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 Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2025 8:18 pm
Quote: Characters: Luka and Mercuria Prompt: When two b*****d children meet for the first time, will they learn they have more in common than they realize?
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Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2025 9:05 pm
   Curiosity was a b***h. One that had her in a headlock. The moment she'd overheard that glorified nightlight mention he was getting swimming lessons in a pool, she'd wanted to see it. A pool was a luxury, the kind of thing that someone in her situation would be lucky to get to see once. As much as this whole school was a nightmare, Mercuria wasn't an idiot. Who in their right mind would pass up getting to partake in something that was normally only afforded to the ultra rich? Besides, she could almost see the faces of Miss Vega, their bearded lady, and Sirius, the animal handler, when she told them she had gotten to get in a pool.
If she could find it.
A shiver ran up Mercuria's spine as her bare feet padded against the chilled marble of the school's hallways. She only had a handful of shoes and the thought of getting them wet and having mushy shoes until they dried out had been enough of a deterrent to wear them on her search of the pool. Especially considering she didn't own a bathing suit so all she could do was wear a set of jogging shorts she had gotten that had a tie on the waist so they wouldn't fall down, a matching tank top, and a hoodie. And thank the stars for the hoodie. It was cold enough having her legs bare. Imagining having her arms out made her stuff her hands into her pockets and attempt to wrap herself up tighter like it would keep her warmth in better if she did.
Finally, after a few moments and a lot of looks from the staff, she asked for help from one of the women who was dusting in the hallway for directions. Her voice had been quiet, embarrassed. Nothing like the normal tone she took with the other royals. If she could even say "other" like she was truly part of them. It was a good thing she had asked. Mercuria had been wandering around in exactly the wrong direction for the better part of the last twenty minutes. With a few flustered nods of her head she thanked the maid for her help and entered the swimming pool.
Only to find it frozen.
A loud groan tore out of her throat as her head fell back. She could feel the gooseflesh pebbling up her shins and it had all been for nothing. Stomping footsteps carried her over to the surface of the water in a huff, her numb toes kicking at the icy surface. "You gotta be ******** kidding me." Her voice was louder than she meant for it to be as she admonished the water. A small voice in the back of her mind hoped she hadn't scared the maid that had helped her, knowing her voice was loud enough to be heard from beyond the door.
But of course the world would work that way, wouldn't it? Slipping down, she drew her legs up to her chest and fixed her eyes on the stupid, frozen water. Slowly her hands lifted her too-big hoodie and draped it over her legs. "I'm not leaving. I refuse." She told the water defiantly, a pout heavy in her voice. "I don't care if this counts as my pool time. I am going to come home with a story for everyone, even if the weather won't cooperate."
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 8:14 pm
 Soft whistles echoed across the grounds of the academy. Birds responded, fluttering in the nearby trees in an answering call the original composer didn’t understand. It brought a bit of amusement to a scruffy face, a smile curling up over lips that were never far from grinning. Another whistle, another answer. The melody followed the tall frame of a man as he strolled through the winter tipped grass, unbothered by the flicks of water that covered his boots. He wasn’t particularly attached to them, so what did he care if they got soaked?
Luka laughed at the song he had started, lifting a hand to brush back a few rogue strands of his snowy hair. The animals were starting to get used to him. It was a pleasant thought, one that had him wondering if the library had a book that would teach him about their calls. Could he mimic them properly? Perhaps be some kind of wilderness scout that could call forth a menagerie of beasts to aid him? What a sight that would be! Just thinking about it had him turning from his current path. The library wasn’t that far away from where he was, right? If he could get there today, he would be that much closer to amassing his army!
With hurried steps, he rounded a corner of the building and moved to pass quickly by the pool. The damn thing irritated him to be close to, so he tried his best to stay far from it. He barely gave it a look, more than happy to move past it quickly. What he hadn’t anticipated was to be stalled out at the sound of someone actually visiting the accursed thing. His steps slowed, his body coming to a halt near the door. Maybe he was imagining things. It wouldn’t be the first time.
The second sound of what appeared to be a woman’s voice pulled at his curiosity to the point that he simply gave in. His hand gripped the knob and twisted it slowly, wanting to give the person on the other side a chance to move. Or grab a weapon, if they thought they needed one. Luka knew he wasn’t a threat to whoever it was, but they didn’t. If they wanted to try and bludgeon him for interrupting their pool time, who was he to stop them?
”I’m not armed…” He lifted his voice once the door was cracked, still giving the upset individual a chance to prepare themselves. He was nothing if not accommodating. Location: School grounds - Pool Company: Mystery person Thoughts: ‘Please let this not be a ghost of some former student that had drowned…’
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2025 8:27 pm
The sound of the door creaking open had her head whipping from the pool to the newcomer. She’d been sitting here for maybe a minute before someone had the gall - no, the absolute nerve - to interrupt her wallowing. Though, there was the idea that it could have been the maid who had helped her find her way earlier.
All of her bravado deflated at the thought. So much so that it was impossible to get it back as she realized that Sir Not-Armed was decidedly not the maid that had helped her find the pool in the first place. Grey strands of hair felt like they were sticking too close to her face as she propped her cheek against one of her knees - both of which still being enveloped by her hoodie.
