Orm 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!
for those of you that followed me after the orm "my royal roomie" fanfic, i'm sorry about how long i spent without updating it! i lost inspiration half-way through writing the draft of the second part, and i got so busy with school and work, but a part 2 and 3 is in the works! i haven't seen the second movie yet, but i'll be updating it soon! keep a look out for that ;)
my royal roomie (part 2)
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.
Word Count: 4,000+
Warnings: female reader, slow burn, light cursing, mentions of past emotional abuse, divorced parents!reader, dead parent, comic lore inaccuracies, floral inaccuracies??
Author's Note:
hi y'all! here's the full part 2 i've been working on for some time! thanks for the support on the last one and again, so sorry for the late continuation :/ i hope this story is to your liking! happy reading!
After the first one-on-one conversation you had in the living room, Orm didn't come out of the guest bedroom for days. You’d see flashes of platinum blonde out of the corner of your eye, just barely missing him by a few seconds whenever you’d be in the kitchen or outside of his door. You had made many offers through the red painted oak of his room to go grocery shopping together or take him on a tour of the town, but all of your efforts were met with a stern "No thank you." You had lost any hope you had of forming some kind of connection with the Atlantean for a while, cutting your losses by quietly resigning to a parallel existence. What you didn’t expect was the mutual understanding you two would come to on one fateful stormy Friday night, much like the one that brought him to your doorstep.
***
Heavy traffic from the drive home, a full message inbox on your telephone, and the burnt attempt at roast chicken sitting on your oven rack had you nursing a glass bottle of wine by the living room window. Bad days were normal for anybody, but it didn’t make them easier to deal with on your own - the added stress of the stranger living in your space didn’t help either. You had been living a quiet life ever since you moved back to the sleepy town some years ago, taking up very little space and leaving minimal traces of yourself. Whether it was out of caution or cowardice, you weren’t sure yet. Either way, that silence had brought you comfort at a time where your thoughts were too loud, but now with another person occupying your space the quiet was becoming suffocating.
Orm wasn’t by any means a bad roommate - he kept to himself, he didn’t make much noise, and he even managed to wash his dishes whenever he knew you weren’t in the kitchen - but he was a man.The last time you had lived with a man, the end of its course felt similar to how you two were living now, and maybe that’s why it was bothering you so much. Tip-toeing around the Atlantean made you feel uneasy in your own home, a situation you were all too familiar with. Typically at this time in the night you would be cooking up some plan to urge the man out of his guest room, but after the day you had, you didn’t have the heart to try.
Once you took your final gulp of wine, wiping at the sides of your mouth with the back of your hand, you trudged away from the raging display outside of your window. The dishes could be a tomorrow problem, you thought to yourself as you were leaving your kitchen counter behind. You had only made it a few paces out of the living room before your body was overcome with chills, making you draw your blanket tighter around you. The draft through the house was unmistakable, confusing you thoroughly due to you always making sure the doors and windows were shut before bed. As you stepped deeper into the house, you realized the distinct breeze was coming from the direction of the guest bedroom. You had made it a point to allow Orm his space, but your brain was stirring with reasons for what he could possibly be doing in there - most of them unsavory.
With a deep breath and a tight fist holding your blanket, you gently rapped at the door.
“Hey, Orm?”
No response. You knock again.
“I don’t mean to bother, but I’m feeling a bit of a breeze through the house and I can tell it’s coming from here, so I just want to see if everything is alri-”
The door suddenly opened a crack, revealing half of Orm’s face which was already more than you had seen in days.
“If you don’t mean to bother, then don’t.”
The curt response, although expected, has you taken aback. Already seeing the Atlantean retreat from the spot again, you hold the door in its place in effort to keep his attention.
“Look, I know you wanna be alone, but I can’t help wondering why a cold ass breeze is coming from your room, so I just want to see what’s going on. Please, it’s freezing right now.” You do your best to keep control of your tone, not wanting to let on just how much the cold was getting to you - giving the prince another reason to look down on humans wasn’t on your agenda for the night.
Almost as if he commanded the storm, the lightning cracked loudly outside as Orm swung his door open, revealing his full disheveled state to you. You jolted in place, practically leaping a step back in defense at the swift move.
