|| that dark abyss .

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

random supernatural beebs // khodai and aero // 1,684 words
oh god somebody stop me
I never expected to love them this much
I also think I may be using this prompt more than once...
based on shut up and dance by walk the moon

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Aero had come home to strange things the last few months that Khodai had been staying with her, but she did not quite expect to see what she did when she walked through the door.

Some old-sounding classical music was playing and candles scattered the room, the vampire's lanky figure humming to himself as he gently fussed over fresh white roses in a crystal vase. Where was the music even coming from- oh. He'd figured out how to turn pandora on the x-box.

"Oh, God," Aero groaned, a rosy flush reaching her cheeks. "Looks like someone found the romantic comedies."

"Aero!" Khodai cheered in pleasant surprise, straightening up to grin at her. As he did so, she realized that a single rose in the vase was blood red; an addition that dark-haired man found more humorous than he should have. "Can you dance?" He asked, grin quickly flickering to a cunning smirk as he turned to face her.

She couldn't help but scoff as she shed her coat and tossed it aside, pulling the hair tie from her neon locks. "Ask me again when I'm drunk, I'm sure you'll get a much more cooperative answer."

"Come on," he pleaded, drifting closer in a swift, fluid motion and extending a hand. "Dance with me."

She eyed him cautiously, but couldn't keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Why?" She laughed.

"Because I enjoy teaching you so very much," he admitted, curling his fingers in an insistent gesture.

Pursing her lips, Aero met his gaze for a long stretch of time before her smile fully broke through and she tentatively took his hand. "Alright," she agreed. "But only this once."

"That's what you always say," he hummed, pulling her close to him and causing her to stumble slightly.

Aero let out a nervous laugh, one hand in his and the other pressed against his chest. Looking up to meet his eye, she quickly cleared her throat and slid it over his shoulder, his other slithering around her waist. Aero was not short- she considered herself average or slightly tall in height- but Khodai was taller still. Her guess was six foot two, at least, while she was merely five foot six. She was not used to being dwarfed, and she felt an odd mixture of safety and insecurity. Not to mention the cool rush of his chilled touch seemed to set her skin ablaze more than any heated embrace.

She was jarred from her thoughts when he gently lead her into a side step along with the music, steadily becoming a slow waltz. Aero held her breath, unable to keep herself from staring down as she stumbled, trying to step anywhere that wasn't on him. After a few moments, she felt cool fingers under her chin, lifting it to look up. "Keep your eyes on me," Khodai told her softly, his voice nearly a whisper.

She did as she was told, her movement becoming far more steady as she drifted into a troubled haze. He knew what he was doing. He'd done this before. She'd been thinking a lot lately about their circumstances and something about it made her uneasy. She had no doubt he remembered their lives together clear as day, but she could hardly remember any. Part of her was afraid he was already in love with someone who no longer existed, which made her feel physically ill if she were to dwell on it long enough, because she was indeed falling in love with him. Another part of her felt overwhelmingly guilty. She experienced renewed euphoria with each new life, but for him it was only a repeat of the same things. Nothing was new, and she feared for future versions of herself that would have to suffer from emptiness because he grew tired of time repeating himself. A third, very small part of her, however, cried nonsense.

Khodai's smile fell and he searched her glazed eyes. "What are you thinking about?" He asked suddenly, concern shadowing his features.

"Nothing," Aero said quickly, tearing her gaze away.

"Don't lie to me," he warned softly. "You don't have to."

Aero pressed her lips into a thin line and let out a long breath. "Why do you keep sticking around if all this is just the same thing over and over again?" She asked.

A small, breathy laugh escaped him, though it held no humor as he pinched his brows together and moved his head to catch her eye. "It's far from the same thing every time," he assured her, though she didn't seem to be phased by the words. "It is true, some things never change. But those are what I love the most. Aero- look at me," he insisted, stopping mid-step to take her face in his hands. "I am more than lucky to have known you so many times- luckier still that I have loved you so many times. I could not bear the thought of walking this unnatural life alone, or with anyone else."

Forced to meet his eyes, she could not doubt the sincerity he held there. Tears burned behind her own, but she resisted letting them free. Then, she dared to ask a question that she'd wanted to since day one. "There's no guarantee that I will come back to you," she whispered. "Why watch me wither with age? Why... Why haven't you changed me?"

"Changed?" he asked flatly.

"Why don't you make me like you?" She asked, reaching up to touch his hand.

"I would love nothing more," he admitted. "But... I'm afraid I don't know how."

"Don't know how?" She asked in surprise, looking up at him curiously. "Isn't that what the venom is for?"

"No," he said with a sigh, sliding both hands back down to her waist. "My venom will kill you. I've tried it on other... Unfortunate souls. An experiment of sorts," he explained. "Nothing ever works."

Aero pursed her lips in a sort of pout and wrapped her arms around his neck, subconsciously beginning to sway once more. "Well that's no fun," she muttered.

"It's plenty fun," he countered. "There are ever slight changes you make with each life," he explained. "I quite enjoy learning them."

She offered a small smile. "Don't you ever get sick of doing the same things?"

"Hardly," he laughed. "How many people get thirteen chances at a first kiss? Thirteen chances to watch someone fall in love with them? Thirteen chances to marry?"

She perked up in surprise. "We always get married?" She asked nervously.

"Uh- no," he corrected flatly. "I said chances. No. See... Really it was once, but... That was terrible," he shook his head as if to clear it from his memory. "Terrible..."

An amused smirk reached her lips. "I'm going to assume whatever went wrong was your fault."

"It was just-!" He began to argue defensively before pausing to let out a pained breath. "I will not get into this again."

"Alright, alright, fine," she laughed. Her smile lingered as she gazed up at him. "Khodai?" She murmured.

"Yes?" He asked, looking down at her expectantly.

"How long does it usually take me to fall in love?" She asked curiously, half in a daze.

He seemed surprised by the question, which made her feel rather accomplished. It was something she had not asked before. "I'd say an average of a couple weeks," he admitted. "But to actually admit it out loud? More like six months."

"Oh," she mused. "Then I guess I should hold off a little longer."

A soft smile reached him and he leaned forward to press his forehead to hers. "Don't forget that you can say plenty without speaking a word." Hesitantly, he tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her closer before gently pressing his lips against her own.

Drawing a breath, Aero kissed him back, a smile twitching on her lips, fingers twisted in his dark curls. She was not quite sure how long it lasted before she found her lips brushing his jaw and neck, pressing them into his shoulder and simply standing, swaying, enjoying the comfort of his embrace as a wave of chills from much more than the icy touch rolled down her spine.

"I love you," Khodai murmured, face pressed against her hair. "And when I say that, I want you to know that I love you, Aërolite Augustine, for who you are, and not who you used to be."

She didn't quite know what it was, but something about what he said brought tears to her eyes and warmth to her heart. For a tense moment, she feared the beads of liquid would betray her and begin their descent down her cheeks; that is, until there was a very sudden change in mood.

The classical music that had been playing came to an abrupt halt, replaced with something far more up-beat and modern. Aero pulled away and met Khodai's mortified and terribly confused expression with an amused grin. "Did you click shuffle?" She asked teasingly.

"I- I don't know," he stammered. "What's a shuffle?"

Aero laughed and shook her head, taking a few steps back and holding his hands in her own. "My turn to teach you something," she said mischievously.

"What-" before he could protest, she pulled him into a step far quicker than the last, lifting an arm over her head so she could twirl and spin against his chest before pulling away again, trembling with giggles. "Aero, I don't know how-"

"Shut up and dance with me!" She interrupted, shoving lightly against his chest with one hand to encourage one foot to stumble back.

Quickly realizing there was no escape, Khodai gritted his teeth with a series of inward cringes as he stiffly attempted to comply. That was not the last quick song that played- Aero was sure of it- and eventually he seemed to relax. This was certainly not the kind of dancing he had in mind, but nevertheless, laughter filled the small house. Better yet, it was something that had certainly never happened before.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

random supernatural beebs // khodai and aero // 2,051 words
seriously
this is getting out of hand
#kholite
and just a note on the moodswings: she's sleep deprived and he's a pushover so

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Khodai was sure to always walk as far as he could manage from Aero's hometown before allowing himself to hunt. Though he had an impressive amount of control over his thirst, there was a point where it began to grow out of hand. He'd get short-tempered and irritable and though he stayed as long as he dared, he did not want to risk hurting the woman he loved.

He'd been gone four days, but that was more than enough time for the small town news to pick up on a recent tragedy. Now, Aero was not in the habit of watching television that was not streaming, as she lacked cable. However, a phone call she'd received the day before had left her with no choice.

