#top sorry and will you bring me home again / yes. ill bring you home again is the worst thing ive ever read in my life it makes

[steelycunt]

the worst thing about that giovannis room quote is the place in the book where it comes like. its all over by then. i mean yes its over before its even begun because of david as a person but. like it doesnt even come at the start when david is lying to himself and pretending to ignore the clock ticking on their situation and eating cherries. by the time and will you bring me home again / yes i'll bring you home again comes about its as good as done and so giovanni is as good as done his fate is sealed and david is halfway out the door promising to bring him home like. pages b4 that when giovanni loses his job he goes if you were not here this would be the end of giovanni. and LINES before he says it he's going i do not know what i would do if you left me. i do not think i would be able to live if i had to be alone again. and david knows he's gone! he's already in the process of leaving giovanni to be alone again! they're not even at the beginning of the end theyre practically in the middle of it! the end of them and the end of giovanni because they're one and the same! giovanni tells him that when david leaves he will not be able to live. and then he asks him if he will bring him home again to this room that david knows that he is going to leave (<- and in doing so he is going to bring about the end of giovanni. and the end of himself). girls giovanni is practically dead already. and knowing what he is going 2 do to him david goes. yes. ill bring you home again.

[darlingsfandom]

Would you write a dark!Tommy (or just mean asshole Tommy) fingering a hesitant innocent!reader in the car after giving her a ride home? Perhaps you can think of the specifics?

You got it my friend 💕

TW: Mean Thomas, boot licking, squirting, swearing, power balance abuse, knife play!

It was not the first time, second or even third time that Thomas Shelby had given you a ride back home. He’s been giving you a ride home when you wanted to go back to see your family. You were his live in maid. You weren’t the only maid but you were his favorite. You knew your place, you always addressed him as “Mr.Shelby” or “Sir”, you never talked back, you were the perfect good girl.

You had planned on seeing your family the weekend before but with your brother falling ill and The Shelby’s had a party the night before it didn’t work in your favor, which is why you’re sitting in his car during a down pour making it impossible to even see.

“Ya really couldn’t have waited to see your family until next weekend?” His lips curled into a snarl.

“I’m sorry Mr.Shelby, I did want to see them last weekend but with Daren falling ill, I didn’t want to risk bringing that back here.” Your voice was small as you shrunk the best you could in the seat. Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose before looking at you.

“Did ya even check the weather before we left?”

“I did sir, that’s why I asked you to leaver earlier but you didn’t listen …” you quickly put your hand over your mouth as your eyes went wide: You just talked back to Thomas Shelby! Before you could apologize the back of his hand had met your cheek.

“Are you fucking stupid? Who do you think are you talking to me like that? I could kill you right here right now! “ he gripped you by your chin and yanked you towards him as the sound of the rain pounding on the car echoed outside. “But I won’t.” His eyes were dark with lust and anger making you swallow the lump in your throat because you knew he was right, he could kill you! He could change his mind. He shoved you back in your seat before searching his pocket.

Your heart was about to burst out of your chest. Thomas sat there searching. You had the chance to run, yes the weather held you back or say you’re blaming that but part of you knew it would be worse to run. Thomas pulled out his pocket knife and smirked as he pointed it at you. “You’re going to learn your place.” He leaned over and dragged the cold metal against your collar bone making you shiver.

“Yes… Mr.Shelby.” You gulped before he pointed the knife at the back seat.

“Go on, get back there.” He lashed out before you did as told. You were quickly sat in the back seat with your hands in your lap as he double checked that the car was in park before climbing in the back with you. His closeness felt like he was right on top of you making you cry softly.

“Why are you crying?” His voice seemed sweet yet you knew better than to fall for that.

“Please Mr. Shelby.. I don’t want to die!” You cried out and his hand met your face again making you stop from the shock.

“How can a pretty thing like you be so stupid?! Answer me that? Hmm, I’m not going to kill you. I’ve told you that.” He reached up and gripped your hair giving it a hard yank and pulled you down. “Lick my boot!”

“What?” You babbled out.

“You need to show me how sorry you are! Lick my fucking boot! Or are you too stupid to follow simple tasks ?” He arched his foot upwards to you as you sniffled. You looked up at him with softened eyes as your tongue ran slowly over the salty leather. A soft whimper left your lips as Thomas watched you while keeping the knife pointed at you.

“See I knew you could be a good girl like you usually are. Keep licking my expensive boot!” He chuckled at you as you desperately licked the leather. He watched in lustful amazement as you obeyed him. You could feel your wetness pooling in your panties even though it was degrading you enjoyed it .

“Get back up here.” His hand wrapped into your hair and yanked your head back while you got back onto the seat. His lips were curved into an evil smirk as his hand rested on your thigh. Both of you sat quietly until he grabbed your leg and put it on his lap to spread you open. He hiked up the bottom of your dress until it was bunched up around your waits exposing the wet spot on your white panties to him.

“Look at that. Did licking my boot really turn you on? Or are you dumb little girl who gets off being ordered around by powerful men? Hmm is that what it is?” Thomas ran the knife along your plushy thighs making your breath hitch. He watched how you reacted as the knife ran up and down your soft skin until he pulled on the side of your panties and cut them off in a snap! You gasped as the cool air blew on your wet cunt.

“Look at you.” He held your panties in his hand before shoving them in your mouth. “Not a word out of you.” His fingers ran over your folds slowly at first. You held back every moan in your body.

Thomas moved closer and slid his index finger all the way into you. You wiggled below him trying to push him away until you felt the sharp sting on the knife on your inner thigh making you cry out against the fabric in your mouth.

“This tight little cunt is MINE!” He snarled at you. “And I’ll do with it as I please.” You couldn’t disobey again. The blood trickled down your thighs as he worked his index finger inside of you making you cry softly.

“It’s such nice little cunt too! Can’t lie to you sweetie, thought about fucking you a lot.” You knew it was wrong to get more aroused as he fingered you. He’s your boss! He could kill you, he already cut you what could he do now? You had to let your body give in and you did. Thomas slid another finger in you making you whine which was music to his ears.

“Good girl! There’s my good girl. So obedient. Taking my fingers like a good whore! Nicest fucking pussy for a whore.” He kissed along your ear and jaw line while twisting his fingers inside of you. He watched how your face scrunched together while he fingered your cunt harder.

You looked at him with pleading eyes. He felt bad for a split second then continued to finger you. Thomas pulled your panties out of your mouth and shoved them into his pocket as fast as he could. “Tell me how good it feels.”

“Mr.. Shelby !! I… it feels good! Fuck !” You whined loudly as he shoved his fingers deep inside so his palm cuffed the top of your pussy and fingered you as hard as he possibly could. “Oh my god ! Mr. Shelby stop! Stop please!”

“Now why would I stop when you’re being such a good whore for me!”

“No please! It will be messy!” You pleaded but that only inflated his ego. He worked his fingers as fast as he could until you couldn’t hold back and gushed all over the back of his seat.

“MR.SHELBY!” You cried out as your squirt covered your thighs, his hand, the back seat of his car and a bit on his trousers.

“What a dirty whore!” He smirked at you as he pulled his fingers back and licked them clean. You laid there quietly catching your breath as he put your leg back and pulled down your dress.

“Change of plans, you’re coming back home with me this weekend. Don’t argue with me or you’ll have more than just that cut, got it?” He forced you to look into his eyes and you nodded as he kissed your head.

“I knew you were a good girl. Now clean up your mess.” He pointed to his trousers and pulled you back down by your hair. You knew he could be rough, never this rough but part of you craved more than just his fingers .

[hoeforhao]

🌙 Fated Under The Rain ☆ Wonwoo Oneshot ☆

↝ pairing: ex boyfriend! wonwoo × fem! reader

↝ genre: explicit language, smut with little plot, minors dni!!!!!! mutual pining but mainly from wonwoo, fluff, slight humor, overall nothing heavy just a small sensual drabble.

↝ warnings: unprotected sex(wrap it up kids), creampie, breast play, fingering, marking. Tell me if I missed any!

↝ summary: will offering lift to the man who left you in pieces amidst heavy rain lead to something your heart has been craving for months?

↝ word count: 2k(am sorry😭)

↝ author's note: was driving back home yesterday while it was literally pouring down outside, my favorite song playing on spotify and all i could think of instead focusing on the road was this plot!

Lemme know if you enjoyed the drabble! Feedbacks always make me feel warm♡

Permanent taglist : @feat-sun @joonsytip

Amidst the rain seeping it's path down the glass panels, the heaven clan's haze shielding your view from the mundane maneuver of the blurred out world, your glistening beads have found their long craved spot onto the tall, broad shouldered man standing by the signal, hair and shirt completely soaked up from the pouring skies, while his eyes were desperately searching for a way back - was it to his brick stoned house or his lost home?

"Going back home?" thrusting on the clutch and then the brake to bring your car to a halt at the blinking bloody lights, you roll down the passenger side's window as a way to offer some sort of help to the seemingly distressed man on top of the pavement.

A familiar voices grazes wonwoo's ears as his eyes shoot up in anticipation,looking for the owner of the claimed voice, only to land them on you. Did rain cloud his vision? Cuz there's no way that you were now parked beside him, asking whether he's struggling to get back home or not.

"Y-yes" the older nervously scratches the back of his head, not sure of what to say to the person he has pained so deep.

"I can drop you off, if you don't mind obviously" only you knew how hard it was for you to maintain an indifferent composure before the one man you've cared for and treasured so dearly, being fully aware of the fact that he's highly sensitive to rainwater; 'typical cat behavior' you laugh at yourself!

"No its fine. I'll find a cab soon" wonwoo tries to be as polite as possible, even though every vein of his body wants to jump into the car right now.

"I've been watching you clawing onto your scalp in frustration for the past 30 minutes and you think i'll still believe in your 'will find a cab soon'?" you genuinely didn't realise when the old habits took over the new persona and you started acting as the protective girlfriend you were, visualizing that one time he fell severely ill for days after getting poured onto on his way to the office; a memory you never wanna revisit ever again.

"Hop on quick if you don't wanna end up amongst the white walls for the second time!! Only 10 seconds are left to go" eyes quickly deviating towards the beeping timer of the signal, while you shift up the gear and slowly start bringing up your feet off the floor, ready to drive out as soon as the light turns green.

All of wonwoo's self control leave his body seeing the same old care flash by on his lost lover's face, as he swiftly pulls onto the door's latch, positioning his nearly drenched body onto the leather seats.

The defeaning silence between the two past kins were filled by wonwoo's occasional glances at the strong independent lady sitting beside him and the radio playing your favorite songs, those which you constantly looped onto spotify throughout the entire spell of your heart longing for wonwoo.

Looks like even the gods are against you today as a warm wet hand lands on yours that were stationed onto the gear beside. As much as you wanted to engulf those palms into yours instantly and never let them go, you knew quite well that he was now not yours, not your to claim, not your to hold onto. Thus the only thing you could do was keep your eyes fixed onto the slippery road infront and drive him home safe.

But the heavens knew better. Your plans were currently going for a battle with you as wonwoo kept on grazing his soft gentle digits onto the back of your hand, everytime you shifted them to change the gear, drawing small circles on them occasionally.

The sensation now reaching the threshold of your body, making your skin call for the touch of his lips and your insides craving the warmth of his body, it was time for you to slow down your car by a deserted road and park the black shiny carrier under the moonlight.

"What do you want wonwoo?" a stern yet begging pair of eyes turns towards the passenger seat, where the big man was resting his wet body on.

"I miss you y/n. I've always missed you" wonwoo now completely engulfs your palms into his, squeezing them hard from the anticipation of what's about to come his way. "Can...can i feel you for one last time, pls?"

You see the desperation behind those black boba balls, the way those droplets of tears are being held captive in the backroom; besides it was gradually getting hard to ignore the pained screams of your body to feel him beneath you. Abandoning all the huff,anger, hurt that made their home in you for so long, you fleetly jumped out from the driver's seat while pushing back wonwoo's to make enough space for you on his lap.

Startled by the sudden presence of your wet clothed cunt over the tent in his tight jeans, wonwoo's body jolts up in the heat flowing through him, dulling his morals and senses as he only wants to fuck the life out of you right now ; and he shows no delay in his endeavor as he clings his mouth onto your neck like a beast deprived of his meal for months, loitering the supple skin beneath with his marks.

"I missed you so fuckin much y/n" he whispers into your nape, hands roaming up your waist, under your satin shirt, caressing the soft pillowy tummy he has always preferred laying on, pawing onto your boobs over the black lacey bra you wore to work, for lord knows what reasons; while his lips now clutched themselves to your plumpy vanilla lips.

"May I, please?" there's literally not a single person on the earth who can say no to those pleasing kitty eyes. So you just hummed against the kiss - not a passionate one but a longing one; wonwoo's lips were moving on yours in such insatiable hunger that it seemed like he wanted to imprint the taste onto his mouth forever, who knows if he'll ever get to feel them again....as if his lips have finally found their twin flame they've been craving for months now!

One single go signal from you and wonwoo wasted no time in tugging onto the buttons of your flowy shirt, ripping them open in just a matter of seconds. His eyes lit up like an excited puppy upon seeing your bare skin, glowing under the moonlit rainy sky....oh how he has missed this sight of yours so much, you whimpering on him, all vulnerable and begging for his touch against your heated core.

"Fuck you're still so sweet my love" he moans into your jiggly soft boobs, mouth fixed onto one of your hardened nipples, while he pawed at the other one.

The words 'my love' from the mouth of the one your heart still belongs to, still craves for and still wants to be claimed by, does no good in controlling the dripping from your already soaked pussy, as you start roughly grinding against his clothed length.

"Hmmm so impatient for my cock, aren't you pretty baby" a wide smirk creeping it's way onto wonwoo's face as he notices you getting impatient to feel him inside you. Finding it exciting and a prideful moment for him, the hand that was kneading onto your doughy mounds now trails down to your panties under the very convenient skirt your were harboring ; drawing his cold fingers over your sensitive clothed clit sending your head thrown against the windshield of your car.

