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#CAN I BORROW YOUR CONFIDENCE VIOLET
hiccupbutpurple · 5 months
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Wip Game
RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP list, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it. And then tag as many people as you have WIPS!
Tagged by: @howtowhumpyourhiccup :D
I don’t think I can realistically do that many but @reallyprofoundkryptonite @worldwhightnight @sorushing @violet-moongem @amyrafierceblade if y’all haven’t already been tagged and feel like sharing! Of course anyone who see this and also wants to participate go ahead!
Imma put all the ones I’ve at least started writing for because we’d be here all day if it was also the ideas that just have a few dot points or things. Some have actual titles some are just random description type things lol. I put the general ship name or character in the title so I can easily find it but it makes it less vague ig but eh. (Also sorry this is kinda long so I’m putting in under the cut lol.)
- How Time Has Transformed You
- To Rediscover An Old Self
- Some Things Shouldn’t Be Admired
- Preparation – Vigcup
- Tired – Vigcup
- Hiccup and Gobber self-care reminders
- Searching – Hiccstrid/Heathstrid
- Knock - Hicclegs
- Improper use of Maces and Talons - Vigcup
- Swordsmanship – Dagvigcup
- Accidents - Hiccstrid
- One inspired by entertain – Vigcup
- Room Where It Happens – Hiccstrid runaway Hiccup Au 1
- Put on a show – Dagcup
- Lusty Confidence - Hicclegs
- So You Wanna Marry Hiccup – Dagcup
- Naga Viggo one – Vigcup
- Hypnosis – Vigcup
- Love it When You Hate Me – 3 Versions (Hicclout, Vigcup, Dagcup)
- Honesty – Hicclegs
- Hiccup comes out to Gobber
- God Au drabbles (Starts with when lighting strikes) - hijack
- Finding Wounds – Hiccstrid runaway Hiccup Au 2
- Survival confessions / Hiccup tells Viggo about savages ship – Vigcup
- Heather period blood insanity – vent fic + Heather
- Projects – Hiccstrid
- Jane Doe / Heather’s soliloquy
- Borrower Au
- Venomcup Au drabbles
- Humiliation – Vigcup + Heather
- Thrall - Hiccup
- Snotlout and Small Hiccup drabbles
- Finding Trinkets – Hiccup and Toothless
- Toothless and small Hiccup
- At a Spa - Vigcup
- Making Up For Lost Time – Stoick and Hiccup
- Viggo and Hiccup + Dagur on treaty signing day
- Rock me in - Hijack / Hicclegs
- Mala/Dagur/Hiccup
- Lovefool – Vigcup + concerned Stoick
- Hard Hitting – Hicclout
- Constantly on the Mind – Hiccup
- Half Runaway Au – Vigcup
- Viggo and Hiccup in bed talking
- Sex Puzzles – Vigcup
- Forever suffering for other people - Hiccup
- Spying – Vigcup + Riders
- Ghost hunt – Riders
- Hiccup see’s ghosts
- Ride - Hiccup/Jack/Astrid
- Obstacle Courses – Zephyr and Hiccup
- Who is the hottest – Drunk Hiccup stupidity
- Survivor – Vigcup og day one fic
- When the smoke clears – Dagcup
- ‘What if I have that berserker insanity inside me?’ ‘I want that Berserker insanity inside me.’ – Dagcup + Heathstrid
- Panic attacks – Heathcup
- Paints - Nuffink and Hiccup
- Burns – Hiccup
- Tango – Vigcup
- Saviour – Heathstrid
- Expendable – Riders
- Ships and Anchors – Valka and Hiccup
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Leah x Y/N Swan Relationship Headcanons.
A/N: I’ve noticed that my Leah stuff does the best out of all of my writing and I just want to say how much I love that. Y’all know what I’m about and that is beautiful, mean women who just need to be loved.
Pairing: Leah Clearwater x Y/N Swan (female).
Warning: nothing too explicate, things just get a little steamy from time to time. Lime rating.
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Always stealing her clothes (and she doesn’t mind). You have a habit of borrowing Leah’s hoodies and sweaters, something that started when she left a hoodie at your place and you just...borrowed it for a little while. She thinks it’s cute (everything you do it cute) and loves it but finding out why you do it makes her love it even more.
You do it because you miss her.
Because it feels and smells like her and sometimes, you need something like that. Whenever she’s away and whenever you’re worried about her, having something that reminds you of Leah makes it better...so she makes sure you always has something of hers to keep.
Sleepovers at both your place and hers. Leah just doesn’t like sleeping without you anymore. She’s a terribly affectionate person and just wants to hold you all of the damn time. So she ends up sleeping over at your place often (and becomes very comfortable in the Swan home, eventually not even bothering to hide it) or bringing you to hers when Edward is getting annoying.
You switch between being the big spoon (when she’s feeling more confident and protective of you) or the little spoon (when she’s a little lonely and in need of love). But you always kiss her neck before you fall asleep, telling Leah how much you love her as dreams come creeping on.
Making out constantly. Seriously, this girl just loves touching you and kissing you and she cannot stop...not that you want her too. You are always touching in some kind of way (holding hands, playing with one another’s hair, sneaking kisses) but that can get real hot real quick.
Leah’s on top, kissing and biting your neck as you moan her name, a hand running through her long hair.
She smiles against your skin and teases you, her hand slipping along your bare thigh as you plead for her. Too many times someone is going to walk in on this, ruining the moment as you hurry to straiten yourselves, faces hot and lips swollen, smoothing out tangled hair...but the second you’re alone again, Leah pounces on you, all worked up and with nothing to do but you.
Music all of the time. After having her heart broken, Leah swore off love songs forever...but you’ve brought them back into her world, the woman seeing your face and hearing your voice within every lyric.
There’s music again, not just the angsty stuff, and Leah’s humming in the kitchen as she cooks. Sue could almost cry she’s so happy, watching her daughter come back to life day by day because of you. She’s baking your favorites and listening to love song and finally dreaming of the future again, smiling more (and especially when she’s with you). She likes old rock (like her dad did) and indie stuff too, taking in a lot of your own music as well.
The Violet Hour (Sea Wolf), Radar (Alina Libkind), Wildfire (One Hope), We Fell in Love in October (Girl in Red).
Making each other cups of coffee/tea. It depends on who wakes up first (which is almost always Leah, she’s rises with the sun) but whoever does will make the tea/coffee to start the day. And like clockwork, the other rises as well and you spend the morning together, cuddling close and just being in love.
You’ll make breakfast together too, always making enough for the others depending on who’s house it is. Leah likes her bacon crispy and almost burned and puts syrup on everything, pancakes and eggs and sausages, and she always tastes sweet when you kiss her for a bit.
Like you’re sister, you’re a shield. And Edward never even realized, having paid so little attention to you that he never noticed it before. But now that it’s known to everyone (because Edward told Bella who told Alice who got her mind read by Aro and now he knows), Leah’s worried. Too many vampires expressed interest in your ability and it’s made her more protective then ever.
It’s closer to Charlie’s level, Edward only able to get a glimpse of an incredibly emotional and powerful thought from you, but other then that, it’s totally silent.
Leah hopes that might keep others away and that nobody else will find out about you.
Her love leaves you hot and hazy. Leah makes a point to kiss you before she goes, so deeply and passionately that it sends waves of fire through your body. Those soft lips will pull away, lingering over your lips before stealing one more kiss.
“Love you,” Leah whispers.
And then she is gone, leaving you with a wild heart and swollen lips.
You will be walking around all love drunk for a long while, Edward (if he just so happens to be there) bombarded by the far away, dreamy thoughts of her. The second she comes home, you’re in her arms (right where you need to be) and kissing her again, begging Leah not to leave...at least for a little while. And she won’t because she’s drunk off of you too.
She starts spending a lot of time at your house...much to Edward’s chagrin. But she doesn’t give a damn, disliking the idea of a vampire being around you so much (Bella can say what she wants, but that thing is dangerous and she won’t allow it) and insisting that she has just as much as a right as he does. And she totally does! What, just because he started hanging out there first, he makes the rules?
So, they put up with one another.
But if she wants the leech to leave, she’ll start fantasizing about you. It gets really dirty too, thinking about all the stuff you’ve done together and replaying it in her head. Making out in the backseat of her truck, skinny dipping together, the way you moan and whimper beneath her…
And suddenly Edward has to go, realizing that he forgot that his mother needed him to do something, and fleeing the house like its ablaze.
You’re her personal cheerleader. Seriously, everything she does is amazing and wonderful and you just believe in her so hard! It’s sickeningly sweet, the absolute belief you have in her (and it goes the other way around, Leah believing in you and supporting you one hundred percent).
Going to college? She’s so smart and will get the best grades (and you’ll be packing her lunch and helping her study for a big test), you just know it.
Getting a job? You pick her up every day and kiss her before she goes to work.
Telling off some idiot? There you are, sitting on the sidelines with a big grin and heart eyes as she reams somebody off withing an inch of their life, growing more in love with her with every threat and insult.
Fighting vampires? You’ll be waiting, worried, when she comes home, cuddling her and making sure she (and the whole Black pack) is okay.
Charlie likes Leah a lot more then Edward. And it’s so totally obvious, the way he lights up when he sees you together and invites Leah over all of the time for dinner and movie nights. He’s over the moon for the two of you and it shows on his face.
He knows, of course, about the whole wolf and imprint thing and makes sure that you’re happy and okay with it.
They have a pure, sweet relationship and if anyone has something to say about two women loving one another, well, he does know how to cover up a murder...you and Bella joke that he likes Leah even more then he likes you two, calling Leah his favorite daughter.
She finally feels beautiful. There’s a difference between knowing that you’re beautiful and believing that you are, inside and out. Leah’s always been told that she is beautiful and she knows it to be true, the woman owns a damn mirror.
But you make her feel beautiful at all times and that’s something totally different!
Because the things you think are beautiful are the things no one else has brought up before; the light in her eyes when she laughs and the freckles on her knees and the little scar on her back that you always kiss. You love her back and belly (and she loves when you touch her there, closing her eyes and smiling), her hands (and they way they fit with your own), and her voice.
And she just feels like the most beautiful woman in the whole damn world!
Because of her, you start standing up for yourself a lot more. Bella has always mothered you and ignored your feelings/wants and you get it, she had to be the mom of the family and that wasn’t fair to either of you. But you’ve always disliked the way she puts you down and pushes you around and start telling her that.
No more getting Charlie on her side when she wants things her way, no more giving your orders like she is in charge.
You’re more confident in all aspects of your life, Leah reminding you that you are deserving of respect and kindness, even demanding it for you. She’s your person and you are hers, lifting one another up in the best kind of love.
(She doesn’t like Renee at all, because of the way she treated you and Bella)
Long drives and camp outs under the stars. Leah loves taking you away with her, ditching the rest of the world and just running off with you. Music plays on the radio, her hand resting on your thigh as she drives down the desolate road, her dark eyes occasionally glancing towards you. Leah has a place she likes to go, a little secret that only you know.
The two of you will stay there for as long as you can, sometimes just a weekend and sometimes longer.
It’s just nice to lay between the stars and the sea, forgetting about everything but one another. Some of your best memories were born there, love staining the earth sweetly forever and ever.
You and Jacob end up becoming good friends. For a long time, you did not know each other too well, him being more of Bella’s friend then your own. But when he becomes closer to Leah he becomes closer to you two, seeing how happy you make her. You can joke together and tease one another, Jacob spending a lot of time with you and Leah.
He’s less annoying, you decide, when he’s not pining for your sister.
And you’re not too annoying until you and Leah start obsessing over one another, making out and flirting without any shame.
Bella eventually gets over herself when she sees how happy you are together. She admits that she wasn’t always the best sister, having mothered you too much and pushed you away too often. But she’s happy that you have your own love story, one that allows you to remain in Charlie’s life, building a home and a family with Leah.
When she eventually leaves, faking her own death, you keep in contact and meet up secretly so often. She asks you to take care of Charlie for her and you do.
Her happy ending: a little house, a dog, a couple of kids...and you. She dreams of this night and day, building her happily ever after alongside you. Charlie adores his grandchildren (either adopted or born via sperm donor, you decide), visiting often and taking them fishing and Leah fills her home with love, baking and chasing her children and telling them stories of terrible monsters and brave wolves.
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justoneofthoseghosts · 10 months
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It's like time stands still. The Earth stops spinning. Everything fades away.
All Sylvie could see was Matt and the shiny diamond ring cradled the grey ring box. She was at a loss for words, rendered speechless by Matt's actions. Her ex-boyfriend proposing to her at the place where they first kissed was not on her 2023 bingo card, that was for sure.
She gazes at him, at his blue eyes so full of hope.
She's reminded of that cold, spring night years ago out on north apron of 51 - she told them then how they belonged together, how they were right for each other and how when you knew, you knew.
Third time's the charm, she thinks, and before she can overanalyze the situation, she lets out the only word she was capable of.
"Yes," she whispers hoarsely before nodding her head.
He grins widely at her, "yes?"
She nods once more.
Maybe it was crazy for them to go from in a relationship to a long distance one to broken up to suddenly engaged with three kids to boot. On paper, it was completely insane but maybe this was how it was all supposed to go.
She watches as he gets up, his eyes shining now for different reasons. She blinks back her own tears. She had cried about the end of their relationship in this very apartment but today, tears of joy were being shed.
He gestures for her hand. She holds it out and he smiles an almost beatific smile as he slips the ring onto her finger.
"Perfect fit," she comments, looking at the ring.
He clears his throat before a hand goes to massage the back of his neck, "I may have borrowed one of your rings to be sure."
Her head snaps up in surprise before it fully hits her that he bought the ring a year and a half ago.
"When you know, you know," he tells her, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards once more.
She launches herself at him. He catches her with ease as she gazes up at him.
"Hi," she says.
"Hi," he echoes.
She closes the distance between them, kissing him fully on the mouth. He pulls her closer, his hands tightening around her waist.
Before she can guide him to the bedroom, her phone rings and so does his. They break apart, both jostled by the sound. She fishes her phone from her pocket just as he does the same.
She looks down on her screen to find Violet's name flashing.
“Hello?”
She glances towards Matt, her face growing more worried with every second that Violet continues to talk. Their eyes meet and she can see the same worry etched across his face.
“Thanks Violet, we’ll be right there,” she tells her partner.
Matt walks over to her, enveloping her in his embrace. She takes a few breaths, not allowing herself to go there.
“He’s going to be fine,” she states quietly but firmly.
“Of course he is,” Matt replies confidently.
She slips on a pair of Birkenstocks not really caring that she was in overalls or her hair was in a messy bun. Matt waits by the door as she grabs a purse and her keys. He holds out his hand for her to take, keeping their fingers interlaced as she locks the door. He smiles reassuringly at her, helping calm her down. She loved Mouch and she knew Matt did too. The older firefighter had known Matt for a long time after all, since the Captain had been a candidate.
She had a million and one questions for Matt, like whatever happened to the lady he was seeing or whether Ben got into more colleges but she knew they could wait. Right now, their 51 family needed to be together. They'd have a lifetime to catch up on everything they missed out on in the past couple of years.
A lifetime they would fill with more wonderful memories together.
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wyndford-dekarios · 21 days
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1, 3, 9, 16 & 20
tysm- still embarrassed abt sending an ask before checking whats already been answered. head in hands. ok answer time
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1. What shampoo/hair products does she use? Have you used it?
In my mind, she uses whatever "smells like pink"- she doesn't care about whatever's trendy, she'll go her way no matter what anyone says. Peach and cherry blossom, strawberry and watermelon, those kinds of scents. She uses shampoo and conditioner, probably tailored exactly to her hair type. There's probably a lot of care that goes into her wigs, too, but I can't exactly use wig shampoo, can I? She normally doesn't let people near her more 'feminine' body care products, but sometimes she lets me borrow the watermelon shampoo if she feels cheeky.
3. What foods does she love that you hate and vice versa?
I can't exactly provide a concrete answer on this one! There's a lot of food that she likes, and I haven't tried all of it, so I can't be sure. I will say this; more often than not, I don't eat a lot of melons for texture reasons, and she's probably not a fan of eating cured meat straight.
9. Do you have nicknames for each other?
I like calling her my wife, even though we're not married. I also have a couple sweets-related nicknames, including 'parfait' and 'cherry stem'. She calls me the normal petnames all the time, but also refers to me with a lot of flower nicknames- mostly edible flowers. Her peony, her violet, her rose...
16. What type of gifts do you give each other? (For birthdays, special occasions, holidays, etc)
She says every date we go on is a gift in and of itself, but of course she also thinks of good ways to spend her money on things for me to wear to show that I'm hers. A new set of earrings, a pendant, a tie with a pink stripe down the middle, a comfortable pair of gloves. These gifts also tend to be more on the feminine side, to help me come to terms with how I feel about myself. I like to get her new, small accessories when I can, or something that could go with a variety of outfits that go with her tastes (like a snakeskin shawl). Sometimes, with help from others, I get new a new dress, and she's always so pleased.
20. Free space, gush about her/your ship!
I got butterflies in my stomach typing this all out. Dude she is so pretty. She is so so pretty and makes me feel better about myself and where I stand. She makes me want to know myself better, because she's so confident with who she is and how she does it that I think I could maybe do it too. She's the reason I get up in the mornings sometimes, if I'm being honest. I want to take care of her and make her feel special. I have a lot more feelings that I'm embarrassed to talk about, but she turns me to goo every time I think about her, haha.
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dennou-translations · 3 years
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Violet Evergarden: Booklet 2
Please feel free to message me about possible corrections. If you can, consider supporting the creators by purchasing the official releases. In case anyone is feeling generous, please consider donating to my Ko-fi or PayPal. ( ╹◡╹)っ’・*
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I wanted that star. I wanted to be the person who would piece through that star.
   Leon Stephanotis and the First Star
   I had once seen a comet that only came around every two hundred years together with a girl.
It had happened years ago. That was one beautiful evening. Even now, I can still vividly recall the twinkling of the stars we watched on that day while our bodies shivered at the coldness of the nightly wind. Like jewels scattered over a dark canopy, the starry sky was enough to make one forget to even breathe. As it passed by, dragging its white tail, the meteor looked just like a fairy in flight with insect scales scattering about from her wings.
Whenever I looked at a beautiful night sky, I would think many times over, “Aah, now that I’ve branded this moment into my heart, I’d have no regrets if someone reaped my life away”. Should I lose my life, I wanted it to be on a starry night like that. I wanted to die with the memory of witnessing something stunning.
“May the night sky be a beautiful starry one on the day I die,” I wished.
But that one evening was a little bit different. Maybe because I had someone to watch the stars with me. Maybe because that was my first love.
She was a gorgeous person. Even more than the stars. Her hair looked like the Sun when shining under the moonlight and her blue eyes were like gemstones created from a mix of the sea and the sky. With her porcelain skin and skylark voice, the way she walked was just as that of a well-cared maiden. In reality, she was an orphaned ex-soldier, as well as an Auto-Memories Doll from a far-away southern country, so the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” was pertinent when it came to her.
She was most likely an once-in-a-lifetime kind of person, one that you couldn’t know if you would ever get to meet.
My chest throbbed even at the sigh that leaked from her when she was peeking at the telescope. When she looked my way and smiled faintly, I experienced an impact as if I had been hit in the head, giving in to a love that made me feel like my whole body would melt and crumble down.
“Master, astronomical observations are quite a wonderful thing.”
If, by any chance, my body were to be crushed by a star in that moment, only on that day did I want to keep looking at something, even if for just one second more. I wanted to keep looking at her. Forever and ever, I wished. That was what I thought.
This encounter had changed my life and decided my fate. I didn’t mind if people laughed at that, calling me a romanticist. I, Leon Stephanotis, whose destiny had been altered, would always look back on it.
On the day that I had watched the stars with Violet Evergarden.
   “There was a sea of gold in his land” – who was it again that had sung the praises of a desert like this?
“I’m beat.”
When bookworms read too much, their head’s capacity would exceed the limit, so they would automatically forget the things they had read in their early phases. I had confidence in my memorization abilities and yet I couldn’t remember this, so it was surely a passage from an adventure novel or something of the sort that I had read in my childhood.
——What a beautiful comparison.
When I actually stood in the middle of a desert, my impressions were drawn to the temperatures, sunlight and other such things regarding the environment instead, so this poetic expression hadn’t crossed my mind. In the destinations of my travels, I often reminisced to a certain someone who was somewhere in this world, as well as the things she, who spoke words as beautiful as that, used to say, as if borrowing them.
“So pretty...”
I liked the color of gold. I could observe the grains of sand moving smoothly for all eternity.
“Everyone, you did well; the books we excavated will be brought back by another group. Meaning that we from the starting line-up are finally off for the first time in months.”
As I was spacing out, I didn’t hear the commander’s words very well. I was only staring at the ground, missing out on everything. When I raised my head, the happy-looking faces of my bearded and somewhat dirty colleagues entered my eyes. All I understood right away was that we would get a vacation.
“After we get twenty days off, we’ll regroup in Iustitia, at Shaher’s headquarters. After that, we’ll go to that place in the south where the reconnaissance team was sent. Next will be our turn to bring back the luggage. Don’t let your bodies get weak.”
“Roger that.” Once everybody gave an agreeable reply in unison, we disbanded from the spot.
Iustitia, Shaher’s headquarters. The main office of my occupation. I was previously in a section called the codex department, devotedly working on the deciphering of documents and copying manuscripts, but now I had been transferred to a completely different section. It sounded good when we were called the leading actors, but it was actually a group of reeking adventure rascals, the literature collecting department.
I put my heavy baggage sack on the ground and heaved a breath. Wiping the white folk clothes that I had been provided with on-site, I dusted the sand off them. This clothing called dola – a long robe secured by a waist belt – looked flappy and inflexible at first glance, but it was surprisingly easy to move around in. It was made of a rather velvety silk material, so there would normally not be so much sand sticking to it, but since I was caught in a sandstorm until just a moment ago, there was no helping it.
We had returned from a thorough search in the ruins of an abandoned castle, once the dominion of a royal clan whose name was eminent in the past. A book burning movement had taken place in this land at a certain point, but we had received information that a scholar from those times, out of fear towards the situation, had hidden valuable books in the forsaken palace. The information was apparently right, so after wandering around all over the deserted castle, we had found dozens of books. The books that would be taken to Shaher’s headquarters were to be made into written copies and spread to the world.