She barely recognized the voice of her closest friend, warped with sobs. She'd tried to explain, but the only thing Aero was able to catch was for her to turn on the news. So, that is what she did.

Instant dread and regret welled in her chest.

Her friend's brother, both of whom she'd grown up with, had been killed. The reason it made the news was because it was not the average "car slid on ice" or "crushed by falling tree" that they usually got. There was hardly more than smears of dry blood on his otherwise empty body, according to the pictures they dared to show. That, along with a ravenous gash in his neck.

It felt like far longer than the twenty four hours that had passed, each second plagued with anxiety to such an intense degree that it made Aero physically ill. She did not sleep. Tears streaked her face. Her exhausted muscles froze with tension the second she heard the door open, but not out of fear. No. She was furious.

"Aero!" Khodai called, a soft smile on his face as if nothing was wrong. It was not the first hunt he'd been on since meeting her again. They'd talked about the very subject. She knew what he needed to survive, and he assured her the injection of his venom made the process painless, to which he added that when possible, he was picky enough to only go after people who would not be missed. However, since arriving in such a rural state, he'd struggled with the lack of that luxury.

So, he as confused when she did not answer. He paused and pinched his brows together, glancing around the house. "Aero?" He tried again. This time, his attention was directed to the stairs as footsteps descended them. Worry was immediately cast over his features and he strode forward to meet her at the base of the steps. She was pale and her eyes red; hair disheveled. "Are you alright? Have you fallen ill?" He asked, but she flinched away from his touch and shoved past him. "Aero," He pleaded, turning to watch her march away.

She said not one word as she swiped the remote off the arm of the couch and clicked on the television. It was still on the news channel, and still playing the same story.

It took Khodai a second to realize what was playing and his demeanor instantly slumped, blue eyes wide with dread. Admittedly, that one had been a struggle, but he didn't expect the incident to make the news. To hell with modern technology, he thought bitterly.

"Did you do this?" Aero demanded, voice hoarse with the strain of speech.

He was slightly taken aback by the question. Did she not already know? Or did she just want to hear him admit it out loud? "Well... Yes, but-" he was about to argue but was immediately cut off.

"Why?" She interrupted flatly.

"You know why," he said cautiously, brows pinching in confusion. "I did not think it would be on the television."

A humorless, slightly hysterical laugh escaped her. Either he really had no idea or he was very good at playing dumb. "I told you to get the hell away before hunting."

"I went as far as I could," he replied with an innocent rasp, still having difficulty figuring out the source of her distress.

"Well you didn't go far enough!" She roared accusingly, voice raising to a starling din that made the six foot three vampire flinch.

He was truly at a loss. "Aero, you know I-"

"Why him?!" She shouted, tossing an arm towards the television before letting it fall limp again, running the other through her hair. "I knew him- I loved him!" She snarled, rage bubbling in her throat as she took a few steps forward and jabbed a finger towards his chest. "He was my first everything, and I, Aero, loved him before I even remembered you!"

There it was.

Khodai felt as though he should have apologized, but instead he found her rage to be contagious despite the overwhelming guilt that surged through him. "And you expect me to have known that?" He barked defensively, looming over her.

"Yes! No- I don't know!" Aero argued, whipping around to turn away from him. "But it's quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?" She snarled.

He could only scoff in disbelief. "You think I did this on purpose?" He spat, hurt beyond words. His eyes began to burn painfully from the acidic liquid threatening to escape and he grit his teeth. "How could you even think I would hunt down anyone you knew- let alone out of pity jealousy?"

"I don't know, Khodai," she said tautly, facing him once more with raging fire in her dark eyes. "I barely remember you at all, how am I supposed to recall what kind of monster you are?"

Her words carried more venom than surged through his body and he paused in slight shock. She promised she would never call him that- but he supposed she didn't remember that either. "I cannot help what I am." He meant for the words to be harsh, but instead his voice cracked, leaking desperation.

"You told me you made them quick!" She cried before gesturing towards the screen. "You ripped his damn throat out, Khodai!" He shrunk back at the inevitable truth, avoiding looking at the screen as tears blurred his vision. He searched for words, but found none. Then, Aero continued. Her voice was quieter, but no less hostile. "Did he suffer?" He continued to avoid her gaze, having his own sweep the floor instead. "Did he?!" She repeated in a harsher manner.

"Yes!" He roared, dwarfing her previous verbal assaults. "He struggled; caught an artery and bled out before he was numbed!" He regretted every word the second he looked up and saw the look of horror and grief on her face. Reaching up, he used his hand to wipe the streaking tears away with a sniff.

"Get out," Aero whispered hoarsely. He did not move. "Get out!" She shouted, storming up to shove him towards the door.

Khodai did not fight back nor did he argue, but simply stumbled forward and glanced over his shoulder before slipping into the frigid air outside. She slammed the door behind him, slumping against it and immediately examining her hand with a pounding heart. In the process, Aero had brushed the hand he'd wiped his tears with, a burning tingle spreading through her fingers. Then, suddenly, she could feel nothing at all.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, waiting for the numbness to spread beyond her forearm, but it never did. Gradually, her choking fear eased and she let out a breath, leaning her head against the door. Sobs began to wrack her body, tears flooring her already swollen eyes. However, now that the rage had died down, she was left with grief and guilt. She knew it wasn't Khodai's fault. He only did what he needed to survive and she had no doubt he always tried to do so as tactfully as possible. He was no monster. She knew that. He claimed to be impervious to the guilt concerning the people he'd killed, but she'd always known it was a lie. She knew he'd tried different diets as well as starving himself, but going too long without a hunt would only plague him with uncontrollable bloodlust. Then he really would become a monster.

It was easy to blame him, but it was also not fair. Still, she remained conflicted. An even half of her was beyond disgusted with him, and the other half longed for his comfort. Simply put, she had no one else. Where he went hunting was a good fifty miles away, and she'd never make it in the snow. Yes, losing a friend was hard. It was even harder knowing he'd died at Khodai's hand. At the very least, she could take comfort in knowing he would be reborn, and it was not an act of cold blood.

She'd been mourning alone for the longest day of her life. She didn't want to be alone anymore.

Aero slipped on her boots, not bothering with a coat as she flung the door open and marched outside. "Khodai!" She shouted against the wind before catching sight of a trail on the ground. A trail of footprints. She followed them, bracing against the blistering cold prepared for a hike into the woods behind her house. However, she didn't have to go further than around the corner.

She found Khodai slumped on the ground, arms wrapped tightly around his knees and his head buried between his arms. He looked up when he heard snow crunching under her feet, eyes growing red with the sting of acidic tears. He shot to his feet in an instant, standing rigid and expectant.

Aero attempted to steadily meet his eye, but instead broke down. "I'm sorry," she sopped. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, I didn't-" Her lack of breath caused her to choke on the words, head hanging in defeat.

Khodai's expression softened considerably and he rushed to her, trying his best to herd her back towards the door without touching her, as his icy skin would not help her already violent shivers. "Shh, it's okay," he assured her quietly. "I am the one that should be sorry."

The door was ajar when they reached it and the second Khodai closed it behind him, Aero pressed her hands and face to his chest and he wrapped his arms around her in return, holding her as she cried. When he bent his head down to press his lips to her hair, he noticed the veins in her right hand running a sickly blue, her fingers unnaturally stiff. Pinching his brows together, he stepped back and took her hand to examine it.

Aero was slightly confused, but wiped at her eyes with a sniff and understood when she saw the state of her numb hand. "I just got some of your tears on my hand I think," she snuffled. "I'll be fine."

He let out a sigh and pulled her closer by the hand he held before wrapping her in an embrace once more. She was right, she'd be fine. Still, he couldn't help but fuss. "Come on," he urged gently, leading her towards the couch. She sat upon it first but it hardly mattered, as she was curled against his chest the second he sat beside her. Pulling a blanket off the back of the couch, he draped it over her shoulders. She willingly pulled it tighter.

"There's something else I'm sorry about," Aero said, voice a mere squeak as a result of pure exhaustion.

"What's that?" Khodai asked softly.

"My friend Adeliza is going to be staying here for a few days next week," she said quietly.

"Oh," he said flatly, unsure of how to react. "What's the occasion?"

"You killed her brother," Aero mumbled, half asleep.

"Oh," he repeated in a much lower tone. "Then I should-"

"Don't go," she murmured quickly, eyes already closed. "It'll be funny to watch you suffer."

He looked down at her in surprise. "Aërolite Augustine, you have a sick sense of humor," he rasped.

A smile touched her lips. "Mmm, I know," she hummed smugly, wriggling closer to him.

