#(because I have 3 different mermaids AU so like I need to be clear)

[80roxy08]

LLLC Mermaid Pirate AU

*Vague squinting* Did I post this on Tumblr before or not ? Who the fuck care, here you go some blorbo writing

Mermaid Louis, Pirates Crows and Emilie

“Now let’s see what - ow !” Crows grunts, slamming into Emilie’s back as she brutally stops in the middle of the way. 

He rubs his nose and tries to see past her.

“Hello ? Emilie ? Captain ? Why are you - “

And his protests die in his throat as he finally sees what made Emilie stop dead in her tracks.

Further away, in the dark and damp ship’s hold, there lay a limp body.

The man has a skin that is slightly lighter than Emilie’s, but even in the low light it looks too pale, too greyish. His wrists are bound with thick, rough rope that digs into his flesh mercilessly. Scarlet tracks pool below his head, and the brownish red splashes on his bare torso tell a tale of violence. 

Not a fight, no, but one-sided violence. Assault. An execution, almost.

Emilie takes another trembling breath, and, following her line of sight, Crows gasps too.

This corpse is no man - for below the waist, there are no legs, but a long tail.

Delicate fins spread at the tip of the appendage, and scales that would probably glitter if there was a bit more light down here dots the human-like skin in some places.

“A mermaid…” Emilie mutters, reverent.

“The English captured and killed a mermaid ?” Crows frowns and curse ; “Fucking bastards.”

The fair folk of the sea are a special existence to the sailors.

All those who travel the great blue know of its dangers, and of its beauties, too. Mermaids are one of its inhabitants that fall in either categories - or both - depending on the way one encounters them.

There are many tales of curses, of spells, of ravishing but deadly beauties that led poor unsuspecting men to their demise, to slowly suffocate deep down in the water while a pretty face dotted with glittery scales mocks them. Or eat them while still alive, in some cases.

But there is an almost equal amount of tales of merciful half-human half-fish creatures deciding to guide the ones lost at sea back to the coast, to their family, lives saved with a small boat pushed in the right direction with the flick of a powerful tail, or some ancient water magic.

A mermaid is, whether a good or bad omen, somewhat sacred to sailors.

And here, the English corsairs all but committed heresy by catching and killing one.

“I suppose they were trying to round up a better sum at the end of the season… There are not many flies or signs of rot, it must have been a recent catch…” The captain wonders with a grimace. Sacred or not, mermaid flesh and scales would fetch quite a pretty price on any market. If the corsairs were falling behind on attacking Spanish and French boats, and somehow came across such an opportunity…

“No, it has been down here for longer than a few days. Weeks, possibly,” Crows growls, pointing at the creature’s tail. The crisscrossed rope that stops it from moving too much has caused rashes and scrapes all over the flesh, some of them half-healed, betraying that it struggled for a long time in these restraints.

“Fucking hell… Why would they even - ?”

“Didn’t we hear that some nobles back on the Old Continent were looking for… exotic pets ?” Crows adds with a disgusted grimace, “I think Captain Georges and his bastards were looking for a different kind of treasure.”

“One paid in blood,” Emilie adds, somber.

They remain silent a moment longer.

“So. What do we do with… that ?” Crows wonder, ever pragmatic. “I would feel bad selling part of it, but throwing it back in the sea just like that kinda feels disrespectful too.”

“I… Yeah, I have no idea,” Emilie admits. “We can’t burn it, for sure. Burying ? No, it's a mermaid, should go back to the sea… Bury it underwater then ? It would have to be in shallow waters, but…”

“There are some coast not too far - “

“Captain ! And mister Crows, are you - Uh ?!” 

The cabin boy that just barged down the hold calling for them abruptly stops, gawking at the creature.

“Oh, Tim ? What did you want ?”

“Is… Is that..?” The young boy mutters, the previous task forgotten.

“Unfortunately, yep,” answers the quartermaster.

The kid stares, transfixed, at the mermaid. Then he takes a couple steps closer, still focused on the limp form.

“Tim ? Are you - “

And then the kid is running back the way he came from, without a single word of explanation.

“Well, that was weird.”

“He’s not used to death, poor kid. Probably upset his stomach,” Emilie winces.

“Mh. So, back to the topic at hand ; should we try burying it in the sand of one of the northern beaches ?”

“I’m not sure, honestly. Perhaps we should throw it in the middle of the sea, after all. Sounds more like a real mermaid burial.”

“Well yeah, but - “

And then Timothée is running back in the hold, swinging a bucket heavy with sea water, and barrelling straight past his captain and quartermaster without stopping.

“Wha - ?“

The cabin boy throws the water at the mermaid -

And the creature weakly gasps, the gills on the side of its neck fluttering.

“Holy fucking shit,” Crows swears, eyes wide, “Its - He’s still alive ?!”

“I thought I saw movement. His chest. Moving. Maybe. So I thought… It’s a mermaid, right, so sea water…” Timothée splutters, hands still shakily holding the bucket, apparently surprised himself.

Emilie stares at the mermaid for a long minute, before straightening up, apparently having reached a conclusion.

“Tim, great job. You’ve got a keen eye, kid. Now get a move and bring back more of that water, that mermaid sure needs it !”

“On it, Captain !” Timothée hollers as he runs back to the deck.

“And call Benjamin while you’re up there ! He’s got a new patient !” She adds before he’s out of view.

“I guess we’ve got a guest on board,” Crows mutters, disbelief still clear in his voice. “Should probably see if we can salvage enough wood from the Rosbifs’ empty barrels and crates to make a tub or something in our boat…”

“Do that. I get the feeling he’s gonna stay for a while,” Emilie whispers back.

#myart #my writing #writing #LLLC AU #mermaid pirate AU #(because I have 3 different mermaids AU so like I need to be clear) #OC:Louis #OC:Emilie #OC:Crows

[autisticlancemcclain]

Hii i was wondering if you have some mermaid lance fics recs? I have no idea how is the tag in ao3

yes! i haven't checked the mer lance tag in a while so i'm gonna put it here in case y'all want to take a look. but i have 12 works specifically that i can rec for y'all!

amazing plotlines:

Starsong by @tomminowrites

The paladins are crewmates aboard a mercenary space vessel, sent to the outer reaches of the system to investigate the recent disappearance of Empire ships. Keith discovers that the ship's captain, Sendak, has actually been hired to capture a different prize: mermaids.

With siren calls that interfere with ship scanners and songs that mimic the distress beacons of friendly crafts, astral mermaids are a threat commonly believed to be myth among most spacefarers. But when lives are at stake, the crew is soon to discover that one among them is not quite as human as he appears to be...

this story had me GAGGED. genuinely i was in awe. pirate au?? witih mermaids?? in SPACE?? like holy shit!! insanely cool storyline, felt like a movie. highly recommend!!

2. Rest Stop by @flaming-potato-arson

Lance wasn't like the rest of the world.

And he had never had a loving mother tell him it made him stronger for it. So he told himself, gathering up his courage and grit to face a world of winged humanity, when he, in fact, has no wings and turns into a mermaid instead.

A world that wants him to die.

So he'd keep this secret like a knife in his boot, a sharp weapon until he died on his own terms. Not because of who he was.

Except, Team Voltron isn't so sure why Lance is all rough edges and sharp points about showing off his wings. Or acting like a member of the Flock in general. It's clear he cares for them, but he's never shown an intimate part of him.

Until he has to.

this is an older fic!! baby me was in awe. this was the first wing fic i ever read, and i loved the entire concept here. insanely cool. the worldbuilding was dope and lance's guilt and self-loathing just made so much sense, you really get wrapped up in the emotions of the story.

3. True Affection Floats by @somethingaboutwriting

Under the sea, Lance dreams of living in the human world, disobeying his sister Allura's rules left and right. On land, Keith is tired of his royal life in which nothing ever happens. That is, until his ship wrecks and he is rescued by a mysterious boy with white hair and bright blue eyes.

A fluffy little(ish) fic about two hopelessly oblivious boys falling in love in a Disney universe. What could go wrong?

ARIEL AU ARIEL AU ARIEL AU. sometimes u just have to take a disney movie and make it gay. sometimes u just need that in ur life

4. Son of the (Very Alien) Sea by @phoenixyfriend

In which everything is the same, except Lance was born on the mermaid planet.

(And Blue was left there, too.)

i'm obsessed with this one. it's my fave of the bunch. the entire concept is so cool, and you can tell how much thought went into the fic! i would read seven novels in this universe, the entire premise fascinates me. also, if i remember correctly, this is in hunk's pov and as per usual hunk's pov is elite. oh AND its got like trans everyone, its great!! first thing u should read on this list fr.

cute pieces:

5. it's not enchanted without you by @adelfie

He rolls his shoulders back and shifts into his wolf form. He’s all dark fur and lupine when he raises his head again. Like this, he can match Lance’s height — head to tail. Not that it’s a competition. But still.

-- In an enchanted forest, wolf shifter Keith and merperson Lance are best friends. They're not supposed to be.

(Or, a cute kid fic in which Keith and Lance both have swishy tails and Shiro is Strict™)

okay this fic will rot ur teeth its so cute and sweet. yes its a little sad, especially at the end, but mostly u just want to squish their cheeks. the little wagon just as a concept was ADORABLE.

6. Part of Your World by @floranna

Keith sat at the dock, glaring at the water, wearing only his speedos. It was a bright, warm, and sunny day, with slight enough of a breeze to keep the worst of the heat away. Not like Keith cared or anything like that, of course, but…

Everything spelled that it should have been a beautiful, wonderful day, full of wonderful memories, if only that sharp-toothed half fish would actually show up!

all hail monstertron! i love mer fics where the mer is like. not human at all. pleases me greatly. this one is short and fluffy and most importantly lance has very sharp teeth

everything is the same except lance is secretly a mermaid:

7. Space Bears Aren't Cool by @angstyzebra

When one of his team members is in danger, Lance might have to give up his secret to save them.

He really should have thought this through more.

i will always always always be obsessed with fics where everything is the same except lance is secretly a mermaid. theres just something so chefs kiss about it. its always so fun and dramatic

8. sullen as a sunken ship (and twice as cold) by heyhoneybird

In which Lance Mclain is a merperson, and he'd really like to keep that fact under wraps, thanks.

He's not going to, obviously.

my dumb dumb self read this before i realised it was abandoned and got super invested lol so im inflicting it on u all. come suffer with me and be sad that it is no more

9. Just Keep Swimming by @sevansa

Shiro thinks Lance is hiding something big, he was right. Except, it really wasn't what he expected it to be. // Or the one in which Shiro worries and Lance is totally not a fish.

lance and shiro fic!! im always a hound for fics that explore their relationship, and this one does p well! this is a very early vld fic as well if i recall correctly

spicy:

10. Catch of the Day by @caeseria-k [EXPLICIT]

Keith returns from a hunting trip with a courting gift for his lover, Lance. Instead of the greeting he expected, he finds Lance asleep in his hammock, in human form, laid out like an unsuspecting but extremely desirable feast. Keith figures he might as well get a taste...

[a.k.a. the one where Keith sucks Lance's cock while he's lying in a hammock, and then fucks him with his mer cock on the beach ;) ]

caeseria is always a fun read, and this fic in particular is so descriptive that u cant not imagine it lol. definitely an interesting read!!

11. Courting, Kidnapping, Same Difference by GemmaRose [EXPLICIT]

Lance stared for another second, then two, then dropped his head and slammed his forehead into the floor, breaking the ice there. “Why is this my life.” he groaned.

“I’m- sorry?” the dragon stepped closer, and Lance tilted his head to actually get a proper look at it.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” he sighed, lifting his head to rest in the palm of one hand. “Just, figures that out of everyone I know, I’m the one who gets hit on by a dumbass dragon.”

despite what the title may imply, this one is hilarious. to sum it up with my bookmark notes: lance is so funny he gets kidnapped and two minutes later is like “hey. wanna fuck” truly a bisexual icon

12. Waves by @sanazyung [EXPLICIT]

“I haven’t seen you in a week, I’m stuck with my stupid family while you’re off at your friend’s beach volleyball tournament, you leave me after the most amazing dirty talk I’ve ever heard in my life and all you can talk about when you see me again is my fucking face?”

Hunk winced, smiling sheepishly as he took a hand from Lance’s back to run it through his own hair.

“I’m sorry,” he made puppy-dog eyes at Lance. “Forgive me? Your face is just so pretty manamea.”

Lance felt red dust his cheeks once again, and tried to shake himself out of it. It wasn’t fair that he was the hottest piece of tail under the sea but in Hunk’s arms he turned to mush.

hance! lowkey miss when hance was more popular in the fandom, bc its a lot of fun. best friends to lovers, babey. always hits. this fic in partocular is established relatioship and smutty banter :))

shameless self-plug:

13. Land or Sea, I've Got the Power (If I Just Believe) by me :DD

“You’re a fish,” Keith breathes after several minutes of stunned silence. Lance can’t help the haughty snoot, as ridiculous as he knows he’s being. “Half fish,” he corrects. “I am still very much half god of sexy. You know what, I don’t even have this thing —” he flips his tail, causing Keith to jump, which makes Lance smirk despite himself and the situation — “all the time, so technically I’m only a quarter fish. An eighth, maybe.” “Why the fuck are you a fish?!” --- OR: When Lance touches water, he turns into a mermaid. He does everything he can to keep that to himself -- it's just easier for everyone. What happens when Keith finds out?

im real proud of this one!! it features my fave trope (everything is the same except lance is secretly a mermaid) and dumbass klance banter. enjoy!!

okay i hope that was enough mer lance recs for u!! send any particular trope requests my way bc organising shit like this tickles my brain like u would not believe. its the big girl equivalent of sorting blades of grass by length and colour at recess

#love love love mer lance #mermaid lance #vld #voltron #lance #lance mcclain #keith #keith kogane #shiro #takashi shirogane #hunk #hunk garrett #team as family #langst #bamf lance #klance #hance #lance & shiro #fic rec #longpost #ask

[kakairu-rocks]

We are excited to introduce our next shining star for the Creator Spotlight... @animae-n-sht​!

This is an activity where we reach out to one of the talented people in our community each month to find out all about them and their kakairu creations, and then show them off to the world!

We hope you enjoy learning about Tanuki & their creations as much as we did. Please give them some love ❤️  

Pronouns: They/Them

Type of Creator: Artist & occasional writer

Where to find them:

Twitter

Tumblr

AO3

Read the exciting interview below the cut, or on the forum!

If you would like a chance to be in the spotlight too, the only thing you have to do is be a member of the kakairu rocks forum or follow us, and be a kakairu creator; and we will contact you, ourselves!

1. How long have you been creating KakaIru fanworks?

I have been creating KakaIru fanworks since December of 2021.

2. What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on a piece for pride month, I haven’t figured out all of the details yet.

3. What is your favorite trope to create for?

My favorite trope to create for would probably have to be Rivals to Lovers/misunderstanding. I always find myself doodling Iruka and Kakashi being a bit fractious towards each other. I made up an entire B-plot for my magical girl AU just for this trope. It’s kind of a slow burn, Kakashi and Iruka horribly misunderstanding each other and then can’t stand each other as a result. It slowly clears up and they fall in love with each other in the end.

4. Which of your creations is your favorite, and why?

My favorite creation is this one I made about Mermaid Iruka and human Kakashi.

This is older art for a February prompt in the KakaIru discord server, I was thinking about that scene in The Little Mermaid where Ariel saves Prince Eric from drowning. I remember being really proud of it when I finished it.

5. Do you have any WIPs you’re excited about?

There is this one fic that I have been working on for a while, it needs some reworking and an ending but I am really confident about it.

6. Do you have any original characters? If so, tell us about them!

Haha I have way too many, a handful of them I have made just to ship them with my favorite characters. My most recent one is Yoshi Amamiya, she is 27 and a Jounin sensei who specializes in transformation jutsu (more specifically animal transformation) with water nature Chakra. Her birthday is July 19th, she has short red hair (heavily inspired by young Chariot Du Nord from Little Witch Academia), yellow irises, she is tall, 5’9 or 175.26 cm, yet slender with a more rectangular body type. She has a prosthetic arm and leg on the left side due to an ambush involving excessive paper bombs.

Yoshi is a sensei to a team of 2 girls, Suzu and Mai, and 1 boy, Akio. She is very close to her team but she has the tendency to mother them instead of being a teacher to them. Her favorite meal is Tamago Kake Gohan (a bowl of rice with raw egg). Her favorite thing to do when she isn’t on missions or busy training with her team is going for walks in the forest and finding a nice soft area of grass to rest in. She also knits occasionally.

7. What was your hardest piece to create, and why?

The hardest piece I have created was my Secret Santa gift, everything had to be just right, or at least close to it. The lights, the snow, the height differences, I wanted this to look good for the person receiving my gift and it took a long time to finish because of that. They loved it though and that’s what matters.

8. Do you have any favorite scenes from something you’ve created?

Yes, there is this one scene in my fic “Squeeze You” where Kakashi is messing with Iruka and mocking the Hallmark movies she is currently watching. It’s so sweet and I love it.

9. Where does your inspiration come from?

My inspiration for my more moodier pieces comes from my personal experiences, songs that really speak to me on a more emotionally raw level, and anime with a deep meaning and emotional maturity. Houseki No Kuni and Violet Evergarden are a few examples.

The others I create are inspired by scenery, pieces of fiction, and upbeat anime. Ghibli films are a big inspiration, I hope to one day be able to portray whimsical or comforting scenes, wonderful scenery, and also tell an enjoyable story like the creators in this company does.

10. Which of your creations is the most meaningful to you, and why?

This was my first collaboration with someone for the KakaIru Reverse Bang, I pulled the mood in the piece from times where I felt lonely and inadequate even when I had someone I hold dear near me. Projection through my art is part of my process so I was in a solemn mood the entire time I was making this piece. The event was fun and my partner, Badger, was so nice and did wonderful on the fic that they wrote for it.

#Creator Spotlight #kakairu.rocks #creator interview #talented creator #kakairu fanart #kakairu fanfic #kakairu #kkir #kakashi x iruka #hatake kakashi #umino iruka

[lavellenchanted]

3, 10, 12, 17 for the fic asks?

3. Do you write fics from start to finish, or jump around?

Generally speaking I try to go from start to finish, often making myself a little bullet point list of what I want to happen that I work through. I tend to think more linearly and find that easier than going back and connecting passages - I have a bit more drive doing that, and often jumping around leaves me with various vignettes that don't really have a plot connecting them.

That said, sometimes if I'm feeling stuck on one bit but I have a really clear idea of a particular scene that comes later I'll jump forward to that before I lose it, or I'll just write the dialogue out and then go back and add description/movement between lines, or as I'm writing realise I need to go back and insert a new scene to make something work or decide what I've already written would work better in a different order so I'll shuffle it and maybe write some new linking bits.

10. Do you enjoy writing dialogue, exposition or plot the most?

They all have their upsides and downsides - I think when I get into the flow of writing dialogue and feel confident in the characters' voices that's really satisfying. I feel as well that I tend to delete less when I'm writing dialogue, whereas with both plot and exposition I can get really stuck on word choice and end up rewriting the same sentence fifty million times.

12. Is there a trope you haven't written yet but really want to?

Answered here yesterday - but having been thinking about it overnight I don't know if this really counts as a trope, per se, but I realised I've never actually written a mermaid/human au and that is something that desperately needs correcting.

