Arthur Curry X Reader - Tumblr Posts
my royal roomie (pt. 1)
Fandom: Aquaman
Pairing: Orm Marius x Reader
Summary: Your best friend and resident hero, Arthur Curry, asks you for an Atlantean Prince sized favor.
Warnings: Slow Burn, light cursing, mentions of being smaller than Arthur
A/N: Sorry this shit is so long, I just was drafting ideas for this fic for so long and I wanted to give Orm a good one because not enough people write about him :,(
When you first met Orm it was a very wet Tuesday night- not in the sexual sense, it was just raining quite a bit then. You were curled up in a blanket on your couch, reading a book that you had been putting off finishing. It was supposed to be a night for you to unwind and take time for yourself and you had no intentions of changing that. You would have been perfectly happy if the night remained uneventful, but a loud knock coming from outside your door made your little nest of serenity crumble to a million pieces. Irritation flooded you as you unwrapped the blanket around you and got up off of the couch. Letting out a long sigh, you looked back at your living room and thought to yourself how the person outside of your door was a real asshole for interrupting your “me time.” What you had no idea was that it was not just a single person in front of your door, but two.
The sight that met your eyes was a little hard to comprehend at first due to it raining outside and the fact that your porch light had been busted for a few weeks. What you could make out was a big, burly shadowed figure that was most likely made up of two people. You, in a state of fear driven panic, went to close the door again in hopes of it making the two people go away. The door never got fully closed though due to one of the people - a man you were able to decipher - sticking out a hand to stop the door from fully closing. The strength behind the man’s hand startles you, but somehow felt familiar. As if he read your mind, the man spoke up.
“Honestly, peanut, I’m very offended that you didn’t recognize me.”
The deep tone of his voice made you perk up and open the door back open again. The man, seeing the open door as a safe sign to come in, took a step into your home. His features became more and more clear under the single light illuminating your doorway and you then knew exactly who this man was.
“Arthur?”
“In the flesh, kid.”
As soon as you got his response, your previous sour attitude turned to one of complete joy.
“Arthur!”
You squealed and leaped into his awaiting arms, placing several small pecks on his cheek and forehead. He immediately wrapped his arms around you with a hearty laugh and unintentionally lifted you in the air due to him standing at the monstrous height of 6"4. You couldn’t help but let a wide grin spread across your face as the man twirled you around, laughing like you were kids again. After a few moments of hugging he put you down, allowing you to get a better look at him. He had his hands on your shoulders and a smile on his face, analyzing you like you were to him.
“It’s really good to see you, peanut. I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long.”
It was true. He had been gone for several months. You had tried talking to his dad, Thomas, to get any update on his whereabouts but he seemed just as in the dark as you. All you remembered was being terrified seeing pictures and videos of him fighting off weird looking creatures with the Justice League.
“Thanks for acknowledging it, asshole. You had me worried half to death.”
You punch him lightheartedly in the arm, which put a smile on his face.
“I wish I could have called you or something, I really wanted to. I just didn’t want you getting involved with that shit.”
You nodded understanding where he was coming from. You and Arthur had been best friends since middle school and you deeply cared for each other. If anything, bad were to happen to the other, it would not have blown over well.
“No, I get it, bud. You’re Aquaman! You have a job to do.”
“I know, but I wish I didn’t have to abandon you to do it.”
“Hey, who said anything about abandoning? From what I’ve experienced you have always returned. I just end up feeling like a puppy waiting for her owner to come home occasionally.”
He laughed wholeheartedly and reached up to scratch the back of your neck affectionately. When he brought his hand down, his look of adoration soon turned to one of distress.
“I’m about to be such a hypocrite.”
“What do you mean, Arthur?”
His eyes nervously darted around your house.
“The statement I made about not wanting you involved in my mess is about to be contradicted.”
You were puzzled for a bit until you saw Arthur turn away from you to look out your still open door. The man - you were able to identify him as such due to his build - that arrived with Arthur was standing patiently outside. Your reunion with your best friend made you comepletely forget that he didn’t come alone.
“You can come in, dude. She’s alright.”
The man started slowly walking towards the entrance. His footsteps were loud, but they still help intention behind them. He was just as wary as you were.
“I’m allowed to not be so trusting, Arthur.”
He too had a rich toned voice, you noted. When he fully stepped into the light you were met with electric blue eyes and platinum blonde hair. His striking looks and sharp bone structure almost distracted you from his attire. Keyword: almost. You looked at the rest of him and saw that he was wearing some sort of armor. It had silver scales all over it, which looked similar to the suit Arthur wore when you saw pictures of him fighting with the Justice League. This alone helped you identify that the mystery man was also Atlantean. It also made you realize what Arthur meant when he said he was about to contradict his own statement.
“Don’t-want-me-involved-in-this-shit, my ass!”
Arthur let out a string of nervous chuckles.
“Orm, this is my best friend, Y/N. Y/N, this is Orm, my half-brother.”