He waited for her to continued, but the steady rhythm of her breath indicated that she was already asleep.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

experimental characters // roxana and whoever else happens to pop up // 1,279 words
whether it be in pm or comment form, let me know what you think of these characters!
I've been thinking of making a troupe vs. freakshow suspense/horror/historical story
it's in the beginning stages, so opinions and suggestions would be great!
... this was meant to be suspense but it took more of a crime/mystery-ish turn real fast...

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The humid air was sickeningly hot with the addition of thickness under the makeshift tent. There was no audience, but rather two lone figures. The young woman resided high above the ground, tawny hair pinned carelessly to the side of her head. Loose strands stuck to her neck, slick with swear caused not only by the heat, but of the level of her unwavering concentration.

With only a tightrope under her bare feet, she held her long, maroon skirt with one hand, holding both arms out for balance. This was her first time on the high rope, and her mentor stood on the ground, head craned back with a smug grin, as he had been teaching her how to walk a rope for months. Indeed she was a fast learner, but you could never be too careful when it came to risking your life.

"Keep your head up, Ana!" The brunette called, voice sounding hollow in the thick air.

With a small gasp, Roxana snapped her head up, causing for a slight tilt that caused her heart to stop as quick as her steps.

"Good save," the man called, though his chest had briefly tightened. "You'll be preforming in no time, baby sister!"

"I'd rather my death not have an audience," she called back, breathless and taut.

"Then don't die!" He called with a grin. "You just-"

His words were cut short, and a small smile dared to cross the girl's face. "Rethinking how easy that would actually be, are we Stefan?" Roxana dared to glance down at her brother, and the second she did hot dread coursed through her veins.

There lie her brother on the dusty ground in a steadily expanding pool of crimson. "Stefan!" She screeched, dark eyes wild with fear. What had happened? She had no time to contemplate, as suddenly the rope beneath her feet went slack.

Immediately flailing in search of balance that was unobtainable, Roxana managed to grab the fraying rope in her hands, only to slide painfully as it came to abrupt halt. She let out a cry of pain, squeezing her eyes shut against the rope burn on her hands and the blood that began to trickle down her arm. Continuing to swing violently, she wrapped her legs around the rope while plagued with heavy breaths, paralyzed with fear and the instinct to hold on for dear life.

She opened her nearly black eyes as the swinging rope began to settle, breath rasping in her raw throat as her chest heaved. Her sights caught the figure of her brother and tears of panic began to well in her eyes. "Stefan!" She called again before looking up the length of the rope, brunette waves falling into her eyes. There was nobody there. She'd seen nobody at all.

Gritting her teeth in determination and not without the occasional yelp, Roxana slowly lowered herself down the rope until she was close enough to the dusty ground to jump. Landing hard enough that her fingertips brushed the dust, she lifted her skirt and ran full speed to her brother's body, falling to her knees beside him, his brown eyes wide and no sight of a wound. That is, until she slid her hands under his torso and felt the gaping hole where a dagger had pierced him.

With a gasp of surprise, she pulled back, tears blurring her vision and sobs beginning to take her over. "Emil," she rasped before she found the strength in hr voice. "Emilian!" She repeated, hardly recognizing the strain in her own voice. "Emilian! Emil-"

She barely heard the footsteps rush to her side, but they were wrong, as the pounding was accompanied by a swishing skirt. "Ana!" The aged woman cried, kneeling beside the girl and grasping her shoulders. "What happened?!"

With panicked outcries, Roxana tried her best to shove the woman away. "Get Emil!" She demanded, refusing to tear her eyes from her brother and ignoring the searing pain in her palms as she smeared blood on the woman in her attempted struggle. Still, she did not leave. "Get Emil, get Emil, get Emil-" she cried repeatedly, sobs plaguing her hysterical tone.

"Ana," the woman repeated, eyes wide and heart rate fast, refusing to look at the familiar body splayed before them and instead pulling the girl to her chest. "There is nothing we can do," she murmured regretfully, voice quiet and high with grief.

Roxna gave in and buried her face in the woman's chest, grasping her clothes with a white knuckle grip just as more footsteps approached.

"What happened?" A male voice asked, voice high and quiet as it always was, with the addition of panic. More members of the troupe began to file behind him, but remained silent.

The woman with the graying hair and her arms wrapped around the younger girl turned her head to meet his hollow brown eyes. "I don't know," she admitted flatly. "Can you calm her?"

"Uh," the young man sighed, catching a hand in his unreasonably tangled black hair, streaks of white tucked behind each ear despite his premature age. "I can try," he muttered. "I think I have something." He bent down to take the brunette's arm, but she immediately jerked away.

"No!" Roxana rasped, pulling away from the woman that held her and pressing her bloodied hands to her brother's chest. "Stefan," she she begged, but quickly felt herself being pulled up by her arms. "No- no!" She screamed in protest, but her struggled were no use.

"Ana!" Emilian shouted over her cries, regret for his necessary actions hidden in his voice and he held her arms down with his own and pulled her away. "You must calm yourself!"

"No!" She argued- it seemed to be the only word she could find- jerking herself hard enough that her feet slipped from under her. She kicked, but Emilian still held fast, her feet streaking in the dust.

When they made it to the other side of the tent, the others flocked the body, blocking Stefan from her view and causing her screams to worsen. Emilian stopped suddenly and roughly turned her around by the shoulders. "What happened?" He demanded, his dark red-ringed eyes searching hers, deep set in his pale skin.

"I don't know," she cried, tears streaking her face. "I was on the rope- I was just on the rope and then he- and then it-" she was cut off by uncontrollable intakes of breath and bursts of sobs.

Emilian looked up and saw the snapped rope before sliding his hands down her arms and taking her wrists, turning them over in his hands. He nearly winced himself seeing the raw flesh of her fingers and palms. Blood streaked up her arms and he could not be sure if it was hers of that of her brother. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" He asked, wanting to make sure she was okay before attempting to console the hysterical young woman. She shook her head, brown tendrils flying around her face. "I need to bind your hands," he told her gently. "Come with me?"

"No," she said again, though her energy had dwindled. She attempted to step back, but the grip around her wrists only tightened.

"I need to bind your hands," Emilian repeated in a low, rather intimidating tone.

Roxana was reduced to sniffles, refusing to meet his gaze and simply standing there in defeat. He took it as the closest to cooperation he'd get and let go of her wrists, placing a firm hand on her back and guiding her from the tent, though not without a sorrowful glance of his own escaping over his shoulder.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // scarlet and beth // 871 words
wow I really gotta get back into the swing of thigs

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Peaceful moments taken in the name of Scarlet Waters had always been few and far between. Throughout her life, the fiery captain had faced countless perils, had fallen victim to physical and mental turmoil, and had cheated death on more than one occasion. There had been a time where she’d have taken the life of another before letting go of a single doubloon; no, it was not at all like the captain of the Obsidian to reject anything that rightfully belonged to her, nor was it like her to allow the cold tendrils of fear creep up her spine.

Then again, circumstances had never been quite as dire. Everything known to her would soon change. Everything is going to change.

The silent words drifted through her mind with the likeness of the cool breeze along the surface of the ocean, blackened by night. A flickering halo played on the gentle waves immediately surrounding the lamplit ship, but everything beyond was as lost to Scarlet as the certainty that once clasped her future so tightly.

Sitting on the deck of the fearsome vessel, a pair of boots dangled off the edge, a startlingly placid forehead resting against the cast iron rails. Ghastly were the red-ringed eyes that gazed so emotionlessly downwards; emotionless were the eyes that gazed upon the captain’s rapidly swelling belly, paralyzing fear hiding somewhere behind.

Having grown tense in the silence, Scarlet jumped with a startle when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Eyes wide, she parted her lips, ready to dismiss the presence of a wandering crew member, but stopped short in surprise.

The only other woman that resided on the ship always had a practiced, seductive sway in her narrow hips that was unmistakable, even in the mask of darkness. Scarlet had no trouble identifying Beth before her eyes even reached the gently freckled and shockingly calm face.

Scarlet and Beth had clashed from day one, each of them flaunting their own set of scars inflicted by the other to prove it. However, everything seemed to immediately change when Scarlet found herself to be pregnant; Beth had taken on a rather sympathetic air, and the former captain was not entirely sure she liked it.

Nevertheless, she made no sound of protest when the gypsy sat herself beside her, the silence continuing to stretch into the night until she spoke. “You’ve been crying.” Beth’s voice was soft and free of ridicule and Scarlet was completely unaware of how to reply. Instead, she continued to gaze out over the sea. “I know what it’s like to be afraid,” Beth continued, crossing her legs upon the deck and smoothing out her skirt.