17. What fic are you most proud of?

Oooh, I don't know if I could single out just one - I don't know that I have like a magnum opus I think stands out over the rest of my work. But if I do manage to get it finished I think my Thor/Sif reunion fic will definitely be up there, I've spent a lot of time on it already and I think it's got some of my best prose in, and it's one I feel I'm genuinely just enjoying writing for me because I want to read it.

writer asks

#thanks leah!!! #writing bts #ask game #about me

[shushiyuii]

Reunited (Subject T0m part 5)

AYOO PART 5! Woohoo! Angst time!~ :3

(Also I’m out of requests so feel free to send some! Also quick question, would you guys like a new au or more atlantic runaways?)

Warnings: Angst, almost injury and sadness 

Words: 1.9K+

Tommy sat next to Wilbur’s desk playing with shroud fiddling with his little arms whilst Wilbur worked on things like usual, things were definitely different between the two of them but not really in a good way.

The two were closer than before if that were somewhat possible, he still wasn’t able to tell Wil about his memories, but he’ll find to do so eventually, but he did notice something, despite being so close to Wilbur there close to nothing he knew of his home life, he knew it wasn’t bad since well, Phil was like a dad to him, he was a good man.

He had yet to ask Phil about his past despite their recent encounters, no moment felt like the right moment.

Tommy had actually been practising some handwriting, although bad was improving with each passing day and each day he showed Wilbur, Wilbur was able to better understand it so his plan was working, just not as quickly as he’d like.

Wilbur was also trying to periodically teach him sign language so that was an added bonus, just none of it came into use when wanting to discuss what he wanted since his vocabulary is still very limited.

He looked over to Wilbur who said he was going to arrange another meeting between him and Ranboo and he was beyond excited! Why? Because Ranboo was one of his very best friends in this facility besides his best pal Wilbur of course.

He whined for the attention of Wilbur, who looked over with a smirk, “What is it bud?”. He brought his hands out to sign but couldn’t think of anything to say. “Is it about Ranboo?”.

He nodded, “Dad said yes to it tomorrow, but there’ll be a new person. He’s a new intern, good friends with Ranboo apparently and needs more experience”.

He tilted his head for a moment then nodded, he wondered who this researcher was. But then Wilbur stretched out of his chair and yawned, seeming tired from the hard day of work.

Tommy responded by picking up Wilbur who looked confused for a moment but just went with it. He hadn’t notice Tommy change size. “I guess it’s sleepover day?”. He got a happy whine in response to that.

Tommy held Wilbur close to his chest as he sat down against the wall, both falling asleep.

The next day, the transportation officers arrived and Wilbur said it wasn’t necessary due to Tommy being friendly, they reluctantly agreed to it. So, for the first time Tommy was allowed into the facilities hallways to follow Wilbur to the destination.

He was mesmerised by how the hallways were architecturally designed, all the patterns looked fascinating, Wilbur had to make sure Tommy kept close and focused but always held a smile on his face.

Soon enough when passing through the facility there was a window that held coral and fishes, he’d never seen such fish before, all the colours were beautiful and soon somebody noticed him looking at the fish.

It wasn’t Wilbur, he had stopped to look back and see Tommy staring and allowed him to since there was now a person inside the tank, they had pink hair and a gorgeous pink tail along with it, with fish like qualities such as fins for ears, scaled claws, and fangs. They also had coral in their hair, which looked like a crown. To say the least she was beautiful.

“Hey Nikki!” the subject inside the tank looked over and waved at Wilbur, smiling. They also made a strange chirping sound, Tommy tilted his head to signify that he was confused, which Wilbur laughed. “Tommy, this is Subject N1KK1, also known as Nikki the mermaid, she’s Puffy’s subject if you remember me mentioning her”.

He remembered Puffy, from that dream and smiled, happy to have made a new friend along the way. “I’ll have to arrange a meeting between the two of you, if possible, Nikki is a sweetheart”. The mermaid on the other side heard and seemed to blush at the statement.

“We better get going now though, don’t wanna be late. We’ll see you around Nikki! Tell Puffy we said hi!”. Then made their way to the meeting cells.

When he arrived, he saw Ranboo sitting down nervously, sitting next to an individual he didn’t really recognise, he could only see the right side of his face which appeared to be scarred and somewhat long grown, fluffy, brown hair but their voice was very much familiar.

He saw Wilbur approach Phil who was sitting at a desk. “Hey, Dad!”, “Hey mate- wait- where’s your transportation officers?”. “Told them Tommy was well behaved enough to be taken by myself”. Phil sighed, “Wilbur, we still need to follow guidelines.”.

Wilbur huffed, “It’s not going to be all the time dad, Tommy can’t be held in there all day”. They both looked back to see Tommy staring at the two of them. “Hey mate! You doing alright?”. Tommy smiled and ran over to hug the man, who happily patted his head.

The three of them then made their way to meet up with Tubbo and Ranboo, which both looked up, Phil looked somewhat concerned at Ranboo, “You okay mate? Do you need time or something?”.

“I-I’m fine Phil, something just feels off…”. When Ranboo had a bad feeling like this it usually meant an enderwalk was coming, maybe they could stop it before anything happened.

Tommy whined worriedly at Ranboo and approached him carefully, embracing him into a hug. “Thanks Toms…”. “Toms?...”. Tubbo looked confused at the name choice, and both of them looked over to Tubbo.

“Oh right! Tommy you haven’t met Tubbo yet have you?”. Phil said excitingly, but he blacked out at that moment, he looked into Tubbo’s eyes who seemed just as shook, yep, they definitely recognised him…

“T-Tommy?...”. There were tears in Tubbo’s eyes, the other three looked beyond confused. Tommy didn’t move, instead thought of something and for reason spoke out the name, “B-big m-man…”. It was barely audible and distorted but Tubbo seemed to understand the tone of it.

“Tommy!” he rushed over and hugged the boy, he had forgotten how strong Tubbo was since he almost fell over but kept the two standing. “You idiot! I thought you were dead!”. A strange sound erupted from his chest, which seemed to be laughter and Tommy had his own tears in his eyes.

Phil had a look of shock on his face as he realised what this meant, “W-wait Tommy, do you remember?”. Tommy looked over to Phil and nodded, Phil’s face turned from one of shock to guilt. “Oh my..”. he couldn’t continue as he looked towards his concerned and worried son.

He sighed as he grabbed him by the shoulder and brought him close to his chest, rubbing his back soothingly despite not needing it, comforting Wilbur was a form of comfort to him, so it was only natural.

Tubbo cried for a while in Tommy’s arms, Ranboo came over to comfort the boy, despite not being able to do much because of Tubbo’s tears. “I-I thought…”. Tubbo tried to speak but Tommy continued to rub his back soothingly, comforting the boy as much as possible. The two were reunited.

After what seemed like a couple of hours, which in reality one hour. Tubbo had finally calmed to a point where he seemed pretty happy. He stood up and playfully punched Tommy in the arm, “How are you even alive?!” He smirked but the answer was already clear and Tubbo couldn’t care, he had his friend back.

Tommy playfully responded by growing in size slightly and pouncing on Tubbo, “Woah! You can do this now?!” Tommy smirked in response. Tubbo didn’t seem to mind the lack of speech from him as he smiled back.  The two heard Ranboo giggle behind them.

The three of them then looked to Phil and Wilbur, who was trying to comfort his father. Tommy carefully poked his back to get his attention, Phil looked to Tommy with guilt and went to speak, “Tommy I’m-“.

But Tommy put a finger to his mouth and smiled, signifying forgiveness. “Seems he forgives you Dad”. Phil looked back to his son and smiled, who smiled back. Then they were all grabbed by Tommy and held into a group hug.

But, the emotions of the day didn’t end there, as they were discussing, Ranboo began to walk jaggedly, not being to balance without the help of somebody and complaining of a headache.

Phil tried to reassure him to stay calm and level but that all changed when Ranboo let out a monster roar and his eyes glowed a bright purple. Ranboo was gone.

The ender walk Ranboo then teleported away, Tommy immediately panicked and tried calling out for Ranboo with his whines but got no response, which increased his worry. Then Phil took command.

“Okay, Wilbur go alert security to keep an eye out for Ranboo. Tommy, Tubbo could you help me find Ranboo please?”. As soon as that was said, both of them booked it out of the room, Phil tailing behind them trying to keep up. Whilst Wilbur went a different direction.

The two looked through many different hallways, none of them stopping, they ran into the security multiple times asking for any signs but were told they found none. They kept looking and re-entered the meeting room, they saw Ranboo there, but not in the same way he was different.

His arms were below his hips, his jaw seemed somewhat unhinged, his eyes glowed a bright purple, he was taller, his claws sharper, all the more terrifying. Phil motioned for the two to stay behind him as he went to approach Ranboo much to their reluctance.

Phil managed to get close enough to touch Ranboo, and carefully tapped his arm. Ranboo immediately turned around in alert and roared at Phil, raising his arm in defence.  

Before Ranboo could hit him though, Tommy ran over and blocked the attack by forming claws on his own arms and covering Phil.

Phil thanked Tommy as Phil tried to talk to Ranboo, despite being covered by Tommy. Ranboo eyes wandered around the room and looked over to Tubbo, who then disappeared from Phil and Tommy’s sight.

Both turned immediately to Tubbo, who Ranboo teleported over to. Tubbo flinched back but rather than attack Tubbo, Ranboo crouched onto his knees to appear at the same height as Tubbo, who made strange sounds that appeared friendly.

Tubbo approached carefully and raised his arm to touch Ranboo, Ranboo leaned into the touch happily whilst making another strange noise and began to purr. Soon after, he groaned and his eyes snapped open again, to see Tubbo’s hand to his face.

“What happened?”, which made Phil laugh. “Enderwalk mate.”. Ranboo ‘oh’ed at this fact and looked down.

Then Ranboo’s form reverted to what it once was and despite all that, the four settled down and talked, which Wilbur joined soon after with panic as he saw the security feed, worried if Tommy got hurt, which he didn’t much to Tommy’s relief.

Then Phil talked seriously to the four of them about the facilities secrets and all of them were sworn to secrecy.

Wilbur and Tubbo were shocked at this fact but surprisingly okay with it nonetheless since, without it, Tommy and Tubbo wouldn’t be together again and they would all never have met.

#mcyt g/t #mcytg/t #dsmp g/t #Subject t0m au #giant!tommy #sizeshifter!tommy #giant!ranboo #tiny!ranboo #tiny!tubbo #tiny!wilbur #tiny!phil #tiny!nikki #Shushi's writings

[rein-ette]

Are you still working on your Commonwealth study? Do you have any thoughts on Arthur's relationships with his colonies apart from Canzuk + US?

Not properly, unfortunately with exams and then work I haven’t had mental/emotional capacity to do real research (and probably won’t for a while 😔). But I have continued to think about and develop certain relationships, and I think I also have old hcs I’ve never shared, so I’ll put those down!

Born into the Empire

Australia

@oumaheroes has already done such great hcs on him idk what I can add, but basically he was a little bit of a rowdy child, always breaking windows and shattering fancy pots, never able to sit still. I think rainbow once mentioned that Ken (short for Kenneth, my name for Aus) was a lot like England as a child in his curiosity and energy, and I wholeheartedly agree. But I think Arthur’s intensity was more inwardly directed, pushing him to pursue and master new talents and learn whatever he could, while Australia is a little more carefree in his love for the outdoors, exploring, jumping around and off things, little wild animals. Unfortunately for him, he was born in a period of the empire when Arthur was very serious about his kids education, and therefore often praised those who studied hard and learned fast, which really just wasn’t Australia’s cup of tea. Australia took this kinda hard and thought he was the “dumb” one in the family that Arthur was always scolding, but in reality Arthur knew and appreciated that Australias interests lay elsewhere — he was just a frustrated, tired, parent who really wanted to give his kids the best while also holding his empire together, two goals that were never going to fit well in the end and would completely exhaust him.

As Australia’s grown older he’s realized a bit of this (not entirely, though) and also that 1) he really did break a lot expensive things and cause general mayhem 2) scolding us Arthur’s way of showing he cares, if he didn’t he wouldn’t have payed attention to him at all 3) despite being a penal colony, he was still one of Arthur’s more “legitimate” children (being white and a boy) and was therefore still incredibly privileged — never having to question, for example, why it was that Arthur was his dad, if it should be this way, or if he had a seat at the family table at all (more on this later).

New Zealand

Zee, from birth, was a clear favourite. Obedient, calm, quietly intelligent, he would also later develop a blistering sense of humour which combined with his appearance made it overwhelmingly clear who’s child he was. If Ken questioned his place in the family because of his poor academic record and others did because of their appearance/race/other complications, Kaelan never had such problems; his siblings called him the “prince.” Zee, however, also had a charm that, like Matthew, endeared him to his siblings and mostly protected him from jealousy, though he certainly still had issues with being called a try hard, daddy’s boy, bossy, arrogant. Certainly as a child Zee was a little prideful and, under that unperturbed demeanour, willful, but he grew out of it by the 20th century and became one of those most trusted by Arthur, second only to Matthew. He’s also always been inseparable from his brother Australia despite their differences, and today they both have one of the healthiest and most amicable relationships with Arthur of any nation, let alone former colonies (family road trips, every summer).

Bermuda

I absolute fell in love with this girl after reading about here, once, in this fic by @shachaai, and after that my mind just ran away with me. For me, her human name given to her by Arthur just has to be Ariel — for the little mermaid reference, yes, symbolizing her connection to the sea and stunning good looks, but also because:

1. Ariel is a biblical name, meaning lion of God. This makes sense to me, because Bermuda began as a Portuguese trade post, so Arthur definitely consulted our resident bad catholic Port before naming her.

2. Ariel used to be boys name. This also makes sense, because I hc Bermuda was and still is a tomboy. Bitch is fierce, takes no prisoners, and has zero filter. Her letters to Arthur, which all the colonies sent so Arthur could keep an eye on things, were full of shit like “I swear to god if the Spanish don’t get out of my waters I might eat one of them,” and “father, I asked you for destroyers two months ago, and yet you sent them to Hong Kong — could you explain this most unusual occurrence, surely it’s not that you forgot”, and “thank you for the harpoon on my birthday, I caught a small shark a couple days ago and have sent you some of its teeth for your collection.” Arthur tolerates this attitude because he’s weak when it comes to girls; he absolutely spoils his daughters (and flushes like a 16 year old when a woman so much as bats her eyelashes at him). Yes, p*ssywhipped Arthur is a hill I will die on.

3. It also suits her because? Ariel? Shakespeare? The Tempest? Bermuda Triangle? Shipwrecks? Daughter-like figure of powerful and vengeful sorcerer? Yeah. And this girl is a fire spirit — she is so lively, snarky, clever. As she’s grown older she’s mellowed out a little, but still: a no shit taken, no fucks given type of gal.

4. Speaking of growing up, she’s also become quite the beauty. Shacha, if I’m remembering correctly, described her as dark skinned, wavy-haired, and green eyed and that image has been burned onto the back of my eyelids ever since. Those Iberian genetics really be pulling through for her, that’s for sure. Engport love child if I’ve ever seen one. Definitely one of the prettiest in her family.

Singapore

I’ve already mentioned this to needcake, but I’m not too big a fan of canon Singapore, so this is my oc version. Singapore is fascinating to me because it had only a very small local population before it became a colony (The original settlement had actually been destroyed by the Portuguese about two centuries before the British started building a port there.) So nation-tans like Singapore and Bermuda really are Arthur’s children in the most direct sense of the word. And yet, Singapore is mostly ethnically Chinese, with Malays being the second largest group. Growing up Asian in a white, Victorian era family surely cannot have been easy and more than once Singapore probably wondered if there hadn’t been some mistake. To make up for the constant fear that he wasn’t “really” British, Singapore studied ferociously and had a truly terrifying work ethic. I’m not sure if this is common knowledge outside Asian circles, so I’ll mention that this hc comes from the fact Singapore is well known for having truly exceptional students and some of the most prestigious schools. Singaporeans score highly in literally everything and they have an advantage with good English learning environments, a highly desirable trait in Asia, but these results come from brutally long hours — and its really saying something that they’re known for working hard, considering the studying ethic of students in Korea, Japan, and China aint nothing to sneeze at, either. To me this actually fits really well with Singapore’s upbringing in Arthur’s household, because Arthur himself prizes intelligence and hard work above all else, being a workaholic himself.

As for their relationship, it was probably the best when Singapore was young and peaked in the 1930s with the massive naval base the British built at Singapore, at the time the largest dry dock in the world. Singapore was a well-behaved child, not necessarily introverted but not rowdy either, and all the way into his teenage years he truly admired Arthur and was proud to be a part of the British Empire, despite his lingering unease and insecurities. The British defeat in World War II, however, was a massive turning point. He had worked his ass off to be a good son, a good brother, to contribute to the only family and system he had ever known, and he had thought by the 30s he was finally on his way to becoming a fine adult. And suddenly, the British surrender brings his entire world crashing down. He had followed the rules faithfully thinking it was his destiny, but suddenly it was clear that all rules were made up. Of course, his insecurities exploded. If the empire was a ruse, what the hell was he? A part of the illusion? He couldn’t have a truly Asian identity, because many of the old East Asian nations shunned him for his Western upbringing, and he could not entirely understand their values either. So he was a kid who kinda had to figure out late and very very suddenly who the fuck he was and wanted to be.

And, well, he’s done pretty well for himself, hasn’t he. After having a total crisis and questioning everything, I think Singapore slowly started to realize that just because the British Empire as a political entity didn’t last forever, that didn’t mean that his entire childhood and identity weren’t real. The love he gave to his siblings and the love he got back, the hard work he put in, his bond with Arthur and the safe, happy childhood he had — those memories and feelings didnt have to be diminished by what came after. Essentially, he learned the lesson all nations have to learn, which is that one needs to be able to discern between duties as a nation and feelings as a human being, and to some extent keep them separate to protect both.

Whoooooo ok I’ll stop there because this turned into a dissertation, sorry. Let me know if there are any specifics u want me to elaborate on or anything I missed, but I’ll leave this here for today :)

#hws england #hws Australia #hws new zealand #oc: hws Bermuda #not gonna tag anymore I’m lazy #fun times with the commonwealth #I probably won’t write so much for all of them I just put it there to remind myself #needcake #ask #my hcs

[yukipri]

Marco’s Bauble Part 8 - a One Piece Mermaid AU Text Story

Another update for Tumblr!

This work goes by On the Courtship of Monkey D. Luffy on AO3, and I’ll be updating over there tonight as well!

A quick question....do people like reading the updates here on Tumblr? Or now that it’s on AO3, would people prefer to read there? And if so, would you be okay waiting for new updates until AO3 catches up? I’m a little torn because I’m not sure if people are enjoying reading on here, and it’s quite a hassle to format for Tumblr, and it’s getting a bit difficult for me to juggle updating these stories on 3 separate platforms...

ANYWAY, in this update, Thatch has some Thoughts, and there is mention of Ace x Luffy.

Continues off of, and should be read after:

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 1

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 2

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 3

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 4

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 5

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 6

👒🐟Marco’s Bauble Part 7

~~

What are her 3 sizes?

(For the wedding dress, of course.)

"The fuck! Like I'd tell you!" Thatch roars, startling the blue gull into momentarily leaping off the rail, before it circles back, landing again to peck at his  sleeve to express its displeasure. Thatch ignores it, because he's fuming.

So apparently all of his and Koala's secret debates over whether Marco intentionally proposed or not were for naught, because here's the fucking evidence. And it comes from Izo of all people, because Thatch would recognize that lopsided handwriting anywhere (the man insists that his handwriting is beautiful in his native language of Wano, but he never quite got used to writing any other way).

And well, if Izo, an unrelated third party but professional snooper knows, then Marco himself must know.

