#Two sets of tracks disappearing behind them as they trace their way along the shore
Text
In the footsteps of the Incan ancestors
Peruvian children in traditional clothing
Peru means “land of abundance”(in Aymara language) and that is a perfectly chosen word to describe this rich, diverse and colourful country. It is the third largest country in South America after Brazil and Argentina.
Peru has big amounts of mineral, agricultural and marine resources that have long served as its economic foundation.
The cold Peruvian current where upwelling brings abundant nutrients to the water surface there the beneficial effects of the sunlight results in plankton growth, which make these waters one of the world's greatest fishing grounds.
In spite of Peru's tropical location in the Southern Hemisphere it has enormous differences in climate, economical activities and ways of life.Peru is normally divided into three main geographic zones. The Andean highlands, the arid coastline and the largely unpopulated Peruvian Amazon, the rainforest.
This large geographical diversity gives Peru one of the greatest biodiversities in the world. In the upcoming section we will follow the footsteps of the Peruvian forefathers to discover more about this great and colourful country.
First footstep:👣
Our first footstep is the pre Incan culture.
The civilization “Caral” marks the beginning of the Peruvian, as well as the rest of the American continent’s history.
It is estimated to be as old as 5000 years, making it contemporary with the civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China and India.
Nevertheless, without leaving much trace of evidence of its existence the caral civilization suddenly disappeared and was replaced by the “Chavin” civilization.
In that way the history kept repeating itself and civilization followed civilization, some disappeared by themselves others were conquered by stronger ones.
Nasca Lines, Peru
Second Footstep:👣👣
Our second footstep is the Nazca. The Nazcas predated the Incas by as much as 2000 years, in other words 800 B.C and are most famous for having drawn the Nazca lines.
These are huge drawings representing a hummingbird, spider, fish, condor, heron, monkey, lizard, cat, dog and a human or some of the lines are just lines. By making shallow incisions in the desert floor, removing stones and leaving differently coloured dirt exposed, the lines they drew have been preserved during thousands of years due to the extreme environmental circumstances that have helped to preserve them.
The purpose of the lines is unclear but experts presume their purposes are religious.
Lake Titicaca, Peru
Third Footstep:👣👣👣
The third footstep is Lake Titicaca. This important lake has a maximum depth of 280 meters and is shared by Peru and Bolivia and is situated high up in the Andes at 3.812 metres. It is the world's highest navigable lake and it is said to be the birthplace of the Incas. The waters of lake Titicaca are famously still and brightly reflexive.
This fresh water lake, that also is one of South America’s largest lakes, is shaped as a puma, herefrom its name Titicaca meaning puma in Aymara language. Today we can see floating villages made of reeds on the lake, where the Uros people live. They rely on fishing and tourism for survival.
We also find protected aquatic wildlife by the lake, special and unique are the giant frogs.
Statue of Pachacutec, Aguas Calientes, Peru
Fourth Footstep:👣👣👣👣
The forth footstep are the Incas.
The Incan Empire was the last chapter of thousands of years of Andean civilization directly preceded by two other large scale Empires, the Tiwanaku 300-1100 A.C in the lake Titicaca region and the Wari or Huari 600-1100 A.C near the city of Ayacucho.
As said earlier the Incan civilization was born by the shores of lake Titicaca and grew to become an Empire, at the time known as “realm of the four parts”. It was the largest Empire in pre-Columbian America.
No monetary currency was used in the Incan Empire but exchange of goods and taxes consisted of a labour obligation of a person to the Empire. Another interesting fact is that they used knotted strings or so called “ quipus” for record keeping and written communication.
The Incas rose to power in the early 13th century and their last stronghold was conquered in 1572 by Spanish conquerors.
Ruins of the Empire can be found across Peru today, some of which are hidden by the rainforest's intense vegetation.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Fifth Footstep:👣👣👣👣👣
One of these ruins and our fifth footstep is Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu the city in the clouds.
Machu Picchu is one of the only Inca towns to have survived the Spanish conquest.
Believed to have been built in the 1400’s Machu Picchu got the nickname “the lost city of the Incas” because it is said that the Spanish never set foot there.
Because of its position up of two fault lines it experiences frequent earthquakes but thanks to the combination of its intelligent design and sturdy building materials it has survived through time.
There are 150 buildings in this old site and they vary from temples to bathhouses.
Without doubt one of the most impressive architectural features of Machu Picchu is the renowned staircase with 100 steps that have been carved out of one single piece of stone.
On top of that and as far as we know the Incas didn’t have any wheels thus it had to have been hauled to the summit by hand or carved out of the mountain itself.
Machu Picchu translated from Quechua means “old mountain “or “old peak” and it was cleverly built to withstand earthquakes and to avoid landslides. Water collecting systems were built under the buildings inside the mountains.
These systems collected water in drainage basins and the water was later redistributed throughout Machu Picchu and surroundings.
Roads leading to and from Machu Picchu were connected to the Empire’s transport system including paths, bridges and mountain tracks that stretched all over Peru.
Rainbow Mountains
Sixths Footstep:👣👣👣👣👣👣
Even though our sixth footstep doesn’t involve the country’s history it is a remarkably beautiful footstep.
The rainbow mountains.
The colour of these mountains resembles that of a rainbow, here from the name, they are also called “Montaña de siete colores” (the seven coloured mountain). It is situated in the Andean mountain chain at 5.200 meters above sea level.
These beautifully multicoloured mountains with tones of turquoise, lavender,gold, terracotta and red, contain 14 different colours in total. The mountains have got their colours from weathering and mineralogy. The dissimilar colouration developed due to different environmental conditions and mineralogy when the sediment was originally deposited and later día genetically altered. The temperature here is 0 degrees celcius at night. It is one of the world’s most amazing natural wonders!
Chan Chan, Peru
Seventh Footstep:👣👣👣👣👣👣👣
The seventh and last footstep is a combination of some small, scattered and interesting locations.
Framed by three volcanoes and built primarily from white volcanic stones, Arequipa is one of Peru’s most charming colonial cities.
It is here that we find “Santuarios Andinos “ , a small museum with a grisly secret, the mummified remains of the young victims offered as human sacrifices in the peak overlooking the city.
The 550 years old “ice maiden “ Juanita is the best preserved of the mummies.
Even though the south of Peru is a land of Misty volcanoes here we also find one of the world's deepest canyons “Colca” with a depth of 3.250 meters, where mighty condors live. The tribe”los collaguas” who also lived here in the high part of the canyon, used to bury their dead by digging a hole along the steep rocky canyon and marking it with red paint. Faint red stains can still be found today when driving along the canyon on the roads on the tops of the mountains.
In the northern parts of Peru where the Moche civilization had its stronghold around 300 A.D, we find the Lord of Sipán (señor de Sipán). His remains were found not too long ago as the first of a group of mummies found at Huaca Rajada, Sipán.
Lord of Sipán was 35-45 years old when he died but it is his treasures that amazed the world as most of his ornaments were either gold, silver, bronze or semi precious stones.
The Incan bath houses are situated in Cajamarca, it is centred on a spa which uses thermal spring water with medical and therapeutic benefits.
It is said to have been the favourite place of the Incan Lord Atawallpa.
Another remarkable location is the Chanchan cultures sand houses in the capital of the Chimu kingdom, they are from the 15th century and still standing today.
Gold Treasures
Conclusion:
Having followed the footsteps, we have reached the end of our mountain trail. This marks the finish line of our journey in Peru leaving us with the conclusion.
Peru, as the rest of Latin America, are rich and abundant countries. They are also known for centuries to have been rich in precious metals such as gold and silver.
It is not difficult to imagine where the rumours of “ El dorado” come from.
Whether it is imaginary, based on legends or somewhat truth based.
One can ask himself if there was nothing else behind Columbus' voyage to the “ new world”.
Al khashkhash ibn Said ibn Aswad , an Andalusian citizen from Còrdoba, traveled with a group of friends by ship and crossed the “sea of darkness”(that’s what the Arabs used to call the Atlantic Ocean). On his return in 889 A.C he shared his stories about what he saw and the people he met.
Imam al Shabi, wrote in one of his books 600 A.C about a land behind al Andalus, as far away from there as “we” are from al Andalus.
In any case, they were not the only ones to have discovered the”big land”.
According to the Arabs the Africans, to be more precise the Malians, also traveled to Latin America, they as well as the Arabs went to the Americas in pre-Columbian times.
Mali was one of the richest and most developed countries in Africa in the 14th century.
Could Columbus have been so confused or misinformed or was it a “cover up expedition” as an excuse to conquer and plunder “the big land”???
Information obtained from;
Etapas históricas del Perú www gob.pe gobierno del Perú,
National Geographic’s Megastructures,
Historical Arabic sources, and
A special thanks to a dear friend for providing insight and support.
#travel#history#peru#south america#inca#colombus#writblr#writers#writers on tumblr#machu picchu#rainbow mountain#rainbow#titicaca#lake titicaca#nazca#nazca lines
29 notes
·
View notes
Note
Happy Thirsty Thursday! 🍑🍆💦
I’m not sure if you’re up for writing for Nikolai but I saw this prompt and I just thought of him.
“you’re so cute I just want to eat you out”
“don’t you mean up?”
“no”
I Wish I Was The Moon (Nikolai x Fem!Reader)
Word Count: 1914
Warnings: Oh delightful full moon inspired smut
You floated along the lake on your back where you relished both the silence and solitude. The dark sky above you housed millions of stars hidden behind the smog of Manhattan where you lived. Nowhere in Sway Lake smelled like piss or garbage. Free from angry faces and graffiti. You were blessed to get away for the week.
You weren't certain if anything was hazardous to you as you swam naked not far from shore. You were so lost in your senses, ears underwater causing everything to be still except the faraway frogs and random cry of some bird. It prevented you from hearing the soft swish of someone swimming beside you.
“Privyet rybka” a deep Russian voice broke through the silence.
Startled all you could muster was a scream as you held your hands over your breasts and sank under the water. Bobbing back up, you began to tread water hoping you were far below the surface to hide your nudity.
“I promise I am here in peace. The USSR is no more,” he held his hands up in surrender.
“What.. What are you doing here?” you asked nervously.
“Is this not a free lake?” You assume he means public, but you nod in confirmation.
“Fair,” you're exasperated but drop pretenses and tread a bit harder. Your naked chest out of the water now catching moonlight. “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”
“I have business to attend to. For the Sways.” It's the first time you notice a canoe with a gas can perched on the front. “But I saw this gorgeous, naked woman just floating in middle of lake. I had to stop. Like a siren’s call.”
You rolled your eyes but somehow felt heat as it crept up your cheeks. Your eyes had adjusted and you looked at him properly. His wet, dark hair plastered to his forehead. Sharp jaw and full lips. Eyes that reflected the moon and seemed to stare right into you. Muscular arms circled languidly in the water attached to broad shoulders. He was, you lacked real words, beautiful.
“I have made you speechless?” his thick eyebrow arched. His eyes moved towards openly staring at your bare breasts.
“No. What business could you possibly have with the camp? And why the hell are YOU naked?” there was a giggle in your voice. His shorts were hanging over the side of the canoe.
“I thought you may be more comfortable if you weren't alone?” It was a question. The excuse didn't make any sense. Your look challenged him. “Fine! Easier to move naked than with wet shorts on, yes? I need to run and don't get caught, I go quicker without clothes.”
“You're out of your fucking mind if you think no one will catch you. They party til dawn,” you gesture towards a revelry away from where you had left your clothes.
“I will blend in. How many you think are doing,” he paused and thought, “HAVING sex right now? Too drunk and horny to notice one more naked person at a party. Besides maybe I'm a siren too? I've already had sex with one of them.”
“Only one? Whatever. You do what you have to, I never saw you. You're a ghost,” you started to swim back to shore. Annoyed at your peace deferred but also at how turned on you were by his voice. His face.
Your back to him, you picked up some speed. Unfortunately, fortunately? He followed and caught up easily. “Let me at least ride you back to the beach? Then I go in from the side and back and they'll never see me.”
You snorted and covered your mouth, “Ride me.”
“Hey! I have only been speaking English a few years. Forgive me,” there was a laughter in his voice too. “Come. I'll get you back, and maybe you'll help me?”
“Commit a felony? No thanks, I'm trying to have a career as a nurse.”
“Oh good!” he turned to swim back to his canoe.
He pulled himself up over the side and you couldn't help but stare at his naked body as he did so. Lithe like a swimmer. You couldn't help but catch a glimpse of his cock too before it all disappeared into the canoe. Christ even that wasn't bad looking
“I get hurt, you kiss me and make it better?” There was innuendo in his voice as he held a hand out to help you up into the boat. “I'm Nikolai.”
“And I'm fucking nuts,” you quipped and anchored yourself with his large hand as you crawled on behind him. You stopped caring about hiding your nudity.
“I've never met someone named fucking nuts. I thought Ollie sounded funny,” he began to row back to shore.
You watched the muscles in his shoulders and back flex and tense with motions. Hypnotized a bit, you began to fantasize about his arms and body crawling over you. Lying down on top of you. Pushing inside of you. You shook your head free of the filthy thoughts. Not that you wanted to, because you felt a sense of self preservation. You were better than the townies who bet every year how many tourists they could fuck.
Or were you?
“You and Ollie Sway are friends?”
“Comrades yes! Closer to brothers. We are inseparable. This is why I owe him a duty to protect his lake. Make it clean for him and his grandmother and everyone else good”
“By setting fire to the camp?”
“No! Just a little.. fun with the jet skis. But yes, the easiest way to get rid of them is to set them on fire.”
“Won't they explode?” You were starting to freak out as he maneuvered the boat on shore.
“I can only hope for the best!” He hopped out and grabbed the gas can and a zippo lighter. “Wait here for me.” It was a command, not a suggestion. “We will celebrate.”
“Celebrate? By doing what? Did you bring vodka?”
“Did I bring vodka? Because I'm Russian?” he feigned being upset.
“Well-”
Then a raucous laugh, “OF COURSE! It's in boat. But I meant a different way. You're so cute, I could eat you out.”
Your eyes wide, “You mean up? Language barrier right? The phrase is eat me up.”
“No. I meant what I said. It is definitely out.”
Uncertain of why or what you were doing, you laid on the grass along the lake shore. Your heart was racing along with your thoughts. Then a fire blazed up near the dock where the cabins were. You scrambled to your feet in a daze. Eyes wide and mouth agape with shock, you couldn't believe he did it.
Nikolai actually set them on fire. Those nasty, gas leaking jet skis that terrorized swimmers and destroyed the beauty of the lake. Maybe it wasn't necessarily the machines themselves, but the pig headed assholes who drove them. Still there was a smug satisfaction.
Then in a blur of arms and legs, Nikolai in his nude glory came racing across the hillside. A devilish look of delight on his lips and eyes as he grabbed your hand and tugged you along. There was an explosion behind you that caused each of you to duck and stop in your tracks. Hearts racing as you turned to watch several more small fireballs shoot upwards.
Nerves or adrenaline made you both start laughing hysterically. It was surreal. Your night of serenity and solitude turned into one of aiding and abetting a Russian ex-patriot in the destruction of personal property. It was, you remembered, a full moon.
Nikolai was breathing heavily in the stillness. His body tense as he waited for someone to follow, but no one came. The fire danced in his eyes that you noticed were green. Or blue? Or ever-changing. His lean body tan from the late summer sun.
“I didn't know Russians could catch a tan,” you spoke your thoughts out loud.
“Maybe I am Gypsy,” he shrugged as if it was no big deal. “I work my magic on this place. They won't forget me. Or well, them I hope don't know it was me?” He scratched his head absently.
“Well I certainly won't forget you at this point. But wasn't there another offer I was meant to take you up on?” You heart pounds out a loud rhythm over the words you couldn't believe tumbled from your mouth.
Nikolai looked down at you and smiled again. The static in the air, or humidity, caused an electricity that ran through your body. Adrenaline made your hands shake with anticipation. This lake had a strange effect on all its visitors.
Then his hands were on your back and in your hair and your mouths were hungry for each other. Tongues and lips and teeth as you playfully nipped at him. He laughed and feigned hurt as you melted into him.
Your nails dug into Nikolai’s shoulders as he ground his hips into you. And erection hard against your thigh and your body responded in kind. Your mouths never stopped kissing as he pushed a knee between your legs so you had to straddle it. You rode it briefly, body unable to find control.
“A little fire and two naked people kissing,” his accent thick and low. “You're so ready for me, da?” There was a teasing in his question.
“Weren't you supposed to.. eat me?” you joked. only a little.
Nikolai backed away from you. “Get down on the ground.” A command again in lieu of a suggestion.
You complied and laid down. The grass and sand cool under your back. Nikolai followed. He parted your thighs to situate himself on top of you. His skin was warm and smelled like burnt wood as his mouth blazed a trail from your neck down over your body that arched reflexively underneath him.
You gazed up at the full moon as it shone down on the both of you. You stopped thinking, lost in the kisses that briefly strayed to your breasts. Lips that sucked and bit before they headed between them and over your stomach and to your sex.
Nikolai darted his tongue inside of you. It searched and snaked in and out. Traced up and down before it found your clit. His hands on your hips to pull you into him. Encouraged you to ride him as he lapped you. Tasted you and kept going. His tongue and mouth unflinching as you took a hold of his head and tangled your fingers in the thick waves.
“Fuck,” you moaned and writhed. You took a chance and looked down at him.
Nikolai locked eyes with you and your body started to lose control. His movements found a rhythm that never stopped. Just continued until you couldn't take it anymore and cried out. Your body exploded like the jet skis in the distance. The fire still reflected in his eyes as you both rolled through the orgasm.
“We blame it all on the moon, dorogaya,” Nikolai finally suggested.
His words filled your head as he kissed you behind the ear. You could smell yourself on him, taste yourself as he kissed you one more time.
“I must go. Ollie will be worried.”
You weren't so sure Ollie Sway even noticed the Russian was gone, but you didn't correct him. Then he was gone and you were left blissful in the silence and solitude. Still floating.
55 notes
·
View notes
Text
At Death’s Door
TW: Death
A continuation of my last piece with Tyler.
Part One
Death could always make time for her reapers. There was no urgency, no need to schedule an appointment. She always said she had the rest of eternity to get her work done, and a few minutes out of her endless days was of no real consequence. It was all just a matter of waiting your turn outside her office doors, and time always passed differently in that empty hallway.
The grandfather clock against the opposite wall never worked right; its hands spun independently of one another, and the pendulum--though it swung at a steady rhythm--was impossible to focus on for more than a few seconds at a time. Any other day it would have at least been entertaining to watch, but as Tyler sat impatiently on the bench outside of Death’s domain, it just gave him a headache. According to the time on his watch it was 7:06; it had been 7:06 for the past thirty minutes.
He frowned and hid his wrist beneath his opposite arm, turning his attention back to the grandfather clock instead. It might be better to suffer the migraine than to torture himself waiting for the time on his watch to change. Soon enough though, he was staring down at it again, desperately hoping that the minute hand would tick forward and release him from the endless monotony of Death’s waiting room.
His other hand was hidden under his jacket, clutching the soul that he’d damaged earlier that morning. As he stared at the unmoving face of his wristwatch, he incessantly mapped the jagged outline of the fracture he had left. Each time he worried that he might have damaged it more with the previous touch, and he’d pass his thumb over it once again to check. Again and again he repeated the motion before the doors beside him were thrown open and he flinched away in shock as they slammed against the wall. He stayed small, and his eyes snapped to the floor, intent on avoiding the attention of whatever reaper or spirit might storm out into the hallway.
Tyler knew the sight of the crisp, clean dress shoes that stepped out of Death’s domain, and the flowers that sprouted from beneath their soles once they were free of the salt and sand behind them. He followed jasmine vines that climbed up to disappear beneath the lilac hem of carefully tailored slacks; they reemerged from beneath embroidered cuffs, and stretched like veins along sturdy, aged hands. Life stood tall in front of Tyler, powerful and dignified and indifferent to the terror of the man sitting frozen behind him.
Life looked over his shoulder, lips already pulled into a sneer that only deepened as those bright, piercing eyes landed knowingly on the hand tucked beneath Tyler’s jacket. Tyler pushed the soul further beneath the fabric, and Life’s attention snapped up to meet his fearful gaze for what seemed like an eternity. They watched each other in silence, Life’s eyes narrowing into a scrutinizing glare. Eventually, he huffed an impatient sigh and broke away to stride off briskly down the hall. Too busy to bother with Tyler’s mistake, or maybe he trusted Death to take care of it properly. Either way, as the flowers in his wake began to wither and fade away, Tyler was grateful for whatever might have kept him from Life’s criticism.
The doors to Death’s domain were still open, and the clock against the opposite wall was bathed in a low red light. The steady ticking of the pendulum had slowed to a stop, and the hands stood still, frozen just before the stroke of midnight. Tyler rose to his feet, the anxiety of his encounter with Life fading away as he let himself be drawn in towards the embrace of sunset light and sea salt air.
Death sat at a wide desk on the beach of a vast ocean. An endless burning sunset soaked her domain in a deep red glow, and cast harsh, dark shadows of the salt pillars that rose high from the sea behind her. The waves crashed gently, rhythmically against the shore, and were the only sign of motion in a domain that otherwise stood still like glass. One arm, draped gracefully in black satin, rose to wave Tyler in from the doorway, and he stepped inside without a word.
