taleofmuses

[taleofmuses]

"I didn't either. I couldn't imagine a world where you wouldn't reject me." She still couldn't even put into words that this might be real. Her and him? In what world would a man like Shanks fall for someone unimportant like her, weak, a little thief with nothing to show for. While he was a Yonko!

"So...We are something."

"Oh you are a thief, alright," Shanks chuckled. "Stole my heart and swept me off my feet before I even knew what was going on." He couldn't remember when the last time was, if there was one to begin with, where he wore his heart on his sleeve so openly. The flings he had in the past seemed so very meaningless. None of them ever even came closer to Nami.

Giving her hand a soft squeeze, Shanks leaned over to place a soft kiss on top of her head. "I'm sorry for not communicating all of this better with you. I should have told you from the beginning what I felt for you. I just didn't because... I didn't want to face rejection."

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

She said yes. Heavens, she said yes. While he was delighted, something cold also washed over him. The scandal would be unavoidable and it would spread to his siblings, too, his sisters. But, ultimately, it would be better for them too.

He smirked. "That will be Lady for you, soon enough." Lady Bridgerton, unless things escalated and it left him stripped of his title. In Benedict's benefit, probably. He had to risk it.

Standing there, she was somehow feeling surprised. Siena had never expected that he would go so far and propose to her as he had done to her now. Did she love Anthony? Yes. Although it frightened her of what would happen if she did accept.

"Anthony..." She doubted for a second but then a smile appeared on her face. "Yes.." Siena accepted, heading to him closer.

Looking up, she kept smiling. "... Mi'Lord."

#sxcietyoftheton

[taleofmuses]

Anthony went to the dance floor with her and started the dance. As much as he disliked the pomp of it, they could be fun at times.

"Eloise is less so sending men run scared as much as she is not actually letting them even get to know her enough for them to be scared of her." He knew his sister didn't necessarily like the idea of marriage at this point. But there was only so much a Lady in her position could do in this world without a husband.

"You know finding her a husband will in part be your duty, too, as Vicountess," Anthony pointed out. Perhaps it wouldn't even be the worst change. Though he could see Eloise lightly rebel against this union

"Eloise will find her own way, but only in her own time I'm afraid. One day she will find someone who finds her strength charming instead of running scared from it" Penelope assured him. She had no doubt that one day her friend would marry but not until she was good and ready to. She was much like her brothers in that way and were she born a man no one would have batted an eye as she so often argued.

The redhead gave a soft laugh when he mentioned their mothers as grandmothers "I do believe that would be the best option, my lord" she hoped with age her mother would change but it never seemed to happen and so she would keep her own children close and far away from the older redhead.

"Speaking of, she seems to have finally recovered" Penelope took a sip of her drink as she noted her mother finally standing upright. The next song was about to begin and she looked up at Anthony "shall we then?" her smile was soft and sweet as she passed her drink off to one of the passing trays.

#bcbliophile

[taleofmuses]

Hello dear friends. Haven't done one of those in a while. So you will have noticed that I can be quite elusive and am not always focussed on here and that will absolutely continue. This is fully, totally a hobby. I am a full-time writer. More than full time actually. I spend more than 50 hours a week writing, if not more (haven't timed it yet) so this here: Hobby. I won't ever be fast, I will fully follow muses and I am pretty immune to pressures. And as my projects mount up and get more exciting with each seed I plant, there can be times between me replying.

#this has been a psa #important psa

[taleofmuses]

Deep feelings? She didn't expect that even as Beck described how he behaved when the straw hats left. So he did really behave like that. He really had feelings for her. And she for him.

Nami reached for his hand and entwined their fingers. She leaned over against him. So a relationship was what they were embarking on.

"Well, this girl doesn't think she's worthy of you. She's just a navigator and thief."

"It started out as an affair. Maybe more like a friends with benefits," Shanks admitted as he sat down next to her. Given their arrangement at the time, it was the only logical thing. With no label on whatever was going on between them, they each made up on their own about what was going on.