Made for protection purposes, Shaher’s literature collection was also well-reputed in other countries. It was difficult to negotiate with the locals responsible for the abandoned castle, but we were allowed entrance this time as well thanks to our achievements thus far. Just like that, someone’s story, studies and feelings, which were supposed to have disappeared, would breathe once again. The books we had been looking for would be delivered to other people and comfort them during long nights.
——What a wonderful thing.
The working environment was awful, but I was proud of my job.
I sat down on my luggage and gazed at the cityscape while drinking water from my canteen. In this desert-zone city, everyone’s clothes seemed harmonized no matter what color they wore.
“Senior Leon, what will you do on your days off?”
As a junior who had not yet left the spot called to me, I furrowed my brows and looked at his face. He was a young man of masculine facial traits, which was enviable to someone as baby-faced as me.
“Hey, Sir.”
A rarity amongst the members of our unit, the man had not been born in Iustitia. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was a rich kid who had been born in a southern country and entered Shaher through connections with the foundation executives.
Getting a job at the Shaher Observatory was a daunting task even for those who had studied astronomy. It was hard to make it without learning in a good environment from an early age. Since Iustitia, the capital of stargazing, was the best place to study in, it was natural that the ones hired were mostly the locals.
——Well, this guy had connections, so this has nothing to do with him.
I pondered an answer. “Nothing in particular.” For the time being, I decided to be cold, acting as nonchalant as ever.
And this was also the same as always, but the junior took no offense in my crude response – rather, he laughed at me, looking happy. “Then that means you’ve got no plans. I was thinking of going home. If you’d like, how about we go together? We have a villa by the lake... If I go now, the schedule will allow my family to join in.”
“No, why do I—”
“Last time we had a break, I told my little sisters about your cool adventure story and they wouldn’t shut up about how much they wanted to meet you. Hey, hey, how about it?”
I was baffled. I had no idea what was good about me to this junior but he would oddly flock to me. The reason why I hadn’t told him about my plans right away was that I felt he would follow me if I did so. Honestly, he was a bother. Up to now, we had acted as a group. I wanted to be alone even if a second sooner.
“I’m not going.”
“No way... My family’s all pretty boys and girls! Sir, you like beautiful things, don’t you?”
“Do they look like you?”
“They do.”
“Then they might be pretty, but won’t be my type.”
“Sir! You’re horrible!”
“So loud. If your family’s waiting for you, hurry and go.”
While I gestured with my hand as if shooing a dog, the junior made a puppy-like sad face. Even though he had a big body, he was amicable and his display of emotions was richer than most people, making him look all the more like a dog.
“Then, if you ever feel like coming to see me during your break...”
“I won’t.”
“...could you contact a hotel called Varona in Leidenschaftlich?”
“I won... uh?”
“It’s a first-class accommodation establishment. It’s under my uncle’s administration, so you can get a stay there immediately, and I can pick you up as soon as you give me my name. Oh, you’re making an interested face, huh? Want to come with me right now?”
What piqued my interest was the word “Leidenschaftlich” – that was all.
——That’s where the CH Postal Company is.
And it was also where my first love worked at.
“You were from Leidenschaftlich...?”
“That’s right. I did say it in my self-introduction when I joined the department.”
“Well, I don’t listen to people I have no interest in...”
As expected, my junior gave a happy-looking smile with his whole face. “Sir, I like that you’re equally unfriendly to everyone. People only got close to me because of my title... and my family’s social standing... but Sir, you’re cold, and that feels nice.”
“Your suffocating actions are a pain in the ass to me. Besides, hum...”
“What is it, Sir?”
“Hum, say... is the CH Postal Company well-known?”
“Do you know Violet Evergarden?” – the reason why I couldn’t ask this was a literal embodiment of how much I lacked guts, I thought.
With an “aah”, my junior immediately made a face like the name rang a bell. “I know them. It’s the company of that businessman, Claudia Hodgins, right? They’re popular. Shocking that the name of a company would come from you.”
“I’m an adult, after all. I’d know the name of one or two renowned businesses at least.”
“That’s a lie, ain’t it? I already know you don’t have interest in anything but stars. Erm... if I’m not wrong, all the postal companies of Leiden got sucked into it. They also succeeded in company split-ups. Their president is a celebrity too. The newspaper series where he talks to other entrepreneurs is a trend... It got adapted into a book just recently. There’s a chapter in the extra edition where he talks to his secretary and the president of an affiliated company, and it’s so fun. The book’s in my room at the headquarters, so you can take it with you and read it all you want.”
“Is there nothing about business in that book? Like, about the Auto-Memories Doll field... Hum, according to my research, there should be a rather famous Auto-Memories Doll in it... Don’t know if she’s still there, though.”
I timidly attempted to ask, yet it seemed my junior didn’t know the details. That was expected. The number of people who could hire Auto-Memories Dolls was limited, so hardly anybody would know even the name of a famed Doll unless it was someone marginally acquainted with them.
“I wonder. I do sorta know that they apparently have one real beauty of a Doll. But I also have a good-looking face... so I don’t yield to beauties from here and there.”
“Got it. Thanks for the info. And for the nice conversation. Go home.”
“Sir...! If you get bored of being alone, please remember me!”
Leaving behind my clingy junior, I took off from that place. I strutted with a hand in my pocket.
My junior wasn’t a bad guy. He had a high-handed personality but fit into the category of good person. He must have talked to me like that because he knew about my background as an orphan who had lost his parents and got a job at the astronomical observatory by way of assistance from Shaher. Meaning he was worried about his senior, who would be spending his vacation alone with no lover or family. The reason why he had invited me to a house where his family would be was probably that he was exposing his intentions in his own way.
——But to hell with that.
I wanted to be alone. To say that the people who thought I was pitiful were the actual pitiful ones was my essence. I had always enjoyed watching the stars by myself anyway, and I enjoyed books about stars too. Book reading wasn’t meant to be done with two people, right? I liked being alone. This was also because I had lived a life of accepting solitude for a long time, but if anything, it was harder for me to settle down when I was in someone’s company.
When I turned the street corner and confirmed that he finally wasn’t following me anymore, I let out a relieved sigh.
——Alone at last. Time and space just for me.
The times when I was by myself like this were the ones I felt most comfortable in, and while I did have some things to reflect upon in that regard, unfortunately, I didn’t have a family to pester me about having children, unlike the rest of society. Because I was alone.
——I get that it isn’t a good thing.
There were things that you couldn’t get used to or change, despite understanding why you should. I was equal parts as obstinate as I felt inferior to those who had families. Only one person had ever made me want to be with her for a little longer when I was in her company.
——Only one.
Our circumstances were similar and we were also alike in that we were burdened with loneliness, but it wasn’t as if I liked her because of the similarity. It was because she seemed like she would be all right even if she were on her own, so I had wished to stay by her side. To get close to her. I “liked” her in that way. It wasn’t as if I wanted her to do something for me. I was the one who wanted to do something for her. It was that kind of “like”.
It had happened a long time ago.
After we had spent a little time together, she left. When we were bidding our farewells, I stopped her and confessed.
“Violet.”
I told her I was in love with her. I didn’t ask her, “I like you, so what do you wanna do?” – I simply told her I liked her.
“I’m... I’m... in the codex department now, but... I actually wanted to be in the literature collecting department like my father.”
She gave me this answer: the way that she cherished me was different.
“I had my hopes up that maybe my mother would come home one day if I waited here, bringing my father back with her... so I kept shutting myself in until this age, without ever stepping off into the outside world. That was possible in this place and I wanted it myself. But... just now...”
But if we ever happened to meet again, she wanted to spend time with me.
“I’ve just made up my mind. I’ll go around the world like you.”
In that moment, the woman who had said that she couldn’t feel emotions...
“I might face danger. I might lose my life without anyone ever finding my body, just like my parents. But—But that’s okay. I’m thinking of choosing that path.”
...smiled at me like a normal girl, looking happy, and told me something.
“If I do that, I’m sure we might get to meet someday, somewhere, under a starry sky. We’re both gypsies. And if that happens, will you...”
——...watch the stars with me again?
“Yes, Master.”
She told me that. She said it. This alone was already enough for me. This alone gave me the courage to come out of the world that I had been secluding myself in. Even if my love wasn’t requited, even if we never saw each other again, I was so happy.
She.
Violet.
Violet Evergarden.
Just that – just the fact that she had promised to watch the stars with me – had made me happy to the point of changing my life.
I kept making transfer requests ever since that day, finally earned approval and ventured myself into the outside world. The world other than Iustitia that I saw for the first time was bustling with a dizzying variety of things, which made me regret secluding myself. But surely, if I hadn’t met her, I would have taken a lot longer to go outside. No, I might have never left that bird cage to begin with.
That environment where I was allowed to wallow was terribly indulgent. After all, everyone was awfully nice to me for not being able to stand up, just because I was sad.
I didn’t simply think that I would definitely get to see her at least once. The probability of an astronomer and an Auto-Memories Doll, who had spent time together at work, meeting even once was surely the same as the meteor we had seen that day – once every two hundred years.
I was being ridiculous. If I really wanted to see her, I should just go visit her postal company in Leiden. The reason why I didn’t do it was that I was scared. That maybe her words were just out of friendliness, and that, if we did meet, she wouldn’t even remember me and I would be rejected. On top of being terrified of this, I also had a dream.
That if we ever happened to reunite, I wanted us to meet again truly by coincidence, under a starry sky.
If something like that really were to happen, just what would I do? Would I smile? Cry? Or ask for her love again?
I nodded at a passerby who had almost collided with me and started walking again. I had no particular destination. I could also go back to the headquarters just like this and be an idle bookworm in my own room, but going sightseeing around this city for at least a little bit was also good.
——I won’t get to see Violet if I stay in that place.
I had no free time to spend money, so I could afford the luxury of staying at a remotely nice hotel. Having made up my mind, I went into the main street and began looking for accommodation in the desert capital.
   Local idioms were honestly my weak point. Even though it was a common language, it was hard to catch because of the many dialects. When I talked to elders, I was done for.
However, I could perfectly understand that the inn’s owner, an old gentleman, had treated me like a “young lady”. Of course, I told him he was mistaken, but he didn’t hear it. He led me to my room with a hand around my hips.
The room was quite a high-class one, so I let it slide. If it were my old self, I would have been as furious as a raging fire. But I had grown up. By holding back my anger, I would manage to spend the night in a proper bed, where it didn’t seem like bugs would show up, so becoming an adult was for the best. Even if my self-respect decreased a little.
While I was chilling in the room and writing my diary, the sun went down in a blink of eye and it was getting late into the evening.
   “Heave-ho.”
It was the dead of night. I put on warm clothes and prepared myself to go out.
I wanted to observe the desert’s starry sky at my own leisure. As our activities had been limited to daytime ever since we had arrived here, I was now finally getting to do the things that I actually felt like doing. I had watched it together with everyone else from the windows of the cheap inn that the literature collecting department’s personnel had stayed at, but as expected, I wanted to see it from a spacious place with no noise or anything of the sort. As a scholar born in the so-called “capital of stargazing”, I obviously was going to have my fill of the desert’s night sky.
Unable to contain my feelings of excitement, I left the room after my lips relaxed a bit. For the heck of it, I greeted the innkeeper and told him I was going to see the stars. When I did so, he made a worried-looking face.
Apparently, women were forbidden of wandering outside at night in these lands. He couldn’t stop me from going out since I wasn’t a local, but warned me not to get too close to men. It wasn’t as if there were many ruffians among the people who walked around at night, but simply that this city had this kind of culture, so if the men suddenly spotted a woman, they might think badly of it. I had grown up in a men’s dormitory watching a bunch of idiots, so I understood what he was trying to say.
I showed him the retractable cane I was holding, and while I was at it, I also demonstrated with one swing that a blade came out from the tip as well. It was not for killing anyone, but it sufficed for making the other party recoil and holding them back.
Receiving the innkeeper’s applause from behind, I ventured myself outside.
The temperature gaps between nighttime and daytime was extreme in the desert. Having been raised in a mountaintop astronomical observatory, I was used to areas where there was a discrepancy in temperatures between day and night, but even then, I could bring myself to deem it as comfortable due to differences in humidity. The instant I stepped outside, I shuddered with a “brr”.
However, I forgot the cold as soon as I saw the sight spreading overhead. Surely, God must have dropped His jewel box. The starry sky unfolded in a way that made even someone like me come up with such a poetic saying.
Due to the fact that it was nighttime, there were few people out, but it wasn’t as if nobody was wandering about the city. Just as the innkeeper had said, it seemed that someone with a womanly appearance (I wasn’t a woman at all, though) walking around did catch people’s eyes, as they called to me countless times. I put myself on guard in each of those instances, and everyone withdrew with the same caution as the innkeeper.
Not letting the women walk around late at night was also meant for protecting them.
I had heard that there was a place for stargazing aimed at tourists somewhere a little far from the city, so I headed there, for safety as well. Several tents were erected around the sparse green area. In addition to privately built tents, there were also merchant tents selling drinks and food.
After looking through the signboards with the prices of the alcohol and warm soups that people of this region consumed and were familiar with, I picked the alcohol. I was an adult now and on vacation, so I told myself that it was okay to drink today and gave myself permission.
I went for a cloudy-colored alcoholic drink simmered in a large pot called the witch’s cauldron. It was warm and sweet, with a slightly spicy aftertaste. It warmed your body when you drank it and was the best delicacy to savor in cold weather.
Some people invited me to enter their tents, but I refused and steadily began setting up by arranging the astronomical observation tools that I had prepared. I assembled a demountable astronomical telescope over the sheets.
Even though this was said to be a place for stargazing, not everyone seemed to be astronomy freaks like in Iustitia – most of them were lying on the ground, enjoying a conversation with their companions while relishing in the jewels of the night. Everyone other than myself had simple handheld telescopes, so a few locals started appearing fussily around me, looking greatly interested. If anything, there weren’t just tourists.
A young father who had a child with him shyly came to ask me, “How much is it for you to let us take a look?” Apparently, he had mistaken me for a merchant.
“I don’t take money for it. It’s something for me to enjoy myself.”
The young parent made a bewildered face at my blunt reply, but nervously stepped in front of the kid and said, “It’s okay even if it’s just for a little bit, couldn’t you let this child take a peek?”
“Sure, it’s fine.”
He was also surprised at my ready consent. As he asked one more time if I really wasn’t going to charge for it, I declared that I wasn’t, swearing by this land’s god.
I beckoned the child. Our heights didn’t match since he was too small, so I lifted him by the hips.
“Can you see them?”
“Just a tad higher.”
“This much?”
“Amaziiing.”
At the child’s delighted look, the father and I locked eyes with each other and laughed. Then, other people who had been surrounding us at a distance came over one after another, asking me to let them see next. Whenever I said that I wasn’t charging any fee, they would ask me back, “Are you a saint or what?”.
In a land where you could see such beautiful stars, astronomical telescopes weren’t wild-spread among locals, enjoyed only by tourists and outsiders. That was probably the case. For them, this was an expensive item brought by outsiders. The stars were beautiful enough at naked eye, so if I had to say it, telescopes weren’t necessary. But if there was something that would help them see better, there would obviously be people saying that they want to take a look.
——Guess I’m gonna contact Shaher’s donors and indicate this place as a potential donation site.
If this pleased so many people, maybe it would be nice to have a telescope that everyone could look into, just as there were benches where everyone could sit on along the streets. I liked stars, so it made me happy even if just one more person fell in love with them.
“Having fun?”
“We are! You’re so generous!”
The figure of an elderly man much older than myself smiling like a boy, looking extremely happy, struck home pretty hard. It wasn’t like I wanted to hang out with anyone or that I had a preference for getting along with everybody. That wasn’t the case at all.
“This thing’s pricey, ain’t it? You okay with people touchin’ it without a care?”
“It’s not made for decoration; it’s something to look at.”
But these kinds of moments were nice.
——Very nice.
If these once-in-a-lifetime encounters would increase the proportion of stargazing in someone’s life, nothing could make me happier.
——When I get old, I guess I’m gonna run a rent-a-telescope or something like that somewhere.
I decided to take a few steps back and let everyone enjoy themselves.
This sensation that the joy of the surroundings was becoming more and more contagious. This feeling that people were gathering there only out of curiosity and adventurous spirit, not for profit. It didn’t seem fitting of my usual self, but something like this was also conceivable every once in a while.
With nothing to do, I naturally started looking around. Wonderful night, wonderful atmosphere.
The figure of someone standing still amongst it all entered my field of vision even without me wanting to. Everyone else had a companion.
The person was clad in dola like me and had a veil covering her face. From her physique, I could somehow presume that she was probably a woman.
Hoping that no weirdos would go talk to her, I worried about and kept watch over the woman, just like people had done for me. If she got caught up by anybody, should I intervene?
I used to hate women, yet here I was, concerning myself with one. I might have a misconstrued sense of justice, but I at least had to care.
I was just looking at her for a little while simply for that reason, but the instant that the wind blew strongly, all of my nerves became her captive. Her veil came off. It came off just slightly and I could see her face.
Her golden hair fluttered leniently. Her shapely profile was exposed under the starry sky. This beauty that could be discerned even in the nightly darkness was breathtaking.
It was really just a few seconds’ time and she immediately fixed the veil back on tight, but I had already seen her, so I knew. I knew.
I knew who that was.
Distancing myself from the telescope, I walked unsteadily towards her. Like winged bugs that gathered up to light.
This person literally shone like a lantern in my life. It was fire that wouldn’t disappear, no matter how much time passed. Time only strengthened the flame’s vigor.
That was why, aah, I... I...
“Violet Evergarden... is that you?”
That was why I called to her at that moment, with a shrill voice. As she looked at me, her eyes slowly crinkled, the corners of her lips went up and she smiled at me.
I felt like tearing up at that.
“It has been a while, Master.”
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I had dreamed of this.
“Is it really you?”
I had dreamed of this day.
“Yes, Master.”
Always had been.
“Stupid, I’m not your master anymore... I have a name too... You’ve probably forgotten about it, but I... My name is...”
I had dreamed of this day and had always been thinking about what to say if we ever got to meet again.
“Mr. Leon Stephanotis. Is ‘Mr. Leon’ all right?”
If it were under a starry sky with not a single cloud, we could talk about its bare beauty. If it were on a rainy day, we could discuss the mythology related to the constellations.
“Did I mistake it? I have confidence in my memorization skills, but...”
If it were on a night where a once-in-every-two-centuries meteor were to pass by, we could share stories of the past in which we had observed the sky together.
“No... you got it right. You got it... Just ‘Leon’ is fine... Violet, the time you spent with me was so long ago, and yet, you sure... managed to...”
I had dreamed of this. You had no idea, did you, Violet Evergarden?
“You sure managed to remember.”
You were my first love. The first person I fell for. That day was the first time I confessed to someone.
“Leon, do you recall the promise we made?”
I opened the door to courage. I opened it thinking it would be okay even if I got hurt. But instead of hurting me, you accepted it. You broke my love to pieces, but still acknowledged it.
“Yeah.”
I had dreamed of this. Of this moment. You didn’t have to remember it. You could have forgotten what you had said to me. But if nothing else, I wanted to have one more look at you before I died.
“Have you memorized...”
One more time.
“...the names of a few stars?”
I wanted to see you one more time.
Violet Evergarden. I – the sixteen-year-old Leon Stephanotis – was in love with you.
He was in love with you. So was my current self. Now that you were in front of me, I could tell as much, even if I didn’t want to.
The flame inside my chest was saying, “This woman is the one who started the fire.” It told me that you were the woman who burned me up. You had burned me, and you still were. You melted everything that I had locked up within ice. It told me that you were the woman of my fate.
Violet wordlessly nodded in agreement. She nodded like a child. She was happy that I remembered what she had told me – I could tell by the facial expression she was making.
——You used to be so expressionless and doll-like – who was it that changed you so much?
You weren’t a doll anymore now. More like a girl who had someone’s love. You didn’t look like anything but that in my eyes ever since you were with me, though. But now, surely you had someone. This someone had changed you to that point, right?
“Violet,” I said, suppressing the pain of my sweltering chest. “If you have some time, won’t you spend it with me?” I asked.
I was attempting to open the door to courage again. Regardless of what awaited me beyond it, even if I regretted opening it. I asked nevertheless.
You changed me. You made me who I was. You probably didn’t know that. You didn’t have to.
“Yes, by all means.”
And this beautiful woman in front of me, too.
“I had been waiting for a day to come when I inform you about the fruits of my studies.”
Surely, she had also been made by someone.
“Should we ever meet, I had wanted to report them to you, even if you did not remember.”
Envy, affection and attachment ran through my body.
“That is what I was thinking.”
My sixteen-year-old self was screaming. “I was in love with you. I was in love with you. I was in love with you. I’m in love with you. Even now, I still like you,” he shouted.
I no longer had any of the youth and recklessness of those days. However, regarding my love for her, the me from back when I confessed to her was still here.
“I’m sure what I’m gonna say now will trouble you. But would you listen?”
I was still here. That version of me was still inside me.
Violet Evergarden, you...
“You can laugh if you want; you see...”
...to me, you... a woman like you was...
“You were my first love.”
Violet Evergarden, you...
“I still like you. Forgive me.”
To me, you were a woman of the stars.
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favefandomimagines · 4 years
Text
Soul Surfer (j.m.)
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Summary: JJ’s surfing idol moves to town and that happens to include his daughter.
AN: here it is!!!! i’m posting it early in celebration of hitting 900 followers! there are 900+ of you who are reading my stuff like that’s insane to me!!
Part 2 of soul surfer will be up hopefully by Tuesday! Wednesday at the latest!
Tag list: @outerbxmalia @hockeyschmockey @allie-mcginn @prejudic3 @sexualparkour @k-k0129 @iamaunicorn4704 @milamaybank @jj-maybabe @divcrdown @sweetwatermelonsugar @alexa-playafricabytoto @aaleksmorozova @fandom-phaser @lulbabes @princessmugglecup @infinityspacesuniverse @teamnick @frankiebcanon @srirachabi @starxdame @holadrxrry @drizzlethatfalls
JJ, Pope and John B were on their way to The Wreck to annoy Kie at work. It was customary, almost traditional, to stop by the restaurant to bother their friend while she was working.