He moved forward with cautious reverence. The double doors closed heavily behind him, and he turned to see that they stood independently of any walls or structure. Alone and dark in the middle of the beach, the empty sand stretching on for miles behind them.
Death looked up from her work and called out for Tyler’s attention, motioning him forward once again.
“Come on now, whatever Life said to you, he couldn’t have scared you that bad.” She smiled, and motioned towards the two chairs that sat across from her. “Your time is precious, dear. Have a seat.”
Tyler made his way to her desk; the hidden soul felt heavy in his hand. He opened his mouth to speak, but for a moment no words came out. Death watched him with gentle, caring eyes. He tried again.
“My name is Tyler Whitman.” He began.
“I know who you are.” She assured him, “What can I do for you?”
He watched her for a moment, trying to find the words, some kind of explanation to justify what had happened. Some kind of apology that would convey the weight of his guilt. But he stayed silent instead, pulling the soul from beneath his jacket and holding it out over her desk.
Her face fell, a mixture of pity and urgency in her eyes as she suddenly sat forward with a quiet gasp. Dark gemstones on silver rings reached forward to accept the soul from Tyler, and he readily surrendered it to her.
“Oh, no. Oh, you poor thing.” She cooed softly as she drew her hands in closer. She traced her fingertips gently over the fracture, and for a moment the lightning that flickered across its surface quieted, and the swirling colors chased her touch. Tyler followed her fingertips, wringing his own hands together as his guilt twisted and tightened in his chest.
“I’m so sorry.” He finally whispered. “I didn’t mean to, I promise. I would never...”
“Shhh.” She stopped him, motioning again for him to have a seat, “Breathe, dear. This can be fixed.”
The tension fell from his shoulders at her reassurance. He lowered his hands and followed her motion to the chair behind him. Only when he sat down across from her did she speak again. She looked up from the soul and repeated herself, “This can be fixed.”
Tyler responded with a short nod, his lips pulled into a tight frown. Death cradled the soul close and watched until he finally looked up from his lap.
“Now, breathe.” She said, “Think. Take your time, and tell me: how did this happen?”
Tyler nodded again and took a deep breath to steady himself. He stared past her, letting the crashing waves clear his mind and settle his trembling hands.
“There was a demon,” he began, “He showed up as I was leaving. He wasn’t… violent, I guess. He wasn’t even that aggressive. He was just,” He paused, shaking his head as he remembered the fear and frustration he had felt during the encounter. “Annoying. He was really, really good at getting under my skin.
“He was trying to convince me to give him the soul, he said he wasn’t gonna take it--that I should want to give it up willingly. And I just got so,” He looked down at his lap, his face lined with shame “So angry. And so stressed and scared I guess I ended up gripping it too tight and--”
He motioned towards the soul, still flickering in Death’s hands. “By the time I noticed it, it was too late.”
“And the demon,” She said, “Do you think you can tell me anything about him?”
“He was short.” Tyler answered, “shorter than me, at least. He said his name was Clay. Blonde hair, golden eyes? He smelled like a campfire.”
Death hummed thoughtfully, “Well, unfortunately I can’t say I’ve met him.” She rose from her seat. Standing at her full height, Tyler wouldn’t have been surprised if the setting sun cast her shadow clear to the horizon. “But at least we can count ourselves lucky it wasn’t someone more dangerous.”
Tyler watched her as she stepped out from behind her desk. Smooth as a dream, with a heavy stride that left deep tracks in the sand.
“You said the soul can be fixed?” He asked.
Death finally smiled again, gentle and mischievous, “Would you like to see?”
Tyler held his breath, looking up at her with unsure eyes and an eager nod. She beckoned him as he was already rising from his seat, and he followed her into the setting sun.
14 notes
·
View notes
Photo
CATELIA, THE RINGED ISLE
An island just off the eastern coast of Haelion, Catelia lies just south of the Haelion desert only a short boat ride from the coast. The city is famous for its colorful buildings and its sprawling canals, in place of roads, connecting each of the island’s three rings to one another. The outer ring of Catelia, called merdociara, or “the Merchant’s circle,” is home to shops and stalls selling famously delicious food and sturdy, well-crafted supplies; the second ring of Catelia, called arziciara, or “the Artist’s circle,” is the source of some of Haelion’s most beautiful museums and talented artist’s collectives; the third ring of Catelia, called politiciara, or “the Noble’s circle,” is home to Catelia’s substantial noble class and their intricately decorated estates.
Of course, Catelia is as dangerous as it is beautiful: infamous for the warring political factions of its powerful noble families, the city is constantly caught in an elaborate war of intrigue far beyond the comprehension of most of its citizens, who end up becoming collateral damage in the wake of a near-constant string of shifting allegiances and coups d’état. After all, the thing Catelia is most famous for aside from its gorgeous canals is its highly competent and highly mercenary Assassin’s Guild. Catelian assassins are highly regarded and well respected, bringing honor to their families even as they forsake their names and renounce all family ties upon entering the guild to train. It is commonly said that the canals of Catelia run red with blood in the night—and nothing you’ve seen or heard thus far disproves that.
But Catelia isn’t just a convenient stop along the coast to resupply after a stint in the harsh desert. It is also home to a prime target for ferreting out both information and valuable items to steal. And the Gambit happens to be arriving in town just in time for one of the Catelian nobles’ largest parties—and easiest marks—of the year.
THE VERDICCI FAMILY’S ANNUAL MASKED BALL
The Verdicci family is one of the lower noble families in Catelia—high enough to have plenty of power but low enough that no one is vying to overtake them any time soon, a comfortable middle spot that allows them to live in the lap of luxury without too much fear for their heads. The matriarch of the family, Eliara Verdicci, loves any excuse she can find to flaunt her wealth and relatively safe status, inviting nobles from across the politiciara and neighboring cities to attend her annual masquerade ball.
With the extensive guest list and general easy chaos of such a large event, all the Gambit will need to charm their way in are appropriate costumes: the fanciest clothing possible and, of course, a mask. Once inside, they’ll have access not only to every noble in the city to pick pockets and uncover secrets, but also to Eliara’s secure art collection, rare books library, and a vault of valuable jewels and artifacts.
There are several possible leads that Gambit members attending the masquerade may follow up on:
1. LOOSE LIPS. Between the Catelian nobles and wealthy diplomats from nearby cities, a number of important people will be in attendance—people with a wealth of far-reaching information, and possibly the promise of further jobs, further marks, and perhaps some desperately longed for secrets. A charming face and a keen ear will find no trouble circulating the party to gather information; you hardly even have to know the right questions to ask. ( REWARD: valuable secrets ) OVID & ZHENYA
2. DEEP POCKETS. By around a third of the way through the party, most of the distinguished guests should be too intoxicated to be keeping close track of their possessions. Never has a pocket been easier to pick, nor so full. If you have some extra time, try the coat room—you never know what you might find in there. ( REWARD: up to 270 tal or valuable items of equivalent value ) OPEN
3. ANCIENT TOMES. The Verdicci family library is the pet project of Elaria’s wife Marialena, who inherited the project from Elaria’s mother, through a line tracing back generations. The lofty, ceilinged room is full to the brim of incredibly rare tomes kept safely behind charmed glass, and the value of these targets are two-fold: there are books in here that people would pay a fortune for, but there is also information most would consider lost to time, trapped away here where no one else can read them. ( REWARD: up to 350 tal in rare books or information from said books ) DARCASSIAN & ZHENYA
4. DARK SECRETS. Among the books in the library, one in particular stands out: a very recent acquisition, the book is rumored to be cloaked in shadow and—if you believe the tales—to have come from another world altogether, its cover made from strange material no one has seen before, its pages of flesh, or impossibly thin vellum, or blood-red parchment, depending on who you ask. The Nightmare Tome, whispers call it, and they say it belonged to the Lord of Nightmares, taken mortal form. ( REWARD: The Nightmare Tome and information ) ESKAREL & HEPHIREUS & LUCKY
5. DEALER’S CHOICE. Eliara is a renowned collector and dealer of fine art, and hosts a significant collection of her own in a private museum on the top floor of the mansion. The museum is open for browsing during the party, so in order to secret away a piece or two, you’ll either need to be particularly stealth—or you’ll need a way to blend in. ( REWARD: up to 350 tal in rare art ) OPEN
6. HIDDEN VAULT. Somewhere deep in the basement of the mansion lies the hidden entrance to a magically secure vault which is said to house the Verdicci fortune, all in jewels and rare artifacts. If you can find the vault’s location and get in without setting off the spelled lock keeping it sealed, no one should be around to notice you taking whatever you please. ( REWARD: up to 350 tal in jewels and non-magical artifacts ) CASSIAN & TATSUO
7. INTERFERENCE. While the rest of the Gambit does what they can to extract every bit of value from the ball, at least two people will need to serve as their eyes and ears, running interference to keep them from being discovered. Circulate the party, make sure no one suspects your friends, and have a lovely time enjoying the food, drink, and entertainment on offer while you’re at it. ( REWARD: a cut of the spoils, up to 130 tal ) CALLIOPE & GWYN
OUT OF CHARACTER
Thanks to news of the Masquerade gathered by Ovid from a Catelian noble in Fahyrst, Catelia is as good a place as any to restock on food and supplies after the brief trek south through the edge of the Haelion desert. A ferry will take the Gambit from the coast to the island, where they will spend about four days before continuing south along the coast. A shop inventory of items available for purchase in the city can be found below the cut – please message the main if you would like to purchase anything while in town.
In addition to the Masquerade-specific missions listed above, further missions in and around Catelia can be found below the cut. To claim a mission, please post the title of the mission and the two characters claiming the mission in the #mission-claims channel on discord. Catelia missions should, to the best of your ability, wrap up around the 13th of June.
MISSIONS
1. PROTECTION RACKET. Marzara Morducci, a nobleman in one of the highest houses of Catelia, is seeking two bodyguards to escort his teenage son to their countryside villa a short ways from the coast on the mainland; Morducci has received credible threats on his family’s life from Catelian assassins, not to mention the usual monsters and bandits found on the road between the coast and the villa, and he is willing to pay through the nose to ensure his brat of a son arrives safely. ( REWARD: 120 tal ) OPEN
2. A TRAINEE’S TRICK. Melodiae Myrdo, a young trainee at the assassin’s guild, has a problem: as a part of her training, she needs to convincingly fake her own death well enough to fool the guild’s examiners. Unsure of how to proceed, she asks for your help planning and executing the task, which should be as bloody and spectacular as possible. ( REWARD: 75 tal ) ADRIK & ANTNAR
3. THE MASKED MENACE. A number of merchants in the merdociara have reported their most valuable items being stolen in the night, each describing the same strange, masked figure who seems to be able to disappear at will. This rash of thefts has caused merchants to be unusually wary of outsiders, but if their items were to be returned to them and the thief apprehended they would be more than happy to pay whoever helped them for their troubles. ( REWARD: 85 tal ) ANTNAR & BEL
4. A RARE INGREDIENT. Savabella El, a renowned artist known for the vivid colors of their paint and the almost hypnotizing effects their paintings have, is looking for new components to mix into paints to imbue their canvases with magic. They have heard rumor that there are trees, somewhere in the politiciara, that bear fruit whose seeds create a pigment so bright it could blind if not used properly—and they would like you to find some and bring it to them. ( REWARD: 70 tal ) OPEN
5. A ROCKY VOYAGE. Renowned treasure hunter Sar Veden has traveled to Catelia in pursuit of a treasure rumored to lie somewhere deep in the water beyond the island. The waters beyond Catelia are perilous and rocky for several miles beyond the shore, so Veden is hiring a small team who can help him safely navigate beyond the rocks and recover the lost treasure. ( REWARD: a share of the lost treasure ) OPEN
6. A FERRY INFESTATION. The ferry that connects Catelia to the mainland is the only passage onto or off of the island, due to the narrow strait which ordinary boats cannot navigate. Unfortunately, the ferry is currently out of commission due to an infestation of vicious, bipedal frog-like monsters that have taken up residence belowdecks, spitting poison at anyone who dares approach. The ferry’s captain, Luca Attara, is hiring adventurers willing to attempt to shoo them out or exterminate them, to get traffic flowing on and off the island again. ( REWARD: 80 tal ) EZEK & GAVRIL
7. SIREN SIGHTINGS. Several citizens in both the merdociara and the arziciara have claimed to see what they believe to be a siren swimming through the canal between the two rings at night, and the city authorities believe this siren to be responsible for a series of missing persons cases the city has experienced over the past several weeks. For either bringing in the siren responsible or bringing in proof that the siren did not cause these disappearances, there is a steep reward fee being offered. ( REWARD: 95 tal ) BEL & VASHKA
8. A NOBLE ERRAND. A noblewoman named Giacoma Cal is preparing her estate for hosting a diplomatic guest from out of town, and needs someone to fetch a large cask of a very particular fine wine from one of the merchants in the merdociara. She swears the man owes it to her on credit, but he has sent four different servants back to her with refusals, claiming he owes her nothing. Maybe it’s time for a different approach to retrieving the wine for her. ( REWARD: 80 tal ) OPEN
9. A PUZZLING FRESCO. There is a strange fresco in one of the open-air marketplaces in the arziciara, displaying a pattern of interlocking circles, an orange fruit, a blue bird, a diamond of blood red, and a symbol that is said to be the symbol of the no-longer worshipped god of ancient Catelia, Marsei. Legend has it that the fresco is some sort of puzzle, that it opens the way to an ancient temple beneath the stones of the marketplace, and that great treasure lies within... and possibly something much more dangerous. ( REWARD: an impossibly rare artifact ) LUCKY & TATSUO
10. NIGHTMARE PLAGUE. All around the city, strange nightmares have been plaguing the citizens of Catelia in every district and of every class. Shadowy figures seem to appear on their walls as they wake, and disappear as soon as the lights are lit. Those affected report feeling watched—no matter where they go. Desperate for answers, a local doctor has asked for help collecting stories, and hopefully finding a remedy. ( REWARD: 70 tal ) BEL & GWYN & HEPHIREUS
SHOP INVENTORY
if you would like to purchase any gear or supplies from the shops in Catelia, message the main. the following items are available (estimated prices listed):
a masquerade mask ( 5-10 tal )
a custom perfume ( 35 tal )
a rare, old book ( 20 tal )
a fine bespoke outfit ( 25 tal )
a piece of fine jewelry ( 60 tal )
a fine-quality blade ( 95 tal )
an ornate, custom weapon ( 110 tal )
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
[Image ID: Banner image reading: The City of Eventide, Chapter 34, Maple-writes. End ID]
This is it! The last chapter! It still feels so strange to think that this really is the last one.
###
Each day grew longer than the last and the sun shone a little stronger, burning off morning spring clouds. Dylan made good on his promise to visit unannounced one afternoon. He showed up with a firm knock on the door and a greeting loud enough to wake me the rest of the way up. For hours he lingered in the kitchen, half occupied with putting the finishing touches on the egg salad sandwiches Fallon sent him along with but more occupied with filling me in on everything and anything. Tea in hand I barely spoke as the sun made its way down the sky, casting long shadows across the street outside and dimming the light through the windows all while Dylan replaced the usual quiet of the day. It was nice though, hearing someone else’s voice even if I did end up forgetting details and names in his stories.
The vitamins weren’t so bad aside from remembering to take them, and once I got used to the taste neither were the other supplements the doctor suggested. Even now Ginger stopped by sometimes to check on me and deliver updates on the goings-on back at the college, letting me know I could come see her there anytime. She’d smiled, assuring me that if I ever wanted to return to work with her we’d take it as easy as I needed.
Ember’s attempts to get me out of the house came fewer and farther between, dropping down from every night to maybe once or twice a week. Every time my heart skipped but two nights ago we made it to the 24 hour gas station store. Under the too-bright lights the night vanished outside and I had to remember to take every breath deep enough to keep my head from spinning and there were too many choices and items lining every shelf and fridge and nowhere to hide but Ember kept by my side. She walked me through and let me rest my hand on her forearm, letting some of the warmth and calm seep from her skin through mine.
We bought drinks and the lights and hum of refrigerators disappeared as the door closed behind us. Stepping between shadows cast by vacant gas pumps we didn’t make it much farther than the store that night, but for the first time some of the tension melted under quiet streetlights. Chill air cooled my lungs and settled my head. The two of us talked all the way back home and together in the living room until far too late. She really shouldn’t have been staying up that late with her job interview tomorrow, though she was quick to reminded me it was only in the afternoon.
Her interview went well, and by the end of the week she’d been called back for a second and a week after that they offered her the job as a deckhand on a fishing vessel. From what she told us it sounded hard, and she’d be gone for long stretches during the season, but her excitement was contagious. Striker ordered take out to celebrate and we ended up only going to bed long after the sun had set.
Yawning, I pulled my shirt off, crawled into bed and drew the blanket snug around my shoulders. After all the excitement and celebration I sunk all the way down into the pillows and sheets.
A rattle came from my window, then another and I sat up, squinting in the dark. Grey-blue in the evening dark, a wing flashed into view then a beak tapping at the glass as a seagull fluttered by. Cirrus. It had to be. Otherwise some poor bird was very, very lost.
I hopped out of bed and opened up the window just as he glided back around. He landed on the windowsill in a blur of feathers, tucking his wings neatly to the side and shaking out his tail as he came to a stop. His head tilted left and right, pupils dilating a moment before finding the right focus.
“Hey Cirrus.” I leaned over, resting my elbows against the windowsill. “It is you, right?”
The gull ruffled his feathers, puffing up and laying them flat again in one smooth wave. He raised his beak and stuck out his chest as he watched me sideways. I smiled, warmth spreading from deep in my chest. Of course this was Cirrus. Hard to believe the last time I’d seen him was back at the cabin. How long ago was that now? I’d lost track.
Cirrus turned, webbed feet tapping against the wood of the windowsill in the quiet of the dark. He faced the street, dark and empty, glancing back at me over his grey shoulder. I frowned. Did he want…
“You want me to go with you?”
He gave a quick nod, holding his head sideways to lock me in one of his little eyes. I swallowed and wrung my hands together. How far would he want me to go? What if something happened? I hunched my shoulder, hair falling in front of my face as I stared down at my arms.
“I, I don’t know Cirrus.” How was I supposed to tell him? How was I supposed to tell him I hadn’t gone much further than a few blocks from home on my own since I got back. “I don’t know.”
A weight landed on my shoulder, webbed feet against my skin. Cirrus pushed his beak through my hair to poke at my cheek. He settled down, feathers of his belly soft against my skin. I sighed and turned my neck to see him through the corners of my eyes.
Even if we hadn’t gone far nothing horrible happened whenever I went out with Ember. I held Cirrus’ stare for a moment, watching him blink and turn his head. If something did go wrong Cirrus would have seen it before, right? He didn’t know what Ginger did but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d helped. I could handle this. If I could handle the cemetery in the middle of the day I could handle a walk in the middle of the night.
I sighed again, straightening up slowly to give Cirrus the chance to hop down. “Alright. Let me get dressed first.”
Cirrus waited outside, perched on a nearby streetlight and watching as I finally stepped out into the night. I shut and locked the door as softly as I could behind me, trying to keep the nerves already wrapping around my throat in check. A flurry of feathers made me look up a second before Cirrus landed softly on my shoulder. Webbed feet tapped quiet on my jacket and grey wing-tips tickled my ear as he turned. He stuck his head out a second, caught my eye and flew down the street.
“Hey!”
I took off running after him. My feet fell loud and echoing in the quiet side streets and alleyways, chasing flashes of white feathers under spaced-out streetlights until I staggered to a breathless stop. Hands on my knees and hunched over on the sidewalk, my heart struggled to keep up with my lungs and my legs burned. Shit. How long had it been since I moved this much? Cold air scraped at the back of my throat. I coughed and tried to catch my breath. By the time I looked up Cirrus was gone.
I grit my teeth. “Damn it.”
A seagull’s call pierced through the quiet, shrill and laugh-like. Sounded like he wasn’t too far, towards the waterfront. Of course he’d want me to meet him there. I pulled myself back upright. He’d have to wait though because I wasn’t about to run the whole way there.
I’d almost caught my breath by the time the gentle lapping of the waves caught my ear, soft and rhythmic against the deserted shore. A full moon hung bright over the ocean casting liquid silver over the dark water and the white crests of incoming waves. I slowed as I stepped out onto the beach. Full moon. Cirrus, he hadn’t waited for me here after I’d gone home, had he? Waited and hoped I’d show up for him only to leave disappointed like he had so many times hoping his mother would come around.
He’d understand why I hadn’t come, if he’d waited here for me at all. I bunched my shoulders against the wind and shook the thought from my head, picking my way across the dark beach to the usual place. Tiny creatures, insects, arthropods, they scurried away from my path with every step. Moment by moment the lights of the city faded to a faint glow at my back to give way to blue-dark night.
A figure sat on a washed-up log, turning when I rounded the bend. A woman in an ink-black evening gown that billowed around her ankles when she stood and faced me with a polite smile.
“Well, you’ve sure perked up since I last saw you.” She paused, waiting, but I only squinted in attempts to place where we might have met. “Ah, you don’t recognize me.” She gestured to herself with a black-gloved hand. “Cirrus’ sister. Call me Hadley.”
