. A barely comprehensible entry in the Google search bar was autocorrected in seconds, and with a shaking hand, I moved the mouse to click on the images tab. Photoshopped pictures, fanart, and blurry photos stared back at me.

“I knew it.”

Like I mentioned at the start of this narration, I listen to a lot of creepypasta readings on Youtube. So I’m familiar with some of the stories. Laughing Jack. Jeff the Killer. Lost Silver. So many others. And of course, the one that started it all.

Slenderman.

“Holy fuck.”

I was being stalked by Slenderman. Why? And why hadn’t he killed me? I needed answers. Luckily, the internet is a magnificent place. I curled up in my swivel chair and started typing away, searching up everything I could about Slenderman and his proxies. Even the stuff I already knew, I read or listened to again. I took in as much information as possible. It’s said that knowledge is power, and for some things, the more you know, the more danger you’re in. But in this case, well. I’d seen him. He knew I’d seen him. What did I have to lose?

The next time I look at my clock, it’s nearly five in the morning. I’d done about all the research my brain could handle, even with my hyperfixations running at full throttle. More info probably wouldn’t matter anyway.

I’d made my decision, my plan.

Now, to execute it.

I empty my backpack of school supplies and pulled out a Sharpie. Lowering the felt tip to the fabric on the inside of the backpack, I let out a slow breath. With things like this, power always came from belief, at least that’s what the stories told me. I’d seen him, I knew it was real, it was all real. Now that I knew that, anything was possible. The line between fiction and reality is blurring.

As an author, it’s my job to break it.

I scribble a phrase on the inside of the backpack and capped the sharpie. Then I reach over to one of the books I’d stacked in the ‘bring with’ pile and drop it in.

The book hit the bottom of the bag and vanished.

I grin and reach in, hand passing through a cool sort of veil. I feel around, grabbing the book, and pull it out. It worked. It worked! I giggle, flapping my free hand in excitement. Pocket dimension backpack, success!! I start piling the books into it, all the stories I will carry with me. Then my sketchbooks and drawing supplies. My laptop, chargers, wallet, phone, anything I think I might potentially need. Even some of the food and drinks I’d snuck into my room. My blankets and pillow. Some clothes I’d grown attached too. Hell, let’s bring my stuffed animals and collection of keepsakes too, why not? It can all fit! I empty my shelf of little knick-knacks into the backpack. Nearly everything that I can lift in my room has gone into that pack.

Now… to wait.

7am. I make my move.

I stand in front of the mirror in my room, looking myself over. I’m wearing an outfit I wear almost every day. Grey jacket with a red upside-down heart on the chest, grey shorts with red on the edges, boots, a long red scarf, and a pair of fingerless gloves. The only difference is that now, all my clothes have been altered by my newly discovered ability. I’m calling it “author powers” because that’s the closest I can get to properly explaining it. Now, my entire ensemble is fireproof, waterproof, and much harder to cut through that ordinary cloth. My boots are much more comfortable and molded to my feet. Everything fits just right.

Oh, one more thing. I pick up the blue-light glasses I’d left on my desk. I don’t even have to write on them to alter them, but it’s a fun little gimmick so I might just keep doing it. A couple lines on the glasses, and they’re suddenly much more useful. They’ll function as sunglasses now too, as well as a night vision and heat-seeking mode. And they’ll stay on my face without falling off. I push the glasses up my nose and look back into the mirror.

I guess the function wasn’t the only thing I altered. My ability has a lot to do with intentions.

Instead of glasses, I’m wearing a black mask with turquoise lenses. The mask only covers the upper half of my face. But that’s not the only thing that’s changed. Instead of my hair being the usual dirty-blonde and down to my shoulders, it’s pink, shorter and sorta spiked up- at least that’s the best way to describe it. Not spiked, that’s too sharp. But I can’t find another word right now, so we’ll stick with it. It was a transformation I hadn’t anticipated, but one that I’m sure to keep. I grin, showing teeth sharper than normal.

“This is gonna be fun.”

I hear someone in the kitchen. My dad, getting ready for the day. It’s Saturday, so he doesn’t have work. We don’t have a foster kid at the moment, so mom will be sleeping in. And my sister is still asleep in her bedroom. Perfect.

I raise a hand, seeing the black claws that now extend from the ends of my gloves. I’d been wondering how I’d get to a knife, but I guess now I won’t need one. I tighten the straps of my backpack and step out of my bedroom.

“Heh. Time to raise hell.”

Six days later. Thirteen days since this all started.

It took me for-fucking-ever to find the mansion. Even longer to get there with the burden I’m dragging along. But here I am. It looms over me, giving off the same creepy vibe I got from my stalker. I know he’s there, and he knows I’m here. Someone will answer the door soon, I don’t even have to knock.

The smell of blood isn’t as bad as I thought. I’m glad I made my clothes stain-proof, I’d hate to have to throw away my gloves. As I’m waiting, I tap my foot idly and inspect my fingers. I have a nasty habit of biting the skin around my fingernails, which shows even with my claws. Oh, there’s blood on my claws. Not quite dry, so I just lick it off. Huh, doesn’t taste that bad either.

Someone’s moving inside. I straighten up slightly, hand dropping to my side. I nudge one of the bodies next to me with a foot, then take a half-step away when an arm flops to the ground. I look back to the door, arms crossed (carefully, to avoid cutting myself) as I wait. The door finally creaks open, revealing someone I don’t recognize. I assume it’s one of the proxies, but it’s not one that I’ve read anything about. Only one way to find out.

“You’re one of his proxies, I assume?” Even my voice is different, with the mask. I like it.

The proxy laughs. “Fuck yeah, I’m the number one proxy bitch. But you can call me Irre.” She pronounced it like ‘eerie’, which I thought was fitting.

I snort with amusement and take a moment to look the proxy up and down. She has pale blue skin, long hair that faded from black into red, and silver eyes. She’s about my height, maybe an inch shorter, with a healthier-looking build than the almost-too-skinny twig stature I see every time I look in the mirror. She even looks to be about my age too, give or take a year. She gives off a chaotic sort of presence, but in a way that’s almost difficult to perceive. I’m reminded of my school days, blending into the background. After a few people told me my stare was creepy, even though I’d just been looking at them, I didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. Apparently I had an intensity others found unsettling, but only if they noticed me. I’m reminded of that with this proxy, only with chaotic energy instead. I smile slightly. We might just get along.

“Well, nice to meet you, number one proxy bitch,” I respond with a chuckle. “Speaking of proxies. Where do I sign up? I brought a peace offering.” An idle hand gesture draws her attention to the bodies sprawled next to me. Two bodies, carved up with precise markings, and very much dead. What remains of my parents. My claws had marked them, turned their corpses into a work of art. I’d saved the blood, bagged it and put it in my backpack. I might need it later.

Irre looks the bodies over and grins. “I think you’ll fit in just fine here. Course, that’s not my decision.” She glances back at the house. “The others will get curious soon. Last chance to turn back.”

“I’m not going back. Besides, he sought me out first,” I admit. “Took me awhile to figure it out. But I’m here now.”

She nod in understanding. “In that case… what’s your name?”

I grin, showing sharp teeth. “I am Genesis Caveat.”

#creepypasta #creepypasta oc #tw death #tw blood #gen writes

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lovingzombiechaos · 4 years ago

Text

A Girl Named Man

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Whatever killed those men were long since gone.

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

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

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

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

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

“Stop! Not another step or I’ll…”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“There’s probably another way in.”

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

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

“You can call me Shadowheart.”

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

“I’m Dir. Shall we head on?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Yes. It would seem so.”

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

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

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

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

“Agreed.”

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

Shadowheart stopped and spat on him. “Monster.”

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

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

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

I shrugged back at Shadowheart.

“Something the matter?”

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

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

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

“Well you know---"

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

Shadowheart and I exchanged quizzical looks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I glanced over. “Where is it?”

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

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

Right into the waiting arms of the elf.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He smiled. “I am Astarion.”

Sigh. Here we go again. “I’m Dir.”

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

Did people think they were clever for pointing that out?

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

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

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

She sighed. “I suppose you’re right.”

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

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

“You alright there?”

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

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

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

Astarion laughed.

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

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

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

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

“Yeah, we should.”

“That’s curious,” said Shadowheart.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I’m Shadowheart.”

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

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

Shadowheart snorted and Astarion laughed aloud.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crossing my arms over my chest I shook my head.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Yes.”

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

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

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

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

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

I nodded. “Agreed.”

#baldur's gate 3 #baldurs gate fanfiction #Dir Hale #A Girl Named Man

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knifeshoeoreofight · 5 years ago

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Part 2 of ?

(part 1 here)

Sid can’t sleep. He’s lying in a barracks-style room, listening to the hum of the HVAC system and staring at the bottom of the bunk above him. He’s jet-lagged out of his mind but his thoughts are still spinning from what he’d learned that day. What he’d seen.

What he’d heard.

Help me.

After that moment he’d been so stunned he’d gone along when Bettman had tugged on his sleeve to take him to the labs where analysis was being done. Sid had followed him in a daze, the scientific part of his brain noting equipment, perusing read-outs. He’d been shown the massive hanger containing the strange craft the being had been piloted when it had crashed. He said nothing when introduced to a cluttered conference room full of the world’s brightest linguistic and cryptographic minds. They were hopelessly mired in failed efforts to establish communication with the being.

It has only spoken to him.

Sid turns restlessly onto his side. The hallway outside the barracks is brightly lit, forming a rectangle of light around the cheaply-hung door. He’s the only person in this particular room, although there are at least six bunks. He figures people at this facility sleep in shifts-- he can hear the footsteps of people going up and down the hall. He feels, suddenly, very alone. What the hell is he going to do? How can he possibly help someone contained in a facility with this kind of security? Is the being dangerous? If he did somehow manage to free it, what, exactly, would he be unleashing?

He’s about to flop over to his other side in frustration when the door opens, spilling light inside the room. A woman dragging along a mop bucket steps in with a cheery remark in Russian. Before Sid can tell her that no, it’s fine, no need to clean, she’s closed the door behind her and flicked on the room’s lights. She turns to Sid with a grim expression completely at odds with her light tone and holds a finger up to her mouth in a shushing gesture.

Sid blinks at her. She’s on the older side of middle age, sturdily built with warm, tired eyes.

“Natalia,” she tells him, indicating herself. “You, come.”

“What-- why?” Sid sputters, but she’s already bustling forward, taking his pants from where he’d hung them over a chair back and tossing them at him. She mutters in Russian to herself, and then meets his eyes.

“Help. He’s ask you.”

Sid’s insides go to ice at her words. “He?”

She throws his shirt at his face. “He’s ask. Come.”

Dazedly, Sid yanks his clothes on and follows her. She walks briskly, as if she has every right to be where she is, but she takes odd cuts across hallways and down seemingly random stairwells. After he notices her glance at the ceiling he realizes she’s avoiding security cameras, and a cold sweat breaks out on his skin.

Somehow, they end up back at the observation room. The being is pacing like a zoo lion in front of the window, glowing tentacles swirling in agitation. It- he? Goes still when he sees them, and the lights on his body flare.

Natalia goes up to the glass and pats it with a stream of fond-sounding Russian. She turns to Sid and waves him closer.

“He’s good boy,” she says emphatically, patting at the glass, and Sid has to suppress the inappropriate urge to laugh. He turns to the being, whose lights throb rhythmically in what Sid somehow senses is a pleased manner.

“Uh. A good boy, huh?” There’s a hysterical wobble to the words, and the corners of his mouth want to twitch upwards

That same sense of pressure fills Sid’s head.

Close. Enough.

Sid can’t help it then-- he throws his head back and laughs. He’s standing in an underground research facility in whereever-the-fuck Russia, with a cleaning lady and an extraterrestrial who is, apparently, a good boy.

The being’s lights twinkle in pulses of color. It reminds Sid of laughter, somehow. But then the being goes still and leans in close to the glass.

Please he speaks into Sid’s mind. Help.

“I… I have so many questions,” Sid stammers. “Why me? What will you do after you become free? How would I even begin to help you I--”

Difficult. To send. Words. Wait.

Sid shuts up, and waits. The being draws its appendages in towards itself for a long moment, colors dull, then continues.

Won’t hurt anyone, he says, the words coming a little more smoothly. I need. My ship.

His wide, glowing eyes feel like they’re illuminating even the most shadowed corners of Sid’s soul.

I’m dying.

Sid sucks in a breath.

Your planet. Killing me.

And then: I asked. Because your thoughts... were kind.

***

Through a lot of hand gestures and stilted English (and even more stilted telepathy), Sid begins to piece together at least part of the situation.

Natalia has been about as horrified by the whole situation as Sid was, and she and the being had started communicating with each other when she came in to clean at night. Sid can’t help but watch in wonder as she clucks and fusses over him in a way that seems almost maternal. Sid had spent a little time with a Russian phrasebook during the interminable flight over, and he’s pretty sure the name she keeps using to refer to the being is the Russian equivalent of “sweetie.”

The being in turn crouches almost deferentially next to her on the other side of the glass, as if he doesn’t want to loom over her.

“Want to help,” she tells Sid, as they watch the patterns of light on the being’s skin together. “But I’m old woman. Just clean.” She looks at Sid. her eyes suddenly even more tired, her shoulders sagging. “You are young, and strong. You have--” She struggles with the English she wants, and leans towards the glass. After a moment looking into the being’s eyes, she turns back to Sid. “Secu-rity clearance.”

Bettman had made sure that Sid was given a keycard with 24 hour access to the labs. “I know how it is with you genius types!” he had said indulgently. “Burning the midnight oil and all that. I can’t wait to hear what you discover!” The naked greed in his eyes had made Sid’s skin crawl. Bettman was the type of man who used people.

“They'll know,” Sidney says, apprehensively. “The reader will store the card information. I’d rather not spend the rest of my life in a Russian pri--” He realizes suddenly who he’s talking to.

“I’m so sorry,” he says, abashed. “That’s pretty hypocritical of me.”

The being’s lights go dark violet, and Sid can feel something like grief roll over his mind.

I would not want...this for you the being tells him. Or Natalia.

Then, he brightens, literally. Come with me. They won’t… find you. They won’t….know about Natalia.

“On your ship,” Sidney says slowly. Oh my god.

Sorry. Not God. A ripple of color again. But. If you want.

“Was that a joke,” Sid asks incredulously. “That was a joke, wasn’t it?”

Smug amusement washes gently up against Sid’s mind. The being makes a very human shrug. Sid wonders where he learned that, until Natalia makes an almost identical gesture a few moments later.

“We need try,” she says softly.

Sid notes the flaking, discolored patches on the being’s skin, the way his sides rise and fall with labored breath.

“We will,” he promises. “We need a plan, but we’ll try.”

#sidgeno #sidney crosby/evgeni malkin #hockey rpf #dana writes a thing #zvezda

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justaghostingon · 4 years ago

Text

Merfolk are Overrated

Chapter 5: Nephthys’ Story

Nephthys reminisces about her own experiences under the sea as she helps Kodya hide the three sirens.

Read on ao3 here https://archiveofourown.org/works/25041904/chapters/63453298

Or below the cut

Nephthys’ POV

“You gave her legs!” Kodya gaped like a fish, staring at Nephthys like she’d grown a second head. Nephthys held back a wince. She really hadn’t meant for him to figure it out like this, but she’d come upon Kodya with a siren in his arms, Alistair had been on his way, and she’d needed to do something or they’d all be caught.

Never get caught. This rule comes above all.

“How, why,” Kodya stuttered, still trying to come to terms with what he just saw. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he finally says, a note of hurt in his voice.

“I have told you silly!” Nephthys gave a performative giggle, “Did you think my shop and aura readings were for show?”

Kodya opened his mouth and closed it again, still looking somewhat hurt. Nephthys couldn’t blame him. There was a huge difference between claiming to be a witch to sell trinkets to tourists, and using actual magic in front of someone. But at least he wasn’t going to push it. Nephthys was certain she could have handled having that conversation in front of strangers.

Kodya must never know. He does not belong in our world. If you live with us, you must understand this.

“If we are all done stating the obvious, I would very much like my tail back now.” The red-haired siren sniffed. Arms crossed.

“Of course, of course,” Nephthys smiled. “But not here. Let’s go back to my store, where we’re not in the open where anyone could see.” She shot the red-haired siren a look, and she lowered her head, a scowl on her face.

“Fine,” Kodya grunted as he lifted the fluffy-haired siren into the air and placed her in the back of his truck. Nephthys strained her eyes to catch a glimpse of the old kiddie pool in the back, how ingenuous. Kodya gestured to Nephthys and the red-haired siren. “Nephthys gets the front seat, Red, sit in the back seat.” Red moved towards the fluffy one, but Kodya stopped her. “Back seat means inside the truck, not outside it.”

