#you literally got this pressed over me politely suggesting a NAME for a ship

[isogenderskitty]

if you cant engage in fandom without shipping anything you should really take a long look at yourself and maybe learn to free yourself from this amatonormativity

this just in: local biromantic is a bad person for enjoying romance

bestie i’m not telling you how to engage with fandoms. go make a post celebrating ella being canonically single and i’ll reblog it enthusiastically if i see it. i’m literally just sitting in a corner playing barbies. and if you really hate that this much the block button is free and easy to use.

[regrettablewritings]

DJ X READER HEADCANON you pick 😉😉

I blink at the request that stares back at me from my inbox, brow furrowing with every flutter of my lashes. "Sis . . ." I murmur, "you good?" As though my ass had not also been search for content relating to this forgotten POS just the other day. But if you insist . . .

4. What they do on date night:

To be brutally honest, DJ will look you dead in the eye and tell you that going for a night out on the town pick-pocketing is a date. Or, at least, he will try to. It's surprisingly hard to maintain eye contact with someone whose glare could probably cut beskar.

In his defense (if he even deserves any), DJ does try to make it a little more fun than he already finds it -- granted, it's done in a very DJ way. You get your little evening promenade through the streets, he tricks you to a quick bite to eat, you hold hands and run through the lantern-speckled streets before turning down a narrow alleyway that's just perfect for sharing an intense liplock . . .

Of course, this all translates into your evening together including: Walking through a marketplace, your asshole boyfriend slipping peoples' credits out of their pockets and purses under the guise of bumping into them; him using those sticky fingers of his to nick some street food off of a cart before its proprietor called the authorities on his theft; said sticky fingers lacing with yours as he guides you down the crowded streets (grinning like the little shit he was for enjoying the chase); all before making a sudden jerk down an alleyway.

You're breathless, irritated, and . . . maybe -- only just maybe -- a little excited by the thrill of it all. But you can't let him know that, otherwise, he'd never let you live it down and he'd be the cock of the goddamn walk for who knows how long. Worse: He'd consider this a win for his insistence that this sort of thing counted as a date! And there was no way in hell you were about to let that happen!

You only got as far as opening your mouth to hiss own some choice words at him when you instead got cut off by your thieving significant other pressing you against the grubby alley wall. Even if you hadn't been distracted by the action to remember to cuss him out, the words were instantly killed. They were inhaled by his own lips, his kiss encompassing your words, your thoughts, your . . . everything. They were speared by his tongue, as though it were his weapon against the beast that brewed within you.

And they were quelled by the feel of his callused fingers brushing against your cheeks before moving onward to the beck of your head, pressing you only further into his hold. DJ's fingers were deft, but that didn't necessarily mean that their carefulness was always directed at you. It's . . . something to savor . . .

Of course, it was meant to fool the chumps following the both of you but you don't mind. Not in that moment anyway. When you get back to wherever you're staying for the night, it's another story, but one DJ is more than happy to bring to a happy ending.

It's a bit nicer when he gets his hands one someone's credits, though: It means he can take you out to an actual establishment. However, be warned: It's only a bit nicer because you also need to be on the lookout for the authorities (or the poor bastard you stole from), or be prepared to make a run for it.

11. What their first impression was of each other:

Dirty. Old. Bastard. A dirty old bastard. And to your credit, you weren't wrong, but of course, the first impression is always the shallowest. And considering the shithead had just tried to put the moves on you when you were already having a rough day . . . Yeah, he honestly deserved presumptions with the depth of one's own navel -- an outie, preferably.

He stood out against the Canto Bight elite with his grubbiness, looking like a leathery garbage pouch at best and like a guy who'd try to sell you a faulty droid at moderate. A dirty, bastardly part of you couldn't help but muse that perhaps the worst he could do was be a nasty lay -- and not nasty in the way one might want, either.

Granted, it wasn't hard to imagine that: The fact he was hitting on you while you were trying your best to just survive your shift at the casino that evening did little to convince you he was any good.

And as for DJ, it was a one-two-punch type of introduction. Literally: First he eyed you, then he got a little too suggestive, and then you punched him. What a sleazeball, right? It was his own damn fault for assuming the least of you, though. You were cute like all the other servers, no doubt, with that shy smile of yours that made it abundantly clear to him that this sort of place wasn't your scene if you didn't have to work there. Unlike the other servers, however, he was feeling pretty brazen about you.

DJ has no interest in the concept of “fate” or “destined meetings”, but even months out from that point he wouldn’t be able to place precisely what compelled him to break his usual protocol of being discreet. Nor why he was so insistent. All he knows was that he called you over to him and, rather than requesting a drink, he “chatted you up”. And might’ve suggested that you two blow off this place and maybe “blow off somewhere else”.

He also knows that the moment you struck his cheek, cheeks burning and eyes widened with the realization of what you’d done, he was wrong and right about you.

You were frankly lucky he turned out to be a blight on the Canto Bight scene, otherwise your boss would’ve fired you the moment he had learned of what you had done. What you were unlucky for, however, was that from then on, the thief started showing up more often. Not enough to get caught (at least, not for long), but enough for him to determine that maybe the both of you really should blow this joint -- in the nonsexual way.

And in the end, you became unlucky once more: For someone so grubby and bastardly, he was also quite the charmer. Y’know, once you’ve smacked him around a bit.

14. What nicknames they call each other:

You honestly struggle to nickname DJ, predominately because, well, DJ is already a nickname. You think. After all, you sincerely doubt anyone would actually name their kid Don’t Join even as a political statement. Really, the fact you don’t know his actual name sort of calls for consideration of how healthy your obviously unhealthy relationship is. But any pleas to learn this asshole’s real name just winds up being like having a namana cream pie shoved in your face, because DJ just turns it all into a joke.

There have been many occasions where DJ would tell you different names he would swear were his own -- often times in the same week! Other times, his claim would be that he’s told you it while you were asleep, or that he once told you but you got conked on the head and forgot it.

Interestingly enough, it’s through these juvenile exploits that he’s earned a bit of a nickname from you: “Bastard”. Just rolls off the tongue, don’t it? To be fair, though, you’re with him for a reason: Even if he may not seem like it, he does have a soft sport for you. Even if it comes out about as smoothly as his features.

In a way, he reminds you of a mutt. A stray mutt. Especially when he shoves his head into your lap after a long day of fucking about and being a menace to whatever society you two decided to hop a ship to.

“You’re like a puppy sometimes, you know that?” you murmur. You scritch into his mess of hair, earning a low growl of contentment from your datemate. He never had to admit it out loud, but your touch clearly did wonders to him. This was evidence by how his already large body began to further sprawl along the couch the ship he’d stolen came with. Yup; just like a puppy. A big, raggedy puppy. Who needs a trip to the refresher as soon as this scritching session was over.

For DJ, on the other hand, nicknames come easily. Honestly, it’s mainly due to how he barely takes anyone or anything seriously: When you don’t concern yourself with all the muddled nonsense of society or wide circles of people, it becomes a whole lot easier to see everyone’s buttons. And considering he was a master slicer, button-pressing was definitely his thing.

Despite the fact that you were a one-in-a-million instance of being someone whom the thief actually trusted and treated with even a modicum of respect, even you weren’t immune to his acts of mockery.

“Mornin’, P-p-pipsqueak,” he’d smirk over a cup of caff, knowing damn well that his advantage of height bothered you sometimes.

“Ea-asy there, k-kitten,” he’d purr whenever your frustration would come boiling to the brim. Things like that.

“Lookie here, dollface,” when he wants to butter you up without losing his stance.

But that doesn’t mean he’s unable to be more affectionate. It’s in there, it’s just . . . in there. The best examples, however, tend to be when the both of you are having downtime and are actually safe somewhere. Or whatever safe could mean when you’re with DJ.

Generally, a jail cell wouldn’t be considered safe. Maybe not unsafe if the only occupants were your boyfriend of ill repute and yourself, but it certainly wasn’t enjoyable. And yet, the way DJ just seemed to laze about in them made you feel unnaturally calm. Well, calmer. It would’ve been nicer if your more-than-capable boyfriend would put those slicing skills of his to use and just busted the both of you out of there, but to DJ, a night in the clink meant at least a few hours of shut eye on a bed.

“B-bes-s-sides: We can alw-w-ways just grab on-e of those f-f-f-floating citadels they g-g-g-got docked out there,” he would reason, making himself comfy on the thin mattress. He had a point, you supposed. And it wasn’t as though you hadn’t been expecting this as a part of your life once you got together with him. Still, you weren’t entirely comfortable joining him on said mattress . . . Maker knows when it had last been washed!

You would be far from the first to consider DJ to be the most observant person, dating or not, but your concern must’ve been rich enough for him to practically sense it: Without hesitating, he sat up just enough to offer you his hand.

“C-come on,” he said. “I need to c-c-c-catch some shut e-e-eye, and it ain’t hap-p-p-penin’ if you’re standing d-d-down there the entire t-time.”

A feeling of mild dread seeped into you, followed by a wet blanket of acceptance. You were going to just spend an hour in the refresher of whatever ship you swept off with. Sighing, you accepted the hand, only for the hold to pull you up not onto the mattress, but directly on top of him!

There was plenty to react to -- the sudden movement, the feeling of being on top of DJ -- but the man himself didn’t seem at all fazed. Instead, he focused primarily on tucking in whatever lagging limbs you had and making sure he was cozy enough to continue serving as your mattress for however many hours he needed to recuperate. Which he apparently was: Not once did he protest to your weight pressing down on him, nor did he grunt with displeasure whenever you turned the direction of your head against his chest.

At the most, he only ever offered your back a brief circle of rubbing with his free hand, the other serving as his pillow, before uttering a drowsy, “You good there, kid?”

And, to your surprise . . . yeah. In spite of everything, yeah, you were pretty good . . .

And yet, interestingly enough, no matter what he calls you, none of that ever measures up to when he calls you by your name. Not pipsqueak, not kitten, not dollface or kid or whatever, but your actual name. Because DJ hardly ever refers to anyone by their actual title, let alone cares to remember it. By not only remembering it, but applying it, it shows you that he does care. It’s deep down -- like, real in there -- but it’s there. And you’re the only non-slicing being in the entire galaxy to have ever cracked that sort of safe.

Wear that badge with pride, Hotshot.

Thanks for your patience on this one! Clearly I had a lot of fun writing it! 💖 💖 . . . May gotta actually start writing for DJ. Maybe.

[got-to-love-a-badboy]

Special guest

Previous chapter ^^^

Special guest

Chapter 9 - say cheese!!

Jack Grealish x Female character

@rosiegrealish I hope your heart is ok ❤️😂

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Ellie took a picture of her self to post online seen as she couldn't post her and Jack.

Liked by @Jesshaw132, @Jackgrealish and 432 others

@Jesshaw132 AH babe that dress looks amazing on you!!

@Liam333 - Enjoy, El ❤️

@Jackgrealish - 😍

@user12 - Date night with who?! Jack has been commenting an awful lot

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The car ride the the restaurant was fairly quiet although Jacks hand never left Ellie's thigh, his fingers traced small circles on her leg, it felt soothing and calming, as she was starting to panic about meeting his friends and their partners, Jack sensed her tension, "Ellie, it will be fine, they'll love you, just relax, we'll have an amazing night, I promise", Ellie leaned into Jack, really appreciating his support.

Finally the car pulled up outside a very posh restaurant, luckily there were no press outside, they must not have heard Jack and his friends would be here tonight, Jack opened the door and stepped out of the car waiting for Ellie, he took her hand and helped her out the car as he flashed her his flirty smile.

Once Ellie was out of the car the two walked into the restaurant, Jack went first knowing that Ellie would be too shy to go first.

"JACKY BOY!!", The two heard bellow through the restaurant, Jack let out a hearty laugh before looking down at Ellie, "that's John McGinn", Ellie smiled up at him, she felt like she was in above her head!.

A few seconds later the two walked around the corner, to the back of the restaurant where Jacks friends were all sat, there were around 20 people at the tables, Ellie's nerves began to take over but Jack was on it, he knew how full oh his friends could be and that matched with how nervous Ellie was, it wasn't a good mixture.

John stood up and hugged Jack, "Alright boy! About time where you been!", then his eyes met Ellie's, "ah right I see where you've been!, Keeping this beauty away, hello darling, my names John, pretty much our Jacky boys keeper", Ellie smiled at John, "yeah he needs someone looking after him", she told him, "well at least he has you now" John replied as Ellie felt Jacks grip on her hip tighten, "come sit down and meet everyone else. Iv kept you two long enough" John told them as they walked to the tables.

Jack introduced Ellie to one of his closest friends Tyrone Mings, "it's lovey to meet you Ellie, Jack has talked about you none stop, literally I feel like if know you forever with everything he's said about", Ellie covered her face and laughed feeling a little shy, "alright Ty! Your suppose to be helping me look cool", the pair laughed as Tyrone turned to talk to somebody else, Ellie leaned into Jacks shoulder, "it's cute that you've talked about me to you friends", Jack brushed the hair from her face and smiled, "yeah?, have you talked to Jessica about me?", Ellie gave him a little laugh, "uh yeah, none stop" she laughed again as Jack kissed the top of her head.

The rest of the evening went really well, Ellie got talking to some of the other girls, "Hey El, we're going to the ladies you coming?" Leon Baily's partner, Stephanie said as she held her hand out for Ellie, she politely accepted as she felt Jacks had slide from off her thigh.

Once in the ladies room the other girls did what they had to as Stephanie stood next to Ellie, "you seen so good for him", Ellie smiled at her before saying, "aww thank you but it's nothing serious at the minute we're just friends", Stephanie shook her head and smiled, "not for Jack, iv seen him bring nobody's out before and iv seen him down on a night out because he wants that somebody, this is neither of them, how he looks at you is just the cutest thing iv ever seen, what makes you say its nothing serious?" Stephanie asked, Ellie could feel herself getting hot, she didn't do interrogations especially about her and Jacks relationship when she didn't know what it was or what she should say, "we've just spoken about how we feel and decided on taking it slow so yeah, nothing major", Ellie smiled before leaning in the mirror to play with her hair, "ok babe, he's spoken to me before about the woman he wants and El, it sounds just like you, anyway I'm all team Jellie!" The group of girls laughed before returning to the boys.

Ellie looked at Jack as she walked back to the table, he was talking to Ty, he was laughing and had a huge playful smile on his face, but as soon as his eyes locked with hers she noticed the look that Steph was talking about, he had a small genuine smile on his face, and she knew how silly it sounded but his eyes had a glimmer to them, she squeezed back into the seat next to him and his arm instantly fell behind her landing on her hip as he pulled her closer, "everything good, you look flush", Ellie smiled at him, it was cute how he noticed every small change in her appearance, "yeah I'm good, the  girls were quizzing me on what we were", he rolled his eyes, 'Steph' he thought, "no it's not bad I just got flustered, I didn't know what to say, I mean we don't have even know what this is, let alone tell people what it is, but Steph has totally shipped us, we're Jellie now", Jack let out a hearty laugh before looking at a smiling Steph, "Jellie? Really", she didn't say anything back, just replying with a small smile and blowing kisses to then couple.

The night carried on into the early hours with the group heading to a bar, they had all had plenty to drink, Leon had taken Steph home as she had a little too much to drink, Ty had pulled some random and was sat in a booth necking with her, Ellie had one last sip of her drink before pulling Jack up by his hand, "come dance with me, Grealish", he did as he was told snd followed Ellie to the dance floor, she began shaking her hips to the beat of the music, Jack snaked his hands around her hips from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder, "tonight has been amazing El, thank you", he whispered into her ear, She smiled at his cuteness, "it really has, I wish it didn't have to end" she told him, Jack spun her around so he was facing him, "who says it has to?", he questioned.

They danced until the song finished, then Jack suggested they head back to his, Ellie agreed to the idea and followed him outside.

As they were walking to the car Jack threw his arm over Ellie's shoulder and pulled her closer, the two looked into each other's eyes when Jack pulled Ellie closer and locked their lips, after a few seconds Ellie pulled away to get her breath back, she was about to speak but Jack beat her to it, "I can't get enough of you Ellie Lowe", Ellie was in shock at his comment, part of her knew it was the drink but deep down she wanted to believe things would be the same in the morning.

She was snapped from her thoughts when she saw a bright light in front of her flashing, 'was it police? An ambulance' Ellie thought, then she realised, 'oh shit! Paparazzi!'..........

[ambersky0319]

You’re Something Else

Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five // Part Six 

I totally didn’t get distracted watching youtube videos and almost didn’t post this- Also! Dunno if I’ll have the next part done by tomorrow; if I don’t post it tomorrow it’ll be posted on Saturday!

Prompt: Medieval Demus fanfic? Remus and Roman are both princes and with Roman set to inherit the throne their parents desperately want to see Remus married off, however Remus has the tendency to be picky with potential suitors and has turned them all down thus far. That is until Remus’ newest suitor turns out to be Prince Janus. At first Remus is difficult with him as he is with all his suitors but than Janus starts winning him over slowly. Janus also knows sorcery in this.

Overall Story Warnings: Blood and injuries(varies throughout story, might not be in every chapter but will be tagged in each chapter anyway), kind of a terrible father, lmk if I need to add anything else!