We had met, hadn’t we. I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to remember back but couldn’t see much more than a blur, a haze of feathers and loud voices that seemed to rumble through the air and into my own lungs.
Hadley though either hadn’t noticed or didn’t mind, catching me with a nod as she settled back down on the log. “Cirrus should be here soon.” She shot me a smirk, raising her head high. “I have been instructing him on how to shift his form but it can be hit or miss. He wanted to see you though, so I agreed to help him out tonight.”
She leaned back resting her hands behind her and facing the shimmering sea. Her head tilted just a moment as I sat beside her. This close she had the same barely contained power Cirrus did, cold and powerful like a harsh wind biting through my clothes. She kept quiet, watching as wave after wave lapped at the rocky shore. Slowly, I ran my hand over the worn bark of the log, tracing over ridges and bits where the wood had torn and weathered away.
“Ah,” Hadley stood, smoothing down her dress in the breeze. “Sounds like he’s done.”
The bushes growing beside the beach rustled, and a moment later Cirrus stuck his head out, one hand covering half his face and casting a sheepish look at Hadley.
She half chuckled to herself with a short glance back at me. “One moment.”
Without waiting for any kind of response, she stepped out of sight behind the foliage and the night dark. She said something, mumbling and chiding but too low for me to make out, Cirrus responding with something indignant and defensive but without any teeth behind his words. I smiled, leaning forward on the log to try and peek around the bushes and shadows. That was Cirrus alright.
The leaves rustled again, branches snapped, and Cirrus swore as he stumbled out onto the beach. He found his balance and shook himself out, looking just like I remembered. Same hair, same eyes… I jumped up from the log and throwing my arms around him. He balked a moment, surprised, before returning the embrace. His clothes were warm and smelled like storm-bearing winds, familiar and new at the same time. I leaned against him, pressing my forehead against his shoulder a moment before standing up again, throat tight.
“Miss me?” Cirrus grinned, already knowing the answer.
I nodded. “Its different, with you gone.” Maybe not quieter now that Ember was around, but different. I swallowed and turned away, a hand to the back of my neck as I glanced out to the ocean. “I don’t know if you were waiting for me here, but I’m sorry if you were.” My voice dragged along. “Things haven’t been easy.”
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know, I haven’t been around here either. It’s been a whirlwind.” Cirrus huffed and crossed his arms, shaking his head to the dark pebbles.
“Oh come on Cirrus!” Hadley scolded, coming up around behind him and messing up his hair. She snickered as he tried and failed to duck out of the way. “You had a great time. Do you think I missed you flirting with that pretty noble lady?”
Cirrus flustered, uncrossing his arms and stumbling over his tongue. “She started it!” He shook himself out with another huff, crossing his arms tighter than before. “But yeah, alright. It wasn’t all bad.” He watched his sister as she retuned to her perch on the log, a half smile on his face, before turning back to me. “You’re looking better than last time I saw you. At least like you’re not about to get blown over by the wind.” Cirrus paused a moment, just standing, watching me as the breeze slipped silent between us. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with so much colour in your face.
Even at in the dark? I looked away a moment, watching the moon hang bright over the gentle swells. Maybe he had better night vision than I did because Striker had said the same thing.
“I uh,” I faced him again, tucking my hands in my pockets and out of the chill. “I’ve been seeing some doctors since I got back for a while now. I guess it’s working.” The wind picked up again and I hunched my shoulders until Cirrus stepped to my side, blocking out some of the gale. “Ginger was saying the other day she’d be alright with me coming back to the college.”
“You going to do it?”
I shrugged, pushing rounded stones from side to side with the toe of my shoe. “I… I hope so. It’s been a while.” A smile played at my lips. “I kind of miss it actually.
Cirrus snorted. “Bored at home already?”
This time I grinned, full and toothy. “Maybe.”
He rolled his eyes but kept quiet, attention drifting up from me to the lights of the city down the beach. I glanced back over my shoulder to follow his gaze only a moment before focusing back on Cirrus. In the dark he looked just like I remembered, like nothing changed. Like he hadn’t been gone for months now and he’d never returned to life as a dragon. Like Ember hadn’t moved into his bedroom and he was going to be in the kitchen tomorrow morning when I got out of bed.
A deep ache spread sharp through my throat, all the way up to the floor of my mouth and I looked away. He had his own life now. His own life somewhere far away. Somewhere I couldn’t go and find him like I used to. He’d come to see me this time tonight but how long would that last? I swallowed. He wouldn’t forget about me now that what he’d hoped to happen for years and years finally came about, right?
“Do you remember back then when I couldn’t speak my name?” Cirrus spoke low, eyes still drifting over my head to the city. “That day you found me?”
I don’t think I would ever forget, he must have known that but I nodded all the same.
He paused, hesitating before speaking again. “It hurt for a long time. I used to dream of hearing it again, to be who I was again. But then…” Cirrus finally tore his gaze from Eventide. He looked down at me, the faintest of the distant light reflecting in his eyes. “It didn’t feel the same anymore. I’m keeping Cirrus. I just wanted you to know that.”
“Really?” My voice came out smaller than I expected, thinned and brittle. “You don’t miss the other?”
Cirrus shrugged. “I can’t say I don’t, but I don’t know, I couldn’t bring myself to part with this name yet.” He half smiled. “My mother wasn’t exactly thrilled but she’ll get over it.”
From what I’d heard of her, I wasn’t surprised. “You’re still going to come and visit, right?”
“Of course.” Cirrus casted a sidelong glance at his sister still seated on the log and gazing out to sea. “Though it might be a while yet before I get the hang of shape shifting alone.” He paused a moment before turning back to me. “I’ll be around. I’ve got at least a couple more centuries of watching over Eventide’s storms after all.”
That long? I guess it made sense. He was a dragon after all. I smiled but broke halfway by a surprise yawn. What time was it?
A warm hand rested on my shoulder as Cirrus’ laugh drifted over the crashing waves. “Keeping you up?” He grinned down at me as he turned towards the city. “I’ll take you home.”
We walked along the beach towards the soft city lights. At this time of night we had the sidewalks to ourselves, only the occasional car passing by the empty roads. My arm brushed his, contented warmth easing from him to me. I quickly ran out of things to update him on since coming back to Eventide and he took over most of the way home telling me all about his sisters and the trouble they’d get into. Even in the low light I could see how he flushed talking about the woman Hadley had brought up on the beach. I smiled, struggling to keep my eyes open and half leaning against his shoulder as we walked.
He sounded happy.
#
Sun sinking low in the sky relief pooled in my chest seeing how quiet Eventide College was this time of day. A handful of people milled and wandered around the front stairs, some chatting and laughing in the gold-tinged light. Inside the front lobby soft echoes of conversation drifted through the still air and the little coffee shop sat nearly empty with the last few customers before closing time rolled around.
My footsteps echoed through the empty halls, clicking against the stone stairs spiralling down towards Ginger’s basement. I hadn’t told her I was coming but surely she wouldn’t be unhappy to see me all the way out here.
The air chilled and a familiar presence brushed against my arm. I slowed, letting Cynthia gently press up against my shoulder as her relief and excitement slipped through my skin. A smile spread on my face and I held out a hand. She knew me. She knew how to be gentle, how to contain herself unlike the panicked, desperate spirits who needed my help.
She slid though my palm, passing cold up the veins of my arm all the way up where they joined together in the subclavian. Good to see you again. It’s been a while.
I nodded along, continuing down the stairs as she settled in deeper tucked under my first rib. Been a while was an understatement. I swallowed. Had anyone told her what happened? It must have seemed like I’d just vanished one day, Ginger too. Charlotte filled me in. We were all worried about you for a while there. Glad to see you back on your feet. Thanks.
The stairs opened up to the little underground hallway, my footsteps booming in the quiet. I tucked my hands in my pockets and shifted as Cynthia nestled herself more comfortably towards my chest. Here to see Ginger? I nodded. If she’s here. She is. Saw her come in a few hours ago. Good. Good. Does this mean you’re going to stick around? I turned the last corner, slowing to a shuffle. Had I even considered not coming back here? Even if Ginger had told me I’d never be able to come back here would I really be able to just… Stop?
Even if you change you mind, her grin crossed my face, you should still stop by. You’re the easiest living person to chat with to come through those doors.Really? Faster than hijacking Charlotte’s computer. Fair enough.
I paused in front of Ginger’s office, the door slightly ajar. Cynthia stilled under my skin, cold and fluid. Could you give us a minute? Right. Was good to see you again Asher. She shifted a moment before breathing out through the thin skin at the top of my chest and vanishing somewhere through the walls of the college. Alone I stood another moment in front of the door. I took a deep breath, rested my hand on the door handle and opened it up just enough to poke my head into Ginger’s office.
She looked up from her computer as soon as she saw me. For a moment surprise seemed to flash across her face but in a heartbeat it shifted to a wide, fang-filled smile.
“Asher! Welcome back.”
#the city of eventide#chapter 34#last chapter#my writing#it's just#wow#i've been working on this since like#late 2018 i think#i'll have to write up a real post to get my thoughts out sometime
4 notes
·
View notes
Text
Contracts and Captains. - IV
A/N: Remember how I posted something before one of my other fics saying that I had been consistently updating for weeks? Neither do I lmao who was she? Don’t know her anyway heres the fourth chapter of this black sails fic.
Words: 1823. Honestly I’ve been writing this since about 12pm I don’t know how its so short and its probably shit bc I haven’t written anything in months.
Warnings: Mentions of vomit as per the last chapter. Think thats it lmao. See you in three months.
As your eyes opened, there were a blissful couple of seconds where the previous night’s encounter didn’t exist in your memory. But, just like the sun flooding the room, unwanted flashes of vomit and slurred words rose like a tidal wave in your minds eye. You rolled over, burying your face and groaning into the pillow out of sheer embarrassment as a dull throbbing started in the depths of your skull.
Why did you keep drinking? You could’ve simply had one or two before retiring for the night and you wouldn’t have met that boatswain or thrown up on your own boots. What was his name again? Ben? Boyd? No, they weren’t quite right. Either way you made a mental note to apologise again whenever you next saw him.
Slowly, you tugged your still clothed limbs from the thin sheets, trying not to jostle your stomach too much for fear of whatever was left in there making an unwelcome appearance. Your pants were scuffed from where you took a tumble outside the tavern, your shirt was half undone, probably from a failed attempt to undress before not-so-gracefully falling into bed. A single boot was thrown on the floor alongside your coat, the other still stuck on your foot. What a mess.
A hot bath, that's what you needed, and a hearty breakfast if your insides don’t bring it back up. Pulling on the other boot, you made your way to one of the girls working downstairs, trading her coin to fill the tub in your room. You must’ve looked rough as you passed her to get to the man at the bar because when he turned to look at you, his brows shot up, disappearing behind his hair.
“You look like you could use a little hair of the dog, love.” He chuckled, eyes scanning your disheveled form. A grimace was your immediate response. “Some food then.” He offered, filling a bowl with something that you didn’t stop to look at as you practically inhaled it. The man watched you with a knowing smirk and had you not felt so terrible you’d have spat out a snarky comment. You chose to gulp down your water instead.
“Thank you.” You huffed with a small nod, tossing some money on the counter before you headed back upstairs. The state you were in just added to this morning's growing list of regrets but you weren’t quite sure if you cared how you looked to anyone else right now. All that was on your mind was a piercing headache and a good soak.
Stripping off, you stepped into the water, sinking down slowly as your body got used to the heat. Finally, with a heavy sigh, you rested your head on the back of the tub, your aching muscles beginning to relax. Scented oils and soaps were left on a stand by the bath. Working a generous amount between your palms, you massaged your limbs and torso getting rid of any tension and purging the memories of last night’s… festivities. In the quiet of your room, you took a moment to trace the small scars that littered your form, fingers landing at last on the freshly healed knife wound from only a few weeks ago. The soft pink flesh was still tender, and if you moved the wrong way it would ache. It was dangerous to be alone on this island, in this line of work. You needed friends, not just contacts. A crew, perhaps.
Letting your mind wander, you thought about your new found place among Flint’s men. You had to keep bringing in leads to be of any value to him, lest you risk being tossed aside and left in the dirt. He and his crew were among the most revered on the island, therefore cementing your part in that would bring security. It would ensure that other crews would leave you alone, as you were important to someone they feared and the consequences of harming you could be severe.
Then again, there was a little more than security on your list of perks as you thought more about the taller man from last night. He was kind to you, not that the others weren’t having bought your drinks and all, but, he made sure you were safe and fed. Billy Bones. You recalled. Replaying the meeting in your head, you winced at the slurred introduction and the puking soon after. Why did you care about how he saw you? Was it because he was the crew’s boatswain or because he was handsome and softer than most pirates you’d met.
Catching that last thought, you shook it from your head, refusing to let it take root in your brain. Attachments like that are a weakness here and you cannot afford to have those. You’d only met the guy once and he probably didn’t want anything to do with you anyway, especially after that drunken show you gave him. Cupping a handful of water, you splashed your face, scrubbing any further thoughts of the man from your head, instead, choosing to focus on finding a new lead for Flint.
They would be leaving to chase down the details you gave him yesterday in a couple of days, if not sooner, which meant you probably had around two weeks to find something of substance upon their return. You’d struggled last time but after sending out letters to old friends in neighbouring ports, you were hopeful something would turn up.
Padding your way to the dresser, you pulled out some fresh clothes and got ready, feeling much better than you did even an hour before. The food had settled your stomach and the water you guzzled seemed to bring some life back into your face as when you left to go hunt down some work, the barman from earlier spouted something along the lines of ‘A whole other woman’ when you walked by.
---
An uneventful morning led to an uneventful afternoon. There were no new letters or leads and the streets were pleasantly calm compared to usual. You certainly weren’t complaining, you had been feeling better since this morning but your body was still recovering. The easy day was probably just what you needed. You were sat on the beach, sipping some water and watching passersby as you sketched in the journal you kept.
It was something you’d taken to keeping since arriving in Nassau just over two years ago. A small leather book to help keep track of potential jobs and record anything interesting that happened. Really, though, you just loved to draw. You’d already filled a couple just like it with sketches of people, ships and landscapes that caught your eye, often accompanied by your messy scrawl. You were just about satisfied with your latest addition when Mr Gates clapped you on the shoulder making you jump and slam the journal closed. You’d never shown anyone the contents before.
“Sorry, Miss Devereux, didn’t mean to startle you.” He began, chuckling lightly at your reaction. “I heard you and the lads had quite the night..” He moved to stand by you as you got to your feet, dusting the sand from your pants. Tucking away the book, an amused smirk finds its way to your face as you look at him.
“Depends on who you ask.” You replied. “How were they this morning? Feeling sorry for themselves?” Your brows raised in question as you both started aimlessly wandering along the shore. A snort met your ears as his head fell forwards, looking at the ground then back at you. “I didn’t see the majority of them until at least noon and they were still in a sorry state, although I wonder how you must’ve been. I heard that you hurled your guts up right after meeting our boatswain.” Gates mused, eyes crinkling as he watched your entire face turn a lovely shade of red. You tried to keep your cool but your expression faltered into one of sheer embarrassment. Apparently, this was hilarious as Mr Gates exploded into a fit of hearty laughter, and as much as you told him to stop you couldn’t help but have a good chuckle yourself as you covered your face with a half-sandy palm at the thought.
When you both regain your composure, he gives you a reassuring pat on the back.
“Don’t worry, the only people who know are Billy and myself, the men still think you can hold your drink.” He winked. You made a move to argue that you could in fact hold your drink but he began talking about the plan to set sail the day after tomorrow. You listened intently and explained that you were awaiting correspondence from friends in other ports to supply more promising leads upon their return.
---
It had been four days since the crew left in search of another haul using your most recent information. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened, you’d made some money here and there through smaller jobs and pickpocketing but overall, there was nothing of real interest. You spent the days reading anything you could get your hands on or drawing and you’d even had your eye on some paints in one of the markets, but all you could do was wait. Checking for mail at the front desk of the inn you were staying at every morning had become a routine, desperate for any work or ships that you could relay to Flint. It was on the fifth day that you had gotten a response from someone in Port Royal.
As you read over the letter for the third time, you could feel your eyes widen in disbelief, your heart hammered in your chest and you released a breath you didn’t know you were holding. This was far too good to be true. Surely this was a myth. A prize of this magnitude was simply unheard of. Your eyes scanned over the paper again, barely able to focus on the words because your hands were trembling so violently. Calm down. You told yourself. It can’t be the truth. You thought as you stared at the other envelope that had arrived alongside it. At the bottom of the letter it read:
“P.S
Should you doubt my information, I sent you the correspondence shared between the dead man and the merchant with evidence pertaining to this gold. Best not ask how it came into my possession.
Your dear friend,
Josiah.”
You ran to shut the windows to your room and close the drapes. If anyone found out you had this information and the evidence to go with it, you would surely be killed for it. Tearing open the paper, you unfolded its contents. It was all here. The initials of the merchant, R.P., details alluding to the existence of this gold and the name of the dead man involved in plotting the course it would be on.
Vasquez.
#Black Sails#black sails imagine#Billy Bones#billy bones x reader#multi chapter#Captain Flint#mr gates
33 notes
·
View notes
Text
She sets up a small camp in a cave. It isn't much- the sleeping bag that she had taken with her, a small storage chest, a fire to cook her food. She spreads torches on the walls of the caves, wanting it bright enough that no monsters dare enter during the night. It isn't much, but it is safe and warm and a place to rest her head.
She has been traveling for a long time- so long that she doesn't really remember why she left or what it is that she is looking for. Something in the back of her mind niggled, trying to remind her. She was looking for something, but she didn't remember what it was. Not anymore.
Her cave is on the border of a jungle, overgrown and so vibrantly green that it sometimes hurt her eyes. There is something that she wants in the jungle, but she is not ready, and she knows that there are things that she must do before she dares set foot in the jungle.
She collects stone and spends a painstaking day making an axe. It is a dual-purpose object- self-defense from the monsters that live there and to cut the trees that hide what she seeks. She spends a day working at the base of a giant tree, collecting wood when it finally falls. She spares a moment to be thankful for the magic of the world, when the tree finally comes down and she can lift the logs with ease and tuck them all into her bag.
She is strong, she knows- there is no softness on her body any longer and her hands have calluses from gripping her axe. Still, it is only the magic of the world that allows her to lift logs half her size and tuck them away into a bag small enough to fit on her back.
She is still not ready to face the jungle, but through another exit of her cave, she finds a forest so thick that no light filters down from the canopy. She studies the trees for a long moment, before setting to work at the base of one. She does not manage to cut the tree down before night falls, and so she retreats to her cave and returns to the task when the sun rises the next day.
Instead of turning to go through the cave again, when the tree was finally down, she instead turned towards the river. She crosses over it and wanders the plains, using her axe to kill a sheep to replenish her food stores. She sees a group of wild pigs, rooting through the grass for food, but leaves them be. It is near impossible to cause a quick death for a pig, and so she chooses not to bother them.
She cleans her axe in the river and thinks she knows in which direction she was traveling so she starts walking. She crosses back over the river and steps foot in the jungle for the first time. She thinks she is finally ready for it.
Her search is fruitless. She does not find what she is searching for, although she hears the call of a bird near her and offers it a few seeds she had found. It eats them from her palm, then casts her a judgmental look and flies away. She watches as the bright plumage disappears into the trees and continues on.
She can tell when night begins to fall and it causes a small spark of panic. The jungle is dangerous enough during the day, but at night it is disastrous. She tucks herself along a massive tree and uses some of the wood that she collected to block herself in, clutching the axe. She can see the stars through the leaves above her.
She does not sleep.
When the sun finally rises, she silently collects the wood and cautiously makes her way towards the river. It is too dangerous to stay, she decides, and intends to leave without what she was looking for in the first place.
Of course, she finds it on the way out. She uses her axe to chop the fruit into small pieces. It will not travel well, she knows, so she eats what she can and collects the seeds. She leaves the remains for the birds and whatever other creatures lived in the jungle.
She knows where she is now, and slowly makes her way along the riverbank until her cave is finally in sight. She crawls into her sleeping bag and sleeps.
She makes breakfast when she wakes and stares at the cave. She has spent too long here. There is an itch deep in her bones, and she wants nothing more than to go. She is still looking for something. She still does not remember what it is, but she knows that she has to find it.
She goes through her storage container, sorting that which she wants to take and that which she can leave behind. She spends a day sorting, putting everything into her bag, and repairing her trusty axe. She sleeps in her cave one last time, and when the sun rises the next day, she leaves it behind.
She picks a direction and walks. Over hills and through woods, crossing rivers between them. She kills wild sheep for food, cooking the meat each night and eating it over the next few days.
She finds a pack of wild dogs along a lake, one day, weeks into her travel. She offers them some of her food, still and silent as they warily took the meat from her hands. She leaves behind wagging tails and playful yips, crossing the lake in a small homemade boat that she leaves behind on the opposite shore. She is wet and cold, but she continues on.
She is making her way through a field when she sees the signs of a village. She watches the smoke rising over the horizon, and silently readjusts her course.