And apparently, they're already planning a wedding.

Thatch feels like an idiot. He'd been defending Marco against Koala, and the lil Revolutionary was a tough opponent, one he'd had to chase out of the kitchen with a ladle more than once when he was tired of her word games. Thatch had insisted, like a fool, that no Marco's not that kind of guy, he really isn't the type to play with people's emotions, he would never propose for a joke, nor would he do it seriously without good reason. It must all be an accident, a little misunderstanding, Marco was just ignorant like Thatch himself was!

Except, apparently he did know and it wasn't an accident, and now Thatch feels completely lost because he doesn't know what Marco's thinking at all. Marco, who's not just his his first friend on the Moby, but arguably his best friend; Marco, his brother over several decades; Marco, who Thatch thought he knew better than anyone, except perhaps Pops himself...

Thatch's also pissed, because if Marco wants to start drama after they all reunite and he's introduced to Luffy, that's one thing (not that that would be great either). But right now, they're still near the beginning of Paradise with almost half the circumference of the world to go until even the halfway point, and Marco is WAY on the other side of the Red Line. If this ship explodes in flames or whatever that batshit Revolutionary brother might do, Mister First Division Commander is completely unaffected, but there are plenty of innocents here (like hello! Thatch!) who would find that pretty devastating.

Also, Thatch was the one who passed on that gift to Luffy! Even if he didn't know what it meant at the time...doesn't that make Thatch complicit? And even if not, Marco's strongest connection here is clearly Thatch. If Marco's actions cause chaos, then the blame and responsibility to clean up the mess naturally falls upon Thatch. Which, he definitely did not sign up for.

Pops, Thatch thinks miserably, I thought I was supposed to show them they can depend on us Whitebeards, NOT that us Whitebeards will fuck shit up for them...

But more than anything, there's a shocking large part of Thatch that absolutely balks at just the idea of Luffy getting married. And it's shocking because Thatch shouldn't feel this upset.

Marco, for all the complaints Thatch wants to hurl at him at the moment, is still a really great guy. A guy who, in literally any other situation, Thatch would be the first in line to enthusiastically encourage, and also to congratulate.

And sure, Thatch knows he has a crush, and his little Seastar's carving out a larger home for herself in his heart by the day, but--Thatch admittedly has crushes a lot. Sure, this one feels different, but...Marco, to his knowledge, has never had a romantic crush. He only sometimes but very rarely even has a night out, and Thatch doesn't think he's ever held a relationship longer than three encounters. He's always so serious, so diligent, so sincerely and whole-heartedly dedicated to Pops and his family. He almost never does anything selfish for himself, and Thatch would know.

If, for whatever reason, Marco is genuinely serious about Luffy...then Thatch should, and would, step to the side, regardless of personal feelings. If this is the path Marco wants, then he deserves it, and Thatch will always be the first to say it, no matter how craptastic the circumstances. And Thatch knows that Marco would give his bride the world.

Without them even having met, Thatch doesn't doubt for a second that Marco would make Luffy happy, till the end of her days.

The fact that Thatch knows all this, yet still feels near unbearable reluctance...says more than he's willing to admit.

And so he decides to avoid thinking about the most obvious reason (his own feelings), and instead contemplates his second very compelling reason: Ace.

His littlest brother isn't so great at being honest with himself, and never has. But this, Thatch feels, isn't just a matter of denial.

The boy literally has no clue.

Oh sure, Ace knows he loves his little brother. He makes sure everyone else knows it too, both here on the Merry and back on the Moby once he opened up enough to talk to people. He's so damn proud of her, yet also concerned for her, while also trusting her with his life and more. It's clear to anyone who sees them together that he absolutely adores her.

But it's more than that, isn't it, Thatch thinks. It's in the little gestures, the way Ace raises his arm up without looking at her and she slides under it, also without needing to look at him. It's the casual way they lace their fingers together, like it's nothing, when they're snoozing out on the deck. It's the way sometimes they have unspoken conversations, just staring into each others eyes, before moving forward in synch to meet in the middle to bump their foreheads together in some secret mutual understanding.

It's the reason why Sanji, for all his extravagant flirting, knows when to shut up and return to being a normal human (and, Thatch grudgingly admits, this applies to himself too). It's why Zoro never lets his gaze linger more than two seconds longer than it needs to (but he'll always take those two seconds), why Nami always looks like she wants to sit closer but doesn't, why Koala hasn't said anything when she's probably usually a much more proactive flirter.

Everyone on their crew can see it, except the two in question.

Ace, Thatch thinks, heaving a huge sigh as he looks down at the crumpled note from Izo in his palm. Little brother, you are so fucking in love.

It might not necessarily be romantically. It's certainly not particularly sexually, if Ace's lack of reaction to Lu's aggressive physical smothering is any indication. It could very possibly be platonically.

But either way, there's no room for Sanji, nor Zoro, nor the girls, nor even Thatch himself...at least, until those two figure that out.

Until then, everyone aboard the Merry is here because they love and respect their captains. No one would dare encroach on something so special, yet so potentially immature, not yet ready to be dragged out to be recognized.

Thatch knows Ace has known Luffy for years, he practically raised her. But he was also away at sea for three years. Luffy was a child when he left; she's an adult now.

Thatch once asked him if she had changed at all since he last saw her (Ace most certainly had, according to Deuce). And Ace looked blank, then horribly confused, before saying No...but also, yeah, I guess. Thatch understands; Ace isn't used to not knowing something about Luffy. And something...something had changed.

That something might very well be the thing that needs to be figured out. And for that, Ace hasn't had much time yet, since reuniting with Luffy. Only as much time as the rest of them, in fact. And they deserve time to figure that out, and as the two captains' loving crew, the ASL pirates have an unsaid agreement to watch over them...at least until they have.

(After that, Thatch thinks grimly, it might be open game.)

But of course, there's also the question of Luffy herself, and as much as she's the heart of the ASL Pirates, she's also an enigma. Thatch, for all that he adores her and honestly wants more with her, genuinely has a hard time imagining her as anything but clueless as someone's romantic partner (he's carefully not thinking about anything sexual). It very well may be that the whole "figuring out" that she and Ace have to do...ends up being nothing. And that's fine as well.

Either way, as much as Thatch loves him, there's no way that any of them here on board the Merry will stand to let Marco shatter this delicate...whatever it is that's going on between their captains, that the rest of them are so patiently respecting. Even if it ends up continuing indefinitely.

As strained as it can feel at times, they're comfortable like this. There's the little spark of joy when Seastar gives him a little extra attention, a little burn when Sanji kisses her hand, but comfort in the stability that no one will go any further. If anything it's a nice little spice to their daily lives, just the right amount, and not enough ruin the dish so to speak. This is fine.

Except, that there's just one teeny little problem...

"What did the blue gull bring you today, Commander?"

Thatch doesn't jump, because he's not an amateur and did realize that the Revolutionary was approaching, but perhaps later than he should have. Damn the kid's good at hiding his presence, and Thatch wonders if he'd have noticed at all if Sabo was being serious.

"Just a stupid request from a stupid brother," Thatch says cheerfully as he turns around to face Sabo. The boy isn't even trying to hide his curiosity, his gaze pinned to Thatch's hand.

Thatch contemplates chucking the letter into the sea, but then he realizes he isn't sure Sabo wouldn't just dive after it, and as a devil fruit user, Thatch wouldn't be able to stop him from reading it underwater.

So he casually uncurls his fingers, watches Sabo visibly perk up--before Thatch opens a black hole in his palm, letting the crumpled paper get sucked into the void.

(Perhaps he should be using his power as more than a secure second dimension pocket expansion, but hey, so far it hasn't been so helpful in the kitchen.)

Sabo sags and sulks, rather cutely, Thatch thinks. "You coulda let me see it," he pouts, looking up at Thatch with an expression uncannily like Luffy's. Fuck.

"Collecting intel, Chief?" Thatch winks, expertly hiding his horror that for a moment, he'd actually been tempted. Little sneak.

"Perhaps." Something slightly manic enters his gaze, and alright, that's nothing like Seastar, not so cute after all...

"Nice try, but it's a personal family thing, can't really share," Thatch says, and it's not really a lie.

Sabo grunts, letting it go, before his gaze flicks to the gull, who still has a beakful of Thatch's sleeve. "It waiting for something?"

Thatch sighs. "Yeah, yeah, my response, which I should probably give..." Because, right, Thatch needs to send a message back to the Moby, even if no, he isn't going to answer Izo's idiotic question.

Which, is actually a fine excuse to extract himself from this situation.

"So, sorry, the response also is personal, hope you don't mind," Thatch nods, and Sabo easily opens the way for him--which, Thatch belatedly realizes, he'd actually been blocking. Scary, little Chief, scary...

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry." Sabo sounds genuinely apologetic, and tips his hat at Thatch as he passes by, and Thatch inwardly heaves a massive sigh of relief. "I'm working on it, but I know I can get a little...pushy, when it comes to things that involve my baby brother."

Thatch continues to walk away.

But inside...

Oh. Yikes, he thinks.

~~

Thatch is in the privacy of the currently empty men's sleeping room beneath the deck, and has just finished writing and giving instructions and bribes to the gull when the hatch creaks open.

"Thatch, we're in trouble," Koala announces as she stomps down the stairs, making her sneaky opening of the door rather pointless.

"I noticed," Thatch says dryly.

Koala pales. "He didn't break any of your toes, did he?!"

"What."

"Well, you're a cook, you make food Luffy likes with your hands," Koala shrugs. "Just wanted to make sure."

"What the fuck."

"I don't think he will! You're Luffy and Ace's crew, and you're a Whitebeard pirate, but..."

Thatch groans. "I already thought your Chief might be trouble, but holy shit I didn't know he was that batshit."

"He might not be!" Koala sounds defensive, but it's not particularly comforting. "He's usually reasonable, kind of, but since his memories came back..."

Thatch throws up his arms. "So, how'd he get it out of you?"

Koala flushes. "I didn't say anything!"

"Sure."

"It's not my fault that Sabo's a damn--!"

There's a loud knock, before the hatch flings open, and Ace pops his head in. "Hey Thatch! What's for snack--"

"NOT AGAIN!" Koala cries.

At the same time, Thatch shouts, "IN A SECOND!"

Either way, the hatch slams shut with a, "SORRY!"

Thatch and Koala stare at each other with their hearts beating uncomfortably rapidly.

They slowly heave a slow sigh of relief as the tension drains.

"I really need to apologize to Ace," Thatch mutters.

"I really need to work on my Observation Haki," Koala groans.

"HEY THATCH, I WANT A SNACK," Luffy shouts, and Thatch and Koala's heads whip around in horror, only to sag with relief at seeing that Luffy's not in the room, but only for a second--

--because after that second, a mermaid's crashing through the hatch, ripping it from its hinges as she slams, hatch and all, into Thatch's chest.

The room fills with dust and debris, and there are shouts outside.

Koala gingerly peers into the wreckage where Thatch is now buried in the wall, a terrified blue gull  perched on her shoulders peering alongside her, its claws digging through the fabric of her shirt.

"We're fine," Thatch coughs, peering down to make sure he'd successfully caught and shielded Luffy from damage, even as he peels himself from the wood. Luffy seems unharmed, though her eyes are wide; she clearly hadn't expected to do quite this much.

"...Armament?" Koala asks, noticing how the back of Thatch's hair is black from where it's fanned around him.

"Armament," Thatch agrees, keeping the entire back of his body coated until he's safely pulled himself and Luffy, still in his arms, away from any sharp wood.

"Sorry, Thatch," Luffy says, not particularly apologetic, if anything sort of curious. She peels herself back from his chest, scritching her cheek while looking down at what was once the hatch to the mens room that had shattered between them. She then reaches back to tug at Thatch's black locks, and oohs when they fade back to auburn.

"No worries, just make sure to make it up to Deuce and Usopp when they have to fix this," Thatch sighs, before grinning, letting his arms fall away from Luffy once he knows she has a secure grip on his shoulders. He then begins carding his fingers through her hair to make sure no splinters got in, and likewise dusting off the front of her vest, taking care not to let his touch linger. Luffy nods frantic agreement, more like rubs her head into his palm, and Thatch feels his heart skip a beat.

Koala sighs.

"Hey Thatch, what's this?"

Thatch blinks, then inwardly curses.

Luffy's holding Izo's crumpled piece of paper. His control of his power's still shoddy, and it must have accidentally spat it back out in the commotion.

Please, don't be able to read that, he prays. He luckily doesn't have much confidence in Luffy's reading abilities.

"It says 'what are her three sizes.' What are those?"

In the background, Koala slowly raises her fist.

~~

A few days later, Marco's scouting when a blue gull rapidly approaches him.

Delivery! it squawks. Delivery for you, Boss, and don't show Izo! Don't show Izo! Don't show Izo or the bread man will be mad!

Thank you, noted, friend, Marco responds, and catches the note from Thatch in mid air.

The gull trills acknowledgement, then wheels away to rejoin its brethren, while Marco changes course for the nearest island, a safe forest haven in Pops's territory, still a ways away from the Moby. It's uninhabited, save for the wildlife, and it would be good to land once before returning home anyway.

Marco lands lightly on the tallest and oldest tree on the island, from where he can survey the island of pure greenery, and the endless blue stretching beyond. The branch he's chosen looks deceptively thin, but he already knows it can support his human weight, which is why he shifts, passing the note from his claw to his hand before completing his transformation.

Marco frowns. The other Commanders (and to be honest, the entire crew) have been acting a bit strange recently, but for Thatch, who isn't even on board with them, to also be in on it...

True, this may or may not be related to that at all. But still.

Marco feels like he's missing something.

Marco, Thatch's message starts, and Marco already knows it's going to be serious because it didn't start with a jibe at his appearance.

Marco, I think I'm actually serious about her. Thoughts, brother?

Her, meaning the Ace's little brother, the mermaid girl.

If Marco remembers correctly, in Thatch's first note back to him, he'd written, She's stolen my heart, I think I want to marry her.

Marco had assumed Thatch was joking at the time, or just light-heartedly flirting, as he always did. Marco's used to hearing Thatch spew these kinds of words, and he'd taken it to mean that the girl's exceptionally Thatch's type, but hadn't thought further.

The words had made him remember a little trinket he'd had stored in a chest at the back of his closet, one he'd received from an elderly couple on Fishman Island around two decades ago...

But that's not important now, Marco thinks, focussing on Thatch's message.

In all his years of flings and casual relationships and jokingly asking ladies (and some gents) Won't you marry me...Thatch has not once asked for Marco's opinion. He's certainly had plenty of opinions himself about whether someone would be a potential good match for Marco, which Marco always ignored. But Thatch has never asked Marco about matches for himself.

Thatch really is serious.

Marco finds himself slowly smiling. "Finally, you sap," he murmurs, though no one hears him but the other birds in the trees around him.

He knows he ought to think more about what to say, but the answer is so obvious that Marco takes Thatch's note, and carefully tears the paper so that his brother's words aren't damaged. Gently tucking Thatch's note into his pocket, Marco pulls out a pen for the remaining small blank strip of paper.

Shortly afterwards, two birds depart from the island, in opposite directions: one, a phoenix, wings burning cyan against the clear skies, and the other, a blue gull headed to Paradise.

~~

~~

~~

Part 9, things start Moving as Sabo confronts Ace.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! And again, please do let me know if you actually like reading the story here on tumblr or not >.<;

As always, any comments are immensely appreciated and help motivate me to create more for this AU! ;A;

❀ ❀ Send YukiPri an Ask! ❀ ❀

~This ask has been added to the Mermaid AU Text Headcanons Compilation post~

#OnePieceMermaidAU #One Piece Mermaid AU #Text headcanons #Thatch #AceLu #genderbend #I'm feeling really burned out in terms of posting schedule as expected #juggling Patreon-Tumblr-Twitter-AO3 is a bit much #so I'm trying to decide what's going on the chopping block bc rn it's my sanity ^ ^;

[darkpoisonouslove]

5 fav AUs you’ve created :D

Omg, I love this! But also, it’s evil!

1. Diamond Dragon AU - I just came up with it yesterday and haven’t figured out any proper way to call it but I am absolutely in love with this idea. It is planned as a longish one-shot (hopefully, as short as possible but I still think it will be at least about 10k words). I have come up with all of the lore, now I need a couple more scenes dealing with the emotional aspects and to make sure that one very important point comes across and it should be ready for writing. It pieced itself together so nicely! Also, I adore the themes of this which are basically “small acts of kindness are powerful enough to break through the thickest walls” and “love vs greed” plus a tiny bit on creation (of life). I ADORE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! Also, guess the pairing it is about!

2. Sci-fi AU - There is so much cool stuff going on in there and I love the ways I’ve reimagined the characters and made them interact with each other. I think it will be really cool if I actually get to writing it because, holy shit, have I got so much stuff to work on!

3. Arranged Marriage AU (Griffin x Valtor) 1.0 (yeah, you read that correctly; there’s more than one)* - This is all one big fairytale that is also dark as hell but has a happy ending, I promise. It’s also an epic love story wrapped in war drama and tragedy and, gdi, when am I going to write all of that? Anyway, know that it is awesome.

4. Water Soul AU - Totally inspired by a Bulgarian holiday but I have changed a lot of the original elements while keeping to their roots. It is basically a different take on merfolk in that they are more like water spirits or, well... water souls, as I’ve called them. It’s supposed to be a not very long one-shot but I still have a whole page of problems that I need to fix in the outline before I can start writing it.

Ugh, I can’t choose a last one because then all of the others will be outside of my top AUs. *ugly sobbing* I’m just gonna pick one that I am actively working on right now.

5. Little Mermaid AU (same pairing as the first one) - There are no actual mermaids in this AU. There are sirens who eat people and if they want to walk on shore, they must have eaten at least one person so that they can have human essence inside them which then needs to be boosted and to do that you have to search for a sea witch which is an upgraded siren... which is an upgraded mermaid. Tbh the lore is bonkers. Anyway, there’s mentions of the Ancestral Witches again and Dragon Fire vs Water Stars bullshit but that is not the point of this. The themes have started forming but I have no clear grasp on it yet. Anyway, the romance actually happens after the siren walks out of the sea and it happens slowly. There is voice loss. I still have dialogue to reexamine because it feels like Griffin and Valtor and the characters are not Griffin and Valtor so I need to make them sound like themselves.

*Good news is that the 2.0 is already written but someone’s gotta edit it and that someone ain’t gonna be me.

Ask me top 5 anything

#winx club #my wips #my aus #aus #top 5 #my fanfics #my writing #little mermaid au #sci fi au #arranged marriage au #water soul

[there-must-be-a-lock]

Five Times Spencer Doesn’t Meet Sam, and One Time He Does

Part 6: 2007 (two days later)

Sam Winchester x Spencer Reid

Word Count: ~1480 this chapter

Warnings: Vague implications of torture, a threatening needle, and a spot o’ violence. One side character death as seen in canon.   

A/N: What if Spencer got to be happy for once AU! It’s Revelations, except with more flirting and less drug addiction.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5

Everything hurts. Spencer’s head is throbbing, and his wrists are chafed raw, and there’s a stabbing pain radiating up his leg… and he still doesn’t want whatever Tobias has in that syringe, no matter how much he claims it’ll help. 

“Please,” Spencer protests, and he tries to wriggle away. The needle glints in the low light; he tries not to think about the multitude of pathogens that could be clinging to that tiny spike of metal.

The door slams open. 

Tobias’s hand jerks violently as he flinches. For one horrifying moment Spencer’s convinced it must’ve pierced the skin, and he’s waiting for his nerves to register the pain, but the syringe skitters harmlessly across the floor. 

