#lance: i am going to maul you

[khaleesiofalicante]

tbh dani i dont give a fuck about the clave or alec or david or (th eone i never understood or care for) kincaid (like bro even gabriel killed his demon father all he had to do is out his dad or take a stance against him but he wants the damn glory and feels tied to his destone and no i am not willing to hear anything in support of this familywho somehow is still more powerful than lance), nor do i care about that bitch victoria( bc no matter her mental problems I HATE HER), or that asshole fucking hope he gets mauled kyle,

I only care about max and lance and david (and yes that is right i really dont give a shit about arthur either)

I think its obvious i am high on this chapter's feelings, idk i feel strongly for accountbaility where its due and revenge in general but esp for lance. Though i had hoped lance would burn idris or get revege by killing people , bc arthur got hurt i wasnt that mad like i was mad bc of teh reasoning behind it and bc i hate kyle but it was sort fo his fault did he think it wld be all lalala land if he goes to idris that littel shit anyways, BUT BUT GWEN ?!? DANI , wow wow i am speechless but in a mad kind of way. i dont accept this. nope no no no

how much is that family esp lance and david going to hurt, i just want a proper revenge for them at teh end, like people begging for thier/them for forgiveness sort of, i know they are never going to be apert of the shadowworld but i had hoped it alawys had shadow demons over them, i hate them that much

i also dont like that kincaid was so easily able to defeat lance and people celebrated it, I loved lance in this ch like wooo go off boy, and wow max being all powerfull and manipulating blood was sooooo cool, go be badass baby, also arthur should be grounded for a decade or so or even for life, i hated how kincaid downplayed lance and arthur relationship like idgaf whether arthur CHOSE you or not, lance is superior sorry kid.

I also HATED RAFE , but that is normal for me now, i havent liked him in lbaf for a long long while. i hope they lb family just cuts all of thier siblings and cousins off, like no contact and they fucking realize or feel how much that family suffered , like of wow you didnt have sun for 20 years big deal bro, there are places on earth which doeasnt have that for 6 mnths every year since eternity. they DESERVED THAT isaid what i said, i am just getting bored of rafe and his reasoning like oh NOW you decide to fight harder what does he want congratulations?!

the idris people and kincaid deserved the bad thinsg happening to them for me, like i feel it isnt enough, also madeline srsly you knew abt lance being david kid and possibly inheriting the demon blood, did you think it was a good idea to go to idris when pregnant with your husband like i think you vicariously consented to the liability and possibility of damage when you also knew david can do shadow demon shit.

so yeah i am beyond reason in this fic when it comes to hating idris and all living being there and only support lance and david and max ( yes i am deliberately leaving arthur his idiotic naviety that kincaid cares about him when it comes to him vs his own family or so called destiny he is irritating me , like sir he doesnt give a shit about what he said to you idk why he believed kincaid's promises.)

i just want someone to lecture them after locking them in a room preferably alec i have no hope for rafael in this fic he is beyond any hope for me and so is kincaid so

😘thank you for teh rollercoaster of the chapter bye. But i hope you give vengeance to lance and his family against idris. 👿

This was A RIDE lmao.

I love when y'all take it personally and get emotional (shows me I am doing my job 😎)

I can't promise you anything. But I can tell you that I believe in happy endings, but I don't think everyone gets one. A story where EVERYONE gets their happy ending doesn't make sense to me. Some people do and others do. As to who will get it and who won't is entirely up to (in this scenario, me lmao).

So we shall wait and see :)

#lbaf

[claire-starsword]

The Guardiana Magic School Run -Part 18

Certainly it must be obnoxious that I keep bringing up the novel wherever I go, but consider: 1) i waited years to read that thing so i don't care; 2) translating 300+ pages for free is hella work so i get to brag; and 3) we are literally on Rudo lol i can't stop looking at everything differently now. I know this dog now. I love this dog. She's my friend.

Back to the run, we're still on the spirit of treasure hunts!

After a very fun and not at all garbage puzzle involving unclear map boundaries, we get Musashi, who is not valid for this magic user run. Yes, the guy is invisible and making words pop out of thin air, but he's NOT magical. He's just built different. You would understand if you had studied the blade like him.

We then get Lyle, who is also not for this run. Very sad. But at least they'll kindly donate their weapons to support our magic school. It's not much, but it's the thought tha-

MUSASHI WHAT THE HELL

ARE YOU MADE OF MONEY MAN

so uh, wow! that's something i'd never learn in a regular playthrough. Since it's a unique weapon it goes to the deals section for double the price. The deals section is very clogged right now so I guess we'll soon learn if new deals still pop up or if we're done with it. Not like the useless swords there were helping anyway.

On the topic of weapons, we also get a Holy Staff like I promised last time. I could promote Khris right now, giving up on an early Aura, to use this. Her attack is currently pretty ok (28), so a boost would likely put her in the 30+ with attackers like Max and Arthur. That's wild to think about. But am I going to use her like this with her squishy defense? In the chapter where Golems and Dullahans start to appear? I'm not sure. The next battle is also forest and she doesn't have great movement in that. But we'll be surrounded by spawns, so she might make a difference in wiping out some enemy in that chaos.

I'm pretty afraid of the next battle, so that's what I'm going for. At the end of the day she has four levels to go until Aura and I hate this kind of grinding very much lol

Say hello to Vicar Khris! Boy I hate the stat loss so much. And yet, upon equipping the Holy Staff, she now has the greatest attack in the party. Dog that mauls you for your sins. I'm losing it.

And we're not done with upgrades! First of all I forgot to equip the Soulbuster on Max, but don't worry, it still doesn't make him stronger than Khris.

Arthur on the other hand jumps above the Khris bar thanks to the Chrome Lance. The unpromoted Lowe and mages cannot use the Guard Staff for now, which is a bit of a loss for Lowe, but the girls on the other hand should just be blasting things with magic anyway. Tao might be our greatest weapon against the Golems.

Narsha meanwhile gets the Holy Mace, which is not only more powerful but also capable of Heal 3. Unfortunately I did forbid using weapon effects on my rules, didn't I? Uh oh. Still a nice upgrade, and I didn't have any idea on when to promote Narsha, so let's do it.

Establishing herself once more as the deuteragonist of this thing, Saint Narsha is now as strong as Max, but with a few more points in defense, which is great.

I am still afraid however, so I don't think the upgrades will end here.

I do sit atop a sizable collection of stat boosting items. That I always forget to use in casual play. I would like to not mess my challenge run doing that. The only characters were missing by now are Alef and Torasu, neither of which will need Power Wine, for example. I would also hope they won't need five whole defense potion.

But do I know how to distribute this in an smart and efficient way? Hell no. I do hate seeing Max without defense though, so one potion goes for him, taking him over 20. I do chicken out on using the rest of them though, because I don't think they'll make enough of an impact on characters that are still on the 14-17 range, especially when they don't have enough HP to survive two hits even if their defense was raised.

What I do end up with is using a couple Life Loaves on Narsha. Her defense is now on par with Max yet she has way less HP, so I'm hoping the +3 here helps.

I also end up facing this bizarreness here where the game does not update her current HP? Hoping she doesn't enter battle like this. I can't even use Medical Herbs outside of battle to fix it now.

I also decide to use the Power Wines on Max and Narsha, I'm really betting on them as the frontlines here. So congrats Max, now you're on par with dog girl. Only took a lot of effort.

I also give Anri a Quick Chicken in hopes she'll get more chance to hit the enemies before they hit her.

After all these very insecure decisions, I'm now turning my game off and on again because the Narsha thing bothers me.

:/ it does not fix it

Had to enter this screen and retreat, this is honestly some garbage code.

Anyway, let's finally get to the battle. The clear bonus is just money. Thanks to Musashi's patronage I'm not worried about that. Also no way in hell I'm rushing this battle.

I don't know why I haven't mentioned yet, but Domingo should be the star of this battle. The game even knows it, giving him some extra dialogue here. He has the best defense in the team, floating movement to ignore the forests and mountains, and magic damage against the enemies with high defense.

Arthur is currently the other tank of the team, but being a centaur he won't be moving well in this terrain.

He's at least enthusiastic enough to be the first one to move, but not like there's many threats in this start.

Also I'm just learning that Attack 3 uses 40 MP so, uh. Don't expect to ever see this thing used lol

Very unsure of what to do with Narsha as usual. I might try setting positions to catch Max, Arthur, Hanzou and herself in an Attack 2. I could boost the mages' damage instead but I'm unsure if that will be impactful enough on level 2 spells, and Tao's Blaze 2 is not in a deep need of help. Besides, MP eventually ends, while attack boosts are forever.

After a boring turn 2 we are finally ready to beat these things up. They're doing nothing to Arthur.

No point in wasting Domingo's MP with these weak enemies though. Arthur, Max and Hanzou wipe them out in a single hit each.

It takes me several turns because Khris is slow and has little movement, but I include her in the Attack plan.

In the next turn, I could use a Boost 1 on someone to finish Narsha's MP, but I feel like saving it for Aura in case I need healing.

I seem to have attracted the Artilleries' attention, but not triggered the spawns yet, which annoys me. I don't want those things to catch me off guard.

LIKE THIS YOU KNOW

EXACTLY LIKE THIS

Welcome to hell! The Master Mages have Freeze 2, which is pretty dicey to take on when there's many of them and we're gathered like this. The golems and worms should have a lot of attack, and Domingo and Arthur are my only tanks, so I can't exactly surround everyone else. At least I think the golems can't reach anyone yet since I tried to stay on the bottom, and their movement is not great. The worms should have less defense than the golems. Maybe we can defeat them before the golems arrive! Optimism!

You can already feel the centaur pain with Arthur not even being able to cover Tao here.

But he can one hit a guy in forest land effect.

Also, look! He finally fits this playthrough! Baby's first spell! Will we be using it instead of 20+ chrome lance damage? I don't think so.

Domingo also can't cover Tao, so clearly I screwed up bad. Maybe he'll distract the other worms though.

Max one hit kills a worm, but Hanzou fails tragically at this mage. He gets a level up with +4 attack to ensure it won't happen again.

I hit image limit as expected so, to be continued in a reblog, see i told you this one was more exciting than the last

#shining force #ressurection of the dark dragon #guardiana magic school run #long post

[cheemken]

“No one could deviate from that path. Not even Iris herself could deviate from that path.” KNIGHT THIS DAMNED LINE

She is just SO convinced that she’s destined to be someone she’s not. God I love it when the good characters eventually fall into madness

Also, I would like to hear about Iris freezing people and forcing them to tell Diantha and Lance what they’ve said in the past

Imagine Iris threatening their families lives or threading to kill their Pokémon, like having Haxorus or Hydregion hold down that persons Pokémon while getting ready to maul it to death, if they don’t start talking and explain to her parents what part they played in her descent to insanity

Please Iris needs therapy at this point too😭🤣

Homegirl really fucking lost it na and she's there making sure everyone knows it's their fault and just cjdmbd ough™

But like omf yeah can you imagine cbmdbd the Shadow Triad taking them off the Frigate, down with the others, and god everything suddenly felt colder, everything went quiet, and then Iris looks back to the Triad, telling them to watch over Bianca within the Frigate, make sure Hilda and Hilbert won't come back, kill them if they must. And just chdmdb imagine the other Champions being so wary now that Iris is down there with them, B. Kyurem at her side and god imagine how that'd fuck up the rest of the Unova kids tho, that Iris managed to take Zekrom to fuse with Kyurem. And ofc, the Dragon is there glaring down at everyone, waiting for its hero's commands.

Then Iris approaches this man, fighting off Plasma grunts, she calls out Haxorus, pinning down his Krookodile with a snarl, the man was petrified when he saw Iris, and the grunts took it as an opportunity to also grab him, forcing him to kneel before his god. He looks up at her, terrified, pleading for mercy, it make Iris grin. She then crouched down his level, grabbing his jaw as she forced him to look at Lance and Diantha, "you've always been one of the more.. opinionated ones," Iris began, voice almost sounding soft, then she chuckled, "so go ahead, why don't you tell my parents all the bullshit you tell every goddamn person about me." She sneered, her grip on his jaw lowered down to his neck, her hold on him was tight, his vision almost obscured by black spots. His own words caught in his throat, tears fell from his eyes, the words that came out his mouth were pleas of mercy, which did not appeal to Iris. Growling, she grabbed the man and threw him to the ground, stepping hard on the back of his head, slamming his face to the ground, and an unsettling crack rang in their ears.

"tell them!" She growled, ignoring the cries from Lance and Diantha for her to stop, then she crouched down, grabbing him by his hair, forcing him to look up at her parents again, his face was covered in blood. Iris chuckled now, eyes half lidded as she stared at him, "tell them. Tell them every single one of your thoughts about how fucking pathetic I am. Tell them how much you hate their daughter. Tell them, or I'll make sure you watch your Krookodile die a cold and painful death."

And he finally did, as his tears mixed with his blood, he finally spoke about his hatred for Iris, even before she became Champion. Told them about how he thought she was an incompetent Gym Leader, how she was just a child, doesn't matter she was a prodigy. Told them how she doesn't take her job seriously, even tho she really did. Told them about how he thinks she just got lucky to have beaten Alder, it should've been Hilbert that's the Champion. Told them about every spiteful thing he ever thought about Iris, about how he thought she wasn't fit to be Unova's Champion, how he never gave her the respect she deserves, how he never saw her as a Champion, how he wished she could've lost immediately on her first battle as Champion to be replaced with someone he thinks is more competent. He told them how Drayden should've just left her in Blackthorn. He told them everything. He told them how much he hated a child who only wanted what's best for their region.

Imagine how that'd mess up Dia and Lance tho, cause hearing it first hand now, it fucked them up. This man hated Iris from the start, from the time she was still Gym Leader, thinking she was incompetent. How their daughter had to endure this kind of hatred for so long, since she was young, since she was still a twelve year old kid suddenly thrusted into a world where failure to meet expectations would be met with more spiteful words of discouragement from the masses.

And god just cjdmbd imagine Iris throwing him back to the ground, and he's there crying out for mercy, for forgiveness, but Iris looked at him devoid of any emotion, her eyes almost gleaming with an ominous light, she spoke, "kill him." Then she turned to Haxorus, "both of them." And she went back to Lance and Diantha's side, not sparing a glance back at the man, his and his Krookodile's fate sealed by Haxorus' Guillotine.

Imagine her then smiling wryly, "well.. was that enough? Or do you want to hear more? I'm sure there's a lot of them who wants to tell you just how shit I am." She laughed as if it's some sort of twisted joke, not giving them the time to process the way the grunts and Haxorus killed the man and his pokemon, as Iris dragged them somewhere else, making them hear more of just how the people of Unova see her.

#bonus points imagine dia having to relive her own trauma tho bc its so similar to what the kalos peeps say abt her back then too #how she only got lucky and how she was really incompetent #that she shouldnt have beaten the former champion that easily #and she understands why iris is like this she does but she knows what iris is doing is wrong #and she and lance dont know what to do to really help her now #and just hfkdnd #ough your honour they make me so ill😭 #villain iris au #death tw #an ask and an answer #jerseyk112 #edit: i just realized i didnt write her freezing the man omf💀 #but like maybe the next guy nalang hahahahah

[o-wise-corvid]

“You seem at ease with her.”

Jarla started, glancing at Maul, eyes flooding with red and facial markings pulsing. Then the signs of stress faded and the man’s shoulders slumped. “I-I ‘ad a dau’er.”

Maul frowned at him, looking up from his datapad. Jarla had come over to share a meal. Maul felt that it was only proper to thank him and the Karmrel seemed taken with Melicent. He was currently swinging her in her little shopping cart crib.

“Where is she?”

There was a long and painful silence.

“Flau died.”

Maul had never been one for pity. Or sympathy. Or charity. But hearing the desolate defeat in the other man’s voice, something seemed to turn over inside him and what could only be those things blossomed within him. They were not good feelings. But… they were more real than anything Sidious had ever cultivated.

“I am… so sorry, Jarla. I would not have asked-”

“Nah, nah… it’s okay.” Jarla gave a brittle smile and shook his head. “It’s over now.”

Melicent, sensing a downturn in the conversation, hummed and pulled herself upright so she could see better. “Papa?” she asked, sounding worried.Her big eyes drifted over to Jarla and she reached out, patting his hand a few times.

Maul’s smile was proud. Such a sweet little thing, his Melicent. She seemed to interpret the feelings behind his expression because her cheeks flushed and she ducked, murmuring shyly as she peeked at him over the edge of her crib.

“May I ask what happened?”

Jarla glanced from Melicent to Maul. He could feel that the man was about to tell him. The look of grief but also… of haunted desperation was clear on Jarla’s face. But then an ear-blistering alarm shrieked through the cubicles.

“Emergency. Emergency. Paging assistant staff.”

Maul’s and Jarla’s badges suddenly flashed bright green, the light strobing a few times in a repeating pattern.

Jarla groaned. “Ah, kark. Jaganath, you… kark, you go’a ge’ Mel to child-care. We go’a go. Somebody prolly fell into a cog somewhere.”

A stab of worry lanced Maul’s hearts as he gathered Melicent up, holding her close as she pressed her hands over her ears and whined softly. “But-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I’ won’ be a long shift. Jus’ a li’l while. They’ll come ge’ her.”

Melicent made a scared noise, glancing up at Maul. “Papa…mmmm.”

“I know, I know… I will be back as soon as I can,” he assured her. “But Papa has to go. Just for a little while.”

She started to tear up, eyes swimming with tears, but she didn’t make noise. Melicent’s hands curled in his shirt, but when someone from child-care came to get her, she let go. Maul felt as though his hearts were being yanked out of his chest, the way she looked at him… as if… as if he was sending her away… abandoning her.

But… he couldn’t watch her. He had to do his job. And so he went to do it.

Melicent watched Papa and Papa’s friend leave their cubicle. Her tears made it hard and she was being carried away. She would never see Papa again. Never. And he had let her go. Her chest hurt but she couldn’t muster a sound. She couldn’t even be bothered to look at the person who was carrying her.

There was a long walk in the dark, and despite the dark not being hard for Melicent to see in, she wasn’t interested in seeing where she was going. Papa wasn’t there and she missed him. So badly. Did he miss her?

But then she was in light and there was a lot of noise. Melicent didn’t like that. Too loud. Too many smells. The person carrying her put her down on something soft. Melicent sniffed, hands over her ears. Glancing around, she squinted at the other kids around her. None of them were like her. Different colors, some with horns, head tails or feathers… all playing with the toys around them, drawing at art tables or chasing each other with screams of delight. One of them was eating something. Melicent didn’t want to do any of that. She wanted Papa.

“Oh hello… hello little one.”

Melicent shrunk in on herself, not looking at the person who was now standing over her. Their shadow fell over her and helped it not be so bright. “Papa,” she whispered to herself, even if it made her little heart hurt.

“Can I see your hand? I’m gonna give you a pretty little sticker.”

“No.” Melicent shook her head hard. She didn’t want a sticker. She didn’t want this place. She didn’t want the noise. She wanted Papa.

“Oh, come on now, sweetheart. Just let me see your hand just a minute…” A blue-skinned hand slowly tried to pry one of Melicent’s hands away and she reacted, scratching out with her other hand to make whoever this was let go. Her nails raked over the thumb knuckle, tearing the skin in three shallow cuts that wept green. The hand jerked away, and Melicent heard a hiss of pain.

“E chu ta, you little monster. You’ll learn different.” And Melicent’s hand was roughly jerked away from her head. Something cold and slimy was passed over the back of her hand, despite all the squirming, scratching and biting she was doing. The blue hand shoved her back, away, hard. “Break you of that real quick.”

Whatever that meant, Melicent didn’t know. But she hated this person. Hate hate hate hate.

She scrubbed her hand over the carpeted floor, trying to get the whatever off. Then she crawled out of the middle of the room, curled herself into a corner, and covered her ears. Squeezing her eyes shut, she laid down and resigned to crying silently. This was worse than the long dark time before Papa. Papa… please come back. She would be good. Whatever she had done wrong, she wouldn’t do it again. Just come back… come get her.

And she stayed there. Until…

“Melicent?”

Warm hands covered hers. They didn’t try to make her move. They just rested on her.

She opened her eyes, and… and they were black and red! Long long fingers! Big!

“P- Pa- Papa!” She launched herself at him, scrambling up his chest as fast as she could. Papa immediately did what she needed him to so very badly, wrapping his strong arms around her and holding her close to him. Tightly. He smelled like smoke and sweat and… What was all this warm, wet stuff on his neck?

“Pa… Papa?” she leaned back, not liking how whatever it was felt. Sticky.

But then she saw it was red and… it was all over Papa… Melicent looked up at Papa and saw his face. And then his uniform. It was ripped and torn. Burned a little. That was where the most red was coming from. It almost looked like Papa was melting. She suddenly wasn’t upset about being away from him; Papa was hurt.

“Mmmm. Papa…” Melicent whispered, leaning her head carefully on his shoulder. Wherever Papa had been, he hadn’t had the greatest of times either.

Maybe he would learn not to leave her anymore if this is what happened when he did.

“Time to go.” Maul stood up, exhausted, Melicent cradled to his chest. He’d deal with the cuts on his back and shoulders at the cubicle. Maybe in the morning. Let them clot and scab first. They weren’t deep, just scrapes from broken turbine parts that he’d had to crawl over. The emergency had been dire, a worker trapped in debris from a coupling rupture. Maul had been called at random. As were all rescuers whenever something like this happened.

“Mmm. Mmmm.” Melicent’s forehead bumped into his cheek. Her cheeks were still wet with tears. Her little body was trembling against him. But she was holding tight to him and she was calming, settling. He had known this wouldn’t be good for her. She found being away from him by a few feet to be upsetting sometimes. How had this been? The closer to their cubicle they got, the better she was, and then they were alone and all was quiet.

Maul leaned against the door and heaved a long, low sigh. He needed to say something and while he wasn’t sure Melicent would understand it all, he needed to say it. “I am so sorry, little one. Papa did… did not want to leave you. I had to. Someone needed Papa’s help. I told you I would come back. Did you not think I would?”

Melicent sniffed, and her eyes started to turn overbright. She nodded, looking ashamed.

“Oh… oh, dear heart, no. P-Papa is not going to leave you. Papa… Papa loves you.”

She leaned her forehead toward him again, reaching for his face. But then pulled back, seeing one of the cuts over Maul’s eye. Her cold little fingers rested over it, very gently, and Maul let his eyes close. “Papa,” she quietly intoned.

“It does not hurt,” he assured her as he smoothed a hand over her curls, pulling her close for a moment to press a kiss to her forehead.

Melicent looked at Maul, at her Papa, as if she was trying to burn his visage into her little brain. And then put her little arms as far around his neck as she could, burying her face against him with a weary huff. “Mmmmmmmmmm.”

“Are you sleeping with me?”

“Mmmmmmmm.”

“Alright.”

#a dad n a bab #Maul and Melicent AU #fishy fishy stuff happening at this factory #reaaaaaaaaaaal fishy

[memlost]

Barbarous

Words: 821

A letter written by Sir Isaudorel Valeroyant of House Valeroyant. Sixth Astral Era, 1562. 

To my dearest friend Vallerin, 

I am writing this to you with my heart heavy with both concern and fear. I ask that you keep the contents of this letter between both you and I. And when you finish reading it, I ask that you burn it to ensure what I have written in here does not get out. I wish I could write to you in a better situation but this is of utmost importance. 

It has been a while but do you remember our operation from a while back? The Children of Nidhogg were finally brought to a swift end with the help of your lances and my sword. But there was also the unfortunate matter of their captive and what it was we were supposed to do with it. You suggested we simply throw them into The Brume. The others there would not leave them to suffer and whether they survived or not would not be in our hands. I did that as instructed, of course. 