“You wouldn’t be able to understand this kind of fear,” Scarlet responded, her voice smaller and flatter than intended.

“You’d be surprised,” Beth voiced, a small smile touching her lips when she saw the redhead’s gaze fling her way out of the corner of her eye. Though before Scarlet could inquire to the nature of the comment, Beth continued. “You’re afraid of the unknown. But you know something? The unknown isn’t afraid of you,” she pointed out, gesturing to Scarlet, who immediately felt her chest tighten. She quickly looked away, fighting off a wave of panic.

“Scarlet, listen to me,” Beth said, taking the captain’s pale hand tightly in her own. Startled, Scarlet looked over wide-eyed to meet the stern green gaze beside her. “Things will be changing, yes it will be difficult for a while, but not terrible. Now you have to get this through your thick ginger skull- look at me,” she said with a bit more snap than intended, her grasp tightening on Scarlet’s hand. “You may be unsure now, but that will all change the second that child is born,” she said firmly, meeting the wide blue gaze beside her. “Even when you give him reason not to, he will love you. Do not make the mistake of taking that for granted.”

Narrowing her eyes, Scarlet search’s Beth’s inquisitively. “Why did you say that?”

Beth’s face fell curiously. “Say what?”

“You called it a he,” she mumbled.

“Did I?” Beth mused, turning away thoughtfully. Then she offered a mere shrug and a mischievous grin. “Maybe I just know these things. Besides, what would you do with a girl? God forbid.”

Scarlet couldn’t help but give a small laugh. “I couldn’t say,” she admitted. “Tiny dresses and pink drapes seem like something you would enjoy far more.”

Beth’s smile faltered, but it returned before the other woman could notice. “Doesn’t it?” She agreed before letting out a sigh and leaning back on her hands.

Scarlet glanced over her shoulder and pursed her lips. “How do you know so much about this stuff, anyway?”

Beth raised an eyebrow. “First of all, I haven’t spent my life pent up in the company of pyrates and whores,” she pointed out flatly.

Scarlet could have argued, but in all honesty she had no logical defense, shrugging the comment off and deciding not to press further. Once again, silence stretched between them.

“Scarlet?” Beth mused quietly.

“Hmm?” The redhead grunted in response.

“You’re going to be okay,” Beth told her, voice thick with assurance. “I swear on my life.”

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // scarlet and vin // 1,637 words
been a while huh

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Black water. Black sand. Black cliffs. Gray sky. That is what Scarlet saw once she was pried from her own darkness, finding herself sprawled upon said obsidian sand with the inky water gently lapping at her boots and cliffs towering overhead. The realization of such a predicament was immediately welcomed by dread.

Scarlet shot upright, wincing at a throb in her head the moment she did so. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she scrambled backwards so there was no chance of her touching the water before she paused again. Breathing heavily, she glowered at the tar-like water before her and desperately tried to recall how she’d ended up on land with no sign of her ship anywhere. To her dismay she could not, but still she knew what haunted the dark waters that swayed so innocently. No less than a Siren could have parter her from her crew.

Scarlet shot to her feet without taking her eyes off the void, only then realizing that she was soaked to the bone and a chill would soon set in. Nevertheless she stood, rigid, for what seemed like hours before she began to pace the small beach to keep the shivering at bay. Eventually, her eyes were forced to wander the surrounding cliffs for a way out, but alas, there were none.

Only when she’d begun to grow desperate did her heart skip at the sound of splashing footsteps rapidly approaching; though whether her reaction was out of fear or relief remained undecided.

She snapped her head towards the clamor to find a familiar figure wading towards her with an admittedly comforting smile plastered across his face. “Captain!” Vin shouted breathlessly. “So this is where you have been hiding?” He sneered.

Scarlet relaxed instantly, almost smiling. Almost taking a step closer. Almost shouting to warn him of the water’s dangers before his steps halted just shy of the shore and she recoiled, wary once again.

He must have noticed her hesitation, for his face fell in confusion. His chest heaved with the effort of making his way through the water- stray strands of hair clinging to his face in response to the splashes he’d created. Realistic enough, she supposed. “Is there something wrong?” He called cautiously.

Eying where he stood on the water’s edge, Scarlet’s cold glare flickered back up to his face as she sauntered lazily closer. “I trust you know what’s in these waters,” she stated coolly.”

Vin pinched his brows together and studied her. “Of course,” he responded, swinging his arm towards her as he spoke. “The sirens that pulled you overboard.”

Continuing to approach at a leisurely pace, her suspicion did not waiver. “So why, might I inquire, were you in the water?”

“It’s shallow here and we drove them off in the other direction,” he answered flatly then tipped his head to the side. “Do you think I am not who I say I am?” He asked in disbelief.

Scarlet shrugged casually. “I am merely suggesting that if you were, it would be quite easy to prove it.”

“What would you have me to then?” He asked bitterly, exasperated.

Scarlet stopped in her wandering, now just beyond arm’s reach of him, and steadily met his gaze. “Say something he would not,” she suggested easily, raising her brows when she noticed that he was without a flicker of hesitation.

He merely pressed his lips together and sighed. “Like what?”

She paused in thought then smirked humorlessly. “Something you would not say to me.” She expected the creature to know who she was, and therefore expected a wide range of generic, insulting responses. However, the one she actually received was not one of them.

Vin hesitated in thought, giving his head a slight shake before answering with a combination of hesitance and confidence. “I love you,” he finally voiced. Clearly it was an answer she had not anticipated, as her expression briefly faltered from suspicion to confusion. “What?” He asked, then allowed a quiet chuckle to escape. “Surely I do not have to explain. You know what this is just as well as I do.” He then extended a hand towards her. “Let us return to the ship before nightfall.”

Scarlet’s expression rapidly returned to its stony state and she proceeded to stare at him a moment longer before taking his hand. A gently smile crossed his face before he make the mistake of turning his head in anticipation of leading her the way he came.

It took a mere heartbeat for Scarlet to pull him into her, as well as straight into her dagger.

A hideous screech left his throat but Scarlet did not flinch. She held fast to the dagger deep in his middle. She met his gaze, which was blazing with fury as he stared at her with unspoken threats, teeth clenched and brief flickers seeping through his form. “You have only chosen a slower death,” he hissed between his teeth, voice no longer his.

Scarlet smiled and tipped her head. “I’m well aware of what I’ve chosen,” she said coolly before twisting the dagger in the creature’s gut, causing it to lose focus entirely and becoming a thing of horror.

Scarlet jumped back as the creature collapsed on the black sand and wriggled desperately back into the water so quickly Scarlet only caught a glimpse of the eel-like tail and trail of navy blood.

Only then did her fright show, eyes widening and breaths becoming labored as she staggered further from the water. Blood-drenched hand still clenched tightly around her weapon, she whipped around at the sound of pebbles cascading down the cliff face. Following it up until her neck was craned back, she made out two more familiar figures, thankfully with no connection to the dark abyss.

“Hello down there!” Warren shouted with a wide grin, waving his arm in the air. “We were wondering how long it would take for you to notice us!”

Scarlet immediately pursed her lips in anger. “And ye did not consider helpin’?” She snarled.

“I’m not believin’ we’d be of much help had we jumped,” Sam shouted back, leaning precariously over the edge and no doubt causing the spill of pebbles.

She sighed in exhaustion defeat. “At least tell me there’s a way to get to ya without scalin’ water,” she called.

Warren disappeared a moment before tossing the end of a rope down to her. “Better start climbing,” he sneered.

--

Scarlet had barely spoken once she was back on her ship. Hard as she was shaking from fear and cold, she wanted not one soul to view her in such a state. She slipped past her crew and into her cabin, donning dry clothes and proceeding to sit still and silent at her table for an unreasonable expanse of time.

As much as she resented company, she did not move at the sound of a knock, nor when it was followed by the creaking of the door.

“Captain?” A familiar voice asked hesitantly, clicking the door shut once more.

“What is it,” Scarlet muttered irritably, still refusing to shift from her slouched position, head resting in her palm.

“I only wanted to ask if you were alright,” Vin said in a low voice, muted steps approaching from behind.

“Peachy,” Scarlet snapped quietly.

Ignoring her sour tone, he pulled out the chair beside her and sat himself down. “I heard that you killed a siren,” he pressed gently. “Must be a rough day.”

“I didn’t kill it,” she sighed flatly, shifting in her seat so her hands and gaze were pressed firmly to the table. “I wounded it.”

He hesitated before asking another question. “Was it as it was?”

“No,” she answered simply. After a long few seconds of silence, she continued, “it looked like you.”