Masterpost 

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The morning went by a lot quicker than Remus had expected it to go. He and Janus packed a few last minute things before Declan and Edith took the remaining belongings to the ship. Remus doesn't remember much of breakfast, just that Roman had asked him right before to go to Roman's room afterwards. Remus had agreed. He thinks he remembers Janus and Roman talking about the limits of sorcery before Orion shushed them.

Walking to Roman's room feels weird now. Remus used to only do it when he was much younger, after a nightmare. Or to prank Roman. He hadn't done that in a long while, though. Roman had a lot of responsibilities, learning how to rule and going on his own little adventures in the village to see the kingdom's resident seamster Virgil.

Roman's door was, surprisingly, open. Remus walked inside without knocking because of it, and Roman turned around when he heard his brother's boots clinking against the polished floor. Roman grinned at him, and Remus smiled back, a bit confused.

"I wanted to give you something!" Roman exclaimed. "But it couldn't be in front of everyone else."

"Why not?"

"Father would kill me if he knew I was giving it to you."

"Ah..." Remus hummed, nodding in understanding. "Yeah, that makes sense."

Roman's smile never faltered as he strode over to his large vanity, picking up a jewelry box Evelyn had given him. Remus had one as well, packed safely in one of Remus's more valuable boxes. He pulled something out of it but Remus couldn't quite see what it was just yet.

"Close your eyes!"

Remus huffed in fake annoyance, but did as Roman said. Roman guided Remus over to something and told him to stand still. Then, there was suddenly something around his neck and falling to his chest. Whatever it was, Roman adjusted it, made some sort of happy noise and practically bounced behind Remus.

"Open!"

Remus did, and he struggled to breathe for a moment as he took in the new accessory.

"Roman, I can't-"

"You can and will." Roman stated, gripping Remus's shoulders tightly. Roman's excitement faded a bit and he took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry for how things were here, Rem. I'm happy you're going somewhere where you have a chance to be happy."

Remus frowned. "How'd you know I wasn't happy here?"

"Twin sense." Roman hummed. He adjusted the necklace one last time. "Besides, it's clear in your eyes. There's a shine there that wasn't there before."

Roman hugged Remus from behind as he spoke, resting his head on Remus's shoulder. Remus relaxed into his arms. He wouldn't argue with Roman. There wasn't much reason to anyway. "Thank you," Remus ended up saying. Roman smiled, hugging Remus tighter.

"Tuck it into your shirt until you're onboard the ship." Roman advised as he pulled away. Remus nodded, already doing just that. He'd have far more time to admire the necklace on the ship.

They were left in a comfortable silence until one of the guards poked their head in, telling Remus that he should take Roman and the rest of his family to the ship to meet the crew. Remus nodded at him and the guard disappeared.

"It's going to be weird, not having you around." Roman huffed softly as they exited the prince's room.

"How do you think I feel? At least you're staying here. I'm going to a completely different kingdom, practically across the world."

Roman hummed. "Fair enough. But still, who else is going to help me steal snacks from the kitchen?"

Remus smiled, shoulders relaxing as they walked down the staircase together. "Oh, whatever will you do without your snacks. Because you're too scared you'll be caught to steal some alone."

Roman punched his arm lightly, and Remus laughed, folding his arms over his chest. They returned to their comfortable silence until they reached the castle entrance where Janus and Remus's parents were waiting. Remus noticed the eager glint in Janus's eyes, and a thought suddenly hit Remus. Had Janus been homesick for most of his visit?

He must have been. Maybe that's why he was so willing to tell Remus about it, it allowed him to imagine his homeland.

Would Remus feel homesick in the new kingdom?

He hoped not. He had heard plenty about homesickness and it sounded absolutely dreadful. And not the good dreadful either.

He barely registered that Janus was addressing them all, blinking in surprise when he made eye-contact with Janus. "Once you've all explored the ship and met the entire crew, Captain Patton will let you know when we need to leave."

"Captain Patton?" Remus whispered, brows furrowing at the rhyme. Janus didn't clarify, just rolled his eyes lightly when Evelyn and Orion weren't looking. Roman snickered slightly, earning a light glare from Remus but nothing more was said.

Suddenly, Ethan was standing behind Janus. Janus was already fairly tall(as were Roman and Remus), but Ethan was a good foot taller, towering over the three of them as well as the King and Queen. Unlike Declan and Edith, Ethan didn't wear a helmet to cover up the scars along his face and neck. They were far more faded than the ones Janus and the other two guards had, though. Maybe that was why he didn't feel the need to wear a helmet to cover the scars up.

"I hate to interrupt," Ethan began. Remus was startled by how soft his voice was. It was the softest voice he had ever heard. "But if you all wish to spend some time for goodbyes on the ship, I suggest we leave to the ship now."

"Thank you for the reminder, Ethan." Janus said, and Ethan turned on his heel. Janus smiled politely at the rest of the royal family before also turning to follow. Roman nudged Remus forward and next to Janus, and Remus nearly tripped but managed to keep up with Janus. "Oh, uh... As a mild warning, Patton's a bit..." Janus chuckled lightly, his voice soft. "He's a bit eccentric. And touchy."

Remus frowned slightly. "How touchy?"

Janus hummed. "Extremely. He especially loves giving people hugs. And he calls most others 'Kiddo' so if that bothers you, let him know early on." Remus nodded at Janus's words.

"Do the rest of them know?" Janus smirked a bit, and Remus laughed to himself. "Of course."

"What, you're telling me you don't want to see your father squirm because of a literal ball of sunshine?"

Remus scrunched his nose. "That sounds insufferable, even to me."

"He's not as bad as you may think." Janus said, a hint of a genuine smile breaking through the practiced porcelain smile he usually wore. "Besides, he knows the sea better than anyone I've ever met." Remus opened his mouth to say how that might not be too good of news, and then the dock came into view.

Remus's words got caught in his throat as he eyed the massive ship, the vessel far larger than any of the other ships docked. The other ships were all fishing ships, but this was something Remus had never seen. He had never seen a ship so big, and he wondered how it navigated any waters well.

Behind them, Remus heard the rest of his family's various reactions. A sharp intake from Orion, a small squeal of excitement from Evelyn, and a gasp from Roman. Remus couldn't blame them- none of his family had ever really visited the docs or been on a ship before, aside from maybe a fishing boat. But those were clearly nothing compared to this.

Ethan escorted them over the docks to the ship, and Remus heard the wood of the old docks creak under his feet. He briefly imagined how much someone would have to weigh for them to break under their feet and plummet to the deepening water below.

The air was different here than at the castle, too. Much saltier, and colder. Despite the brief chill Remus felt, he also felt refreshed by the air, and he watched the small waves roll in and hit the cliffs off to the sides of the docks lightly. Remus couldn't imagine what they would look like in a storm, couldn't figure how something so calming could turn deadly. Of course he knew they could, but it still wasn't fun to imagine.

"Ah, my prince! Finally!"

Remus's gaze snapped away from the water as he stopped beside Janus at the base of a wooden ramp. Remus blinked in surprise as the man at the top of the ramp almost hopped off the ship, holding his hand out for Janus. Janus let him take it, and the man pressed a quick kiss to Janus's knuckles.

"And Prince Remus! It's a pleasure to finally meet ya, Edith and Declan had said you knew of some interestin' stories. I'll be happy to hear you tell them!"

Remus blinked as he tried to keep up with the man's quick words, glancing at Janus. Janus shrugged with only one of his shoulders.

Confused at the silence, the man seemed to realize something, and he laughed to himself. "Oh, my bad! I didn't introduce myself!" The man smiled warmly at Remus and the rest of Remus's family, practically glowing in the afternoon sun. "My name is Patton, I'll be ensuring a safe trip back to the kingdom of Sunscales!"

Patton still didn't receive much of a response, but that didn't seem to phase him. "Kiddo," he said, turning to Janus, "you should show Prince Remus to his cabin while I give his folks the grand tour! Help him settle in, and maybe make sure he'll be okay for the trip."

"Of course Captain," Janus's smile wasn't that practiced one anymore. It was warmer. Janus looked to Remus and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

Remus swallowed the ball of nerves that tried to escape his throat and, not trusting his voice, he nodded, taking Janus's hand. Patton stepped out of the way and approached the King and Queen, delving into an explanation about what route they would be taking and any troubles they may have at sea, but Remus only heard that much- the introduction. He was out of earshot pretty quickly, following Janus onto the deck.

The boat was rocking under their feet slightly from the waves, and Remus squeezed Janus's hand. "It's alright, Remus." Janus mumbled, and Remus relaxed his grip on Janus's hand but he didn't pull away. "Come on, I'll show you to your cabin and then I can introduce you to the rest of the crew."

"Okay. I'm guessing the reason we're not with the rest of my family is because you don't want me hearing the things that can go wrong?"

Janus frowned slightly, letting out a low hum that was lost to the breeze. He tugged Remus towards a door, and when he opened it, Remus was greeted with some stairs down into a corridor with more doors lining the walls.

"Which would you rather have, a relatively pleasant trip enjoying the ocean and getting to know each other, or a trip where you're worrying the entire week back to Sunscales?"

Remus laughed lightly, cheeks warming. "You make a good point."

He stopped when Janus did, and Janus opened the door for him. The door looked exactly like all the others, the only thing Remus remembered to know which was his was how far from the last door it was- three doors down.

"It's not much," Janus stated, gesturing to the small room. Remus laughed slightly. It was much smaller than any room Remus had ever been in, but looked quite cozy anyway. He walked in to see some of his boxes placed carefully under the bed. Personal belongings Remus would want to keep with him.

"Roman would die if he had to stay in one of these," Remus mused, settling onto the bed. It was fairly stiff, but the pillow and blanket were extremely soft. Janus tilted his head, watching Remus from the doorway as Remus took in the room.

"Any you?"

"I'll live! Besides, I've slept in a cold damp cave before." Remus scrunched his nose at the memory. It was awful, the cave, cold and he couldn't sleep at all and he was sore all over from sleeping on rocks. "This is nothing."

Janus raised one of his eyebrows, an amused smile gracing his face. "If you say so. I'll let you get settled, then." Janus turned to leave, possibly go back upstairs. Something seemed to click in his mind, and he spun back around. "Right! My room is closer to the end of the hall, second to last on this side." He pointed to the doors on the other side of the hallway, and Remus nodded. "If you don't come onto the deck by the time we should be leaving, I'll come get you so you can say goodbye, yeah?"

Remus nodded again and watched as Janus left, the door creaking as it shut behind him. Remus looked around the room again, biting the inside of his cheek as he thought of what he wanted to do.

Unpacking might break some of his things, he didn't want to do that. Not yet at least. He could probably take out a few of the books he had put in some of the boxes. There was a small desk in one corner of the room, opposite of the bed, and Remus made a mental note to look inside the drawer connected to it.

His eyes lit up as he rubbed the back of his neck and his fingers grazed a small chain. He pulled the necklace out from under his shirt and stared down at the jewel which was previously resting against his chest. He ran his fingers over the carefully carved stone. It was from the treasury. Remus knew because he had tried to take it one time but got caught and his father had been furious. A strange jewel adorned the necklace, green and red swirling around each other under the polished surface, flecks of gold and black staring up at him.

Remus couldn't believe Roman had given it to Remus in the first place, more surprised Roman had taken it anyway. The only way he could have was either by bribing the guards, which was difficult (and no fun) to do, or to steal it (it was a challenge even getting in there, harder to get out unseen). He couldn't see even the guards falling for Roman's charm; he was the favorite prince, yes, but not even he could persuade them with his delightful words. Which meant...

Roman stole the necklace.

Remus laughed to himself at the thought of Roman breaking any of their parents' rules. But he had to have done it. He flopped back onto the stiff mattress and closed his eyes, gripping the jewel on the thin silver chain tightly, feeling it warm up under his touch. Remus grinned at nothing in particular as he let his mind wander until he inevitably drifted off.

———————–

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[404-potato]

I’m going to share something because I really need to get this off my chest. Please feel free to ignore this - 

... I never really talked about it with anyone because I don’t think I really had it in me to fully acknowledge it even. “Embarrassed” is the best way to describe why quite honestly... as much as I hate to admit it

This... is how I ended up hating a series I loved. And the ship/fandom still makes me cringe because of a weirdly “traumatizing” (? maybe? not sure - i hate using that word/throwing it around;;;) incidents that wasn’t really even about the fandom directly at all?  

tw: relationship mess? 

So before IronStrange, how I used to deal with liking series was through cosplaying. There was a good base for it where I lived and good chunk of my friends cosplay too or at least familiar with the community.

I got into this particular series (that I won’t name here) because a friend (who I eventually got involved in a relationship with) was REALLY into it. It was great at first. I loved the series, it was fun, we cosplayed a pair she shipped hard at the time and at some point I liked it too (I think she’s still a bit obsessed with that pairing actually). 

Basically... she got obsessive. 

It started with the little things like... very...uh... predictable... she didn’t want me to cosplay with other people. She didn’t want me to cosplay with anyone else for this particular pairing. Wanted me to prioritize her during cons... sort of made it impossible for me to be flexible to make plans with any other people. When confronted eventually (the “hey so you know I only have so much time I can give to this hobby- if I make all these plans with you I don’t have time for other friends. We can still do things together but I want to spend time with other people too”)... she made it seem like she would give me space but when time came it was always “I’m not saying you can’t go hang out with your friends but you promised this.” “I asked you first.” ... which by promise btw was her mentioning it some months ago by passing. There were other little things here and there in the con/cos world like if any other friend wanted to put together a cosplay group and asked me she got upset I didn’t ask her to join? Her reasoning was that “well I always ask you so why don’t you.” which seemed like demanding I feel the same way about her as she did for me. ... I know... sounds terrible of me & maybe I should be more sympathetic but... you can’t... demand someone to return how you feel about them or get upset when they don’t? (by the way this was way before we dated even - she also repeated denied she had any sort of feelings for me)

And I honestly didn’t recognize it at first or thought it wasn’t a big deal. I had lot of incident in the past where friends, people I dated, etc. made some... perhaps unjustified demands and I did my best to accommodate if I was willing or situation allowed it. I truly, maybe arrogantly, believed I could fully take care of myself because i always had been that one person who could take care of themselves. ... and there was no possible way anyone could ever “take advantage of me” so to say? in any way. 

Then eventually we started dating. It was casual, lets see where it goes at first. ...then at some point we were in a relationship? ... quite frankly I don’t even remember how fully that came about. (I was not exactly in the best mental state that year due multiple disasters that was going on in my personal life - terrible timing because i let a lot of “red flags” go since I was so tired to fight). 

She wanted me to stop talking to certain friends. One was a friend who we went on couple dates (and it didn’t work out, & by then this friend was dating someone else). But she still didn’t want me be friends with this person. 

...And for those who think you shouldn’t be friends with your exes or not talk to them at all for some reason? F u. Yes it is fully possible to be friends with your ex if you both are at a good place etc. Esp if these people were not even exes per se it was like people you went on a date or two with that you both realized after “hey yea we’re friends not anything more”. 

Little by little I was talking to less and less people, interacted with less and less friends. I stopped cosplaying completely just so I didn’t have to deal with her getting upset at me. I didn’t have the energy. It felt like if I go anywhere I had to invite her. If I made any plans I should invite her. After a while I was so miserable to the point we had huge fights. I literally left the apartment to get away because she wasn’t listening to anything I was saying and all her rebuttal to everything was along the lines of “It’s because i like you so much” etc. 

Yea this whole “being loved” thing to the point they want to spend so much time with you at all times may sound sweet in theory ...but for someone who is an only child (with no distant relatives in the same country), who is used to be left alone to live my life with very minimal supervision since 5 years old, needs a lot of time to myself naturally... it’s a nightmare. But if I said I wanted to be alone or need time to myself suggest I’ll go to my parent’s (not my first choice but ya know... at this point i figured she’ll flip if I said any friend’s)... she’ll try to angrily (very recklessly) drive off saying she’ll sleep at her work parking lot?? or I came back after one of these fights and she had all these scratches because apparently she tried to take a bath with wine and she fell?? ... I feel like I couldn’t even leave. ...typing this now, it’s kinda occurring to me I felt very stuck. She says I can go, I can do things, but... i mean... I can’t?? because then she’ll go off and do something like this. That time she was physically hurt, I know I should feel bad but I honestly couldn’t feel bad. I felt suffocated. I was angry. I felt like she was doing this as some sort of attention seeking... thing. 

Oh and lets not forget comments here and there about how I should let her know what i’m doing all the time, all the change of plans. Example: barely one month after I started at a new job, it was the holiday party. I did let her know I’ll be trying to come home early but please eat without me/don’t wait up. Well as I was trying to leave, I got caught in conversation by my VP and then my CEO... i couldn’t just up and leave at that point?? And I couldn’t answer the 30+ calls I got from her. ...She was pissed. Saying how they waited for me to eat, how I said I’ll be home early, etc. I tried to explain what happened. It’s a holiday party, its loud. I can’t keep looking at my phone when i’m talking to my CEO. I did say i’ll try but shit happens and I can’t update her all the time 24/7...She said she got it but next day would still throw these passive aggressive remarks. Couple of her friends came to visit from out of town, we were supposed to spend the day together with them. I was obviously tired because of the holiday party still and I muttered like “damn i’m tired” by passing... her automatic reaction was “well you shouldn’t have stayed out then.” because in her words, during the argument that followed, we made plans to spend time with her friends so I should have prioritized it at all cost even over the job that I need. Nothing said I couldn’t just leave and come home early, I didn’t have to go in the first place. ...oh idk there is something called work politics??? esp when you are a minority girl working at 80~90%+ white male company. 