A long time ago, before she had found her cave, she had stayed a few nights in a village. This village looks familiar, the people all have familiar faces, and she thinks she can trace the roads with relative ease. She pushes the thought to the back of her mind and spends the night on the floor of the church.
She leaves early the next day. Staying in the village is too tempting and she is searching for something. She still doesn't know what it is.
It is late, two days later, when she sees smoke on the horizon. She heads for it and stops in her tracks when she finds herself in a familiar village. It calls to her, wanting her to stay, and the horror is so strong that she turns on her heel and runs.
She runs and runs and runs, through a thicket of woods. She ignores the tears in her clothes from the thorny underbrush, and emerges into an open field. She runs more.
It is nearly a week later that she has finally settled the unease under her skin, the village and its dangerous call left far behind her. She gets back into a routine. Travel, gather food, set up camp for the night, cook food, sleep.
She comes across another village, much later. It feels familiar in a way the other had not, the paths well worn as she makes her way through the buildings. None of the villagers call out in greeting, instead just watching her with wide eyes, murmuring to one another.
Her soul sings and her feet insist she move faster. She is so close, close enough that she can almost taste it. The thing she has been searching for, the siren's call pulling her ever closer.
She thinks she can remember it now- a laugh, the swish of her skirts as she dances, a warm hand clasped in hers. It is fuzzy, but it is there, and she wants.
There is a house in front of her, familiar. It is little, wooden, a cabin on the border of the woods. She runs towards it.
There is a boy, standing in the garden along the left side of the house. He holds a hoe in one hand, but turns when he hears her coming. He drops the hoe at the sight of her and laughs, bright and joyous, opening his arms for her to throw herself into. She feels small and safe in his arms, as he swings her around and she thinks she can feel her soul settle perfectly into place.
He asks about her journey, calling her by a name that she can hardly remember these days, asking if she found whatever it is she was looking for in the first place. She laughs, breathless and happy, and kisses him square on the mouth.
"I found it," she tells him, and he holds her close and kisses her sweetly.
#Mouse Writes#this is the first thing i have finished in weeks#and its inspired by MINECRAFT#of all things#personal#writing#Is writers block gone?#my writing#wherein i ignore grammar because i want to#wanderlust
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
sunkissed.
note: i promise i’m still working on updates for my series; but, after this pic showed up on my dash over the weekend, i’ve been in a tropical vacation!shawn frenzy and, well... here we are. big love to @dylshoney & @shhhawnmendes for letting me scream about this and giving me thoughts on the final product! i hope you all enjoy!
wc: 3.5k
warnings: nsfw, sex without a condom (i swear, i support safe sex), extremely mild reference (if you can call it that) to breeding kink
The sun is warm on your skin, rays in pretty patterns over your arms, tummy, thighs. There’s something rejuvenating about it, like all the energy from the sky is soaking in to displace what’s left of a brutal winter. You hadn’t realized just how badly you needed that until this second, and now that you’re here, well, there’s nowhere else you’d rather be.
Shawn seems to share the sentiment, looking more relaxed than you’ve seen him in months with his head tipped back and fingers resting on your legs in his lap. You’re in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company as your eyes drink in all your private villa has to offer. The view, shaded here and there by palm trees, is breathtaking. There’s a pool and hot tub below, their water as vibrantly blue as the sky above, and the contrast with the grass cut neatly around them is like something out of a painting.
When you'd first arrived, Shawn joked about all the ways you could enjoy yourselves with that much space and so many facilities ( you bite your lip just imagining it ) ; but, at the moment, you’re content to just take it all in.
“This is nice,” you murmur, gaze turning to his face and the bare expanse of his chest. He hasn’t changed since a swim this morning and neither have you. Call it too lazy, or too comfortable, but you’re in no rush to let go of the soft start to your day. The glow of it still lingers, in the way you’re resting now and in Shawn's faint smile and hint of a lazy eye as he nods his agreement.
“It is.. don’t know why it took us so long to finally get out here.”
You both know the answer to that question, but choose not to dwell on it. After all, this isn’t the place for responsibilities or obligations (both of which had delayed this trip a few months each). That’ll be for some other time, four or five days from now, when you’re back in Toronto and the world’s returned to its usual chaos.
Right now, you’re in paradise, salt water dried on your skin and lips, and Shawn’s fingers starting to move along your calves. He does this a lot — trace shapes against you when you’re resting and his mind is elsewhere. So, you don’t even bat an eye, relaxing further into the balcony sofa while he explores.
In the distance, you can hear the ocean, waves to shore in an erratic, but calming, rhythm. And between that and Shawn’s touch, you feel as if you’re floating — like being lightheaded with none of the unpleasant side effects. The airiness guides your head back in a loll and your eyes flutter a few times before closing completely.
His eyes, on the other hand, are too busy looking over you to be distracted by anything else. They start where his fingers are, watching the pads flatten on your skin in a muted sort of fascination. Then, they follow the curve of your legs, over your uncovered thighs to the spot where your bikini starts. It’s the first time you’ve worn this one and he still can’t quite handle how stunning it looks on you. His new favorite, he’d confessed on the beach.
His gaze keeps rising over your stomach, your chest, the underside of your jaw. And what'd started in appreciation slowly becomes Shawn working himself up too fast to catch himself, cheeks pink as gears start turning in his head. You’re none the wiser, humming to yourself while you bask in the tranquil moment. Which makes it easy for him to grow bold, fingers moving up over your knee, thumb bumping along the hinge, until they can find your thigh. A sharp breath rises from you and he smiles, teeth sinking into his lip - he loves seeing his affect on you.
It’s what leads him to do it again, fingers moving back to your calf before repeating the upward motion. A rhythm forms naturally, Shawn spending less and less time at the lower part of your leg with each swipe ---- and it doesn’t take long before he gets more than a breath out of you.
“Think you’re playing with fire there, Mr. Mendes.” The comment is cheeky, one eye cracked open to watch him as a grin plays at your lips.
His expression is equally as playful, an eyebrow arched as he smirks down at you. “Think that’s the point, babe…” He leans forward, maintaining eye contact until his lips meet your knee. It’s a simple gesture, innocent even — but the way his eyes are darkening, and the fingers nudging under your swim suit to find your hip, makes his intention clear as day.
He wants you.
Your body tightens from the mere thought.
There’s a moment where you weigh your options --- where you consider the chances of being caught and how much you really care if you are. But, the look in his eyes, halfway between expectant and needy, stops that in its tracks. You're too enamored to tell him no, and too brave to care about what anyone thinks about when and how you want him. So, permission comes easy, a quick nod against the cushion, and your other eye opens just as he undoes the knot securing your bikini bottom to your body. One side is enough to get it off you and Shawn’s purring when the fabric falls aside, allowing you to open your legs to him. “Oh, honey… look at you..”
The awe in his voice makes your heart swell — how does he manage to be so tender in a moment so filthy? It’s a talent, that’s for certain, and you almost coo reaching to find his curls. He falls forward into the touch, pressing another kiss to your knee before letting his fingers dip to find you too. They settle on your clit first, the press of his thumb making your mouth fall open in a gasp. Your hips lift instinctively for more pressure, but Shawn doesn’t let you chase him. His free hand moves until it can guide you back down, a curt shake of his head accompanying it.
Immediately, you let out a sheepish giggle, shrugging it off because really, who can blame you for getting a little ahead of yourself? And Shawn laughs, the sound rumbling in his chest and against you where your bodies are pressed together. “Adorable,” he muses, flicking your clit with his thumb with a little mischief behind the eyes.
“Shawn,” you hiss, hips bucking as best as they can. You want to pout, but you refuse to give in, eyes narrowing instead as you tug a curl. “Don’t be a tease.”
“‘m not,” he fires back, though that shit-eating grin tells a different story. As if proving his point, he starts to rub circles over the sensitive bundle of nerves, licking his lips when you arch off the sofa. He’s deliberate in his touches, pressing down hard but keeping his movements slow; and as much as you’d wanted to complain a moment ago, everything about it feels right. His name leaves you a second time, but this go is more sensual than indignant, a drawn out moan that spurs him on. “There we go,” he mumbles, lips finding the top of your knee once again, “gonna let me enjoy you, eh?”
You don’t know if he actually expects an answer, but the earnest makes you nod all the same, a half-dazed look on your face. The sight of it makes his groin throb and his thumb picks up its rhythm, eyes hungry as they follow the movement. You’re intoxicating enough on your own, but the way you look right now — stomach tightening and chest rising as you unravel for him — would be enough to bring him to his knees if he wasn’t sitting already. Blood rushes between his legs and he scoots closer, lap supporting your right leg while the left falls to the ground to give him more room.
Room he takes full advantage of with a finger sinking into you, all the way to the last knuckle. One stroke is enough for him to see the mess you’ve already made on him and he licks his lips, wrestling, for a moment, with the urge to taste you. After a few pumps that send you reeling, though, he sets that aside for another day (well, later on in this one, really).
A second finger joins the first, the sight of you all spread out too good to resist. And as his pace quickens, his attention darts between watching his fingers disappear inside you to your face twisted in pleasure: two images he wants to seal away for safekeeping. It’d be impossible to decide what he wants to see more — until you break the string of softer moans with a strangled whine of his name. Then, his eyes are snapping up towards your face so fast, he’s almost dizzy.
You have your head tipped back, mouth in an ‘o’ as another, raspier whine pushes its way out of you. It’s all too much for you to handle — his fingers, his mouth, his eyes picking you apart through his lashes. Your orgasm is mounting faster than you’re used to and you want to ask him to let you go so that you can search it out, give the final push on your own terms.
Shawn, as intuitive as ever, reads the familiar desperation on your face and gives in quickly, fingers leaving your hip to brace you by the thigh instead. “Come on, honey — give it to me.”
The encouragement strikes a chord, something in the naughtiest parts of your mind, and you’re off, shifting your weight over the cushions to meet every stroke of his fingers. Shawn moans as loud as you do at the uptick in speed, eyes lidding at how good you look, how good you are. Your need is contagious and he’s rubbing your clit faster to meet the pace you’ve set, breathing heavy as though he, too, is almost there.
Your orgasm doesn’t take long after that; a blindingly intense sensation that ripples from your head to the soles of your feet and has your fingers so twisted in the cushions that you leave them wrinkled. Wanting to be close, Shawn moves to find your mouth, dropping a couple sloppy kisses between soft nothings and encouragements: “That’s it… that’s it..."
By the time you catch your breath and let your eyes re-open, Shawn’s sat back up, his fingers still squarely inside you. When he sees he has your attention, though, he grins, moving them to his mouth to drag his tongue over and between them. Your stomach does flips at that, but you press the already re-emerging urges aside to tug him down for another kiss. “You really are such a tease,” you mutter with a nip at his lip. Tasting yourself on him is a bit odd some times; but others, like now, it’s electrifying, lighting something in you that just wants him closer.
That desire has you reaching a hand for his lap, pride rising when you feel how hard he is in his swim shorts. He makes a sound when he feels your palm, guttural in the back of his throat; but, before you can get very far, he regains his senses and reaches to stop you, much to your chagrin. “Nn, not yet... let me just kiss you for a little.”
You could melt right then and there - but Shawn doesn’t give you time to when he fits both hands under you and tugs you the rest of the way onto his lap. You settle with your legs swinging and his cock pressed against your bare ass, and he tips his head up to find your mouth again. Anticipation’s already rising, turning in your tummy like butterflies. But, this time, there’s no rush — no adolescent neediness steering the ship. It’s like the island’s energy has made its way into even this, leaving your kisses languid and heady.
It keeps Shawn at bay for at least a little while, his focus on kissing every inch of you instead of the ache in his lower half. Your bikini top’s shifted quite a bit since earlier and with the new position, it finally finds its way off, his fingers brushing your skin as they work. When the fabric falls to the ground, he pauses to appreciate you, lips pursed in a hum, before his attention falls to the skin along your neck. The kisses are light at first; but the lower he goes, the more teethy they get and before long, he’s sucking as hard as he needs to leave little marks all over you.
“Heeey,” you pant, fingers landing on the nape of his neck to disappear in the hair there, “people will see those.”
Lidded eyes find you through his curls, a hand patting your bum to a beat only he hears. “I know — ’s the whole point.” He places another kiss for good measure, prompting an endeared eye roll and a mental note to return the favor later. For now, he’s off the hook, especially with his mouth reaching your breasts too quickly for you to focus on anything else. The fingers at his nape tighten, and you give a strong tug as he wraps lips around one of your nipples. It’s all tongue to start, but Shawn gets eager fast and teeth graze your skin once or twice before he finally commits to a little nip. When you gasp, he chuckles, amused with himself even as he soothes the sting with another lap of his tongue.
This little game goes on for a bit longer, Shawn nibbling wherever he can reach and getting more lost in you by the second. “Why don’t we stay here forever,” he mutters eventually, breath fanning out over your skin. It’s much warmer than the sun had been and you turn into the closeness easily, arousal swelling in every part of you. “Could buy you this house, marry you, give you some pretty little babies...”
You both know there’s no way you could stay, but the fantasy is nice to entertain, fun to flirt with. You keep it going with the fingers in his hair guiding his face to yours until your noses are bumping lightly. “Think we could get started with at least one of those things...”
You’re going for subtle, but Shawn’s immediately catching on, a needy groan rising out of him at the thought of what you’re offering. “Yeah..?”
“Mm... yeah.” There’s a shift of your hips then, calculated to rock your ass back against the bulge in his shorts. You only manage it a second time before Shawn surges forward, falling headlong into this, into you with a sigh. His hand comes up to the small of your back to help lay you onto the couch; and once you’re settled, legs parted for him again, he’s between them, shorts partly off his hips as he fits his mouth over yours.
You kiss him back with the same fervor, fumbling to get his shorts the rest of the way off. You only manage to get them as far as mid-thigh, but when you feel his cock against your hip, you decide that’s good enough, and your hands move, instead, to tug him in by his sides.
“Still feel ok, baby?” The words are muffled against your jaw, where he's sponging kisses all over as he settles in over you. “I can...” He finishes the question with fingers teasing between your folds, a quick, suggestive touch.
The contact is overwhelming, deliciously so, but you still manage to refuse him — there’s something else you want much more. “No, no, just...want you.”
It’s hard to tell if it’s the lust in your tone or the heat behind your eyes when you say it — maybe even a combination of the two — but something about your confession flips a switch in him. All at once, Shawn’s positioning you with one hand and pumping himself with the other, a sharp exhale as he drops his hips and presses forward.
Your hands tighten on him when you feel his tip against your inner thigh, and it’s all you can do not to rush him. The anticipation had felt exciting before, but now it’s almost exhausting, reducing you to impatient squirms the longer it takes for him to be inside you. Shawn, as always, feels it as much as you do and lets his hand between you guide him until he can fill you up.
He bottoms out almost instantly, and the sensation of being stretched - or in his case, squeezed - so fast takes your breaths away. Up to now, he’s been supporting himself with a hand near the side of your head and fingers curled into the cushion. But, when Shawn’s head starts swimming from how hot you are around him, he can’t help but fall forward, arms bent at the elbow to let him press his weight into you.
It’s nothing you can’t handle, though. In fact, you love it when he’s so close; it lets you feel him deeper, harder and your arms find a place around his neck, bracing you for what’s to come.
“Fuck, baby,” he lets out against your skin as he takes his first proper thrust. The movement’s careful, almost tentative, but that doesn’t stop him from filling you to the hilt and earning a quiet whimper. There’s a brief pause - long enough to guide your legs around him and angle your hips - before he’s taking another long thrust, shivering on top of you. He’d wanted this to be slow, a complement to your week in this easy paradise. But, he’s too far gone for that now — the moment he can tell that you’re adjusted and ready, all self-control dissipates, leaving nothing but a Shawn that’s desperate for everything you’ll give him.
His hand presses hard into the flesh at your waist as his thrusts become more pointed, hips snapping forward to send him deep into your core. You’d seen the change in pace coming, but that doesn’t keep you from crying out for him with nails dragging down over his back. The pain, while jarring, just winds him up more, a hiss against your throat that he muffles with a half-kiss.
“S-Shawn—“ You gasp out, head thrown back to give more access to your neck. It’s already sticky between you, the breeze no real match for the way your bodies are tangled and the temperature rising with every rock of his hips. This one is going to be sloppy —- and, if you have to guess by the tension building in your tummy, it won’t last long either.
Not that Shawn is faring much better. You can’t see much of his face with his head tucked against you, but you know that hitch in his breath by heart. He’s not completely close, but is getting there fast, and the build-up has his thrusts growing more and more haphazard. “Hon, I can't—“ he cuts off in a moan, the words strangled in the back of his throat by how good you’re making him feel. It takes him a moment to try again, sucking in quick breaths until he’s coherent. “Wanna cum—“
You nod quickly to acknowledge it, squeezing your legs at his hips as if to keep him from moving away. “I-inside me... don’t forget —“
He groans loud at the reminder — as if he could. As if there’s anything he wants more right now than to fill you up and watch the way you keen when he does. Just thinking about it does a number on him and you can tell that he’s on the brink when his thrusts get messy.
There’s no way he’s leaving you behind, though, and his fingers find your clit the second he knows he’s near his limit. They work over the nub fast and hard to match his thrusts and you arch to press closer to him, eyes rolling back from the flood of pleasure. “O-oh god—“
Shawn is just as reverent, teeth sinking into your shoulder as one last thrust has climax bowling him over. He whines out your name, fingers stuttering -- but not stilling -- over your clit; not even when his hips press down to spill everything he has inside you. Your peak, then, doesn't take much longer, more intense than the first and twice as good when you can feel him cumming too.
You’re both hungry until the very end of it, nails and mouths over any inch of skin they can get to as you ride out your orgasms. You wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up with marks a little earlier than you intended, and by the looks of his face when he catches his breath enough to look at you --- and every place he’s been --- he may be expecting the same.
Coming down in comparison is gentle and tender; marked by little kisses from a clearer-headed Shawn who's worried he might've hurt you. But, when he sees you beaming up at him, love glinting in your eyes like the sun, he starts to calm and runs hands over your sides with a smile to rival yours.
He never forgets how much he loves you, but he's always reminded in moments like this; in the private little pockets of time ( in stadiums, on flights, and even after making love ) that the two of you just exist.
He really could stay here forever.
taglist (perm + fic): @sinplisticshawn / @heyits-claire / @honestey / @justanotherfangurl272 / @dylshoney / @softmndes / @bolognashawn / @unwrittendestiny / @shes-soparticular / @mendescurl / @mndes / @shhhawnmendes / @someoneunimportantxx
#shawn mendes imagine#shawn mendes x reader#shawn mendes fanfic#shawn mendes fic#shawn mendes blurbs#shawn mendes#shawn peter raul mendes#shawn mendes writing#shawn mendes blurb#shawn mendes fanfiction#shawn mendes fiction
959 notes
·
View notes
Text
I Bet You Can
A/N: SOOOOOO. Sorry it’s taking a year and a day to get through these smooches. I’m working on multiple at once...but this one REALLY wanted my attention so here it is. This one is set in the Oblivion/Simplify story line, roughly around the first week of September- about three months in to #LakeLife. Counting down the lip locks. This is #12. 8 down, 11 to go!
Warning: SMUTTY ZESTY COWBOYISH TIMES.
Word Count: 2,025
Prompt from : @suchatinyinfinity who asked for Logan/ a bet/ in the kitchen. I see your wager, Dani, and I raise you a smut.
The rain lashed against the windows for the fourth consecutive day, steadily increasing just like the forecast predicted. Neither of you had much experience with long lasting rain storms like this one having lived most of your lives in drought ridden California, but the late summer deluge currently delivering water, wind and even hail was apparently something you’d have to get used to in your new home. You hadn’t been able to go for your usual hikes through the surrounding woods as even though the thick green canopy would likely keep you dry, the wind was bringing down branches and the potential for lightning was increasing by the minute. Logan had been kept from his daily laps in the lake, and because of that more than just the air was buzzing with electricity.
You’d tried to focus as much of your extra energy on preparing for the eventuality of losing power. You filled pitchers and containers with water, because losing electricity meant losing the well pump, found candles and matches, brought the firewood in from its spot on the porch, and located the lantern. Logan took care of the outdoor responsibilities, securing the outer shutters and gathering up all the outdoor furniture and tying it together. He moved it under the cover of the porch, threw a tarp over the bundled chairs and lounges and weighed it down with a few heavy rocks he’d carried up from the shore. By the time he got back inside he was soaked to the bone, and you pulled your bottom lip between your teeth to keep from smiling at the disgruntled look on his face.
“Everything good out there, Logan?” you asked sweetly, stirring the pot of soup and the pent up energy you knew he was brimming with.
He peeled his drenched shirt off, wringing it out over the sink, and you caught the muscles in his arms and shoulders flex as he twisted the material. Water dripped down his neck from his hair and you watched a few droplets travel the length of his back before soaking into the dark denim of his jeans. Goddamn. You had to force yourself to focus on what you were doing before he turned around. If you’d still been looking when his chest and stomach came into view you’d have been unable to stop yourself from running your hands over every rain slicked inch.
“Everything’s tied up,” he draped the wrung out tee around his neck. Logan took two steps before you felt his hands on your hips and his lips behind your ear. His skin was chilled from the rain, but his breath was hot as he spoke. “How bout you?” Goosebumps ran up and down your arms as he kissed the back of your earlobe. “Need me to tie you down so you don’t blow away?”