Vin was less surprised by this news than he was that she would admit it. “How did you know it was not me?” He asked curiously. “Other than the gray skin and tail,” he added in a futile attempt to lighten her mood.

She was silent for a long while. Long enough that Vin had begun to contemplate leaving when she spoke. “I asked it a question,” she rasped simply. “I told it to tell me something you would not say,” she said, tone as well as expression becoming less stone and more distant.

“And?” He pressed after a moment.

Scarlet forced herself to relax, and though she did not meet his gaze she angled her head in his direction and pulled her hands into her lap. “It said I love you,” she said quietly, tone casual yet rushed. “And I know quite well that you have not said such things, but I’d be inclined to believe you are not the kind of man that would use the phrase in malice.”

Taken aback by her response, Vin opened his mouth to speak but was silenced by a raise of her hand.

“Leave now,” she instructed coolly. “There is nothing to say.”

Vin hesitated before reluctantly complying to her demand and standing from his chair. He walked to the door without a word, only pausing once his hand touched the handle. “There are ways to say such things without words,” he reminded her in a low voice before slipping out.

The second the door clicked shut, Scarlet shot from her seat and leaned her hands heavily on the tabletop. Turning her head, she eyed the door from the very edge of her vision, releasing a long breath. Turning her gaze back to the table, her eyes flickered between her maps until spotting what she was looking for.

Scarlet snatched the map of the Sirens’ cove and spared it not one glance until she dangled it carelessly over a candle and watched the edges curl under the fleeting caress of flame.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

shiver // beth and will // 1,314 words
uhh I think this counts as drama

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The ride from town had been surprisingly pleasant. Though conversation was uncommon, what there was of it was casual and lighthearted, which could not have been said for most previous exchanges between the riders.

Now, with the fall of night fast approaching, Will cast a paranoia-driven glance over his shoulder towards the direction they’d come from, which is far more than Beth would spare. Upon doing so, he let out a nervous laugh from atop his white mare. “It seems as though we left just in time.”

Beth raised a curious brow. “What makes you say-” she was cut short as she turned her head to examine the scene herself, only to find a vast, pluming cloud of smoke ascending dauntingly into the evening sky.

With a sharp command, Bellow violently halted in his tracks, forcing Kaida to do the same and take hasty steps back. Will was obviously rattled, gripping the worn reins for dear life. His wide eyes met those of Beth, who stares at the distance in horror, though before he could scold her she was gone.

Will watched in disbelieve as she took off at a full gallop back towards the village. “Wait!” He cried, frustratedly trying to figure out how to get his own horse to do the same and nearly tumbling off once she did. “Where are you going?!” He shouted, voice heavily affected by the bumpy ride. “Elizabeth!” Despite his increasingly desperate outcries, Beth pushed on without a word.

Far ahead, Beth’s eyes were pried wide with fear, her heart pouncing against her ribcage and breathing labored. Overwhelming guilt crept under her skin. All she could think was it was her fault. If they were dead, it was because of her. My fault.

She only stopped when she reached the top of a hill, skidding to a stop and looking down at the down that had been in tact just earlier that day in dismay. Houses were burning, trees creaking under the heat, embers flying through the air. She couldn’t help but stare, frozen. She only moved with a startled jump as William came up beside her.

“What in the bloody hell do you think you’re doing?!” He shouted breathlessly, looking her over as if evaluating her mental state.

“I had to come back,” she answered flatly, eyes flickering over the landscape.

“What could possibly be important enough to justify that decision?!” He screeched, exasperated.

Beth’s determination returned as she saw what she was looking for. “My daughter,” she answered hastily, sending Bello barreling down the hill with a sharp kick.

“See, if you would have just told m- wait,” Will began, then cut off, only then realizing that she was no longer there. “Your daughter?! What dau- Elizabeth!” He wailed, urging a far more hesitant Kaida down the steep plane.

Somehow, he managed to catch up to Beth as she approached a crowd of people escaping the flames on the edge of the town. She trotted alongside them, all the while ignoring Will’s pleas and complaints of the smoke. Upon spotting what she was looking for, she swiftly jumped from Bello’s back, the horse following as she bolted to an older woman and three children.

Pinching his brows together, Will clumsily slid off his own saddle and held fast to Kaida’s reins, not trusting the nervous horse to bolt at the sight of nearby flames, though he himself was about ready to do just that.

Meanwhile, Beth embraced the other woman as she approached. “Elizabeth,” the woman said, holding her back by the shoulders with wide eyes and a soot covered face. “I thought you had left.”

“I did, this morning,” Beth explained, borderline hysterical as her hands gripped the woman’s arms. “But there was smoke-” She stopped short upon feeling a tug at her skirt. Meredith’s twins were huddled behind her, talking amongst themselves, but the smallest looked up at Beth with a blackened face and wide brown eyes.

Beth hastily knelt and pulled the auburn haired girl against her chest. “Aramine,” she rasped. “Are you alright, piccola fiore?”

“Yes,” the girl responded before pulling back and looking at Beth curiously. “Are you going to stay with us, auntie Beth?”

Beth’s face fell, though still she drew a breath to reply. However, she was cut off upon hearing her name called behind her. Standing, she turned just in time to see William saunter up beside her.

“Elizabeth,” he said breathlessly, “We shouldn’t be here.”

Meanwhile, Meredith eyed the man mischievously, eyes flickering up and down. “Well this is certainly not the strapping blonde I’ve heard so much about,” she commented casually.

Beth’s head whipped towards her, face flushing red with a mixture of irritation and fluster. “Oh no, this isn’t-”

She was then cut off by Will’s voice as he offered a smile to the small girl clinging to Meredith’s leg. “Aww, is this your-”

Beth violently clapped her hand over his mouth, causing him to stagger and shooting Meredith an apologetic glance. “Excuse us,” she said quickly, before turning and shoving him quite a few paces backwards.

Finally managing to rip her hands from his face, William glowered at her. “What was that for- ow!” He whimpered as she smacked the side of his head.

“Haven’t you learned when to keep your mouth shut?” She hissed viciously.

Refusing to meet her eye, Will simply rubbed the side of his head. “I don’t know what I-”

“She does not know I’m her mother, you twit,” she snapped, though her voice clearly cracked.

Oblivious, Will continued to pout. “Well how was I supposed to know that?”

“You could begin by not making assumptions,” she pointed out.

He was silent for a moment, eyes glancing behind her and arm dropping to his side. “Why doesn’t she know?”

Beth heaved a sigh and turned to walk back. “It’s safer that way.”

Will scoffed under his breath, glancing at the flames before running up and keeping pace behind her. “Is the blonde that lady mentioned her father?”

Beth grit her teeth but did not reply.

“So she doesn’t know him? Is he around? Is he alive? What happe-” he stopped with a pathetic oof as Beth whipped around and shoved a hand into his chest, forcing him to stop. She then pointed an accusing finger at him and leaned close, green eyes ablaze with rage.

“Not one more word,” she snarled, “or I’ll gladly toss you into the flames and watch you burn.” With one last stare, she turned and left him standing in mild shock.

Despite his surprise (and intimidation), Will quickly recovered and glared after her. “Someone reproduced with that,” he scoffed in disbelief under his breath. With a shake of his head, he cautiously followed just in time to pick up on the new conversation.

“Who did this?” Beth asked Meredith in a low tone.

“Who do you think?” Meredith murmured back. “The Council, of course.”

Dread filled Elizabeth. “They were here?”

“You just missed them,” Meredith confirmed.

Beth did not have to see William to know he was there. She whipped around to face him accusingly. “See what they do?” She growled, flinging an arm towards the distant fire. “Do you see the misery and destruction they cause?” She’d raised her voice to a demand, causing Will to shrink back wide-eyed. “And you condone it,” she spat in disgust, jabbing a finger against his chest.

Then, suddenly, she was gone. On the back of Bello in mere seconds, Will came to only when he was sure she’d be leaving without him. Composing himself he offered Meredith a last glance. “Lovely to meet you,” he said quickly, then turned to the fire. “Sorry about the…” He trailed off then looked to her again. “Bye,” he concluded, then ran off to fetch Kaida and follow Beth back into the forest for some reason unknown to even himself.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

sea sway // scarlet and tess // 916 words
stormy stormy stooo

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Leaving had been a mistake. As black skies sobbed relentlessly overhead, Scarlet realized she had once again overestimated herself.

Shivering, the girl leaned against a boulder that broke the chill of the wind howling around her. Red hair plastered to her face resembled the spill of blood, draped over her knees with her face buried in them. Hair pins clung loosely to mere strands. Her new dress was in tatters- and all for what?