But as you well know, my son had fallen ill. His sickness had taken him not long after. I couldn’t bear the thought of my assets going to waste should I meet an early demise. And I’d rather die than have a single Gil of mine be handed over to my bastard brother. May Halone forgive me for this but my mind went back to that heretic child. And how if I squinted my eyes just right, I could almost see my son in them. 

And so I went right to the Brume and swept them away. No one suspected a thing. How could they? 

Would the sewers miss a rat if it were taken by a cat? Would the fields miss a flower if it were taken for a bouquet? 

I named them Celestaux and raised them like a son. I educated them in the ways of becoming civilized. There was something off about them though. They rarely spoke and they always had that empty look in their eyes. It was like if you looked hard enough, you could see that even light refused to reflect back at you. It just sucked in everything in its line of sight like an endless abyss. But yet again, I did nothing. I thought it was good that they hardly spoke. That meant they were less likely to embarrass me and tarnish the family name. 

They were loyal. Took orders well. The perfect child for a lord like me for their first few years.

I should have known something was wrong then and there. 

Just a few nights ago, I heard a bump in the night. I thought I was being robbed by those rats in the Brume. They’re not above thievery. But all I was going to do was scare them away just to make sure that they didn’t come back. 

They didn’t deserve what Celestaux did to them. 

Oh Vallerin, it was the work only someone as barbarous as Celestaux could do. There was blood everywhere. Torn limb from limb as if they were mauled by some animal! And in the middle of the carnage stood Celestaux. And he had the audacity to smile at me, asking for praise. “I took care of the rats like you wanted,” he had said. When did I ever ask for such a thing? How could someone do that and not even flinch? Just what creature did I bring into my home? Into Ishgard? 

I do not want him anymore. I have to get rid of him. Not just away from me, but away from civilized people as we know it. I know you are long since retired from the Knight’s Dragoon but you must do me this favor. I’ve convinced him to cease his study of magic for now and to, instead, pick up an actual weapon. He’s been drawn to the lance and it’s given me an idea. 

Use your connections to make him a Dragoon. Send him out on the most dangerous missions you can think of. 

And when you have the chance? Leave him to the dragons and pray to Halone that they devour him in pieces instead of whole. I fear he’d just cut his way out of their stomach should he be left intact. 

Please. I’ll pay whatever you need, whenever you need it. Just respond as soon as you can.

He doesn’t know it but I see him. I see him when he sneaks into my room at night and stares over my bed with those empty eyes. Now that he has tasted blood, am I next on his list? Will I go to sleep one night and wake up in pieces the next? I don’t know.

And the unknown scares me, my friend. 

Yours truly,

Sir Isaudorel Valeroyant of House Valeroyant

#ffxivwrite2023 #ffxiv oc #ishgard #tw: death #tw: violence

[former-ly-darth]

The Chains

(I didn’t proofread this so errors are inevitable.)

No. 

No no no no! 

A sickening crack echoes through Maul’s skull when his body collides with the stone wall next to the palace; his palace. Or…what was his. 

No! He thinks, angrily, frustrated, enraged, hopeless. Not again! Not this! Not again!

Pain lances through his body. His head throbs and the base of each horn arches from the impact. He’s sure he must have broken at least one, if not, it’s certainly split. Oh well, horns grow back. 

Maul’s body is peeled from the side of the stone wall. Suspended in air, he can’t even see where he is in relation to his old master, but he feels his body raise slightly before he is slammed forcefully into the cement. Something snaps and he thinks maybe it was a rib. He’s broken those plenty of times before. A familiar sharp pang shoots through his arm and pulses in his chest. Yes, he definitely just broke a rib, perhaps two. 

The rage is worse than the pain. It’s crushing, consuming, but it’s what keeps him alive. If it weren’t for his rage, Maul would have died years ago, long before his run in with the Jedi and Kenobi on Naboo. Oh, how many times Maul can remember suffering agony as a boy, how many times he thought ‘This is it. This is how I will die. He’s going to kill me.’ and the next moment he would think ‘So this has all been for what? It was a game for him? Have I been nothing but an experiment? Is this how it was going to end all along?’ It was those moments of outrage, of pure unbridled hatred that managed to keep him alive out of sheer spite. 

‘No,’ He would tell himself, even in those moments when death felt so close and so alluring that he would have rather succumbed to it’s still, gentle embrace. ‘You will not kill me. I will not die. I refuse to let my existence be only a game for you. I will survive.’ 

His hatred of his master, even after all of these years, has not waned. 

But even still, Maul finds himself unprepared for the punishment that is yet to come. It’s been so long since he’s suffered at the hands of his master, his former master. In his foolishness, he’d allowed himself to believe that those days of being tortured by Sidious were gone. He’d honestly convinced himself that he might get to live a life free from his shackles. How stupid he had been. 

Worst of all, Maul can see Savage’s body out of the corner of his eye as he pushes himself off of the ground. It’s clear now that Mother Talzin must have used her magic on him as well. In his brother’s dying moments, Maul had watched Savage shrink from what many revered as a monster into a man. His horns shrank, his body grew slighter, and his armor had disappeared. 

‘I am an unworthy apprentice.’ Savage’s voice echoes in Maul’s ears now. No, he thinks as he gasps and scrambles away from Sidious. No, brother, I was an unworthy master. I failed you. I am sorry.

All of the pain, the anger, the hatred towards Sidious and knowing that this had all just been a fun way to toy with Maul give way to fear and a terrible dread of humiliation. He knows what happens next. He’s played this part many times before.

Not again, Maul’s chest aches from an internal pang of emotion, please…not again. 

Humiliation. Sidious had always been fond of using it to punish his apprentice. It was his greatest tool in breaking Maul’s spirit. ‘Oh, poor Maul. All he ever wanted was a friend.’ Sidious’s voice is burned into every corner of his mind. Those words had cut so deeply as a child, because at the time Maul couldn’t understand. What’s so wrong about wanting a friend? 

“Have mercy,” Maul wheezes, feeling the ache in his fractured rib pierce his breath with each gasp for air, “Please, Please!”

Begging never helps, but he knows Sidious enjoys hearing him plead. Not begging would only make things worse. Maul knows this. Every time he had ever pled for mercy, he can remember the sadistic joy in Sidious’s eyes as he took the chance to recite his favorite lesson:

“There is no mercy.” 

Maul screams. 

The lightning courses through his body, heightening every ache and throb. It is white hot agony, causing Maul to twitch and writhe as he desperately tries to absorb the pain, but each second drags on and brings a new height to his suffering. His nerves burn and his skin sings with a new found level of pain.

Then finally, thankfully, the torture stops. Sidious says something, but Maul doesn’t hear it over the pounding of blood in his ears. He can’t even tell if his eyes are open at this point. His vision is blurred and dark. Stray charges of electricity still course through him, leaving him twitching and jerking, but he catches his breath. 

For the first time in years, Maul is back in the cold, dark room he was raised in on Mustafar, and he’s barely tall enough to see his reflection in the window. Even back then his body had learned not to cry, but his chest had still ached with a resounding sadness he couldn’t understand. Here on Mandalore, Maul feels like a child as he looks up at the hidden face of his former master and wishes he could be that boy in the window. 

He will survive. It is all he can do. 

#darth maul #savage opress #my writing #ficlet #the wrath of maul #darth sidious #hurt no comfort #poor maul #the clone wars #star wars #the boy in the window part probably won't make sense if you haven't read The Wrath of Maul

[starryevermore]

as of 11/09/23, the post office is OPEN and is currently accepting requests.

general information:

⇨ i write mostly fem!reader, but open to male!reader and gender neutral!reader.

⇨ requests are filled when they are filled. there is no rhyme or reason to when requests are filled. i reserve the right to delete any request as i see fit. if a request is deleted, you are not entitled to knowing the reason.

⇨ not all requests will be one shots. some will be turned into short blurbs or series, depending on how much inspiration i have.

⇨ i write fluff, angst, smut, and dark fics, but angst is my specialty.

⇨ at the present, i only feel comfortable writing smut for fem!readers.

⇨ any au ideas are welcome.

⇨ i am willing to write for characters beyond the lists below, but please ask me first before you send in a request so that i can judge if it’s something i’m comfortable with.

⇨ i no longer write rpf (real person fiction), so don’t make a request for a real person.

⇨ if the listed character is struck through, that means im not taking requests for that character at the moment.

⇨ my hard no’s for fic requests are as follows:

anything involving haunted houses (the kind you go through for halloween, not a house haunted by a ghost character),

teacher/student relationships (though i am willing to explore other teacher relationships, such as teacher/teacher, teacher/librarian, professor/dean, teacher/parent of student, etc.),

stepparent/stepchild,

incest,

pedophilia,

coprophilia (feces) and emetophilia (vomit),

self-harm, and

suicidal ideation/actions.

mcu characters:

⇨ bucky barnes 

⇨ sam wilson

⇨ steve rogers

⇨ natasha romanoff

⇨ loki + his variants (jotun!loki, president!loki, etc.)

⇨ druig

⇨ makkari

⇨ ikaris

⇨ wanda maximoff

⇨ tony stark

⇨ peter parker (aged up)

⇨ eddie brock/venom

⇨ steven grant/marc spector/jake lockley

⇨ khonshu

⇨ layla el-faouly

⇨ kate bishop

⇨ matt murdock

⇨ foggy nelson

⇨ jennifer walters

sebastian stan characters:

⇨ bucky barnes

⇨ mickey henry

⇨ charles blackwood

⇨ lance tucker

⇨ chris beck

⇨ lee bodecker

⇨ jefferson/mad hatter

⇨ nick fowler

⇨ steve kemp

chris evans characters:

⇨ steve rogers

⇨ ransom drysdale

⇨ andy barber

⇨ ari levinson

⇨ robert pronge/mr. freezy

⇨ johnny storm

⇨ jake wyler

⇨ frank adler

⇨ colin shea

⇨ jake jensen

⇨ curtis everett

⇨ lloyd hansen

oscar isaac characters:

⇨ steven grant/marc spector/jake lockley

⇨ poe dameron

⇨ nathan bateman

⇨ jonathan levy

⇨ santiago garcia

pedro pascal characters:

⇨ din djarin

⇨ frankie morales

⇨ javi gutierrez

hayden christensen characters:

⇨ anakin skywalker

⇨ leo campo

star wars:

⇨ poe dameron

⇨ obi-wan kenobi

⇨ anakin skywalker

⇨ luke skywalker

⇨ padmé amidala

⇨ leia organa

⇨ hera syndulla

⇨ sabine wren

⇨ darth maul

⇨ savage opress

⇨ din djarin

⇨ cassian andor

⇨ captain rex

⇨ hunter

⇨ wrecker

⇨ echo

⇨ tech

⇨ crosshair

⇨ fives

⇨ cody

⇨ wolffe

maasverse

⇨ rhysand

⇨ cassian

⇨ azriel

⇨ the bat boys

⇨ feysand

⇨ nessian

⇨ eris vanserra

⇨ lucien vanserra

⇨ ruhn danaan

⇨ hunt athalar

⇨ aelin galathynius

⇨ rowan whitethorn

⇨ rowaelin

⇨ fenrys moonbeam

⇨ lorcan salvaterre

⇨ elide lochan

⇨ elorcan

⇨ dorian havilliard

⇨ manon blackbeak

⇨ manorian

knives out:

⇨ benoit blanc

⇨ ransom drysdale

ted lasso:

⇨ ted lasso

⇨ jamie tartt

⇨ roy kent

⇨ keeley jones

#request faqs #starryevermore

[ashenbun]

-= Aberrant =-

"Rhes!? Where're you going?!"

Kosve- for after two summers he still had yet to choose his new name- hissed from the edge of the cave mouth as he squinted into the darkness. He had learned quickly that his new guardian was easily distracted by things 'mysterious' and, as Rhes himself described them, 'invitational'. The slim crack in the rock face that had been revealed after recent storms fit both categories and so there was no hesitation in exploring what had long since remained hidden.

Kosve bounced anxiously from foot to foot and glanced around as if his need for someone else might make them simply materialise from the air. No one came and instead the young man found himself staring at the crack in the wall again, ears twisted forward. He could hear the dull scrapes of Rhes making his way through. The soft curses of scraped shins and palms or a bumped head brought Kosve small comfort. 

For once why couldn't Rhes have kept to the paths they were meant to patrol? They had one job and yet his Oh So Wise mentor was intent each day to everything but that one job. They had climbed to the tops of 'odd' looking pine trees, spent terrifying hours trying to scale a rock face to investigate an 'enchanting carving' half way up that turned out to simply be an old lightning strike. Not to mention his personal favourite; almost being mauled by bears because the 'trapdoor' Rhes had found was simply a crack in the ceiling of their den.

It was exhausting!

Sometimes Kosve wondered how Rhes had managed to survive on his own for so long. Divine intervention? Or did the gods keep him alive for their own amusement?

"Y'comin', lad!?"

The excitement in Rhes' tone made Kosve sigh hard enough he wilted slightly on the spot. But he nodded. Thankfully he was smarter. He grabbed one of the small, carved rocks that Rhes made from his belt pouch and clutched it tightly. Leading with that hand, he followed the other Viera in.

As the strip of light from the crack began to fade behind him Kosve brought that little rock to his mouth and breathed upon it gently while casting his mind to thoughts of the sun. It worked. The spirits had answered his request and the little trinket in his hand became a dull star in the dark. Just enough to see by if you squinted slightly.

"..Wha' in th- Hurry up, boy! Ye've gottae see this!"

Kosve did not in fact hurry. He was determined to make it to Rhes with as little damage to his person as possible. By the time he wiggled free of the cramped space and found the ash-furred Viera, Rhes was practically vibrating with excitement. And Kosve could see why.

The serpentine crack in the wall had led the pair into the remains of a subterranean chamber. The ceiling was low but shaped most peculiarly, a perfect curve the likes of which Kosve had never seen. And there were faces peering out of the stone! He took a step back instinctively and reached for the spear, feeling his heart sink as his grasping hand found nothing. The spears would not fit in the tunnel and Rhes had decided to leave them. Another reason Kosve was so anxious. While Rhes had a decent grasp of magic, he did not.

"What d'ye suppose this place was? Wonder wha' kinda folk lived 'ere. Y'think it was th'Diggers?" Rhes asked more to the air than to Kosve, staring at the stone beings with eyes like a new fawn. "Migh' be deep enough for 'em, don't see any shiny stone though… Maybe some've 'em didnae live fer diggin' like w'thought? They 'ad tae 'ave other hobbies."

"I don't think it's wise to question the spirits, or speak for them, Rhes. That's the job of the Anui." Kosve kept his voice low. The little pebble light made those stone faces appear unnerving real. "Can we go?"

"Go!? W'jist stumbled onnae somethin' amazin' an you wannae leave!? Where's yer sense've adventure?"

Kosve scowled at the older male. Rhes' back was already turned and he was wandering quite calmly- though thankfully with enough caution to be silent- down the strange tunnel. After a moment of hesitation Kosve followed him, trying very hard not to look at the stone faces as he passed by. The light made it seem like they were turning. Stone didn't turn. It couldn't turn. Would-

"Oof! Rhes what are y-?"

The older male clasped a hand over his charge's mouth, stifling further words. His eyes were fixed forward and his usually lopped ears had risen to focus his hearing. Rhes had heard something. The hand not holding Kosve silent quirked itself into the beginning of the gesture Rhes used for his casts. Always the same, quick and efficient motion; swirl of the index and middle fingers, open palm upward, push the heel forward.

Kosve bit his tongue hard as the Warden's hand left his mouth. He wanted to ask what was heard. What might have been seen. Then he heard it. A dull rumble like a distant flour stone being spun. Such a strange sound for a place such as this.

Then came a second, much closer and louder sound. A jarring sound like the growl of a monster with a throat made of spear blades. It hurt Kosve's ears and made him gasp. Then a mighty slam that he felt vibrate through his very bones and rattle his skull.

The silence that came after was like that of the first snows of winter. Still enough to hear a bird's breath.

A clattering beside him made Kosve look down to see the light pebble skitter towards the foot of a stone face. They had turned. He tried to gasp but found that he couldn't and when his eyes met Rhes', he realised he felt cold. Like those winter snows.

"Rhes..?"

"Don't- Don't move I can figure this out, I can-"

"Rhes, am I dreaming? I feel foggy…"

"Don't ye dare close yer eyes, boy- Kosve! Lookit me!"

"Shhh, you're too loud… I'm just gonna… take a nap…"

He had backed away from Kosve until his back hit hard stone. From there he slid down, unfeeling, until the ground caught him. The stone faces had moved as one, towards the last source of sound, he supposed. In the dim light neither Viera had seen the huge lances held in the shadows of each alcove. A weapon for every face. He had no idea what had activated them but in one smooth and loud motion five of those spears had torn clean through Kosve, sticking him in place like a fish. It had happened so fast the boy never even realised and Rhes had no time to react.

The pool of red that had been slowly seeping across the ground swallowed the little light that had rolled from Kosve's hand as his grip failed. The stone faces illuminated briefly in a soft pink before darkness claimed the tunnel again.

But Rhes could still see every spear. See that peaceful smile.

He sat on the stone floor until he felt numb enough to leave. He fumbled his way back to the crack in the wall, staggered into the sunlight, and screamed.

#ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2021 #prompt 2 aberrant #tw death #anam things #oops we got spicy #still cant find the read more cut #dont think it exists on mobile so will edit tomorrow #male viera

[actress4him]

Whumptober 2020 - Day 26

I had such a hard time figuring out what to write for this one. I knew I wanted to use this alternate prompt as soon as I saw it, but there are sooooo many good possibilities for water whump! I could NOT make up my mind. So I went to @trope-appreciation-tuesdays again, which gave me even MORE ideas, but I finally ended up settling on a mashup between two ideas submitted by @aliceinwhumperland and @theironcarey . I was pretty happy with how it turned out!

Read on AO3

Read on FFN

Day 26 (Alt 12) - Water

Fandom: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Warnings: drowning, broken bones

Branches tore at his face and clothes, weird colored leaves sticking in his hair. Dodging left, then right, missing each tree by a fraction of an inch, Keith was racing quite literally for his life through the forest, and as fast as he was running he was pretty sure he was losing the race. After, all these psychotic aliens lived in this forest. They knew it much better than he did.

He came to the cliff so suddenly that he almost pitched right over it, catching himself at the last moment on a tree. His stomach dipped down into his toes before righting itself. For a split second he just stared over the drop off into the sparkling green water below. The ocean. Great.

But there was no time to pause, no time to even look back and see how close the hoard of angry neon aliens had gotten. He didn’t need to, anyway. He could hear them well enough to know they were close, too close. Changing course, he took off again, parallel to the ocean this time. Maybe he could lose them. Maybe they’d think he fell over. Keith winced, not liking the thought of how close he had come to doing just that.

Then again, maybe down was actually the best way to really lose them. The thought was ridiculously stupid, one of those ideas that would get him yelled at by the rest of the paladins. But this whole situation was ridiculously stupid, and if he could find somewhere that he could jump and not land in the water...well, it seemed like a better option than getting mauled to death by aliens that looked like they belonged in a nightclub.

He found his opportunity a few long, breathless dobashes later. A glance over the edge showed that a ledge had formed about halfway down, one that should be wide enough for him to land on. From there, he would be able to contact the rest of the team, make sure they had gotten away, and get someone to come pick him up. As long as the neon aliens didn’t decide to leap off after him.

He gulped, and went for it.

The freefall was forever long and far too short all at the same time. Keith waved his arms instinctively, trying to keep upright in the air, planning on going into a roll as soon as he hit the ground.

What he didn’t count on was landing with his foot at a funny angle, instantly snapping his ankle. Nor did he expect that interrupted momentum to send him careening to the side, slamming his ribs into the side of the ledge before he tumbled over the side. Wide-eyed, he scrambled desperately for something to grab onto, but came up short. 

He was falling again, and this time there was only endless water below.

The surface came to meet him all too quickly, the impact bruising his spine. Instantly the water engulfed him. It was freezing. And he hadn’t gotten the chance to take a good breath, so already he was running low on air. 

As the light sparkling on the water began to draw further away, Keith kicked and flailed his arms, trying to get reoriented and keep himself from sinking further. Every kick sent pain shooting through his ankle. 

But somehow, it worked. Sorta. His face broke the surface for just long enough for him to gasp in a breath, but he ended up sucking in a bit of water, as well, as he immediately went back under. His lungs spasmed, desperate to rid themselves of the foreign substance. Frantically, he kicked again, and though this time only his hand surfaced, he felt something besides just air and water. Something solid. 

His hands went into overdrive as black spots started to dance in front of his eyes. Just when he thought he wouldn’t be able to hold out any longer, they found purchase, and he gave everything he had left to haul himself upward.

Glorious air brushed cold against his face. Keith spluttered, coughing up the water that had been sloshing in his lungs and sucking in gulps of air in between. His chest hurt from the exertion, and that wasn’t even to mention the bruised or cracked ribs on his left side.

When he was finally able to draw in slightly rattling breaths without going into another coughing fit, he finally looked around to see where he had ended up. It seemed to be the opening of a cave. The sea went right up into it, but maybe further in there would be some dry land, which sounded glorious right about then. 

Slowly, hand over hand, he began to make his way deeper into the cave along the wall. Twice his fingers slipped, and he almost plunged back down into the water. Each time he had to stop, take a breath, and try to stop his heart from pounding out his chest. He hated big bodies of water. Not that he was scared of them, he just...didn’t know how to handle them. And so far this whole experience was close to the top of most terrifying moments of his life. He did not want to go back under. 

After what seemed like an eternity, he reached what he had hoped was the back of the cave. Unfortunately, up close it was clear that it merely went around a bend and kept going, with no end to the water in sight. There was no dry land. Nowhere to rest. 

It was then, thankfully, that his comm crackled to life. “Keith, do you copy?”

Thankfully because he wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to hang there, and thankfully because he hadn’t been sure after that spill in the ocean if his comm was even still working.

“I’m here.”

“Thank goodness.” Shiro sounded more than relieved. “I’ve been trying to get you to respond for several dobashes.”

“Sorry.” Keith attempted to adjust his grip on the stone, wincing. “Kinda got wet. Might have taken a bit for my comm to dry out.”

“What do you mean, you got wet?” Lance broke in.

Shiro ignored the interruption. “Most of us are back in the Lions. We have to swing by and pick up Hunk. Where are you?”

“Um.” Suddenly he was quite aware of how embarrassing his situation was. “I’m...in a cave...in the ocean?”

There was silence over the comms for a moment. Then, “Mullet, please don’t tell me you jumped in the ocean to get away from the nightclub aliens.”

“No,” he shot back a bit too quickly. “I didn’t jump in the ocean. I...fell.” It was mostly true. And possibly a worse admission than agreeing with Lance, but he couldn’t stand the tone of voice he was using.

“Are you okay?” Shiro immediately asked.

“Mostly. A little banged up, but I’ll survive.” He’d get lectured later for calling a broken ankle and cracked ribs “a little banged up”, but that was better than making Shiro worry.

“Alright. I’m gonna send Lance to come pick you up, since his Lion will be best if he needs to land in water.”

He wanted to protest. Like, really really wanted to protest. Lance was the last  person that needed to see him right now. But Shiro had a point, Blue was the best Lion for this situation, so he snapped his jaw shut and locked it.

Lance spent the entire flight crowing and preening via a private comm channel over the fact that he was coming to rescue Keith from an embarrassing predicament that Keith had gotten himself into. For his part, Keith just gritted his teeth and bore it in silence, while trying his best to keep his exhausted, trembling arms from giving out and dropping him back into the frigid water. His lower body had long since gone numb. The good news was that that meant his ankle was mostly numb, too, only occasionally giving a throb to let him know it was still broken.

“Are you almost here?” he eventually growled. 

“What, you in a hurry, Mullet?”