His last words shocked you. Half-brother? You knew of his Atlantean background based off of what him and Thomas told you, but you had no idea he had a half-brother. Hell, they didn’t even look alike.
“Excuse me, what? Half-brother? Since when?”
“It’s kind of a long story. One that will need lots of booze to tell cause I will not be reliving that shit sober.”
Orm rolled his eyes at Arthur’s behavior and scoffed.
“What am I doing here again?”
You were slightly taken aback by his attitude but didn’t say anything.
“I’m getting to that, calm down.”
Arthur turned to you and brought his hands back to your shoulders.
“Before I tell you everything and explain why he’s here, you might want to sit down.”
○
You stared blankly at your coffee table as Arthur rubbed at your back while Orm stood uncomfortably next to you two.
“Soooooo yeah, that’s basically the rundown of what’s happened these past few months.”
You let out a shaky breath.
“…”
“You ok there, peanut?”
“…”
You turned to look at Arthur.
“Uh, yeah I’m fine. It’s just a lot of information to process.”
“That’s totally understandable. Take your time.”
You visibly deflated and settled further into your couch. More silence followed.
“…”
“…Ok don’t take too much time, I still need an answer right away.”
Your head whipped to your right to give the man an irritated look.
“So what you’re telling me is that you’re now King of Atlantis and your first royal order of business is to send your criminal half-brother to live on land with the very people he tried to destroy in order for him to learn to appreciate our kind? And you decided that I’m somehow the best option to watch over him?”
“…Yes, that’s actually exactly what I’m saying.”
“Then do you understand how crazy you sound?”
Arthur sighed deeply. He knew you would react this way. One of the main reasons he went to you for help was because he trusted you and he thought that maybe your caring nature would have an impact in reforming his half-brother’s views. He honestly wished he could have left Orm with someone else, but the only other option was his father, and he knew that leaving him with the man that their mother committed treason for would have been too soon. He hoped that you would find it in your heart to do this massive favor for him.
“Arthur,” you said exasperatedly, “it isn’t just the fact that you're leaving a complete stranger in my home that bothers me. I mean no offense to you,” you say as you turn to look at Orm whose eyes slightly widen in surprise. “I’m sure you have some redeeming qualities that would make you a good roommate. But, Arthur, I barely make enough money to support myself. What makes you think that I’ll be able to pay off the expenses of another person?”
You did not have the steadiest income compared to the other residents of Amnesty Bay. You worked as a florist in the village. Although it was not something you wanted to be doing forever, you still enjoyed your job and had no problem putting in the hours. Money became tight, however, when the tidal wave hit and people in town thought it best to spend money on repairing their homes rather than buying sunflowers. The question you asked was one of great concern to you, but Arthur was quick to answer.
“I would take care of that, no questions asked.”
You start to open your mouth to retaliate, but Arthur put his hand over it to keep you from talking.
“Nuh uh uh. Before you say that you shouldn’t be getting money from me and that you’ve been doing fine on your own, let me finish. This is a task being issued by Atlantis, so of course Orm’s expenses will be covered. You won’t have to worry about paying for anybody else but yourself. I know very well that you are completely capable of living independently.”
You pushed his hand off of your mouth and sighed in slight relief. At least one of your worries was put at ease. But your nerves were not completely settled.
You leaned in to whisper to make sure Orm couldn’t hear and asked Arthur, “What if he tries to hurt me?”
“Trust me, peanut, he isn’t stupid enough to try and hurt you because he knows it will only make him lose his chance at having freedom. Plus, I’m sure if he even stepped an inch out if line you would have to trouble setting him straight.”
It was true. Even though you did try to see the good in everyone, you had no problem telling someone off if they decided to be an asshole.
“I still don’t know how I feel about this, bud.”
“Please, Y/N. I know this is a favor I’ll never be able to repay, but will you please find it in your heart to do this for me? There is no one else I trust more in the world to do this.”
The look that Arthur gave you was one of not only desperation, but also exhaustion. Being King was undoubtedly taking a toll on his mental health, with him not being used to having such responsibilities. Adding an angry half-brother on top of that couldn’t have made it any better. You worried that he was overworking himself for the sake of everyone else. If taking in Orm meant that it would take some weight off your best friend’s shoulders, then you knew you had to do it.
“Ok, Arthur. I’ll take him in. I’ll do this for you.”
The moment those words left your lips, you were tackled into a bear hug, making you and Arthur fall further into the couch.
“AGHH Peanut, I love you so much, thank you!”
“Anything to help you out.”
Arthur gave you one final squeeze before he turned to his half-brother. His unwavering gaze could have drilled holes into his head. It’s as if Arthur was saying ‘Try and test me, you’ll regret it.’
“Listen Orm, you’re going to be staying here for a bit, so you better be a gentleman to Y/N or else you’re going to hear from me.”
Orm rolled his eyes and let out a few deep breaths to calm down his anger.
“If you expect me to try and enjoy my time on this disgusting surface, you will be mistaken.”