You leaned back against him, not caring about your top getting wet. Not going to be wearing it for very long anyway. His thick arms came around your midsection. You hummed in satisfaction as your eyes slid closed. You knew that Logan’s arms had held plenty of bodies both human and Host, but the way that he tightened his hold, the way that he tried to always get you as close to him as possible, the subtle change in his breathing and the beat of his heart that you felt; that you knew was something that only ever happened when he held you, and without a doubt you knew that you were the only thing he wanted to hold this close ever again. “No need,” you answered him, “I’m never going anywhere.”
He sucked your earlobe into his mouth as you gasped his name. “Need and want are two different things.” His voice was gravelly and low, but burned like embers, like hot coals.
They sure are. You let out an uneven breath as his wet fingers toyed with the hem of your shirt. The day that you met Logan you’d been playing a dangerous game that had almost caused you to lose him before he was even yours. But now that things had settled down and the danger had passed, the two of you had picked up the teasing games. Only now they were lighter, more fun, and no matter what, both of you always won. You swallowed hard. Two can play at this game, Logan. “You’re right,” you said, forcing some stability back into your voice as you resumed stirring the pot, his arms still around you, tongue still traveling up the helix of your ear, fingers tracing patterns on your abdomen. “You need to go shower if you don’t want to catch a cold.”
He groaned as his teeth grazed the top of your ear. “You need to be stirring that right now? Or do you want to join me?”
No. Yes. Let’s go. You propped the wooden spoon against the side of the hefty stock pot and turned in his grasp, feeling him loosen his hold. He was looking down at you through long lashes, lips parted as his tongue darted out to catch a droplet of water. You reached up to push a wet strand of hair away from his forehead, raking your fingernails gently along his hairline. His eyes narrowed as your other hand came up to the sparse smattering of dark brown hair on his chest, climbing up to the hollow of his throat. He let out a slow breath before he took your wrist, wrapping his long fingers around it easily and brought it up to lay a kiss to the inside. “Go shower, Logan,” your voice was soft through your smile. “I’ll be right here when you get back.” And you’re gonna love what I’ve got in mind.
He leaned forward, one cupping the back of your neck, the other still stroking your wrist. His lips found the top of your cheek, pressing a light kiss there as a clap of thunder shook the cabin. “Quickest. Shower. Ever.” he promised, his words reverberating against your rapidly flushing skin. He spun away then, and you felt yourself follow him as though there was an invisible string connecting his chest to yours. There is.
“Logan?” You called after him, biting your bottom lip. He looked over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised questioningly, his smirk illuminated by the lightning that crept in through the cracks in the shutters. “Tick, tock.”
He shook his head, laughing under his breath as you turned back to give the pot another stir. He disappeared into the bedroom, and you promptly turned the burner down to a simmer, closing the lid on the pot to keep the heat in. Crossing the kitchen, you opened the junk drawer and pulled out a small box with cards and poker chips in it, bringing it and the lantern over to the table. Once you heard the pipes shudder signalling the start of the shower, you slipped your sweatpants off and pulled your shirt-Logan’s, really- over your head, leaving both articles along with your underwear in a pile. You gave it a kick, stowing it all under the table before sitting down to shuffle the cards. Let’s play a game, cowboy. The lightning flashed again with a tear of thunder right on top as you flicked the well used playing cards between your nimble fingers, bridging and caging them until they were as mixed up as your mind whenever Logan looked at you. Dealing out two hands and distributing some chips, you crossed your legs, waiting for him to come back.
Logan was true to his word about the length of his shower, coming back only minutes later wearing the warmth of the water and a loose-fitting pair of flannel pants. “Told you I’d be qui-” he came through the doorway and stopped in his tracks, eyes widening at the sight of you completely naked, hiding your face behind a fan of playing cards. “Oh...fuck…” You smirked at the surprise in his tone and lowered the cards to the table. “What’s this now?” he asked, completely intrigued and absolutely turned on. The sound of the rain picking up and the wind howling down the chimney filled the quiet room.
You shrugged as he recovered, coming to sit across from you at the table. “Well,” you said, tabeling your cards face down so he couldn’t see your hand. “See I was bluffing when we met, Logan.” You shrugged as he licked his lips, using one hand to swipe his long hair back. “I don’t know how to play poker. So I thought you could teach me.” You pulled your shoulders back, showing off your chest and throat.
You heard his breath become labored. “And...you thought the best way to learn was…” he gestured to your naked form, eyes running up and down every inch of you.
You laughed, throwing him a wink, enjoying every minute. “Every time I’ve asked you to teach me you’ve suggested strip poker.” You rolled your eyes. “So I stripped. Now, can we get to the poker?”
His sigh came out in the form of a growl. “How the hell am I gonna teach you how to play cards when you’re sitting there like that, huh? How’m I gonna look at you and keep my hands off you?” He reached across the table for your hand, but you quickly scooped up your cards, one cheek climbing up your face at his groan.
“I bet you can, Logan.” You winked at him. “Now, should we make some wagers?” You picked up a few chips and tossed them into the center of the table, the plastic clinking together.
“You’ve got a lot of faith in me,” he smirked, picking up his own hand, but you knew he wasn’t looking at his cards; that he had no idea if his hand was full of aces or spades or queens or diamonds.
“I do, Logan.” The room filled with electric blue light as another bolt tore the sky and found its way through the slats around the windows.
To Logan’s surprise, he actually talked you through a couple hands of poker, though he hardly peeled his eyes away from you, groaning every time you leaned forward to drop chips into the pile, or adjusted the position of your legs. About halfway through the game, your pile of chips waning and his growing substantially, the inevitable happened. With the loudest crack of thunder and the brightest bolt of lightning, the lights blinked out and you were left with just the glow of the lantern.
“Power’s out,” you spoke the obvious, leaning in to keep the game going by the gentle glow of the lantern.
But Logan had other plans. He dropped his cards carelessly, some of them landing on the table, others falling to the floor. “Sure is,” he stated, reaching for the knob to turn the lantern off. “And now I don’t have to look at you like that without doin this,” in one fluid movement, he was on his feet and around the table, dropping to his knees to take your waist in one hand and your face in the other. You felt your stomach flip as he crashed his mouth to yours hungrily. “All bets are off now, sweetheart,” he growled, lips locked to yours and tongue slipping into your mouth as another flash of lightning threw light against his skin, your skin, the cards on the table and the floor. He pulled you to him, standing with your body pressed tightly to his own, kissing you like he had that first night back in the park, back when you were playing with one another. But he wasn’t playing now, and neither were you. You didn’t care if the roof was split by lightning. You didn’t care if a tree crashed through the wall or if hail broke through the windows. You didn’t care if you never got power back, or if the storm never ended. All you cared about, all Logan cared about, was the fact that you had one another, that you were locked together, that nothing would ever change.
.
Let me know if you’d like to be added or removed from the tags:
@something-tofightfor @its-my-little-dumpster-fire @suchatinyinfinity @agent-bossypants @lexxierave @thesumofmychoices @belladonnarey @ymariejp @obscurilicious @ms-delos @songtoyou @gollyderek @traeumerinwitzhelden @breanime @drinix
#logan delos#logan delos x you#logan delos x reader#logan smooches#kiss prompts#smooch drabbles#logan westworld#oblivion#Simplify#i bet you can#a kiss in the kitchen#because of a bet#all bets are off#these two and their lightning zest
48 notes
·
View notes
Text
birthday
Nagito Komaeda has a birthday party.
Or: Author loves Nagito Komaeda with every bone in their body and insists on writing something for his birthday instead of working in class.
-----
The sunlight filters through the sheers on the window.
They barely do a good job to hide it, and instantly, he knew quite well that Izuru had opened the curtains when he awoke.
Sitting up in bed, he stretched his arms up above his head, slowly awakening as he rubbed his dull green eyes.
What’s today again?
Komaeda slips out of bed, legs wobbling underneath his weight as he was quick to get dressed. His normal white tee shirt, jacket, and a pair of shorts.
Shorts had become more normal for him to wear, to make his braces more accessible in case they needed adjusted, or just taken off entirely.
Speaking of braces, Komaeda began to put them on. One on each ankle, one over each knee. It’s minimal support, but it works well, and wearing them isn’t just embarrassing.
Running a brush through his fluffy and tangled white hair,Komaeda hopped down the stairs and into the kitchen, becoming face to face with a face. The hair made it look like Izuru’s, but the smile was Hajime’s.
“Good morning,” Hajime greeted, stepping out of the way of the doorway between in the entryway and kitchen, allowing Komaeda to pass through and sit at the table.
The clothes Hajime was wearing were Izuru’s, so he must’ve awoken as the other, and switched later. His dark brown hair is tied up in a messy bun, Hajime was never good with hair, though he also hated hair in his face.
Izuru must’ve left unexpectedly.
“Good morning,” Komaeda greeted, returning the smile, “Did Izuru eave unexpectedly?”
Hajime nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind his ear, “Yeah, he had something to do. He was up really early, and left immediately after he was done doing… Whatever he was doing, I don’t know.”
Komaeda nodded in return, “What’s today?”
“April 28th.”
Komaeda fell silent, Hajime didn’t not speak with months and days unless it was a special occasion.
“Your birthday?”
“... Oh,” he replied, a sheepish grin on his face as he nervously began to mess with his jacket.
“The others had something planned for you, upon Chiaki’s request,” Hajime added on, standing up from the table and going to make tea.
“Is her programming going well?” Komaeda asked.
“I’d assume so, Izuru is the absolute best at what he does,” the brunette answered, “He’s kinda frustrated with it, though. Sometimes we’ll accidentally switch, and I’ll end up with a hand full of hair…”
Nagito chuckled a bit, “Must be an interesting experience.
Hajime rolled his eyes, bringing a cup of tea to Nagito, beginning to walk away from the other when Nagito grabs his hand and brings him closer.
It’s silent as the white haired one carefully analyzing Hajime’s face.
Heterochromia, a red rim around his left eye, it’s been there since he’s been born, but other time as grown brighter.
Freckles, so, so many freckles. Too many for Komaeda to count. They litter his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, they’re a more golden color than Hajime’s skin tone.
And, of course, the scar. It’s a faint, red scar, it looks like stitches. It disappears into Hajime’s hairline, but Komaeda knows well that it traces all around his head. You can just barely feel it if you run your hands through his hair.
“Komaeda?”
“Sorry,” he responds, letting go of Hajime’s hand and turning away.
The brunette only smiles, and presses a kiss to the other’s cheek as he checks his phone.
“Hey, we’re going swimming with the others.”
With some help and a little bit of packing, Hajime and Komaeda finally manage to get into the car and get ready to go. Komaeda helped to the best of his ability, grabbing his emergency hospital pack and packed snacks, while Hajime did most of the heavy lifting and putting stuff away. Once they were in the car, though, Izuru took over.
Hajime was… Not good at driving to say the least, he had almost crashed the car multiple times.
Izuru let his hair down and quickly brush his hair flat, and began to start of the car. He grabbed Komaeda’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze, then beginning to drive out to the beach.
Izuru was not one for conversations or greetings, he is probably the absolute worst at communicating of everyone Komaeda knows.
Somedays, Izuru won’t talk at all, but those are normally very bad days, the days where Izuru is stuck out, and finds himself so overwhelmed, that he just goes nonverbal.
Nagito doesn’t like those days very much, Izuru is truly a joy to be around.
And seeing his happy is probably just god’s gift to the human race.
“Are you okay?” Nagito asks, and Izuru nods.
“I apologize, I left the curtains open this mor-”
“Don’t apologize for that,” Komaeda said with a snicker, “Rough night?”
“You could say that,” he replied, “I couldn’t go back to sleep around 4 AM, so I just worked on Chiaki’s coding. I had intending on being out until you awoke, but…”
“You got upset?”
“I was about to melt down, and I’m sure you didn’t want to awake to that,” Izuru replied, “I had our little come out, and she made breakfast, and switched to Hajime.”
“Aah, so you’ve had an interesting morning,” Nagito replied, and he nodded.
“Yes, I suppose so,” answered the other, “Though most things I do are interesting to you.”
Nagito shrugs as Izuru parks the car, beginning to tie up his hair again and put on his sunglasses. Komaeda hops out of the car.
In a distance, Hiyoko stands on the picnic table, dancing while Ibuki plays some song very horribly on a plastic recorder, with Mahiru yelling some sort of lyrics that Komaeda couldn’t quite make out. Peko was sat on the table next to Hiyoko, a red faced Fuyuhiko on her shoulder, asleep with sunglasses on.
“Hope he wore sunscreen,” Izuru piped up from behind Komaeda, a lunch bag over his shoulder, “We should get going.”
Komaeda nodded, taking Izuru’s hand and letting him lead the other towards the others. Now closer, Komaeda could tell that Mahiru was yelling the lyrics to Fireflies, and Ibuki was playing along to the song. He watched Ibuki slowly sneak up on the sleeping Kuzuryuu and play a very loud and out of toon note, the blonde startling awake and glaring at Mioda.
Izuru winced at the noise.
“Hey, what the fuck was that for?” Fuyuhiko called out, hopping up and beginning to go off on Ibuki as she continued playing on the recorder, and Peko watched with a smile before turning to Komaeda and waving.
“Hey, happy birthday.”
“Oh, uh, thank you…” He stuttered out.
“Happiest day of birth, Nagito!” Sonia called out from the ocean, waving as she run up towards the crowd. Her hair was already wet, it appeared she was already out swimming or something.
“Oh, so the birthday boy arrived!” Hiyoko called out, hopping down off the table, it appears she didn’t notice Nagito during her dancing.
Kazuichi had snatched Izuru away from Komaeda, to talk about something to do with Chiaki’s new body. The two were sat in the open truck of Kazuichi and Gundham’s car, robot pieces and animal fur scattered about the floor of it. Akane and Nekomaru were already setting up a volleyball net and game, something Komaeda new he probably wouldn't have the strength to participate in unless he wanted to snap his ankle in half.
Gundham was sat on the beach with his hamsters, Sonia beside him with her surfboard pushed aside, helping him build a little sandcastle for the hamsters. Her hair was tied up similar to Izuru’s, it was braided and twisted into a bun. Komaeda had seen Izuru with such a hairstyle a couple of times.
Mikan was setting up a separate table for food with some help from Peko, who had gotten up at some point, and Komaeda once again didn’t notice.
Twogami hasn’t shown up quite yet.
Komaeda took a seat on the bench as Mahiru pitched up the umbrella, then sitting beside Komaeda to watch Hiyoko hop into Ibuki and Fuyuhiko’s fight, watching Hiyoko push Fuyuhiko into the water, who tripped over, grabbed Ibuki’s hand, and took her down with him. Hiyoko stood laughing, before Fuyuhiko kicked out one of her legs and had her tumble down into the ocean as well.
Mahiru smiled and chuckled, then turning to Komaeda, “Hey, are you 24 this year?”
“I think so,” Komaeda responded, shrugging, “I stopped keeping track after the project.”
“Well, once Chiaki is all up and ready, we’ll figure it out,” Mahiru responded, “Naegi and co left data files of us from the Neo World Project here upon Izuru’s request to place into Chiaki’s coding. She should know what year it is.”
“Hopefully,” Komaeda said with a smile, “It feels like we’ve lived here our whole lives.”
“Yeah, it does,” answered the redhead, her head snapping back over to Hiyoko as she heard the little one call out her name.
“Mahiruuuuuuu!” She cried out, desperately trying to get seaweed out of her hair.
“Coming!” Mahiru responded, getting up and running over to the little blonde,
Ibuki and Fuyuhiko had left the ocean Ibuki now running over to Mikan to help her and Peko set up the lunch table.
Komaeda turns his head to see another car pull up, one he had recognized as Twogami’s, the blonde hopping out of the car.
Despite the, living on Jabberwock for years now, Twogami still keeps up with their disguises. They switch them up every other week or so, and today, they were Togami.
They took a lunch bag out with them to the table, dropping it off with Mikan, Ibuki, and Peko, and then going to join Kazuichi and Izuru.
Izuru had left the conversation not long after, though,his hair down once again with little braids in it. It was a habit that Kazuichi had picked up when around Izuru, he liked braiding the other’s hair. He approached Komaeda, pressing a kiss to his forehead as a greeting.
“We should go swimming,” Nagito said with a smile.
“Do you want to?”
“Why would I ask if I didn’t?”
Izuru shrugged, nervously glancing to the side as Nagito hopped up and dragged Izuru back over to the dock by the shore, glancing back to the other every now and then. Sometimes, Nagito wondered how Izuru even dealt with his hair, it got everywhere, it was sometimes just such an inconvenience to him.
But then again, Izuru is not in it for convenience. Inconvenience means unusual, something to do.
Nagito paused at the edge of the dock, sitting down on the edge and beginning to take off his braces, setting them behind him, as he looked up at Izuru.
“Hey, come here!”
Compliant, Izuru sat down on the dock edge beside Komaeda as he leaned his head on the other’s shoulder, taking off Izuru’s sunglasses and putting them on himself.
“You know, you don’t have to pretend to be emotionless.”
“I’m… not…”
“Izuru Kamukura, I’ve known you since we were teenagers,” Nagito insisted, “You are far from emotionless, I know you’re excited.”
“I request proof of that?” Izuru said with a smile.
“You were talking to Kazuichi and I watched you stop yourself from happy flapping!” Komaeda answered, “As if Kazuichi doesn’t want Sonia do that all the time.”
Izuru blushed and looked to the side, “Look, I have my reas-”
And with that, Komaeda pushed Izuru into the water with a laugh, hearing some sort of startled noise from the other as he fell into the water.
Within a few moments, the long haired male emerged from the water, hair covering his entire face. He looked like some sort of seaweed monster, before he brushed it back and began to quickly tie it up.
“Did you think that was funny? This’ll be ten times as funny,” he said, and Komaeda quickly noticed the shift between Izuru and Hajime’s tone, as Hajime took a hold of the other’s waist and pulled him into the water with a grin, followed by Komaeda’s thrashing and giggling.
After the thrashing and some sort of a splash fight between Hajime and Komaeda, they both dried off, Komaeda got his braces back on, and went back over to the others.
Sonia helped Hajime put his hair up into a hairstyle similar to hers, and Twogami seemingly produced a cake out of nowhere
They had lunch, a picnic lunch, filled with various different things.
Mahiru placed the candles on the cake, four green and white ones.
The others gather around and begin to sing, and by the end of the song, Nagito finds himself crying.
24, huh?
About 17 years now since he lost everything.
Not that he really had it in the first place.
The candles remain burning as Komaeda covers his face in his hands and continues to sob.
Everyone is quiet in shock, nervously glancing around to try and figure out what to do.
“I… I wasn’t supposed to, to live this l… oonng…” He whined out.
He was supposed to have died about 9 years ago, and he found himself looking forward to that day.
To finally become a stepping stone, or whatever the fuck he believed at the time.
His thoughts stop as He feels a pair of warm hands hug him tightly, his head now on Hajime’s shoulder.
“Hey, hey, you were supposed to live this long. Everyone lives for a reason. You escaped your own death more than once! That’s amazing, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is! Very remarkable!” Sonia called out, joining in on the hug.
One by one, everyone joined the hug, until Komaeda was out of tears, unable to feel anything but happiness.
I wish… That my friends and family live good, long, and happy lives.
The wind blows out his candles, and carries his wish to wherever it going.
Happy birthday, Nagito Komaeda, the wind whispers back, happy birthday.
#fanfiction#danganronpa nagito#danganronpa headcanons#danganronpa komaeda#danganronpa fanfiction#danganronpa#komaeda x kamukura#komaeda x hinata#komaeda nagito#komahina#nagito komaeda#hinata#hajime hinata#komaeda x izuru#izuru x nagito#danganronpa izuru#izuru kamukura#writblr#writers on tumblr#writer#writing
115 notes
·
View notes
Text
Beach day in Busan (OT7 x Reader/Fluff)
Words: 3,9k
Pairing: OT7 x Reader
Genre: One-shot / Friendship
Warning: Probably some cursing
Summary: The boys surprised the reader with a visit to Busan and one of its beaches. It takes no time for mischief to arise.
‘’Last one in is a rotten egg!!!!’’ I shout on the top of my lungs already grinning widely, as I proceeds to quickly tug off Jungkook’s t-shirt that he lent me which I was using as a “beach dress” as it’s big enough to cover me till my upper knees.
This is all the boys’ idea, let me clarify it at first. I’ve lived near the sea all my life, and moving to Seoul was a difference. I mean there is the Han river, but there’s nothing quite like the sea and summer time where you can just cool down in it. The boys noticed, my lack of motivation for anything and this weekend organized to go to Busan. It’s a nice 3 to 4-hour drive if the traffic isn’t that bad. Jin drove most of the time, until suspiciously Jimin switched to the front seat when we were past Daegu. Then it all became obvious where we were going.
We stopped at a hotel that Namjoon booked for us to change. They had it all covered, bringing beach towels, and even gear. Hoseok was sneaky enough to get me my bikini and everything I would need that I left behind thinking that we were going to a location, as they told me they had a work day and would take me with then to ease the hard day ahead.