He wanted to say, “Yeah, I am. Did I mention that I was in the water?” But that would have just given him more fuel to make fun of him. 

Instead, he griped, “The planet isn’t that big.”

“Well excuse me, but the shoreline is pretty quiznaking long. All you told us was ‘in a cave in the ocean’. I’m still looking.”

Which, that was fair, he guessed. Not that he would ever tell Lance that. And not that his body agreed. “Maybe if you’d stop talking you could concentrate better on looking.”

“Or maybe if you would stop talking to me, I- oh wait, I think I see it!”

Sure enough, the unmistakable whoosh of a Lion’s flight was drawing nearer. “I hear you. You’re definitely close.”

A moment later, Blue’s face filled the opening of the cave. Lance promptly began cackling. “Holy crow, Mullet, this is the best moment of my life. You look like a drowned rat!”

Keith glared, which probably didn’t look all that menacing considering the circumstances. “Ha, ha, very funny. Now are you gonna come in and get me?”

“Sorry, bro, no can do. This is as far as Blue goes. Shoulda picked a bigger cave.” He still hadn’t stopped laughing.

“Yeah, but...ugh. Never mind.” No way was he handing Lance any more ammo. His arms would just have to deal with it. 

His fingers had gotten so cold that they had gone stiff and didn’t want to let go of their hold to start with, but he pried them off and began to painstakingly make his way back toward the entrance. Inch by inch, knuckles aching and muscles quivering the whole time.

“Dude, are you seriously gonna crawl along the wall the whole way?”

“Shut up, Lance.”

A minute of silence. His ribs were starting to smart again, stirred up by the movement.

“Oh my stars, this is gonna take all day! What are you doing?”

“I said shut up, Lance!”

“No, I’m not gonna shut up, this is ridiculous! What are you, Spiderman, now? Why don’t you get off the quiznaking wall and swim?”

“If you’re just gonna sit out there and do nothing but watch, then you have no right to compl-” 

Mid-sentence, his broken ankle bumped up against the rock and his vision whited out. The next thing he knew, water was up over his head again. Panicked, he tried to pull himself back up by the one hand that hadn’t lost its grip, sliding the other one frantically around the wall until it found another handhold and he was able to haul himself out. He came up gasping, coughing, and spitting once more.

“You okay there, Mullet?” Lance’s voice came echoing through the cave a few seconds later. Glancing over, Keith saw him sitting up on Blue’s nose.

“‘m fine,” he spat. He was shivering so hard that he wasn’t sure whether he could keep crawling.

“You got a water phobia?”

“No. I’m not scared, I just...just no. Shut up.”

“You sure? ‘Cause you sure looked scared. And if you’re not scared, then why wouldn’t you just swim over here like a normal huma-”

“Because I can’t, okay?” Keith exploded. “I...I just can’t, so leave me alone and let me get there my own way.”

He kept still, despite that demand, still not able to will his arms into moving again. Amazingly, Lance stayed quiet for longer than expected.

“Did you hurt yourself and lie to Shiro?”

“No.”

Lance groaned. “Then I don’t get why you can’t swim -!” He paused. “Wait. You...can’t swim. Is that what you’re telling me?”

No, no, that was not what he was telling him, that was the last thing he wanted to tell him, of all people, the three time swimteam champion and competitive surfer. But if he continued denying it he would just sound stupid. 

“So what if I can’t? I grew up in the middle of the desert, okay? There was no need to know how to swim.” And no one who cared enough to teach him, for most of his life.

There was silence again, and Keith couldn’t bring himself to look at what kind of face Lance was making at this new revelation. For all he knew, he was laughing so hard it wasn’t making any sound. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Then there was a splash, and Keith snapped his head around to see Mr. Three Time Swimteam Champion popping back up out of the water next to Blue and shaking his sopping hair around.

“Dude! This water is freezing!” 

“Thanks for pointing that out. I hadn’t noticed. What are you doing?”

Instead of answering, Lance started swimming straight toward him with strong, steady strokes. In seconds - covering a distance that had taken Keith forever - he was stopping right next to him, treading water. 

He grinned. “I’m coming to rescue you like I was told.”

Keith clenched his jaw and stared hard at the rocks. “I don’t need rescuing.”

“Oh, okay, so should I just go back to Blue and fly away and leave you to do this yourself?”

He wanted to bash his head against the wall. He didn’t think he had the energy. “No. Ugh, fine. I need rescuing. But you didn’t have to get in the water and come all the way in here. I could have handled it.”

“Sure you could.” Keith could hear the eyeroll without even looking. “Look, dude. You can’t swim. That’s okay. It’s not your fault no one taught you, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I grew up on the beach, so of course I know how. You don’t have to pretend like you’re something you’re not just to save face.”

That...was not at all the reaction he’d expected. He kinda wondered if maybe all the water he had inhaled had gotten to his brain, or if the neon aliens had gotten to Lance and done some kind of body swap.

“And besides,” Lance continued, “even the best trained swimmers would have a hard time after being in this temperature water for as long as you have. Which means we should, you know, get going before I can’t swim, either.”

He still wasn’t sure what in the world had brought on this...kind? understanding? very un-Lance-like response, but he wasn’t going to argue against getting out of the water. Even if it did mean having to let Lance drag him around like a little kid.

“Okay. Fine. How...are we gonna do this?”

Lance grinned again. “Well, I’m thinking maybe if we put our arms around each other like this, so we can each use one arm, and we can both kick…” He threw his arm around Keith’s torso, drawing an involuntary hiss as it bumped into his sore ribs. Lance just stared at him, one eyebrow tilted up.

Keith looked away. “I...may have possibly lied to Shiro.”

“And to me.” Lance sighed dramatically. “Fine, so you busted your ribs or something. Any other injuries I should know about?”

“I may have also possibly broken my ankle.”

“Seriously, dude? Alright, don’t kick with that leg, then.”

“I can -”

“I said don’t.”

Keith glared at him. “Fine.”

“Good. So, you just move your free hand like I’m doing, and kick your uninjured leg up and down, and I’ll do the rest. Got it?”

“Got it.” They adjusted until they were in position and were ready to take off toward Blue.

“Hey Mullet?”

“What.”

“You’re an idiot, you know that?”

Somehow, he was pretty sure based on the tone that this was more about his refusal to accept help than the whole falling into the ocean thing. He kinda owed Lance a thank you. He definitely would if he actually managed to get them back to Blue without drowning. 

What he actually said was, “Takes one to know one.”

He was pretty sure based on the tone that Lance would know what he meant.

#whumptober2020 #no.26 #alt.12 #water #Voltron: Legendary Defender #fic #drowning tw #broken bones tw #keith #keith kogane #voltron keith #vld keith #hurt keith #keith whump #voltron whump #voltron #vld #voltron legendary defender #voltron fanfic #vld fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #altprompt

[cxptain-rex]

summary: rex encounters a nightsister for the first time.

warnings: none, well I made sum angst tbh so yeah j

pairing: Captain Rex x Nightsister!Reader

request by: @catchmewiththelosers - thanks for requesting this tbh I had fun. I just started writing and this is what came out. I hope that you like it, haha I’m scared. I’m sorry it got angst I just had to do it.

requests are open!!! send some my way!!!

Rex received a message from General Skywalker, to come to the bridge immediately to welcome their new addition to the legion. The captain thought all the things that new addition could be, perhaps a Jedi, someone from the senate or a new officer. What the captain did not expect to see was night sister standing with his general. There she stood in full height, a powerful being.

“Captain Rex! This is Y/N, she will be assisting you and the legion in the capture of Savage Opress and Darth Maul” General Skywalker states as Y/N turns around to meet the clone captain.

You have guts to come here Y/N, you reminded yourself as you stare at the clone in front of you. The Mother had betrayed you and sent you along with Ventress to Count Dooku.

You managed to balance yourself unlike Ventress whom went to the Dark Side willingly, you held balance within yourself. And here you were, seeking protection from the Republic in exchange of you helping them take down one of your nightbrothers.

“Pleased to serve alongside you, uh ma’am”

You blinked a couple of times taking in the words of the clone, “the pleasure is all mine Captain, please call me Y/N” you say tilting your head a little bit to take a good look at the captain.

As the two stared at each other, millions of thoughts rushed into yours and the Captain’s mind.

General Skywalker though sensed the click between his Captain and his new acquaintance. He smirked knowingly at the two yet did not say anything. The General debriefed them quickly and send them off to the planet of Dathomir, where Savage Opress and Darth Maul hid with an army of droids unknown to the Republic troops in pursue.

+++++++++++++

Captain Rex walked with you yet silence filled the air and a strange tension between the two of you. He could not deny the way his heart raced when he first saw you on the bridge.

“You might think that I am here to kill you or betray you”

That took the Captain of guard, he stammered and stalled on his footsteps. No, I do not think of you as a killer — Rex thought as he stopped on his tracks.

“No, ma’am—I mean Y/N, I just...never seen a nightsister. I’ve fought one, Asajj Ventress”

“Yes, my nightsister...believe me Captain when I tell you that I am different from her. She takes from the Dark Side of the force and I do too, but I’ve never felt the pull to it” you spoke staring at the floor of the cruiser.

You found yourself struck of how open you became with the Captain in a matter of mynock minute.

“I am sure that you have your reasons, you will be welcomed within the ranks of my men”

Rex stood in front of the barracks where his men were in getting ready to deploy. He knew from an instant that he felt something, a pull towards you and he could not deny it. The feeling felt foreign but right.

“Let’s get going shall we?”

“Yes Captain”

The 501st legion stood, staring the nightsister and their captain. They just knew something was bound to come between those two. The clones entered their transport after being debriefed by Captain Rex.

The transports made it down to the planet’s surface. You exit the ship and a blast goes off, a droid stood 10 meters away from you and the legion. You quickly snatched your energy lance and struck down the droid, snapping off its head.

The 501st were dumbstruck by you and your swift movement to take down the droid. Captain Rex stood in awe watching you naturally glide around the droid until striking it down.

“Captain! Tell your men to scout the area, we’ve been led into a trap”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Captain Rex did not have the opportunity to send his men to check the area, as a company of battle droids marched straight to the 501st legion.

“Contact General Skywalker, we need reinforcement now Captain” you stated as the men started firing back to the droids.

General Skywalker arrived with more reinforcement and the battle unleashed. The clones stood their front and winning as they took on the droids.

Suddenly a shift in the force alerted you of the presence of Savage Opress and Maul. “They are here, General” you said standing your ground with your lance.

“Let’s take them” remarked General Skywalker starting his lightsaber and standing in battle position.

You and General Skywalker stood your ground as two figures emerged from the shadows of Dathomir, Savage and Maul.

“A traitor” Maul hissed lighting his lightsaber along with Savage. “A half beast” you snarked at nightbrother standing in front of you.

The two of them took on the Jedi and Nightsister. Lightsaber against lightsaber and lightsaber against energy lance. Leading them away from the clones was your main priority. Your lance clashed against Maul’s light saber, unbreakable and strong.

You were growing tired and Maul slithered into your mind with the force. You felt him, pulling your thoughts and sentiments. Growling you struck him down landing a blow on him.

“Get out, you monster!”

“Hmm. What is this that I sense? Is it...a link? A bond?” Maul whispered as he struck you down, glaring at him and kicking him right in the shin you stood up once again.

The bond, a bond between clone and nightsister. You felt it once you saw him. Captain Rex is your bond and he is in danger.

Darth Maul cackled as he stood, watching you take in what he said. He took the chance and landed you a blow on the back as you landed a few meters away from him. Maul made his way to the clones chucking them out of his path until he spotted the captain.

A chuckle ripples through his chest as he goes to strike the clone captain with his lightsaber. Time stopped. There you stood, deflecting the lightsaber with your lance all bloody and beaten.

Your eyes burned with new fire, with rage. Captain Rex laid on the ground in shock. His facial expression could not be seen underneath his helmet but shock was what came through. You saved him. A clone meant to be expandable. And yet you decided to save him.

Maul growled as you struck him right on his newly made legs. “This will not be the last you see of me, night traitor” he snarled limping away from you as Savage Opress took him and made their grand escape.

The fight was done, droids scattered along the perimeter and you stood in shock. You saved the Captain, out of no where. You manage to stand even with your wounds and saved him. As the momentum left your body, you plummet to the ground.

The Captain managed to catch your body before you hit the ground. He felt a pulse yet his nerves were erratic. Taking of his helmet, he managed to look into your eyes.

You saw him, the man underneath the helmet and you were mesmerized. A true beauty, even if there were others just like him running around the battlefield. Captain Rex stood out from the rest.

“...You saved me”

“O-of course”

You came in and out of conscious until you lost it. And the captain questioned now, if he also lost you in this battle. He just prays to the Force that he does not lose you. Not now when he just found you.

+++++++++++

Omg I made it angstsyyyy im so sorry :’)

#tcw #tcw season 7 #the clone wars #captain rex x reader #captain rex #clone trooper kix #clone trooper fives #clone trooper echo #x reader #501stlegion #clone trooper hardcase #clone trooper jesse #general skywalker #anakin skywalker #general kenobi #obiwan kenobi #212th attack battalion #commander cody #adri-answers #cxptain rex

[angels17324]

The Violet Paladin (Keith x Reader) Ch. 15

Hows quarantine treating everyone? I know I don’t have to explain myself on not posting but guys I want you to know I am a health care worker I’ve been at work for almost 10 hours a day everyday for the last two weeks on both days and nights. So I love you all I know I am trying to keep writing but its hard. Guys if you don’t need to go out please don’t stay home find some new fics to binge read or shows to obsess over I don’t want to lose anyone to this virus.  Word Count:   Update Schedule: Unknown (Im gonna try and set myself a goal of updating on  Wednesdays call me out if I forget guys!!) [Masterlist] [Prev] 

When I got back on the castle I learned that Shiro would be in one of the healing pods for a while. I still hadn’t told them anything about what happened, but I’d rather tell them at the same time then one by one. We were all in the healing bay watching Shiro.

“Is he okay?” Hunk asked when we heard Shiro groaning. 

“Sometimes the healing process causes involuntary brain waves,” Allura explained. 

“It looks like he’s having a bad dream,” Hunk mumbled. 

“He just got blasted by a space witch and mauled by giant lizards, what dream could be worse than that?” Keith asked. We all waited for a short while longer before he started to wake up. We had all gathered closer and smiled at him when he opened his eyes. He told us about having a dream of a Galra soldier helping him and some coordinates in his arm. 

We waited for Shiro to get dressed before walking down to the green lions hanger. Lance was filling Shiro in on what had happened with him and Hunk and Mermaids? I wasn’t really sure, I was just thankful the attention wasn’t on me, I don’t even know how I’m going to tell them. 

“(Y/n)?” I heard Hunk called out. 

“Huh?” I looked to see everyone was staring at me. 

“You were kind of zoned out there,” Lance looked me. 

“Oh…” I breathed. 

“You know you’ve been acting really weird since you got back, you’re the only person who never shared what happened while we were all separated,” Pidge crossed her arms. 

I sighed, I was going to have to tell them sooner or later and I might as well just get it over with, “I don’t really even know where to start,” I stated. “A lot happened honestly,” I guess I should just ease the information in. “Well, I guess I can start with I crashed onto this planet where I was met by a girl who ended up being the planets princess,” I said I wasn’t trying to be vague but I’m still not sure how they will take it. “She ended up taking me to the queen, where I found out I was on the home of the original Violet Paladin, and at first the queen wasn’t very happy learning that I was the new paladin,”

I explained a bit of what I learned like how they had closed of all communication with the rest of the universe, and how the only reason I think they hadn’t been attacked is because in the Archives I learned that they never shared the location of their planet with anyone. Coran shared that not even Alfor or any of the other original paladins had been to the planet and that I was the first ‘outsider’ I bite my tongue to hold back from correcting him at least yet. “Okay but none of that explains why you’ve been acting weird,” Pidge said ever observant she is. 

“It might just be easier to show you then tell you.” I pulled out my phone I had snapped a photo of the picture that the Queen showed me and I showed it to the group. 

“It looks like you, but it’s not,” Pidge state. 

“Is this some creepy twin in space thing?” Lance asked. 

“No, how do I put this… it’s true it’s not me, but it’s also not a twin thing… I mean, except the actual picture in this is over 28 years old.” I explained, I could almost see the wheels turning in their heads. “It’s my mom!” I exclaimed not really being able to take it anymore. 

“How!” Pidge was the first to speak up since she was the only person here to ever meet my mom. 

“Wait what?” Lance was the next one to speak up. I explained to them as much as I knew which still wasn’t much other then the fact that she was the queen’s little sister. It felt so much better to have this off my chest. We continued to the hanger to find out what if anything was in Shiro’s arm. The whole way down Lance kept questioning me about everything, I was kind of annoyed but I just ignored him. 

While we were waiting for Pidge to find the coordinates I just kept thinking about everything that's happened. I wonder if my mother would have ever told me about this? And if that was why she was mad that I had joined the garrison.

 Eventually Pidge found the coordinates, but Allura didn’t seem too happy about trusting something from the Galra but we went ahead and used a  wormhole to get to the base. In front of us were these large crystals they were kinda cool. 

“Well this is it. No signs of life, living or otherwise.” Coran said. “I don’t want to bring the castle any closer those xanthorium chucks contain highly unstable nitrate salts even bumping one can blow us straight to Wozblay,” Okay slightly less cool. 

“Are you sure this is right?” Shiro asked. 

“These are the coordinates Number Six gave me.” Coran said.

“Hey! My decryption is solid,” Pidge defended glaring at Coran. 

“We’ve gotta be missing something,” Shiro said. We ended up waiting a few minutes before alarms began blaring. 

“There’s an intruder in the Castle!” Coran shouted. Allura found him on level five. We all suited up and went down. We each began running through the halls to find this guy. Lance was the first to find him. I began to head back towards Lance listening to Corans commentary. Next they ran by Pidge. I soon found him dragging Pidge and being followed by Lance, and I joined following them. 

Then Hunk who somewhat blasted at us. We all chased him but kinda lost him as he ran towards Keith. That was the only good part of Coran’s commentary is we knew where this guy was. By the time Hunk, Lance and I caught up with Keith was quite literally hurled at us knocking the four of us down. 

We watched as Shiro and the guy were at each other’s throats before they both backed down. And that’s when Allura slammed him into the wall. When Shiro explained that the guy was the Galra soldier he’d remembered. 

We eventually had him chained up in our common room. Ulaz was apparently a Galra soldier in this secret underground revolution called the Blade of Marmora. The coordinates we had were actually corrected its just the base was hidden in a space fold. Honestly you could feel the tension between everyone from Allura’s mistrust of Ulaz, to the rest of us kinda being on the same side as her, except Shiro. 

Everyone except Lance, Allura, and Coran took the Red Lion to the base. We learned that they had several members in the ranks of Zarkon’s army including his main ship which is why we got away last time. Pidge asked about her family, which Ulaz agreed to transfer prison data to the castle of lions. 

“What’s that weapon you carry?” Keith asked. 

“It’s a ceremonial blade that each of our members carry,” Ulaz explained. “Oh, nice,” Keith said. Alarms began blaring again. We opened a screen to see another one of those stupid robeasts, but how did it find us this time? Before we left, Ulaz gave Shiro coordinates. Allura blamed Ulaz for us being found, but this time I think I agree with Shiro I don’t think Ulaz told Zarkon we were here. 

We waited in our lions but soon the fight was on. But this thing was nearly impossible to beat, it sucked in the crystals before blasting us, or it tried to suck us in. Ulaz left after the base was revealed… maybe he’s not one of the good guys. No time for that though as the beast tried to suck in the castle. We managed to stop that, but our plan to blow it up after didn’t work. It tried to suck us in again. 

“I’m going to take this down from the inside!” We heard Ulaz call. 

“No let us handle this!” Shiro tried. 

“Voltron is too important,” was the last thing he said to us before he flew into the beasts mouth, just as we thought it didn’t work it started to fold in on itself. He opened a space pocket inside the beast.

When we returned to the castle no one seemed in too high of spirits. I decided to walk around for a bit too maybe clear my head. So much has happened in the last couple of days its been a lot to process. Honestly, how long had it been since we’d left earth? It didn’t seem like that long but there was no day in night in space, we had a schedule but it was more like we slept for a few hours and we stayed up until we were ready to pass out. 

I finally decided maybe going to bed would be the best option right now to clear my mind. I slowly walked down the hall being quiet because I’m sure everyone else is probably trying to sleep now. I was almost to my room when I noticed Keith in front of my door. 

“You need something?” I asked. 

“Oh yeah, I just wanted to talk,” He said.

“About?” I wondered what he wanted to talk about. 

“A few things actually,” He said. “Would you mind if we went in my room for a minute?” I blushed a bit at the request but nodded I did tell him we could talk if he ever needed to. We went to his room. We both sat on his bed. 

“Alright what’s up? I’m not the only one who’s been acting kind of weird lately you’ve gotten more reckless,” I said noting his behavior from the last few days? Weeks? But it was more than that almost like he was also being protective. “Remember that sword Ulaz had?” He asked.

“Yeah, you seemed pretty interested in it,” 

“Well it’s because of this,” Keith pulled out a dagger from under his pillow, it had a weird marking, kinda like Ulaz. 

“Where or how’d you get it if you don’t mind my asking?” I looked at him. “I’ve kind of always had it, I thought it was weird but now it's even weirder because the marking is similar to Ulaz,” Keith explained. “That means the Galra were on earth at some point,” 

“But Ulaz also did say that only the Blades of Marmora had them,” I said. “And I’d reason that if my mom and possibly my dad made it to earth without being detected by the garrison then who’s to say someone else couldn’t? And for all we know, maybe it was imbedded in a meteorite or something and your parents found it and thought it was cool,” 

“You might be right,” He smiled a bit. 

“What else do you want to talk about?” I asked. I could tell there was something else, we didn’t know about the Blades until today so he hasn’t been acting weird because of that. 

“Oh, well, how do I put this…” He said looking down. 

“Keith-” I was cut off, I was so shocked Keith was kissing me! 

[Next]

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@somebodytouchedmysaeran @ittie-bittie-tittie @izabellah816 @zanysouleggstudent @rickxreader1shots @chewymoustachio

#keith kogane #keith x reader #the violet paladin #VLD #lance mcclain #katie holt #hunk #takashi shirogane #violet lion #Red Lion #Blue Lion #green lion #black lion #allura #coran #Aliens #voltron #angels1732 #reader insert #romance

[funtryandthepaladudes]

Behind the Lady’s Door

Today is my turn to contribute to the @planceminibang.

Here’s the link to the story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806028

Here’s a summary: 

The concept is simple. There are two doors. One leads to a Lady to marry, the other to a Lion to feed.

What isn't simple is life after this Galran Sentence. Particularly for Pidge, who's just gotten married to her childhood crush in this manner. While she isn't worried about living with Lance in theory, she's afraid of her feelings ruining the status quo. Can she maintain a 'platonic relationship', or will her repressed emotions burst forth and shake up the relative harmony between them.

This story is rated T, because some scenes are very suggestive, but no details are given. 

It has been my greatest pleasure to be teamed up with my @whyamistillhungry as my Beta-Reader and @a-haunted-sock as my artist.

See the art for this story here: https://a-haunted-sock.tumblr.com/post/186400599625/aaaand-we-have-liftoff-this-is-the-opener-comic

https://a-haunted-sock.tumblr.com/post/186403962175/bright-morning-here-is-pic-23-for

https://a-haunted-sock.tumblr.com/post/186411843000/to-love-and-be-loved-in-return-okay-i-promise

And now, on to the main event:

                                                               My feet tap listlessly as I sit in the empty chamber. I wish the Galra Empire would fill the room with… well anything. Books, games, a cheese platter. Quiznack, even hanging some art would liven up the place. But to be fair, most of the other 'Ladies' don't stay in the system as long as I did. Before I arrived here, the longest a 'Lady' remained in the Dorms was five weeks. It will be my third anniversary here in a few days. It's a little hard to fathom. I still remember the day I first came here. I had volunteered to so that I could keep my family together. Dad and Matt had begged me not to do it, but I was a stubborn kid, barely fifteen, and I thought marrying some stranger would be better than letting them be incarcerated for life for 'Treasonous Activities'. It was only once I was sitting on the stiff stool for the first time that I realized how risky this was.