Two shots ring out, and Hankel stumbles backward. 

Spencer shouts, trying to figure out where he was hit, but… Spencer must be seeing things, his brain pushed to the limit by dehydration or shock, because instead of  falling down, Hankel is smoking. He’s shouting and hissing and smoking like he’s been burned, cringing away, cowering.

There are two men advancing, shotguns cocked, and they’re shouting words that don’t make any sense. For a moment Spencer thinks it’s auditory hallucinations, part of his delirium, but then he realizes it’s Latin. 

“Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus—”

“You think you can stop the Lord’s will?” Hankel roars, and it’s the father talking now, drawing his gun, surging to his feet and storming forward. 

Everything is moving jerky and slow, one frame at a time, like Spencer’s seeing it through an old slide projector.

Hankel pulls the trigger. The empty chamber clicks uselessly. 

“—omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio—”

One of the men is grabbing Hankel, sending the gun to the floor with a clatter and wrapping him with a length of chain that pins his arms to his sides. Hankel howls as he wrestles against the man’s hold, clawing at the chain, and Spencer would swear it’s burning him somehow. 

“—omnis congregatio et secta diabolica—” 

The other man is at Spencer’s side, sawing at the bonds on his wrists, but Spencer can’t stop staring at Hankel. 

There’s smoke pouring from his mouth: a long coal-black column of it that twists away and streams into the floor, leaving nothing but a charred patch on the wood to mark where it disappeared. 

Hankel drops like a rag doll. 

The man drops the chain and lets out a relieved sigh before kneeling down, checking for a pulse. 

“This one’s fine,” he announces, getting to his feet. “Maybe it was just the stink that knocked him out, this place smells like a mermaid’s asshole.” 

“I know you,” comes a deep voice from Spencer’s side. The last of the bonds fall away and Spencer turns, blinking dazedly for a second before he recognizes the guy from the bar. It was less than two days ago, but it feels like another lifetime. 

“Am I hallucinating you?” Spencer croaks, stretching his hands, trying to get some feeling back in his fingers. His tongue feels like sandpaper.

The guy laughs. “No. I’m Sam. This is Dean.” 

Tobias sits bolt upright suddenly, pale and wide-eyed. 

“What did you do?” he wheezes. “Where did Raphael go?” 

“Raphael?” 

“He was an angel. My father said he was an angel.”  

Dean snorts. “Yeah, and I’m the fuckin’ Pope.” 

“You were possessed by a demon,” Sam explains, a little more gently. 

“No,” Tobias insists. “Not me, my father. He — he said they were punishing the sinners. Doing the Lord’s work.” 

“Hate to break it to you, kid, but the Lord’s got fuck-all to do with this,” Dean says gruffly. He turns and looks around for his shotgun. 

“Rock salt,” Sam explains, at Spencer’s bewildered look. 

Which… doesn’t actually clarify anything? Spencer has questions. 

“You’re gonna regret that, boy.” 

It’s Charles Hankel’s booming voice. Before any of them can react, he’s tackling Dean, knocking him off his feet and pinning him down. He strikes Dean across the jaw with skull-rattling force. 

Dean just gapes at him for a split-second, flabbergasted. Spencer realizes that they didn’t know about the father or the psychotic break. Then Dean’s fighting back, cursing and struggling as Hankel snarls. Sam dives for the shotgun, but this time the scattered hail of rock salt doesn’t seem to have any effect. 

Sam and Dean are both shouting over the sound of the scuffle: 

“Are you sure—”

“The exorcism didn’t—”

“—holy water!” 

“—silver?” 

“He’s—” Spencer starts, but his voice comes out shredded and cracked, and he can’t make himself heard. 

Sam pulls out a flask with a cross on it and splashes water on Hankel, which (obviously, Spencer thinks) only makes him angrier. 

“What the hell is this guy?” Sam hisses. 

“You think holy water has any effect on a servant of God?” Hankel roars. He backhands Dean across the jaw with a brutal crack, and the impact leaves him stunned and motionless. Hankel pulls a knife from his belt before standing to turn on Sam. 

Spencer can barely gather the energy to drag himself out of the chair. He stumbles on uncooperative legs, staggering a couple steps before collapsing to the floor and grabbing Hankel’s gun. 

Sam and Hankel are across the room, now, wrestling for control of the knife, and they’re too close together. Spencer wouldn’t be able to make that shot even under ideal circumstances, and right now his hands are trembling alarmingly. 

One bullet. 

“Sam,” Spencer says hoarsely, as loud as he can manage, and somehow Sam hears. He glances over and reacts instantaneously, twisting out of Hankel’s grip, dropping to the floor and rolling away. 

Spencer squeezes the trigger. Hankel falls. 

For a moment there’s a stunned pause in the little shack. Nothing but Sam and Spencer’s labored breathing breaks the silence. 

Sam kicks the knife out of Hankel’s reach before rushing to check on Dean, but Hankel’s not struggling; he’s just lying there, clutching the bloodstain that’s spreading slowly across his chest. Spencer limps over and looks down at him. 

“You killed him,” Tobias says, his voice thin and tremulous.

He almost looks relieved. Something in Spencer’s ribcage twists sharply. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. 

Tobias’s eyes are already glassy and unseeing. He’s gone, and so is his father. 

Spencer, somehow, is still here. He’s shivering and lightheaded and weak with hunger, but he’s alive. He crouches and gently closes Tobias’s eyes, and then he stands up and turns his back on the body. 

“Can someone please tell me what the fuck just happened?” Dean groans, as Sam helps him to his feet. 

“You might be concussed,” Spencer points out, but Dean scoffs and waves a dismissive hand. 

“Minor head trauma, cool, must be a day that ends in Y,” he grumbles, heading for the door. “Not what I meant.” 

“Split personality — wait. What did— how did you— why—” Spencer stutters. “My team, I need—”

“First things first,” Sam says firmly. “Water, food, fresh air… c’mon, you can call your team and then I’ll explain everything.” 

Spencer limps after him, blinking as he emerges into the slanting late afternoon sunlight. It’s a bright, clear day, and the air smells like dirt and grass and green growing things. He stops for a second and sags against the rough wood door frame, hauling in a lungful of air. He feels so light he might float away. 

Everything still hurts, and once the shock wears off Spencer’s going to have some nasty memories to process, but… he’s lucky. God, he’s lucky. It could’ve been so much worse. Right now, all Spencer can feel is a fierce, dizzying joy at the knowledge that he’s alive. 

“Hey, wait,” Dean says, wheeling around and pointing an accusing finger at Spencer. “You showed up at that — the fuckin’ redneck torture house. Last year. Remember, Sammy?” Sam looks skeptical for a moment before his eyes go wide, and Dean continues with a smirk: “You wouldn’t shut up about his lock picking skills. Or his face.” 

Sam scowls. Dean gives him a shit-eating grin and lopes off toward a shiny black muscle car. They must be brothers, Spencer realizes. 

“You look different,” Sam mumbles, pink-cheeked. 

“I think I was too busy freaking out about spiderwebs to get a good look at you guys,” Spencer replies, wrinkling his nose at the memory. “Huh.” 

“Um… here, you can call whoever you need to call. Sorry about him. I didn’t — sorry if I made you uncomfortable, the other night, I thought—” He breaks off, shaking his head, and hands Spencer his phone. 

There’s a reckless feeling bubbling up in Spencer’s chest, obliterating his usual lack of confidence, in spite of the fact that he’s covered in blood and smells like burned fish guts. Maybe he’s delirious after all. 

“After I call my team, I’m going to put my number in here,” Spencer says, and a grin spreads slowly over Sam’s face. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah. I think I owe you a drink.” 

.

.

Fin.

Series masterpost here! 

.

@hoboal87​ @bkworm4life4​

#sam winchester #spencer reid #cm #spn #crossover #supernatural fic

[ruffboijuliaburnsides]

The 5 headcanons thing for a merfolk AU

Hmmmmmmmmmm......... do I go the traditional “Jaskier is a siren” route, or... AH! No, here we go.  (This got even more away from me than the soulmate one, whoops...)

1) Jaskier is a mermaid.  Well, merman, technically speaking.  I refuse to go with the whole “green hair and nipples” thing bc what, he has wide pale blue eyes the color of the noontime sky, just this side of inhuman, vibrant reddish scales and fins, and a long chestnut braid that floats behind him, woven with shells and shipwreck trinkets and pretty stones. He has the most glorious fucking voice, and he’s pretty damn well celebrated down in the depths, amongst the other merpeople and the sea witches and nereids.  But he’s dangerously curious, and goes to the surface all the time to watch boats and harbors and animals and trees.  He tries to steer clear of the sirens ‘cause frankly they’re not exactly friendly and they’re a lot more likely to have drawn unneeded attention.  He doesn’t want to get attention, he just wants to watch people.  And he’ll hang out under docks, out of sight, and listen, and he learns how to understand Common (slowly, slowly, but he has so much time to learn) and he learns the melodies to their songs.

2) And then one day, he’s gone up a large, isolated lagoon that was fed by a river at the far end, changing from the salty seawater that came through the inlet to sweet freshwater that he enjoys the taste and feel of.  It’s novel and interesting, and people never come there. He comes in the evening, because the stars will come out and he loves to look at them, and he hears a person. he hides, of course, ducking quietly under the water because he doesn’t want to be seen, but he creeps closer, waiting for the sun to set before poking his head around a stone, just barely lifting his eyes out of the water, and there near the shore is a horse and a campfire, and undressed and wading into the fresh water near the river mouth to bathe is the most beautiful human he’s seen in all the years he’d spent coming to the surface.

2a) it’s Geralt, obviously.

2b) Jaskier watches him bathe, then go back to his camp, redress, have supper, speak softly to his horse. Jaskier wants to get closer and hear what the man’s voice sounds like, but he dares not.  Dares not.  So instead he just sits and watches him. At some point he retreats beneath the water to the floor of the lagoon to sleep, falling asleep to poetic melodies and turns of phrase that might one day be a longing song about beauty that can’t be touched or possessed, only seen from afar. The sunrise wakes him and he comes back to the surface, just in time to see the man saddling his horse and starting to lead her off.  He feels a pang of regret that he wouldn’t see this interesting human anymore until he notices the man is actually leading the horse down the shore of the lagoon toward the sea.  And then he starts moving along the coast, cautious and watchful, so Jaskier stays out from the shore, careful careful careful.

2c) The thing is that he got too close without noticing, and Geralt’s medallion buzzed just the tiniest bit, and Jaskier splashed just the tiniest bit, and Geralt had subtly glanced out into the lagoon and seen a chestnut head and wide blue eyes in the light of the setting sun, far too close to avoid notice by a witcher, but clearly not aware of that. He kept an eye and ear out for the merfolk to get any closer, but he knows the difference between a merfolk and a siren, and the difference between cautious curiosity and the intent to harm.  He pretends to sleep until he hears it swim off and his medallion stops the faint vibration, then settles in to meditate.

3) Geralt’s hunting a small siren’s nest.  It’s in a sort of cave carved into a cliff by the waves, down the shoreline a few miles. Jaskier starts worrying as they get closer because the sirens will rip this beautiful human apart, but Geralt leaves Roach and straps on his swords and strides into the nest.  He tries to talk them down of course, though Jaskier can’t hear it, but they shriek and attack and he kills them, but not before one uses all her strength to fling him across the cavern into a rock pillar out in the water.  She’s bleeding out and will be dead in a minute or so. Geralt would be okay, if salty and waterlogged, except he hit head-first and is unconscious.  Jaskier sees it happen.  Jaskier is NOT about to let this happen. He darts through the water, desperate, and drags Geralt to the surface, then to the shore.  The tide’s still coming in and Jaskier doesn’t want him to be in danger from that, so he has to wriggle and writhe up on the sand to get Geralt above - or mostly above, at least - the high tide line. Then he goes back for Geralt’s sword.

3a) Geralt heals very quickly. Even from something like that, before Jaskier can get back from a) wriggling back down to the water and b) finding and retrieving Geralt’s silver sword, Geralt’s awake and trying to process everything. Jaskier manages to spot him from a distance, and he waits until Geralt’s gone stalking back to where the sirens are, looking for proof of success and also for his silver sword.  By the time he’s stalking grumpily and wearily back towards Roach, the silver sword is shining just where the waterline is, stuck upright in the wet sand.  And obviously Geralt can see the traces of the squirming body and handprints faintly left in damp sand that hadn’t quite been washed away yet, wonders if it might be the curious merfolk from the night before

3b) from way out in the waves, far out enough that he’s sure Geralt won’t be able to pick him out, Jaskier watches happily as Geralt retrieves his sword, examining it carefully and scanning the waves, not letting on that he sees the little smear of chestnut hair and pale skin peeking just above the water, before trudging back to his horse.

4) He goes to the sea witches after that, begs them to make him human, at least for a while.  He doesn’t know if he’ll be able to find the beautiful man, doesn’t know how far the land goes beyond the coast, how far or how fast the man will travel, or in what direction, but he wants to try. They turn him away and away and away, tells him to write his beautiful songs and forget the man (witcher, one of them says, she knows he must be if he survived fighting multiple sirens and had two swords). until one of them finally says she’ll do it.

4a) It won’t hurt, but she knows that following a witcher is asking for trouble, so she tells him that he won’t be able to speak or sing, lest his beautiful voice give him away and the witcher kill him. Not all are discerning of the difference between “creature that has no ill intentions and is not harming anyone” and “creature that needs to be killed to save lives”, after all. If he finds this witcher and sees all the witcher truly is and still truly loves and trusts him, Jaskier will be able to sing again. His voice will almost certainly give away his true identity, and if the witcher sees it and loves and trusts him in return, he’ll be able to speak again.  If the witcher doesn’t return his trust, he’ll lose his song again and have three sunrises to make it back to water that leads to the sea before the spell becomes permanent and he will not be able to speak or sing again for the rest of his life, trapped on land.

4b) obviously this is really overly complicated, and unnecessary because they could just turn him fully human with no caveats if they wanted to, and turn him back when he got back to the sea-*, but it was partially to dissuade him and partially to make it impossible for him to truly get in trouble on land by outing himself, because no way in hell would he ever be able to truly see what a witcher is and completely love and trust them, right?  Eventually he’ll crack and come back to the sea and they’ll give him back his voice and his fins, and everything will be fine.  Right?

5) Jaskier gets his legs. Pants are weird but he wears them. he has shoes but honestly he hated them so he left them behind on the beach.  The witch cuts his braid because it is so long and will get in the way and weigh him down so much more without the water to support it.  And he is put ashore close to the nearest port city to the siren nest, and he realizes belatedly when he gets there that he doesn’t know how to write the way humans do, how to spell any of the words he’d need to use to ask about a witcher.  But just his luck, Geralt’s actually on his way out of town on the very road Jaskier sat thoughtfully down on to think about his options, and Jaskier very excitedly runs up to Geralt and-- well he can’t talk, but he’s curious and starts essentially just examining Geralt up close.

5a) The magic is screened well enough that Geralt’s medallion only vibrates the tiniest bit, and only when Jaskier’s very much up in his personal space.  And listen, he can be dense sometimes, but while the young man’s eyes are a more natural blue than perhaps they were as a merman, the shade of chestnut is familiar, and the kid’s barefoot and basically seems to have no belongings and he apparently can’t speak? That’s odd, and not normal for merfolk as far as Geralt’s aware.  Geralt doesn’t trust him quite yet, obviously, and certainly doesn’t love him, but neither does Jaskier yet. (give it a couple of years and his songs will come tumbling out, and his speech will take longer, but the trust is there, and love has time to grow.)  But Geralt can clearly tell this is the same merman who, he assumes, saved his life and his sword a couple days earlier at the siren nest.  It’s not like Geralt doesn’t appreciate being saved. And it’s not like Geralt’s going to go chatting about someone being merfolk in disguise, that’s just asking for trouble.  So he doesn’t say anything about that.

5b) After circling Geralt and Roach a couple times curiously, Jaskier mimes between the two of them, and then walking, and then pointing down the road.  Can he travel with you, whoever you are?  And Geralt sighs, and all but lifts the strange little merman up onto Roach’s saddle, turning around to go back into town. “You need shoes,” is all his explanation.  And he’ll need more food to supplement his hunting or fishing.

Bonus: 6) Geralt doesn’t know what to call this strange thing, so for a few weeks he mostly just calls him “you” gruffly, or nothing at all.  But then they’re passing a wide field of wildflowers, sorts that don’t grow near the ocean usually, and Jaskier’s so wide-eyed and delighted, and rushes into it without a thought of safety (not that it’s dangerous, just, it’s clearly new, and he didn’t even look to Geralt for verification he could, and Geralt wants to be angry but he sees him flopped among merigolds and cornflowers (that match his eyes almost perfectly) and sending up a cloud of dandelion seeds, and he can’t stop himself from smiling just a tiny bit, while Jaskier’s too far away to see.

6a) and when Geralt finally gets Jaskier out of the field, there are still dandelion seeds all caught in his hair and Geralt shakes his head and reaches out to gently ruffle the Jaskier’s hair and send most of them floating down.  “Come on, Dandelion, we’re still a few hours out from town,” he says, sounding grumbly despite himself, but Jaskier brightens, because he knows a name when he hears one.

#the witcher #geralt #jaskier #geraskier #merfolk AU #it's sort of the little mermaid but not quite #if i wrote it i feel like i'd have a section of angst where for some reason #geralt has a reason to stop trusting Jaskier #been misled about something or other maybe #misunderstand something else #and Jaskier will broken-heartedly flee to the nearest river and his tail returns #and he swims to the see and regains his voice #but he doesn't sing #and he's so sad #and Geralt realizes FINALLY that he loved his odd musical partially-mute Dandelion #and that he'd never done anything to betray his trust #and had trusted him with a lot actually #and he'll go back to the coast where they first saw each other #and just wait and wait and wait #until Jaskier finally comes back up to the lagoon to be maudlin and look at the stars #and there's Geralt #looking miserable and exhausted #and when he sees Jaskier it looks like the sun is rising in his eyes #and Jaskier realizes that whatever had happened was a mistake #that geralt came for him #and that while he needs an apology all is already forgiven #and then they kiss and Jaskier gets the ultimate secret promise of the spell which never truly broke just stopped applying #which is the ability to shift himself human all on his own #complete with his voice #...anyway

[lieutenantcharleslorem]

Chapters: 1/3 Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation Rating: General Audiences Relationships: Data/Geordi La Forge Additional Tags: daforge - Freeform, AU, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Goblins, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Mermaids, Pirates Summary:

The Corsair ship Enterprise is not exactly a pirate ship, but they do what they have to to get by on the high seas. Without someone knowledgeable in steam mechanics that becomes even harder. Data is a gear filled robot who can be wound like a watch, and Geordi is merman who cannot see above water. But perhaps this odd friendship could solve some of their problems.

Hi! This was written for a commission for @datalaur​. This takes place in a weird vaguely steampunk, D&D type universe where certain alien species names are interchangeable with mythological names like trolls and goblins, and everyone calls Data a robot. The world building isn't perfect, but I still think it's a good time. 💜 (Here’s a link to chapter two)

 CHAPTER ONE

The sea rippled in the wind, and the ship creaked as the sails were turned.

“Captain,” said the first mate, “We can’t go on like this.”

“What do you want me to do, Will? Stop and ask for directions?”

“It’s not just that. When we go into battle, we can’t have you and the rob’ut shoveling coal.”

“There’s so much more to it than that.”

