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chloe-spade · 2 years

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A Special Secret Chapter 5

----

"Are you sure this is a good morning activity?" Ace asked, looking at the beach. He watched the water go up and back.

"Scared, Crabby?" Floyd laughs, walking towards the beach. "This is how I spend my early morning. And you did ask me, so here we are!"

Ace gulps and looks over at the ocean.

"No...um..."

"Nope!!" Floyd picked up Ace over his shoulder. "Ready?"

With no answer, Floyd immediately rushed into the ocean, laughing.

Ace watches how Floyd began to swim around, swimming deep into the ocean. He looks around and sees all types of fish, from clownfish to huge manta rays. He was just in astonishment as he swam around.

"No wonder merpeople like the ocean more," he thought, "I can see it as a peaceful horizon. Or maybe a place of solitude."

Ace continues to follow Floyd around and arises to a pool, covered in rocks.

"A moon pool?" He looks around and watches Floyd rest against the sides with a smile.

"Sure is! It's one of the nearest ones here and home to a very old pod. But I haven't seen them in years."

"What's the thing about them?"

"If I can remember from merpeople school, the moon pools are sacred. It protects the mermaids from the outside when they have the chance. They can even use water to their advantage, like destroying a meteor..."

"Wow..."

"You should ask Azul or Jade if you need some more information." Floyd smiles. "But think is this as a safe place for you and the fishes!"

He dives down.

In his view, he saw a fin, not any he recognized swimming away, as Floyd got closer.

"Another merperson? Around here?" He mumbled.

-----

"And that's what he saw," Ace said, sitting down at his seat. "Nothing else."

"That must've been a big fish or another merperson," Deuce concluded, "but I don't know they are mers at these parts, other than us I suppose."

"It's not a bad thing," Yaz stated. "It must've been exciting to swim around this fish without care."

"I know. It's always so beautiful."

"Hey, guys." Jack greeted, sitting down.

"Hey, Jack. Sorry about scaring you yesterday," Deuce apologized. "We didn't plan for it to happen the way he did."

"It's alright,"

"No it's not.." muttered Epel, clearly upset.

"Epel," sighed Yaz. "How long are you going to be upset at us?"

"Just for a while. One for scaring us yesterday and for not trusting us to tell about your secret."

"You didn't want to tell us either," Ace reminded.

"It's called planning."

"Don't worry, I made something that'll earn your forgiveness." Yaz smiles.

"Can't wait to see what that's going to be."

Professor Trein walked inside, holding Lucius.

"Welcome students," welcomed Professor Trein," before we even begin, it's nice to know that we have a new student here today."

"A new student?" Ace wonders, among all the whispering around him.

"Yes, we do. May you be nice and let him introduce himself."

A small hand rises and a young boy smiles. "Hello," he greets," My name is Ortho Shroud, and I'm a new student here at Night Raven College. I do hope that I learn among my upperclassmen."

"Thank you for joining us, Ortho." Trein smiles and Lucius meows as he goes over to Ortho.

----

"So, Ortho," Ace said. "How's your experience here so far?" He looks to where Ortho is.

"Good. It was great hearing history lessons that I never heard of." He smiles.

"I'm glad," Deuce said. "Night Raven College is one huge school to even get into."

"I got in because I was called a child prodigy."

"Oh, sweet dude!" Jack said, "The teachers are going to adore you."

Ortho smiles. "Thank you. My big brother and I like it here. It's a good school."

"Wait, your last name Shroud? Then are you related to Idia Shroud?" Ace asked

"Yep! That's my big brother."

"Man, no one knows much about him, some make rumors whenever he's even around." Ace explains.

"Like?" Ortho asked, his voice dropping to a menacing tone.

"J-just a lot of stuff." Deuce stammered.

"Hmm, I see, but if someone does makes fun of my brother they're going to regret it..."

"Yeah, I don't want to know." Jack sighs. "How about you join us for lunch?"

"That's awesome! Thank you!" Ortho cheered.

The sounds of machines caught their attention as Ortho came down, in his high-tech wheelchair.

"Can we have a nice stroll in the hall?" He asked, smiling, "I want to get to know all of you individually."

"Of course," Yaz said, "By the way, I love your wheelchair."

"Thanks, my big brother made it for me. Isn't he an incredible inventor?"

Yaz smiles, "Seeing this, definitely."

"When's your next class?" Ace asked. "Maybe we can help you look for it along the way."

"I appreciate it, but Idia is helping me right now."

"Right now?"

"What about it?"

Ace jumped as Ortho's tablet beeped, and an icon was on the center.

"Is he video calling you?" Yaz asked in astonishment.

"I don't like going out by I have created a digital copy of the school so I can help Ortho around." He boasted. His voice was suddenly quiet. "Though...I do appreciate you inviting him to lunch."

"No problem, he's a student and a friend now." Ace laughs. "And he can ask us anything if you can't."

"H-Hey!? What does that mean!?"

-----

"Mwah-!? Hey! You said I was allowed to eat this today!" Grim protested as Yaz picks him up away from the apple pie being made.

"I made this as an apology for Epel, Grim, so we'll eat when he comes over." Yaz puts him down. "I worked hard on this with the apples he gives me."

Grim pouted.

"Man, that pie smells amazing!" Ace sighs.

"Whose it for?" Deuce asked.

"Epel, after what happened yesterday, I made an apology pie for him. I had help though."

"Did you ask Trey? He's an expert." Noted Ace.

"No, I didn't want to bother him at 3 am."

"3 am!?" Gasped Sebek. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Only 3 hours...but I'll be fine."

"Human! This is unhealthy! No matter why you should go to bed at a normal time."

"I know, Sebek, but this was important. I never saw Epel this mad at me before."

"I mean, we did disappear under their noses for a few hours." Ace chuckles. "I would've been mad too. Worried and mad."

"I knew I smelled apple pie," Jack answers by the hallway door.

Epel huffs a little and saw it. "Is this your way of apologizing?"

"You caught me." Yaz smiles.

Epel lets out a small smile. "You are forgiven."

"I see Ortho. Hey!" Ace called out. "Hey, Ortho! Over here!"

Ortho alerted by the call, looks over and waves as he rides over.

"Oh wow! This pie looks great!"

"Thanks, now, let's eat!"

Epel was doing his usual complaining about Pomefiore, but it was a normal occurrence so most listen and eat their lunch.

"Wow, I never really thought this is how to spend my experience at this school." Ortho mumbles.

"Oh, Ortho." Ace starts. "Many of us have flaws. These flaws are what makes us human and honestly funny."

"Oh, I know that, but it's just something I'm not used to. Being at a school I mean. I've been homeschooled by teachers my parents hired, so being with so many unfamiliar faces than my brother...it's making me nervous a bit."

"Hey, take it from someone who has been through it all. You may stand out at first, and that's completely normal. But, take a week and see how that changes. Like you and me, we have friends now."

"You guys consider me as a friend? We did just recently meet."

"Of course!" Epel said. "And you're cool."

Ortho blushes and giggles. "Thank you!"

---

"Alright, Pups! Remember these instructions," Crewel ordered as he lists the instructions down.

Ace groans as he begins to write everything down. "This will be impossible, and a bad idea."

"That's because you can barely remember the order most times." Yaz chuckles, taking the ingredients.

"Oh shut up." Ace pouted.

"I'm joking, Ace."

"No, you weren't."

"Of course, I wasn't."

Yaz looks around before lifting and morphing a water bubble over the cauldron.

Ace gasped and looks around to see if anyone noticed.

"What are you -!?" He gasped. "Someone will notice..!"

"Unless you want to fail this class, I suggest you shut up and practice the order."

Ace has a look of content as he begins to do so, with some trial and error. But he kept practicing as Yaz kept the bubble up.

"Yes! I got it, and no explosions."

"Woah! That's so cool!" Called Ortho, in his science wear, causing them to jump in place.

"How long as has he been there?" Yaz gasped.

"I don't know!"

Ortho giggles. "It's ok, I won't tell anyone about it. I think it's an interesting and safe way to experiment." He smiles.

"Thanks...?"

"Can I help?"

Ortho lifted his hands as the water began to solidify.

Ace and Yaz went dead silent as Ortho smiled and continue speaking.

"It's...." Yaz says, yet do to shock by what he just heard.

"A jelly-like texture," Othro stated, "that means you two are getting close to the final stage."

After a short while, it became a liquid again.

"How?" Ace asked. "How does that work unless you...you are?" He examined Ortho, circling him.

"Is it a problem?" Ortho's eyes became mischievous along with his smirk.

"You're being incredibly cheeky about it," Yaz mutters as he carefully lowers the water back into the cauldron.

"Sorry, but I never met anyone like me before! It's exciting!" He laughs. "How about we meet at the school pool late at night? Is that ok?"

"Just us?"

"Oh, I suppose if you know more, I'll happily meet them."

"That's good."

Once they left, they met up with Deuce.

"So, Deuce," Ace started."Ortho invited us to go somewhere to talk for a bit..."

-----

"You decide to use your powers in class?" Deuce groaned."Why? Why would you do that?"

"Well, it was for a practice but Ortho caught us.." Ace mumbles."At least it got me a A- on it."

"But you were caught, what if he tells?" Deuce asked, clearly panicking.

"If it makes you feel better, he seems to be one too," Yaz said,"and he's willing to talk to us later at the school pool. If you want to go."

Deuce sighs softly. "Fine, I'll go. However, I'll keep an eye out on if this is a trick. Cause I don't know if I could trust him, I mean....I trust Ortho but not his intentions."

"Well, to be expected." Ace shrugs. "But it may be just the two of you for now, I have a basketball game tonight."

"You have a game?"

"Yeah! So I'll be at the gym if you need me!" Ace walks away.

They watched Ace ran to the gym. Deuce couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities about tonight. He hates the thought of being caught and experimented. It scares him beyond end.

"I'm scared about tonight," Deuce looks over to Yaz,"If it is what Ortho says, he might have some knowledge we don't know about."

"We'll see."

#twisted wonderland #twst #ace trappola #deuce spade #twst mc #ortho shroud #epel felmier #jack howl #sebek zigvolt #h2o just add water #h2o au #yazari sinclair(oc)#yaz sinclair (oc)#a special secret

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ikkaku-of-heart · 1 year

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@cxnsolatio asked: ★: a strange/random dream

Dream drabbles! (No Longer Accepting)

It should have been horrifying, watching her own legs melt together and morph into a long, sleek shark tail before her eyes, but instead it felt right. Completely natural, just like being able to breathe underwater. Ikkaku’s curls floated gently around her face as she tested out her new appendage, the powerful fin cutting through the warm water like a hot knife through butter.

A hand touched her shoulder, and Ikkaku turned to greet a familiar face, black hair and eyes practically identical to her own. A beautiful woman with a shark-toothed smile that had always brought her such comfort floated before her, her own lower body also that of a great white shark.

“Hi, Grandma,” Ikkaku whispered, though her voice carried easily through the water.

Arashi smiled and took her hand, leading them both through the ocean depths. Schools of colorful fish swam about, darting to and fro in a beautiful mosaic. In the distance a whale sang an ethereal melody as it fed on krill and plankton, its movements unhurried and almost meditative. An eel poked its head out of some rocks to peer curiously at the mermaids before ducking back into its home. The manta rays above them seemed to be practically flying like birds just beneath the waves. It was all so otherworldly yet familiar, like coming home despite never having been there.

Perhaps what made it feel so comforting and homey was the simple fact that Arashi never let go of her hand. Her grandmother was with her, and nothing in this place was a threat to them. This beautiful underwater paradise recognized that they were the apex predators, Arashi was in her right mind, and nothing sought to spoil this moment of serenity.

Finally, they came to a silver statue of a giant turtle with a lighthouse on its back. A brilliant light glowed from within it, chasing away the shadows that attempted to creep into the ocean, and Ikkaku stared in wonder. Arashi was equally revenant, but bolder, letting go of Ikkaku’s hand to swim up to the top of the lighthouse, opening one of the crystal windows and reaching in, pulling out a handful of light. Cupping it gently, she returned to Ikkaku’s side and held it out for her to take.

“Are you sure?” Ikkaku asked, glancing at the turtle. The light within did not seem to have dimmed despite the withdrawal. It still shone bright and powerful, illuminating the sea and protecting those around it.

Arashi nodded, smiling with encouragement. Deciding this was the right thing to do, Ikkaku took the light and swallowed it, feeling a heat so intense it bordered on unpleasant before it settled behind her eyes and into her heart where it warmed her like one of her grandfather’s hugs.

Proud of her accomplishment, Arashi reached out and cupped her cheek. Her mouth opened to speak—

---

“Hey, Ikkaku, wake up,” Law said, shaking her shoulder gently.

“Nggggh,” the engineer groaned, opening one bleary eye to briefly glare at her captain. After all, that insomniac workaholic should know better than anyone just how precious good sleep was. But her ire faded as her mind was pushed further into the waking world. “Ah, right, sorry. Have we surfaced?”

“Yeah. We’re in Blackbeard’s territory though, so we’re not staying surfaced for long. Otherwise I’d let you catch a few more winks,” he stated, sounding nearly apologetic for interrupting her sleep.

Shaking her head, Ikkaku got up off the rec room couch, ready to head topside. It was important to get vitamin D and fresh air while she could. The doctor practically said so. “It’s alright. I can catch up on sleep later. Gotta get that sunlight in case the shadowy bastard decides to show his ugly face.”

“If he does, I’ll protect you,” her captain stated, holding out his hand. A blue glow surrounded them before they were teleported to the ship’s entrance, ready to face the outside world.

Remembering her dream, Ikkaku felt an odd heat and thrumming in her chest. If Blackbeard did attempt to challenge them, of course she had faith that Law could defeat him. But he didn’t have to do it alone.

After all, he had a Light Keeper by his side.

#cxnsolatio #Ask the Heart Engineer #Imaginative Blueprints (Drabble/Fanfic)#Oh Captain My Captain (Law)#Light Keeper (Old Ones)#Lady of the Light (Arashi)#(this could honestly have been a happy or strange dream but the ending part of it put it in the latter category)#(was fun to write regardless!)

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twistedmusings · 3 years

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I'm not going to request it now because requests are closed, but that Savanaclaw petting scenario was really cute and like,, Octavinelle petting and examining them

(,,• W •,,)

A/N: If you can pinpoint the exact moment I started to slowly doubt my writing ability and how to write these characters, I will give you, the reader, 100 points. Cause man this was rough to write when you have writer's block q wq But anyways, this was when my requests were closed BUT I WANTED TO COME THROUGH WITH IT! I would like to dedicate it to @kirayamidemon since I read their comic and it was...excellent.

But in other news, I found out that eels like to be petted!

Warnings: Eel petting, Octopus petting and all three Octavinelle members feeling a certain way when you finally give them those pats.

[Floyd-Senpai: Shrimpy~! Meet us in the mirror room tonight! Azul says he wants to give you something!]

Your eyes look down at your phone before pocketing it back into your jacket, taking another sip of the Coral Pink drink Floyd had made for you before you left Monstro Lounge as you reminisce back on the day you just had.

Today has been probably the most successful day the Monstro Lounge has had in a while. You had offered up the idea to Azul while you two walked to the cafeteria, mentioning touching a manta ray once and how you didn’t expect them to be so slimy. He had looked at you curiously and asked if you had just been a curious child when you were growing up, but you told him that you used to go to a lot of aquariums and how you would go straight to the petting exhibit.

And the moment you said petting exhibit, Azul already had cashed the idea in.

Aquariums had been placed elegantly among the tables of Monstro Lounge tonight. The smaller aquariums on the tables were closed lid, giving the customers a chance to enjoy the little ecosystems Jade had personally made for the creatures Azul had brought in while partaking in their drinks and meals. It made for a killer Magicam picture and Azul had predicted with Vil’s and Cater’s attendance the hashtag #MonstroLoungeExperience would be trending by the time they reached the dinner rush.

It trended faster than they thought.

Most foot traffic, however, came from the piece de resistance.

In the middle of the Lounge, a large aquarium had been placed at foot level where various customers could reach down and pet larger animals such as sting rays, sturgeon fish, starfishes and sea cucumbers. All of them with little placards stating fun facts as well as little sections with a bunch of coral that made for another perfect Magicam photo opportunity.

It had been an amazing experience and you felt like you had almost grown closer to the three Octavinelle students, which was always an ‘A+’ in your book.

You were pretty sure you saw Azul smiling from ear to ear by the time they closed and Floyd and Jade looked physically exhausted from having to deal with so many customers. They had been busy from opening to closing with no breaks in between so you figured that they would want to rest.

So getting a message from Floyd so late at night had been somewhat confusing.

But you didn’t question it, the fact that Azul wants to give you something making you ever so curious.

Who knows, maybe if the sea creatures were still around Azul could let you pet them some more?

Out of everyone you had probably been the most excited for the petting exhibit and you had given him the idea so the possibility of playing more with the starfishes and manta rays pushed you to move faster.

Finishing the last of your drink and throwing it away in the nearest trash can, you push open the doors to the mirror room with a smile--!

Only to find nobody.

“...huh.”

You look around, not daring to call out either of their names since, technically, you weren’t even supposed to be here. The only thing you could do was take a few steps further, looking around as you try to make some sense of the situation.

Why wouldn’t they meet you in Octavinelle? The Monstro Lounge was there, as well as all the creatures. Azul’s office was there as well so if he wanted to give you something he could have given it to you there, so why had Floyd asked to meet them in the Mirror room? You look around for a moment before frowning as the realization set in.

It was a prank.

“Dammit.”

Of course. Why would Floyd even act this nice towards you if it wasn’t to lull you into a false sense of security? The table you had sat in today had a beautiful aquarium with a bunch of little shrimps floating around and the mereel, more than once, had opened the lid and stuck his hand inside to grab one of the shrimps and hang it over his open mouth.

You thought he was just acting this way because he was stressed from working so much but he probably had just done it to tease you! With a huff, you pull out your phone and open up his contact number to give him a piece of your mind--!

“Aha! Shrimpy is here!”

Only to gag as the back of your jacket is grabbed by a slimy aquamarine hand, pulling you into the nearest mirror and leaving nothing but your phone laying on the ground.

Floyd’s hands pull you into a hug the moment you are pulled into the water, laughing as he sees you thrashing around and pulling at the arms keeping you pressed close to him.

“Ahhhh! Shrimpy stop moving!”

The mereel squeezes you tight, smiling as he looks down at the moment you realize who is holding you and what you are able to do.

He grins and wraps his tail around you, the fins brushing your fingertips as the shock slowly starts to die down and the curiosity starts to set in. Floyd’s eyes shine brighter under the sea, your hand going to your chest as you expected to drown immediately but finding it simple to breathe in and out.

“What--?!”

“Finally!”

“There we go~ Breathe in--”

You take a deep breath.

“And out~”

Your chest relaxes as Floyd giggles at how wide your eyes have gotten, letting you go with his arms but his tail wrapping around one of your legs and pulling you close to him once again. He smiles when your hands go up to inspect the fins on his ears but stop as if the situation was still highly unreal for you to believe.

He guessed humans rarely got to see the sea during the night, but he was glad he got to show you this sight. Even if it was Azul’s idea in the first place.

Looking around, you notice that you had been here before.

It was the Coral Sea.

You look back at the mereel as Floyd tilts his head at your confusion, smiling as he sees the shining in your eyes get brighter when you notice that the veins in his arms and the ones going up his neck are all shining in the moonlit water.

“Floyd…”

Ah. You really looked too cute. Especially when you were looking at him with so much wonder. Maybe he should just take you out further and hide near the corals, somewhere Jade nor Azul would look as he preens under your attention.

He blinks as you break out of the spell long enough to point a finger at him.

“You--! Why did you call me to the Mirror room so late! The last thing I need to do is get in trouble with the Headmaster!”

Floyd frowns, “You didn’t get in trouble! I pulled you when I heard your voice! Why didn’t you call out to me!”

“Because I couldn’t see tail nor fin of you!”

Both of you stop talking after your dumb joke, looking at each other with surprise before a giggle escapes your lips first, turning into a full blown laugh between you both as he takes your hand and presses it under the fins in his ears.

“Shrimpy was so mean today. Petting all those creatures and ignoring everything else. It made me want to eat all of them up.”

You smile and rub right under the juncture where fins meet skin, Floyd shivering as he pulls you closer to him.

“Eels don’t eat any invertebrates, right? You guys are mostly carnivores.”

He grins and gives you a small squeeze. You even knew of his diet? Why hadn’t you mentioned you knew some things about sea creatures. If you had, Floyd would have dragged you to the Coral Sea way before this! He smiles as your hands go all the way down to his neck, tracing each vein slowly but not going any further than his clavicle and choosing instead to run your fingers from his shoulder blades all the way to his Adam's apple.

“Shrimpy is being too shy. Here!”

You gasp as Floyd grabs your hand and helps you swim over to a pair of rocks, sitting you down on top as the bottom of his tail wrapped around your legs to keep you anchored. He laughs as he practically sits on you, choosing instead to lay the top half of his tail on your lap as you look down at the shiny, swishing fins.

“Now you can touch as much as you’d like!”

Floyd was ready to make a joke about how this would a much better petting experience for you but his eyes widen when he sees the wonder in yours, the smile in his face disappearing as he watches your fascination with his fins, running your fingers through his caudal fin and rubbing the edges with your hand. His hands twitch as you run yours up his tail, taking in the slimy but firm feeling before looking up at him and reaching out to cup his face with one hand.

He presses his cheek against your palm, smiling as you scratch right over his ear fin and almost jumping up from the rock as you start to rub the appendage.

“Shrimpy wait--”

Shit, he almost bit his tongue. He could barely look into your curious eyes as his heart sped up, the most sensitive area of his body being played and inspected with being a far too new feeling for him to just laugh it off.

Floyd bites his bottom lip as his tail squeezes your legs, closing his eyes as he felt several shivers go up his spine. It felt too good--

“Floyd?”

The mereel slowly comes down from the high as he glares at the intruder, clicking his tongue as he saw who it was.

A pair of identical eyes to Floyd’s turn in your direction, your hand pulling away from the other as you turned to greet Jade.

“You certainly took them farther than I thought you would.”

He chuckles as his brother turns away, clearly not wanting you to see the blush on his cheeks. Nevertheless, his attention immediately goes back to you, swimming over to your side and sitting on the opposite of where Floyd was situated.

“Did you have any troubles finding us?”

You shook your head, “Floyd grabbed me and pulled me in before I could leave.”

Jade nods and looks down at how Floyd had situated himself, a brief pang of jealousy overtaking him as he scoots closer, takes your hand and presses it on his chest. You immediately try to pull back but Jade’s eyes lid as he tugs you in closer, the veins in his chest shining even brighter than Floyd’s as he immediately feels you relax in his touch.

“Do you know what this is, [Y/N]-san?”

His eyes take their time to take in all of you as you nod your head, whispering the word ‘bioluminescence’ as Jade licks his lips.

How strange was it to see you so focused. Jade had taken his time during the lull of the Monstro Lounge hours to watch you near the petting tank, your fingers running over the manta rays and tapping at the carapaces of the horseshoe crabs. And like his brother he did feel a certain sort of jealousy for those creatures, but he also saw an opportunity.

An opportunity to get your guard down.

His eyes look over at Floyd, the other pouting as your fingers start to trace Jade’s chest all by themselves.

“Uhm--”

Jade’s attention goes back to you, “Yes?”

“I didn’t think that moray eels had bioluminescence.”

He smiles and takes your hand again, guiding it from the middle of his chest all the way to his cheek making sure that your fingers feel the light travel in his veins as you start to wriggle out of Floyd’s hold and into Jade’s.

“Our kind is a mixture of many eels types. While our exterior is that of a moray eel, our interior is also made up of certain eels that use this feature as a way to communicate with other animals, warn predators…”

The mereel decides to keep the ‘lure prey’ part out of his explanation.