Offering Snow White a look that asked what he was on, it took a second before she found her voice. “Yeah, I would ******** hope you aren’t.” There was a scowl on her face, but the bitterness was bleeding out of her voice by the second. Annoyed with herself for not being able to maintain her irritation with the stranger she shifted her head, looking back at the stupid frozen water she was supposed to be swimming in.
“Who even thinks of weapons first? Isn’t the whole point of this stupid school peace or something? If they’re doing this bad of a job at keeping s**t chill then I don’t know why the hell I am here.” She was muttering under her breath and she knew it. Mercuria was also shooting daggers at the surface of the pool with her eyes as she mumbled. If only she could just channel her irritation into a physical manifestation that would allow her to at least dip a toe in or something.
Finally, she blew out a frustrated huff, sending the puff of air up into her bangs. She’d been planning to hang out here. To try to will the pool into being less of a little b***h and being warm enough that she could see what the fuss with swimming was. Not that she wasn’t alone, the idea seemed less and less appealing by the second.
“I hate to break it to you, but you’re wasting you time.” Once again she was projecting her voice, wanting him to hear her. “At this rate you’d have more luck trying to do a backstroke in your tub.” Unfortunate, really, because she was hoping to be out of here by the spring at the latest and she couldn’t imagine getting to come back out here often. Especially when she would have preferred to be alone while attempting to swim.
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Wed May 07, 2025 12:08 am
The sharp response his words earned him had him chuckling under his breath. Okay, perhaps that hadn’t been the smartest thing to call out. Luka opened his mouth to apologize, only to have the words back up in his throat at the sight before him. A young woman, scowling at him, seated next to a very frozen pool. Had she been waiting for someone? Or maybe she got lost? Whatever the case was, he just couldn’t leave her now that he had found her. What kind of prince would he be if he left an obvious damsel in distress?
”I mean, you’d be surprised. Not everyone is to be trusted, or trusts easily.” He smiled a bit as he spoke, making sure to keep close to the door as he let it close behind him. She did not look like the type to be okay with him just sitting down at her side like they were friends. And he really didn’t want to have his head bitten off again. As if she’d heard his thoughts, she seemed to run off on a rant without much prompting from him. Another chuckle passed his lips, unable to stop the sound as he sat himself right where he had entered.
”I suppose you have me with that one. But, like I said, people don’t trust easily. Better to be safe than end up with a dagger in your eye.” Luka shrugged at his statement, having seen it happen a time or two in his lifetime. Those that trusted without a thought of the possibilities always ended up dead or badly wounded. He preferred to stay alive and with only the holes he had been born with, thank you very much.
The sound of her huff tugged at his lips, pulling a smile back over them as he leaned back against the door. Was she miffed that he had interrupted her alone time? Probably. It would make sense. Or was there something more to it? Luka was tempted to ask, but remained quiet in the end. He folded his arms over his chest comfortably and stretched out his long legs. One booted ankle crossed over the other, more than content to just sit there with her. Until she told him to leave, or move so she could leave, he would just play sentry.
When she spoke again, a snowy brow rose slightly in question. What did being in a tub have to do with sitting with her? He didn’t think of it as a waste of his time, but he rarely did much with his day besides class and hanging with his sister’s. Luka opened his mouth to ask, only to snap his lips shut when realization dawned on him. The pool. She had been hoping the thing would be warm and fluid for her to swim in. His smile turned into a full blown grin, knowing exactly how he could help her now.
”My tub isn’t big enough for such a feat, and I really don’t like pools. But,” He paused, lifting one hand and pointing it at the pool. He spun the digit counterclockwise, tapping into his powers to melt the ice back into its original form. Once it was done, Luka motioned towards it before returning to his former position. ”Who am I to stop you from trying it for yourself? Be warned, you’re gonna smell like chlorine afterwards. And it’s not a fun thing to smell like, believe me.” Just thinking about it had him making a disgusted face, though he tried to play it off by giving her a teasing wink along with the expression. Location: Pool Company: Mystery person Thoughts: ‘I seriously don’t see the appeal of these germ puddles…’
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Posted: Sat May 24, 2025 10:23 pm
Narrowing her eyes, she hated that she couldn’t argue with his logic. Where was the fun if he was actually right? Especially if she actually knew it? The nerve. The pout on her lips deepened, though the scorn wasn’t being shot in the direction of the white knight even as he sat down. Nope, for once that honor wasn’t even being directed at a person. Though if Levi or Ellis had been the ones to walk in on her, it would have been on sight.
Damn, he really did have a point.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the movement of his hand. His smart a** remark? Mercuria was being a champion of ignoring that s**t. It didn’t even really register what he was saying until the pool suddenly seemed to have cracks splintering across the icy surface. The more his fingers seemed to wiggle, the more the pool actually seemed… Wet-like.
To say her jaw dropped was an understatement. Mercuria was openly gawking at Snowy without shame. It took her far longer than it should have to close her mouth as she watched the pool become a thing of luxury again. Not that she was watching it when he was right there making it fluid. Was he too stupid to think twice about showing off his power?
Okay, no. That didn’t check out. This was the same guy who came in yelling about being unarmed. The more likely answer that she really didn’t like was that he just wasn’t registering her as a threat. Lazily, her blue eyes scanned up his form. He definitely wasn’t bad looking. Also he was built as hell. Of course she wasn’t a threat. Her eyes quickly snapped to the pool as she felt her cheeks get warm from the wink he’d just offered her. She was, like what, a hundred pounds soaking wet? This guy could manhandle her into next week if he wanted to.