“What’s going on is the stench of your burnt dinner was practically singeing my nostrils. I opened a window in hopes that I could find some relief, because clearly you surface dwellers have no trouble polluting not only the ocean, but your precious breathing air as well! I have little care for how cold your fragile body may get, so I suggest you retire to your room at once and leave me be.”
There was a gap in the yelling match conversation, almost as if the blond was waiting for you to bite back at his harsh words, but the glazed look in your eyes and parted lips made it evident to the Atlantean that your mind was elsewhere. Orm followed your gaze, noticing that it was locked onto the maroon sweater he was adorning, looking at it with equal parts surprise and melancholy. His enhanced hearing picked up on a hitch in your breath and chattering of your teeth, confirming to him that you were clearly shaken.
After the long silence, you mousily spoke.
“I didn’t leave that sweater out for you.”
The arbitrary words silenced Orm, his expression turning to one of confusion as he looked down at the knit fabric on his chest.
“...where did you find it?”
Your voice didn’t change in volume when you made your inquiry, but your tone was somber. The candid emotion made the Atlantean clear his throat awkwardly, unsure of how to handle such vulnerability from his host. You couldn’t even fully appreciate how much messier Orm looked in comparison to when he first arrived - looking like a 90s wet dream with his ungelled hair, clenched jaw, and broad shoulders peeking out of his loose fitting clothes. No, it was the clothes that were holding your attention hostage.
“It was deep in the wooden wardrobe of my room…the garb you set out for me wasn’t suitable for the storm,” Orm says, arms crossed in a defensive manner as he anticipates your response.
A part of you wanted to laugh at his retort, the corner of your lips quirking up for a millisecond before melting back into the numb expression you had prior.
“Are you going to ask me to change? Because I don’t see why I should relent,” the blond goads, pulling a haughty expression that comes all too naturally.
Orm wasn’t sure himself why he wanted to urge a response from you - why he wanted to learn more about this sweater that was clearly jumbling up your thoughts enough to render you so silent. He tried to chalk it up to plain boredom, tried to reason with himself that all his time in self-isolation was making him yearn for more. Still, even with those excuses lined up to justify his actions, he couldn’t explain why seeing the down-turned expression on your lips felt so unnerving. This woman in front of him now was like a shell in comparison to the buoyant, eccentric character he had been previously introduced to - and for some bizarre reason he didn’t like it.
Your thought process, on the other hand, was going in a completely different route. The glaringly red knit in your line of sight brought back too many memories that you had made efforts to bury. The cursed sweater in combination with the Atlantean prince’s snark makes your breath quicken and your mind wander to the whisper of a past life that still takes up space in your home. You couldn’t decipher if your shivering was coming from Orm’s open window or from your body trying to eject all of the feelings evoked from seeing that damn sweater.
“I-I…you…you shouldn’t-” you shakily exhale, your eyes surveying around your surroundings to try and focus on literally anything else. You backstep, hoping that physically running away from the situation will do you good, but your eyes lining up with the red-clad chest and the sound of the booming thunder makes you falter. Your hand clutches at your chest, the white knuckled grip on your blanket alerting your roommate.
The prince's body calls to action, making Orm take an instinctive step forward, reaching out as if to try and steady you.
“What is happening with you? Why are you so high-strung? Do humans go into cardiac arrest so easily?”
You couldn’t hear his stern questioning, your mind flitting to images of firm fists slammed against tables and nights spent alone, buried deep under your covers in the hopes of being swallowed by the sheets. It was like the space in your lungs was being taken up by a vice grip, and your ability to think - to form a simple thought that didn’t make your heart hurt - was completely ripped away from you. Even after four years, the memories of him still have so much power over you in a way that’s paralyzing.
“I-I just - I need - I need to breathe!”
With that final exclamation, you scurried away from the Atlantean, quickly making it back to your room before slamming the door shut behind you. Orm was left stunned outside of his door, his eyes trained in the direction of your room down the hall.
What the hell just happened?
***
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 on 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 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 room.
***
When Orm knocks on your door, he expects a big fuss - bouts of yelling, arguing, or cursing that’ll leave his highly sensitive ears ringing. What he doesn’t expect is everyone of his knocks being met with silence - deafening silence now that the storm has subsided.
“Hello?”
The prince feels weirdly small waiting by your door for your answer, having no clue what he’ll be met with on the other side of him. (It also gives him some insight on how you must feel every time you knock on his door to chat, although he’d never admit to having similarities with you,)
“Are you ignoring me?”