My potential husband was going to be an alleged criminal. Regardless of actual culpability, I have no idea what kind of person I will wind up with. Even if they were innocent of the crime they were charged with, they could still be horrific people. After all, the Empire saves this particular sentence for the most insidious cases. Back then, I probably was too preoccupied with all those sudden concerns to notice how bland this room was. Yet, even with the tedium, the rumors, and the fact that at this rate, I probably won't see my family until I'm past childbearing age, I don't regret my decision. The alternatives would have been worse. Matt could have been on the other side.

“Don't think about that now, they're all safe.” I wonder which lion I am paired with today. I'd like to think it's the green eyed one, she's my favorite. I should ask the Grand Dayak if I can skip my lectures from now on. After all, at this point I have heard them so many times that I could teach the material. Scratch that, she's never going to agree to that. I can already hear her stuffy voice say, ‘Lecturing is a Dayak's job, yours is to learn. To do otherwise would be absurd. Besides, we can't make exceptions for you otherwise we might as well descend into chaos.’ Ugh, I wish. I hope whoever's out there deserves to be mauled. Not that I know for sure that today won't be the day I finally get hitched, but with my track record that's unlikely. The other 'Ladies' don't call me 'Cursed Katie' behind my back for nothing.

The creaking of the door, snaps me out of my musings, but for some reason the sound is coming from behind me—Wait! That means… I turn around and indeed, the door that had remained shut for my entire stay here has been opened. And even more surprisingly, the last person I ever expected to see behind that door is standing there.

“Lance?” I whisper to myself.

It has been so long since I've last seen him. Longer than my stay at the Dormitory. Oftentimes, I would think back on those simpler times, particularly when the Dayak put me in solitary confinement for 'misbehaving'. I wonder if life would have been different if my family had never moved to the Capital. Would Dad and Matt have never been framed? Would I have not wasted three years in this miserable place? Would Lance, Hunk and me still be close friends? Would I have eventually told Lance how I felt? Would it have saved him from getting to this point? Why is he here in the first place?

I look to him as these questions and memories flood my mind, as if hoping he will answer them. However, with the guards rushing us to the Hall of Ceremonies, we don't even get to exchange words. Come to think of it, I doubt he would remember me. Sure, we used to play around when we were kids, and I might have had my first crush on him, but Lance was always a social butterfly. I wouldn't be surprised if he only interacted with me because he had this need to befriend everybody. Besides, he only knew me by my nickname, and I'm not even sure he knew I was a girl. Or more specifically, he didn't flirt with me like he usually did with other girls. If only I could get a few minutes to talk to him…

Once we reach the Hall of Ceremonies, we are separated. If I hadn't had this procedure drilled into me by the Dayaks, I would be about as disoriented as Lance looks when he is suddenly snatched away from me. As Draconian as the Galra are, they're very dedicated to formality. And a man can't get married in the clothes he was convicted in. I myself am already prepped for the ceremony, all I need is to have my make-up refreshed. The Grand Dayak is in the Prep Room, no doubt to give me some last words of wisdom.

“You are responsible for his actions from here on out, so if he acts out of line again, both of you will go straight to the Lions. However, if you inform us of any misdeeds he might commit, you can be pardoned. We might even give you a position at the Dormitory again. Not as a Lady, obviously, but...”

I am not going to miss her.

Before I know it we are in front of the Great Room. The ceremony is a bit stilted at first, despite me knowing all the words, because Lance is completely out of his depth. I try to help him as best as I can, prompting him whenever he becomes stuck. Once he starts reading my signals, the ceremony runs smoother. Time passes in a blur, and we are quickly in the final acknowledgments.

“Do you acknowledge that this Lady is your salvation, and is to be treated in reverence as such, by providing for, protecting, and living as a model citizen?” The Ordainer asks Lance.

“Yes...” I mouth the right words to him. “I acknowledge!”

The Ordainer seems satisfied with his response. He turns to me and asks my final question. “Do you acknowledge that your role is to keep him from being convicted again, by any means possible, and failure to keep him discouraged from criminal activity, or failing to report any such activity, and supporting such activity will result in the immediate execution of both of you?”

“I acknowledge.” I struggle to keep the bitterness out of my tone. Even after all these years, this farce of a wedding ceremony makes me sick. At least it's over now.

“Then celebrate your vindication by demonstrating your devotion to your new freedom. Kiss your bride!” The Ordainer proclaims. Oh right, that. I face Lance, ready to get this over with, but he looks back at me hesitantly, as if worried about me being uncomfortable. I can't help but be touched by this. Even if it's been years since I've seen him, he's still the sweet boy I remember, just wanting anybody he meets to be at ease. I take his hand, the first time we have touched all throughout this ordeal, and nod so that he knows it's OK. The hesitance doesn't completely leave him, but he does manage to lightly press his lips against mine, putting an end to this quiznacking ceremony. All that's left is the reception. I hate this. I hate that this is the only kind of wedding I get. I hate that this was my first kiss. But most of all, I hate that this is our reunion. This would be a lot less frustrating if I could just talk to him. Perhaps at the Reception.

                                                          ---

We don't talk at the reception. So far, I haven't been able to talk to him, what with people constantly coming up to us to congratulate us, as if this was a real wedding. I don't even know any of these people, but I can't snub them either, because most of them are dignitaries of some kind. I keep a lookout for my family, but doubt they will be there. The identity of the Lady is kept secret until the moment her door is opened, and all contact with the outside world is cut off for us. There was no way for them to know when I was being paired with a Lion, and I imagine after the first year of my door not being selected they would have given up hope of seeing me again. Yet, if I remember the lessons the Dayak told me correctly, family members are only permitted to approach us after the Opening Dance, provided a Noble doesn't ask one of us to dance with them after. Perhaps, I'll see them then. I'll just have to endure all this pretense. Maybe once all the greetings have been exchanged I can finally talk…

“They're too close.” I mutter.

“What was that?” Lance asks. Clearly I wasn't as quiet as I thought.

“I mean, our chairs. I know it's our 'wedding' and we have to share a plate, but geez, how close do we have to be?” I play it off. A pair of noblewomen titter at my comment. Just as I thought. The Upper-class need to get their entertainment from these Public Sentences, and if it's not from a mauling, they might as well get it from our awkward situation. I don't really have anything to hide; Ladies are allowed to have a prior acquaintance with their 'Grooms'. But I'll be quiznacked before I give these people anything else to small talk over their tea parties at.  And honestly, the chairs are too close. I can't move my left leg, without brushing against Lance's right one. Every time I do, he does this startled jerk. It's kind of adorable—I'm tempted to do it deliberately. “No, focus Katie. Just eat your dinner, and wait for an opening.”

The entire dinner we are in earshot of the nobility, so we only exchange a few words here or there. Naturally, I can't speak to him as we hand out desert, or as we are handed our gifts. I think that I might be able to get some privacy during the dance, but I wind up having to talk him through that as well. Hopefully, we'll get a break now. Indeed, none of the nobles have asked us to dance yet, however, Lance's family comes to finally see him. As I expected, my family isn't here. I sigh as I watch him get embraced by all of them. I didn't know them that well back then so I feel a bit like I'm intruding, even though they are technically now my family as well. If there is one thing I don't despise about this entire thing, is that at least I could return him to his family. I am wondering if I should introduce myself, when I feel somebody tug at me.

“My Lady, if you could please follow me” a blonde young woman says to me demurely. I've never seen her in my life. She's not noble, or even Galra for that matter, and she certainly isn't one of the attendants from the Dormitory. And yet, I have a feeling I should probably follow her.

“Of course, just give me a moment.”

“We need to hurry.”

I do not know what to make of that, but I have a hunch on who is actually sending for me, though I can't for the life of me fathom why. I look to check on Lance to see if he's still caught up with his family and then follow the blonde, who I suspect is Altean. She leads me through a few hallways and rooms, until we reach a seemingly unoccupied balcony.

“You made it! I was beginning to think you couldn't get away” a female voice speaks up out of the shadows. The person who emerges is exactly who I expected.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Princess Allura?” I say as I curtsy.

“Please, there's no need to be so formal. It is your Wedding Day after all! I just wanted to congratulate you.”

“Couldn't you have done that with the other nobles earlier?” I ask skeptically. I doubt Prince Lotor's betrothed has any ill intentions, but the fact that she had me summoned away from his presence is pretty suspicious. I can at least deduce that whatever Lance was sentenced for must have, in someway, landed him on the Prince's shit-list.

“Indeed, but I wanted to do it privately...” She begins to explain. I wait for her to tell me her real purpose. “... and to apologize.” Huh, I didn't know what I expected, but that was not it.

My face must display my confusion, because she immediately begins explaining. “Look, I don't exactly understand all the customs of this empire, but I can't imagine that you really wanted to be forced into a marriage like this. So I  can't help but feel a bit guilty in rigging the results, but I couldn't let him die like this. Not when he didn't do anything wrong.”

Wow, that was vague. But at least I know that Lance was unjustly sentenced to this insanity; no surprise there. Lance was always an honest person at his core. I could never imagine him changing that drastically. I am about to ask for more details, when the blonde returns. “Your Grace, people are asking for you.”

“Quiznack! I'm sorry to cut this short. I wish I could say we'll talk again soon, but that's highly unlikely. Take good care of Lance, please. Romelle, get her out of here quickly.”

Without any hesitation I am rushed back to the Ballroom. I can't help but be intrigued by the princess. It's unusual to see nobility refer to the help by name. Also, how does she know Lance? I know it's been years, but I think I would have remembered if he was nobility. Then again, I have no idea what he had been doing for a living. But nothing he did should have made him close enough to the foreign princess to make her risk a political incident by rigging a Lady or Lion sentence. Another thing to ask Lance about, once we're alone. When we get back to the Ballroom, Lance and his family are exactly where I left them. I try to innocuously approach them, but Lance seemed to have heard my footsteps.

“Hey, where did you go? I was just about to introduce you to my folks.”

“Oh, uhm. I needed to use the bathroom, and I needed some assistance with getting my dress out of the way, and Romelle here was kind enough to help out?” I try to indicate to the blonde, but she has already left. However, Lance's eyes widen at the sound of her name, and for a second I think he's going to say something about her. However, he seemingly changes his mind after casting a furtive look around.

“I see, well come along then. My family is anxious to meet you.” He says instead and moves on from the subject, leading me to his family, with his arm around my shoulders. He introduces me as Katie, so I guess he really must not remember me. I was always Pidge to him. His family are instantly accepting of me, hugging me like I had always been a part of their family. His mother even burst into tears, as she holds on to me, repeatedly thanking me for saving Lance's life. It makes me wish I had done more, and it also makes me yearn for my own mother. Being with his family actually motivates me to pretend like I'm enjoying this. I actually feel disappointed when the closing dance is announced. I was just beginning to have fun at my own 'wedding' - who would have thought?! The Closing Dance is just a retread of the Opening Dance, so Lance doesn't need my help as much. This could be a great opportunity to talk, but I'm not sure I want to risk it yet. Lance seems to have other ideas.

“Thanks for being great with my family.” He whispers in my ear. I'm a little ashamed by the excited shiver that runs over my body. Get a grip, he's trying to be private not seductive.

“I didn't really do anything.”

“But you did. I might not be the brightest person in the room, but I could tell that this whole 'wedding' is making you uncomfortable. The fact that you were willing to put on a brave face for them really put them at ease. You can't imagine how worried they were about this whole thing.” He's right. I hadn't even considered that his family might have been worried about who he'll end up with, provided he was not eaten. Sure, I'm not necessarily a 'convict', but they don't know what I'm like, what my motivations are, or how devout I am to the lessons of the Dayaks.

“I mean, it was no problem. Your family is lovely, it's hard not be cheerful around them. I wish my...” I can't get the words out. I'm afraid I might cry. Lance seems to understand, squeezing my hand a bit longer than he needs to, before bending down to my ears again.

“We'll find them tomorrow.” He promises, and I am inclined to believe him.

We're finally alone. In our State-Issued House. In our master bedroom. On the same bed. Perhaps it was all those years of hearing the same lessons, but I had somehow blocked out this part of procedure. True, we're not required to produce a child, but it is still highly encouraged. Anything to keep the convict in line, right? I don't know if it would be better or worse if I had wound up here with some faceless stranger instead, but at least I would know what action to take based on their behavior. Lance hasn't moved an inch since the guards dumped us in this room, snickering on the way out. Maybe I should say something…

“So, how you been, Pidge?”

“... I thought you didn't recognize me.”

“I didn't. At least not completely. You looked familiar, but I couldn't really place it at first. It hit me when you were giving the stink eye to the nobles.”

“Shut up.” We laugh together. It feels nice.

“But seriously, what were you doing in the Dormitory? I thought you would be running the Empire by now.”

“That's really kind of you to say, even if I would rather die than go into politics.” He shrugs playfully as he turns towards me. “Trust me, I had no aspirations to be there. I just didn't have a choice” I add.

“Did you get framed?”

“No, my dad and Matt… they were inventing some astounding machinery, but they were more of the 'help make life easier for the common man' than the 'make conquering the Empire's enemies faster' ilk. When the military offered them a lucrative position to make a chemical weapon, they politely declined. Suddenly, they were being charged with treason. So, naturally...”

“Wow, I'm sorry about that. How are they doing?”

“Well, I hope. I haven't heard from them since I was brought to the Dormitory.”

“How long ago was that?”

“About three years?” He winces, and takes my hand between his.

“It must have been hard.” he says softly, as he strokes the back of my hand with his thumb. It feels comforting, but I try not to dwell on that.

“I found ways to cope.” I answer casually.

“How exactly?”

“Oh, you know. Made plans for what I would do once I finally left. Tuned out the Dayaks just enough to repeat what they were teaching when I was asked, but in reality thought about various experiments I'd rather be doing. Befriended the Lions.”

“Befriended the Lions?”

“Yeah, they're actually quite sweet when they weren't being starved prior to a sentencing. Plus, unlike the other Ladies, they were the only constants. I would go to their pen often, particularly after curfew. It made me feel just a little more defiant.”

“You always were the rebel in our friend group.”

“You know it.” we laugh a little, and it begins to feel like we're back to being kids again. But then I remember that our situation is not that simple anymore, and it fractures our moment of ease. Lance seems to notice my distress and puts a hand on my cheek.

“Hey, this doesn't have to be weird. We were friends before, let's just try to be friends again. We'll take it a day at a time, and if we become something more… well, uhm… I wouldn't mind that either.” The only thing preventing me from laughing at his nervous state, is the fact that I'm fighting my own flush. “But if you don't want anything to happen tonight, then nothing needs to happen. I just want you to be comfortable, so unless we are required to produce children...”

“We're not.”

“Yeah, then, do you want to just sleep?”

“... It has been a long day.”

“Sorry, I'll shut up now.” I try to reassure him, that I don't mind spending the night talking to him, but a yawn escapes me, and before I know it, Lance is behind my back, running his fingers through my hair, with us under the covers. I am this close to just falling asleep, but one question keeps me awake still.

“Hey Lance?”

“Hmm?”

“Why were you sentenced in the first place?”

His hand movement stops as he considers his response. “I just fell in love with the wrong person.”

And just like that, everything falls into place. The princess' subterfuge, her apologetic words, the simple fact that he was in this situation in the first place. Lance and Princess Allura were secret lovers, and now I was the greatest obstacle between them. This revelation erased the fatigue I had just seconds before, overcome by my turbulent emotions. However, Lance's ministrations with my hair did eventually mollify me again, but not before I swore not to let myself fall for him. After all, what good would come from loving an emotionally unavailable man?

                                                          ---  

I still remember the path to my home. It is a relief, yet I do notice the many changes that had occurred during my absence. Nothing major, just buildings that were new now looking faded, properties with overgrown plants, some walls repainted, the odd new store. The little discrepancies from my memory make me anxious about reaching my destination. What if I don't like the change I find there?

As if sensing my uncertainty, Lance reaches out to squeeze my hand. I would be lying if I said I didn't have reservations about bringing him along at first. Yet, at the moment I couldn't be more relieved that he came with me. I don't usually care for too much physical contact, but even as kids I never minded his more tactile personality. Aside from that, I just really needed something to hold on to at the moment, and if Lance is gracious enough not to complain about my sweaty hands, then I'll gladly hold on to him.

I might grip a little too hard when we approach the front yard. It looks mostly unchanged from my memories. Some trees are taller, and the color on the fence is a little more faded, but it is essentially identical to how it looked when the Empire took me away. I could imagine I'm just a teenager again, coming back from town and eager to greet my Mother, who'd be working in the garden. Even Lance would fit into this image somehow. He could be an old friend I ran into that wanted to drop in to say 'hi'. The one thing that is different is the silence. Back then, I could always expect to hear Mom humming some random tune to herself. The fact that I don't hear her makes me fear the worst. So when I do finally gather the courage to walk in, I am more than relieved to find Mom where I expected her. Sure, the garden is slightly more chaotic than I thought she would have ever let it become, and she seems to be listless in her movements, but none of that matters.

“Mom!” I let go of Lance's hand as I run-tackle her. Seconds later, she's out of whatever stupor she was in and holding me in an even tighter grip then mine. I feel tears on my face, and I honestly don't know if it's mine or hers, but I'm honestly just happy to be surrounded by her scent once again. Before I know it, I am surrounded by more arms as Dad and Matt join us in our reunion. I am starting to have trouble breathing from all the embraces, but I couldn't care less. I'm finally home.

I remember Lance a good few minutes after being immersed with my family. I look towards the gate where I had last seen him, and sure enough, he's still there, nervously shifting his feet.

“Oh, guys, this Lance, my… husband.” Even though it is the truth, calling him that feels wrong somehow. Yet, calling him anything else would feel dishonest too. Regardless, I doubt anything I called him would have prevented the mood shifting drastically. As my family looks towards him, their faces shift from ecstatic to somber. Lance doesn't flinch as they all seem to dissect him with their eyes, however unwarranted, because he is also aware of what he represents. For better or worse, Lance is a reminder that my freedom is conditional. I just wish somebody would say something already.

“It's nice to...” Mom tries “... I'm Colleen, and this is Sam, Katie's father, and that's Matt, my first born.”

“I, uhm, kinda knew that already. Not that I don't appreciate the introduction, but me and Pidge… uh Katie, used to be friends back in the day.”

“Really? Wait, are you Lance Serrano?” Dad asks.

“Yeah, I am. Do you remember me?”

“Not personally, but your sister used to be my student back in Arus.”

“Oh right!” Matt also interjects. “Your Veronica's baby brother.”

“That would be me. I completely forgot about that connection.” Honestly, so had I. In my memories of my old Hometown, Lance is just a fixture, I barely remember how we first met. I imagine one of us tagged along with our respective older sibling on a group study session, and the rest is history.

“It's funny, how these things work out.” Dad remarks, a hint of a smile returning. Looks like the tension is gradually dispersing. Although the fact that Lance is technically a criminal is probably still a point of concern for my family, the shared history is more than a little reassuring. With this lighter atmosphere, we head inside. Some polite questions and answers are exchanged between Lance and my parents, and despite the conversation being standard small talk, it seems to be further helping. Oddly enough, Matt doesn't seem to have anything else to say. I know it's been a few years, but I remember my brother being more inquisitive. It was one of the many traits we had in common. I'll have to find out what that's about later. Right now, I just have to ensure that my parents don't tell Lance something he shouldn't hear. Platonic relationship or not, there are some things I'd rather keep secret.

When I first headed out on this venture, I had no idea how long it would take. We had a late start because post-Wedding frenzy is exhausting, even without consummation. And then we didn't leave for another two hours, because Lance insisted that we have brunch before meeting my family. He said it was for his nerves, but I suspect he was doing it for my sake. Now, it seems like we'll be here for a week, or at least till dinner. It's still being negotiated. Fortunately, the tension has all but dissipated. Apart from Matt, everybody has considerably eased up. So much so, that everybody seems to have found something else to do. Dad took Lance aside for 'Man-Talk', which I'm sure will consist of standard Dad-threats. Matt is out on an errand for Mom, and I am trying, and failing, at helping with dinner.

“Out of the question.” She insists. “You just got married, I missed your wedding, and you've just returned. I'm not going to force you to cook when we should be celebrating you. Besides, you're not that good at cooking.”

“That might have been true three years ago, but I've picked up some skills at the Dormitory, and now the food I make is known to be 'edible enough'.”

“Is that so? Then did you also make breakfast and lunch today?”

“First of all, we had brunch… and Lance made it.”

“Aha!”

“Hey! That was only because he was the one that wanted brunch in the first place.”

“Come on, Katie. Just relax. Go check out your room, I'm sure there are some projects left from back then” she says wistfully.

“You… You didn't clear out my room?”

“I couldn't. At first I was hoping that you would return soon, and when you didn't the most I could do is some light cleaning, but I… I just wanted the things that you left to still be there when you returned. Clearing them would have felt like… losing you all over again.”

And here I thought I was done with crying today. “I… I think I will check it out” I rasp as I wipe my tears.

“Oh, baby” She coos as she hugs me. “I'm just so happy to have you back.” I squeeze her back before I head to my old room, actually excited by what I might find. Mom was right, apart from my bed being made, my laundry picked up, and some light dusting, my room looks practically the same as the day I left it. If I didn't know better, I'd think I was just returning to my projects after a family vacation. I recognize the function of some of my contraptions on sight. For others I have to consult my notebook, which is still in it's usual spot. I am contemplating if I should try to move my projects to my new place, or if I should start from scratch when Matt busts into my room.

“Perfect, you're alone.”

“Matt, what's going on?”

“I was hoping to talk to you alone. Pidge, you can tell me the truth. Did he hurt you? Is he dangerous? Just say the word, and I'll take care of him. Veronica may be my friend, but your my sister, and you come first...”

“OK, slow down, weirdo. Lance is harmless. Do you really think I would have brought him here if he was in any way a threat?”

“How was I to know that? For all I know, he's a control freak, that doesn't let you go anywhere without him.”

“Again, Lance is not like that. Also, if that were the case, come on, this is me we're talking about. Do you really think I couldn't sneak away if I wanted to?”

“I don't know, you didn't these past three years.” He blurts out. When he realizes what he said, he grimaces and looks to the floor, clearly not intending to be this honest. To be fair he has a point. The security measures at the Dormitory were laughable.

“I did think about breaking out more than once, but it was never worth the risk.” I explain, in the hopes of bringing some kind of comfort.

“I understand,” He lifts his face again. “Doesn't change the fact that I wished you had. You didn't deserve to be in the Dormitory in the first place, and every day you were stuck there, I couldn't help feeling guilty.”

“Hey, you didn't deserve to be condemned for a crime you didn't commit. Besides, it wasn't all that bad. Sure it was boring, but I got my three meals a day, and my room was actually bigger than this one. It's a pity I couldn't take my tools with me. I could have gotten so much done.”

“That's good to know,” And from the look on his face, I can tell that a huge burden has been lifted. “But back to the original topic. Is Lance treating you right? He didn't… you know…”

“Oh my Bob, Matt, no! All we did on our 'Wedding Night' is catch up, and then literally sleep. Besides, that's never going to happen.”

“I might regret this, but can I ask why not?”

“The same reason he was sentenced in the first place.”

“... Which was?”

I sigh as I brace myself to drop this bomb. “Because he is Princess Allura's Secret Lover.”

“HER WHAT?!!!”

“Shh, are you trying to alert the whole neighborhood?”