The question was how much would she hate that?
Shaking off the idea, she convinced herself to leave her little ball of warmth. Shifting ever so slightly, she stood and exposed her bare feet and legs. With a small, half hearted scowl she fidgeted. Part of it was because the shock of cold air on her legs was making her second guess herself. The rest of it was the idea of taking her hoodie off in front of the weird hot white knight who had made the whole pool thing possible.
”You better not make this weird.” Despite her tone, she couldn’t seem to look at the stranger as she shed the outer layer. Not that she was even wearing a swimsuit. Maybe that was playing into why this all felt so embarrassing. Here she was, too skinny and without a bathing suit all while Mr. Mysterious was watching.
But she would be damned if she didn’t have a story when she went home.
Which was all Mercuria needed to bolster herself as she found herself jumping into the deep end in a cannonball. After a second or two her head breached the water again as a laugh of pure delight tore out of her throat. The water was bitter cold, and it made her teeth chatter as she pushed her hair out of her face. Then she waded over to the edge, only barely peeking over to look at the man who had made it possible.
”You know, the easy solution for the smell is a shower.” The comment already felt stupid and defiant. Adding in the shiver in her voice wasn’t helping. For a moment, it was all she said. All she had to offer as her blue eyes watched him sitting by the door. Finally, they cast downwards, off to the side, anywhere that they didn’t have to look at him as the next words left her mouth in a softer voice. ”Thank you.”
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2025 10:26 pm
The sight of her jaw dropping had him chuckling softly under his breath. It really wasn’t all that impressive, but he had been able to do it all his life so he could see how the novelty of it was worn off for him. To an outsider, well, it was a sure sign of where he’d come from. Thankfully, he didn’t really care if the young woman figured him out. He hadn’t actually said the words, so he was in the clear. In his way of thinking, anyway.
At the feel of her eyes on him, a snowy brow rose slightly. Wait, was she…checking him out? Luka caught the blush on her face before she could look away, registering it as a big, fat YES. He took the moment to give her a once over, not finding her to be unattractive but unsure if it was okay to find her to be good looking as well. She was on the thin side, though more in the petite way rather than completely malnourished. But she had that look. The one that said she was far younger than the age in her eyes was shouting at him. He made a mental note to check before attempting to flirt with her, not wanting to come across as some kind of old perv or something like that.
”I will do my best.” He tossed back with a laugh, not at all surprised by her little declaration. To give her a bit more piece of mind, he looked down at the pool while she moved towards its edge. He caught the sound of her taking off her hoodie but remained as he was. She had asked him to be chivalrous, so chivalrous he would be. He waited until the splash registered around them and her laughter filled his head. It brought a grin back to his face, his own laughter echoing along with hers when she spoke up about the chlorine he hated.
”True as that may be, I’d rather just avoid it altogether. I blame it on all the time I’ve spent on the ocean. Being in that oversized, chlorine drenched bathtub is nothing compared to feeling your body roll with the waves. It’s like being rocked to sleep. Soothing your mind, body, and soul.” Just talking about his home had him aching for the shores of his village. It wasn’t that he didn’t like the academy, or getting to spend so much time with his siblings. But it didn’t hold a candle to the life he had left behind. Of course, Luka said none of this and simply looked her way at her mumbled words.
”You’re welcome. I’m Luka, by the way. Would it be weird of me to ask you for your name?” If she shot him down, he would let it go. They were strangers, after all. And he had to have at least a hundred pounds on her, easily. Location: Pool Company: Mystery person Thoughts: ‘She’s actually really cute when she acts all shy like that…’
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 9:50 pm
As he spoke, Mercuria dipped back down into the pool enough so that her mouth was covered. Her feet stayed on the ground, and her hands were gripping the edge of the pool in a death grip. Like if she let go with even one finger she would slip, drown, and the pool hater would have to fish her corpse out of the water he'd made wet for her.
The more he spoke, the deeper her little frown grew under the water. Sure, sure he had a point. One that would probably be a really good point if oceans were being handed out like candy to the masses. Unfortunately, they tended to stay put and Mercuria's cute little a** had never seen one. Typical royal behavior. The thought had her rolling her eyes before being cut off with a violent shiver. Like the chill in her body knew it was an unfair judgement.
Hadn't she earned a little unfair judgement?
Pulling herself up just a little bit so her mouth was back out of the water and she could see over the ledge of the pool, she eyed him again. Fine, fine. Okay. Maybe not with him. Not only had he dealt with her outburst, but he'd thawed the pool out and decided to chaperone her just to be safe. Her eyes narrowed, having unfocused with her train of thought and suddenly being forced to focus again as he said his name.
Luka.
"Mercuria." This time when she spoke, there wasn't any malice or puff up behind it. Just the natural rasp of her voice. The tone one she almost wasn't used to using, even at her circus. There she was either screaming at someone not to touch her or coaxing out something that sounded like being the world's most mysterious kiss a**. Right now? She was just Mercuria. Mercuria the girl from Luna who was apparently a princess or something.