“Well then? That’s my point. We’ve got to replace O’Brien. I know you were holding out hope, but when we dock at the ninth port again, sure he’ll sing songs, and welcome us like old friends, but he’s not gonna be convinced to go back to the life of a corsair. Not now that he found someone who could love that ugly mug of his.”

The Captain sighed. “You’re right. But Data knows this ship better than anyone—”

“The rob’ut can’t fix himself, Picard,” Riker spat. He steeled himself and tried to speak more respectfully. “We need a new crew member. Even if he doesn’t know the engines, if he’s got a mind to learn, if he can figure Data’s gears, he can pick up slack. Because we need you both on deck, sir.”

“Captain, I’m afraid I have to concur.” The gears in Data’s shoulders creaked as he turned the wheel and changed their course. “Not only that we need an extra crewman, but that we should stop and ask for directions.”

“Data…” Picard said, frustrated, “Who do you suppose we ask. A siren?”

“I propose we anchor along this approaching landmass,” replied Data. “There are signs of life.”

Picard removed his spyglass from his pocket and took a look at the approaching shore. There was smoke in the distance and a path cut through the trees. There was no way to tell if these people were friendly, but they were certainly people.

But Captain Picard was nothing if not an adventurer. If he had been afraid to meet new and mystical species on faraway shores, he never would’ve found Data, or Worf. Even Troi was half Elvin, and they’d all learned to live with her mind trickery. While the old girl, Enterprise, was just beginning to take on this diversity, Picard suspected there were pirate and privateer ships in which humans were the minority.

When they anchored a few hours later, the crew was informed to sit tight while the Captain and Worf sought out the people to make sure it was safe.

The first thing Worf noticed about the locals was that they didn’t seem all that mysterious. They looked human. The only difference being that his humans kept themselves better trimmed.

“Trespassers,” said one of the men.

“We mean no disrespect,” said Picard, putting his hands up to show his open palms. “We’ve only lost our way. We don’t mean to intrude.”

“You have a Klingon with you,” said one of the women.

“This is Worf,” said the captain. “He is a friendly Klingon. He wasn’t even raised on the mountains of Kronos. He was raised among humans.”

Worf nodded. He resented his trustworthiness being equated with how human he may be, but now was not the time to be offended.

“What are you doing here?” asked the man.

“We’re lost,” said Picard. “We’ve been tasked to find the Goblin homeland. They’ve stolen some inventions—”

“They’ll gut you for your latinum.”

“Alas, we have none at the moment. We will be paid for retrieving the machinery.”

“They won’t stop to find out what’s in your pockets. They’d sell the clothes off your corpse.”

“We are familiar with the goblins, and their confrontation tactics,” said Worf, “Money is no doubt the reason for their thieving, not a hope for technological advancement. However, were they to sell to an enemy, the human government would not be pleased.”

“I see. Privateers then?”

“You could say that,” said Picard with a smile.

“Hmm, the kind of privateers who are also pirates, or the kind with a certain code of conduct?”

Picard and Worf shuffled their feet.

“It depends on your definition of pirate,” said Worf. Picard shot him a look that told him to keep his mouth shut.

“We definitely have a code of conduct,” Picard assured them. “You have nothing to fear from us. We’re only asking a little help…”

“You’ve gone too far,” said the woman.

“Excuse me?” asked Picard, wondering what he could have possibly said to prompt this response.

“You’ve gone too far,” she repeated. “That’s how you got confused. You went too far north. It happens. Goblins are southeast of us. We could maybe mark it on a map, but can’t say how accurate it would be. None of us are cartographers.”

“If you’re willing to look at a map that would be great. But you’ve already helped. Thank you,” said Picard.

“You look weary,” said one of the men.

“You might stay,” said the other. “Assuming you are not pirates.”

“Oh, oh that’s very generous, but we should be on our way,” replied Picard.

“Suit yourself, but Jeham used to live the ship life, and any chance to spend a moment on land was cherished later when the chances didn’t come. If you would like to stay a short while we would not object.”

“Well… I don’t know how much time we can waste. But we will tell the crew that they are free to explore for the time being.”

“Explore?” asked the woman.

“Would that be a problem?”

“No,” said the man. “But there are some areas that are… not as safe.”

Picard nodded, not wanting to make a fuss. “Worf, why don’t you go back to the ship and let the crew know we’re welcomed.”

“But Captain—”

“I’m sure I’m safe with our new friends, Mr. Worf.”

Worf looked back and forth between them, nodded, and disappeared through the trees.

“I never asked your names. I am Jean-Luc Picard.”

“I mentioned Jeham,” said one of the men, pointing a thumb to the other. “And my name is Di.”

“And I’m Reese,” said the woman.

That evening they sat around a large fire. Some stood, some walked around, but they fit nearly 200 people into a clearing, Picard’s salty crew mingling idly with this sandy group of families. The doctor had disappeared somewhere. The Captain hoped she was having fun. Data stood very close to the circle around the fire, wanting to be included, but not wanting to take a warm place to sit from someone who would be comforted by it.

“May I ask you a question?” said Data quietly.

“Only if we can ask a few back,” said Reese.

“Of course, please do. I was wondering, you do not look terribly different from us, and you speak human, but—”

“We are human,” replied Di.

“This is only a settlement,” said Jeham. “I used to work on a ship too, but I’d been looking for an out for a while when my ship stopped here. I decided to stay, after I met everyone.”

“Most of the originals came to get away from the black fog of the big cities. We live a little simpler here,” said Di.

Data’s face fell, if only minutely, and he said, “You came here to get away from machinery.”

“Perhaps, you could say that,” said Reese, “But we have no problem with machines. Only the smell of industry.”

“What are you?” asked Di, standing up to look more closely at Data’s skin, “A robot?”

“Yes.”

“Who made a thing like you? Is he with the crew?” asked Reese.

“No. My creator was lost at sea many years ago.”

Di reached out and ran a finger along Data’s forehead and down his nose. “You’re not like any robot I’ve ever seen.”

“I wouldn’t imagine we’re up on the latest trends, Di,” said Reese.

Di continued trailing his finger down Data’s face, and Data resisted the urge to shudder when he reached his lips. Though he would’ve preferred Di ask permission, he couldn’t deny that in some ways Data enjoyed the stimulation to his- his what, he wasn’t sure. He had speculated that he had artificial nerve endings, but it was far beyond the realm of any science in the land. There were rumors on the ship that Soong had not just used engineering, but magic to bring Data to life. But if it was true, that didn’t change that the robot still needed to be wound.

As the feel of Di’s fingers on his neck suddenly became absent, Data realized he had shut his eyes. He opened them abruptly and whispered. “I am… one of a kind.”

The captain cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should do a little exploring in the morning before we leave. Get some exercise before we have to be cooped up on the ship. If you could suggest any trails…?”

“We could take you to look at some pretty areas, but you shouldn’t go off alone,” said Reese.

“Oh, I’m sure we could handle any animals that might come our way.”

“It’s not that,” said Di. “You don’t want to go very far from shore. You don’t want to get near the water.”

“Water?” asked Worf, “What do you mean near water but away from the shore? That does not make sense.”

“There is something of a lake, but it drains in from the ocean and it is quite deep.”

“Everyone on our crew can swim… Except for Alyssa,” said Data.

“It’s not about that either. This is the good water.” Di gestured behind him. They couldn’t see the shore through the trees but knew it was in that direction. “It’s mighty shallow. Just stay away from the rivers and estuary. They’re deep.”

There was an awkward silence as they tried to figure out if they should keep asking questions, and then there was another voice in the darkness.

Troi walked up to the fire seemingly out of nowhere. Her skin appeared to glow in the fire light, and they could see the smallest bit of her brazier at the opening of a men's collared shirt that was a little too big for her. She whispered, “I get the sense you don’t actually want us to know why we shouldn’t see these deep waters.”

“It’s the creatures,” said Jeham.

“Jeham,” warned Di.

“What kind of creatures?” asked Picard.

“I’m sure you’ve heard of sirens,” said Reese.

Data cut in, “The captain mentioned them this morning.”

“Then you know.”

“I know of myth,” said Picard. “I know of imaginary creatures,”

“I doubt you’re so cynical. With a Klingon, and your mechanical man. You would question the possibility that sirens exist?”

“An entire race that is solely female and dedicated to killing sailors? I’m afraid it does cast some doubt.”

“They aren’t only female,” said Jeham. “And they’re not sirens… They’re merfolk. They’re just a species like any of the ones we’ve seen. We’ve all met groups of people that seemed scary,” he glanced at Worf, “and we’ve all met people with a special ability or two.” Now he looked at Deanna but looked away when she caught his eye.

“Well, now you make it sound like they’re just new friends to make.”

“No,” said Di. “People have tried. The merfolk seem friendly sometimes. But this is where the siren myths come from. They’re intelligent. They make you feel things. They can control your emotions.”

“I have no emotions,” said Data.

“Excuse me?”

“They could not possibly control my emotions; I am not capable of feeling emotions, as I am a machine.”

Di sighed. This conversation had gone on longer than he would have liked.

“Fine,” he said, “Chance it, Robot. But don’t blame me when you are dragged into the sea.”

“Well, perhaps if we have time,” said Data.

Troi slid into the circle and sat down in front of the fire. “Now what are the chances that you lovely people happen to have marshmallows?”

Things had stayed friendly and hours later, after everyone had agreed to call it a night, Data sat in front of the dying fire.

Since he didn’t sleep, he was often presented with extra time to occupy while those around him were unconscious. On the ship he usually continued navigating.

There was a pull on the gears of his ticking brain. Almost a tingle to his mind. He wondered, if he were human, would this be the need to be rebellious? After all, he was never a child, neither a teenager.

He needed, like an unquenchable curiosity, to go find the deep waters Di and the others had spoken of. He wasn’t afraid of what he might find there, for he couldn’t feel fear. Even if he could, he also couldn’t feel pain, so there was really nothing to be afraid of.

He got up quietly after the fire had gone out. He didn’t want to ruin their fire pit by extinguishing it or leave it unattended while burning. But now, in the light of only the moon he got up quietly and crept beyond the clearing, heading away from the shore.

It might have taken a biological being a few hours to navigate through the many trees and over jagged rocks, but Data did not tire, and found the estuary before sunrise.

The water here seemed different than that which he had sailed on for many years. This was eerily calm, and the moon shone off it in such a way that made it appear to glow.

Data sat down at the edge of the water, and waited. Nothing happened, but that was okay. He thought about navigation, and the mission they were on, and watched the sunrise.

Just as he was thinking perhaps he should return to the clearing, something in the water moved. Slowly a dark face emerged, with completely gray eyes, like nothing Data had ever seen.

“Are you waiting for someone?” the being asked.

“I suppose I was waiting for you,” replied Data.

“I've never heard your voice,” he didn’t look directly at Data as he spoke. “You don’t live here.”

“No, I’m a corsair.”

“I… I’m afraid I don’t know what that means.”

“I sail… on an independent ship.”

“You’re a pirate,” said the man in the water.

“… We don’t like to hurt people.”

“I’m not here to judge you.”

“What are you?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“You are a merman?”

“If the name suits you.”

“Do you have a name?”

“Do you?”

“My name is Data.”

“A name befitting a mechanical man.”

“You knew I was a robot?”

“I can hear your body tick.”

“But you cannot see me.”

“Merpeople don’t see the same way land folk do.”

“Oh, I understand.”

“Mm, I doubt that.”

“Well, it is true that I probably cannot imagine how you process sensory input, but I also can’t imagine how any biological being does such things.”

“You experience your senses differently than everyone you meet, don’t you?”

“I have yet to meet anyone like me. Other robots do not…”

“They do not compare.”

“I suppose not. Some people think my creator was a genius. Others think he was mad. I’m sorry to say I am sometimes in the latter category… You never told me your name.”

“Geordi.”

“Is that a common merfolk name?”

“Not particularly.”

“I understand that you see differently than humans, but it appears as though you do not see me at all.”

“I saw you when I approached, but we are adapted to the water. We lose certain things above it. But others change. Everything is louder above water as well.”

“If I were human I would get in with you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I would hold my breath, and swim with you, so we could see each other properly. But I can’t get water in my gears.”

“Sailing seems like an odd job for someone who can’t get wet.”

“Well, I can get a little wet. But it could be troublesome to be fully submerged. It’s correct that if I fell overboard, I would most likely die, but that is true of most of the crew when on the high seas.”

“You’re quite the interesting device, aren’t you Data?”

Data didn’t respond.

“I’m sorry,” Geordi said suddenly. “That was rude.”

Data smiled even though he knew Geordi couldn’t see it. Just acknowledging that it was possible to be rude to him was more than some people gave him.

“I’ve been called worse than a device,” said Data. “And definitely worse than interesting.”

“Well, you are. Interesting, I mean.”

“I find you fascinating as well.”

“I’m really interested in mechanology. I hope you don’t mind me saying. It’s just, that sort of learning is limited when you live in water.”

“I would imagine.”

“I’d love to get a look inside you. I mean… that came out wrong.”

“You do not have to worry about offending me. I have learned over my time as a corsair, that it is not the words, but the feeling behind them.”

“Well, I mean, I can’t really get a look.”

“Figure of speech, I assumed.”

“Yes, well, I’m sure it would be terribly invasive to… to…”

“Examine my mechanics? If it were something you would enjoy, and you would not change anything—”

“Oh, of course not! I would never tamper with you without your permission.”

“Then you may open the compartment on my back,” Data said, unbuttoning his doublet. “I only ask that you dry your hands first.”

Geordi’s eyes widened. “Yes, yes of course I will.” He floated awkwardly for a moment before scrambling to get up onto land with Data. He fumbled as he couldn’t see the edge of the rock. Hands reached out and took hold of him around the waist. If he hadn’t known any better, he would’ve guessed them biological hands. The only sign that there was a difference was how effortlessly Data lifted Geordi out of the water, and sat him gently next to him.

Geordi’s tail hung off the edge and into the water but the rest of him was visible, and Data took in the details before handing Geordi a handkerchief and turning away from him.

He pulled the silk shirt he’d been wearing under his doublet over his head, not bothering with the buttons. Geordi finished drying his hands and felt out in front of him. He slid his hands down Data’s smooth back, finding in the middle, something like a key.

There was that feeling of Data being touched again, but this time it was invited.

“Does this keep you going?” Geordi asked, fingering the key.

“Yes, turned clockwise it winds my gears, but if you turn it counterclockwise—”

“I can unscrew it and open this hatch. And it won’t cause you any problems?”

“No.”

Geordi did as Data said, placing the key off to the side, and sliding open a door in his back. Data had of course been worked on and examined before, but this was somehow different. Geordi had to feel the parts to understand what was in front of him and Data could almost feel it himself. Geordi’s soft slick hands running along the springs and wires.

“There’s lots I could do back here,” Geordi said lazily fumbling over some screws. “Are you always so trusting with people you’ve just met?”

“No,” Data replied, eyes closed, “Never.” And it almost sounded breathy to Gerodi’s ears.

“Well, I’ll take this as a compliment… Ow.” Geordi pulled his hand away abruptly.

Data glanced back and saw Geordi put his finger in his mouth.

“You have burned yourself.”

“Nah,” said Geordi. “Just hurt for a second.” He went back to his examinations. “I see, so you breathe to keep this cool right here.”

“Yes.”

“It’s like you’ve got a little engine roaring away inside you. It’s amazing.”

“Do you… know anything about engines?”

“A little. I’d love to learn more.”

“Data!” said a voice in the distance. It was the captain.

“I have to go now,” Data told Geordi, like he was telling a playmate that his mom said dinner was ready.

Geordi nodded and shut the compartment. He felt around for the key before fumbling to screw it back in for Data. Once it was in he kept turning.

“All wound up.”

“Thank you,” Data whispered.

“Data?” shouted Dr. Crusher.

“I am here,” replied Data pulling on his shirt. “No need to go any further, I will come to you.”

He buttoned only a few of the buttons on his doublet before going to stand, but Geordi stopped him while he was still on his knees. He reached out and took Data’s hand.

“Will you be back?” Gerodi asked.

“Back?”

“Will I see you again? I’ve never met anyone like you.”

It wasn’t lost on Data that the merman called him one instead of thing. Data had to admit that though he had only known the being for all of 20 minutes, he wanted to promise he would be back. But it was not a promise he knew he could keep.

Data debated whether he would be overstepping a boundary for .3 seconds, and then decided to place a hand on Geordi’s cheek. “I will try,” he said honestly. Geordi shivered. “You are cold. You should return to the water.”

“Data, please inform us of your location,” said the captain.

“I will be right there, Captain.”

Geordi stayed on land for a few more moments to listen to the sound of Data’s footsteps as he walked away.

Beyond some rocks in the thick of trees and vines, Data found the captain and the doctor searching for him.

“I apologize for the inconvenience, Captain.”

“Out looking for mermaids, Data?” said the Captain with a smirk.

“Of course not, Captain. I would never go looking for something someone told me could be dangerous.” Data had recently begun to master facetiousness. He found it easier than sarcasm, because it didn’t require the same bite.

“Oh!” replied the doctor with a smile, “Of course not.”

“Well, I hate to interrupt our recreation, but we’re trying to get some maintenance done as quickly as possible so that we can be back on the sea before noon.”

“Captain, will we be coming back?” asked Data.

“Back?”

“To this shore…”

“There were no plans to. I know this is no concern of yours, but it depends on where our next meal is coming from.”

“I understand, this little village, of sorts, is not particularly profitable.”

Data was silent for the rest of the morning as they prepared to leave. He spared one passing glance at the shore as he steered the ship back onto the high seas.

With the locals’ changes to their maps they were able to find goblin territory faster than they expected. They came into port in the late afternoon as the sun was setting, and they had a plan before midnight. Goblins were ruthless, but they were also easily scared.

They would beat them at their own game, and retrieve the technology from right under their noses. Under cover of darkness, the captain, Riker, Data, and Worf, crept through the city. They took along a few crewmen who were new to the seas but could provide a little muscle. All of them pulled up their hoods against the rain. They’d been told before they came that it never stopped raining in goblin territory. But they hurried despite their discomfort. They could not be seen under any circumstances. This was not a place they could blend in. Their height alone would make them stand out to any goblin.

They inched into the building where they’d heard it was being held. They were fairly certain the goblins they’d interrogated were telling the truth. It had taken what little latinum they had left, but every goblin has their price.

Inside there were many locking mechanisms, but it was nothing Data couldn’t handle. Though he hadn’t been designed for theft, thieving from thieves brought exceptions. Being a corsair brought oh so many exceptions.

Coming down a hall, lit only by a torch, was the final door. Behind it should be the stolen machine. It was wood, and shorter than human doors, as had been all the doors in the building. It was covered in chains which the goblins no doubt thought were strong. Worf took a chain in hand on one side, and Data took it on the other. Pulling against each other like they might play tug-o-war, one of the links near the middle gave way and opened, and the chains fell apart.

The captain pushed the door open and ducked into the room. The device’s silhouette was monstrous in the darkness of the room, but Picard could tell they could get it through the door if they carried it on its side. After all, the goblins had to have gotten it in here somehow.

Squeezing it through the door and down the hall with the strength of a robot, a Klingon, a Bolian, and 3 humans was easier than expected. They shuffled out of the building, and were almost home-free when they heard a footstep.

A little clay colored boy with the biggest ears they’d ever seen screeched and pointed at them. Suddenly the sound stopped and the boy was on the ground. Worf had put down his corner of the device and hit the little goblin in the back of the head. He flinched as he looked at him. No one on the ship enjoyed when their adventures came to such things. Stealing and defending oneself was one thing but hurting innocent people never felt good.