More silence.
“Oh, enough of this childishness.”
With a deep breath in, Orm turns the knob of your door and lets himself into your room. He’s met with colorful tapestries embellishing the walls, big rugs covering the hardwood floor, and twinkling lights surrounding the bed frame. The scene that you set for yourself in your room makes Orm think about his home - the way that the colorful bioluminescence would sparkle throughout his kingdom.
When the initial first impression of your room wears off, he notices there is no one in the bed. No squirming presence under the sheets or anyone sitting on top of the bed to give him a stern talking to. Where did you go?
The blond takes a tentative step inside, stepping over the fuzzy carpets to keep from disturbing their arrangement. When he walks past the bed frame and closer to the window, he sees a lump of a human wearing a large blanket over their shoulders and some type of bulky headgear that covers your ears and emits sound. You were completely enthralled by the scene outside of the window that you hardly notice Orm stepping up next to you.
A sudden hand on your shoulder has you jolting upward with a yelp, your hand instinctively slapping away at the intruder before you turn to look at where they came from.
“Jesus fucking christ!”
Orm gets into his own defensive position as you scramble to press your back against the wall, looking at you as if you were a trembling animal.
“My god, woman!”
“What are you doing in here you scared me half to-”
“I knocked but there was no answer so I-”
“Oh, so you decided to just welcome yourself in?”
Orm purses his lips in frustration, not thrilled at being met with the uproar he had originally expected. You sigh to yourself in disbelief, willing yourself to be quiet since there would be no productive conversation if you two kept yelling at each other.
“Next time just take the hint that I’m busy if I don’t answer, okay? You can’t just barge in here when you want, it’s not cool…”
The Atlantean has some sense to feel a shred of shame when you speak, although your words are hardly convincing when your eyes don’t turn in his direction for even a second. You look so timid standing there in your corner with the blanket consuming you completely - not at all like the spitfire that called him an “asshole” and warned him not to “test her.” (He secretly felt some relief in your loud exchange mere moments ago, because it meant that version of you was still there.)
“I…I apologize for intruding.”
Your head whips up to finally meet the man’s piercing blues, your mouth left slightly agape at an actual apology leaving the arrogant Atlantean’s lips.
“Uh…it’s okay...although, try not to do it again.”
Another moment of awkward silence passes.
“So…why’d you come in here?”
You ask this question as you take a seat back on the floor, resuming your position of staring out of the window only this time without your headphones. You pat the spot next to you on the floor, urging Orm to sit next to you. With a small eye roll, the blond begrudgingly joins you on your multi-colored carpet, opting to rest his arms against his knees as means to shield himself from you.
“I came here to apologize, not just for barging in, but for what happened earlier. I shouldn’t have gone through the wardrobe without your permission even if I needed different clothes. I should’ve asked you instead of rifling through your belongings on my own accord.”
His apology, although rehearsed, seems genuine enough for your shoulders to relax. Your eyes follow the droplets of rain slowly trickling down the glass of your window, racking your brain for the right thing to say.
“It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong, I just…I haven’t revisited the memories that room brings in a long time. You putting on that sweater unearthed them today, and it got me bad. See, I was having a shit day already what with keeping up with the shop, and then an accident causing traffic on the way home, and the wine that I usually like being out of stock-”
Your rambling gets cut off by a soft chuckle coming from the man next to you, a sound that seems so uncharacteristically happy for his usual demeanor. The corners of your mouth perk up in disbelief, the expression making Orm quickly look away from you.
“Huh. So that’s what your laugh sounds like. It’s nice…”
Orm didn’t understand why he reacted in such a way, you weren’t saying anything particularly funny…
…It’s just the way your eyes became so animated as you spoke more, your hands gesturing stronger as you explained further - it was amusing to him. So different from the usual company he keeps, always firmly placed brows and crossed arms from the high council members he consulted. Even the Atlantean women, although much more pleasant company, were more regal in comparison to his surface dweller host. However, what you did have in common with those women was your tenacity. Even with his cold attitude towards you, your kindness was unwavering - a few times a day, without fail, you’d knock on his door with the promise of food and semi-entertaining company. He’s starting to regret only agreeing to the food.
God, he must be going stir crazy.