She wasn't sure if her cheeks heated because she realized that her name was a dead give away of her kingdom or if it was because she was deciding this guy might be the only one she was okay with using it. Either way it didn't seem to matter as she averted her gaze from him. "It's only weird if you try adding that miss or lady crap everyone else seems to want to use. So don't."
A beat hung in the air before she let herself speak again. "I've never seen a pool or ocean before," She started carefully. When her eyes naturally drifted back to see what expression he would make at her latest confession, Mercuria did her best to convince herself that it was just because she was curious. Definitely not interested in him. Or the ocean.
"Kind of a luxury, you know?" Crap. That might have been too close to home. "I actually don't even know how to swim. I just wanted to have a story to take home with me." ********. ********. ********. Abort. Extending out her arms, Mercuria bent her knees enough to put her mouth back underwater as she pushed away from the wall without letting go. Maybe if she was at risk of swallowing stinky chlorine water she would shut the actual ******** up instead of offering her entire life story to a stranger on a silver platter.
No, not a stranger. Her mind was taunting her. Luka.
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 3:45 pm
The silence that she gave him didn’t surprise him in the least. He did, however, find her little hiding bit to be rather adorable. Like she was some kind of water nymph, too shy to show her true self above the water. It made her more endearing in his mind and only added to the cuteness he was sure she had no idea she was giving off. Luka was tempted to call her out on it, but had a feeling it was a sure fire way of scaring her off. Or having her see him as the perv he was doing his best not to be.
When she finally spoke, he did his best not to let the surprise he felt show in his face. Thankfully, it was dark enough that he figured if it did, she wouldn’t see it. Mercuria… He let the name roll around in his head for a bit, rather intrigued by the uniqueness of it. Granted, there were very few royals he knew in his life, so it made sense she rocked a name as regal as hers was. Frankie’s was a lot like that, though he doubted the girl in the water would enjoy being compared to his former bedmate. The thought had him wanting to laugh, though he held off and simply smiled her way instead.
”It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mercuria. I’ll try to remember not to be too formal with your name from here on out.” Alright, she was more than just cute. She was downright hilarious. Amusement dripped from every word after her request, wondering if it was the title or the manners she was most bothered by. He was tempted to ask, rather interested in why a royal would want to keep such a thing from her name. Had she lived like him? Well, not exactly like him, but with a more…basic upbringing? It would make sense, considering her tone. Luka opened his mouth to voice his thoughts, only to snap his lips shut at her next admission.
Well now, he mused as he watched her, perhaps there was more to her than he realized. It wasn’t a surprise that she’d never seen the ocean. The coast was ruled by his kingdom as well as a few others, so perhaps her country was more land locked. And, while it was horrible for him to think, she was a woman. Unless they were born or married into a place near the coast, it made sense that she’d never seen it. The pool, however, was a new one. Didn’t most royals have some kind of way of staying cool? Or was she from a lesser Duchy where it wasn’t possible for her to have such a thing. It made sense, but Luka kept the thought to himself.
”That’s okay. I’ve never seen mountains before coming here. Most of my life has been spent on the sea or living near it. Some things in life just aren’t meant for everyone, you know?” It was a silly comparison, but it was the closest thing he had to her admission. He tried to come up with something else, wanting her to see that he wasn’t there to judge her for her lack of knowledge. The next words she spoke, however, stalled out his mind and had his eyes widening a bit as he studied her.
”You…you don’t know how to swim? Mercuria, it isn’t safe for you in there if you don’t.” Shaking his head, Luka pushed himself to his feet and began to kick off his boots. He left his pants on but pulled his shirt and coat off next, tossing them alongside his shoes before making his way towards her. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her, so he made it a point to head for the shallow end, walking into the stinky, freezing water the easy way before slowly heading in her direction.
”Would you let me show you a few basic moves? That way, you can enjoy the water without having to hang off the side like a barnacle.” His voice was gentle, only slightly teasing, as he tried to coax her into the idea. If she turned him down, he’d have to go the show off route and swim literal circles around her. He was going to reek afterwards, but it would be worth it if she took up his offer. Location: Pool Company: Mercuria Thoughts: ‘How can a royal not know how to freaking swim?!’
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2025 8:46 pm
Had she ever seen a mountain proper? Maybe from far, far off in the distance. But hills and rocky terrain weren't exactly ideal places to erect a massive tent. Most of the time her merry little band of carnies had stuck to the flat lands, prairies and fairgrounds that had as little slope to them as possible before they packed up their equipment and shuffled along to the next stop. "I don't think I've ever seen a mountain, either. I guess it's more than just some things." She finally mentioned, letting her mouth pop back out of the water that was starting to feel more tepid than frigid now that she'd spent so long in it.
Unfortunately, apparently not knowing how to swim was "dangerous" and shut down any conversation they were having in favor of Luka offering her pale warnings. Mercuria wanted to roll her eyes, but the genuine concern in his voice sucked the sarcasm out of her. Instead a wave of embarrassment washed over her as raised to his feet and started kicking off his boots. "It's fine, it's fine. My feet can touch the ground and I just won't - W-wait wha - ?"