Then it all boiled up to a particular bad fight where I said I need her to compromise because I’m ready to lose it... I explained so many things from above that was genuinely becoming so unhealthy for me...  How she said she’ll be better in the past but she continued on, etc. 

...lol... and the first thing she says to that is how she still doesn’t want me to cosplay with other people. I literally had a moment of that’s what’s so important to you??? SERIOUSLY? fuck this i’m not cosplaying ever again. period. Because at that point... because of the whole incident... or many incidents, I had such negative feeling towards the hobby I didn’t want to do it anyways... let alone this pairing she really liked... or the series etc.  god there was... so many more... like the time we went to a bar to have fun, she over drank even when I told her multiple times hey maybe you should slow down... She basically did the whole “drinking excess as an excuse to say what she wants after” “i’m drunk so I’m saying this” thing. So in a very public place, the bar was crowded, there were people all around us, she yelled VERY loudly about how I didn’t seem to want to have sex with her anymore. When I asked her to keep quiet, please can we talk about this elsewhere... she KEPT GOING- LOUDLY YELLING. Hysterically crying. Honestly... considering everything going on... yea I didn’t want to. At some point it did occur to me I didn’t want to have sex at all (and that was whole another level of problem considering I’ve always been very sexual person...) I mean I would have been totally willing to have a serious conversation about this but NOT AT A PUBLIC PLACE WITH STRANGERS ALL AROUND??? I was mortified. (this is also why I stopped going to nice bars... i used to enjoy them. After my early 20s, I didn’t drink to get drunk but I loved visiting creative bars and having a nice drink or two... well... not anymore lol)  Again, these are not even 50% of all that happened with this person. .... honestly this relationship caused me so much issues personally I haven’t even begin to solve. It’s actually to the point I’m considering therapy. 

But yea... sure it may not be the biggest of things but sometimes I’m very resentful I can’t enjoy the series I used to enjoy because I just automatically have VERY negative emotions about it. Same thing with cosplay, a hobby I used to be very happily involved in to relieve stress. I now have this almost... fight or flight feeling when they are mentioned, i freeze... it sometimes feels like something is pressing down on your lungs making it impossible to breath.  

...And this is also why... I started tumblr and ended up seeking company of online people who doesn’t really know me because... yea now I’m avoiding my friends at this point or mutuals with this person since... well, everyone thinks she’s a very nice person, very good for me... because on surface level, yea she does really seem like she likes me, gets me all these nice gifts etc. They still comment from time to time about how I should be doing better. Treat her better. Because if someone screws up in a relationship, given my history and personality, its probably my doing. ...Okay. any normal situation, yea I would say that’s probably true but this? this was not... yea.

[retro-rezz-the-est]

The Right Alpha pt. 2 (Drew/Reader/Roman A/B/O)

Summary: A/B/O action with Drew and Ro accompanied by real time plot lmao. No smut this time, but plenty of angst and fluff.

(A/N: I wanted to get this out for my birthday and for the 500 followers milestone last week but since I’m a lazy piece of shit who’s brain doesn’t work properly, I forgot lol. So here it is! Thanks once again for 500+ and let’s hope that I haven’t lost my marbles due to VKM’s crap by the next milestone. God bless @writinglionqueen and @writing-reigns for being my betas and my support system throughout this. Love y’all both! ^3^)

Warnings: a lot of harassment/sexual harassment, brief flashbacks of the douchebag ex from the first part and Roman and Drew bc they should come with their own warning labels lmao

Word Count: 6728

Read part one here 

(Y/n): your name

                                                       ~~~~~

“You sure you don’t need anything tonight?” Roman asked.

“Trust me, Ro, I’ll be fine,” you said, holding your phone to your ear as you walked towards the backstage door. Even though Ro was still scheduled to be at tonight’s show, he still had yet to show up to the arena. Duffel in hand, you shouldered the door open and were met with the bustling sounds of the production team and the stagehands prepping for that night’s SmackDown Live taping. 

You heard him chuckle in your ear. “If you say so, baby girl. Love you.”

“Love you too, Big Dog.”

Your heart felt light as you ended the call, sighing to yourself and holding the phone to your chest. You’ve been floating on air since Roman and Drew confronted you in that hallway after RAW a few months ago and with the implementation of the new, albeit incredibly stupid, “wild card rule”, you were able to spend more time with your Alphas. For the first time since jumping ship to the blue brand thanks to the new rule, you felt…

...happy.

You were actually eager to come into work that day, mentally preparing for your tag match with Bayley against Alexa and Nikki Cross. Sporting one of the merch tees you stole from Ro and a pair of jean shorts, you tried to maneuver your way around everyone and make it to the women’s locker room in one piece. You tugged on it and bought the collar to your face, inhaling and smiling as the scent of your alpha washed over you.

You really have it bad, don’t you? you asked yourself, your thoughts taking over.

Yep, and I don’t mind one bit.

You didn’t notice the figure in front of you until you crashed into them nose-first, bashing your head against the back of theirs.

“Shit,” you said, pocketing your cell as you tried to speak with a mouth full of hair. “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention!”

“It’s ok, girl. I shouldn’t have been standing around like an idiot,” the voice replied, their body turning to face you.

The now-revealed Smackdown Women’s Champ ran a hand through her long hair and smiled at you, taking her other hand off of her suitcase’s handle briefly to give you one of her iconic hugs. When you first transferred from the Monday show, the Beta was the first person to show you any sort of kindness. So, the two of you became fast friends, looking out for each other both in and out of the ring. “So, how’s my fave tag team partner doing?”

“I’m doing well, actually,” you replied as you started off on you way again, her trailing closely behind you. “SmackDown’s a lot more chill than Raw is, to be honest.”

She let out another short laugh. “You’re not wrong here, (Y/n), but the wild card rule keeps shaking everything up around here.”

“Ugh, tell me about it. If I keep having to see the same people getting pushed when there’s quality talent just sitting back here, I’m gonna pull my hair out.”

“I know, right? I’d love to face some of the other girls here, like Kairi or Ember,” she added, unzipping her dark grey hoodie.

You raised your brow at her suggestions and noted, “I would actually pay to see those matches happen.”

“Well, at least it hasn’t been all that bad lately. You still get to see your mates every day thanks to the rule,” she sighed in content and looked at you. “I’m literally so jealous of you. Two mates! How do you guys even function?”

You started to ramble on about your relationship with the two Superstars as the two of you continued to walk down to the locker rooms, but you soon noticed Bayley glancing at you funny.

“What?” you asked her, brushing yourself off. “Is there something on me? Is there something on my face?”

“Nah, there isn’t. I was just hoping that you were gonna get into the more… juicy details,” she cheekily wondered, a sly grin plastered on her face.

“B-Bayley! I’m not gonna gossip about my sex life here! There are three topics you don’t talk about at work: politics, religion, and sex!”

“Aww, come on, live a little!” the beta whined. “Just this one little thing? For me?”

She already knew the answer the moment she looked back at your face, pouting in defeat. She made a move for her pocket and paused, feeling around in it when her eyes went wide.

“What’s wrong, Bayley?”

Groaning, she answered, “My hair ties. I think I left them with that stagehand I bumped into when I got here about an hour ago. Can you wait for me here and watch my bag while I try to find them? I promise I won’t be gone for long.”

“Of course,” you responded as she handed her small suitcase over to you. She shouted a “thank you” in your direction as she ran off and turned a corner.

You dropped your duffel on top of her suitcase and pulled your phone back out and leaned up against the wall behind you, scrolling through your old texts as you drowned out the hustle and bustle around you. You opened your group chat with Drew and Ro, giggling at how they both complained about working with Shane and his behavior.

Reading through the messages, you didn’t notice the shadow that had just loomed over your body. A hand slapped the wall next to your head, but you didn’t want to look up. You didn’t want to look up because you already knew who it was.

Speak of the fucking devil.

“Hello, (Y/n).”

You could already hear the sickly sweet adoration dripping from his voice, but you still didn’t look at him when you responded. “What the hell do you want, Shane?”

“Woah there, Omega. Is that any way to speak to your boss? I feel offended,” he said, his voice still filled with endless loads of fakeness. You could smell the cockiness rolling off him in waves, so much so that you had to hold your breath whenever he was around. The hand on the wall was slowly moving closer to your head and you could hear it, and you hoped to whoever’s above that someone would do something about it.

But no one ever did.

You could feel your hands starting to tremble as he leaned closer to your face. “I was just gonna ask where your two big, bad Alphas were, sweetheart. There’s no harm in that.”

The weight of his leer felt like a brick pressing against your forehead and you kept getting whiffs of want her and mine that you sure as hell didn’t need today. The Alpha above you moved a piece of hair away from your face and chuckled at your hesitance, already familiar with it.

“Y-You should already know where Drew is, you prick. And Ro’s here as well. He’s just not… here… right now.”

Your wolf was going absolutely batshit at the sight of him, and the thought of him touching you made it even more ravenous.

Hit him! Tear into his smug face! Kick him in the balls! Tell him off! Do something already!

You could feel your teeth start to grow sharper as he chuckled again, his free hand descending to your waist while the other made its way to the back of your head. You could feel his gaze lingering in your cleavage, and you felt more exposed than before.

Why can’t he just leave me alone, for fuck’s sake?

“Oh, he’s not here right now? What a shame. Truly,” he said teasingly. Shane’s hands gripped you tighter as he pulled you closer to him, forcing you to look up at him and drop your phone to the floor with a clatter. His eyes were malicious, but they held in them a caring look so fake and plastic that it made you sick.

Your entire body shuddered as you looked into his empty eyes. “Yeah, he’s not here now. So, w-what do you want from me, S-Shane?”

It was still shocking how no one passing by saw him do this to you. It still shocked you how no one interfered with him tormenting you like this.

“You know what I want, (Y/n). Just say yes and I’ll go.”

Resisting the urge to scoff, you uttered, “The fucking answer’s still no and you know why.”

“Aww, come on, live a little!” he whined, mocking Bayley’s earlier comment and making you cringe. “I could show you a really fun time.”

He managed to pull you even closer to his chest and he leaned down to your ear. “Just picture it: a night out celebrating with me and Drew after beating your pathetic, waste of space mate to a pulp once again. And as the night grows even later, we could get more… intimate, if you will.”

Don’t say anything, you told your wolf despite the immediate pushback from it. Shane’s breath was near potent and you actually felt the need to eject a wave of vomit onto his Jordans. Keep quiet and don’t make this any worse for me.

“Plus, seeing as those two idiots haven’t even claimed you yet, I can show that Scottish dud how it’s really done.”

Gripping your hair, he yanked your head back and bashed your head on the wall, ogling at your unmarked neck while you hissed in pain. With your arms stuck against his body, his head fell and he drew his nose over the skin. “You’d love being mine, Omega. I’d treat you right, unlike those absolute brutes you have for mates.”

Don’t do anything because if you do, then you’ll bite his nose off and we’ll be out of a job.

“What do you say, (Y/n)? You wanna take this for a test drive?”

His wedding band started to dig into your side through your shirt and you yelped, telling him, “You shouldn’t be doing this, Shane. You’re married, right? And you have pups?”

He roared with laughter at your comment, and all you wanted to do in that moment was curl into a ball and hide with your mates at your side. He responded with a large grin, saying, “And what about it, sweetheart? She doesn’t have to know now, does she?”

Moving up to your jaw from your neck, his lips brushed against your cheek as he added, “And besides, you like knowing that, don’t you?”

Before he could move closer to your own mouth, his own phone rang and you thanked every deity in existence that he released you and moved away to take the call.

“We’ll finish this conversation later, (Y/n). I’ll see you around.”

Holding the phone to his ear, he brushed off his chest with his free hand and casually walked away, you looking bewildered as he did so. You felt nauseous and dirty, feeling your now sharpened nails digging into the palms of your hands as you curled them into fists.

You hated this.

You’ve hated it since he started this little “game” of his a month ago, and you sure as hell hate it now. You hated how easily he could corner you and make you feel as vulnerable and weak as a small child. And you couldn’t even do anything about it because he was your fucking boss!

Your wolf howled in anger, letting out kill and must tell mates with every other breath. Everything around you continued as normal, but you knew that it was far from it. Your eyes burned with the feeling of unfallen tears and you could feel your breath grow faint when a familiar voice reared in the background. 

“Hey, (Y/n)! I’m back! Sorry I took so long, the stagehand wasn’t in the spot where I had found them originally and I had to go searching for them again but that took ages-”

Bayley stopped her mini rant and took a good look at you, your entire attitude seeming to deflate since she had left originally.

“Hey, are you okay?” the Beta asked you. “You look...sick. Like you’ve just seen a ghost or something.”

Blinking the tears away, you forced a laugh out and moved your hands behind your back. “It’s fine. I’m just… just a little nervous about tonight. It’s my first time going against Alexa and I want my first match with her to go well.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll be fi- oh my god, (Y/n)!)”

You quickly looked around, eyes wide with shock. “What? What happened? What is it?”

“Your hands!”

“My wha- oh.”

Drops of blood were currently dripping from your fists and onto the floor, making small puddles at your sides. You didn’t feel the bite of your nails digging into your skin, but you chuckled nervously and tried to hide them again. She grabbed your wrists in one hand and reached for her bag with the other.

“We have to get these cleaned and wrapped before out match tonight. Come on!” she told you, hoisting your bag onto her shoulder and dragging you by your wrist to the medical personnel with her free hand.

~~~~~

“Haha, take that, Bliss! You’re never getting your hands on this!” Bayley exclaimed at the blonde as the woman clutched her sides at the champ’s feet, you raising her arm above her head in victory. Moments later, Nikki slid into the ring as soon as you two slipped out of it.

Bayley gave you a hug as she started to make her way up the ramp with her title held high, Bliss and Cross limping back up a few minutes later. You, however, walked in the direction of the announce table where an empty chair and headset were waiting for you. You gave a brief greeting to Graves, Saxton and Philips before situating yourself next to the first man.

The last match of the night was a one-on-one bout between Ro and Shane and as always, Shane cockily walked out to the ring with Drew in tow to the sounds of boos from the crowd and his “best in the world” introduction. Drew grabbed two mics for him and Shane before they both climbed into the ring, looking like they absolutely owned the place. It would’ve made you smile if it weren’t for him being the lackey at the likes of Shane. 

Shane raised his to his mouth and was about to talk, but he was interrupted by the blaring sound of Roman’s theme. He came out with a smirk on his face and you could almost hear the thud of his boots as he stalked to the ring.

He threw you a wink when he made it to the ropes closest to you and you smiled, hearing the ref signal for the bell and seeing Shane immediately rush at him from behind. He threw his forearm into the back of Roman’s head and crippled him, making you gasp. Drew applauded at ringside and the two of you locked eyes.

You shuddered under his intense gaze and you quickly looked away just in time to see Shane stomping out Roman, your mate groaning as his heel connected with his chest. You glanced away from the match briefly to discuss other matters with your fellow commentators (minus Graves, of course) before turning back and seeing Shane glaring directly at you, the look in his eyes making feel nauseous as you wrap your arms around your torso.

He winked at you like Roman had, taking his time raking those eyes along your figure and Roman was quick to notice. The Samoan bared his teeth and growled as he began to let out his wolf and rose from the ring floor, charging at Shane and spearing his head into the ringpost he was closest to. As the grey-haired Alpha started to regain his senses again, he threw his chest back and howled with the rest of the Universe and speared Shane again. The match was over before you could even blink, and Roman quickly pinned the other Alpha to pick up the win.

Huh, Shane’s off his game tonight. Good, you thought as you heard the three-count and you stood to clap for your mate. Taking off your headset and thanking the three men at commentary, you made your way into the ring and took Roman’s arm to raise it.

You two quickly moved out of it and began walking up the ramp side by side, his arm thrown around your shoulders and your own wrapped around his waist. Glancing behind you, you saw the dirty look Shane threw you and you smiled internally at that, claiming it as a small victory over him.

He pulled you aside near some supply crates as you made it backstage, bringing you into his chest while you inhaled his familiar scent. It had momentarily calmed your nerves down, being there with him, but they were briskly replaced by a new feeling of dread when he moved your hands from around him and looked down at your bandaged hands.

“How’d this happen, Omega?” Roman asked, worry making his brows furrow. “Did you hurt yourself?”

He started to rub at where the skin of your palms would be as you answered him. “Yeah, I did. I was nervous my match and I didn’t notice my nails digging into my hands. Bayley bandaged me up well, so I should be fine.”

You and your own wolf felt bad for lying to him about them, but you didn’t need him going after Shane with a death wish in tow and getting fired because of it.

This is better, you assumed, seeing his eyes grow soft. It’s better for all of us.

“I’m just glad that you were able to pin Shane tonight,” You raised your hands to cup his face and he nuzzled himself into them, making you chuckle. “Lord knows he needs to be put in his place.”

Roman laughed as you said the last bit under your breath, squeezing your waist before lifting his hands to move yours from his face. “Speaking of Shane,” he questioned, looking down at you with concern in his warm brown eyes, “what was that wink all about during the match? Is there something you’re not telling me, baby girl?”

“What? No,” you scoffed, answering him quickly. “Shane’s just being his usual dickish self in order to get under your skin and make you mad. Nothing more.”

The quickness of your response made the Alpha quirk his brow for a second when he smelled hurt and shame wafting off of you but he brushed it off, agreeing with you. You rose onto your toes and planted a kiss to his cheek, saying, “Now, you wait for Drew here while I go and get our things ready, ok?”

You let go of him and began walking away, hearing him reply with a “yes ma’am” and pivoting on your heel to see him throw up a faux salute in your direction. His eyes lingered on you even as your figure grew smaller until you finally turned a corner.

Your heart wanted to fall out of your chest and flop around on the floor when he asked you about your hands, and even more so when he asked about Shane’s shitty excuse of a wink. But, you persisted, even though your wolf continued to berate you about the situation.

Lying will not make this better. Makes it worse for you and mates. You’ll see.