He hissed out his words mostly addressed to Arthur, but he slightly adjusted his line of sight to glare at you as well. 'Damn, what the hell did I do wrong?’ you thought.
“The more you resist, the harder it’ll be to adjust, brother.”
“I do not want to adjust!”
“This isn’t exile, Orm. Trust me. There are much worse places to be.”
Orm scoffed in disbelief.
You didn’t want to interrupt their love fest, but it was getting late and you wanted to get Orm as settled as possible before going to sleep. You stood up from the couch, grabbing the attention of the two Atlanteans.
“I don’t mean to but in on this heart-to-jeart, but it is getting late and I’m sure we’re all tired and have places to be tomorrow.”
Arthur then got up from the couch as well, disrupting the fierce glaring match between them.
“You’re right. I should head back to Atlantis soon.”
“I’ll walk you to the door.”
You and Arthur walked towards the foyer, leaving Orm to his own devices in your living room.
○
Orm was a little confused by you. You looked like such a gentle, little thing compared to Arthur. How did the two of you become such close friends? He had several questions racking his brain when he and Arthur stood outside of your home which was small and quaint, unlike his half-brother. When you opened the door, he got a glimpse of your face when Arthur took you into his arms. Your (e/c) eyes and (h/c) hair grabbed his attention, but also how small your frame looked compared to Arthur. When he got to take a look into your home himself, he was able to get a better look at you. You and the inside of your home matched it’s cozy, fairly cute exterior. Cute for surface dwellers of course. What also surprised him was how physically comfortable you were with each other. Was it just your close friendship, or are you like that with everyone? You seemed like an entirely new species to him in comparison to the women in Atlantis and he had many inquiries. Orm supposed that his questions would be answered during his stay with you.
○
“Now, if there’s anything you need - an Atlantean king, someone to kick Orm’s ass, or even just a friend - you let me know by using this.”
Arthur handed you a golden bangle with a turquoise orb in the middle.
“Just tap on the center and it’s a direct line that should lead you to me.”
You nodded, taking the bracelet with a heavy sigh. You looked up at your old friend. He looked different from the man you knew before all the hero stuff. Not physically, of course, but he carried himself differently. Like he knew he had a purpose now.
“I think I’ll be okay. I’m sure I know the basics of taking care of another life.”
“You sure about that, peanut? Cause I remember a very unfortunate goldfish that had to be flushed when we were little.”
“Hey! It was one time! How was I supposed to know his water needed proper filtering?”
Arthur laughed as you shoved his shoulder.
“But seriously, thank you again. I don’t know where I would be without you.”
“Oh, shut up you big sap! You came here to ask for a favor, not to make me cry.”
You and Arthur moved closer together to share one last embrace, both of you somehow knowing that you still wouldn’t be able to see each other that often. When Arthur’s head rested on your shoulder, he saw Orm waiting at the entrance of your living room, sneakily taking glances at the two of you. When their eyes met the Atlantean was quick to turn away.
“Look, I know you have kingly duties to worry about now, but please make sure to take care of yourself. And don’t be a stranger, ok bud?”
“You got it, peanut.”
And with that, Arthur stepped off of your porch and back out into the rain, leaving you and his half-brother asking yourselves how well you actually thought this was going to go.
○
“So, do you want anything to drink? Tea? Water? Have you eaten?”
Orm looked at you like you had two heads. He just looked straight into your eyes without moving. His gaze then moved around your body as if he was trying to scope you out as a potential threat. If Orm was being honest with himself, there was nothing about you that made him feel uneasy, but he couldn’t be too sure. You were a surface dweller after all. What he knew of your kind's selfishness and greed was not good for starting promising friendships.
You took his silence as an opportunity to nervously utter more words.
"Uhm, well I want tea so I'm going to make some and leave an extra cup out if you want, okay?"
No response.
"Alright then. How about we get you some clothes to sleep in and then we can set up where you'll stay."
This made him shoot straight up from the ottoman he was sitting on.
"I do not see a problem with using what I am wearing to retire to sleep."
Now it was your turn to have a strong reaction.
"I'm sorry?" You questioned in disbelief.
"You are forgiven" Orm said haughtily.
His arrogance made you scoff and look away in disbelief, which Orm seemed genuinely confused by.
"I wasn't trying to apologize, I just wanted to be sure I heard you correctly because, not gonna lie, the idea of you sleeping in my sheets wearing your fishy smelling armor doesn't sit right with me. This is something you are not going to fight me on."
Your tone had a hint of finality to it that the Atlantean could not help but be stunned by. He was used to the people around him bending to his will when he stood as king. Of course, he was aware of his royal standing now, but he thought his overall intimidating build would be enough to shoo you away. He was mistaken.
"Then what do you expect me to wear?"
You sigh at his efforts to defy you.
"I have some of my dad's clothes still here in a drawer. You can use some of those for the time being. You know, ones appropriate for sleeping?"
Orm couldn't help but let out a dry chuckle at your obvious sarcasm. At first he couldn't see what a sweet girl like you was doing being friends with his half brother, but now he saw that you had a bit of bite to you that is undoubtedly necessary in keeping a relationship with the brutish man.