Any chance she had at finishing her thought was swallowed as a hot blush swept down her neck and disappeared down the neckline of her tank top. Letting go of the wall, she straightened and took a couple of steps back into the water at her full height. The movement was sluggish, the waterline up to her bust harder to move in than she expected. In Mercuria's defense, Luka had suddenly pulled his shirt off. His strange brand of kindness had already thrown her off, now she was completely off balance as she didn't stop her eyes from drinking in the sight of him. How the delicate hair seemed to frame his musculature in a way that would have made even Crux - their circus's strongman - jealous.
A frame that was slowly moving toward the other end of the pool. Until it was in the water. Moving towards her.
If it was possible for her heart to lodge itself in her throat, it had. The stupid thing was also beating a mile a minute. Thumping around so hard Mercuria was convinced that Luka could hear it was he waded toward her. The traitorous little things she called feet took a few hesitant steps toward him before becoming more confident in her push forward, like she was an idiot who had never heard one of Papi's warnings before. Still they moved, his offer drawing her in like a moth to the flames. At least if she was going to burn he was hot. The scars over one of Luka's pecs had her stopping when she was just a few feet away from him. And it wasn't the only one, nicks etched into the skin of his arms here and there. In the low lighting of the pool hall they had all blended in.
Involuntarily her hand raised out of the water to trail a finger over the middle line of the scar on his chest, her brows knitting. "Do you still dream about it?" A swirl of raw emotion was in her eyes as she finally let them trail up to meet Luka's. The sight of him watching her was enough to force her to jerk her hand back and cradle it to her chest because holy s**t she was acting like a <******** weirdo.
Mercuria could feel her cheeks burning, the sensation traveling up to the tips of her ears. "Stars, I just - I meant - My da-" This time when she cut herself it wasn't because she couldn't find the right words. It was because calling him that made her physically flinch back. Papi wasn't her dad. It was something he had made abundantly clear more than once. Even if he was the only father figure she knew.
Letting out a breath, she averted her eyes to try again. "The man who raised me was drafted before I was born and not all the scars were physical." The words were quiet, the sound of the water sloshing against the walls of the pool nearly swallowing them whole. Mercuria wanted to apologize, to say she'd seen them and been worried. No one deserved the things that she had seen. And the fact that Luka could still act like this afterwards? It was... cool. Admirable. Surprising.
All she could manage was wetting her hands to press the cool water into her face as if it would make her less embarrassing. "W-what's a barnacle?"
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2025 7:58 pm
If she’d never seen a pool or the ocean, it didn’t surprise him in the least that she hadn’t seen a mountain. At least, not in the way he probably meant it. Luka said nothing on the subject, though. He just nodded in agreement with her words. It didn’t seem like he needed to say anything, and he was more worried about her safety in the pool than what terrains the two of them had and hadn’t seen.
The sound of her attempt at dissuading him had a soft chuckle escaping his lips. Yeah, that didn’t mean anything to him. All it took was one wrong step, one slippery bit of the bottom of the pool, and under she’d go. It would be over in seconds and he would have to give her mouth to mouth to bring her back. The thought had his eyes tracking to the bit of her face he could see in the moonlight, running over her lips before returning to her eyes. It would be that much of a bad thing to have his lips on hers…To save her, of course.
”Nope, you’re not getting out of this. It’s not smart to be in any body of water without the basics, Mercuria. Once you’ve got them down, I will leave you to enjoy this awful smelling creation. And hey, think about it like this! You’ll have an even better story to tell your friends when you get home.” The thought turned his smile into a grin, knowing it would help his case against her. Luka was more than willing to use any weapon in his arsenal to get her to at least try to learn to swim.
While he was contemplating his options, he realized she was moving to meet him. Was she okay? Concern had him lengthening his strides, bringing them within reach in a matter of seconds. Luka studied her closely, but found nothing wrong. Relieved, he opened his mouth to give his first instruction, but the words never came. Instead, her hand was on his chest. A cold, wet sensation brushed over one of the scars on his chest, reminding him that he was showing off quite the roadmap of his past. Luka cursed his own stupidity, prepared to offer up apologies for forcing her to see such a grotesque scene of his former choices. Her words, however, beat him to it and had his eyes widening a bit in surprise. Well now, what did he have here?
”Sometimes…It’s hard not to, unfortunately.” The words were spoken softly, mirroring the tone she’d used when she’d asked her question. What was going on? He had come to show her how to swim and she was comforting him? Not sure what to think, Luka watched her withdraw and scramble to explain. It had a lightbulb going off in his head and his grin returning to his lips. Yeah, that made more sense.
”That’s the dark truth of it, as much as I’d like to deny it. I’m sorry your…guardian went through what he did.” He had caught the way she’d struggled with a name for the man that had brought her up, so he did his best to give her one back that worked. If she didn’t like it, he would find another. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel any more uncomfortable than she apparently seemed to already be.
At her question, and amusing change in the subject, Luka couldn’t stop himself from laughing softly. Alright, yeah, she was cute. Adorably awkward and a bit on the innocent side, two things he was an absolute sucker for. Sinking into the water a bit, he floated around her and tried to get her to look at him rather than splash water on her face. It wasn’t doing much but turning her skin opalescent in the moonlight streaming through the windows around them. Another appealing mark against her, he mused as he watched her.