“Then specify,” Red grumbled as she climbed carefully into the back, flopping awkwardly across the back seats as if she wasn’t quite sure how she was supposed to sit.

“Can I sit inside the truck too?” The boy said, but Kodya shook his head.

“You’ve still got a tail,” he pointed out as he lifted up the green-tailed siren out of what Nephthys was not realizing was a mini aquarium on wheels. The siren clung to him, and Nephthys watched Kodya’s ears grow bright red. Interesting.

Kodya deposited the siren gently into the back so he could crawl to the pool. Then he lifted the little aquarium wheelchair in behind him, and turned to the front.

“Don’t think, just go,” Nephthys heard him mutter under his breath.

-----------

“Don’t think, just go!” her father screamed, pushing Nephthys bodily out of the net. All around her the shouts and screams of a battle waged disoriented her. The great ship stretched upwards like a pillar, black jets streaming off as it sank slowly into the water. Warriors swarmed it, some placing hands or whole arms into cracks and leaks, others trying to push it upwards. Singers sank from above, blackened scales dull as they choked on water. Nephthys followed their trail, to see the slick black substance block out the sun. Oil. She clutched her father’s bag of medicines to her chest, tears still in her eyes, and fled.

----------

“Come in. Come in!” Nephthys beamed as she switched the sign on the door from open to closed. Kodya pushed the boy siren in while Red carried Fluffy. “We’ll talk in the back.” She led them past her glittering potions, and waved them all behind the purple curtain that marked the back from the front. Behind it was where she kept both an emergency tub, and her workbench, complete with extra potion bottles and tea set for easier digestion.

Kodya parked the Kid next to the tub and perched awkwardly on the work bench next to him. Red placed Fluffy carefully in the tub before parking herself on its edge. Nephthys turned her attention to the tea.

“Now,” Nephthys said as she lifted her favorite tea pot to pour five cups. “You want to know about the potion, correct?”

“Aye,” Tori crossed her arms. “I know your kind. You don’t do favors without a price.”

“Tori!” the Kid screeched, and Nephthys frowned, not appreciating that particular generalization, but she supposed it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Or magic needs to have something as a basis in order to work. I can’t make miracles from nothing,” she gently reprimanded. “It needn’t be any worse than trading for food or clothes.”

“So then what do you want in trade for my tail back?” Tori pressed, legs twitching oddly like she was trying to swish her tail. Sylvia braced against her so she didn’t fall off the edge of the tub.

“Nothing at all,” Nephthys smiled, and all three sirens startled.

“But you just said…” Kodya protested, but Nephthys cut him off.

“I don’t need anything, because this potion was designed to be temporary,” she explained. “You’ll have your tail back in a few hours. The only catch is that you are completely human right now, so I wouldn’t recommend you go swimming, as you’ll find you can’t breathe underwater anymore.”

“But what did you trade to get it to work?” The Kid piped up, eyes wide and curious. “You said magic has to come from somewhere.”

Nephthys smiled. It had been a long time since someone had wanted to listen to her lecture on the finer points of potion making. “You already provided it when you got that sea glass for Kodya. Unless,” she shot Kodya a wink, “he really has been training dolphins.”

“Dolphins?” Gyrus blinked.

“Trained?” Tori sniffed. Fluffy arched an eyebrow.

“Nephthys!” Kodya growled, ears burning red. All three sirens turned to him with similarly judgmental looks. “Oh come on,” he snapped. “I had to come up with some kind of excuse to explain how I got it!”

“And you picked dolphins?” The Kid furrowed his brow in confusion. Kodya’s ears got redder.

Nephthys smiled, pleased to see Kodya getting along with others. “You’re welcome to stay here while you wait for the potion to wear off,” she said. “If you need me, I’ll be handling the front.” So saying she turned on her heel and left Kodya to sputter out excuses to the three sirens.

But it seemed that was not enough to stop the siren’s curiosity. And Nephthys found that not ten minutes passed before the youngest siren peeked outside the curtain.

“Witch Nephthys?” the Kid asked. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Nephthys glanced around the shop to check it was empty, a long standing habit of hers, before turning her attention to the Kid with a smile. “Of course,” she said. The Kid’s face lit up.

He grabbed the wall, pushing himself forward in his little cart so he could be closer to her. “I’m Gyrus,” he began with a shy duck of his head. “I don’t think we were ever properly introduced.”

“I fear we haven’t,” Nephthys giggled, “what with running from Alistair and all. I’m Nephthys.” She added. “But you already know that thanks to Kody.”

“The red-haired one is Tori, and the pink-haired one is Sylvia,” Gyrus added. “Just so you know.”

“Thank you,” Nephthys smiled, glad to have a name to go with the faces. A silence stretched between them, until Nephthys broke it by prompting, “What were your questions?”

“Right!” Gyrus jumped, running a hand through his hair. He looked adorably awkward. “Well, I was wondering about the potion you made. Is there any more of it, what are the long term effects, and,-“ he peaked at her through his bangs, “-what would you want in exchange for some?”

“You want a potion?” Nephthys blinked. “What for?” Don’t tell me you’ve fallen in love with Kodya, and are here to trade your voice like in The Little Mermaid, she thought, remembering the Disney movie Kodya’’d never openly admit was his favorite.

“Well,” Gyrus began to twiddle his thumbs. “Alistair offered me a job, which would be a great way to learn even more about humans and their exchange. Besides,” he glanced up at her, eyes shining “What better way to understand humans than to be one? If I could use the potion, Kodya could take me everywhere and show me everything without having to describe it all!”

“Slow down a bit,” Nephthys held up her hand. “Kodya still has his own job to do, he’s not going to be free all the time.” Gyrus pouted a bit, and Nephthys suppressed a squeal at how adorable he looked. She was beginning to see why Kodya was so infatuated.

“You can use the potion though,” she offered, watching him perk up. “It’s fairly easy to make, provided you bring the sea glass I need to activate the magic.” Sea glass might be small, but every sea witch worth her salt knew there was powerful magic in objects that had become part of two worlds. Speaking of which… “There are a few limitations to this power,” she warned.

Gyrus sat straighter, watching her with a keen interest as she continued. “The first limitation is that this potion is temporary. It generally lasts a few hours, and if it's refined enough it might even last several days.” Not that she would be selling that potion to a first time user.

“But it can be unpredictable,” she continued, “and if you aren’t careful you can get stuck in some pretty awkward places and have to rely on others to come and rescue you.” Nephthys knew this from experience, as she’d once been trapped in the girl’s bathroom with eight tentacles, and had to yell for Kodya to run home and get her special bottle, no questions asked. Luckily he’d mistaken it for Advil and always been extra insistent she bring medicine with her every month.

“So be careful,” Gyrus nodded, brow furrowed. “Anything else?”

“Over use,” Nephthys said. “Is always a serious risk. If you keep taking the potion in rapid succession, you’ll find it harder and harder to change back. If that starts to happen, I’d recommend taking a break from potions for a little while, until the magic is completely clear from your system.” She’d done that once, and been forced to play invalid for two weeks before it was safe enough to begin again.

“Manage my time,” Gyrus nodded. “Got it. It can’t be harder than organizing Kodya’s finances.” Nephthys really wanted to ask. But she refrained in favor of communicating the final and most important piece of information.

“For some first time users, the transformation can be…unpleasant,” she added with a wince.

Gyrus looked up at her with mild alarm. “Was Tori…?”

“No, no.” Nephthys shook her head. “She was completely fine. Most are. But for some the psychological implications of losing their tail can be difficult to adjust to at first.”

Difficult. Wasn’t that the word.

-----------

Nephthys grit her teeth as she neared a boat on the farthest edge of the oil slick. She would only have one shot at this, and she needed it to go perfectly. She slung her father’s bag across her body so her arms were free. Then she grit her teeth and approached the great blackness.

Nephthys thrust her head above the oil slick water, dark goop slipping into every crevasse from her hair to her eyes and as it sank in her gills she finally understood what drowning felt like. But she couldn’t stop now. She blinked it away, looking desperately for something, anything, to grab on to, or she would perish like the rest of her pod’s singers. There!

Her salvation was a medal ladder welded to the side of the boat. Reaching out a hand, she grabbed the lowest rung. The oil on her hand made it slippery and hard to grasp, but she held on with an iron grip born of desperation.

She grabbed the wrung above, hauling her body upwards gasping for breath. Her lungs screamed for oxygen that without gills she seemed unable to fully supply, but she ignored it in favor of reaching for the next wrung, and then the next one after that. Her tentacles, normally so helpful for climbing, hung limp as the oil began to eat away at their protective slime.

Nephthys didn’t know how she did it, but somehow she managed to pull herself all the way to the lower deck, collapsing against it as spots swum before her eyes, and with the last of her strength she wrenched her father’s bag open, an uncorked the bottle inside, gulping down the contents.

The change was instant. A bright light filled her senses, and Nephthys found breathing became easier as her gummed up gills disappeared. A strange, tingling sensation ran over her lower body, as her tentacles knit themselves together. As the light faded, she looked down to see them gone. In their place were two brown human legs.

She wiggled her new toes experimentally, they seemed to function normally, no signs of the damage the oil had done to her tentacles had apparently transferred. By all accounts, they were a pair of perfectly normal human legs.

Nephthys bowed her head, and wept.

----------

“Gyrus! Get back here!” A sharp female voice called. Nephthys shook herself out of the memory as Gyrus looked at her guiltily. “I’ve got to go,” he said, pulling himself towards the curtain.

“I’ll help you,” Nephthys replied as she grabbed the handles of his chair and pushed him forward into the back. Tori, Sylvia, and Kodya all look up as they enter.

“Gyrus!” Tori is by his side in a flash. “Where have you been?”

“I was only in the front,” Gyrus rolled his eyes, “and besides. I wanted to ask Nephthys something.”

“What did she say to you?” Kodya demanded looking mildly alarmed. Nephthys felt slightly hurt. She wasn’t going to spill his obvious crush behind his back! She’d do it in front of him, through little in jokes said crush would hopefully not get.

“She explained more about the potion,” Gyrus said, launching into an edited version of what Nephthys had told him. Nephthys tried to listen, but felt a tug on her pant leg.

She looked down to see the fluffy haired siren had crawled out of the bath and was now sitting at her feet. She pointed at herself, then at Nephthys, and then made a flapping gesture with her hands that seemed to say, can we talk?

“Of course,” Nephthys smiled down at her. She cast a slight frown at the other three, Tori, Kodya, and Gyrus had apparently all gotten into a heated discussion about the potion and the job, with Tori solidly against it, Kodya against the job but not the potion, and Gyrus stubbornly insisting it was his choice. That looked like it was going to take a while.

She peaked back out the curtain. The desk would keep anyone from noticing Sylvia from the street, She should know, she designed it that way on purpose, and it would be a whole lot quieter. “How about you out here with me?” She offered, and Sylvia nodded, rolling her eyes at the others' nonsense.

Nephthys led the siren to the back of her desk and crouched down so they were both eye level. “What did you want to talk about?” she asked.

Sylvia began to gesture wildly, far too fast for Nephthys to understand.

“Stop,” she held up a hand. “I can’t understand you like that.”

Sylvia gave a frustrated groan as Nephthys looked around for some kind of solution. Her eye landed on an old pad and pencil she kept near the registry, and she pulled them out.

“Here,” Nephthys held them out to Sylvia. “Use these to tell me.”

Sylvia took the pad and pencil and began to draw in the thick, dark lines of someone who was used to using markers. Nephthys peaked over her shoulder, to see several rough sketches of sirens.

“Do you want to talk about your pod?” Nephthys asked. And Sylvia beamed. “Are Tori and Gyrus’ fights getting on your nerves?”

Sylvia’s face fell as she shook her head. She pointed at the pod on the pad, then at the curtain, and waved her hands to indicate no.

“They aren’t your pod,” Nephthys translated. “Do you want me to find them?” she guessed. Sylvia nodded.

Nephthys bit her lip. “Divining is tricky. I can’t guarantee I’ll find anything.” Even on her best of days her visions were confusing. And then she’d failed to predict the spill…she didn’t want Sylvia to get her hopes up.

Sylvia met her eyes, and Nephthys saw time rewind inside them. Monsters swam the clear seas, hunting and in turn were hunted by wild sirens in rudimentary armor. Strange sea witches in gleaming white would bespell the bones into plates for their warriors, while singers sang songs too beautiful to be confined by simple language. At night the pod would swim to the surface, unafraid of humans or ships, as their knowledge-spinner sang the emotions of their ancestors beneath strange stars.

They were beautiful. And they were gone. Their memory was frozen and stationary, and though Nephthys cast out her sight as far as she could, she could not see a trace of them anywhere in the world.

Nephthys felt her eyes well with tears. “I’m so sorry,” she said. Sylvia looked down at the floor, and her aura flickered a melancholy blue. She’d expected this, Nephthys realized. She’d just wanted it confirmed.

Nephthys bit her lip. She knew what that felt like. What would she have wanted someone to say to her? “It doesn’t stop hurting,” she started, and Sylvia looked up, eyes swimming with tears. “But overtime, you do find a new family, even if you have to make it yourself.”

She knew that better than anyone.

---------

“What the?” a human voice made Nephthys stop crying. She looked up to see a human boy, about her age, maybe a bit younger, staring at her. His eyes traveled from her oil soaked hair to her new legs and back to her tear stained face. Nephthys gave a sniffle, and the boy jumped, releasing a string of words Nephthys didn’t recognize.

“Here,” he tore off his long shirt, what was the word? Jacket? And held it out to her with a blush. “To cover you, ah,” he looked away, clearly embarrassed. Nephthys took it, glancing down at her legs. She wondered how to put it on, slipping one of her new feet into one of the sleeves.

“What are you doing!” the boy cried, coming closer to tug the jacket off her leg. “It’s not a pair of pants! You put it around your waist! What is wrong with you?” He stopped suddenly, looking deliberately upwards over her shoulder.

Nephthys pulled the fabric tight around her waist. Marveling at its softness. The edges bled oil as they brushed against her legs, staining the whole thing black. She bit her lip, feeling tears well up.

The boy rose to his feet, determination blazing in his eyes. “Stay here,” he said, and took off moving almost as fast as the strongest warrior could swim. Nephthys stared after him, feeling completely bewildered, but in no more than a minute he returned, holding some fabric high.

“Here’s a pair of pants!” he called, pushing the fabric into her hands. “Now put this on while I look this way.” He turned his back to her. She slipped into the pants, one foot in one hole and the other in the other and pulled up, glancing at the boy for reference.

“Thank you,” she murmured as they came up. They fit awkwardly, so loose she had to tuck them under her plates to keep them up, but Nephthys didn’t care. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Don’t worry about it,” the boy smiled. “I’m Kodya, what’s your name?”

“Nephthys,” Nephthys said, and the boy smiled.

-----------

The bell rang at the shop door as Nephthys broke from the memory. She and Sylvia traded a look of pure fear, before Sylvia began to flop as fast as she could towards the back. Nephthys helped by all but shoving her behind the curtain before standing up to lie her head off to whatever customer showed up.

She needn’t have worried. It was only Knox, here for his daily dose of “love potion.” Nephthys would have felt bad about that, it wasn’t a real potion, just honey and lemon and some sugar water thrown in, but he wasn’t actually buying it for himself. Rather he was buying it for Alistair who was not allowed in Nephthys’ shop during work hours, after a flirting fail got a tourist to call the cops.

He took it without any confusion as to why Nephthys was apparently hiding under her desk, and went on his way. But Nephthys breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out of the door.

“Excuse me,” Nephthys spun around to see Tori standing in front of the curtain, looking nervous. Her shoulders straightened as she noticed Nephthys’ attention.

“I would like to apologize,” she began, “for my earlier rudeness, and thank you for the shelter and kindness you have shown me and my companions.” She gave a stiff half bow and nearly toppled over, clearly not used to doing so without a tail or the water to keep her steady.

“It’s nothing,” Nephthys waved a hand. “I didn’t have a chance to explain, and so it must have come as quite a shock. Besides,” she added when she saw Tori was about to protest. “Any friend of Kody’s is a friend of mine.” He had so few of them after all.

Tori shifted uncomfortably, and Nephthys raised an eyebrow. Did she not get along with Kody? He seemed fine with her when he talked about them all with Nephthys. Perhaps she was just still feeling guilty. She opened her mouth to reassure her, but Tori got there first.

“There is one thing I would ask of you,” she began, glancing back at the curtain and lowering her voice. “Do you have any great skill at healing?”

Nephthys raised an eyebrow. It had been a while since anyone had asked her of that. Most of her healing magic was tucked away in her potions, hidden as cold cures or natural headache relief. Her finer work was only sold to the organization, who claimed it was too dangerous for her to sell it on the street lest people become suspicious. But nonetheless…, “I do.” She confirmed.