Jade’s eyes immediately went to Floyd’s as the other was about to speak up, glaring at him to keep his mouth quiet for he had his turn. His eyes soften when they go back to you, your eyes still taking in all of the small trails of light decorating Jade’s body as your hands trace against the caudal fins on his arms.

They were rougher than the ones near their ears…

Slowly, your hands go to the fins on the side of Jade’s face, the mereel tensing up but keeping his eyes on you as you start to tug and rub at the appendages.

“[Y/N]-san…”

His nails scratch against the rocks as he feels your fingers trace every line they can find, his fins giving a little twitch as you push them back only to watch them slowly move back to their original spot. You had no idea what you were making him feel, what you probably made Floyd feel.

And if his dear brother wanted to keep it a secret, then he would keep his mouth shut as well.

Having someone touch them so freely, especially that area, was an act reserved for mates only. Even during courtship this was prohibited and if any other merperson happened to swim by it would be as if they just tumbled into the merman equivalent of someone shoving their fingers in between someone else’s legs.

But your curiosity was so endearing and Jade just couldn’t find it in himself to pull you away. In fact, that look of yours full of innocence and naivety was so cute that if he let his instincts run wild you would find yourself being dragged to the Leech's home--

“What--you two!”

His reason kicks back in as Jade smiles and turns to look at the new visitor.

The octomer’s face is bright red as he locks eyes with you, your hands letting go of Jade’s fins as he smiles and waves at Azul.

“I’m glad you decided to join us, Azul.”

He wants to say something about what the hell he just saw but he decides to save it, knowing full well that Jade nor Floyd were going to give him a straight answer. Instead, he decides to address you directly.

“Inferring from our conversation from early this morning as well as your actions during the Monstro Lounge opening hours, I figured you would like this sort of surprise."

He clears his throat, sneaking a peek at your face and quickly looking away as he saw your eyes staring straight at him.

Humans like you are still curious about the different types of merpeople, especially those like Jade and Floyd, so after much consideration I decided--”

"Azul, you're beautiful."

Oh no. He bit his tongue. Fuck, fuck, fuck he bit his tongue and now it hurts like a shell clamping down on his hand--why had you gone and say something like that so suddenly?!

"Excuse me?"

The spell Jade had you in was completely broken as you pulled out of the brother's hold and swam over to him, stopping when you noticed him backing away.

Azul stared at you and you stared back at him.

He couldn't help it. After all the things he had to deal with, it was hard enough for him to even appear in front of you like this. And it wasn't like he was doing it as a showing of any sort of affection towards you, he just didn't want to owe you any favours from the idea you had given him!

All he had to do was just...reach a tentacle out--

"Huh?"

Azul notices you swimming back a tiny bit, smiling at the tentacle shyly reaching out to you.

"You can turn back, you know. I don't want you to feel forced to do this."

You point at him, your eyes still wide with curiosity but keeping your distance.

"The fact that I get to see you like this is enough."

Azul can feel his heart skip a beat, tentacles unfurling even more as the need to hide melted away.

But...he owed you a favor...

"Honestly. Thank you so much Azul."

For the Sea Witch's sake, he really couldn't pin you down, could he?

The octomer swims over, floating right in front of you as one tentacle shyly brushes against your fingertips. They twitch in interest but you do not move, looking up at Azul expectantly.

You really were too nice for your own good, waiting for someone to give you the okay when he clearly wanted you to at least inspect that part of him.

"Go...go ahead."

Your touch is soft, pressing your hands right against his suckers and chuckling at the small noise they made as they attached themselves to your skin. Azul moves in a bit closer as some tentacles start wrapping around your ankles and wrists, his natural instincts taking over as his tentacles wrap around the person he really liked.

Well not like as in like like but a like he had yet to put a definition to. And it's not like it needed a definition, you certainly weren't asking him what sort of like it was and the thought of what kind of like it really was didn't keep him up at night at all.

"Oop!"

Azul almost wants to screech at the tentacle going in between your legs and hoisting you up, offering you a sort of makeshift seat as the other appendages start to press against your neck, leaving behind little sucker marks in their wake.

This situation was not only testing his boundaries but also his patience.

"I didn't think they would be so slippery...and so soft!"

Please don't look so curious about him! It's going to give him wild expectations!

The tip of a tentacle rubs against your cheek, Azul's face an almost red tomato as he hears you chuckle and push the appendage back but for some reason his tentacles weren't listening to him so the thing only pushed forward even more--

"Ah! No fair!"

Floyd comes up behind you, wrapping you up in a hug as he points a finger at Azul.

"No hogging Shrimpy to yourself!"

Azul swims back in alarm.

"I wasn't hogging anyone!"

Jade laughs as he swims right up behind you, a hand on your shoulder as he pulls you back.

"Azul you might want to look down."

The octomer blinks only to look down, seeing that one of his tentacles had stubbornly wrapped around your waist.

"Ahh...ahhhh….!"

You, Jade and Floyd blink as dark ink fills the water, Azul covering his face and letting you go, swimming to the nearest hole and curling up inside as he strangles one of his tentacles.

Of all the things to embarrass him it just had to be himself, huh?!

"Azul? Wait come back!"

"Shrimpy tell me I'm beautiful as well~!"

"Floyd let me go! There's ink everywhere!"

"Not until you tell me I'm beautiful!"

"Jade!"

"Azul is more than okay, I can assure you...although I would also like the same compliment as well, [Y/N]-san."

The next day, you woke up with a high fever due to swimming all night, a present from all of the Octavinelle students at your doorstep with an apology card neatly placed on top.

#twisted wonderland #twst #twst imagines #twst scenarios #octavinelle #azul ashengrotto #jade leech #floyd leech #twst mc #twst x reader #//ALSO WHO CAN PINPOINT THE YANDERE UNDERTONES

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mae-gi-writes · 3 years

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Where The Sea Birds Sleep | Kevin (The Boyz Imagine)

A cute confession needs no words.

A/N: I just wanted a cute fluffy Kevin au because it’s been a while and I forgot how great it feels to write for him. xx Stay safe, stay healthy and take care y’all <3

Genre: aquarium trip au, fluff, cute hand-holding.

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The school of fish glide through the aquamarine water, scales flashing all colours of the rainbow as they catch the light bouncing off the aquarium walls. Kevin is already steps ahead of you like a giddy child, palms pressing against the cool glass and nose practically squished up against it. His gaze swivels back and forth to catch a glimpse of as many species as he can and a small giggle bursts from his lips at intervals.

You watch with your arms crossed a few meters back, an amused grin adorning your face. You feel Jacob nudge you, "you're doing it again."

You immediately wipe your face blank, "doing what?"

"Staring Kevin down like he's a fresh piece of sashimi you wish to gobble up."

You slap his arm without hesitation and the said man yelps, "piss off," you mutter.

On your other side stands Juyeon, hands shoved in his pockets and looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here.

The three of you had given in to Kevin's needless whining about aquarium visits, with the latter dropping subtle hints every now and again-- pamphlet deals, coupons to buy a fish, a discount on end of the year sales for aquarium visits. This guy literally picked up everything that had the marine animal plastered over it for his friends to see, and thus you had decided to take matters into your own hands, considering that no one else would otherwise.

Not because you had a huge mega crush on the said young man.

No, this is solely because of your long standing friendship and a way to make him stop whining.

Clearly though, Jacob and Juyeon don't think so. They both playfully nudge their elbows to your sides as you keep following Kevin's voice pitched with excitement.

"Did you drag us along on purpose just to stand there and do nothing?" Juyeon murmurs into your ear while you enter the jellyfish section, causing you to shoot him a look, "Don't," there's an edge to your tone but Juyeon isn't afraid, even reaches over to mess the perfect ponytail you took thirty minutes to perfect.

"Juyeon!" You yell in a growing mixture of annoyance and he runs away to hide behind a still awestruck Kevin. The latter blinks back to reality, noticing the glower on your face before he asks what's wrong.

You grumble something about Juyeon being a dick, to which he blows you a kiss. The aquarium is devoid of people, making it easier for you to take your time or rather, to wait for Kevin who ooes and aahs at every single fish he lays eyes upon. Warmth blossoms through your heart as you see his face light up, a smile tugging your lips upwards without realizing it.

That is precisely one of the reasons why you love him so much. He's amazed by life itself and watching him is like experiencing a different kind of sunset everyday; breathtakingly beautiful and different.

You wish you had that kind of optimism. But like a flower in need of sunlight, you had found yourself tilting towards Kevin in search for his warmth to envelope you.

It is when you reach the manta ray section that you jump up in excitement, quickly scooting beside the said dark-haired man where you can see the birds of the sea gliding through the waters with a gentleness that causes you to grin, not realizing that you're currently mirroring Kevin's expression.

"Oh look at that one! It's a baby!" Kevin points and evidently enough, there's a paler, smaller manta ray accompanying its mother.

"They're so cute," you find your voice as you feel the softest brush of manta ray skin against your palm. You giggle, "it tickles."

"Manta rays are so poetic," Kevin says, "I could write a whole book about how they swim."

"I'd buy that book in a heartbeat," you joke, "they've always been fascinating to me."

Your hand suddenly brushes against his by accident and you quickly pull back, heat exploding through your cheeks and you pray to god that the darkness of the aquarium is enough to hide it.

"Why?"

"I don't know," you can feel his eyes, those beautiful angular almond eyes, on you. You keep your eyes glues to the waters though, "I guess I'm a hopeless romantic. We don't call them birds of the sea for nothing."

He hums in agreement, "that's true."

"Why do you like fish so much?"

There's a soft pause, broken only by the sound of water churning in the background.

"Ever since I was small, I had a fish tank," he starts, "I would look at it everyday and try to figure out why the fish never ate each other."

You snort, "calm down cannibal."

"It's true! I swear it's a kid thing okay?"

"Sure."

"Well anyway, my mom used to take care of them back when she didn't have a job. So she told me that they had their own ecosystem and that breaking the balance of it would ultimately create havoc."

"Hence cannibalism?" You notice his shoulder against yours. Had he always been this close? Maybe you're just imagining things.

"You're such a weirdo Y/N," Kevin crinkles his nose at your comment, "people would just call it the cycle of life. Why'd you gotta be so vulgaar?"

"I wouldn't be me if I weren't vulgar."

"No," his alto grows softer, closer to you, "you wouldn't."

Another pause ensues, though it is comfortable. You pet the ray that is lifting its fin as if in a solitary wave and you gently stroke the underside before your hand dives back down into the water. It knocks into Kevin's.

"Sorry," you mutter before going to pet another ray that is incoming. But warmth suddenly engulfs your little finger and blinking down in confusion, your mouth grows dry at the way the young man has his little finger hooked into yours. What the--?

Your eyes find his face only to see him blatantly caressing another ray with his other hand, trying his best to ignore your poignant stare. Questions are bouncing at the tip of your tongue and you press your lips together, realizing that you do indeed like the feel of his finger around yours.

Noticing that you aren't pulling back yet, Kevin grows a little more confident. He leans into your shoulder a little more, just the gentlest pressure of clothed body to body.

Then, the rest of his fingers weave through yours like magic and you can't believe how right it feels.

You probably stay that way for a few minutes longer even though it feels like seconds. All too soon, you feel Kevin shift while murmuring that maybe you should catch up with Jacob and Juyeon, who have long since disappeared. He doesn't let go of your hand though, keeps holding it tightly in his until he finds some tissues to wipe it off.

He holds your hand so gently between his, his touch fleeting and light, yet sending an array of goosebumps skittering down your said arm. You can barely breathe as you search his eyes, but when he looks back at you, the tenderness of his face is enough to render your heart into a frenzied staccato.

"I wonder where they've gone," he hums, tugging you along with a thumb gently brushing over your knuckles. Your face is flaming red at this point and he'd be an idiot not to notice.

"I--" you can't keep your eyes off your entwined hands, "I don't know."

He glances back, notices the focus of your attention, before grinning playfully, "what?"

Your gaze flits upwards to his, "nothing."

His hand squeezes yours as if in understanding and upon hearing his soft playful giggle, you let out a small laugh before squeezing back fondly.

A few minutes later, you spot the missing two boys by the coffee stand don't hesitate to scowl at them when you notice their eyes lingering over your linked hands, smirks flashing across their faces.

"Hey Kevin," Jacob calls out, "Why are you holding Y/N's hand?"

Oh god. You wish you can punch him. Your entire body grows still.

Kevin, with soft peony cheeks, only grins in return before he says a little smugly, "because I like her. And because she's going to be mine."

At this point you feel so hot that you wouldn’t be surprised if you were to combust right there and then, nudging Kevin as you bite your lip to stop the smile from spreading across your face. Meanwhile, the other two boys high-five each other as Kevin leans in a little closer, lips just mere inches from your ear:

"So will you? Be mine?"

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honey-dewey · 3 years

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How each of the boys deals with beach/ocean shenanigans

Because my life goal is to be a marine biologist and my only place of true peace is the ocean and limiting me to 100 words is fucking cruel. So I just wrote until I felt done. Not 100 words each, obviously, but entertaining nonetheless.

Permanent Taglist: @phoenixhalliwell @star-wars-hell

Din Djarin:

Okay so did anyone else see how Din dove in The Heiress? Because that was beautiful. He probably learned to swim late, after he joined the Covert, but once they put him in a pool, he refused to get out. He's an amazing swimmer, even with all that beskar on.

But we aren’t here to talk about that. We’re here to talk about what happens when you beg him to take you to a water planet because goddammit you’ve been on nothing but dry desert planets or dry ice planets or dry city planets for the longest time now and if you don’t get to put your feet in the water soon, you might kill him.

He doesn’t understand the appeal. Sure he’s seen the ocean. Woo-hoo it’s a bunch of water. But the way you go peaceful with wonder when you mention it, he’s ready to take a break too. And hey, maybe Grogu can finally see the ocean. So he finds an ocean planet and sets course. And because he’s a stubborn bastard, he won’t tell you where you’re going.

When you step off the Crest and immediately find nothing but slowly crashing waves and soft shell studded sand (that is black as obsidian because remember, we’re not on earth) you almost cry. Stripping out of your shoes and rolling your pants up to your upper thighs, you wade out into the water, completely ignoring Din’s warning to be careful, he doesn’t know what’s in the water.

You don’t know how long you stand there, the water licking at your thighs, the soft drag of the waves rolling over and over, the way your feet slowly sink into the blackness of the sand, grounding you to this one spot, this one moment. Eventually, you find that you have a companion.

Din’s not a wide ocean kind of guy, but for you, he’ll take the armor off (but not the helmet) and come stand beside you, his pants rolled up as well. His are tighter, so the rough edge gets slowly soaked in water, but he doesn’t mind.

Half an hour of mindless and relaxing standing around in the water later, and you’re ready to explore. Scooping Grogu up and putting him in a baby carrier across your chest, you begin to look for suitable shells to keep aboard the Crest. Again, Din is confused, but doesn’t question it as you walk up and down the same stretch of sand, occasionally bending down and happily pulling a gorgeous shell from the clutches of the water. He wouldn’t be at peace here if he was alone, but you sure as hell would be. Still standing in the water, listening to you babble back and forth with Grogu, the waves occasionally kissing his hands, he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he could find peace in your peace.

Marcus Moreno:

Marcus is not an ocean person, but he’s not not an ocean person, y’know? Sand irritates him, the air smells funny, and it’s usually loud. But he likes the water. If it could be a quiet pool it would be better, but the ocean works too.

And then he’s put on a boat with you, a still-learning water Heroic (think like. Aquaman), and things change.

At first, he hates it. A boat that’s tipping constantly may be your thing, considering how much you look like you belong, but it sure as shit ain’t his. You try to teach him some stuff, shouting over the crashing of the waves, but he’s trying too hard not to throw up to really pay attention.

Then everything settles. The water stops tipping, the boat is still, and you quietly tell him there’s a pod of humpbacks outside.

He’s terrified when you jump into the water, no oxygen or gear or anything. It’s only when he remembers you can breathe underwater that he stops losing his mind. And when the whales start to breach? Yeah he’s gone. He’s all smiling and laughing when you breach right alongside the whales, and when you get back on board the boat, he’s so incredibly excited.

So next time, you tell him you’re right above one of the biggest groups of migrating hammerhead sharks ever. He reacts less kindly to that one, even when you dive and tell him it’s perfectly safe. They won’t hurt you. But looking down to see you surrounded by hundreds of great hammerheads, just swimming lazily beside you? Yeah that’s surreal as fuck.

Max Phillips:

Ah yes. The resident vampire who hasn’t been to a beach in almost a decade. He can’t go out in the sun, what makes y’all think he’d actually enjoy the beach? Nope, he is not risking his life so he can feel some sand.

But the beach during the day is completely different from the beach at night, and you are determined to prove it. You blindfold Max, at the expense of many dirty jokes, and drive him to the beach.

He can smell it before you can, the salt in the air that drifts through the windows and promises all will be right with the world. Then you guys hear it, the soft crash of waves on the shore, the gentle buzz to the air. Finally, you stand Max on the empty beach and remove the blindfold and he can see it. Night darkened waves, the shifting water turning the full moon into a shattered mosaic of light glimmering on the waves.

For the first time in a long time, he lets himself drown in sensation, in tranquility. It’s been ten long years since he forgot he wasn’t a human being anymore, but with the water licking at his bare feet, he’s completely unaware of his deadness. All he can feel is sand and water and salt and you, holding his hand and looking out with him.

He’s determined to stay there all night, but you insist on walking, occasionally bending down to grab a shell you see in the darkness. Max is definitely at an advantage here with his night vision, but that’s nothing a flashlight can’t solve. By the time the sun begins to peer over the horizon, you and Max are fast asleep in bed, a small jar of sea shells on your bedside table.

Frankie ‘Catfish’ Morales:

When I tell you I was excited to write Frankie, oh boy. See, I headcanon him to be like me. Enamored with the ocean since before he can remember. It’s always, always, made him wide eyed with wonder. Aquariums are his safe space, and his favorite animal, above every other living thing on the planet, is sharks.

He finds peace in knowing they exist, seeing something so powerful be so docile. You’re a marine biologist, and you end up taking him on a caged shark dive. He’s ecstatic, practically vibrating as you take the boat way out where you’re bound to find something good.

And you do. Everyone else on your team, along with Frankie, is cage diving, but you’re just out there, swimming freely alongside huge Great Whites. They’re so beautiful, and Frankie nearly cries when you coax said shark to the side of the cage so he can run his hand over the shark’s wide belly.

His next dive is a general reef dive, just you and him. Beaches aren’t his thing, there’s too little activity, so you take him out on a reef. He’s smiling the entire time, swimming alongside fish the size of his arm and manta rays with a wingspan bigger than his. But the best part is the reef sharks. Black Tips, no longer than four or five feet. They crowd Frankie and make him laugh as he actually pets their bellies. Suddenly, he’s surrounded by sharks who all want the same thing. Scritches.

His third dive is open ocean, and you don’t tell him what you’re diving with. He gets in the water, turns around, and immediately starts to cry tears of joy. His favorite shark, his absolute favorite, is swimming lazily behind him. The Whale Shark. It’ll be hell to get him out of the water later, but in that moment, you want nothing more than to see that smile, wide enough to show off his dimple.

Jack ‘Whiskey’ Daniels:

Jack Daniels is not an ocean person by any means. He’s an open fields kind of man, where he can look up at the Montana night sky and feel like he’s two inches tall, surrounded by mountains and plains. But his latest mission with you takes him to Hawaii, and he ain’t mad about it.

The first few days, you spend hours on the beach alone. Jack stays indoors, not able to be persuaded out with you. Finally, he’s forced to go to the beach with you because of the mission, and he complains all morning long. You simply roll your eyes and put on your bathing suit and floppy hat.

Beach time lasts much longer than anticipated. The target won’t be there for a while, but you wanted to relax before working, so you settle in a beach chair with a nice book and get to reading while Jack grumbles about sand in his shoes.

BUT, dear reader I would be cruel if I made Jack unhappy, so while he may not be a beach person, he is very much a you person. Once you stand to go shelling, wrapped in that teasing black and white swimsuit and flowy white cover up, he’s by your side with minimal complaints.

Turns out, Jack Daniels’s whip quick reflexes are good for grabbing shells before they’re stolen by the water. You and him get an impressive collection going, eyeing your target the entire time. By the time you have your intel, Jack’s actually enjoying himself and almost doesn’t want to leave.

The next morning, he’s red as a tomato from sunburn and vows to never go to the beach again. You laugh, and you and him spend the day indoors, sorting through your shell collection and rubbing aloe on Jack’s red shoulders. (Yeah he’s going shirtless all day. You ain’t mad about it.)

Ezra:

It’s a headcanon of mine, and I’ve mentioned it before, that Ezra grew up an orphan. He lived in a state house until he was 18, which is when he began to prospect. He’s been all over the galaxy, but never been to a water planet. Long story short, he’s never seen a beach. Or an ocean. Or anything bigger than a small pond.

After the Green, you decide to spoil him and take him and Cee to an ocean planet for some time off. He has no idea where you’re going, but he’s excited nonetheless.

The planet is almost 90% water, with vast underground caves and beautiful beaches. You land on one of those beaches and when Ezra steps out of your transport pod, he immediately starts to cry.

Cee’s seen an ocean before, but it’s been a while, so she immediately rushes past Ezra and jumps into the water. Watching her splash around in the gently crashing waves is like bliss, and it makes you smile.

But Ezra, oh boy Ezra. He’s transfixed, standing with the water lapping at his ankles and his face slack as he takes in the vastness of it all. Eventually, you convince him into the water. He can’t swim, so you guide him out to a safe depth and hold his hand tight as he floats on his back. He’s so calm, so at ease that it’s almost scary.

That night, he doesn’t want to go inside. The setting sun makes the ocean orange, and you finally manage to get him in. You pop a window open to allow the salty air into the pod, lulling you to sleep and putting Ezra at ease.

Shane ‘Dio’ Morrissey:

Dio will literally never admit he loves the beach. Never. He’s a bad boy! He can’t love anything!

Except for sea turtles. He really fucking loves sea turtles. He can name all seven species by heart, he’s got a beautiful teal blue bracelet that he wears all the time that has a turtle bead and he got when he ‘adopted’ a green turtle, he has two turtle tattoos, and he’s absolutely a huge turtle geek whenever you take him to the aquarium.

Which is how you learn he’s that in love with turtles. You take him to an aquarium on a date, and he sits in front of the turtle tank for almost an hour. It’s actually kinda cute.

So you take him to the beach, a beautiful beach with not many people and, according to the locals, is a turtle nesting site. You and Dio mess around for a while, until the night falls and you sit him in the back of your truck. He’s almost mad you won’t let him leave, at least, right up until the turtles come out.

He’s a kid in a candy store, all lit up and giddy as the turtles come out to lay their eggs. It’s a dream for him, and when one of the locals asks if you two want to say hi to the turtles, he’s up immediately.

Two months later, you and Dio return to the same beach, eager to help the baby turtles into the water. Yet again, the outer hard boy shell falls away, leaving you with the soft and giggly Dio that you adore.

From that day on, your phone background is a photo of Dio holding one of the baby turtles, a warm and genuine grin on his face.

Javier Peña:

What makes you think Javier has time to go to the beach? He hasn’t been in literal years, ever since he headed to Columbia.

But, when he’s home? You manage to get him some time off and take him out to the gulf for a few days. It’s crowded, sure, and that sets his anxiety off big time, but he’s in Texas, not Columbia, and you’re by his side the entire time.

You manage to find a nice spot away from people to relax on, laying in the sand for hours. No stress, no mess, no looming threat of death, no nothing.

In the evening, once most of the people go away, you and Javier start to walk along the shore, holding your shoes and each other’s hands. Javier picks up a beautiful multicolored shell, all dappled with beiges and whites and hints of purple. It’s gorgeous, and you immediately slip it onto a necklace you were wearing.