”They’re marine invertebrates that can sometimes get stuck on the underside of ships. They cling to the sides and bottom, causing increased drag and slower speeds.” Amusement dripped from his every word, having a feeling that she was going to think he was insulting her by calling her such a thing. Of course, that’s not what he was doing, so Luka moved his hands to bring himself within her space and looked up at her from where he floated in the water near her.
”In your case, it was more a reference to your desire to remain stuck to the side of the pool. If you’re going to enjoy this very bad imitation of the ocean, you might as well get the most out of it. And that means leaving the wall.” His logic sounded right to him, so he left it at that and grinned as he waited for her reaction. Location: Pool Company: Mercuria Thoughts: ‘Hmm, this one seems different…’
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 7:15 pm
Could a heart break within moments of meeting someone? Despite her fluster the words Luka had said next cracked her heart. Were his dreams as bad a Papi's? Did he return to the frontlines? The image of her guardian flailing against nothing and needing to be held down not to hurt himself in the frenzy crossed her mind. For a sickening moment she imagined Luka in Papi's place.
Once again Mercuria wished she was better at being honest. Instead she just hid herself from him, as if her hands could hide her from the world when she couldn't handle what was happening around her. Not that it had ever worked before.
"If you're the ship I don't see the problem with being a barnacle." The words were a mumble into her hands, the fact that they were the only two in the room forgotten for a moment. The very quiet room. The one where the only sound was the water as Luka floated around her. Orbiting Mercuria like she was a star and he was one of her moons. The idea made her pulse flutter. One that crescendoed into a thunderous roar in her ears as she realized he probably heard her. "You're incredibly unfair, you know?" Her face was still warm, and she made a show of sucking in a breath and retreating under the surface for a moment. Only long enough to re-wet her hair and push the bangs that had been starting to flop down into her face back out of the way.
Now that she'd wet herself back down, Mercuria's mood seemed to lighten. "In my defense, I wasn't expecting to have a teacher. Or to stay in this long. I just-" She cut herself off again, like it was a habit that she frequently made. It wasn't, there were just too many rules in this stupid school and while she hadn't been putting the most effort into following them it didn't mean she wasn't trying.
Scrunching her nose in consideration, she voiced her hesitance to him. "Am... am I allowed to tell you about my circumstances? Or is that too close to telling you where I'm from?" Then again, he had melted ice. Wasn't there a whole a** kingdom for that? In a way maybe he had told her exactly where he was from without words.
The unspoken trust he'd offered her upon meeting had her hand reaching out, lightly wrapping her fingers around Luka's. Once again her voice dropped back down to a soft rasp. "I'll learn. If you teach me." It had been a statement, but it came out as a question. Biting into her lower lip, there was a collection of things she wanted to say. "That way one day you can show me the ocean so I know what to compare the pool to." That hadn't exactly been what she expected to say instead of 'I'm sorry,' but for now it would do.
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Wed Jul 16, 2025 8:54 pm
Letting his body float easily around the petite woman was kinda relaxing for Luka. If he could get the disgusting smell of chemicals out of his nose, it was almost peaceful even. Maybe he’d stuff paper in his nose next time, try and see if it kept the burn from filling his senses and ruining the mood for him. Of course, he couldn’t help but wonder if it was more the company than the pool itself that was making the experience better for him. He knew he wouldn’t have come in had she not been here, but he tried not to dwell on that. They were strangers, after all. And she was…younger than he was, definitely.
The soft sound of her voice pulled him from his thoughts and had his body stilling in the cold water. Wait, had he heard her right? He did have water in his ears, but there was no way that could cause him to misunderstand. Slipping beneath the surface, he let the goofy smile curl over his lips that he wanted to keep hidden from her. She wanted to be stuck to him? Did she even understand what she was saying? Doubting it, Luka moved back in front of her and stood up to laugh softly at her curse.
”That’s a strong word to say to someone who is just trying to help you.” The accusation that came next had another laugh escaping before he could stop it, the sound echoing around them. Gods, she was something else. Contrite, stubborn, and determined to make something that was supposed to be fun into a chore. Not at all bothered by any of that, or her, Luka ran his fingers through his hair to pull the snowy locks out of his face and shrugged a shoulder in response.
”I’m totally okay with being unfair. If it keeps you alive, unfair I shall be.” He left it at that and simply grinned, his body moving closer when she slipped under the surface. He’s seen and heard her take a breath, but that didn’t stop the nerves that rippled through him for the few seconds she was submerged. The sensation lingered even after she returned to standing, something he did his best not to think about as she began to go off on him for the second time. Did she ever just take a moment and chill? At this rate, Luka doubted it, but he kept the thought to himself and considered her words.
”Well, in my defense, I wasn’t expecting to become a teacher. Or get into the water at all. Seems we’re both in unfamiliar territory.” Not that he cared, of course. He was intrigued by her enough to be okay with showing her a few easy ways to stay safe in the pool. At her questions, Luka shrugged again. He really didn’t understand the why of the rule that they couldn’t share where they were from. A lot of the powers their classmates had were rather big giveaways, his included. It didn’t take a genius to put the pieces together.
”I’m sure it would be fine, but you don’t have to if it worries you. I don’t need an explanation for why you can’t swim, Mercuria. Just knowing you can’t is more than enough of a reason for me to show you.” To him, it was rather simple. Water plus lack of safety skills equaled possible injury. Or death. Both of which he couldn’t sit idly by and allow to happen to her. So, teaching her the basics was the only option. Easy peasy, Luka mused to himself.
