the queen bee 👑

look like the innocent flower / be the serpent under it

[stingslikeabee]

she looks like a flower, but she stingslikeabee: an independent, private & selective blog for Melissa, a fandomless OC exploring themes such as love as a religion; refusing to conform to what is expected of a woman; fiercely standing up for other girls; going through hell and coming out kind; being no helpless princess waiting for a knight but your own queen enamored with the dragon. Penned by Mari (30+, she/her, UTC -3), est. in 2016 / revamped in 2020. Personals DNI.

part of the beehive: @il-mostrc . @inominati . @finalslay . @wakingdrcams & @sculmask . @emotionealie . @cryogenicmuses . @a-ofspades​

rules . exclusives . profile . headcanons . available verses . ©

[emliyarmstrong]

The Haunting (1999) dir. Jan de Bont

[stingslikeabee]

Hi guys! A quick note to say that I have updated my pinned post to include my affiliates - always happy to remove someone if you don't want to be there for some reason, of course. I have also revamped relationships & exclusives so these are more up to date (again, everything is subject to constant development as things progress but I am happy to showcase my lovely partners!).

[stingslikeabee]

@finalslay sent: ❛ it's just a little misunderstanding that turned into a real shit show. don't worry. you saw all the best bits. ❜ // from bigby!

[from The Wolf Among Us starters . accepting ]

Melissa found herself regretting her grocery choices when she was forced to pause for the third time to adjust her bags. Maybe she had gone overboard with the wine; and while the multiple bottles demanded extra careful steps, they also ended up saving her from being an unwilling part in whatever brawl had suddenly erupted at the Lucky Pawn.

The yelling came first; then the crashing sounds, the heavy thuds mixed with growls and, at long last, a body hurled outside like it weighted nothing. It didn't take long for her to recognize Jack (despite the black eye) kissing the sidewalk, struggling to get up and failing to do so by the time Bigby stepped outside, walking in a terribly menacing way.

Or, maybe, that was just how he walked - most of the Fables really didn't think any differently about their sheriff, no matter how hard he worked for their safety among humans.

"Did I make myself clear this time?" Bigby asked, voice low and unamused; Jack yelped, scrambling to his feet again and probably wishing that their peacekeeper had yelled - his controlled voice was somehow scarier. The poor man nodded a few times, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and mumbling an apology before rushing back to the pawn shop, ignoring the shattered glass and the half-broken door.

Bigby sighed heavily, then patted his pockets until he found a pack of cigarettes and pulled one of them out, allowing himself a smoke. His gaze caught Melissa standing there, taking his first drag before saying anything to the fae. "It's just a little misunderstanding that turned into a real shit show. Don't worry. You saw all the best bits."

He turned around and started walking towards the Woodlands, keeping slightly ahead of her until a corner was turned. Melissa chuckled, amused by the random interaction and picking her bags up again - but as soon as she too made the same turn, the sheriff was there with an outstretched hand for assistance with her shopping, offering no further explanation for his behavior in addition to a knowing glance.

The fae laughed softly, cautiously placing her bags on the ground again. The assistance was appreciated, but Melissa wasn't sure if she trusted Bigby to be careful enough with her wine. She did, however, step closer enough to pluck the cigarette from his own lips without a moment of hesitation, taking a drag herself while offering nothing but a mischievous little smile in return.

Other Fables could be afraid of Bigby for whatever reasons they had (justified or not). Melissa, on the other hand, enjoyed his company very fucking much.

"I wasn't worried, by the way," she said while returning the cigarette, watching the way he took it back after glancing at the dark red mark her lipstick left over the filter, "You're not even bleeding - that was hardly a real fight for you."

Her right hand brushed his hair to the side, inspecting his visage for any wounds to confirm her suspicions - and the sudden contact had him flinching, almost as if he needed to flee from an invisible threat. That was a short-lived reaction, however - Bigby softly gripped Melissa's wrist to reclaim his personal space, but his gesture had no bite to it. The tired sigh suggested that he was used to the constant fussing, even if never truly accepting of that behavior in public.

"I got some good wine today. Why don't you come back home with me and tell me what case got you so worked out to the point of kicking the dog again?" Jack and Bigby didn't get along; not that much was needed to trigger the sheriff's temper, but something was clearly going on, "Looks like you could use a drink and some... Inspiration."

Melissa's suggestion lingered heavy in the air, the smile on her lips extending to the playful twinkle in her eye. Bigby just shook his head, moving from his prior position to get her bags for the fae like the gentleman he could be - but there was the ghost of a smirk on his face.