When John B parked in front, they noticed a similar van next to theirs with Hawaii license plates, that read ‘HANG LOOSE.’ JJ also couldn’t help but admire the two surfboards strapped to the roof.
“Who in their right mind would want to leave Hawaii for the Outer Banks?” Pope asked. ��I don’t know but whoever it is must be a killer surfer. Look at these boards, they’re the best money can get right now.” JJ added.
“Don’t get any ideas, J.” John B said, pulling his friend along. “What? I wasn’t going to steal them.” JJ rebutted.
The three teenage boys walked into the building and looked around for Kie. “Guys!” Kie practically yelled, appearing behind them. “You will never believe who’s here right now.” She added.
“Who?” John B asked. But before Kie could answer his question, JJ grabbed ahold of him. “Holy shit. That’s Rob Elliot. He’s a surf legend. I’ve been watching him since I was 10.” He exclaimed, eyes practically bulging out of his head. “No way. What is he doing here?” Pope asked. “That must be who’s van we saw outside.” John B said.
The four friends watched the famous surfer when JJ saw the girl sitting next to the man. The brunette girl, with blue eyes who radiated everything he found perfect. He was probably being creepy but he couldn’t find himself being able to look away from her. Especially when her father said something to make her laugh. Seeing her smile did something to JJ he couldn’t really explain.
And he didn’t go unnoticed by her. Her eyes went to him the second he stepped through the door. Though she was more subtle about her ‘observing’ than he was. She wanted to know who he was. It was like a weird pull that told her ‘this is a boy you need to know.’ It was strange to say the least. She had just moved here and already she was forming a crush on someone she hasn’t said a word to.
Violet wasn't so keen on moving from Hawaii, her safe place, to an island town in North Carolina. But her father wanted a change of venue now that he was retired from surfing. The town of Outer Banks lives off of tourism and he figured he could start a pretty successful surfboard business that would bring in plenty enough money to pay the bills.
Though JJ was following John B and Pope towards a table, his eyes remained fixated on the brunette. “If you stare long enough she’s going to have to get a restraining order.” Pope commented. The blonde rolled his eyes before he looked back at Violet, when he noticed she was already staring in his direction.
He immediately tried to act normal as he searched the menu and just tried to save himself from embarrassment.
“Go talk to them. You need to start making friends.” Rob said, motioning towards the three boys. “Dad, we literally just got here. And I can’t just go up and talk to them, they’ll think I’m weird.” Violet said.
“Hi, welcome to The Wreck! I’m Kiara and I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but those three imbeciles are my friends. If you want I could introduce you! I know it can be hard to make friends sometimes.” Kiara offered.
Rob nudged his daughter’s arm, telling her to take the girl up on her offer. “Hi, I'm Violet and yeah! That would be great, thank you so much!” Violet replied. “Go. I’ll see you back at the house.” Rob said.
Violet smiled at him before standing up from the table and following Kiara to her friends.
“Oh my god, she’s coming over here. Wh-What do I do? What do I say?” JJ asked, panic setting in. “Dude, just be yourself. Since when have you had trouble talking to girls?” Pope said. “Hey guys this is Violet.” Kiara said.
Violet smiled sweetly at them as JJ tried to avoid her gaze. Not because he wasn’t being friendly but because he knew that if he looked at her, she’d see the redness in his cheeks.
“Hey, Violet. I’m John B. This is Pope and the weirdo right there is JJ.” John B said. “It’s nice to meet you guys.” She replied. “Here, sit down.” Pope offered. Violet sat down in the chair in between John B and JJ, Kiara taking the one across from her.
The five teens fell into a natural conversation, them asking why Violet moved here and her asking what living there was like. She soon learned about the different sides of the island, The Cut and Figure 8. Violet was advised to stay away from that side of the island because the Kooks weren’t so friendly to those who hung around with Pogues.
Violet was beginning to feel at home with the Pogues, causing her confidence to grow and her shyness to disappear.
“Do you guys wanna go surf? I heard that the waves were pretty good around this time of day.” Violet suggested. JJ swore he could feel his heart start speeding up immensely. “I wish but I have to get to work.” Pope said. “And I still have my shift here. But give me your number and we can hang out tomorrow!” Kiara added. “I know JJ is free.” John B spoke up.
JJ kicked his friend from under the table, something that didn’t go unnoticed by the others.
“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I could surf.” He stammered. “Great! I’m sure I can talk my dad into letting us borrow a couple boards if you don’t mind.” Violet said. “I would never mind using a board like that.” JJ replied with a small laugh. “Awesome! You can show me the best spots.” Violet told him.
Pope and Kiara retreated to work while John B left Violet and JJ alone. “My house isn’t far from here, we can walk there, get the boards and head to the beach.” She told him.
“I’m sorry, I just can’t believe I’m talking to you right now. Your dad is my hero.” JJ said, not being able to keep his thoughts to himself. “Really? You must be pretty good then.” Violet replied, her arm brushing against his. “Well, I don’t wanna brag, but John B and I are the best surfers on the island.” He told her.
The brunette gave him a smirk as they both walked up the porch of her house. “For now. Until I get there out there.” She said.
JJ felt like he was in a cartoon where Buggs Bunny’s heart burst out of his chest and his eyes were bulging out of his head.
“Dad! Can I borrow a couple boards?” Violet called, entering the house. “Take the ones on the van!” Rob called back, meeting his daughter in the entryway. “Who’s this?” He asked. “Oh, dad, this is JJ. I met him this morning at The Wreck.” Violet explained.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve been watching you compete since I was a kid.” JJ said. “Well thank you, JJ. I take it you surf as well.” Rob said with a smile on his face. “Yeah, yeah, I do.” JJ answered. “We’re gonna go surf for a bit.” Violet added. “You’ll have to tell me how good the waves are when you get back.” Rob said. “Take the van too. I’m doing some work around the house, I won’t need it.” He added.
Violet smiled sweetly up at her dad as she grabbed the keys off the table near the door. “Thanks, dad.” She said, grabbing JJ’s wrist and pulling back out the door. “See you later!” She called.
JJ felt as if his wrist was burning at the feeling of Violet touching him. Not in a bad way but just at the sheer action of her hand on his wrist.
He was knocked out of his daze by seeing keys flying in his direction. “You’re driving.” Violet told him. “Wait, you want me to drive?” He asked. “You know this island better than I do. Who better to give me the full tour?” She replied.
JJ smirked back at her before getting in the driverseat and her getting in the passenger seat.
After the two had been driving for a couple of minutes, Violet spoke up. “So, tell me about these so-called Kooks.” She started. Violet could see the look of distaste that JJ made as soon as she mentioned the words ‘Kooks.’
“They’re the rich kids on Figure 8. They hate us Pogues because we actually have to work to make a living. They’d like you though. You’re well off, your dad is a professional athlete, you’re really hot,” JJ started. Violet felt her face heat up when she heard JJ call her hot.
“But stay away from Rafe Cameron and Topper. They’re the worst of the worst.” He finished. “You think I’m hot?” Violet teased. “What? I-I, uh, did I say that outloud?” JJ questioned, looking over at her seeing the smile that graced her face. “Yeah, yeah you did.” She answered. “Well, this just got incredibly awkward.” JJ muttered. “It’s only awkward if you make it awkward.” Violet laughed.
JJ scoffed with a smile before returning his gaze back to the road. Both JJ and Violet couldn’t avoid the feeling of just how natural their conversation was. It was like they’ve known each other for years. She didn’t take his sarcastic remarks to heart and she dished them right back. He thought she was funny and Violet thought JJ was a breath of fresh air.
He wasn’t like the boys she’d known back home and for that she was grateful.
They pulled up to the beach and JJ could see the excitement radiating off of Violet as she hopped out of the vehicle.
He thought he should help the girl get the two surfboards off the top of the van but by the time he got out of the car, Violet had already gotten one down. “Damn, you’re full of surprises aren’t you?” He commented. “Oh you have no idea.” Violet said, sending him a wink.
JJ swallowed the lump in his throat, all of his confidence going totally out the window. Violet grabbed her board and took off the clothes that were over her swimsuit and started walking towards the beach. JJ on the other hand was stuck in his daydream.
“Are you coming?” Violet asked him. JJ cleared his throat before taking his shirt off and grabbing the extra board.
They both go into the water and paddled out to get the good waves, sitting on their boards waiting for a good swell to come.
The blonde looked over at the brunette girl, the water making her skin glisten under the sun and how the sun made her blue eyes stand out against her tan skin. He kept checking her out when he noticed a scar on her right thigh.
“Where’d you get that?” He asked her. Violet looked from him down to the scar he was gesturing to. “Oh, I got stung by a jellyfish when I was 12. Nothing too exciting.” Violet answered. “Getting stung by a jellyfish isn’t exciting?” JJ asked with a small laugh. “Not when you live in Hawaii.” The girl replied.
Violet broke the long session of eye contact when she felt like a good wave was coming. The two made a mental competition to see who could catch the wave first.
JJ thought he had it in the bag, he was used to the waves on the island but he was pleasantly surprised when Violet stood up on her board and flawlessly caught the wave.
The blonde watched in awe at how easily and smoothly Violet surfed the wave and he then felt something towards her that scared him. He was starting to like a girl he had just met hours before.
When Violet paddled back out to him, she noticed how his jaw was practically touching the board when he looked at her. “What?” Violet questioned. “That was amazing.” He said. “Thanks.” Violet replied, running a hand through her wet hair.
“You weren’t kidding when you said you’d replace me as the best surfer here.” JJ commented. “Maybe we can share the title.” Violet smiled at him.
JJ nodded his head, his smile matching hers. He quickly noticed that he’s been doing that a lot since getting to know Violet.
Violet and JJ had spent the entire day in the water, surfing, talking and just enjoying each other’s company.
“Hey, do you wanna come to a party at the Boneyard tonight? If you’re gonna be a Pogue this is your initiation.” JJ asked, as he helped her put the boards back on the van.
“If I go, will I officially be a Pogue?” Violet asked. “I’ve known you a total of 8 hours and I can already tell you’re Pogue material.” JJ answered.
Violet leaned against the car and looked up at him. “Then count me in.” She said.
“Really? Then I’ll pick you up at 8.” JJ replied.
“It’s a date.” Violet said casually as John B pulled up. “JJ! We gotta go get the keg!” He called out the window.
JJ was internally cursing out John B while Violet stifled a laugh. “I’ll see you tonight, Violet.” He told you. “I’m looking forwad to it.” She said.
Violet watched JJ for a moment as he was walking to John B’s car before getting in her own.
“How’d it go?” John B asked the blonde when he got in the car. “Dude, she’s amazing. Like, she’s funny, smart, she can surf like I’ve never seen and she’s hot as hell!” JJ replied.
“Well, Kie already likes her. Apparently they’ve been texting every time you two weren’t in the water.” John B. “God, JB, she’s perfect. I can’t mess this up.” JJ said. “Then Sarah and I will keep the tourons away from you all night so you won’t mess it up.” John J told his friend.
Violet arrived back at her house, a goofy smile attached to her face.
“How were the waves?” Rob asked his daughter. “Not as good as North Shore but they’ll do.” Violet answered. “Looks like the waves weren’t the only thing that made you happy.” Her dad commented.
Violet tucked her hair behind her ear as she put the surfboards away.
“Do you like JJ?” Rob asked. “Dad, I just met him. It’s too soon to say.” Violet told him. “Well, he seems like a good kid.” He said before walking back inside.
Violet was then alone with her thoughts until her phone dinged.
Maybe: JJ: hey, it’s JJ. Kie gave me your number, if that’s okay. anyways, i had fun today. i’ll see you tonight (:
Violet smiled at her phone screen before retreating inside.
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vanserraseris · 3 years
Note
END OF PART VII - I’m not going to lie, this chapter and the next one are probably a little more on the boring side. It’s just sort of Eris spending some time with Lucien. Shit’s gonna hit the fan soon, but Eris is just going to spend some time at the beach, for no reason really. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!!!
no im SO excited for eris and lucien brotherly boring. BEACH EP BEACH EP BEACH EP BEACH EP
Prince of Ashes. Part VII.
masterlist.
“Give me your shirt.” 
“I don’t obey the orders of anyone below my station,” Eris tilted his head back, his fingers digging into the sand of the beach. He was leaning on his forearms, his eyes shut, the afternoon sun warming his face. Eris liked making snobbish remarks like that around his friends just as much as they liked reminding him that his status as heir amounted to absolutely nothing in their presence.
Micah repeated himself, “Give me your shirt.” 
With an exaggerated sigh, Eris undid the laces of his thin, light brown shirt, throwing it at his friend. “Shit, Micah, you should have asked sooner.” Micah’s nose and cheeks were a frightening red colour, the gold of his tattoos bright against the burned skin of his neck, all because he was too proud to admit that he burned when he stayed out in the sun for too long.
“I hate you all,” Micah declared, lifting Eris’s shirt and putting it over his head like a cloak, shielding himself from the rays of the sun. 
Eris knew Lagos was pouting, mocking, “Poor little Micah, can’t stay out in the sun.” 
“Poor little Micah is going to throw sand at you,” Micah muttered.
Widge smiled, lifting the brim of the sun hat he’d borrowed from his mother. While he looked ridiculous, Widge didn't seem to care. “Not all of us have exceptional magical abilities,” he huffed a laugh as Enya jumped up, licking at his face. Eris swore that hound loved Widge more than him. Lagos was sprawled on his back, pants thrown off to the side, using his own shirt as a pillow as he laid by Eris in his undershorts. He was faintly glowing.
Eris kept expecting Lucien to do the same thing, eyes following Lucien as he played near the water’s edge. Lucien hadn’t shown signs of any other Day Court magic since Lady Morai had suppressed it, but Eris still found himself worrying over it. Rufus was also by the water’s edge, boots off, pants rolled up, and shirt left unbuttoned as he watched over Lucien. Every so often, he would kick water at their youngest brother, laughing every time Lucien told him to stop.
“Your brother is perhaps an even greater menace than you were upon your arrival at my camp,” Micah declared. He awkwardly moved towards Eris, dragging his ass along the sand while still trying to keep the shirt over his head.
“He belongs in a circus,” Lagos added. 
“I like having him there,” Widge managed to get out as Enya continued to lick his cheeks.
“He’s doing alright?” Their father had recently sent Rufus to one of Autumn’s largest war camps. It was located in the South, near the Spring Court border; Eris had been sent there at two decades old with nothing but a sword, brown leathers, and a title he was pretty sure he’d never be able to live up to. Eris was proud to admit that over two centuries later, he could claim being a half-decent commander of his father’s armies - not fantastic at combat, but damn-good at military strategy.
Eris had heard that Rufus, despite his more care-free attitude, was doing quite well, but it was always Eris’s first instinct to assume that Rufus was going to get himself killed or cause some sort of international catastrophe. Especially with political tensions in Prythian so high lately, Eris found that he’d become quite the mother hen, constantly asking his friends how Rufus was holding up. “He’s absolutely mad,” Micah laughed, “I could throttle him sometimes.”
“Cauldron, does he write his reports backwards?” Eris smiled just thinking about it, “Rufus used to do shit like that to his tutors, you can read them in front of a mirror.” 
“He walks around the camp with a near-empty cognac bottle filled with apple juice, and makes bets on whether or not he can hit moving targets with his bow and arrows,” Lagos said. “He won 50 gold marks from me before I found out what he’d been doing.” 
“Serves you right,” Eris grinned.
“He also tells us the most interesting things,” Micah hummed. He nudged at Eris with his knee. “Things that you neglect to mention.” 
Lagos didn't sound too amused as he said, “Told us he was afraid for your life.”
Eris knew exactly what Rufus had told them. “If this is about Lizaveta—” 
“Of course it’s about Lady Lizaveta,” Lagos leaned up on an elbow. “Your choice in lovers is abysmal, truly.” 
“Don’t offend me,” Micah mumbled.
Lagos ignored him, “It’s like you dive headfirst into relationships that are bound to get you killed.” Eris sneered, mostly because Lagos was right. If his father ever learned of the countless male lovers Eris had been with over the centuries, Eris was almost certain that Beron would kill him. Or if he found out about the lesser faeries, or the females of common birth. Eris had been very good at ignoring his father’s rants about degeneracy when he’d been much younger.
But Lizaveta was a full-blooded noble, and Eris didn’t really see the problem. “How might this relationship kill me?” 
“You’re sneaking around with a female who’s rumoured to have killed her own husband in his sleep less than a decade ago. Does that seem like a good idea?” 
“I’m sure he deserved it,” Widge muttered absently, “Lots of lords in Autumn deserve it.” Everyone turned to face him, but he was looking off into the distance, no longer paying any attention to them.
Micah placed a gentle hand on Eris’s knee, “We’re just messing with you.” Eris knew they meant well, but his friends had a horrible habit of sticking their noses into Eris’s business, all hidden behind the guise that they “cared for his well-being,” as they so often reminded him. 
“Just make sure you’re not her next victim,” Lagos added, “And do try and keep your father from finding out.”
Eris scowled, “Your faith in me is astounding.” He’d had centuries worth of practice in keeping his lovers a secret from the rest of his family and ensuring that rumours didn’t make their way to the always-listening ears of Autumn Court aristocrats. It was exhausting. He looked away from his friends to make sure Lucien and Rufus hadn’t drowned while he’d been distracted.
Lucien seemed to have convinced Rufus to play some sort of aggressive game with him, spinning Lucien around in his arms before throwing him deeper into the ocean. Lucien landed in the water with a big splash, Rufus roaring with laughter. Eris would have scolded them both had Lucien not jumped up from the water with a huge grin on his face, looking very foolish as he struggled to run at Rufus.
“Just be careful, we quite enjoy your company.” Micah squeezed his knee once before moving his hand, his fingers now dragging through the sand. 
Eris finally looked away from his brothers after deciding that they would be fine, turning to face Micah again. “Let’s talk about what happened in Spring.” 
“Yes, let’s talk about how we’re on the verge of another war, Eris would rather talk about our impending doom than his lover.” Eris glared at Lagos.
Micah scoffed, “There’s not going to be a fucking war, both of them are too young - untried. They aren’t going to do something so stupid.” 
Eris considered this. Rhysand and Tamlin had just become new High Lords, perhaps they would start a war just to prove that they could. “If somebody killed my mother, I might start a war.” 
“You might start a war just for fun.” Eris kicked sand at Lagos, a crooked smile on his face that was becoming more and more rare. Eris knew Lagos simply meant well.
Lagos returned the smile, dimples showing. Lagos was perhaps the only one of his friends that constantly bothered Eris for being a cruel prince of the Autumn Court.  
“Cauldron, you wouldn’t do that either,” Micah seemed so sure. Eris sometimes wished he had that amount of confidence in his ability to make good choices. 
Widge furrowed his brows, looking up from what he was in the process of writing in messy, scrawled script in the sand. “Wait, what happened in Spring?”
Somebody would explain it to him later, Eris thought. “I wonder if Rhysand will be a better High Lord than his father.” It was no secret that the Hewn City was more horrible than any part of Beron’s territory. Eris had despised the place since the first moment he’d stepped foot in it. He’d take his own two-faced city of Calchas over that wretched city any day. 
“Probably not,” Micah adjusted the shirt over his head, “But at least he’s better looking.”
Eris would have to agree. With the dark hair and those star-lit, violet eyes, Rhysand was one of the better looking faeries Eris had ever seen. Not that he’d ever admit it out loud, “I like his general better.” 
Micah grinned, “What about the shadowsinger?” Eris grinned back, “Fancy the shadowsinger, do you?” 
“Who doesn’t?” 
“Those people are from the Night Court.” Widge looked confused, much like he usually did. 
“Very observant,” Lagos muttered.
“We’re talking about Tamlin and Rhysand,” Eris explained. “The new High Lords.” 
“Heard about that,” Widge said with a nod. “Sounds like a mess.” With a shake of his head, almost like he was clearing his thoughts, Widge went back to whatever he was writing in the sand without so much as a second glance in their direction. Eris shifted slightly so that he could more clearly see what Widge was doing. He’d drawn three interconnected circles in the sand, numbers and formulas surrounding them.
Eris had always enjoyed watching Widge work, liked trying to figure out what he was doing, and he wasn’t paying attention to anything as he tried to understand where Widge was going with this. Definitely not smart on his part, he hadn’t been expecting so much water to crash onto his head, leaving him completely soaked. Widge yelped as some of the water fell on him as well. 
“What the fuck,” Eris growled.
“My circles,” Widge whined, the water having ruined whatever he was writing. Eris hoped he remembered what it was, it had seemed interesting. He heard everyone’s laugh. From the deep rumble of Micah, to the obnoxious cackle of Lagos, to the loud howl of Rufus. It should have come as no shock that Rufus would try and pull a prank on Eris, no doubt with Lucien’s help. He was rather disappointed in himself for not keeping an eye on the two biggest troublemakers in all of Prythian.
Eris looked up at Rufus with a glare, he could see the steam in the air around him as he used some of his magic to dry off. “Honestly, Rufus,” Eris sneered, teeth bared. 
“My mistake, didn’t see you sitting there.” He’d filled his fucking boot with water and thrown it at him. 
Eris ran a hand through his still damp hair, “You’ve disappointed me.” Rufus just smiled, tugging once on Lucien’s braid.
“Lucien told me to do it,” Rufus was very good at playing the part of innocent victim. His auburn brows were raised, his russett eyes wide. “No I didn’t,” Lucien instantly stopped cackling, defending his honour. “Eris, he’s the disappointment, I’d never.” 
“Little assholes,” Eris mumbled, shoving Lucien playfully. Lucien laughed again, dropping into the sand right beside him. Rufus sat by Lagos, winking at Eris before he sprawled on his back, Enya trotting over to lie down by his head.
Eris was glad for moments like this - when his father wasn’t in Autumn and he had the time to spend with the people he cared about. He knew it was a weakness, the fact that he cared about them, but he'd missed them all. Rufus was stuck at the war camp with his friends, Lucien was stuck in the Forest House, and Eris was stuck in his territory far away from them both.
Eris had been staying away from Lucien anyway, visiting less and less. It’d been months since he’d last seen the little runt, but Eris knew it was for the best. 
“This was really nice, Eris,” Lucien said with a small smile, his face turned towards the sun. He looked happy. 
Eris nodded once, closing his eyes and turning his own face towards the sun, “I thought it was really nice, too.”