“He should be fine,” whispered Data.

Worf nodded and picked up his end again and they were able to get it onto the ship uninterrupted.

As they rushed out of dock, wind in their sales, it almost seemed too easy. The simplicity was almost dreamlike, being so unsettling and anxiety inducing, that it was almost a relief when they heard goblins shouting in the distance. Something about profit.

And then, there was just enough light from the moons to see a ship gaining on them. It was a strange looking ship, with little cohesion, different colors and shapes that reminded them of other races they’d met along the way. It was almost as if the goblins had built the ship from spare parts of other ships they’d come across, purchased, or robbed.

The word Ferengi was messily painted on the side. It must’ve meant something in the goblin language, but they didn’t know what, and didn’t have time to think about it.

There was yelling and swift conversations as they heard cannons go off. Were they out gunned? Could they call someone for help? Goblins had always seemed so cowardly, but there had been a feeling in the air, and now it seemed inevitable that they had underestimated them.

While people on the Enterprise were loading cannons, Riker took the wheel, and the captain told Data to go change the direction of the sails. Data nodded and ran to the ropes. Just as he was finishing, he heard Troi shout, “What’s going on?”

“The goblins,” he replied. “Help with cannons!”

Looking at her when he spoke, he was caught off guard when the entirety of the Enterprise shook with a particularly well aimed cannon ball. The ship lurched, and Data tried to grab onto the rope, but his hands missed it by a centimeter. Data went toppling into the water, Troi running to the railing after him, but knowing there was nothing she could do.

“Data!” she shouted at the top of her lungs.

He could hear faintly the water muffled warbling of Troi explaining to someone, “The robot, he’s gone overboard!” before he became waterlogged and shut down.

Data assumed this would be the end of his experiences.

-Chapter Two-

#star trek the next generation #data #geordi #daforge #faniction #Star Trek #Star Trek The Original Series #ST:TOS

[delimeful]

Delimeful’s Sanders Sides Writing Masterpost

Chaptered Works

the shapes in the silence: a pre-AA AU where Virgil transforms into a miniature dragon when stressed and is promptly adopted by the light sides.   

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | 

watch it burn and rust: a space AU where Patton finds himself trapped in a cell with one of the most infamous and bloodthirsty deathworlders out there, a Human. 

WIBAR ACT ONE:

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 |

WIBAR INTERMISSION:

Making Adjustments: Virgil gets used to life aboard the Mindscape, and the crew gets used to him. Gradually. 

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 |

Cultural Differences:  After one too many unfortunate misunderstandings, Logan requests that Virgil meet with him to discuss Human culture. They both learn new things about each other.

AO3 Link | Story |

Night Terrors: Roman and Virgil are left alone on the ship unsupervised for the night. Things go better than expected, somehow.

AO3 Link | Story |

New Friends: A routine trade with another ship turns dangerous when raiders turn up. Unfortunately for them, there happens to be a Human onboard that doesn’t take kindly to threats against his family. 

AO3 Link | Story |

WIBAR ACT TWO:

let my mind reset: Roman finds himself in deep trouble relating to his past, which means the resident Human is the last person he wants around.

Unfortunately, the resident Human didn't seem to get the memo. 

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 |

WIBAR EXTRAS:

Height Chart | Cast Description | Patton’s Charms | 

WIBAR Snapshots: A series of short bonus scenes taking place at various points during the timeline of the 'watch it burn and rust' series! 

AO3 Link | Cleanse | Release |

WIBAR AUs: 

the end of being alone: A WIBAR AU (that’s right, an AU of an AU) where the circumstances of Virgil’s introduction to the group– or rather, Virgil himself– are… a little different. Kid!Virgil.

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 |

how easy you are to need: A lone werewolf finds three humans settling into the abandoned cabin on his territory, and somehow manages to get attached.   

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 |

how easy you are to need (redux): A lone werewolf finds three humans settling into the abandoned cabin on his territory, and somehow manages to get attached.   

-

A rewrite & continuation of the original HEYATN fic.

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | 

be unbroken or be brave again: Tracked down by an obnoxious and determined knight, a Dragonwitch and his closest friend are drawn into a mystery they thought they'd left behind. Dragonwitch Virgil AU

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 |

a mourning dove: A tiny winged borrower living in a forest hideaway, Logan is interested in human technology despite all the terrible tales about humans themselves. After running into a forgetful college student, he ends up striking a surprisingly steadfast friendship. G/T

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 |

not always what they seem: A space AU where the light sides are aliens working with new specimens, ones that might be more sapient than they originally assumed. G/T

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | 

cut clean from the dream: Logan is a captured fairy, stuck in a bottle on the shelf of a potions shop. Virgil is an unlucky apprentice witch who needs fairy wings for his next assignment. Things turn out better than either of them could have expected. G/T 

AO3 Link | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Complete!

helpless: Virgil stumbles into some trouble in his forest, and then someone new stumbles into him. 

Drider!Virgil AU. Platonic DRLAMP

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | 

hold my body down: Roman and Virgil are a two-person adventuring party stopping in a small barter town for the evening. He enters town expecting a night of rest at the inn, perhaps a few stories from the local bard, and exits as part of a cult-like ritual sacrifice to a silent giant. Then things get strange. G/T

AO3 Link | Part 1 | Part 2 |

to taste your beating heart: Inducted into a coven of bloodthirsty vampires with no memories of his life before, Virgil has been assured that there was nothing left for him in his human life, that being turned was a mercy for a human as pathetic as he had been. 

However, when he goes out for his first solo hunt, the last thing he expects when he pins his target, a man dressed in blue and grey, is for him to call him by name, recognition clear in his eyes. The second-to-last thing he expects is for the kind-eyed man to turn out to be a hunter of all things, and turn the tables on him. 

Now captured with none of his clan knowing where he is, Virgil faces the three hunters that seem convinced they know him and wonders if maybe there’s more to the story.

(Warning for Villain/Pre-AA Virgil)

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 |

my virtues uncounted: The Light Sides find themselves stuck in the subconscious, where everything is huge, including the Dark Sides that reside there. Anxiety finding them at such a diminished size seemed like the worst possible outcome, but as they spend more time around him, they find themselves wondering if maybe he's got their best interests in mind after all. G/T

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | 

sheer atrocity: Prince Roman has been sent on his ritual journey to slay a giant and prove himself worthy to be a true slayer for his kingdom... or die trying. 

Too bad his giant has something different in mind. G/T

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 |

(dont) take this the wrong way: Local shark mer Roman finds a tiny mermaid tangled up in a net in his territory, and enlists his siren friend Patton's help to find a way to free the little guy. Unfortunately for Logan, they end up 'borrowing' a human to assist them in untangling the net. Virgil just wants to get out of this nightmare of a situation. G/T

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | 

pull apart at the seams: In a world where humans are tiny and giants keep them as pets, Virgil finds himself bought by three giant werewolves, who are varying levels of enthusiastic about his presence. G/T

warnings: darker tone, jerk giants, people treated as pets

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | 

Minecraft AU: Exactly what it says on the tin. Sanders Sides/Minecraft crossover. I offer no apologies.  

AO3 Link | Ender | Spider | Brewer | Adventurer | Healer | Builder |

Oneshots

Repressed: A pre-AA AU where Virgil shrinks down to five inches when Thomas represses him. This goes badly once the others find out. G/T

AO3 Link | Story | Ask Blog

the littlest mermaid: Virgil investigates a strange noise on his walk home and gets more than he bargained for. G/T

AO3 Link | Story

magical mutualism: Logan summons a demon to help him get into a magical institute. Surprisingly, nobody loses their soul in the process.

AO3 Link | Story

amateur matchmakers: After being friends with them for over a year, Virgil learns that Roman and Patton aren’t, in fact, dating. Analogical, Royality

AO3 Link | Story

stemming the tide: Patton comes across an ancient mer and makes a bargain... and a friend? Based off this art by smalldrops! Platonic logicality, G/T

AO3 Link | Story

community gardens: Logan first met his best friend because he was investigating rumors of a human lurking around the border of his forest. Platonic intrulogical, G/T

AO3 Link | Story

you will see a better day: Remus has a Bad Day. The others are there to help him through it, if he’ll let them. Canonverse, platonic DRLAMP

AO3 Link | Story

as the fabric starts to fray: It’s just another routine bank robbery to foil. Until it’s not. Platonic dukexiety, Superhero AU.

AO3 Link | Story

failed bounties and fresh bonds: He’d only snuck down to the town because he’d wanted to see the lights that had been strung up in the streets. He wasn’t sure what they were for, but they were bright and beautiful.

He hadn’t meant to get so close. He hadn’t meant to be caught. Platonic dukexiety, G/T

AO3 Link | Story 

leave your shaded hollow: Virgil meets the most terrifying creature of his life. 

Logan makes a friend. Mer AU, platonic analogical, G/T

AO3 Link | Story

BTHB (Bad Things Happen Bingo) Fills

or set your teeth against my throat: Captured and put on display by arrogant bloodsuckers, Roman begins to lose hope that he'll ever get to see his small but tight-knit pack again. 

Who would have thought that a strange, sympathetic vampire would be the one to restore that hope? Prompt: Defeated and Trophified  

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 |

taking the fall: When an indoor borrower is seen they're supposed to move out. Not push a outdoor borrower into the sink and literally make them take fall for them.

So how’d Virgil end up in this sink. Prompt: Framed

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | 

breathing cleaner air: Roman enters the woods as a knight and prince of his kingdom, hunting a dangerous creature for the good of them all.

He leaves the woods... different. Prompt: Painful Transformation

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | 

neither calm nor quiet: Virgil's first voyage back on land in years starts off no-good and swiftly takes a turn for the horrible. 

After being 'rescued' by a local columnist, however, he finds the beginning of something not-entirely-awful. Prompt: Caught in a Net 

AO3 Link | Story

you cant go back: Abandoned by his crewmates, Virgil finds himself stranded on one of the most famous and bloodthirsty deathworlds out there: Earth. 

Meanwhile, Roman finds an alien in his barn. Prompt: Locked Up and Left Behind

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 |

in sickness and in health: Virgil is a borrower, which means that he already has plenty of work to do in his day to day life. He could wish for a lot of things to make life easier: better heating, a less clumsy human neighbor, another borrower living nearby to talk to.

He distinctly didn’t wish for the human that lives next to his walls to get horribly sick and refuse to tell anyone, but it happened anyways.

Virgil is the only one around who could possibly help. And really, what are the odds that a deeply-feverish human will remember him? Prompt: Hiding an Illness

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | 

nothing in this world (i wouldn’t do): The first thing Virgil felt when he woke up was hunger.

It was like a gnawing pit in his stomach, deep and painful. The hunger was useful, informative— it told him how weak he was.

Something else, a shivering primal thing in the back of his mind, told him how dangerous being weak was.

or

A lot of things change when Virgil becomes a demon. His utter refusal to ever hurt his brother is not one of them. Prompt: Self Loathing

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 |

down that desolate road: He’d only turned away for a moment. There had been a distant sound, like something scraping harshly against rock, and Virgil was chronically incapable of ignoring weird noises, so he’d paused to listen. When he’d turned back, the others had vanished, leaving him alone in the center of a maze of caverns. All he’d heard when he called was his own voice, echoing back to him eerily.

or

Everything falls apart around him. Virgil is going to fix it, even if it takes everything he has in the process. Prompt: Ambush

AO3 Link | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | 

October 2019 G/T Prompts [List] 

Day 1: Fear / Day 2: Cage / Day 3: Outside / Day 4: Moon / Day 5: Rat / Day 6: Pocket / Day 7: Fairytale / Day 8: Switched / Day 9: Alone / Day 10: Broken / Day 11: Underwater / Day 12: Giant / Day 13: Shake / Day 14: Pet / Day 15: Control / Day 16: Alien / Day 17: Roasted / Day 18: Fang / Day 19: Trap / Day 20: Grow / Day 21: Bean / Day 22: Candy / Day 24: Blood / Day 25: Hiding / Day 26: Doll / 

February 2020 Prompts [List]

Day 1: Ideal / Day 2: Deaf / 

Flash Fiction Prompts: 

Bond / Switched... 2! / Mend / 

#masterpost #sanders sides #g/t #giant/tiny #writing #my writing #ill link this post in my desc for ease of access #hope this helps anyone looking for stories of mine! #updated: 9/13/21

[ohnomybreadsticks]

Okay so the wonderful @jaskiersvalley got so excited about my little Eskel/Lambert/Cahir merm AU that they have me writing more!! Thanks for always being an inspiration, this one’s for you <3 

This part is set before Part 1!

Rating: T, ~1.5K, Eskel/Lambert

Lambert had always liked the ocean. There was something exciting about it, the endless expanse of blue waves and the smell of salt. Never silent, constantly moving. He figured Geralt would like the ocean too, but he was off somewhere in the middle of the country, driving that stupid truck of his. Occasionally he imagined sending Geralt a postcard that just said ‘maybe you should go look at some waves and calm down bitch’, but he didn’t underestimate the man’s ability to hunt him down and beat him about the head for that. Lambert, unlike Geralt, didn’t like sleeping in a truck, he liked to have at least a shitty bed when he laid down for the night. Instead of drifting along the roads, he drifted from town to town.

This town was nice in that it was quiet and it took about five minutes to get to the ocean from his job. Which was really all Lambert needed. He wouldn’t be here for too long, so he was going to enjoy the coast while he could. No matter how nice a place was, he couldn’t stay put for too long. That just wasn’t his lot in life, to settle down and carve out a home for himself. Nah, guys like him and Geralt, they didn’t do that. Instead, Lambert rented a little apartment close to the docks and enjoyed his days out in the sun and the wind, breathing in the smell of the ocean. 

Sometimes, Lambert got a day off and could actually afford to take it. They were rare, but he always treasured them when he had the chance. He always spent them on the beach, but not the shitty touristy parts. No, he’d trek out from the docks and down to the secluded parts that were still close enough that you could hear the sound of metal clanging and people yelling. Tourists didn’t like these parts of the beach, but Lambert didn’t give a shit. The sand was still sand, the water just as wet. And there was the added benefit of not having to listen to screaming kids and yelling parents. 

Lambert would lay on the beach and nap, or just stare up at the sky, or he’d swim out and paddle around in the shallows. He wasn’t stupid enough to swim out too far when he was alone like this - he was a good swimmer but he knew the ocean was treacherous. He stayed just close enough to the shore that the currents couldn’t pull him out and under, but far enough that he could float comfortably and not just end up back on the beach. 

When it came to floating, sometimes Lambert liked to switch things up and do a dead man’s float. It was dumb, sure, but when he was face down in the water and holding his breath against the cold chill he felt more alive than ever. Rolling over to face the sky, coming up gasping for air, it reminded him that he was winning. A little stupid, sure, but there was no one here to tell him that. No hands coming out of nowhere to cuff him on the back of the neck or flick at his ears, no over-exaggerated sighs at his ‘antics’.

At least, that’s what he thought. Lambert was minding his own business, floating face down, when out of nowhere there were strong arms wrapping around his waist and pulling him in what appeared to be a random direction. Naturally, Lambert took umbrage with this, flailing and instinctively yelling out in anger, which only filled his mouth with seawater. Faster than should have been possible he found himself flung onto the sand, landing with a wet thud. He was cursing up a storm in between coughing up water, frantically wiping at his eyes so he could get them open to see who had attacked him. If this was Geralt’s way of surprising him he was going to kick his ass --

“Oh fuck. You’re beautiful.” were the first words out of Lambert’s mouth as he looked up at the man above him. Brilliant amber eyes set deep beneath brows that were creased with worry, old scars stretching across the whole right side of his face, loose strands of wet black hair hanging down across his forehead, chapped lips that looked nonetheless extremely inviting...for Lambert, it was love at first sight. Maybe he was a little waterlogged, but he was sticking to his guns on this one. This was no hallucination brought on by lack of oxygen, no way.

The compliment seemed to have a negative effect on the man, as his frown deepened and he leaned in closer, one calloused hand patting at Lambert’s check and settling on his throat to check his pulse. He still hadn’t spoken, so Lambert decided he needed to try again.

“Why’d you grab me? I mean, not that I don’t appreciate the interest, but that scared the shit out of me.” He said, trying a half smile that quirked his mouth up just on one side, “I’m not mad, promise.” Maybe that was why tall, dark, and handsome hadn’t spoken yet, he was worried about Lambert yelling at him or something. He had been doing a lot of cursing on the way over to the beach, but now he wasn’t sure he could physically be mad at someone who was so pretty and so clearly worried about him for some reason.

“Thought you were drowning.” The man finally said, clearing his throat and speaking in a voice that was all rough grumble with no venom behind it. “Sorry, shouldn’t have gotten involved.” He added, already pulling away and making as if to turn back into the ocean. Lambert sat up as quickly as he could, grabbing at the man’s shoulder to hold him back, and suddenly saw the rest of him. The angle of their first meeting meant Lambert had gotten a great view of his face and muscular chest, but had somehow missed the bottom half. And the bottom half was, well, it was a treat on the eyes.

No, it wasn’t that he was naked (wait, was he?) or wearing a particularly hot set of swim trunks. From the hips down, this man had a fish tail instead of legs. And not just any fish tail, but a tail covered in gorgeous silver scales, strong and sleek and dotted with scars just like his face. Also incredibly gorgeous, in Lambert’s humble opinion.

“Oh shit, you’re a, uh, mermaid. Merman. Mer...person?” Lambert tried a few different words in an attempt to not immediately offend, his brain not exactly firing on all cylinders right now thanks to how busy it was being enamored. “Merman.” The man corrected with a sigh that sounded very long suffering, “And please don’t freak out. I’m leaving now, you can just pretend this never happened, or you got sunstroke and imagined it.”

Lambert tightened his grip, shaking his head firmly. “No fucking way am I forgetting this. And I definitely want to see you again. You can’t just save me and then swim away like nothing happened.” Ignoring the fact that he hadn’t been drowning, because he was just going to thank whatever lucky stars had led them to meeting.

“What?” The merman asked, sounding like now he thought Lambert had sunstroke.

“I want to see you again. Or talk now. Or both, really.” Lambert insisted again, holding out his free hand, “I’m Lambert, by the way. So we can be properly introduced.”

Hesitantly, the merman took Lambert’s hand in his own, the grip firm but brief before he pulled away again. “Eskel.” He said with a little nod.

“Great! Eskel, it’s fantastic to meet you” Lambert said with a smile, squeezing his shoulder, “So what do you say? Is it a date?”

The shocked expression on Eskel’s face made him look even more cute, in Lambert’s opinion. “A what?! You want to go on a date with a mythical creature you just met? Are you mad?” He spluttered, gesturing at himself as if Lambert couldn’t see just what he was getting into. Like Lambert wasn’t going to be interested in the obviously kind-hearted gorgeous man sitting in front of him, tail or no tail.

Laughing, Lambert retorted “No, I want to go on a date with Eskel. The person who tried to save a random stranger when he thought I was drowning. Who’s also very attractive, which is a big big bonus.” Eskel’s mouth closed with a snap and...was that a tiny hint of a flush across his cheeks? Hard to tell, because he turned his head away so that Lambert couldn’t investigate further. 

“Sure. I guess.” Eskel mumbled, and Lambert let out a triumphant whoop, raising both hands in the air in victory. This, of course, freed Eskel to retreat into the ocean, a blur of silver and black and a flurry of saltwater splashing back onto Lambert. 

“This beach, tomorrow! Noon for lunch!” Lambert called after him with a grin, absolutely sure he had been heard. Why else would Eskel have flashed his tail up over the waves one last time before disappearing? 