“But… are you serious? Did he tell you that?”

“Not in so many words, but what he has said, combined with the clandestine meeting I had with the princess in question at my wedding reception leads me to believe that's probably the case.”

“You met the heir to the Altean throne? Tell me everything.”

And so I wind up telling him everything that happened yesterday from the time Lance opened my door to his cryptic confession in our shared bed. When I'm done, he has a contemplative look on his face.

“So, how do you feel about all this?” Is his first question.

“What do you mean? I mean the whole thing's crazy, but do you want me to get specific or should I just speak in generalities?”

“I mean about the fact that he might not reciprocate your feelings for him.” He deadpans. I am about to say something—a denial, a retort, or whatever—but he beats me to it by saying. “And before you lie to me, I'll remind you that I've known you since the day you were born, and also my observational skills are legendary, so of course I can recognize when you're in love with someone.”

“I'm not in love with him. It's just an old childhood crush that refuses to die, and it doesn't matter. He didn't have feelings for me before, the only difference between then and now is that he's in love with someone else and we're married.”

“That's quite a difference.”

“Tell me about it.” We share a sad laugh together.

“Hey, if you think you can handle it, then I'm not going to stop you. But your wrong, Pidge. Your feelings do matter. And if it ever gets to be too overwhelming, or if you just need to vent, I'm right here.”

“Thanks, Matt. I'll hold you to that. But enough about me, what's been going on with you? Are you still single, loser?”

“OK, you little gremlin. I might currently be the only unmarried member of this family, but I'll have you know, I've been seeing someone as of recently.”

“Wow, that's exciting!” It's actually a relief to know that Matt continued having a life in the years I was gone. We spend the time until dinner discussing his foreign Lady Friend and some projects he and Dad had been working on. At dinner, I am happy to learn that the tension from earlier has completely lifted, and that we'll be staying for two weeks. Lance gets along great with my family now. I don't know if the conversation he had with Dad went that well, or if this is just another case of Lance Magic, but the way we joke and laugh together, you would think he's been a part of the family for years. In another life, this might have been ordinary family dinner with my new Husb... “No! Stop it! You're not doing yourself any favors by letting your thoughts go that way. He's never going to love you like that, so don't even imagine what that would be like” I remind myself. But, even as I try to suffocate whatever warm feelings were developing, somewhere deep inside, I know I've missed a few sparks.

                                                       ---

It has been about two months, and I think I'm starting to get the hang of this marriage. It helps that Lance is such a great partner. As tactile as he is, he never makes me uncomfortable, and even when he gets touch happy, I don't really mind it. I don't like examining why this is, so I just settle to accept it. I'll admit it was a bit awkward those first weeks, figuring out sleeping arrangements, boundaries, and basically a routine for our new lives. Perhaps because of our established friendship, or just the fact that our house is not that big, we ease into an unspoken understanding. In the privacy of our house—I still can't think of it as Home yet—we give each other space, but share a bed. In public we hold hands, and exchange cheek kisses or the occasional chaste peck.

As for the question of occupation, we will be receiving a Government Stipend until the Empire assigns us, or more likely just Lance, a new position. According to the lectures from back in the Dorm this shouldn't take longer than six months, however, our case worker said that it would take at least a year, as Lance's case was a little more 'sensitive'. Either way, it doesn't matter. If the Empire wants to sponsor my inventions and experiments instead of giving Lance a job, then who am I to argue. I was concerned about Lance growing restless, but he surprisingly took up gardening.

“Hey, it's hard work so it will keep me in shape, and if they decide to let me return to the Royal Guard, then at least I'll be ready.” is his explanation. Mom approved of his pick, naturally. Other than that, it's almost like being back in Arus. Just two friends on an extended sleepover. Or at least, that's what I keep telling myself. True, it's been a while since we were friends, but even then Lance has always had a way to creep past my defenses. Back then I was just introverted. Now, I'm trying not to fall for him.

And yet, as if somehow my secret thoughts have snuck into his subconscious, his mannerisms seem to be calculated to make me undone. It’s in the little things, like the way he'll ask a thousand questions about whatever project I'm working on, just because he wants to see what I'm so excited about. Or how he doesn't wear a shirt unless he absolutely has to. The forehead kisses in the morning, which I always roll my eyes at, but never outright tell him to stop. Every time he remembers some old joke from our childhood, my resolve wavers just a little bit more.

There are the more affectionate actions. The not-at-all surprise party he organized on my 18th birthday is one of the most specific examples. As caught up as I get with my projects, I had told him a week in advance just in case my parents or Matt dropped by or something. So on the actual day, when he insisted that we have to visit my family, because he had 'Important Questions about Squash' for Mom, I knew right away what he had up his sleeve. Yet his proud smile at having pulled one over me was so infectious, that I couldn't help but play along.

And then there are the 'Just Because' incidents. Like how he made me a bracelet from some of my leftover Olkari wires about a month ago, 'just because he remembered that he never got me a wedding gift.' Or how he'll occasional take me out for dinner at some affordable, but still atmospheric restaurant, 'just because neither of us feel like cooking , right?' Or the fact that he still strokes my hair as we fall asleep, 'just because it relaxes him too.' Combined with the random tickle fights, and how he makes a point to always go on little 'Adventures' like exploring the City, going out dancing, or rediscovering a game we both love, I'm a little surprised that I have been able to hold out for these past few months. But for every little bit that I come closer to just giving in, I remind myself that he doesn't really belong to me. With every kind touch I remind myself that he longs to have this with Allura. It breaks my heart a bit, but it does the trick.

Some days are tougher than others.

Today for instance, we are on our way to our only couple friends, Hunk and Shay. Hunk is actually another friend of ours from Arus who had also moved to the Capital around the same time Lance joined the Royal Guard. I had run into him about a month ago when I had been looking for parts at a market, and once he learned that Lance had not been mauled by Lions he immediately invited us to his diner, where I was introduced to his wife, Shay, and their two kids. Now, his diner is a frequent haunt for us.

Although, I adore Hunk and his family, going on outings with them presents a unique kind of complication. His children are still very young, so each time they are present, we have to play the Happy Couple, because explaining the truth would be too complicated. To make matters worse, the particular reason we are visiting is because we were invited to a picnic, which wouldn't be so bad in itself. However, not only will Hunks extended family be attending, who may or may not have been filled in about our situation, but also Shay's conservative Balmeran family, who don't understand Galra culture and are definitely not in the know, are going to be there too. It's one thing to trick a two and three year old that we're a normal couple, but how am I going to do that for at least 30 people of varying ages?

“You're overthinking again.” Lance tells me as he playfully bumps into my shoulder.

“I'm just trying to brace myself for what's to come.”

“You make it sound like we're going to war.”

“We might as well be. One wrong word and I shock, traumatize, or cause some other huge incident which will ruin the picnic, and Hunk and Shay worked so hard on it, I don't want to be the one that disappoints our friends, also...”

“Hey, hey! Look at me. It's going to be OK. You don't need to put on a production. So we're not a conventional couple, it's not like we've got a huge sign pointing that out. As long as we are comfortable around each other nobody is going to notice.”

“I guess you have a point, but it's not just about them.” I finally confess. “Your family is also going to be there. I haven't seen them since the wedding, and I was a bit dazed then. I just want to make a better impression, so they can be assured that you're fine, after everything you've been through...”

“Come on, Pidge. My week in holding is nothing compared to your years of separation from your family. Besides, my family have been bugging me for ages to bring you along. You don't need to impress them because they already love you.”

“It's just...” I can't tell him why this really is important. I've never confirmed Lance and princess Allura's relationship, partially because I didn't want to remind him of what he can't have anymore, and partially because I was afraid of his answer. I also don't know if his family was even aware of his affair with the princess. Regardless, I just want them to know that he is relatively happy again. I nervously play with my bracelet as these thoughts rush through my mind. Suddenly, Lance picks me up, so quickly that I almost drop the gift for Hunk that I was carrying. “Lance!”

“What? You're the one that wanted present us as a 'Happy Couple'.”

“Yes, 'Happy', not 'Obnoxious'. Put me down, this is embarrassing.” I hate the fact that this has my heart racing.

“I don't know, I'm kinda starting to like this. I've always wanted to pick you up, but was always afraid of you kicking my ass. I really wish I'd done this sooner, this is surprisingly fun.”

Quiznack, I can feel my face turning red. “Lance, I swear if you don't put me down now, I'm going to make you regret it.”

“Why are you so against this? If you think about it logistically, we're actually getting there faster because I don't have to pace myself so you can keep up.”

“Lance, if anybody sees me like this, I will hurt you!” I yell as I start hitting his chest.

“Are you still worried about impressing everybody at the Picnic?”He asks in between the odd wince.

“What? What does that have to do with anything?” For some reason my question makes him smirk as if I'd fallen for an elaborate prank. Wait.

“Well, based on that response, my work is done.” And with that he puts me back on the ground. I hate the fact that his dumb trick worked, and I really hate that I wish his hands had lingered a little longer on my waist. “And we're here. Hi Hunk!”

“Hey, Lovebirds! Glad you could make it here. But please, keep the PDA to a minimum. There are children present.” Of all people I least wanted to witness this, Hunk is on top of that list. Not because he'll give me crap about this, not because he's among the people who know of our circumstances, not even because he's one of the few people who know about my complicated feelings towards Lance. It's because he's convinced that my potential feelings aren't as one-sided as I know they are, and he takes every opportunity to try to prove this. So Lance carrying me around like a… for the lack of a better word, bride , is probably going to give him mileage for weeks to come. Well, not today. I march towards the picnic sight, only pausing to shove my gift at him. Before he can make another remark, I bee-line towards the refreshments table. With any luck I'll find something strong there to tide me over.

                                                         ---

I should have figured that an event with 'children present', wouldn't have a beverage stronger than fruit punch. Luckily, Lance is right and most of the afternoon passes smoothly. Sure, I could do without Hunk's smug looks, but if that were enough to put me off, then we would never hang out. There are a few awkward lulls in conversation, when somebody from Lance's family will ask me how I'm holding up, or Shay's grandmother asks me how long we 'courted', but Lance is always there to back me up, so we are able to get past these hurdles as well.

Presently, anybody who had been curious about me has been satisfied and moved on to have other conversations. Lance is goofing off with all the kids, and I am content to watch him. If he doesn't get reassigned to the Royal Guard, then I hope he gets a position in Child Care. He's a natural with those ankle-biters. I doubt I could be that patient with them, no matter how cute they were. I wish… what's Hunk doing?

“Can I get everybody's attention for a bit?” He calls as he hits a fork against his cup. “I have a little announcement to make.”

Although his words seem innocuous, I know better than to underestimate him. I brace myself for his next words, in case this is another match-making scheme.

“Well, actually…” He beckons to Shay to come to him, and instantly wraps his arm around her when she reaches him, making her giggle. “We've got an announcement.”

OK, so maybe it's not as bad as I think. Shay is too much of a sweetheart to take part in anything too devious. But then again, I haven't known her that long.

“Alright so I would just like to say, thank you all for coming. I love you all, and I… we… do you want to tell them?”

“You were doing so well, you should proceed.”

“But, it's technically more about you than me.”

“We did this together.”

Yikes. It's times like this I'm glad my marriage is platonic. Lance, and everybody else for that matter, seem to be amused by these antics. I mean, I guess it's kinda sweet but it's not that entertaining. Clearly, I am missing something. I poke Lance in the ribs, and raise my brow at him. Luckily, he understands what I'm trying to ask.

“It's just they always do this, at this point it's a running gag.”

“That still leaves me wondering why.”

“Just wait for it.”

As if on cue, Hunk and Shay seem to have finally agreed to say whatever they are trying to say together. “We are having another baby!!!”

Oh.

Everybody breaks out in enthusiastic, but not really surprised, applause. Although this is my first time to witness, what is apparently a routine pregnancy announcement, I can't say that I'm surprised either that Hunk and Shay are the type of parents who would still be  this excited with each new child. With Lance taking the lead, people start crowding towards them so they can congratulate them.

As I wait for my moment, I fall back into my new hobby of discreetly observing Lance. He remains beside the expecting couple as if this was his kid too, which in a way makes sense. He's already Mirax and Tui's Godfather, so it wouldn't surprise me if they already asked him to take that role a third time. However, as I watch him excitedly exchange small-talk with all the well-wishers, it suddenly hits me. He's not just good with children, he wants some of his own. I see the longing in his eyes as his smile seems to become impossibly wider. I sigh as I turn my face away, only for my eyes to fall on my bracelet. Brilliant, as if I didn't feel guilty enough. I make it a point to keep my arms behind my back as I keep waiting for the crowd to pass, but even like this, I can't quite stop fiddling with my bracelet.

After what seems like an eternity, I finally approach Hunk and Shay, and by extension, Lance. When I'm about seven paces away from them, they all turn to me with a gleeful look that immediately raises red flags. Unfortunately, it is too late for me to back away.

“Pidge! We've been wondering when you would get here. Hunk and Shay have something very important to ask you.” Lance enthuses.

“Oh, I was just trying to avoid the crowd. You know I like my space. So, uhh… what did you need?”

“I suppose you must have already assumed that we asked Lance to be this one's Godfather...” Shay begins in her uniquely Balmeran speech pattern.

“So, we were wondering how you would feel about being the kid's Godmother.” Hunk finishes.

“... Wait, you're serious?”

“Why would we be jesting?”

“I just… am not the best with kids.”

“Don't worry, I didn't think I would be that good when they had Mirax, but now I'm a natural. And if you need help with this Godparenting thing then I'll be right here.” Lance tries to console me. Somehow I doubt there was ever a time he wasn't a natural at this, seeing as he's been an Uncle since he was thirteen. I decide not to comment on this though.

“Are you sure you wouldn't rather ask someone else? Someone you've known longer?” I ask Shay.

“I may not have been acquainted with you for long, but for the short amount of time I have known you, I have found you to be a brilliant and thoughtful friend. I would be honored if you would accept this title.”

“I agree, there's nobody better I could think of for the job.” Hunk chimes in.

A large part of me wants to say no, it's bad enough trying to hold back my stupid feelings, while being in a platonic marriage, but additionally being pseudo-parents for a child together might wreak all kinds of havoc on my hormones. And yet, the three nicest people I know are asking me to do this. Hunk, annoying as he may be sometimes, is one of the best friends I've ever had, and Shay is such an angel, I could never deny her anything. But of course, Lance looking at me like I would be doing him a favor by co-Godparenting this unborn child is what ultimately does me in.

“I mean, if you insist. Don't say I didn't warn you if this kid becomes a hell-raiser.”

Their response is to envelope me in a group hug, which is par for the course with this group of people. Although I still have some apprehensions about this whole business, for the moment it doesn't seem too bad.

                                                          ---

The weather was pleasant for most of the day, but now as Lance and I are heading back to our house, the sky is beginning to look a bit overcast. This doesn't seem to disturb Lance one bit, who still seems to be giddy from the whole baby business. It's always nice to see him like this.

“You know, If you'd have asked us about five years ago which one of us would have more kids by the time we hit our twenties, we both would have said, me. And yet, here we are.”

“Is this you bragging about your playboy past again?”

“No, smart-ass. This is me reminiscing about my youth.”

“Really, at the ripe old age of 19?”

“I'll be 20 in a few months.”

“That's not a great counterargument.”

“I'll show you a counterargument!” He says as he tries to noogie me. But I see him coming, and am able to dodge in the nick of time. This devolves into a chase-tickle fight and for a while I am content to remain in this blissful state. However, Lance doesn't seem to be done with the topic.

“Do you ever think about having children someday?” He asks with his arms casually embracing me from behind, walking as if he is unhindered by our position.

Now that's a minefield of a question, and we were having such a good time too. “I don't know. You know I'm more comfortable with my lab than people. I just think I'd be worried about seriously messing up.”

“You do fine with Hunk and Shay's kids.”

“Well yeah, but I'm not in charge of them 24/7. With my own kid, I'd be bound to screw up at some point.”

“I think you should give yourself more credit. You're pretty dedicated to family, I think our marriage can more than attest to that. That's a great foundation to have as a parent, in my opinion. I bet you'd be one of those fierce protective moms. Like a bear, or a lioness.”

“Too bad we'll never find out” slips out of my mouth. When Lance stops us in our tracks, I begin to realize that I messed up.

“I'm sorry. I didn't realize you already made up your mind.” He says apologetically. For some reason that infuriates me.

“What do you have to be sorry for? Shouldn't you be happy that I'm not taking this from you too?”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

I really should stop right here, but now that I've gotten started I can't seem to curb my words anymore.

“Isn't it obvious? I'm a living reminder of all the things you can't have anymore. The last thing you should want is more living shackles.” I snap as I shake out of his embrace.

“Again, where is this coming from? Where do you get off deciding how I feel about you? You make it sound like I resent you!”

“Well, don't you? Sure, you weren't mauled by a lion, but your married to somebody other than the woman you love, and isn't that a special kind of torture?”

“I...! That's not relevant!”

“How could it not be relevant?! You told me you were sentenced because you loved the wrong person. Do you really think I wouldn't figure out who you were talking about!”

“Pidge, it's not what you think!”

“Stop lying to me! I'm not your real wife, I'm just a live-in Prison Warden, you don't have to spare my feelings!!!”

“I'm not lying to you, you just don't have all the facts!!!”

“Then enlighten me, Serrano?! What critical information am I missing?!”

As if the weather could sense my mood, a bolt of lightning strikes across the sky, and it begins to rain heavily. “Come on, let's get back to the house” Lance says somberly.

“Aren't you going to answer my question?” I retort, even as I'm shivering.

“Look, I'll tell you anything you want to hear as soon as we're indoors. Because I don't know about you, but I'd prefer if my gravestone didn't say 'killed by a bolt of lightning in the middle of an altercation with wife.'”

Right on cue, another bolt of lightning strikes, a little closer this time. I suppose he does have a point. I still make it a point not to talk to him as we rush back.

It's surprisingly difficult to hold on to your ire when your cold and drenched. But I've always been special like that. Lance, though, seems to have mellowed out in the way he worriedly puts his hands on my cheeks.

“Your freezing! I'll grab some towels and dry clothes. Why don't you get the fire started? You should probably have a hot bath too.”

The thought that he needs the hot bath as much as I do, or that he's still not answering my question crosses my mind, but I don't mention either, because the fact that he's showing this much concern for me when we are technically still fighting irritates me more. I silently head to the fireplace without acknowledging him. I know it doesn't make sense, but I want him to be angry too before I can talk to him again. It doesn't feel right that I'm the only one who feels like this. As I'm about light the first log, Lance taps me on the shoulder.

“Here, bundle yourself in this until I'm back. The sooner your out of those wet clothes, the better.” He says as he hands me my favorite comforter from the couch. Only once I take it in my hand does he finally leave. I'm almost tempted to remain in my wet clothes out of spite, but another shiver makes me think better of it. Once I have got the fire going I take off everything apart from my bracelet. It's irrational, which seems to be the trend at the moment, but even as incensed as I am, I can't bear to take it off. I haven't since he gave it to me.

I'm bundled up in the comforter, slowly regaining my warmth, when he returns with towels and dry clothes. He drops a towel on my head, and starts drying his own hair, seemingly already having changed clothes. After securing the comforter under my arms, I start to dry my own hair. At this point a normal person would just calm down, but we have already established that I'm a special kind of petty, so I deliberately begin doing the most inefficient job off toweling my scalp. This, of all things, seems to be the thing that finally annoys him, as he huffs and drops in front of me to vigorously take over.

I feel victorious for all of ten seconds until I realize that we are in ridiculously close proximity and I am, for all intents and purposes, naked. Lance seems to realize how unexpectedly intimate this moment is seconds later as he suddenly stops. I can't decipher what his facial expression is saying when I am finally brave enough to look up at him, so I am really caught by surprise at his next action.

He's… he's… kissing me. And it is unlike any other kiss we ever shared before. It isn't the awkward kiss from our wedding, or the quick, almost clinical pecks. This is more like the kisses the Ladies used to giggle about at the Dorm. It makes me wonder what I had been doing all this time when I could have been doing this. The kind that almost makes me whimper when he finally pulls away. At some point my eyes must have closed as I am a bit confused for a second when I can't see anything. However, what I do see makes me panic. I may have not been able to predict what he was going to do a minute ago, but this time it's all too clear. And right now, an apology is the last thing that I want. So I reach up before he can say anything and kiss him again, dropping the comforter in the process. Yesterday, or maybe even five minutes ago, I would have screamed at myself about what a bad idea this is, but right now I couldn't care less. Maybe it's because of my inexperience, but I have this desperate need to have him be in the same state of undress as me. The change of clothes will remain untouched tonight.

                                                            ---

The feeling of Lance's fingers drawing patterns on my thigh wakes me. It feels nice, but now that I am not caught up in the haze of last night anymore, my ability to think rationally has returned. Although my body would love nothing more than to drag him on top of me again, I have to put a stop to this trajectory before it gets even more complicated.

“Lance...” Woah, that sounded a lot more seductive than I wanted.

“What do you need, Querida ?” He whispers as his hand moves up to my stomach. Maybe having this conversation as he's spooning me might not be the most productive strategy. I turn to face him, and am a little confused by his expression. Sure he sounded satisfied, but I thought that was just an involuntary physical reaction. Yet, he looks like he's eager to repeat our last activity, which makes absolutely no sense. I remember what Allura looked like, and I have no doubt in my mind that their relationship was physical. Even memories of being with her must be more appealing than fumbling around with a plain looking virgin like me. OK, as of now I can't really say I'm a virgin anymore, but my point still stands. I'm getting distracted, and if Lance's fingers moving on my back are any indication, so is he.

I clear my throat before I try talking again. “I think we need to talk about what happened.”

“Oh yeah?” He answers dreamily.

I take a deep breath. “I mean the fight.”

“Ahh.” That seems to sober him up. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to avoid...”

“It's alright” I interrupt him.

“Are you sure?” He asks as he sits up “I didn't mean to keep my past a secret, it's just not entirely my story to tell...”

“Yeah, it's fine,” I say as I also sit up, careful to keep myself as covered as possible. “It's your decision on what you want to share with me, and I can understand you not wanting me in particular to know about something so private.”

“OK, I feel like I'm the one out of the loop now. What do you mean by that? Is this about how you called yourself my, what was it, 'live-in Prison Warden'? What is that all about?”

“Oh.” Strange, it never occurred to me that he wasn't aware of my real purpose. I suppose that's part of the design of this sentence. “I guess what they teach at the Dormitory is not as common as I thought. The point is, they’re not just instructing us on how to be good wives, with the standard cooking, hosting, and child-rearing lectures. We are also told, or borderline brainwashed, into learning how to bring our 'husbands' defenses down, in order to find out if they are intent on some kind of criminal activity. Ladies that turn in their husbands are rewarded much more than those who keep them upstanding. I'm pretty sure this was mentioned in our wedding vows, you should be aware of this.”

“Honestly that entire ceremony is a blur to me. I'll admit it sounds somewhat familiar, but I thought that was just ceremonial.” He self-consciously scratches the back of his head. Quiznack, why is he so endearing?

I sigh. “Look, I was being unfair to you then. Clearly, we had a different perspective of our relationship, and I wasn't honest about how I felt about your past, and my lack of knowledge. But you don't have to feel like you have to tell me. You've been nothing but kind to me all this time and you don't owe me anything.”

“I beg to differ, I literally owe you my life. If there is anything you want to know, all you have to do is ask.”

I am tempted to take him up on his offer, but I am still afraid of hearing the answer. “I'll wait until you're ready to tell me.”