Glancing over the brim of her scraped knees with her ghastly pale stare, she lifted her equally pale hand and opened her frozen fingers. In her palm she held a pocket watch, glinting without light and ticking strong despite her own notion that time had stopped. Its chain slithered from her hand to the sand beneath, creating flickering trails that vanished as soon as they were created.

Fingers shot closed around the prize once more, Scarlet looking wide-eyed through her veil of hair at the sky over the sea. Though she gasped, the sound was lost to distant thunder, the crackle of lightning retreating back into the clouds.

She had been reckless as the previously calm waves that now crashed angrily against the shore. She knew she could not return to town- too many people had seen. It would be impossible to make it to the docks without being recognized as the clumsy pickpocket from earlier, or without catching a dire illness. At the same time, her arrival would be anticipated. She was expected to have returned to the ship hours ago. Had she done that, the Obsidian would have safely avoided the storm. Had they waited rather than left her, mother would be quite cross.

Looking at the watch in her hand once more, Scarlet’s rage with herself grew until she chucked the thing towards the sea, where it skidded to a halt in the sand.

It was then that another startle racked her, though this time it was not the sound of thunder that made her lurch, but rather the bark of a dog. Pressing against the rocks she had taken shelter against, Scarlet curled up and held very still, eyes squeezed shut against the unfortunate events she was sure would soon unfold.

She listened, heart racing under sodden fabric as the clumsy paws of a dog scaled the beach. It barked again, voice lost to the thunder that grew ever closer. Though once the din ebbed, it seemed a far more casual set of footsteps had joined. Metal scraped against rock as the pocket watch was snatched from the ground.

Scarlet listened to the heavy steps of the creature grow ever closer over the sound of her own breath. Perhaps she should have run. Perhaps she should have pulled the dagger from her sock and fought. However, more than the cold kept her frozen to the spot. She did nothing but flinch when a cold nose pressed against her arm. Still, she hoped she would be ignored.

Before she could do or say a thing, a strong hand clasped her shoulder and yanked her to her feet. This was the push she needed. Suddenly unlocked Scarlet began to flail and yell, unable to see through the hair in her face. Then, a hand gripped either shoulder and a voice unexpectedly familiar shouted over her own.

“Scarlet Rose!” It hissed frustratedly. “Quit this foolishness!”

Scarlet stopped struggling, though continued to breathe heavily. Once she was calm, the hands left her shoulders and delicately parted the hair in front of her face when she was met with a welcome sight.

A lantern on the ground illuminated Tess’s silver eyes and… Irate expression. Her black hate was wet and wind-whipped, pale lips pressed tightly together and equally soaked newfoundland sitting beside her with a concerned tip of his head.

Her entire demeanor screamed trouble, but Scarlet had never been more relieved. A smile broke out over her freckled face and she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around the neck of a crouched Tess with a force that nearly knocked her over. “You didn’t leave me!” She cried.

Tess staggered in surprise, unsure of how to react to the small child clinging to her. “Of course I didn’t, don’t be daft,” was all she could think to say, gently prying the girl from her and holding her back. “Did you take this?” She asked, holding up the now muddied pocket watch.

Scarlet looked at it for a moment before offering a solemn nod. “From a man with a fancy coat.”

Tess kept her eyes locked on Scarlet’s for a moment before offering a small smile. “Good work, little red,” she praised, holding the girl’s hair back from the wind and handing her the watch. “I’d say it’s the best find in this godforsaken town.”

A smile began to creep onto Scarlet’s face, but it was gone the instant lightning flashed behind the pale woman, followed by deafening thunder.

With a squeak, Scarlet clung to Tess once more, who sighed heavily and gave in, lifting her with one arm and the lantern with the other as she stood. “Pudge,” she gestured to the dog and it followed as they began their journey back to the ship while being pelted with freezing rain. “If you ever keep us during a storm again, you’ll be livin’ in one for a month,” Tess growled bitterly. However, this did not phase Scarlet any, as she remained trained on the watch in her hand and deaf to any thunder.

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // beth and vin // 1,244 words
guys it got real

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It was distressing, to say the least. He was angry and relieved at the same time; drawn yet repelled to this woman he thought he knew once upon a time.

Two things had become clear in the mere months since he’d rediscovered her. She was different; different demeanor, different name, different way of speaking. The other thing was that she was painfully the same. Her mannerisms, her voice, her eyes, her scent, her entire personality had been no ploy, and that was clear. He was angry at her for lying to him, but had she lied about everything? That did not even matter. Did it?

The questions had kept him from sleep. The small inn they’d stopped at was far too quiet. After so long on a ship, the silence seemed louder than the crashing of waves.

Vin promptly left his room, cringing as the door creaked and clicked shut behind him. He then proceeded to slink his way to the balcony, in desperate need for a breath of air that was not tainted by must and mildew.

Once he made it down the hallway and onto the inn’s balcony, he leaned against the rail with a heavy sigh. He looked out over the landscape only a moment before burying his face in his hands, hair dangling freely around his shoulders. He did not stand there long before a delicate presence appeared behind him.

Whipping around, he was met with a certain gaze that was tainted with mischief, as always, despite the concerned demeanor of the woman. Beth held a candle and tipped her head, untied hair falling clear to her hips- much longer than the last time he had seen it in such a state.

“Elis- Elizabeth,” he hastily corrected with a shake of his head before meeting her eye. “What are you doing?”

Beth placed her candle on the rail and swept closer. “I heard the door shut,” she explained, stopping beside him and leaning on the rail as he had been doing moments before. She then looked up and offered a small smile. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t leaving me with that beast you call a captain.”

Vin gave in to a halfhearted smile, but said nothing. He rested his forearms on the rail beside her and gazed out over the landscape, silence stretching into the night.

“Why do you stay with her?” Beth asked suddenly, causing his smile to falter. “She seems dreadful,” she groaned. “Do you owe her something ooor, what’s the story?” She looked over to meet his eye, which clearly asked why she would bring up such a subject. “You just never seemed like the pyrate type to me,” she explained hastily. “Vincenzo Nicchi, swashbuckler extraordinaire. Oh dear, what would your mother say?”

A small, quiet laugh escaped him and he folded his hands together. “I owe her a great deal of things,” he explained slowly. “Including my life, many times over.”

There was hesitation before Beth responded. “Is that the only reason you stay?”

“It is one of many,” he answered coolly. After a moment, he looked over at her, standing still beside him and her gaze distant. Her hair blew gently in the breeze, wafting her sweet floral fragrance in his direction, familiar yet tainted. “Why did you leave?” He asked suddenly.

“I had to-”

“No,” he cut her off with a shake of his head. “Why did you leave?” He asked again in a firmer tone.

“I told you yesterday,” Beth answered in a near whisper. “You were only a mission.”

“Was I?” He demanded, and though he did not raise his voice his tone caught her off guard. She did not answer. “You did not have to.”

“I did-”

“You did not!” He hissed. “You could have stayed, Beth.” Now he looked at her and saw nothing behind the eyes of the unbreakable woman, which only heightened his frustration. “You could have stayed, we could have been happy. We could have raised our daughter on the vineyard,” he snarled, striking the rail with the heel of his hand. “I would have been happy not to know your motives, if you had just stayed with me-” he cut off sharply and hissed under his breath.

Beth looked at him, brows pinched and tears stinging behind her eyes. “Is that really a life you would want?” She rasped.

“Now? No,” he answered flatly. “But for far too long, I would have given anything.”

An unbearably long silence sat heavily between them before Beth decided to speak. “We could still go.”

“What?” He whispered harshly.

She turned to face him and put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to turn his head. “We could still go, you and me.” Now there was the glint of tears in her eyes.

Vin gently shooed her hand away and straightened up, turning to saunter towards the other end of the balcony.

Beth’s face fell. “Vin,” she whispered, rushing in front of him. “We don’t have to stay here,” she insisted, pressing her hands to his chest. “We could do anything, go anywhere.”

Vin sighed and turned his head, reaching up to grasp her wrists. “Beth-”

“Please,” she interrupted, easily breaking his grip to touch a hand to his face. “You and me, we don’t want this. We never did. We don’t have to live like this anymore.”

After a moment, he squeezed his eyes shut with a sigh and leaned down to press his forehead to hers, brushing the hair away from her face as he met her eye. “It is far too late for us, mio fiore,” he whispered.

She gave her head a small shake. “No. No, it doesn’t have to be.”

“After all this, how could we ever return to a normal life?” He pressed. “You have too much of a talent for finding trouble, and it has too bad of a habit of following me.” He shook his head and she drew a breath, pressing desperately closer. “It would not be the same.”