"So what if I'm a yonko. Right now that doesn't really mean a lot. In whatever this is between us, it means nothing. It's just you and me. Just the girl I developed deep feelings for and a pirate who thinks he's not worthy of being with her."

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

Beck was noted down for a serious talking to once this was over, no matter what way around it ended. He thought they were having a relationship? Well, she didn't. And now things were about to either be really awkward or way more awkward than that.

Nami made his way back into his cabin and sat down on his still unmade bed. "I didn't think we were having a relationship. An affair at most. I mean you're a yonko and I'm just a...well..."

"I thought we did? Or that we are having one? What did you think this was?" This conversation got more confusing by the minute. they never really established any rules on what was going on between them, or put a label on it for that matter, though he thought they were on the same page. Clearly not.

"How about we go back inside and talk about it? That way nobody would walk in on them and make things awkward. At least he knew Benn knew how to keep a secret.

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

"Relationship?" She didn't even think before the question slid out of her mouth. She didn't think of what they had as a relationship. More like an affair, no strings attached. The thought that he considered it a relationship didn't even cross her mind in that detail. Sure she wished for that, but what were the chances?

"We're having a relationship?"

He looked at her curiously. A deal breaker? Yeah, Beck was right. There were things they needed to talk about, that was very much clear now.

"It's not a deal breaker for me. Why would it be? I thought we would tell everybody sooner or later, probably when you'd be okay with it. Or do you want to keep our relationship a secret?"

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

Beck indeed got in her way or else she would have been on the Mery already. But here she was, stuck on the Red Force. Great. And forced to face the music likely. And Beck left them alone, even taking the news below deck. And anyone could just walk in - or well out - on them.

"Yes, yes, he does." Nami cosed her eyes. "If that's a deal breaker for you, I understand." And yet it would not be easy.

"So I finally managed to catch you for once," he said with a soft chuckle. "I'm guessing Beck got in your way?"

"And had an interesting conversation," Beck confirmed. "Speaking of, I think you two might have some things to talk about, too." Once more, Beck gave Shanks a look the red haired captain knew all too well, one that could easily rival the one that a parent would give their child when already knowing their secret. The first mate then moved, walked past both and gave Shanks a pat on the shoulder before leaving them on their own.

"He knows, doesn't he?"

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

Shanks. He was awake. After sneaking out so many times per what they established, today was the first time she failed to leave the ship undetected. She was caught by Beck because she stupidly slept too long.

"Morning, Shanks," she said. "I was just about to leave...."

The temptation to drag Shanks out of bed was incredibly strong, because he was getting one thing from him and a whole different thing from Nami now. At the same time, it wasn't his place, it really wasn't. that was Shanks' life and he could do whatever he wanted, Beck wouldn't judge.

Speak of the devil, Shanks dragged himself out of the cabin, stretching and giving a big yawn. It took him one look at Beck standing there with Nami to wake up really fast. He guessed that the cat was out of the bag, especially if he were to judge by the look Benn just gave him

"Good morning, you two!"

#sea

[taleofmuses]

Why was a great question with a quite simple answer: Nami didn't know why, but she had an idea why Shanks kept it quiet. Because why advertise something that wasn't anything at all?

"I don't know. It's not like there's anything to advertise. I'm just sleeping with your captain, that's it." And sadly that was that, really. Maybe not wanting Luffy to know was a motivation for Shanks.

If that was the route she wanted to take it, Beck would play along, he had no issues with that. She already confirmed that her and Shanks were seeing and sleeping with each other, so what harm could further prying really do except show her that his captain was very much in love with her.

"Why even are you sneaking around just to see him? Because of potential backlash?"

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

That was not what she saw. She saw nightly sneaking into his cabin and off of his ship. She saw fleeting glances and quick romps, not puppy eyes when she left or anything of the sorts. He could say something. But he didn't.

"I don't think you have to worry about his heart. He's not the one having to sneak around just to see him," she pointed out.

"You'd know if he was just having fun. He wouldn't look like a hopelessly lost puppy whenever the moment you guys leave." He was still very much convinced that whatever Nami felt for Shanks was a two way street and Shanks very much felt the same.