"I'm gonna set up the guest room for you after you shower and get ready for bed. In the morning we'll go into town and get you better fitting things. Hey, it'll help you get acquainted to neighborhood too!"
Hearing your enthusiasm for integrating him into the surface made his disdain return.
Orm huffed in disgust and said "If you think I will find my time on this awful surface anything but revolting, you are even less intelligent than I give your people credit for."
Arthur had only left 10 minutes ago and you were already tempted to call him on your bangle and make him take his stupid half brother back. His pessimism and lack of respect for you as his host was getting him close to being ejected from your house with your foot in his ass and a slap to the back of the head, but you promised Arthur you would do this for him. You were certainly not going to go back on that promise just because of the whiny blond in front of you.
"Listen, I don't expect you to love it here in comparison to your grandious, oh-so-clean kingdom, but you're in my goddamn house right now and I will not tolerate blatant insults towards my intelligence. You are under my care until you can prove to your big brother you can be a good boy-"
Orm's brows furrow so hard at your last sentence you thought they'd travel all the way down his face. Before he could cut you off, you rushed closer to where he was standing and closed his lips for him.
"-Nuh uh, asshole, I'm not done here. Like I said, you'll be staying with me for who knows how long so the least you could do is try and be a civil roommate so that I'm not tempted to smother you in your sleep! You get me? Don't say anything, just nod."
With the minimal distance between you two, you could feel Orm's deep, frustated grumble from his chest. He took a few angry breaths before he nodded in silence. You visibly relaxed more.
"Okay, good we can get somewhere now. I'm going to let go of your mouth now and set up the bathroom for you to shower. Don't punch me or anything. I may not be Atlantean, but I have my ways of unleashing my wrath so don't test me."
With a final head nod and your hand ripped away from his mouth, you turn away from Orm and head towards the bathroom. The prince was left stunned yet again by the little human that just threatened him and accommodated him all at once.
In truth, he had not been that close to a woman for a very long time because most of his subjects would never take such liberties unless they were betrothed. However, your aggressive touch was not what had offended him or shocked him in the slightest. It was the way that even with your smaller stature you still looked up at him with fire in your eyes, a challenging fire that he had not seen from any of the woman in all his years as a Prince. That drive and determination on your end had his heart beating faster than he'd care to admit.
A/N
When Orm entered the bathroom after you finished setting up (not before motioning to him with a dramatic curtsey that made him roll his eyes), he was puzzled by what he saw. Small containers of liquid with labels and instructions ok how to use them, small tubes and brushes which Orm could only assume were more grooming tools, and new clothes meticulously folded sitting on top of the counter. The sight before him wracked his brain because the Atlantean could not figure out for the life of him why you would be so generous in your layout for taking care of him after having just chewed him out a few minutes ago. Orm turned towards the mirror and shook his head. This was going to be interesting.
SORRY THE ENDING IS SO BAD. I wanted to get this out before I let it sit in my drafts for longer, but I hope this part was okay 😅 I am currently working on part 2!
my royal roomie (part 2) *sneak peek*
Fandom: Aquaman
Pairing: Orm Marius x Reader
part 1:
https://www.tumblr.com/gimme-a-man-after-midnight/693273500438429696/my-royal-roomie-pt-1?source=share
Summary: After a few days of living under your roof, Orm gets to know the little surface dweller he's been stuck with. With time, a stormy night, and a bottle of wine, the prince learns that he has more in common with you than he may think.
Warnings: female reader, slow burn, cursing, mentions of past emotional abuse, divorced parents!reader, dead parent, comic lore inaccuracies
Author's Note:
Hi y'all! I know I'm just about 1.5 years late in making this part 2...but I really do appreciate the support being shown for this fic! I want to make note now that my writing style has changed a bit in the time I've been away, but I hope the story is still to your liking! I'm already drafting up ideas for part 3 and hopefully more parts in the future once I watch the second movie. Look forward to more work in the future, but for now here's a first look at the next chapter!
Arthur was done - so done.
The newly crowned Atlantean king had so much on his plate already, what with his upcoming engagement underway and him having an entire kingdom to look after. While he did appreciate his little brother feeling comfortable enough to call him at such an ungodly hour, the words the blond uttered made him want to pull his hair out.
“I think I broke her - your human.”
“Bro, what?”
It was too fucking early for this.
“Don’t call me - agh, nevermind - something’s wrong with your human and I’m not sure how to approach the situation. Is this really an environment you believe me to find enrichment from? My host is clearly on the brink of some sort of breakdown and I-”
“Wow, I never took you for someone that was so easily shaken, brother.”
Arthur’s poorly timed quip makes Orm stare back at the projection call with a blank face.
“First off, she’s not my human, she’s her own person. Second, what did you even do? She’s not one to just collapse on her own - although she is a serial overthinker and could definitely talk herself to an early grave...”