You manage to one up Javier when you find a brown shell. On the surface, it’s not much. But under the setting sun, it’s beautiful, streaked through with lighter browns and shining ambers. You hand it to Javier, and he immediately tells you it’s boring. At which you tell him it reminds you of his eyes, a deceptively simple brown at first, and then a mesmerizing whiskey amber once you study them.

Yeah, he tears up at that.

Maxwell Lord:

Yet another man who is not a beach person. He hates sand so much he’ll forgo the entire beach experience, because as we all know, he a drama queen. However, unlike Jack, Maxwell is loud about his dislike of the beach.

Finally, he gets dragged out for a business opportunity and has to spend almost four whole days at the beach. You best be ready for the entire month leading up to the trip to be a whole bunch of complaining. The plane ride out is blissfully quiet, and when he sees the beach, he’s no longer completely insufferable.

However, you quickly learn that while your dear Max is not a beach person, he likes the ocean. He’s all for getting on a boat and spending the day on the water. Which is exactly what you two do. He’s sensitive to the sun, but he’ll sit in it with you if you want.

Eventually, you convince him to get in the water. You expected him to be a decent swimmer, not great but not horrible. But then he jumps into the ocean with no life vest and you’re freaking the hell out until you watch his form. He’s a damn natural. And he’s so happy it’s almost scary. He’s in the water for almost an hour, and when he comes out, it’s only for a quick snack.

That night, you two sit on the beach, much to Max’s complaining. But he’s beside you and his hair is still stiff from the saltwater, so he’s happy, despite the whining.

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ladynightmare913 · 3 years

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Ink Bloom

Greetings and welcome to Chapter 1 of Ink Bloom!

This is an original story inspired by Asian lore, Jellyfish and so many more things I couldn't possibly begin to list! Since it's Mermay, I wanted to write something about mermaids, but I just didn’t have a clue as to what to do until it hit me like a tidal wave and I knew I had to bring this to life in writing! I would like to say a special thank you to my best friend Olivia (@asunshinepuff ) for joining me in writing this spectacular world onto paper!

For the readers who enjoy Red Rose, Blood Moon, don’t worry I will still be writing chapters and I hope you will enjoy this story as well!

This story only has original characters created by Olivia and myself. For those who want to be tagged, feel free to send an ask to me or Olivia on her blog. If you have any questions, theories, or curiosities about any of our characters or how the story will progress, send them to the ask box!

Chapter 1: Is That Cosplay?

Welcome to Poseidon’s Aquarium, as a reminder to all visitors, please keep sight of your children at all times.

“Alright everyone, stay close to your chaperons! Now, does everyone have a buddy!” A woman with medium-length dirty blonde hair, sun kissed skin, red lips and bright green eyes spoke to the group in front of her. She was dressed in a light khaki jacket with a white blouse, black slacks paired with black flats, and wore light brown rounded frame glasses.

“Yes Ms. Baker!” A group of fourth graders responded.

Ms. Baker nodded approvingly at her students, she looked over to one of her students who was in front of the group.

“Darcy, you must be so excited to be here. Maybe we’ll even see your dad and he will give us a tour!” The woman smiled.

A nine year old girl with long smooth brown hair, sea blue eyes, pale skin, rosy cheeks, and soft pink lips simply nodded at her teacher. She was wearing her school’s uniform, a light grey jumper dress with a long sleeve button up blouse underneath, a matching light grey blazer with deep blue accents along the collar, and her school’s name emblem of a horse with a fishtail over the left pocket in the same shade of blue, white stockings, black converse, and a simple deep blue bow on the side of her head.

Ms. Baker was undeterred by her student’s subdued response, turning her attention back to the rest of the class she smiled wider. “Let’s go!”

The fourth grade teacher walked straight ahead to the Northern Pacific exhibit. Darcy followed along silently, her buddy, a boy called Henry with short strawberry blonde hair and green eyes with freckles and blue rimmed glasses gently pulls her along with the class.

The children stare in awe and whisper among themselves as they go from exhibit to exhibit. Other students from different schools all played with the sea lions, and waddled like the penguins, and cooed at the otters. Darcy's father hadn’t made an appearance.

Next, they entered the underwater tunnel. The children gasped at the sight of the sharks, manta rays, and vibrant colors of the fish. One little boy gasped then pointed near the top of the huge tank.

“Look! A Mermaid!” He exclaimed.

“Where?!”

All the children rushed to where the mermaid dived down to them, she had black hair, and her tail was a shimmering yellow. When she finally reached the children’s eye level, she smiled and waved. Henry watched in wonder, his jaw agape. Darcy simply stared. She did not smile, she did not gasp in excitement.

“Is that a real mermaid?!” One little girl asked. Darcy looked at the girl who had asked Ms. Baker. The fourth grade teacher smiled as she shook her head.

“No Alisa, mermaids are not real, but she’s the closest thing to a real mermaid.”

The child, Alisa, pouted at the teacher, “Well I believe mermaids are real!”

Ms. Baker simply chuckled, and the children returned to watching the show. Darcy silently watched. The mermaid blew bubbles kisses to the children, doing a few tricks and swirls. They watched for a while before Ms. Baker spoke.

“Alright class, let’s move on, we have many other places to see!” She smiled as she urged the groaning and pouting children on. Henry followed until he noticed his shoelaces were untied. Quickly he bent down and tied his shoes. Looking back up, he noticed his class was already far ahead.

“Hey wait up!” He called after them, running to catch up. Unknowingly leaving behind his buddy, Darcy.

The nine year old girl continued to watch the mermaid, and when the mermaid left once everyone else had gone, and still, Darcy remained motionless.

“Do you believe?”

Darcy startled, breaking her reverie. Darcy turned to look at who spoke to her. It was an Asian woman. A very beautiful woman. Dressed in a long traditional pink dress with a darker shade of pink that looked like jellyfish, a dark indigo outer robe, and dark indigo flats. Darcy’s head tilted as she took in the woman’s clothes. She had pale skin, long ink blue hair that looked so soft to touch, bright indigo eyes. Darcy continued to stare at the strange woman.

“Is this not the right tongue?” The woman frowned gently as she looked over the small child.

Darcy shakes her head. She must have been quiet for a long time if the woman thought Darcy didn’t understand her. “Sorry, do I believe in what?

“Do you believe in maidens of the sea?” The woman in strange clothes elaborated. Giving Darcy a gentle smile.

“Do you mean mermaids?”

The woman silently repeated the word, mouthing out mermaid slowly before a nod to Darcy. Darcy looked down to her feet before turning to look back at the swimming fish.

“I used to. But they’re not real.”

“Well, not this one.” The woman looked at the swimming fish. Who seemed rather keen to stay a safe distance away. “And who says mermaids are not real?” She huffs.

Darcy frowns at the woman. “My teacher says they're not real.”

The woman scoffed. “What does she know about mermaids, she didn’t notice one of her disciples is missing”

Darcy blinks curiously at the woman’s words. Although she did have a point, Darcy wasn’t convinced. “My daddy says mermaids aren’t real.”

“Well, he’s wrong because mermaids are real.” The woman smirked at the little girl.

Darcy frowned. “My daddy is a scientist, he studies the ocean. Believe me, he’s looked.”

“Not hard enough, they are elusive creatures.” The woman shrugs her shoulders as she gives Darcy a smile. “And even the most enlightened scholars can be wrong.”

Darcy stared at the woman in bewilderment. There is no such thing as mermaids, everyone knows that. Did this adult really believe in mermaids?

“Are you teasing me?” Darcy asked the woman dubiously.

“No, I am being sincere, I promise.” The woman chuckled.

There was nothing Darcy could do if this woman was adamant about mermaids being real. This wouldn’t be the first time Darcy knew someone who truly believed mermaids existed. Darcy sighed, looking back to the exhibit.

“So if you do not believe in mermaids, which one is your favorite?” The woman leaned forward a bit, tilting her head as she looked at Darcy.

Darcy was silent for a long time, but the woman never urged her for an answer. At long last, Darcy spoke.

“Sea horses.”

The woman smiled, Darcy couldn’t help but smile back.

“Show me.”

And so she did. Taking the woman’s hand, Darcy led her to her favorite place in the entire aquarium. Taking her back near the entrance, passing the main Tropical Reef exhibit, and into a hidden darkened room. All the other visitors had already moved on and the room was near silent. It was how Darcy preferred it.

Still holding the woman’s hand, they wordlessly walked right up to a small exhibit. There, in the blue water, were the golden sea horses that Darcy loved. Softly floating from one rock to the next.

The woman ran her fingertips over the plaque, mouthing out the words. “Leafy Sea Dragons?” The woman looked to Darcy.

“They were my mom’s favorite,” Darcy whispered, her gaze never leaving the sea horses.

The woman said nothing as she gazed gently at Darcy. The little girl’s longing gaze yet gentle smile was enough for the woman to understand. Silently, she returned to look back at them as well, leaving Darcy in peace to reminisce. And there they stayed in silence, simply basking in the beautiful creature’s presence.

With a deep breath, Darcy took the woman’s hand and led them to the cafeteria, where Darcy learned that the woman didn’t have money, nor did she seem to know what money even was. Darcy paid for both of their meals.

“What’s your name?” Darcy asked as she swallowed her ham and cheese sandwich.

“My my, we just met and you’re already asking me such forward questions.” The woman smirked, her eyes seemed to sparkle in mischief. “You don’t even introduce yourself and yet you wish to know my name?”

Darcy couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m Darcy.”

“Darcy,” The woman repeated the name carefully, “It suits you well.”

“Thanks, my mom picked it. My dad wanted to name me Sarah.” Darcy finished as she took another bite of her sandwich.

“Well Darcy, I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Mingzhu.”

“Mingzhu? Is that your real name or your cosplay?”

The woman frowned. “Cos-play? What is cosplay?”

Darcy shrugged, “I don’t really know, but my cousin does it sometimes. He dresses up as characters and pretends to be them.”

“Ah, no. No, it is my real name. I do not… Cosplay. I really look like this.” Mingzhu said, “Well when I am in this form anyway.”

Darcy shook her head with a smile. “Are you from Japan? My cousin wants to go to Japan.”

“I’m not surprised, Japan is beautiful. Especially in the spring.” Mingzhu commented. “But no, I am not from Japan.”

“Have you been to Japan?” Darcy stared curiously at her.

“I have. Although I am sure many things have changed by now, it’s been years since I’ve traveled there.”

Darcy pondered on that for a while, “What made you want to come here then?”

“I was drawn here by the water and food, I came here last night actually.” She answered simply.

“No, I mean, why did you come to California?” Darcy clarified.

At that, a smirk crossed Mingzhu’s lips. “Curious little thing aren’t you? Very well, I will tell you if you tell me why you wandered off from your pod.”

“My pod? Oh you mean my class.” Darcy thought it over before she nodded. “Okay. I didn’t mean to, sometimes it just happens.”

“What happens?” Mingzhu pressed.

Darcy shrugged as she looked at her hands. “Sometimes things just make me feel… lost? I don’t know.” Darcy admitted.

Mingzhu hummed thoughtfully, “I understand. I feel that way too sometimes.”

Darcy looked back to the woman, “So… why are you here?”

Mingzhu’s smirk returned, she leaned forward. “I am here to repay a kind act a man showed onto me three years ago.”

“Why did you wait three years?” Darcy asked.

“I was wounded, I had to heal, and then I had to learn where exactly California was.” Mingzhu huffed as she leaned back in her chair, a pout on her lips as she huffed.

“So where are you from?” The little girl asked as she sipped her milk carton.

“From far away.” The woman stabbed her fork into her salad. Darcy mused that she wasn’t used to eating without chopsticks.

“But where?” Darcy pressed.

“A cave.” Mingzhu finally managed to get the food onto the fork.

“A cave?” Darcy asked skeptically.

“A very nice cave. Full of sea glass, pearls, and jewels.”

Darcy shook her head, her shoulders shaking as she laughed. “That sounds like a dragon.”

Mingzhu tilted her head, “Really. How so?”

Darcy shrugged her shoulders, “My cousin plays stuff about dragons, fairies, and stuff with his friends. Dragons are bad, mean, and greedy. They keep treasure in caves.”

Mingzhu grew more horrified the longer she heard Darcy speak of dragons.

“ I saw a movie where a boy found a dragon and they were best friends,” Darcy commented. “That dragon couldn’t talk though.”

Mingzhu shook her head gently as she chuckled. “Well, where I come from. Dragons are benevolent creatures, not evil. Well, most are not.”

“What’s ben-voilent?”

“Ben-eh-voh-lent. It means kind and good. They could fly, and talk to creatures.”

Darcy made an ‘oh’ shape with her lips before looking down to the remainder of her sandwich. “I wish I had a best friend. Maybe then, I wouldn’t feel so lonely.”

Mingzhu’s heart clenched. How could a child already have such a grave look in her eyes? As if the reality of the world was snuffing out the last fragments of magic and wonder in her.

“Darcy, I-”

“DARCY!” Yelled the voice of Ms. Baker who stood at the entrance of the cafeteria. Turning the heads of many visitors who stopped to stare.

Darcy gasped, she quickly gathered her things, speaking hurriedly. “I gotta go, I forgot I had to go back to school,” she grabbed her sandwich, looking to Mingzhu. “It was nice meeting you Mingzhu! I had a good time. I hope to see you soon!” Darcy called out as she ran to rejoin her class, waving goodbye.

Mingzhu smiled softly as she waved goodbye to the child. Her tender gaze never left Darcy until she was gone from her sight.

Ms. Baker was not pleased that Darcy had strayed away from the group. Darcy pleaded with Ms. Baker not to tell her dad, and Ms. Baker only relented since Darcy knew the aquarium. On the way back to Sea Colt Academy, Darcy looked out of the school bus window, thinking about the stranger woman she had met and their conversation.

As she watched the ocean from her window, she saw something large swimming in the water. It sparkled against the blue water and under the sunlight, and when it dived down, a large pink frilly tail splashed against the water, but in a blink of an eye, it was gone. Darcy deemed that she was simply imagining it. She would probably never see it again. Just like she would probably never see Mingzhu again.

Until the very next day, when Darcy looked out of the classroom’s window, there Mingzhu was. Laying on a tree branch, in the same strange clothes, with the same dazzling smile, and giving Darcy a wave hello.

Darcy dropped her pencil.

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a-libra-writes · 4 years

Text

Salt & Snow - Chapter 1

Ships: Ned Stark x Reader, Brandon Stark x Reader

Summary: The only daughter of House Caspian, close allies of House Stark, visits Winterfell with her family and meets the four interesting children that live in the great castle. Childish shenanigans and silliness ensues.

Hi everyone!! Im gonna give a short fanfic series a try! ;w; I haven’t done this in years lol, and I’m a little proud of this. I think it’ll be around 6~10 chapters? I don’t want it to be long! (yes I am working on other requests i promise hahaha this just got away from me~)

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The cold air hit her cheeks, and the only reaction she could give was delight. Normally she was scolding her little brother for throwing open the window to their carriage, but now she could only climb over him as she gazed out. The brilliant castle was in sight, and there was a sea of colorful banners all around it. She couldn’t imagine so many people in one place, all trying to fit into Winterfell. Even if it was a grand castle, how could it fit so many men and horses?

Her uncle leaned over her and her brother, chuckling at their starry-eyed expressions. “No leaning out the window. You’ll be there soon enough.”

Y/N recalled a time when her uncle let her lean over the bow of a ship to gaze at dolphins, but this didn’t seem a good time to remind him. It was hard to care about dolphins when she was so far from the sea, anyway. “Uncle, will there be room for us?”

“Of course, sweetling. Your father is a good friend of Lord Stark, remember? Do you remember the last time you were here?”

She shook her head, and so did her little brother, which was silly. He probably wasn’t even born then. Her father often mentioned Lord Stark and the great castle that was Winterfell. Supposedly he’d taken her twice, but they were such faint memories. Today was like seeing it for the first time.

“You were even smaller then, so I’m not surprised. I hope you two will behave yourselves while you’re here. Don’t make me write to your Lady Mother.”

At the mention of her, Y/N and her brother nodded again, except with more seriousness… Well, Y/N took it seriously, but Willam was already clambering back to the window. She felt her excitement begin to dwindle as she thought about her mother lecturing her over whatever thing she failed at, probably a botched courtesy. Her Lady Mother never lectured Willam when he ran through the horse stalls or wrestled in mud with the other boys.

Y/N patted at the neat braid at her shoulder, suddenly worried it was out of place. Her uncle would never lecture her about it being messy, but now she was thinking about it. She smiled at the shiny thread woven through the braid, and the pretty pearl at the end of it. Her father gave it to her. She wished he was here too, but he was riding on his huge black stallion ahead of their carriage. Uncle said Lord Stark gave him the beautiful horse. Y/N was wary of horses, but she liked that one.

Finally the carriage slowed to a crawl and made its way to the gates of Winterfell. Y/N gaped with her brother; it was so huge compared to their modest keep at Ramsgate. Y/N loved her family’s home, but it was like comparing a village to White Harbor. Her brother was bouncing like a proper five year old, tugging on her cerulean sleeves and pointing. “Look, look! A doggy!”

Huge banners flew on top of the parapets and unfurled on the walls. They were a brilliant white, and the creature running across them was as grey as the castle walls. She shook her head. “That’s a direwolf.”

Sometimes Willam looked at her as though she were a genius, which was a nice feeling. She pulled her rowdy brother into her arms and was pleased when he didn’t fight her. The banners and armored men on horses captured all of his attention. She used the distraction to untangle his hair and smooth out his tunic.

She was surprised when her uncle patted her shoulder approvingly, but it was a welcome gesture. The carriage had stopped, and she saw the black, teal and navy banners of their House passing the open window. She tried to be the calm lady, but she was feeling as bouncy as Willam.

Uncle Cole exited the carriage and opened the door for them on the other side. Y/N kept an iron grip on Willam so he didn’t just roll out and fall on his face; her Uncle picked the boy up and set him on his feet, then promptly held his collar so he didn’t go running off. With his other free hand, he helped Y/N down. She lifted her skirts and exited with much more grace.

Y/N looked over her dress, hoping it wasn’t too rumpled from the journey. Her Uncle said she could wear something comfortable for the trip and change into something nicer that evening, but Y/N was too excited to have a proper, real lady’s gown. She wore the beautiful blue and green of the sea, with beautiful little embroidered manta rays. They were her favorite part, and when she walked, her long sleeves swayed and made them look like they were swimming. With the threaded pearl in her hair, Y/N felt much older and more important than her eight years. She would be nine in a few months, and then ten, and by then she was nearly grown. Her lady mother said something to that effect, anyway.

She kept her skirts lifted as she walked through the yard and spotted her father. She would not run to him, because she was a lady, but she did allow herself a little happy skip. She thought he would pick her up like he always did, but his hands were dirty from riding, so she settled for his laughter.

“I’m sweating like a hog in summer, and my girl is fresh as a winter rose! That dress is lovely, Y/N. I know your mother would be proud.”

Y/N wondered about that. She was disappointed her mother was missing such a great harvest feast. “Maybe she should have come, father. What if she’s lonely?”

“Sweetling, the journey is too much for her right now, and she isn’t alone. She has your new brother, remember? He’s too young to leave, too, and she’d hate to leave him alone. Wouldn’t you?”

Y/N wasn’t sure how she felt about her baby brother. She hadn’t even had a chance to see him, but she remembered how her mother screamed when he came into the world, and it wasn’t a pleasant thought. The Maester said she was still bedridden, and she heard the washerwomen whispering about her condition. Willam was hard, they said, that’s why Lady Talia didn’t have a child for so long.

So why did she have another? She already has me and Willam. Y/N had asked the Maester, but he simply corrected her grammar and turned her attention to her studies.

It wouldn’t do to be unsure and gloomy today, not when they were in a grand new place and her father was beaming like she’d never seen before. “Can I write to her?”

“She would love that. Tell her all the details, don’t leave anything out.” When he laughed, his beard moved with him. Compared to other Northmen, her father’s was trim, and she liked that. He didn’t look old like the Maester or the horse master. “Little Y/N, do you remember the last time you were at Winterfell?”

“No.”

“Just so, you were barely to my knee, and Willam was still in your mother’s stomach. Do you remember their children?”

She knew the Starks had children, naturally, her parents and other adults mentioned them before. Y/N felt embarrassed she couldn’t recall any names, though. “No …”

“That’s fine, dear, it was a long time ago, and you weren’t here for very long. They have a girl your age, named Lyanna. You can play with her while you’re here. Their boys are too old for Willam, but I know you’ll get on well with them.”

It sounded like Y/N didn’t have much of a choice in playing with Lyanna or being nice to her brothers, but she didn’t mind meeting new children. Lord Manderly had no daughters to play with, only his two sons, and they were older and often annoyed her. One of her father’s men had a daughter, but she was younger and prone to crying at the drop of a pin. Y/N hoped Lyanna wasn’t like that.

She followed her father and uncle to the great hall of Winterfell, holding her brother’s hand firmly so he’d follow along. He was stopping and staring at everything, which she wanted to do too, but she was interested in seeing the hall and the Starks. It wasn’t nearly as crowded as she thought it would be when they entered, and gazing upon the banners hung up in the hall, Y/N realized they were one of the first families brought in.

Before her was the tallest man she’d ever seen. Her father was tall, she thought, he was bigger than the master-at-arms and her Uncle, but this one slapped her father on the back so hard she thought he hurt him. He had a great beard, too, and long black hair that was like the night. Beside him was a woman in beautiful white and grey silks, with hair so soft and brown, Y/N instantly thought of chocolate.

While her father and uncle loudly greeted the man, it was the woman who stepped toward her. Beside her were two children: A girl slightly taller than Y/N, and a boy slightly shorter. The girl looked just like the woman, down to her pretty brown hair and big grey eyes. She wore a lovely sky-blue dress that was simpler than Y/N’s, but she also had a braid that was tied back with a blue rose. The boy had long black hair that stuck up in a few directions and the same grey eyes. He wasn’t hiding his curiosity, and nor was his sister.

The woman bowed her head slightly, and Y/N attempted a curtsy while still holding her brother’s hand. “Lady Stark,” Y/N said, hastily trying to recall what she was taught. “It’s good to meet you. Thank you for having my family.”

“The pleasure is mine, dear,” Lady Stark said. She had a nice smile, and her steady voice reminded Y/N of her Lady Mother when visitors came. It was a comforting sound. Her daughter wasted little time in doing her own curtsy, but her excited words didn’t match the proper gesture.

“My name is Lyanna. What’s your’s?”

“Um, Lady Y/N of House Caspian.”

“I know which one that is,” Lyanna had a big smile. She seemed proud of knowing this, and she pointed to the little white manta rays on Y/N’s sleeves. “Your sigil is a black ray on a blue ocean, with navy waves. Your castle is on a beach!”

“Yes, that’s right,” Y/N held up her sleeve, and Lyanna happily admired it. Willam peered out from behind her skirt, and suddenly Y/N remembered him. “Oh, um, and this is Willam. My Lady Mother and youngest brother couldn’t come. Um, she wishes she could.”

“I wish she could as well, but I am praying for her health.” Lady Stark said. “I’ll look forward to seeing her next year.”

Y/N was about to ask why Lady Stark thought they were visiting next year, but the wild-haired boy took the spot beside Lyanna and spoke up. “I’m Benjen.”

“He’s the youngest,” Lyanna said, then added, “And the shortest.”

“You’re going to be the shortest soon, you know,” Benjen said. He seemed very good-humored. “Father said we’ll all be as tall as him. We’ll be able to put our elbows on your head.”

Lyanna scoffed loudly, and Lady Stark instantly raised an eyebrow. Before she could comment on that little noise, her husband took up Y/N’s entire vision.

He was tall.

Often, Y/N’s father and her uncle crouched on their knees when talking to her, but Lord Stark didn’t bother. He seemed to speak as loudly as the men at arms did when they trained. “Now, look here! You were up to here the last I saw you. Welcome to Winterfell, my lady.”