Bigby definitely wasn't refusing the invitation.

[stingslikeabee]

@emotionealie sent: reminds me of you!!

[ send in " reminds me of you " for my muse to recount things they see, smell, hear, feel and taste that remind them of your muse . accepting ]

The way a roaring crowd can fade into dull silence when you kiss the one you love; a broken mirror with blood dripping from it and your knuckles stinging from the shards eating into the flesh; a long and winding road leading to an unknown destination and still traveling it all the way; a college dorm with scattered textbooks, lukewarm coffee and two young girls hiding under the covers; the strong smell of alcohol of a back alley, mixing in with bad choices; the wind blowing your hair when you look at the city from above, and wonder if you'll fly if you jump - or just die, flat against the ground; red hair, red lips, red nails and a million different marks of rejection with red ink over paper.

[soulmemesarc]

send in " reminds me of you " for my muse to recount things they see, smell, hear, feel and taste that remind them of your muse.

for example: the brilliant blue of a summer's sky, the scent of freshly mown grass in spring, the taste of fresh strawberries and sweetened cream, the softness of freshly laundered cotton sheets, or the sound of a harp in a huge, open, empty church.

[stingslikeabee]

Hey lovelies! So I know that I have had the speed of a drunk slug that is also very sleep deprived but I swear I am trying my best to dedicate myself to this hobby again. I have already updated verses / ship tags on my end and I am also cleaning up exclusives in a bit because many blogs have long deactivated or gone silent so it makes no sense to keep a slot for muses that have not been featured here for 2+ years. I will be doing that + updating threads shortly while trying to get some minimal writing done more consistently. As always, if you have anything that you would like to see prioritized, let me know! Otherwise I will follow the muse and what sparks joy in my bottomless drafts~. I love you all, ty for being patient and kind with me. ♡ Mari.

[il-mostrc]

Politics was the marrow of a Lord’s existence. Hannibal had pledged his sword because the alternative was slow ruin; the borders of the South had held their peace for a generation, but peace was a thing that required constant tending, like a fire that would die the moment you stopped feeding it. He leaned back in his chair, one arm draped over its side, and watched her fingers move across the grain of the table as though reading something written there. His tongue grazes over his lips, tasting the remnants of juices on them. He also enjoyed the taste of victory, of blood in the battlefield, the meat of his enemies as he served them to his loyal battle companions. He briefly allows his eyes to travel over her, wondering if she would share the same particular taste that he enjoys.

The knife turned in his hand. He ran his fingers along the flat of the blade, feeling its cool indifference, then drove it into the table with a sound like a period at the end of a sentence. He had buried men who had underestimated him. He had also buried men he had genuinely liked. Regret was a familiar enough companion, but failure was not.

He removes his hand from the hilt of the knife, folding it onto his table instead as he gives her a stare. He’s trying to figure her out and fails to do so. His chin is raised, and he regards her request with a mere small tilt of his head to the side. “You speak of victory for me,” he said. “That is my goal, yes. What of you? What is in it for you? Is it to be of purpose to your God?” He had never required a God. He kept his own counsel, answered to no altar, and found that this had served him well enough.

[stingslikeabee]

The way that the knife found the table did nothing to Melissa. She remained unperturbed and as calm as she had been since the beginning, as if the oppressive and dark halls did not have on her the same effects they caused on lesser men. The grand piece carved out from oak between them had seen that type of abuse many times before - even with the dim lights of the room, it was possible to see the scratches it bore from use over the years.

Scarred, but not remotely close to being broken. According to the reports, not an unjustified description of the lord sitting with her and deigning to meet with the red priestess. In the same vein that Hannibal attempted to figure her out and her offerings, she too searched for answers in his eyes - and it was a nice challenge for once. Melissa's apparent youth helped disguise the actual number of lords she had served under - many were quick to accept her offers at the mention of any advantage without asking why, thinking the chance to bed their new counselor was enough as a prize in itself.

"The collateral damage, my lord," Melissa's smile remained professional. It was not teasing or taunting, since she was not the one holding the power there; but it was an indication that she appreciated his questioning or even welcomed it, "Battles will always be bloody - but if we choose to sacrifice those who fall to Eligor, then his gifts are yours to use. The more souls collected to his glory, the more powerful this kingdom shall become through my work... But the actual soul of Hannibal Lecter would be Eligor's greatest reward, of course."