"Pls..pls stop teasing and fuck me already wonu" you were yourself amazed at how desperate you seemed for his cock in your throbbing pussy.

"But I don't have a condom sweetheart" wonwoo knew absolutely well that you didn't give a damn about having unprotected sex with him as he smirked onto the skin around your nipples, teasing your wet sticky fold with his free fingers ; pulling out a string of slick from your pussy infront of you, he proudly shows you how much of a slut you're for his touch.

"You..ahh...you think...I....shit...fuckin care about having a condom right now? Just go in raw please....haven't felt your cock in me....for so long....fuck" lord if anyone ever got near to the black beauty parked on the roadside and heard the lewd sounds escaping your lips, they would surely be traumatized for days, but that was the least of your concerns now.

"As my princess wishes" and with that wonwoo quickly moves his limbs towards his pants, shoving down the chain of his trousers in the flick of an eye, while he finally releases his strained hard cock from its restraints, precum leaking down its tip as he tries to slightly palm down the pain before sheathing them into your walls.

"Just as tight as I left it" he growls onto your neck as his cock now thrusts into your slick walls at a inhumane pace, as if he slowly down, he'll forever lose the warmth of this pussy. "Fitting me so well into the mould u created only for me to fill"

The rain outside and the haze of all the juices leaking from the two bodies inside the car, creates a mystical world bounded within the tinted glasses of the vehicle, while wonwoo keeps on fucking you dumb onto his lap.

"I...I'm near wonw-- ah fuck" you lose control over your core muscles at the sensation of wonwoo's tip hitting your womb, as your core's glistening cream paints his black jeans white ; not to mention you were now embarrassed at the fact that he has to go home with such stained pants....or maybe not-

"My pretty little whore, so glowy after ruining my new jeans huh" you can feel wonwoo's pace slowing down a bit, knowing quite well what's about to follow. "Lemme return the favor and ruin your insides, ruin your pussy so that no one can get to bury themselves in you, except me.....only my hole to fuck"

Wonwoo's body falls limp onto the headrest of the seat as he shoots his entire load into you, cock still moving amongst your walls, fucking his seeds deep inside you.

"Can i have another chance, please?" wonwoo finally looks you into your pleasure coated eyes while shifting you on his lap to wrap your arms around his neck, resting his sweat forehead onto yours.

"At what? Fucking me?" you were seemingly confused at his words as you didn't think he would be wanting anything else other than sex, after how he let go off your hand in the middle of you two's promised path, 8 months ago.

"No...no...at l-loving you, pls" his voice suddenly portrays a cast of regret and pain, "I know I fucked up, I hurt the one I've loved with all my might all this time. I...I could never get you out of my head y/n, my eyes and my heart kept looking for you at every corner of my messed up life. Pls, will you give your catto one last chance?" something unexpected rolled down wonwoo's cheeks and it was none other than tear drops. Was...was he really crying for you, begging you back into his arms again?

"This time if you leave, I'll make sure to castrate you, so that you can't ever get a girl around you after me" you laugh onto his skin while placing a gentle kiss on his forehead, your fingers wiping off the dried out tears on his cheeks.

"I'll happily place my dick under your guillotine, my highness" wonwoo hasn't felt this happy since months, heart fluttering at the thought of walking beside you again, fingers locked into one another's.

Your heart swells looking at the misty scene outside, remembering how the first time you two decided to date, it was raining cats and dogs as you were pulling him under a tree to sheath yourselves from the rain...and now when the skies decided to grant you another chance at healing your soul with the one you loved, it's raining heavily - again!!!

"Eh but what about your pants wonu, how will you go home with these...ummm...stains" a genuine question you've been dying to ask him, as you surely don't have a change for men's jeans in your car.

"Who said we are going home baby"

[pinkandlilacroses]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡⋆

Angel - Paige bueckers

part 6

• summary {in which an unsuspecting girl falls for the basketball star}

• warnings {angst, it gets cute at the end tho}

averys pov

“avery why cant we tell them” azzi yells, this has been our third fight this week about this topic

“azzi you know why we cant” i say, sternly

“no i dont, thats why im asking”

“azzi, bellas in the other room. shut up” i say

“ok, fuck you” say says, walking out

azzis pov

azzi

- u home

paige

- pls dont come

- stay with avery please

azzi

- im coming

fuck paige has been weird lately, and she wont tell me

its definitely something with bella

i don’t know how bella doesn’t notice

paige is in love with her

“azzi what did i say” paige says, yelling, tears flooding her eyes and the neck of her shirt

“paige whats happening” i say, genuinely concerned for my best friend

she begins wailing. i’ve never seen her cry like this before

i quickly wall up and embrace her

“i fucked it” she says, barley getting her words out

“i want her and ill never be able to make her mine” she continues

“bella?” i question

“yes” she says, raising her voice

“im calling her”

“no, azzi, no, please don’t. please” she says, pleading, her voice growing louder

“paige, you need to talk to her. i’ve never seen you like this before” i say, authoritatively

“she hates me”

azzi is calling bella

“hey bella”

“hey”

“can you come over”

“yeah ill come now”

call ended

“paige this is a good thing, you guys need to talk”

bellas pov

i know this is about paige

id be lying if i said i was fine about this situation

i’m reality, i’ve been crying. everyday. at any given opportunity

i dont have any resentment towards paige, even though i definitely should. i mean, what she did was fucked

and she never explained herself, all she could say is “i cant do it” like what the fuck does that mean

knock, fuck i should leave

knock, i hate her

knock, no i dont

“hey bella” azzi says, bringing me into her embrace. i know azzi and avery are dating, but they cant tell anyone because avery cheated on jake with azzi, and she hates what she did. but she truly does love the girl, cute. i hate love

“paige is in her room”

walking towards paiges room, nerves surprisingly aren’t present. i felt calm, normal

“who is it” paige yells, across the door

“bella” i say, yelling back

paiges pov

“shit shit shit” i say to myself, i look awful. i didn’t think she would actually show up

i’ve been crying for what feels like years, and i finally can get everything off my chest. but i’m more terrified than ever before

she opens the door. fuck

“hey paige” she says softly, i cant bear to look at her. i dont want to see how she has effected me

“paige look at me” she says, sitting down next to me, leaning over. hand on my knee

i look at her

shock plastered on her face

she says nothing, bringing me close and wrapping her arms around me, protectively

“im so sorry” i say into her chest

“paige its ok, im not mad”

“yes you are, i fucked up” i say, tears beginning to form again

she moves so we are face to face, her laying on top of me

“you dont know how bad i want you bella, but i’m, i’m scared” i say, i’ve never been this vulnerable with a girl before. i feel weak

“paige its ok, theres no pressure” she says, reassuringly

“i know you dont feel the same, thats why ive been so down”

“how do you know, paige” she says, sternly. contrasting her previous tone

“it’s obvious” i say. is it?

“no its not, i want you the same amount that you want me” she says, staring intently into my tear filled eyes, that are forming once again

“really” i say, genuinely confused

“yes” she says, slightly laughing

this cant be real, how, what, when, where, why.

after everything i’ve done, she still likes me?

“paige, you there” she says, commenting on my spacing out

“are you sure” i say, coming back to reality

she responds by gently pressing her lips to my own

this kiss was different than any others i’ve experience, its sweet, loving. reflecting of how i feel about her, and i guess how she feels about me.

[clarepreed]

Beached

Story Content and Summary - 5,813 words. Leonie is on a walk when she discovers a beached mermaid in dire condition. Fantasy resuscitation, on-site.

Required reading: Sea Legs

--

Alaric

“Leonie?” 

Alaric reached out and turned on his bedside lamp, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before squinting at Leonie. His mate stood in the middle of his bedroom, long hair disheveled, dressed in nothing but a t-shirt. Her hands clutched the hem, and she looked unsettled.

“Leonie?” he asked again, pushing himself onto his elbows. “Are you okay?”

She’d been out of the hospital for two months. Out of rehab for a week. To say that her time on the surface had been rough so far would be an understatement. The Earthwalkers, surprised by her difficulties walking after her resuscitation, chalked it up to brain damage. They couldn’t know she wasn’t learning to walk again.

Since her discharge, Alaric kept a separate room. He didn’t want her to feel pressured, though he slept with the door open in case she needed him.

“I can’t rest.” Leonie’s face contorted in the dim light. “May I… sleep with you?”

“Yes! Yes, of course!” Alaric pulled back the covers and scooted back to give her room. “Come lay down, sea-lin.”

Sea-lin. A term of affection reserved for both infants and life partners, Alaric hadn’t used it since the day they parted beneath the sea. But the word slipped out naturally now, and to his surprise, a small smile passed across Leonie’s pale face.

Leonie shuffled to his bed and clicked off the lamp. He felt the mattress sink beneath her weight, then she drew the covers over them both. As his eyes adjusted, he saw hers glinting in the dark. 

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

She didn’t immediately respond, though she inched closer until her hands brushed his. He uncurled his fingers, and she slipped her hand into his. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“Why are you sorry?”

“I have not treated you well, since…”

Alaric felt her tremble, and wanted to take her in his arms. Instead, uncertain as to how much contact she would accept, he squeezed her hand. “I just want you to feel peace, Leonie. I’ll be okay while you find it.”

“I feel…” Her voice trailed off, and he listened to her breathe for a long moment before she spoke again. “This is not my body. This is not my home. I am ill at ease on land and afraid of the sea. I am separated from my family and I cannot be a good mate. I am of no use. Worst of all, Artis did this to me!”

Her voice broke, and he heard her draw a teary breath. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he pulled his hand free from hers and gathered her up in his arms, holding her tight. His lips pressed against the top of her head. He didn’t know what to say to her. Everything he had to say would be too much.

Leonie

She fell asleep eventually, her muscles uncoiling inside the circle of Alaric’s arms. Exhaustion reigned over her each day and night, though she often found it difficult to rest. She felt alone, stranded on an island, too far away for Alaric to reach her.

Tonight, however, her longing for him and her sorrow at how rejected he must feel won out. Without knowing it was possible, she dozed off.

When she woke, hours had passed, the first fingers of light slipping in around the curtains. She and Alaric had separated a bit during the night, though he still had his arm draped over her midsection. His face looked softer in sleep, the lines of worry easing from his skin. Leonie laid there for a long time, studying his features, until her Earthwalker bladder called her attention away.

Slipping out from beneath his arm, Leonie walked back across the hall to her room to use the en suite and slip on a pair of loose pants.

The house was silent; she thought she must be the first to awaken. In the silence, she heard the gentle roar of the ocean in the distance. The water called to her. Despite everything, the pull was strong. She’d been to the beach every day since the Earthwalker healers had released her, but she could not bring herself to so much as step into the surf. The thought alone was enough to dry her mouth to sand.

Leonie found the water bottle by her bed and took a sip, swirling the water around her mouth before she swallowed it. As she screwed the cap back on, she mulled over what to do with her morning.

She could curl back up with Alaric and watch him sleep. She could attempt more of the “yoga” Pearl insisted on teaching her. She could brush her hair, something Alaric kept doing for her when she just couldn’t care less.

Instead, Leonie slipped barefoot out of the back door of the house, padding down the sandy boardwalk at the back of the scrubby expanse of grass Alaric told her was called a “yard.” This section of beach benefitted from not being a public swimming area. Unfortunately, it was next to the rocky section where Leonie had drowned.

She walked slowly through the sand, her eyes on her feet. Leonie knew she was clumsy and slow; she had eyes. Alaric moved with grace, considering his Earthwalker body. The others had long since adapted to their legs and could walk, run, and jump without issue. Eldoris urged her to be patient with herself, told her it was natural to need time. Reminded her it was harder for her since she’d nearly died.

Leonie scuffed her feet through the sand, avoiding broken shells and large pebbles. Her new feet were still tender, though Alaric told her they would toughen up the more she walked on them. 

It was because of her posture that she didn’t see the mermaid until she was right at the edge of the surf.

Leonie froze, her eyes widening. The mermaid lay sprawled on the rocky beach, her long silver tail flopping weakly. Leonie took in the length of her tail and her angular features; she was from a deeper school than Leonie’s own. Her skin looked drained of blood, aside from the cuts and bruises on her arms and down the side of her face. Her torso and neck strained, skin sucked in around her ribs. Her hair, matted and full of sand. Pale eyes stared up at the early morning sky. Her lips were slack and parted, but Leonie could see her gills, red and flared and angry.

BEACHED!

Leonie cried out and lurched forward, breaking free from her stupor and staggering over the rocky ground and into the shallow water. She splashed down onto her hands and knees, wincing as her knees struck the rocks.

“I’m a friend! Artis gave me legs, but I am a friend!” Leonie reached out and touched the mermaid’s bruised face. Her lips were turning blue. “You are too far out of the water to use your gills! Breathe with your mouth and nose!”

The mermaid’s eyes tracked across Leonie’s face before rolling back in her head. Leonie clapped her hands to the other woman’s neck, blocking her gills. “Cough up the sea and take a breath with your mouth!”

There was no response, and Leonie hastily removed her hands. She knew she wasn’t strong enough to drag the mermaid out into the ocean, and she didn’t know if that would actually fix the problem. She did know it would be bad if the Earthwalkers found her. 

“I’ll be right back!” Leonie gasped. “I’m going to get help!”

She rose clumsily to her feet and turned back toward the house, screaming. “ALARIC! ALARIC, HELP!”

Leonie staggered through the sand, tripping and lurching as she went. Frustrated tears welled in her eyes. She regretted not bringing the trekking poles Alaric had given her. “ALARIC!” Leonie went down, sprawling in the sand. When she pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, she heard someone call her name.

“Leonie?” Eldoris. Alaric’s friend ran down the boardwalk. He crouched beside her and grasped her shoulder. “Are you hurt? What’s wrong?”

Leonie pushed him away and pointed back toward the water. “Mermaid! Beached! She can’t breathe!”

“Leonie?” Alaric’s voice cut through her panic, and she whipped her head in his direction.

“Leonie found a beached mermaid. Get the kit, Alaric! And wake anyone who is home!” Eldoris reached his hand out to Leonie. “Show me, Leonie!”