Y/N tried not to quiver in her own boots. She felt Willam’s little hand squeeze her’s, and she thought it was encouragement, but then she glanced over. The boy was trying to fight his own tears.

She opted to go for her courtesies. “Th-thank you, Lord Stark, you honor me.”

“Hah! Does she always speak so pretty? She’s a darling thing, Gareth. I wish Talia could have made it, but congratulations for your son. We’ll see them next time, I hope. Lyanna, Benjen, why don’t you introduce Y/N to your brothers?”

“I’ll watch Willam.” Uncle Cole said to Y/N before she could say anything about him. She worried her little brother would cry when his uncle took him from her, but she heard Cole say something about a knight and a wolf, and the boy’s eyes were filled with stars instead of tears. Y/N wondered if she was that simple when she was five.

Lyanna was quick to say “Yes, father!” and take Y/N’s hand in place of Willam’s. Before she knew it, Y/N was being dragged out of the great hall and out into the crisp, cold air. Benjen was hot on their heels, the air making his long black hair whip in every direction.

Benjen had a grin in spite of his words. “I thought father was going to make you cry, Y/N.”

“H-he wasn’t!”

“Brandon is pretty scary, too.”

“No, he isn’t. He’s just a big bother.”Lyanna said. “He thinks he knows everything because he’s eleven.”

“Lyanna’s only mad ‘cause he got to go riding this morning, and she had to stay and memorize banners.”

Lyanna made a move to punch his arm, but Benjen easily dodged her. Y/N was surprised she was allowed to move like that in a dress, then she looked down and noticed the hem of it was muddy.

They ran a circle around Y/N, Benjen not even bothering to really run, since Lyanna was hampered by her skirts. She knew it and gave up, tossing them down with frustration. The winter rose was sagging a little in her braid.

Y/N wasn’t sure what to say. “Um … I can meet your other brother, if you want.”

“Oh, Ned! Yes, Ned is better. He’s sweet and treats ladies properly.” Lyanna nodded, pleased with the suggestion.

“How old are you, Y/N?” Benjen asked.

“I’m nine in a few months.”

“Just like me!” Lyanna bounced. “Benjen is only seven!”

The boy wasn’t bothered by this. Instead, he took off running and called back, “Race to the training yard! Winner gets lemon cake!”

“You cheat!” Lyanna was already gathering her skirts and flying off. She whipped her head around, brown hair flying everywhere. “Come on, Y/N! Don’t let him win!”

“Um.” Y/N looked down at the pretty silver thread on her bodice, the little embroidered rays on her sleeves, and the neat hem of her dress. She looked around and, satisfying none of the servants were interested in what she was doing, pulled her skirts up to her calves, where her boots ended. She could run ladylike, couldn’t she? It was alright if her boots got a little dirty, because she could just clean them, right?

Y/N ended up doing something of a trot and skip, which didn’t look nearly as elegant as she pictured. She did her best not to lose sight of the Stark girl, and by the time she ran up to the training yard, she was trying not to huff and puff. Y/N hastily touched her braid and was relieved that the pearl was still there.

Lyanna’s winter rose had flown out at some point, and several strands of hair were in her face. She absently brushed them aside. “There you are, Y/N! Benjen cheated, as usual.”

An older boy was sitting on the fence, lazily swinging his legs. He bit into an apple. “Or you were too slow, as usual.”

“I would be faster if I had my tunic and pants!”

The boy snickered. “Mother would be angry.”

Lyanna had a retort ready, but Benjen waved to Y/N and called her over. “We found the wrong brother. Want to look somewhere else?”

Y/N glanced up at the boy, who wasn’t a real grown-up, but he was still bigger, especially when he sat up on that fence. He had black hair like Benjen, and while it was shorter, it wasn’t much neater. She didn’t like the look on his face, but she bowed anyway. “My name is Lady Y/N.”

“I’m Brandon. I’m going to be Lord of Winterfell.” He said in way of a greeting. He didn’t bother to stop eating his apple, or get off the fence.

Y/N was instantly annoyed.

Lyanna did that scoff again. “Right, he’s going to be an ‘important Lord’, so he’s busy. Let’s go find Ned.”

“He doesn’t want little kids tagging along, either.” Brandon said.

She ignored that. “Where is he, then?”

“How would I know?”

“Ugh. We’ll find him ourselves.”

Suddenly, Brandon asked Y/N, “Do you have a brother?”

“It’s ‘do you have a brother, Lady Y/N,’” Lyanna corrected quickly. “Where’d you leave your manners?”

“Same place you left your’s,” Benjen said easily, and both Brandon and Lyanna ignored that.

“I do have one.” Y/N didn’t like having to crane her neck up at this stupid wall to talk to this boy, even if he was the oldest Stark. “He’s three years younger than me. My other brother is a babe, and back at Ramsgate.”

Brandon huffed, and Y/N didn’t get what the attitude was for. It was Lyanna who explained, “Now that he’s almost good at sword fighting, he wants to fight every lordling that visits. He doesn’t even use a real sword.”

The older boy flushed. “I will soon! What do you know about swords, anyway?”

“I know as much as you, and probably more.”

That made him hop off the fence, and Y/N was dismayed to learn he was still tall without it. “Girls don’t use swords. Father already told you that.”

It was Lyanna’s turn to turn red with anger. Y/N was surprised at how quickly it came, and she wondered if this was a fight they had before.

“I bet I could use a sword and a lance better than you, if I was taught.”

“Well, you aren’t taught, and you won’t be, so you can’t be better.”

Y/N tried to speak. “Um, Lyanna, maybe we can do something else? Let’s walk around Winterfell —”

“Let’s try right now!” Lyanna said, not even hearing Y/N’s words. “I’ll use a stupid wooden sword, just like you. I’ll hit you right between the eyes with it!”

“You couldn’t reach me!” Brandon was yelling like his sister. “And Mother would have your head!”

“Are you going to tell on me? Afraid I’ll win?” Lyanna goaded, and that’s when Benjen tried to speak up.

“Brandon, stop yelling, everyone will hear,” He tried, nudging his older brother’s shoulder, but he was shaken off. Y/N tried to do the same to Lyanna, but the girl was as still as stone and couldn’t be moved. Y/N fretted, thinking of what her Lady Mother would do if she heard about this. She felt it was her fault, and she hated the idea of upsetting her father and the Lord and Lady Stark just hours after she arrived.

“Lyanna,” Y/N tried again to nudge the girl. She tried to hide her distress, but failed. “Come on, let’s go, I want to do something else.”

She looked to Benjen for more support, but the dark-haired boy was distracted. He was waving someone over, someone in the distance. Y/N looked with him — There was no way this person was an adult, and looking closer, Y/N saw he was a boy almost the same size as Brandon, but there was a small sword belted to his waist.

Lyanna stopped her arguing, and Brandon did too, but he was scowling. The new boy had the same soft, dark brown hair that Lady Stark had, and her pretty grey eyes. He said nothing, but Y/N could feel his disapproval.

Lyanna spoke first. “Brandon started it, he says I can’t use a sword and I know if I had one, I’d hit his stupid face —”

“— She’s a girl, and Mother said if she gets into another fight and ruins another gown, she’ll drag all of us by the ears around the yard —”

The new boy just let them talk over each other. When both Lyanna and Brandon saw they weren’t being heard, they huffed at each other. Lyanna crossed her arms.

Finally, the boy said, “We shouldn’t fight today. There’s lots of guests at Winterfell.”

Y/N didn’t expect him to say that, but it sounded like the right thing. To her surprise, Lyanna and Brandon looked equally sullen, as if they agreed.

“Brandon, you were supposed to be meeting guests with Mother and Father … and Lyanna, you already dirtied your dress.”

Lyanna opened her mouth to protest, then looked down at her muddy dress. She touched her hair, as if just noticing what a state it was in. Her mouth closed and she kept her arms crossed.

Brandon was ready to say something as well, but he just pursed his lips and made an annoyed sound. He and his sister glared at each other, but they said nothing. The new boy was giving his siblings a pleading look with those grey eyes.

“Fine,” They both muttered, and Benjen was smiling again. Y/N could feel the relief washing over her. She’d skip over this in her letter.

Lyanna lingered back to Y/N, her cheeks still red. She felt a bit embarrassed for acting like that in front of someone new, so she tried to move past it. “This is Y/N. She’s from the castle by the sea, at Ramsgate. Y/N, this is Ned.”

Y/N smiled and did her curtsy, grateful to the boy for restoring peace. She had a feeling he’d be nice to her, unlike Brandon. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She hadn’t expected him to hastily look down and mumble something. Had he not noticed she was there?

Brandon elbowed him, and Ned looked up, meeting her eyes with his own grey ones. She still liked the look of them, and now they were contrasting against the boy’s red cheeks. “Um. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And?” It was Benjen’s turn to elbow him. Ned frowned at his younger brother, glanced at Y/N, hastily glanced away and added,

“AndwelcometoWinterfell.”

Y/N couldn’t help but smile at that. Lyanna was giggling at her side, and Brandon looked much more relaxed. The air cleared at once, and Lyanna nudged Y/N’s hand before taking it.

“Let me show you around Winterfell, it’s pretty here, even without the ocean. Oh, I know the best place to start!”

“She’s already in the best place,” Brandon said. “The stables are here, too. Let’s show her our horses!”

“I have the prettiest mare,” Lyanna said. “Do you ride? Oh, soon Brandon is going to get a big horse, like the ones knights use in tourneys!”

Brandon beamed, and Y/N was glad the two had something they bonded over. Benjen added, “When you’re done looking at smelly animals, I know the best hiding spots.”

“And the kitchens, they’re making so many pastries for tonight!” Lyanna said.

“What about the top of the castle walls? And the big catapults.”

“The towers, too, especially the haunted one,” Benjen said. “Well, it’s scarier at night.”

Y/N noticed Ned hadn’t added anything to their list of suggestions. He actually seemed a little dismal, and he glanced up at the tall walls that Brandon mentioned.

“Um, Ned, where do you think we should go?” Y/N asked, wanting to include him.

He blushed again, and fiddled with the hem of his tunic. She thought it was odd how he had a little sword at his waist, but Brandon didn’t. “Oh. Um. I don’t know…”

“You’re coming with us,” Lyanna said, although Y/N didn’t think Ned would try to slip away. He looked forlorn about something, she just didn’t know how to ask or what to say. “We have to do as much as possible before you have to leave!”

He has to leave? But where? Is that why he’s so sad? Y/N wanted to ask him, but Ned was shrinking back behind Benjen and Brandon. The latter was already marching to the stables, calling the girls to follow him. Benjen tugged at his older brother’s sleeve to urge him along, just as Lyanna eagerly pulled Y/N.

Lady Stark was doing a very impressive job of managing a smile while fury burned in her eyes.

“Lyanna. Brandon. Benjen.” She said each name with great enunciation, and each child grimaced as their name was said. “To the baths. Now.”

None of them protested. Lyanna’s hair had long fallen out of its braid and her dress had a motley of grime on it. Brandon’s arms and cheeks were caked in dirt after deciding to show Y/N how to mount a real knight’s horse - and promptly falling. Benjen was dirty from his fingers to his toes because, while Lyanna and Ned were helping Brandon up, he decided to pelt his sister with mud and hay. She ran after him, tackled him to the ground, and that’s how her dress ripped, too. Brandon doubled over in laughter and Y/N expected Ned to intervene again, but he just sighed.

Ned was more or less clean, as was Y/N - she noticed some dirt on the hem of her dress, but she couldn’t do much about it, and she didn’t want to trouble Lady Stark. The woman sighed heavily, and she tried to return some sweetness to her voice.

“Sweetling, could you wash your hands for me? I’ll have a maid brush the dust out of your hair and fix the braid. Would you like that?”

“Yes, Lady Stark. Thank you very much.”

It was best to be courteous when the fire was under one’s “arse”, as her Uncle said, although Y/N wasn’t sure what that was and why fire would be under it. She liked the idea of her nails and hair being clean again, though. Lady Stark turned to her second oldest.

“Ned, it’s good everyone was having fun, but on important days like this, you should remind them how to act. I know Lord Arryn has taught you much about being a proper Lord.” She sighed, and much of the anger was gone from her at that point. “Brandon knows better, but he needs a cool head to set him straight. Do you understand?”

Ned looked as though he had been scolded, anyway. He nodded. “I know.”

“I’m not upset at you, love. I’m glad you’re home.” She gave him a quick hug, then turned back to Y/N. “I’ll show you where you can freshen up, sweetling.”

She was thankful Lady Stark didn’t take her hand; she’d already been almost reprimanded like a child, she didn’t want to be escorted like one. As they walked away, she glanced back. He looks lonely again.

His grey eyes met her own, so Y/N smiled and waved. He looked away, but eventually glanced back and gave her a little wave back.

The harvest feast was a flurry of colors and music. Y/N had attended such feasts at Lord Manderly’s beautiful castle, but everyone was so much bigger, so much louder here. Sometimes it was frightening, and she was happy to be seated close to Lyanna. They were at a table meant for the younger girls, but the ages were varied and Y/N could tell Lyanna was bored with all of them. Surprised at her own boldness, but getting antsy herself, Y/N was the one who suggested they seek out the boys.

“Great idea!” Lyanna said, and her enthusiasm made Y/N regret the suggestion.

No one paid them any mind as they left the table. Lyanna only seemed to be avoiding her mother and father’s gaze, but Lord Stark was loudly telling stories with Y/N’s father, and Lady Stark was in deep conversation with two other ladies. All it took was ducking behind two serving women and crawling under a table to make their escape to the door.

The cold air hit Y/N’s face again for the hundredth time, and it was no less refreshing. She missed the smell of the salty sea, but the mountains and snow had their own relaxing scent. She turned to Lyanna. “Do you know where they are?”

“I saw Brandon leave, I bet Ned and Benjen followed him. They always do.”

She was right. Close the feast hall was a yard, smaller than the big training yard, but still plenty of room for boys to poke each other with wooden swords and laugh. Brandon was taking on Lord Manderly’s two sons.

Like Lord Manderly himself, they were round, blonde and good-natured. They weren’t at all bothered by Brandon trying to take them on at the same time, if anything, they thought it was a fun game. They’d actually left her alone tonight, no doubt because all the other lordlings were playing knights and “sparring”.

“Wylis, Wendel!” Y/N called. Their father was the liege lord of her father, so it’d be rude not to say hello. Wendel stopped the game to answer back, but Brandon hit him square on the head.

“That wasn’t fair,” Wylis said. “You didn’t give him a chance to yield!”

“Hard to yield when you’re dead,” Brandon shrugged. Wendel rubbed his head, but still called “Y/N!” and waved. She waved back just to appease him, and Brandon took the chance to strike again, but this time Wylis called out and Wendel jumped back.

Y/N spotted Benjen, who was hanging upside down from a low branch on a tree. The three Ryswell boys were around him, wanting to do it too, and Lyanna announced her intention to climb higher than all of them. Y/N looked around for Ned, and didn’t see him.

Who she did see startled her. She thought he was a statue, but that was stupid. Who had a statue of a boy - no, maybe a young man? - in the yard outside of a feast hall? He was so still, and then, he moved.

His pale eyes looked down on her. Maybe it was the trick of the torches, or the moonlight, but they were almost colorless. When he stepped close, her head was just under his chest, and she was face to face with the emblem of a flayed, bleeding man.

Y/N could only manage a pitiful attempt at a curtsy. She recognized the house’s sigil, but the name of their lord and only son escaped her. She’d never met either, but it still felt like a failed test.

“What are you doing here?” His voice startled her, and she didn’t know why. She hadn’t expected it to be so … quiet, yet there was little if any warmth in it.

“I …” She was allowed to be here, she was a guest, the same as him, but Y/N still felt herself faltering. She frantically glanced back for Lyanna, but the girl was too busy playing.

She was smaller than him, but she felt even smaller, and she hated it. Y/N was ready to dart back inside when she heard snow crunching behind her. Just a moment later, someone put a hand on her head.

“Roose, your father is looking for you.” It was Ned’s voice. Y/N glanced up, feeling comfort in his presence and the warmth of his hand. Normally she would’ve shaken him off, but she stayed still.

The Bolton boy said nothing to that, not at first. He glanced down to Ned’s hip, where the thin sword still was. Y/N noticed he had one himself, but it was a real one. A proper one.

It was Wylis’ oblivious voice that broke the tension between the three of them. “Roose! Come join us!”

Y/N couldn’t believe he was speaking to a proper lord like that, and she fearfully glanced at the taller boy to gauge his reaction. He had none. His icy eyes glanced toward the children climbing the tree and Brandon, and he simply said, “I haven’t used a wooden sword in years.”

That was it. Not willing to indulge in children’s games, the Bolton boy brushed past her, and Y/N felt the night air get just a little colder. She shivered, then felt warmth close to her fingers. At some point, Ned had moved his hand to her’s, but he didn’t make an attempt to hold it. Y/N decided to.

“Thank you,” She said, and she liked the little smile he gave her. He only met her eyes for those few seconds before glancing downward.

“Don’t be afraid of him. You’re safe here.”

Y/N nodded, even if she still felt anxious. The sound broke her out of her fear, and Ned led her over to the tree. Soon Brandon and Wylis and Wendel joined them, too, and everyone ended up cheering on Benjen as he swung to the highest branch.

Y/N stayed for three more days, delighting in playing with her new friends. It was mostly her, Lyanna and Benjen, but sometimes Brandon and Ned would join their games and exploring. She wished Ned would talk to her a little more, but he always seemed embarrassed, or one of his siblings would talk over him.

When it came time to leave, Lyanna started to cry, and that made Y/N cry. “You have to visit next year!” She said, hugging her companion close. “You have to!”

“I will,” Y/N said, already promising it without knowing if she could. Didn’t Lord and Lady Stark mention it? “I’ll ask my father and mother if I can come next year.”

“I’ll ask mine, too! Maybe they’ll let me go to Ramsgate. We’ll built sandcastles and collect shells!”

Y/N wanted to stay in Winterfell, but she wouldn’t be picky. She gave Benjen a hug, too. Ned had a shy goodbye for her, and Brandon was off on his horse somewhere. Lady Stark kissed her brow and said she was welcome at anytime, and Lord Stark patted her head, very similar to what her father did, except his hand was huge.

It was usually Willam sticking his head out the carriage, but he was fast asleep, and Y/N had no shame hanging halfway out to wave at the Starks as she left. Eventually they were too small to see, and then the castle gate closed, and her Uncle gently urged her back inside.

“When are we going back?” Y/N asked him, and she didn’t understand why he laughed. She was being serious.

“Sooner than you think, little ray. Your mother will be very pleased to hear you had so much fun. What did you think of the Stark boys?”

“Ned is quiet, and Bran is too loud. Ben is nice.” Y/N shrugged. “Lyanna is my friend, though.”

“That’s good. Very good. You can tell your lady mother all about them.”

Why? I sent her a letter. Y/N thought, but she just nodded and glanced out the window to watch the passing countryside. She didn’t understand why her uncle was so pleased, and she recalled her father asked that question, too … and didn’t Lady Stark? “What do you think about Winterfell, Y/N? Are you getting along with the boys?”

Y/N frowned. Maybe they thought I wouldn’t like Lyanna’s brothers because the only one I have is so young.

Whatever the reasons, Y/N quickly pushed them from her mind as she admired the passing forest and streams. It began lulling her to sleep, and she tried to make herself comfortable as the carriage jostled and the horses padded along noisily. She was fast asleep by the time her uncle covered her with a blanket.

#game of thrones x reader #ned stark x reader #libra fics #salt & snow #game of thrones imagines #ned stark

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goatbi · 4 years

Text

Deep Dark Sea Chapter Six

For a moment, the two of them stared at each other in silence, Bubby kneeling next to the pool, and the mantis shrimp poking his head out of the water, staring up at him. He couldn’t think of what to say here, just staring at that wonderful green. The mantis shrimp seemed to have nothing to say either, staring right back up at him, mouth open just a little as if in shock.

The water rippled next to him, and another head poked out of the water. Bubby glanced over at him as he surfaced, and the mantis shrimp took that opportunity to shift, pulling himself up a bit to balance on the edge of the docking bay, his body drifting behind him. The other merman, as that was all Bubby could imagine them to be, was a bit too deep to see what exactly he was. Yet, he was the first to speak.

“You’ve been listening to him sing for however long he’s been down here, and you don’t say a word now?” Bubby blinked, before looking towards the mantis shrimp, who pushed back off the wall and shoved the other’s head back down under water.

“Don’t mind Tommy.” Bubby blinked, then nodded slightly, shifting to sit cross legged a bit back from the edge of the docking bay, so the mantis shrimp could hook his arms, the more human ones, on the edge again and hang there. “I’m.. Coomer.”

“Bubby.” He answered softly, voice barely able to make a sound through his shock. This was a merman. A mantis shrimp merman, who had been listening to him singing? This entire time?

Tommy popped back up again. “The entire time, Mr. Human, the entire time!” Coomer shot a look behind him, and Tommy disappeared back underwater, and Bubby blinked, seeing a large shape move away from the pool, what he assumed to be Tommy. He was deceptively big, how had he not seen that mass before? Was he flat? Some sort of manta ray then.

“Uh...” Bubby’s eyes flicked back towards Coomer, who was frowning at him. “Are you alright? I know it’s a bit of a shock-”

“Fine! Fine, just uh... Trying to figure out what... type of creature he was. I mean, you’re obvious, mostly, and I think I figured out the other one when he floated past, but uh, Tommy, I didn’t see until he... swam off.” Coomer nodded slightly, still staring up at him.

“That’s alright. He’s probably going to go get the others anyways, you can meet the school.” Bubby blinked at him, then nodded slightly.

“You’ve... been listening to me sing?”

“Oh, only when you’re in here, that’s the only place I can really hear it. Your voice is lovely, I’m a little upset I couldn’t hear it through the windows so I could hear you more often.” Coomer shifted slightly, and his tail disappeared into the dark for a moment as it flicked down, then slowly floated back up. Bubby watched quietly, still trying to fully process what he was seeing.

They sat like that for a moment, Coomer staring up at him, and Bubby staring back, before Coomer spoke again. “I like your eyes. They’re very nice.”

“Oh... I mean, red’s a weird color-”

“No, that’s... not red. I know red, that’s not quite it.” Bubby frowned at him. They were his eyes, and he had been subject to a lot of bullshit because they were red. He knew what color his eyes were.

“No, I’m... pretty sure-” and then Bubby paused. Mantis shrimp had far more color receptors than a human had, didn’t they? Maybe Coomer just... saw something different than he did. “I mean... I guess they would look different to you, huh...” he trailed off, before shaking his head slightly.

“I guess so. The others do say I see differently than them a lot. They tried to tell me humans didn’t have stripes!” Coomer leaned up, catching Bubby’s wrist in his hand carefully, pushing himself up with the shrimp arms to have his other hand free to trace something along Bubby’s arm.

Bubby saw nothing, frowning at him a moment, before going with it. “Your eyes are very green. I don’t think I’ve seen anything that green before.”

Coomer was still tracing the marks that only he could see, and paused, Bubby watching him flush before shooting a grin at him, looking back to his arm. “I dunno if they are green like green is to me... But I’m... glad you like them.”

He almost snorted, turning his head and continued to let Coomer trace the lines along his arm, watching him out of the corner of his eye. As such, he watched the water ripple again, as the pyrosome colony he had seen before poked his head up, and then disappeared again. Bubby raised an eyebrow. “That uh... pyrosome colony-”

“Forzen”

“Yeah, uh, Forzen... What’s his deal?”

"Oh, he just likes watching people.” Coomer glanced back, and must’ve been able to see where he sunk down into the water. He looked back towards Bubby’s arm. “Plus he has trouble swimming, so we move him with currents. So that just means the others are here too now.”

“Others?”