Perhaps it was very foolish of Eris to be spending his valuable time frolicking on beaches, but all he wanted to do right now was pretend everything would be alright. Pushing all his worries aside, the sound of waves crashing along the shore, his toes curling into the white sand of the beach, Eris could almost forget he was the heir of the Autumn Court.
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archonssun · 4 years
Text
Bros’ Crush’s Clothes Get Ruined
Bros’ Crush’s Clothes Get Ruined
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I had NO idea how to start this at first...
Some are shorter than the others, btw I have a bias
July 22, 2020
WC: 1310
Noctis Lucis Caelum:
Who would have thought that you would need to pack more clothes? Not you, that’s for sure...
So when both sets of your clothes are ripped to shreds by a fucking tonberry of all things...
Let’s just say, you were less than amicable.
Whenever one of the boys got near you, you would start hissing like a rabid coeurl, trying to huddle as deep as you could into the last remaining piece of clothing you had: a cropped jacket. Luckily, it had been too hot when you and the boys were hunting to wear a jacket and you had left it behind in the Regalia.
Now, Noct was driving the three of you to Hammerhead, for more than one reason.
The main one being that you all had been hunting for items for Cid and Cindy, the other being you needed a change of clothes, and Iris was too petite.
As the Regalia sped towards Hammerhead, you noticed the looks Noct was giving you in the rearview mirror. It made you a little uncomfortable, to say the least, and you curled in on yourself more.
You were beyond thankful when you finally reached Hammerhead, and you were the first one out, already making your way towards the garage. You explained the situation to Cindy, and she only laughed for a few minutes before she helped you (seriously though, she was a big help).
When you had changed, you went out to meet up with the boys. As you walked towards them, they could only stare at you. Especially Noct.
Okay, boy was not subtle when it came to his crushes. You had known for weeks, and had managed to keep things civil between the two of you.
As you got closer to them, you realized that they weren’t the only ones staring. Most of the people at the outpost were, and it set your teeth on edge. You hated having attention on you -- hated it with a passion.
You sped up, going to hide in the midst of the royal retinue, your face beet red and hands shaking.
“Guys, can-can we go?” you mumbled. Something heavy landed on your head, and you looked up to see Noct had placed his jacket over your head. He had his head turned away, his cheeks and ears red.
You gave the prince a shy smile before pulling on his jacket, hugging the front closed. He looked at you briefly before he began walking back to the Regalia.
With a wide smile, you raced to catch up with him. You stood on your tip-toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“Thanks, Noct.”
Prompto Argentum:
You knew of the blond’s crush on Cindy, as well as his crush on you. It made this that much more awkward for you.
You sat huddled in the back of the Regalia, using Ignis’s jacket to shield you from their eyes. You five had had a run-in with a rogue sabertusk, leaving your clothes as well as the boys’ clothes shredded.
Ignis -- the ever responsible adult -- had suggested going back to Lestallum for the time being. You couldn’t deny, it was an appealing idea, and you and the others had agreed.
Only after you all had arrived did you realize something: you didn’t have any extra clothes. And you couldn’t ask Iris, she was much more petite than you were.
You were hesitant to say this, as the others were so tired from hunting for the better part of the week. But as soon as you all approached the Leville, you knew you had to speak up.
“Um, guys?” you began, your voice nothing more than a whisper. They all turned to you, making your face grow a deeper shade of red. “I don’t -- I don’t have any extra clothes...”
That’s how you found yourself in the car with Ignis and Prompto, heading towards Hammerhead. You still sat in the back, still using Ignis’s jacket to cover yourself up. You knew you were going to have to ask Cindy if you could borrow her clothes. Asking her didn’t bother you.
It was the reactions you would undoubtedly receive when you returned to Noctis and Gladio in Lestallum.
You were hesitant to leave the bathroom Cindy had ushered you into to change. You looked at yourself in the mirror, feeling your self-confidence waver at the sight of you in Cindy’s clothing.
Yes, you knew of Prompto’s crush on you. You just hoped he didn’t know of your crush on him.
You exited the bathroom stiffly, thankful that the sun was beginning to set as you stepped out of the garage. Immediately, everyone’s eyes were on you as you rejoined Ignis and Prompto at the diner. When you walked in, you felt the air around you bear down on you, feeling as if it were crushing you. You were quick to sit in the booth with the two boys, and equally as quick to try and cover yourself up.
“H-Hey, (N/n),” Prompto squeaked, his face exploding in crimson. He’d never seen you in such scant clothing for as long as he’d known you (which, admittedly, wasn’t very long), and he tried his best to keep his eyes from wandering.
“Ignis, could I--” your question cut off when you realized that the man didn’t have his jacket. You groaned, remembering that you had put it in the Regalia with your ruined clothing, and you buried your head in your arms. “Nevermind.”
A soft plonk and a weight landing on your head had you looking into blue-violet eyes.
“You need it more than I do, (N/n),” he winked, but you didn’t miss the blush on his cheeks.
Where’d he get this kind of confidence from?
With a flustered smile, you pulled his jacket on and zipped up the front. An idea raced through your mind, and your flush deepened.
With one hand on his far cheek, you pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“Thank you, Prompto…”
Ignis: “Really? In front of my salad?”
Ignis Scientia:
This gentleman…
He would have seen this coming from a mile (or kilometer) away. He would have already packed a set of spare clothes for his crush, let’s be real, as well as more clothes for the rest of the gang…
But, let’s say he didn’t…
He was the first to suggest talking with Cindy, already knowing that the other female your group had frequent contact with was out. You had agreed surprisingly quick, taking his offered jacket and slipping it over your shoulders.
He would also probably be the least likely to stare when you emerged wearing Cindy’s clothing (he’d probably already be working on repairing your clothes, tbh)
And you … well, you were kind of oblivious to the stares you received from the patrons of Hammerhead, your mind already too full of Ignis Scientia.
(yes, you were pining after the man. The others knew, of course, and never wasted the chance to tease you for it)
Gladiolus Amicitia:
As soon as he saw you in Cindy’s clothes, he let out a low whistle, making you scowl.
“Stop,” you hissed, kicking his shin. Your eyes then quickly surveyed all the other pairs of eyes on you, a scowl coming to your face. Clicking your tongue, you slipped into your mother tongue, “Enculés.”
Gladio just watched as you strut around the outpost, glaring at the men ogling you. A smirk made its way to his face when you came to a stop at his side. Taking his chance, he pulled you against his side, pressing a kiss to your temple.
“You’re pretty hot when you’re angry, you know that?” He let you go and walked into the caravan, intent on asking Iggy what was for dinner when he heard you curse.
“You … get back here, enfoiré!”
(really hope my reasearch didn’t lead me astray:  
Enculés - fuckers
enfoiré - motherfucker)
-----
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Tag List: @katerleegrand​, @naisitaable​, @blossattic​, @kenkopanda​, @orgawnas, @kirahhhh, @lier3nn​
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nerv0usm3chanic · 3 years
Text
CORRUPTION
Chapters: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4
--
((NOTE - This is an introduction to a new PERMANENT AU feature exclusive to nerv0usm3chanic. Please see further, generalized information regarding this AU here: X
Be advised that each of these chapters are VERY LONG. The full content will be tucked under a read more after a brief introduction segment.
DO NOT REBLOG.))
--
"L-Lewis? Vivi? Are you sure this will be safe?" Arthur stammered, nerves bubbling over and the hairs on his neck standing at terrified attention. He expected it wouldn't be perfectly safe, no case they went on ever really was.
"Oh, Artie! Don't be such a scaredy-cat!" Vivi giggled in response. Her lighthearted laugh and bounce in her step as she approached the mouth of the skull-like cave entrance made Arthur's heart lurch. How can she be so comfortable with this? Diving headfirst into danger and with a grin on her face? A massive tanned hand rested gently on his shoulder and gave a squeeze.
"It's alright, Arthur," Lewis reassured when the blond cast his nervous and unsure gaze up to the taller man. "I'll have your back if anything comes up and spooks us." Oh. Of course. The biggest and strongest and most liked member of the team would keep the stringy mechanic safe from danger...again. The nervous feeling in Arthur's belly twisted to a minor frustration with Lewis. Arthur wished he could have half the confidence Lewis had in himself.
"Arthur...are you sure you're alright?" The paw against his leg confirmed it was Mystery who asked. Vivi's strange talking dog. The blond softened his expression and breathed a sigh to comfort himself.
"With those two and you...I guess I will be." He looked at the purple and blue pair ahead of him, Vivi's hand lacing into Lewis' as they strode forward. Another lance of...something...shot through Arthur. He stiffened determinedly, marching after his teammates as they wound their way into the depths of the green mist. He would get through this case...and maybe consider taking a break for a while.
--
The bats, the ominous shadows, the thick-as-chowder mist clinging to each of the three humans. Arthur found himself rattling both with chill and from a sense of something being wrong. With Mystery beside him, Arthur felt a little safer in commenting:
"G-guys? I really, really have a bad feeling about this place..." There was a faint trace of fingers at his neck and Arthur nearly jumped as he glanced about. Maybe it was a cobweb?
"I agree..." Mystery growled lowly, sharp eyes searching for whatever was nearby, "There's something ominous here and I don't like it."
"You think there's a real spirit hanging around?!" Vivi positively beamed at the prospect, grabbing Lewis' hand and bouncing in place.
"Easy, Vivi!" Lewis laughed, the lit torch in his hand flickering as it danced in his hold. "You'll put the light out!" And she released him to give a twirl and bounce ahead, babbling on about finding the spirit and exorcising them and-
"V-Vivi, this is serious!" Arthur whined, his voice breaking over the last word, "There's something here and it's not friendly!" He really was afraid something was terribly wrong here. The constant touches of mist on his skin and the soft sounds he couldn't tell were water drops or whispers surrounded them all. Vivi paused then, taking Arthur more seriously now and nodding, chastened.
"I'm sorry, Artie...I didn't mean to make fun of things. I'm just excited to encounter another real spirit!" And then her more bubbly self was back, though more cautious now. "We can finish exploring this branch of the cave for tonight and come back after we've gotten a good sense of what's here. Okay?" Well...he...he couldn't say no to that. They were hired to check out this cave...by a forest ranger no less. Leaving without even checking what was here would be bad for business.
"Hmmm...o-okay. But let's be quick...please?" Vivi nodded to Arthur's request, Lewis too. They'd be quick, but thorough. And come back better prepared.
--
The group was silent as they stepped further into the cave; the only sounds were of their footfalls, the crackle and soft whoosh as Lewis held the torch aloft, and the gentle metallic ring of Mystery's dog tags. To Arthur, each tiny sound was akin to a bomb going off in his ears. It made no sense why he felt so attuned to every little thing, even the things he shouldn't be sensing. Again, Arthur felt fingers running over his arm and an ominous whisper in his ear.
'Shouldn't you pay attention, boy~?' The whisper taunts in his ear with a chuckle. Arthur shuts his eyes and shakes his head, looking up to see Vivi detouring to the right as Lewis turns to go left. A spike of panic erupts through Arthur and he frantically looks between the backs of his two friends.
'Better hurry~' again that hiss is in his ears, louder now and frightening Arthur further. Deciding he would need to stop Lewis to regroup with Vivi, Arthur hurried to catch up to the larger man.
"L-Lew? We s-sh-" and he freezes, his left hand suddenly stopping in its path towards Lewis' shoulder. Arthur is suddenly terribly cold and there is a dark chuckle in his ears. His vision becomes almost foggy with green and Arthur looks to his left hand. The blond chokes on air as he sees a glowing green eye, the sclera black as night, resting with what Arthur could only call a sneer in his pale palm. The blond can't speak, his throat closing up when he tries making a sound.
"Oh man...that's a hell of a drop..." Lewis is too occupied exploring the ledge. Too close to the edge. Arthur could hear small pebbles dislodging and tumbling into the mist below. There is a decent gap of time before Arthur can hear the pebbles hit the stone. The ominous chuckle in his head made Arthur's heart drop in terror.
'Allow me~' the voice purrs and Arthur watches his discolored wrist roll in preparation. Again, the blond tries calling out...with no success. A heavy, wet tear comes free in his frustration, he was trying his damnest to protect his friend.
"Care to get a closer look, Lewis~?" There is another unwilling step forward with words that were not his own, the left arm pulling back.
'NO.' Arthur refused, putting up all his willpower to stall the spirit in his head. It...works...but only so much. Arthur hears a snarling growl and Lewis turns to look at the possessed blond. His wide violet eyes stared in surprise as he sees the stance Arthur was in. After a heartbeat, the spirit willed the borrowed body to move again.
But the moment was long enough for Arthur to arrest control of his arms.
'I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS.' Arthur commands, grabbing his rogue arm and pulling it off-course.
'Dammit, you fool!' the spirit snarls, trying to rip free and complete his possession, green creeping along the pale skin. Arthur's battle was well-fought and aided with a massive dark hand taking hold of the green-skinned wrist.
"Mystery! Vivi! Help!" Arthur could cry with relief as he heard the pattering of dog's paws charging in response to Lewis's call. The spirit in his head screeched in fury, trying to twist the possessed arm to claw at his captor. Arthur heard a second roar, turning to see a green-tinted vision of a jaw full of teeth.
...and then...
Pain.
Burning, sharp, ripping pain.
Anyone in the cave would hear twin cries of tortured agony and an accompanying duet of horrified cries. Overtop of everything was a voice of command: deep, rich, and masculine as directions were given.
But Arthur wasn't able to hear it right. Or see correctly. All he knew is that the pain in his arm was suddenly gone and he felt he was growing terribly cold. Golden eyes looked to a pair of equally horrified purple eyes. Arthur saw red on Lewis. Spots of it all over. Just like the small white spots that were filling his vision as a black vignette began to close in.
Arthur thought he heard his name, could swear he was being lifted up and carried away. But it was all so fuzzy. And his ears wouldn't stop ringing. What happened? Where were they going? Was the spirit gone?
He wasn’t sure...but Arthur was certain that he was so very tired...
And really, there was no reason to stay awake...right?
--
His head was filled with cotton and at the same time heavy as lead. Arthur was thankful for the supportive cushion of a pillow beneath his throbbing skull. There was a loud heartbeat in his ears and other sounds seemed to slowly manifest into existence. A rhythmic beeping, a soft and regular drip, the repeated sound of a high then low whoosh, an overly-clean fake citrus smell of cleaner, and...a conversation? Arthur strained to hear better, focusing hard enough for his efforts to reflect on his face. His furrowing brow and a strangled grunt of effort drew the attention of the other people in the room.
Arthur could tell there was some excitement, a male voice calling out a muffled version of his name. A feminine voice followed suit with some more complex words that he still couldn’t totally make out. It was a massive effort to open his eyes and the blond eventually succeeded...somewhat.
Through bleary vision that eventually cleared, Arthur saw a cyan blue shape on his left mold itself into his dear friend Vivi, tears on her face as she gazed at him in obvious relief. The next shape he saw was black, red, and white and eventually dissolved into Mystery, his expression one of worry and nervous comfort. Lastly, Arthur saw the massive purple shape on his right that became Lewis, tears on his face as well, but no relief was on his face, only concern. Behind each of them was a room of white walls and minty green curtains.
What had happened?
He tried to ask, but very nearly found himself feeling choked on the breathing tube down his throat. He started to cough and weakly reached for the tube.
“Vivi, get a nurse!” Mystery commanded, and away she went, calling for someone as Mystery climbed up and placed his paws on Arthur’s legs. “Don’t try to talk, Arthur. You have a breathing tube installed. Vivi will be back soon and we’ll get that thing out.” The blond did his best to stifle the coughs, nodding weakly as an answer.
“We’re so glad you’re awake.” Arthur blinked towards the usually calm and quiet Lewis, relaxing his right hand and laying it over his belly. The machine continued its regular rhythm, keeping his breathing relaxed as he gave Lewis an obvious look of questioning. “We’ll talk as soon as we can get some peace; the nurse is coming in now.” Lewis nodded, patting Arthur’s pale hand as Vivi rushed back in, an older woman in lavender scrubs on Vivi’s blue heels.
--
“I was...possessed?” Arthur croaked, trying to make sense of the tale Lewis and Vivi were telling him.
“And you saved Lewis’s life.” Vivi smiled, looking to Arthur and then the large purple man who also was smiling down at him. “Whatever you did was enough to keep that spirit from pushing Lewis over the edge of that cliff.” Her small hand squeezed his right hand as she looked back down to Arthur...which was odd, considering she sat on his left.
Now that he thought about it, his left arm was completely numb. Not even any of that pain from the cave was there. Worry began to prickle at his mind.
“Why...wh-why can’t I...feel my arm?” Their downcast eyes and the sudden drop in mood was unsettling. He shakily removed his hand from Vivi’s, reaching to his left. There was nothing on the mattress, even as he patted around and reached up and up. The bandages covering what was left of his shoulder were coarse and warm with the damaged flesh hidden underneath.
Tears welled up in his eyes and he blinked to set them running down his cheeks as a sob caught in his throat. Mystery’s ears pinned back in guilt and he whined a weak apology.
“I’m sorry Arthur...it was the only way to remove the spirit and save you...” This time, the sob didn’t stop in his throat, his whole body following the agonizing sorrow as Arthur curled in on himself. The other two humans and dog enveloped the blond in an embrace as he mourned the loss of his arm.
--
It was quiet that night. The drip, drip, drip of the bag was one of the sounds along with the quiet hum of the muted TV in the room and the occasional, rolling thunder and constant patter of rain on the window. Arthur was lucky to have his own room as he blankly watched the TV, reading the subtitles of whatever was currently playing. Some old sitcom, he was sure, but which? He could never tell.
Arthur’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion and he knew he had to sleep. The animal part of him wanted to...but whenever he closed his eyes, he remembered what he’d almost done...that look of fear on Lewis’s and Vivi’s faces...what Mystery had to do to save his life...
A yawn crept up and manifested before Arthur could think to stifle it.
Perhaps his exhaustion was finally enough to force his body to rest? If not, maybe he could buzz the nurse’s desk for help getting to sleep. Arthur shifted carefully, doing his best to not disturb his amputated appendage as he settled in deeper into the pillow. He let out a tired sigh as his eyes slid shut.
‘...foolish boy...’ Arthur sucked in a breath, eyes snapping open and heart racing at the voice.
“H-hello?” He called out, softly at first, “Is someone there?” There was no answer, even as Arthur strained to sit up and look around the room. The still-running television provided enough light and was thankfully positioned to illuminate everything in the room. There was nobody but Arthur. Maybe he heard someone just outside the door?
He sighed, settling in again and more quickly shutting his eyes. Again...it didn’t last.
‘You ruined my plans, you damned foolish boy!’ Arthur was now wide awake, the growl in his head loud and clear.
“W-what? How-? Mystery h-he...he said-” The blond murmured, trying to not panic.
‘He said he removed me...but he was wrong~.’ The chuckling growl rumbled around in his head, fading out with an ominous, dark echo. Arthur looked to his remaining hand, afraid to see it turn green...but...nothing happened. And the voice was oddly quiet.
“So...you’re still here...” Arthur squinted, trying to think, “But you’re not taking over again?”
‘You are a fool and an uninformed one at that.’ the blond could swear the voice was...pouting? ‘I have found something much more interesting to entertain me while I am trapped~.’ Arthur was about to ask what when he felt a jolt of energy course through him. At the same time, a bolt of lightning struck nearby, overloading a transformer two blocks down the street. The whole hospital must have been woken up by the crack and sudden, blinding light.
Arthur clutched at his chest, gasping for air and his heart racing wildly from surprised fright. He heard the night nurses running outside his door, racing to check on patients after the sudden bolt of lightning.
‘Oh yes...this will be a fun toy~.’ Arthur paused...how was that related? there was just a surge and-
Another bolt struck the lightning rod atop the hospital, so loud and bright, Arthur let out a frightened shout to accompany the jolt of electric energy coursing through him again. He was tearing up, fright and the momentary pain rattling the man to the point where he almost leapt away from the nurse coming to check on him. The dark chuckle in his head rang out before fading away to hide once again, the nurse finally managing to succeed in helping Arthur relax enough to lay back on the mattress and arranged his blankets over him again
But sleep was near impossible to come by after such a fright...
--
Chapters: 1 || 2 || 3 || 4
9 notes · View notes
ridetherain · 3 years
Text
Plain
Words: 957
Rating: G
Prompt: Clothing Swap
The Princess was acting strangely after the Yiga attack. I think that she might be just starting to realize the dangers posed by those that wish for her family's rule to be over. The Yiga were quick to separate her from me yesterday and they were so close to successful. I know that I will have nightmares once I finally sleep. I got none last night since I was worried that more assassins would make an attempt. Two did escape after all.
My Lady slept fitfully in the rented room of the Oasis inn. I sat on the floor next to her bed and guarded her slumber all night. She woke silently from her dreams. I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't listening intently for her breathing. I would not be able to keep the vigil for another night, however. I would need to ask Urbosa to keep the princess safe from within the Gerudo walls. Hopefully, a day within the fortress will settle her until she is comfortable enough to sleep soundly. In the meantime, I followed her around the Oasis and helped her with shopping from the male vendors that populated the area. Mostly I helped by glared at the people who looked at her and tried to look as dangerous as I actually am. Usually being underestimated suits me, but today I wanted the opposite. Based on the fearful looks and hushed tones it was working.
"Link" My Lady said as I glared ferociously at a textile vendor.
"Hmm"
"That attitude will get us nowhere." She sounded frustrated so I tried to soften my expression to something resembling neutral. "Better, I suppose. Here look at this."
She threw a bit of cloth at me. It was a dark violet color and very thin.
"It seems appropriate for the weather, my Lady." She laughed even though it wasn't a joke and then purchased the wisp of fabric.
I followed her from vendor to vendor as she bought shoes, a necklace, and a scarf.
"My Lady, perhaps you should do this shopping in town. The Gerudo guards are proficient. Even I can't get into town for more than a minute or two."
She ignored me and walked back into the inn. She handed me all of the shopping against my protests that I needed to keep my hands free.
"Put this on."
"Put what on?" I pawed roughly at the shopping for something that was for me.
"The clothes I just bought, Link. Put them on. I'm going to stay in town tonight and I refuse to go anywhere without your protection."