She let him help her to her feet, then waved him ahead. “Run to the rocks. You will see her. I’m coming as fast as I can!”

Eldoris took off running. He was headed for the correct spot, so Leonie focused on moving quickly through the sand without falling. The sun was rising at an alarming rate and Earthwalkers could show up any minute. She’d almost made it back to the beached mermaid when Alaric sprinted past her, carrying some kind of luggage on each shoulder.

Then Leonie was back in the surf. The mermaid’s scales glinted in the dawn light, but to Leonie’s dismay, she was no longer moving.

“Oh, Artis help her! Please don’t tell me she died!” Leonie splashed through the shallows and squatted beside the mermaid’s glistening tail. Eldoris had his fingers pressed to the mermaid’s throat, close to her splayed gills. Then he bent over the mermaid and pinched her nose closed, sealing his mouth wide over hers.

Leonie heard a spluttering sound and then Eldoris said: “This isn’t going to work, the air is coming out of her gills! We have to try her in the water, Alaric!”

 Leonie watched as Alaric and Eldoris each grabbed the mermaid by an arm and dragged her into the water. The mermaid’s beautiful tail raked across the rocks, but Leonie barely had the stability to do more than stagger to her feet, let alone carry her tail.

“What have we got?” Leonie heard their housemate Pearl’s voice from behind her.

“A beached mermaid!” Leonie gasped. “She’s not breathing!”

“You need to get her further away from the Earthwalker swimming area!” Pearl snapped. She’d been on the surface for twenty years and waffled between wise and belligerent.

“She’s going to die if she doesn’t start breathing,” Eldoris said, his voice strained. Leonie was close enough now to see that they held the unfamiliar mermaid underwater, supporting her head and flapping their hands at her gills. “Come on, you’re submerged now! Take a breath!”

“This is why we need to maintain communication with the schools.” Pearl turned to look up the beach. “We could signal them and hand her over!”

That’s not what Artis wants, Leonie thought automatically. Her school had ingrained in her a respect for their deity’s rules of separation that persisted despite her feelings of betrayal and anger.

“You bought intubation kits,” Alaric said, his voice low and worried. “I saw them in the bag.”

“It doesn’t matter if the Earthwalkers see you using one. If they see her then we’ve already fucked up.” Pearl used that word again. Alaric had explained it was a word utilized for emphasis or in anger, and not when one intended to be polite or around children. Leonie thought it must be Pearl’s favorite word. “Is that helping at all?”

The water was clear, and once Leonie made her careful way closer, she saw Eldoris had his hand underwater, two fingers pressed to the mermaid’s throat.

“Her pulse is weak,” Eldoris said. “She hasn’t even tried to breathe yet.”

“Pull her out and take her further down the beach?” Alaric asked. Leonie looked up at him, trying to interpret his tone of voice. He sounded resigned, she decided, his face a mask of duty. 

“Intubate her and use Eldoris’ bag.” Pearl snapped.

Alaric nodded and quickly sloshed his way back over to the bags. Leonie followed, holding out her hands. “Let me carry something for you.”

“Take this, please,” Alaric said, plucking a few items from the kit and then handing Leonie what looked like a smooth, clear puffer fish and some tubing. “I’ll ask you for it in a bit. Come on!”

They waded back over to the mermaid, and Alaric kneeled in the water. “Bring her up to the surface, Eldoris.”

Pearl joined them, reaching out for the items in Alaric’s hands. Eldoris sat in the water, cradling the mermaid’s torso and letting her head tip back over his arm. Leonie was horrified to see how bad she looked; her lips were an unnatural shade of blue and her eyes were half-open and staring at nothing. Her skin looked drained of blood, nipples dark atop her breasts. Alaric took two silver pieces from Pearl and fit them together before shuffling around to the top of the mermaid’s head. He adjusted the tilt of her head and then opened her mouth, sliding an illuminated, blade-like section of the device inside. Alaric shook his head and pulled the device partway out before adjusting his angle and trying again.

“I haven’t done this in a long time,” he muttered.

“She needs you,” Eldoris urged. “You can do this.”

“I need someone to… the term is ‘cricoid pressure,’ but I need someone to press on her throat. Pinching gesture—” He stopped talking when Pearl stepped forward, seeming to grasp the mermaid’s airway between her fingers. “An inch higher. Yes! Thank you. Hand me the tube!”

Pearl tore a large packet open with her teeth and then held it out to Alaric, who plucked a section of tubing from inside the package. Leonie watched him slide the tube along the blade of the device, and then he said: “Okay, you can stop, Pearl! I’m going to inflate the cuff and then I’ll give her a breath and you can tell me if her chest rises. Hand me the syringe now.”

Leonie wasn’t exactly sure what Alaric was doing, but after a moment, he handed the “syringe” and the metal device to Pearl and then leaned over and wrapped his lips around the end of the tube. Then he pressed his hands over her gills. Pearl leaned over and pressed her hand low between the mermaid’s breasts as Alaric exhaled. He repeated the process, and Pearl said: “One more time,” moving her hand down to the mermaid’s stomach. 

Alaric breathed again into the tube, bubbles escaping around his fingers, but Pearl nodded. “That’s chest rise, not her stomach.”

“Professionals would use a stethoscope.” He shook his head and then looked at Leonie. “I’ll take that from you. Thank you.”

“It works just like a normal Ambu bag,” Eldoris said. “Pop it on and we’ll submerge her. I had to modify it a bit; when I tried it before, it was impossible to force water into the endotracheal tube.”

Alaric clipped the Ambu bag to the tube and then Eldoris lowered the mermaid into the water, submerging not just her but the end of the tube and the entire Ambu bag. Alaric reached down into the water and tipped the mermaid’s head back, then squeezed the bag. Leonie kneeled down beside the mermaid and put her hand in the same place where Pearl had pressed. “Do it again, Alaric.”

When he squeezed the bag, Leonie felt the mermaid’s chest rise. She looked up at him, feeling a combination of stress and excitement that made her voice squeak as she said: “That did it! I felt her chest go up and down!”

“Does she still have a pulse, Eldoris?” Alaric’s face was grim as he looked down at the unresponsive mermaid. “Pearl, I need a tube holder. It’s plastic and blue and white. It will keep this tube in place since I can’t tape it.”

“Got it,” Pearl said, shuffling back toward the rock where their bags were stashed.

Eldoris had his eyes closed, fingers pressed just beneath the mermaid’s jaw. He sat there in silence, the mermaid’s body bobbing slightly in the shallow water. Her fluke peeked out above the surface, sparkling but limp. Eldoris let out a huff of air. His eyes opened, and he looked at Alaric for a second before shifting around to the mermaid’s other side. Leonie watched as his hands stacked between her breasts, his shoulders rocking over his hands as he pumped her chest. 

Leonie knew what this meant, even if the technique differed from what she was used to. Merfolk swam up behind a dying school member and hugged them, pulling their clasped fist into that same spot over and over again. When she was still in the hospital, she’d asked Alaric why her chest hurt so much and he explained Earthwalker methods.

The water rippled around Eldoris’ submerged arms, but Leonie could still see the effect the compressions had on the mermaid’s body. Bubbles escaped her gills, and her breasts wobbled underwater with each press. Her stomach rippled, and her floating hands bobbed and swayed.

Pearl waded back over to them, handing Alaric the blue and white plastic piece he’d requested. 

“Pearl!” Eldoris exclaimed, sounding breathless. “Leonie! I need you to hold her down! I can’t do this effectively if I have to shove her down through the water every half a second!”

Leonie lurched forward inelegantly and planted her hands on the mermaid’s shoulders, pushing them down toward the sand. Pearl sat in the surf and leaned into the mermaid’s hips. Between the two of them, they kept her flat on the ocean floor as Eldoris performed chest compressions.

“What’s the plan?” Alaric asked, squeezing the bag every five or six seconds. “We don’t have meds. And we obviously can’t defibrillate her in here.”

Eldoris was counting quietly under his breath, but he snapped out: “I don’t know!”

Alaric

He shook his head, feeling his mouth set into a grim line. The mermaid was limp beneath them, tail and hands floating on the surface of the water. He kept her head pressed into the sand, airway open and the tube holder keeping the endotracheal tube in place. Her lips were still dusky, visible through the rippling water. Her eyes stared up at him, soulless as death. He could see the dark scrapes and bruises on the side of her face and down the side of her arm. The sea had been rough the night before.

Leonie kneeled in the surf beside him, her hair trailing in the water as she held the mermaid’s shoulders down. The mermaid’s pale breasts wobbled as Eldoris thrust his hands into her sternum. Her stomach popped, visible above Pearl’s hands on her glimmering hips. Eldoris had resumed counting, the quiet numbers the only words between them as he worked. 

Leonie looked up, eyes wide in her pale face. He didn’t know what to say to her, but he tried to soften his expression. He could only imagine the thoughts that might run through her mind. She bit her lip, then looked back down at the mermaid.

“…nine, ten. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. One…” Eldoris stopped counting, though he kept his hands pumping her chest. “We can’t use the AED. Pearl’s going to have to go back and get the old defibrillator. The one with the paddles. We might need to move her in and out of the water. Alaric can read the display.”

“Can you and Alaric move her yourselves?” Pearl asked. “This is the time to move her down the beach.”

“We’ll move her when I reach the end of this cycle,” Eldoris said. His volume was dysregulated, his breathing made harsh with his exertion. “I’m keeping a rough accounting of time.”

 “Leonie,” Alaric said as Pearl stood. “Hold down her hips. I can get her shoulders.”

Leonie crawled awkwardly through the surf before planting her hands at the top of the mermaid’s tail. Alaric shifted, keeping her head in place with his knees while he held one shoulder down with the hand not squeezing the bag. The mermaid was still visibly arresting, eyes unseeing, skin an abnormal color. Eldoris pushed hard and fast, his arms frothing the water.

“Does this… defib… defibrillate… work often?” Leonie asked, the unfamiliar word clunky in her mouth.

“Sometimes,” Alaric responded, still squeezing the bag. “It worked when it was you.”

“We can’t take her to the… hospital,” Leonie said. Her eyes seemed locked on the mermaid, on Eldoris’ hands beating her heart. “I hope she will live.”

“Artis willing,” Eldoris said. “We need to move her. Leonie, you’ll have to be our lookout—”

“What happened?” another male voice called out. Alaric looked up and saw Cuan running into the surf. Cuan was rarely home, preferring the company of an Earthwalker man, but Alaric was relieved to see him. “Bay is coming, too. They’re helping Pearl with the defibrillator.”

“We need help getting her to less visible waters,” Alaric said. “Leonie, get back to the beach and let us know if you see any Earthwalkers. Watch for them while we move her. Okay, sea-lin?”

Leonie nodded, lifting her body weight off of the mermaid’s hips and then stumbling to her feet. It took her a painful amount of time to make it back to the sand, Alaric keenly aware both of Leonie’s listing progress and of the rhythmic splashing sound of Eldoris’ compressions.

“Are we moving her all in one go?” Cuan asked. “Bay’s gonna bring something to block the line of sight from the Earthwalker beach.”

“Leonie will let us know if anyone is coming. If we beat Pearl, back in the water. Otherwise, down on the sand.” Eldoris sounded winded. “Unfortunately, we may have to switch back to a dry method.”

“If we keep dragging her in and out, she won’t make it.” Alaric said, glancing down at the mermaid. There was no evident change; she stared up through the frothing water, moving only because Eldoris was compressing her sternum. Alaric called out to Cuan. “Grab the bags. I’ll take her head. Eldoris will get her midway. We will just have to drag her tail. Cuan, when Leonie tells us we’re good, I’ll also need you to grab the Ambu bag.”

“I don’t see anyone!” Leonie shouted.

“Here!” Alaric squeezed the bag one more time and then disconnected it. Cuan took it from him. “Let’s go!”

Eldoris stopped chest compressions and shouted: “We each take an arm!” He demonstrated, slipping the mermaid’s arm around his shoulders and gripping her forearm. 

Alaric did the same, and they heaved her torso upright, dragging the mermaid through the surf and toward the beach, struggling against the water and the shifting sand. Her head sagged backward, wet hair dragging through the water and her open eyes staring up at the sky. Cuan ran ahead with the bags, headed around the large rock that blocked part of their private beach from Earthwalker view.

It took less time than he had feared for them to drag her around the boulder, leaving a strange trail in the sand. Leonie followed them, assuring them she didn’t see any Earthwalkers. Bay and Pearl met them, and they laid the mermaid flat on the beach behind a row of folding camp chairs Bay had hastily erected.

“Cuan, take over chest compressions!” Alaric called out, reaching inside one duffel for an unmodified Ambu bag. Cuan kneeled at the mermaid’s side, his long hair swinging as he started chest compressions. Immediately, water surged like a geyser out of her gills and the endotracheal tube.

“…five, six, seven, eight…”

“The manual defibrillator needs a new battery,” Pearl said. “All we have is the AED.”

“We can’t keep hauling her in and out of the ocean, regardless.” Alaric brought out an Ambu bag and a manual suction device. “Bay, I need you to hold her gills closed.”

Eldoris was drying the mermaid’s chest, working around Cuan’s hands. She looked even worse, water continuing to erupt from the tube and her nose and her gills, lips purple around the endotracheal tube. Alaric grabbed the pulse oximeter and reached for her hand.

Leonie

She hovered close by, uncertain if she should still keep an eye out for Earthwalkers. Her eyes kept drifting back to the mermaid’s lifeless body. 

Eldoris was drying her off with a towel. Cuan was performing chest compressions. Aside from their voices, she could hear his hands as they thudded into her chest. Water gurgled up out of the endotracheal tube. Alaric clipped something white to the mermaid’s finger, then connected the plastic bag to the end of the tube he’d inserted in her throat. Bay leaned over her, his hands covering her gills. 

Pearl had two white pads with cords of some kind trailing from them. She peeled off a square of paper from one, then pressed the pad to the mermaid’s chest, just above her right breast. 