~~~~~

Since your tag match with Bayley against Bliss and Cross went over so well on SmackDown, you were told that you had to give a dual promo with the blonde Omega the next week on the red brand. 

You arrived to the arena dressed in a casual black tank with some skinny jeans, your sweater tied around your waist. Since the skin on your hands was starting to heal and you didn’t want to encounter Shane again, you decided to take the longer route to the locker room instead, using as many of the hallways as you could. He was always lingering somewhere on both shows and was always eager to find you, and you weren’t taking any chances.

A few minutes had passed since you’d seen anyone and you let out a breath you didn’t even know you were holding in. Turning down another empty hall, you felt a presence trailing behind you as you walked, but you paid it no mind. Then, a rough hand grasped your shoulder and spun you around.

“Thought you could run away from me, little Omega?”

How in the absolute hell?!

Your eyes went wide when he spun you around and pinned your arms to your sides. Shane moved in closer and you had the incredible urge to just raise your head and scratch his face up with your teeth.

“H-How did you find me?”

His laughter bounced off the concrete walls, making your bones vibrate. “I told you last week that we’d finish our conversation later. And to me, ‘later’ means ‘right fucking now’.”

He laughed again at your lack of words, your mouth slightly agape and hyperventilating. You were smart in that you didn’t ball your hands up as to not puncture the skin of your palms again, but you were damn near close to.

You could feel his hands sliding up your bare arms and situate themselves at the base of your neck, his thumbs drawing figures along your collarbone. All you could see was his smug grin, complete with eyes that were filled with absolutely zero remorse for what he was doing.

“Why do you do this to m-me, Shane? What did I do to you?”

This caught his attention. “You haven’t done anything yet, but you will.”

Huh?

“Like I said numerous times before, you’ll need a real Alpha like myself to show you the ropes. You’ll need me to claim you and show you how to be a good-”

He talked to you as if you were an incompetent child, and his hold on you grew tighter with every word. You began to struggle and try to get yourself out and away from him, but to no avail.

This hurts.

“- obedient -”

Pain.

“- little Omega for me, (Y/n).”

Struggling became useless as your breathing became quicker and quicker with each passing second and you shut your eyes tight, feeling them shift along with your teeth. His words were reminiscent of those from your ex-lover, and you couldn’t help but see blood red all over at the sound of them. 

All you could think of was how dirty your ex made you feel, putting you down constantly with his hurtful, disgusting actions and words, and he made you feel the exact same way that he had and you wanted him to. You had to physically hold yourself back from pouncing on him and dragging his face into the ground.

Get him now!

“Shane? Shane, where th’ fuck are ya? We’re on in thirty bloody minutes!”

Oh, thank the gods above.

Shane groaned and released you abruptly, causing you to stagger back. “Fucking hell, Drew.”

The large Scottish Alpha’s feet reverberated off the walls around you and he turned the corner closest to you two, looking around. He spotted you both and stomped over, clearly pissed off with Shane.

“What th’ hell, man?! Ya say you were gonna meet me here, an’ then you just rush out like a bat outta hell!”

Dressed in a simple white tee and jeans with a leather jacket on top, he curled his hands and growled, letting off more feral scents combined with his usual one. Through his frustration, he saw the glow of your shifting eyes and how much you were trembling, accompanied by the growing of your nails at your sides.

Eyes flickering between the two of you, he looked at the other Alpha and grimaced. “And what were ya doin’ all alone here with my mate, Shane? I thought I told ya she’s taken.”

The other man chuckled nervously as you cupped your neck, feeling the imprints from his fingers already beginning to bloom into small bruises.

“We weren’t doing anything, McIntyre. I just caught up with her and was just politely asking her a question about her new feud with Alexa. Isn’t that tight, (Y/n)?”

You nearly barfed at his piss poor attempt at being nice, but you decided to play along. “Yeah,” you murmured, willing your eyes to fade to their normal hue and your nails and teeth to shrink down. “We’re all good here.”

You feigned another laugh and quickly put your sweater on, zipping it up fully to keep your skin hidden. Drew looked as if he didn’t buy any of it but soon turned around, grabbing Shane by the collar and dragging him away.

“Woah, hey now, watch the shirt! This thing is worth more than your monthly salary!”

“Cut th’ shit,” the Scot grumbled, stomping away with him in tow. “We’re already running behind schedule and I don’t need t’ hear your daddy runnin’ his mouth at me again.”

And with that, the duo disappeared behind another wall, their voices fading into nothing while you stumbled back into the wall behind you, clutching your chest and feeling your heart race.

“Great,” you muttered, briskly walking in the opposite direction of them. “Hope the Glam Squad has enough concealer to cover these up.”

Your promo was one of the first segments of the night and you were finished with it relatively quickly, getting a fairly good reaction from the crowd when the other woman had come out to do her bit. You were glad everything went smoothly once you finished and when you finally got backstage, you started to make the journey back to get the remainder of your things and head back to the hotel.

You made it to the women’s locker room and shut the door, grabbing your sweater and bending down to stuff it into the bag you had Natalya bring for you. You got out your phone to text your mates and ask them when they were going to be finished when the door behind you creaked open, twin footfalls thudding on the floor. Their scent slowly filled the room surrounded you before you saw them and you relaxed your shoulders.

“Hey, are you guys finished for the night? I was gonna text you to see when you-”

You pivoted on your heel to face the two large Alphas with a grin on your face, Roman dressed in a long sleeved black tee and shorts and Drew in the outfit you saw him in earlier. They stared back at you intensely, Roman crossing his arms and Drew moving to go lock the door.

You shuddered under their intense glares, asking, “Is everything okay?”

Roman was the first one to speak, uncrossing his arms and walking over to you. He moved your bag and took your hand, sitting you down on the bench behind you as the Scot watched from the door.

“Me and Drew were talking earlier, and we feel like you’re hiding something from us, ‘mega.”

Oh, help me now.

“Me? Hiding something from you two?” you pondered, scoffing and chuckling anxiously. “Everything’s totally fine. Trust me.”

“And there it is again,” he shot back, “you’re doing that thing again. You’ve been acting skittish and dodging our questions for almost a month now. Why won’t you tell us what’s wrong?”

He was confused, and you could clearly see the hurt in his eyes when you looked into them. But you couldn’t bring yourself to tell them yet.

Do it.

“I mean, was it something that we said? Something we did?”

“N-No, of course not, Ro! You know you’d never do anything to hurt me! You both wouldn’t!”

You sighed and took your hands out of his, placing them on your head as your eyes fell to your lap. It took everything in you not to burst out into a fiery mix or rage and tears. “Look, I already told you guys before. It’s noth-”

A loud bang brought you back from your stupor and you yelped, jumping out of your skin and directing your attention to the door. Drew stood there with the side of his fist against the door, and there was a crack emulating from the impact.

“Enough of this, (Y/n). We’re your Alphas, your mates. You’re supposed t’ tell us when something’s up. Why’re ya hidin’ from us?” he whispered, his voice cracking near the end.

Drew didn’t really express his more sentimental emotions outright but when he did, it absolutely crushed you. You could see your mates hurting - feel them hurting - and they were slowly chipping away at your walls. The silence after he spoke was deafening and you knew that if a pin fell then, you would hear it.

Every second felt like a minute and every minute felt like an eternity until you opened your mouth again.

“I don’t want you both to think that I’m a bad Omega for not saying something sooner.”

Your soft voice prompted Drew to move away from the door and kneel down to your height, placing both of his hands on your thigh. “Leannan (sweetheart), nothing ya say right now will make us ever think that. You’re our mate, and ya should be able to tell us anything plaguin’ ya.”

“We love you, (Y/n), and we do care,” Roman added, moving his hand to cup your cheek. “You don’t have to tell us everything if it’s too much, but at least give us something.”

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

The fuse was lit.

Boom.

With that permission, you didn’t notice how quickly your body shifted into attack mode and you hastily stood, knocking your bag over.

“It’s fucking Shane’s fucking fault!” you barked, baring your teeth and nails to no one. “He keeps on stalking me and harassing me and bothering me and saying how much fucking better he’d be as my mate!”

You moved from the bench and began to pace the room, huffing and blocking out all outside noises as you continued to rant. “That little rich shitbag thinks he can do all of this over and over again with no consequence, and he thinks that he can just grab me and toss me around like I’m some useless thing! It makes me feel sick and dirty and… argh!”

The two Alphas jumped when you kicked a nearby locker, putting a dent in the shape of your foot in it. “I want to claw his eyes and scratch his smug stupid face! I hate it when he says that he’s gonna ‘show me the ropes’ and fucking claim me as his own when he’s got a whole wife and pups!”

You paused to catch your breath but you couldn’t stop the tears that were burning your eyes from falling. Your back hit the wall and you slid to the floor, cradling your face in your hands.

“I just… what did I do to deserve any of this?”

Your mates rushed to your sides as you cried, Drew holding you to his chest as you let the tears flow. You could feel Drew's heart beat faster and faster and you could feel Roman's heavy breathing on your neck.

The Samoan stood up and looked at your wrecked form, growling. You could see his eyes dilated and flash gold for a second before he turned away from you and unlocked the door, almost ripping it from its hinges as he stormed out with murder on his mind.

“Shane! Where the fuck are you, you bastard?! I’m gonna tear you apart!”

Oh fuck, you though, untangling yourself from Drew and getting up as quickly as you could to follow him. You two scrambled outside to find the wild Alpha and spotted him barreling through anyone who dared to get in his way as he continued to shout.

“Everyone get the hell out of my way! Where’s Shane?! I’m gonna fucking kill him!”

You ran after him, shoving past poor stagehands and other Superstars to get to your angered mate. Reaching him, you took his wrist and spun him around, seeing his eyes blown out to a full gold. His chest heaved with every harsh breath, and you could see veins popping out of his neck from how hard he was clenching his teeth.

“You see? This is why I didn’t tell you in the first place! I didn’t want you to go on a murder-happy fucking rampage and lose your damn job!”

“She’s got a point,” Drew added, firmly grasping Ro’s other wrist. “You need to think!”

He was having none of it. “He hurt my mate, our mate, and that waste of space needs to pay! I’ll find him and rip out his eyes myself.”

It scared you how aggressive he was when he meant it, but you stood your ground. “You’re not the only one who wants to kill that bag of human scum, Roman, but we do have to be smart about this.”

“We can deal with him next week,” you sighed. “Just… just calm down, please.”

No! Now! Get him now!

Drew nodded, agreeing with you and helping you to pull the other man back in the opposite go get the rest of your things even though he continued to try and escape. You smiled to yourself, though, at the thought of the things you were going to do to Vince’s son in the near future.

                                                          ~~~~~

For the next week, your two mates didn’t leave your side for a second, with Roman escorting you out to the ring for your match on SmackDown the next night and Drew acting as your personal bodyguard when the cameras weren’t rolling. They wouldn’t let anyone get near you, growling and baring their teeth at anyone who wasn’t a personal friend who dared to get in your personal space.

Monday came far too soon and the three of you arrived to the arena, game faces on as you waltzed in like your own little pack. They each had an arm around your waist with a hand in each of your back pockets, leering at everyone while you grinned.

Roman and Drew were already planned to have another in-ring bout prior to Extreme Rules, but they wanted to have you out for the main event as support. You already knew that Shane was going to be there, going ringside to cheer the Scotsman on and berate his opponent.

You all had your roles, you all had your positions. Now, it was just time to put it all into play.

As their match was the one to close out the night, you had to deal with hearing Shane’s long introduction when him and Drew went through the curtain. You watched them travel to the ring and you saw the Scottish Alpha’s hand twitch, eager to get his large hands on the man next to him.

Shane continued to rant before you and Roman cut him off, trekking down to the ring to meet him. He swiftly ducked under the ropes as Ro approached him but he smiled at you when he saw you, instantly making you sick to your stomach.

Gripping his elbow, you whispered, “You know what to do, right?”

“Of course I do, baby girl,” he replied, brushing you off. “I got this.”

He smirked at you, climbing up the steps and under the ropes. The bell rang and the match began with the two men locking into each other in the middle of the squared circle, Drew quickly getting Roman into a headlock and bringing him down to one knee.

He managed to shove the larger man off of him and into the ropes to throw his forearm into his clavicle and drop him down with a thud. Roman roared as a “Let’s go, Roman!” chant erupted from the crowds. You applauded him and Shane sneered, creeping closer to the ropes like a rat to freshly tossed food.

The match went on for several minutes, each filled with blows delivered and taken by both Superstars. Drew took a harsh Driveby from Ro on the edge of the ring and you were almost certain that he had been knocked out, had it been for the groan he made when he reached up to rub at his head.

It quickly turned to the Samoan being on the receiving end of most of the blows when Drew landed a nasty Glasgow Kiss to his skull, dropping him like a fly. He dragged the fallen wrestler to the middle of the ring, standing above him menacingly.

“Pin him! What are you doing, man? Just pin him already and get it over with!”

Shane’s loud voice could be heard above all else and you prayed that Roman would get up and walk it off like it was nothing. Instead, Drew chuckled and ducked out of the ring, walking around it to come face to face with the McMahon. As the older Alpha continued to go on and on, your mate threw the fastest right hook you’ve ever seen, making Shane plummet to the floor like a stone in water.

You looked around at the shocked faces of the commentators as well as various members of the WWE Universe, but you didn’t expect the roaring cheer that one move got.

He kneeled down to his level and proceeded to pumble the man further, driving fist after fist and hit after hit into him. You were full-on belly laughing at that point, noting how comical it was to see the once high and mighty Shane McMahon who had cornered you numerous times be put in a similar, vulnerable position.

It was beautiful.

Hearing the newfound commotion, Roman arose from his spot on the ring floor akin to the Undertaker and the crowd went wild once more. He got up and ran to the ropes behind him, bouncing back from them and diving over the set in front of him, Drew moving so he wouldn’t get hit.

Shane’s head struck the ramp below and began bleeding as his face and body grew battered and bruised. The two men towered above him and rained down blows and kicks galore, and you wished you had a phone with you to record the magic happening. They then hooked an arm under one of his and hoisted him up from the ground, looking at you gleefully. 

It was your time to shine, your chance to get your licks in.

“Go on, leannan!” Drew shouted, a wide, wicked smile plastered on his face. “Show this ugly bastard what’s for!”

Roman laughed alongside him. “Show ‘im your spitfire, Omega! Make him pay for what he did to you!”

Make him pay.

You roared, baring your sharpened teeth and charged at the silver-haired man, landing a solid dropkick to the middle of his chest. He fell with an “oof” and laid there like a limp ragdoll, but you weren’t going to let that deter you from having your own fun.

“If you ever-”

Punch.

“-ever-”

Another punch.

“-ever-”

One more for good measure.

“-think about touching me or talking useless crap about my mates again, I will fucking. End. You!”

With every word let out, you let out led to another hit to his body, your feet flying everywhere they could reach. After a solid five minutes of you three tossing him around and beating him to a pulp, you landed a fine tuned pointed-toe kick to his crotch. He crumbled to the ground, clutching his body as you and your mates looked on victoriously.

You could barely hear yourself think over the commotion going on around you, but you didn’t care. You got your payback. You all did and if he tries some shit like that again, you’ll be bound to pay him back again by a ten-fold.

You raced up the ramp to meet your lovers at the head, raising their arms to signal your win against Shane’s bullshit. You felt a weight being lifted off of your chest and you felt relieved for the first time in over a month.

Karma really is a beautiful thing, isn’t it?

                                                         ~~~~~

~~ Tag List: @writinglionqueen @writing-reigns @i-have-saracasm @yaint-me @calum-hoodwinked-me @missmoxy @gold–gucciempress @mistress-to-the-moon@mis @meishaabae @luciddrreamss @neversatisfiedgirl @the-carter-mob-don @aj-mac21 @crossfitjesusinskinnyjeans @finnsauroraborealis@tacoshu @ladytea19 @candicelerae @sassybrose @bambixbliss @lookalivesunshine-x @liamakorn @baddie-bismuth @deepdisireslonging@flawlessglamazon @myorlandobloomersareshowing @thegoblin-maiden @justsimplevicky @taryn-dibiase @caramara3 @hardcorewwetrash @shieldgirl18 @demonkingsangel @speckylynch @mondaynightrollynch ~~

If you want to be added to my tag list, shoot me an ask or a DM! ^^

[sassyshoulderangel319]

Notes: This isn’t part of my Sanders Sides merfolk story that I’ve been writing. TBH I’m not 100% sure where this came from. @puns-and-patton @eequalsmcscared (Tagging you two because you’re my friends!)

“OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MOOOOORRRNNNING! OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAAAAAAY! I’VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL FEEEEEEEEEELING! EVERYTHING’S GOin’ my waaay!” Roman sang as he and his roommates piled their beach stuff out of Logan’s car and onto the asphalt in the parking lot so they could take it down to the beach.

Virgil rolled his eyes. The only compromise for the warm weather that he’d made was a purple T-shirt under his hoodie rather than the thick, dark, long-sleeved shirt he usually wore and a pair of violet plaid swim trunks with black sandals. His hood was still up over his purple hair. “The morning isn’t that gorgeous, Your Highness,” he snarked sarcastically, glancing up. “The clouds are gonna roll in soon and we might have to evacuate early---”

“Oh hush, Debbie Downer,” Roman retorted.

“Isn’t it Danny Downer for a boy?” Patton asked, hefting three beach towels, two huge umbrellas, a bag with their clothes, and a cooler into his arms and hands.

Logan shrugged, adjusted his sunglasses over his normal glasses, and picked up another cooler and his own towel. “Does it matter? Let’s go,” he said.

The four of them picked their way down the sandy, grass-lined path to the beach. It was a secluded spot that people rarely went to. It wasn’t an uncommon belief in their town that this stretch of sand was haunted. Older people would swear up and down that on some nights they could hear the most ethereal singing coming from this particular beach. Virgil loved listening to the tales, even if he didn’t believe any of them. Patton did too, mostly for the sake of a fun story. In fact, Logan was the only one who listened with irritation. He didn’t believe in ghosts---much less ones that sang.

Logan believed the rumor that the beach was haunted came from the fact that the Sirens’ Shoals was nearby---a shallow shoal that had wrecked many speedboats when the drivers weren’t careful. Nicknamed thus because sirens used to wreck ships and drown sailors.

When the four of them reached the beach, it was as empty as they expected. No one else ever came here. But the young men didn’t mind. They liked the privacy. They could be as loud as they wanted and no one could bother them.

They reached a spot near the rocks on the beach and started to set up. Patton put up umbrellas and Logan spread out towels. Roman slathered everyone in sunscreen---especially Virgil and Logan because they burned easily---while singing Broadway songs.

Patton was enjoying Roman’s performance. Virgil wasn’t. He put his earbuds in his ears and lounged back on one of the folding loungers they’d brought.

Though Roman’s singing was loud enough to be heard through the earbuds.

After a few minutes, Virgil rolled his eyes and got out of the chair, deciding to walk along the beach to the edge where the hill started again.

He stooped every so often to pick up broken pieces of seashells. The broken ones were his favorite. Reminders that not everything in life had to be perfect to be beautiful.

Virgil stopped walking as a monster wave washed up on shore and quickly receded. He could hear his roommates crying out in surprise and scrambling to get their gear out of reach. “The highest point of high tide is not supposed to be for another three hours!” Logan shouted.

Virgil didn’t even turn around to look at them.

He was too fascinated by what the wave left behind---more than wet sand.

A person with long hair flowing down to their hips. Though their hips and legs were buried under a layer of sopping wet sand. “Uh, pardon me, uh...” Sir? Miss? Was there a polite gender-neutral honorific that he was unaware of? Captain? Your Highness? “Pardon me? Are you alright?” he finished, deciding to forego the honorific altogether.

No response.

Virgil took a cautious step closer. The person was face-down so everything was hidden. Their face, their mouth---he hoped they could breathe---and anything that would indicate whether or not they were even alive.

Were they dead? Was that common? Was that why this place was thought to be haunted? Dead bodies washing up on the shore? How grim. He kinda enjoyed the thought. Another careful step towards the person. He should probably have called out for Patton and the others...

“Hello?” he pressed quietly.

The person sat up with a deep gasp, eyes wild and mouth open wide. They were covered in sand and panting. They seemed to present femininely, but Virgil decided not to preemptively assume anything.

They stared at him for several moments, still panting, as something dawned in their---remarkably dark---eyes. Which flicked up and down Virgil. Then focused on his legs.

Then another gasp. The newcomer scrambled toward the sea with their arms. Virgil noticed the legs dragging through the sand, still buried under a layer so he couldn’t see them well. Virgil didn’t even know what to do so he just stood, rooted to the spot, and watched them try to make it back into the water. The monster wave had washed them up pretty far though.

The person stopped. There was a moment of stillness. They slowly sagged back down onto the sand.

Virgil heard them crying.

He approached again---but only a few steps. “It’s alright. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

Those dark eyes turned back to look at him. The crying continued.

Okaaay... other people crying was really out of Virgil’s comfort zone. He really needed to call for Patton...

No need.

“Great Odin’s eyepatch!” Roman exclaimed from two feet behind Virgil’s left ear. He jumped and smacked his boisterous roommate’s arm. “Patton! Get over here!”

Running in sand was difficult but Patton managed to reach them in good time. “Oh sweetie!” he whispered, looking heartbroken that this person, half-buried in wet sand, was weeping. “It’s alright. We’re not going to hurt you. What’s wrong?”

The person hiccuped. “I... I can never go home,” they murmured quietly.

“Aw. Why not?” Patton pressed, approaching gently, hands out to show he meant no harm. He crouched next to them.

They threw their arms around Patton. “I lost my tail! And now I can never go home!”

Huh?

Virgil scrunched his eyebrows. “Your tail?”

The person nodded and wiggled their hips. The wet sand slid off their lower half---

To reveal a scaly fish tail. Long and elegant. Shimmering turquoise in the sunlight with a hint of silver on the edges. The fluke was wide and gracefully draped over the sand.

“By Persephone! You’re a mermaid!” Roman gasped. He caught himself. “I mean---I didn’t mean to presume. What I meant was---you’re a merperson. A member of the merfolk, if you will---”

The newcomer waved their hand dismissively. “Don’t hurt yourself. Mermaid is fine. I’m a girl,” she said.

Patton kept his hand on her shoulder. “Doesn’t look like you lost it to me,” he said comfortingly. “How come you can’t go home?”

She sniffed and wiped her nose. “I got caught in a fishing net. Pulled into a fishing boat. Once I was out of the water, my tail turned into legs.” As she spoke, a shimmer that resembled heat off a hot road passed over her long tail, revealing a pair of short, thin legs and a skirt of scales. “In my pod, if we lose our tail to legs for even a moment we are no longer welcome home.”

“How come?” Patton asked gently.

The mermaid girl’s eyes hardened. “Because humans are a disease to the planet and it’s a disgrace to walk among them.”

Roman made a noise that sounded what, “???” felt like.

Virgil grunted, arms folded over his ribs.

The girl broke down again. “And now I have to walk among them for the rest of my life or return to the ocean podless!” She buried her face in her hands and cried even harder. “Merfolk can’t survive without a pod. Not even me.”

Virgil crouched in front of her, relating to that sentiment. Much as his roommates got on his nerves at times, he didn’t know where he’d be without them. Certainly in a less-happy place than he was currently in.

Patton and Roman looked thoughtful for a moment.

And then Logan finally joined the party. “What’s all the hullabaloo abou---oh.” He stared at the girl. “Where... did you come from?” he asked.

“That big wave washed her up,” Virgil supplied.

“Ah. I see.”

Another wave washed up on the sand, Roman danced out of the way but Patton let it wash right over his lower body so the mermaid girl could continue to hold onto him. The wave hung on the sand for a moment and then receded back to the sea. Clumps of wet sand slid off the girl’s tail---which had reformed with the water.

Logan stared at her tail. “That’s not... that’s not possible!”

“Don’t be such a stick in the mud,” Virgil muttered. “It’s literally right in front of your eyes.”

“But Virgil---mermaids aren’t real.”

“We are too,” the girl retorted, getting over her sorrow for a moment to drown it in sass. “We just don’t like humans so we don’t contact them.” She gave him a sarcastic grin.

“Hey, we never caught your name,” Patton pointed out.

The girl bit her lower lip. “It’s, uh, it’s kinda hard to say in English. Hmm. Uh... you can call me... Aaralyn,” she said.

“Aaralyn. How about you come home with us for a couple days?” Patton suggested. “We’ll help you figure everything out.”

“Uh... why?” Logan put in.

“We’ll explain in a minute,” Virgil said. He turned his attention back to Aaralyn. “Yeah kid. We’re pretty chill. We can give you a couple pointers on human life.”

She shook her head. “I really couldn’t ask you---we’re practically strangers---”

“That’s okay. You need help,” Patton pressed.

“Not to mention you’re a mermaid,” Roman added, looking awestruck.

“Which is not the point,” Patton chastised.

“Nah. Just a bonus,” Virgil put in, arms still folded over his chest.

“How about this, kiddo. We came to the beach to play and hang out. How about you stay with us till it’s time for us to go home and then make your decision?”

Aaralyn nodded. “I can do that,” she said.

Patton beamed. “Wonderful!”

Virgil watched Patton and Roman have a water fight in the waves with a disinterested expression on his face. Logan was reading a book on his foldable lounge chair. When Virgil glanced at said book, he expected it to maybe be a mystery novel---Logan’s favorite type of novel to read. Nope. Logan was legitimately sitting on a lounge chair reading a chemistry textbook.

“Didn’t you graduate college, like, six years ago?” Virgil asked.

“Yes,” Logan said blandly.

“So how come the textbook?”

“It’s fascinating.”

Virgil blinked. “Right,” he said.

“What’s a textbook?” Aaralyn asked from where she had quietly been sculpting the sand into a coral reef.

“It’s a type of book meant to teach,” Logan said. “Most often used for school.”

“Correction: only used for school by everyone except you,” Virgil joked. “You’re the only person I know who reads textbooks for enjoyment.” Logan shrugged and turned his page, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“PATTON!” Roman shouted. “PATTON THAT’S A RIP!”

The three heads of those on the beach whirled to see Patton fighting against a current, struggling to make it back to shore.

Aaralyn sprung to her feet and bolted into the waves. Virgil jumped up as well and ran to the edge, only able to watch as she dove in with perfect diving form. After a moment the fluke of her tail smacked the top of the water as it disappeared under.

There were several tense moments of silence while Patton fought the riptide before Aaralyn’s head appeared behind him. She wrapped one arm around his chest and pulled him onto his back. Roman, Logan, and Virgil watched tensely as she gently pulled him out of the riptide, off to the side, and then back to the beach. Patton washed up gracelessly, coughing and crawling onto dry sand on all fours.

Aaralyn washed up looking even worse, tail flapping uselessly in water too shallow to swim in and hair hanging in sopped clumps on either side of her face. Both of them were panting, sagged in the sand and not getting up.

Patton regained his feet first and went over to Aaralyn, offering her his hand. She took it and let him help her back to her face once her tail vanished.

Virgil would never tell Roman, but Patton was the strongest of the four roommates. Patton liked going to the gym and working out so he was strong enough to take care of his friends---and give the absolute best hugs.

One of which he immediately bestowed upon Aaralyn. He wrapped her up in a powerful hug. “You saved me,” he whispered.

Virgil ran and wrapped his arms around both of them. Aaralyn flinched but didn’t retreat.

Roman trudged out of the sea and he joined the group hug. Logan hung back, not particularly fond of physical affection.

“Thank you, Aaralyn,” Virgil said quietly.

She nodded. “Of course,” she replied.

“Are you going to let us help you learn to be human now?” Patton asked. “Come stay with us so we---well, I---can repay you?”

Aaralyn sighed. “You owe me nothing, Patton,” she said.

“Yes I do.”

“We all do. Patton is the heart of our little... band. We’d be lost without him,” Virgil said.

Aaralyn “Hmm”ed and rocked back and forth in the sand. “Oh. Well... alright,” she agreed. “Just for a little while.”

Patton beamed. “Yay! This’ll be fun!”

[dumbledearme]

chapter forty-three—freedom and courage

Okay... So I may or may not have stolen Elizabeth Swan's speech from Pirates of the Caribbean. What can I say, I'm a huge fan. (So credit’s hers)

read Child of Land and Sea here

Act V — Walking On Water

Part VI — But if you're not convinced that I'm invincible, put me to the test! I'd love to lay this rivalry to rest.

"What did they do to my city?" Andy's voice sounded tight and angry. She stood with the other campers looking down at New York. She could see almost everything from there and what she saw was the calmness, the silence. Even in the dead of night, New York is never silent. What had they done?

Traffic had stopped. Pedestrians were lying on the sidewalks. There was no sign of violence, no wrecks, nothing like that.

"Are they dead?" Silena asked in astonishment.

Andy shook her head. "No. Morpheus must have put the entire island of Manhattan to sleep. The invasion has started."

Anthony and Andy went to find Argus. The man was rummaging around in the back of his van. He brought out a bronze shield and passed it to Anthony. When he set it on the ground, the reflection on the polished metal changed from sky and buildings to the Statue of Liberty.

"A video shield?" Andy guessed.

"One of Daedalus's ideas," Anthony said. "I had Beckendorf make this before- Well, it bends sunlight or moonlight from anywhere in the world to create a reflection. You can literally see any target under the sun or moon, as long as natural light is touching it. It will let us see what's going on across the city. Thank you, Argus."

Argus grunted.

"You'd better get back to camp," Andy told him. "Guard it as best as you can." Then she called Mrs O'Leary. "Hey, girl. Remember Grover? The satyr? I need you to find him. We're going to need his help." The dog gave her a sloppy wet kiss and raced off north.

Anthony and Andy went back to the others.

"I don't get it," Pollux was saying. "Why didn't we fall asleep, too? Why just the mortals?"

"This is a huge spell," Silena answered. "The bigger the spell, the easier it is to resist. If you want millions of mortals to sleep, you've got to cast a very thin layer of magic. Sleeping demigods is much harder."

"How do you know that?" Andy asked.

Silena blushed. "I'm not just a pretty face."

"Andy," Anthony said; he was looking at the shield. "You'd better see this."

The image showed Long Island Sound near La Guardia. A fleet of a dozen speedboats raced through the dark water toward Manhattan. Each boat a packed with demigods in full Greek armor.

"Scan the perimeter of the island," she said. "Quick."

Anthony shifted the scene south to the harbor. Staten Island Ferry was plowing trough the waves near Ellis Island. The deck was crowded with dracaenae and whole pack of hell-hounds. Swimming in front of the ship was a pod of telkhines.

The scene shifted again: the Jersey shore, right at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. A hundred assorted monsters were marching past the lanes of stopped traffic: giants with clubs, rogue Cyclopes, a few fire-spitting dragons.

"What's happening to the other mortals?" Andy asked. "I mean, is the whole state asleep?"

Anthony frowned. "I don't think so, but it's strange. As far as I can tell from these pictures, Manhattan is totally asleep. Then there's like a fifty-mile radius around the island where time is running really, really slow. The closer you get to Manhattan, the slower it is."

"Kronos is slowing time."

"Hecate might be helping," Katie Gardner said.

"Somehow they've surrounded Manhattan in layers of magic," Anthony sounded really frustrated. "The outside world might not even realize something is wrong. Any mortals coming toward Manhattan will slow down so much they won't know what's happening."

"Like flies in amber," Jake Mason murmured.

Anthony nodded. "We shouldn't expect any help."

Andy turned to her friends, to their stunned, scared faces. "Alright, demigods. We're going to hold Manhattan."

Silena tugged at her armor. "Um, Andy, Manhattan is huge."

"And we're going to hold it. We have to."

"She's right," Anthony stood up. "The gods of the wind should keep Kronos's forces away from Olympus by air, so he'll try a ground assault. We have to cut off the entrances to the island."

"They've got boats," Michael Yew pointed out.

Andy almost smiled. "And you've got me."

Michael seemed confused. "How does that help us?"

Andy tried not to be offended. "Dude, child of land and sea? Try to keep up, Michael. We need to guard the bridges and tunnels. Let's assume they'll try a midtown or downtown assault, a least on their first try. That would be the most direct way here. So Michael, take Apollo's cabin to the Williamsburg Bridge. Katie, Demeter's cabin takes the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. Grow thorn bushes and poison ivy. Do whatever you need to do, but keep them out there. Connor, take half of Hermes's cabin and cover the Manhattan Bridge. Travis, you take the other half and cover Brooklyn Bridge. Silena, take the Aphrodite crew to the Queens – Midtown Tunnel." Andy closed her eyes trying to think of what she'd forgotten. "Um, the Holland Tunnel. Jake, take the Hephaestus cabin there. Use Greek fire, set traps. Whatever you've got. The 59th Street Bridge," she glanced at Anthony. "Athena?"

He nodded and turned to his siblings. "Malcolm, take the Athena cabin, activate plan twenty-three along the way, just like I showed you. Hold that position."

"You got it."

"I'll go with Andy," he added.

Somebody in the back of the group said, "No detours, you two." There were some giggles.

"Yeah, I'm gonna let that pass because I know you're all nervous," Andy said. "But the next one gets a smack on the ear."

Jake Mason cleared his throat. "I think you forgot the Lincoln Tunnel, Andy."