Coomer nodded. “You saw Tommy for a second, there’s Darnold, Benrey, and Gordon as well. Well, G-Man too, but he’s rarely around, so I don’t think he’s here. Also Gordon’s son Joshua, but Joshua is just a normal fish he adopted, so he can’t come up here like we can.” He hit the sleeve of Bubby’s shirt again and pouted, dropping back down onto his human arms. Bubby blinked, rubbing his arm slightly, almost missing his touch.

He glanced over as another head popped up from the water, and Coomer looked over at him as well. “Hey Darnold. This is Bubby.” Darnold shifted up a bit more to lift a hand at him, slowly beginning to circle. Bubby looked at him quietly.

“Shark?” Darnold grinned at him, and that only confirmed it to him. “So we have Benrey and Gordon left to see, right?” Coomer nodded slightly, and just then, Tommy resurfaced, grinning.

“Benrey’s coming up soon!”

Bubby was... honestly a bit overwhelmed, but said nothing, as another sharp toothed merman surfaced, black hair spread out around him. Bubby glanced at the others, who said nothing, looking back at this grunge looking man who had emerged from the deep.

So maybe Bubby was a bit scared. This was fine.

“Hey Benrey! Where’s Gordon?”

“Uh being a lil... a lil bitch baby.” Bubby stared at the newly identified Benrey, eyes narrowed slightly, but was distracted from his thought as Coomer sighed, pushing himself off the wall.

“I’ll get him.” and he disappeared into the water. Bubby stared after him, then glanced around at the others, who all stared at him dead faced.

“... I have done nothing to deserve your ire.” He said, glaring around back at them, and Tommy huffed.

“yeah, but we’ve never seen Coomer like this before. So... just know you won’t make it back to the surface to your school if you hurt him.”

His school? This was a very strange school at this point, and Bubby sighed. “I don’t have one? So I don’t think it would matter that much if you killed me, I just don’t feel like dying.”

For some reason, when he said that, they seemed upset at this, but weren’t able to say anything before Coomer’s tail appeared, as he scrambled up the side and managed to get his feet onto the level surface, backing up carefully as he dragged the most pissed off looking mer Bubby had ever seen. To be fair, he hadn’t seen a lot, but he knew anger when he saw it.

This had to be Gordon. He was hanging from Coomer’s arms, hair plastered in his face, arms dangling. His hand had some pretty nasty claws on it, and the other was a scarred stump. Bubby tried to find his face in the mess of hair covering it, but was unable.

“Here’s Gordon!” Coomer called, holding him up with apparently ease, though Bubby, looking down into the dark water, could not see the end of of his tail. He could see a small fish circling the tail that remained in the water. Just a normal fish. This caused him to laugh softly, looking back up at Gordon, who snarled at him and Bubby fell silent. “He didn’t want to meet you, but I wanted him to, so he’s gonna!”

“I’m faster than you.”

“And I’m stronger than you!” Coomer replied cheerfully, and dropped him back into the water. Gordon ducked down for a second, but only to slick the hair in his face back off of it, surfacing again to glare towards Bubby. He looked across the bay to look at Coomer completely out of the water for the first time he had seen him. He was just as brightly colored, if not more so than Bubby originally thought, without the dark water muffling the bright colors. Coomer shifted and dove back under, popping up in front of him, pulling himself back up into his original position and...

Bubby forgot about the others, in favor of the green once more. Coomer seemed content, staring back at him, and they fell into silence again.

“Jesus you two are gay-”

Coomer dove at Tommy, and they disappeared under the water.

#hlvrai #half life vr but the ai is self aware #hlvrai mermaid au #bubby #dr. coomer #tommy coolatta #gordon freeman #darnold #forzen #benrey #Feelings In Various Ways

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im-the-king-of-the-ocean · 4 years

Text

Under The Sea

Soft Summer Prompts #21: Swimming

@yellowmagicalgirl

(I don’t actually know where the original ask to this one has gone, but I’ve had this post saved with you @ -ed and a link to the prompt list in my drafts for a while now, so I’m assuming it was an actual request)

Going to the beach is supposed to be a fun, summer activity.

Penny rests her head on her knees. She gazes out at the waves where the others are splashing around and altogether having a good time.

She’s not having much fun.

Between keeping her blanket immaculately clean of sand (a difficult task without the anxiety that some of the near microscopic particles will find their way into her cogs and gears and cause a catastrophic malfunction) and the knowledge that, if she joins her friends in the ocean, Penny will likely short circuit (and electrocute anyone in a five-six meter radius to boot), coming here has been significantly more stressful than relaxing.

Penny sighs. She just wants to have fun like everyone else. But she didn’t want to draw attention to herself when the group was deciding what they’d do for the day. Everyone was so excited at the prospect of a beach day. Penny didn’t want to be the downer who says she’d prefer not to go.

She’ll just sit here, on her blanket, and wait for the day to end. Then, she’ll say she had lots of fun and, since Ruby isn’t here, there’ll be no one to catch her in the lie when she hiccups. Sure, the others could know what her hiccups mean, but Penny doubts it. They don’t know her well enough.

Penny told them she’d be fine, sitting on the blanket on her own, and they’d believed her, after all.

Although precisely every ten minutes Nora runs out of the ocean to flop down next to Penny and ask her how she’s doing, and start chatting so fast Penny has a hard time keeping up. Ren will join them, arriving at a much slower walk. He’ll adjust the umbrella he acquired from a vendor so it’s still keeping Penny out of direct sunlight (and danger of overheating).

Penny knows they, and everyone else too, do care. It’s just…hard. To be reminded that she’s not like them. Not really. She wishes she was. She’d love to be able to jump in the ocean, swim into an oncoming wave, dip below the surface to see all the sea creatures that live underwater. But she wasn’t built with that much water resistance. She can survive rain, but not full submersion.

“Hey, Penny!”

Penny jerks her head up. She whirls around. Squints in the direction of the voice. “Ruby? But I thought—”

“I couldn’t make it? Pfft, I’d never miss a fun day like this.” Ruby plops down next to Penny. “Plus, the mission ended earlier than expected. I can’t think of any better way to spend my time. Ahhh.” She lays down on her back, crosses her arms behind her head, and closes her eyes.

“Oh, okay.” Penny tries a half-hearted smile. She does enjoy Ruby’s company. But, the idea of her leaving Penny to go swim in the ocean is just, somehow, a little worse, than everyone else doing it.

They sit in silence for five minutes.

Ruby cracks an eye open to look at Penny. “So…” she begins. “You wanna go somewhere really cool?”

“Where?” Penny cocks her head, equally curious and nervous. Ruby should be aware of Penny’s inability to go swimming in the ocean, but what if she’s not? What if she’s about to ask Penny to go in the water with her and Penny will have to say ‘no’, and then Ruby will go anyway, and, and…

“You’ll see.” Ruby grins. She stands up and holds out a hand to Penny. “Trust me, you’ll love it.”

Penny places her hand in Ruby’s, taking comfort in how nice it feels. “I…okay.”

They walk back up the beach to the boardwalk. For a moment, Penny is hopeful Ruby is taking her to play the carnival games there. She enjoys those quite a lot. Her superhuman strength and dexterity mean she can win a lot of them quite easily. Penny wouldn’t mind seeing Ruby blush as she hands her yet another giant stuffed animal again.

They pass the games. Penny frowns. Ruby leads her to a nondescript building at the end of the road. They enter and Ruby purchases two tickets from the person working the front desk. If she wasn’t with Ruby, Penny would find all this very strange and kind of unnerving. But, there’s no one (except maybe her father), who she trusts more than Ruby, so she remains calm.

Ruby leads Penny to an escalator leading down somewhere Penny can’t see. She stops and turns back to face Penny. “Close your eyes,” Ruby tells her softly.

Penny hesitates. She bites her lower lip. She looks into Ruby’s steady gaze. Then, Penny closes her eyes. Ruby guides her onto the escalator. They ride down. The air around them slowly gets colder the further they go. Penny vibrates as her thermal sensors notify her heating system to adjust accordingly.

Penny feels Ruby drape her cloak around her shoulders. Her circuits nearly overheat and malfunction as a sudden burst of pleasant emotion tries to overload them.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now,” Ruby finally says when they reach the bottom of the escalator.

Penny does. She gasps. Her hands fly to cover her mouth. She stares at the sight before her in awe.

They’re standing in a large room with people milling about. One wall is completely made of thick glass. On the other side of the glass is the ocean. Penny can see a coral reef and dozens of different types of fish swimming around. Sun shines down from above, casting shimmering light ripples over everything.

Without thinking, Penny rushes up to the glass wall and presses her hands against it. She’d never really believed she’d ever get to see a sight like this. Not really. Sure, there’s video and pictures, but her inability to go in water would forever mean she couldn’t see aquatic life in person. Yet, here she is, watching a smack of jellyfish drift by.

Ruby comes up next to her. “If you like this, just wait until you’re in a tunnel.”

“A tunnel?”

Smirking, Ruby holds out her hand for Penny to take. When Penny does, she leads her over to an entryway leading into a long, glass, tube tunnel that travels out under the ocean. Underwater life surrounds them as they walk down it. Kelp drifts peacefully on either side. Small orange and purple fishes dart in and out between the leaves. Overhead a manta ray swims by. Penny stops, gasps, and watches it enraptured.

The tunnel opens up into a small, round, observation room. Penny and Ruby pause to rest on a cushioned bench there. Penny’s barely sat down when she sees something that causes her to jump up again.

“Ruby! Ruby, look! That’s a whale! A WHALE!” Penny points excitedly at the far off shape of the massive sea creature going about it’s business.

Ruby smiles at her fondly. “Yup.”

“Oh, Ruby, thank you, thank you! This is so wonderful! I can’t believe I didn’t know this place existed and—oh look at that! I wonder what kind of fish that is?”

“I don’t know,” Ruby’s voice is slightly quieter now. Hesitant. Penny’s grin falls from her face. What can be wrong? “There’s something else, Penny.” Ruby looks away. “I wanted to get you away from everyone else today because I…because there’s something I need to…” She trails off and the next thing Penny knows, she’s being kissed.

Penny gasps, drawing away from the kiss. She lets out a yelp, fearful that Ruby will withdraw and they won’t get to truly kiss. Instinctively, Penny wraps her arms around Ruby in an embrace to keep them together. There’s some fumbling, an awkward laugh from both of them, and then Penny and Ruby slowly, gently, press their lips together again.

All around them, sea life swims or drifts by. None of the fish really pay attention to them. This is Ruby and Penny’s (almost) impossible moment under the sea.

#rwby #nuts and dolts #ruby rose #penny polendina #whirls writing #firefly roses

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ravenwritesstuff · 4 years

Text

Best Laid Plans (11/?)

Fandom: Frozen (modern AU, no magic) Pairings: Helsa, established Kristanna, Rapunzel/Eugene, lotsa frohana Rating: T for now, M later almost for sure A/N: I don’t know if I have ever posted multi-thousand word chapters back to back like this. Please plan on this NEVER happening again.

They pull on their masks, bite their snorkels, and follow after their intrepid leader.

Elsa takes the buddy system into consideration but it has been years since she has been swimming of any kind. It has been even longer since she has been in the ocean, the risk too great to warrant any casual adventures, and she can feel the movement of the water around her as she does her best to keep up.

She has forgotten just what it feels like to be both buoyant and sinkable. Her preserver rests below her armpits as she kicks flippered feet and submerges her face. A quick look underwater shows little more than a cavernous blue depth at first, but as they swim the ground comes clearer. With remarkable quickness the deep comes shallow enough for her to make out the sandy bottom. A few fish dart around below as the ground seems to rise up to meet them with each stroke.

Then she sees it.

At first it is just a few splotches of color too far below her to really make out. Then as she gets closer, closer, those few splotches grow and spread until there is nothing but textures and color and movement of dozens of different creatures swimming in the space just below her. The coral blooming beneath her is just as stunning as the scores of multicolored fish swirl and dart amongst the crack and crevices not twenty feet below her.

She understands now why the large vessel had stayed so far behind. There was no way it would be able to clear this elevated paradise.

She feels a tap on her shoulder and she jerks up out of the water. It is Anna. Elsa is about to ask her what is so important when her sister points to where Hans is just a few feet away. She realizes then she was the last to have her head pop up and fights against feeling embarrassed.

Their host however doesn’t seem to mind. His entire body is smiling as he pulls his mask up to his forehead and looks at each of them individually.

“Welcome to the initiative.” He throws one arm in the air, the other supporting himself on his life preserver, and does not even seem to need applause. The joy of being here, of showing them this place, is enough for him.

“What is this?” Rapunzel asks, her giant green eyes looking even larger in the mask she wears.

“This is an ecosystem unlike any other in the world. Sorry for the mystery but there is no way to describe it. You have to see it for yourself.” His smile could burn entire civilizations to the ground by its fire, its sheer enthusiasm, and she is glad for the cool water around her. “You can stay as long as you like but please remember to not touch anything. No rocks, no fish, no coral. Whenever you are ready you can swim back to the boat.”

That is all it takes for her group to begin exploring in earnest. She is about to join them, but she makes the mistake of meeting his gaze.

He is a few feet away but it is as if he is right on top of her. His face is so vulnerable that she cannot understand it. She does not know what he is trying to tell her, if he is trying to tell her anything, if she is just imagining things. He looks at her like he knows her, like he wants her to know him, like somehow by bringing her here he is showing her a part of his soul. Just the idea of that is so unnerving that she clamps her lips over her mouthpiece and escapes him by exploring the wonders below.

She is not disappointed. After only a few moments she was able to almost entirely forget the moment above the water.

Every stroke she takes reveals a new wonder, something she has never imagined.

It really is unlike anything she had ever seen. She is not one to be transcendental but she can only describe it as otherworldly. It goes on and on and on. She did not know there could be beauty like this in the world - especially so close to where she has always lived. To imagine that these impossibly incredible sights were simply hidden by a few feet of water rattles her. She knows all too well about things hidden beneath the surface.

But she doesn’t want to think about that. She doesn’t want to think about any of that. She just wants to enjoy this and she does.

She forgets about everything outside of this space. She has never been sick. The world has never been unfair. Here there is only beauty and splendorous surprises. She abandons her life preserver more than once to dive down and get a closer look. The pressure coupled with the freedom is something she has never felt. She stays low as long as she can before she makes it to the surface, lungs heaving but she feels alive.

She cannot remember the last time she felt this alive.

She blows the water out of her snorkel and gets back to her investigating.

They all go their own ways over the vast expanse of reef.

Eugene follows Rapunzel and Anna follows Kristoff, and it makes sense. This reef is enormous and this is a limited time opportunity. The fact that they all go with their partner to explore whatever catches their eye is fine. Still when an eel peeks out of its hiding spot or an octopus crawls across the seabed she feels the smallest twist of disappointment that she has no one to tell.

She only half keeps watch for Hans Westergaard. and not because he is her buddy but because she finds herself developing a strange sixth sense in regards to him. Almost as if she needs to know where he is so her mind can rest, but her priority is this magical place. To his credit, he gives her space. Occasionally she will see a flick of his flippers in her distant periphery but he lets her explore on her own for which she is grateful.

She is uncertain how long she has been swimming over this majesty, diving, exploring without prejudice when she feels a hand on arm. She comes up out of the water, sputtering. It is him. His red hair floppy and wet over the band of his mask.

"I want to show you something. Just hold your breath and trust me." His voice is urgent. "Okay?"

Stupefied, she nods.

“All right.” He pulls the snorkel out of her mouth. “Deep breath.”

She fills her lungs and then she is underwater with Hans Westergaard. He pulls them down and then points into the distance, beyond the edge of the reef. Though the water is clear it casts a shadow over the space between where they are and the subject he is highlighting. It takes a moment for her eyes to pick out the massive, flat silhouette. It’s enormous body waved and flapped as if it were flying beneath the water. She watches, entranced, until her lungs cannot take it anymore.

She swims up and he joins her.

“What is that?” She gasps on the surface.

“An oceanic manta ray,” his smile so wide it could span a mile. “I’ve seen them off the Southern Aisle but never here. Come on!”

He grabs her hand and starts swimming in the direction of the creature. Elsa has no time to think, to complain and does her best to keep up with his insistent pull. When they have swam several dozen yards he stops, drops her hand, and dives under again before popping back up.

“A bit further,” he says as she lifts her head in question.

The swim until he stops once more and goes under. He is up before she can even join him.

“It’s incredible. It is using the reef as a cleaning station.” He is back under before she has the chance to ask what he means, but since he does insist on getting closer this time she joins him beneath the water.

They are much closer now and the creature that was impressive at a distance is now awe striking. Its body is twice the length of hers with wings that stretch out wide and a tail that extends behind its flat body like an arrow. It hovers in front of them by only a dozen feet almost completely still. Dozens of fish swarm its black and white back and belly biting and pecking at the ray’s skin.

A cleaning station. She recalls. The fish are cleaning the ray.

She watches until her lungs are on fire and kicks to the surface to breathe for a bit. He is up after her by a good measure. His capacity for staying under water is clearly much more developed that hers. He gulps down greedy breaths and leans on his life preserver.

“Unbelievable. I should have brought my camera. They’re never going to believe this.”

Again there is no time for questions as he sucks in several quick, deep breaths before disappearing. When she finally catches her breath enough to go under again she is amazed to see that he has moved even closer to the resting ray. He is circling close, seeming to investigate every detail of the astonishing creature. When he sees her he waves her over, but she is afraid and not just of the manta ray. She is afraid of the joy he is showing, of letting it connect to her, of giving him the wrong impression through shared experience. This day has already gotten wildly out of hand and she does not want to feed into it any more.

So she shakes her head and hangs back. She lets him explore, coming up and staying down for impressive intervals as she mostly watches now from the surface as the distance. After several minutes the ray seems to have enough of the fishes feasting and with a mighty wave of its fins it propels itself forward. Its motion is mesmerizing, the flourish of a master magician coupled with the grace of a prima ballerina, as it swims off into the ocean.

He follows it, but she stays still and watches it go. She is always watching things move past her and she thinks that maybe soon she will be the one to go first - to move while the rest of the world stays still. A taste more bitter than the ocean salt stings her tongue at the thought and she forces it away as she surfaces.

She pulls her mask up to her forehead and rests her arms on her life preserver. Hans Westergaard’s preserver floats unoccupied only a few feet from hers, unoccupied, and wonders how long it will be before he returns to claim it. She sees Anna and Kristoff's snorkels bobbing in the water to her distant right, Eugene and Rapunzel to her far off left. She thinks she can hear the occasional muffled cry through Rapunzel's snorkel and while she is not thrilled with her youngest team member's earlier comments she cannot help but smile at her enthusiasm.

She wishes they had seen what she had just seen, had experienced this unexplained magic, and wonders if they have seen anything they wish that she had been with them to see. Had they even noticed her rapid trek with their employer to a remote corner of the reef? Had they thought anything of it besides the consideration of Hans Westergaard’s persistent attention? The thought prickles her conscience and she chooses to ignore it.

She looks up at the sun and squints. It beats down warm on her face but still her teeth chatter. She supposes her body is not used to prolonged exposure to the cold water, knows she has not eaten enough today to justify this level of exercise, and glances back towards the ship in the distance as he swims up alongside her.

He moves his life preserver under him as if it is a chair and tears off his mask.

That was incredible.” He shakes his head, droplets flying, and laughs. “I never thought I’d see that here.” When he looks at her his eyes are luminous and focused. “I may have to call on you to be a witness when my friends don’t believe me.”

The way he sits makes it so she can only see his shoulders, the heavy rise and fall of his chest. Drops of water cling to his jaw, his cheeks, his collarbones and glisten in the high sun like dozens of luminous jewels. There is an energy, an excitement, radiating off of him that is warmer than the ray of the sun. She can almost feel his heat from where they sit, can almost feel it melt something inside of her chest that has been frozen for too long.

“Of course,” she keeps it neutral, not wanting to learn more even though she is curious who these friends are that he would need to tell and that would not believe him.

Her voice seems to draw him back from whatever planet he had ventured to in his supposed discovery. He looks back to her with eyes that focus in on her with an intensity that she is certain she will never grow accustomed to: like he sees all of her faults and all and is still excited that she just exists.

"Your lips are blue," he reaches out and brushes his fingertips across her cheek, tucking a stray wet strand behind her ear. Heat tingles down the side of her face at his touch, so casually intimate it takes all her strength to not swim backwards and put more distance between them.

"I'm fine," her response is quick, biting in her discomfort, and she can tell he doesn't buy it.

"Of course you are," he grins and playfully tugs at the end of her life preserver so she floats closer to him. "But I'm headed back to the boat. I have some people that need to know about what we just saw and as your buddy that means you have to go with me."

She frowns, both at the increased proximity and the idea of leaving without her team. "But the others -"

"One of the crew followed us out on a kayak. See?" He points and she sees. She hadn't noticed them before now, had been too preoccupied with the beauty beneath the water. "If any of them need help they have a highly trained and certified lifeguard watching them like a hawk."

It does make her feel better knowing that someone was there to look out for her people but going back to the boat alone with Hans Westergaard just seems like she is asking for trouble. Then again, going hypothermic on the account of pride also isn’t her finest idea. She looks around once more to find her team. They were scattered now, too far to call out to and while she is tempted to swim over to them she knows she should save her energy for the long swim back to the ship.

“Hey,” he is talking again, voice low. “I won’t let anything happen to them.”

She blinks as she looks at him. The sun is so bright off the ocean surface it throws strange shadows on his face that only accent the creased left from the pressure of his mask. She chooses to focus on that instead of the fact that he is so close right now, half naked, and reading her mind.

“You mean your life guard isn’t going to let anything happen to them.” She does not mean to be cruel, but he frowns just enough at her comment to know the barb landed.

“No one person can be all things to everyone,” he tips his head to the side. “But rest assured that I have personally been saved by Jameson and trust him to do the same for anyone else under my care.”

Now she feels like a jerk, but is not ready to admit it.

She looks off towards her team, “Okay, but - “

“Hey,” he reaches out with his voice and draws her back to him. “They will be fine without you. I promise.”

Her mind explodes in a thousand directions.

They will be fine without her. Would they? Her shivering intensifies and it has nothing to do with the cold water. She looks out and tracks for her friends, her family. She does not see them. Where had they gone? She should look for them.

She is an instant away from swimming to discover them amongst the swells and sea when a warm hand touches his shoulder. Her eyes draw back to him and she swears he is only a breath away. The feel of his gentle treading waves against her legs through the water and she wonders if he feels her the same way, if the intangible contact makes her heart race and his mind fog.

She swims back just enough that his hand falls from her shoulder. “They’re safe. You’ve made sure.”

It is less of a question and more of a confirmation.

“Yes,” he is solemn as a prayer and, even though it takes a moment, she believes him.

“Okay.” She says and he fixes his mask over his face, she does the same.

“Follow me, he says before turning and swimming away.

She follows, mask down to take in the last of the beauty she will probably ever see. Part of her mourns the fact that she had not allowed herself to get closer to the ray while the other part congratulates herself. It was the right thing to do. She could not entangle herself with this man or his memories when she would so soon be gone from them, from all of them.

When the reef fades to the abyss she lifts her head above and remembers that the world is not all color and magic. It is hard sun and salt stained lips and exhausted muscles. He is ahead of her, but not by too much. She thinks he is most likely curbing his speed for her. She is simultaneously irritated and glad for the gesture.

When they do make it to the ship he grips the side of the ladder and pulls up his mask.

“Take off your flippers first and then climb.” He instructs, clearly waiting for her to go first.

If she was not wearing the least flattering swimsuit in the history of the world she probably would feel like he was using the opportunity to ogle her as she ascended. As it stands however she would consider it a miracle if anyone found the slightest bit of attraction to her backside in this suit. While she is glad of that in many ways - she also mourns the smallest bit of lost feminine pride.

Then before she knows it they are both on the textured fiberglass platform where this all began. The sun has shifted so she knows that considerable time has passed but she has no idea how much. After beholding what was just in front of her the world around her suddenly seems less impressive. How could anything rival the majesty she just beheld? The colors, the life, the energy, the sense of endlessness and connectivity…. She is not one for sentiment but this place was beyond her sensibilities. So she stands at the deck looking at the vast blue beyond and just stares.