Leonie was staring solely at the mermaid now. She’d never actually seen the mermaid version of this technique performed, and when she’d been in the water, the effects of the chest compressions were harder to see. Cuan’s brown hands looked forceful, making her ribcage dip and her stomach pop up. Her shoulders shrugged, pale breasts wobbling with the force. Leonie could hear her gagging as the hands thrust into her, as Alaric threaded another tube into her airway.

Whatever Alaric was doing didn’t take long, and he sat the device to the side as Pearl applied the second pad below and to the side of the mermaid’s left breast. Then she plugged the cords into a nearby box. “Turning it on now!”

“Analyzing rhythm!” a strange voice said. “Do not touch patient!”

Alaric kept squeezing the bag, but Cuan and Bay raised their hands. Leonie glanced back up the beach, but it was evidently still too early for the Earthwalkers. 

“Analyzing rhythm! Do not touch patient!”

“Artis save her,” Eldoris muttered.

“Shock advised. Charging!”

Eldoris lurched forward, quickly giving the mermaid a series of chest compressions before the device made a high-pitched noise. 

“Do not touch patient! Press the shock button!”

Eldoris raised his hands, and Pearl pressed a flashing yellow button on the box. The mermaid flinched, her torso spasming and her hands and silver fluke flinching.

“Shock delivered. Resume CPR for two minutes.”

Bay clapped his hands back to her gills and Cuan pressed his hands between her breasts, hastily rolling his shoulders over his hands. 

“What did that do?” Leonie asked, her voice quiet and sad as she gazed down at the mermaid’s beautiful, shimmering tail. 

“Hearts are electric,” Pearl said, shifting on her knees in the sand. “Sometimes there is no electricity and you need medications. But other times the electrical rhythm is just bad, and the AED shocks the heart to try to produce a good rhythm.”

“We don’t have this in the school,” Leonie said, her voice now soft with wonder.

“No,” Pearl agreed. “Would be a bad idea to try this in the water.”

“Oxygenation is coming up,” Alaric said. “Let’s keep it up. She still has a chance.”

“Good girl,” Eldoris said. He reached for her pale hand and squeezed it. “Stay with us.”

“…nine, ten. One, two, three…” Cuan counted. 

Leonie thought, guiltily, that the rescue effort made for quite the dramatic and almost beautiful sight. The mermaid was gorgeous, even close to death. Her skin was almost translucent. She had generous breasts and large nipples. Her abdomen was long, rippling and bulging each time her sternum was forced into her heart. She had delicate, long-fingered hands and a sizeable fluke that almost curled at the tips. 

Artis makes beauty, she thought. Pearl was strong and haughty-looking, with large gray hazel eyes. Cuan had powerful arms and a sculpted nose, wide across the bridge and proud. Bay was blonde and lithe, looking almost like a boy despite his actual age. Eldoris had dark hair like Alaric’s and was the tallest of all of them, broad-shouldered but graceful. And of course there was her mate, Alaric, his face beautiful and determined as he looked down at his work.

The compressions and ventilations seemed to go on forever,the group falling quiet aside from the whoosh of the bag and the quiet thump of Cuan’s hands into the mermaid’s chest. He made chest compressions look almost easy, his big hands pumping up and down into her limp body, her stomach rounding with the force.

“…eight, nine, ten. One—”

“Analyzing rhythm, do not touch patient!”

Leonie looked up then, as Cuan and Bay raised their hands. Her eyes focused on something in the near distance.

An Earthwalker was on the beach. Strolling, but moving steadily in their direction.

Alaric

“An Earthwalker is coming!” Leonie hissed.

“Analyzing rhythm! Do not touch patient.”

“On it!” Pearl said, scrambling to her feet as Eldoris scuttled around to take her place. She hurried over to Leonie.

“Shock advised. Charging!”

Cuan, evidently having learned from Eldoris, leaned forward and pressed his hands into her chest, rocking down into her until the AED sounded the alarm. He raised his hands as the machine announced: “Do not touch patient! Press the shock button. Do not touch patient! Press the—”

Eldoris pressed the button again, and the mermaid jerked, an agonal sound escaping her throat. 

“Shock delivered. Resume CPR for two minutes.”

“I’ll take over for this round,” Eldoris said. His hands reached for her chest, where an ugly bruise was forming between her breasts. It matched the bruises on her arms and face. 

Alaric carefully reconnected the bag as Bay covered her gills. He squeezed the bag, then glanced up at Pearl and Leonie. They appeared to be chatting casually, though Pearl kept glancing up the beach. He saw her wave, which made Leonie stiffen. Pearl clapped her on the shoulder. 

“How long do we keep trying?” Cuan asked, watching as Alaric squeezed the bag again. Eldoris didn’t respond, counting quietly under his breath as he forced the mermaid’s heart to beat.

Alaric didn’t get a chance to respond because her eyes blinked, and her hands flinched. Eldoris made a shocked noise and stopped chest compressions, his hand grasping one of her wrists. Alaric kept squeezing the bag, not yet feeling any resistance to the breaths he was giving her. Eldoris suddenly nodded and rocked back on his heels, his grip shifting to hold her hand.

“She has a pulse,” he breathed. “Thank Artis.”

“We should get her back in the water,” Alaric said. “She might start breathing on her own.”

“Child,” Eldoris said, squeezing her hand. “You are above the surface. We are going to return you to the sea.”

The mermaid made a gurgling sound, and her eyes rolled beneath her fluttering eyelids.

Alaric gave her another breath and then disconnected the bag, setting it to the side. He tucked a pair of medical shears into his back pocket, just in case. “Come on, let’s move her!”

Bay and Alaric grabbed her arms, while Cuan wrapped his arms around her waist. They heaved her awkwardly up into the air and hurried her toward the surf. Her tail flopped weakly as they ran with her. They laid her down in the shallows, Eldoris running up to them with his modified Ambu bag. Alaric took the bag from Eldoris and quickly clipped it to the end of the endotracheal tube. He squeezed it, intently watching the mermaid’s face.

Eldoris reached into the water and ran the knuckles of his fist up and down the length of her bruised sternum. Her eyes fluttered again, but she didn’t try to breathe independently.

“Let’s give her a moment,” Alaric said, squeezing the bag every five seconds. “She’s been through a lot, and I can see the air is still working its way out.”

He was referring to the fine bubbles erupting from her gills and nose. Her eyes were closed now, but she shuddered beneath the water, her fluke flipping above the water’s surface.

Eldoris took her hand again, squeezing her fingers and shaking her hand beneath the water. “If she doesn’t start breathing on her own soon…”

“My mother is a healer,” Cuan said. “We are still well within the amount of time it can take…”

“I’m going to see what happened with the Earthwalker,” Bay said. He looked down at the mermaid and nodded. “I can clean up the beach.”

“How is she?” Leonie called out. Alaric kept squeezing the bag, but he looked up to see Leonie by the mermaid’s tail, stroking her fluke. “She’s moving…”

“Not breathing on her own yet,” Eldoris said, sounding grim.

The mermaid’s chest suddenly heaved out of sequence with Alaric’s artificial breaths. Her arms flailed, and her eyes fluttered open. Alaric tried to work with her inhalations, but she reached for her throat, eyes going wide and her fluke slapping the surface of the water. Leonie stumbled backward, and Eldoris exclaimed: “There she is!”

“Hold her down, I’m going to extubate her!” Alaric pressed the quick release on the tube clamp, squinting down at her through the frothing water. Eldoris pressed her shoulders down, and he was dimly aware of Leonie and Cuan leaning on her hips and tail. He quickly unthreaded the strap on the tube holder and then retrieved the shears from his pocket. She struggled beneath him, jaw working and her gills and nostrils flaring. Alaric snipped the tube that lead to the cuff. “Fuck! I’m bungling this!”

Before anyone could respond, he forcefully adjusted the tilt of her head, muttered: “I’m sorry!” and pulled the tube out.

He let it float in the water, cradling her head as she writhed, her eyes wide in panic. Eldoris raised his hands. “Let her go!”

She floated just beneath the surface, her eyes meeting Alaric’s. He pressed his hand to his heart and mouthed: Artis has you.

The mermaid suddenly barrel rolled, her arms stretching above her head. She wriggled away from them toward deeper water. Alaric saw her silver fluke above the surface, and then she disappeared. 

“Are you alright?” Cuan asked. 

Alaric heard sputtering and turned. Leonie was sitting down in the water, her chin just above the surface and her hair soaking wet. Alaric let Eldoris clean up the debris left from the extubation and waded over to Leonie. “Did you get knocked down, sea-lin?”

Leonie looked up at him, raking her wet hair out of her eyes. To his surprise, she was smiling, broad and open-mouthed. She laughed and reached up to take his hand.

Alaric, later

Warm and dry now, Alaric and Leonie cuddled together for a nap in his bed. Naked, skin on skin for the first time since he’d seen her again. She’d kissed him, and then they held each other until she fell asleep. Now he ran his fingertips up and down her back, occasionally fingering her soft hair. 

There you are, he thought. This is my Leonie.

The watchfulness he’d felt since her thirtieth birthday eased, and he let himself join her in rest.

[eli3323]

"Please, don't leave me!" | Ren Amamiya x fem!reader | Persona 5

You and Ren were very close to each other, you could almost say you were in a relationship, you felt great affection for him, but you didn't know if he felt the same. You've been feeling worse for a while,sometimes you vomited or stayed home and didn't go to school. Ren then offered to come to you with Miss Takamaki to keep you company.

Your disease was Hanahaki, which is a disease caused by unrequited love.

You wanted to tell Takamaki, but you didn't have time, neither of them wanted to leave you,you finally spoke to Ren, who was hugging you.

– Hey Ren, could you bring us a cup of apple juice? – You asked.

Ren reluctantly crawled out of your arms and rose from the bed.

– Okay, I'll bring a drink for your sake, I'll be back in a moment. –

Curly quickly disappeared through the door, closing it behind him. After a moment of uncertainty, you decided to tell Takamaki about your illness.

– Hey, Ann, I.... I have something to tell you, but you can't tell that to our other friend's. Expect Ren, I don't want him to be worry about me... –

Takamaki looked at you, grabbed your hands and then looked at you.

– Yes Y/N? You know that you can tell me what you want, your secret is only for myself. –

You took a deep breath and then looked at her too.

– I have Hanahaki... I have 3 options.... One of them is to tell him how I feel about him. The second one is surgery, but... – you took a deep breath before continuing again

– I will forget who he is, that I felt something for him, that he was my friend.... And the third one.... If I don't do anything.... His favorite flowers will kill me.... I don't wanna die.... But.... What If.... I'll forget about him.... Starting it all over again.... Several years of our wonderful friendship... will waste.... I don't really know what to do.... But please.... Don't tell Ren about this, I don't want him to suffer.... –

Takamaki could barely hold back her tears, she quickly wiped them with her sleeve, I would like to hear her answer... but she was interrupted by Ren who came back with a drink... The boy gave us drinks and then sat down next to me, resting his head on my shoulder. You couldn't describe the feeling you had for him, your heart was beating faster with every passing second whenever he was around you.

A month later

Ren found out about your illness, the sudden coughing attack started at the worst time for you.You wanted to tell him about your illness today, but it turned out differently than you planned...

– Y/N... W-why.... Why didn't you tell me, that's you have Hanahaki...? I could save you, but it's too late... I'm so sorry, that's I can't save you.... – With those words, Ren wrapped you in his tightest hug, he didn't let you go, he didn't want to lose you now, not now, not when he needed you Your other friends hugged you tightly as well, even Morgana didn't want to leave your side.

– R-ren... You won't lose me.... I will be with you until the end of my days...– After these words, you hugged him tightly as well. Ren started stroking your hair, you could smell his sweet coffee scent. You loved this scent, it was one of those that calmed you down.

★ It was now after school and Ren walked you out to home. You have currently spent time together. Ren lay on top of you, nuzzling his face into the corner of your neck. You, on the other hand, stroked his back and hair, you decided to tell him about your feelings, after all, you can take a risk once.

– Hey Ren, I... Have something to tell you, could you look at me, please..? –

After these words, Ren stood up, sitting on your legs, he looked at you.

– Yes Y/N? I'm listening. – he smiled charmingly, he did it like he always did, he looked very sweet with that smile

You took a deep breath and grabbed his hands, he smiled again and moved closer to you so he could look at your blushing face.

– R-ren... I... I love you!! I know I can destroy our friendship but-... –

You didn't have time to finish, the curly-haired one placed his hand on your cheek and then closed the distance between your bodies. He smiled at you and then kissed you. Slightly in shock, you kissed him back, you had been waiting for this moment for a long time, your lips danced, you could finally taste his cherry lips.

A string of saliva stretched as Ren pulled away from you, his entire face red as he smiled at you.

– I love you too, Y/N! I'll never leave you, you're my everything~–

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry this one-shot is so short, there will be a part two if you want!! I worked hard on this one-shot, I'm waiting for your requests!!