I looked closer at the silks she had just purchased. I should have looked closer when she asked for my opinion. The silks were too small for my Lady to wear, but would probably fit me. I wasn't certain I could pass for a woman even with the clothes. I glanced at her before loosening my belts and removing my trousers. The silk trousers weren't much different than I was used to wearing in the desert. They were fairly loose fitting and I resolved to keep them for sleeping. They were very comfortable.
I looked at Zelda again for confirmation. She just nodded at me and held up the strange shirt that wasn't anything like the soft champion tunic I wore or the linen shirt I favored. Instead it was a small panel that Zelda pressed to my chest and had me hold. She then took the many long strips of silk and wrapped them carefully around my neck and waist to secure the panel. It was less shirt and more bandage. But, it did create the illusion of a female figure. She similarly wrapped my hair and mouth with silks to hide my square jaw. She stepped back to admire her handiwork.
Apparently I passed inspection because she nodded once and then began pulling off her own shirt.
"Wait, wait!" I stammered and tried not to look, "What are you doing?"
"We need to get to Gerudo town without being attacked by Yiga. I can't wander around in my royal colors. It's too obvious."
I turned my back to my Lady and faced the door. I could hear the rustling of cloth and her digging through our packs for something inconspicuous to wear.
"Can I borrow this?"
I agreed without looking at what she was talking about. There was more rustling until the Princess declared it was safe. I turned and took in her choice of clothing. She was still wearing her black leggings and the Gerudo-style sandals. The blue ties and clips for her hair were gone and she had used another silk scarf to match the way she had covered my own hair. She was wearing my tunic. Not my blue champion garb, but the rough and heavy green tunic that reminded me of Faron and of home. The rough fabric was peasant stock, meant for long wear and frequent mending.
It was a fair attempt at appearing to be an average Hylian woman. Nothing in her clothing was out of place with the people I had seen wandering through the Bazaar. But, she was the Goddess incarnate. It was obvious that she was more than an average woman and the plain clothes only made it more obvious that the clothes she wore didn't make her a princess, but she herself was a Princess.
She did not look to me for an opinion, but walked confidently out the door. I followed silently. I guess I was going to see Gerudo town. If I got out alive I was going to have to think of a way to tell this story without getting razzed about wearing women's clothing and without getting arrested and extradited back to the Gerudo.
17 notes · View notes
artificialqueens · 3 years
Text
Galactica, Chapter 40 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica
A/N: Happy Halloween, and welcome to Chapter 40! Only 82802291 to go! (JK…kind of.) Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫
Last Chapter: Violet and Sutan made things official.
This Chapter: All of New York’s fashion elite shows up to Heidi’s Klum’s annual Halloween party. (Seriously. Everyone is in this chapter.)
***
“Go a little higher-” Katya was cut off as the door to Pearl’s room opened.
“Urgh!” Pearl looked up, a mess of grey spiderweb in her long blonde hair and on her hands where she had raised them to protect her face when she had left her room. “What the fuck!”
“Whoops.” Trixie grinned, the cobweb shooter he had been using to decorate in hand.
“Hi Pearl.” Max smiled, waving his hand from where he was standing next to Katya, holding up the string of lights they were attempting to mount on the wall.
“Sorry!” Katya laughed. “I didn’t know you were in there.”
“How does that make this better?” Pearl groaned, peeling the sticky web off of her hands. “I was just taking a nap.”
“We’re very sorry Pearlie girl.” Trixie smiled, reaching out to gently get the web in her hair.
“What are you even doing?”
“It’s a haunted house!” Katya gestured, Halloween decorations covering almost every visible surface. Katya loved Halloween, being allowed to scare her first graders something she looked forward to every year. Over the weekend, Trixie had been working on his own costume when they had started talking about making a miniature haunted house, and it had quickly snowballed into a giant craft project taking over the entire apartment.
There weren’t a lot of kids around them, but the few that had all figured out that Katya and Trixie gave out full sized candy bars for Halloween. And while Katya loved seeing all the little faces light up in delight as she dumped candy into their buckets, the idea of scaring the bejesus out of them first was extremely exciting.
“You’re not planning to use my bedroom for this extravaganza, are you?” Pearl asked skeptically.
“No, don’t worry! We were thinking that we’d cover your doorway in spiders and spiderwebs and have freaky lights and spooky sounds coming from inside.”
“It felt fitting,” Trixie added with a laugh.
“Do you want to help?” Max smiled. He had originally only come over to borrow a bowler hat for his Charlie Chaplin costume, Katya telling him with a grin that he had to remember to keep the hat on unless he wanted to end up looking like Hitler.
“No thanks.”
“Really?” Trixie looked confused for a moment, picking the last piece of web out of her hair. “But you love Halloween!”
“I have to go meet up with Adore.” Pearl shrugged, reaching behind Max to grab her jacket. “She wanted to look at costumes together so we can coordinate.”
“Awh,” Katya grinned, Pearl shooting her a sharp look. “That’s adorable.”
“Okay mom.” Pearl almost seemed like she was annoyed, but Katya could see in her eyes that she took the tease for what it was.
“I think it’s nice.” Trixie loaded the cobweb shooter. “It’s cute that you like someone.”
“Yeah, well…” Pearl mumbled something unintelligible as she slung a bag over her shoulder.
“What was that?”
“I said she’s the cute one!” Pearl exclaimed, and when all three of them began ‘aww’ing again, she immediately left, giving them exaggerated eye rolls.
“A couple’s costume?” Trixie said, pressing a hand to his heart as he sank down onto the sofa, eyes shining. “You think it’s getting serious?”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s still Pearl,” Katya told him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
***
“Fame?” Patrick called out, closing the door behind him. He wasn’t sure if his wife was home yet, but the light was on, a Birkin on their entrance table.
“Up here!”
Patrick smiled to himself, Fame’s voice traveling down from upstairs. If he knew her right, she was probably sitting at her desk, going through whatever creative she hadn’t had time to look at at the office.
“I’ll be right down! Our costumes finally came!”
Patrick grinned, the sound of a computer closing and Charles perking up coming from upstairs. In reality, Patrick would have been fine with something from a boutique, or even no costume at all, but Fame had never been able to resist going all out, least of all for Halloween, and he found it charming enough to play along happily. Patrick loved his wife, had since he saw her for the first time, but she was also wonderfully, insanely extra.
Patrick watched as his wife came down the stairs in a flurry of white, a cape draped over her shoulders, her hair still in the delicate updo she had twisted it into that morning, their dog right behind her.
“I’m so glad they arrived in time!” Fame smiled as she opened the hallway closet, pulling out two garment bags.
“Hey boy.” Patrick smiled, scratching Charles' head, the dog nudging against his hand once before walking away when he realized that Patrick didn’t have any treats and that there was no promise of a walk on the horisont.
“You’re going to love them this year.” Fame grinned, unzipping one of the bags.
“Let me guess,” Patrick took a step forward, the dress a stunning golden piece with feathers. “Are you-”
“It’s Cleopatra!” Fame pulled the dress out. “1963.” Fame smiled brightly, the detail of the gown beyond decadent for a Halloween party, even if it was Heidi Klum’s.
“Ah.” Patrick smiled. “Of course, and who will I be then?”
It wasn’t that Patrick didn’t care, but he hadn’t actually been aware that he was going to that specific party until he had checked his shared calendar, Fame more often than not completely in charge of their social life.
It was how Patrick liked it, and since all of their friends would be there, he had found no reason to complain.
“How can you even ask?” Fame chuckled, opening the second bag. “You’ll be my adored consort, Mark Antony.”
“Of course,” Patrick chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple.
***
“I’m so so sorry-”
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. I’m only your boss when we’re at work, cutie.” Raven grinned as she heard Raja’s silky smooth voice, a clear hint of delight in the deep tone, Sutan chiming in from the front seat.
“Don’t call her that.”
They had just picked up Violet on their way to Heidi Klum’s Halloween party, Raja and herself in the back, while Sutan had taken a seat in the front with their driver, which was why they were even in this situation.
Violet had opened the door to the car, saying hi as she slipped in and placed a quick kiss on the cheek of the tall, mustached, suit-clad person in the middle seat. What Violet hadn’t noticed, until her lips had been pressed against skin, was the fact that it was not actually Sutan, but instead Raja, dressed up as Groucho Max.
“I swear I didn’t mean-” There was a hint of panic in Violet’s voice, the woman dressed up as Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the jewels on her neck clearly fake,  but Raven guessed that it was only Halloween once a year, and Violet didn’t seem like the diamond type.
“Don’t worry,” Raja grinned, leaning back in her seat. “I rather liked it.”
“Raj-” Sutan turned his head, looking back at them. “Please.”
Raven had to bite her lip not to snicker, her corset digging into her hips. She knew Raja was only doing this to mess with Sutan, and it worked perfectly, the normally so cool, calm and collected man looking genuinely distressed.
“Scared I’ll steal your girlfriend?” Raja wiggled her brows, her fake mustache moving as she put an arm around the back of Violet’s seat, the other woman sitting completely straight, her hands in her lap.
“Hey!” Raven turned her head, a flash of jealousy washing over her, causing Sutan to laugh. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Awh,” Raja smiled, letting go of Violet. It was one of the weirdest things about Raja. Somehow, she seemed to genuinely like whenever Raven acted possessive, and if Raven had decked a girl here and there, or torn out an earring or two, that was no one's business but theirs.
“Princess.” Raja put a hand on her dress, the red sequined fabric probably scratchy to the touch. “You know,” Raja leaned in, “You’re the only one for me.”
“Oh god.” Sutan groaned. “Here we go again.”
The mustache felt weird as Raja kissed her, but Raven still put an arm around her neck, holding her close.
“Please tell me we’re almost there.”
Raven flipped Sutan off, making him laugh, her engagement ring almost getting tangled up in Raja’s wig.
***
“Ugh, I feel like such a basic bitch,” Courtney whined.
“That’s cause you are!” Morgan said, making Tyra laugh.
Courtney whimpered, looking around at the crowd outside Heidi Klum’s party. They were waiting for Adore to let them in, and she was rapidly losing confidence. She’d gone all-out on a Marilyn Monroe costume to fit the party’s “Old Hollywood Glamor” theme, even getting advice from her drag queen brother in Sydney (who did Marilyn regularly as part of his act), and of course, she’d already seen about 4 other girls with the same idea.
“Okay, but come on, you’re definitely gonna be the best Marilyn here,” Tati assured her.
“Easy for you to say,” Courtney said. “You actually had an original idea.”
Tati was dressed as Jeannie from the classic TV show, in a costume that showed off her gorgeous body to perfection. Courtney couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous, wishing that her own costume was more creative. If there was one thing she couldn’t stand, it was being just another generic blonde--especially at a chic event like this. She also probably needed to admit to herself that a big part of her nerves came from being in this kind of crowd again, possibly running into her boss.
“Happy Halloween, bitches!” came Adore’s voice, and they all turned around to see her sauntering down the sidewalk in a tailored pinstripe suit, Pearl on her arm in a pencil skirt and beret.
They were the hottest Bonnie and Clyde that Courtney had ever seen. Ugh, everyone was killing it and it made her feel even less worthy of being at the party in the first place.  
“You guys look amazing!” Tyra exclaimed, and Adore grinned.
“Thanks, we know.” Adore gave them a sassy wink, a hand on Pearl’s lower back guiding her forward to the bouncer, where she waved her invite and then grandly beckoned the whole group inside.
***
“Ivy!” Jinkx’ face lit up with delight. She wasn’t expecting to see her beautiful crush tonight, but it was a wonderful surprise. Her costume was as adorable as she was, a cute and fashionable nod to Judy Garland in The Pirate when she sang “Be a Clown,” something that Jinkx knew very well that not many people would appreciate. “Hi! You look absolutely incredible!”
“Hi Ms. Mon-sorry, Jinkx,” Ivy giggled, tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear. “You don’t look so bad yourself. I guess you’re my daughter tonight, eh?”
Jinkx laughed as Ivy gestured to her Liza costume, shrugging and saying, “I guess so, Mama...wait no, that’s weird. You must be at least 5 years younger than me. Forget I said that. Please.”
“Consider it forgotten,” Ivy grinned again, asking, “So how have you been?”
“I’m good, I’m good. I’m so glad to see you, I didn’t know you’d be here,” Jinkx took Ivy’s offered hug, squeezing her tightly but being sure to release her quickly, lest it get awkward.
“Oh yeah, well, my boyfriend works at Vogue and his boss couldn’t make it, so he gave us the tickets.”
Jinkx felt her world shatter at the words that had just left Ivy’s mouth. Boyfriend? What was going on?
“Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?”
“Yes, his name is Keith. We’ve been together for years, he’s over there by the bar.” Ivy waved happily to what Jinkx was sure was a lovely man in a coordinating costume.
“Right,” Jinkx nodded, because what else was she supposed to do? She only hoped that her face didn’t show how absolutely crestfallen she was.
“Actually, I was trying to remember that book you recommended because he’s super into local food too, but I couldn’t remember the title.”
“Oh, um…” Jinkx swallowed, suddenly wishing she was anywhere but here. “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.”
“Right! Thank you. Sorry, I’m such an airhead when I don’t write things down.”
Jinkx could see Keith approaching them now, two glasses of beer in his hands.  
“It was so great to see you, but I really have to run. I was on my way to the bathroom, so-”
“Oh gosh, sorry!” Ivy smiled again, that beautiful smile, and gave her one more quick hug. “Find us later and we can talk some more!”
“Of course, sure! Bye, Ivy!” Jinkx turned towards the restrooms, hoping she could make it into a stall before her stupid tears started to fall.
***
Courtney peeked around a column, the butterflies her stomach going crazy when she spotted Bianca walking away from the bar with a couple of drinks, looking exactly as glamorous as expected in a deep blue silk wrap dress. She bit her lip, trying to gather the nerve to go say hello, when she realized that Bianca wasn’t alone, handing one of the drinks to a tall, absolutely stunning young woman--obviously a model.
To add insult to injury, the girl was also dressed as Marilyn, but her costume was a perfectly tailored version of the low-cut, high-slitted red sequined dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It fit her lithe, willowy frame like a glove, and made Courtney all too aware of how out of place she was, in a cheap polyester version of Marilyn’s infamous white dress, the fake tits and hip pads that her brother had insisted she wear now feeling totally ridiculous and clownish.
As Bianca and her lady friend strolled forward, laughing and chatting, Courtney made sure to stay out of sight behind the column, heart sinking, squeezing her eyes shut, feeling like a creepy little stalker.
“There you are.”
The voice behind her nearly made her jump out of her skin, and she whirled around to face Tyra with a guilty flush rising to her cheeks.
“What are you doing skulking over here all by yourself?” asked Tyra, a hand on her hip, lips pursed in judgment.
“Nothing. Why?”
“I need another drink,” Tyra said. “Come on.”
She grabbed Courtney’s hand and pulled her towards the bar. Courtney followed, sighing, wishing she wasn’t such a chicken-shit baby.
***
“Hey.” Alaska nudged Jinkx with her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”
They were perched on a couple of bar stools, Alaska looking cute as anything in classic Katharine Hepburn menswear, a look of concern on her face. Jinkx shook her head, feeling like an idiot for going so far down the hopeless crush rabbit hole with Ivy without even knowing whether she was single.
“Nothing, I’m just stupid.”
“Well, you’re definitely not that.” Alaska took a sip of her sparkling water.
“You give me too much credit,” Jinkx said with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m being so lame. Let’s go dance.”
She began to slide off the stool, but Alaska stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
“We can dance, but first tell me what’s going on. Please,” Alaska smiled. “Maybe I can help.”
“I don’t deserve a friend like you, Lasky,” Jinkx said, lowering her head pitifully to the table. She had spent so much time going on and on about Ivy for over a month. It was shocking, actually, that Alaska still wanted to spend time with her at all. She must have been insufferable.
“Jinkx.”
Her voice was so soft and warm, it almost made Jinkx feel like crying again. She thought she’d gotten it all out in the bathroom earlier, but apparently not.
“I saw Ivy tonight,” Jinkx admitted, blinking fast to try and get rid of her tears. “Did you know she has a boyfriend? A serious boyfriend? I feel so fucking dumb for never-”
Alaska’s eyes had widened in surprise. This was clearly news to her too, which made Jinkx feel a tiny bit better.
“Jinkx, I’m so-” Alaska took her hand, grasping it tightly. “I’m so sorry. I know I was supposed to ask around about her, and things have been busy and I just-”
“It’s not your fault! Omigod, please don’t apologize.” Jinkx squeezed Alaska’s hand.
“But I promised you, and I never-”
“I’m glad you didn’t!” Jinkx shook her head. “Look, it’s a bummer, I guess, and I’ll probably be a mopey asshole for awhile, but I’m glad I found out before I totally embarrassed myself.”
“Anything I can do?” Alaska asked, eyes still soft and sympathetic.
“You can dance with me,” Jinkx said.
“You got it.”
Jinkx giggled, a mischievous smile spreading across her face as Alaska offered her arm and led her towards the dance floor.
***
“Come on!” Juju pulled on her husband's hand, trying to get him to walk faster through the crowd. It had taken forever to get the twins to bed after they had gone trick or treating, Julia and Owen beyond high on the sugar rush after Detox had allowed them to go ham in their Halloween buckets.
“But I want a drink-” Detox whined, and Juju almost rolled her eyes.
“You promised.” Juju looked over her shoulder, “Remember?”
“Right.” Detox smiled, pulling her in to press a kiss against her cheek.
“Ew!” Juju laughed, pushing him away, not willing to risk his orange makeup rubbing off on her face.
At first, when Detox had presented the ideas for their Halloween costumes, Juju had refused to dye his hair Oompa Loompa green, but once her husband made up his mind, it was nearly impossible to change it.
“Ah! Fame!” Juju waved as she spotted her friend, Fame’s hair covered by a stunning golden headdress.
“Juju!” Fame smiled, holding her arms out. “You made it!”
“Sorry we’re late.” Juju grinned. She had given her oldest a wad of cash before they left, Juju making sure that Kelly put it in her bra as a just in case, before she left for whatever high school students did these days.
As always, Juju’s friends had gathered in a corner, Fame almost allergic to open areas at parties. She spotted someone had to be Raja on the couch, making out with Raven, Detox already off to talk with Patrick.
“Juju!” Sutan smiled brightly, his new girlfriend sitting besides him. Juju had almost not believed it when she had read Raven’s text, her best friend swearing up and down that they were officially official. “It’s so good to see you.”
“Same,” Juju grinned, leaning into his hug Sutan got up to give her. “And who are you supposed to be?” Juju looked up and down, Sutan wearing a gray suit with a gray tie and a white shirt. “You decided to come as yourself? That’s real creative.”
“No!” Sutan huffed, sounding almost offended. “Look!” He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a pair of sunglasses and putting them on before he threw his arms out. “See!”
“Oh wow.” Juju drawled. “You’re yourself on a sunny day?”
“Please,” Sutan tipped the glasses down, “I’m Cary Grant. From North by Northwest.”
“Sure.” Juju smiled. She still didn’t believe that Sutan was actually dressed up, but it wasn’t his fault that Raja had gotten all the creativity. “Whatever you say, peaches.”
Sutan laughed, taking the sunglasses off again. “At least I’m not dressed as whatever the fuck-” Sutan pointed with the glasses, before putting them back in his pocket. “Your husband is supposed to be.”
“He’s an Oompah Loompah.” It sounded stupid even now, but it was what Juju had promised him when they’d gotten married, support in both good times and bad. “Duh.”
“Cheers bro!” Detox grinned, raising a glass. Juju had no idea where he had gotten it, the brown liquid unmistakably alcohol. That damn liar.
“Listen, does it surprise you that these two have the weirdest costumes?” Bianca slid up next to them, putting her arm around Juju’s shoulders. “It’s very on brand for them,” Bianca smiled, taking a sip of her drink. “Don’t you think?”
“Thanks, Daddy,” Juju chuckled, tugging on the white Peter Pan collar of her Veruca Salt costume and fluffing her pigtails.
“Hey,” Detox appeared at her side, Juju’s annoyance dying down immediately when she saw the glass of ginger ale that Detox was holding for her. “We just like to have fun.”
Juju took the drink, taking a sip of it, nose wrinkling. She was nearly halfway through this latest surprise pregnancy, and she was already sick of it. Her only consolation was the fact that Detox had finally agreed to a vasectomy, so there would be no more precious little accidents in the Sanderson household. Juju absolutely adored her children, but with a full-time job, a precocious teenager and 3 year old twins, she had her hands full and then some.
On the other hand...she was looking forward to that new baby smell. She rubbed her slightly swollen bump thoughtfully, and considered the fact that since this would be her last pregnancy, she may as well enjoy it. Even if a shot of tequila would be amazing on a night like tonight.
“Juju!”
Juju turned her head to see that Raven had finally pulled herself away from her makeout session with Raja, her still red lipstick annoyingly pristine.
“Look at you!” Juju threw out her arms. Raven was dressed like the only Jessica Rabbit, waist cinched tighter than Juju had ever seen, and of course her tits looking beyond amazing.
“Holy shit!” Juju reached out, grabbing the left tit. “How did you do this?”
“Custom made breastplate.” Raven grinned, pushing her red wig over her shoulder. “Doesn’t it look fan-fucking-tastic? I almost want to get a boob job.”
“As long as they look like this!” Juju laughed.
“Did you hear that Raj?” Raven yelled over her shoulder. “Juju thinks I should get a boob job!”
“Not the one against it!” Raja raised her drink, a smile on her face. “Ask the warden.”
Raven turned quickly to Sutan with a pointed look.
“How am I the villain here?” Sutan looked around.
“The people want boobs.” Juju snickered, leaning her face against Raven’s fake breasts. “You should give us the boobs.”
“I’ll make sure to inform the houses that porn star tits are in high fashion style.” Sutan rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling.
***
Kissing Pearl made Adore feel high.
Well, she was high, but kissing Pearl made it even better. Especially tonight, her girlfriend looking all luscious and feminine with her demure little skirt and glossy, cherry-red lips. All Adore wanted was to eat her up. They danced close together, and Adore couldn’t help hold her close, couldn’t stop her hands from roaming all over her.
She knew that people were watching them, could feel their eyes, and it made things even better. She moved her mouth to Pearl’s neck, letting her perfume wash over her as she sucked at her pulse point, hands squeezing her ass roughly.
Why not give ‘em a show?