Tears now spilled down her reddened cheeks. “You’ve always been full of hollow excuses, Vinny,” she said with a small laugh. “They keep you from what you want.”

The feel of her breath on his lips suddenly turned into something more solid. She kissed him gently, and to her delight he did not fight it. In fact, he drew her closer and her arms snaked around his neck. This lasted only a moment before he reached up and lowered her arms, grasping her delicate hands in his own before pulling away all too slowly.

Beth blinked her eyes open and searched his for emotion, but only found hesitation. “We cannot,” he said in a low tone.

Beth wanted to argue, but something in his voice told her this was a fight she could not win. Her eyes flickered downwards and she went to take a step back. However, she was stopped by Vin. He pulled her against his chest and pressed his face to her hair. Beth accepted the embrace and rested her head on his chest without a word.

Vin held her a moment before he spoke. "I love Elizabeth, but she is not my Elisa," he murmured to her. "My wife died long ago."

Beth mustered a sniff and responded in a small voice. "Her husband was a good man."

Vin let out a sigh, eyes glazing for a moment. "Her husband is long dead as well."

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // scarlet and vin // 1,653 words
well. this is quite a character break for them both

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“Beautifully done, tesoro.”

The lesson had been short, but effective. Scarlet had been distant, but still had silently scrawled words Vin had spoken to her on parchment. He’d been impressed with her elegant hand despite its lack of use. Though her lettering was harsh, it was scratched with more grace than he believed she held. At the same time, he was wary. She’d been unusually quiet and try as he might, he could not decipher why.

However, this was not the type of quiet that sparked any concern in him. This was a three broken quills and the occasional snap kind of quiet. Nevertheless, he remained patient. At the very least she hadn’t thrown a book against the wall… Yet.

“We do not have to practice anymore,” Vin told her, treading lightly despite nearing the end of his rope. Leaning forward, he twined his fingers in her hair and pressed a kiss to her head. He leaned back just enough to look at her, drawing a gentle thumb over her freckled cheek and searching her eyes for something that could be wrong. She avoided his gaze. “I love you,” he murmured.

Her reaction was disappointing, and at the same time all too familiar. She turned her head away and shifted uncomfortably, eyes flickering across the tabletop. “If that is all for the day, then I think it is time for you to leave,” she said flatly.

Vin retracted back against his chair with a look of hurt that, when he turned his head away, was quickly replaced with anger. “Why do you do that,” he demanded in a startlingly low voice. He looked down, eyes trained on the table with Scarlet remaining in the corner of his vision.

Taken aback by his hostility, Scarlet pinched her brows together and her eyes flickered in his direction. “I don’t know what you mean,” she responded coolly.

He looked to her with growing frustration. “Why do you insist on pushing me away?” He hissed.

Scarlet steadily returned his gaze, though her voice rose with underlying rage. “Is there any reason I should not?” She asked sharply.

Vin slammed his hands on the table and hastily stood, walking away and running his fingers through his hair. Then, he turned sharply, gesturing with a hand as he spoke. “What have I done to make you question me, eh?” He snarled. “If you do not trust me after all this time, then what is this?”

Scarlet paused and scanned the table in thought, containing her anger becoming difficult. She then stood and began to march for the door.

“Where are you going,” he rumbled, eyes following her intently.

“I will not sit here and be interrogated,” she spat harshly without a moment of hesitation.

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Vin closed the distance between them with long strides. To her surprise, he snagged her forearm in a firm grip, stopping her in her tracks. A squeak left her as he yanked her around and she immediately shoved against his chest. “Let go of me,” she growled.

He only tightened his grip and pulled her back. “You will not turn your back on me again.” His voice had grown dark and gravelly. “Not until you tell me what this is to you. A ruse? A game?” He had only recently discovered that he’d lost years of his life to a trick, and he would not allow it to happen again.

This was unlike him; too much so for comfort. He had always been so gentle Scarlet had never considered how easily he would be able to restrain her. Apparently it was easily indeed. She was frightened, to say the very least; shocked, to say a little more. Though she glared dangerously at him through a curtain of frayed curls, her heart pounded against her ribcage.

What little fight she had quickly fizzled out. “Get off-” One last shove only resulted in her other forearm being grabbed as well. She struggled, but he held fast and when she finally met his eye she stopped altogether.

“Scarlet,” he voiced in a dangerously low tone. “Answer me.”

Though tears stung behind her eyes, her cold stare never faltered. “I do not owe you a shred of trust,” she hissed, her words like venom the way they slithered between her teeth. “Which is just as well,” she continued to rasp. “Clearly you prefer to spend the nights with your new whore.”

Vin’s expression flickered between confusion and realization before releasing his grip, violently shoving her away in disgust. She stumbled but he paid no heed, hastily turning to saunter away as a humorless laugh escaped him. “What did you see?”

“Enough,” Scarlet spat, bristling and rubbing her arm where bruises were already rising.

“You saw nothing!” He roared, whipping around just in time to catch her flinch. “You are blind as you are deaf!” His voice had risen for the first time, unleashing his anger in its entirety. “Had you listened, you would know how Elizabeth pleaded with me to leave this place,” he boomed, gesturing around him and watching Scarlet’s expression fall without a sliver of remorse. “Had you listened, you would know that I chose you, not her.” He flung and finger at the door before allowing his arm to fall back to his side.

Though they stood on opposite ends of the room, the tension was thick as ever. Despite the silence, his voice rang in Scarlet’s head but she found she could not speak; only stare.

“Just tell me one thing,” Vin asked in a significantly quieter tone, breath heavy and voice gravelly with strain. “Do you want me or not.”

Silence stretched between them for a long while before Scarlet broke her gaze and shook her head, curls bouncing off her profile. “I do not want you.”

Vin straightened up, face twisting in confusion and betrayal. He stared, but she would not meet his eye. Finally, his expression grew cold and he headed for the door without another word.

“I need you.”

Though barely audible, the words stopped him in his tracks. He did not move, he did not turn his head, he merely stopped… And waited.

Scarlet watched, waiting for a reaction that did not come. Her eyes were red with tears that now rolled down her face, though it was rage and not sadness that made her clenched fists tremble at her sides. “I need you,” she repeated. “I need you and I hate it!” This time her voice rose to a scream. In the same moment she whipped around, backhanding a candle holder off the table with a loud crack that did not belong to the tarnished silver.

A cry of pain that quickly became a snarl left her, and by the door Vin’s own eyes grew glossy but still he did not turn.

Scarlet clutched her wrist in a white-knuckle grip, teeth bared as she began to pace behind the table. “I need you,” she said again, this time her voice low and shaking. “I have nothing. Everything I love has been torn from me.” Tears continued to stream down her face, her voice verging on panic when she stopped pacing to face him, leaning on the table with her uninjured hand. “Without you I would be nothing but a memory!” She growled, her voice raising to a hoarse shout. “Without you, there would be a noose of the finest silk around my neck, or a silver bullet through my skull!”

As she spoke, she kicked over a chair that had previously been in her way before continuing to pace, Vin cringing at the deafening clatter and what he was sure was splintering wood.

“I rely on you,” she hummed. “And it’s pathetic.” As she passed the fallen chair, she scraped a piece off the floor and chucked it at the wall with a frustrated grunt. Marching forward she grabbed it again and struck whatever was near, glass shattering to the floor.

Vin refused to listen any longer. He turned, heart pounding, and watched her strike the wall repeatedly. “Scarlet!” He shouted. When she didn’t stop, he repeated it louder. “Scarlet!”

She stopped, head hanging low and shrouded in hair. Only when her weapon clattered to the ground and she ran her claws through her hair with a heart-stopping sob did Vin rush to her.

He locked his arms around her from behind just as her knees buckled. Lowering them both to the ground, he pulled her back against his chest. Her body shook as she cried and he lowered her arms from her face, sick with guilt at the violet marks that lingered there.

Scarlet twisted her torso, pressing the side of her face to his chest, welcomed by his arms wrapping tightly around her.

“I thought I would lose you,” she sobbed, having a difficult time finding her breath. “I always thought… I never expected…”

“Shh,” he interrupted, pressing his lips to her head and squeezing his eyes shut. “You do not have to doubt me. I will never leave you.”

“I don’t understand why,” she whispered, her breathing hectic and irregular. “You should have gone with her. You could have had a life.”

“My life is here,” he stated firmly. “With you. Always with you.” He paused before whispering, “I just need you to trust me.”

She offered a weak nod. “I do. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she mumbled repeatedly, curling closer to him.

“Hush, mi tesoro,” he insisted. “There is no need. I forgive you.” His eyes unintentionally flickered to the bruises on her right arm, eyes following it to her now blackened and bloodied hand.