Love you~

[bitchybylershipper]

real conversation that happened at dinner tonight:

(context my mom makes these things called cabbage steaks where she cuts the cabbage into big slices and cooks them with cheese on top)

sister: GUYS. DAD JUST STOLE MY CHEESE.

me, my brother, and my mom: ????

sister: he literally looked me right in my eyes and stole my cheese *miming peeling the cheese off the cabbage*

dad: yes that did happen

mom: *voice verging on slightly scandalized*: jeff?!

dad: im not actually sorry about it either

me: good to know we're all honest

sister: he STOLE. my CHEESE. and THEN he stole the BURNT PART TOO. okay he didnt actually take the burnt part i gave it to him

brother: *laughing* the rest of us: ???????

sister: you know what im gonna take YOUR cheese next time

mom: i feel like thats fair

dad: what???

sister: YEAH for payback for all the food you STEAL from me

dad: maybe ill take your cheese AGAIN next time for payback for all the food YOU steal from ME

sister: then ill take your cheese the next TWO TIMES

dad: then ill eat my cheese FIRST

sister: then ill take 20 more minutes after volleyball practice

(my dad picks her up and goes back to work; the longer she takes after practice the longer he has to work)

dad: then youll walk home

sister(resident hater of physical activity despite literally playing sports): nuh uh ill call--

brother: *whispering to her* auntie shara

sister: AUNTIE SHARA

mom: of course you would say that

sister: YEAH. HOW BOUT THEM APPLES. *turns to my brother* like the ones REED STOLE FROM ME YESTERDAY.

all of us: *groaning*

me: you dont have to keep bringing it up jesus

mom: what???

sister: *getting worked up and dramatic* YESTERDAY i cut up an apple to eat after volleyball and i SPECIFICALLY TOLD REED not to eat it and then i came back AND THERE WAS A SLICE MISSING.

brother: she literally counted them

sister: YES I DID but ONLY BECAUSE i knew you were going to STEAL THEM

me: and then you crushed all his chips

dad: aww you crushed all his chips?

sister: YES. I DID. but he STOLE my APPLE.

this literally went on and on my brothers argument for why he stole the apple was shit but my sister did not need to crush his chips 💀

[exclusivecolette]

LOVE AGAINST ALL ODDS

PT.7

(sorry for how long, i’ve been busy and thinking about how i want this to go… This is HELLA short and rushed sorryyyy. )

(if you aren’t blonde or don’t apply to the features, you can just put your own features in. i just put my features because i didn’t really know what else.)

summary: a girl starts to fall in love with a boy in class. But, her abusive parents are extremely strict (ignoring the fact she’s even old enough to drive.) And what is she gonna do when she realizes, he isn’t just some crush

TW: smoking, mentions of ed (slightly), sex, and there is cussing.

I woke up on top of him. what the fuck?

One of his hands were on my lower back and the other holding my hand. Our legs were intertwined. I start getting off, slowly. I successfully get off and go to the bathroom. I do skincare, brush my teeth and hair, and change into a comfy outfit. His hoodie and lounge shorts that looked good with the hoodie.

I went downstairs and noticed it was a little messy and picked it all. Matt still isn’t up? I go back upstairs and he was laying his stomach with his head facing the opposite direction where i couldn’t see. I crawl over to him “matt” i say quietly. no response. I lay on top of him, my head on his shoulder. “mattttt” i say louder. “mh?” he mumbled and my stomach twirled.

“get up” i giggle scratching his shoulder a bit. “one sec” he mumble again. “you better get up” i get off him and stand up. “i’m hungry” i walk out.

i was fully awake, the second i felt her get on top of me. She has no idea what she’s doing to me. She driving me insane.

-

It had been ten minutes since i woke up matt. “matt!” i yell up the stairs “i’m coming! i’m doing my hair real quick” he yelled back. He came down stairs. no wonder it took 10 minutes. his hair looks so hot, perfect in between my finge- “come on” he waved me to him smirking, i was staring.

He opened my car door then went over to his and got in. “how are your brothers” i ask curiously. “probably fine why?” he said finally looking at me now that he was fully pulled out. “just wondering- speaking of i need to call charlie” i pull out my phone.

“hey”

“hey are you good?” i ask

“yeah are you?”

“yeah im great”

“is matt still there?”

“how’d you know he’s here”

matt looked at me

“come on, it was obvious he was going over there”

“what charlie and yes” i laugh

“are you guys like-.” he paused like i knew what he was trying to say.

“are we what?” i ask confused and matt snapped his head like he knew what he was saying. I furrow my eyes at him and shrug.

“like ya know… like doing it?” he whispered the last part.

“no charlie what” i say loudly and saw matt smile. He knew what charlie was saying just from my responses.

“i just had to ask” he said loudly back.

“you didn’t have to ask- y’know i actually gotta go so bye charlie i love you and will see you later” i say and quickly hang up.

“he asked if we were having sex?” matt asked as we pulled into drive thru. “yeah” i say in disbelief. wouldn’t mind it though…- ill stop. Matt just laughed.

-

we bursted out laughing as we got out of the car when we realized we’d ate all the food we’d bought on the way home. We step inside and when we sit on the couch, we both let out a sigh. “i’m so glad your here. i wasnt eating much before” my panting started to slow and i just avoid eye contact “and i wasn’t happy, there’s things i almost did-“ my voice cracked “like what?” he asked confused. “doesn’t matter” i look over to him smiling. “i’m glad i’m here too” almost slipped up again.

He had that effect on me. When i was with him words just spilled out like the control to stop them was taken from me.

“what do you wanna do” i bring my knees to my chest. “i definitely brought weed.” he said quietly. “wanna smoke?” he asked. A smirk grew on my face. He went up to grab, so i went outside and sat on the back porch. He finally came down and sat next to me. He taught me how to roll it up and lit it. We passed it back and forth while talking.

-

The high had kicked in quickly for y/n. She was spinning in the grass while matt just sat there looking at the sky when he wasn’t admiring y/n. She ran back over to him and sat down next to him laughing and panting. She looked over to me. “you’re so beautiful” she said. “i should be saying that to you, you’re genuinely the most beautiful girl i’ve ever seen” her eyes rolled.

She looked back to him. His hand grabbed her waist and she turned to face her body to him. She leaned in, their lips finally met. Her hand went to his hair. Her body slowly start to get guided onto him as he leaned back. His back pressed against the hard wood of the porch. Her body pressed against his. His pants starts tighten-

“my head hurts” she sat up. She slowly got up. He slowly followed as she made her way into the kitchen from the slide doors. She reached in the cabinet, she grabbed a bottle. “do you have pain relievers?” he asked filling a glass with water. She didn’t say anything while she opened the bottle of advil. Her hand lifted the pills into her mouth, his hand smacked it out of her hand “y/n!” he said.

Her body jumped back away from him, small pills spilled on the floor. She looked terrified, as she held her smacked hand. “i’m sorry- you just-“ he bent down and started picked a few up. Tears filled her pink eyes as she stepped away from him.

It wasn’t his fault, he was saving her. You can’t take advil with a concussion.

But she was too high to know that. “i’m sorry” he repeated reach to her, she flinched when he reached for her. He was hurt, she was looking at him in way.

In the way she looks at her parents.

“y/n i’m sorry- just- i just” she walked away from him and up the stairs. He followed after her. He caught up to her and grabbed her shoulder. She against flinched, tears rain down her face. “hey just go to sleep okay” he slowly walked her to the bed and laid her down, she didn’t say anything, or even look at him.

When she was laid down she quickly fell asleep and he left the room.

-

Her eyes fluttered up as she looked around me. For someone. When he wasn’t there she started to remember. She scared him, the look on his face as she looked at him and backed away. She slowly got up hoping matt would be downstairs waiting.

She got down the stairs slowly looking around. She looked around, he was no where. Finally, she goes over to the couch-

[ososimilar]

Winter Star Lovers

Go to chapter 1

Chapter 2- Sam

“Hey Maru.”

“Sam, come look at this,” Maru steps away from the telescope and watches as Sam gets into position to look through the telescope. “So Sebastian's sick? That's terrible.”

A monotone “yeah” escaped Sam's lips while he bent down to look through the telescope. I hope he's okay. Was I overstepping when I asked him to stay? Sam looked at the stars before backing away. “That's really cool Maru, thanks.” Sam smiled while making eye contact with Maru.

Sam began walking away but after a few steps he stopped and turned back to Maru. “Sebs birthday is soon. I wanted to do something special for him this year. Any idea what I should get him?” He turned to Maru, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Umm…. Hes always looking at the quartz Dad brings back for me to use. He also really likes those frozen tears Abigail gets from the mines.” Maru always had this confidence when she spoke, even if she was unsure.

“Cool, thanks again Maru.” After learning this information they stood there in the awkwardness before he gave a nervous hand wave and walked away.

Quartz… Sam spent his walk home thinking about what he could do for Sebastian.

Quartz…

Quarts…

Quartz…

Sam lies awake in bed thinking of what to get for sebastian. what can I do with quartz? Quartz is a rock. No. gem. Emily knows gems, ill ask her iin the morning.

Sam struggles to calm his thoughts at time like this, his thoughts on what to ask Emily and what to get for Seb, Eventually, he did manage to fall asleep.

—--

Sam woke up and looked at the clock. It was 10:14. I hope mom isn't mad I slept in. He dressed, showered and practiced his guitar like he usually would, but his mind was elsewhere, still on Sebastian, who hadn’t left his mind since tucked him in last night.

Sam began getting ready to go meet emily. How did my coat end up on the floor? I must have just tossed it there last night. He picked up his coat and left.

*knock knock*

Sam waited a minute. I think most people just walk in. That's impolite though. He opened the door then walked to Emily's room and knocked on the door. “”hey , uh, Emily. Its me Sam, I wanted to talk to you about something.” he sounds nervous, but he knows there's no reason to be nervous; he grew up with Emily.

“You can come in,” Emily said from the other side of the door.

Sam pushed the door open gently, “hi.” he said and gave a nervous little wave.

“Sorry my hands are busy,” Emily said, her sewing machine chugging away at the fabric in her hands. She's focused on the fabric, pushing it forward slowly. Sam watched until she finished the line she was working on. Once she was done she leaned back in her chair and looked at Sam. “What brings you here today? your energy says you're nervous.”

“I wanted to talk to you about rocks. No, quartz.”

“What about quartz?” Emily stood up and began walking slowly to the dresser on the back wall.

“Sebastian likes quartz and I wanted to see what you know. It's his birthday soon so…"Sam's voice trailed off.

Emily rifled through the top drop before pulling out a shard of quartz. “Quartz, was thought to be fossilized ice. It's used to bring balance in health. Both physical and mental. ”Emily pauses and looks up at Sam. “its even said that part of this balance is building romantic relationships. ” Emily winks at Sam after she says that last line.

Huh, why'd she wink? What does she mean by romantic relationships? “So would it be a good gift for Seb?” he looked at her, suspense building.

“Yes” she stares at him.

“Where can I get quartz?” Sam asks eager to move on.

“I can give you some. But how do you wanna give it to him?”

“What do you mean? Wrap it up like a present and give it to him on his birthday. ” He looked at her like she was stupid.

“I meant are you giving him a ring? A pendant? A bracelet? How are you giving him the quartz?” she looked at Sam, waiting for an answer as he thought.

A pendant is a necklace right? He imagined Sebastian on his birthday, wearing a quartz pendant. “A pendant.” Sam said with so much confidence he himself was shocked.

“Okay,” Emily said. She looked at him like he was a puppy asking for food. She put the quartz on the dresser and shut the drawer. “Ill put it on a pendant for you. Come back later and ill have it for you.” Emily’s voice was sweet; calm and caring like she knew what he needed more than he did.

“Thanks Emily. You're the best!” He turned around and left, a beaming smile on his face.

I should go check on him. He walked out of the house, past Hailey and out the door. As he stepped outside the world stopped, the sun seemed less bright, now competing with Sam's radiant smile for the role of lighting the earth. Sam practically skipped to Sebs house. When he arrived he opened the door like he had done hundreds of times before. As he rounded the corner he took the steps down to Sebs room two at a time. He grabbed the door know then stopped, and knocked on the door.

“Seb…” Sam called out softly. “Its me Sam.” He opened the door slowly and looked inside. Seb was already up and sitting at his computer. “Are you feeling better?” Sam asked as he entered the room, Looking toward Seb. I dont think hes noticed me. Sam walked toward the computer when suddenly he stopped, noticing that Seb was wearing nothing but his boxers. His face flushed, but he didnt know why, it's nothing he's never seen before. I should leave and knock louder. As he turned around Seb looked up. Dear Yoba. They looked at each other in shock for what seemed like an eternity. Sebs face turned red to match Sams.

“S-Sam,” Sebastian sputtered. “What are you doing here?” He scrambled to grab a shirt and some shorts.

“I wanted to check on you,” Sam looked down in embarrassment. “I thought maybe you were sick and needed company, or that I could do something for you.”

“I… I’m fine. It was just a headache, you're overreacting.” Seb said.

Sam couldn't tell whether or not Seb was mad. He sounded kinda mad? Is he mad? Is it because I barged in? Or is it because I'm worried? “I'm sorry I barged in on you.” Sam looked up at Sebastian, taking in his figure. They stood there in the silence staring at each other before Sam broke the silence.

“Well it seems like your fine and if you need anything at all please call me ill be here. Well not here but i can be here if you need me.” He was speaking fast, no breaths or breaks. “Oh and I hope to see you at the Saloon tonight so we can play pool.” Sam rushed out before Seb could even get a word in. practically sprinting past Robin, out the door and back home.

______

Authors Notes: thanks to “fire mountain gems encyclopedia” for the information on quartz. Also the tense changed from present to past between chapter one and two, thats my bad, itll be all past tense from now on.

[crochetotterblog]

Long Time No Date?

Soap loved you dearly and knew you were the one for him. Ever since you moved on the base, only reason was because Soap was worried something would happen to you while he was gone. What better way to protect you than to bring you along with him to the military base. Guarded 24/7, if he asks for an update (which he will) someone would come by and have a conversation with you, nothing to obvious, but enough that you are annoyed to the point that say, "Tell Johnny Bear, 'Mommy misses you'," with such a seductive tone. The funny thing is, everyone on the force is scared of you in someway shape or form. Ghost walks on eggshells around you even. If Ghost is scared, something would have happened to make him scared. What made the almighty Ghost scared? He was over ready to take Johnny away for a boys night. The poor soulless man stepped on y/f/f (your fav flower) bed. Soap stopped dead at the crunch.

"Sorry mate," he said to his mate looking at his the smushed flowers. Soap looked down at your flower bed, gulped hard. Looking up into the sky while sighing. "Um, well, hehe, yeah um. Sorry not sorry Lt." he whispered. You watched as he stepped on the bed, expecting him to step over it like anyone else. Nope, he didn't.  The only thing he saw was you, in a full sprint towards the grown men. Soap walked in front of Ghost, to hopefully soften the blow; only for him to be push out the way, the rest of his team was waiting for them. They got a show alright. You 5'1 and a half, weighting about 160lbs, gracefully tackle this 6'2 man that is pure muscle to the ground. Johnny had to pull you off of him, which lucky for him you did with ease. He apologizes to ghost as he carried you back into the house. 