But instead of watching them from the sidelines I led the way with Jimin and Jeongguk who led the way towards a more secluded beach area. Not a lot of people to pay attention to us luckily.
And the moment we stopped everyone was in action settling down towels to lie on comfortably instead of the hot sand, while some set the giant umbrellas up (on the boy’s demand because I don’t really care about shade) others getting comfortable. But it was finally the moment I’ve been waiting for since I’ve learned where we were going to.
‘’There’s no need to rush…you’re going to trip!!’’ Yoongi speaks up as I struggle with the shorts, trying to kick them off.
‘’Rush! Fast, fast!!!’’ I cheer instead noticing the amused and surprised expressions. Namjoon is smiling as he looks at me, Yoongi shakes his head not giving any indication of taking of the ridiculous long sleeve shirt he put on. Jin is struggling with the umbrella as Jeongguk is staring at me ready to say something but changes his mind, while Taehyung and Hobi are settling the other umbrella, meanwhile Jimin is staring up grinning widely.
Stumbling almost over I reach up to cup my boobs quickly making sure everything is in place ‘’Aha.’’ I cheer quietly finally kicking off the shirts onto Hoseok’s towel. I’ll pick and fold the clothes later.
‘’Okay sunscreen time Y/N come here…’’ Jin announces having finished with the umbrella. He turns to me cheerfully dusting his hands, while I’m snorting in reply and tug the elastic band from my hair letting them lose ‘’Young lady.’’ He starts teasingly making me show him my tongue as I start to back away teasingly. Yet it bumps into something, and there’s suddenly Yoongi there stopping me in my tracks.
‘’How immature can you be?! Are you seriously going too…’’ he stars but I lean up giving him a peck on the check and ducking past him, rushing away. I can’t help but to laugh, as I break into a proper run gripping my boobs. I ignore the stares I’m getting and still turn around stopping enough so I’m walking backwards grinning widely at the stunned boys ‘’COME ON!!’’ I shout in English waving my arm, before turning around not waiting on they’re response.
Finally, my feet reach the shore and the sea. I shriek laughing at how cool the water actually is. Nobody of other people are in the water, they’re just enjoying sitting on the shallow parts. But I don’t slow down I go straight ahead laughing as it feels freezing against my skin the water splashing around me. When I’m mid tight in I slow down for a moment.
‘’Y/N-ah!!!!’’ glancing back with my arms raised and in fists I grin as I look at Taehyung that’s apparently been sent to get me ‘’Come back you need to put sunscreen on!!’’ he tries in an encouraging way. Glancing back, I see the others Kookie and Jimin waving while Jin is putting sunscreen on Namjoon and Hobi is on Yoongi. I grin instead meeting Taehyung’s eyes his sunglasses on his head.
‘’Hear that?!’’ I switch to Korean to which my question confuses him as he glances around ‘’Mermaids!! They are calling me!! I need to go!!’’ I go dramatically starting to walk backwards and hiss as the water raises to my waist.
‘’No, come on don’t be…’’
‘’My love!!!’’ I shout dramatically turning around.
‘’Y/N…’’ but his shout gets lost as I take in a deep breath and grip my nose, then dive straight forward and underneath the slightly wavy sea. And yes, before you ask I lived near the sea I’m a great swimmer and I tried to learn to swim underwater without holding my nose, but some things in life don’t turn out the way you want to don’t judge me.
I hold my eyes closed for a moment as I shudder at the coolness. But then opening my eyes I can see the sand and how far ahead I am. So, with a few pushes I’m swimming forward, enjoying the cooling effect on my skin, and the many colors of the sun underneath the water.
I spot some fishes here and there, but the beach looks like it’s stretches ahead the sand consistent underneath me. I reach a point where I am standing and not touching the ground anymore. It’s at that point when I need air, so I go up resurfacing. And then there’s shouting again. I huff and blindly raise my head towards the sky, as I push away the water that’s dripping down my face. Blinking I turn around towards the beach confused at the shouting boys.
Jin is in panic, as he shouts at Jeongguk who’s in the water, along with Jimin looking around in confusion. I frown slightly noticing they’re dressed in t-shirt despite coming into the sea. I watch as Namjoon points towards me and Taehyung is off, sprinting and diving into the water like a pro swimmer; I think he’s swimming towards me. Because the others suddenly turn towards me too.
I give Jin and the others on the beach a confused look, raising my hand up in question. But then I notice someone swimming past the struggling Taehyung and before I can blink before me is Jeongguk breathless.
‘’Whoah! That was…’’ I falter for words as he stares at me trying to stay afloat ‘’You’re awesome!!’’ I cheer raising my hands up in triumph but then he’s right in my face, one arm hocking against my waist tugging me with him ‘’What are you doing?!’’ I rush clinging onto his shoulders trying not to sink underneath he surface.
‘’Noona you scared us!’’ he exclaims trying to glare at me while I stare at him puzzled, and swing my own legs around, then readjust my grip underneath his arm, as I start keeping us afloat. He’s still catching his breath, and gratefully leans onto me. Interesting recuse mission.
‘’Is she okay are you okay?! You aren’t drowning, are you?!’’ Taehyung rushes reaching us, Jimin silently coming to us too with a float worm underneath his arms. He looks adorable staring at us with big eyes.
‘’Drowning?!’’ I ask in proper cluelessness but tug Jeongguk with me, towards the shallow water ‘’I wasn’t drowning, what gave you that idea?!?’’ I go on glaring at Taehyung, as the maknae clings onto me still catching his breath.
‘’You were gone for so long!’’ Jimin speaks swimming on my left as he keeps his eyes onto me ‘’You disappeared and then you were gone for a while minute!!’’ he goes on to which I look surprised.
‘’A whole minute?!’’ I repeat ‘’Whoa lungs capacity got better.’’ I chuckle but nobody does the same, and then the maknae is straightening up, his arms switching around my waist ‘’I’m fine guys seriously, I didn’t drown or go drown myself, I’m a good swimmer… arrggg…’’ I shout as I’m suddenly being lifted up. The youngest lifted me in a way, that has my legs to raise up while my face and whole head submerges underneath the surface for a moment. But it’s enough for my body to react by inhaling through my nose and mouth the salty water burning down my throat. When I resurface Jimin is at my side, his hands on my shoulders as he tries to prop me up as I cough.
‘’Pabo!! Let her down I’m going to carry her…’’
‘’You’re both idiots let me!!’’ Taehyung attempts my arm being pulled up while I have my eyes squinted shut, as I try to spit the water from my mouth, my hair flattened over my face.
‘’I have her, stop it…’’Jeongguk goes on tugging me away, but the two remain persistent tugging at me Jimin still thankfully holding me up as I’m basically being held over Jeongguk’s shoulder.
‘’STOP!!!’’ I shout angrily, as I try to prop myself over his clothed back, while the older boys let go of me for a moment as I spit the salty water from my mouth letting out a groan. I feel gentle fingers trace over my face removing some hair away. Reaching up I just rub my face and finally open my eyes as I push the water from my face.
‘’I’d appreciate if you put me down.’’ I speak up trying to prop myself up which isn’t working ‘’Why are you wearing shirts?!’’
‘’Why aren’t you?!’’ Taehyung speaks up making me raise my eyebrows as Jeongguk goes to readjust me, but doesn’t let me go. He just takes a hold of me bridal style.
‘’He doesn’t mean it like that Noona because you look…’’ Jimin starts his eyes drifting down, my body. It just so happens that I have my arms crossed underneath my breasts to which Jeongguk is looking straight ahead. I’d smirk under normal circumstances and tease him and the others but now I put on an angry act instead.
‘’Yeah sure Jimin-ah. Yah let me go!’’ I try again, pushing away at Jeongguk’s arms and chest, but he’s putting his attention back onto me his hold getting more secure.
‘’No.’’ he says simply and then turning around he starts to walk towards the shore as I trash in his hold.
‘’No but whyyyy?!?’’ I whine loudly ‘’I want to go swimming!!!’’ I try again, reaching towards Taehyung and Jimin who trail behind us with smiles ‘’Traitors!!!’’ I go on glaring ‘’Why can’t I enjoy myself!!’’ I go on finally stopping to fight when we leave the water completely. I just sag into Jeongguk’s hold ‘’This is unfair.’’ I grumble making him chuckle.
‘’You’re acting like Jin hyung.’’ The maknae teases to which I reply by show him my tongue.
‘’Finally.’’ Yoongi comments ‘’How long does it take to bring her over here?! And it takes three of you to do so!!!’’ he gives the boys a pointed look, while I cross my arms, letting Jeongguk drop me down under the biggest umbrella, next to the rapper that raises his eyebrow at me.
‘’Not my fault she acts like Jin hyung!! She’s stubborn!’’ Jeongguk goes on chuckling at my expression once he’s satisfied with me staying still.
‘’She’s right here!’’ I point out, attempting to reach after the youngest boy but then a towel is dropped over me, hands working over my sides.
‘’Seriously, you’re such a pest.’’ Yoongi comments the towel pulled down enough for me to see he’s the one patting me dry.
‘’I’m a simple girl, I just want to go swim.’’ I pout as I look at him. He glances at me, and the proceeds to drop the towel a cream replaced in his hands.
‘’You need to think with your head for once.’’ He mumbles as I drop my hands at my sides and glare ahead at Namjoon who’s reading a book under an umbrella. The others are settled in the shades as well, the maknaes reapplying they’re sun creams.
‘’Why are you all so afraid of the sun?!’’ I blur out as I hold my arms up Yoongi’s slim fingers, working the sun screen over every inch of my skin ‘’Because I’ve never in my life put sunscreen on for myself.’’ I go on surprising him for a moment, as he goes to squeeze some more of the liquid onto his palm.
‘’Are you trying to get skin cancer or something?!’’ he blurs out making me frown as I turn to him once more from watching the bickering younger boys.
‘’You’re exaggerating. I used to be so tan when I was little.’’ I go on ‘’I had freckles, my hair was bright on its own. My skin was clear because of the sea water. When we lived in the city, I went out to the beach every day or played in the streets. And I never had to put sunscreen on.’’
He remains silent, as he works onto turning me around and his hand settle over my back. I sigh reaching behind to undo the back of my bra.
‘’What are you doing?!’’ he rushes grabbing onto my hands.
‘’Isn’t it obvious?!’’
‘’You can’t get naked here!’’ he hisses trying to pry my hands away, but all I do is undo the strings ‘’Y/N!!’’ he half exclaims, as I reach forward his hands on my wrists and bring my legs up, but hold my hands over my breasts.
‘’I’m not getting naked you ass, I’m not that confident.’’ I go on stubbornly as my hands cup my boobs properly ‘’Put the damn cream on. Aish you’re pissing me off.’’ I mutter the last part glaring ahead at the sea. I feel another pair of hands, running through my hair, and glancing up its Hoseok silently, tugging my hair together into a pony tail. I just sigh as Yoongi works over my back. But I look at the dancer who goes to settle himself next to me.
‘’We’re just trying to look out for you.’’ He speaks genuinely, his hand resting over my knee patting it. I lean to the side, and look up at him at his small encouraging smile. I sigh turning forward again. How I wish I could again just rush in, and stay underwater for a while. The whole purpose of coming here is for me to be in the sea and just let go. Have fun, but also think a few things through in the water. That is in fact how I came up with some major life choices; always in a body of water.
Silently Yoongi’s fingers slip over my own, so I let go of the strings that he proceeds to tie together while silently I reach for the tube, that he hands to me. I proceed to, spread the cream over my chest, still hating the fact that I have to do this. I really hate sun cream. Sighing I move to my belly and glance up at the boys all looking calm, and resting for a change nobody actually speaking up not even Jimin or Tae. They’re leaning against each other, glasses on Jimin reading a comic strip while Tae is going through his phone. Jungkook is playing something on his Nintendo while Jin is hovering over him from time to time commenting something. Namjoon is still very much focused on his book. Glancing back Yoongi is relaxed, eyes closed as he lays next to me on the free part of the towel. And then there’s Hobi still next to me; but he has a notebook on his lap and writes something now and then down.
Stretching my legs out, I spread the cream finally and then close the cap happily. But I quickly read the back of the tube, frowning as I have to stay outside for more than 15 minutes. Throwing it to the side, I proceed to stretch out, and then readjust the bra on myself glancing down and at my stomach. I poke at my belly smirking to myself. Eh who needs the gym, winter is in one month meaning all the hoodies I can wear!!!! Glancing up I catch Hoseok staring at me with a small smile.
‘’What?!’’ I ask him, as he proceeds to turn to his notebook, and writes something down ‘’Whaatttt?!’’ I whine leaning onto him, and look down recognizing only three words before groaning again letting myself lean onto him completely ‘’Not fair.’’ I reply making him chuckle, as I slid over his front, and into his lap, covering the notebook preventing him to write anything else down. Of course, he’s writing in hangul. I may speak Korean but reading is still a struggle.
‘’You know multiple languages that’s not fair either.’’ He goes on, tugging his hands from underneath me and settles them over my back proceeding to write.
‘’Still…’’ I grumble his only reply is chuckle and smile, before he’s writing down even more than before. But I remain leaning over his lap, my hands now in the sand, as I try to push it together for it only to fall apart. Turning my head to the right I can see the extra backpack, of things the boys brought. I catch sight of neon yellow flippers. Raising an eyebrow, I turn to the boys once more but the situation is unchanged. They must be tired to lack enthusiasm; because we are in fact on the beach. So, I close my eyes for a few moments, and just rest there, before raising up, Hoseok letting me and watching me curiously.
‘’Mixtape stuff?’’ I ask leaning onto his shoulder as I continue to look down at the symbols that fill out most of the page. He hums back pencil stopping as he rolls it between his fingers.
‘’I’m trying.’’ He admits with a slight frown to which I glance up at him, reaching up to run my hand through his hair. He closes his eyes and lets his head fall to the side, as my fingernails run gently over his scalp. He hums contently.
‘’I’m sure it’s amazing already.’’ I add ‘’From what I can see you got the basics down right?!’’ his eyebrows scrunch up ‘’Okay no more talk about that. Relax Hobi. Relaxation time!!!’’ I try as he sighs frustrated and opens his eyes glaring at the paper.
‘’I’m fine.’’ He replies back, as I straighten up and take in a deep break.
‘’Sure.’’ I snap sarcastically his eyes on me ‘’Just take it easy okay??’’ I try and run my finger gently over his cheek while shifting onto my knees ‘’Don’t force it. Just…do whatever you feel like. From the heart, and soul.’’ I touch his heart, and then lift his chin up as I give him an encouraging smile.
‘’Now…’’ I speak up getting looks immediately ‘’I have sun screen on, been sitting here for 15 minutes more…can I go for a swim?!’’ I ask looking between the boys that remain silent ‘’I’m going.’’ I state with the lack of reply even from Jin and get up stepping onto the hot sand hissing ‘’Shit!’’ I laugh jumping into the shade. This earns myself smiles and chuckles of amusement ‘’S hot.’’ I complain and pull the bag with the swimming gear towards me.
‘’Then you should wait Y/N.’’ Namjoon says as I tug out the first pair of flippers to discover they’re probably Jin’s.
‘’Ha, no.’’ I reply finding another pair of yellow ones the number the smallest of the three pairs the boy’s bought earlier. Picking up a matching water mask, I straighten up glancing around. Everyone is pretty much in the shade, not even in the sea anymore ‘’I’m not going to drown, so no panic please.’’ I speak up, undoing the ponytail and handing the elastic band to Hoseok.
‘’Just wait an hour, then…’’ he starts but I’m stepping away.
‘’Love you!’’ I say teasingly and then proceed to curse as I jump ahead, breaking into a sprint again but this time for another reason ‘’Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…’’ I mutter under my breath, quickly reaching the water. Once my feet are submerged I sigh in relief turning around with a grin ‘’It’s nice!!’’ I shout getting curious looks. But again, I’m not going to convince them to come, if they don’t want to. I proceed to pull the flippers on, and walk backwards into the sea, it raising on me quickly. Spitting into my mask, I glance around the shore. Most of the people are actually looking at me. Damn. So, with that I turn around, as I spread the spit over the inside of the mask, and then place it over my head, eyes and nose.
Turning back, I wave at the boys, getting back a wave from Jimin, but they haven’t moved much.
‘’YEESSS BROOOO!!’’ I cheer as Jeongguk is up, along with Taehyung taking they’re own pairs of flippers and masks. I stare as they quickly make they’re way to the water.
‘’You big baby’s.’’ I tease them as they hesitantly enter the water this time, not panicking over my drowning. It was all adrenaline before. Raising my mask up I take a proper look at the two.
‘’Its cold Y/N!’’ Taehyung whines while Jeongguk is already underneath the water that reaching under his chin as he swims over to me.
‘’Cold like my heart?!’’ I cheer laughing at my own bad joke. Taehyung groans, while I hear clapping which I only assume is from Jin, but the sound gets interrupted as I grin cockily when Jeongguk just raises up and pushes my shoulders, causing me to sink underneath. I laugh at his reaction grabbing at his wrist. Of course, he now stands up but takes me up with him, as I have a strong grip.
‘’Ugh Noona…’’ he complains and stumbles backwards this time disappearing down, without a mask. I end up laughing but grab his hand properly tugging him up.
‘’Softie.’’ I coo and smirk as Taehyung frowning reaches us, but holds a go pro in his hand ‘’It’s not so bad is it?!’’ I point out smirking while the maknae is pushing the water from his face. I don’t even want to look at the scene, because wet Bangtan…you all know what I mean.
‘’Still cold.’’ He pouts turning the camera on as I laugh.
‘’You’ll get warm soon.’’ I reply ‘’The one who gathers the most shells wins.’’
‘’Wins what?’’ Jeongguk’s eyes sparkle immediately.
‘’A kiss on the cheek from Noona?’’ Taehyung proposes making me frown.
‘’I’m gonna end up wining how do I kiss myself?!’’
At this Jeongguk lets out a mocking laugh ‘’As if! We all know I’m winning.’’
‘’I don’t even know if it’s worth playing.’’ Tae grumbles.
‘’The one who wins buys pizza on movie night.’’ I state both of them nodding quickly.
‘’Deal!’’ the maknae cheers and slides his mask on, and suddenly dives underneath.
‘’Yahhh you brat you didn’t…’’ I cut my shout shirt and turn to Taehyung ‘’Can you believe…’’ and he’s off diving underneath. Raising an eyebrow unimpressed I slide the mask down again. I proceed to breath in and out before diving underneath. Time to explore.
*It’s safe to say that Jeongguk won the bet. And had Taehyung paying for the pizzas a week later as I got second place. Not a total loss for me, so I don’t got anything to complain. Sorry TaeTae.*
Copyright 2017© by barbika1508. All rights reserved.
#bts#ot7 x reader#bts taehyung#BTS jimin#BTS jin#BTS jungkook#bts namjoon#bts hoseok#bts yoongi#ot7#bts ot7#bts one shot#bts rm#bts friendship#bts fluff#bts fanfic#bts fanfction#BTS suga#bts jhope#BTS v
158 notes
·
View notes
Text
Silver and Gold
Chapter 15--All That Glitters
(AO3 ver.)
(Prologue Tumblr ver.; AO3 ver.)
Cole's POV
The screams of the team echoed in my head, and my eyes flew open before I shot up with a gasp, coughing up water afterwards.
“Easy,” Garmadon urged gently.
“What . . .” I skimmed over my surroundings. There was nothing but ocean and sky, and the dragon was floating in the water. “What happened?”
“Zane said the Leviathan found us before he disappeared,” Nya explained.
“Where’s everyone else?”
“We haven’t seen any signs of the others,” Misako answered.
“And Janet and Des?”
“Long gone, I presume,” Garmadon replied.
“The others must have been relocated,” Zane answered.
I slipped my hood off. “Then we better start looking for them.”
Sensei's POV
The darkness was the only thing I saw for a very long time, and the muffled sounds of the past events replayed in my mind. My eyes twitched open, and the high noon sun almost blinded me. Closing my eyes again, I slowly sat up as I opened my eyes once more to let them adjust to the sun. I heard crashing waves in front of me, so I could only assume we had washed up on the Dark Island.
Getting up with the help of my staff, I spotted Lloyd not far from me in his usual ninja attire. I briskly walked to him and felt his pulse. “Lloyd, wake up.”
He groaned and squeezed his already shut eyes tighter before sitting up. “Where are we?”
I looked to the forest behind me. “Not on the Dark Island.”
He got up and rubbed the back of his head. “Where’s the rest of the team?”
“They may either be on another side of this island, or on a different island entirely.”
“Let's hope they're on the other side. But hey! At least we can spend some quality uncle-nephew time, right?”
I patted his back with a smile. “Yes, that much is true.” With an arm behind me, I began to walk toward the dense-looking forest. “Come. We must find the others quickly.”
Jay's POV
Waves brushing up against the shore was the first thing I heard. Oh good! Land! Now we can figure out what Blake intends to do here. (You know without getting ourselves killed.)
I quickly had to shield my eyes from the sun, and when I sat up, I found myself on a nice beach. Yeah, I’m pretty sure the Dark Island has worse beaches than this one.
As I looked around, I couldn’t find anyone else nearby. Oh this is just great.
“Hello?! Anybody?!”
Nothing.
“Ugh, great. Now I’m stuck here by myself and—”
“Jay?”