Tori bit her lip as she stepped closer to Nephthys. “What I am about to tell you, you must not tell Gyrus,” she whispered. “But his mother, who has struggled with health since his birth, has taken a turn for the worst. She did not want him to see her, and so allowed him to go on this quest. If you have any way to help,-“ Tori’s eyes widened hopefully, “perhaps she could recover before Gyrus realized.”

Nephthys took a deep breath. “I’ll help if I can,” she said. “Gladly. But I’d need to examine her before I could determine a proper treatment.”

“That’s no problem!” Tori jumped in. “I can swim you to where we have stashed her. It’s not so far.” But Nephthys shook her head.

“If I were to treat her, she’d need to be brought to me,” Nephthys reluctantly explained. “And I can’t go out into the water.”

“Why not?” Tori pressed. “You’re a sea witch.” Nephthys stiffened and Tori noticed. “If the distance is a problem for tentacles, we could go slowly,” she offered, coming to a well-meaning, but completely wrong conclusion.

“I’m afraid that won’t work either,” Nephthys shook her head, a false smile on her lips. “You see, I can’t swim in my other form. The oil burn on my gills prevents me from breathing underwater.”

Tori flinched, and Nephthys felt her heart clench. She looked so guilty, and heartbroken. Nephthys wished she could do something to help. She knew how horrible it felt to be helpless.

----------

The boy called Kodya led her along the side of the ship towards what he claimed was the captain’s office. Nephthys wasn’t certain what a captain was, but Kodya seemed pretty convinced he would be able to help her. “He’s known my dad for ages,” he reassured her. “He’ll know what to do.”

Nephthys privately disagreed, how could anyone help her when everyone she’d ever loved was dead or dying beneath the waves? But she kept this to herself.

Kodya noticed anyways, shooting her worried glances as he ushered her along. He seemed determined to keep her from looking at the water, planting himself firmly between it and her, and chatting about anything small that came into his head in an effort to distract her. It would be sweet, if he wasn’t so horrible at it.

Case and point: “your shirt is weird,” Kodya said. “Where did you get it?”

Nephthys touched her white plates, grown, carved, and be spelled from the finest coral skeletons she could find. “Nowhere,” she said. “I made it myself.” Proper plates for a proper sea witch. Her father had been so proud.

“Is it a Transformers costume?” Kodya asked, and Nephthys sensed a layer of hope in his voice.

“I don’t know what that is?” Nephthys said, and Kodya’s face fell. “I made it with magic,” she offered instead, hoping to cheer him up.

His head snapped to her, and he regarded her with mild alarm, until his eyes landed on her smile, and the concern melted into mild annoyance. “You’re pulling my leg,” he grumbled.

“I’m really not,” She giggled. “I’m a witch you see.” And a sea witch at that. Not that he was likely to believe her, since most of her kind stayed well away from humans. Speaking of which, a movement on the horizon caught her eye. Was that a pod gathering? What were they doing so close to the oil spill?

Her answer came as the most lovely song filled the air, full of mourning and heartbreak. Nephthys felt her own eyes tear up as her sorrow began to overwhelm her.

“Can you hear that?” Kodya stopped mid eyeroll, gaze fastened on the horizon. Nephthys was too overwhelmed to reply, and so he began moving towards the railing, movements slow and lethargic.

Later Nephthys would curse her own foolishness, for who among the siren and sea witch did not know what a trance looked like? But the truth was there was no way she could have seen it coming. Her own grief overwhelmed her, and besides, mourning chants are not supposed to be dangerous.

Kodya climbed over the railing, and too late Nephthys realized what was going on. She threw herself forward, but Kodya was already falling down into the oil covered water. She collapsed on the edge, half wanting to follow, but knowing neither form could face the dangers of the oil.

Helpless, she could only scream, as something below the water snaked towards him.

----------

“I am sorry,” Tori said, and Nephthys’ attention focused on her and not on the past. “I did not mean to bring up painful memories.”

Nephthys gave Tori a false smile. “It was not your fault. You didn’t know.”

Tori looked like she was going to protest, but at that moment, a bright light surrounded Tori’s legs. Tori collapsed with a cry of shock, and as Nephthys blinked away spots she found Tori on the ground, towel still wrapped around her blue tail.

“Oh my,” Nephthys glanced at her watch, to find two hours had passed. “that has to be the shortest time I’ve ever seen. That piece of sea glass must not have been in the sea very long.”

Tori twitched her tail, looking pleased as she ran a hand over the burnt orange tips. “Your potion works well Nephthys, my tail is completely normal.”

“How lovely,” Nephthys giggled. A motion on the street caught her eye, a car on the otherwise deserted street. It didn’t stop, but it would only be the first of many as people began to get off of work. “We should probably get you back in the sea though,” she said.

“Aye,” Tori nodded. “There has been enough adventure today.” She pulled herself to the curtain and stuck her head inside. “My tail has returned,” she yelled. “I believe it is time to return.”

“Sure!” Gyrus pulled himself and his makeshift wheelchair out. Sylvia followed, leaving a trail of water in her wake.

“You can’t go out like that!” Kodya appeared behind them, looking harried. “We’re trying not to get caught and experimented on, remember?”

“Experimented on?” Nephthys raised an eyebrow. Kodya blushed.

“Well what else do you think the government’s going to do with them if they find them?” He snapped back.

You’d be surprised, Nephthys thought as she hid a smile behind her hand. “We can use the back,” she offered as Kodya shot her a frown. “Less people will be paying attention.”

Kodya sighed. “I’ll bring the truck around,” he grumbled as he grabbed his keys. Nephthys turned to the three sirens on her floor.

“Come back this way,” she said as she pushed open the curtain again. “The back door is in the back.” The three sirens groaned, clearly embarrassed they had to go backwards again. Nephthys led them to the back door, half hidden behind the workbench. It took a bit of time to move the bench, the three sirens' attempts to help had the opposite effect, but by the time it was free Kodya had already pulled up the truck.

From there it was a simple matter of helping Tori and Sylvia into the back of the truck, wrapped in towels to hide their towels. Gyrus’ wheelchair turned out to be a bit more of a challenge, and Kodya eventually decided to stick it in the backseat to avoid any odd questions from anyone who drove by them on the road.

Nephthys privately thought this was less about people wondering why a wheelchair was in the back of the truck with three people in a pool, and more to do with Gyrus’ earlier request. He was certainly ecstatic about it, clinging to the back of Kodya’s seat and chatting his ear off as he asked him how the car worked and what the steering wheel did.

Kodya for the most part answered calmly, but his whole face was bright red. Nephthys did not find this nearly as cute as before though, as she lost count of the times they very nearly died thanks to Kodya’s distraction. She was very glad when they arrived at the shore.

“Not here,” she stopped Kodya as he tried to pull in at the docks. “Go down a little farther, they’ll be less people.”

Kodya raised an eyebrow. “You mean that government issued beach? The one no one is allowed on?”

“It’ll be fine,” Nephthys reassured him. “I can get us in.” Kodya shot her a searching look, and Gyrus looked back and forth between them in confusion. Then Kodya shrugged and did as she requested.

The road was predictably blocked by a large gate, but that had never stopped Nephthys before. She got out and pulled a piece of plastic to the scanner. The gate opened with a rusty creak.

Kodya raised an eyebrow as she got back in the car. “Did you use your magic to fool it?” he asked as Gyrus leaned eagerly forward. Nephthys shook her head.

“Just borrowed something from our dear mum,” she said as she flashed a familiar badge at Kodya. “She doesn’t even know it's missing.” This was a lie, but Kodya didn’t need to know that.

Kodya opened his mouth, no doubt to tell her off. Nephthys raised an eyebrow, remembering several times he’d stolen the same badge to try and buy alcohol, or pet the puppies at Petco. Kodya shut his mouth and kept driving.

The single pier was empty, and perfect for their needs. Nephthys helped Tori to the edge while Kodya helped Sylvia. Gyrus attempted to wheel himself, but Kodya caught him before he tipped over. “We’ll need this dry,” he said as he pulled Gyrus out of the wheelchair. Gyrus pouted.

He waved at Nephthys. “I’ll bring you sea glass! Don’t forget!” he said, before wiggling out of Kodya’s arms and diving into the water. Kodya stumbled backwards and landed on his butt on the pier as Gyrus resurfaced. “Oops,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you okay Kodya?”

“Fine, Kid,” Kodya grumbled. Gyrus beamed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” he cried. Tori called to him, and he swam off, only stopping to wave goodbye on the horizon.

Nephthys watched him go. “They’re wonderful,” she murmured. Wonderful for Kodya. He’d needed a bit of magic in his life, and although she couldn’t reveal it, she’d always hoped he’d find some.

Kodya turned to her, brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me about magic or mermaids or the sea? And be honest this time.”

Nephthys froze. Oh no.

----------

Nephthys sat on the strange bench, Kodya’s shirt around her shoulders, and shivered. All around her conversation buzzed, some complaining about how this unexpected delay would affect the rest of their cruise, others bemoaning the unfortunate fate of the ocean, as if they had any conception of the depth of the cost. Still others whispered to each other behind covered hands, shooting Nephthys curious looks and calling her, ‘only survivor’ and ‘poor thing.’ Throughout it all Nephthys clutched the soft fabric around her shoulders, feeling numb.

A woman in sharp black strode forward, and Nephthys could tell from the way people moved out of her way that she was important. She stopped directly in front of Nephthys and crossed her arms.

“My name is Senator Karevic,” she said, voice clipped and smooth. “You were there when my son fell into the water, correct?”

“It wasn’t his fault!” Nephthys pulled the fabric closer around her shoulders. “He was helping me!”

“My son has already admitted to falling after he helped you, so you don’t need to cover for him.” Nephthys looked down, feeling oddly chastened, and the woman sighed. “He’s fine,” the woman added, face softening slightly as she met Nephthys’ eyes. “Would you like to see him?”

“Yes, please,” Nephthys said, knowing her guilt would not ease until she saw Kodya unharmed. The woman waved Nephthys to her feet, and guided her out of the crowded area and down a quiet hallway. Nephthys followed, still a bit unsteady on her new feet, as she tried to keep up with the woman’s quick pace.

“You’re a sea witch, aren’t you?” the woman said without preamble, as soon as they had passed out of earshot. Nephthys stopped dead.

“H-how?” she stuttered out, heart pounding in her chest and deafening her ears. That was supposed to be a secret, no humans were supposed to know.

“Your plates,” the woman said, back still turned. “I knew you were one of the sea folk from Kodya’s story, but I wasn’t certain which one until I saw them. To wear white at such a young age,-” the woman turned to face Nephthys, and Nephthys could see her eyes were wet, “-that truly is a great honor.”

Nephthys bit her lip. She knew no normal human would understand what a plate was, especially considering Kodya’s earlier reaction. “Are you - ?” she started, but was too afraid to finish, for fear of the answer she might get.

“I’m one of the sea folk, yes.” The woman confirmed, still looking sad. “There are more of us on land then you’d think.” She hesitated, then said, “I know this is hard, but I’m going to need you to tell me what happened to you, if you’re up for it.”

Nephthys burst into tears. Through her sobs, she managed to get the basic details, how her pod had been hunting when the great ship had come by, the singers thought they could sing it away, how it had spilled, how her dad had given her the last potion and told her to run, how he’d- he’d…

“I’m all alone now,” she sobbed. “My whole pod, gone.” Arms circled around her, and the woman pulled her close to her chest, rubbing soothing circles as she sobbed.

“Brave,” the woman murmured, “you’ve been so brave little pup, but it’s okay to cry.” She held Nephthys until her sobs died down into sniffles, before pulling slightly away.

“There’s an organization here that can help you,” she offered. “They helped me start over when I needed to. If you’d like, I can put you in touch with them, and they can find you a place to live where you don’t have to worry.” She hesitated again, before adding, “…or…”

“Or?” Nephthys prompted as she gave another sniffle.

“Kodya spoke highly of you,” the woman began, “and I know he’s lonely now I have to work so much. If you want, you could live with us. “Nephthys gasped and the woman rushed to continue. “We’d still put you in touch with the organization, you’d just have familiar faces at your new home.”

“Really?” Nephthys peaked up at her. “I could stay with you and Kodya?”

“Yes,” the woman nodded. “But,” she held up a hand, “before you agree, you need to know the conditions.” She looked Nephthys directly in the eye, and Nephthys suppressed a shiver at the hard determination hidden inside. “In my house you won’t be free to talk about magic or the sea. Kodya must never know. He does not belong in our world. If you live with us, you must understand this.”

“I- okay,” Nephthys looked down. A part of her was curious as to why, but the woman’s aura flickered a sad, sickly grey all around her, and Nephthys could sense that the reason behind that rule would be too sad for her to bear right now. She bit her lip.

“I would still be able to talk about magic when Kodya’s not there right?” she asked, and the woman nodded.

“Just provided he doesn’t overhear, yes.” Nephthys gave a sharp nod.

“Okay, then I want to live with you, and Kodya,” she said. She’d rather be around kind people than strangers, and besides, she didn’t think she’d be able to talk about the sea much for a while.

The woman looked mildly surprised, but she gave Nephthys a warm smile. “Then let’s go and break the good news to Kodya,” she said, and led Nephthys deeper inside the ship.

----------

Nephthys bit her lip, wondering how best to get out of this situation without revealing secrets that weren’t hers and losing her home and family. “You remember where you found me right?” she began hesitantly.

“On our cruise ship,” Kodya nodded. “When we got stuck in the oil spill.”

“Yes,” Nephthys nodded. “I wasn’t actually from the oil ship. My pod was swimming below when the spill happened.” She pulled her knees up to her chin, blinking away the memories.

Kodya placed a comforting hand on her back. “Go on,” he pressed.

Nephthys took a deep breath. “My dad gave me the potion, he used to keep one on him at all times, so that if he needed an ingredient from the surface world he could go and fetch it. He said I was too young though, even though I was fully plated. When the oil began to spill, he gave it to me and told me to swim.”

Kodya swore in Russian, and Nephthys shot him an empty smile. “I climbed on the ship farthest from the spill, drank it, and you know the rest.”

Kodya was silent for a while, before he finally asked, “But why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped you.”

“You were plenty of help. Besides,” Nephthys drew in another breath. “I made a promise.” Not technically a lie, not yet.

“A promise?” Kodya asked, sounding lost.

Nephthys nodded. “It was a rule of my dad’s, ‘never get caught on the surface, no matter what.” Again, not technically a lie, but the conclusion she was hoping he would draw certainly was. Her dad had never made her make any promises about the surface world because he’d never let her go. And it wasn’t like he had time to sit down and explain when she’d had to flee.

“Oh,” Kodya looked down and withdrew his hand from her back, withdrawing into himself. “I see. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Nephthys reassured him, grateful he’d taken the bait. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.” More than he would ever know.

They stayed on the beach for a long time.

#room of swords #room of swords fanfic #mermaid au #merfolk are overrated #ros Nephthys #kodya #Gyrus #tori grieve #ros sylvia

8 notes · View notes

iamartemisday · 5 years ago

Note

Fake title: Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women. Jane Foster with any dangerous men you can think of 😉

Whoo okay! Totally didn’t forget about this I promise.

SO. Jane is broken up with Thor and he’s off doing royal stuff with Valkyrie I guess. Darcy is on vacation with Ian. Erik is also on vacation. Thanos is stuck playing the world’s longest game of solitaire, so there’s no Snap happening any time soon.

Point is, Jane’s on her own for a while. She’s doing okay. Eats regularly, sleeps semi-regularly, and works normal twelve-hour shifts Monday to Saturday. One Sunday afternoon, Jane was relaxing on the couch with a bowl of popcorn and a movie on. Suddenly, there came a crash in her lab, followed by paper being shuffled around and what appears to be a male voice cursing in a language Jane doesn’t know.

That alone would’ve given her pause and made her think something bad had happened, but then there’s the swirling vortex of doom that just opened up in her living room. It just sucked the TV out which pisses Jane off because she just got a Netflix subscription godammit. Now how is she going to watch Sense8?

Also, Loki has just come stumbling out of her lab. He looks like shit and there’s a suspicious wound on his forehead. The blood on his hands and knives doesn’t appear to be his, though.

“I’m sure you’re wondering what I’m doing here,” he says.

“Actually I’m wondering where that vortex goes to,” she says. Then she grabs her ‘In Case of Vortex of Doom’ travel bag and belly flops through the portal.

Loki blinks after her for a few seconds wondering why he’s even surprised. Logic says he should walk away, but being Loki says he should do as Loki does. And so, away he goes!