He lets out a huge breath as he lies back. “I'm going to warn you now, that might take some time. There are some details I'm still trying to process myself, but I promise I will tell you everything.” The look in his eyes is incredibly sincere. “But I'll tell you right now, it's not as sordid as you probably think it is. I was essentially a glorified errand boy.” He stretches out his arms as he says this, which is insanely distracting. I shake my head and brace myself for the next part of our conversation. Sure, it's been going well until now, but it's bound to get somewhat awkward now that I'm actually addressing the other thing that happened.

“So, we should probably also discuss our… uh… tryst last night.”

This makes Lance overly alert again, and it's all I can do not just jump him myself. “That sounds reasonable.” He quips as he sits up again and tries to get as close as possible.

“I don't think it should happen again.”

“Oh...” He visibly deflates. “I must have really hurt you.”

Are you kidding me? How could he be this precious? “I mean at least for now. We clearly still have mixed feelings about each other, so we should probably hold off on a physical relationship until we have a better handle on things, right?” I add on. It feels a bit manipulative to imply that we might have a physical relationship again in the near future, but I just can't help myself. It kills me to seem him look so guilty.

“I guess that makes sense.” He says despondently, but at the very least he doesn't look as upset as he did earlier. “I wouldn't want to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. You mean a lot to me, Katie Holt.”

I am probably going to regret this, but the thought of him thinking that he makes me even remotely uncomfortable is killing me. “I wouldn't say you made me uncomfortable, it was just surprising. But it was not a bad kind of surprising.”

“I don't mind waiting. But I'll admit, it's going to be hard to think of anything else for a long time.”

“Is there anything I can do to make things easier?” So much for being rational. I can't even pretend I'm not doing this deliberately.

“Could I kiss you again?” We can both tell that it won't stop at just a kiss, but I can't stop my head from nodding. Post-coital euphoria is no joke. The kiss we share makes my entire body tingle, and as I suspected, it didn't stop at just my lips. He kisses my cheek, my neck, and basically the entire area between my shoulders, and I do nothing to stop him. In fact, I eagerly shed my covering as he pulls me towards him. After all the times we did it last night, what's one more bout going to change? We can always start abstaining afterwards.

                                                     ---

We wound up doing it four more times that day, five if you count us fooling around in the bath. And then a few more times the next day, and the next, and the next. At this point I've stopped telling myself that it would be the last time with every new instance. Those Dayaks really undersold how addicting sex is. However, the most surprising thing is how easily this new aspect fits into our routine. I still work on my projects, Lance still gardens, we go on little adventures, and hang out with our friends and he still does things ‘Just Because'. The only difference is that our physical interactions have had an upgrade. Hand-holding has become wrapping our arms around each other's shoulders, or waist in my case. Our chaste pecks have become toe-curling kisses. Caressing my hair is basically foreplay, and my morning forehead kisses are now naked cuddles.

I'm afraid we have become that couple, and yes, Hunk gives me grief about it. However, I can't bring myself to say that I don't like this development. Sure, my old concerns haven't completely disappeared, but this isn't really compromising my determination not to fall in love with Lance. After all, the new physical aspect to our relationship is just that - physical. We're both young and have needs, plus whenever we're together like that it relieves a huge amount of stress. Things like the nature of Lance's feelings for the princess, or the fact that we were essentially married under duress don't seem to matter when we're writhing naked in bed.

And the quiet moments are pretty blissful too. Like the one we are having right now. I am lying on top of him, my favorite place to lounge actually, just enjoying our after-sex haze, and Lance seems to be fascinated with my bracelet today. I for the life of me can't fathom why as he was the one who made it, but he can't seem to stop fiddling with it. It's a simple thing, a blue and a green wire entwined with a steel medallion attached. However, I love it. Even if whatever we had right now came to an end, I don't think I could bring myself to part with it no matter how painful it was.

“So, you really don't ever take it off? Not even when you shower?”

“Yeah, you might not have been aware of it, but you actually picked the perfect materials to make this with. You see, Olkari tech is made to interface with nature, so among other things it is waterproof. And the steel you chose is actually Taujeerian Steel, which is made to withstand the most harrowing environments, and basically never rusts.”

“Huh. I was just thinking it looked pretty together, and that you would like it because it’s techy.”

“I mean you’re not wrong” I shrug. “It also reminds me of you, so each time I look at it I can't help but smile.”

“Aww!” he says as he kisses my wrist, inexplicably making me giggle.

“I'm sorry I didn't get you anything. The gift giving aspect wasn't really focused upon in my lectures at the Dormitory, I was completely unprepared to give you a gift in return.”

“You know, Pigeon, at some point you will have to stop blaming everything on the Dormitory, and take responsibility for your actions. I'm a sensitive man, I can only take so much.” He over-dramatically covers his eyes with his right arm as he says this, milking this shtick for all it's worth.

“Alright, sensitive man” I say as push myself off his chest “I'll let you throw your pity party, but I would like to take a hot shower, so I'm going to go do that now.” I actually strut out of our room. I don't think I've ever strutted before, especially not in the nude. It seems to have made an impression on Lance too, because he suddenly seems to be less upset about the fact that I haven't gotten him a gift and follows me into the bathroom. However, that fact lingers with me to the point that I can't focus on my projects. So I do the logical thing and turn that into my new project. I start the first phase at lunch.

“Hey, I got inspired for a new project and I need to get some new material. Do you want to help out?”

Risky move, but I do need some material for other projects, and it's not unusual for me to ask him to accompany me either. He might not be tech savvy, but he likes shopping and is better at haggling than I am so he's actually very useful. I'm sure he won't get suspicious if I sneak off to purchase a bit of Snick Leather.

“Sure, you don't even need to ask. You wanna go today?”

“For the most part. There is some stuff you can't find here, so I was thinking of taking a weekend trip to Arus. I wish I didn't have to travel so far for those items, but it should be exciting to see our old neighborhood again. We could even visit the beach for a bit.”

“Ah! I'd love to, but I already promised to babysit for Hunk and Shay. They are going on their Anniversary vacation, remember?”

“Oh yeah, that totally escaped my mind.” I was completely aware of it. “That's too bad, it would have been fun to go with you… I know! I'll go with Matt. It's been a while since we hung out.” Basically since I started sleeping with Lance, but I'm sure there's no correlation.

“That's a great idea! But I really wish I could go with you. Are you sure you can't postpone your trip to next weekend?”

“The materials I'm looking for are pretty rare, if I go later I might not be able to get everything I need.”

“Fair enough.”

“Plus, we've been doing almost everything together since the wedding. Some space will do us good. Not to mention what we can do when I return.” I gently place my hand on his thigh, and give him my most innocent look. A winning combination, that I've only discovered recently. He doesn't have a chance.

“A-as long as you don't miss me too much.” he manages to pant out. Score.

                                                          ---

Acquiring the Snick Leather was effortless. Not only did I get it without Lance getting any wiser, but I got it at a pretty good price too. Despite its durability, it's not the most popular material as it is not too attractive. Works for me. Things become dicey on the weekend trip. Not because Lance got suspicious, at least I don't think he did, but because Matt happened to catch us in very intense goodbye kiss. I'm actually surprised he didn't comment on it until we got to the beach.

“Are you still convinced your feelings are one sided?”

“Just because we're having sex doesn't mean that we're in love.”

“Uh, you're married, so it's not just sex. Besides, all I knew up till now, is that you enjoy heavy makeouts. It's curious that you would bring up sex in the first place.”

“First of all, we were forced into getting married so it doesn't count. Also, I thought you were the older sibling. You should know that things are never that cut and dry.”

“Oh yeah? Then what are we doing here?”

“What do you mean now?”

“I mean, we’re hunting for sea glass for a sentimental gift. That doesn't sound like prototypical friends-with-benefits behavior.”

“He already gave me a gift, it would be rude not to give one back in return.”

“And that's another thing!” He emphasizes as he grabs my right arm. “Don't you think this bracelet is a very romantic gesture? I mean he made it of materials you like working with, and he even had the medallion engraved with… S.H? I don't get it?”

“It's my name, genius.”

“Really? Because last I checked, neither Katie nor Pidge started with an 'S'... Wait, is Lance in love with Dad?”

“No, doofus. It's my legal name. He wanted to do my initials originally, but there was only enough space for two letters. He couldn't decide between K.H or P.H, so went with S.H, for Serrano-Holt… Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Why didn't you tell me this before?”

“You never asked. I still don't see why that's making you look so giddy.”

“It's because he's staking his claim.”

“No, he's not!”

“But he totally is! Fact the first, he gave you a gift. But not just any gift, a self-made gift, so it is unique, and the connection with him is undeniable.”

���Matt...”

“Fact the second! He gave it to you spontaneously, not because of an anniversary, birthday, or romantic holiday, simply to please you.”

“Your wrong on that part, it was a late wedding gift.”

“Oh, you mean a gift for a government imposed ceremony where such sentimental gestures are not only not required, but are not expected whatsoever?”

“...”

“That's what I thought. Getting to the final fact, he literally put his name on it. If that isn't a classic display of primal ownership, I don't know what is.”

“You're reading too much into this, he gave this to me way before we… became this intimate.”

“Aww, look who's feeling bashful now” he mocks me. I punch him in the arm for his troubles. “But this just builds my case for me. This way you can't write this off as him rewarding you for keeping his endorphins active. He just, possibly on just a subconscious level, wanted to signal that you're taken.”

His arguments are actually compelling, but I don't want to admit it. I go back to searching for the perfect piece of sea glass.

“So do you admit defeat?”

“I think it's pointless to speculate about his feelings, when I could just ask him.”

“So are you going to?”

“No, and do you know why? Because I don't care.” Matt shrugs, but doesn't look convinced. I ignore him, and focus on my search. It takes a bit of time, but I eventually find the perfect one. It's shaped like a drop, almost as blue as Lance's eyes, but it also has some flecks of green, that give it an oceanic look. I grab a few more as backup. Luckily, Matt seems to be satisfied with all the comments he made about  my relationship, as he doesn't make any more remarks about it as we head to the Artisan. In fact, the rest of the trip goes much more smoothly. The Artisan, an old friend of Matt's named Nyma, is patient with me and I only destroy two of my backup glass pieces as I drill holes into them. She even helps me treat the Snick Leather, although not without scoffing.

“It's just such an ugly red.” She mutters. I don't argue with her, because I’m not in the mood to get into the cliche ‘Style vs. Function’ debate. Also, she's not forcing me to pick another material, so I don't really care what she says. After all, it's not for her.

“Do you want it reinforced?” She asks as I am about to attach the sea glass to the leather strip.

“What, the leather?”

“No, the only thing the Snick Leather needs is a dye job, which is impossible, because it's the leather from hell. I was actually talking about the sea glass. Based on your choice of leathers, you're hoping to make this trinket last for years. Well if you use this glass in its current state, it will last a week. A month if you're extra careful. However, there is a firing process that can make it nigh invulnerable. You know, if it doesn't burst from the pressure. But hey, that's what you have back-ups for.”

“Sounds good, let's do it.”

“Yeah, actually it's an eight hour process. And we only have the one oven, which won't be available for the weekend. But I still highly recommend that you take the extra wait time to have it done. I'll just have to mail it to you.”

“OK, do you have a piece of paper somewhere?”

I write down my address, and then I head out to meet Matt at the place we're lodging. I'm a little disappointed that I can't have the final touch on the necklace, but I did do most of the work, so I am quite content with that. Maybe it's Matt's theory, Hunk's past teasing, my own secret hopes swirling around in my head, or just the simple fact it now feels weird to sleep without Lance's body heat surrounding me, but that night I find myself having a hard time falling asleep.

                                                            ---

I did not actually expect to find the sea glass so soon, so we're heading back a day early. I just said goodbye to Matt and am heading to Hunk and Shay's place, where I expect Lance to still be. I see the kids playing in the garden as I approach. Hopefully, they're in a compliant mood.

“Hey guys!” I wave at them in what I hope comes across as friendly. Tui waves back, Mirax just glares. Oh goody, this is going to be fun. “Do you know where Uncle Lance is?”

“Yeah! He is...” Tui starts before he is interrupted by his sister

“Don't tell her.”

“Why not?”

“Because...” she looks at me smugly now “she is a stranger.”

I'm a what now?

“I'm not a stranger Mirax. I'm Uncle Lance's wife, remember?”

“Then why didn't you have a wedding?”

“We did have one, you just weren't there.”

“Why weren't we there?”

Geez, how do I say “because your parents didn't think a potential public execution was their idea of a fun family activity” without scaring her?

“It was a secret wedding. In fact, it was so secret, we didn't even know it was going to happen until it did.”

“That's not how weddings work!” She protests.

Wow, was I this opinionated as a three year old? I look to Tui in the vain hopes that he could help me, but all he does is shrug. Brilliant, I guess I'll have to use my secret weapon.

“Well I guess if I'm a stranger I'll have to eat these peanut butter cookies by myself” I say as I grab the packet of cookies from my satchel. This suddenly gets their attention. “Oh, yeah. I was going to share these with my good friends Mirax and Tui. But if you say I'm a stranger, then I guess I can't share them after all. Too bad. I was really, really looking forward to sharing with my friends but I guess I have no choice. Aaaa!” I take an exaggerated bite of the cookie. “No choice at all.”

Tui gives his sister a distressed look. Mirax looks like she's weighing up if her principles or a cookie have priority. In the end cookies win, naturally, because as much as she hates the fact that I take Uncle Lance's attention away from her, she is in fact only three. After two cookies, she is willing to talk.

“Uncle Lance is inside talking with his friend from the Castle. They have been in there forever, even though he promised to spend the weekend with us. And now you're going to take him away too.”

Friend from the Castle? Does she mean somebody from the Royal Guard? Or perhaps it's our case-worker. Is Lance finally going to be reassigned?

“I wasn't going to take Uncle Lance away. I just got back early and I wanted to say hi. I'll go check what's taking him so long, OK?”

“OK.” Mirax nods her agreement. I head for the front door and try my best to sneak insides in the hopes of surprising him. Instead I am startled when I discover that the 'Friend from the Castle' was none other than Princess Allura.

                                                             ---

It's been a week, and I still can't get the image out of my mind. They were hugging, and I think I saw tears in the princess' eyes. I'm not proud of my decision to flee, but I had been so overwhelmed with emotions that I was afraid of what I would do. A part of me hopes this is a misunderstanding, but I don't feel so optimistic about that. Lance insisted that there was no relationship between him and Allura, but perhaps he just wasn't aware of how she felt about him. The fact that she went so far as to find out which door I would be behind, coupled with how sad she was that day, clearly indicates that she has some regard for him. I want to scream and beg simultaneously, anything to make him experience the fraction of the turmoil I am going through. But I know the moment I do that, I will put an end to what we have, and as miserable as I am, I can't quite bring myself to do that. So, I'll just wait until he finally calls it quits, no matter how long it takes.

I can't bear to be intimate with him anymore. Not now that I've finally stopped lying to myself. There's nothing like seeing your husband embracing another woman to make you admit that you're in love with him, am I right? Lance never questioned me about my sudden reluctance, but I can see that he's confused. It almost makes me want to just confess everything, but I'm afraid of what the outcome to that will be. No, I just want to savour what little time I have left. I know my actions might not reflect it, but even like this I still cherish his presence, and I don't want to be the one that pushes him away.

In other news, the gift arrived yesterday. I contemplated throwing it out the whole day, but for the same reason I still haven't taken my bracelet off, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. It was a labor of love, and even if he doesn't return my feelings, I would like to give it to him some day. Perhaps as a farewell present.

“Pidge, I think we should talk.” Oh. I somehow thought I would have more time. “I might be the one overthinking things for once, but I feel like there is something off between us, and I don't know how to fix it. So if I upset you somehow then please, just tell me what I can do to make things right?”

Here goes nothing.

“... I love you, Lance.” His eyes practically pop out. “And before you say anything, I need to get a few more things of my chest, so please let me just say it all first.” He was already in the midst of saying something, but instead he shuts his mouth and nods. I take a deep breath. “I know about you and Allura. Or at the very least, I think I do. I am aware she acquired confidential information just so she could help you choose the right door. I know this because she told me as much at the wedding. I know that she played a central part in you being convicted. I also saw her hugging you with tears in her eyes.

So, I've come to a decision. I appreciate everything you have done on my behalf. However, I want you to think about yourself now. The woman you loved returns your feelings, at least to some degree. So if you think there's a chance you can be together, then I want to support you. I know it will hurt, but don't worry about me. You're my first love, so heartbreak was inevitable. And I know it will be complicated, what with us being married, and Lotor being ridiculously possessive of Allura, but I'm sure we'll work something out so...” I need to grab the gift “... that's the gist of it.” I head towards our room but am not able to take any more than two steps before Lance picks me up and begins showering my face with kisses. Three on my forehead, five on my left cheek, eight on my right, two on each eyelid, and countless ones on my temples. What is going on?

“I'm so sorry” Huh? “I'm sorry, I love you too. So much, you have no idea. And is it OK if I talk now? Quiznack, I should have told you everything ages ago. True, I didn't have all the facts until recently, but I should have told you what little I know. I can't believe I left you to worry about whether I was hung up on somebody else. Can you ever forgive me?”

I am honestly too dazed to move. He carries me to the living room, where he sits down on his favorite spot and makes it a point not to let me leave his lap. He puts his forehead against mine, takes a deep breath, and begins his story.

                                                            ---

I was 18 and had just been inducted officially into the Royal Guard. That very year, Princess Allura of Altea arrived for what was officially a diplomatic mission, but that everybody knew was ploy to create an alliance via marriage between her and Lotor. I think pretty much everybody who didn't already have a significant other was a little bit in love with her. A princess is basically every soldier's fantasy, and it didn't hurt that she was stunning to look at. And you know me, even back in Arus I was always full of bluster. I kept on bragging about the fact that the princess was going to fall hopelessly in love with me, it was just a matter of time, despite never having talked to her.

One day, one of my fellow soldiers—I think it might have been Griffin, it could have been Kinkade—dared me to actually do something about it if I was so confident. So I did… by writing love poems. Please don't ask me to recite any, just thinking about them makes me wince. Anyway, I would basically compose these atrocious poems and then hand them over to Allura's handmaiden—Romelle. You remember her, right?—in the hopes that she would deliver them. For a while, nothing happened, but one day Romelle actually returned with a response from the princess. She also had a note, which was apparently from her to 'the handsome broody one.' I knew right away she must be talking about Keith. The letter I got was a polite refusal, and I never did find out what was in Keith's note because right after he read it he kissed it and then burned it. I thought that was odd, but I generally thought that he was an odd person, so I shrugged it off.

For a few months, this was the pattern. I would send a sub-par poem, Romelle would deliver a polite rejection letter from the princess, and a personal note for Keith. I would deliberately misconstrue my message, Keith would kiss his note and burn it, I’d wait a week, we’d restart the cycle. It was as routine as marching. And then the messages stopped. Even I could recognize that as a dismissal, and although I was upset for a bit, I got over it. At the very least I took comfort in the fact that Keith seemed to have been dumped by Romelle too. And hey, being dumped by a handmaiden has got to be more embarrassing than being dumped by a princess. When I reached out to him, in the hopes of having someone to commiserate with, he told me that they had moved, 'beyond the letter writing stage'. You bet that annoyed me like nothing else.

However, I started to become curious. Keith and I shared the same quarters, so I always noticed when he sneaked in and out. I started to notice that every-time he returned he actually looked happy, which if you knew Keith you would know is super rare. The fact that his relationship could change his attitude this drastically was nothing short of miraculous to me. So one day I asked him 'What's it like to be in love?' He was hesitant to answer me at first, but when I confessed that I am not sure I really know what it feels like, after some deliberation he basically recited this huge monologue about love from scratch. I think, to this day that's the most I heard him speak, and I wish I could remember everything, but I think it boiled down to 'loving someone is finding wonder in the small things and uninhibitedly facing the big things.' Not only did he give me a new understanding of love, but I realized, that I might have been writing him off too harshly. So, I offered to be an open ear if he ever wanted to gush about his lady friend. I was actually surprised when he actually took me up on that offer.

And so our friendship began. At first it was just him talking about Romelle—and perhaps I should have taken more note about the fact that he never referred to her by name. She, her, or occasionally 'My love', but never Romelle—but soon he talked about other topics. Like the fact that his mother is actually a member of the Galra Splinter Group who oppose the Emperor, and how he never understood how chants work. He even showed me some of his personal treasures.

Things were like this until maybe a week before our wedding. That day, Lotor stormed into our barracks, demanding that we report to him immediately. When we all had gathered, he held up a standard Royal Guard helmet and raged about the fact that somebody in our company had “soiled Princess Allura” and if we don't give the culprit up in five minutes he was going to make us all regret it. I, of course, had instantly realized who the helmet belonged to. Keith. I didn't have all the facts, but some things were suddenly clicking in my mind. The princess putting effort into composing responses to my stupid poems, Keith burning his letters, the fact that he never called Romelle by her name. Keith had never been in a relationship with Romelle, it had always been Allura. And I had been nothing but a smokescreen. I honestly felt a little betrayed, but I couldn't say I blame him. However, maybe because now I was invested in our friendship, maybe because I felt it was unfair that their love was going to be torn apart because of politics of all things, I claimed the helmet as mine. When people started doubting my claim, I told them I had been exchanging letters with Allura, and they could check my belongings for them. And, before I knew it, I was locked in a cell, condemned to the Lady or Lion Sentence.

Keith came by once, offered to tell the truth, told me he was sorry this was happening, that I shouldn't even be doing this because my family and friends would be devastated. All I asked him to do was to apologize to Allura for the garbage poetry. I was afraid, but willing to die for a noble cause. Perhaps in the future someone would write a ballad about me. But instead of getting mauled by a Lion, I got you.

                                                         ---

“Wonderful, breathtaking you” he whispers as he pulls me closer to him. “I couldn't believe that I had not only survived, but become reconnected to one of my dearest friends. At first, I was just trying to cheer you up, because there was this melancholy that seemed to hang over you like a cloud. And then there was this one time I managed to make you laugh, and I remember thinking ‘Wow, there she is.' I think that must have been when I started to love you, because from that day, making you happy was the only thing that gave me joy. I like being around you, listening to you gush about your projects, watching your eyes light up when you found the perfect material for your inventions, and even when you're making fun of me. I couldn't get enough of you, and I honestly hadn't spared a thought towards Allura until that day we had that big fight.”

He sighs as he stroked my hair. “I should have told you about everything right then. I still don't know why I didn't. I guess I was embarrassed about my behavior, and perhaps I was afraid that you wouldn't like me anymore, or that you would misunderstand. And then when we had sex, I just got caught up with you in a completely different way. It is during this time I should have told you that I loved you, repeatedly. Even if you didn't believe me, at least you would know what's on my mind.” He leans back to take a look at me and gasps “Pidge, Katie, please don't cry. I can't handle that.”

“It's OK, Lance.” I manage to rasp out. “I'm just a little overwhelmed. Please, keep going.”

“OK, so when Allura came by, it was because Keith and her had decided to run away together and she wanted to check up on me, say goodbye, and give me an explanation and apology.”

“So, what did she tell you?”

“Uhm, turns out Keith was also a member of this Splinter Group like his mother. He was tasked with protecting the Princess as some Galra officials were against an alliance with Altea and they were willing to assassinate her to further their goals. Keith saved her from a few of these assassins, and once the sources were rooted out and dealt with, he was technically supposed to disappear and return to his headquarters. But he didn't do it. At that point he had fallen in love with Allura, and as it turned out, she had fallen for him as well. It was around then that the whole letter business started.”

“That's… quite dramatic.”

“I know!” he laughs, but suddenly becomes serious again. “Pidge, I really screwed up. I caused you so much pain and distress when that's the last thing I ever wanted for you. If you give me another chance, I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you and try my best to never let anything like this happen again. So… what do you say?”

A million arguments flood my mind, but they seem to be dashed by some aspect of his confession. After some thought I finally said. “You're really going to do whatever it takes?”

“Yes, mi Reina , anything.”