"Bill, I'm serious, same tone, word for word. Don't disappoint me" You smiled. All Bill did was nodded as you chuckled and he sped walked off your doorstep, making sure to not step on any flowers and follow the premade path. Walking back inside the lovely home you share. Lemonade watching from the opening of his rock hide. "Hey, little man," you smiled at him. The yellow blob calmly walked out from the rock towards you asking for sky bugs. "Hungry huh?" you smirked while you fed him some roaches.

--Johnny's POV--

Me and Lt were in the ring, fighting for fun. The rest of the team watched; the loser would be replaced with someone new. "You've had the top for too long mate" I said hopping from foot to foot. "Come on Johnny" Simon smirked. All of a sudden Bill runs in through the doors panting like crazy. He lifted a finger to say something, nothing; tried again. Nothing just heavy breathing. That is when Price spoke up, "What is it," he questioned. "T-they said" as he cleared his throat standing straight looking at Soap "Johnny Bear, mommy misses you~" Bill cooed. I looked at him in shock, perfect opening for Simon; and sadly he took the chance to punch my cheek that sent me to the floor.

I sat up holding my jaw as I moved it around slightly. "Jesus Lt" I spat standing up to get out of the ring. Once I stood in front of Bill, "They made you say that?" He nodded. They know just what to do to turn me on. I'm a mamas boy after all. I stepped outside pulling my cell out to call them,

Me: Hey babe~

You: Hi sexy~

Me: Um, do you want to go out sometime soon?

You: Yes! I have some new pieces 😉 waiting for you once we get home~

Me: Can't wait! Ill pick you up at 6pm

You: See you then

I made sure to do my best at training, my reward was to see my baby for dinner and underneath me. A smile plastered on my face the entire time I go punched, kicked, thrown, shot at w rubber bullets, everything. I got weird stares but that's just how things go, they think that just because you are crazy and crazy strong, that I'm in a bad situation. I'm not, they car for me all day everyday. Yes they upset me sometimes but that is always rare.

--Fast Forward--

I finally make it home; getting out of the jeep to walk up to the door dressed nice and ready to see their beautiful face. I had y/f/f in front of me as I knocked. Once you opened the door, I smiled. "Hello, sweetheart, these are for you~" I smirked. You took them from me and to a wiff. I hold my hand out for you to grab, your soft hand compliment my callused hands. We sit down at our table looking at each other. "I love you outfit" I smiled rubbing my thumb over the top of your hand.

"So, Johnny. How was your day?" you asked, I smiled wider. "Better now, I'm very pent up right now~." You blushed at my comment. The waiter walked up to us smiling, "What can I get you to drink, anything to start with?" I asked for a Whiskey sour while you ask for a martini extra dirty and extra olives. "I'd like to start of with the mozzarella sticks", "And I'll have a shrimp cocktail please." The waiter smiled and walked away to grab what we asked for. My phone rings in the middle of our dinner, I decline it. One missed call, one voicemail and a few texts. Just looking at my phone for a second Johnny, we need you back on base like tonight. I sighed as I looked at you with a sour face. "What?" "Baby, you know I love you right?" "Uh huh?" I let out a longer sigh, "They need me back on the base tonight. . ." Your worried face turning into anger. "You're kidding right?" I shook my head, "They said they will kill me if I'm not on base tonight"

You look me dead in the eyes, "I'm going to kill them, then I'm going to kill you" you snarled, I chuckled and spotted the waiter, "Ooh. Sexy. Do you think you could wait until after we eat the appetizers? I've got mozzarella sticks coming."

Prompt by @quick-otp-prompts on Tumblr: "I'm going to kill you." "Ooh. Sexy. Do you think you could wait until after we eat the appetizers? I've got mozzarella sticks coming."

[edupunkn00b]

It Could Always Be Worse, Ch. 4: The Sun Did Not Shine

Butterfly universe version of Happily Ever After, Ch. 4: The Sun Did Not Shine.

Prev - The Sun Did Not Shine - Next - All - [ AO3 ]

WC: 1826 - Rated: T - CW: self-harm, arguing, hospital, suicidal ideation, self-deprecation, verbal abuse (by OC)

"The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house All that cold, cold wet day." - Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat (1957)

Logan hunched over the case file in front of him, re-reading the statement. He made another note on the yellow legal pad to his left, then stuck another little removable tab at the appropriate portion of the plaintiff's statement. He grit his teeth, shaking his head at the memory of the judge refusing to refer to his client as anything but 'The Victim." She's not a victim. She's prosecuting her attacker. She's not a victim.

Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Logan tried to refocus on the materials in front of him. Ruminating on the last pre-trial hearing would not help his client. He picked up his pen, right finger slowly scanning through the dense print.

Na, na na, na, na na na

Virgil's ringtone erupted from Logan's phone. Logan picked it up immediately. He had configured his phone so that the ringer would only sound if someone on his starred contact list called twice, otherwise, it would buzz silently. All the boys knew the best way to reach Logan when he was at work was to call the receptionist's line. He quickly thumbed the phone on, his voice a half-octave higher than usual, "Virgil? Virgil, are you okay?"

"Dad?" Virgil's voice was quiet and it was hard to hear over the background noise of the call. Where is he? Virgil had stayed home from school that day, telling Logan that he had a headache and thought he might be feeling nauseous. His school had a terrible culture of 'presenteeism,' where kids would often show up for school with masks or hospital-grade anti-emitrol patches. Logan had been relieved that Virgil was taking his health seriously enough to stay home when he felt ill.

"Dad, can you come get me?" Logan pressed the phone against his ear. That was definitely the sound of a espresso machine. "Please."

He didn't know why, but alarm bells rang in Logan's head. He closed his laptop, stacking the case file and his notepad on top, shoving all three into his satchel. "Of course, Virge, where are you?"

"I'm at a Starbucks near the marina. You know the one by the pier." What the hell was Virgil doing there?

"Yeah, yeah of course I know it." Logan shook his head, pulling the strap for his bag over his head, letting the strap cross his chest. He switched off the light in his office and headed down to the head attorney's office desk. "Hang on just one sec, okay, Virge?" He knocked lightly on the door, waiting for his boss to look up before speaking. "Hey, um Janus, I have a family emergency and will be out the rest of the day. I'm not due in court until Monday. I—" Logan took a deep breath, "I am sorry to leave so suddenly, but, um, it's my son."

Janus looked up, brow furrowed, "Yes, yes, of course, do what you need to do, Croft." Logan flinched slightly, not feeling like this was the time to correct him again. "We'll still be here when you're back." He looked back down at his computer screen for a moment, then looked up at Logan again, "Good luck with whatever it is. I hope the family is okay."

"Thanks, Janus. If I need more than a day, I will call you." Janus waved him off, going back to his work. Logan rushed out of the office, bringing his phone back up to his ear. He could hear Virgil sniffing over the line, like he was crying. The background noise had changed and Logan could hear fewer voices and more traffic sounds.

"Okay, Virge, I'm on my way." He rushed to the stairs, running down two at a time to the garage, not trusting the elevators to be any faster at this time of day. "Virge, it sounds different now... where are you?"

"I'm... I'm outside." Virgil started crying. "Dad... Dad, I went—" His crying got louder and Logan gripped the phone tightly, pressing it against his ear, struggling to hear him over the background noise in the garage, over the line, over his tears. "I went to go buy blades."

Logan held his breath for a moment then slowly said, voice catching, "Virge, are you still outside that same Starbucks?" Logan could just barely make out Virgil's hummed yes over the sound of his cries. "Virge, just stay right there, do you hear me? Stay right there. I'm on my way."

Logan got to his minivan, fumbling his keys and dropping them as his hands shook. He covered the mouth piece on the phone for just a moment as a strangled cry escaped his own throat. Pressing his lips together he breathed in through his nose then slowly exhaled. He uncovered the mouthpiece "Okay, Virge, I'm getting in the car. I'm going to stay on the phone with you until I get to you, okay?"

Virgil murmured faintly, "Okay."

Taking one more shaky breath, Logan replied, "Okay. Okay, I'm putting you on speaker so I can put down the phone." He tapped at the phone, setting it into the little hands-free holder he'd hooked up last year. "Can you hear me?" Logan asked, increasing the volume on his phone.

"Yeah," Virgil's voice was a little stronger but he was still crying.

"Okay, I'm going to narrate as I drive, just like when you were little, okay?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay, I'm leaving the parking garage and turning right..."

Forty-five minutes later, just as Logan's phone was flashing an angry red low-battery signal, he parked in front of the Starbucks by the Kirkland marina. Virgil sat on a bench, under a patio umbrella, hood drawn down over his forehead, hands shoved in his hoodie pockets, earphones plugged in his ears.

Logan got out of the minivan and ran through the rain to the bench where he cowered under cover. He sat next to his son. He reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder but Virgil shook him off. Logan bit the inside of his cheek, keeping an iron grip of control over his features. Virgil looked at him, "Can we just go?"

Logan nodded, standing up, pressing his hands against his shaking legs. "Let's get in the car." Then climbed inside and Logan started the engine, adjusting the heater and blowers to point warm air against Virgil's soaking wet sneakers and pant legs. Starbucks' patio umbrella had done a decent job of keeping the top half of his body dry, but the rest of him had gotten soaked in the rain.

"Virge, I think we need to take you to a hospital."

Virgil was quiet for a long while, the only sound in the car was the air rushing through the blowers and the periodic rub-rub-squeak of the windshield wipers. "Yeah." He chewed on his thumbnail, looking out the window at the soggy street. "Yeah, that's what Matt had to do."

”Okay." Logan took a deep breath, slowing letting it out as he backed out of the parking stall and turned onto the road, headed back toward Seattle and Children's Hospital. "We'll call Mom once we get there, okay?" Virgil nodded, continuing to stare out the window as they drove in silence.

"So what caused this?" Kelly leaned over the small table separating Logan and Kelly on one side and Virgil's evaluating clinician on the other. "Could it be," she glanced at Logan, then looked up at the clinician with big eyes, "Could it be because of, well, the family breaking apart?" Kelly said the last part in a little whisper.

Logan shifted in his seat, folding and refolding his hands in his lap, as the clinician flipped through his interview notes from his evaluation with Virgil. He frowned, looking at what he had written. Kelly patted Logan's knee, speaking more to the clinician than to Logan, "Of course, Logan, this isn't all your fault, right, Dr. Nale?

Kelly looked into Dr.Nale's eyes, nodding her head with a little pout on her lips. Dr. Nale cleared his throat and leaned forward in his seat, gesturing to the clipboard in his hand. "Ye—yes, of course not. We're not here to place blame or point fingers, but to find out how best to help Virgil." Dr. Nale looked between the two of them. Kelly smiled sadly at him as Logan bit the inside of his cheek to fight the tremor in his jaw. "Now, as a first step, we need to get Virgil stabilized to a point where he's no longer in imminent risk...."

Kelly stood outside Virgil's room while he slept. Logan approached carrying two cups of water. Extending one toward her, he murmured her name.

”What do you want?" she hissed quietly without looking at him. A nurse passed and she smiled and nodded at the passing staff before turning to face Logan. He remained silent, holding out the cup. The water trembled slightly in the cup. "Jesus, Logan, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault you snuck up on me like that." She took the water, mumbling a quick thanks. Logan turned to face Virgil's room, carefully lifting the cup to his lips, spilling only a tiny drop on his tie. He looked down, grateful the spot didn't show against the dark floral pattern.

Logan cleared his throat, gripping the cup tightly in his hands, trying to keep their shaking unnoticeable. "Thank you for what you said in the consultation room."

Kelly looked at him out of the corner of her eye, scowling lightly. She shook her head. "What are you talking about.?"

Logan bit his lip for a moment, taking another sip of his water. "Wh-what you said about... about—"

Kelly spoke quietly, eyes focused on Virgil's room. "About how this is all because you decided to leave and break up our family? Because you couldn't just man up and be a father and a husband?"

Logan's breath hitched. He tried to cover it by taking another sip, draining the last of the water inside.

"Virgil tried to kill himself while he was home with you." Kelly's voice was calm, and quiet, and cut Logan to the bone. "What part of this is not your fault?"

He remained silent, bringing the empty cup to his lips as though to take another sip, hiding his trembling lips. Fuck, Logan, man up. You swore you'd never let her see you cry again. Cut this shit out now. He took another shaky breath concentrating on the texture of the cup in his hands.

Kelly finally looked at him, lips pursed and eyes narrowed. Logan kept his eyes trained on the cup in his hands. "Oh, so you're playing the 'ignoring me' game. Okay, fine. Look, I've got to call my office. Why don't you take care of his admittance and then we'll see if you're ready to talk like an adult." She turned and walked toward the exit without waiting for a response.

[meyousing]

that...was a 4am rambling 😭 and icb i missed this part : “I heard how impolite he was to you last night. Chivalry truly is dead in today’s day and age, isn’t it?” 