The feel of her touch brought his eyes down to their hands, momentary surprise flooding his system before he shut it down. No, he couldn’t let her know that he had expected her to dig in her heels about the lesson. She was willing to try and that was more than enough for him. Luka turned his hand in hers, linking their fingers softly beneath the water. Her hand looked so small in his, the sight stirring the protective streak he usually only carried for his siblings. Not that he viewed Mercuria in the same way he did Alosa and Remi. His eyes shifted up to look over her face, the moonlight shifting over her face to show only bits and pieces. No, definitely not the same way.
”Alright then. We’ll start with the easy stuff, and if you feel overwhelmed just tell me and we can stop.” Slowly, he pulled her a little further out into the pool until the water was at about chest level for her. Her last words, however, stalled him out and had him blinking a bit at her. Damn it, she’d caught him off guard with that. Smiling easily, he reached out with his free hand and tucked a bit of her hair back behind her ear.
”That sounds like fun. It’s a date.” Luka did his best to ignore the way the word hung between them, lifting their hands to turn her so that she was facing her wall and he was facing her right side. He kept her close before letting go, breaking the connection only so he could reach out and gently touch his hand to her lower back. Yes, he knew it was a bit forward, but it was the first step into teaching her what she needed to know. Safety first, he repeated in his head to ignore the way her skin felt in the water.
”Okay, so first I’m going to have you lay back and float on the surface. Don’t worry, I’m going to be right here the entire time. You need to learn how it feels to be weightless so you can better judge how to move your body through the water.” As he explained, he pressed gently against her back with his hand to lift her from the bottom of the pool. If she followed his instruction, she’d be lying on her back with her feet out from under her. His hand would move from her back to take hers once more, shifting so that he could keep their fingers linked just in case she felt nervous. His free hand would take the place its mate had left, keeping her suspended on the surface.
”It’s okay if you get water in your ears, especially if you want to learn how to swim underwater. If it’s comfortable, just tip your head back a bit further and listen to how it sounds. I’ve always thought that the sensation of hearing sound underwater was kind of like white noise. Soothing, calming, and relaxing. But, I’m used to it so I can’t say if you’ll feel the same.” Yeah, he was rambling a little bit. He knew this. Was that going to stop him? Probably not. The way the light from the moon was filtering in over the water was turning everything almost ethereal, as if they’d stepped into some kind of dream world rather than the academy’s stinky pool. And Mercuria? She looked like a celestial being that had decided to give him her attention. It was daunting and had him looking at the spot above her head to keep from getting pulled in by her bewitching charm. Location: Pool Company: Mercuria Thoughts: ‘This is just a swimming lesson…it’s nothing more…She’s definitely too young for you…’
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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2025 7:51 pm
Stars, he had a nice laugh. It bounced around her like his presence demanded the entire room. It did. Goddess above, it really did. Was that the sort of royal grooming she would have had if her father really was the king and he hadn’t sent her away? They were the sort of what-if questions that she used to ask herself. They were questions she’d tried to answer by reworking fate to meet her birth family.
Not that it had ever worked.
Using her cards to pull at the strings of fate was hard, like trying to fine tune a tiny automaton motor with a hammer. At least, for herself it always had been. Other people were easier. Like the stars knew that her own fate would be too tempting to tinker with and made it extra complicated. Certain aspects could be hard, like trying to avoid certain dreams. But for anyone else it was always more manageable.
Pursing her lips, she offered Luka a particularly scrunched expression as he conceded to being unfair. ”That’s not what I meant.” It felt like something he already knew. Like he was offering her a small amount of teasing for her trouble or her mouth. She hadn’t really meant to say ******** about him either. Well, yes about him. But more in, like, a ‘oh no, you’re too hot and it’s making me stupid’ kind of way. Not a ‘go ******** yourself’ kind of way.
It was better if he didn’t know that.
Definitely better.
“I didn’t mean about why I can’t swim.” The words were a defiant mumble. One that was followed with Luka linking their fingers together under the water. Suddenly standing with him in the pool felt intimate. Like the tiny shift in his hand hand just shifted the axis of the world beneath her feet. Any argument in her died as she watched him look at their hands, unsure if he recognized what he had done in such a small, gentle movement.
If he did, he didn’t show it. Instead he was guiding her, both with his words and his hand. Pulling her deeper into the pool. Trust for trust. Mercuria didn’t resist him. She honestly wasn’t sure if she could right now.
Suddenly, offering to go to the beach with him was feeling like a stupid thing to say. Was that too forward? Princes surely didn’t get asked to the beach by random little clown girls. Right? Well, technically she was more of a fortune teller than a clown. But still. That surely wasn’t how the ritzy ******** at the top worked. Mercuria barely even knew if that was forward for someone like her. The amount of experience she’d had in dating were a few sneaking kisses with a cute attendee in her teens that had gotten her in deep s**t with Papi. After that he had scared her onto the straight and narrow so thoroughly she hadn’t thought about trying anything like that again. Until now.
The brush of his fingers on her hair, pushing the short strands out of her face had her brain stuttering to remember what was happening. Especially when he agreed by calling it a date. Logically, Mercuria knew what he meant. It didn’t stop her stomach from flipping or her heart from thudding. It did make her putty in his hands, mailable to any turns and directions he gave her.