Andy swallowed a bad word. Then a girl's voice called: "How about you leave that to us?" The daughter of Zeus grinned. "The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty."

"Thank the gods," Anthony murmured as Thalia hugged him. "But if we don't blockade the rivers from those boats, guarding the bridges and tunnels will be pointless."

Andy glanced at all of them. "It's time, boys and girls. You are the greatest heroes of this millennium," she told them. "I know I said we didn't have a choice, that we have to do this. That's not true. Each one of you are here by choice. And when the enemy look at us, they will see that freedom. They will hear the ring of our swords and they will know what we can do! By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs, and the courage of our hearts. Demigods," she raised Riptide in the air, "for Olympus!"

They shouted in response, and their voices echoed around the sleeping city.

On their way, Anthony decided to stop in the middle of East 23rd. He stood before a bronze statue of a dude sitting in a chair with his legs crossed.

"Why is..." Andy approached to see the name, "William H Seward important?"

"He was a New York governor," Anthony said. "Minor demigod – son of Hebe." He climbed on a park bench and examined the base of the statue.

"Don't tell me he's an automaton," Andy said.

Anthony smiled. "Turns out most of the statues in the city are automatons. Daedalus planted them here just in case he needed an army."

"To attack Olympus or defend it?"

Anthony shrugged. "Either one. That was plan twenty-three. He could activate one statue and it would start activating its brethren all over the city, until there was an army. It's dangerous, though. You know how unpredictable automatons are." He pressed the tip of Seward's boot, and the statue stood up. "Hello, William."

"Bill," Andy suggested.

"Shut up," Anthony asked her. "Uh... Governor Seward. Command sequence: Daedalus Twenty-three. Defend Manhattan. Begin Activation."

Seward jumped off his pedestal and went clanking off toward the east.

"He's not very polite," Andy said.

"He's probably going to wake Confucius," Anthony guessed.

"Do they know we're not the enemy?"

"I think so."

Then a ball of green light exploded in the evening sky, somewhere over the East River. "We need to hurry," Andy said.

"Perhaps you shouldn't go alone," Anthony said staring at the dark water.

"Uh, unless you can breath underwater, I don't think there's much you can do."

He sighed. "You are so annoying."

"No. I'm just right. Which must be an unpleasant surprise for you. Also I'll be fine. I've got the curse of Achilles. I'm invisible."

He crossed his arms, trying to keep his face serious. "I think you meant invincible."

"I meant to make you smile." Andy winked and jumped into the river. She tried to find the spot where the Hudson and the East River's currents seemed equal. There she shouted, "Hey! I heard you guys are so polluted you're embarrassed to show your faces. I heard the East River is more toxic, but the Hudson smells worse. Or is it the other way around?"

The water shimmered. Two giant forms appeared in front of her. The god of the East River said, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Or are you just extra stupid?"

The spirit of the Hudson scoffed, "You're the expert on stupid, East."

"Watch it, Hudson," East growled. "Stay on your side of the island and mind your own business."

"Or what? You'll throw another garbage barge at me?"

"Hey!" Andy shouted. "We've got a bigger problem."

"The kid's right," East snarled. "Let's both killed her, then we'll fight each other."

"Sounds good," Hudson said. Before Andy could protest, scraps of garbage surged off the bottom and flew straight at her from both directions – broken glass, rocks, cans, tires. But the debris shattered against her skin.

The two river gods stared at her. "Took a dip in the Styx?" Hudson asked. Andy nodded. Both rivers made disgusted sounds.

"Well, that's perfect," East said. "Now, how do we kill her?"

"Listen to me," Andy said. "Kronos's army is invading Manhattan!"

"Don't you think we know that?" East asked.

"Then stop them," she pleaded. "Drown them. Sink their boats."

"Why should we?" Hudson grumbled.

"I can pay you," she said taking out a sand dollar from her pocket. It'd been a birthday gift from Poseidon. The river gods's eyes widened. She broke the sand dollar in half. "You each get half," she told them. "In exchange, you keep all of Kronos's forces away from Manhattan."

"Oh, man," Hudson whimpered. "It's been so long since I was clean."

"The power of Poseidon," East murmured. "The guy's a jerk, but he sure knows how to sweep pollution away."

They looked at each other and spoke as one: "Deal."

Andy gave them each a sand dollar half.

East flickered his hand. "Invaders just got sunk."

Hudson snapped his fingers. "Bunch of hell-hounds just took a dive."

"Thank you!" Andy said. "And stay clean!"

Back on shore, Anthony was looking pretty shaken. Andy was all wet, but he held her tight in his arms like he thought she'd never resurface again.

"All good," she said. "The rivers are safe."

"We've got other problems," he told her. "I just talked to Michael. Another army is marching over the Williamsburg Bridge. The Apollo cabin needs help. The Minotaur is leading the enemy."

An entire phalanx of dracaenae marched in the lead, their shields locked together, spear tips bristling over the top. The Apollo campers would hide behind cars and snipe at the approaching army, setting off explosive arrows, building fiery barricades. Hell-hounds leaped ahead of the line from time to time. Most were destroyed with arrows, but one got hold of an Apollo camper and dragged him away.

Michael Yew had a bandaged cut on his arm but he was smiling like he was having the greatest time. "Glad you could join us," he said. "Where are the other reinforcements?"

"For now, we're it," Andy said.

"Then we're dead," he said joyfully.

"Do you still have the flying chariot?" Anthony asked.

Michael shook his head. "Nah. Left it at camp. Told Clarisse she could have it. Whatever, you know? Not worth fighting about anymore. But she said it was too late. Look! Here come the uglies!" He drew an arrow and launched it toward the enemy. When it landed, it unleashed a blast. The nearest car exploded. A lot of monsters disintegrated. Others ran. Michael laughed maniacally, but the other monsters were still coming. "We need to fall back," he said. "I've got Kayla and Austin setting traps farther down the bridge."

"No," Andy said. "Bring your campers forward to this position and wait for my signal. We're going to drive the enemy back to Brooklyn."

"How do you plan to do that?"

Andy drew her sword. Anthony moved like he was ready to follow her, but Andy shook her head. "I need you to help Michael coordinate the defensive line. I'll distract the monsters. You group up here. Move the sleeping mortals out of the way. Then you can start picking off monsters while I keep them focused on me. If anybody can do all that, it's you."

Michael snorted. "Thanks a lot."

Andy glanced at him. "Oh, Michael. Get a girlfriend. She'll say nice things like that to you."

She focused back on Anthony who nodded reluctantly. "All right. Get moving."

"Don't I get a kiss for good luck?" she asked. "It's tradition!"

Anthony drew his knife and stared at the army marching toward them. "Find me, Seaweed Brain. And then I'll kiss you."

"Ha!" Michael laughed. "Too bad."

"Nobody asked you, Michael," Andy muttered. She walked up the bridge in plain sight, straight toward the enemy. The Minotaur was in the middle of the invading legion. When it saw her, his eyes burned with hatred. He bellowed to let her know he remembered all too well.

A few dracaenae threw flaming javelins at her. Andy knocked them aside. A hell-hound lunged and she stabbed it, mentally apologizing to Mrs O'Leary. More monsters surged forward – snakes and giants and telkhines – but the Minotaur roared at them, and they backed off. He unstrapped his axe and swung it around.

Andy raised her sword and sliced the axe in half like it was nothing. "Moo?" he grunted, uncertain. Andy spun and kicked him in the snout. He staggered backward, trying to regain his footing, then lowered his head to charge. He never got the chance though. Her sword flashed – slicing off one horn, then the other. The Minotaur tried to grab her, but Andy rolled away. He bellowed in rage. He charged and she ran for the edge of the bridge, pushing some dracaenae out of the way.

The Minotaur ran after her. Then Andy changed direction, jumped and stabbed her sword into his breastplate. He exploded in gold dust. Andy turned toward the rest of his army. It was now roughly one hundred and ninety-nine to one.

She spread her arms. "Who's next, you bitches?" None dared move. So Andy charged. She sliced through armor like it was made of paper. Snake women exploded. Hell-hounds melted to shadow. She slashed and stabbed and whirled, and she even laughed – a crazy laugh that scared her as much as it did her enemies.

The Apollo campers were behind her, shooting arrows, disrupting every attempt by the enemy to rally. Finally, the monsters turned and fled. Andy followed them with the Apollo campers at her heels.

"That's what I'm talking about!" yelled Michael Yew. They drove the monsters toward the Brooklyn side of the bridge.

"Andy!" Anthony yelled. "You've already routed them. Pull back! We're overextended!"

The monsters were running straight toward their reinforcements. Andy recognized the leader as Kronos himself. Anthony and the Apollo campers faltered. Kronos gazed in their direction. "Pull back!" Andy shouted. The Titan lord's men drew their swords and charged. "Retreat!" Andy commanded. "I'll hold them."

In a matter of seconds they were on her. Michael and his archers tried to retreat, but Anthony stayed behind with Andy, fighting with his knife and mirrored shield as they slowly backed up the bridge.

Kronos's cavalry swirled around them, slashing and yelling insults. Andy tried to wound his men, not kill, which slowed her down. But they were demigods, they were people, and she couldn't bring herself to kill them.

Andy stood shoulder to shoulder with Anthony. They'd almost made it to the middle of the bridge when it happened. Andy fell the knife approaching her weak spot. She was about to turn, but then Anthony was the one falling. Andy watched, stunned, puzzled. Her head spun. He couldn't have known... Nobody did.

She locked eyes with the enemy demigod: Ethan Nakamura. Why wasn't he dead yet? How had he survived? Why hadn't she killed him when she had the chance? Andy slammed him in the face with her sword hilt. "Stay back!" She slashed the air in a wide arc, driving the rest of the demigods away from Anthony.

Kronos smiled. He towered above her on his skeletal horse, his scythe in one hand. "Bravely fought, Andy Jackson," he said. "But it's time to surrender. Or the boy dies."

Anthony groaned something Andy didn't understand. The situation didn't seem to register in her head. His shirt was soaked with blood, blood so bright it twisted her stomach. What could she do?

It was Blackjack who came to the rescue. He swooped down and clamped his teeth on the straps of Anthony's armor. They soared away over the river before the enemy could even react.

Kronos dismounted. Andy was still a little dizzy but she met his first strike with Riptide. The impact shook the entire bridge, but Andy held her ground. Kronos's smile wavered. Andy kicked his legs from under him. His scythe skittered across the pavement. Andy stabbed downward, but Kronos rolled aside and regained his footing. His scythe flew back to his hands.

"You had the courage to visit the Styx," he studied her, looking mildly annoyed. "I had to pressure Luke in many ways to convince him. If only you had supplied my host body instead... No matter. I'm still more powerful. I am a Titan!" He struck the bridge with the butt of his scythe, and a wave of pure force blasted Andy backward. Even his own men were blown off the edge of the bridge.

Andy got to her feet. "Make the bridge collapse!" Michael Yew shouted. Andy looked down and saw the fissures in the pavement. It was all or nothing.

She stabbed Riptide into the bridge. The magic blade sank to its hilt in asphalt. Water shot from the crack. Andy pulled Riptide and the fissure grew. The bridge shook and began to crumble. Within a few seconds, a fifty-foot chasm opened between Andy and Kronos.

The Titan lord looked at the rising sun and smiled. "Until this evening, Jackson." He mounted his horse and led his army away.

Andy turned around to thank Michael but couldn't find him anywhere. She searched the wreckage, but he wasn't there.

Then Silena came running toward her. "Andy!" she yelled. "Come quickly! It's... It's Anthony!"

[wintermoth]

Rena Knows Best

Merry Christmas @forfuckssakejim​ I’m your Secret Santa this year!!! ( @mlsecretsanta)

I was meant to post this yesterday but this last week has been very turbulent and I wasn’t able to. So, better late than never! This has multiple parts and the rest will come later! I hope you enjoy the hilarity within!!

Warning for everyone: this contains minor spoilers for upcoming characters in season 2+. I say minor cos pretty much everyone knows by now.

Part One: Sweet Summer Kitten

Chat Noir would never admit it aloud for fear of offending their newest heroes but he kind of missed the days when it was just him and his Lady. They had a good thing going, a dynamic duo of comic book proportions, and though Ladybug was adored by many, in a way, she’d been his and his alone. The public only saw them when they wanted to be seen. He’d enjoyed their banter, he’d enjoyed their dynamics, and he’d enjoyed the moments where it’d been just the two of them.

Rena and Bee changed everything.

Chat Noir had no idea who they were under their masks but he knew, without a doubt, that prior to receiving their kwami and Miraculous, each had been die-hard fans of theirs. Or, more specifically, hers. They’d spent the first few weeks fawning over Ladybug every moment they could, to the point where Chat wondered if he honestly had competition now for her affections. Mercifully, she did not seem to share their enthusiastic interest.

At first, Chat Noir had quietly insisted that he and Ladybug do their patrols like normal. Without the new additions along for the ride. She’d gone along with it but had quickly seen through his ruse, which lead to a long, awkward, but necessary talk. He hated admitting that he was jealous, that he was selfish enough to want her to himself, but he swallowed his pride and did it anyway because she was his Lady and she deserved the truth out of him. His heart softened when she confessed that she, too, was struggling to adapt to this.

“They act like they know us,” she muttered, “and it…grates on my nerves. Maybe one day we’ll all be good friends but right now they’re….”

“Yeah.” Chat Noir knew full well what she was experiencing and it was something he had grown used to as a model. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes he would meet people—other young models or fans of his—who would act like they were best friends within five minutes of meeting, simply because they’d read an article about him in a teen magazine. He never knew what to do with himself during those conversations but tried to keep as polite as possible. Now Ladybug was doing the same and neither Rena or Bee seemed to realize they were overstepping their bounds.

“But if I tell them that then they might not…y’know…want to work with us.” She gnawed on her lip. “They’re good, so far. They’ve been a huge help…and we needed them, but…”

“It’d be nice if they stopped being fangirls and realized that they’re strangers?” Chat Noir suggested. She nodded.

Of course, he also knew full well how to remedy the situation. So far, the only times their new companions had only met them in battle. They had yet to see the parts of them reserved for their casual meetups. They only knew the warriors, not the humans beneath the armor. If they wanted them to settle down then that would have to change. He was just loathe to welcome them into something that had always been reserved for just him and Ladybug.

Fortunately, they were of one mind.

He and Ladybug officially met up three nights a week for patrol. Rena Rouge and Queen Bee were invited to one of these nights each and in that order. The third night they went out alone and the next week, they invited both of them to come together.  It wasn’t as bad as they feared. Battles were public spectacles, a song and dance their most avid fans could recognize and join in on as both Bee and Rena had. Patrols were different, private in a way despite their public locations. There was no script for either girl to follow and with the loss of their comfort zone, they calmed, and just as they began to see Ladybug and Chat Noir, Ladybug and Chat Noir began to see them.

Queen Bee was narcissistic (and, really, her name should’ve been a dead giveaway) and she didn’t quite get how to be a selfless hero. She wouldn’t risk her neck to rescue a civilian but focused on their enemy with single-minded determination. She also adored the press…a little too much.

Rena Rouge was reckless and a bit too sporadic. She had a habit of arriving fashionably late to the fight but when she was present, she often took initiative and had a good handle on her powers. However, she was prone to taking her eyes off the enemy and swooping in to rescue civilians at risk to herself. There was definitely a hero complex there.

They needed work, to be sure, but there was room for them to grow and learn. And learn they did.

Ladybug taught Bee how to utilize her suit’s innate athletic capabilities to perform martial arts moves and parkour, to use the battle knowledge stored within the Miraculous from centuries of warriors before her. Chat taught Rena how to run comfortably on all fours and control her ears and tail, both of which were as erratic as she and subject to instinctual movements. There was a certain transparency that came with artificial limbs respond to your thoughts and emotions in an animalistic way.

Of course, there were other lessons they learned on their own, mostly through combat and observation. When to charge in, when to wait, when to trust Ladybug, and when to make a judgement call and apologize later. What made them laugh and what made them uncomfortable, what topics they could broach, what bits of their lives were completely off-limits, what ‘hero perks’ they could partake in.

Most important of all they learned a simple, irrefutable fact that had been speculated by many but never confirmed: Chat Noir was head over heels in love with Ladybug and Ladybug had no flippin’ idea.

No longer were his subtle hints subtle, nor his gestures ignored or missed altogether. No, Rena and Bee (especially Rena) saw everything. Every look, every smile, every stray touch that Ladybug did not move away from, they saw it all. Queen Bee took this development for what it was and Chat Noir was almost certain she pitied him. Rena, however, she schemed. Oh, how she schemed.

“Don’t worry, Chat Noir, I’ve dealt with this kind of thing before,” she assured him with a solemnity usually reserved for veterans recalling former battles. “My best friend has the hots for this guy and is about as obvious as a sledgehammer to the face about it. All the girls in my class know. It’s ridiculous. But he hasn’t got a clue, the poor guy.” She shook her head. “But luckily for you, there’s no way Ladybug can be as dense.”

Chat Noir smiled uncertainly and Rena Rouge threw her arm around his shoulder. “Stick with me, kid, because I’m gonna help you sail this ship.”

“I—wait—what?” he squeaked.