It was a date.

#Witcher #the witcher #lambert/eskel #eskel/lambert #Lambert #Eskel #bready's fic

[epicstuckyficrecs]

July 15th-21st

Under a Read More this week because it’s pretty long! I also added a new “re-read” category! :)

You can find my other Weekly Recaps here!

Complete

The First Breaking Point by justanotherStonyfan/ @justanotherstonyfan  (Shrunkyclunks, future AU | 20K | Mature): There are cameras, because there always have been, but seeing it in person is far more arresting, watching Steve prepare to deliberately talk about it is different. “Eleven years ago,” Steve says, and James remembers it - James was eight years old, “in the winter of 2015, I had what the media now commonly refers to as a breakdown.” (💙 Part 26 of Honey Honey)

The Most Wonderful Time by justanotherStonyfan/ @justanotherstonyfan (Shrunkyclunks, future AU | 42K | Explicit): Everybody tears into their wrapping paper - actually, that’s not true. James’ whole family aside from Chip is, much like Steve, a family of pickers. Anthea, and Becca, and James all open their gifts by carefully peeling the tape back and removing the paper like sleeves. “Huh,” Steve says, and does the same because he always has with fancy paper. He and Buck used to wrap with newspaper if they could afford gifts at all. On the rare occasions they managed brown paper, Steve treated it like gold leaf. (💙 Part 27 of Honey Honey)

Truth in Fiction by dixons_mama (Evanstan RPF | 4K | Explicit): Chris has just received the new Avengers script, and Steve is going to kiss Bucky. Considering Chris has been in love with Sebastian for nearly a decade, he should be excited, but this isn't exactly how he'd (often) imagined it happening.

where women glow and men plunder by rohkeutta/ @rohkeutta (Modern AU, Australia | 3K | Mature): When the snake doesn't show any signs of leaving in a few more minutes, Steve grudgingly goes inside to retrieve his phone and the post-it with James’s number. Not ten minutes later, there’s the clatter of skateboard wheels against pavement, and then the most beautiful man Steve has ever seen rolls onto the driveway, like some absurdly stunning Australian reincarnation of Napoleon riding on a longboard to conquer Steve’s Bavarian body. 

💙 tiny cities made of ashes by mambo/ @whtaft (canon divergent | 4K | Mature): Their plan has three parts: disable Bucky's kill triggers, find a ship, and leave the planet. So they go to New York to find someone who can help them with step one. (💙 Part 3 of child of thanos)

good news for people who love bad news by mambo/ @whtaft (Canon divergent | 1,8K | Explicit | Warnings: Violence, MCD): Before they leave the planet, the Captain has an errand to run. (💙 Part 5 of child of thanos)

💙 Fraternizing With the Enemy by AidaRonan (University AU | 7K | Explicit): Steve and Bucky are both the presidents of their respective fraternities. Steve thinks Bucky's frat is filled with selfish party animals who care about little else. Bucky thinks Steve is a giant pretentious douchebag who owns too many Lacoste polos. They hate each other. Passionately. Until they don't.

Drive by AidaRonan (PWP | 3,2K | Explicit): Steve and Bucky are hanging out at Carol and Maria's when the thirst hits. Or sometimes you lay eyes on a super-muscular Carol Danvers and it ruins your life.

Fists and Honey by AidaRonan (Canon | 3,6K | Teen): "When did you know?" Sam asks Bucky, sending him back to 1938 and the feeling of Steve's lips on the back of his neck.

My anaconda don't want done unless you got scones hun by AidaRonan (Shrunkyclunks | 3,6K | Mature): The barista's latte art doesn't quite go as planned. Given the day Steve's been having, it kinda figures.

What Colors Would I Be? by AidaRonan (PWP | 2,8K | Explicit): On a too-hot summer day, Steve finally puts the moves on his gorgeous landscaper. The landscaper doesn't mind.

Two Strays in Bucharest by AidaRonan (Post/WS | 1,6K | General): He hears the cry from a mile away. Desperate and high and wailing. He’s drawn to it like a moth to a lit match, his boots turning to follow before he can even think to question why.

la vie en rose by mcwho (PWP | 1,4K | Explicit): Steve bends Bucky over the marble bathroom sink of Casa de L’Amour right before their starter salad.

💙 Covet Thy Neighbor's Towel by dixons_mama (PWP | 2,3K | Explicit): After stumbling upon his nearly naked neighbor, Bucky decides he's never needed to be fucked so badly in his life.

My Boyfriend Calls Me Daddy, Too by cydonic (Modern AU, Parent!Steve | 5K | Explicit): As a father, you get used to being called Daddy. Just not by your boyfriend. (sequel to Home Is Wherever I'm With You)

WIP

💙 This Side of the Blue by notlucy/ @notlucy (Mermaid AU | 19/44 | 69K | Explicit): Tucked against a set of crumbling, stone steps was a tank made of metal and glass, filled to the brim with greenish water, distorted sunlight filtering through and casting strange shadows. Playing tricks on the eye. A trick was the only explanation for what Steve saw floating there. This figment of his childhood. This myth. This legend. Within the tank, the siren bared its teeth.

💙 come as you are by silentwalrus/ @silentwalrus1 (Post-WS AU | 25K | 3/? | Explicit): Steve comes back to the States. He pursues truth, justice and the American way. Bucky comes back too. He pursues inebriation and intercourse. (Part 3 of Bucky Barnes Gets His Groove Back & Other International Incidents)

Solitary by exclamation (Canon divergent | 33/? | 82K | Mature): The Winter Soldier has been a prisoner of SHIELD for about a year and a half, placed in solitary confinement under strict security when it was clear he wasn’t going to respond to the best interrogators and deprogrammers SHIELD had available. When Fury asks a newly awakened Steve Rogers to assist, Steve is hesitant. He doesn’t understand why Fury thinks he would have a better chance of getting through to this guy than all the people who have tried and failed.

💙 four dreams in a row where you were burned by voxofthevoid/ @voxofthevoid (canon divergent, post-Endgame, 1945 alternate timeline | 4/? | 21K | Explicit): When Steve uses the last of his Pym Particles to travel to 1944 and save his best friend, he doesn’t have a plan beyond leaving behind the battlefield and living his life alongside the people he loves.But the life that finds him is not the one he expects.

💙 Cause you can’t, you won't, and you don't stop by redhook (Modern AU, roommates, FWB | 1,9K | 1/? | Explicit): It isn't like they're actually fucking or anything. It's fine.

Cakes & Balances by mambo/ @whtaft (POTUS Steve | 8K | 4/? | Teen): It’s kind of hard to date the cute baker from down the street when you’re the President of the United States of America. But Steve Rogers will make it work.

💙 Like Real People Do by 2bestfriends (Shrunkyclunks, canon divergent post-Avengers | 6K | 1/10 | Explicit): Seven years into an isolated retirement after the Battle of New York, Steve has carved out a place for himself in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. He has a best friend (his dog, Lady), a frenemy (a local black bear named Rufus), and a cabin in the middle of the woods, an hour's drive from the nearest town. As November comes to a close, he heads into town to pick up supplies and ends up with a stowaway.

Re-read

Too Long We Have Tarried by kototyph (Post-WS | 19K | Explicit): Bucky picks up the ring and holds it between them. “Steven Grant Rogers,” he says solemnly. “Will you marry me?”

💙 Say it louder for the people in the back by redhook (Modern AU, sex worker Steve | 14K | Explicit): Steve operates a glory hole. One of his regulars starts to get under his skin.

#stucky #stucky fic #stucky fanfic #stucky fanfiction #stucky fic rec #weekly recap

[cyanogastra]

drowning in the depths of you (don’t save me)

[modern fantasy + mermaid guan shan AU]

Chapters: 1 | 2 | Read on: AO3

Chapter 3: A Glimpse

Guan Shan escapes a near kidnapping. 

A/N:

Again, I apologize for inaccuracies. One thing I just realized was that Mandarin names are different from Cantonese names! *facepalm* This makes the characters' names factually incorrect since their names are read/written in Mandarin whilst the context of this work is set in Hong Kong...wherein 90% of the people speak Cantonese as their first language. Welp.

(I learned this because Lucas from WayV had two names. )

Apparently if you convert He Tian and Guan Shan's names into Cantonese you'll end up getting "Ho Tin" for HT, and "Mok Gwaan Saan" for MGS. Sounds pretty similar. ( And by extension, Jian Yi would be "Gin Yat", and Zhan Zheng Xi would be "Jin Jeng Hei". The more you know.)

Again, this story is not meant to emulate the exactness of reality. More than anything, I want you guys to enjoy as I try to give life to Old Xian's beloved characters. Enjoy this chapter!’

---

He hears the slam of his back on the wall before he feels the full brunt of the force.

'Fuck!' Panic immediately sets Guan Shan's gut, his vision blacking out momentarily from the sudden impact. He forces his eyes open and sees two masked men, one of whom was currently holding him up by the collar.

He snarls and knees the man’s gut, sending him backward. The man yowls and curls in on himself, failing to expect the quick response.

The other man was quick to act. His burly arms almost trap Guan Shan. The escapes only by a hair’s breadth, managing to side-step away at the last second. He pivots and lands a kick on the man’s side, putting him off balance.

The previous attacker recovers quickly, yanking Guan Shan's shoulder with a strong arm. Guan Shan ducks, pulling the man's arm to his front as he uses the man's momentum to swing him forward over his back. The other attacker uses that moment to charge at him with astonishing speed, caging Guan Shan's lithe frame with a grunt.

He’s violently pushed back, the concrete wall colliding with his back once again. A large hand wrapped around his throat in a vice grip. His hands fly up to pry the stocky fingers off to no avail.

“You shouldn’t have done that, cheeky little fucker.” The man growls at his face. Guan Shan glares back even under the crushing weight on his windpipe.

He hears the sound of an engine from nearby. From the corner of his eye he sees a black van pull up at the end of the alley.

His blood runs cold at the realization.

‘No! Shit—motherfucking—no!’

His mind races frantically, thrashing under the man’s grip. He’s no idiot, he knows exactly what the van was meant for.

“Easy, easy.” The man warns, grunting in pain as Guan Shan’s foot collides with his shin, the blows not really leaving much damage now that he’s pinned down helplessly. He shoots his arm out as he claws on the masked man's face, fingers grasping at nothing as the man moves out of reach.

"Feisty little thing, you never know when to give up don't you?" The hand at his throat grips tighter still. Guan Shan's eyes pinch from the pain.

“Hurry it up, we need to know if he’s the real deal.” The man holding Guan Shan down hisses to the other.

Black spots form on Guan Shan’s vision as the lack of oxygen goes to his head, his movements starting to wane in strength. He feels the touch of cool air on his torso. With a jolt he realizes that the other man had come forward to raise his shirt all the way up to his shoulder, exposing his sealed gills.

‘No…dammit…not like this…’ He grits his teeth, unable to hide himself from their raking gaze.

The man holding him down whistles. “Will you look at that?” He says, as if amazed.

“To think we actually found one." The other remarks, eyes greedily taking up the inhuman aspects on Guan Shan's body— the gills at his side and the patches of red scales on his hips, partially hidden behind the waistband of his sweatpants.

He feels the heat of the man's breath through the mask as he inches closer. "Will you spill a few tears for us? Hm? Give us one or two of those pearls before we hand you over to dons."

Guan Shan hates what he hears, the words affecting so much it makes him nauseous. ‘Fucking pieces of shit…I'll kill you...’. He swears as he clutches weakly at the man’s wrist, blunt nails sliding over rough skin.

He hears the sound of a plastic ripping and the touch of a needle on his arm. He chokes out a cry, eyes wide as his senses become overridden with instant fear. On the man’s hand was a syringe, its contents mere seconds away from entering his bloodstream.

He closes his eyes, readying himself for the worst.

It doesn’t come.

The sound of new footsteps echo through the alley, coming closer and closer at a swift pace. The two men in front of him freeze, turning to the sound.

“Shit!” One of them exclaims.

Guan Shan’s legs give out as he’s suddenly dropped, knees hitting the pavement hard. The two men run towards the van, the engine speeding off the moment they entered.

He clutches at his throat, back bowed as his breaths come in and out of his mouth in desperate huffs. He feels his eyes water as he heaved, from the pain, fear, shock— all at once.

Briefly, he registers the new presence. He turns his head to the newcomer’s direction, his vision clearing as he inhaled mouthfuls of air.

His eyes meet grey.

"Hey."

He recognizes him immediately.

“Are you all right, Red?” He Tian calls out to him softly, kneeling beside him.

Guan Shan can't help the surge of relief throughout his body. Without realizing it, he reaches out a trembling hand towards the other man. He Tian accepts it carefully, holding it close to his chest.

"Slow and steady, Red." He Tian tells him, his other hand reaching forward to rest on Guan Shan's shoulder.

He closes his eyes, trying to breathe in the manner  He Tian instructed him to do. With slow but deep breaths, he tries to calm the rapid beating of his heart.

His breathing slows down considerably. With gentle hands, He Tian cradles his face. He looks at Guan Shan with a worried expression, grey eyes cloudy with concern. Guan Shan doesn’t act like it, but his eyes are blown wide with shock.

“I’m f-fine now.” Guan Shan replies shakily, lips quivering. He Tian angles his head to get a better look on his neck. His brows furrow as he surveys the quickly reddening finger-shaped marks.

“You're hurt.” He says lowly, caressing the skin on his jugular with his thumb. Guan Shan shivers under his heavy gaze.

“It's no matter, they didn’t injure me or a-anything.” Guan Shan breathes out, but He Tian is unconvinced.

‘It could have been much worse…’ Guan Shan thinks, mind conjuring up images of what could have been.

It takes several moments for him to completely catch his breath. He Tian waits patiently, one hand leaving his cheek to rub soothingly at his shoulder.

Finally Guan Shan's breathing evens out.  He moves to stand, his legs not quite steady which makes him wobble for a split second. He Tian supports him, one hand on the small of his back.

“Come on, let's get in the car.” He Tian tells him softly. Guan Shan nods, thankful.

On the passenger seat he attempts to fully compose himself, his hands still shaking with small tremors. He leans back and clutches his sides, his brain still in overdrive from the incident that happened just minutes ago.

His eyes move over to He Tian who was still outside, talking with his phone on his ear. Guan Shan tries to pick up a few of his words, then realizes that the other man was currently reporting the incident to the local authorities.

He sighs, eyes closed. They almost had him. The syringe, whatever that was supposed to be, had nearly pierced through his skin. He guesses it was supposed to incapacitate him further, making easy for them to drag him to the black van then brought to god knows where.

What terrified him though was the fact that they knew about him. 'We need to know if he's the real deal.' He recalls, the masked man speaking as if Guan Shan already been considered prior to the near abduction.

His stomach lurches at the realization that he may have been watched.

His eyes open to find He Tian looking at him from outside the car. ‘Shit, what the hell am I supposed to tell him?’ Guan Shan worries suddenly, only realizing that the other man will be inclined to ask him about what happened. If He Tian asks, he can’t tell him that the masked men had attempted to kidnap him because that would lead to another why?  

And Guan Shan can't answer that with ignorance. Anyone could easily see through that.

He runs his hands on his sides over the fabric of his shirt, feeling the depressions formed by his gills.

‘He can’t know.’ Guan Shan decides, resolute even in the haze of his disconcerted mind.

He Tian finishes the call and makes his way over to the driver’s side, entering the car with smooth ease. He faces Guan Shan who was already looking at him.

“He Tian.” Guan Shan voices out, voice barely above a whisper. The other man looks at him imploringly.

The gravity of the words stalls him abruptly.

“He Tian, I…” Guan Shan swallows, trying again, his throat drying from what he wanted to say. He looks down on his lap and wrings his hands together.

He Tian holds one hand out, seeking. Guan Shan slowly places his on top, fingers cold against the warmth of the other man's palm. He Tian intertwines their fingers together.

“Let’s get you home.” Guan Shan nods, swallowing his words.

The drive was quick, the silence broken only occasionally as Guan Shan points out the way. He Tian doesn’t pry at all, only glancing at Guan Shan through the mirror. That relieves him greatly.

He Tian doesn't say anything, but Guan Shan can tell that he was worked up too. Jaw clenched, his other hand gripping tight on the steering wheel.

'He must be angry.' Guan Shan thinks to himself. He knows it's not for him, but still he feels bad. He never wanted that to happen.

They reach his house within a couple of minutes, the night sky having darkened enough considerably for the streetlamps to light up. The car’s engine whirs lowly in the background.

Guan Shan takes a deep breath, having already practiced the phrase in his head many times.

“Thank you.” His words shift the air. He Tian shakes his head.

“I owe you my life.” Guan Shan continues. He tells He Tian that because it's true.

He Tian turns to look at him, his grey eyes soft. “You don’t have to thank me. I’d do it again and again if I have to.” He replies, not missing a beat. He gives Guan Shan’s hand a slight squeeze.

Guan Shan doesn’t know what to say, taken aback with the earnestness in He Tian’s words. He watches as He Tian brings his hand up.

His eyes widen, feeling the warm press of He Tian’s lips on his skin. The back of his hand tingles from the moisture.

His cheeks heat up from the chaste kiss.

His heart thrums slow and steady, whole body warming up just from a single touch of a mouth on his hand. “You don’t owe me anything either.” He Tian reassures, eyes staring straight at him from behind their intertwined fingers. Guan Shan breathes out a shaky sigh and nods. He doesn't agree with what the other man said, but he supposes there was no need to argue. Not now, at least.

They stay like that for a few more seconds until Guan Shan slowly pulls his hand away. He Tian lets it go without complaint. Guan Shan opens the door and steps a foot out awkwardly.

“I’m off now.” He mumbles out, eyes shying away. He Tian hums an affirmation. Guan Shan gets out, looking over his shoulder once before proceeding to walk up the metal stairs. He hears the sound of He Tian's car as he drives away.

He unlocks the door, relieved to see the lights closed. His mother has already retreated to her room. He barely registers what happens next, dropping his hoodie on the couch, washing up in the bath, changing his clothes.

He settles on his bed, body heavy with exhaustion. His mind was likewise a puddle of everything at once. He Tian’s true background, the sinister white-haired man back at the restaurant, a near kidnapping. The day had certainly felt like forever.

He falls asleep within the minute, still feeling warm.

---

A devastating murder rattled Kowloon City 13 years ago.

The sound of gunshots disturbed the night, alerting the residents in the neighborhood. The sound had come from an apartment where authorities found the lifeless body of a man and an unconscious woman. The murder of the man had been particularly brutal according to the report, the man having sustained three gunshot wounds— one to the shoulder, another to the chest, and the last one to the head.

They were surprised, however, by the presence of a child just under the table, a few feet from where the woman lied on the floor. Completely unharmed, but in great distress.

The individuals involved had been identified to be a family of creatures, although their exact identities were never released to the media. Unfortunately, the succeeding investigations failed to shed light on the perpetrators as the authorities were unable to find any credible evidence to incriminate any of the suspects. The case was ultimately ruled out to be a violent house break-in of an attempted robbery.

Guan Shan calls bullshit.

For the longest time, he could not bear to accept the results of the investigation. The truth behind that night had consumed him with anger for as long as he could remember.

He remembers the memory very clearly. Peeking underneath the tablecloth, hot tears running down his cheeks as he clamped his own hands to his mouth, muffling his terrified cries.

That was no house break-in. That had been an attempt to seize their family into the ring.

A gunshot, the splatter of blood on the floor, the horrified wail of his mother. A blow, and the heavy thump of her body falling on the floor. The final struggle of his father before a second gunshot hit him fatally. The step of a boot on his father’s chest, death apparent as the mouth of the gun pointed at his face.