Losing the connection to him felt like losing every ounce of warmth in her body. Like the little space Luka was leaving between them was far wider and the cold air was taking it as an invitation to move in. Then his fingers brushed against the exposed skin of her back. All she could do was watch as he explained what he was doing before lifting her off of the pool floor.
Suddenly a different explosion of nerves burst into her belly. One that had her hand scrambling before he caught it, his other hand coming to rest on the small of her back again. Then she giggled. The giggle growing until it was a laugh. It reminded her of her hoop or silks, just a few degrees off. Enough to make it disorienting. trying to orient herself like she was floating in air didn’t feel like it was working. What good was all of that core strength for now?
Listening to him, she tipped her head back and suddenly floating seemed easier. Like her body had just been off center before trying to keep her head above water. Luka had also been kind of right. The water washing over her ears gave the world a haunting kind of stillness.
“You didn’t have to do this.” Her words were muffled from the water. It felt more like they were ringing around inside of her head, reverberating in a way that almost made them feel less like they were spoken out loud. Mercuria’s fingers tightened around his as her eyes closed. Offering his hand a squeeze to reassure herself she took advantage of the feeling to continue her line of thought from earlier.
“I don’t mind telling you more, I just…” She had to remind herself that they were alone. No one had walked into the pool the entire time they had been in the room. No one else was there to hear her confession. “I just wish I could take away some of the pain. I’ve tried before, you know. For my guardian. It’s just unpredictable. The future is tricky like that. Even more with dreams. I would try for you if it was more reliable.”
Slowly her eyes opened, looking up to see the face Luka was making. “As, um, a thank you. For all of it. I’m not good at this royal stuff.” She felt silly. Like a little girl wanting the attention of the cool older guy so she was trying, and failing, to be just as cool as him.
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pool ☾ luka ☾ fit
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2025 6:05 pm
The look she tossed him over his statement had him grinning once more. It was a sign that he was winning. Luka said nothing in response to it, simply nodded his head in acknowledgement of her words. She was giving in, so who was he to gloat over it? Her safety, and by extension her enjoyment, in the water was priority. Once she was more stable, he’d get her back for her adorably pouty face.
At her comment about swimming, a snowy brow lifted slightly. Had he misunderstood? It was possible. She was a royal, and he was a street punk that had grown up around bars and brothels. He was the last person to ask about how the mind of one such as she worked. Add in, she was female. Young, obviously, but still. There wasn’t a man in the world that could honestly admit that they knew what a woman was thinking. And if they tried, well, they were a fool and were most likely going to be stabbed. Since he would rather avoid such a fate, Luka remained silent and waited to see if she elaborated on her statement.
Luka set the back of her hand against his chest, holding it close as he watched her try and maneuver the sensation of being weightless in the water. He said nothing as she worked through it, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding when she followed his instructions. Her giggles said more than she probably realized, pulling his own laughter from him as he gently moved her around the surface. It was simply too hard not to join in. The sound was so sweet, so full of light. It reminded him of the first time he’d tried surfing, the laugh that came when you flew over the water. He would never forget it. Or this moment with her, he mused as he watched her.
The sound of her voice pulled him back and had him narrowing his eyes a bit. He was tempted to tell her that he knew that already. That he was doing it because he wanted to. But her ears were covered, so it was sure to be difficult for her to hear. Instead, he just gave her hand a gentle squeeze in response and left it at that. He wanted her to remain relaxed, and arguing was sure to do the exact opposite. The last of her words, however, he couldn’t ignore. They brought a smile to his lips and a warm little flutter to his chest. She was too damn cute and he was a sucker for it.
”That is very kind of you to offer such a thing, Mercuria. But, it’s really nothing you should concern yourself over.” As he spoke, Luka gently removed his hand from her lower back and switched it with the one he had been holding hers with. He kept their fingers linked but stepped back a bit, giving her some space. His eyes never left hers, however. He wanted to be sure he could see her face when he spoke up again.
”I’ve done some bad things in my life, and the dreams are my punishment. Taking them away would, taking the pain away, would diminish the lives that I’ve taken from this world. It would be a crime against their families far worse than what I’ve already done.” A dark look would pass over his features, so quick it could easily be mistaken as a trick of the light. Then it would be gone, replaced with his usually laid back expression. Her mention of being good at royal stuff had confusion filtering through his eyes, wondering what she meant by it exactly. In the end, though, he left it alone. She must’ve been a duchess or something, or from a smaller region in her kingdom.
”For now, I’d rather you just focus on keeping your breathing even. I’m going to let go, okay? I want to see if you can do it without me holding onto you. Don’t panic, though, okay? I will be right here, right where you can see me. And if it becomes too much, you can easily bring your legs back down to the pool’s floor. You’re still in water you can stand in. Just remember to keep breathing.” With the words spoken, Luka loosened his hold on her hand and slowly stepped back. It was only one step, but without the feel of her hand in his it could have been miles. He had to use all his control not to step back, to get closer, to keep her safe. A feeling that set off warning bells he did his best to ignore as he watched her closely. Location: Pool Company: Mercuria Thoughts: ‘She has to learn…She’s just fine…Let her breathe, man!’
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