“What is it about the sweater that made you react in such a way?”
This was when you noticed that Orm was no longer wearing the offending material, choosing to wear the simping cotton T shirt you had given him. It may have been nothing - a simple delusion on your part - but the weight on your chest felt lighter at the idea that the Atlantean took it off to bring you comfort.
“It - uh,” you stuttered, “it belonged to my ex-boyfriend. All of the stuff in that wardrobe did, actually. We painted the vines on the side of it together…”
Orm’s arms flexed tighter around his knees at your words. He didn’t know how to respond, feeling significantly awkward due to adorning your ex lover’s clothing, so he decided to just shut up and let you continue.
“When I was 14 my parents got divorced. My mom wanted so badly to make it work, but my dad didn’t like his life here in Amnesty Bay - a part of me felt like he also didn’t like his life with us in general. I mean, he never had a problem making his grievances known, so…”
Now, this was something the blond was familiar with - uncomfortable family dynamics. The realities of his parents’ marriage were never shielded from him growing up - he often witnessed the brutality of his father whenever his mother, Atlanna, would make her opposing opinions known. He often felt conflicted about which side to take - the one of least resistance that prioritized the well-being of his people or the one that looked out for the well-being of everyone, Atlanteans and surface dwellers alike. Hearing you now, speak your piece on your own upbringing, comforted him in a way he didn’t expect.
“The divorce was messy. Lots of nights spent being pulled in every direction, but with no real place to find peace. After everything settled, my dad ended up moving to New York while my mom remained here. They agreed that for the school year I’d stay with my mom, so she’d have some help at the flower shop, but I’d visit him on major holidays…”
The blanket around you suddenly feels too thin, a chill running over you as you recount your tale. You take a sneaky glance over your shoulder to check if the blond was still listening, and you were surprised (and delighted) to find that his steadfast gaze was at the side of your face.
“...At some point during my years at university, my mom stopped asking me to visit - demanded that I only live with my dad when I was out of school. You can imagine Arthur had his qualms about that…”
You chuckled to yourself at the memory of a young Arthur blowing up your home phone upon hearing the news.
“It would only be for the same visiting time as before, so there wasn’t much fuss on my dad’s end, but my relationship with him had become so different after the divorce that it wasn’t ideal. It…It hurt to hear my mom reject me like that.”
Orm’s mind flashes back to the rain soaked figure of his mother, presenting herself to be siding with his half-brother after his defeat. The sting of her counteraction still lingers in his chest.
“When I had started dating my ex during my third year, I found out the reason my mom was keeping me from home - she got sick…cancer. All of the overworking to pay the bills, lack of support, and the hereditary traits…she got really sick. I guess she didn’t want me to see her in so much pain…”
Orm watches as you turn away to stubbornly wipe at your face, a sniffle coming from your direction. He hadn’t expected you to willingly speak on your background when he asked about the sweater, but a part of him felt guilty for being the cause of your current distress.
“When she died, I moved back here to look after the house and take over the shop…but my ex had moved in with me. Darren.”
More tears fell from your cheeks at the same speed as the rain running down your window.
“Darren offered to help me with the business, help me get on my feet. A part of me knew that he was going to hate the life we were starting together based on talks we had about the future, but I ignored it all when my grief became the only thing I felt for a long time. He always wanted more - more than our little town, more than the flower shop…so when an opportunity presented itself to have a life on his own, he took it. Just like my dad did…”
Orm’s heart drops at the end of your retelling, knowing the feeling of rejection and abandonment all too well. His father would be rolling in his grave if he knew what feelings this little surface dweller was stirring in him. The gap between the Atlanteans and the humans was closing in his mind, and Orm wasn’t sure if he cared to stop it. All he wanted at this moment was to stop you from crying.
“I’m sorry for putting on the sweater…and for being an ungracious guest these past few days. I’ve been a real dick.”
You can’t help but guffaw at his choice of words, using your fist to mask the unsightly sound as a cough.
“That’s not a very princely thing to say…”
Orm’s head tilts back as he snickers, feeling slightly proud of himself for inciting a better mood in you.
Ah, that laugh again, you think as you admire how ethereal the man looks in his relaxed state.
“Perhaps my brother is to blame for my much more…colorful vernacular.”
“Perhaps,” you hum in agreement, “or you’re just not as much of a dick as I previously thought…sorry for coming on so strong that first day.”