Something in his posture must have changed, for Scarlet stopped and listened to the silence. It was then she realized her arm was exposed and closed her eyes, leaning heavily against him before a mere breath escaped her lips. “I forgive you.”

[ʞ ɔ ǝ ɹ ʍ d ı ʞ s]

swindle gen. 1 // vin's pov // 1,799 words
... so I did this prompt twice (thrice?) fight me

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I had mixed feelings about stepping from dock onto land. Though the touch of water was unpleasant, the sway of it was comforting. Though there was a security on solid ground, its memories no longer belonged to me. It was foreign. It was uncharted. It was no longer my home. At the same time, there came occasions when it was necessary to embrace a steady stride.

There was someone the captiano desperately needed found. Even I had not been granted with the reasoning, but fact that what crew could be spared were instructed to fan out in search of him was enough for me.

While I dreaded the end of the dock and walked with heavy steps, Elizabeth flew past with open enthusiasm. She was far ahead by the time she hit the grass but it took no more than a second for her boots to fly, reveling in the feel of earth beneath her feet. I heard a familiar voice shout a sharp remark from behind me and couldn’t help but smile at the comeback that followed from ahead. Scarlet was clearly on edge and I had been sure to keep a close eye, but it was rare that genuine happiness touched the face of Elizabeth. She did not belong confined to a ship as the rest of us.

There was a treeline near the docks. To skirt around it would lead to the north end of town, but cutting through it would prove quickest to reach a wide variety of places before night fell. Naturally, Beth quickly disappeared into the foliage while Scarlet and I took different, premade trails.

Something about being surrounded by trees made me wary. There were far too many places for enemies to hide for my comfort, especially after the many occasions in which that had proven to be just the case. Just a few steps onto the path, I was suddenly alone. The sound of waves and calamity transformed into the rustle of trees and occasional birdsong. Eerie, I thought, hand readily positioned on the hilt of my sword. Whether it was the rolling hills of Italia or open ocean, my line of sight was never so obstructed as it was among the grand buildings and towering trees of England. While Elizabeth was at home in the forest, I saw it as more of a box or prison: a place I did not want to stay in for long.

I followed the trail with my teeth on edge until a sudden outcry made me stop in my tracks. There was no question as to whom it belonged, and she was near. Once I brought myself to move, I strayed from my path. I could hear the grinding of my teeth and roaring of my blood clear through my skull as I pushed through the dense foliage towards Elizabeth.

Adrenaline blurred my perspective, catching sight of her frozen form through the trees. I picked up the pace and was soon by her side, but she did not spare me a second glance. “Beth?” Too breathless for more words, I only followed her gaze to a man standing a few yards ahead.

I instinctively reached for my weapon, but her hand flew to touch my arm. “Don’t,” she rasped. Were those tears behind her eyes?

“Who is this?”

The voice that spoke was unfamiliar to me, but shook with fear. By this time my head began to clear. I granted the stranger a second glance and I could see that he was clearly no threat. He had a thin stature and wide eyes, smeared with dirt and ragged as though he’d been rolling through the forest rather than walking. Indeed there was no threat here. Instead, I began to feel pity and curiosity. My arms fell to my sides. “I could ask you the same,” I replied, though refused to move from my protective position beside Elizabeth, who was uncharacteristically quiet.

“Vin, please leave.” I looked to Beth in surprise as the whisper left her lips, but upon doing so I only found an expression that was far too familiar to me- one I had believed to be reserved for only me- trained on someone else.

I had no time to speak before the stranger filled the silence himself. “Wait,” he mused in a broken voice. “I know that name.” When I glanced over again I noticed his fear had disintegrated completely. Instead of keeping a wary eye on me, he looked to the woman at my side with hurt and accusation on his face. “Beth,” he rasped in disbelief.

I was very lost.

This man had known her, that much was obvious, but how did he know her? How did he know me? Beth was no longer in danger of losing her tears. She grew stoic and stone cold, and in that moment I believe she disregarded my presence altogether.

“You have no right to act hurt after what you did to me, William Conway,” she snarled viciously.

William? I racked my memory for mentions of such a name, but she had shared nothing. At least, not with me. I vaguely remembered a bitter Warren muttering about a man she once knew, jealousy thick in his voice over the adventures they had shared together. I paid no heed until that moment.

Though the remark would likely have sparked a sharp response had it been directed at me, William only cowered in guilt. “I only-”

“You left me for dead, you coward!” Beth screeched. “How dare you show yourself!”

Suddenly, I was more afraid for a man I did not even know than I was for a woman I had known for many years. Even after all that time, I had never heard such a tone of voice escape her. I took a step back before I even realized I had done so; a feeble attempt to distance myself from her sudden rage.

“You don’t understand!” William argued. “If I didn’t go back they would have killed you!” This silenced the thin lips and sharp tongue that belonged to Beth, but fury was still clear in her jade eyes. “They promised not to harm you if I returned-” he took a step forward, but she only retracted a step in response.

I caught the glint of tears for only a split second before she blinked them away. “Why didn’t you just tell me,” she asked flatly.

“They would have known,” William insisted desperately. “They would have known and they would have followed you. I only left when I knew you’d be safe- I’ve been searching for months.” I was taken aback when he glared at me, sure my face only portrayed how confused I felt. “How long did it take for you to run back to him?”

“That’s none of your business,” Beth spat quietly.

I held my hands before me in defense. “Hey, I do not-”

“Stay out of this,” Beth hissed at me.

“Then do not drag me into it!” I argued, exasperated.

“Oi!”

The appearance of a new voice made the other two jump but I did not even have to see the owner of it before my demeanor melted with relief. “Thank God,” I groaned under my breath.

“This is a mission, not a social event!” Scarlet appeared behind William, marching closer at a dangerous speed.

The cowering man turned to face the voice and nearly jumped out of skin, stumbling over foliage as he staggered in Beth’s general direction and she only eyed him in disgust. “God above!” He gasped breathlessly. “Jesus Christ, Elizabeth! I’m gone for a few months and you’ve run to you false husband and Scarlet Waters?!”

“I have a name!” I barked impulsively, irritated and uncomfortable by this man I did not even know constantly identifying me by my irrelevant past with Elizabeth.

“That’s captain Waters,” was all Scarlet could say, though a devious smirk touched her read lips. Oh how my misguided preference loved that smug expression. She stopped, only to scan a terrified William with that intoxicatingly pale glare. “And who are you?”

“No one important,” Beth cut in, glaring at the dark haired man.

“Did I ask you?” Scarlet snapped before returning her gaze to William. “No. I was asking this… Properly intimidated gentleman.”

I had to quickly disguise a laugh as a cough, far too amused with Scarlet’s level of enjoyment. I knew she would not hurt such a seemingly weak victim- no sport in that- but I knew she was also terribly entertained by the fact that he thought she might. It had been far too long since she had received a “proper” reaction to her reputation, and seeming as this man held an unjustified grudge against me, I felt no remorse leeching off the hilarity for myself.

“W-William Conway, ma- er, captain,” he stammered.

“Tell me William,” Scarlet responded in a smooth voice, fingers casually drifting along the hilt of her sword. “What makes ya think you have the right to distracted me crew?”

“I was only looking for Elizabeth, captain,” he pleaded. “It won’t happen again, I swear it.”

Scarlet raised a brow. “Is that so?” She then looked to Elizabeth. “Bring him back to the ship. Both of ya are wastin’ my time.”

“What?!” Both of them voiced at the same time. Even I had to admit I was curious as to what her motives were.

False surprise crossed Scarlet’s face. “Surely it won’t be a problem if she’s so important?” Her attention flickered to Beth. “Maybe he’ll keep yer arse away from me brother and husband.”

William scoffed and looked at Beth, whose head only hung in her hands with a groan. He then looked at me with a look of horror and I merely shrugged, unable to keep a sneer off my lips.

My secondary sense of accomplishment did not last long before Scarlet was at my side, a look on her face that I had not noticed from a distance. My own fell in an instant, intent on her words.

“We must be gone by nightfall,” she murmured, tilting her head close to mine so the others would not hear, though I doubted they would bother to pay any heed over their own hushed arguing.

I looked at her then, brows pinched as I searched her eyes for emotion. “You saw something,” I muttered back, disregarding the escalation of my heart rate. “What was it?”

She drew a breath before answering. “That can wait. But we cannot afford another distraction.”

I merely offered a nod, watching her turn towards town and listening to Beth reluctantly drag William back to the ship. There I stood for a moment longer, once again imprisoned by the looming tendrils of dread that could only belong to a forest.