***
“Raven!” Violet bit back a giggle as she made sure Raven didn’t fall, their fingers tightly clasped together. “Watch out!” They had gone to the bathroom together, Raven whining that she needed someone to help her with her dress. “You’re like a baby giraffe.”
“As if,” Raven snorted, her cheeks pink, a light in her eyes. “I’m a model.”
“Okay.” Violet smiled, shaking her head as they made their way across the floor. Violet was pleasantly tipsy, her body light and tingly with the alcohol in her blood. The party was a lot more fun than she had ever expected it would be, all the different costumes a joy to look at.
Violet was just looking around, taking in a man who had chosen to arrive on stilts for some reason, when she spotted an incredibly familiar face, the green eyes ones she had sat across from for months.
“Courtney!” Violet exclaimed, suddenly realizing that she actually almost missed the blonde.
“Violet! Hi!” Courtney smiled brightly, her entire energy like an overexcited puppy.  Violet felt Raven let go of her hand, the other woman throwing herself at Adore who caught her with a laugh.
“You look-” Violet glanced down at Courtney’s costume. “... Did you get a boob job?”
“What?” Courtney looked down at herself. “No!” Courtney laughed, grabbing her own chest. “No, no these are fake.”
“Huh.” Violet bit her lip, the padded bra looking almost disturbingly real to her tipsy mind. “Good. You’re pretty with your own breasts.”
Courtney grinned, lashes fluttering as she said, “Well, thanks for noticing, Violet.”
Violet smiled back, shaking her head. It was like she had never found Courtney annoying at all, the blonde just a beacon of good vibes. She tried to remember the last time she’d even seen her at work, when something popped into her head.
“Wait. Wait wait wait.” Violet reached out, grabbing Courtney’s wrist. “What happened with that dress?”
Courtney looked puzzled, her head tilted in confusion. “What dress?”
“The dress for Fame?” Violet still remembered vividly how stressed Courtney had looked. “With the golden pockets?”
“Ohh, that.” Courtney waved her hand. “She looked at it for a few seconds and then demanded eight more unrelated things. The usual.”
A giggle bubbled up from Violet’s chest. Now that she wasn’t working in Miss Fame’s office anymore, she was allowed to find Courtney’s irreverence a little bit amusing.
“Courtneyyyyy come get shots with us!”
The most beautiful girl Violet had ever seen in her life suddenly appeared, tugging on Courtney’s arm. Violet’s eyes barely knew where to land, taking in her wide brown eyes and full lips, the pink and gold of her costume making her tan skin glow.
“Violet, have you ever met my friend Tati?” Courtney asked, and Violet blinked, reaching out her hand.
“Wow. You’re…” Violet swallowed. “Beautiful.” She instantly felt her cheeks heat up, a terrible blush no doubt blooming on her cheeks. Violet wanted to throw herself out the window, the whole thing terribly embarrassing, but thankfully, the angel just laughed.
“Hi,” Tati smiled. “You should come get shots with us!”
“Um. I have to…” Violet tried to force her brain, tried to remember how to be a human being. “I have to…” Violet turned around, leaving without another word in a desperate attempt not to make more of a fool of herself.
This.
This was exactly why she didn’t have friends.
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Text
Night Moves
Raphael X Biker!Reader
Part One
Summary: Rain prevents you from riding the next few days and you’re growing restless. You wanted to ride. You wanted... to see him. You missed him against your better judgement. But what was wrong with missing him? Nothing at all. What happens when he misses you too?
A/N: As requested a Part Two to Midnight Rider!! I loved the responses on it and I wanted to thank you all for such positive feedback. Here’s something a bit softer and cozy for the hard times. Let me know if you want another part and what you think of this one!! I love you guys! ((P.S. I just finished my last paper-a twelve page research paper-for the semester so now I have more time for creative writing!!))
Bob Seger Vinyl Ft. in this Fic
Tags: @brightlotusmoon @boatloadsofheart @legandarybeauty @crazywritingbug @bitch-kms @ravn-87 @just-a-casual-fangirl-011 @unicornjoos @stuckoutsideofthebox @ilikestuffproductions @whygz @coffee-addicti @sugarspooks15@leslieebee@serperiorkb@blossom-skies@fantastical-67impala-fangirl@coresan @big-banging-red @iceprincess2019 @raphaeladdict @thirstyforvenom @merindagriese @depressedemo-152 @bengewatch @corabmarie @bitemebro522 @tmnt-queen @muleka-loka @violet-sky-96 @curadopordeus @artemismohr18 @thewhisperpen @xjupitermoonsx @bisexualbumblebeesstuff @merindagriese@oceans-daughter-3 @dixonreedusfangirlforever @shanidenise @thegayestfish441 @lovelyyroseee @yourlieberhoe @dolphincommander @molzies-fanfics @fuzzy-panda​ 
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Rain pattered against my window as the sun went down leaving New York in total darkness. I sighed and wished for sunshine or a clear night when I could ride again. When I could see him again. It had been a few days of constant rain and I was becoming stir crazy. But I wasn’t stupid enough to go riding in the rain. It wasn’t worth the risk.
I stared out my opened window and watched the raindrops race against each other. Curling up in a large sweater with a cup of tea, I settled down for the night.
A dark form in front of my window made me jump and curse, adrenaline racing. Then I realized who blocked my window. It was my daredevil rider.
I pushed the window open, throwing my hands up in dismay.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I scolded. “It’s raining, it’s not safe to be out there,”
“I had to see you,” Raph admitted sheepish as he ducked in through my window.
I headed to my small bathroom and threw him a towel or two to dry off, turning a light on in my wake. The gentle fairy lights glowed with the candles it accompanied.
“Gotta say, didn’t think your place would look like this...” Raph trailed off, his eyes taking in my studio apartment. “It’s so... cozy,”
“Thank you,” I smiled and stood by his side admiring my handiwork with him. 
I had made it cozy. My solace. My safe space.
“How’s your shoulder?” I asked, picking up my mug of tea.
“Fine,” He replied a bit too quickly.
“Well, you’re welcome to come and hang out... if that’s what this is.” I gave him a dopey smile. “I can make tea for you if you want.”
Raph stared at me like I had two heads.
___________________________________
“Not what you were expecting?” A smile played at her lips as she curled up in an armchair. 
“Not at all,” Raph muttered.
In his head he had this version of her.
Y/n. Her name forever engraved into his mind.
She was strong, confident, badass. She took no prisoners and always knew what to say. But this?
She was soft, and gentle, and he had seen it the other night in her concern. But what he saw before him, he wouldn’t have imagined. She was kind, and soft behind all of the edge and angst she gave off.
He almost loved it more, knowing that she offered both in who she was.
Y/n,
“So, what brought you around?” She mused, tucking herself under an afghan.
“It’s been raining, I haven’t seen you in a while,” He admitted again, taking a spot on her rug leaning against her couch.
A smile played at her lips and in the soft light, she was just as beautiful as she was in leather on a motorcycle. She didn’t make fun of him either, His brothers did. They thought it was ridiculous that he went to find her. Leo ordered against it. As if.
He had grown bored again with the rain coming down and he wanted to see her. 
“You haven’t been riding have you?” She asked, concern coloring her voice. 
“No,” It was the truth.
Mainly because he knew that if she found out, she’d have his ass for sure.
“Good,” She seemed pleased.
 ______________________________
Knowing sleeping had left my short-term plans, I uncurled from my chair and headed over to my record player and started the Bob Seger vinyl that I didn’t put away from earlier.
“You’re a classics fan?” He mused as the music started
“My mom was... I picked it up from her,” I admitted. “Now that I’m up do you want that tea?”
I made my way to the kitchen despite his answer and began to make another cup.
“You like classic rock then?” I asked back, leaning against the counter.
He had shifted so that he could still see me from my vantage point in the small kitchen. 
“Zeppelin,” He offered. “Though my vinyl collection isn’t as impressive as yours,” He muttered. I smiled and rolled my eyes.
“Why am I not surprised you like Zeppelin,” I laughed. “Find something more original, Bon Jovi, Meatloaf! Hey, you might actually like Meatloaf,” I paused in thought. “Not that I know what you like... it just seems like... a very you band.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He acted offended, but there was a smile on his face.
“I dunno,” I could feel my face flushing. “They just seem like... you.” I gestured. “I can let you borrow my record.”
“No, I can’t ask that.” Raph shook his head, standing in protest.
“You’re not asking, I’m giving it to you.” I smiled and offered him his tea as we both settled back in my living room area.
________________________________
Raph still tried to figure her out. There was still the fire in her veins that he had seen when he rode with her. This was that same fire, but in a softer way. In one that made him take care of himself, and that allowed her to be selfless.
She hummed softly to the music and sipped her tea absentmindedly, lost in thought he presumed.
“How is your family?” She asked after a while. “It’s been a while since you guys have done anything.”
Raph laughed.
“Yeah, there isn’t much to do anymore. It’s why I started to ride again. And we’re okay, I guess. Mikey has vowed to watch ever Doctor Who episode with Donnie and it’s taking them a while to get through it all.” Raph rolled his eyes.
“I should do that.” She murmured. “I haven’t watched it in a while.” 
“You like that nerdy show?” He raised an eyebrow.
A laugh bubbled from her lips. It was soft and carefree. Somehow, even though he wasn’t racing through the streets of New York, he still felt free. A sort of freedom that crept in slowly and comforted him like a blanket.
“I do,” She smiled. “You might,”
“You keep saying that,” He challenged.
“Oh?” A smirk grew on her face and a fire in her eyes.
“That I’ll like things when you don’t really know me,” Raph contested.
She went quiet, a smile still on her lips.
“Maybe I don’t know you that well, but I think I have a good idea of what you might like.” She quipped.
“Yeah?”
She nodded, her smile growing.
A clap of thunder shook her windows as lightning flashed. She didn’t flinch. Fear didn’t occupy her features. He knew Mikey was afraid of thunder, and Donnie didn’t prefer it, but she seemed almost at home among it.
_________________________________
“Tell me then,” I whispered. “Who are you?” I moved onto the couch and curled up on the side, waiting and listening.
“What do you wanna know?” His voice held a note of uncertainty.
“How old are you?” I mused. “That’s an easy one.”
“Is this twenty questions now?” Raph raised an eyebrow.
I chuckled. “That would mean yes or no answers, this is just... a conversation.” I decided. 
“Alright, but if you get to ask questions, so do I,” He countered.
“Deal.” 
“Eighteen, you?”
“Eighteen,”
We went on like that for a while, question after question. His favorite singer was actually Billy Joel; I hated the Beatles; he never thought to read anything other than magazines; I couldn’t remember the last time I had read a book; he had never been out of the state; I had been along the east coast on road trips; he hated spinach and cucumbers; I hated smoothies and tomatoes; he had four brothers; I had one.
“Where did you learn to ride?” He asked as it neared one am.
“My mom,” I yawned, blinking slowly. “She’d take me on her bike when I was little... my dad was a mechanic...” I gave a small shrug. “Why do you ride?” I countered.
“It’s... freedom.” He replied.
I nodded, knowing what he meant. It’s why I loved to ride. No one telling you where to go or what to do or who to be, you could just ride and not stop.
“Did you miss me?” His question came softly and hesitantly.
I nodded, my eyes slipping closed from tiredness. Talking to him like this made me feel safe and more at home than I ever had before. Like I was a child, curled up on a winter night waiting for Christmas as snow fell softly into the quiet of the night. A simpler time.
“I did. It’s not the same when I’m not around you... I looked forward to our rides.” 
______________________________
Raphael watched her eyes droop closed as the hours passed. He was on a high learning so much from her and letting his walls down over stupid trivia that had him laughing and her blushing.
But being up late tonight didn’t seem to rest well with her despite their late-night rides the week before. He wondered if it was the rain that lulled her to sleep.
It didn’t really matter what it was, she was all but fast asleep on the sofa above him. Peace washed over her like this, though no smile was on her face, a gentle expression rested in her features.
“Y/n?” He asked softly, standing and stretching. He loved the feeling or her name on his lips.
She hummed a response, not opening her eyes. He wanted to laugh.
“You need to get to bed,” He muttered, taking her mug and his and carefully putting them into her sink, very conscientious of the space around him.
“Too far,” Her voice grew jumbled. “I’ll sleep on the couch,” She seemed resolved about this.
“No, you’re not,” He smiled and shook his head at her antics. “It’s not that far, lazy,” he teased gently.
“M’fine,” She tried again, her words slurring.
Raph stared at her curled-up form and her bed that rested against the back wall of her apartment.
Maybe the rain had calmed him too, or maybe being near her had let him be someone who didn’t thrive on anger and deflecting, but he carefully lifted her from the couch and walked her over to her bed and gently laid her down.
She immediately stretched out and found her way under the covers, cuddling a pillow. Her eyes never opened.
“Thanks,” She mumbled, the faintest smile playing at her lips. “Tomorrow?” 
“Tomorrow,” He promised.
.
.
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thetradeway · 3 years
Text
Session 48 14 Aug 2021: "Dhidth hwe huin?"
I’m late today. Ginger balls. Never admit you were wrong, and never apologise! Has anyone heard from Mina? She may or may not join us. Billy Corgan on a rollercoaster!
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Matthew, wondering: “Does Billy Corgan have alopecia, or is that a choice?”
Duncan: “I don’t know, I’m not his mum.”
Matthew opens a 4% by volume Potion of Healing, and we get started. Everyone makes saving throws except Tarragon for their hangovers after the Midsummer festivities. Ahleqs is delicate but not too rough; he has however just discovered that he is no longer immune to alcohol. (He isn’t quite puking up pixies, so he’ll take it.) Gideon is bright as a button, as is Kessler, and Melaina. Ardvack complained that the sherry wasn’t up to snuff, so he didn’t drink much.
Gutpunch is snoring and emitting smells when the boys wake in their room. Tarragon returns as the sun rises. She returns to her chambers to find everyone else asleep; she joins them, and Mina joins us. The gnome bunked in with us is not emitting smells. There’s a bang on our door - it’s one of the Avowed, a runner.
“Your presence is requested in one of the Necessariums.” He’ll return for us in a few minutes.
Same thing happens for the boys; Ahleqs tries to wake Gutpunch, with no success. Ahleqs, blearily: “Necessari- what? What is this Hogwarts bullshit?”
Is Darkspire in with them? Yes. The Avowed asks if he behaved; yes, Ahleqs thinks so. Charity overhears this conversation, and butts in. He opens the door wide and tells Ahleqs to go back to bed; he does so. Charity peers at the Avowed’s face, the one who showed us to our rooms.
“Yes? What? Yes? I’m here. Everything’s fine, nothing occurred.” Assured that no crimes have been committed, the Avowed retreats.
Ahleqs asks Charity why there would be ‘incidents’. He says he has no idea.
We use our ten minutes to head to the Hearth for breakfast. Ahleqs has water. And a small pot of coffee. and one egg, and one bit of toast with some salt. “Is there any tabasco?”
Ardvack explains about the Necessariums. They are tall towers with lots of books; we can’t access them ourselves but the Avowed will get us anything we want. Kessler wants some books about tinkering and artificing.
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The vegetarian menu is vast, and very good.
The runner returns as we are stuffing more food in our pockets to take with us.
Ahleqs is delighted to see Mr Pickles in the Necessarium; he’s talking to a green dragonborn. Ahleqs doesn’t want to interrupt so he hops from foot to foot until the Al Miraj spots him. He is bidden to go over so Mr Pickles can take a look at him.
Mr Pickles says Ahleqs looks a little green around the gills; did he not hear about the revels last night, Ahleqs asks? Mr. Pickles was in the library having discussions. Should he order some tea? Yes, Ahleqs will have a small bucket of tea. Mr Pickles summons an Avowed.
Mr Pickles says there are wards on this place to cut noise and prevent eavesdropping from outside; he has some news for us if we will gather around.
An Avowed brings Kessler the books she asked for. (Carl wants some books too; The Very Hungry Caterpillar, A Tiger Came to Tea, The Borrowers, that sort of thing.)
MP introduces us to Bookwyrm, the First Reader of Candlekeep - the dragonborn he was talking to. He is in charge of maintaining the collection and acquiring newbooks. We want access to books about the Shadow Weave?
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The knowledge in there is dangerous, those books have been locked away. They don’t usually let people access them, but since Mr. Pickles is involved, he might be able to help - if we can do something for him in return.
Ardvack has a question; is this endeavour going to cut into our ten-day? No, since we will be out of the Candlekeep to do it. Bookwyrm can’t give us details until we agree to help, but Mr. Pickles believes it’s well within the limits of our skills to accomplish what he needs.
Tarragon agrees immediately, but mostly because Ardvack looks dubious. Ahleqs, assured by Mr. Pickles’s confidence that we can do whatever it is we’re being asked, also agrees.
Some time ago, Bookwyrm tells us, the keep was visited by a drow scholar who told them the location of a book the Keep have been seeking. Are we familiar with the caves below the Keep? No, but we’ve seen a picture.
They are beneath the catacombs, in the bedrock. They lead all the way to the Underdark. The book was supposed to be there. Someone went in search of it; a more than capable wizard, Olius Visk, but they were expecting him back a full ten-day ago and he has not been heard from. He is a young man, it is very out of character for him to miss the Midsummer Festival.
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What was the title of the book he was after? Bookwyrm doesn’t know. When the wizard applied to go after it, he didn’t mention which one it was.
Where is the drow? He left, as you can only spend a tenday here. He did not book in another visit.
We just need to rescue the wizard, not necessarily complete his mission, Bookwyrm says. If we do locate the book then we could bring that too. It’s not the Underdark proper, it’s not that far down - it and the wizard will be in the Upper Dark.
The First Reader gives us a book about the Underdark. Tarragon gets excited about the fungus that could be down there, and the potions she could make with them.
Will we need any further resources? Healing potions, at the very least.
When we are ready we’ll be teleported to the caves. We can get past the myconids that way, the ones that moved in and live off the mushrooms they grow on the refuse from the keep; they keep the drow and duergar away.
He gives us an orb to follow; Ardvack suggests giving Gideon the ring the activate the thing. While following Olius’ tracks, it will glow brightly to show us we are going the right way. Gideon blusters about the ring; “A fine piece of brass work! That will fit on my finger nicely.”
How many potions will we need? Tarragon, immediately: “All of them.”
They can spare a GHP and two RHPs - each. Oooo! They will give us twenty days’ of rations as well.
Can Carl come? We need Carl, probably more than Ardvack. Ardvack consults his book of manners, then laughs; “Ahahah, very droll.”
We decide to leave Popcorn in the stables while we go; he doesn’t like dark and scary places.
Tarragon is excited to be going into danger again; Ahleqs less so.
Ardvack, resignedly: “To almost certain death?”
Tarragon, far too excited: “To almost certain death!”
Ahleqs does a very shaky sigh.
A runner approaches with our Healing Potions, and we spend ten minutes farting about with our inventories.
Ardvack, bored, pulls a book from his pocket and begins to read; Ahleqs wants to know what it is.
Matthew, OOC: “What languages do you speak?”
Duncan: “Common, Elvish, Infernal and Light Crossbow.”
Are we all ready? Various themes on ‘yeah’, some more excited than others. Ahleqs casts Mage Armour.
Carl is brought from the Hearth (holding a book called ‘Ye Olde Very Hungry Caterpillar’), and we are teleported.
It takes a moment for our eyes to adjust when we arrive in the dark, wet caves. We head deeper underground, and of course someone (Mina) starts singing Jamiroquai. Well, someone had to.
Tarragon looks out for mushrooms for use in her recipes. There are lots, of various sizes. Some have bits that look like they’ve been cut off; as if someone has been eating or harvesting them.
Tarragon takes a bit of mushroom and eats it; it’s tasty. Ahleqs will watch her for about 45 minutes before he eats any himself. Ardvack stands as far as physically possible from all of the fungus.
Joe waits for his computer before telling us what has befallen Ardvack, who has gone ahead; Tarragon starts cackling. (She doesn't do subtly devastating insults, she does this.)
Matthew rolls a d4; he gets a 3. Does 16 hit him? “I think the 8 might do it.” The 16 does hit as he backs away from one mushroom into a violet fungus, for 8 Necrotic damage.
We roll initiative!
Melaina kills the fungus, but we don’t feel as though we’re alone. Tarragon holds a Thorn Whip in case she sees something within 30 feet of her that she doesn’t like, and warns Ardvack that this includes him.
We hear something shuffling towards us. Ahleqs is trying to hide when it attacks him twice for ten necrotic damage, and Tarragon gets it with her Thorn Whip. Ahleqs does Burning Hands at it.
Joe, laughing: “Really? You’re going to make a mushroom do a Dex save??”
He misses the one he was aiming at but hits the one he didn’t know was there, so… a win?
More turn up; Gideon does an Acid Splash, complete with quavery wizard voice as he announces it.
Ahleqs and Ardvack are closest and get a horrible, acrid stench as the acid burns the violet fungi.
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A fungus aims at Ahleqs but only manages to sort of caress his face with its tentacles, leaving a slimy residue; he sicks up all the water he drank.
Kessler gets one with her crossbow. “Remove your grubby bits from the Ahleqs!”
Tarragon, yelling “Danger and excitement!”, takes out her quarterstaff and runs at one; she hits, and is pleased when it doesn’t die just yet.
Does Ardvack want to chomp on a tentacle with someone else, do a sort of lady and the tramp manoeuvre?
Duncan, disgusted: “No tentacle sucking, this is not that kind of show!”
Mina, disconcertingly matter-of-fact about it: “Some people would pay good money for that.”
Ardvack chooses to hit the thing with his shillgjakjsgaklghjkghhhjbblhh instead. It crumbles into bits, but is also ‘a little bit on fire’.
Ahleqs spots some little orbs somewhere ahead up the path. He thinks they are probably magic, but has no idea what they are or what they do.
Carl does a ‘friendly yet violent pat’ on one of the violet fungi and does 5 splatting damage. It wraps its tentacles around him - and then lets go, shuddering. Carl goes in for a bonus action grapple-slash-fatal-hug. The fungus loses the grapple. “High point in Carl’s life.”
Sophie, OOC: “Are you going to give it a noogie?”
Ahleqs takes aim at the grappled fungus. Matthew, OOC, singing: “Now that’s fuckin’ teamwork!”
“If I move away they’ll get a tickle of opportunity won’t they?” Ahleqs stays where he is. “I do not consent to this.”