“So, you'll do anything I ask?”

“As long as I don't get hurt, yes.”

“... Say it again.”

“Say what again?”

“That you love me.”

I don't know if I have ever seen him smile more beautifully than he is smiling now. “I love you.” He says as he caresses my cheek. “I love you, Pidge.” He strokes my hair. “I love you, Katie.” He kisses my nose. “I love you, Katie Holt.” A kiss to my neck that makes me sigh. “I love you, Pidge Holt.” One of his hands go under my shirt. “I love you, Katie Pidge Holt.” He finally kisses my lips. “I love you so much, Katie Pidge Serrano-Holt, it scares me sometimes.” He's got me wrapped up in his arms. He's about to say it again, when I interrupt him by kissing his clavicle. “I love you too, Lance Serrano. Despite my hesitation.”

And then it devolves into a game. An 'I love you' plus an intimate act, back and forth, gradually escalating. We wind up in our room, divested of our clothes and excited to make love to each other. It's a little different from how it used to be, less frantic, more drawn out. It's less about pleasuring our bodies and more about demonstrating how we feel for each other. We go on like this until we run out of steam, which happens to be towards the dawn.

Surprisingly, I wake up again in an hour, afraid that everything was a dream that came about from my yearning. And that is when I hear him whisper 'I love you, Katie' in his sleep, confirming that it had all been reality. I think I could die here and I would be content. I am overcome with a desire to kiss him all over his beautiful face, but first, I grab his gift from its hiding place. I give in to my earlier desire, and before long, he is kissing me back.

“What did I do to earn such a pleasant wake-up call?”

“I kinda need you to do something for me.”

He sighs. “Sure, what do you need?”

“Could you close your eyes and sit up.”

“Uh, OK?” Have I ever mentioned how adorable, sleepy, confused Lance is? When he complies with my request I take the necklace out of the box, and put it over his neck. I smile when I realize that my ideal sea glass made it through the reinforcing process.

“OK, you can open your eyes now.”

“Can I also lie back down?”

“If you prefer.” He drops back onto the bed, and slowly flutters his eyes open. In his sleepy state, it takes him a little to process that he has a necklace on now.

“Wait, did you...?”

“Yes.”

“For me?”

“Yes, do you like it?”

“Of course I do, but why? It's not going to be my birthday for another two months.”

I shrug, before lying on top of him and kissing him again.

“Just Because.”

#Lady or the Tiger AU #Pining #Misunderstanding #plance #Plance Minibang 2019 #Why do I always write stories where Pidge is in denial? #Future edits to be made for both this and the Ao3 version

[owlways-and-forever]

Summary: The Marauders are getting older, and that means so many things. Mischief, heartbreak, and trying to figure out who they really are. They’ll face problems within their group, prove their loyalty to each other, and discover the ugliness that is brewing in the wizarding world at large. Welcome to Years 2-4 of the Marauders time at Hogwarts. **This piece is a sequel to Behind the Mango Tree, however, you do not have to have read the first installment to pick this up. It does stand alone, but there is some carry over from the last book, especially with inter-character relationships. Basically, you don’t have to have read BtMT, but it certainly helps. Word Count: (2,136) 22,361 Links: FFnet | ao3 | tumblr: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6

A/N: The best laid plans, am I right? I sincerely apologize for the long delay here, its been a lot of one thing after another. Between moving, and traveling, my computer breaking, and some family news, things have been a little bit crazy. I finally finished the next chapter today, but I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer (it's been long enough). So looking forward... the next chapter is almost done, but I'm going to wait until next Wednesday to post it, to give myself time to edit and stuff. So next chapter on 4/10. Depending on how things look next Wednesday, I'm going to make a decision as to whether or not to keep this weekly, or switch to every other week. I hate keeping you guys waiting, but I want to make sure I have adequate time to write these chapters properly. But, like I said, we'll see how things look next week.

As always, comments are always welcome, and very much appreciated (even if it's just one word), so please let me know what you're thinking!

Now that that's settled, I don't really have any other notes for this chapter, so enjoy, and I hope you like it!

Chapter 7: Peter’s Plan

November rolled around bringing with it a plague of scorch throat, and Sirius was delighted when he came down with it right around the full moon. He might not be able to be with Remus while he transformed, but at least Sirius could be with him while he recovered in the hospital wing. He tried to make Remus laugh by exhaling flames with every word he spoke, hiding the winces each time he felt the burn tear through his throat. It was worth it to see even the most fleeting of smiles on his friend’s face.

That month, the full moon was worse than it had been before, and Remus had been sick the whole day leading up to it. He’d woken in the middle of the night vomiting from the pain, and he had rushed to the hospital wing, settling in the bed next to Sirius until sunset.

“I wish there was something we could do to make Remus feel better,” James sighed as he and Peter trudged through the chilly halls to class.

“We try to help him get better as much as we can,” Peter answered, sadness passing over his face despite his words. “And we help him with homework and notes and stuff so he doesn’t fall behind.”

“I know, I just... those transformations must be bloody awful, and I wish there was something we could do to make them easier,” James said.

“What happens if he bites an animal while he’s transformed?” Peter asked, an idea nipping at the edge of his mind.

“Nothing,” James answered with a shrug. “Well, not nothing, but they don’t get, you know, infected.”

“So animals can’t become werewolves?” Peter clarified, chewing on his cheek slightly.

“No, only humans,” James said, Peter’s line of questioning lost on him.

“What do you think would happen if he bit a person who was transfigured into an animal?” Peter continued, not entirely sure about what he was suggesting.

“Dunno,” James said, cocking his head to one side. “Why? What are you thinking?”

“Well, just that, if animals are immune to lycanthropy, and wizards take on all the traits of animals when they... morph into them or whatever... well would that mean that they couldn’t be infected while they were in animal form?”

Peter looked nervous as he asked the question, as if concerned that James would laugh and say he was being ridiculous.

“I’m not sure,” James answered. “No one really knows how much you change. But I think... I don’t think so, I mean they’re still human, right? You don’t really turn into the animal, you just take their form. But genetically, you’d still be human, so I think you could be infected.”

“But what if you can’t though?” Peter pushed, feeling a little more confident in his idea.

“Well, it’d still be pretty risky,” James said. “I mean, werewolves are still pretty lethal, you could still get mauled or eaten or something.”

“Yeah, but maybe not,” Peter proposed, a bright glint in his eye.

They had reached the door of the Charms classroom, and the two boys ducked inside, filing into their seats. Peter mulled things over in his mind as the class continued, unable to focus on their lesson about Cheering Charms.

About halfway through the class, Professor Flitwick asked a question that Peter didn’t hear. Lily’s hand shot into the air, and Peter watched as James reached up from his seat next to her and slapped her palm in a hard high-five. Lily let out an annoyed huff, but she didn’t acknowledge James’ action in any other way, her hand never wavering. James grinned happily and leaned back in his chair, pushing the front two feet up into the air slightly.

“You are a complete arse, Potter,” Lily hissed, after she had answered Professor Flitwick’s question, the satisfied smile slipping from her face.

“C’mon, Evans, you know I’m charming,” James smirked, and she rolled her eyes in response.

The rest of the class, and the day, passed in a bit of a blur. Peter felt unfocused, his mind drifting away at every opportunity, and he couldn’t have brought it back if his life depended on it. As he went through the motions of going to class, eating dinner, even visiting Sirius, Peter’s thoughts kept returning to Remus, trying to piece together a way to help him.

Once the other Gryffindor boys had all fallen asleep, a chorus of snores echoing from James, Lance, and Firmin’s beds, Peter decided he had to have an answer to the question burning in his heart. He leaned over and grabbed a pair of socks from his trunk, sliding them off his feet, and then slipped silently through the dormitory. It must have been later than he realized, as the common room was nearly empty, and the few students who were there paid no attention to Peter as he snuck through the portrait hole.

“Going somewhere?” the Fat Lady asked, as the portrait closed behind Peter.

“I need to see Professor McGonagall,” he squeaked in surprise.

“You’d better hope that no one else finds you along the way,” she answered, giving him a curious look.

Peter didn’t wait to find out what her expression meant, turning on his heel and walking quickly down the hall. He reached the door of Professor McGonagall’s office without incident, and he took a deep breath as he raised a small fist to knock on the ancient wood.

It was a long moment before the door opened, Professor McGonagall standing on the other side in a tartan dressing gown. Peter had a flurry of nerves as he saw her, suddenly wondering why he hadn’t just waited until morning to do this.

“What are you doing out of bed so late, Mr. Pettigrew?” Professor McGonagall asked, as she looked at the young boy in front of her.

“Professor, you know how on our first day of class in first year you turned into a cat and back?” Peter said, shuffling his feet nervously.

“Yes, Mr. Pettigrew, I vaguely remember,” she answered dryly.

“What’s that called again?”

“An animagus, Mr. Pettigrew, you ought to pay better attention,” she chided, although she was not surprised. First years were almost always too nervous or excited to pay much attention on the first day of school. Those with nonmagical upbringings hardly ever remembered anything about animagi until they began to cover it much later on.

“Right, well, I was wondering... if a werewolf bit an animagus while they were an animal, would they become a werewolf too?” Peter asked, trying to seem as casual as possible.

“Why do you ask?” She raised an eyebrow at him, immediately suspicious of his question.

“I was... reading about werewolves and it said only people can be affected.”

Professor McGonagall seemed surprised that he had retained this information, or indeed been reading about anything academic other than the passages that his coursework dictated.

“You were reading about werewolves?” she clarified. “A topic which is somewhat beyond your current education level?”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Mr. Pettigrew, if you think –“

“I don’t,” Peter said hurriedly. “And if I did I wouldn’t tell a soul. It wouldn’t be right. But I don’t. It’s just a... a hobby. An interest.”

“Well, Mr. Pettigrew, I must assure you that you are quite safe from werewolf attacks, and needn’t worry –“

“I’m not worried, Professor, I was just curious... it must be lonely for them...” he explained, lost in his thoughts for a moment.

“Since I see very few instances of curiosity from you, Mr. Pettigrew, I feel inclined to encourage it by answering your question, but only if you stop interrupting me,” Professor McGonagall said sternly. “I do not believe that a wizard, bitten while in his or her animagus form, would be inflicted with lycanthropy, no. They are, physically, the animal they appear to be, with its traits, including, I believe, immunity from lycanthropy. Of course, no study has ever been performed on the subject. It would be incredibly dangerous, and as such, not many would volunteer for it.”

“Thank you, Professor,” Peter said sincerely, turning to leave her office.

Professor McGonagall watched him go, his words sticking in her mind, and she considered the young Gryffindor currently alone in the Shrieking Shack. Peter had a point, Minerva couldn’t even imagine how terrifying it had to be, transforming into something so wild and uncontrollable, doing so alone. In an instant, she knew what she had to do.

Minerva left her office, pulling her warm, tartan cloak from its place on the coat rack and wrapping it around her shoulders as she moved. She swept through the halls of the empty castle, until she stepped into the night air. A gentle rain was falling, giving the autumn air an extra bite. The moon was full overhead, visible mostly as a hazy glow through the cloud cover.

“Lumos,” she whispered, the tip of her wand igniting, lighting her path.

Minerva strode through the grounds until she found the Whomping Willow. With a wave of her wand, a branch on the ground transformed into a snake and slithered to the base of the tree, pressing a knot in the trunk with its tail. Immediately, the branches of the tree stilled, and Minerva was able to step closer.

There was a small opening between the willow’s roots, which Minerva knew led to a dank passage. She closed her eyes and focused on her transformation, a moment later finding herself in feline form. Quickly, she trotted through the stilled branches and down into the tunnel. It was a long trek, particularly as a cat, but it was easier than being hunched over.

Some twenty minutes later, Minerva felt the ground slope upwards beneath her paws, and she emerged into the creaking entryway of the Shrieking Shack. She could hear snarling from above, footsteps pacing back and forth. Long nails clicked against the wood, and a loud growl accompanied a crash.

Carefully, Minerva padded across the floor and up the stairs, soft creaks issuing from beneath her paws. When she reached the landing, she could see the werewolf pacing through the gap in the doorway, his claws reaching to destroy any furniture he could find. Minerva sat in the doorway, watching for a moment.

Softly, she meowed, getting his attention. Remus. His yellow eyes fixed on her, and for a moment his lips curled up to show his teeth, a deep rumbling echoing in his chest, but then he paused. A hint of recognition seemed to cross his face, and his muscles relaxed a little.

Remus returned to pacing the room, but he seemed less frantic, less agitated. After he passed by her for the third time, Remus stopped in front of Minerva, staring at her, and growled lightly. But it was more of a conversation than a threat, like he was trying to tell her how frustrated he felt, how angry, how scared.

They spent a few hours this way, in passing conversation of sorts, before Remus curled up on the floor, huffing heavily. Minerva crept closer to him and leapt onto the sole in tact chair, curling up herself. She meowed softly once more and watched Remus close his eyes, watching over him as he drifted off.

#gen writes #hp #marauders #james potter #peter pettigrew #QiMH

[aardvark-123]

Gensokyo Festival day 17: Magic

~Magical Girl Warrior Kosuzu and the Dark Mistresses of the Moon~

~Author's Note~

First of all, I'm soooooo sorry this chapter took so long! >_<;; I had loads of work last month between renting out books and getting my flight certificate, and there just wasn't time for me to do any writing. I'm free for the rest of this week, though, and I'll try and get chapter 6 out for you much sooner! Don't wait up, though... ^^'

With regard to the fighting, I'm afraid it's hard for me to describe what large groups of characters are doing at a given time, so I tend to just focus on Kosuzu. Like I promised, though, some more plot happens this time! I think I did it all right, but I'd love to hear what all you wonderful people thought as well. Getting reviews really makes my day, so don't be shy!

Faith_and_Anime, I really had no idea "In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" was somebody's catch phrase in the Outside World. I'm so sorry! If you run into Sailor Moon, please tell her I didn't mean it! >.< I won't make any more stupid mistakes like that, I promise!

~Chapter 5: Tengu's Secret! Dread Sisters Attack!~

"Augh...! Who are you?!" gasped Kosuzu, staring through squinted eyes at the glowing women. "What do you want with us?!"

"Ohohohoho~!" the woman with the wide hat laughed smugly. "Shall we tell them, sister dear?"

"Yes," said the woman with the bow, stiffly and businesslike. "I am Watatsuki no Yorihime, captain of the Lunar Defence Force and leader of rabbits."

"And I am Watatsuki no Toyohime, her partner and mass-destruction weapon~!" tittered the blonde.

As the women's glow dimmed, Kosuzu could make out for the first time what they looked like. Yorihime had silky greyish-purple hair in a long, wide ponytail tied up with a big yellow bow, and her eyes were the colour of smoky quartz, but darker. She was wearing a reddish-brown dress, belted tight around her slender waist, with a pearly-white shirt component on top. Her shoes were small and red.

Toyohime's blonde hair was long and glossy. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of topaz. She wore a bluish-purple shirt-dress much like her sister's, and on her head was a broad-brimmed white hat with a small pink bow on the right side. Her boots were blue.

"The Lunar Defence Force?! You must be from from the moon!" gasped Reimu, her red eyes wide with shock.

"Correct," said Yorihime. "We have come to claim the Earth."

The heroines all gasped as one. Claim the Earth? How could she?!

"Now, hold on! You can't just come here and take whatever you want!" shouted Aya, her elegant black eyebrows arched in anger.

"Oh, but we can~!" laughed Toyohime, brandishing her orange fan. "We Lunarians are so much better than you, there is no point in us asking for permission~. I could kill you all in seconds, as could my sister~!"

"She speaks the truth," said Yorihime emotionlessly. "None of you can resist us." The heroines shared some worried looks amongst each other.

"Are they really that powerful?" said Kosuzu worriedly, her face creased with worry. "Even their moon rabbits were strong! What would the woman who trained them be like?!"

"You're right," said Aya fearfully. "Lunarians are fierce! I heard their only weakness is to freshly-picked chrysanthemums."

"C'mon, sisters, we can take 'em!" growled Marisa, doing a fist-pump with her short, strong-looking left arm. "I ain't afraid of no prissy Lunarian, ze! We'll show 'em!"

"Marisa's right. There are four of us, aren't there? We can do this!" Reimu pointed out, drawing her wand and striding towards the sisters. "In the name of Gensokyo and the Dragon God! Charge!"

Reimu charged at the Lunarians. Aya, Marisa and Kosuzu followed her with their weapons ready. They knew it was going to be a hard fight, but they had to pull through for their friends and families back home...

-+=+-+=+-o0~0o-+=+-+=+-

Akyuu was feeling nervous as she crept through the dank, scary cave. Her colourful dress seemed like it was in sepia tones in the soft orange light of her torch. There were clusters of stalacmites on the floor, so she had to be careful not to stub her poor little toes.

"Is it much further?" whispered Akyuu.

"Not long now," whispered Mamizou, her brown hair shaking as she ducked under a pointy grey stalagtite. "We should be somewhere under Youkai Mountain."

"Youkai Mountain?!" gasped Akyuu in amazement.

"That's right," confirmed Mamizou. "I don't understand it any more than you do, but if the tunnel leads this way, it leads this way... Oh, what's this? I think I see a light up ahead!"

The duo cautiously spelunked towards the light. It grew brighter and brighter as they headed through the cave, until they could tell it was shining through the gaps in a wooden trap door.

"Golly..." breathed Akyuu. "I wonder where this leads!"

"Well, let's find out!" said Mamizou, pushing through the trap door. Akyuu waited patiently as she watched the tanuki's legs disappear upwards.

"How is it?" called Akyuu a few seconds later.

"It's safe! You'd better come up here!" replied Mamizou.

Akyuu climbed the ladder and emerged into a bright, airy room. She could see a cluttered writing desk covered in paper and clutter, and a faint smell of lavender was wafting through the house. Warm sunlight was diffusing through the paper walls all around her.

"Who could live here?" pondered Akyuu, her beautiful amethyst eyes clouded with confusion. She moved over to the writing desk and picked up a random piece of paper.

Dear Aya,

There is much you have yet to learn of the world, but right now I have one important piece of information to deliver to you. Lunarians can be disabled easily by brushing fresh chrysanthemums against their skin.

Yours sincerely,

Imoyikust on Otokim

"Gosh!" cried Mamizou, her brow furrowing. "This is interesting... Aya has an informant telling her about the Lunarians!"

"Yes, but whom?" said Akyuu worriedly.

"Imoyikust on Otokim..." pondered Mamizou. "Who could that be? The name does not sound familiar, but I feel like..."

Akyuu gasped. "Mamizou, It's 'Tsukiyomi no Mikoto' backwards!"

"Oh, no!" cried Mamizou. "But that means...!"

"He could have been feeding Aya false information!"

-+=+-+=+-o0~0o-+=+-+=+-

Yorihime lifted her gleaming silver sword and hacked at Kosuzu. Kosuzu gripped her Divine Staff in both hands and deflected the blow, but the impact made her stagger. She desperately did a backflip, avoiding a swipe from Yorihime's sword by inches.

"Let's see how you like this!" said Kosuzu fiercely, aiming her staff at Yorihime. "Guarding Sign: Lance of Heaven!"

Kosuzu's staff fired a beam of golden light at Yorihime, making her yelped as it hit her right in the stomach. Kosuzu somersaulted forwards, her strawberry-blonde hair fanning out in the air, and gave Yorihime a painful bonk on the head.

"Ow!" cried Yorihime, breaking her not-emotional facade for the first time since she'd arrived. "Confound you...!" she added, readying her sword. "Lunar Sign: Moon Twilight Flash!"

Kosuzu braced herself as the crescent-shaped blade of silvery moonlight flashed towards her. She jumped over the attack. "Too slow, Yorihime!"

Yorihime smirked.

"Eh?..." said Kosuzu, then the Twilight Flasher swung around and hit her right in the small of her back! Kosuzu screamed and fell to her knees in terrible pain.

"Don't you realise you're dealing with somebody a cut above the rest?" said Yorihime proudly. "My attacks are too powerful for you, weakling, and those three idiots stand no chance against my sister. Give up now!"

"Give up...?" The idea was horrifying for Kosuzu. "Never! All of my friends are counting on me!"

Kosuzu rose angrily to her feet, fighting through the pain. She knew the time for being gentle was over. It was time to unleash her ultimate attack.

"Forgive me, Yukari..." murmured Kosuzu, taking aim with her staff. "Just this once, I must use the power I swore never to use." Her eyes were shining with determination. "Heart Sign: Light of the Universe!"

A beam of bright light exploded outwards from the staff. Yorihime staggered backwards as it washed over her skin. When the light cleared, she was sprawled out on the ground gasping for breath.

"Now's our chance!" shouted Aya, running towards Yorihime with a bunch of sweet-smelling purple chrysanthemums in hand. "This ought to fix her. Eat flowers!"

Aya brushed Yorihime's nose with the chrysanthemums. She wrinkled her nose and sneezed, then she jumped up and stabbed Aya through the heart!

"Aaaaaaargh!" screamed Aya, clutching at her chest as blood leaked out and stained her dress dark red. "No! I-I was so sure the chrusanthemums would work!"

"You assume too much," said Yorihime smugly, licking the blood off her sword. Her tongue was long and pink and slightly pointy at the end. "I believe my sister will be able to mop up your foolish friends now..."

"NO!" screamed Kosuzu. She kicked Yorihime in the shins, only for her foot to hit thin air as the purple-haired warrior cartwheeled to the side. Kosuzu ran towards her, but Yorihime punched her in the face before she could react. Kosuzu fell down in a heap and rubbed her poor little nose.

"Aw, nuts! Aya! Kosuzu!" cried Marisa, running over to her unconscious friends. "Don't give in! Not like this!"

"Ohohohoho~! You'll all give in exactly like this~!" Toyohime laughed victoriously. She swung her fan and Reimu went down in a blast of fire. "Sister dear, why don't you maul half-pint of a witch~?"

"Grrr..." Marisa clenched her scarred fists and stared down Yorihime. "No-one's maulin' me, ze! Put 'em up, you- Aiyeeeee!"

A Moon Twilight Flash in the knee sent Marisa flying across the hillside. She landed painfully in a bush, squashing most of the bush. The scent of freshly-spilled sap filled her nose.

Toyohime and Yorihime shared a look of satisfaction as they looked over the dazed and beaten heroines. Somehow, they'd done it.

"The world is ours," smiled Yorihime.

"We're the best~! Long live the Lunarians~!" whooped Toyohime, her purple dress flapping as she jumped for joy. "I can't believe this gaggle of wealkings thought they were tougher than the two of us~."

"We must return to the Capital and give Lord Tsukiyomi the good news," said Yorihime.

"W-wait..." groaned Marisa, stirring among the plant life. "You can't have the Earth... We live here!"

"Not for long~!" giggled Toyohime. Arm in arm with Yorihime, they drifted slowly up into the inky, moonlit sky. Nobody knew where they would strike next or what chaos they would wreak, and there was nothing Kosuzu or any of her friends could do to stop them.

TO BE CONTINUED...

~Actual Author’s Note~

Yes indeedy, Touhou fans, Kosuzu is still at it. With a year of experience under her belt, she’s learned a lot about formatting, pacing and how to spell “divine”, but she’s going through a bit of an “everything must be described in great detail” phase. Who knows? Maybe she’ll be as good as me next year.

#Touhou #gensokofestival #Kosuzu Motoori #Reimu Hakurei #Marisa Kirisame #Aya Shameimaru #Hieda no Akyuu #Mamizou Futatsuiwa #Watatsuki no Yorihime #Watatsuki no Toyohime #writing #comedy #parody #my writing

[mizu-writes-kumo]

Well a beast has been a woken.  I best see it through, or it will never rest when I need it to.

More Mafia Shance AU.  Here are Part 1 and Part 2 (But this is a prequel to them so you don’t have to read them first to understand anything in this one).