Her limbs are heavy. Her skin tightens with the lingering salt. Each muscle seems to separate from the bone as she considers collapsing to the floor of the ship and letting every concept, every thought fall to nothing.

That will not be, however. He catches her attention with a quick wave of his life preserver. She turns to see him standing a few feet away. His sleek body is obscenely relaxed beneath the punishing sun and now she knows where he got those freckles.

He nods his head to the left and she notices a rain style shower head.

“It’s good to wash the salt off so your skin doesn’t dry out.”

When she doesn’t move he takes her hand just as he had in the ocean and leads her over. It isn’t sexual, but the level of sparks that fly from this simple contact makes her want to sprint back into the ocean and not look back. Once they are at the shower he drops her hand and turns the nozzles. He sticks his hand beneath the flow and makes adjustments.

He turns to her, “There is soap in those dispensers if you want.”

Her eyes go to clear plastic containers attached to the fiberglass wall of the ship. She crosses her arms over her chest suddenly very aware that while he is most likely being courteous - he is essentially asking her to shower in front of him. She is frozen for a moment and his brow furrows.

“Unless you don’t want to?” His head tips to the side, eyes watching her every shift. “Because if you won’t then I will.”

When she does not respond immediately, makes no move, he gives her a smile she feels down to her toes and steps under the stream. The water runs off the hard planes of his body, drips from the ends of his hair as he closes his eyes and lets it pour over him. After a few moments he brings his head forward just enough to flip back his hand and wipes down his face. In a practiced movement he dispenses the soap at the same time and lathers it between his hands.

It isn’t until he catches her gaze and he begins soaping up his torso that she realizes she is staring. She turns around instantly, mortified, and looks absolutely anywhere but where she is certain there is an all too interesting display of lean muscle performing something so intimate that she blushes even thinking about it.

A few moments later she hears a few footsteps and he steps past her. He doesn’t look behind himself as he passes, water running in rivulets down his well defined back, and goes to a locker mounted to the ship.

“It’s all yours. The water is warm.” He pulls a towel out and begins drying his hair.

The length of his ribs, the side of his abs, stretch even as his arm bunches in the vigorous motion. Her stomach clenches at the sight and she will never understand why she thought coming back here alone with him was a good idea. She turns and escapes under the water.

He is right. It is much warmer than the ocean and she stands under the flow for several seconds letting it warm her, dilute the crusting of salt in her hair and on her skin. She opens her mouth and just breathes, allows her crossed arms to fall to her sides, and tries to force everything else away.

After several deep breaths she steps from the stream and wipes her face with her hands. She is tempted to soap up, but decides to call it a day. There is no chance her makeup has survived all of this, but this is not her primary concern. The disconcerting heat growing in her body, the way his own feverish skin seems to be infecting her, is what has her worried. She kills the tap and stands to gather her thoughts for one extra moment.

Before she can turn and face him she feels the weight of luxurious cotton settle over her shoulders and he wraps a towel around her. She jerks around in surprise, to find him there smiling. She pulls the towel tight around her shoulders and somehow remembers her manners through the raging emotions inspired by the tender gesture.

“Thank you.” She says without smiling and she shivers but not because she is cold.

“You’re welcome.” He smiles and steps so close to her that their toes almost touch. He is backlit, the light around his face a halo and she can only just catch the glint of his eyes as his face hovers above hers. “Now I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

....

They sit on the edge where they had dropped into the ocean earlier in the day. Their feet dangle off the edge well above the water. Elsa can almost make out the figures of her companions still enjoying the sites of the reef. The bright orange kayak stands out along with the buoy and she is sure her people are safe. He made sure of that and she tells herself it is just a liability prevention. It is one of those rich people tricks to keep from being sued, but it doesn’t feel like that.

Nothing feels like it should with him and that is what leaves her the most unsettled. She wraps the plush, white cotton towel tighter around her shoulders as they look out onto the great blue beyond.

“So now you’ve seen it.” He says. He’s leaning back on his palms, his torso creating the most intriguing pattern of muscle and sinew that she does her best not to notice.

“Seen what?” She can hardly focus.

“The reef. Its inhabitants.” She remembers his proclamation after they had finally made it to their destination. Welcome to the initiative!

She remembers his unbridled enthusiasm, the breadth of his smile, his uninhibited response to their interaction with the manta ray, and though she has seen what he had dubbed his initiative she is not sure she understands.

“It is remarkable, Mister Westergaard.”

“Hans.”

She purses her lips. “I am still not entirely certain how E&A Events plays into this.”

He looks towards her and squints. She is not sure why but the sight makes her heart clench. Maybe it is the humanness of it. Not even the infinitely self assured are immune from the brightness of the sun. He does not give her time to wax poetic.

“There are over five hundred unique species on that reef. More if you count what we saw with that ray. Each one is integral to the health of Arendelle’s bay, our local fishing industry, and the future of our planet and yet it remains completely unprotected by the government. You saw it happen. An oceanic manta actually came to this reef for cleaning! It is a hub for all kinds of oceanic creatures!” His tone is so full of passion, such a departure from his normally casual cadence, that she cannot help but be stirred by it. “Our initiative sets out to preserve this irreplaceable element of our ecosystem before it disappears. A sixteenth of the reef is already dead or dying. The rate is only increasing. Without intervention the entire thing will be bleached before the time we have grandchildren.”

She watches him as he speaks, the expressions on his face and how they match the intent in his voice. This is not just another rich boy’s pet project, she realizes. He actually cares, perhaps more than cares, and she was not prepared for that. She also was unprepared for the mention of grandchildren. It was an idea she had never entertained even under the best circumstances. She may never have to endure the challenges of growing old, but she will never have the joys of age either. The thought of it now is bittersweet.

She pulls herself away from that destructive train of thought and refocuses.

“And how are you exactly planning on doing this?” Her voice has more challenge in it than she meant, flustered not only by her train of thought but also his passion.

“By throwing a kick-ass party, of course.” He smiles and the world melts a bit. His irreverence mixed with his sincerity is a potent cocktail.

She cannot help but feel a smile pull at her lips.

“Of course,” she agrees and allows herself that because it will benefit her, the business. “So we are talking about a fundraiser?”

He nods, but his expression floats back out towards the reef.

“Yes, but not just a fundraiser. I want everyone to see what you saw somehow. I want them to know how important this is, how incredible. I can talk for hours about a reef and the ecosystems and their global implications but nothing compares to letting them spend time there, get to know her.”

His voice is far away, but focused, as if he is letting her in on an internal dialogue previously unspoken. It feels deeply personal, like he is sharing more than he should for a professional relationship. She tries not to tense up and considers what Anna or Rapunzel would do to diffuse this situation.

The sun has warmed her enough now that she is comfortable dropping her towel to her waist and resting her hands next to her thighs.

“So you want to save the world.” She kicks her legs off the edge to keep that blood flowing as she warms up again. “That is what your initiative is.”

His mouth cracks a crooked line. “More or less.”

She looks at her lap and smiles before she can stop herself. “And here I thought the time limit on planning the event would be the most challenging part.”

He laughs and she likes the low, sincere rumble of it more than she should. His hand slides over hers as they grip the edge of the boat and her smile drops just like her stomach. The touch of his hand explodes up the length of her arm, electrifying her so she cannot withdraw.

“I want a lot of impossible things.” His voice is softer now, as if trying to soothe the nerves he frayed with his touch. “I suppose you could say I am a glutton for punishment.”

His eyes catch hers, vulnerable and bright. The world fades around the edges and she is not sure but she thinks he is leaning in. Her breath catches in her throat when his eyes dip to her mouth for a fraction of an instant. His fingers tighten and yes he is closer now. The tip of his tongue darts out to wet his full bottom lip as his eyes lower once more and -

There is a flash in the water, the sun sparkling in a new way as the surface is disrupted. Elsa blinks and straightens (had she leaned in too?). The world comes back into focus and she sees Anna swimming back to the boat with Kristoff. Their heads and still down taking in the sites, snorkels high, and Elsa jerks her hand out from under his.

Her heart hammers in her chest.

Had he just tried to kiss her?

Had she almost let him?

It had happened so quickly she hadn’t had time to react much less process what happened. Had anything happened? Surely she imagined it all. If it wasn’t for the slight head left on the skin of her hand from the weight of his she could have easily written off the entire thing.

But she cannot. She can still feel his heat, the tingling sensation of where he touched her and the way it awakened every other memory of his touch and this has to stop. This has to stop now. She is quickly realizing how powerless she is against him and his constant attention. Her defenses are crumbling around her ears. She needs to get out now, call this off, get back to the shore and her sanity, and her safe, sterile life. She needs to -

Anna’s head pops up. Her freckles are somehow both masked and magnified behind the enormous snorkel goggles. She spits out the mouthpiece and smiles at them.

“That thing is incredible! I’ve lived here my entire life and had no idea this was here.”

Mister Westergaard’s face breaks into a smile that she can only describe as boyish. He seems so genuinely pleased by the observation that she can almost feel his satisfaction at the comment.

“Exactly, and you have only seen part of it. When the sun sets you will see the whole of why this reef is not only beautiful, but unique and in need of all the protection we can offer it.” The intensity in his voice winds a taut rope of conviction in her gut.

Had she really just been thinking of calling off the event because she was nervous that he might have tried to kiss her? Is she really that selfish? Is she still trying to somehow make this all about her instead of where her focus should be?

Her paranoia was getting the better of her. She needs to relax and quickly. She isn’t quite sure how, but she knows it isn’t going to happen when she is sitting right next to him creating realities that simply are not there.

“I’m feeling a bit thirsty. I’m going to go get some water.” She moves back from the edge and stands. “Excuse me.”

She does not wait for any comment or request. She just goes. She grabs her swim wrap where she had left it, pulls it on, and ties it in place without missing a step. Her hands shake on the polished metal railing as she climbs up to deck with the swimming pool. The thin dark cotton does little to ward off the chill she feels entering the shade and then into the air conditioned interior.

There is no crew or staff about, but she supposes that isn’t too strange. They probably anticipated this as a time for preparation or a break before the rest of their service. She might actually be alone for the moment and the idea is a relief until a young attractive brunette in an all white service uniform appears from around a corner.

“May I help you, Miss?” It is professional, perfunctory, and Elsa normally would appreciate such service but right now it makes her prickle.

“Is there a place I could collect my thoughts... alone?” She needs this, to reacquaint herself with logic and process and reason.

The brunette nods, her smile glowing against olive skin and Elsa wonders if Hans has smiled at her the way he smiles at her. She wonders why it matters so much to her. She notes to breathe or else she really will go entirely crazy.

“Of course, Miss. If you just go up those stairs to the left I think you will find the Sunset Parlor the perfect spot.”

She is all smiles and professional courtesy. Not a single strand of her dark hair is out of place and her uniform is spotless. Normally this would be the time Elsa would enquire about work history and if her employer hired her out for events or who her employer was and got to the bottom of how to make sure she had such an excellent contact - but not now. Not when her insides were quaking and nothing made sense.

Instead she smiles as much as she can, gives a nod, and heads towards the stairs.

When she arrives at the top she can see why this is called the Sunset Parlor. There is a single, enormous, curved pane of glass that spans two entire sides of the room. She is not entirely sure how that is possible, but it is certainly incredible. The elevation of the second deck with the panoramic view would be sure to grant the most incredible view of any sunset as long as the boat was positioned correctly and the weather cooperated (did the weather ever not corporate for people rich enough to bribe the gods?).

The rest of the decor is simple by the rest of the ship’s standards. White leather furniture is framed by white walls atop plush white rugs and abstract white marble artwork standing over six feet high in waving wonder around the room. It is a space that seems made for anything other than viewing the endless horizon and sky.

Her eyes go to the corner where a discreet mini fridge lives. It is one of those with the glass door, but the interior and frame are white so she hadn’t noticed it initially. She sees bottles of water inside, remembers the excuse she had given to leave the group, and decides to keep herself honest.

She is half way across the exquisite room when she hears footfall that is not her own. She turns and there he is.

It is Ariel and Eric’s wedding all over again.

Except this time they are on a boat in the middle of the ocean. This time she might be working, but she is working for him. This time she is standing in only a swimsuit and thin cover while he is only in his trunks - the fascinating cut of his shoulders, chest, and stomach on full display. His body is lean but well muscled. The cuts and shadows of his frame are distracting at the very least. When he had come into the bridal suite she had felt in control, her armor in place, him shrouded under multiple layers of fabric. This time, this very different time, she is not certain she has the high ground.

“Hey,” he starts, tilting his head down and keeping his distance.

“Hello,” she backs up to where her thighs hit the edge of a couch. She stops and grips the edge for balance. The leather is like butter against her skin.

He nods towards the window, "it's pretty spectacular. The view at sunset, that is." He is still approaching, but slowly. "My father has made a lot of mistakes but this ship is not one of them."

It's a loaded statement, one she is sure she could find most answers to on the internet, but she is not going to do that. She is not going to figure out anything about this man besides what she must to do her job.

"I am sure it is. Incredible that is," she glances over to the window then back at him.

He is closer than before, only a few feet away, but he has stopped his approach. She notices his shirt hanging from his hand as he rocks onto his toes. She wishes he would put it on, but also - not.

He has the lock pick expression on again. "Do I make you nervous?"

The bluntness of the question catches her off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"Do I make you nervous? Because I don't want to but every time I am close to you you tense up."

And she is straightening golden satin seat covers ravaged by swan attack next to an infuriating stranger all over again.

"I am not tense," her fingers clench. "I am focused. I am a focused person and that is not to my detriment."

She has more she could say, wants to say, but stops herself. The less she says on the matter the less chance there is of him being able to use it against her .

“I bet if I rubbed your neck right now it would be in knots.”

She doesn’t want to agree with him, but she is certain he is right. He, however, has had plenty of access to her neck already today and she is not ready to broach that conversation. Probably never will be ready despite the urging from Rapunzel and Anna. He doesn’t need to know.

“I’m fine. Thank you.” Her mind races. So much for solitude and collecting her thoughts. “Was there something you needed? Something you wanted to discuss - the event perhaps?”

“Oh. There is at least one thing.” He notices her eyeing his shirt and holds it up in front of him. “Would it make you more comfortable if I put this on?”

The unexpected courtesy offs her balance once again. She is loathe to admit the sight of him shirtless is distracting in ways she does not want to confess so she attempts ambivalence.

“It’s up to you.”

He grins that toothy smile that makes her heart skip a beat as he arranges the shirt and pulls it over his head. He shrugs it down his torso and she feels a twinge watching the shift and bunch as his lean muscles work to get the shirt in place. She does her best to look uninterested and hopes it works. His smirk seems to say otherwise.

“So what do you think?” he asks and she blinks, not following.

“I’m sorry. What do I think about what?”

He jerks his head towards the window. “The reef. The initiative. What do you think?”

“Oh,” she crosses her arms over her chest. “If we are going to talk about this we should get the others - I should get my tablet - “ she starts walking, trying to create space, intending to get around him and to the stairs but he has other plans.

He steps in and grabs her arm just as she was about to pass him. His grip is gentle but it stops her in her tracks. Her eyes go automatically where he holds her.

“I don’t want to know what they think. I want to know what you think.” His voice is earnest as if her opinion really matters, as if it is all he can think about.

She looks up and he is close. His eyes wide and watchful and completely without artifice. He looks like an eager child awaiting the approval for his project, like he is trusting her with a small secret corner of himself. It is too much, he is too close. She steps back and he lets her go, but she doesn’t move further away as he turns his body to face her. His expression compels her to stay, to answer.

“I think it is going to do a lot of good.” She tries to keep it positive and neutral all at once.

His eyes scan her face, scavenging. “Tell me more.”

She thinks to balk at his request, a companion to what she has been asking of him the entire day, but she can see the difference in shades between their words. He wants more than neutral, more than polite. She swallows hard, warning bells sounding in her head telling her to run but she stays.

“It’s wonderful. The whole thing,” she says and she means it. “You’re building something that will outlive us all and you should be incredibly proud.” The words are out of her mouth before she can stop them and her ears heat at the pleasure she sees in his expression. This is too personal and she attempts to correct the course. “E&A Events will use all the resources at our disposal to capture your vision in its entirety. Now if you are ready we can go find the others and start in on this.” She nods her head and tries to get past him but he doesn’t let her.

“One more thing,” his gaze is too intense, his breathing as deep as it had been out on the reef, and she knows she is in for it now. “What did Rapunzel mean when she said you’d never really been kissed?”

Her stomach drops. The last thing she wants to discuss with this man is her romantic history, but perhaps she can manage it. Perhaps she can cover the fact that every time he touches her her skin catches fire and burns. Perhaps she can convince herself that she really does not crave his touch.

She feigned nonchalance with a shrug. “She really doesn’t know what she is talking about.”

He hums and steps closer.

“Because of the all important corporate hierarchy? Can’t let your subordinates know anything about your personal life?”

It is a fair question and she remembers how Rapunzel had cried when she told her the truth after an extended hospital stay when a surgery had complications. She has known the couple for four years before they officially knew anything and she is struck by the thought that they may know her most intimate information - they also are missing large chunks. She keeps them in the dark about doctor’s appointments, psych visits, the literal pharmacy on her side table….

So he is not that far off, but she cannot let him know that.

She lifts her chin. “If all you are going to do is comment on my interpersonal relationships then perhaps we should take this back to the rest of the group.”

He steps in closer still and she looks down.

“That isn’t all I came here to do.” His voice is low and smooth and sends chills down her spine. She hadn’t known a voice could do that.

His hand catches her cheek and it is a surprise. She had not known he had gotten so close. Was this man part panther?

Her gaze startles up to his.

“I’m going to kiss you now - really kiss you.” His eyes search hers with an earnest desire that she has never seen before. “I’m going to kiss you like I may never get another chance. Okay?”

[ previous ]

#Best Laid Plans #Helsa #Iceburns #frozen #Kristanna #Eugene x Rapunzel #raven writes frozen #AU #fan fic #fan fiction

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veliseraptor · 5 years

Note

Got anything with Loki doing anything touristy? Gawking at a chocolate fountain? Going to another country to try food he heard was good there? Not realising when he'd crossed a border? Finding mortal magic users/teachers learning from them and hoarding their knowledge? sampling libraries? anything?

These Vagabond Shoes, 3.4k, post-ragnarok au entirely ignoring infinity war cause I can do that if I wanna

-----

Loki stays long enough to see that what remains of Asgard is settled more or less safely, confirms that Thor has things well in hand, and leaves. He writes a brief note - don’t follow me - sets the Tesseract down on top of it, changes his clothes to something less conspicuous, and hitches a ride with one of the curious mortals who has come to gawk.

She squints at him. “You look familiar,” she says.

“I have one of those faces,” Loki says. “Shall we?”

Maren - for so is her name - takes him as far as Drammen. From there he catches a train to Oslo, and books a flight at random. He could walk the shadow paths instead, but for some reason he cannot explain to himself chooses not to.

Thor will have noticed by now that he is gone. What does he think? Is he disappointed, or does he just sigh and accept that this is how Loki is: unchanging, ever himself, fickle and untrustworthy.

“Do I know you from somewhere?” asks the man sitting next to him on the plane.

“No,” Loki says flatly. “You don’t.”

When he lands in Bruges, the first thing he does cut his hair. The second is to buy a postcard with a photo of the palace - it looks rather pathetic to Loki, but he supposes it must be impressive. Hello from Belgium, he writes. I hope you haven’t already burned the village down.

He drops it in the mail, unsigned.

Loki purchased a phone, not because he had anyone he wanted to call (he didn’t) but because they apparently store vast amounts of information, and given all the things Loki doesn’t know about it is useful to have a means of looking them up quickly.

Perusing the options available in the store he visits, he barks an abrupt laugh when he realizes why the StarkPhones are so named. He interrupts the salesperson’s rambling to indicate them. “I’ll take one of those.”

Stark himself will have no idea, but it amuses Loki.

Armed with his new device, Loki spends a couple hours figuring out how to navigate it. It isn’t bad, as far as Midgardian technology goes. Almost respectable. A few modifications and it would almost approach Asgardian children’s toys.

Loki pauses. Those toys are probably gone. He doubts anyone brought one. All of Asgard’s technology, all of its knowledge...that’s gone, now. Perhaps forever. The library of texts stretching back millennia, the scholars and scientists and healers…

Loki hears a crack and looks down at the broken screen of his new phone. He mends it with a touch, his thoughts far away, the loss hitting him all over again. Humans move around him and for a moment he hates them, for going on with such indifference as though an entire civilization has not been swallowed by the Void.

For a moment, the itch to go back to Thor. To have some company in grief.

For a moment.

Loki brushes it aside and moves on. He searches things to do on Earth and finds a list of ‘50 Things to Do Before You Die.’

It’s a starting place.

Before leaving Belgium, though, Loki decides that easily the best thing humans have invented in the past 300,000 years or so is the chocolate fountain. Absolutely genius.

They call it the ‘Grand Canyon,’ but it isn’t half as grand as the one on Alfheim. Do you remember the name? I don’t. Too hot here, and crowded. Give Heimdall my love.

Loki isn’t sure why he didn’t leave the moment he realized that the first destination on his list was a desert. His shirt is sticking to his back with sweat, sunglasses threatening to slide down the bridge of his nose. It is brutally hot, and he feels a bit light-headed.

Retreating into the shade, he frowns at the milling crowd of tourists readying to ride a pack of animals down into the canyon itself. He might be tempted, but for that he is given to understand that the heat down there is actually worse.

“Are you all right? You look a bit flushed.”

Loki turns his head to look at the middle-aged woman who has sidled up next to him. She is wearing a wide-brimmed hat with a strap under the chin, and looks quite fresh and untroubled by the heat. Loki gives her a tight smile.

“I’m fine,” he says. “Just not used to it, I suppose.”

“Just be careful,” she says. “It can really sneak up on you out here!” She pats him on the arm and moves off, leaving Loki to wonder what, exactly, it is.

The tourists mount and begin their trek. When Loki is sure none of them are watching, he shifts into a vulture and launches himself into the air, riding one of the thermals up, looking down at the winding snake of the river below.

To His Majesty King Thor: Humans certainly like to describe things as ‘great,’ don’t they? My guidebook calls this ‘the Great Wall of China.’ The local name seems to translate similarly, though perhaps more specific - 10,000-li long wall. I am sure the linguistic ins and outs of Midgardians are of great interest to you.

It has its own sort of beauty, I suppose. The food here is interesting. Different. I am enjoying it.

In Huaibeizhen, Loki dreams of Thanos.

It is not, needless to say, a pleasant dream.

He is on Sanctuary, wedged into a corner, shaking and crying silently. He has been punished, but cannot remember why; he only knows that he is afraid, and in pain, and desperately lonely. He yearns for safety, for comfort, for home.

You don’t have a home, sneers a voice in his mind. Ebony Maw’s says this is your home.

Childishly, he wants Thor. But he knows, in his bones, that Thor doesn’t want him.

He wakes with tears streaming down his face, sobs catching in his throat. For a moment, he hovers on the edge of taking the shadow-paths, fleeing to Norway, to Thor. He smothers the urge brutally, digging his nails into his palms and breathing shallowly until he calms.

He won’t go back. He doesn’t know if he ever will; hasn’t decided yet. He hasn’t decided much of anything, only that he cannot, or will not, stay still.

And yet he misses Thor. No, that is wrong: saying he misses Thor is as inadequate as it would be to say that he misses breathing. He is that central, that vital, that involuntary.

If anyone asked, Loki thinks he would tell them that was why he was running. To prove that he can.

What sort of a name is ‘Whitsunday’ for a group of islands? Not one that conveys anything about them, certainly. I went sailing today. Rather disappointed by the lack of whales, but I did see a saltwater crocodile. Magnificent creatures. They would not be out of place on Asgard.