Orm, frustrated with his half-brother’s lack of support, rolls his eyes over the call.
“Okay, okay, but seriously. Something must’ve set her off or triggered her to react in a way. You sure you didn’t do anything?”
“All I did was answer the door when she knocked. When she saw me at the entrance, she saw the sweater I was wearing and was overcome with emotion. That’s hardly my fault.”
Orm can see Arthur’s brows furrow in thought at the information, almost as if he’s assessing whether he’s been given the whole story or not.
“Well…where’d you get the sweater?”
“I hardly think that matters-”
“Just answer the question, bro-”
An exasperated grunt leaves Orm as he grips at the sheets beneath him in an attempt to contain himself. A part of him regretted bringing up the matter at all, communication with his half-brother being much too awkward to bear.
“I got it from the wooden wardrobe inside of my chambers! It was much more practical to wear than the flimsy garb-”
“Shit,” Arthur cuts him off, the hologram shifting as the man rubs at his eyes. “The wooden wardrobe with vines on the sides?”
It was Orm’s turn to be taken aback, unsure of how he knew the detail from off the top of his head.
“Yes, that’s the one.”
A muffled sigh comes from Arthur’s end, the image changing again as the king shuffles out of bed quietly to not disturb a sleeping Mera.
“Listen, dude. It’s not my place to speak on her business like this, but all I can say is that the wardrobe - that room - holds a lot of memories that are painful for her. I know you didn’t mean to bring them up, but that wardrobe is off limits. Just try and apologize for now, but don’t pry.”
“But why should I-”
“Orm, seriously! I get it, you don’t like being there - that you’ve spent every day in your room ever since I dropped you off, but she’s been trying. She’s been doing everything she can to get you out of your shell and you’re not giving back anything. There has to be some give here, and that can start with you saying sorry.”
Orm was surprised by the fact that Arthur knew of his daily whereabouts already, undoubtedly asking you for updates in him. However, what surprised him the most was that even though you have seemingly complained to his half brother, you never once suggested kicking him out - never demanded he leave your house and have Atlantis deal with him. You truly were a peculiar little thing.
“...fine. But don’t expect me to continue such niceties with her.”
A belly laugh could be heard from the over the call, surely out of amusement for the prince's unwavering coldness.
“Good. Now hang up, you disrupted my beauty sleep.”
With a scoff, Orm presses on the green gem of his wristlet and heads off to the direction of your bedroom.
Village of Shadows - Ch.6 (Dark!DC/Resident Evil 8)
Series Masterlist Here
Summary: Arthur traps you in his lighthouse and you wish you'd never sent John away.
Warnings: Dubcon/Noncon, Smut, Manipulation, Blackmail, Intentional grief triggers
CHAPTER 6 - The Price to Pay
*Please do not replicate/rework/translate my work, I do not give permission. This is on A03, Tumblr, Wattpad. Anywhere else, it has been stolen.*
I thought I was going to drown.
I could see nothing as the light left my vision and I was thrashing in the pitch black as the grip on my ankle held fast. I wasn't able to shake it and, when I felt fingers adjusting their hold on me, I knew Arthur had found me already.
If his plan was just to kill me in the water, he was going to achieve it. I was woefully underprepared for a scenario like this.
Just at the point where I was seriously starting to panic, I heard a rushing in my ears and it felt like the water fell away from me, like my feet were now standing on something solid. I still didn't dare take a breath until there was a pat on my back.
“Take a lungful. I'm not interested in you being a corpse.”
When lights flickered on around me, I could see he'd pushed the water back, creating a little air pocket and I gulped down oxygen greedily. Arthur was sat on a rock in front of me, looking me over as I stood there, sodden and shivering.
“I'm not into Diana's style but gotta say it looks good when wet,” he grins.
“Because its f-f-fucking see through.”
“Hell yeah it is,” Arthur's gaze travels to my chest. “So, here to kill me too?”
“Not if you give me my son back. I'll just walk away. I'm not a hero.”
“No, you're not,” he stands up, approaching me and he quickly lunges, shaking the knife and the gun out of my dress whilst I nearly end up back in the water. “Because a hero would've shot me already. I'll keep hold of these and you can have them back once you've heard me out.”
“Heard you out? What do you-”
“Not here. Not much air left,” he gestures to the bubble we're in. “I'll take you back to my place but to do that, I'm gonna need you to get behind me and put your arms around my neck.”
He could've easily killed me by now so I knew he didn't have that goal at the forefront of his mind at least. I did as he asked, having no other choice if I wanted to get more answers.
The second I was in place, the water came crashing back around us, soaking me again after I'd just dripped all the excess off. There was a noise like a boom and then we were propelled forward so quickly I shut my eyes to protect them and clung on.
Arthur surfaced but the speed didn't decrease and I was sprayed constantly, getting a mouthful of lake water every time I tried to breath. He slowed down when we reached another cave that was filled with bioluminescent plants on the wall.
“Welcome to my crib,” he jumps out of the water with me still on his back and I ungracefully collapse onto the ground, not expecting it. “Mind the step, I guess.”