Meanwhile, in a random Brooklyn apartment, Bucky Barnes is toiling his Sunday away on the couch taking a nap. He’s in the middle of a rather nice dream when the portal opens and drops Jane on his living room floor. He is immediately up and ready.

“Who the fuck is that?” he demanded before realizing it was not HYDRA, an intruder, or a HYDRA intruder. He dropped the gun he grabbed out of ‘secret gun hiding spot no. 272′ and checked that his hair looked okay in the mirror. It looked like Sam had washed it with salt water taffy. Good enough. “Jane! I mean, hi Jane. How are you? Uh... didn’t expect to see you here.”

Loki came through as Jane dusted herself off, just in time for a new vortex to open up. “Hi, Bucky. I was just following this vortex. See you later.”

She jumped through again, leaving Loki and Bucky to blink after her.

“Uh...” said Bucky.

Then a tentacle popped out of the vortex which Bucky instantly grabbed, allowing Loki to kill it with some fire. Then another tentacle came out. Then another. Then another. Then another. Then another. Then another.

In the interest of brevity, it was a lot of tentacles, and once they were all gone, Bucky looked at the portal. “Jane went in there.”

Loki nodded. “Yes, she did.”

“Jane went in there and there are tentacle monsters in there.”

“Indeed.”

After a moment’s allowance for reality to sink in, the two men rush headfirst into the 4.5th dimension to seek Jane out. They find her surprisingly quickly, examining a flowering plant on a desolate space rock which periodically spits fluorescent dust out the stamen.

Also, there are more tentacle monsters.

Also, she’s not alone.

“Don’t tell me,” Bucky says, helping Steve stave off the H.P. Lovecraft rejects. “Jane appeared at your place through a portal, then disappeared into another portal, then tentacle monsters attacked, then you jumped in after her because you like her and you need to protect the innocent.”

“Yes,” Steve says, blushing hard. “Except for the liking her part. I mean, I do like her, but not in that way, I like her in a different way sort of like-”

“Excuse me,” Loki steps in, blasting another tentacle monster into deep space, “I would like for us to get rid of these things before we argue.”

For once, everyone was in agreement with Loki, so they fight the monsters together to protect their dear lady.

“This thing is unreal. I wish I’d taken some botany classes so I could get a better idea of the physical makeup. Maybe if I take some samples and show them to one of my friends.”

“Great idea,” says Bucky, punching a hole through the last of the monsters just in time for a new portal to open. “Here’s a better one: run.”

Meanwhile, Sam Wilson was just finishing a cup of coffee when three tired warriors and one excitable astrophysicist land in his kitchen. He finishes his coffee and drops the mug in the sink for later. He shrugs. “I should be shocked, but I’m just not anymore.”

The next portal opens and off they all go. While Steve gets Sam up to speed they face their next threat: bird monsters on a planet in the Andromeda galaxy. The star patterns are super unique, and while her impromptu team of bodyguards decimates the bird monsters, Jane draws up a quick map.

“This constellation is massive. It makes Ursa Major look like Crux. I’d need a whole week just to chart half of them. Maybe we could stay for-”

“NO!”

The next portal takes them to Clint Barton’s place. After allowing him to shoot a few arrows into Loki’s arms and legs, he follows them to the planet of the Alaskan Bullworms. Bruce tags along on their trek through the mountains of the abominable snow leopards, and finally, Tony leads the charge into the depths of the Alfheim sea. Also known as the place where the crab people with New Zealand accents live.

Eventually, they find themselves on a planet with... *drumroll* humans!

Or at least humanoid people, which after a hundred planets conveniently populated by ravenous monsters, is good enough.

Jane wanders into a junk shop and finds a nice mini-telescope, which can see a good thousand miles into the sky.

“It would go for twenty anywhere else,” said the gold-toothed, snake-eyed man... type thing behind the counter. “For you, my dear, I’d let it go for nineteen.”

Bucky appears at her back, arm out and Soldier mode activated. “You sure about that price, pal?”

The vendor starts to sweat. “Uh... well maybe eighteen.”

Steve and Sam crowd him from both sides. “What was that?”

“S-sixteen?”

Loki appears from the shadows, red Jotunn eyes on full display. He gets right in the terrified man’s face. “Ten.”

“But-”

Ice forms on the counter.

“Ten it is.”

Jane leaves happy with her purchase and the group walks around the shopping area for a while until a new portal pops up and they step straight into a purple-tinted planet populated by tiny eggplant looking aliens.

“Oh thank goodness it finally worked,” said the lead eggplant in a voice like if helium did helium. “Great heroes, we have brought you here to request your assistance on a very important matter. You see, my people are under siege by a powerful warlord who wishes to enslave us and consume all our natural resources. Unfortunately, he has already attacked us once and it destroyed our communications network. We managed to get the portal generator fixed but our tracking system is still offline. That’s why you were so sporadically transported. I hope you can forgive us for any distress our incapacitation caused you.”

“We had to fight bird creatures,” says Sam. “Do you know how much bird shit I got on me?”

“Again we are terribly sorry. We hope this won’t negatively impact your ability to help us, it really is quite urgent.”

“Wait a minute,” says Steve, “you did all this just because you needed help?”

“Yes sir, we’ve heard stories of your exploits. The Avengers are known across several galaxies, and we knew you were just the ones we needed to save our civilization.”

“You couldn’t have just sent an email request?” Tony shouts. “We’ve been out here for days! I have a family at home.”

“So do I!” says Clint.

“I’ve been having fun,” says Bucky. Steve and Loki both nod as they stand noticeably closer to Jane than the rest. “It’s been a nice vacation.”

“We will happily return you once our enemy is defeated. We’ll be able to repair our trackers and get you back in a single jump. Dr. Foster, we were hoping you could help us.”

“Are you kidding?” Jane hisses, closing in on the tiny creature. “Of course I’m going to help. You have to show me how everything works here. This is the best week of my life, oh my god-”

Everyone facepalms. “This woman has no danger sense,” says Bruce.

“She does,” Loki replies, “it simply reads ‘run to danger’ rather than away.”

Jane turns to her friends, arms crossed. “Come on, guys. Clearly, we’re here for a reason. These are innocent people who need our help. Are you really going to let them down?”

The assortment of heroes looks down in shame at even considering leaving. Jane turns to Loki.

“Are you really going to let your need to fuck shit up down?”

Loki looks down in shame at even considering leaving.

Thus an amazing battle is waged against the forces of evil. The Avengers defeat the alien warlord, Loki fucks an incredible amount of shit up, Jane gets the tracker up and running after shutting it off and turning it back on, and the eggplant people are free to live another day.

Some time passes after everyone goes home. It’s another normal Sunday for Jane as she enjoys a good book in her favorite reading nook.

Then a vortex of doom spits out the beaten remains of her old TV, crushing her new one. There goes her Hulu subscription. Loki appears out of her bathroom, singed and slightly burnt. He coughs.

“So I-”

“Here we go again!” Jane rushes through the portal with her new and improved ‘In Case of Vortex’ travel bag.

Loki blinks after her.

“I think that was my line,” he mutters, and away he goes.

...I don’t even know.

#Jane Foster #Lokane #Loki #Bucky Barnes #Steve Rogers #Bucky/Jane #Winter Solstice #WinterScience #Clint Barton #Tony Stark #Bruce Banner #Sam Wilson

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writingandhunting · 6 years ago

Text

Tentacles and Legends

Part 4

Caustic has a nice dayyyy

After that match Octavio was sore beyond belief because even after round one ’karen’ as Elliott had called her wanted more of him, not stopping till they had to win the match which was nearly an hour or so after round three. Currently Octavio had a limp because of just how sore his ass was, Karen had given him quite the beating and the moment he was in his shared dorm with Caustic he flopped down heavily onto his bunk with a happy groan.

“And what has you so tired? “

Nox asks him peeking over the brim of his reading glasses while writing something, Octavio is at a loss for words at the moment and just raises on finger to signal so. Once he regains his strength enough he flips to his side, grinning like an idiot.

“Elliott has a new pet, a very grande plant. “

He says and lays back carefully, rubbing his hips were they were sore and probably bruising.

“How intriguing. A plant of all things. Tiring you out, what did you do watch it all day? “

Nox snorts laughing at the thought, Octavio tosses a pillow at him

“No no no hombre, it watched me on my knees all match~ “

He says back with a grin, watching as Alexander's face turns from puzzled to recognition and finally to embarrassed and flustered in a matter of half a minute.

“So. You and Mirage got the end of the plant? Told him to stay away from it “

He says writing notes for his gas canisters, but thoughts of such images fill his head. Further feeding his need to just know how it mated and used the two legends. He doesn't even realize he's doodling such things until he glances down and shuts the notebook swiftly.

“Perhaps….. we could arrange a meeting with this plant of Mirages? I am undoubtedly fascinated by how a plant can 'watch’ you…. “

He says showing emphasis on those last few words, Octavio grins and claps his hands at Nox.

“Bravo Alex, bravo. You can't hide the blush amigo, you just wanna see her tentadick huh? “

Octavio jokes showing with his arm how it had moved, but the look on Alexanders face said it all. Yes. Yes he would like to see it. Or more specifically Her.

Up close and personal 'Karen’ was really a magnificent specimen, tall and larger than her species should grow. And by God was Nox thrilled to see her up close, with the help of the two she kept calm enough for him to really examine what she was. He had started at her head, simply taking notes of her mouth and nose. It was much like a shovel almost to dig into dirt, but the teeth were jagged and perfect for dragging prey in. As he moved down her neck it seems, he found small sacs carrying a bluish purple liquid. But it all got fun when he reached the base and roots she had, many tentacles coming out to play but most just hovered over him. More occupied with Mirage giving her head a nice massage, but as Caustic reaches up to touch one of her longer tentacles she decides to give his hand the full on experience.

This tentacle wasn't her ovipositor, more so the self lubricating one that she had used to fuck Octavio with. The tip was much like a flower bud, similar to her other but incapable of really splitting apart to lay eggs. As Caustic gives the budded sides of this tentacles tip a gentle squeeze, slimy self created lube secretes from all of it's pores. He gives a soft quiet hum and tilts his head, watching as the tentacle starts to fuck into his hand.

“How curious….You said this creature was female? “

He asks seeing the ovipositor curling up into its base, Mirage chuckles and nods coming up to him now without gloves on

“Yup. Karen as I like to call her is a girl. But she is pretty neat though, aren't ya baby girl “

He says softly reaching up and letting 'Karen’ lick his palm before nuzzling it. She starts to snort gently nostrils flaring as the tentacle in Nox's hand begins to wiggle around a bit wildly before spurting a thick transparent blue liquid all over his gloved hand. He jumps a bit at the pure force of the honey like liquid gushing over his knuckles and then shortly his fingers, it's heavy and smells overly sweet but like flowers too, he writes down what he can before one tentacle is slithering its way under his gear and to his flight suit. Karen noses him right into a sitting position on the ground and her snout finds its way underneath his yellow apron, he gives a soft shudder as many tentacles wrap along his legs and soon his hips.

“Remarkable. She's capable of seeding seven times as much as a normal human being can, but I have to ask why is she so….. o oh…. oh my “

He has to stop mid track at what Karen starts to do, having loosened his belt enough to slip his cock out. And now that long forked tongue had curled down his length. He shudders and watches as her snout encases him entirely, he wasn't exactly a normal girth either. Thick and heavy, entirely too much for a normal person mouth but this wonderful creature took him in like he was nothing. He groans out happily feeling the fork run over his tip, her mouth was just a devouring heat around him. He'd forgotten all about those dozens of teeth by the time she starts to move a bit, sliding him in and out with a soft purring that goes right into him. One of his hands goes down to her nose as he sits up a bit, her smooth head felt odd beneath his gloves so he decided to toss them away in turn of feeling her. The skin was much similar to a human's, just softer like a snakes and no hair in sight. He arches as suddenly that heat tightens around him, he groans and arches up to her knowing he wouldn't last at this rate. Panting and groaning quietly he looks down to watch for a moment, even without eyes this beautiful creature looked determined. It wanted what he could give. And with one sloppy suckle he cums right into that heat, growling out and letting his hips buckle upwards. Karen seems to appreciate his cock for a moment because she doesn't let go really until he's milked and just dry.

It wasn't until something pushed at his cheek that he jumped again, looking over he could see the same one that had gushed all over his hand. It was apparently wanting him to return the favor.

“Karen….. are her fluids safe to ingest? “

He asks Octane and Mirage cautiously, Mirage was busy giving her all the love she'd need but Octane nods and grins

“Go for it amigo. Just know she's gonna go deep “

He says and goes back to rubbing along her base, Alexander swallows nervously at that but sits up a bit. The tentative push to his cheek comes again and hesitantly he opens up for the appendage, at first it just brushes his lips curious before pushing in enough to fill his mouth a bit. It's taste wasn't as overwhelming as he thought it would be, yes still sweet and heavy but not unlike nectar of sorts. He snorts through his nose and tries to relax his throat enough for it to really sink down, it would only be fair if he could take all that's possible when she took him in like it was nothing.

Karen unfortunately doesn't realize he has a gag reflex until the tentacle pushes far deep than he thought possible, starting to pump in and out to the point one of his hands was grabbing at it for support. It felt so odd against his tongue but nonetheless pleasant to him still, even with the tip brushing the back of his throat he was still able to hollow out his cheeks and give some type of stimulation to it. Suddenly Karen let's out a loud bellowing noise before Nox can even realize what was happening he was gagging on warm liquid, he swallows down as much as he can before having to pull back to breathe. It spurts all over his tongue face and chest, it was so sweet he could cringe but as he looks up to her head he can see that apparently he'd tired her out. The tentacle once in his mouth makes such a pool of seed he can't help but watch as it gushes more and more, there had to be at least two full gallons of the stuff by the time it stopped. He grimaces and wipes his face and beard with a rag he has, along with his chest.

“Such an incredible experience…. Simply marvelous “

He states before standing up to watch as she curls into herself to rest.

#apex caustic #apex octane #apex mirage #apex legends #im on a rooooollll

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splattershotsundae · 6 years ago

Text

Ink this Thicker Than Water --- Chapter 11: I just sank your battleship

“OZ! OZ EXPLAIN RIGHT NOW!” Hachi shouted, banging her hand on the door to the bathroom.

“SIS, I’M BUSY!” Oz shouted back.

She clenched her fists. “OKAY BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN!” She said, then huffed and slumped against the wall. Oz was her brother, her half brother, and…. And she didn’t know what to think about that.

Eventually Oz stepped out of the bathroom, and both she and Bato gave him a harsh look. “’Ey sis.” He said, then started to walk back toward the living room.

“Oz!” She snapped, then followed on his heels. "I'd like a bit more of an explanation than that!!!"

"Well, when two people really think tha other's all tha', they-" He gave a two note whistle.

"NOT THAT PART!" She snapped, tentacles coiling up tightly.

Oz sat down next to Oana on the couch, letting out a long sigh as he sat back. "We ah... We share a father?"

"… I don’t even know my father, how do you know that?” Hachi demanded.

“Well… I… needed ta change my name, an I got ta lookin into people records, they got a whole family tree in them computers, an…” He paused for a second. “Well, I saw tha my dad ‘ad three otha daughters, an ya were one a em. Aw man, young ‘Achi was an adorable sight I’ll tell ya wha.”

Her mouth dropped open. "… YOU KNEW THIS WHOLE TIME!?”

“Well, yah.” He shrugged. “I didn’t know ‘ow ta break it ta ya.”

“I’ve known you for probably…. YEARS!” She snapped, glancing at Bato. “Right? Years?”

“I’ve got no idea.” Bato shrugged. “You’d have to tell me how many days it’s been, and even then it’d be a spitball with how your shifts work.”

Tanya stepped into the doorway, putting a hand on the doorframe. "What's going on?"

"Apparently, Oz and Hachi have the same Dad." Bato explained.

Tanya opened her mouth, then closed it again, looking between Hachi and her new brother.

“It’s pretty entertaining.” Oana huffed in an amused fashion.

“It’s less funny when you’re the sister!” Hachi protested.

“Yah, ‘bout tha…” Oz said slowly. “Oana’s also our ‘alf sista.”

"WHAT!?!?!?" Both Hachi and her brand new sister demanded in unison.

"Oh no.” Bato began to chuckle.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS." Oana demanded, sitting up straight.

Leah stepped up beside Tanya. “What’s going on?”

"So... it turns out those three are siblings." Tanya said, nodding at the octolings. "Or, half-siblings rather."

“Oh yah, an ‘Achi wants ta make Bato ‘er adoptive brother while she’s at it.” Oz added.

Leah had to take a moment of stunned silence.

Hachi covered her face with her hands, her tentacles snaking around and coiling around her wrists. How had this all gone downhill so quickly? This was so much to take in… She’d gone from having no siblings to having three, and one… “Who’s the last sibling?” She asked. “Who’s my last sister?”