And there it was - the actual catch, the trade offered by the Archduke of Hell. Reaping the souls of the infantry falling at every siege was not immaterial; but a man like Hannibal Lecter merited a place of his own in the underworld's ranks. "Eligor offers power and wisdom now, in the present; and the chance to join him in commanding legions once this existence is no more. I have no doubt that my lord is able to carve his name in history without my aid - I am merely offering unparalleled reach and for such realizations to become the truth much faster."

Like all the other red priests and priestess, Melissa was a catalyst for war - nothing more, nothing less.

[hyperionhero]

the smile on his face was an odd one for him : it was somber, laced with melancholia. mismatched eyes gazed up at the ceiling rather than on melissa's pretty face — it was easier that way. if he didn't look at her, then he wouldn't be quite as tempted to deflect and change the subject ( and god knows he wanted to ). melissa deserves better than that.

“ i did, ” he replied, nodding slightly. “ ... picked it because that's what i thought she was : a little angel. ”

back then, the best thing that ever happened to him was his daughter : a little baby girl who had loved him unconditionally.

to angel, it hadn't mattered that he hadn't yet achieved fame and fortune. with angel, he had just been her dad, and at the time, that had felt more important than anything else.

he paused and drew in a breath. his arm wrapped around melissa's torso. jack would never dream of admitting it, but the sensation was grounding. comforting, almost.

“ the tattoos showed up when she was little. ” the marks of a siren, of one of the galaxy's most powerful. “ after that, shit just ... it just went wrong. some asshole bandit got ahold of her — wanted to sell her for her powers — and when her mom and i went to get her back ... ”

jack paused and glanced down at melissa. it felt wrong to divulge all of this. angel was, in a way, his best-kept secret : a terrible, intimate part of his past that no one is supposed to know all the dirty truth about. it feels like a betrayal to who he is now to tell melissa about this — but mel is different. she's a part of him now, embedded deeply in a way that no one else has been in a long, long time.

“ ... it was an accident, but she killed her mom, and let me tell ya, i did not handle it like i should've. ” humorlessly, jack laughed. “ i locked her away, mel. i didn't tell her what had happened, and i just locked her away. it was supposed to be for her safety, y'know. and, hell, maybe in the beginning it was, but after i connected her to the network, i got so fucking used to having the power of a siren right there at my fingertips. ”

the expression on his masked face was uncharacteristically serious, laced with painful regret. handsome jack is not the kind of man to feel guilt. everything he has ever done has benefitted him : it all marked the shift from john to jack, from programmer to CEO, and he does not feel bad about any of it — except angel.

she is the one flaw, the one chip in the armor that jack does not know how to deal with. and until now, he's ignored it.

“ it wasn't about keeping her safe anymore, and it hasn't been for a long time. ”

[stingslikeabee]

It wasn't as if Melissa had been sure that Jack would share more (despite her best efforts to get him to continue) - the Hyperion CEO could be terribly evasive. But he followed through, gazing at the very ordinary ceiling of his bedroom as a minor deflection - so the brunette contributed to that gesture of goodwill by seeking his chest as a pillow, making herself comfortable there. It was an unique form of conversation: one that did not have any shared glances.

But knowing Jack, and how... Deeply personal that was, maybe it was for the better. That way, the woman did not make him feel accused of whatever could flash in her eyes, even if by accident. Instead, by resting over his ribcage, she remained not only close but also able to hear his voice in a very intimate way - as if the Hyperion CEO was talking to her directly from his heart.

(And that was exactly the truth.)

'A little angel'. She looked like a lovely girl in the picture from his office, the woman recalled; and when Jack brought his lover closer, he probably felt the way Melissa's mouth brushed against him in response, curved upwards in a little smile. That was a very beautiful thing to say - and the notion that Jack had been a caring father warmed her heart, too. The man that existed before Handsome Jack took over surely deserved to be heard.

The pause after the confession about her being a siren was met with an encouraging nod. Melissa remained in his embrace, one of her arms going over his naked, smooth chest for a half-hug of her own. With every disclosed secret of his, the PR specialist gave a little nudge of hers - she wasn't abandoning him over this. There was nothing he could do that would drive the girl sharing his bed away.

(How did one remove another from their heart, after all?)

Suddenly, it all made sense - using a siren's power would be an unquestionable way to make Hyperion nearly invincible in relation to the competition. Melissa also realized that it meant Angel was alive - the communications officer had always assumed that Handsome Jack's daughter had long passed; the picture never got updated with a new one.