The entrance hall looks like Atlantis but I would swear the inside of his domain was like a lighthouse. I'm not entirely sure it wasn't as I saw a set of stairs winding around the outside. I don't remember seeing one when I came here but I have no idea where I am any more.
“Homely, right?” he watches me taking it in. “I'm not a flashy kind a' guy. I'm not Bruce.”
“I don't care. Just tell me what I want to know.”
Under my breath I whispered for Etrigan but I had no idea if I needed to shout him to summon the good-natured demon.
“Straight to the point. Man, I really dig you. Chicks usually want a life story. Here's the thing, babe, your kid's not here.”
“Diana told me he was.”
“He was and now he's not. I do know where he is though but I'm not givin' ya the secret for free. You'll need to give a little first.”
“Aren't you supposed to be trying to kill me on Superman's orders?”
Arthur laughs, sweeping his wet hair back and I think he's purposefully flexing his back muscles for me, “I don't do everything he says. There's no harm in you runnin' around this place. You're just a human for fuck's sake. Sure, you offed Diana but that was a lucky blow I think. I could've filled your lungs with water within five seconds of you stepping into my territory. You're not a threat.”
“That doesn't answer why you're not killing me.”
“You're hot, you're angry which makes you more hot and you're practically naked in front a' me. You can work it out, sweetheart.”
He wasn't hiding the fact he was interested, that was blatantly obvious. I just wondered what he was going to ask me to do.
“So here's the thing,” he starts when I don't answer him. “I'm really damn curious about how far a mother will go to protect her son. How much do you want to know where he is? What will you do for that information?”
Arthur circles me and I can feel the hairs on my arms standing on end. I felt like prey in that moment. He was just waiting to strike, looking for the weakness and he had my only chance of defeating him in his back pocket.
He stands right behind me, bending down to talk quietly into my ear, “Would you fuck the man who killed your husband?”
“You told me Lycans killed him.”
“I lied,” he chuckles to himself. “No, I gave the killing blow and then, then I threw his body to the Lycans to chew on. It's good for their teeth. They don't have much of a dental plan.”
“You...” I felt like all my energy just drained through the floor and I was left as a hollow, haunted husk.
“Me,” he pets my head softly, kissing me on the cheek whilst I stand like a statue. “All me, babe. He did put up a good fight though, I wasn't lying about that. Dude had some moves but not enough to keep him from being skewered. Just before he died, he said you'd come for the kid. He begged me to leave you alone, direct you anywhere but the village. I said no. I said I'm taking your boy and I'm gonna fuck your hot wife when she gets here and I intend to keep my word.”
“You fucking vile piece of shit!” I don't recognise my own voice it's so hateful and distraught.
“And this piece of shit just asked you a question,” Arthur's hand comes around to grip my neck. “Would you fuck the man who killed your husband to know where your son is? Now I'm not talking a bad lay here, I want you at your best. I want you to be into it and to know the person who took away your life partner is deep inside you. That's the only way I'm gonna tell you what I know.”
“I want more information than that,” I resist the urge to headbutt him or stamp on his foot. I just want him away from me. “If I'm debasing myself, I want to know where my son is and where Superman hides out.”
“Why Superman?”
“Because I'm going to kill him.”
It was hard to stand there whilst Arthur had a laughing fit but when he calmed down, he spun me around so I was facing him. I swear he had tears in his eyes from giggling so much.
“You really are something,” his warm hands feel unbearable against my chilled skin. “Fine. I tell you whatever you want to know. Do we have a deal?”
Etrigan wasn't coming, I would've seen him by now. John was sent away to keep Kal-El or Clark or whatever he went by at bay. I was entirely on my own against one of the most powerful beings in the world.
“Deal.”
I didn't expect to be thrown over his shoulder but he started walking up the stairs with me. Around and around it went until I was dizzy and disorientated but the final ascent opened out into a room with an enormous bed and a fireplace where the windows showed me a view that confirmed I really was in a lighthouse.
“Stay there,” he grunts before lighting the fire. “I'm not into fucking cold chicks.”
“Too much like the dead for you?”
“You got a smart mouth for someone who breaks easily,” he raises an eyebrow. “Now get over here and show me how much you want to find your kid.”
So I crossed to his side, flames warming me a little where they caught my legs and I tried to pretend Arthur was someone else before I snaked my arms around his neck and kissed him. It was impossible to keep the fantasy going when he was so vocal though. I had to keep my disgust to myself.
“You really hate me, don't you?” he looks amused as he pulls back. “I can feel it through the kiss. Channel it, sweetheart.”
So I did. This whole thing hinged on me making this believable enough that he'd keep his side of the bargain.
I got rougher, nails raking his chest a little as he responded by grabbing a fistful of my hair to keep me close. His other hand explored down to my ass, squeezing as he hummed his appreciation into my mouth.
I slid to the floor, getting out of his grip before readying myself, and drying myself more in the firelight, to undo his pants that were sticking to his thighs.