Gideon gets one with Magic Missile.
Joe: “How de do dis?”
Sophie, OOC: “With gusto!”
Carl maintains his grip on the fungus.
Melaina is feeling arrogant so she goes Sharpshooter. “Urgh, five, that’s not going to work is it?” But to her amazement, it does. 29 damage; a little bit overkill. It explodes into truffle oil, which showers Ardvack but completely avoids Tarragon.
Tarragon offers Carl her old quarterstaff, since he doesn’t have a weapon. He rolls an INT check to try and reply to thank her, but gets a 0. He accepts the staff with a nod of thanks; she smiles at him.
We have killed all the Violet Fungi! We have solved Joe’s Underdark puzzle, yay!
Yeah, nah.
The drift globe leads us around the next corner. Tarragon and Carl chase it, and see three little huts made of fungus and dried grass. Two look abandoned, but the third has light inside. The orbs Ahleqs saw seem to be drifting around it. Ahleqs rolls 19 Arcana; the orbs are warding or protection magic.
We decide to approach, because the inhabitants might know something about the missing wizard.
Kessler, approaching: “Helloooooo? Avon calling?” Tarragon casts Guidance on her as she goes by.
A bell sounds; Kessler recognises the Alarm spell. She calls out to say she doesn’t mean any harm. “Ignore the mech armour, and the idiots with me…”
Duncan OOC: “I want to know what happens if we find the ‘How not to be a goblin’ book and Kessler turns out to be a six foot five valkyrie warrior. Ardvack’s not going to know where to put himself, is he?”
An Unknown Woman appears from the hut:
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“What on earth are you doing down here?”
Kessler explains about the wizard and the book. Are we from the Keep?
Yeah…
So is she, it turns out. Will we be going back? Yes, unless we’re killed horribly.
Do we have a way to get back in past the myconids and such? (uh oh.) She says she was a speaker for the keep and was looking for some books, and got lost down here and got stuck.
Kessler rolls Insight with Guidance - 13. She seems convinced. We can pick her up on the way back? That would be amazing, she says. She’s smiling especially at Ardvack.
She has some warding magic up here if we want to rest? Ardvack tenses up. He makes an Insight check as well. He rolls a 9, but uses his Inspiration to re-roll - a 12. He feels a kind of kinship with her, as though her magic might have a similar source. He eases a little bit, and ventures a half smile, even though she’s wearing a 'very low-born outfit'.
Ahleqs, scandalised: “She can’t even afford a middle bit on her top!”
We don’t need a rest, do we? Ahleqs got hit a bit. Melaina doesn’t trust her, and doesn’t want to stop.
Tarragon asks the woman’s name. It’s Ava.
We could take a short rest, roll some hit dice? Have a sandwich? Get to know the locals?
Melaina: “Alright, but I’m not going to sleep.”
Ava points out the orbs. Anything on this side of them is safe.
This seems a bit too good to be true. Does Ahleqs get a sense of magic, other than the protective field? A nine; “She seems legit.”
She was looking for a book that the Keep wouldn’t exactly approve of when she got stuck here. She’s been living off the mushrooms. She was fleeing undead when she was chased into the myconid hives? A ghost or wraith or something.
She brings us some tea, apologising that it’s not quite as fresh as she would like. Something is definitely fucky; Tarragon takes watch, on Ava as much as for other dangers. Tarragon rolls 24 Perception, so she can see the colonies of ants coming to get us.
She sees that no-one’s quite at ease. Suddenly Ava’s skin sloughs off, peeling in big chunks, and a blood hag reveals herself.
Me, horrified: “Blood hag?? JOE!” Tarragon Thorn Whips her.
A writhing mass of hair bursts from the hag, and reaches out toward Ahleqs. She reaches out with her claws to Ardvack and Kessler, and hits both. 23 slashing to Ardvack - and 35 slashing to Kessler.
We roll initiative!
Melaina gets in amongst the mushrooms and tries to hide. “And now I’m going to shoot her in the face. Shit. No I’m not, with a ten.” She cowers behind her mushroom.
Gideon Thunderwaves her and hits, and retreats.
Tarragon casts Greater Shillsdghksdfkhsdg, and crit-misses. The quarterstaff bounces off and hits her in the face - she takes half the weapon’s damage and has Disadvantage on her next attack.
Carl hits her with his new quarterstaff and hits!
Ahleqs casts Mage Armour on Ardvack and Carl, using Sorcery Points to twin the spell.
Kessler bonus action slams her Greater Healing Potion. She uses her Thunder Gauntlets and forces Disadvantage on attacks not against her.
The Blood Hag uses something called Call the Blood, to do a Blood Choke Curse on Ardvack - his mouth fills with blood, preventing speech and verbal spell casting components for one minute. She uses her bonus action to Misty Step to Melaina and do another blood drinking hair, and a claw attack on her.
Ardvack’s turn; he riffles through his spells but they all have a verbal component. Matthew OOC, cross: “I needed that to be effective.”
Joe, pleased: “She’s charming, isn’t she? I thought you’d like her. But at least all the blood vessels in your mouth and throat have burst and you’ll keep having to spit blood for the next minute, so that’s something.”
Ardvack clubs her instead, and hits. He somehow manages to do 0 damage.
Duncan, OOC: “If you say ‘good girl’ or something while you attack, you could do some psychic damage…?”
Matthew: “If only I could speak!”
Melaina gets sneak attack plus Sharpshooter with her rapier - 31 points of damage. All of us, fanning ourselves: “… Damn.”
Gideon will cast Scorching Ray - all three bolts hit, for 21 damage total. The blood hag is pissed off, now, we are told. Gideon bravely retreats.
Tarragon misses again, and begrudgingly heals Ardvack. “Come on, it’s not that bad. Get up.”
Carl was going to use his Raging Cadaver ability, but Tarragon is now in the square he was going to rage to. He can probably navigate through the mushrooms. He does that, and then a slam attack. He does a zombie grab as well. He rolls 17 to her 14, so she’s grappled!
Ahleqs casts Shatter right in the huddle of Carl, Charity, Tarragon and the blood hag. But he would hit Carl, so he doesn’t. He does Eldritch Blast with Tides of Chaos and hits both times for 7 total Force damage.
55: His hair falls out again. “Oh… this again. Okay. I mean I was growing that, but whatever.”
Kessler wants to know if the mushrooms are difficult terrain; she can push through them. “I haven’t finished with you yet!” 16 with the Thunder Gauntlets hits for 12 Thunder damage, then 19 to hit for 11 more. The hag has Disadvantage on attacks versus anyone but Kessler.
Carl is surprised when the hag Misty Steps out of his grip. “He is very perplexed.”
Does 26 hit Ardvack? Er… Yes. He takes 24 piercing damage, and is grappled; her hair worms dig into his flesh and start to suck his blood. He makes a Dex save - or he would, but he might be dead…? No, he’s at 1HP. His lucky hit point.
Matthew is fighting his computer. “Dex save… Any minute now… It’s coming… I’ve pressed the button… It’s asked me if I want to make it public… seven.”
Joe has devastating news for him. The hag has reached out and torn his face off.
Holy Fuck.
What the fuck???
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“I wanted the pretty elf, but this will have to do!”
The hag makes good her escape as Ardvack goes down. Tarragon uses a free action to vomit.
Ardvack has an ability that brings him back with 8HP. “Dhidth hwe huin?”
Melaina shoots the hag in the back but misses; Gideon does a Scorching Ray.
There’s discussion about the face and the fact that it has Ardvack’s memories and personality; Mina, OOC: “Give it a few minutes, she’ll bring it back.”
Duncan, as the hag: “‘Can you take this back, it’s kinda bumming me out’.”
Tarragon does Cure Wounds at the highest slot available to her; Ardvack’s face is now a mass of scar tissue. She uses her bonus action to throw up again.
This is worse than when Wee Jock got Disintegrated. This is worse than the time we were all zombies, and we started off dead.
Joe, put out: “You’re so ungrateful. It took me ages to find this monster.”
Carl can reach the nasty lady. He can Dash, but he can’t do anything when he gets there. He holds out his hand for Ardvack’s face. She ignores him.
Ahleqs: “Okay… Okay… I cast Fireball. Oooh, it’s big!” He casts it at level 4, and places it so he’ll get the hag, but not Carl. The hag must make a Dex save. She gets a 22.
Duncan, OOC: “Well… Yes, she does and she doesn’t.” She takes half the damage, and is really pissed off.
Kessler: “Oi! Come back with that!” She pulls out her crossbow and shoots. First shot is a miss, and so is the second - a crit fail. Booh. Off target: You deal half damage for 1d4+1 rounds (3). She tries to intimidate the hag, who is unimpressed.
“Let me leave, or I’ll cast Cloudkill.” The bitch uses Invisibility.
Ardvack’s turn; he is now un-stunned, and remembers the sensation of having no face. He’s also still spitting blood. He takes out the mirror that Amelia gave him, and looks in it to see the horrible-ness that is his face, still drooling blood. He puts the mirror away. He gives Tarragon a pat of thanks on the shoulder as he turns away so no-one can see him and crawls toward the hut, “Because this is where I live now.” Even Tarragon feels a little sorry for him.
Before we go, Ardvack is crawling into one of the huts, yes? Yes. "I do not wish to take tea with guests." The most complete hut is the hag’s one; he sees some stones on the floor as if she’s been scrying. Next to them is a pebble with a purple ring on it.
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He makes an Arcana check on it to make sure it’s not a bum-stealing stone. 21; he knows the mark as the symbol of Shar. He may remember Shar from such activities as fighting a giant scorpion and an assassin, or raising an army of scarecrows to harass a halfling village.
We decide to leave it on that cliffhanger...
1 note · View note
offtopicoverload · 3 years
Note
26 :Broken, as you clutch the sleeve of my jacket and beg me not to leave. For Marisol x Mc please x
Thanks so much for the prompt, I hope it’s okay! <3
~2k words
Marisol sits on the living room sofa, textbooks and papers thrown around her haphazardly as she races through an assignment. It’s a rainy Thursday night, water droplets beating the window across from her incessantly. She’s the only one home so far, an odd occurrence, to say the least. Violet almost always beats her home, her last class of the day wrapping up nearly two hours before Marisol’s own.
Marisol seems oblivious to this fact, though, her attention fully on a paper that isn’t due until the Friday after next. She flicks through a textbook, searching for a definition she needs before giving up and grabbing another to search, huffing as she does.
The front door flies open, a drenched Violet stepping inside with a scowl aimed at the back of Marisol’s head. Her socks squelch in her ankle boots, her jacket drips water on the floor, and strands of her dark, wet hair are plastered to her face. Her very, very angry face.
“Hey, vida,” Marisol greets without looking, still scanning for that damned definition.
Violet's answer is cold, as chilly as the dark Portsmouth night outside the living room window: “No.”
Marisol’s brow furrows at the answer, but her eyes stay trained on the pages in her lap, “Huh?”
Violet doesn’t respond, her soaked boots stomping into the bedroom, leaving a trail of footprints behind. Marisol shrugs it off, however. Violet would clean it up, she’s more neurotic about mess than Marisol herself.
The flat’s relatively quiet for a while, Marisol finding her definition and getting through a few paragraphs without having to scavenge more. She’s not too bothered over whatever’s going on with Violet, even if the interaction was far from normal. It’ll blow over, whatever it was, it always does.
Violet stomps in from the bedroom, her boots still firmly laced on her feet. “No shoes in the flat,” Marisol calls in the tone reserved for her older brother or their friends. Alright, now she’s a little bothered. Violet never leaves her shoes on, she’s the whole reason for the rule’s existence.
Marisol finally turns, finding Violet’s back to her now as she walks to the kitchen. She’s still wearing her soaked clothes, her hair tied back now, and has a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She leans down to rummage through a kitchen drawer, clattering noisily as she does.
When she finds whatever she was looking for, she stands, turning in Marisol’s direction but avoiding her eye, and reaches across the counter for her keys, the ones Marisol dropped off when she got home. Violet pockets them, her features remaining contorted as she adjusts the strap on her shoulder.
“What’s the bag for?” Marisol ponders aloud, finally drawing Violet’s gaze, nearly recoiling at the fire held within it.
Violet’s jaw clenches, her entire face tight with anger as she spits her answer, “To carry my stuff.”
Now Marisol’s extremely bothered, and, quite frankly, confused. “Why do you need it? Are you going somewhere? Do you need me to come with?”
“No,” Violet answers again, stiff and harsh. “I’m going. You’re staying.”
“Where are you going?”
Violet’s eyes drop from Marisol’s as she steels herself, gripping the countertop, “Northampton, with my tía.” She clears her throat, forcing her shoulders straighter as she stares down at the counter before her, “Because I need to think about us.” The words are softer than the others, her anger slipping away and only leaving behind hurt. Violet pushes off the counter and walks back to the front door hurriedly.
Marisol’s jaw is on the floor as she watches her rush to leave her behind. Then she scrambles to her feet, running across the room and nearly face-planting in the fuzzy socks she slipped on with her sweats, “What? Why? What the hell’s going on?!” she shouts panickedly, eyes wild as she slides to a stop in front of Violet, blocking the door.
Violet still avoids her eye, crossing her arms and staring at the hardwood under their feet. She digs the toe of one of her boots into the floor, “You forgot about me. Again.” Her voice is soft, hurting, and Marisol’s heart cracks in her chest.
“What are you talking about?” She reaches out warily, taking hold of Violet’s nervously fidgeting hands and squeezing tight. “What do you mean I forgot you?”
“You forgot to pick me up. For the third time, and I had to walk home in the pouring rain,” Violet’s voice is stronger now, more confident in her words. “I called you eight times and texted you a hundred more. I waited for almost an hour at Stella’s, until I gave up because I was so embarrassed.”
Marisol’s staring into space, slowly processing the first sentence that left Violet’s mouth, let alone the last. Then, “Shit!” she whispers, eyes clamping shut. She was supposed to pick Violet up. Violet had a study group that ended at seven, over an hour and a half ago. And of course, she didn’t even have her car because she let Marisol borrow it to get lunch with her mother while hers is in the shop. Shit, shit, shit.
“Vi, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to forget. I just got busy, I swear,” Marisol meets her gaze imploringly, hoping it’s enough to stop whatever’s happening in front of her.
Violet shakes her head, forcing herself to remain resilient, “You always say that. But you still forget. You forgot me a month ago, you forgot me a week before that, and you never do anything I ask because you always forget or get busy. I’m getting sick of it,” she lets out a harsh exhale before attempting to wrangle her composure into place, “What were you even busy with? I was only a few minutes away.”
Marisol glances at the textbooks and laptop still spread out on the sofa, “I’ve been working on a paper all afternoon, I’m so sorry.”
“When’s it due?” Violet asks the question, even as she knows the answer won’t help anything.
Marisol bites her lip, eyes falling from Violet’s and their joined hands dropping, Violet’s limp in her own. “Two weeks…” she whispers, ashamed and guilty.
Violet takes a deep breath, her frustration suddenly boiling inside of her, “Two weeks? You have two weeks for that and not ten minutes for me?” she nearly yells the question, angry and hurt.
“I know, but I didn’t mean to, Vi, I swear,” she’s desperate now. She knows she messed up - again - but this isn’t that big of a deal, right?
Violet finally pulls her hands from Marisol’s grasp, jamming them in her jacket pockets, “I know you didn’t mean to, but sometimes you need to actually mean things for me. You can’t just -” she huffs, a hand slipping from her pocket to rake through her hair, “You can’t just breeze through this relationship! You have to care, you have to remember, you have to try, but you never do!” She steps back from Marisol, adjusting her bag’s strap again and trying to move past her.
Marisol’s hand reaches out on its own accord, gripping the damp sleeve of Violet’s soaked jacket. Her throat feels tight, and she can feel tears prickling behind her eyes, because she knows she does care. She cares about Violet’s work and her passions and her family more than anything.
And she does remember, at least the really important things. She remembers Violet’s smile and to set an alarm for sunrise, and which brand of tea Violet likes best. And she really does try, she always tries her hardest, no matter what. She tries to make dinner when Violet’s tired even though she’s clueless without her, she tries to make Violet laugh whenever she’s down and even when she’s not, she tries to get all of her schoolwork done as soon as possible to leave time for movie nights and the chores Violet hates.
She cares, and she remembers, and she tries, she just sometimes messes up. She can work on that, she can fix those mistakes, she has all her life. This doesn’t have to be the end of everything, or a big deal. It doesn’t have to be anything more than a mistake that Marisol can fix - that she will fix.
She’ll fix it so she never has to see that anger on Violet’s face, or upset in her voice, or frustration in her stance. She doesn’t like those emotions on Violet; she likes happiness and smiles and laughter on Violet, she even likes blushing and stuttering on Violet.
Violet’s jaw is set, her features tight as she stares down at Marisol’s blank expression, a thousand thoughts flitting through each of their minds. Whatever’s in Marisol’s head, Violet knows she’s done. She’s done with feeling like she’s the only one working for this relationship, she’s done with giving up so much of her life for Marisol and not getting anything in return, she’s done with walking three kilometres in the rain at eight o’clock at night.
She doesn’t want to be done, she doesn’t want to walk out, but she also doesn’t want to keep feeling like this, like she’s not worth it, like school and Marisol’s future are more important than her. She doesn’t like it, she never has, and she can’t put up with it anymore.
“I love you,” Marisol whispers the words before she even realises her lips are moving and her voice is coming out, fragile and raw. Her eyes go wide when she realises what she said, and even wider when she realises she means it, she means it more than anything. She looks up, “I love you. So much. Please… don’t leave. I’ll fix it. I’ll remember. I’ll write it on my hand or something, I swear.”
Violet meets her gaze, dark eyes watery and pleading as she stares into Violet’s. She grips her sleeve tighter, silently urging her words to take hold, Violet’s resolve starting to waver at the hand gripping her and the eyes gazing into her own, the hand slipping in hers crumbling her determination beyond repair. Marisol squeezes her hand, tears starting to well in her eyes.
Violet sighs, dropping the duffel bag from her shoulder to grip it in her free hand, “At least keep your phone on you from now on.” She starts to turn away before pausing, “And next time I walk home in the rain… I’m walking to the train station,” she warns.
“Yeah. Okay... Deal. That’s fair. Yeah... Yeah,” Marisol lets go of her hand and watches Violet walk back into the bedroom, dragging her bag behind her. “Yeah,” Marisol murmurs in disbelief one last time, the last few minutes finally catching up to her.
She turns to the kitchen, stepping up to the oven and flicking on the stovetop. She pulls open the fridge and stares into it, her mind still whirling as she tries to decide on what to cook.
Violet steps out from the bedroom after a few minutes, dressed in a dry hoodie and leggings. She walks up behind Marisol and starts grabbing ingredients over her shoulder, setting them on the counter and pulling out cookware, too.
She drops some tomatoes in a strainer and turns on the sink tap, washing them in silence. She dumps them on a cutting board after drying them briefly, turning around and opening a drawer to pull out a knife. She starts dicing the tomatoes, Marisol finally closing the fridge door and stepping back into the kitchen as she does. “I love you, too.”
Marisol only nods, wary of sending Violet out the door for good this time, even as her eyes stay on the chopping board, her feet stuck to the floor as the knife rhythmically hits the wooden board. Marisol grabs the onions off the opposite counter, peeling them for Violet to cut. They finish cooking, Violet doing most of the work, and eat in relative silence.
Marisol doesn’t return to her paper that night, tidying her textbooks as Violet washes the dishes. They scroll Netflix when they finish their respective tasks, eventually settling on their usual show. They go through the motions the next few days, less words being exchanged between them than normal, but they’re both still there, at least.
The next time Violet needs a ride home, Marisol’s there a half hour early, drumming the steering wheel and smiling wide as Violet slips in the passenger seat. Her sleeve slides down her arm when she turns that too-sharp corner a block from their building, leaving ‘pick up Vi’ visible on her right wrist, written in thick red ink, a filled-in heart dotting the ‘i’.
She forgets Violet once or twice again when she gets too wrapped up in her work, but at the very least, she has her phone on her. At the very least, she gets there eventually. At the very least, Violet doesn’t walk home in the rain again.
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flowers-of-io · 3 years
Text
Where Lost Things Go
Read it on AO3 here.
Spider’s Palace. Oh, what a lovely spot to spend the evening.
Ór pulls her hood over her face before walking in, all knives in place, Ghost hidden and gun loaded. Two Eliksni in spiky armour guard the door but let her through without a word. They seem more of a warning than actual threat. When she passes them, the airlock behind her shuts with a thud.
The room is all chaos and noise – dozens of voices in at least four languages, chairs shuffling against the metal floor, suspicious fluids being poured to and drank from dirty glasses. Runi chitters uncomfortably in the comms.
“Don’t drink anything here. I don’t want to reconstruct your blown-up stomach,” he warns. Ór only rolls her eyes.
She scans the swirling crowd: Eliksni and Awoken, and even some Cabal deserters, all squashed together in a brightly lit space, drinking, gambling and shouting over one another. She catches a sentence or two in Terran, and a pair of Dregs behind her speak Eliksni so fast she cannot make out the words. Suddenly, a tall Awoken woman in the corner spills her drink over a Legionary sharing the table with her and pulls out a knife.
The guards in spiky armour are beside her in split second. One punches her in the stomach and the other whips the knife from her hand. When they drag her out through the airlock, she is still throwing curses in a posh Reef dialect.
The Palace is a venue with no rules but one: absolutely no violence.
Ór makes her way through the room, eyes sweeping over every passing face. When she spots a table under one of the lamps, just by the bar, with only one seat taken, one corner of her lips moves slightly upwards. The Spider knows his clients remarkably well. A Vandal sitting there looks haggard even for an Eliksni, shreds of grey and violet cloth hanging from his lanky frame and a helmet that has certainly seen better days. She notices no House symbols on him, though the violet rags seem to be a remainder of Dusk attire.
She checks the knives again, then throws a bag of glimmer on the table in front of the Vandal and slips onto the other stool. He looks up and his eyes flicker aggressively yet curiously.
“Heard you liked Human card games,” she says.
The Vandal’s gaze flicks between her and the glimmer before he hisses in Terran with a distinct growly accent, “Yess… for what?”
“Twelve thousand,” Ór gestures to the bag. “In turn… I want information.”