That gave her pause - but the surprise did not cause Melissa to reject the man or move away. Instead, she moved from her prior position and actively sought him out with her searching gaze, taking in the unusual picture of a thoughtful, regret-filled Jack. The brunette had been working for Hyperion (and, by extension, under the CEO himself) long enough to recognize a few things there - regardless of her personal feelings on that matter and the many questionable things they did as a company, there was no way he finally shared everything about Angel just to get it off his chest.

"Jack... Do you want my help with this?" she asked, and although there was a sliver of her professional side talking there, Melissa meant it more on a personal level. It did help that it was what she specialized in: the damage control, the clean-up and spinning bad publicity into good one; but if he thought it was time for change, there was no one more capable (and willing) than his communications officer.

Moving to a sitting position allowed Melissa to touch him - her right hand brushed over his jaw, softly trailing the edges of his mask before sliding under his chin and cupping his visage fondly. Her eyes were warm; there was no judgement there, only determination to follow through with whatever he needed of her. "It's your call - but you know I'm here for it."

[pmamtraveller]

UNHELD — Lina Poluna, 2026, Oil on canvas

[stingslikeabee]

@il-mostrc sent: A tourney. He took hits he didn't need to take, let lesser knights land glancing blows that made the crowd roar while conserving his real strength. He'd eliminated the favorites early, before they'd warmed to their best form, leaving only the desperate and the drunk by this final match. Easy.

These festivals were always met with a smile. He enjoyed showing his prowess to the crowds, to her God. When the last opponent made his way into the arena, Hannibal took this minute to pinpoint her in the crowd. // In light of HoD new season and me rewatching GoT...

[ unscripted asks . always accepting ]

It mattered not the reason for the tourney - whenever there was blood spilled and weapons clashed, Eligor rejoiced regardless of the justification for such facts. It was true that it was no full-fledged war, of course; but the cunning and strategy that Hannibal displayed while defeating one opponent after the other was also a tribute in itself.

Melissa watched the fights with the same eager attention of the other ladies in attendance - but instead of gasping in horror, the sorcerer remained calm. The brunette's blood did burn with excitement, but it was a different kind of emotion - she never doubted that Hannibal would emerge victorious; every attack that landed on his armor was but a small price to take for entertainment.

Hannibal Lecter danced so skillfully around death that it was impossible to look away; even if he had prevailed under astonishing odds in the battlefield, the tournament was a pleasing substitute for the real violence that her otherworldly master so enjoyed. The last drunk, less than able men were all that was left - and it was satisfying to watch them all falling down to the ground, laying in pools of crimson and seeming surprised to find red gashes over the vulnerable spots their armor did not cover.

Once the matches had ended, Melissa left the stands to seek Hannibal in his tent - and no one attempted to block her path. The woman in red had become a regular figure at his side, but most people were too afraid to talk or even glance at her general direction, as if these actions alone could invoke a curse. A curious reaction, particularly when the priestess' appearance had aligned with good tidings for his wars.

Hannibal wasn't afraid of her - or surprised by her entrance. Melissa did not announce herself either, calmly walking over to the winner of the last match and picking one of his hands. Her painted lips were in a permanent smiling position, not flinching at the blood collected in the bandages that protected his hands underneath the gloves - the fresh wounds were of a vibrant, entrancing hue; not unlike the dress she wore to the tourney itself.

He was Eligor's chosen, that much was true; but he was Melissa's where the more mundane tasks were concerned and she delighted in every second of her mission.

"Formidable as always, my lord," she commented in a tone that was as respectful as one could be, but her amber-colored eyes focused on a light, superficial wound. Melissa's thumb brushed over it, releasing the blood gathering there over unblemished skin - and a rune was added with her own bare finger, granting him protection. For as long as she breathed, Hannibal would remain undefeated in combat from the forces of those practicing a different faith.

"Eligor may have enjoyed your performance today," Melissa said, eyes finally lifting from the rune to gaze at the man who had forged himself into a god of his own making, "But not nearly as much as I did."

[stingslikeabee]

Hi everyone - many of you already know this, but just in case I have failed to gush about this offline: my sister and nephew are spending a few days with me and I am on full auntie mode. This means very reduced online time because I am trying to give my sister a break and avoid major house accidents (but being called the best auntie to have ever aunted sure is worth it). Writing will be spotty but I promise I am lurking as well as I am able! Stay hydrated! Love, Mari.