“You’re adorable, oh my God. Okay, look, it’s simple. From what I’ve seen, you’ve been keeping it subtle. Good, okay, fine, that’s a good way to start. You laid the foundations, now it’s time to build on them. In other words, stop trying to clue her in and start sweeping her off her feet.”

“Um…how?”

“Chat…Chat…my darling, innocent Chat…I’m gonna clue you in on something about us girls.” She leaned towards his ear and he thanked his lucky stars that Ladybug was currently running with Bee several arrondissements away. “The fastest way to our hearts is through our hearts.”

He blinked. “What?”

“You have to show her you care about her. That you like her and not her…assets.”

Chat let out an undignified squawk at the implications and felt his face heat up. “I—I do not—for your information I am not—”

Rena cackled with glee and removed her arm from his shoulders, doubling over to hold her stomach. Chat stood there, flustered and confused and more than a little embarrassed. Assets. Assets?! Surely Ladybug didn’t think that he—well, okay, yes, he’d certainly noticed her body before, it was quite hard not to what with that suit of hers accentuating every curve and hiding nothing with its bright red material, and yes, she was beautiful, and yes, he’d felt certain bits of her pressed up against him again before in battle, but he’d never tried to cop a feel or—or…

Rena wiped at her eyes. “This is great.”

“No, it’s not!” he protested. “You just accused me of trying to get into her pants!”

The Fox straightened up, cocked her hip, and put her hand on it. “You wanna look me in the eye and tell me that getting in her pants isn’t a prospect for further down the road?”

What blood had finally retreated from his face returned with speed and vengeance. Well…quite so. He’d certainly fantasized about kissing her more than a few times and…and…

Oh, fuck, she had him.

His shoulders sagged in defeat. Rena winked. “Don’t worry. It’s perfectly normal. You’re a healthy teenager and you’ve got it bad for someone, of course that’s something you want eventually. What matters is that it isn’t your primary goal here. And, pfft, man, after that, literally no one is ever gonna convince me it ever was. Now you just need to prove that to her. Because, dude, let me tell you, guys in general have a reputation for only being after one thing and we girls know it.

“So, you need to show her that you’re interested in her as a person. That you genuinely care. Convince her that you’re in love and not just horny and you’ll be on your way. At the very least, she’ll have to actually consider what you’re offering her. From there, it’ll be up to her to decide if she wants to reciprocate or not.”

Chat Noir looked at her with awe and, if he was honest, a touch of fear. “How do you know so much about this?”

Rena Rouge grinned with all the slyness of her namesake and tossed her fluffy locks over her shoulder. “Oh, my sweet summer child.”

Of course, there was just one little problem in Rena’s grand plan, and it bothered him all the next day.

In the early days, Chat Noir himself had been…how did she put it? As subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. He’d given her little gifts, flirted, even recited poetry. Hell, the only thing he hadn’t done was whisked her off her feet and kissed her. He wasn’t sure how much more obvious he could be apart from flat out telling her she was his sun and moon and he treasured every moment he spent in her presence. …And since that definitely wasn’t an option, he’d tried to be subtler.

“Well there’s your problem!” Rena exclaimed, smacking her forehead. “You romantic dork. You were being too forward with her. Too…silly. Of course she wouldn’t take it seriously, she probably thought you were joking! Especially since you hadn’t known each other for all that long.”

“Yeah, I figured that one out for myself, thanks,” he grumbled, folding his arms.

“Oh, don’t look at me like that. You’re not hopeless. You just need to find the middle ground.”

“What do you mean?”

“All that stuff you were doing before? Tone it down. This isn’t a cartoon and that kind of stuff doesn’t work in real life. Well, not on most girls and if Ladybug was an exception, you’d already know. She’s much too serious and down to earth for that.”

Chat Noir said nothing. She was right. Man, she was good at this. It was almost hard to remember that Rena hadn’t known either of them all that long. Of course, if she’d been a diehard fan of them, she probably had gleaned plenty of insight from past interviews and things. Combined with what she’d seen in person and her own knowledge of wooing and she was quite a formidable asse—er…ally.

“And…another thing.” Rena’s voice softened. “I know you’ve already thought about this…but there’s only so much the two of you can do without revealing your identities to each other.”

Chat Noir looked away. “The thought’s crossed my mind.”

“You know how seriously she takes being a hero.” Yes, he did, all too keenly. “There’s a very real possibility the two of you can’t happen until Papillon is gone. So, my advice, if you want to really convince her to give you a chance beforehand, you need to show her that you can be sensible about this.”

“Yeah,” he said slowly and nodded. “I get that. That’s…that’s good. I can do that. I think. I just…agh, how?” His hands dropped to his sides and he turned to face her. He didn’t know where this sudden surge of emotion was coming from or why he felt like he could trust her. He’d never had this kind of conversation with Nino before. “I just…I feel so much and I don’t know how to tell her without…going overboard, I guess.”

Rena smiled sympathetically and patted him on the shoulder. “Slow down,” she advised, “and don’t rush things. You’re in for the long haul and there will be plenty of time later to show her how much you love her.”

Chat Noir smiled to himself. He hadn’t told her that he was in love. But if it was really that obvious then how could Ladybug not see? Was Rena perhaps simply more observant?

“For now, take it easy and focus more on showing her your sincerity with smaller gestures. Like…uh…” Rena snapped her fingers. “Christmas! I know it’s weeks away but…never too early to start planning, right? Get her something special.”

Chat Noir considered this. Last Christmas, they’d exchanged presents a few days after the holiday since they’d opted to spend Christmas Eve with their families…and ended up fighting Pire Noel. But it had been pulling teeth just to convince her to do that. He’d been prepared to lavish her with gifts but he knew it would likely make her uncomfortable so he’d limited himself to €50 and tried to keep it as casual as possible.

“Something special, you mean?” he asked.

Rena Rouge nodded. “Something that shows you put thought into buying it, or making it, if you’re that type of person.”

“I’ve got the kwami of Destruction, remember?” He grinned.

“Truedat. So, something that shows you really thought about what to get her and about her. Don’t go too crazy, though. I don’t know how much money you have but, trust me, fancy jewelry is coming on way too strong. Remember: baby steps.”

Chat Noir nodded seriously. Christmas was five weeks away. That was plenty of time to find her something. He could do this. Totally.

…How hard could it be?

[pinksausageduo]

you’ll always be number 1 in my heart

member: lee daehwi genre: fluffy summary: you're on pd101 s3 and you're from bnm entertainment and you come in 3rd place. daehwi and you get shipped because of how alike you are. with rumours circulating around you two some of them true. will your relationship with daehwi turn into a scandal or a happily every after?? requested: yes

"Y/L/N Y/N!!!! FROM BNM ENTERTAINMENT FOR THIRD PLACE!!!" Boa said 

you were overwhelmed with just pure happiness

you were finally debuting!!!

you burst into tears and all your trainee friends were hugging you and encouraging you to go on stage 

you walk to the stage trying to wipe your tears away 

you make your speech sweet and short which just consisted of you thanking everyone that got you to debut

you make your way up to third place while hugging all the girls who you'll debut with 

after you sat down in your seat everything was a blur 

you cried and said hello and goodbye to the rest of the trainees 

your family also came to congratulate you and it was soooo great to see them and you knew they were proud of you 

rhymer comes along after you talked with your family and all the backstage footage was filmed 

"i'm so proud of you, you made it third place, our only female BNM trainee" he said proudly 

you were brimming from happiness from the whole evening 

"also the BNM boys are here and they'd like to congratulate you" he smiled while opening the door 

your heart quickened you were huge fans of your sunbaes 

you trained with the boys for only a few months before they went off to produce 101

but you didn't have much time to interact with them only exchanging polite greetings

the door opened with four incredibly good looking guys coming in all with adorable smiles 

they chorus together "CONGRATULATIONS!!!" 

you bow basically 90 degrees and say respectfully "thank you so much! i'll make sure i work hard and hopefully one day become as successful as your four" 

"i'm sure you'll do amazingly" donghyun reassured 

before you know it daehwi has an arm around you and says friendly and jokingly

"since we were both third place that means we're already best friends right?"

you laughed softly making daehwi suddenly blush and his heart warm at the sound of it

"of courseee" you say sweetly 

you were trying to act all cool in front of your bias but it was reallyyyy hard 

all you wanted to do was fan girl over him but you promised yourself to be professional

suddenly youngmin butts in and says "excuse daehwi he's on a bit of a sugar high" 

"HEY! I AM NOT!!" he denied outraged

"you are and you would of been bouncing off the walls if donghyun didn't stop you" woojin interrupted 

"w-well" daehwi started then just stopped and pouted 

donghyun laughed softly at him and said "daehwi-ah you're acting like a child"

"thats cause he is one" youngmin smirked

"why is everyone bullying me?!!" daehwi whined

you watch amused knowing it's just friendly banter 

and you couldn't help but admire the way daehwi just lifted everyone's moods 

before you know it you ask trying to wind up the other boys "daehwi-ssi your hyungs are just too wound up would you like some chocolate?"  

"HEY WE ARE NOT WOUND UP!!" woojin, youngmin and donghyun shout together 

"well you guys are the ones shouting" you say smirking 

"Y/N IS MY FAVOURITE FOREVER AND ALWAYS, i can't believe it she's talented, funny, nice and beautiful inside and out" daehwi nonchalantly said while instantly hugging you

you quickly reciprocated and you instantly relaxed 

in daehwis arms you genuinely felt relaxed and cared for 

something which was hard for you to feel with all the pressure to debut 

and your heart suddenly quickened and you blushed a tomato red 

"t-thank you daehwi-ssi" you muster out while handing him the chocolate bar 

"don't call me daehwi-ssi wayyy too formal call me daehwi please" he says sweetly and you just nod while saying 

"then call me y/n"

you hand him a chocolate bar and he accepts it gratefully then frowns "wait sorry y/n i can't eat this i'm on a diet"

"what diet??!!! daehwi you're too skinny already!!" donghyun exclaims worriedly

"well not necessarily a diet but i need to gain muscle manager hyungs said so. so chocolate doesn't help whatsoever with that" he says a bit upset 

you frown at this and your heart breaks you want him to be able to eat whatever he wants not to be pressured into a diet

"no no no please eat the chocolate daehwi seriously you're absolutely perfect in my eyes and in the eyes of all your fans you don't need to gain or lose weight at all" you plead softly 

daehwi's heart warms at your caring sentiment and he knows it's secretly true

"thank you it means a lot" he says sweetly back at you giving you the nicest smile you've ever seen 

it literally just instantly makes you feel happy

so he opens and eats the chocolate bar which you happily smile at and all daehwi could think was 

"if i can ever make her smile like that again i better do it"

the boys stay for a bit longer and congratulate you again before leaving 

you were still in awe you met one of your favourite groups of all time

and all of them knew of your existence and talked to you 

you couldn't help but think of daehwi 

his sweet smile and his adorable and hilarious personality he was also sooo good looking 

you were disappointed you probably won't talk to him again for months

for the rest of the night you couldn't help but think of daehwi

and every single time you did you couldn't help but smile 

you secretly knew it but you would never admit it to yourself 

you were falling for daehwi 

daehwi on the other hand also had the same problem but it was worse

he literally wanted to see you sooo badly and talk to you again

you were so caring and sweet towards him and not to mention you're absolutely stunning

he was so glad that he hugged you he remembered it perfectly 

you reminded him of all your favourite things 

all the guys were teasing him for it 

"daehwi youre whipped and you only talked to her for what 30 minutes??" woojin said smirking 

"did you at least get her number?" youngmin asked and daehwi said no

"kids these days no game whatsoever" said youngmin shaking his head

"daehwi just ask like our manager to get her phone number from her manager" donghyun helpfully suggested

"isnt that being too desperate?" daehwi asked

"yep definitely just wait till the next time you see her" woojin says 

the next day was super chill and you spent time with your family since you got a day off before recording 

the second day though you wake up to SUCH A HUGE SPAM OF COMMENTS 

you scroll through and you're freaking the fuck out 

"Y/N AND DAEHWI SECRETLY DATING??!!"

with the picture of daehwi hugging you and also the one with his arm around you 

you were crestfallen this scandal could affect the debut of the group and daehwi and you 

you brace yourself for hate comments 

but you were so surprised most of it was positive 

"awww i hope this is true they both such bubbly and sweet personalities!"

"PLEASE PLEASE I WISH THIS TO BE TRUE MY ULTIMATE OTP!!"

"yall i've shipped them since day 1 please if this true imma cry"

"they're both too young for dating they should focus on their careers"

"their personalities, their looks, how talented they are and they're both third place! it's a match made in heaven!!!"

"no no this better be false y/n doesn't deserve daehwi at all she's all fake and annoying"

"ahhhh i hope this is true both of them deserve so much happiness and love"

you were shook at how much people shipped it 

and super happy that people thought you guys would be a good match

you thought your career would be super damaged by this 

but apparently not 

you automatically call your manager and rhymer to see what's happening 

they were both pretty chill with it saying it isn't bad press since you guys are actually being shipped and you always have been 

you sighed in relief but you knew it would blow over soon 

by next week most of it blowed over and you were super relaxed and happy about debuting but 

just as you went about to sleep

your phone went off with a million of notifications 

you open twitter quickly and see

"DAEHWI ASKS Y/N ON A DATE!! CONFIRMS Y/N AS IDEAL TYPE!! DATING RUMOURS QUICKLY HAVE INCREASED" 

at first you literally squeal at the fact daehwi asked you out??!!! 

you're really surprised and you were totally taken aback BUT YOURE SOOO HAPPY 

you did a silent happy dance on your bed at like 3 in the morning sincr everyone in your room was sleeping 

you knew your crush on him was big and you thought you had no chance whatsoever but apparently you did!!

you didn't actually think daehwi would ever  even like you in that way 

but hey since he does you weren't complaining whatsoever 

you clicked on the video showing him and the boys at a interview 

they were asked to choose someone as an ideal type who would it be and why

daehwi blushed and said your name 

making you squeal a little again he then continued by saying 

"i actually met her a few days ago and she already is the sweetest person i've ever met. she was so caring towards me and in person she was even more beautiful than on camera which i didn't think was possible. she's also extremely talented and produces music like me so i could talk about that with her as well. but yeah y/n would definitely be my ideal type" 

the mc automatically teases him by saying "well doesn't daehwi have a little crush" daehwi blushed bright red and the other guys laughed

"but y/n and you were recently said to be dating. is this true??" the mc asked daehwi

before daehwi could even stop himself he said "no it isn't but i wish it wa-" then his face automatically changed to a 

"SHIT WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I DONE" face

and all the guys were wide eyes and shocked 

you couldn't help but laugh at their expressions

the mc awkwardly chuckled and tried to diffuse the situation and said 

"well since that's the case how about you ask y/n on a date cutely with all your aegyo" 

daehwi agreed reluctantly but he really wasn't worried about him but you

he really hoped you wouldn't get any hate for this but he focused ON ACTUALLY ASKING YOU OUT??!!

then his brain had a brain fart and he was like 

"ahhh okay then uh uh uh AH" 

"y/nnn pleaseee will you go on a date with meee?" he said so cutely with heaps of aegyo 

your heart melted so quickly you couldn't believe that actually happened you dropped your phone 

the video ended and you really weren't bothered reading the comments

all you could think was daehwi asked you out ON A BLOODY BROADCAST!!

but you were happy even if you had to deal with all the hate 

you were trying to think of all the ways you could reply back 

and just as you were your phone dinged 

"y/n i'm sure your probably have seen the video and i'm so so sorry about the whole mess i made"

you automatically knew it was daehwi

you suddenly got a bit excited at the fact he's texting you but snapped out of it but before you could reply he sent another text

"but every word i saw was true and this 

isn't the way i wanted to ask you but"

you already knew what he was going to ask you and your breathing got more ragged and your heart started beating a million miles an hour and just as you thought you were going to have a heart attack your phone dinged again

"y/n will you go on a date with me??"

and your heart basically bursted in happiness seeing the question 

you automatically type

"i'd love to" 

and daehwi also did a happy dance at his dorm and screamed "SHE SAID YESS!!"

and all the guys came into his room and did a group hug/huddle and were squealing like little girls and were bouncing up down 

you knew you had to sleep since you had to get up in two hours so you quickly type 

"i'm sorry daehwi i need to go to sleep i have a schedule early in the morning"

"oh of course thank you for saying yes again and please sleep well sweet dreams!!"

your heart warms again at his sweet text and you reply back quickly before turning off your phone and having the best two hour sleep/nap of your life 

"you too please sleep tight dream of me ;)"

"but daehwi"

"i would say yes to you any day"

THE CHEESEEEE EWWWWWW

these texts resulted into a lot of squealing more bouncing up and down and ALOT of cringing from the guys

but daehwi really did sleep thinking of you

but your cheesiness never stopped in the relationship

and in a few months time you were cuddled up with him at the dorm 

and before both of you could sleep 

you felt a peck on your head and a whisper in your ear 

"we might of been the third place couple but you’ll always be number 1 in my heart" 

i’m going on a positing spree in like 30 minutes i’m posting daniel prince pt 3 as well and then i get to start writing my angst and my enemies to lovers the last few days i’ve been struggling with how my blog has like gone down and like even thought of not doing stuff but i decided i should work through it and keep pushing 

but first daehwi scenario not amazing i know hope you get fluffy feels for daehwi thooo 

[sparrow-in-boots]

youre proud the portuguese used to be major colonizers?? what do the british have to do with south america??? im. a little lost

Okay so, I’m going to assume you’re a gringo to be asking that question, and I’m also going to take this in good faith for yours and other people’s benefit because South American history is not really a subject in other countries’ educational system to put it very charitably.