Oz slowly sighed. “She migh be dead now ‘Achi. It’s a very long story...”

She slumped against the wall, sliding slowly down. She couldn’t tell if she was grieving for someone she’d probably never met, or if this entire secret Oz had been keeping from her was what had made her overwhelmed, but now she was having a legitimate breakdown, her fingers trembling.

“This isn’t just something you can hide!” Oana said. “This isn’t fair!”

“Well I ain’t hidin’ it anymore!” Oz said. “This is important! Ya know more ‘bout me now than my own mom!”

“DO I WANT TO KNOW!?” Oana demanded.

Oz took a sharp breath, sounding like he was tying not to be choked up. The sound was heartbreaking, she couldn’t take this anymore. She stood up, taking her own shaky breath, and then she walked to the entryway, and slipped on her shoes.

“Hachi?” Bato asked, but he didn’t deter her as she rushed outside.

She needed to be out of there, but where could she go? She dashed into the elevator and hit the button for floor 6. Toda. She could visit him.

It was an uncomfortable wait, but soon enough the doors opened and she jogged down the hall, knocking boldly on his front door.

A few moments later, Toda answered, a confused expression on his face."Hachi?"

"I need to use your couch." She said. "Just to sit on it and figure out where everything went wrong."

He blinked. "Ah... Sure?" He said as he stepped aside to let her in. "... What happened?"

"You know Oz?" She asked, rushing in and kicking off her shoes.

"... We've... Met." He said cautiously, closing the door apprehensively.

"And you've heard of Oana..." She strode over to the couch and then flopped face-down into it with a groan. "They’re my bother and sister, and I had no idea!!!”

Toda blinked. "... Oh. Wow. Um… wow."

“What’s going on?”

Hachi paled and looked up, watching as Simon came into the room. That’s right; They’d said they were coming over to help calm Toda down… Sometimes they gave her the heebie jeebies, they were so frightening when mad. She cleared her throat, then continued. "I had no siblings and now suddenly I'm living with three of them!!! I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing!!! I need some time away and just learn what to do now!"

"Siblings?" Simon asked, eyebrows shooting up.

"Apparently!!!" She said, then blinked. “Wait, Simon, you have an annoying sister! Give me some tips!”

Simon frowned slightly. "Hey, she's my sister, only I can call her annoying behind her back!"

“Good, good, tips like that!” She said.

“Oh dear Judd.” They murmured, rubbing their forehead with one hand.

Toda suddenly frowned a bit, counting on his fingers. "Wait, who's the third sibling?"

As if on cue, there was another knock on the front door, and Toda slowly went to the front door. "Bato?"

"Hey Toda." Bato’s voice came around the corner. "I was wondering if Hachi might have come up here?"

Hachi transformed and ducked into the cushions, coiling into a ball. Oh no, not right now, she needed to talk to someone who wasn’t involved...

"Yeah, she just came in." Toda said. “I… I think she’s a bit overwhelmed right now.”

“Should… I come back later?” He asked.

“That would probably be better, yeah.” He agreed.

“… Alright.” Bato said. “Can you tell her I’ll be waiting at the elevator if she needs me?”

“Can do.” Toda agreed. “See you later bud.”

“Yeah, you too.”

The front door closed, and then Toda came back into the room. “Bato’s in the hall if you need him.”

She slowly poked out of the couch, then changed back and shook off her hands. “The couch is gross...” She said.

“Well that’s not what it’s for, so of course it’s bad.” Simon huffed.

She settled back down properly, then sighed. “Toda, a… about your question… Bato’s my third sibling.”

“What?” Toda and Simon asked at about the same time.

“I adopted him as my sibling!” She clarified. “He’s not… octoling.”

“… So that’s what you meant when you said that you felt like he was more than a friend?” Toda asked, sitting down next to her on the couch.

“… Yeah, I think so.” She agreed. “I didn’t know at the time, but...”

“Is… Bato okay with that?” He asked.

She nodded. “Yes, he seemed a bit excited at the idea… and then Oz just dropped on me that he was my brother and… I don’t even know what to say… He hid this from me for so long… He knew the entire time we’ve known each other...”

Simon leaned against the wall, looking… not the most invested in this conversation, but they spoke up anyway. “You know, it would have been pretty suspicious if he’d just gone up and claimed to be your brother, right? Or maybe he wanted to get to know you first.”

“… Maybe.” She agreed, sighing and hugging her legs.

“… Would you like to stay for dinner?” Toda asked.

“I don’t know if I should.” She admitted. “I should be home by then… Besides, what is it?”

“Spaghetti.” Toda explained “It’s noodles covered in a tomato sauce and cheese.”

“… Well I like noodles and cheese.” Hachi admitted.

“Okay, I’ll go ask my dad if you can try some.” He said, then jogged into the dining room, and then out of sight, leaving her with… Simon.

She fell silent, not really sure how to continue. Should she keep asking questions about siblings? Should she apologize for getting in the way of their visit? Should she just keep he mouth shut? Was there some Squidling custom she didn’t know about?

“So I guess you and Bato are getting along great, huh?” Simon asked.

She blinked. “Oh, um… yeah. We are.” She said. “… People don’t just decide to become siblings, do they?”

“Not really.” They admitted. “But everyone’s different or… whatever.”

She slowly nodded. “Yeah… I’m especially different, Me, Oz, and Oana, we have to be different from society up here, it’s just the way it is because we… this isn’t our world.”

“… That’s pretty glum, but damn if I don’t know the feeling.” They muttered.

She kind of frowned at that, but said nothing. She didn’t really think they actually understood in the same way, even if they did happen to have their own problems, but she didn’t want to argue right now.

Finally, Toda came out of the kitchen, a big smile on his face. “Alright, you’re good for dinner! Or… at least trying it. I have to go get my mom now and let her know food’s about done...” The smile slipped from his face a little as he looked at Simon. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay around her?”

“I came over, I’m going to commit.” They said. “Let’s do this...”

“Alright just… let me know if it’s going to be too much.” He agreed, clasping their hand for a moment before walking off down the hall.

“… I don’t really like her either.” Hachi said. “She was sort of mean to Toda last time I was here.”

“What?” They asked, straightening up and getting that scary expression on their face again. She simply looked away and did not answer, trying not to freeze up.

Soon enough Toda came back, Anita in tow. “Good evening Hachi.” She said with a touch of warmth as she came in, though her gaze was still… a bit attached to her tentacles.

“Hello Anita.” She said, without much enthusiasm.

“Anita.” Simon huffed, gaze so sharp one might expect them to beam lasers.

“… Simon.” She replied, giving a similar gaze back, with slightly less intensity.

“… So dinner?” Toda prompted, leading the way to the dining room. Hachi stood up and followed him, remembering how awful dinner was last time she was here. Not the food, just… the conversation.

“Hello Hachi.” Scott said as he came in with several plates. “Toda, can you get the spare chair out of the coat closet?”

“Can do.” He agreed, briskly backtracking again. Hachi noticed him take a quick glance at his mother before rounding the corner, which did not make her any more at ease as she sat down. He was so worried about what could happen, what if he was right to be concerned?

"... So, how is your sister?" Anita asked after a moment, gaze affixed firmly to Simon as she sat down.

"Happy to have her new phone.” They said bluntly, sitting across from her. “Though today she was as stressed as I am.”

"Are you talking about Skwidd's escape? Yes, I heard about that." Anita replied.

They didn’t reply, just edged to the side as Toda returned with a folding chair, allowing him to sit next to them. A moment after, Scott came back in carrying a large pot filled with noodles slick with a red sauce. "Spaghetti's ready!" He chirped as he set it down in the middle of the table. “Help yourself.”

“Me?” Hachi asked awkwardly.

“If you’d like.” He replied. “Here, this should be a good amount to try.” He added as he scooped a small portion onto her plate. “I put in a little bit of brown sugar for that ‘umami’ flavor.”

“What’s umami?” She asked, just barely resisting the urge to say ‘fuck’.

“It’s using sweet to bring out savory, I think.” He said, sitting down in the last open spot.

“You’re using a word when you aren’t even exactly sure what it means?” She asked a bit skeptically.

“Well sometimes that’s just my life and I’ve accepted that.” He said. “Anyway, it’s not getting any warmer, dig in!”

The spaghetti began to get passed around, and Hachi took a fork, attempting to find out how to scoop up the noodles. They were so long she couldn’t actually pick them the way she did other noodles.

"So, Simon." Scott said after moment. "How's your family doing?"

“We’re alright, aside from today, but even then me and Jill got our new phones.” Simon said.

"Good to hear." He replied with a nod and a brief grin, the one that looked so much like Toda's. "What kind of phone did you get?"

Simon finished a bite of food, then pulled their phone out of their pocket, showing off both sides. For a brief moment Hachi could make out the lockscreen as them and Toda pulled close together, but they seemed pretty eager to hide that part.

Scott nodded in an impressed fashion. "Looks like a nice one."

"Y'know, speaking of new phones..." Toda said, waggling his eyebrows in a joking fashion.

Scott laughed "I know, I know, we need to get you yours soon. I get off early on Friday, I could take you then. Sound good?"

"Works for me." Toda beamed. “Thanks dad.”

“Toda, how do you do this?” Hachi finally asked, exasperated. “How do you pick up these noodles?”

“Oh--” He said, then quickly turned to her. “You just get them between the tongs, and then twist the fork like this, see?”

She watched for a moment, then managed to scoop up a couple noodles. “Got it.” She said, then took a cautious bite, her mouth exploding with this… sort of… strange tart flavor, and then in the middle of it all a rush of sugar hit her, and she screwed her eyes shut, dropping the fork and coughing.

“… More sugar?” Scott asked after a moment.

“I’m getting the sugar!” Hachi said between coughs.

“Are you alright?” Anita asked.

Hachi took a moment to catch her breath, then pushed her chair away from the table. “This isn’t for me.”

“… Well, that’s okay.” Scott said. “Can I get you anything else?”

“… No, I… I should get home.” She said. “Mom’s probably made something for me, it’d… be a shame if it didn’t get eaten, huh?”

“Mom?” Scott seemed utterly perplexed.

“… Um… The moms, downstairs, I mean.” She said awkwardly. “And Bato’s waiting for me, why are they so considerate all the time?! Why am I such a valuable use of resources!? No, breathe, I’m… worthwhile, yeah… I’m… not a waste of space… and… they love me...” She thought for a moment about how everyone had been treating her lately, not just the mothers but Oz and Oana as well… It must have taken so much effort for him to tell her about this, and she’d just ran away. She glanced up, only to take in that everyone was staring at her. “… I’m just going to go.” She said.

“… Okay, stay safe.” Scott said, a bit… stunned.

“I will.” She replied, then turned and walked briskly out, hurrying over to the elevators where Bato was still waiting for her.

“Hey Hach--” She interrupted his greeting by wrapping her arms around him, holding him tight. “Are you doing alright?” He asked, embracing her in return.

“… Bato, you’re changing the way I think.” She said, voicing her realization as it happened. “My thought when I think about how I’m not worth it has changed to… to… no, instead of just sitting back and agreeing, thank you.”

“You’re… welcome.” He said, hesitant. “Those sort of problems take… years to go away entirely, I’m glad you’ve gotten started.”

“What do you mean me? you’re the one who did it, aren’t you?” She asked.

“No, it’s you. I’m just… helping.” He said. “It’s going to be a lot of effort and… I’m proud of you.”

She thought about this long and hard, then hugged him tighter. “Thank you. You’re a wonderful brother already.”

“… And… I couldn’t ask for a better sister.” He agreed.

After a moment she pulled away and hit the button for the elevator. “I hope I didn’t hurt Oz too much when I ran away...” She murmured.

“I’ll guess things will be okay, you’ll just have to talk this out the three of you.” Bato replied, stepping onto the elevator when it arrived.

“Right… yeah.” She agreed. “Let’s do this… let’s do this...”

“You can do it.” He encouraged.

She nodded, then strode out of the elevator as the doors opened, walking up to their apartment and knocking in a non-stop string upon their door.

"You know you don't have to knock until someone opens the door, right?" Bato asked, a smile creeping across his face.

“… But it takes so long, I don’t want you to forget.” She admitted.

“We won’t forget.” He reassured. “Promise.”

She was about to reply, only to be interrupted by some shouting on the other side of the door. “’OW DO YA UNLOCK THIS THING!?”

Bato started chuckling as the door rattled in it’s frame and the doorknob shifted back and forth. “Oz! Turn the… the little tab thing! The--”

There was a click, and then the door flung open. “’Achi! Ae ya… ya okay!? I was fuckin worried ‘bout ya and… and...”

“I’m sorry I stormed off.” She said, stepping inside and pulling him into a hug.

“Oh, ah...” He patted her shoulder, hesitantly. “Yah? It’s--”

“Thank you for trusting me. With everything. I get to know the real you now.” She added.

Oz stayed still for a long moment, then he took a shaky breath. “Well.. fuck, I get ta know tha real ya now too.”

After a moment she pulled away. "There's still food left, right?"

“Pfft, yah, we jus started eatin’.” Oz said. “Its stir fry an rice.”

“Yum!” Hachi beamed, dashing for the dining table, though she sort of lingered as she saw that Tanya and Leah wee both already seated. "Hi ah.... Moms...?"

Leah was taken aback for a moment, but only a moment. "Hi, sweetheart."

"You doing alright?" Tanya asked.

"... Yeah... It's going to take me a while to process." She admitted as she sat down. “But… I guess in a good way? This is probably going to be the best time of my life.”

Leah couldn’t hold back a soft ‘aww’, putting a hand over her hearts.

“Aw sis…!” Oz said, then pulled her into a hug again. “WE’RE GONNA TAKE ON THA WORLD!”

“Ow, Oz!” She said, beginning to giggle despite her best efforts. “You’re so loud!”

“ARE YOU TRYING TO HAVE A TOUCHING MOMENT WITHOUT ME!?” Oana’s voice came from the living room, where she had her arms crossed.

“GET OVA ‘ERE SIS!” Oz beamed, opening his arms, and after a moment he embraced her, such a huge grin on his face. In retrospect, he’d never seemed this happy back in the domes… never. Hachi rested her chin on her palm as she watched, smiling softly.

Had they ever been genuinely happy before? It was so hard to know for sure, what was there to be happy about in the domes? These changes were so much for the better. She felt so warm inside.

That warmth vanished as loud knocking sounded from the front door. “I’ll get it.” Tanya said with a sigh, standing and vanishing around the corner.

The room fell deathly silent as the front door opened, and abruptly harsh words began in a barrage. "Stop the making of noise! For most of a month it has lasted!!

“Oh, I'm so sorry... Our friends are having a bit of trouble settling in.”

Hachi gave Oz and Oana a bit of a look as she heard this, and the two of them just gripped each other tighter.

"Trouble does not mean shoutings at 24 hours!!! I come home, want to relax. Noise instead!!!" The complaints continued. "One more time this begin happening, the building will know!"

"Of course." Tanya replied, anxiety rich in her tone. A moment more and the door close, and she came back to the dining room, clasping her hands in an uncomfortable fashion. “… So… we need to quiet down some.”

“… ‘Ow much?” Oz whispered.

“Not quite that much.” Tanya reassured. “But… this could be bad. If the building comes over to investigate the complaint, they’re going to find this inked carpet and the broken window… which frankly I’m surprised they haven’t already noticed.”

Oz went pale, clutching Oana tighter.

“What’s going to happen then?” Hachi asked.

“Well… we’re going to be charged for the repairs… and then there’s a chance we could be evicted.” Leah said, grimly.

“What!?” Oana demanded, strain obvious on her face as she tried to keep her voice down. “Without you even being fired!?”

“That’s not how it works up here.” Hachi said. “We could end up… without a home?”

“Well, we’re going to avoid that if at all possible.” Tanya said.

“We’ve known that… well, it might be possible they’d kick us out if they found this out, we just haven’t looked into any you apartments yet, we were looking into new windows instead.” Leah said. “We’ll start looking soon, it’ll be alright.”

“Fuck, this is all my fault.” Oz said. “I’m so loud, an I attacked this place an got it all fucked up--”

“No no, shh… it’s alright.” Leah said, reaching over and gently taking his hand. “We’ve been over this. It’s alright.”

“It ain’t alrigh!” Oz insisted. “I didn’t know ya could be witout a ‘ome even if ya ‘ad a job!”

Hachi sighed. “… Just as soon as I was talking about how these are ‘great times’ and ‘I feel really at home’”

“Don’t worry about this, kids.” Tanya reassured. “We’ve got this, we’re not in trouble yet, we just have to be quieter, especially at night.”