“Eager, huh?” he helps me get them down to his ankles before shuffling them off. “You can't rush me. If I don't feel like I'm getting my deal's worth, the deal is off. Take your time.”
It was much easier from down here to ignore Arthur, to close my eyes and mouth up his inner thighs, working him into impatience just like I used to do with my husband. His hands nearly went for my face a few times to drag me to where he wanted me to be but he held off as I finally took his cock between my lips.
“Oh yeaaah,” he groans, watching me sink down the length until I hit my limit and then I push a little further. “What a shame your husband won't ever get to feel this again. Fuck, you're so good.”
Every trick I'd ever learned came out. Where to lick, when to hollow my cheeks, how to take him right to the base. I could feel him twitching in response, a string of curse words at his lips.
“I'm not blowing my load in your mouth, get up,” he's nearly snarling as he yanks me to my feet, stripping me out of the Amazon dress, ripping the straps when they proved too finicky for him. “Love the body. Still a little cold, huh?” his fingers brush over my pebbled nipples. “I'll warm you up.”
I'm shoved backwards, stumbling until I fall on the bed and Arthur gets on the ground in front of me before diving between my legs. I wasn't counting on him trying to pleasure in me in any kind of way so I let out a squeak of surprise as his tongue started delving into me.
“Oh, babe,” he looks up at me, a wicked glint in his eye. “You think you weren't gonna get some? Unfortunately for you, I kinda like the idea of you getting off with your husband's killer. I mean that has to be a mindfuck, right?”
I say nothing but I get a handful of his hair and drag him back to me so he'll shut up. I'm not sure how much more I can listen to before I flip out and try to attack him, albeit fruitlessly.
So I lie back, I let him start flicking and sucking at my clit, I let my mind wander and I'm more pissed than anything that the image it conjures up is John. After everything he's admitted to, my brain still wants to put him front and centre in my daydreams.
I can't hold on to the fantasy of my husband, like the memory of his face is trickling away and I have no idea why. I'm not sure which appearance is worse right now, Arthur's or John's so I open my eyes to look out of the window and I see Etrigan clinging to the side of the lighthouse. He just puts a finger over his lips and then taps the window to show something shimmering, like a barrier he couldn't get past.
When he starts muttering and when the image of John gets clearer and more vivid as I close my eyes again, I know what's happening. Etrigan thinks he's helping by giving me a daydream of someone he believes I'm still on good terms with, had history with.
Instead I'm trapped in a nightmare between the man who murdered my husband and the man who pretended to be my husband.
“Fuck, you're squeezing my fingers so hard,” Arthur remarks and I'm not even sure when he slipped some into me. “Come on, babe. Cum on my face. I know I'm gettin' ya there.”
And he was and I knew if I held off that he wouldn't stop until I came so I surrendered to the feeling, the building pressure, the shaking of my thighs until I got lost in the pleasure and the whisper of John's voice that Etrigan had morphed over Arthur's.
“There's a good lass. Fuck, I love that sound.”
It took Arthur no time at all to fully deposit me on the bed before he was in between my legs and pushing into me, a death grip on my jaw so I couldn't look away but I was seeing a half blended face right now of him and John. It was confusing enough that it helped, in a weird way.
Arthur took it slow, slow enough that I felt the drag of his cock with every thrust. He wanted to prolong this as much as possible I think.
He caught me looking out of the window and spotted Etrigan. There was the wave of his hand and a plume of water from the lake outside blasted my demon friend away from me and whatever sort of reprieve he was trying to give me was gone. There was only Arthur and I now.
“No one's gonna help you,” he does a dirty grind which has me twitching from oversensitivity. “And remember our deal. No zoning out on me. Present and accounted for, babe. You do wanna see your son again, right?”
“Oh fuck you,” I snarl, tired of his needling.
I move to flip him over and he lets me. If I'm going to have to pretend to enjoy this, I'm going to take the lead. So I start rolling my hips and body in a messy kind of rhythm that has him grabbing onto my hips and ass, fingers digging in.
“Yeah, you ride me,” his head tips back as he savours the pleasure. “I bet it's better dick than your husband gave you. Make the best of it.”
If only I was a meta-human. If only I could reach down and squeeze the life out of him. I could throttle his fucking neck.
“Go on,” his eerie coloured eyes latch onto mine. “I saw your fingers curl. You wanna choke me? Go ahead and try. I'll give you that freebie.”
So I do, because I was angry and aroused and angry at myself for being aroused. I took it out on Arthur in both fucking and strangling and the bastard loved every second of it. I realised about a minute into constricting my hands around his throat that his cock got harder and he was softly groaning.
I let go immediately as he starts laughing.
“What's the matter, babe? That was heaven. Oh fuck, the look on your face...just makes me wanna...”
I'm twisted, on my side as my leg is yanked up and over his shoulder as he drives back into me. He's pawing at my breast as he ruts, starting to get sloppy in his pacing and I'm bent at such an angle when he finally finishes in me that I get a faint orgasm of my own that I hope he didn't notice.