First of all, I’m absolutely not proud of the Portuguese empire’s colonial legacy. On the contrary, I’m highly critical of it and its lasting consequences in all of its past colonies, and the atrocities that they perpetuated. What I meant was that to erase the Portuguese empire’s part in the colonization of South America, the differences between the past Portuguese and Spanish colonies in Central and South America, and how those differences shaped our current geopolitical situation is to erase half of the history of the continent. When I brought them up, it was to remind that they were in fact a major power in the world before the British Empire took that role, something that is quite often overlooked or downplayed like it was in that post I reblogged. I don’t say it as a point of pride, I say it as a reminder of a historical fact, awful as it is.

And, you ask what do the British have to do with South America, and I tell you, more than you might think. 

The British had been trading with Portugal in their colonies since the 16th century when they first started to dip their toes in the transatlantic trade. They first started sailing from West Africa and then started to make stops in the northeast of Brazil, before returning to England. At first, they came for pau-brazil, a type of wood native of South America that gives a very deep and rich red dye and it was all the rage before sugar came along and became the Portuguese colony’s main export as well as other raw materials like cotton and tobacco. Of course the Portuguese cracked down on those trades eventually, and also Britain had the Sieges of Boulougne going on, so they had to give it a break for a bit. 

So guess what? Around the late 16th century, the British empire sent down fucking pirates to press on the Spanish and Portuguese fleets. Privateers but, you get the picture. You’ve heard of Francis Drake, right? 

Yeah, that guy. He and some other notable names like Edward Fenton and Thomas Cavendish were sent to explore the waters between the Atlantic and the Pacific and find ways to circumvent the fleets to make the way around the globe, going through the Strait of Magellan. You know, the southern tip of South America. Also, to steal stuff from the Spanish and Portuguese colonies. Just to prove that they can and to clap back at the Spanish. And the ports of São Vicente and Santos in the southeast of current Brazil became an almost obligatory stop for English ships sailing in the south Atlantic to restock their ships for the rest of the journey. 

So the Portuguese started to get fed up with the English stopping by their colony and started to fend off the ships and arrest the sailors if they made port. So because they were pirates, they attacked the Portuguese colony. They assailed the Bay-of-All-Saints (current Bahia, Brazil) for two months, they raided and pillaged engenhos and towns on the southeast coast, and when they attacked Recife, they got so much loot from the city that they needed the help of Dutch and French ships to take it all with them. (an interesting source to dig through)

Also, where do you think our sugar went to? The engenhos (our version of plantations) sent the raw sugar to the Dutch who refined it and sold it across Europe, especially the British. Until the Dutch and the Spanish started to plant sugar cane in the Caribbean, Portugal had the sugar market pretty much cornered. That’s why the Guyanas exist and one of them have English as their main language, it was a Dutch colony and the British took control of parts of it from them, so they could trade with the native communities for prime resources, like wood, pau-brasil, native animals, cotton, tobacco, urucum (it’s another source fo red dye, google it), and so on. Guyana’s capital is called Georgetown??

Oh, shall I get to the fact that the majority of the gold you see in the interior of Buckingham Palace is from Brazil? I think I shall because, during the gold rush in Minas Gerais, Portugal was severely in debt from their wars with the Spanish and the Dutch. So much debt that what they got from exploiting their colonies, they spent it right away with industrialized goods. Goods from England. We in Brazil have an expression, “quinto dos infernos”. Literally “the Devil’s fifth”. It comes from the taxation of gold from the mines, one-fifth of what the miners extracted went to the Portuguese. To send someone to the Devil’s fifth is to tell them very emphatically to go fuck themselves. I think that explains how the people in the colonies felt about the taxes. It also caused revolts like Levante da Vila Rica and the Inconfidência Mineira, the last one being a major historical event in Brazil. So much so Minas Gerais’ state flag’s design is the same as was suggested by the rebels.

Libertas quae sera tamem is latin for “freedom albeit late”.

Oh, and you think pirates and privateers got involved just those first times? Think again! The tensions between the Spanish and British fleets in the Caribbean caused some major upheaval and even a war between the two of them, one battle affecting current Colombia, with the British attempting to siege several major ports from the Spanish. The war started cus the Spanish cracked down on illegal commerce in their colony by the British.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the British invaded the Vicoroyalty of Río de la Plata, (currently Argentina and Uruguay). The war was a good cover to attack one of France’s allies, but it wasn’t the first time the British had their eyes on the region, they’ve had previous attempts at trying to take control previously. The defeat of the British by the local populace with little to no help from the Spanish colonizers was also the last straw they needed to push for their independence.

Speaking of dwindling colonial powers, when Spanish and Portuguese ships kept failing to supply ships to meet the colony demands, it was the British who stepped in and filled the gap. After the Napoleonic Wars, the transatlantic trade basically belonged to the British, and if you’re paying attention, that greatly affected colonial and independence era South America. After Brazil’s independence from Portugal, the British were one of the new country’s main economic partner, mostly because it was their support when the royal family came to Brazil that pushed for independence. They even opened a mining company in Minas Gerais that ran for 125 years.

And these are just the things off the top of my head. The British Empire, like all the other European empires, had their fingers on many major events in Latin America as a whole as well as all over the world, but I tried to stay focused on South America. 

Colonizing powers in Europe of past and present have always had their fingers here because that’s what having colonies is. It’s exploitation and intimidation and always trying to get more and more, no matter who gets hurt or killed in the process. The plantations and engenhos were brutal, the mines were brutal, the entire system of colonization is brutal and revolting. Countless enslaved people, mostly black people, died in those places, so many even the slave trade couldn’t keep up with the demand for slave labor. It’s absolutely horrifying. And our countries have suffered and still suffer from external influences in our politics, especially by the US in more recent history, even if we keep fighting against thinly-veiled military intervention constantly. It really fucking sucks.

And you could have learned all this - and more! - if you just bothered to open a single Wikipedia article. Like, literally google “history of South America” or “Latin America-United Kingdom relations” and read. Bonus credits if you dig into the article sources and read them if available to you in English. But if reading is not your thing, there are several youtube channels out there who want to teach you stuff you don’t know and are a decent enough jumping point. Literally all I can say after all this is, educate yourself.

(I’ve leaned more on Brazillian history which is what I’m more familiar with, but if there are any fellow latines who want to correct me on something or add on to this, pls do so!)

[bloomsoftly]

EEE! || Pairing: Darcy/Peter Quill || Prompt is: "Lucky Underwear" || (And thank you so much, doll!

okay, Dres, I am finally done with this thing—sorry for the wait! also, thanks to @amidtheflowers for name inspiration. :) 

without further ado:

lucky underwear, darcy/peter quill

NSFW under the cut, lovelies

Now on AO3. It would mean a lot if you could leave a review.

send me a prompt!

Thenext time they sent a mouse through the wormhole, it came back. In fact, itcame back wearing a hand-knit sweater—an ugly monstrosity with swirling greensand blues and oranges that looked like it came straight out of the 80’s—and anote taped to its back.

Darcyand Jane looked at it each other in consternation. Shrugging, Darcy snagged thenote and unfolded it. It was torn at the corner, as if ripped in a struggle,and was covered in three different lines of text.

Thefirst—scrawled prominently across the page—was a frustrated line of chickenscratch.

For God’s sake, PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY MORE MICE.There is no room on the ship for any more vermin. We literally already have aTALKING RACCOON.

“Well,”Darcy mused, “at least the aliens are pretty polite, all things considered. Imean, we have been dumping mice in their laps for the past week. Also, they canwrite in English?”

Janenodded distractedly, already re-calculating her equations. “Apparently we’vebeen sending the mice to the same place. A ship? Which means the wormhole haslocked onto an object and moves with it through space. And the writing could bea written form of All-Speak? Hmm, interesting…”

Shewandered away, leaving Darcy to read the rest of the note by herself. The lasttwo lines appeared to have been written by different hands, scribbled in ahurry.

SEND MORE RODENTS. THEY ARE ENJOYABLE TO PLAY WITH.

Well,okay then. Darcy was glad somebody enjoyed the mice, at least.

do u have music that doesn’t suck? the idiot insistson putting the same songs on repeat. over and over and over and over. and over.

over and over waswritten repeatedly across the rest of the page, right up to the torn edge.Darcy rolled her eyes and sighed. How someone could manage to troll her fromthousands of light-years away, she had no idea.

Figuringthat she and Jane were practically experts by now in getting to know alienspecies, Darcy decided to consider herself a diplomatic representative ofEarth. So, the next time they were ready to send something through the wormhole(Jane was determined to discover why it always connected to the mysteriousbeing’s ship, despite variations in date and time), Darcy sent her iPod.

Nother new iPhone, mind you. But the old iPod, the one SHIELD had stolen and thenreturned years later. It was old and battered and missing half herplaylists—and she was sad to see it go. Still, diplomatic relations sometimesrequired personal sacrifice.

Thenext time the wormhole opened, a crown of beautiful flowers plopped through,held up by what looked like a prosthetic hand. Darcy stared at it for a longminute, perplexed, then shrugged. It might be the strangest ‘thank you’ she’dever gotten, but at least the flowers smelled good. The hand, officially dubbed‘Flower Power,’ became the official mascot of the lab and oversaw all of theirexperiments.

Thefollowing week, Darcy sent a bulk-sized package of strawberry poptarts throughthe portal. Jane laughed at her, but Darcy defended her decision passionately.“What? We have a good track record with aliens and these things!”

Thepoptarts were a hit, as expected. Along with a demand for more came a littlecrystal frog.

Andso the weeks passed, marked by increasingly-strange gift exchanges. Eventually,Jane put her foot down and declared, “Alright, that’s it. We’re running out ofplaces to put all this weird space stuff. Time to take the next step.”

Darcylooked up from where she was munching on her space snack. It was weird—tasted alittle bit like pickles, but not. Glancing up, she asked, “What’s the nextstep?”

“We’regoing to send you through the wormhole, obviously. So you can meet your newfriends in person.”

Afterone last loud crunch, Darcy swallowed and replied nonchalantly, “Alright, bosslady. Just don’t send me somewhere weird on accident, alright?”

-:-

Thegood news was that Jane didn’t dump Darcy into the vast emptiness of space tosuffocate and die. The bad news was that she got dropped into a ship duringwhat appeared to be the middle of some kind of space battle. As she wandereddown the narrow corridor, there was a lot of yelling. Explosions rocked theship, and Darcy stumbled to one side. She reached a hand out to steady herselfagainst the wall,only to be bowled over by someone barreling down the hallway.

Theyfell in a tangle of limbs and leather, hitting the unyielding floor with aresounding smack. Darcy looked up, straight into—the barrel of a space gun?Well, she assumed it was a gun. It looked gun-like, something between a StarWars blaster and a Star Trek phaser. A nerd’s wet dream, basically. She lookedpast the blaster to the face of the guy straddling her, and—oh. That wasanother wet dream entirely.

Still,he was pointing a weapon at her face. Her hands came up in the universal signfor surrender. Her knuckles pressed against the hard floor painfully and Darcytried not to wince. Carefully, she said, “Woah, dude. I’m sorry to drop in atsuch a bad time. But, uhh, I think we’re kind of friends? I mean, pen pals atleast. I send you things through that nifty little wormhole that shows up everynow and then.” With a strained grin, she clarified, “I—I don’t know how manypen pals you’ve got from Earth, but I’m the one who sends poptarts and iPods?So, yeah.”

Theunknown guy chuckled and put his gun away. Still straddling her, he gave her anappreciative once-over and teased, “Well if I knew you looked like this Iwould’ve suggested a meet-up a lot sooner,—” He stopped and quirked an eyebrowat her, waiting expectantly.

“Darcy.Science minion and newly-minted space traveler, at your service.” He leered atthat, but before he could offer a cheesy pick-up line—Darcy’s been on thereceiving end of a lot of those, she could see it coming—another explosionrocked the ship. She gestured to where he was still pinning her to the floorand asked, “Uhh, shouldn’t you be doing something about that instead offlirting with me, space boy?”

Hewinked and clambered to his feet. Reaching down to help her up, he corrected,“It’s Star-Lord, and don’t you worry, sweetheart. I’ve got it all undercontrol.”

Darcysnorted. “Yeah, no, I’m not calling you that. You got a normal-person name, Star-Lord?”

Hehuffed in mock-exasperation, grumbling, “No one takes me seriously aroundhere.” Dropping his chin and looking up at her through his lashes, he brushed athumb across her cheek and offered, “I can make an exception for you, though.You can call me Peter.”

Darcywould like to say that it was a surprise that she ended up in bed with him, butthat would be a bald-faced lie. There was something about the sass and thesmirk that did it for her. The red leather jacket didn’t hurt, either.

Darcywoke up to Peter’s fingertips moving in sleepy, abstract patterns across herbare back. She shivered at the sensation, prompting him to stop and brush herhair out of her face. Half-squinting up at him, eyes still gummy with sleep,Darcy caught the gentle smile that swept across his face.

“Thatwas—fun?” he asked, almost hesitant.

Araspy chuckle escaped her. “Was that a question, or a statement?”

Petergrinned at her wickedly and slid his hand down her waist and around to grip herass. He nosed her hair aside and nipped at her neck, sucking lightly. Darcyarched into him, closing her eyes. She never would have guessed that a tripthrough a wormhole would result in amazing sex, but here they were. He rolledthem so that Darcy was on her back and teased, “It was a statement. But ifthere’s any doubt, I’m happy to prove it again.”

Insteadof a verbal reply, Darcy reached up to grab his face and bring him down for ahot, wet kiss. Their tongues slid lazily against each other for long minutes,sweet and slow. Eventually they broke away, and Darcy panted heavily againstPeter’s neck. Her lips brushed along his stubble in a torturous burn, and shepressed an open-mouthed kiss against his throat. The tickle of his beardagainst her skin brought back memories of the previous night, when he had beenkissing her somewhere entirely different. Darcy squirmed beneath him, grindingup against the leg he had trapped between her thighs.

Witha nibble to his throat, Darcy groaned, “There’s no doubt, trust me. But if youwant to remind me anyway, I won’t complain.”

Grinningwickedly, Peter worked his way down her body, nibbling and suckling as he went.Impatiently, Darcy pushed on his head. Her body was on fire, and the tease knewexactly what she wanted. Huffing a laugh, he allowed her to guide him down,down—and then his mouth was on her, licking up and in. She lost herself in themovement of his lips and tongue and then his clever fingers. She writhedmindlessly against him, eyes closed and hands fisted in the sheets at hersides. 

Thealarm of her watch beeped loudly and insistently, and Darcy groaned. Barelylifting his face from her clit, Peter implored, “Just ignore it. Jane can waita little longer.”

Shefollowed his advice for long minutes, losing herself in the wet slide of histongue against her. His fingers pumped in an out leisurely, sending her into asimmering spiral. The watch went off again—she had fifteen minutes until theportal opened to take her home. “Peter,” she moaned, desperate. She was soclose.

Therewas no reply; instead, Peter doubled his efforts to make her come in the shorttime they had left. Crooking his fingers inside of her, Peter hit that spotthat made her hips arch off the bed. Desperate for release, she gasped out hisname. He suckled and swirled his tongue around her clit in response, over andover until she came with a cry, thighs trembling on either side of his head.

Sheslumped against the bed with a satisfied sigh, boneless in her afterglow. Hekept his mouth on her for a minute longer, until she huffed a laugh and pulledhim up toward her. They collapsed in a sweaty cuddle for a few preciousminutes, breathing heavily against each other. Once she caught her breath,Darcy apologized, “I’m sorry that we don’t have time for me to return thefavor.”

Helaughed, silencing her with a salty kiss. She licked his mouth teasingly,enjoying the taste of her on his lips. “Next time?” he asked tentatively.

“Nexttime,” she promised. After an adventure like this (and equally importantly,with a mouth like Peter’s), there was no way she’d miss out on coming back.With a groan, she gave him one last quick kiss and levered herself out of bed.She rushed through getting dressed, only to realize—

“Wherethe hell is my underwear?”

Peterlooked at her in confusion. “What?”

“Myunderwear? It was right here, with the rest of my clothing.”

Hegroaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. “ROCKET!” he shouted.It took a second for Darcy to catch on, and then she was yelling too.

“Damnit, Rocket. Those are my lucky underwear! 

Rocket’scackle echoed throughout the entire ship. “I need them! They’re—reallyimportant for a plan.”

Petergroaned. “ROCKET—”

“No,seriously, they’re—uhh—important to me!”

Darcy’s alarm beeped again—she was out of time. Huffing, shepulled on her pants sans underwear. Glowering at Peter, she stomped into thehallway and growled, “I will be back for my lucky underwear. You better makesure he doesn’t do anything weird with it in the meantime.” Peter just nodded, laughing too hard to say anythingin response.

Theportal opened, casting an eerie blue glow over the interior of the ship. Darcyturned back to him and asked, “Same time next week?”

Peterleaned down for one last kiss.

“It’sa date.”