Or you can read it here on AO3

Warning: mentions of past murders, violence, cursing, and assassination attempts.

--

Lance prided himself on his work.

His skills were the best in his family for what he did.  

Which was saying something.  Because Veronica was wicked smart, business savvy, and the princess of manipulation, groomed to take over when their parents decided to hand over the reigns.  Marco was good with the running supply lines, and insuring more than a rich steady income for their family.  Luís was good at sniffing out any possible threats to the family and anyone trying to steal from them, among other things.

Lance had little to actual offer their family business.  

Sure he was smart, but not to the level of his sister.  And he had more than a charming and alluring personality, but his brothers already had that department of people more than covered.  

Leaving Lance with little to actually be useful with.

That was until Lance found out how easy it was for him to draw people in and “handle” them for his family.

It started when Luís discovered a well-liked Lieutenant of their’s was stealing and undermining all of them.  Out right handling him wasn’t a usual opinion for any of them, as the man had painted Lance’s siblings out to be paranoid freaks out to get him simply because they didn’t like him.  But Lance had seen the way the man watched him, both at gatherings and just in general.

And it was so easy, to suggest they go to the beach late at night.  Stripe down to barely anything and swim out to a nearby sand bar.  Make light conversation about sharks in the water, and how he was so glad he wasn’t out there alone in the moonlight.  And lean in so breathless for a kiss, and stab the man right in the gut and twisting the knife.

Lance ditched the knife in the water and swam away before the man could get over his shock.  Only his sister caught him sneaking back in to the house, and seemed to half buy his story of meeting some tourist girl at the beach for...well the usual teenage fun. quietly muttering he should be careful before shooing him off to bed.

The body washed up three days later, mauled and chewed on by local sharks.  Lance’s handy work hidden underneath them.  

No one was the wiser.

Until Lance made one sly comment.  

Something about how the man had coming , especially swimming at night with sharks.  All behind a glass of water and a knowing prideful smirk.  It was then that Veronica figured just what Lance had done so effortlessly for them.

Lance had been fifteen at the time.

Now five years later, he was on the best there as out there in his field.  

So much so those who work for his family fear him.  Whispers of how the McClain’s will sent their Tiburón to handle their problems.  How they should all be careful not go get blood in the water.  How he struck in the dark when no one expected him and kept moving.  His mother and siblings actively advertised his skills and services to other contacts for their use or problem solving needs.

All of which had gotten Lance to a rooftop in New York during the middle of winter.

Lance was freezing his ass off.

“Ah, mi hijito, we have an easy job for you in New York.”  Lance mimicked his mother’s voice as he spun the silencer on his rifle.  “Yeah, sure easy job.”  Lance grumbled to himself.  “So easy.  Spending my whole weak here doing research and recon, while freezing my little behind off.  So fucking easy.”

Carefully he positioned his rifle on the edge of the rooftop.

He did a quick visual sweep with the scoop.  Just to make sure there weren’t any vehicles lingering.  Like an obvious surveillance van or unmarked cop car.  Because that was the last thing he needed.  But it was clear as the last five times he checked.

“I didn’t get to see one damn sight.”  Lance complained.

Because it was suppose to be an easy job. A simple get in get out sort of thing.  Where Lance barely was required to do anything.  And he could spend his week how he pleased, seeing the sights, eating the food, going to a play, and exploring the city. 

But then the client had...well demands. 

It had to look like a rival gang’s did it.  Like they made a hit, which happened to translate to not that clean of sniper shot.  No one could suspect it was them at all.  And it had to be done specifically at the end of the week.  And no, he wasn’t going to get paid more for his troubles.

“I hope this bastard is fucking worth all the effort and grief.”  Lance continued with a huff as he moved the rifle to take aim through a window.  “I mean really, it’s all so unnecessary.”

Lance glanced through his scope at his target.

The guy was like maybe a few years older than him.  Six or seven years at the most if Lance had to take a guess.  Tall, and built in a tasteful way that Lance more than appreciated.  A large scar across his nose, from something Lance could probably only imagine was horrible.  Black hair save a tuff of white at the front. Seating down with what looked like a sorry excuse of a dinner.

Honestly, an attractive guy Lance would have liked to have some fun with before offing him.  

But no, he had to make a skilled sniper shot look crappy.  

Which just felt like an insult to Lance and his skills.  

Lance would see that the client was blacklisted from doing any business with his family in future.  He knew they would listen to him.  After all Lance was the baby of the family, he could supply no reason what so offer, and they would do it because he asked, and that was a reason enough alone.

Taking in a breath, Lance carefully took aim.

Releasing the breath slowly to calm his whole body.  Exhale on the tension in his system.  Slow his heart rate down just for a few seconds to do what he needed to do.  

Then he eased the trigger back, fired and...

Missed.

Fuck!  

The guy moved at the last second, dropping something on the floor and moved to pick up it.  A dying plotted plant exploded as the bullet hit it.  The man whipped around to the window quickly.

Lance dropped down onto his back on the roof.

Fuck, fuck, FUCK!  

This was not good.

Lance laid on the rooftop staying at the sky for a few moments.  Trying to both catch his breath, and scrambling to figure out his next move.

There was a chance the guy hadn’t pin-pointed where they shot came from yet.  A quick and easy way to test that was to wave something up to see if it got shot at.  But if they guy didn’t know where Lance was, well that might quickly become a being neon sign of ‘Look here I am’

And maybe, if Lance was quick enough and luck more than on his side.  Lance could roll back off and fire off a few more shots.  Maybe actually hit the guy before he was spotted.

Or he could just ditch the roof all together.  And head across the street to handle the situation more intimately.  Lance already had a few breadcrumbs plated to point to the rival gang anyway that he would have to plant in the apartment anyway.

Yup, that was the better option.

Quickly rolling away from where he was laying, Lance ditched his rifle.  Keeping low as he made his way towards the fire escape and quickly scaled down it.  Giddily landing in the alleyway as he pulled out his hand gun to check it, and saw he had the forethought to already put the silencer on it.  

Lance hurriedly booked it across the street.

Again, happy to discover the guy was either hiding from possible shots, or still looking to rooftops.  Making it so easy for Lance to slip into his building with nothing more than a passing bring at some old lady and her dog.

He quickly made his way up the stairs towards the man’s apartment. A trek he had practiced more than a few times.  Both to familiarize his face with other’s living there, so he would become nothing out of the ordinary for them, and know exactly where to go in a situation like this.

Lance dipped a hand down into his pocket for the spare key he had been given to the apartment door.  Gripping his pistol tightly with the other as he eased the key in.  Twisting it in the lock as slowly and soundlessly as it would allow, for tearing open the door.

The man is huddled behind his over turned table when Lance opens the door.  Quickly taking aim and firing at him as he shut the door behind him.  And Lance would loved to have said he got the guy right then and there.

But not, the man was like lightening.  

Moving out of the way of Lance’s shots, which forced Lance to follow after him for a clear shot.  Step further into his apartment.  Then the man charged and tackled Lance to the ground.  Knocking the gun out of Lance’s hand with more ease than the assassin would have liked.

Fuck!

Lance squirmed under the guys hold.  

He wasn’t the best at hand to hand fighting.  At least not when it wasn’t somewhat on his terms.  Lance could easily knock someone out three times the guys size, but usually he had them ogling at something.  This guy was on him and Lance had no leverage.

“Who hired you?”  The guy demanded in a growl, pressing his weight down into Lance’s chest.

“Not at liberty to say, I’m afraid.”  Lance stated cheekily with a grin.  “Assassin-Client privilege.”

And then Lance kicked the guy in the hip, and throw a wild punch to get him off.

He rolled with the punch and scrambled to his feet.  Darting for the kitchen where his gun skidded off to.  But he’s ankle was grabbed before he could reach it.  Pull out from under him.

Lance cursed as he grabbed on to a counter top to stop himself from falling.  

Fine, looked like he was going to settle for what he could grab.  Which, to Lance’s luck happens to be a knife from a set.  He grabbed a handle of one as swing wildly at the man, who barely leaned back enough to dodge it.  A look of surprise on his face, Lance took a little satisfaction in.

But it was short lived.

The man grabbed his wrist.  In one quick movement, spinning around to elbow Lance in nose.  Knocking him into the opposite side of the small kitchen.  Twisting Lance around in his daze, and pinning him down over the counter top, with a sharp yank of Lance’s wrist to drop the knife.

“I’ll ask again,”  The man spat out venomously.  Which if Lance wasn’t in his current situation, he would have found very hot.  Another painful tug of the wrist when Lance refused to let go of the knife.  “Who hired you to kill me?”

Lance growled in reply.

The man, he has a name and Lance knows it but refuses to use it, twisted Lance’s wrist so the knife point was resting against Lance’s back. “Answer the question, before I stop asking nicely.”

“This is you asking nicely?”  Lance asked smartly.

“Who. Hired. You.”  The man growled out each word.  Leaning over Lance more and more with each word.  “I get the feeling you were the one the took the shot at him earlier to.  So tell me who hired you to take me out.”

Lance surged up.  Slamming his head into the guys nose, and breaking free in his shock and pain.  He whipped around, holding the knife at the read as the man staggered back across the kitchen with a loud curse.

“Son of a--”

Lance charged the man.  Managing to get in a few good swings with the knife in hand, before the man grabbed his wrist again.  This time prying the knife out of Lance’s fingers before kicking him away.  He tossed the knife aside as Lance failed to keep his balance and toppled onto the floor with a wheezing grunt.

“I’ll pay you double what whoever hired you is paying.”  The man stated calmly.

Lance paused and raised an eyebrow at the guy.

Looking around his apartment, the guy didn’t look like he had much money to his name.  Most of his furniture looked older, handed down to him, or found.  Only a few things looked new and moderately expensive.  But there was nothing in the apartment to suggest the guy any true money to throw around.

Which, given what little Lance knew about him, was probably not true. The guy was a rising Lieutenant in his clients gang, with a new seat at the table.  And given that Lance’s client was trying to cross him off, meant he was decent competition.

So the guy had money somewhere.

“You are going to just double $25,000?” Lance asked skeptically.

The guy looks rather surprised by the number.  Not in a way that he can’t meet it, let alone double it.  More so amazed someone would pay that much to cross him off.

“Whoa, that’s a lot, why is it so high?”  The guy asked with his brows knitting together in confusion.

And oh how Lance wished he could have played.

“My services aren’t cheap.”  Lance returned confidently as he eased himself to his feet, slowly.  Not missing the way the guys eyes ran over his whole form almost hungrily.  “Ever heard of El Tiburón?”

“You’re Tiburón?”  The guy asked with a cut little puppy tilt of his head.  “You’re younger than I would have expected.”

“I’m that good.”  Lance grinned out.

“You missed,”  the guy pointed out stupidly.

Lance bristled at the words.  “I didn’t miss!  You fucking moved at the last second.”

“That still fits in the description of missing a shot.”

Lance growled sharply, before charging forwards. The man’s eyes went wide for a second, as he realized his mistake, and braced himself as Lance rammed into them.  Stumbling backwards, before falling to the floor under the force of Lance’s momentum.

The two wrestle on the ground for a bit.

Before the man managed to pin Lance down.  Holding both of his hands over his head with one hand.  And trapping Lance’s legs under his body weight.  Glaring down at Lance sharply, until he stopped struggling too much.

And damn, did the man always had stormy colored eyes like that.

“I’ll pay you double, if you stop trying to kill me and tell me you hired you.”

Lance glared up the man for a moment.

The he sighed.

He already knew his mother would be pissed if he killed someone offering to pay more money then the original offer.  Lance’s reputation be damned, business was business.  And besides, Lance already settled on making sure his family never did business with the first client anyway.

“An asshole named Sendack hired me to take you out.”  Lance said easily.  

The man frowned above Lance in an almost knowing matter.  

“I see there is a mutual dislike.”  Lance observed lightly.  “Can’t say I don’t understand why.  The asshole made me do all this work to make it look like it was a rival gang.  I didn’t get to see any of the city I was so busy doing his dirty work, with no extra combination for my grief.”

“Oh, woo is you.”  The man said rolled his eyes.

Lance pouted up at him.

“Can you let me up now?”  Lance asked suddenly with a huff.  “As fun as this position is, unless your going to show me a good time, I would rather not keep lying around in it.”

The man looked down, for a second confused by what Lance meant.  Lance was half tempted to roll his hips to get his meaning across.  But then it seemed to register in his head and blush dusted his cheeks.  

“Promise not to try to kill me?”  He snapped roughly as he looked back up to Lance’s face.

“Promise to pay double my fee?”

A moment of thick silence laid over them.

Each of them searching the other’s face for a lie.  Or some kind of trick.  After all in their line of work they could never be too careful.

Eventually though, the man let go of Lance with a huff.  Shoving off of him with  a growl and a mean look.  One Lance didn’t even wither under one bit.  After all, the only person Lance was truly afraid of was his mother, and she was miles away.

Lance slowly got to his feet.  

More than aware of the guy watching him slowly.  So Lance made sure to make his movements clear and slow.  So the man could clearly see what he was doing the whole time.  And maybe not tackle him to the floor again.

Carefully Lance reached for his gun.  Easily keeping his fingers away for the trigger as he picked it up from the ground.  Then in a one quick movement, removed the clip, and tossed it on the counter.  The man relaxed marginally in the corner of Lance’s vision.

Then with fluid ease, Lance removed the bullet in the barrel.  Twisted off the silencer.  And dismantled the gun half way.  Resting it all down on the man’s counter with grace and pose.

“Relax, Mr. Shirogane,”  Lance hummed as he adjusted his jacket back into place.  The man stiffened at Lance’s use of his name.  “I’m not going to do anything.  My mother and sister would have my head if I did after your generous offer.”

“Yes, offering you double to not kill me is a generous offer.” The man, Shirogane, huffed in a growl.

“More generous that Sendack.”  Lance countered easily with a shrug.  Because that his all his family will really care about.  Who paid them more to have Lance do something...or not do something.  “He refused my extra fees when his job was not a simple as first presented.”  Lance continued as he made his way towards Shirogane.  “I didn’t like that.”

Shirogane hummed dryly as he watched Lance.

His gaze his careful and calculated. 

Lance doesn’t blame him, he was after a known assassin in most dark circles.  Not to mention the man that just tried to kill him a minute ago.  He was more than ready to strike Lance down if he needed to.

But it was also eating Lance alive.

Swimming over Lance to take him all in.  Almost undressed him with his gaze.  Eyes easily trapped by the way Lance dipped his hips just a little.  A test to see just how interested the man was in him.  Lance knew he was alluring, but he wasn’t naive enough to think everyone by default found him attractive in the same way he might find them attractive.

And Lance can’t say he was returning the favor of devouring Shirogane in the same way.  If not more shamelessly.

“Of course, it doesn’t insure Sendack won’t try again.”  Lance comment as he stopped just in inch or two from Shirogane’s toes.  

He reached up to pick off some dust that had collected on the shoulder of Shirogane’s shirt.  Dropping it to the floor beside them, as he felt Shirogane’s gaze sharpen on him.  Lance hummed absently as his hands took to adjusting Shirogane’s shirt, with delicate, feathery touches of his fingers.  Before he turned his eyes up to meet the older man’s.

“I doubt he’ll want to use me again when he finds out.” Lance stated, and he wouldn’t be hurt like that.  It would take little to squish rumors that Lance couldn’t do his job.  “But, I also get the feeling his is more brawn than brains, and desperate enough.  So I wouldn’t be ultimately surprised if he tried to double your offer to get me to kill you again.”

“Fair point.”  Shirogane said flatly.  

His face blank and controlled as he looked down at Lance.

“Which leaves you two options.”  Lance hummed, delicately tapping a button on Shirogane’s dark shirt.  “One, is you keep doubling Sendack’s offers.  Until one or both of you run yourselves dry of money.  Or my family grows frustrated of the back and forth with little money gained, and have me off both of you.”  Lance said with a slight frown.

Because for some reason he doesn’t really want to off this Shirogane guy.  

Something about him speaks out to Lance in a way different from anyone else ever before.  And it’s not just because Shirogane feels like he would be a fun person for Lance to play with.  Or because Lance really doesn’t like the Sendack guy, and if he can undermine him for double the pay, well Lance was all on board.  Lance couldn’t really describe was it was, just that it was there.

“Or?”  Shirogane asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Or, you make yourself valuable to my family.”  Lance stated silkily, as he ran hand over Shirogane’s chest.  Feeling the man’s heart beating under his fingertips.  “I am sure, your little organization has something my family could use, and vise versa."  Lance added easily as he leaned in bit into Shirogane’s space.  Snaking his other hand up his torso as well.  “You present an offer double Sendack’s original, and new strong source of revenue and partnership.  Well, then suddenly you have favor on yours side over all else."

Shirogane blinked at Lance, more than curious.

Lance ran a hand heavily down Shirogane’s chest.  “It would be like insurance.”  He stated airily.  “My family has sway with many other organizations.  They’ll listen to my family more than any money Sendack might throw at them.”  Lance hummed as he glanced down at Shirogane’s chest before flicking back up to meet his gaze.  “Not to mention that makes you look good to your boss as well.”

“You’re surprisingly good at this.”  Shirogane commented lowly.

He suddenly grabbed one of Lance’s wrist before his hand could travel down to his pants.  The hold tight and firm, but not actually painful in anyway.

“I’ve played a hand in enough internal politics to know how to play.”  Lance returned offhandedly.  “Especially against people I don’t like.”

Shirogane smiled down at Lance.

Lance raised an eyebrow at the taller man.  “What’s got you smiling?”

“You’re helping me in this.”  Shirogane observed lowly, his dark stormy gaze fixed on Lance fiercely.  “Which means you must like me.”

“I am...interested in you.”  Lance admitted smoothly.

Shirogane hummed down at Lance.

Then he let got of his wrist with something of a smirk.  And goddamn the heavens must really be testing him in someway.

“It sounds like I really only have one choice then,”  Shirogane said.

He took a slight step back.  Moving out from under Lances hand, much to Lance’s disappointment.  Making his way over to cabinet cross the kitchen near the sink. 

Lance watched him as he silently pulled out to glasses from the shelf, and grabbing a half empty bottle from the counter.  Easily pulling it open and pouring a generous amount of a dark liquid into each cups.  Then holding one out for Lance to take from him.

“Well, there is a third option.”  Lance stated as he walked over to join Shirogane.  Taking the cup in a way that their fingers brushed against each other.  “But I’m not foolish enough to think it will happen in one night.”

“Oh, and what would that be?”  Shirogane asked from behind his glass curiously.

Lance knocked back half the drink with something of ease.

It was a power move Marco and Luís had taught him years ago.  When he wasn’t really allowed to drink heavy liquors, but they were his older brothers.  They wanted him to be able to down anything put in front of him with ease.  As according to them, sipping was a way of stalling during meetings, or a weak throat.  

Of course, whatever Shirogane poured, was far stronger than anything Lance and his brothers would practice with.  Far different from Rum, tequilas, and cognacs they would drink.  So it didn’t go down as smoothly, but he still got it down with grace and pose.

Lance lets out a hot breath before before moving into Shirogane’s space.

If he wasn’t going to kill Shirogane anymore, there was no reason for Lance not to have all kinds of fun with him.  

A hand sprand up against his chest again.  As Lance leaned forward on the tips of his toes. Gribbed the collar of the man’s shirt, giving it a sharp little pull.  Breathing heatedly against Shirogane’s ear for good measure, before...

“You become something valuable to me.”

And somehow, that was exactly what happened that night anyway.

----

AN:  Ta-da.  So, this is how Shiro and Lance meet in this AU.  

And yes, both of them like literally feel in love over night (I am a cliche like that), but didn’t exactly “get together” until months later when Lance moved to New York to be with Shiro.

I do plan do to another prologue fic of how they got there kids, but I’m still figuring out how I want it to happen.  So not sure when that will happen.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed.

#shance #mafia au #shance au #mafia Shance au #the family au #fanfiction #takashi shirogane #vld shiro #lance mcclain #vld lance #voltron #vld #mafia!shiro #assassin!lance #first meeting #Don't ask me why I like one person trying to kill the other before stopping and falling in love with him #because I really don't know #but I really like this fic #mentions of past murders #assassination attempt #tw violence

[jeannedarcprice]

Alphabet Meme

I was tagged by @humblydefiant 💋💋💋 Thanks sweetie!

A-age?

34

B-birthplace?

Surrey, UK

C-current time?

23:15

D-drink I last had?

Yuzu Mojito in a Japanese izakaya in Vancouver!

E-easiest person to talk to?

My sister @ludi-ling; best friend, confidant, life goals and art/fanfic cheerleader I could ever have!

F-favorite song?

It’s ALWAYS changing! Right now it’s ‘Valkyries’ from the God of War soundtrack.

OK, now it's 'Visions of Gideon' by Sufjan Stevens, from the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack. (The feels😢 I have channeled it into a scene in Red & Rookie)

G-grossest memory?

When I was in Hong Kong on holiday some insect bit me just under my lip and when I got back home I had to get it lanced. I remember being able to see a ton of puss and blood coming out in my peripheral vision. Then my dad joked that I looked like Mick Jagger after!

H-horror yes or horror no?

I love horror. Not all out gore though. I love playing horror games because I get really involved in the thrill of being scared.

So sad Silent Hills got cancelled. I would have simultaneously loved it and filled my pants through every single moment of that game!

I-in love?

Not right now, but do fictional characters count cos I have a whole lot of love for how much Gil and Scott love each other...?

J-jealous of people?

Always! Particularly those that create too. If I get a cold sweat when I see someone’s new post I know I’m jealous of their work, in a good way though. It always inspires me and makes me want to improve!

K-knife preference?

Any knife that get delicious food into my mouth at optimal speed!

L-love at first sight?

Never happened. Love happens when you get to know someone, whether it’s platonic or romantic.

M-middle name?

Wing Yan (I’m half Chinese)

N-number of siblings?

2. ‘Little Big sis’ and ‘Big baby bro’

O-one wish?

Find all the things that make me happy before I peace out!

P-person I last called?

My mum, to check on my pet rabbit because she wasn’t feeling well.

Q-questions I’m always asked?

“Can I speak to Jim?”

No you can’t. He doesn’t work here anymore. And even if he did you wouldn’t be able to talk to him.

“Shouldn’t you be asleep?” 😂 @dipsykoo

Yes. But I’ll go to sleep when I’ve draw/written this Gilder thing.

R-reason to smile?

So many! Mainly a beautiful family, awesome friends and a perfect art muse. The perfect job eludes me though.

S-song I last sang?

ROSIER by Luna Sea in karaoke!

T-time I woke up?

Today? 7:45 am. This is not my standard awake time. Depending on if I’m working or not, I wake up anytime between 6:50 am and 12 noon.

U-underwear colour?

Black. Always black. Unless they’re batman undies, in which case there will be grey and yellow involved.

V-vacation destination?

I’m in Vancouver visiting a friend right now!

Gamescom in Cologne, Germany in August (waiting for delicious E3 annoucements), then Witcher School in Poland for a 3 day LARP! All with my bestest buddy @sketchvicious 💕

W-worst habit?

I bite (read ‘maul’) the skin around my fingernails. It’s a terrible OCD...nothing stops it. Not drawing, or gaming, or driving!

Z-zodiac?

Sagittarius

There was no Y so have a random fact about me

I talk in my sleep. I say really weird things like “Have you got the tranquilisers out?”, and I’ve had full blown conversations with myself in Japanese.

Tagging @sketchvicious @jupiter235 @ludi-ling @winddidchange @one-irradiated-muppet and anyone else who wants to play. I’d like to get to know my Tumblr mutuals/followers!

I know some of you have been tagged already by humbles but;

@dipsykoo @shotce @dinah-myles @imbiowaresbitch @tessa1972 @excaryder

#personal #meme #mutuals!!