Wait. I’d know that voice from anywhere! “Kai?! Over here!” I jogged down the beach and managed to pick out Kai's suit from where I was. “You find the others?!”
“No. Looks like we’re the only ones here!” The two of us caught up to each other. “Think they might be on another island?”
“Oh who knows? The point is we’re stuck here with no way off this island.”
“Hey, I’m not too happy about being stranded here, either, but we might as well start figuring out where the others are.” He turned his back to me and headed for the forest. “Maybe they might be here, too.”
After looking around for a bit, I followed him on our trek into the forest. The air had this kind of foreboding feel to it. Something’s off around here, and I’m pretty sure I’m not going to like it.
“Call me crazy, but aren’t trees supposed to be . . . I dunno, not shiny?”
“We’ve only been on this piece of rock for a few minutes and you’re already going crazy.”
“Okay. Then explain how that trunk over there looks like bronze.”
Kai stomped to a stop and whirled around. “Jay, trees are not made of—”
His eyes flickered to the tree, and with a raised eyebrow he walked to it. He squinted hard at it, clearly not believing what he was seeing. To make absolutely sure, he knocked on the tree.
“You’re right . . .”
Our eyes travelled up the tree, and we practically marveled at the jade and emerald leaves. The sunlight caught in the emerald leaves casted millions of green dots all over the ground. I could even see amber flowers up there!
A red flash caught my eye, and I was immediately drawn to a garnet rose. "Woah-ho-ho, check this out, Kai! I can’t believe this!”
His attention was still glued to the canopy of leaves above us. “The whole island must be like this . . .”
More glittering drew my attention to the path ahead of us. In every direction you looked there were plants of all kinds in every precious gem, stone, and metal you could think of: a bush of aquamarine and pearl roses, a tree littered with gold orchids, everything! Even the sand had gold particles in it! Gold—particles!
“Aw this place is unbelievable! Think of all the stuff I could invent with these things!”
Across from me I spotted a ruby rose paired with a sapphire one. I practically darted toward them and plucked them out of the ground, and I marveled at the way they captured the light when I turned them. I bet Nya would love these!
I heard Kai finally start moving in a dazed way, and I turned around to see him locked onto a group of topaz tiger lilies. He squatted down to examine them a little more, and his hand slowly reached out to pick one . . .
His fingers curled, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he turned his head. Abruptly he stood up and walked off. “All right let’s get back on track. The sooner we find the others the sooner we can get off this island.”
Sensei's POV
We have washed up on a forbidden island whose name I have long forgotten. Nothing was as it seemed here, and I only hope that the others are careful should they be here.
“Hey these are pretty cool,” Lloyd commented. He placed his hands on his knees to analyze silver and gold pansies and tulips. “Really . . . cool . . .” As if caught in a trance, he reached out to them.
“Don't, Lloyd!"
My nephew jerked his hand away and stood up immediately.
“This is a forbidden island. We cannot disturb anything here. If we do there will be dire consequences.”
“What kind of dire consequences, exactly?”
“If you want to find out, then pick one.”
Lloyd hardly needed a second to answer. “I uh, I don’t think I wanna take any chances.”
“Then let us keep searching.”
Nya’s POV
“They have to be around here somewhere,” I said. The sun had begun to set, and we haven’t found any sign of the others or heard from the falcon. “Who knows where they went?”
“Look!” Misako exclaimed. The rest of us spotted the falcon flying back to us.
“Eh hello? Can anyone hear me?”
“We hear you, Father,” Zane replied, and the mechanical bird landed on the earth head. “Have you found the others?”
“Well, uh, not exactly, but I did find an island they could be on. It may be a bit of a long journey, but I think there’s a good chance they just might be there.”
“Lead us there,” Garmadon said. “Who knows how much distance those three have made?”
Blake's POV
Janet glanced over her shoulder at her sister, who was still recovering from the stunt she had pulled earlier.
“Are we there yet?” Des breathed. The three of us dropped dangerously, and I could see Janet straining to keep us steady. Up ahead was a patch of land speedily approaching us.
“Just a little more . . .” I said, resting a hand on her forearm.
I felt us slowing down and speeding up repeatedly like a train climbing a steep set of tracks.
“A little more . . .”
Just when I thought we were going to splash down, we dropped onto solid ground. Spitting out sand, I pushed myself up, the Gold Ninja breathing heavily beside me. Off to my right was a shipwreck that seemed long since abandoned. Huh . . .
“Stay here. You’ve both done enough for today.”
None of them protested as I got to my feet to inspect the tainted ship. As expected, there was no sign of animal life—only the waves against the dark beach filling the silence.
Approaching the ship, I ran my hand against the prow. The eyes of the dragon head were empty, desolate—just like the rest of the vessel. The sail was battered and torn, and several spots of the deck were in splinters. The glass windows of the bridge were entirely gone, but the wheel was still intact. Dead screens inside were cracked along with an almost untouched control panel. Sand even littered various sections of the ship. Whoever owned this ship must’ve crashed here, and there’s no doubt her crew is long since dead.
“Must’ve been a cool ship.”
I turned my head slightly at the sound of footsteps. Moments later Des appeared at my side. “Des, you’re supposed to be resting.”
“I can do that later. Now what are we supposed to do?”
Calmly, I faced her and placed my hands on her shoulders. “I want you to rest. Okay? Especially since you used all of that power. There’s nothing I want more than destroying those Ninjas with you, but there’s no point in doing that if you don’t have all of your strength.”
She tilted her head at me, a trace of a smile on her lips. “All right. I will—if you tell me what we’re supposed to do.”
“Persistent, aren’t you?”
Des smirked in accomplishment.
Sighing, I started to walk back to the shoreline. Passing Janet, my fingers brushed against Des’s, and surprisingly she hooked her fingers onto mine. My head twitched down to our hands in slight surprise, and she was quick to let go. Shoving what that tiny moment brought aside, we came to the shallowest part of the shoreline, and she mirrored me as I squatted down.
“You see how this part of the shore is darker than the rest of it? This is where you really get your power from—the Dark Waters. Once you get control of it, you'll be able to manipulate and corrupt any water that's around, even in people, making you more powerful.”
“Huh. Sounds good to me.”
Both of us stood up, and she got into her position. Concentrating on the inky water, it remained as still as ever for the longest time until slowly, it began to rise up like molasses. As soon as she had it, the water plopped back down. Easily getting frustrated, she tried again. The water rose a bit more than last time, but she couldn't hold it for more than a few seconds. She growled in frustration.
“It just takes practice. You'll get it.”
She kept her eyes on the water, crossing her arms. “I bet I can get it before they get here.”
“Get some rest first.”
“Uh hello? What about me?” Janet asked, now sitting up.
I couldn’t help smiling. “You, have the most important job. But you’ll be preparing for that in the morning. For now, rest.”
That light was going out whether it likes it or not, and nothing is going to stop me.
Zane's POV
We had landed on the island the falcon had found by nightfall, and the dragon was more than exhausted.
“That jungle looks like it goes in pretty deep,” Nya stated. “They could be anywhere on this island.”
“This is the Island of Forbidden Riches,” Garmadon said. “Nothing is to be disturbed here, no matter how tempting it is.” Cole, Nya, and I exchanged looks.
“Let's hope Jay didn't touch anything.”
Illuminating myself to provide light, we entered the forest with the dragon following close behind.
“Sensei? Lloyd? Anyone?” Cole called.
Garmadon was right—these plants were made of actual riches, and they appeared exceedingly tempting. The vegetation that caught my light provided for an extremely coaxing appearance.
“So, any idea where to start?”
“We could start by making camp,” Misako suggested. “We're going to need all our strength if we're to survive here. There are untold beasts here that guard each of the four sides of the island.”
“Well that certainly adds some charm to this place,” Nya replied with little enthusiasm.
Eventually we had come across a pair of tall peridot plants large enough to shield all of us.
“You did good today, boy,” Cole said. “Now go get some rest. You earned it.”
Without question the dragon settled down as I took my place outside of our shelter, dimming my light.
“I hope we can find the others before Blake, Janet, and Des get to the Dark Island. Judging by the looks of this place, this island is pretty huge. It'll take us days to find them!”
“Days that we don’t have,” Garmadon added. “We’ll need to be up extra early in order to find the rest of the team.”
(First chapter) (Next chapter) (Previous chapter)
#Ninjago#Jay#Cole#Zane#Kai#Nya#Lloyd#Sensei Wu#Garmadon#Misako#Dr. Julien#Destiny the Silver Ninja#Janet the Gold Ninja#Blake the Overlord's successor#Zane's falcon#Ultra Dragon#The Dark Island#Island of Forbidden Riches#Destiny's Bounty#dark matter#Ninjago--Silver and Gold
2 notes
·
View notes
Note
53? Pls
53. Take off your shirt.
AU and totally OOC (Aaron as a masseuse wtf am I doing!) but I’ve spentthe day at a spa so indulge me okay?
“Robert Sugden?”It came from behind him, where he was sitting inthe small waiting room of the resort’s Spa centre.He’d been expecting a female voice, if he washonest, but he soon reminded himself to avoid stereotyping and to be just ascomfortable with a man doing his massage.He stood up and turned to signal his whereaboutsto his therapist, struck immediately by the sight of the man standing by thereception desk, looking in his direction.“Mr Sugden?” The man asked, holdinghis gaze, and Robert’s voice seemed to betray him as he failed to get the wordsout to confirm his identity.
It’s just that he wasn’t sure he could concentrate on anything with thisman stood before him.He might have been the most attractive manRobert had ever seen. His eyes were blue - bright blue, under the LED lights ofthe spa’s tranquil waiting room - and yet his features were dark and rugged;his hair cut short with a patch of fluffy curls styled minimally on top, andstubble covering the bottom half of his face. He looked slightly out of placein such a delicate setting - the spa being located at the quiet end of theisland resort, set up in a wooden row of huts on stilts above the calming sea -and yet he looked confident in his surroundings in a way that only came withexperience. Robert knew he was staring - knew he’d taken fartoo long letting his eyes linger up and down the man’s body, noticing the wayhis black uniform stretched over his muscular biceps - but Robert realised hecouldn’t find it in himself to hold back.“Follow me,” the man smirked back athim, knowingly, without Robert having to confirm who he was. He was the onlymale in the waiting area, and his therapist had clearly made a fair assumption.Robert followed the man out of the reception andalong the open air walkway above the sand below them, heading towards thetherapy rooms; his eyes fixed on the man’s delectable behind the whole way.He didn’t even realise he was licking his lips,until the man glanced back at him and he was forced to avert his gaze.“I’m Aaron, by the way. I’ll be doing yourmassage today,” the man introduced himself as they took a turning into oneof the therapy huts along the walkway.
(continues under the cut)
“Robert,” he replied, unsure if heshould be shaking Aaron’s hand, as if this was some sort of business meeting.“Yeah, I know,” Aaron smiledsarcastically. “I gathered that.”Robert smirked. A healthy amount of sass to goalongside the gorgeous face? His stomach was flipping.“So, you’re booked in for a full bodymassage?” Aaron asked, and Robert nodded in return.“Any allergies or sensitivities I should beaware of?”Robert coughed; unsure why the question set himoff kilter.Well, quite possibly it was that he could thinkof quite a few sensitive spots he’d like Aaron to be made aware of.“Nope,” he answered, despite himself.“Any areas you’d like me to focus on?”Damn, why was Robert able to twist everythingAaron was saying in his mind?“I, er….I hold a lot of stress in myshoulders,” Robert answered honestly, mind racing with the thought of thisman’s hands all over his body and which precise areas he did want him toactually focus on.“And what pressure do you like?”“I like it firm,” Robert replied,realising what he’d said straight away and breaking his eye contact with Aaronas he looked to the floor and smiled to himself.If he’d have had the nerve to hold Aaron’s gaze,he would have seen the brunette smiling back at him with the same knowing look.“Take off your shirt.” Robert glanced back up at Aaron, forgetting fora second that undressing was part of the deal with a massage, and hoping for asecond that there had been another reason for his demand.“As well as your shorts, but leave yourboxers on. Place yourself face down on the bed, head through the breathing holeand cover yourself with the towel. I’ll go outside whilst you get ready. I’llbe back in a minute or two.”Robert nodded, exhaling when the door closedbehind Aaron as he left the room. It was only then he took the time to look athis surroundings; to really take in the idyllic nature of it - the woodenslatted room sat on stilts above the lapping waves of the Indian ocean beneathhim; the side of the room facing the ocean was open air, the breeze lappingthrough the linen drapes that hungbefore the wooden slats on the balcony looking out to sea.Robert couldn’t help but wonder how a lad likeAaron came to work somewhere like this; he guessed he must have had somethingpretty big he was trying to get away from.Robert did as Aaron had asked and climbed uponto the massage bed, manoeuvring himself so that he was lying on his front,face pressed up against the ringed towel that had been arranged around thebreathing hole in the chair.Aaron knocked and made his way back in on Robert’sapproval; Robert listening on intently to try to track Aaron’s silent movementsaround the room as he lay face down on the massage bed.As he gazed through the hole in the bed that hisface was nestled into, he noticed the floor below the massage bed was made ofglass, and Robert could see the ocean lapping up against the rocks of the shorebeneath the stilted therapy rooms; tropical fish darting around in the push andpull of the waves beneath them.He couldn’t appreciate the paradise of it allthough, distracted all of a sudden by the sight of Aaron’s feet appearing intohis line of vision; simple black Havaianas; and he’d never had a particularthing for feet himself, but it was the sight of something Aaron that made his breath hitch in his throat.His condition only worsened when he felt thewarmth of Aaron’s hands against his back; slicked up with oil, lukewarm fromthe heat of the sun, tingling against the tinge of sunburn on Roberts back fromthe day before. Aaron applied the perfect amount of pressure as he let hishands run in circles around his shoulder blades; displaying to Robert his clearfinesse in his craft.Robert groaned helplessly under Aaron’s experttouch; feeling the tension disappear from his shoulders as Aaron worked away atthe knots of tension.“How’s that pressure?” Aaron askedquietly.“Perfect,” Robert positively purred inresponse.He wasn’t just talking about the massage.He’d never been in such a heightened state ofawareness during a massage, usually finding himself drifting off to sleep withthe relaxation of it all, but he found himself unable to do anything but tracethe path of Aaron’s hands as they travelled over his body; oil slicked and warmto his touch.Aaron finished concentrating on Robert’s backafter a short while, and made his way down to Robert’s legs; calves gettingattention first, and then the soles of his feet; before he worked his way up toRobert’s thighs.Robert sensed a slight hesitation as Aaron’shands travelled up his leg; sure he hadn’t imagined it; sure Aaron was feelingevery drop of the tension between them in that room.
Aaron slicked his hand up the back of Robert’s thigh again, trailingback down the inside of his leg, lingering on the tender skin of his innerthigh before circling around to the back of his knee.
He repeated the movement several times, and each time he seemed to edge closerto where Robert wanted him; neededhim; until Robert couldn’t stop himself.“Don’t stop,” Robert uttered; thewords having left his mouth before he’d realised he was even thinking them.He felt Aaron’s hand stop instantly against hisupper thigh, millimetres from where Robert wanted his touch so desperately hewas aching with it.Aaron pulled his hand away.“What did you just say?”Robert’s shoulders tensed instantly, undoing thework of Aaron’s expert hands as he heard the anger in the undercurrent ofAaron’s tone.Robert’s breathing quickened suddenly, panicrising within him as he realised he’d made a wrong move. He shuffled over on the massage bed to face him,met with Aaron’s glare; he was sure he hadn’t imagined the signals, but thelook on Aaron’s face told him otherwise.“Mr Sugden, I’m a professional. If you wantthose kinds of services you’re in the wrong resort.”Aaron’s tone was curt, and Robert could tellthere was a hint of unease behind it.Robert sat up on the massage bed, backtrackingfrantically.“Aaron, I’m sorry,” he explained.“I thought…I don’t know, just you looked at me like…I’m sorry, I gotit wrong.”He lifted himself up off the massage bed,letting the towel drop to the floor as he dressed quickly in the shirt andshorts he’d cast to one side just a short while ago.Aaron stood at the side of the room, unable tostop himself from checking Robert out despite himself; unable to resist takingin how handsome he was, all fair complexion and freckles; freckles he wastracing shapes over with his hands mere moments before.“I’m so sorry, please, just forget thishappened,” Robert pleaded with him as he buttoned up his shirt, sure hewas heading for some kind of reprimand or something from the hotel for hisbehaviour.“Please, I’ll pay in full, I’ll leave you atip, please just don’t mention anything. I’m mortified. I’m so sorry.”Aaron clenched his jaw as Robert pleaded withhim, giving a slight nod to accept his apology as Robert headed towards thedoor.Robert felt a hand against his arm as he reachedfor the door handle.“Wait,” Aaron let out suddenly to stophim leaving.Robert looked back at his masseuse withconfusion.
Aaron shoulders seemed to settle slightly as he held Robert’s gaze.“I…I’m a professional…at work,”Aaron stuttered, dropping his gaze for a second as he felt his nerves kickingin. As much as he felt annoyed with Robert’s actions, it wasn’t like he couldlet a man like that walk away without giving him a chance. “But, I finishin an hour, if you…fancied a drink?”Robert dropped his shoulders, the tensionescaping him once more as a smile crept over his lips.“That sounds good, Aaron.”
#robron#robron fanfictions#drabbles prompts#tash writes fic#i dont know what happened#i wrote this on the way back from the spa#i may or may not have been imagining it during my massage#dont judge me ok#i just can't escape the robron feels
83 notes
·
View notes
Text
AC Valhalla Bedtime Story
Tittle temporary and subject to change until i find something more specific if the story progresses
I was still under shock. It had been my first raid. Everything was still spinning in my memory, wildening my heart, my soul howling in the silence trapped behind my closed lips. Sharp - as if I was still there - sounds, shouts, screaming in my ears. Glimpses of Sigurd constantly around me like a guardian ancestor, protector, teacher, guardian, mentor. We had successfully raided and burnt Kjotve's supply wagons. It had been exhilarating. I still savored the swift smoothness of my axe's blade gliding through enemy throats and flesh like our boat had been seamlessly sailed across the cold currents to those forsaken shores. It had been like a dream, interrupted, like a rude awakening when Eivor blew the horn and we all jumped off the longboat to launch body and mind into battle at the first enemy we'd see. The Newcomer, Basim sided with Eivor and Sigurd kept a close eye on me, almost as if I was still a child and my death on the battlefield would have immeasurable dire consequences upon his reputation.
I think I did quite good, indeed! I had at least three kills before he turned around to make sure I was still standing and wasn't in need of a benefactor's aid. Three corpses lay on the ground at my feet. I was in shock, in awe, enthralled. Sigurd nodded and directed his attention at a man charging at him.
I tried to find Eivor but he had disappeared further in land, though I could easily trace him by tracking loud detonations and fires rising, wood cracking and buildings set ablaze, consumed by his devastating fury.
I wanted his fury.
Sigurd elbowed me back into the present moment. The crackling fires, the heat was getting a little snuffing. My belly was full. I couldn't take a bite more, but everything on the table was appealing and so inviting. My head was turning too. I had drank more mead and ale than ever before. I had earned my place among the warriors of my clan. Everyone wanted to cheer with me and drink with me. I had obviously succumbed to Eivor's first praise and invitation to drink with him. I remembered how he barely took his eyes off of me, which made me almost choke on my first pint. Circumstances danced an unwelcomed distance between us. He was hugged and acclaimed by Sigurd first, and then everyone else. He was the hero of the day - I would have never dreamed of taking that away from him, but it so happened that he ended up seated at another table, on the other side of the king's hall, and me on the opposite site, with the royal couple, Sigurd and Randvi. I would have loved to be forward and break rules and go ... but I couldn't. I was barely beginning my Vikingr journey, I held no such power to chose my place at the feasts table and if anything, I should have appreciated the immense privilege of my current place.
I looked across the hall, my gaze landed directly on Eivor's sharp look darting and blazing directly back at me. He seemed lost in thought but so acutely focused on me. I had stolen glances the whole of the evening and it now pierced me like an unseen arrow to the heart; he hadn't taken his eyes off of me the whole night through!
Someone poured ale in my pint and I cheered with them, drank a mouthful or two and put it down. Heat was ravaging my body and spirits and my bladder urgently needed to be relieved.
I excused myself to Sigurd and tried to get up, achieving a tomfoolery of the whole ordeal and having to sit back down for a moment to compose myself and focus enough of my attention to properly get up.
Sigurd teased me with a remark that made half the table laugh as I staggered myself along the way of men and women eating, laughing, drinking and enjoying much deserved merriment. My hand relayed on their sturdy backs to help me stay in a false illusion of straightness and upright motion as I made my way to the door.
The cold outside air hit me like a wall of pure refreshing bliss and it seemed I could suddenly breathe again. My lungs desperately hungry and greedy for that savoury cold life bringing air. My brain suddenly ripped out of the stuffy warm coziness of the prior moment, alert and focused, doing it's best to direct my steps - aided by my trusty hand on the side of the building - to the nearest bush where I could, hopefully in time, undo some of my attire and empty my bladder.