Silence fell as they overcompensated their volume, and likewise their appetites lowered to match. Worry began to sink in with Hachi as she thought about how everything she cared about was threatening to strip away, even Bato; he had a mission that night, what if he didn’t come home? Her fingers trembled until she couldn’t take it anymore, turning to face him. “Bato, can we talk? In your room?”

He blinked, then nodded. “Yeah, of course.”

Hachi lead the way and made sure the door was locked before she began to explain her thoughts. “Bato, I’m so worried, we’re not prepared for this at all; your mission.” She made sure the clarify before he spoke. “What do we do if something bad happens? If you’re hurt?”

“I have my phone, I can--” He began.

“She smacks you on the back of the head, what now?” Hachi asked. “You’re unconscious.”

“Well… I… ah...” He sighed. “I know, this is risky, but we need information on Onella, and if I can capture Orvokki while I’m at it, it’ll be such an important victory.”

She frowned, tentacles coiling around each other. “… Do we still have some masks from Oz’s attack?

He pointed toward his closet. “I put them on the top shelf, what’re you planning?”

“I can hack it, make sure the cloak works, and then I can know where you are, and you can message me if something goes wrong.” She explained. "It's the best I can do until I make you your own."

Bato considered it for a moment, then nodded slowly. “That’s a good plan, I think it would be a big help. Let me get them down.”

“Thank you.” She said, peering into the box he’d brought down. “I remember there being a model X5 in here, that should be perfect for the job.”

“I’ll ask what that means some other night.” Bato chuckled. “I don’t have the brain power right now.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” She smiled, finding the mask she was looking for. “When are you planning on leaving?

“Well, the trains and buses are going to be done way before midnight, so I’m going to have to… maybe walk there, which could take… an hour, hour and a half?” Bato admitted. “I’ll leave at 10, then I should be able to make it.”

Hachi nodded to herself as she sat down at Bato’s makeshift desk. Somehow having a solid time he was going to leave made her even more frightened of what could happen. “… Can you tell me good bye before you leave?” She asked. She’d have offered to go with him… but she was home base, she was going to watch his signal like a sniper and if anything went wrong, she would jump to the rescue. He would be fine.

“I’ll let you know when I leave.” He reassured, putting a hand on her shoulder. “And I’ll be careful.”

“… Okay.” She said, holding his hand for a moment before getting to work.

“I’m going to go finish my dinner.” He said. “I’ll want to be full on energy for tonight.”

She nodded, but didn’t look up, mind swirling with the worry she had. Once Bato had left, she took a deep breath, and tried to focus on work; This had to be perfect, his life could depend on it.

Bato, Toda, Leah, Tanya, Scott and Anita are Knitter’s characters.

Hachi, Oz, Oana and Simon are Shuckle’s characters.

Splatoon belongs to Nintendo.

Please consider liking or reblogging if you enjoyed, it’s nice to know we’re doing things right.

Shuckle has a patreon if you would like to provide additional support!

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#Splatoon #inkling #octoling #splatoon fanfiction #splatoon oc #SS Simon #SS Bato #SS Toda #Octo Hachi #Octo Oz #Octo Oana #Misc Leah #Misc Tanya #Misc Scott #Misc Anita

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8bitluv-erica · 6 years ago

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Only One (DBH FanFic)

Chapter 4~ 1839 words

Sorry about the slow start, things are going to be picking up after this chapter. i hope everyone is enjoying this so far. I am having a lot of fun writing it, and cant wait to share more!

Connor and Zoey

Only One

Chapter 4

Zoey sat patiently in the driver less taxi, waiting as Connor disappeared into the little ranch house. She used this time alone to look out the window and go over the events of the last 48 hours in her head. Party, murder, concussion, Connor, psychopath, Connor. She wasn’t sure how to even process everything that had happened so quickly, two days ago she was a homebody, very rarely leaving the safe little bubble she had created for herself, and now did she even have that anymore?

Her musings were cut short by the sound of the car door opening and connor sliding back into the seat next to her. She looked at the small duffle bag he had retrieved and frowned. “that was really fast, are you sure you got everything you need, I don’t mind waiting.”

Conner gave zoey a sideways glance as small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, “I appreciate that, but I gathered all I will be needing.” He turned his attention to the cars control panel and entered Zoey’s address before settling back into his seat.

The car started to make its was down the snowy street, and that’s about when the awkward silence started. Zoey looked down as she rung her hands together, wondering what in the world she was going to do with this situation. Luckily she felt saved when connor broke the silence. “When we arrive at your apartment, I will set up a perimeter with surveillance cameras, also I will need to make a mental map of the facility.” Ok maybe saved was a strong word.

She brought her attention to connor “wait, did you say cameras?”

Connor nodded in response “yes, I will be setting up security cameras. Around the building and in your apartment, I will be able to monitor them wirelessly at all times.” He said with satisfaction

Zoey just stared at him, mouth open slightly, “you are going to put security cameras in my apartment, ones that you have personal access to…at ALL times?”

Connor studied her face, noting the apparent disapproval “yes”

Zoey shook her head and slouched in her seat, crossing her arms directing her gaze out the window at the passing city scape. Humming under her breath “every breath you take, every move you make…”

While he was slightly confused as to why she was humming when she looked so obviously displeased, he took a few moments to process what could be causing her temperament to change so drastically. After a few moments he came to the conclusion that she must be upset about the invasion of privacy. And while there was nothing for it, he did still feel a pang of guilt. “Zoey,” he paused for a moment before continuing “I apologize if ive upset you, it was not my intention, and If it makes you feel better I will only review the footage of the apartment if absolutely necessary.”

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, “it does”

Zoey unlocked the door to her apartment an slowly entered, it looked untouched, like nothing had ever happened, like there hadn’t been a doezen strangers rummaging through her life only hours before. everything was where she left it, and the rose was gone. “damn there good” she muttered as she dropped her bag and shrugged out of her jacket, she walked over to her couch and dramatically fell over the back onto the cusoins with a soft flop. She rolled over onto her back and dangled her feet over the arm of the couch kicking her boots off. Covering her eyes with her for arm. Connor had gotten right to work with his security setup and said he wouldn’t be too long. And zoey just lay there, wonder what they would do when he was done. She sat up and looked around her apartment…what the fuck were they gunna do?

Connor

It had taken a little longer than originally anticipated but connor had managed to set up a solid network of cameras throughout the building. All the while making mental documentation of the floor plan of the building. After the last camera was installed he activated the network, he closed his eyes and in a matter of milliseconds had switch his internal interface and was able to view the input from all of the cameras. His LED fluttering at the process. Once satisfied he set off to the stairs, he refused to use the metal death trap of an elevator unless he had too. Once on the top floor he made his way down the hall and stopped outside Zoey’s door. Thinking to himself how this made the third time in 24 hours he found himself looking at the antique wooden door. He knocked softly and waited, he heard Zoey almost instantly “Connor? Connor why are you knocking, just come in.” he entered without further hesitation. Only to stop short after only a few steps, zoey had apparently taken the time while he was installing cameras and made herself busy. He noted that the clutter of her art supplies had been somewhat tamed, the coffee table and other flat surfaces clear and recently wiped down, the dishes were still wet in the drying rack. But what immediately caught his attention and caused his lips to pull into a shy smile, was what Zoey had herself busy with. Next to her couch she had inflated an air mattress and was in the process of making it up when he had entered. “Zoey, what are you doing?” he asked with sweet curiosity

Zoey looked up from her task and leaned back on her haunches, hands resting on her thighs as she looked from the bed to him. “well I don’t have a guest room, and since you apparently live here for the quote “foreseeable future”” she made air quotations with her fingers, “I’m doing my best to give you a makeshift living space.”

The sweetness of this gesture had his thirium pump skipping a beat, he walked over to stand beside what was apparently his bed and looked down to meet Zoey’s upturned gaze. She met his eyes and then looked down quickly, Connor’s sensors caught the slight rise in her body temperature and the blush creeping into her cheeks as she spoke “I’m sorry, I know it’s not much, and it’s not very glamorous, but it was the best I had to work wi…” Connor silenced her when he knelt beside her.

“Thank you, Zoey, it’s wonderful. I very much appreciate you going out of your way to ensure my comfort.” He didn’t have the heart to tell her that he didn’t need a bed because he didn’t sleep. Especially when her face lit up at his approval and praise. There was that feeling in his chest again. His eyes met hers and he couldn’t help but let them linger for a moment, again, admiring how shockingly green and vibrant they were in stark contrast to her long dark eyelashes. Zoey held his gaze for a moment before turning a bright shade of pink and looking away busying herself making the bed. Connor laughed softly as he noticed the blush was tinting the tops of her ears as well.

Zoey

She finished making Connor’s ‘living corner’ she guessed she would call it and stood to find connor standing in front of one of her canvases. She had finished that one only days before. the painting was Lovecraftian in nature, featuring an airship with a pretty badass steampunk lady at the helm, flying above the clouds, tentacles emerging from the abyss trying desperately to grasp the ship. That painting had been a commission and would end up paying her rent for the next two months once delivered. She walked over to stand next to connor and let herself admire her own work for a moment.

Connor spoke without taking his eyes off the painting “you are an extremely talented artist.” Zoey blushed at the complement. And felt herself puff up a little at his praise, she never really shared her art with anyone, the only people seeing it being the ones buying it for one reason or another. It was her passion and calm, and the only thing that kept her sane.

“Thank you, Connor, that really means a lot” she paused before continuing, “So, am I allowed to leave?”

Connor looked at her and tilted his head a little at her question “of course, you’re not a prisoner here.” He looked around the apartment before his gaze settled back to Zoey, “You can leave and go wherever you’d like, as your body guard I will follow and keep you safe.”

Zoey beamed at Connor causing his thirium pump to skip again “Ok that’s good, because I have to deliver this painting so that I can go grocery shopping. I know you don’t need to eat but,” she glanced at her kitchen “I’ve been living off of ramen for the last couple weeks and I would love to make a real meal later”

Connor frowned at her words and the implications behind them “you’ve eaten nothing but ramen for how long?”

She picked up the painting and walked over to her table with it, and started gathering packing items to wrap it with “a couple weeks, it was food shopping or utility bills, and I like being warm” she said it so casually “so I had heat and ramen”

Things started clicking in his mind at her words, the way she carried herself, how she could switch on that wit and sarcasm in a moment, why she chose to live in a building like this. Those little glimpses she had given him the previous night about her background making more sense. He looked at his feet as he spoke his carefully planned words “Zoey, do you…have any family…or friends in this area?”

Zoey stiffened at his question while she was wrapping her painting hands hovering over the string she was tying the brown paper with. Without looking up from her task she spoke softly “no, I don’t have friends, and l lost my family along time ago” she squared her shoulders and regained her composure “its just me, alone in my tower, with my ramen” a sad smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she continued to wrap her painting

Connor instantly felt guilt at his question, he was starting to understand that Zoey had quite a few figurative skeletons in her closet, and that whatever happened to her in her life, must have been hard, before him stood a small fragile human, who despite her current situations continued to smile. He found himself in awe of her presence.

Zoey finished packaging her painting and looked to Connor, she noticed his LED was settled on a solid yellow, “Connor, are you ok?”

He looked up to her and smiled softly “yes, lets go get you something to eat that isn’t so high in sodium.”

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takivvatanga · 4 years ago

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keep on kicking

“Why did I have to wait all day? I waited ALL DAY to come down here! All day! Why couldn’t we go earlier, like, after breakfast?” Stella is kicking up the sand with her bare feet, a skip in her step, marching eagerly along in front of her mother. Her swimsuit is bright red, with little white spots on it, her long hair tied up in a ponytail. She has draped her towel around her shoulders like a cape. Assire’s own steps are careful as she picks her way through the dunes. She’s painted her toenails a bright, warm yellow. The colour doesn’t match her sandals, but she doesn’t care. She likes yellow. It’s a good colour. A happy colour. She needs that right now. A reminder of happiness, a reminder that she’s still alive. Still alive, after everything that happened this last year.

Assire looks over her shoulder, back at the little beach house they have rented for the week. She would have preferred to spend this holiday at their usual place, the cottage up high on the cliffs, where the beach is rugged, where the seas are rough, where the wind always blows, far away from everything: the city, other people. But Stella… Stella doesn’t like it there. Assire understands why: there’s not much to do there for a child. No one to talk to, no one to play with. The currents are dangerous, the beach is nothing but stones. Stella has always wanted to go to a real beach, as she calls it. Golden sand as far as the eye can see, the ocean still as a mirror, stretching out towards infinity, towards the horizon. After the year she’s had - after the year they all have had, Stella deserves this. Something special for her, a little dream come true. A real beach.

It is a popular spot, a busy place at this time of year. The beach is packed with people during the day. Happy, healthy people in colourful swimsuits, bodies glistening in the sun. It makes Assire uncomfortable. She’s out of place here, amongst the bright and beautiful, amongst the living, with her pasty skin, her uncombed hair, her body still frail from the ordeal of venturing to the brink of death and back again. She still hasn’t gotten used to the shiny pink scars that cross her ribcage. Even in the greatest heat of the day, she has refused to take off her cardigan. It makes her feel safe. Less seen. If she has to be out of place, at least she can be less noticeable. She wishes once more that things were different, that she was different. That she didn’t have to make her daughter wait until the early evening, when most beachgoers have returned home, tired out from the salt and sun. “It wasn’t safe to swim. Earlier.”, she offers. It is a lie, and she regrets it as soon as the words have passed her lips. Stella knows when her mother is lying. Assire can see her flinch, her face twisting briefly at the indignity of being offered such a blatant untruth. But what else could she have said to her? She’s too young to understand. She shouldn’t have to understand.

Stella opens her mouth to say something, thinks better of it, turns her face up towards the sun. “It’s still nice and warm. And it doesn’t get dark for ages.” That skip in her step again. The early evening breeze stirs the towel around Stella’s little shoulders, a pint sized polka-dotted superhero. Assire can’t help but smile.

“Are you gonna go in, Mum? I’m going in! I’m gonna go in RIGHT NOW I’m gonna run! Watch me!” And with that she is off, sand flying behind her, the towel carelessly discarded on her way. Stella runs fast, tastes the saltiness of the air on her tongue, feels the warmth of the sun against her skin. The sand is hot against the soles of her feet. It’s everything she’s ever wanted. Heaven on Earth. She’s running, running, no longer aware of anyone or anything around her, of her mother calling out to take it easy, to be careful. Stella doesn’t want to be careful. All she wants to do is to keep running. The sand grows soft under her feet, but it doesn’t slow her down. The water is colder than he had expected, nothing like the tepid temperature of the pool she sometimes goes to back home. Stella shrieks, jumps, keeps running. Soon the water is up to her thighs, up to her stomach. She breathes in deeply, feels her lungs expand in her chest, dives under. The salt water stings her eyes, but she opens them anyway, marvelling at the murky green-blue hues, the almost hypnotic movement of the sand she stirred up with her feet. Stella kicks, surging forward through the water. Keep on kicking. Always keep kicking. It’s the first rule of learning to swim. Don’t stop kicking.

Assire watches her daughter disappear under the water’s surface, fights back the rising sense of panic that constricts her heart. She breaks into a run, her gait awkward, unsteady. “Stella!” her voice is shrill with fear. She doesn’t like this. She should have never let her go into the water, it’s too dangerous! What if she drowns? What if she drowns, and it is all her fault? “Stella!” Assire’s heart is hammering madly in her chest, the broken beat of fear, her breath already ragged. Stars dance in front of her eyes, but she doesn’t care.

“Mum did you WATCH me!” Stella’s sharp little face emerges from the water. She is smiling more widely than she has in a long time. Assire is too far away to see it, but she knows there is a sparkle in her eyes - pure, unadulterated joy as only a child can experience it.

“Stella, be careful! Don’t swim out any further. Please. It’s dangerous.”

“It’s fine, Mum! Look! I can do a handstand!”

She dives again, flips up her legs, manages to stay upright for all of a split second before losing her balance, sending up a spray of sea water. When she comes to the surface once more, she is laughing, loud and bright and clear.

Assire, at the water’s edge, hitches up her sundress, her legs impossibly pale. She takes a tentative step forward, then another, shivering in spite of the summer heat.

“Are you coming in, Mum? Come in! Swim with me, please!” Assire shakes her head, eyes downcast. “No, sweetheart. It’s… too cold for me.” A little laugh, insecure. Worried.

Assire never learned how to swim. Maybe, just maybe, she could float on her back, stretched out, looking up at the sky, made buoyant by the air in her lungs, trusting the water to carry her. Yes, she could float - if she wasn’t so afraid. She’s been lucky once - incredibly lucky. She survived. What if she wasn’t supposed to survive? What if death will lay its claim at the earliest opportunity? What does drowning feel like?