The last gun shot rang through the air, rattling the walls and Guan Shan’s bones.

---

“Oh no, that’s unfortunate.” Xiu Hong’s speaks through the speakers of his phone. “Rest well okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks boss.”

“No worries dear.”

He presses the end call button and drops his phone at his side. He pulls the blankets up to his shoulders and leans back to the pillow. The thought of retracing his steps to the restaurant so soon makes his skin crawl.

He’s heard a lot of stories about what happens inside the rings. All sorts of inhumans like him, captured and never able to see the light of day, sold to dens for entertainment and pleasure or as personal properties. Not to mention the conditions of the very few creatures that were rescued— abused so severely they've lost all traces of sanity, as well as memory of their past lives.

It was barbaric how traffickers would tear them down, stealing them out of their houses or out open in the streets. And how authorities would turn their heads away, skirting around the issue if they could, so willing to let themselves get bought over by the blood-stained money of the triads. Guan Shan despises them all.

They've moved from their previous apartment since then, as if to get rid of the terror that happened that night.

The door to his bedroom opens. Guan Shan quickly lies back down, pulling up the blanket to his neck. His mother peeks her head in and gives him a gentle smile.

“Feeling better, baby?” His mother asks. Guan Shan nods. He told her earlier about how he was feeling unwell when she had come to his room to wake him up, thinking that he'd slept in late. She responded by giving him a pill of ibuprofen.

He stowed away in his drawer.

His mother crosses the threshold, a bowl of breakfast in her hand, the smell of eggs wafting the air. She leaves it on his nightstand and promptly sits beside him, running an affectionate hand on his hair.

She cups his face in both palms. “Don’t push yourself too hard okay? I know that you work hard and all, but you shouldn’t forget about resting.”

“Don’t worry Ma, I’ll be fine.” He tries to reassure her. Guilt settles on his chest for not telling the truth about last night. He can’t bear to shatter her heart.

("Shan...Shan..", he'd heard her once, just some months ago, sobbing frantically in the middle of the night as she opened the door to his bedroom. She thought he was asleep, head resting on an arm, chin tucked on the pillow he was holding to his chest. He heard her sigh, relieved to find him still on the bed and very much alive. )

She presses a kiss on his forehead. “If you say so.” She stands up then points to the bowl at his night stand. “Eat some food, okay?” Guan Shan nods once more, giving her a taut smile. She leaves shortly.

He sighs, angry at himself for having to lie, angry for being subjected into a reality he never wanted.

He turns to his side. On top of his night stand were the black earrings that He Tian gave him a week ago.

He tries to guess how much they cost, and wonders if his life had been sold at a higher or a lower price.

---

Somewhere in one of Hong Kong's high end districts, He Tian barely gets a wink of sleep.

The early morning sun's rays breach through the tall windows of his bedroom. He feels the heat touch his chest as he sat, back leaning against the headboard. Clutched between his fingers is a freshly lit cigarette.

He brings it to his mouth, inhaling slowly. The events from yesterday never leave his head.

He exhales, smoke dancing in front of his vision. He can't help but think about what would have happened had he been a second too late.

Guan Shan in danger, his own heart ramming so hard in his chest it felts like he would burst open. The hand prints on Guan Shan's neck, amber eyes blown wide with fear, the retreating backs of the masked men who fled as soon as they saw him.

He brings the stick between his lips again, the tip burning a bright orange as he breathed the nicotine to his lungs.

Perhaps the most unforgettable of them all, the very thing that disquieted He Tian the most—

The glimpse of a pale torso, and the presence of unmistakable slits on Guan Shan's sides.

A/N:

The plot thickens 8)

Chapter 4 won't be up in at least a week...pardon me (RIP). Anyways, one of the bumps I met while writing this was the hand-holding scene because I wasn't sure if you could hold hands while driving LMAO. Apparently you can, if your car is automatic which means there's no gear shifting involved. Let's just say that HT is driving something like a 2014 Porsche GT3.

Also I really need to get a beta-reader...message me, please? None of my friends read 19 days :( Maybe I need to reconsider my choices in life? jk

Chapter 4

#tianshan #19 days #mo guan shan #he tian #fic #19 days fic #19 days mermaid au

[mjwiththefangs]

Beautifully Deadly (NaLu) #6

Chapter 6

Vampire/Supernatural AU

Rating: M

Summary:  "Supposedly an entire kingdom disappeared when their queen went beyond the borders, remember?" When Natsu Dragneel leaves the kingdom to investigate mysterious disappearances, he finds a much bigger adventure than he was bargaining for, including a beautiful vampire hidden away in an ancient castle. She has little to say about her past, or why she's locked away. Who did this to her? What has she been feeding on? One thing Natsu knows for sure that she is dangerous... Could she have something to do with the disappearances? "I'm sorry, Natsu, but I'm just so thirsty."

Chapters: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7

Read it on: AO3 & FF.net

AN: Hello! so this chapter ended up being cut a bit short- just because there was too much I wanted to cram in and ended up deciding (to avoid waffling in this chapter!) that all the other things can wait until later. Thanks to that, this chapter is a little bit shorter than the last one! I hope you all still enjoy, and let me know what you think!

As always, shout out to my Betas @mannyegb and @bmarvels !

Review shoutouts! to: KatanaNoNeko, NaluGrey, KJacket, YunaYue, takeagamble27, MadisonMikazuki, Delightfulxxx, ChaosreigN 

Thank you!!

There are certain beings within this universe that choose to remain anonymous. Some have existed as long as time and fallen to obscurity.

One individual prefers to be this way, it makes his work much easier. It helps him avoid awkward situations. Before, when his existence had been caught wind of, he found himself approached with requests about fate. Some asked when their time would be, others asked what the cost would be to avoid ever meeting him again.

They called him Death. He was the very first Reaper. He had a name, reserved only for the few that truly piqued his interest. One such in particular was a blonde woman, tainted by a cursed existence which should not have been hers to bear. She had not sensed what he was, or maybe she just did not care.

He had been perplexed by her. His dark onyx eyes had observed her with curiosity. She had been in a rush, he had dryly joked 'in a rush to meet your death’. The woman had held his gaze with honey gold eyes, and for an instant, he felt that desire in her. That desire to escape.

So, he gave her aid. He pointed her in the direction of shelter. Offered her… provisions of a certain kind. She reluctantly accepted, though never asked where he had gotten them.

Now, he wondered how she was, his mind absently wandering. He had not felt the tug of her soul, beckoning him to take her to the other side. Perhaps she would still be in her shelter.

How long would she survive without feeding, he wondered. Would she ever truly understand what this fate was that had fallen upon her?

He recalled their last meeting, unbidden. She had stood before him, her fists trembling at her sides. Her eyes bleeding crimson, drowning in darkened shadows. She was desperate.

'Please.’

He understood what she was asking. He reached into his dark robes, presenting a pail to her. She took it with greedy hands.

'You should follow your heart’ his advice slipped out. She reminded him of another blonde he had known, so very long ago. The deep recesses of his heart ached at the sorrow and pain on her features. He could at least offer her some salvation. He decided then, as she met his gaze unafraid, to gift her his name.

'You can call me Zeref.’

.

Lucy began to descend the stairwell, intending to get a basin of clean water for the blue feline. The cat himself purred happily in her arms and rubbing his wet fur against her. She wrinkled her nose.

‘Just what kind of trouble did you get yourself into before finding me?’ She asked. He meowed at her again and raised his paw to lick it clean. He smelled bad. The odour from his cerulean fur was like putrid fish and pond-weed.

Lucy hoped that she still had some of her good soap leaves left over to cleanse his stench. She really did have to ponder what he had done to find himself so damp and smelly.

The small blue cat, however, was already plotting his next escapade with the strange fish lady.

.

Juvia, meanwhile, was not having such a good evening.

She had only returned to her waters the day prior, and the weather had been most unpleasant, though for once that was not by her doing. The dusklight earlier had been irresistible as it shone on the lake’s surface. She had indulged herself, lazily paddling and creating ripples across the surface, flicking her tail languidly to create waves. She had sighed, closing her eyes and floating through the water.

What she had not expected, however, was the almighty chomp of teeth on her teal-scaled tail. She had squawked her displeasure, her leisurely swim disrupted. Her eyes snapped open as her torso dropped below the surface, her perfect balance ruined. Her tail flailed ungracefully above water, the biter temporarily dislodged. She glared, bursting above the surface once more to give the cretin a piece of her mind!

She whipped her head around, azure locks flicking over her shoulder. She had heard what she swore was giggling above her. Her head snapped up. A blue-furred cat floated on fluffy white wings, he held paws over his mouth, his eyes were wide and watching her like she was his next meal.

‘I am not dinner!’ She exclaimed, her face burning red with anger. She yelped when the cat flew at her again with his mouth wide. The mermaid had ducked, and eyes flashing blue, heaved her tail, and hurled an enormous portion of water towards the cat instead.

That had been that. Her assailant had yowled his displeasure and shook out his wings before hissing and fleeing.

Now, Juvia remained sour-faced, floating on her back. There was a large crescent shape left behind on her otherwise pristine scales.

She sighed, still frustrated about having her pleasant night disrupted. Gazing at the darkening sky, she could see the waning crescent moon. Although not a full moon, it still entranced her. She felt eased into calmness and opened her mouth to sing.

Singing was always her solace when she felt upset. Tonight was no different.

Further away, unbeknown to Juvia, a man had caught a glimpse of blue descending the sky and grinned to himself. He had to be on the right track. He continued his course in the direction of the lake, frost crackling underfoot.

.

The Fire Dragon King was observing the Titania at work. He couldn't decide if he was watching meticulous planning or organised chaos unfold before him. But the distress on the Valkyries’ face was clear.

Gray had flown the coop. A day or two ago in fact. All of her plans had been thrown into disarray and she needed to reconvene. As such, her troops were stuck in limbo.

Erza had needed him here. Sure, part of it was to stop his magic destabilising further. But his command over ice would have been essential to protect the kingdom. She had to change her plans.

As such, before her stood Lyon Vastia and Ultear Milkovich. They were both close with Gray; Lyon had been apprenticed to Ur alongside him and Ultear was Ur's daughter. As such, the 3 of them were like family. They had certainly mourned for Ur together.

Erza studied the two of them carefully. Like Gray, they were gifted with the Ice Element. Lyon was a Yeti, his mop of snowy white hair and piercing eyes giving him away, despite using his magic to appear human-shaped. His ice magic worked with nature itself, allowing him to form ice that looked like other creatures and behaved as though alive. He had sought Ur out to train him to be stronger when he was just a small boy.

Her violet orbs drifted over to Ultear, who stood with a shoulder towards the Red-head. Her skin was pale, white enough to camouflage her with snow, if not for her ebony dark hair.

She was a rare creature known as a Yuki-Onna, a Snow Girl. She was usually a recluse, often omitting her presence at the castle in favour of the written word. She had always had a strong affinity with the Ice Element, her mother had been a Khione, daughter to the North Wind, and Deity of Snow.

Ultear's state of being was partially her inheritance of the ice element but she ultimately had her awakening as a Yuki-Onna after almost losing her life to the cold. As a young child, she had been foolish, venturing out into a snowstorm and had fallen dreadfully ill. Ur had used her powers, smiling as she accepted this fate, and taken the cold threatening her daughters’ life into her own body.

Ultear would always remember the dark-haired man, how he smiled gently at her, his presence ethereal, time stopping all around them both. The way his onyx eyes met her sadly, she was so young.

Then suddenly he was fading from view, time sluggishly restarting around her. He smiled at her again, this time with warmth. He turned away from her, leaving her arc of time as a parting gift.

She regained consciousness soon after to Ur’s loving smile, brushing the hair from her face. She understood years later her mother's sacrifice. By taking that cold into her body, it had slowly begun to freeze her from the inside. It seemed ironic, Ultear thought, that her mother was killed by the same element that she had mastered.

Her piercing crimson eyes opened, and she turned to face the armour-clad Valkyrie regarding her. She held the woman in high mutual respect and currently shared her irritation with a certain ice demon.

Ultear, temporarily foregoing her irritation, decided to get to the point, ‘What do you need me to do, Titania?’

Erza nodded, silently agreeing they could get mad at Gray later. ‘I normally wouldn’t ask this of you, Ultear. I know how you prefer your solitude, and your charms have always proved invaluable. But right now, I need you as close to the perimeter as possible. You have mastery over ice that we have not known since Ur was still with us. I need you to build ice walls if you see any hostiles approaching, and if you have to, freeze them with your ice, or Arc of Time. Just keep them out.’ Erza instructed and Ultear thought for a moment, before nodding once.

Erza turned to the sullen Yeti beside the Yuki-Onna. ‘Lyon.’ He made a noise, signalling she had his attention.

‘Your frozen beasts are perfect for patrolling. Keep them divided if you can manage, but position some at the weak points of the border, and reserve some for the palace.’

‘Yes, Captain.’ He said in a low voice and she dismissed them both with a smile of thanks.

Igneel still remained atop the stairs overlooking the exchange, his hands clasped behind his back. Deep lines of worry were drawn across his face. His ears twitched when he heard heavy footfalls approaching.

His features relaxed into a smirk, ‘Metallicana, It's not very often you join me up here.’ He turned towards his companion, holding out a hand in greeting.

Metallicana boomed a short laugh, clasping his hand warmly and slapping his shoulder. The man was decked out in studded leather, with several piercings adoring his features. He had salt-and-pepper coloured hair, which pointed wildly in several directions. He was a Dragon, similar to Igneel, but unlike him, Metallicana was not a pureblood nor a Drake.

‘Igneel! I wanted to make sure you were keeping busy!’ His voice was gravelly as he spoke, ‘I did wonder if you had any updates about my Son.’ he finished in a quieter voice.

Gajeel was still considered part of the nest, even though he had taken his Mother’s wolf heritage. The draconic blood in him was still prevalent in his unusual diet of raw iron.

Metallicana missed him dreadfully. He had also come to speak to Igneel to offer words of empathy. After all, Natsu had gone now too.

The Fire Dragon King sighed heavily. ‘I’m afraid not, old friend. I suppose Natsu wanted to go after him.’

The iron-studded man closed his eyes and sighed softly, musing. He squeezed Igneel’s shoulder in his hand and opened his eyes again to meet his gaze.

‘I am sure they’ll return when they’re ready. Though, that may take longer than either of us hope.’

Igneel nodded. They had to believe that.

His attention was stolen by insistent, frustrated mewling. He titled his head, searching for the cause of the noise. Metallicana raised a studded eyebrow, his features perplexed and leaned sideways to peer around the King.

A small white cat was hissing furiously, spitting and screeching as she leapt around one of the wagons. She batted and slashed her claws on the tarpaulin covering the cart.

Igneel watched the cat with knowing eyes, a feeling of conflict bubbling in his chest. He didn’t have long to ponder though, as Metallicana asked ‘Isn’t that Carla?’ rubbing his chin, ‘She’s always with Grandeeny’s daughter, Wendy, right?’

Igneel rumbled a ‘Yes’, under his breath, already moving to step towards the irritated cat. Carla was still hissing vehemently when Igneel reached her. The snowy cat startled, fluffy wings bursting from her back and she leapt upwards, turning to face him as she did.

Carla meowed loudly in his face and fluttered down, rubbing herself along his leg. He crouched to scratch her gently behind her ear, he flicked his gaze upwards to the cart.

‘You can come out now, Wendy.’

A small whine came from the back of the wagon and the tarpaulin shifted slightly. Shocking blue hair framed her face, large chocolate coloured eyes looking owlishly out at him. Carla yowled indignantly, Wendy raising a hand apologetically, silently begging her to be quiet.

Igneel kept his voice low, hoping to soothe the girl, ‘Your mother would be worried if she knew you were out here. She's making medical drafts with your Aunt Porlyusica. Why don’t you go find her? I'm sure they could use your help.’

She gnawed on her lower lip, briefly averting her gaze and glancing back at him, nodding shyly. He offered her his hand, helping her out the wagon.

The iron dragon watched with bemusement, catching the young girl’s eye when she was back on solid ground, chuckling as she flushed with embarrassment and jogged towards the castle, Carla hot on her heels.

‘She’s certainly free-spirited.’ Metallicana chuckled, his eyes following her retreating form. 'But then, Wyverns always are.’

Igneel cocked his head at the other man, and with a half-shrug responded with

‘They’re both still Draconic, and as such valuable to the nest’ he smiled and gestured towards Erza. 'I need to speak with her, but I shall meet you in the study after.’

Metallicana returned his smile, and with a nod and wave, he returned to the castle.

Igneel breathed deep, his attention turning towards the Valkyrie. He wanted to know her plan of action, and gift to her the lacrima he'd been holding onto.

It was a simplified communication lacrima, part of a pair, and could not be detected by other lacrimas of the same variety. The pair specialised in exchanging data on the others’ environments and the respective holder's thoughts and feelings, including magic energy transfers. Essentially, Igneel could scout and aid them from the castle.

He approached her and cleared his throat.

.

Elsewhere, Jellal was becoming anxious. He was sealed in a guest room at Avatar, and whilst he'd been told he could move freely, he knew that wasn't the case. His magic was pulsating within him, fluctuating with his temperament, and purposefully reminding those nearby of his power.

It was also acting as a sonar, alerting him who was in close proximity. He needed to concentrate. Jellal Perched himself on the bed, elbows on his knees, resting his chin behind interlaced fingers. He sought out the bond between him and Erza, the one created when he first began to watch over her as a guide; the same magical bond that altered dramatically when the two of them became lovers. It was like feeling along an invisible thread, and gazing through a keyhole at the other side. He could sense her alertness. Igneel had gifted her something, he noted, feeling the orb shape in her hands. She was tilting her head now, feeling him tugging on that thread. He could see her in his mind’s eye, fuzzy, but becoming clearer the more he focused on her.

Her beautiful scarlet hair whipped around her face, her sharp eyes scanning her immediate vicinity. He could have gazed into those pools of violet until the end of his days if she’d have only let him. Those eyes settled, seemingly meeting his own.

The Angel smiled softly at her, his fingers unconsciously moved to stroke her cheek, as if he were truly with her. Her own usually stern expression softened, his name falling from her lips.

‘I don’t have much time. You can find our location here.’

He had always found this method of communication unusual. It wasn’t quite telepathy. It was something akin to a data transfer, he supposed. He made sure she knew his location, how he’d found it and even the coordinates he’d memorised earlier.

Suddenly, his magic spiked violently. His image of her face rippled. She nodded in understanding. He wanted to reach for her. She knew. Instead, he simply whispered ‘I love you’ and abruptly severed their connection.

Mentally realigning himself always felt like awakening from a dream. It was disorienting to say the least. But Jellal was used to the strange sensation. His magic demanded attention for more urgent matters.

His cyan coloured eyes snapped open and swept to the door. His magic was reacting furiously. Someone was approaching. He tilted his head back, sitting up and straightening his shoulders. His eyes narrowed. He urged his magic into a calmer state. He allowed it to still spill from his person, as though it was lurking just beneath the surface.

Jellal could sense the approaching hostility. It seemed he’d failed to avoid raising suspicion. There was a knock on the door.0

#beautifully deadly #bd nalu #natsu dragneel #natsu x lucy #Nalu #nalu fanfiction #lucy heartfilia #ft nalu #vampire!lucy #MJ writes #otp #fanfiction #fanfic #jellal fernandes #jellal x erza #fairy tail jerza #erza scarlet #juvia locksar #igneel #metallicana #grandeeny #supernatural au