HE DID NOT PULL THAT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY!!!! WHEN HE DID THIS - | He swiveled to stand in front of you, pulling the collar forward so he could seal the four buttons and cover you up. He met your eyes and smiled, the expression so soft and genuine that it made your heart skip a beat. |

This really make me think that he's been planting this kind of innocuous seeds and comment during their relationship, and he started this from the very beginning...SICKKK (i'm making heart eyes at him)

He set the bar so high for the mc by doing all that and when he showed the other side of him...it's like the mc is now hanging from one of those high bars in parks and she can't get down, she felt like a child who felt like they were on top of the world but when they look down,, they...quite never had a "steady" ground and can't get down by themselves.

and what are the chances of him borrowing pakunoda's nen to get the information he wants from mc just by probing here and there...he might see it as a win-win situation tho,, mc can get the perfect boyfriend by him tailoring himself into the concept mc has of him and chrollo can know them better

(following this train of thought, chrollo as a salesman would be 100% terrifying, i'd definitely end up with sth that i think as useless to bring back home with just because i "heard him out")

And he killed like...at least like 3 birds with that one consistent move to ensure that even the mc doubt if they can ever get that kind of guy in their lifetime after the sudden break of their "dog-eat-dog" world

since chrollo is usually associated with the bible, and by some proxy christianity. i'd say that this reminds me of the snake in the garden who tempted eve with the forbidden fruit. though,, this feels more like hades and persephone who eat the pomegranate which caused her to be bound to the underworld and can only leave for a season because of her mother but,, there's no one in the mc's life who can extend that olive branch from the pit of underworld, chrollo acts like...hades and cerberus towards the mc at the same time

HDSHGF SORRY FOR SPAMMING AND THE WALL OF TEXT BUT THIS IS REALLY REALLY LOVELY. it's been a while since i read something with an impending sense of doom with the feeling of a wall steadily towers over the mc and mc is oblivious to the shadow of it to even start doubting everything. and your chrollo reminds me of an orchid flower, it is pretty but there is a case of it being...parasitic in nature but at the same time it can't be strictly considered parasitic - 🍄 anon (hfdfhdgfdhg im going to refer to myself with the mushroom emoji 😵‍💫)

🍄 anon is so so cute, i love it!

but i just love the way that you analyze, like i stg if i was your teacher and this was for a project youd be passin my class with an A+ every time !!! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و also yes, chrollo as a businessman would not only have me buying something i dont need, but have me coming back for more.

im happy that you enjoyed it in the sense of doom aspect, i feel like chrollo really is one of the best yanderes for writing that kind of feeling or situation. such a handsome and charming man, yet the truth hides under that surface.....................so many fun routes that can be taken with it (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)

honestly, his veryshort interaction with neon has been the biggest catalyst to how i write him. ill never forget watching it for the first time and being like,, awooga 👀 

thanks again for reading & enjoying 🍄 anon !!! <3<3

[piebaldrowlet]

It is starting to get on your nerves how none of your human friends and family seem to recognize that fact. That your job repairing androids made you just as much a doctor as someone who fixed organic things like humans or pets. That diagnosing an injury or illness for them was basically the same as with a human. That there were just as many bad patients as good ones. Ones that would look up their issue online to try to home engineer a solution only to turn up a week later they really should have to actually correct the issue denying they tried something as stupid as wrapping a loose joint in tin foil to reduce the gap size or replacing a wire with one of the wrong gauge and nearly shorting themselves. Contrary to what all the sites would insist, WD-40 was not a fix-all solution for a squeaky joint.

You think the fact that you would pass out at the sight of blood was part of the issue. The lack of the stuff was the whole reason you went mechanical instead of organic with your degree.

There was just one other small issue about the whole thing that really rubbed you the wrong way; you had a damn doctorate in mathematics on top of your two engineering degrees (electrical and mechanical). If nothing else, they should call you a doctor for that reason alone.

"Is there something the matter Doctor?"

You huff and look up from the table where you had been working on repairing your current patient's arm (removed temporarily to prevent accidentally hurting them). "Sorry, nothing with you, just thinking about something else while I get that stripped screw out."

They seem to consider that. "Would you like to talk about it? I have heard that humans sometimes feel better after discussing an issue with another removed from it."

As you finally get the stubborn screw pulled out, you decide it couldn't hurt. "I am just a little annoyed that other humans don't recognize the fact I am a real doctor just because my patients are androids like you. It implies that they consider you all less than their pets since even vets are called doctors which rubs me the wrong way."

They make a humming noise. "Yes, that does seem to be the general consensus. On the bright side, the fact that they don't recognize you for your work means that the probability of you getting targeted as a supporter of our cause in the increasing number of attacks on us is lower."

You sigh, arm finished, as you move to reattach it. "I just don't get humans sometimes. You guys are clearly people too. Why can't they just see that?"

"According to our research, Humans generally fear the unknown. Given a future where we co-exist as partner species is a massive unknown, it is unsurprising that they are lashing out."

You plug in the last connecting wire and snap the panel in the shoulder closed. "I'll trust your data on that. Okay, you should be all set, Sev. Try and come in as soon as you can the next time a joint locks up like that again so I can loosen the screw with the correct screwdriver instead of you stripping the head again."

They give another pleasant hum. "Thank you Doctor. It was pleasant chatting with you as always. I will see you next week."

You snort at the clear attempt at a joke and shake a finger at them. "Oh, I better not see you again for another month at least." You get a robotic chuckle back, bringing a smile to your face.

Yeah, it would be nice if the other humans recognized you for your work but you didn't need it so long as the ones it really mattered to you did.

You are an engineer specialising in repairing robotic androids, in a world where they have gained full awareness, and proclaimed their wish to co-exist with humanity, rather than wage war. Now, damaged androids keep coming to you for repairs, while referring to you as a doctor.

[pesterloglog]

Jade Harley, Calliope

Act 6, page 7059-7097

JADE: im starting to remember the things she told me so vividly now

JADE: its amazing what a creative project can do to get your mind turning

CALLIOPE: ^u^

CALLIOPE: what shall i draw first?

JADE: the land of wind and shade!

JADE: that is where the story starts

CALLIOPE: i see.

CALLIOPE: which story, exactly?

CALLIOPE: her story, or yoUrs?

JADE: hmmm

JADE: both, as a matter of fact

JADE: my story began with a tragedy on lowas, which led to meeting her in the first place

JADE: and then, she used my memory of that tragedy as a starting point for her story, which turned out to be related

CALLIOPE: ooh, fascinating!

CALLIOPE: (i love stories)

JADE: (i know)

JADE: ill start with mine, since that will make everything else make sense

JADE: so go ahead and start drawing

CALLIOPE: what?

JADE: lowas!!

CALLIOPE: right!

CALLIOPE: how's this?

JADE: looks good!

JADE: dont forget to put a really tall house poking out of the top

CALLIOPE: oh yes, of coUrse.

CALLIOPE: so yoU say yoUr story begins with a tragedy?

CALLIOPE: what shall i draw next to depict this tragedy?

JADE: nothing yet... ill get to that!

JADE: but yes, the tragedy is why i was alone on the golden ship

JADE: it was not long after our three year journey began

JADE: i was relaxing in our makeshift livingroom, giving john and davesprite some space to themselves for a while so they could catch up

JADE: john wanted to visit his home again

JADE: so i happily obliged and shrunk them both down so they could hang out in his tiny tall house

JADE: it seemed like the nice thing to do...

JADE: but i came to regret that decision more than any ive ever made

JADE: i was minding my own business when out of nowhere...

JADE: lowas exploded!!!

JADE: i couldnt believe it

JADE: it was totally inexplicable

JADE: there was no trace of them at all... they were both dead

JADE: i supposed it must have meant johns death was heroic... but i couldnt for the life of me imagine how

JADE: to me it was as pointless and arbitrary as a death could be

JADE: i looked within myself as hard as i could to see if there was some power i had, in all my omnipotence, to bring them back

JADE: but i couldnt

JADE: they were gone

JADE: i would spend the next three years on that ship without my two best friends

JADE: sure, there were still consorts and chess guys to keep me company

JADE: but the loss was too much for me to bear

JADE: i felt so alone

JADE: weeks and months went by...

JADE: i didnt have the slightest sense of how quickly or slowly time was passing

JADE: any sense of purpose to reaching the destination had vanished, and delicious though it was, no amount of nannas cake would bring me comfort

JADE: toward the end of the journey, when i feeling particularly despondent...

JADE: i fell asleep and had a dream

JADE: and that is when i met a very powerful, strangely charismatic creature...

JADE: her name was calliope ;)

JADE: as i said, she was somewhat like you, and yet so unalike

JADE: her presence was so serious and grave

JADE: her hollow eyes were piercing... but not hostile

JADE: but the prevailing sense i got from her was one of loneliness

JADE: before she even said a word, i could feel it somehow, that this was a deeply lonely soul

JADE: until i met her, i thought i was the loneliest person in the universe

JADE: but a feeling told me she had been here by herself for a long long time

JADE: i felt sorry for her

JADE: and relating to her plight helped me overcome the feelings of intimidation

JADE: so we began to talk

JADE: we traded stories about ourselves

JADE: she spoke of the brother she killed

JADE: i spoke of the brother i lost

JADE: and when i mentioned johns death

JADE: that is when she became very serious again

JADE: she began to recount how john had died, repeating to me the same story i just told you

JADE: she described the spontaneous destruction of lowas which left me alone for years

JADE: i wondered why she was recounting this tragedy that happened to me, and for that matter how she knew of it herself

JADE: she went on to say that lowas was destroyed because johns denizen had suddenly woken up

JADE: typheus, a great monster of truly terrifying power

JADE: she said he had destroyed his land and slayed his own heir of breath not out of malice, but to make a slight correction

JADE: i asked her...

JADE: what do you mean, "correction"?

JADE: she said that the john from my reality, and his entire planet, needed to be erased

JADE: and that the slumbering denizen in all his mysterious wisdom knew this

JADE: she told me that the dreams of a denizen draw from the same well of potential from which every conceivable possibility arises

JADE: the same place skaia gets its power from

JADE: so if an agreement with a denizen is reached in one reality, that same denizen in another reality could become aware of it, and respond accordingly

JADE: it seems that john, somewhere, in some other plane of existence, had made just such an agreement

JADE: she said that the john i knew, like herself, was only one version of a person

JADE: there was a different version of john from another reality poised to play a more significant role

JADE: you see, the john from that reality in an act of desperation had gone to see typheus, and struck a bargain with him

JADE: she would go on to explain the nature of that bargain in the next part of her story

JADE: but from my perspective, the consequence of this bargain was to lose my friends, and to live with that for years without understanding why

JADE: losing them still hurt, but i was so relieved to at least understand the reason, and to realize their senseless deaths were actually serving a bigger purpose

JADE: i thanked her for letting me know

JADE: she told me she was not human, and had no frame of reference for empathizing with my feelings

JADE: but if there was one thing she could relate to, it was the feeling of being alone

JADE: the feeling of waiting for what seems like eternity by yourself, until finally your purpose presents itself

CALLIOPE: ...

JADE: ....

CALLIOPE: i feel sorry for her.

CALLIOPE: er, for myself, i suppose. but then again, that feeling is nothing new.

JADE: heh

CALLIOPE: it's an odd statement she made, thoUgh.

JADE: what?

CALLIOPE: not having the frame of reference for empathizing with hUman feelings.

CALLIOPE: if yoU asked me, i woUld say i have the vantage to relate to both hUmans and cherUbs, so when yoU describe yoUr feelings of sadness over losing friends, i'd have more than enoUgh groUnds for commiseration.

CALLIOPE: do you think that this version of me never...

JADE: never what?

CALLIOPE: never had hUman friends like i did?

JADE: i have no idea

CALLIOPE: what a strange thoUght.

CALLIOPE: to grow Up with only my brother for "company"...

CALLIOPE: and not even have my hUman friends to get me by.

CALLIOPE: what a dreadfUl fate. the poor thing.

CALLIOPE: maybe that was the difference?

CALLIOPE: what let her predominate over her brother, whereas i was too, erm...

CALLIOPE: "hUmanly socialized" to sUcceed in my cherUbic rite of passage?

JADE: could be!

JADE: i dont know enough about cherub rites of passage to say either way

JADE: human rites of passage either, for that matter

CALLIOPE: so then what happened!

JADE: right! anyway...

JADE: thats when she began her story in earnest

JADE: the one she summoned me in my dreams to tell me

JADE: the story of the other john who made a deal with typheus

JADE: it began with the same place mine did

JADE: lowas

JADE: ...

JADE: so, go on

CALLIOPE: what?

JADE: draw lowas again!

CALLIOPE: oh!!

CALLIOPE: wait.

CALLIOPE: all over again?

JADE: ummmmmm

JADE: no, you can just copy the first one you did :)

CALLIOPE: what a lovely idea.

CALLIOPE: i'd hate to hold Up the pace of yoUr exciting tale with a bUnch of sUperflUoUs doodling.

CALLIOPE: good enoUgh?

JADE: yes, but...

JADE: there are also supposed to be glitches around

CALLIOPE: glitches?

CALLIOPE: what do yoU mean by glitches?

JADE: like computery glitches i think

CALLIOPE: that soUnds hard to draw.

JADE: ok why dont we not worry about showing the glitches for this story

JADE: they would just make it harder to see whats going on...

JADE: which is probably the point now that i think about it?

CALLIOPE: the point?

CALLIOPE: of what?

JADE: i never thought much about it

JADE: it just seemed like a weird detail she mentioned

JADE: but i guess it was some strange form of corruption in their session that made everything harder to understand

CALLIOPE: where did the corrUption come from?

JADE: no idea!

JADE: i guess it was just one more way everything got messed up for them

JADE: like, just another surreal obstacle for a hero to overcome?

JADE: oh, that reminds me

JADE: you need to draw john there as well!

CALLIOPE: right-o.

CALLIOPE: there yoU go.

CALLIOPE: one hero.

CALLIOPE: sans sUrreal obstacles!

JADE: :)

JADE: when she mentioned that i didnt give it a second thought

JADE: but now that i am trying to reconstruct everything and tell you what to draw...

JADE: hmm

CALLIOPE: hm?

JADE: i guess when youre trying to tell a story it forces you to think a lot more about everything than when youre just listening to one

CALLIOPE: tis qUite trUe.

CALLIOPE: perhaps yoU shoUld start writing?

CALLIOPE: how did she begin?

JADE: let me think...

JADE: hmm, maybe we should pause before i go on?

CALLIOPE: paUse??

JADE: like

JADE: some sort of intermission

JADE: so i can collect my thoughts a bit, and to give the audience a little breather between two significant arcs

JADE: we were at it for a pretty good while there, after all

CALLIOPE: what... aUdience?

JADE: well, that would be you in this case

JADE: ooh i know!

JADE: i can doodle a quick story about the antics of the silly consorts on the golden ship before moving on

CALLIOPE: >:U

JADE: one of the things i did to pass the time on the ship was give them funny names

JADE: lets meet our cast of characters for this intermission shall we?

CALLIOPE: ...

JADE: lets see, there waaaas

JADE: bubbleupagus

JADE: thips ahoy

JADE: nak be nimble

JADE: slowpoke malone

CALLIOPE: jade.