“It’s not even cold! You just have to get in, Mum! Please, please come in?” “No, Stella. Another time. I’ll just wade. That’s enough for me.”

“Booooring! Watch this! Watch me do a flip!” It turns out more a flop than a flip. Stella flails her arms, splashing in the water, screeching and laughing, delighted even in her moment of failure. Assire takes another step, lifting her dress a bit higher, up above her knees, all the way to her thighs. Stella is right, it’s not so cold now that she is getting used to it.

“Wanna bet how far I can swim out?” “Stella, don’t! Please don’t!”

“I bet I could swim all the way to the island!”, she points towards the horizon, to the large rock that sits in the centre of the inlet like a silent sentinel, worn by time and the elements.

“It’s too far!” “No, it’s really close!” “It only looks close. There’s currents, too. Once you get out too far. You could get washed out to sea-” “I’m good at swimming. Everyone says so. I’m FAST!” Stella starts to swim. She is indeed swift, her arms and legs in a perfect rhythm, the red of her swimsuit a bright beacon against the blue of the ocean.

“Stella! Stella, come back! NOW!”

But Stella doesn’t listen. She wants to prove her mother wrong, and she wants to prove herself right. She said she could do it, so she WILL do it - come hell or, indeed, high water. She looks back over her shoulder, at the lone figure of her mother standing in thigh high water, her hands stretched out in front of her as if to pull her back to shore by an invisible thread.

No. I’m doing this.

The water is getting colder. Darker, too. Stella wonders how deep it is here. Surely she can still touch the bottom. She’s tall for her age, she can touch the bottom when hardly anyone else can. How deep can it be, anyhow? Surely not deeper than the pool at home. Maybe she should check. It won’t hurt to dive down. Oh but it is cold down here. Cold and dark. The ocean seems bottomless. She’s dived so far and still… nothing. As if the whole world had disappeared. Stella feels her lungs burn. There’s something down there, too - something soft and slimy that wraps itself around Stella’s ankle. All of a sudden, her mind is flooded with stories of monstrous creatures that dwell at the bottom of the sea, lying patiently in wait for their next meal. Stella kicks violently, propelling herself towards the surface, the beat of her own heart impossible loud in her ears. She doesn’t want to die, doesn’t want to drown, doesn’t want to be eaten! No, please! No! She breaks through the surface on the very last reserve of her breath. Stella screams, thrashing in the water, desperate to get back to the safety of the shore. Back to her mother.

Assire watches in horror as her daughter disappears under the waves for a third time, only to resurface moments later in a panic, screaming and kicking.

“Stella! STELLA!” “Mum!” “Stella!” “There’s something TERRIBLE down there, Mum! It’s got my ankle!” “Swim, Stella! Swim!!!!”

Keep on kicking. No matter what happens. You have to keep kicking.

Stella thrashes again, tries to break the hold of the terrible tentacle that’s still wrapped around her wrist. It’s cold and slimy, stubborn in its resistance. Stella pulls with all her strength, feels something snap. Her leg is free but surely the monster, whatever it is, is angry now. Surely it’s going to rise up out of the waters, murderous and terrible. She has to get away!

Stella swims as fast as she can, kicking for her life, her eyes fixed on the shore, on her mother. Why won’t she swim out to save her? That’s what parents are supposed to do, isn’t it? To save you from the monsters that lurk in the depths, in the darkness?

A little bit further, just a little bit. Keep kicking.

It’s a relief beyond imagination when she can feel the sand under her feet again. Still alive. Not drowned. Not eaten. Stella turns herself upright, starts to run. It’s not faster than swimming, not at this depth, but it feels more efficient. Assire starts to run as well, towards her daughter, not caring that her dress is soaking wet, barely holding back tears of relief.

Stella flings herself into her mother’s arms, her teeth chattering, her lips blue from the cold.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. It’s okay. You should have listened to me. I told you-”

There’s something in Stella’s hand. A limp piece of torn seaweed, not some horrific beast’s appendage. Stella starts to cry.

“Why didn’t you save me, Mum?”

“Because...because I don’t know how to swim.” “What!? But you have to! You’re supposed to know how to do anything! You’re supposed to be a Mum!” “Shhhh. Come on. Let’s dry you off. Get you warmed up.” Assire leads her daughter onto the shore, her arm around her shoulders, guiding her gently but firmly. Stella coughs, hiccups, spits out a mouthful of seawater. The towel is soft and warm around her shoulders. Her mother’s hand is soft and warm against her cheek.

“The truth is, sweetheart…” Assire hesitates. Is Stella ready for this truth? She’s so little, still. Only eleven. But maybe, just maybe, the time is right to tell her.

“The truth is, no one can save you. Not even me. You have to save yourself, sweetheart. And you did. You swam all the way back, all by yourself. You’re braver than you think, Stella. You’re brave and you’re strong and if anyone can save you at all, it’s you.” You have to keep on kicking. No matter what happens. Always, always keep kicking.

#vignette: assire #vignette: stella #yes hi i don't write for ages and then i come back with sth completely self indulgent #i have no idea where this came from but i just had some of the imagery in my head so i thought i'd run with it

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shark-bit · 5 years ago

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Ok I think it’s time for me to pull up my big girl panties and set this out for the world...we’ll just the first chapter cuz I’m getting antsy to post it

Under the Sun and Sea

Chap 1- Under the Seas waves

Screaming spilled out of the castle windows. Peter held his three dearest friends close as he cried out of happiness.”He said I can go!! I can go!!!” Peter shot up from his friends and spun around sending little bubbles out from disturbing the water around them.“Really! Like he really said yes?!” Gwen smiled and giggled as she watched Peter. Dark ruby red scales danced a crossed Peters waist fading down his tail to a dusty dark purple. Piercing blue shot out across the rose red bottom fins the tips kissed black. Red Sea glitter kissed his skin and his forehead had a ruby red tear drop gem at the center and pearls wrapped around his head, he had a small net tied around his waist. Peter always loved collecting shells always making sure he had netted bag with him to save away anything he found on his walks with this fathers. White scales formed around Gwens waist and faded out down to a dark purple almost black tail and her fins flared out to a blinding teal blue. A seaweed tub top covered her breast, a jewel stamped into her navel and sea glitter graced her arms and cheeks.”Oh Peter your going to love it we have this shemps...” Mary Jane slapped a hand over Gwens mouth and laughed awakardly. ”Gwendolyn honey please it’s a suprise remember.”

Mary Jane smiles and bites her lip looking to Peter. “ Tiger fish please we are all very happy but what did your father actually say?” She titles her head, her cherry red hair swayed perfectly in the currant. Fire red and orange scales fell down her hips along her tail and fired out into a beautiful flame with white tips. Two clams pressed against seaweed wrapped in netting and pearls tied around her neck and back.Peter took a deep breath and sighed his body movement making him swim back a bit”My Father said that now that I’m 18 I’m free to wonder the sea floor freely and go as I please... SolongasInevergracethetop” Peter mumbled fast. “So let’s go” he tried to swim off but Harry got a hold of his arm and pulled him back to the group before he could make his escape.

Harry’s green eyes flickered across both girls face before landing on Peters and he smiled. “What was the middle part Pete?” Harry’s black scales doted with electric sea green tail and a striking black and green fins swam them over to the door none the less. Peter blushed and puffed out his cheeks. “ I said I just can’t go to the surface is all” he sighed and looked down pushing open the doors as the girls swam after them. “I just wish he would let me be free like the other mer-people, I wanna feel the sun on my skin, the breeze through my hair, and my song on the seas winds.” Peter swam around and looked up to the surface and shook his head as he painted a smiled across his lips. Coming to a stop at the castle walls. “But about this surprise now?” He smiled and turned to MJ and titled his head his brown eyes shining with curiosity. MJ giggled and swam ahead” Oh nothing just a sunken ship...with human things.” She smirked and watched out the corner of her eye as Peter came racing to her and tackled her sending them tumbling through the water. “ A ship a sea ship oh Guys this is the best birthday adventure ever!!” Peter back flipped through the water as MJ giggled and grabbed Gwen’s hand, pulling her along. “Gwendolyn thought about it our cute little nerd saw some interesting treasures” MJ winked and leading the way.

Swimming after them Peter soon slowed as he looked back to Harry.” You don’t seem as excited about this as those two do.” Harry frowned looking down and let out a breath and then looked to Peter with worried eyes. “ You’re safer behind the castles walls Peter you know how I feel about this, I’m going along to make sure you stay safe.” He laced his fingers into Peters and pulled him closer his hand going this his waist. Harry’s other hand tip Peters chin up.” I care about you Your highness I never want to see you in danger.” He whispered softly to Peter. Peter blushed as he held eye contact with Harry, he opened his mouth to speak when Gwens sassy voice cut through them” Hey you two koi fish done making out we would like to go to the ship!” Peters face blazed red as he pushed away from Harry and raced after Gwen” WE WHERE NOT KISSING!!” He screamed as MJ stared at Harry and Harry just swam past her” lead the way” he spoke. Mary Jane seemed to snap out of her daze and race to the front of the group.” It’s a swim but we should be there soon!” Gwen swam up beside her blowing out bubbles getting the red head to giggle some.

“It’s just up ahead!” Mary Jane called you the others as the sea floor dipped down and they laying at the bottom was a ship cracked in two. It almost looked hunted the salt water taking claim over the wood, sand and muck covering some of the ship and Peters eyes shined” oh wow you guys” he whispered as if any loud sounds and the ship would just crumble into the sea floor. Gwen and swam over to a window and poked her head inside, she swam in the other trailing behind her. Harry bringing up the rear and frowning as he looked around” Not for nothing but this doesn’t seem safe....what id sharks come or a giant squid” he huffed and stayed close to the window they slipped through his eyes going over to Peter every now and than. Peter smiled seeing all the jewels and paintings the furniture that was broken along the floor, ghosting over the rubble something caught his eye and he reached down moving some wood out of the way and saw a music box laying on the very bottom level of the ship. Looking up at his friends to see them oohing at their own treasures he smiled and slipped between the floor bored and swam down to grab the music box.

He never notice the tentacle pulling back into the darkness as he descended the boat. Once his fingers reached the music box Peter grabbed it tilting his head to the side and moved it around his hands” what a beautiful box” he smiled and opened the sky blue box with gold lining and it played a beautiful melody Peter smiled as he hummed along with the tune but all to soon his happiness turned to fear as he let out a gut wrenching scream. Tentacles wrapped around his body and tail covering his mouth and pulling him into the darkness the music box dropped and forgotten. Harry laughed with the girls as they looked at a painting of fruit” humans are so weird I wonder when they have time to eat when they are stopping to draw it first.” The girls erupted in giggles again and he smiled turning his head to tell Peter his joke, but Peter was there....he wasn’t anywhere in site for that matter and Harry’s heart dropped as Peters scream sliced through the giggles and everything got quite. “Peter!” Harry yelled as he took off swimming as fast he could to the hole Peter slipped through Gwen and Mary Jane right behind him

Peter wiggled and groaned as he tried to break free of the giant octopus that had him. Peter was in a state of panic, he looked around and tried to cry out for help but with a suction cup in your mouth it was kind of hard. The only plus side to all of this was that the giant octopus was sleeping, or so Peter thought cuz he couldn’t see its eye open just moving around under its lid in a slumber. Relaxing a bit Peter let his body weight go, letting the octopus hold his weight, the sleep sea creatures tentacle that was holding Peter flopped to the floor knocking Peter lose some.Taking the little chance he had he pulled his arms free and pulled the suction cup out his mouth and gasped letting a a breath and flared to the sleeping giant. Right at that time Harry swam in seeing the monster and held out his arm to stop the girls” hey Harry what the....,” Gwen frowned but once she saw the octopus she covered her mouth and her eyes go big” Hey Guys” Peter said quietly and waved over to them a helpless smile on his face” some help would be nice” Harry swam over to Peter and frowned grabbing his arms trying to pull him free.

After 30 minutes of pulling, pushing, tugging and wiggling Peter was over it and sighed.” This is impossible I’m going to die here” he huffed throwing his hands up and blowing out bubbles. MJ sighed and looked to Harry as she stroked Peters hair” I’m so sorry Tiger Fish we will get you out if it the last thing we do” Harry held MJs gaze then looked away and swam over to the head of the octopus looking over the sleeping monster” Maybe if we just find the right tentacle and cut it off it would be fine” Gwen rolled her eyes and shook her head” so you want us to all die geez Harry think a little” she snapped and swam away from the group. Harry growled and yelled” I am you don’t think I want to get Peter out?!” As the last words left his lips the octopus woke up with a start and threw Peter across the room. Screaming he hit the far wall and sunk to the floor, Harry MJ and Gwen swimming as fast as they could to get away.

Peter didn’t know he passed out till he was being shaken by Gwen” Peter please we have to go!!” She cried as the ship was being torn apart by the giant octopus. Wood splinters flying everywhere, the ground shook with rage as the octopus began moving and thrashing about. Harry has gotten MJ out after a wooden bored almost crushed her. Peters eyes popped open and he looked around and shook his head, he couldn’t hear anything and his head was pounding. All he could hear was the melody of the music box and when he looked down it was by his finger tips. Grabbing hold of the beautiful song Peter shoved it in his net bag at his waist just as, Gwen looked behind her and screamed holding Peter close as a tentacle shot out to grab them, a hand grabbed on to Peters arm at an almost bruising grip and the both of them where pulled out and hugged into the chest of Steve Rogers”Are you kids alright” Gwen and Peter had their body’s tangled in a ball but once Gwen heard Steve’s voice she pushed away from Peter and bowed” Yo-Your grace” she stammered and bumped into Harry’s chest. Peter sighed and looked up to his father and nodded” yes...but I be now I’ll be locked away forever”

Looking between the four young mer-teens and sighing, Steve pulled Peter in for a hug”What your father doesn’t know won’t kill him.” He said with a soft smile and brushed some of the wood from Peters hair” Now let’s be back before he find out what you’ve been up to and you will really wish you where back in the boat” He laughed and lead this four back to the castles walls.

*******************

Music spilled out of the castle windows. The beautiful merman spun and dance around with his friends and laughed as he pulled Gwen and MJ close. The night was filled with laughter and song, everyone dancing and having a good time Peter gasped as he laughed holding his sides as Harry smiled fondly at him grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the other” Harry you really do have the funnest stories” he sighed out following the merman all the same. Out to the balcony” I just love hearing you laugh” Harry said softly and caressed his cheek. Peter blushed and looked away and then back to Harry” Harry... I thought” he bit his bottom lip looking back to the party” I thought we talk about this....we are friends and I just....can’t ” he softly swam back and held his arms over his chest looking down. Peter knee Harry liked him, he knew that Harry was the best of the best but he wanted to keep Peter locked up, keep him hidden away and Peter didn’t want that. He wanted to see all of the sea and maybe some of the sky! Peter wanted adventure and fun. Harry wanted to play safe keep Peter insight always. Harry shook his head getting closer to Peter” I care about you Pete you know I do. But all you do is run” Peter bit his lip and let out a shaky breath” I care about you as a friend Harry I’m sorry” he whispered just as Harry went to say something Gwen and MJ tumbled out giggling and bumped into them” you to Koi fish so cute but you guys are missing the party!!” Gwen giggled and pulled Peter back inside. MJ looked to Harry giving a small smile and Harry sighed and with a sad smile went back to the party.

The night ended with a bang, a big one Peter was covered in seaweed confetti and sea glitter and giggling as he swam back to his room with Gwen” so your staying the night right” he turned swimming backward” I can go home if you want” the mermaid smirked at the gasping prince and swam over to his bed and plopped down as Peter closed the door and locked it” so......let’s sneak out” he turned to her and then swam over to his window and bit his lip” and go to the surface” Gwen gasped and fell off the bed” Peter!!!! What is wrong with you!!!” She yelled and Peter frown swimming over to her and covered her mouth” Stop yelling” he hissed whisper yelling” you owe me remember Sara” Peter smirked as the left his lips. Gwens went wide and then she glared at him” fine asshole” she pushed him away and grabbed the chair that sat at his vanity mirror and jammed it under the handle and looked the the prince” so what’s your crazy plan because this is crazy” she whispered.

Slipping out the window and into the court yard the two Mer-teens swam around. The young prince giggled and spun around” The night sea water is amazing I always wished about swimming through the oceans current” Gwen kept looking over her shoulder and sighed” great good wish granted now can we go back please Peter the king will kill us” she grumbled following after the carefree prince. Humming softly he ignored her plea and swam ahead anyway.”Don’t be a spoil sport Gwen I would have brought Harry along if I wanted a mood killer” Peter huffed. Giant booms could be heard muffled through the water. Jumping back Peters head snapped up to the surface. A ship sailed over the two the light of the moon casting as shadow over the pair as the boat inched along. “It’s a boat” Peter gasped in awe and bit his lip.” No no no! Peter are you crazy!” Gwen yelled after him as she let out a groaned and looked around then sped after the mer-prince.