"Look, kid, I'm not judging. Ain't any of my business, anyway. If you're happy with him and he's happy with you, by all means. Still, I have to make sure he doesn't get his heart broken."

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

He was needed by his siblings, every moment of every day. But for tonight they were handled. For tonight he was free. And in the same vein, they needed him, especially his sisters. As much as he wanted them to make good matches, Daphne and his mother had shown him that love was more important, so he had to be there for them in a different way, not just following duty.

"I have something to ask you, Sienna." it would knock his world off its axis and hers, too, if she accepted. And he was ready for it. Right?

"Will you marry me?"

Siena had changed her outfit after her performance at the opera house when she heard the knocking. Since she had not expected anyone, it made her curious who it could be.

Watching Anthony appear at the other side of the door, made Siena feel surprised. "Anthony? What brings you here?" she asked, one of her brows rising upwards. She had not expect him to be here.

"I thought you were needed by your siblings?"

#xhidinintheshadows

[taleofmuses]

// PSA.

I do not intentionally mean to drop threads randomly.

I do not intentionally mean to forget to reply.

I do not intentionally take forever to reply.

I do not intentionally favor other writers.

I will always LOVE writing with all of you!! just because I do the above things =/= me having lesser interest in our interactions. this has been a PSA.

[taleofmuses]

Shanks falling for anything? Yeah, right. That wasn't what was happening here.

"He's not the one sneaking off a ship now, is he?" Nami asked.

"He's not falling for anything. Least of all me, so you don't have to worry about that." She however was hopelessly fallen for him and that sucked badly. "He's just having fun."

Oh she was good, he had to give her that. Using his own captain against him with a statement that could easily be interpreted as a form of mutiny should he confirm it to be true. "If Shanks was that type of guy, we wouldn't be having this conversation because I wouldn't be on this crew." He probably didn't have to tell her why. Shanks just wasn't the type to do such a thing.

"I think it's the other way around. You're the one taking advantage of him and he's absolutely falling for it."

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

Banter and teasing? That was what he thought? No, no, it was straight up clumsy flirting, but that was beyond the situation. They had an affair, she had stupidly fallen in love, but she wouldn't admit that to Beck of all people. But two could play that game.

"Are you accusing your own captain of taking advantage of a young woman?"

"A map?" Would make sense, if there were any maps other than the one of the Grand Line, Shanks' territory and some other points of interest they wanted to go and visit eventually. It would also make sense for her to grab a map, being a navigator and a cartographer at that as well. Still, Benn was quite happy with the outcome, which was to make her squirm and sweat just a little bit.

"This map has nothing to do with all the banter and teasing and looks between you and Shanks, though, right?" A subtle but at the same time not so subtle hint that Beck at least had some idea about there being something between the two.

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

"It's basically an annual occurence in Los Angeles." More than annual with the frequency of it by this point. So yes, he had his fair share of experiences in it, which got him the job here.

"Yes, but to be fair, the other fire stations tend to be closer to your calls. Moanalua is far off.from central." But closer to the airport and potential wild fires, which was why he got stationed there. "I'm Leo."

"We can never have enough of those, especially with what's been going on the past few years. Pretty sure you had your fair share of fires over in LA, too," Tani said as she moved to sit down and let him do whatever he needed to. She knew she sported a head injury and some scratches on her arms, but other than that, it was nothing serious, or at least nothing she thought was serious. Of course, she wasn't the medic, he was.

"Did you know that your station's kind of notorious for avoiding our calls? I get why, but I didn't think he had such a bad reputation with you guys that you straight up avoid us," Tani chuckled. "I'm Tani, by the way. I'm with Five-0."

#seaoftales

[taleofmuses]

@xhidinintheshadows

Anthony knew what he was doing here was by all standards absolutely stupid and yet he had to. He had to because he was a Bridgerton, son of a couple that deeply loved each other. His love just happened to be deemed inappropriate by the ton. He couldn't find it in him to care anymore. He couldn't with a straight face expect his siblings to fall in love while resigning himself to a life without it for duty.

And so he knocked on the door of the town house Sienna resided in.

#xhidinintheshadows