JADE: detective glubsbudget

JADE: fidgety herbert

JADE: doctor snausages

JADE: yiffyiff

CALLIOPE: JADE!

JADE: huh?

CALLIOPE: I'M SORRY BUT I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW!

CALLIOPE: YOUR CONSORT FRIENDS ARE SO VERY CUTE AND THEIR NAMES ARE SILLY AND I LOVE THEM ALL BUT I WANT TO HEAR THE REST OF THE STORY!

CALLIOPE: PLEASE LET'S GO BACK TO ILLUSTRATING HER STORY, I'M SO CURIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!

CALLIOPE: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!

JADE: wow, ok sorry!!!!!

JADE: yes youre right this is a stupid diversion... lets continue

JADE: um callie...

JADE: your hand :o

CALLIOPE: oops. :u

CALLIOPE: ahem. pay no attention to that.

CALLIOPE: do carry on.

JADE: so... anyway

JADE: like i said, she just finished telling me that she was able to beat her brother in this reality

JADE: but apparently, that wasnt supposed to happen?

JADE: so she lived out the rest of her life in a doomed timeline and eventually died

JADE: she didnt mention how

JADE: and then...

JADE: and then she did this kinda fancy transition

JADE: darn, i dont think ill do it justice

JADE: a transition to a story about MY brother... who was stuck in a doomed timeline too

JADE: i think ill mess it up if i try to match what she said word for word

JADE: she had a really fanciful way of putting things

CALLIOPE: there's no need to try to recite what she said.

CALLIOPE: jUst tell the story in yoUr own voice, as yoU have already been doing!

CALLIOPE: it will be more fUn that way.

JADE: ok

JADE: so the bottom line was

JADE: almost all our friends had died

JADE: and johns only hope was to return to his planet, and attempt to complete his personal quest

JADE: as you know, we all have personal quests that are unique to our planets

JADE: the nature of the quest is never easy to understand at first

JADE: they are presented to us through enigmatic riddles conveyed through the lore of the land

JADE: for john it was to journey to the place where "constellations danced beneath the clouds"

JADE: it was said the heir of breath was to free the stars from the shade and release them into heaven

JADE: this was just a mysterious way of saying what he REALLY had to do

JADE: the stars were actually fireflies

JADE: theyd been flying around trapped beneath the overcast sky ever since john first brought lowas into existence by his arrival

JADE: and paradoxically, theyd been imprisoned there for ages even before that

JADE: such is the way of our lands

JADE: they are newly born the day we arrive...

JADE: and yet they always were

JADE: to free the fireflies john would have to play a special song

JADE: it had to be played just right to summon the breeze through the pipes

JADE: but there was a problem...

JADE: the pipes were all clogged with oil!

JADE: the first day john came to his land, oil began oozing up from the core, flooding the pipes and filling the oceans

JADE: to play the song, first he would need to clean up the oil

JADE: and to do that, he would need to face the slumbering one himself

JADE: he would need to face typheus

JADE: but as he wandered through the catacombs down to the planets core

JADE: he wasnt thinking about freeing fireflies or cleaning up oil

JADE: he was seeking the help of his denizen to master a power he couldnt control

JADE: luckily for him, denizens always seem to understand what you want

JADE: and more importantly, what you need, whether you know it or not

JADE: ...

JADE: is something wrong callie?

CALLIOPE: hm?

JADE: go ahead and draw typheus!

CALLIOPE: oh...

CALLIOPE: yes, Um...

JADE: you do know what he looks like dont you?

CALLIOPE: i believe i do.

JADE: it doesnt have to be perfect

JADE: just draw a big green snake monster!

CALLIOPE: a big green snake monster yoU say...

CALLIOPE: :u

JADE: yes

JADE: a snake monster with the most unspeakably hideous face you can imagine

JADE: but you dont have to be too literal about that

JADE: feel free to draw something a little more representational :)

CALLIOPE: hrm.

CALLIOPE: i am not sUre if...

CALLIOPE: i am particUlarly comfortable rendering sUch imagery.

JADE: why not?

CALLIOPE: it strikes me as...

CALLIOPE: rather indecent.

CALLIOPE: for reasons i woUld be too embarrassed to explain. u_u;

JADE: thats ok

JADE: why dont i draw it?

CALLIOPE: very well.

CALLIOPE: bUt yoU mUst excUse me if i giggle.

JADE: ok but i dont see whats so indecent about a big old snake!

CALLIOPE: tee hee!

JADE: lol

JADE: when john got to the core he arrived to find typheus awake and ready for him

CALLIOPE: (giggle.)

JADE: he was then presented with the choice

CALLIOPE: (snicker.)

JADE: stop, youre gonna make me crack up too!

JADE: this part is serious!!

CALLIOPE: i apologize. please...

CALLIOPE: (snort.)

CALLIOPE: go on.

JADE: his choice was presented as a kind of riddle

JADE: spoken in a language only he could understand, spelling out the conditions he must accept

JADE: but speaking from experience, once a player is given the choice between two courses of action, it will hardly feel like a choice at all

JADE: if the heart is in the right place then the right thing to do always seems obvious

JADE: so john accepted his denizens terms

JADE: and with that...

JADE: typheus opened valves to the core

JADE: and flooded it with oil!

JADE: there was no way out

JADE: he could not transform into wind because he was completely submerged!

JADE: so he was faced with two possibilities

JADE: either he could figure out how to make himself disappear completely, using the ability he hoped to master

JADE: or he could drown in the oil

JADE: drowning obviously would have been bad :p

JADE: but disappearing wouldnt be much better!

JADE: he would appear somewhere else, having made no progress on his personal quest

JADE: his planet would still be polluted and he would be no closer to playing his song

JADE: somehow he understood the only way was to conceive of a third option

JADE: an idea beyond the simple binary set of outcomes before him

JADE: and interestingly

JADE: it was coming to this understanding which gave him the first glimpse of how to control the power

JADE: he realized it wasnt himself that he needed to make disappear...

JADE: it was the oil!

JADE: he dispersed every drop throughout existence

JADE: leaving a little mark for anyone who might notice, signifying his final mastery over his confining reality

JADE: but more importantly...

JADE: leaving his planet clean

JADE: and the pipes clear

JADE: finally they were ready to let the breeze flow

JADE: so he could play his song

[themultifandomgal]

Peaky Blinders- Finding Out Your Pregnant Pt2

Michael

You had found out you were pregnant after feeling ill, you decided you needed to go to see a doctor. You didn't tell Michael because you didn't want to worry him.

After going to the doctors, you were told that you were pregnant, you and Michael had talked about having a child, but not yet so you were worried to tell Micheal, worried how he might react. Knowing you had to tell him you nervously returned to your home.

"Michael?" you call out

"I'm the kitchen" he calls back. You walk into the kitchen where Michael is making himself a drink

"Michael?" you say his name again, your voice much quieter this time. He turns around with a frown

"Are you still feeling unwell? love your as white as a ghost" Micheal takes your hand and guides you to a seat at the small table. He takes the drink he was making for himself and places it in front of you "I think you should see a doctor love"

"I have" you say still quietly

"What? why didn't you tell me?"

"Didn't want to worry you"

"Well I'm worried now" Micheal shouts then takes in a deep breath "I'm sorry. What did the doctor say?"

"He said... he said that I'm pregnant" you look down at the tea in your hands. You wait to be shouted at but instead you feel hands on your shoulders and a kiss is placed on the top of your head

"What else did he tell you?"

"Erm nothing more just that I'm about 7 weeks pregnant"

"So nothing bad?"

"Huh?" you frown and Micheal walks around you and the table so he's now in front of you

"Your sad, so I thought..."

"No was just worried what you'd say"

"What do you mean? YN we're going to parents" Micheals face lights up

"So your excited?"

"Yes aren't you?"

"I just thought we didn't want a baby yet?"

"That doesn't matter now. I promise you I'll be the best father and husband a woman could ask for. Now let's go and tell my mum" you now smile for the first time since finding out your pregnant. Excitement now hits you and you can't wait to have your little one in your arms.

Isaiah

You and Isaiah wanted to have a baby for a long time, but you were struggling to conceive. Unfortunately every time you did you'd loose the baby so you and Isaiah decided to stop trying. Linda told you that you both needed to pray more, Polly told you to drink all of these different potions, Esme's advice was to have more sex and Ada's advice was to ignore Esme. Your brothers had noticed how down you had been recently, and after finding out it was because you kept miscarrying they felt your sadness. Of course they didn't like the idea of you and Isaiah having sex, but you were married so what could they actually do?

When you found out your were pregnant again you felt numb, you couldn't deal with another loss so you kept it quiet and detached yourself from the life within. It wasn't until Polly noticed that your boobs had changed and that you had started to eat weird food

"Love what's going on with you?" she asks finally one day

"Nothing?" you shrug not wanting to tell her, but the tears start and Polly wraps you up in her arms. You end up telling Polly everything and she takes you to the doctors who end up telling you that your 4 months along, the longest you've ever carried. Knowing you can't keep this a secret for much longer you decided to tell Isaiah who like you was worried, but after telling him you were 4 months and Polly says this one is strong he relaxes

"Your on bed rest until this little one his here" he says as you lay on your back and Isaiah has his hand rubbing your belly. Only now you have noticed your tiny little bump that just looks like your bloated

"I'm to scared to do anything" you laugh

"Then don't. I'll wait on you, help you with everything. I'll talk to Tommy and tell him I have to be with you. You don't need any stress" Isaiah kisses your forehead and for the first time in a long time you feel happy.

Alfie

Alfie was the one to bring up children. You weren't to bothered but after seeing Alfie with your nieces and nephews, you had to admit that Alfie would be a fantastic father.

When you fell pregnant it was Alfie who noticed before you

"I think your pregnant" he would say whenever you walked into the room, but it wasn't confirmed until the morning sickness started. The same times everyday for 3 weeks, 8am, 3pm and 11pm, every time Alfie would be holding your hair back and rubbing your back

"I think you've been right" you breathe out after being sick again

"So how are we telling your brothers?" he nervously says

"Tommys gonna kill you" you groan

"It takes two" you glare at your husband and get up

"Just take me to bed" Alfie guides you to your bed and you lay down "Polly will have a cure for this sickness. I'll tell her tomorrow"

That night Alfie's hand never leaves your stomach, you notice how happy he is, which intern makes you excited for this next journey together.

[mute-call]

"Got it." Awkwardness hangs heavy in the air now that they're out of immediate danger, and Bell clears his throat as he scrambles for some way to diffuse the discomfort Nanashi must also be feeling.

"Sorry again for, uh. For that. I mean, things could have gone a lot worse, right?" He laughs, forcing himself to sound easy-going and less bothered than he is. Yes, Nanashi fucked up. But the kid also looks like a walking zombie right now, and the last thing he needs is to feel guilty on top of completely ill.

The rest of the drive goes smoothly, even if Steven doesn't relax his white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel until they pull gingerly up to Nanashi's house. There aren't any other cars in the driveway, which is certainly not what Steven had hoped to see.

"...looks like no one's home." Under different circumstances, Steven might ask for permission before entering the house, but time is of the essence right now. He struggles for a moment to locate the correct key, then half-jogs between the open door and the backseat to help Nanashi stand.

"I'll get you some water once we have you set down. Do you think you can stomach eating something light? And... obviously I don't have your, um, paperwork here, so I might need you to remember some phone numbers if your family are out at work. Do you think you can do that for me, buddy?"

He wouldn't be surprised if the task of contacting Nanashi's family is beyond the poor kid right now. Nanashi is obviously out of sorts, and the current goal might have shifted from "drop him off in someone else's care" to "stabilize him and call emergency services." At least the ambulances and cops would be swarming around the house, and not the pizzeria.

As Steven loops one of the boy's arms around his shoulders, he holds onto Nanashi's wrist to keep the other employee from slipping to the pavement. Bell's not an expert, but he's pretty sure the fact that he can't feel anything resembling a heartbeat isn't... good.

Nanashi quite literally feels like death warmed over. It shouldn't be possible-- none of this should be possible-- and Steven's own heart begins to race as he does his best to ignore the implications that are beginning to arise. It's hard to ignore them completely, however, and he can't help but stare at his companion out of the corner of his eye, wondering.

"...I think I-- I might have messed up. Not bringing you straight to a hospital." I'm so sorry, Nanashi.

"Do you feel--" alive?

"How are you holding up?"

[This was the first time ( as far as Nanashi could recall ) that Steven had ever been this angry with him -- it was deserved, though. Nanashi had pulled a stupid move that could have easily gotten them killed. That and, apparently, the sight had all been in Nanashi's head -- he'd gotten them both hurt over a delusion. He should have trusted Steven's lack of reaction as a sign that there was nothing there.]

[He shrank in his seat; he felt like a little kid again, upset and frustrated with himself for disappointing his dad. Of course, this scenario was objectively worse -- he was actively being a burden to his boss because he couldn't get his shit together. That, and he was dying. Not a good look.]

[After a moment, Steven collapsed against his headrest, then apologized for snapping. Yeah, this definitely resembled a lecture from his dad...albeit with deeper repercussions. He reassured Nanashi that they were okay and hadn't hurt anyone, which -- though partly obvious -- was a big relief.]

[It did, of course, raise some questions. Who was the kid he kept seeing? Were they connected to that suit, somehow? Or maybe it was one of those things where he'd been seeing some manifestation of the grim reaper, kind of like how people on their death bed would see otherworldly shit. God, he was in bad shape.]

[Nanashi quietly nodded as Steven offered to drive -- slowly, this time. His gaze absentmindedly drifted to his window. He stared at the road; the kid was nowhere to be seen.]

[If he saw any more "visions," huh? Yeah, Steven probably thought he was crazy now, on top of everything else. Alas, he was in no position to argue or defend himself...he'd just shut up for a while. At least his throat might heal.]

❝ Deal. It's a left...a-at the next light. Then you turn...right, after the park. M-My house's on...Rocky Road. ❞ [Might as well get instructions out of the way now -- it'd be easier than trying to navigate from the backseat, and remaining silent was a good solution to...a lot of problems right now.]