The air was deliciously cold, crisp, invigorating. Spring was a hope a few months away, and although winter was now in it's elder age, a crisp glimmering white snow still covered mid leg through the frozen ground. Up in the night sky, a silent silver glowing moon observed me indiscreetly as I released a satisfactory sigh, having found a bush between the Jarl's longhouse and a neighboring merchant's empty shop, squatting with as much dignity as my drunken body allowed and let a minimum of a gallon of steaming hot piss bless and fertilize the soils beneath me.
I scrambled my clothes back on and laid there, in the snow, savoring it's sharp cold whisper through my heavy clothes and wolf skin fur to keep me warm, in normal circumstances. I rolled to my side to bury my face in the snow, grabbing some with my hand and pressing it against my forehead and cheeks, delighting in it's melting against my dangerously hot body.
My imagination conjured an image of me crouching by the shoreline, my hands in the ice cold water, bringing it to my lips and face. My heart found solace in that thought and enough desire to push my whole body to get up and go get a real appreciation of the fantasy of cold cold water against my skin to alleviate my drunken fever.
0 notes
Text
Stranded Siren
Alright, I know I mentioned before in a post new things may be coming, new original stories besides ShapeShifter, and here is one of the secret projects I have decided to work on. But now it’s no longer a secret obviously. Also, props to Quotev for having a cover maker ON THEIR WEBSITE rather than being an extra app you have to get.
this is part 1 for now, and I really hope you enjoy it
taglist- @macherie02
The River
The sun was setting for the evening. Pink and red dyed the once white clouds in the process, mimicking a warm feeling to the view despite the breeze along the shore of the river. A red haired woman, locks matching the hues of the warm sky, walked with the flow of the current as her known companion. But below the waves there rested others of her kind, something she knew there was a possibility of though she never tested her theory. When the waters grew dark, their bio-luminescence would begin to show through. Scales of greens and browns to blend into the foliage and the mud of the riverbed would begin to glow, designs of beautiful reds and blues replaced the worries of camouflage from the day. Above on shore, the water droplets on the glowing scales would become glitteresque against the sand. The red headed woman hadn't seen her scales in quite a long time though since she had been left behind on the beach those moons ago. To be near water again, they itched beneath pseudo-skin of legs she had not been born with.
The young woman had a set of striking silver eyes, storm clouds full of passionate sparks ready to manifest at any moment. She was still so young, already a woman but still with her whole life ahead of her. And the passion that was held in her eyes seemed to always be accompanied by a persistent curiosity, determined to always learn more. So when the young girl found what seemed to be a man sitting on the edge of the river bank, her curiosity peaked. Even more questions raised to her though, when she caught the beginning of his glow. The bright, internal shine finally drew her eyes to his tail. Once black and green was becoming white, with blotches of orange, black, and red much like that of a captive koi fish living in a pond. Though there was something about him besides his tail that seemed radiant, and somehow magnetic even. He was tan compared to her freckled, pale skin, and his eyes were black holes to get lost in. Some may try to describe them as chocolate, but she knew that was not enough. They were the empty spaces taken for granted until that was the only thing left you wanted. Then, they were bliss. His hair was rather dark as well, all gathered on the top with the sides somehow shaved down, perhaps by a person in the human world who knew of him. And to the red haired girl, he was quite beautiful.
Next her eyes fell upon the bleeding gash running along his toned abdomen, the blood still quite fresh. She was not one to be squeamish, however she was quite concerned about him anyway. She quietly moved a bit closer to him, thinking up a spell she remembered from when she first started studying magic. Merfolk needed to be touching water to perform any magic, particularly healing, but wasn't blood just cells and water? There was only one problem though. River merfolk and oceanic merfolk had different dialects. Both were rooted in Latin, but when the two breeds split off from each other various words got changed over time for both sides. "Do you need help?" She first tried in her native tongue. It caught his attention at least, got across that she wasn't the human she appeared to be. "Do you need help?" She tried again, now in English. Her friend who took her in had been teaching it to her the past couple years, and he did have human hair stylings to him, so perhaps English would work better?
"Do you have something to help? He responded back in English. He had actually understood her the first time, there were enough ocean born merfolk that moved to the river for him to understand her. It was more the shock of her presence that caused his pause though. He had never seen her before, much less was he expecting her to come up and speak to him.
She showed him the palm of one of her hands, the silver of her eyes gaining an eerie, unnatural shine to them matching ocean depths. She carefully closed the distance between them, letting her fingertips run through the blood a moment, his muscles twitching away from her touch subconsciously, before resting her hand over the cut. She mumbled under her breath once again in her native tongue and felt an icy chill come to her hand. The cut below grew cold as well before beginning to get bloody ice crystals over top, making the dark eyed male tense and whimper out. But as her hand moved away, the crystals melted and the gash was gone where the ice had formed. "Oh," he let out in a curious shock.
"Do you feel better?" She asked him. The spell was good for surface healing, but she hadn't put enough energy into it for if there had been any internal damage. She didn't think it looked deep enough for that, but she still wanted to make sure.
"Yeah, thank you. That's a lot better actually," he admitted to her. "How did you do that? I didn't think magic was still around anymore."
"It ran dormant in my family line. I decided to bring it back. Took a long time studying and practicing to get it to resurface, though," she explained. "You speak and have hair styled like a human. Have they named you too?"
"They call me Landon, or Lane for short. You?" The dark haired male told her.
"Luna. Luna Malokanai," was all the red head responded with.
Lane slowly lowered himself back into the water and turned to face her, resting his forearms on the mud with his back edging along the surface of the water. His fluke fluttered a moment in the cooling waters as he got used to the change in temperature. The water looked so refreshing, though not as clear as the oceans the red head was used to. In the back of her mind, as well as her heart, there was a tug Luna just couldn't seem to resist. She quickly went to remove the outfit she never quite could understand, why were humans so obsessed with hiding their bodies and expecting a mate to come to them that way, and say along the edge of the river bank to dip her toes into the water. She kicked at first with her feet for a moment before fully joining Lane in the water.
He was unsure as to why, but Lane found himself grinning in amusement at the young Maid. It was a bit hard to tell until she broke the surface of the water again to rest next to him with relief to her silver eyes, but she was a few years younger than him. Posing as human seemed to make her appear so much older than she actually was, aged her soul and her eyes a bit. But now, with a deep blue tail where tips of scales glowed a magenta hue, she finally looked comfortable enough to reveal her real age. Until a distant voice called her name. "Luna? Luna! Where did you go? Say something next time you decide to just run off!" The higher female voice called out.
"Rita! I'm here! I'm okay!" Luna called back to her friend before taking a moment to look at Lane. In the ocean, merfolk were taught to hide from humans, but he was making no such effort to do so. "Wait, why aren't you hiding from her?"
"Humans here are typically understanding and peaceful with us when they find us. Besides, you trust her," Lane pointed out to her, giving her a warm smile still.
Soon a woman with short, dark hair tied in pigtails came across the two merfolk. Her eyes were an icy blue, looking between the ages of Lane and Luna. She was on the shorter side as well, a thin frame to match. And between her eye and ear, just below her left temple, was a small pentagram tattoo in red ink. An adventurous woman who once drove a road trip a couple states over to see the ocean for the first time and ended up coming home with a mermaid stranded from her family that she named Luna. Young Rita MacFarland.
Now to say Rita was stunned to find Luna the first time was an understatement. She had just planned a spontaneous trip to the ocean, who could anticipate a beached, confused Maid along the way? She had taken her in, found books and videos about teaching English, and before her eyes two years passed. Rita had moved out of her family home since then and brought Luna with her to the new home, the two having become the best of friends. She found at times Luna was subconsciously untrusting, nervous, anxious even, and shy to new comers after her abandonment. And if Rita wasn't watching, she would disappear without a trace to watch the sunset along the river like she had tonight. Never before had Rita actually seen her get into the river, let alone revert to her natural Maid form in their time living together, though. So once again she found herself stopped in her tracks as she had been two years previously by the beautiful mermaid. Especially as now she was not alone.
"Did you make a friend Luna?" Rita finally managed to say once she collected herself from the shock again.
"He was hurt. I fixed it," Luna admitted to her, casually tilting her head in his direction while she smiled softly.
"That's very nice. But the sun's set and night is coming on fast. We should get home before it gets too dark to see how," Rita reminded the Maid.
Luna couldn't help but to frown a bit, not wanting to leave the river she was just beginning to enjoy, to feel at home in. But then she felt Lane's forehead press to her cheek, making her realize he agreed, and she turned to return the gesture, resting her forehead against his cheek before looking up so they were pressed temple to temple, cheekbone to cheekbone, and then pulling away. A gesture shared and understood by all merfolk, though it was learned generations ago before the split of the breeds from watching whales and household felines. "Will you come back tomorrow? Please?" He asked her, attempting his best oceanic dialect, though it was easier for him to understand then to speak as he rarely had ever needed to actually speak it previously. "I'll find you at sunset, Lane," she assured him, glad to now have someone to use her native tongue to as she placed a hand to gently cup his cheek.
It wasn't until the two were half way home hat Rita finally said something again, her and Luna having been walking in silence so far. "So what was that back there? You two were really touchy feely, and what did you two say to each other?" The red haired Maid had been smiling to herself as she had been lost in though, so it took her a second to process what was asked of her to think of how to say the answer. "Sound travels differently in the water, so merfolk rely a lot more on body language than humans do. The first merfolk couldn't even speak underwater for decades according to the stories. What you saw us do was how we say goodbye, typically to friends and family. Loved and cherished ones you show affection towards. A standard goodbye, as would have been more appropriate for the situation probably, is just the lowering of one's held until the other does the same in acknowledgement," she explained to her friend.
"And what did he say to you?" Rita repeated to her.
"He asked if I was coming back tomorrow, and I told him I would be back at sunset," Luna admitted.
"You gotta date, you gotta date! You should totally fuck him," Rita couldn't help but to tease her.
"How is it a date? Why would he be seeking to mate with a stranger when he seems friendly enough to know many desirable mate prospects?" Luna questioned her, not understanding why she suddenly felt unrecognizably warm at the topic of dating or sex. She had never felt such a warmth during conversation before, particularly on these topics of conversation, so why was she reacting in such a way now?
"I'm just saying, this is really cute. You seemed really happy back there, happier than I've ever seen you before. I want to keep seeing you that happy. Maybe if you start to feel anything tomorrow, just try and go for it? Don't try to think yourself out of the moment, just go for it," Rita advised her, placing a hand on the taller Maid's shoulder.
When next sunset began to arrive, Rita didn't even bother to stop Luna when she heard the bell above the front door ring out, letting anyone in the apartment know that the door had been opened and closed. The silver eyed Maid found the opening of woods around the city again that led to the river, walking along the flow of the water until she found the spot again from the night before. Today her outfit had just been a simple sundress that found itself abandoned next to a tree by the riverbank as Luna kneeled along the edge of the water, excitedly watching for her new friend. She caught a glimpse of his back tracing the surface of the water and grinned to herself over finding him, but didn't have long to be proud of herself for spotting him before she found herself pulled under the water. Arms held her still under the water as her body changed back to the form she was born with, deep blue not yet glowing magenta hues as it was still too bright out for her tail to glow. But when she finally got to move, bringing her firey hair out of the face of the one who pulled her down, the pink that would be in her tail was suddenly a flush on her face. Lane smiled to her as he let her go fully, coming around to now face her and move some of her long strands behind her ear.
He quickly gestured to follow him before beginning to swim away upstream, having Luna trail behind him quickly as she tried to take in where they were going. Along the way she saw unfamiliar fish the colours of sand and dirt just beginning to hide away for the night, ready for a hopefully peaceful night's sleep. She stopped following Lane long enough to sit at the bottom, a juvenile coming to nuzzle into her hand for a moment. It made her smile and think of home. The male of the two stopped and watched her for a moment, glad to see she was enjoying herself. Finally she caught back up with him again once the small fish had left her hand to tuck in with its family, following once more. He was beginning to get his evening glow to him, making it easy to follow as they traveled through a long batch of seaweed and kelp that, to anyone unfamiliar with the path, would be easy to get tangled and lost in.
When the foliage of the river finally cleared up, the waters were completely black. No light was managing to get through now, so the only way the two could see was by the glow of the two merfolk. Lane stopped swimming forward now, going above the surface of the water and waiting for Luna to join him. She was hesitant, though. The darkness of the water reminded her of creatures she would find in the trenches her family would travel through. Creatures with large eyes and matching teeth, born with bodies that seemed disfigured compared to most other species of fish. Creatures that would terrorize the dreams of her childhood and just the memory of them had her frozen in her spot now. It made her uneasy at first to be in such dark waters. "Luna?" She heard Lane say above the water, coming back under to grab her hand. He didn't understand why she was reacting this way, but never the less he still came and guided her to above the water. Then Luna's eyes were met with the source of all of the darkness.
Above their heads was the ceiling of a cave, dripping condensation onto solid rock ground and back into the water. The walls of the natural structure blocked the setting sun from view, causing how dark the waters were. Her and Lane sat up on the rock floor out of the river, him wrapping an arm to bring her close and wait for her to calm down. "What's got you so scared Luna? It's just the cave. Haven't you ever been in a cave before?" He asked her, once again attempting to speak in oceanic for her to help make her comfortable. She just nodded at first before unsuccessfully attempting to pull away from him, his arm remaining around her waist until he was sure she was okay. "Dark waters are never empty. They always come with things looking for a meal. In the depths, everything just wants to eat you, and nothing is familiar or welcoming. Dark waters just mean survive to whatever is in them," she explained to him, beginning to ring out her hair a bit once she was no longer being held.
"Not here. You're safe here. The only thing here are just the small fish. There's nothing that can hurt you here," Lane tried to reassure her, going to lay on his back with his arms behind his head. "I promise, it's safe."
She was still a bit hesitant over it all, but for now she pushed it aside to lay next to him. As her skin began to dry, her form changed to the human form she still was not a fan of. To join Rita in her home, she had cast a spell that allowed her to disguise herself as human, and that spell meant being human when she was on dry land. Sea water let her be back to her born form, but filtered water could never bring her the peace that sea water could. She hoped for a time where she would no longer need to live under the spell she cast, where she could once again have a life and a family in the water, but she also knew that meant leaving Rita behind. And since Rita had become her only family she could count on by this point, she just couldn't bring herself to leave her behind. Especially not after all she had already done, and was still doing, for her. In a way, they had become a small pod of their own despite not both being from the water.
In the cave, besides the flowing current of the river as it splashed along the rocks, time seemed to stand completely still. Luna had no way to tell how long had passed that they laid like that, and it was a welcome change. The past two years had been learning to live obsessed with the time that passed, obsessed with being in the moment and making your mortal existence count. Staying alive is not enough reason to live to humans. Not anymore. It was never enough to just be alive. To them, it was about how you influence others that seemed to determine if your life was worth living, and Luna could not manage to wrap her mind around it. Adventures and learning were fun, finding value in your day to day could help with a feeling of repetition and monotony, but why could it never be accepted that it was okay to live for the sake of living rather than the sake of others anymore?
When a wave began to run along the bottom of her foot, bringing her back to her current reality, Luna sat up again and looked into the dark waters. It was like looking into a black mirror, and all she could see was her own reflection outlined for her against a glassy black backdrop. The longer she stared, the more a sick feeling rose up from her stomach. Here she was with a complete stranger, laying with him as if they were long friends, as if they were close, and suddenly she found herself feeling quite stupid. Letting herself be lured so far from home based on the smile of someone she met the night previous, how could she ever expect such a situation to turn out well? And to let herself think the night she met him, listen to Rita about her ideas of sex and spending time with him when the sight of her own reflection made her sick to her stomach anymore. What she considered to be her own stupidity made her run her hand through the water, the resulting small waves from the motion distorting her reflection. "Are you okay? You look upset." "Just take me back. I shouldn't have even come here."
"Hey, hey," Lane's voice was gentle as he responded, sitting up with her and placing a hand on her back. "Talk to me, what's wrong? What's on your mind?"
"I don't belong here. I'm still just such a stupid little Maid. I'm just going to end up alone again, as always. I shouldn't be trying to change that. Fate doesn't change." Luna brought her knees up and rested her chin on them, her arms wrapping around them to keep them where they could hide her body. Hide her. Lane could only watch her sadly for a moment. "Just take me back Lane."
As he had when he first saw her that day, Lane moved her hair out of her face. She had gone back to staring at her own distorted reflection, and he couldn't help but to wonder how much more distorted it was in her own mind than he could see in the water. Beyond that, what would make her think, after being from an ocean full of life, that she would just end up alone? She seemed so sure of it, as if she knew concrete evidence that could explain it all, and now it was his turn to be confused of the whole situation. "Alright, I'll take you back if you want. But can I ask you something?" She looked back at him, the silver eyes once full of light what felt like moments ago to him now suddenly dull, as if something behind them had broken in front of him. Perhaps he pushed her too far? Maybe he somehow accidentally reminded of her something? "Why do you think you're going to end up alone?"
"No one will want me. I'm a freak left on a beach by the ones who raised her. The back and forwarth between forms, the magic, I'm just too much for anyone to want to have around," the red head told him, gluing her eyes back to her reflection.
Lane wrapped an arm around her and held her close again, letting her rest her head on his chest while his chin found a home on the top of her head. She wasn't here by choice, she was beached by her family. Abandoned. Even less, now, he seemed to want to fulfill her wish to take her back. If anything, now he wanted to take her home and show her his family, a regular sized group of merfolk who all took refuge in each other. Besides his brothers, none of them were actually related, but still they were a family. She seemed to need to see that there was somewhere where someone who felt so different could still be cared about. But she seemed insistent she needed to be back on land, and he wouldn't take her against her will. She was hurting enough. He slowly pulled out of the embrace he had brought her into to get back into the river, holding a hand out to help her back in as well, watching how her body changed shape again. Did it hurt her? It looked so drastic to go between the forms, even if they were so similar, it was still enough to make him realize how much it must bother her to go back and forwarth so much.
Her tail seemed the only thing light about her now, a magenta shine to her scales by this late in the evening though the same radiance was no longer seen in her eyes anymore. He guided her through the foliage to take her back where he had found her, only to find the spot wasn't empty anymore. A human friend of Lane's sat there, looking over the water like Luna had when the evening began. Luna looked her over through the water, dirty blonde hair and with brown eyes and full, pink lips. She was as beautiful as he was, though obviously human. She could see how Lane went to the shore to greet her, but Luna couldn't bring herself to do the same. "What was that Lane?" The friend asked, briefly noticing a pink glow that quickly disappeared out of sight. Lane looked besides him and found the waters were now empty, much to his disappointment. Luna was gone without a goodbye, or a promise to see each other again. "Someone new. A friend I hope."
When Luna was sure she was finally out of sight down stream, she stopped and laid on her front at the bottom of the river. She hid her face in her arms and just wished she would stop glowing. She wanted nothing but to disappear now, being unseen simply wasn't enough anymore but rather she wanted to be non-existent. She was right all along. To imagine belonging here or finding a mate in someone when there was so much better for them was just a foolish dream. She knew she was alone in this, she had been alone longer than she had realized. A hand ran down her back, and she looked up in curiosity. It definitely was not Lane, though there was a resemblance. His hair fell in his face and down his neck though, and his skin was a shade darker. And while Lane had dark eyes, these eyes were quite green matching the glow to his tail. Before he could say anything to her, though, she was gone again like she had done with Lane moments ago.
"I swear I just saw the weirdest thing," the second male commented when his younger brother now caught up with him, noticing how Lane looked a bit distraught.
"By chance, was it a red head?" Lane asked him.
"Yes she was. Was that the red head you were telling Brook and I about yesterday?" The older brother told him, quickly putting two and two together.
"Yeah, yeah she was," Lane admitted.
"Dude, what did you do to her? She looked ready to cry in the like five seconds I saw her before she swam off again," the green merman now questioned, curious how someone Lane had been so excited about could be so upset after being around him.
"Honestly Simon, I think it's all in her head. She was so happy when we first went to the cave. Which, by the way, you were right. Oceanic and dark cave really was a bad mix. Scared the shit out of her at first. But then we were laying on the rocks and everything seemed so peaceful and nice until she got up, and suddenly it was like her whole demeanor changed. She looked so sad and broken, and apparently she was beached by her family? Found that out when I tried asking why she kept saying she should just be alone. And she started asking to be taken home, so I went to take her back and there was a friend of mine there and then she was gone," Lane explained to him, trying to go through the whole time. He had to admit, being able to use a river dialect was a lot easier for him now. A lot easier than English, and especially easier than oceanic.
"Was that friend a girl?" The older brother, Simon, asked him.
"Yeah why?" Lane responded.
"Because it sounds like she has self-esteem issues, and to a Maid with self-esteem issues a girl would just be more proof to themselves that they're right to view themselves so poorly," Simon informed him.
"Well I couldn't anticipate her showing up. How is any of this my fault?" Lane asked him.
Simon just placed a hand on his brother's shoulder for a moment. "No one said it was. I'm not, and most likely she isn't either. She's just feeling really bad right now and probably needs some time. If you're patient, I'm sure you'll see her again if you really want to."
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
hamoxanequda
Untitled
ohmyadkins
I ♡ you
n3dug
Izdırap
hellobenmekke
Medoss
kannakolnas
Blu's Internet Travels