Would not have been. It is strange to miss a place I spent so much time hating. It is strange to miss a person I spent so much time hating.

I hope you are well.

The weather is turning on the southern half of Midgard. Loki looks up how it works: the tilting of the planet as it spins, each hemisphere tipping toward or away from the sun, a top spinning through space. He watches a diagram of it, mesmerized by the movement. It isn’t full winter, but no one else is swimming in the clear water. It is cold, but the cold doesn’t bother Loki.

There are reefs, but many of the inhabitants seem to have retreated. He does see a creature moving gracefully through the water, almost like a bird. A manta ray, he learns later.

He borrows a sailboat, just a touch of persuasion convincing the owner to let him take it out alone. It is similar enough to vehicles Loki has experience using that he can fly across the water, the wind in his face.

It feels like freedom.

Why do they come here? A city buried in ash, frozen in the moment of its destruction.

Do you see it in your dreams? Asgard, burning. And I set the flame.

Loki does not stay long in Pompeii. It makes his skin crawl. It makes him think of Hela, and Surtur rising from the Eternal Flame, and Asgard, Golden Asgard, Eternal Asgard, annihilated. Asgard is not a place, but a people, Thor said, more than once, as though it was a talisman. Maybe he is right. But it was a place, for many long years. And now it is not.

Funny, isn’t it, that he tried to destroy a hated Realm and failed, and succeeded in destroying the one that, despite himself, he loved.

I am staying in a cave. Apparently that is the done thing here, along with hot air balloon rides and what they call ‘fairy rock chimneys.’ They bear no resemblance to anything one of the fae would build, I must say, though they have their own beauty.

A cave, though! Really.

Tomorrow I think I will try one of the hot air balloons, though it seems to me a fairly absurd and inefficient form of transportation. I do not think that is actually the point, but it is distracting when one might simply fly. But it is, as the humans around me keep saying, the experience.

You should travel sometime, Thor. See this world it seems we now must live upon. Of course, I suppose the King of Asgard has little time for such frivolities.

I think that you might like it here.

Cappadocia is an interesting place, different again from anywhere else he has gone. Loki goes into the underground churches, as suggested by the friendly concierge at his lodgings, but the moment he steps into the close, dark rooms he begins to sweat, fear wrapping tight around his throat, and he has to retreat quickly.

Ashamed, he stands outside, shivers running down his spine.

“Claustrophobic?” Asks a woman standing nearby. She sounds sympathetic, but Loki still looks sharply in her direction.

“Beg pardon?”

She gestured at the opening. “That’s why I’m not going in. Small spaces give me the creeping horrors.”

Claustrophobic. He never used to be that. Or, well - he didn’t particularly like it, but it didn’t give him...the creeping horrors. Things change, he supposes. Another thing to thank Thanos for.

He forces a thin smile. “A bit,” he says. “Excuse me.”

All in all, he prefers the fairy rock chimneys. There is something fanciful about them, for all they cannot compare to the true architecture of the fae. Too solid and heavy, where their work is light, almost ethereal, and yet full of sharp edges that cut the unwary.

Loki’s always been fond of the fae, though most of the time they did not return the feeling.

He was right about the hot air balloon, though. It is stifling and slow, and he itches to launch himself from the basket and spring into the air, wheeling in spirals, higher and higher until the air is too thin to breathe and he turns and plummets downward.

He does not. But he closes his eyes and imagines it, almost feeling the wind ruffling his feathers as the world dwindles below.

Look! Something older than we are. And still standing. Remarkably durable. They call them ‘the Pyramids of Giza.’ It seems they buried their kings within them.

The sand here gets everywhere, and I’ve burned my nose. It’s bright red. Hideous. I also rode a camel today - they are, quite possibly, the most peculiar creature I’ve encountered so far on Midgard, and remarkably poor tempered.

I don’t think I like deserts.

Egypt is new, and different again from anywhere else he has been. This is one of the fascinating things about Midgard: the variety. One Realm, and yet a myriad of differences. So many ways in which they separate themselves. It is absolutely fascinating.

Loki has been reading about the history of this place. It is old, and looking at the ruins of its history he can feel the weight of its age. Stretching into a distant past that no one here can remember. They were here before Odin was born, when Bor still reigned. If his reckoning is right, they were here before Svartalfheim was made desolate. Built to reach toward a sky they couldn’t touch.

“Did you know that these were built by aliens?” A young man standing next to him says. Loki snorts involuntarily, and he turns toward him.

“Skeptic, are you?” he says. “The research-”

“Don’t be absurd,” Loki says. “Nobody was even visiting this Realm for tourism until very recently. You overestimate your relevance.”

Perhaps it was not the best idea to say that. The man and both of his friends are now staring at him with strange expressions. One of them squints a bit.

“Your relevance?” he says cautiously. Ah, damn.

Loki flashes his teeth. “That’s what I said,” he says, and moves off, veiling himself from sight after a few strides. He can’t help but turn around to look; the gaping expressions are undeniably satisfying.

It lifts his mood for the rest of the day.

Dear Thor: I am sending you two postcards together, this time, to show you both the inside and outside of this church. They have been building it for 137 years. There are a great many churches on Midgard, it seems. Many in this city alone, but this one seems to be unique.

It is certainly very large. The designer has been dead for nearly a century, and yet they labor on. It isn’t for him, though. This is what I have come to realize about humans, I think: they are always looking for something larger than themselves.

Then again, I suppose we are, too. We look to the Norns. I wonder if the Norns look to something else again? If they have their own stories that guide them, that drive them.

Have I bored you yet?

The food here is very good. One thing that can certainly be said for Midgardians: they do very imaginative things with their cuisine.

The pillars inside the Sagrada Familia make Loki think of trees made of stone. He stands, staring upward, listening to the sound of echoing voices.

It reminds him, a little, of Asgard. Starker, sparer, stone-not-gold, but there is something in it nonetheless of glory and splendor, designed to overawe and overwhelm. It is meant to make one feel small.

Loki filters out the decorations, replaces the altar with a throne. On a whim, he spreads an illusion of gold sweeping up the columns, over the ceiling. There is gasping, pointing, shouts - a moment later he lets it fade and slips out, feeling oddly bereft.

He goes to a restaurant down by the water and orders paella. There is an ache in his chest. For some reason, he is thinking of his mother.

That grief still feels unfinished. A piece carved away from him he will never get back. A resolution he will never have. A goodbye he never had the chance to give. When he thought he was dying, Loki reached for her, stretching out his arms, lo, there do I see my mother; lo, she does call to me.

But the circle didn’t close. He rose again, to live on.

Loki feels, suddenly, very far from home. He pays for his food, and leaves it mostly untouched.

Your Majesty,

I couldn’t send this directly from Antarctica. Limited post, apparently.

It is very cold here. Jotunheim cold. There is a challenge to go swimming in the water, and when I dove in I changed. It was a disconcerting feeling.

Do you understand why I tried to destroy them? It was because I believed it would destroy that part of myself.

It is easier to say these things in writing than aloud. I am sending this before I can unwrite it. I wonder, sometimes, if you read these at all; if they reach you only to be tossed into the fire. Or if you do read them, scowling, shaking your head.

I miss you. There, I have said it. Make of it what you will.

It is not easy to jump in. Even knowing that the cold won’t hurt him, not really, his body still rebels against him. Still, Loki braces himself, breathes deeply, and dives.

It takes his breath away. For a moment, there is fear - I am going to freeze, I am going to die - and then it washes over him, like shedding his skin. It feels good, it feels suddenly like this is where he belongs, like this cold is a part of him and he is a part of this cold.

He surfaces. He has gone far enough away from the others that his strangeness would not be noticed, leaving an illusion in his place, and he is glad he did it. If his resistance to the cold would cause comment, surely this shape would as well.

For he knows without looking what skin he wears. His stomach turns, nausea rising in his throat. He fights it down.

It doesn’t matter, he thinks. It is just another shape you can wear. It does not determine your destiny.

But he crawls out of the water, back onto the ice, and changes back. It feels strange, suddenly, like his skin is too tight and he doesn’t quite fit inside it. The feeling passes, but it leaves him unsettled and in a sour mood.

The postcard he writes to Thor, back in Rio Grande, is longer than usual, and afterwards he feels raw, exposed, and full of nervous energy. He lies awake most of the night, and when he sleeps dreams fitfully of falling, of Thor prying his fingers loose from Gungnir one at a time.

Thor,

I don’t know how to come home.

I need you to meet me halfway.

He boards the boat at Alesund. It has been six months, half a year, and the seasons are turning toward the winter now, but the last gasps of summer still linger. He could still run. There are more places to go, more things to see. But there will always be a tether that pulls him back. Binding him, but holding him back from madness, too.

For a millennium, he and Thor have circled each other, trapped in orbit like Midgard and its sun. Loki tips away, and then back, but never breaking free. But if the sun keeps this planet bound, it also keeps it alive.

Geirangerfjord is as splendid as promised. The mountains tower on either side, breathtaking and beautiful, and the sky is clear and bright. He sees a few seals off the side of the boat, poking their heads up and then vanishing with barely a ripple. Loki’s fear grows steadily, a living thing in his chest. He does not know how Thor will greet him. He does not know if Thor will greet him at all.

Maybe it would be best if we never see each other again.

The ship pulls in at Geiranger. Loki holds back, waiting for everyone else to disembark first. He leaves slowly, like a man walking to his doom, and scans the dock.

Thor is not there, and it is only in that moment that Loki fully realizes how much he needed him to be.

He takes a deep breath and descends anyway, pulling out his phone and idly checking off another destination. He’ll stay the night, he thinks. Just in case.

“Loki,” he hears, and looks up sharply.

There he is, striding down the street. Heads turn around him, looking from him to Thor and back again, and at least some of them will put together the pieces soon, but Loki can barely think of that. His thoughts are swallowed up, utterly blank, and he can only stand frozen, eyes wide as Thor bears down on him with large, energetic strides.

He cannot breathe.

“Loki,” Thor says again, and lunges, dragging him into a hug, crushingly tight. Loki’s nose is pressed against Thor’s shoulder. His lungs constrict and release. He hears Thor take a deep breath and sigh.

How easy it is. How natural, this.

“Come home,” Thor says. His voice is muffled, but it vibrates in his chest, and he does not let go.

Here and now, Loki doesn’t want him to.

“Yes,” Loki says.

#anonymous #a wild fic appeared #loki's a goddamn mess #\o/#threw this together in two days take it for what it is #it was fun to write

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madammuffins · 5 years

Text

Fairy Summers is a short story request by @vhum for my 300 follower celebration.

It is a World of Make Believe AU featuring Chelsea x Puck told over a series of summers as they age together and maneuver through life's struggles, fantastical and mortal.

I will be uploading in parts just for easier reading. Also, playlist.

CW: Contains coming-of-age themes, familial abuse suggestion.

~*~*~*~

Part 2 spans over the summer the kids are 8.

I also made the chapter shorter than originally intended. We were pushing towards 3,000 words so I cut off.

Part 1 can be found here.

~*~*~*~

“Aloha, Auntie!” Chelsea smiled big and wide, running straight into the open arms and inhaling.

“Ahola keiki!” A large chest bounced against the small body as she laughed, sending waves of cocoa butter scent washing out over Chelsea. “Howzit, Susan?”

“Aisus!” Susan threw down her luggage at the doorway. “This lolo keiki! She’s made up an imaginary friend.”

“Oh did she now?” Grey kinked hair tickled at Chelsea’s cheeks as an oily nose rubbed against her skin in warmth and familiarity. “That’s nah so bad now. We all had imaginary friends at the Island.”

“Don’t encourage her, Auntie!” Susan stomped a foot as Alan eased around her.

“Don’t listen to that kinna pono.” Auntie whispered in Chelsea’s ear, loud enough for Susan to hear. “That’s not the Island way, keiki.”

Alan quickly stepped in front of his wife, earning an angry, simmering glare as he spoke up. “Thank you for letting us stay with you this year.” He grinned, lowering his head. “The flights got Susan all bothered-”

“Ahyea.” Auntie lowered Chelsea, “Go play.” She swatted her bottom softly. “There’s more things out in those woods to befriend.”

Happily Chelsea scampered out the back door, avoiding Susan all together, though she didn’t miss the conversation about Grandpa or how sick he’d become. She slowed as the path faded from view. Aunties house was backed right up to the market, crowded and full of sounds and smells. Still it didn’t take long for Chelsea to see the blond hair sticking straight up with shocks of green at the tips. A wide green split the tanned face, green eyes squished behind baby fat cheeks.

“Chelsea!”

“Puck!”

Feet churned and adults laughed, moving out of the way for the two to collide and topple over one another in their embrace. Chelsea melted into the warmth of him, far warmer than Auntie had been. He smelled spicy too - like all the herbs Uncle used on his pig cookouts or the ones Grandpa put in his Shepherd’s Pie. Puck Pulled out of Chelsea’s arms, yanking her to her feet, grabbing her flip flop and tossing it at her.

“C’mon, Human.” He was still grinning wide and wild. “I’ve got adventures for you.”

“Okay.” Chelsea hurried to cram her shoe on, chasing after the fae. “So what are these adventures.”

Puck shrugged, weaving between two adults. “I found a new swimming spot.”

Chelsea hid her frown. “Okay, but that’s-”

“It’s really shallow and warm so the manta rays like to coast in there.” His eyes flashed up, the sun catching them as his hand darted out, grabbing two cherimoya halves from a vendors table.

“Puck-!”

“Oh relax, Princess.” He rolled his eyes, grabbing a handful of dirt and setting it on the table. “Look.”

To Chelsea’s shock the gravel and grime had become shiny gold pieces. “How did you-?”

“I’m a fairy, remember?” He held the fruit out to her. “Now hurry. I’ve been planning this all summer.”

Chelsea smiled wide, teeth scraping against the green skin as her legs followed after Puck in the crowd, her heart full. Let Mom call him imaginary.

Puck stopped, his body jerking suddenly. Chelsea stepped around to peer at the fae’s face and laughed, fruit juice ran down his chin in rivulets and stained his shirt in a wide puddle. With a smirk he grabbed her hand and wiped his mouth against her cheek, earning a squeal of protest.

~*~*~*~

“Take that, Princess!” He growled, aiming the squirt gun at her and firing without mercy.

“Ladies!” The oldest in the birthday party summoned her team, “FIRE!”

With battle cries the girls legs churned as they ran from behind the table, fingers on the triggers, hands priming their weapons to keep the water streams going. The boys running in a disorganized mess to return fire. Chelsea squealed as Puck made a beeline for her.

“I’m not a Princess!” She yelled, halting in her tracks and turning, water balloon in hand. “I’m a dragon!” With a mighty grunt she heaved the balloon, watching in horror and fascination as it exploded by their feet, drenching them both.

“You’ve got terrible aim, Dragon.” Puck frowned, shaking off his bare foot.

“Alright kids!” The mother stepped out of the fancy house, an off-islander who had money to burn by the looks of the themed party. “Time for cake!”

Water guns and revelry was forgotten as children crowded the table to sing a loud and enthusiastic version of Happy Birthday for a nine year old Chelsea didn’t know. When they had first arrived Puck had grabbed her hand and shushed her at her protest.

“You complain and my magic won’t work.” He had warned as they stepped into the mass of kids swirling around the yard. “Just join in and don’t say anything. It’s fine, we aren’t hurting anyone by having some fun and eating some cake. I even brought a present.” He held up a small box that sparkled.

Still guilt nagged at Chelsea as she pulled out a heavily frosted cupcake. It almost felt like stealing. It really felt like lying. Sticky wet fingers squeezed hers and green eyes smiled.

Puck shook his head. “This is fun, right?”

Chelsea frowned. “I mean…” She looked at the water guns, at the cupcake in her hand. “Yeah.” She smiled slow. “It is. Back in Montana we just take care of Grandpa and his farm.”

Puck tilted his head, peeling off the cupcake wrapped and tossing it into a hanging garbage bag, grabbing Chelsea’s and doing the same. “What’s Montana like?”

“Big.” Chelsea’s eyes went wide as they wandered down the fenced path towards the beach. “You could walk for hours and get nowhere. The mountains look close sometimes but they aren’t. The sky looks like you could touch it but you can’t. Not ever.” She waved big with her arms. “The snow is so cold and it lasts forever. It snowed in June this summer.”

Puck’s eyes went wide as he licked frosting off his fingers leaving his tongue and lips blue. “June?!”

Chelsea nodded, saving the bottom of the cupcake for the waters edge where the little creatures and birds wandered, crumbling it as they walked, watching the things eat it. “Sometimes the snow is really light and fluffy and pretty. Sometimes it's not and I don’t like it. Grandpa is really sick and in winter it’s worse. It’s in his bones Mom says.”

“Oh that’s sad. If you can catch a fa-”

“Mom says they aren’t real.” Chelsea interrupted quickly, rubbing her arm where her bruise was still just visible. “She says you aren’t real.”

Puck stiffened. “So I’m your invisible friend then?”

Chelsea nodded, feet tromping in the wet sand, letting it splatter up her bare legs.

“Good. Let me be your imaginary friend. I’d rather just be for you anyway.” Puck looked up at the coast line. “Want to see the manta rays?”

~*~*~

Chelsea's feet splashed in the warm waters, Puck floating a few feet away.

"We're leaving early." Her voice echoed off the rocks, joining the ambiance of leaves rustling and waves lapping.

Puck said nothing.

"Three days." She sat on the sand, letting it engulf her waist. "I-I don't want to go back. It’s cold. There’s no ocean, no manta rays. Or fruit. The animals are… different there too. Not bad, just different. Bigger maybe. And-”

"Let's go climb that tree." Puck pointed lazily, sinking as he did so.

Chelsea frowned sour, turning her head quick to glare at the fae, squealing as a splash of the warm water hit her square in the face. A symphony of cackles met with the splashing of water as more waves came at her. On the defense she returned fire, hands working at rapid speed to return wide waves instead of haphazard sprinkles.

"Ah! No fair!" Puck floundered as her onslaught quickly overtook him, "You're cheating."

"I'm just cupping my hands!" She protested with a laugh, slipping in the soft sand and face planting in the water, bursting back through the surface with a gasp, both children filling the air with their joy.

The water stilled. The wind whispered. The sun grew pink and the sky dusty. A small hand found hers, startling her, making the sand fog the water around her calves and waist.

"I will find you in Montana." Puck's eyes gleamed again, so bright and magical.

His horns silhouetted in the colorful dusk, his wings just barely even there. Chelsea didn't wonder why, though maybe she should have.

"I will find you." His young voice repeated with a power much old than he was, far more permanent and ageless. "I swear it."

"You won't-"

He crouched beside her, both hands clasped around her own. "I will never leave you with her. Never."

~*~*~*~

Tag List: @vhum @thelastoftheflyinggraysons @nemothesurvivor

~*~*~*~

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#fairy summers #modern fairytale #urban fantasy #chelsea x devon #chelsea x puck #wip #300 follower celebration #womb1 au #puck x chelsea #short story #world of make believe au #my writing #writeblr

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savethemangrove · 6 years

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Hi, I’m Rochelle

Strengths & Areas for Growth - Global Importance / Reflective - Caring - Knowledgeable

My motivation

The first thing I want to do when I get up in the morning is surf. With school, variating weather and tides, I can’t go every day but it’s always my first thought in the morning and no matter what, I always check the ocean from my balcony and fantasize about the waves. I’m really passionate about surfing which has led me to get involved into environmental conservation. Surfing is a magical sensation, you’re literally riding a wave, doesn’t that sound fantastical enough? As if it came from a movie or another planet?

I started “surfing” when I was about 5, my dad would take me out and push me on some waves. Here is the first picture I ever got taken surfing:

Throughout my life, I went through phases of surfing and I didn’t quite take it seriously until over two years ago when it became real. The moment that marked the beginning of this stage in my life was when I started using one of my dad’s old boards and I caught my first wave by myself. At this moment, I felt capable of surfing and I wanted to continue, learn and improve. I gradually started getting more and more interested and obsessed with surfing. At the start, I would only surf for about an hour with my dad, now I surf up to 5 hours straight, with or without him. I have gone on surf trips to Dominical, Santa Teresa, Ollie’s Point, Witch’s Rock, Marbella, Junquillal and Ostional. My home break is Avellanas and I would never trade that beach for anything else, it is simply perfect and I have grown to be comfortable and attached to it. Here is a recent picture of me surfing:

Even before I started surfing, I was always connected with the ocean. I love the ocean with all of my heart because it has such a great influence in my life, specially since I have been living next to it since I was born. I enjoy sport fishing even though I don’t do it as often anymore, because it has helped me become aware of the consequences and the importance of marine conservation and environmental care in general. Ecosystems need to be healthy and through fishing I learned how to care for the marine animals and take only what is worth it and truly necessary. The key for everything in life is balance.

Coming in contact with marine wildlife made me fall in love with the ocean and its’ wonders even more. Out on the boat I’ve seen manta rays and billfish jumping, turtles mating and dolphins swimming and playing around the boat. Once, I even swam around the boat with dolphins that just happened to appear when we had stopped to take a break from fishing. I used to be jealous of people who went to vacation at Hawaii and would come back bragging about how they got to swim with dolphins at an aquarium, but not anymore! I got to experience this out in nature without any obligation from the dolphins! You don’t even need to go out on a boat or to an aquarium to experience this, the magic happens surfing or simply swimming too; you see stingrays chasing you around or flipping and jumping in the air, fish swimming next to you, turtles popping up ahead of you or baby ones climbing onto your hand or board, etc.

Exploring the sea is remarkable, until you find human footprints, and it becomes devastating. Floating piles of trash, marine animals stuck in plastic or found dead due to intoxication from plastic ingestion or simply trash washed up or thrown on the beach. It really sparks my anger and I can’t believe this is how people treat the only home we have. With unhealthy marine ecosystems, we won’t have an ocean to enjoy, sea food to savor and soon enough we won’t have an Earth to live on because the imbalance will be irreversible. I have always appreciated time spent outdoors, specially at the beach or in the ocean, and all my experiences in nature have shaped me into who I am now and have driven me to become protective of it. I believe that not only love and passion for the environment and animal life should be what inspire people to take care of it, but at this point, simply the fact of assuring having a planet to live on; which is why I want to raise awareness and work towards a healthier and cleaner world.

Every day I work on becoming a positive, patient and outstanding leader. I want to make a change in this world and help save the planet. I’m proud of myself for choosing a healthy lifestyle and becoming a surfer because it has helped me become the best version of myself possible. I try to make my surf sessions last as long as possible because surfing and the sea are like meditation for me, it helps clear my mind and become aware of my surroundings. When surfing, you really need to be there, in the moment, because anything could happen; a set could come, someone could run you over or throw their board at you, etc. Whenever I feel down, the ocean is always there for me, it is a place where I can go think and do something I enjoy to calm myself and be able to think clearly. Not just when I am surfing, but every day, I try to stay positive because it is so easy to let yourself go and sink in with all the issues happening worldwide. It’s tough staying positive when there are so many people out there suffering for conflicts that aren’t their fault, entire ecosystems being destroyed just for the needs of selfish humans and simply ignorant people who go about without even being aware of this. I utilize my love and passion for the ocean and surfing to reflect on my life and surroundings so I can appreciate what I have and continue forward with a positive mindset and ready to overcome any inconveniences.

My Aspirations

I’m not 100% sure of where I am heading in life but I know I want to make a difference. I am interested in studying Business Management and incorporating my environmental knowledge and conservation skills into a business to hopefully make a change in the world. A business that has greatly inspired me is Patagonia; they really go through a lot of trouble to make their products sustainable, environmentally friendly and the company is a huge success. Something I would like to achieve in these upcoming weeks is to actually sell some of the natural surf wax that I brought into the school store, it is a small change for surfers that can make a big difference in the environment because regular surf wax uses petrochemicals and is not biodegradable. I also want to help my neighbor (who is distributing these waxes) with marketing the product so surfers in the area collaborate and become aware of the environmental importance and impact. Another specific goal in the near future is to help restore the Avellanas mangrove in collaboration with ConnectOcean, which is basically my entire CAS project, but I would like to add my own creative twist which I still have to develop. Other specific goals I have for my future in the long run is to travel and surf some of the most famous spots worldwide because I want to explore nature and experience new waves.