[stingslikeabee]

Hi guys - so I am alone once more after my sister and nephew went back to the countryside, but work has been a nightmare (again). Nevertheless, I should be able to have some sort of routine to write now. I hope to be here more frequently from tomorrow onward! :) Stay fabulous! Love, Mari.

[gothredy]

[stingslikeabee]

NICKNAME(S): Mari, Mari-chan. ZODIAC: virgo/rabbit. LAST MOVIE: Toy Story 5 (with the nephew!). LAST GOOGLE SEARCH: 'BACEN censo' (literally googling whether we still have a census from the Brazilian Central Bank in relation to FDI numbers per country). FAV MUSICIAN: can this be a band? Because this is always going to be GLAY! SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD: 'Tragedy' by the Bee Gees for some reason? I swear there is a cover song by a band that I listened to the other day but I couldn't find it so I settled on the OG track. OTHER BLOGS: a few other kids but honestly Melissa steals me back every. single. time. Why do I even bother. DO I GET ASKS?: sometimes! FOLLOWING: blogs I like? Friends? I do need to clean my following list because there is a lot of inactive blogs there but I always like to know if someone is back to their muses. :) AMOUNT OF SLEEP: generally 7h on weekdays, 8h-9h over weekends. I can't function below 6h. LUCKY NUMBER: not sure if I have one? I like number 12, if it counts. WHAT I'M WEARING: Insulated leggings, tank top and a sweater, plus an extra hoodie because it's cold. DREAM JOB: I always think it's something related to creative writing or history/languages. I joke I would like to roleplay professionally haha. DREAM TRIP: I just managed to cross one of them off my bucket list (Scandinavia!) but I really wanna do the other two classic ancient civilizations - Egypt and Greece (I have done Rome before although a lot of Italy remains to be seen). FAV FOOD: man, it's such a wild mix of different food from different places. Rice + beans, pastel, cocada, paçoca and pão de queijo? Simply amazing. But I also love Italian and Japanese food, with a special s/o to Dutch cookies and sweets in general (speculoos/kruidnoten, stroopwafel, pepernoot - and I do miss vlaai terribly!). PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?: I studied piano for a few years but forgot almost everything. I did sing for most of my life, though, and I love karaoke! LANGUAGES: Brazilian Portuguese / English / French / Japanese in varying degrees of fluency. I have an acquired ability to read some Dutch, though (entirely thanks to exposure haha). FAV SONGS: I am contractually obliged to say 'Yuuwaku' by GLAY, but I have so many these days. Songs I have been listening to non-stop for various reasons include 'Gimme Gimme Gimme' (ABBA), 'Haken Kreuz' (PIERROT), the entire Persona 5 Royal OST, 'Calle Ocho' (Pitbull), and 'Bad' (Michael Jackson). I got my nephew into Michael Jackson over the last few months and you should ALL ask me to see him dancing to 'Smooth Criminal' (it's ADORABLE). RANDOM FACT: I know many random bits of information that are really weird or unexpected just because I'm a profoundly curious person who will generally start googling very strange things out of nowhere (these are awesome icebreakers, though). I have actually started conversations with 'my favorite conspiracy theory is the one about Justin Trudeau being Fidel Castro's son' and it always leads to interesting ramifications. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN AESTHETICS: I used to have a very dark Death Note mousepad right next to a pink and purple unicorn pencil case at the office. That's it - that's me. Too weird and geeky for the corporate world, too grounded in real business shit and taxes for the fandom life.

tagged by: I definitely stole this from @punchedharder eons ago! tagging: you should be tagging yourself! :D

[notbeingnoticed]

[stingslikeabee]

Been playing Persona 3 Reload (thank you for the brainrot, @sculmask!) and honestly, it has been fun creating a Persona!AU for Melissa but as an user this time around. The summary so far is keeping her as a hostess at some cabaret club in Japan (leveraging from her Yakuza verse which I used for most Persona muses anyway); but then making her the Empress social link, which is built by visiting the club and spending time with her (which of course unlocks sidequests involving the fun Japanese nightlife shenanigans). Her persona is Scheherazade; inspired after the legendary storyteller, of course, and Melissa's snake charmer trait. The powers are centered around psy and debuff skills, which also are aligned with manipulation through charisma and other ailments that are not elemental or brute-force based (which is how she generally operates, after all). I have no clue if this will get a proper write-up so it can be included as a specific Persona 3/4/5 verse, but it's been so fun to play with. You should all play the games and report back to both Light and I so we can obsess over the games together!

[museinzpo]

[stingslikeabee]

@goldenfists