“Whew! Goddamn!” Arthur whoops as he pulls out. “I knew you'd be fun. Angry chicks always are.”
“The deal-”
“-Yeah yeah,” he waves my upcoming question away. “Boy's with Bruce. We move him around when you get too close. He's set up a replica of Wayne Manor on the opposite side of the ritual site. As for Superman, he doesn't have a territory, he wanders between ours.”
“So I have to go and speak to the person who tried to kill me first in a death gauntlet? Fine.”
“Who said anything about you leaving?” Arthur stretches out with a satisfied grunt. “I just said I'd give you information.”
“You...”
“Penny's dropping, huh? Oh yeah. Big smart godkiller can't work out when she falls into a trap. You can't swim outta here without me. You'd drown before you got out of the tunnel. You can't climb outta the lighthouse because our universe's Zatanna enchanted the windows before Superman snapped her neck. You're stuck here, babe. Get comfortable.”
“You're just going to keep me here?!”
“Yeah. You fuck like a champ and I need a lotta stress relief dealing with the Bat,” he shrugs. “Plus I probably put a kid in ya so you won't need to go running after yours soon.”
“I'm not a breedable fucking Rapunzel! You can't lock me in a tower!”
He leans up on one elbow before winking, “I can do what I want. You'll learn to like me, sweetheart. I'm clearly the best option you could've landed with. Anyhow, can't gossip like a fishwife all day, right? Stay there, get warm and there's beer in the fridge. I need to check in with the big man.”
Arthur just ups, redresses and leaves me, taking my weapons with him. I run to the stairs, watching him as he descends to the bottom and I hear a splash as he sets out into the lake again.
I just end up crumpling by a window, calling out for Etrigan again and again with the bedsheets wrapped around me haphazardly. I finally saw the fin of his ear as he scaled the wall again and I pushed the window out to the limit of the barrier so I could hear him.
“My lady I did try my best, to put your troubled mind at rest and give you pleasant dreams of John and your memories to dwell upon. I know you have an intimate past so I tried to make your spirit holdfast but Arthur is a devious man and the magic here did spoil my plan.”
“I know you did all you could,” I reassure him because he looks furious at the state of me. “The lighthouse is blocked off by magic and you can only get out through the lake but I'd drown before I was able to swim free. I need you to get John. I need you to tell him what's happened to me because he's the only one who can get me out.”
“The hell-cursed magus is nowhere to be found, I could not see him when I travelled around.”
“Oh...we had a...we had a fight about something he did to me some years ago. Maybe he's just left me here,” I sit on the windowsill, feeling more dejected by the minute.
“If you think John has abandoned you my dear, then there is only air between those ears. I see the love within his heart and he would not so flippantly depart. I fear something more sinister resides here now and so to you I make this vow. I will search and find John Constantine and shall bid him to swiftly intervene. You will be free of Arthur Curry, so please, dear lady set aside your worries. I will do everything I possibly can and push the limits of Etrigan.”
“Thank you,” I place a hand on the barrier as he places one of his huge green ones on the opposite side. “Please hurry. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take.”
Etrigan just nods gruffly before disappearing from view. I close the window so it doesn't look like I've gone anywhere before going to the bathroom and getting in the shower, scrubbing myself until I was raw. Anything to get Arthur's touch off of me.
By the time he returned, I was half asleep over a sketched picture of my husband and son as I was reminding myself of the reason I was enduring so much physical and mental torture. I was able to keep my husband's face clear in my mind's eye now Etrigan wasn't here and I was indulging in some self torture remembering the shape of his lips as they curved into a smile, the crease of his eyes as he saw me in some outfit that made him happy or proud and the low tones of his voice as he'd tell me how much he loved me with such adoration that I've never heard from any partner before him.
I was caged in a constant loop of grief, guilt and despair as I remembered him, pined for my son, felt heartbreak at John's actions and revulsion at Arthur's. I wish Superman had never said anything but he knew exactly what he was doing when he sowed the seeds of discord between John and I; he wanted me isolated and wanted me as easy pickings for Arthur.
“Drawing pictures, huh?” Arthur rips the paper out from under me and studies it. “I got a better one for you if you want. Picture of your kid from two hours ago.”
“There's a catch,” I look up at him.
“Maybe you are smart,” he smirks. “How much do you wanna see the photograph?”
“Just do whatever you want to me.”
“Aww, that's no fun when you just give in,” he squats down next to me. “Come on, babe. Work with me here.”
“No.”
His expression hardens a little before he pulls out a set of photographs from his jeans pocket and goes over to the fire with them. I can see a sliver of one of them from where I am and I know it's definitely my son. The ache in my chest is unreal at that little glimpse of him.
“Last chance,” he dangles them above the flames whilst I battle with myself about what to do. “Alright then. Have it your way.”
“WAIT!” I yell before he lets go. “What do you want me to do?”
“Oh, so many things,” Arthur grins, storing them on the mantelpiece. “Let's get started.”