His eyes narrow under the mask, “Information valuable.”
In response, she pulls out a sidearm from the holster and places it on the top of the glimmer pile. A nice piece, custom-made. Black market. Runi hisses in her ear.
“Tell me this isn’t your only gun. Ór. Ór, is this your only gun?!”
She ignores him and leans over the table. The Vandal ponders the offer for a moment, then nods. As he takes out a card deck and shuffles it, she hears Runi’s distressed whines over the comms.
“You know what? I take it back, all of it back. If you win this, I’m never gonna complain about you playing with Drifter again. Ever. But if you lose your only gun and get killed in this hellhole, I’m. Not. Rezzing. You.”
She gives him a reassuring mental nudge, at the same time doing maths in her head on how many knifes she could spare to get out of here alive.
 ------------------------------------------------------
 When she places her last card on the table, the Vandal’s eyes shine with disgruntlement but he says nothing. Runi, on the other hand, lets out a long, digital sigh of relief.
“Never pull something like this out again.” He sounds as if he was planning on buying Drifter flowers.
The Vandal gently pushes the bag of glimmer in her direction with his lower hand and folds the upper ones. Ór reaches for her sidearm and puts it back in the holster.
“Let’s talk,” she says, trying to look him straight in the eyes but lacking a pair to properly do so, “but not here.”
They slip through the back door she remembered from the first time she was here, into a trash alley full of empty crates and drained ether tanks. Her eyes sweep the area and when she is sure they are alone, she presses her luck.
“Velask,” she says, praying it’s the correct pronunciation, and pulls back her hood.
The Vandal, leaning his back against the wall with both pairs of arms crosses, flinches.
“I hear about you,” she continues in broken Eliksni, “Have no House. Once Dusk, but not like their doings. Want something different.”
She observes his figure as he is considering her words, left lower hand fidgeting with a knife by his belt.
“Who did you hear from?” He replies, mercifully using simple structures, “What do you want?”
“Just talk,” she shrugs. “Dusk hate humans. But you work for Reef people, no?”
“You are not of the Reef,” he narrows his eyes. “Terran. Light-child?”
Ór nods.
“Dusk fight Light-children. But not all Eliksni want to, yes?... And not all Light-children want to.” She pulls out one of her knives, takes it by the blade and reaches it out, the hilt pointing towards him. “They want peace.”
The Vandal stares at the knife, stunned, then glances at her, then back at the knife. After a long moment of silence, so deep Ór can almost hear her own heart thudding, he raises his upper arm and takes it.
“Why?” His voice is softer now. He is leaning against the wall again, seeming a lot more relaxed, and eyeing her curiously.
“Must know about Io. What happening there. What make your Whirlwind.”
He winces, but nods.
“We must fight. Together,” she presses on. “Alone we lose. Alone, there is Whirlwind again. Collapse again.”
The knife spins in his fingers. “Why’ve you come to me? I’m a bannerless mercenary. No fighter, no kell.”
“Your father fight for the Queen. After Cybele.”
“Long ago. Reef is chaos now,” he barks a laugh and gestures towards the door they have left through. “The Spider now rules it as much as the Queen.”
Ór observes him intently. She has to look up, he is towering over her even when slouched against the wall.
“No Queen,” she says slowly, “No kell. But you hear about House Light, no?”
“Misraaks,” he mutters, almost making it a question.
“Yes,” she smiles with relief. “Hear you look for him. As I do. Want peace like him.”
The Vandal holds her gaze. She cannot tell what his eyes express, but it is certainly not hostility.
“Meet me tomorrow.” He makes a slow, careful move with his lower hand, pulling out his own knife and handing it over to Ór. She takes it by the hilt and smiles again.
“Here?”
“Yes. And my friend.” He withdraws his hand just as slowly, then bows his head in a gesture the meaning of which is unknown to her. “My name is Iskaar.”
A silence falls, him waiting for her to reply, but she only nods. They share a long look, six blue eyes glowing dimly in the shadows, until Ór sheaths Iskaar’s knife by her belt and straightens up.
“Tomorrow, then.”
  ------------------------------------------------------
With her legs stretched out and back against a jagged rock, Ór is observing the evening—or at least what passes for it out here—settle over the Tangled Shore. In the Reef, day and night are a societal construct, and the only way she can distinguish one from the other is by lamps lighting up and turning off around Eliksni burrows. She watches from above as dozens of tiny lights vanish and darkness gradually takes reign over this scattering of junk and stone. Moaning of thick metal lines holding the shards of asteroids and wreckage together and distant gunfire are a constant hum she’s grown used to. It’s just how the Shore is – always torn apart and whimpering.
From her spot on a rock floating above the Cobble Ór spots an Awoken woman driving off on a Fallen Pike and a group of Dregs chasing her. A Cabal Legionary shoots one of them in the back and he plummets to the ground, his vehicle crashing and erupting with flames. The rest of the band dashes by undisturbed and in a moment it’s quiet again.
She loves this place.
It is chaotic, vast, and full of hideouts. Hunter-esque. But what appeals to her the most is the mere idea of a makeshift space built with hooks and cables and ship parts and rocks and Traveler knows what else, and the fact that someone could call it a home. It seems alive – ever growing, ever changing.
Runi materializes beside her.
“What’s the plan for tomorrow?”
“We’re meeting these two Eliksni, remember? From the bar?”
“Ah, yes…” he twitches his shell and Ór suspects he actually wanted to ask about something else. “You’re not telling the Vanguard, are you?”
She raises an eyebrow, “We’ve talked about this, right?”
“Yes, but… uh,” he sighs, “I don’t like doing things off the record.”
“But you said this plan was a good idea.”
“Mhm.”
“And you know what they would say.”
Ór respects the Vanguard. Sha admires how they carry the weight of the City on their own shoulders, steady and unmoveable like pillars of a temple, how they wiggle and bend but never break. They are not a pair of cowardly zealots blinded by the Light, as Drifter would put it. Zavala is scrupulous and protective, Ikora is clever and bold; together, they form a leadership she is willing to trust, a leadership under whose banner she would gladly march into a fight.
Yet there has always been something she couldn’t quite place, ever since she came to the Tower. For all their welcoming nods and words of encouragement, she has been flinching every time she saw Cyle run off, excited and proud, to report back at the courtyard; every time Shinon sat in an alcove reading a book borrowed from the Vanguard’s exclusive library. Always that needle of envious regret pinching her.
She knows what they would say.
Zavala wouldn’t even try to listen, he’d slam his fist and close the case before she could mutter a word. Ikora’s criticism would be gentler; she would draw her to one side and list all the flaws of her plan until Ór barely had the energy and equally little confidence to defend it. She can well recall the barely stifled weariness in Zavala’s eyes, she has seen Ikora’s hands shake, and she knows where that would be coming from. They were protective, they were worried, they needed to defend this City—this world—out of a sense of duty and genuine love for it. She could not act against that. She would not bear their contempt.
It is a weakness, maybe. Drifter would put it this way, she thinks, but again, he calls many things many names and she does not agree with most of them. To her, it’s a splinter stuck under her skin, painful and festering. A need of appreciation? A call for recognition? There are so many lives all around her, Titans building defences and Warlocks understanding things, fellow Hunters getting intel and cracking codes. Rivers of people overflowing her, a nameless pebble thrusted by the current. The Vanguard still refer to her as ‘a Guardian’.
Maybe that is also why she loves the Shore so much.
It is her own thing; because here, she is entirely on her own. No fireteam to save her hide, no voice in the comms telling her the correct path. When Drifter brought her here first, he just showed her around and that was it—now she musts fight her way alone. And it feels freeing, as much as the dread of the unknown is intoxicating.
Sleepiness creeps upon her as she watches lights below disappear one after another into the darkness of space. They must find cover; she wouldn’t like to be surprised by a Scorn patrol alone on an exposed rock, with her Ghost out.
“Come,” she rises to her feet and gestures at Runi, “have any idea of a spot for the night?”
“Couldn’t your new friend rent us a room?” He teases, and her lips quirk.
“I think he only accepts payment in handguns.”
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mnthpprt · 4 years
Text
Chapter 18: A Certain Kind Of Intimacy
[Extra long and angsty chapter because I am an insomniac and a sucker for Arthur being soft]
The rest of the week passes uneventfully. By now, I have developed a comfortable sort of daily routine, and have gotten to know all the residents to some extent.
Every morning, Sebastian wakes me up with a light breakfast and a steaming cup of black coffee. He has quickly learned the way I like it, and to his credit, it is the most effective way of getting me out of bed so early. I take a few drops of Saint John’s Wort before I eat, get dressed, and go to work in the garden.
I water the violets under Mozart’s window, chat with Dazai, and watch Vincent paint. Although he has not said anything about it, I suspect he is using me as a model. He has taken to sit by the greenhouse, and I feel his observant gaze on me as I repot exotic plants or shake the jar of tincture I am making.
I eat lunch with Isaac, and he silently works on his research while I read the English copy of Dazai’s book that I borrowed from Sebastian. Afterwards, if I am done in the garden, I spend some time in the training room. For a couple days, le Comte insisted on giving me dancing lessons there, but I caught on quickly enough for him to drop it. Napoleon likes watching me skate, and we talk about my hometown during breaks. He asks me a lot of questions about the future, mostly about politics, and I do my best to explain the major events between his time and mine. I admit I do not do a great job of it. I have a very strange patchwork of knowledge, and while I could easily list the chemical composition and dates in which each pigment was discovered, I have a hard time remembering names and places. Jean is elusive as ever, and I only ever see him when he’s sparring with Napoleon. 
When they are hogging the training room, I tend to stay in the library. Leonardo is usually there, and he jokes around as he helps me find the relevant books for my own research. He is charming and funny, but I have noticed the sadness that seeps into his eyes when he thinks I am not looking.
A couple days ago I found him working on some kind of machine with Isaac. They needed a wrench small enough to fit into a specific piece, I suspect a part taken from another object. I gave them the tool I use for my skates, and Leonardo has spent most of today apologizing profusely for losing it in the dumpster that is his bedroom.
I help Sebastian here and there. Sometimes it’s laundry, sometimes it’s cleaning, or even delivering rouge and blanc to the vampires. We talk about the things we like about the mansion, and about the things we miss from our time. I have come to understand why he chose to stay, and quite frankly, I am starting to lean the same way, although for entirely different reasons.
I tell him about my job, and about my friends in the year 2020. I tell him how much I miss my best friend Mila, who I was about to meet for the first time in over a year, and about Carlos and Jack, who are just as dear to me but I get to see often. They would all love to see what I now live every day, and I am sure that, given the chance, they wouldn’t have hesitated to come with me, especially Carlos. Like Sebastian, he would have given anything for the chance to see the past with his own eyes.
“I have a sister,” I said to him when he asked about my family. He spoke very fondly of his. “She lives in Milan. Our parents aren’t really in my life anymore...” He understood when I said I did not want to talk about it. Though stern, he is a kind man. We have become close while working together.
I have also spent a lot of time with Arthur lately. In the spare moments when he is not writing or out in some bar, he has taken up the habit of visiting me wherever I am. He gives me riddles to solve as I work, and teases me about the odd answers I come up with. While neither of us really confide in the other, conversations with him are always fun and stimulating. He still flirts relentlessly, but I have become used to it.
This afternoon in particular, he drops by my bedroom while I am reading, and I welcome him and the cup of tea he offers me. He brings one for himself, too, and does not hesitate to get comfortable on the armchair as I sit on the edge of the bed to face him, the tray on top of the ottoman between us.
“I am afraid I have come up with a case of writer’s block,” he says as his only explanation. “I need a break from that story. Will you distract me, my dear?”
“Uh, sure,” I shrug. Maybe he can answer my questions about living in this time. “I have no idea how women do their hair for special events in this decade. Perhaps you could help me with that? You know, with the ball being tonight, and all.”
“Could you show me the dress you’ll be wearing?” he asks thoughtfully.
I oblige, and pull it from the wardrobe. It is a beautiful shade of lilac, made of delicate chiffon. Aside from the slightly puffy cap sleeves, it is simple, yet elegant. Arthur examines it for a few seconds, holding it up in front of me.
“I am afraid I can’t help you, darling. I know nothing about hair,” he concludes, the pondering look in his eyes replaced by an amused glimmer.
“Then why did you ask for the dress?”
“Why, I just wanted to see how hot you would look in it, dove,” he laughs. I playfully smack his arm, and he laughs harder. “This shade brings out the green in your eyes!” I laugh too, rolling my eyes, and let him put the dress away as I return to my spot on the bed.
“Okay, then I hope you can actually answer this,” I giggle. “You’re a doctor, right? And you’re obviously well acquainted with female anatomy.” He smirks as if he thinks where this is going, and boy is he wrong. “How do women deal with menstruation? Am I just supposed to use a piece of cloth or what?”
He chokes on his tea, and lets out another boisterous laugh.
“By Jove, I was expecting you to go the sexy route with the way you phrased that!”
“Arthur, I’m being serious!” I giggle. He is still chuckling when I begin my endless tirade of questions. I would genuinely like to know the answers to them, but I mostly just ask for the sake of keeping up the joke. “Do you know any women vampires? Do they menstruate too? Are vampires fertile, or are you, like, dead in that sense? Oh my god, do you drink period blood? I really hope not, but I wouldn’t put it past you,” I tease him, mockingly disgusted.
When he finally calms down, Arthur proceeds to answer all the questions in methodical order, still clutching his sides.
“They sell special undergarments for that, coated in something that makes them impermeable on one side, I think. Just go to any shop that sells ladies’ dresses in town.” I nod, satisfied. Reusable pads it is, then. Next comes the rapid fire of answers to my increasingly ridiculous questions. “I personally do not know any women vampires, but Leonardo and le Comte definitely do. There are two kinds of us: purebloods like him, who are born like that, and lesser vampires like me and everyone else in this house. Purebloods are the only ones who can turn people, and I have no idea if they menstruate or not because I have never met another one, but they certainly do reproduce like humans. Lesser vampires are very much alive, but while we can have sex, we are infertile, and I suppose the women follow the same rule. And no, we do not feed from menses, you filthy lunatic! Don’t be absurd!” he concludes with a chuckle.
“Good to know,” I laugh at his horrified expression.
“It actually smells completely different from regular blood,” he says. “It’s very unpleasant and does not trigger hunger at all, though I have no idea whether a vampire could potentially survive on it. I am relieved to say I don’t think anyone has tried.” He raises his eyebrows and takes a deep breath before he goes on, condescendingly adding explanations that I did not ask for. “By the way, yes we do have reflections. Also, crosses don’t scare us and neither does sunlight. Anything else you’d like to know, dove?”
“Give me a break, I am curious, not stupid,” I roll my eyes. “Oh! I thought of one! The garlic thing is obviously false, but it is a natural anticoagulant, so I wonder: was that myth started by vampires so you could feed on people better? Like, if superstitious people ate a lot of garlic to try to avoid being bitten, their blood would be thinner and therefore easier to suck, right?”
“Frankly, I have no idea.” He looks surprised. “I can’t say I’ve ever thought about that before, but it makes sense. You’re a clever one, darling.”
I flip my hair over my shoulder with a cocky smile, earning yet another chuckle from Arthur. Suddenly, his eyes focus on something behind me, and he grows serious. He walks over to my nightstand and picks up the small vial on it, carefully reading the label with a furrowed brow.
“Did you cut yourself while gardening?” he asks, a hint of worry on his face. I simply shake my head, and he looks at me, and then at the vial again. Having rejected one of the two main uses for the tincture, he quickly figures it out “Oh. I did not know you suffered from melancholy. I used to give this to soldiers who were affected by their time in the army.”
“Well, you hardly know anything about me. Did it work?” He shrugs, which I interpret as a ‘sometimes’. “In my time we have more effective medication for that sort of thing. I kind of depend on it, but being here... Well, it’s been an unexpected inconvenience. I was lucky to find a mediocre replacement before the effects wore off. It cancels out my contraceptive, but I don’t have that here either, so it’s pointless to worry about.”
He listens intently, his head slightly tilted. He looks at me with sadness in his eyes, the same kind of sorrow that I saw that day at the market. It is not pity, but rather... a mutual understanding. He gets it.
“Oh, Anaïs... I took the Saint John’s Wort myself for a while in my previous life, but it never really did anything for me,” he sighs. I am somewhat surprised by his words. “I hope it works for you, dear. I would hate to see you unhappy.”
“Thank you,” I mutter. He is standing close enough for me to hold his hand, and I am overcome with the urge to reach for it. I interlock my fingers with his, and he squeezes gently in response. We stay like this for a while, silently looking at where our hands meet. His touch is warm and comforting, and he makes no attempt to break contact.
“Oh, shit,” I exclaim, abruptly standing up. “The ball! I have to get ready!”
Arthur lets go of my hand and I immediately begin to undress myself, unbothered by his presence.
“I’ll leave you to it. Have fun, darling,” he says, but I stop him before he gets to the door.
“No, no, don’t leave. I need help getting into the dress.” I shove the one I am wearing down my hips, dropping it on the floor, and hastily remove my bra to change it for the corset. “Besides,” I turn to him, my breasts exposed as I fumble with the clasps on the stiff garment, “you’ve already seen me naked, remember?”
“I suppose you’re right,” he responds with a smirk and, as always, I roll my eyes. 
He hands me the lilac gown, and proceeds to helpfully search the room for my shoes as I put it on. By the time he returns by my side, a pair of matching heels in his hand, I am holding my hair up, ready for him to button the back of my dress. His agile hands work fast, and soon he taps my shoulder to let me know that he has finished. I relax my arms, letting my hair cascade over the chiffon bodice, and slip my feet into the shoes he has left by my side, suddenly becoming two inches taller. I kiss his cheek and thank him for the help, to which he replies with a whistle.
“You look lovely.” He looks genuinely impressed, for once, causing me to blush. 
“You really think so?” He nods, and I walk over to the mirror. A chuckle escapes my lips upon seeing my reflection. “I look like a cupcake. Seriously, though, this is so different from what I am used to wearing. I hardly recognize myself.”
“You almost seem ladylike, even,” Arthur jokes. “All prim and proper. I agree. That,” he says, pointing at the mirror, “is a totally different person.”
It is amazing how effortlessly he can make me laugh. I move on to the dressing table, and pull out every hair accessory I can find in the drawers. Arthur observes thoughtfully as I quickly brush my long hair and begin to work on the styling.
“You were wrong, you know?” he finally breaks the silence. “When you said I hardly know anything about you.”
“Huh?” I raise an eyebrow at his remark. “Well, go on, don’t leave me hanging. What do you know about me that I haven’t told you?”
“For starters, I know that you were not scared of Isaac feeding on you that night.” I look at him through the vanity mirror and nod for him to go on, my hands still braiding through my hair. He seems almost hesitant to keep talking. “When I brought up biting you in the thermae, you were completely unfazed. Considering the incident was so recent, it just didn’t add up. It wasn’t the idea of him biting you that scared you, was it? It was the way he acted when he tried to. I won’t pry if you do not wish to talk about it, but I know that your past can’t have been easy, Anaïs.”
“You’re right,” I whisper. My braid now hangs limp and undone over my shoulder. I must have stopped at some point without realizing. “If he had explained, I might have let him do it, but... I don’t know. He became so violent, so suddenly. The way he grabbed me, it just... It brought back a lot of memories I’d rather forget,” I explain. My voice is barely a murmur, but I am sure Arthur can hear me just fine. “I know it wasn’t his fault, and I have long since forgiven him. Honestly, the reason I was so shaken up after the incident was because I kept reliving all those things it reminded me of. Granted, suddenly learning about the existence of vampires just added to my stress, but ultimately, It had nothing to do with Isaac himself. Or with any of you, for that matter.”
“You’re strong, Anaïs,” he comforts me. “That’s another thing I saw the moment I met you. You’re clever as the devil himself, and I have no doubts that were I human, you could absolutely destroy me in a fight. Those skater legs of yours are good for more than just walking, I bet. Not to mention how kind and caring you are, even for a bunch of strangers who could kill you. You manage to be so open without being naïve. I love that about you.” 
I look down at my hands and resume braiding my hair, unsure of how to respond. I refuse to look at my reflection for fear of Arthur seeing it too, but I can feel my cheeks burn. My fingers work fast, providing a distraction, and I blindly pin the braid into a bun at the back of my head.
“Another thing I know,” Arthur continues, granting closure to my silence, “is that you played Mozart’s piano.” I notice his choice of words. He said ‘played’, and not ‘touched’. Coming from him, I have no doubt it was intentional.
“How on Earth do you know that?” I look up at him through the mirror as I keep working on my hair, adjusting strands and adding pins every now and then. He chuckles.
“I heard Wolfie complain about going to the ball with you. You clearly did something that upset him, although I must admit that’s not exactly a hard task.” He waltzes over to the vanity and comes to a stop right behind me, putting his hands over my shoulders to playfully lean closer. “And I know you were playing, specifically, because you do this thing with your fingers when you’re quiet. Like you’re playing a song in your head.” He wiggles his fingers on my shoulders to illustrate his point.
“I do?” I ask, puzzled. “I have never noticed.”
“Yes,” he laughs. “I first saw you do it in the bath, when you closed your eyes. After that, and after spending some more time with you, I have been able to notice how frequent it actually is. It’s rather adorable, if you ask me.”
“Oh, no,” I laugh, embarrassed, and bury my red face in my hands. Once again, Arthur has successfully made me feel better. He sits back on the armchair and finishes his tea, which is probably cold by now. 
Meanwhile, I dig around my backpack for the small amount of makeup I happen to bring with me when I arrived. I apply some mascara, and smudge a tinge of red lipstick on with my finger, before reaching for the last product. I spend the next few minutes applying layer upon layer of concealer over the few tattoos that are visible over the dress: the one on my collarbone and a portion of the flower on my right arm, just below my shoulder. While the gloves will cover the rest, I made sure to try them on beforehand, only to find out an inch wide portion of skin would remain visible.
“Okay, can you still see it?” I turn to Arthur, applicator still in hand, for his approval. He squints and then shrugs lazily.
“Only a little, and only because I already know it’s there,” he says. “Honestly, I doubt anyone will notice.”
I sigh, defeated, and walk to the full length mirror to add one last coat, for good measure. This is surely going to become a cakey mess in a few hours, but there is nothing else I can do. I guess that means I am ready for the ball.
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