My Work

I work the hardest and put my best efforts in to pretty much anything I do as long as it interests me and is important to me, for example school and surfing. My dad has always told me that if I’m going to start something, I have to finish it, do it well and never leave it “a medio palo” which is a Costa Rican expression for not finishing it and basically abandoning it. A few skills or types of work I have learnt to do well are math, marketing products and many arts and crafts. I enjoy and understand math really well, I learn it fairly quickly and form part of the advanced math class which trains to participate in the Costa Rican math olympics. During the trimester I worked in the marketing team for the school store, I felt like I developed the skill properly and used my strong passion for nature to promote sustainability. I am creative and enjoy painting, coloring, crafting and drawing. My grandma is a painter and I believe I got the talent from her; since I was little I was always into art and over the years I have practiced and learnt new skills and used different mediums.

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ezatluba · 4 years

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As the normally bustling canals of Venice became deserted amid pandemic quarantines, viral social media posts claimed swans and dolphins were returning to the waters. It wasn't true. The canal water, nonetheless, is clearer because of the decrease in boat activity.

Fake animal news abounds on social media as coronavirus upends life

Bogus stories of wild animals flourishing in quarantined cities gives false hope—and viral fame.

NATASHA DALY

MARCH 20, 2020

SCATTERED AMID A relentless barrage of news about COVID-19 case surges, quarantine orders, and medical supply shortages on Twitter this week, some happy stories softened the blows: Swans had returned to deserted Venetian canals. Dolphins too. And a group of elephants had sauntered through a village in Yunnan, China, gotten drunk off corn wine, and passed out in a tea garden.

These reports of wildlife triumphs in countries hard-hit by the novel coronavirus got hundreds of thousands of retweets. They went viral on Instagram and Tik Tok. They made news headlines. If there’s a silver lining of the pandemic, people said, this was it—animals were bouncing back, running free in a humanless world.

But it wasn’t real.

The swans in the viral posts regularly appear in the canals of Burano, a small island in the greater Venice metropolitan area, where the photos were taken. The “Venetian” dolphins were filmed at a port in Sardinia, in the Mediterranean Sea, hundreds of miles away. No one has figured out where the drunken elephant photos came from, but a Chinese news report debunked the viral posts: While elephants did recently come through a village in Yunnan Province, China, their presence isn’t out of the norm, they aren’t the elephants in the viral photos, and they didn’t get drunk and pass out in a tea field.

While humans carry out social distancing, a group of 14 elephants broke into a village in Yunan province, looking for corn and other food. They ended up drinking 30kg of corn wine and got so drunk that they fell asleep in a nearby tea garden.

Social media posts claimed that, in the absence of humans, elephants came into a village in China, got drunk on corn wine, and passed out. The story has since been debunked.

The phenomenon highlights how quickly eye-popping, too-good-to-be-true rumors can spread in times of crisis. People are compelled to share posts that make them emotional. When we’re feeling stressed, joyous animal footage can be an irresistible salve. The spread of social phenomena is so powerful, 2016 research shows, that it can follow same models that trace the contagion of epidemics.

When untruths go viral

Kaveri Ganapathy Ahuja’s controversial tweet about the swans that “returned” to Venice canals has hit a million likes.

“Here's an unexpected side effect of the pandemic,” her tweet reads. “The water flowing through the canals of Venice is clear for the first time in forever. The fish are visible, the swans returned.”

Here's an unexpected side effect of the pandemic - the water's flowing through the canals of Venice is clear for the first time in forever. The fish are visible, the swans returned.

A viral tweet claimed swans had returned to the canals of Venice. In reality, swans have long frequented the canals of Burano, an island in the greater Venice metropolitan area.

Ahuja, who lives in New Delhi, India, says she saw some photos on social media and decided to put them together in a tweet, unaware that the swans were already regulars in Burano before the coronavirus tore across Italy.

“The tweet was just about sharing something that brought me joy in these gloomy times,” she says. She never expected it to go viral, or to cause any harm. “I wish there was an edit option on Twitter just for moments like this,” Ahuja says.

Nonetheless, she hasn’t deleted the tweet and doesn’t plan to, arguing that it’s still relevant because waters in Venice are clearer than usual—a result of decreased boat activity—and that’s what matters, she says. She’s tweeted about the “unprecedented” number of likes and retweets she’s received on the tweet. “It’s a personal record for me, and I would not like to delete it,” she says.

Swans are regular visitors to the canals of Burano.

The pull of posting

Paulo Ordoveza is a web developer and image verification expert who runs the Twitter account @picpedant, where he debunks fake viral posts—and calls out the fakers. He sees firsthand the “greed for virality” that may drive the impulse to propagate misinformation. It’s “overdosing on the euphoria that comes from seeing those like and retweet numbers rise into the thousands,” he says.

Getting a lot of likes and comments “gives us an immediate social reward,” says Erin Vogel, a social psychologist and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. In other words, they make us feel good. Studies have found that posting to social media gives one’s self-esteem a temporary boost.

The need to seek out things that make us feel good may be exacerbated right now, as people try to come to grips with a pandemic, a collapsing economy, and sudden isolation. “In times when we’re all really lonely, it’s tempting to hold onto that feeling, especially if we’re posting something that gives people a lot of hope,” says Vogel. The idea that animals and nature could actually flourish during this crisis “could help give us a sense of meaning and purpose—that we went through this for a reason,” she says.

It was the running theme of many of the viral tweets. “Nature just hit the reset button on us,” read a tweet celebrating the dolphins supposedly swimming in Venetian canals.

Venice hasn't seen clear canal water in a very long time. Dolphins showing up too. Nature just hit the reset button on us

Despite social media posts claiming otherwise, dolphins are not swimming in Venice’s canals. This video footage was taken in Sardinia.

“I think people really want to believe in the power of nature to recover,” says Susan Clayton, a professor of psychology and environmental studies at the College of Wooster, in Ohio. “People hope that, no matter what we’ve done, nature is powerful enough to rise above it.”

About half of Americans say they’ve been exposed to made-up news or information related to coronavirus, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. While a fake happy news story about dolphins in a canal may not be all that problematic, relatively speaking, there can still be harm in spreading false hope in times of crisis.

These fake feel-good stories, Vogel says, can make people even more distrustful at a time when everyone already feels vulnerable. Finding out good news isn’t real “can be even more demoralizing than not hearing it at all.”

Spots of hope on social media are likely to play a key role in keeping spirits up in the weeks and months ahead, as people self-quarantine in their homes and connect with each other through screens. “I’d encourage people to share positive things,” says Vogel. “But it doesn’t have to be anything dramatic. It just has to be true.”

Editor’s note: Want to verify photos online? TinEye and Google offer reverse image searches, which allow you to trace a photo’s digital footprint. Bellingcat, which does open-sourced fact-checking investigations into human rights abuses and in war zones, also has a thorough guide. If a post seems too good to be true, check social media to see if anyone else has already debunked it. This detailed thread, from Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins, pinpoints the swan photo to Burano. And if you’re looking for some true good-news and wonder-inducing stories, check out this story about the successful reintroduction of fishers in Washington State, this story about a pink manta ray, or these amazing photos from inside a honeybee colony.

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centeris2 · 6 years

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Chapter 16: Forgiveness Tastes Like Raw Fish

“How long does this normally take?” Bran moaned in the same tone a child asks ‘are we there yet?’

“Sometimes a few minutes, sometimes she doesn’t show up.” Fili explained while studying his next move in a round of checkers with Kili. They were on to their third game, Bran had decided he was bored of games a while back.

“Seriously? Sometimes she isn’t even here?” Bran groaned, flopping dramatically over a seat, wishing he had brought a book or something.

“Why do you think we have so much food and games to play?” Kili asked with a laugh, nodding his head toward the stash of games and food that the two brothers now kept the boat stocked with.

“You said it might take a while but I didn’t think it’d take this long!” Bran continued to complain, if only because he was so bored he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

“Whiny. It’s only been a few hours.” Kili chuckled and teased, watching Fili’s next move. Fili smiled, glad the two were getting along again.

“Ugggggh this is taking foreeeever!” Bran seemed to turn his whining into a game, getting more whiny and high pitched as he talked and started to flop and roll on Kili.

“Kili I’m boooooooored!” Bran whined, trying to conceal a chuckle as Kili tried to shove Bran off his lap.

“Then go for a swim or something! Or you can take over this game and I’ll go for a swim!” Kili’s shoving got Bran onto the deck floor, but Bran just crawled up his leg.

“How will you going for a swim make me less bored?” Bran complained with all the complaining he had in him, trying to hide his grin. At least he had a way to entertain himself now.

“It won’t but I’ll be able to get away from you, if I’m lucky I’ll be able to drown myself and I won’t hear you whining anymore!” Kili declared with a laugh, standing up and letting Bran flop back onto the floor.

“Actually maybe we should go for a swim, Tauriel might be staying away until she knows for sure who is on the boat.” Fili suggested and was not surprised when Kili immediately removed his shirt at the suggestion.

“Whoa wait like, actually get into the water? We could freeze to death before she gets here!” Bran’s playfulness was gone as he sat up and looked at Kili as he undressed.

“Guess you guys will just have to warm me up,” Kili teased, striping completely naked and chuckling at Bran’s shouts of horror.

“DUDE I did not need to see that! I know we’ve shared bunks on boats but dude!” Bran shouted and covered his eyes, Kili laughing and shaking his naked butt for a moment before jumping into the water.

“You’re gonna get hypothermia!” Bran shouted after the naked butt was out of his face and in the frigid water. Fili chuckled and waved Bran over to the checker board.

“He’s gotten use to the water temperature. He’ll probably onto stay in the water for a few minutes.” Fili tried to reassure his friend, but Bran stayed fixated on Kili treading water in the ocean. Fili sighed and decided this checker game wasn’t going to be finished anytime soon, and stood with Bran to watch his brother.

Kili, meanwhile, was treading water and trying to get used to the cold. When he didn’t hear his brother or friend say anything more to him he took a breath and went under, looking in the water and into the darkness below.

He surfaced for a larger gulp of air before he dove down, this time going straight down into the water by the boat, looking for lights in the darkness that would indicate that Tauriel was there.

“Nothing,” Kili said when he resurfaced, snorting and shaking his head.

“Do you guys have like, chum or something to attract her?” Bran asked, looking for a bucket of bait.

“I think that’d just attract sharks. Also fun to swim with, but not great at conversation.” Fili thought out loud to himself, pretending he didn’t see Bran’s shocked expression.

“You’ve swum with sharks?!” Bran shouted incredulously.

Kili didn’t listen to the conversation further, going back underwater and swimming a bit. While bait would be a good idea, he didn’t want to attract the wrong sort of marine life. Maybe Tauriel could be attracted with fish guts and blood like a shark, but he didn’t know if she would avoid sharks or not. The idea of Tauriel facing off against a great white was both worrying to him and awesome.

But he really wanted to see her today, he wanted Bran to meet her. He also wanted Tauriel to not kill Bran, but he wasn’t sure if she would try that or not. She could have killed him already, so he hoped that meant that she wouldn’t kill him if given another chance at it.

“Tauriel!” He wasn’t sure why he thought screaming in the water would do anything except create a lot of air bubbles, but it was worth a shot.

“We should try moving the boat, I didn’t see her down there,” Kili called from the water, swimming back toward the boat.

“I’ve always thought it would be cool to touch a manta ray. I love those things!” Bran had been saying, and Kili wondered what conversation he had missed out on as he clambered back into the boat and Fili set the boat off in a random direction.

“What did I miss?” Kili asked as he wrapped himself in towels, looking at Bran for an explanation.

“Talking about going to an interactive aquarium or a reef to touch fish.” Bran explained.

“That’d be cool. We could do that. I mean, we all just got another 20 grand in our bank accounts from our last haul.” Kili pointed out, wondering about plane and hotel costs for traveling. Or should they take a boat or cruise? Or road trip?

“We’re going to spend 20 grand going to an aquarium? We better be able to take home a dolphin after that.” Bran joked, and the idea of walking out of an aquarium with a live dolphin made Kili and Fili laugh.

“I’d be impressed if you managed to spend that much in an aquarium. I meant like, a trip down somewhere, like doesn’t San Diego have a good aquarium?” Kili looked at Fili for confirmation, as if Fili had an expert knowledge on where the best aquariums were.

“Vegas,” was Fili’s response.

“I don’t think Vegas has a good aquarium.” Kili stared at his brother in confusion.

“No I mean we should go to Vegas! We’ve never actually done that even though we’ve talked about doing that for years.” Fili explained, thinking it would be good to get the gang of friends away from mermaids for a bit and just have some fun.

“I’d be down for Vegas.” Bran nodded and Kili shrugged.

“Vegas it is.” Kili agreed.

“Wanna check the water for her?” Fili asked, realizing none of them were watching the water as they chatted. Fili suppressed a chuckle when Kili rushed to the side of the boat a little faster than was necessary, not hiding his longing at all.

“How long does this normally take?” Bran said with a whine and a grin, laughing when Kili groaned and jumped into the water, leaving a pile of wet towels behind.

Fili shook his head and chuckled as he killed the engine so Kili wouldn’t be left stranded. As the boat returned to drifting Fili looked back to where Kili and entered the water just in time to see Kili take a breath and go under.

“I have a feeling we’re not going to find her,” Bran admitted to Fili now that Kili couldn’t hear them.

“Sometimes she doesn’t want to come up. After everything that has happened, well, I don’t know if I’d want to come back to the surface after what happened if I was in her position.” Fili murmured, trying not to lose hope for Kili’s sake.

“But she was following the crab boat. Right? How else would she have been right there to save my life?” Bran asked but all Fili could do was shrug. Only Tauriel had the answer for that.

Kili, meanwhile, could see light in the darkness below him. And he was pretty sure it wasn’t just him being hopeful. He stuck his head out of the water for air, swimming after the ship he had jumped from before he went back under to look down. The lights were getting closer, and he hoped that meant Tauriel was coming up.

“I think she’s here!” Kili called as he reached the side of the boat, grinning at Bran and Fili.

“Sweet! Where is she?” Bran looked over in excitement, forgetting his fears as he looked into the water.

“Is she far down?” Fili asked as he also looked over the edge but saw nothing.

“Yeah, I could just see the light on her.” Kili nodded before taking a breath and going back down.

Sure enough the light was getting closer, and Kili swam down as best as he could toward the figure he recognized.

Tauriel floated below him, out of reach, looking at him in indecision. He beckoned to her with his hands, smiling at her, before he had to return to the surface of oxygen. She followed him up and stopped again when he came back down to her. He could reach her now, and the others could see her form in the water she was so close, and he extended his hand to her. She climbed up to his level, looking from him to the surface and back, still not sure. Kili, meanwhile, was distracted by her necklace. It had to be new, he would remember something like that on her neck. But his lungs reminded him he need to breath, and Tauriel followed him to the surface.

“Tauriel! Hi!” Fili said and waved to her when her face broke the surface.

Bran, meanwhile, remembered that he was terrified of her and didn’t know what to do. Tauriel wore an equally blank expression was she recognized Bran in the boat.

“Tauriel… this is Bran.” Kili introduced his human friend to his mermaid friend. She stared at him for a moment and then looked back at Bran.

“Uh… hi, uh, Tauriel? Hi…” Bran stammered with all the elegance of a village idiot.

“I’m… uh, I’m, um,” Bran continued to fumble over his words, Kili and Fili not helping him through this at all.

“I’m so sorry. Oh God I’m so sorry I hurt you like holy shit you should have drowned me when you have the chance why didn’t you I’m a terrible human being like what kind of piece of shit just goes out and abducts someone like damn first I invade your home and then I go kidnap you like what the fuck is even wrong with me that is such a shitty thing to do and,” Bran’s stuttering turned into a deluge of rambling and apologizing, but Kili and Fili were most surprised by the fact that Bran was tearing up and fighting back tears. Tauriel also noticed the liquid seeping from Bran’s eyes, and she moved closer to reach up and touch his face and the tears. Bran went silent when she did that, probably fearing her snapping his neck, but instead she just stared at the tears on her hand before she spun into the water and disappeared.

“Well. That went well.” Bran muttered and slumped back into a seat on the boat.

“It probably did, actually,” Kili chuckled as he climbed back onboard, once more wrapping himself in towels to dry off and warm up.

“Because she didn’t kill me? She left!” Bran protested, not knowing what to make of things.

“She does that. She might come back; all we can do is wait.” Fili said as he pulled out a deck of cards, making Bran groan.

“Great. More waiting.”

“But don’t you feel better having that off your chest?” Fili said in a sweet tone, although he was serious.

“I just… I don’t know. I don’t even know if she understood me.” Bran mumbled and crossed his arms.

“She probably did, she’s listened to Fili and I enough to learn some words, and she probably understands more than she can speak.” Kili shrugged, not worried about it and waiting for Fili to deal out cards.

“So what, just wait for another four hours to see if she comes back?” Bran groaned, feeling mentally exhausted and embarrassed at rambling like an idiot in front of his friends like that. He had a proper apology speech all ready to go and he’d forgotten all of it, how humiliating.

“Nah, she’s back already,” Kili laughed, looking in the direction of a splash he heard. He stood and reached below the side of the boat to help Tauriel climb onboard.

“She’s got a fish!” Fili said in a delighted tone, making Bran stare at the two beaming brothers.

“She was hungry?” Bran asked before he realized that Tauriel was now fully in the boat and was moving toward him with a fish in her mouth. Instinctively he drew away, not sure what to do.

“You gotta take the fish.” Fili laughed, getting Bran’s attention.

“What?” Bran stared at Fili before looking back at Tauriel.

Sure enough, she offered him the fish with an expectant look. He looked at Kili and Fili for guidance, but they were snickering into their hands while waving and nodding for him to take it.

Bran took the fish into his hands and she looked down at the fish and back up at him, waiting. After a moment of Bran staring at her helplessly, she raised her hands to her mouth and mimed taking a bite.

“Is she feeding me?” Bran whispered, keeping his eyes on her.

“It’s her way of saying that you two are friends. Now take a bite! You’ve had worse.” Kili explained, clearly enjoying this way too much. Bran swallowed and braced himself, biting into the fish and poorly concealing a scream when the fish wriggled. He wanted to chew it since it was food and that was the natural thing to do, but he wanted it out of his mouth as quickly as possible, which lead to an awkward half chew half swallow that made him cough. But Tauriel seemed content and looked over at Kili and Fili, moving so that she was between the two brothers.

“So, she’s forgiven you! Doesn’t if feel good?” Fili teased, looking at Bran’s sick expression.

“Tastes terrible.” Bran coughed, looking at the fish in his hands. Was he supposed to keep eating? Or could he throw it overboard? Would that cause offense?

While Bran contemplated what was the proper etiquette for mermaid friendship offerings, Kili was looking at Tauriel’s necklace. He pointed to it to get her attention, and she looked up at him while touching the necklace.

All the necklaces and trinkets he had seen from Tauriel thus far had been much more crude, made of some sort of string or wire and usually had bones or shells. But what was around her neck now was an elaborate diamond necklace. It didn’t even show signs of being in seawater, so it couldn’t have been something she found on a wreck, unless the wreck had just happened. Kili decided against touching it, he felt uncomfortable at the mere idea of touching something that looked so expensive. The diamonds, or crystals, he had no idea, were the largest he had ever seen, ranging from tiny specks to the size of his palm. He wasn’t sure if it was just the diamonds watching the light, or if there was something special about them, but they seemed to shine much like the spots of light on her skin. Kili realized Fili was also staring at Tauriel’s necklace. It was hard not to, it covered her neck and draped all the way to between her breasts.

“Guys… what do I do with the fish?” Bran finally whispered and looked up from the fish in his hands before the necklace got his attention, and then, “she’s got boobs?”

That broke the brothers’ attention and made them laugh.

After eating the fish, Tauriel seemed completely relaxed around Bran, and in soon she had learned his name. They found themselves talking, Bran utterly fascinated and asking questions, and trying to teach Tauriel new words so they could communicate better, until the sun was touching the horizon. Bran quickly understood why Kili and Fili were so protective of her and considered her a friend, she was interesting and Bran wanted to understand her as well. And he was making plenty of suggestive eyebrow waggles at Kili, teasing him for is obvious feelings for Tauriel until she returned to the ocean for the night.

The teasing and tormenting started in full once Tauriel was gone, both Fili and Bran relentlessly going at Kili and laughing at how red his face got.

“I tease because I love you,” Fili said, rubbing his head on Kili’s as they cleaned up the boat once they had docked. Bran had jumped off once they had reached the pier, going to meet with Collin and tell him about the Vegas plans with a promise of calling tonight to figure things out. The brothers had reassured Bran that they would clean up, there wasn’t more than a few minutes worth of clean up to do anyway.

“I love you too. Jackass.” Kili wrapped his arm around Fili and gave him a squeeze in a hug, and then jabbed his brother’s side.

“Your taste in women could use some work though.” Fili laughed and broke away, closing and latching the last storage door on the boat.

“Isn’t this Bran’s key chain?” Kili was able to ignore the comment by offering up a key ring he found hidden between seat cushions.

“It’s not mine and it isn’t yours, so much be.” Fili reasoned, earning him a look from his brother who did not appreciate the smart-alecky tone.

“Well he’s going to meet up with Collin. Let’s go find them and return them, and then we can plan Vegas!” Kili grabbed his things and hopped off the boat, Fili following.

They didn’t find Bran in the parking lot, and neither his nor Collin’s car were parked at their usual town haunts, so after driving around for a bit they headed to Collin’s. Collin’s car was there but Bran’s wasn’t, but if they were all going to meet up anyway the brother’s reasoned may as well get Collin now.

“We’re going to Vegas! Are you-“ Kili bust open the door when the brothers found out it wasn’t locked, but Kili stopped dead in his tracks. Fili slammed into him, knocking Kili forward into Collin’s place, and likewise stood in the door in stunned silence.

“It’s! It’s not what it looks like!” Bran shouted. It looked like he was straddling Collin on the couch, both of their shirts discarded on the floor along with Bran’s belt.

“You two are together?” Fili asked, although more for confirmation than anything else. Collin’s hands were down Bran’s pants, they were probably together.

“You punched me because you were worried about doing gay stuff!” Was Kili’s reaction, insulted that Bran had punched him over that.

“I’m not gay!” Bran shouted, jerking away from Collin and flopping onto the floor.

“I’m gay.” Collin said much more matter of fact, although he was bright red from being caught.

“Bran, we literally walked in on you two making out.” Fili sighed at Bran’s indignation, and stepped inside to close the door.

“I like girls! Girls are hot and sexy!” Bran stammered, trying to defend himself.

“So, you’re bi?” Kili asked. Bran thought for a moment, as though the idea had never occurred to him before.

“Yes…?” Bran managed, unsure.

“So… you guys are, like, cool with-?” Collin rubbed the back of his neck and didn’t make eye contact, but didn’t have a chance to finish.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t we? You’re still our Collin.” Kili reassured his friend, happy that both Collin and Bran visibly relaxed at the acceptance.

“Dude, Kili’s in love with a mermaid. At this point I’m just glad you are into other human beings.” Fili said, unable to resist making a jab at his brother and making Collin blink in confusion and stare at Kili.

“Mermaid?” Collin whispered, noticing Kili going bright red and Bran’s poorly concealed snickers.

“So! Vegas! You, Bran, Me, Fili, you in?” Kili desperately fought to change the subject, knowing he was going to have to tell Collin, and endure another friend’s worth of teasing, soon.

#the hobbit #kiliel #mermaid #mermaid AU #kili #tauriel #the sea calls us home #tscuh #fanfiction #my writing #my work

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