Peter broke the surface, cold night air filled his lungs and he coughed a little. Gwen came up a few second after him hissing” we are so dead I swear I’m never sleeping over again” she whisper yelled. Peter just shook his head and made a face that said as if you don’t live fore this. The ship passed by them and Peter sighed in awe. bright colors started to explode in the air and the pair jumped and sunk underwater holding each other” What is that” Peter asked as he broke the waters surface again. Gwen shook her head and looked around” We should go Peter please!” Gwen pulled around his arm and bit her lip.

The water turned from a calm sea to aggressive and angry waves. Peter and Gwen got swept up in a wave being carried closer to shore than she had hoped for. The ship rocked back and forth the men on broad yelling and trying to hold. A wave slammed into the ship sending some of the men flying and falling into the sea. Peter and Gwen watched in horror as the men tried with everything they had to reach the surface. Then a blond man jumped into the sea and started pulling the men but to the surface and helping them on board. Gwen pulled at Peter trying to get him to leave, but Peter was transfixed, he watched the man save six men. Once the last of the men where out of the water the blond man started to climb the side of the ship. Once again the ship was slammed into as rain poured from the sky, the shock from the wave went the man flying, crashing into the water. The impact was so hard it knocked him out. Peter gasped and rushed to save the sinking man. Wrapping his hands arms around his middle pulling up.” Oh no no no we have to help him!!” Gwen bit her lip looking around”Peter you can’t!....I mean he’s just.....for the love of....” Gwen ran a hand down her face and grabbed at the man and help Peter pull him to the surface” Now what oh wise one” Peter glared at her and looks to the blond man between him the ship now long gone.” To shore” Peter pulled and Gwen followed begrudgingly.

( this is the first chapter please tell me if anything is wrong! This is my first time writing a fic I’m so scared of messing up hehe, also I write and post everything from my phone right now. Um I’m working on the second chapter now and it’s going to be from Wades point of view. No beta we die like men 😭 so any grammer error please tell me and I’ll try and go in and fix everything)

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gaaragirl22 · 7 years ago

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Chapter one

Posting it here till I can buy a new laptop. Then it's off to AO3! Any mistakes are mine and my phones! Notes: I'll integrate Gil in more later. And yes I did still the name of my OC from tinker bell💁 Anyway enjoy!! The morning air nearly suffocates Uma as she throws open the doors to her mother's restaurant the smell of rotten fish mixed with high tide, strangely comforting as it floods her nostril. Turning the sign of the daily special menu she looks up to see what she could of the sun as It fought the grey clouds. The ever present chill causes Uma to tighten her coat as she heads back inside. Sighing, she grabs a broom and begins to sweep the dining room. Her mother Ursula was hard at work in the Kitchen finishing her prep for the lunch rush. As one of the few restaurants on the isle they made a sizable sum not to say they were rich but Uma didn’t sleep on the floor or have to steal...constantly. “Edna!!” Ursula shouts from the kitchen. She got it wrong...surprise, surprise. Tossing the broom to the wall Uma walks into the kitchen. To see her mother standing over a boiling pot her white hair sticking out in all directions, Her makeup perfected. Glancing at her wheelchair she wonders if she would come out this time. “Come here, girl!” She urges. Walking over Uma sees the boiling grey mass in the pot. “I need you to taste this-don't make that face brat. It tastes fine!” As Uma opens her mouth to voice her opinion Ursula shoves the spoons in. The grey goop seems to stick to her mouth the texture reminding her of oatmeal while the taste...fish sticks? Her stomachs rolls as she struggles to swallow the mush. “Hmm, needs more ‘insert magic item here’, that's enough Judy.” She mumbles turning back to the pot. Grabbing a cup Uma rushes to the sink frantically filling the glass and chugs it contents down leaning against the sink gasping for air she stares at her mother. Unconcerned, as she gasps for air, adding more spices to her dish. Huffing she stands straightening her coat she informs, “I opened the shop...the others should be here soon…” Silence her only answer as the thump of the spoons echos in the room. With a groan she shouts, “Mother!” “Yes...yes I heard you, Harriet.” Stirring the pot she waves her off. “I'll be there once this is done.” “Fine…” Uma walks back into the dining room. Surprised to see Gil sitting at one of the furthest table from the entrance his notebook out as usually. Walking closer she sees some of the other servers setting up for the rush. Nodding in silent greetings she can't help but chuckle as she takes in Gils elaborate drawings. For someone who can't read he's pretty good. He gets so sucked into them that he forgets to keep his wits about him. Not a smart idea on the isles. Slamming her hand on the table she cackles as Gil jumps into the air. His hands coming up to protect his head. “Hahaha, poor Gilly why are you hiding out in my lovely little restaurant?” She giggles as he tries to right himself. “My dad's on a rampage,” He explains as he tucks his book away. “Took the triplets on a hunting trip. Made him think I was riding with the supplies,” He leans back balancing on the back legs with a smirk. “When he got back and saw me and mom working on your outfit...well, he flipped. Slipped out the window while he was ranting.” “Hmm...where's it at?” Uma asks offhandedly taking a seat across from him watching as her words take root. “Where's what?” He asks tilting his head like a dog. She should have known better then to use pronouns on him. “My outfit. Gil.” Uma rolls her eyes as he nearly falls over. “Oh right...My mom's working on the last of it. Don't worry I'll drop it off by tonight.” “You'd better. I didn't hide you from your pops for a whole week for nothing.” As she finishes her threat the rumble of the lunch crowd grows closer. Rising from the table Uma heads to the hostess stand looking over her shoulder she gives him a wink. Cackling as Gil face turns a bright shade of pink. “Harrys’ gonna want something, too.” She tosses over shoulder as she wraps the acorn around her waist. “You know how he gets.” “Yeah!? I had a idea for a great hat/coat combo-” His notebook out again as he frantically searches for his sketches. As the thumping grows louder her stomach twists with anxiety. “Great. Gil. That sounds great.” Patting his chest her focus on the door and the whine growing in her ears. “I'll see you later.” She offers with a tight smile. She was gonna have to deal with this crowd on her own...in her own way...a chill of excitement rises as she realizes that she had the opportunity to showcase her worth. To show her mother that she was worth more than a spare scurry maid. As she opens her mouth to greet her partons a gust of sea salt tinged air comes from the kitchen. Silently she turns to see her mother approaching in her chair. A large almost maniacal smile on her face. “So sorry it took so long gentlemen but you know how brats are.” Snapping her mouth shut Uma watches as her mother enthusiastically greets the crowd. “Dear, why don't you take them to their seats.” She offers over her shoulder. Rolling her eyes Uma pulls out two stained menus, “Two seats for two lonely idiots.” They growled at her greeting. “Right this way.” So went her day she watched as her mother all but floated her way through the crowd cackling and entertaining. Offering spells to lessing their dreary days. While she seated and worked tables giving slide commentary as she went. Till finally the rush ended the last customer left and Uma could finally sit. Her back to the door she doesn't see the slinking form slide into the room. As she stares at the dully colored screen the images flashing, the sound of metal scraping along the table reaches her ears. Rolling her eyes she turns to see him slowly approaching his shirt ripped to shreds. A large grin on his face as he slides up to her. She can feel his body heat travel up her side so close to his chest she can almost hear his heartbeat. The heat of his stare causes a shiver to go down her spine. Even after all this time she can't help but feel a thrill at his attention. She can't help but want more. “What happened to you?” She asks picking up a cleanish rag. looking up into his wild eyes she begins to wipes his face careful of the small cuts. “I've got something to show you.” He singsongs his voice quivering with barely concealed laughter. His eyes sparkling with excitement as Uma stares she can't help but be infected. “Oh really?” She asks leaning against the table. “Dear old bore-adon has made a royal decree...about us.” Pulling out a wrinkled scroll she sees the seal of Auradon as she scans it the words jumps out ‘select few children of the isles ’ and ‘a semester off the isle’. She jumped out of her seat looking down at the decree in her hands. This was it a way out! A way to prove her worth! Looking at Harry his eyes glued to her face a look of wonder in his eyes. “Do you know what this means!?” She shrieks her heart in her ears. “This could be are way off the isle and once we're in Auradon...we can bring down the barrier.” Her hands shaking as she reads it again, Afraid that she was dreaming. A hand touched her face jerking her out of her musings. Harry looked down at her with a kind of reverence that shook her to the core. “If anyone can free us it's you,Uma.” He whispers his accent thick as he drags his fingers through her braids. Heat rises in her gut as he draws closer. Stopping mere inches from hers. “I know...I will.” She agrees her voice tight in her throat as the moment stretched on. His heat causing her heart to beat faster, Her hands begin to sweat as she focuses on his aqua blue eyes. Slowly she watches as he licks his lips. The scent of the sea mingles with the scent of sandalwood, making her mouth water. Just as the moment seemed to reach its climax as she leans into him. “Bernadette come and wash these dishes!” Ursula shouts from her tank her voice bouncing in the small ship. The moment shatters. Grinding her teeth Uma looks away slamming her hands on the table. Harry groans raking his hand through his hair flopping onto a stool. Their arms touching a reminder of what could have been. With a sigh she looks again at the scrap in her hand memorizing the date. All she has to do is wait...they would pick her. She was the most deserving of any on the isle. It only makes sense! Four months later Four months. Four hellish months. Since Mal and the others failed and betrayed them turned their back on the isles. Left them to waste away! Forgotten in the Glamour of their new lives! Looking to the dimly lit screen she sees Mal smile, her punk purple tresses now bubble gum blonde. Her ever present jacket replaced with a trendy princess perfect pastel dress glittering as she stands beside the somewhat handsome king. Living her perfect little life...That traitorous Witch! Grabbing a the nearest dish she flings it at the screen with a roar. It slams into the wall crashing into a thousand pieces. The room falling silent as she stalks into kitchen. She had no right to steal this from her! She had only had one job steal the wand lower the barrier and finally set them free. Instead she allows a weakness to sway her heart. The memory of watching her tearfully hand the wand to fairy Godmother and hug the others causes her forcefully clean the countertop. Suddenly a large tentacle comes out of the back room knocking her with a grunt flat on her back. “Break another one of my dishes, Sue! See how fast I get out of this tank!” Her threat falling on deaf ears as Uma is struck with a revelation staring at the filthy roof. If she wants off this cursed isle it would have to be though her own will and power. And if she didn’t have it she would take it. Getting up Uma walks back out to the dining room to wipe down tables. Ignoring the snide comments from some unsavory patrons she clears her crew's table. She needs a plan, a way in. The doors give way to Gil with a girl she's sure she's never seen before but something about her was familiar. “Hey, Uma! Idrissa was telling me about this great recipe for sea eel and kelp chips!! You've got to let her make it!” Gil exclaims his eagerness irritating her as she tries to place her face. “No one goes in my mother's kitchen and do I know you?” eyeing them both as they walked closer. Idrissa as Gil calls her wears an outfit of silver and red, chains hang from her waist with metal roses of different sizes dotted along. Her silver hair in large twists lay on her shoulders a sharp contrast to her dark skin. Why didn't she recognize her? “Uhh, Uma! It's Iridessa one of the best chefs on the isle and one of the best fighters in our crew. Duh! Did you hit your head or-oh, fish sticks!” He exclaims running to snag some off someone's plates causing a small scuffle. Leaving Uma and Iridessa alone. Crossing her arms she stares her down, not a small feat considering her size. She felt like she should know her but something wasn't adding up. Suddenly, Idrissa smiles widely as she takes a seat in front of Uma. “I should have known you wouldn't be swayed by a simple glamour spell.” She says pulling out a small pouch sitting it on the table. “No, you're much too smart for that.” “Glamour spell? You think I'm going fall for that. Everyone knows magic doesn't work in the barrier...especially now that they've strengthened it.” Uma scoffs taking a seat across form her. Noticing her crews slowly trickling in waving or nodding in her direction not reacting in any negative way towards Iridessa. “True...Magic with the intent to harm has been damped to nearly nothing but...magic with the intent to save or even uplift...now that is still viable.” She whispers leaning closer her eyes intense as her hands massage the bag. “Right...So what is your ‘glamour spell’ doing saving me from a boring evening?” Uma can't help but smirk at her wit. Whatever she was might be useful to her...maybe even able to crack the barrier. Maybe even little in a bit of magic and maybe- “My spell got me close to you.” She retorts. Flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Giving me the chance to offer you a way off this island.” Uma froze there's no way she heard her right. A way out? Was she hallucinating this whole thing? Maybe she did hit her head too hard? “My mother helped in the creation this barrier, she worked to protect the ideals of Auradon. She thought that she was helping set up a way to properly rehabilitate your parents but they lied to her.” Maybe she wasn't the only one who bumped her head. “If you let me help you Uma...I can right the wrong done to you and my mother.” A chance to get off this island...a way to finally prove her worth…and all she had to do was trust someone else to make the right choice...again. “What do you get out of this?” Uma asks tilting her head. It doesn't make sense that someone would wash up on shore and just happen to have a way out. She maybe a Villain and desperate for a way out but she wasn't stupid. “A chance to fix the balance,” She whispers her voice near a growl as her eyes lower focusing on the bag. “A chance to make them pay.” There it was. Anger. That she knew...that she understood. With a smirk she leans back, “I'll accept your offer...if we follow my lead. No ifs. no buts-” “No coconuts.” She interjects rising her eyes to Uma the purple glittering with amusement in the firelight. “Of course, Captain. I am your humble consult on all things Auradon.” “Right...Let's keep it that way.” With a raised brow Uma extended her hand. As Iridessa took her hand a vision appears in her mind. Mal holding out fairy Godmother's wand, the king hanging from Harry's hook. With a gasp she took her hand back. Iridessa look down in shock at her hand a smile slowly forming. “It seems….I made the right choice.” She whispers her smile wide. Taking a step back Uma feels something that only her mother had made her feel....fear. Trying her best to hide her feels she turns away clutching her fists at her side. “Don't do that again!” She tosses over her shoulder walking towards the kitchen.eager to put some space between her and the strange woman. “Hahaha that wasn't me, Dear Captain, that was all you.” She laughs causing a chill to go down her spine hurrying into the kitchen she slams the door shut running to her room. As she lands on her bed a foreign heat begins to build in her chest the warmth spreading through her top. Almost searing. Tearing off her jacket she looks down to see her necklace glowing the heat coming in waves. A thought comes to mind her mother's words playing on a loop. ‘When I had my powers that shell would glow like a white hot ember and no inch of the sea wouldn't sway under my call.’ With a gasp she takes holds of it. Focusing on the feeling of the metal and warmth in her palm she stretches out her other hand as she seen her mother do a thousand times. The sound of the waves and smell of the sea helping her focus. Slowly but surely the ocean outside rose to her window. Her blood seeming to burn her very skin as she took a breath. This is what her mother could once do! No wonder she clings to the sea, to the remnants of her past. The power was mlrr then intoxicating it was life changing. With a cackle she let's it fall listening to the gasps and yelps outside. The warmth begins to fade as she lays on the bed leaving her with a chill and headache. Iridessa must have done this! Giving her a taste of the magic inside her to make her weak! To sway her to whatever she decides! ‘That was all you,Dear Captain.’ Her parting shot echoing in her head. She had magic in her blood nothing like her mother's but...it was enough. Her door swings open as Harry breezes in. Eyes sweeping over the room before landing on her a wide smile spreading as he walks over Kneeling at her feet. “Uma,I heard the new girl caused some trouble.” His voice low as he takes her hand. She rolls her eyes of course he realized she wasn't part of their crew. “Want me to take care of her?” He offers flashing his hook was an even wider grin. “No.” She mumbles taking a pillow to stuff under her head. “She's proving to be very useful. I need you to watch the floor...I need a nap.” “Are you sure I can't join you?” He asks slowly standing to hang his body over her’s. His hook trailing down her side. “It's been said I'm a great cuddler.” “I'm sure it has…”Uma whispers looking directly in his eyes trailing her hand up his chest grasping his lapel, “but someone has to watch the floor. As first mate that duty falls on you.” Groaning he lays his forehead to her collar taking a breath of her scent. Rolling her eyes she pushes him lifting her brow as he snaps to attention saluting her with a “Aye, Aye,Captain.” Giggling under her breath she watches him slink out. She had at max one hour before mayhem broke below and her mother snaps. Clutching her pillow she wills her headache to fade as she closes her eyes. When she wakes up next it would be to setting into motion a plan to free her crew and the entire Isles from this prison and making sure the entire world feared the name Uma

#huma fanfic #Harry x Uma #descendants 2 #descendants 2 fanfic

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