Orm’s blue eyes shine at you with something unfamiliar - different to the cold, distant stare you were first met with. You find yourself wishing to always be at the receiving end of his kind eyes.
Orm clears his throat before uttering, “No need to be…I was the one that misjudged you before ever seeing you.”
A silence falls over you two, a comforting one built between new comrades. Your (e/c) gaze meets his as the storm calms outside of your window, signaling the start of a new chapter for you and your royal roommate.
my royal roomie pt. 3 *sneak peek*
fandom: Aquaman
pairing: Orm Marius x Reader
part 1 part 2
summary: As time passes, Orm begins to see you as more than his surface dweller host. Much to his surprise, you’ve captured his attention, which in turn makes him notice just how physically affectionate you are with everyone except him.
Warnings: light cursing, touch starved!orm, light angst if you squint, comic lore inaccuracies, slow burn, divorced parents!reader, dead parent mention, mentions of being smaller in comparison to orm, flora inaccuracies??
The dynamic between you and Orm didn’t make a complete 180 after your late night talk - in fact, it was quite awkward for the first few days following. Orm, although now deciding to actually be in the same room as you for longer than five minutes, didn’t talk much when you were in each other’s presence. The Atlantean favored just observing you in your natural habitat - when you cooked, when you read, when you talked with people on the phone. You often extended invitations to him to join in your activities, but a silent shake of his platinum head was what you were regularly met with. You tried not to take offense, understanding that small steps forward was better than leaps backward, but you couldn’t help but feel a little unnerved by his probing gaze.
Your expressions when meeting Orm’s eyes were always one of the three - confused, apprehensive, or downright shy. Orm liked playing a silent game with himself whenever he would wait in the communal areas of the house for you, guessing which one would take over your face that day. However, what the Atlantean liked most of all was when you would deviate from all three and bless him with a sheepish look that teetered between flushed and guilty. Although there would be no evident redness behind your cheeks, your flitting eyes and soft smile gave him a new type of satisfaction. Orm wasn’t blind - he could tell you were attracted to him. His heightened senses could pick up on your increase of breaths and the quickening of your heartbeat whenever his eyes would be fixed on you and it made pride swell in his chest. Even with how apparent your interest in him was, you never overstepped - you were always respectful of his space, never even entertaining the fine line between roommates and not just roommates. You had remained awfully friendly, though….
…friendly enough for Orm to realize that the way you interacted with him was vastly different to how you would with others.
---
Orm had assumed humans were quite simple - easy to understand due to their lack of brain capacity and advancement in comparison to Atlanteans. However, watching how different you were in your shop - witnessing you change from the selectively quiet, sarcastic little thing you were at home to a vivacious, charming young woman here - it had confused him greatly. His father had told him many stories of the treacheries of humankind, but the one point he drilled relentlessly into his head was that humans were simple, dull creatures undeserving of their people’s knowledge.
Other sea clans felt that when the time came to reveal themselves to the surface that it would only be to educate them - his father had other ideas. The infamous King Orvax wished to utilize the wrath of the seas in order to overpower the surface world, his son at his side as they rebuilt the world in their image. His teachings were the foundation of Orm’s belief system for the majority of his life, yet you had managed to topple those mind palaces within a matter of weeks. You, with your soft knits and quick wit, had the Atlantean prince questioning whether his father had simply been misinformed. His father couldn’t have possibly known how complex humans could truly be because he never met you.
(to be continued in the full part 3 coming soon!)
The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
Orm Marius x Female Reader
Fandom: Aquaman (2018)
Summary: An attack on Arthur’s imprisoned brother Orm leaves him with no choice but to rely upon you, a friend made due to unfortunate circumstances nearly a decade ago, to provide safe haven while he restores peace to Atlantis. Suddenly tasked with sheltering a sullen former king results in a very different summer vacation than you had originally envisioned, but changes both of your lives forever.
Series Warnings: Interpersonal Conflict, Lack of Communication, Tension, Violence, Orm Injury, Reader Injury, Dangerous Situations, Slow-ish Burn, Fight Scene, Mature/Explicit Themes - 18+ Only
Prologue
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten
Part Eleven
Part Twelve
Part Thirteen
Part Fourteen [Coming Soon]
Epilogue [Coming Soon]
