#mighty tag

[riintss]

For the fanart asks thing from before, how about number 9?

9. Draw your f/o and s/i celebrating something (a holiday, achievement, etc)

Here it is!! Sorry for the long wait!

I had multiple ideas for this but neither looked good until I just said whatever and drew.

They're celebrating Līgo/Jāņi! It's a Latvian pagan tradition that celebrates the summer solstice! They're a bit away from the party but that's okay :]

[fyeahbombermanjetters]

submitted by @brushsword0:

I have finally done it. Check out the video.

[apersonalescape]

“Why are you with him, anyway?”

Mighty gave Iblis a look as he set his mug of hot tea on the side table beside him. The fire god wasn’t looking at him, instead keeping their eyes trained on the television. The armadillo still noticed the steam the way they fidgeted slightly and the temperature in the room getting /juuust/ a bit colder.

“Who, Meph?” Mighty asked, raising an eye ridge. “He’s my mate, Iblis! We’ve known each other for a while and we’ve--”

“--been through a lot, I know,” Iblis interrupted. Mighty kind of just stared at them, watching closely as they took a sip of their hot chocolate. “I just don’t understand why you’d //stay// with him.”

Mighty thinned his lips. “I can’t leave him, Ibs.”

Iblis was silent for a time, drinking the rest of their hot chocolate with one, long gulp. They took a bite out of the mug next. Mighty was thankful they weren’t at his house. He loved his mugs.

Iblis finished off the mug, the sound of them crunching and chomping making Mighty’s head hurt slightly. Then, “You deserve better.”

That… took Mighty by surprise. He stared wide-eyed at Iblis, taking a breath and holding it for as long as he could. What was he supposed to say to that?

Nervously, the armadillo laughed. “What, like you? Are you hittin’ on me or somethin’?” Mighty joked, hoping that Iblis would play along. They were being oddly serious and he wasn’t sure how to handle it.

A bit of steam started to arise from Iblis. “N-no! I just--you deserve to be treated right! That’s all I’m sayin’.”

“Would /you/ treat me right, Iblis?” Mighty asked, a smirk on his face. He expected the fire god to make some joke about fire or explosions or even farts, but…

Iblis turned around to look at Mighty, their green eyes all focused on him. “Yeah, I would.”

Mighty just looked at them, a blush creeping up his cheeks and ending at the very tips of his ears. What… what the //hell// was he supposed to say to that?! Iblis was being completely serious. There was no stuttering or laughter or jokes or--what the hell!

“I--I-Iblis…” Mighty stuttered, clearing his throat and looking everywhere but at them. He couldn’t even finish his sentence, he was so frazzled. “I-I--”

“Let’s see what else is on, yeah?” Iblis said suddenly, picking up the remote and changing the channel. Mighty just continued to stare at them, his heart pounding in his chest.

[apersonalescape]

Something that was going to be used in an rp reply, but I scrapped it.

It was probably his pride speaking, but he didn’t like to think of himself as being /fragile/. Just hearing that word in conjunction with himself made him sick. He had been tortured and killed by a god and /survived/. He had been stabbed with two dark spikes and /lived/. He wasn’t /fragile/. He was //strong// and every god sitting at the table should know that.

But the hard truth was that he was going to die. Whether that be from sickness, old age, or something else. That wasn’t something that Mighty was ashamed of. It was his reality. It was the reality of /every/ mortal. A fact that they had to accept, whether they wanted to or not.

[apersonalescape]

Red forced her eyes open.

It was bright. Too bright, and it took a couple of seconds for her eyes to adjust and for her to register what she was seeing.

She was in a hospital.

How had she gotten here…?

The last thing she could remember was limping to the bathroom and then… nothing.

Had Mighty come home? Had he brought her here?

Red slowly looked to her left and saw nothing but a sink and cabinets. But to her right, she saw Mighty sitting in a stool, his head resting on the bed.

He was asleep.

So he had brought her here. Red wanted to laugh at how ironic that was.

Mephiles had hurt both of them.

But this time, Red had hurt her in return.

She lifted her right hand and touched Mighty’s ear. It flicked in her hands and she smiled.

Though she wanted to stay awake and watch Mighty sleep, she couldn’t. She was exhausted and there was nothing she could do to stop herself from falling asleep once more.

-

When she woke up, she was laying in the guest room bed. Or her bed since she had been sleeping in it every night. Mighty was there, sitting on the bed with an assortment of papers and pill bottles. He was reading the papers carefully, his lips moving as his eyes scanned the pages.

Red watched him for a time, transfixed. She moved her leg and Mighty’s attention snapped to her.

At first, he seemed relieved. Then his expression suddenly changed.

It was difficult to read, which was a first for her. It was always easy to tell how Mighty was feeling. But this time…

Red wasn’t sure what was going through his head.

It must’ve been a shock to him, to see her there, bleeding and passed out on the floor. She felt a bit bad about that. Red had been so focused on putting Mephiles in her place, she had forgotten how Mighty would react to the whole thing.

It was possible that he was mad at her.

Red’s breath caught in her throat.

No.

No.

Red forced herself to sit up. She reached over with her right hand and gently touched his arm.

Mighty looked down at his arm. He sighed before he returned to reading. He set aside one piece of paper and picked up another.

Lightly, she dug her fingers into his arm. Just enough to get his attention.

Look at me.

Mighty finished his reading and started to fold the papers neatly.

Red clenched her teeth and dug her nails into his arm.

LOOK AT ME!

Mighty frowned deeply.

Just as Red wanted, he looked at her, but not with the expression she wanted.

“What do you want me to say, Red?” he asked her, his voice oddly serious.

Red just stared at him.

Mighty stared back for a long time.

Eventually, he gave up and groaned, looking down at the bed.

“I shouldn’t have left you two alone. I knew I shouldn’t have. I just thought…” Mighty sighed, lifting a hand and rubbing at his forehead.

Red wasn’t sure what to do. Usually, if Mighty was upset at all she would set about cheering him up or punching whoever or whatever had made him upset.

But this time the person that had upset him was her.

And that crystal bitch, but she had left.

Unsure of what to say, Red only brushed her thumb over his arm slowly.

The two of them were quiet for a few minutes. Oliver came in and joined them on the bed, laying down beside Mighty.

“You fought back, didn’t you?” he asked, not looking at her.

Red lightly squeezed his arm in reply.

Mighty laughed bitterly, covering his face with his hand. “You must’ve done a number on her. That’s why she left, isn’t it?”

Red just stared at him. A part of her felt guilty for engaging in that fight, a small part. But the sensible part of her knew it was something that had to happen.

Those words had to be said.

Mephiles needed to hear those words. Red didn’t regret saying them.

Mighty finally dropped his hand and sat up, taking a deep breath. “I know Mephiles can be difficult. Immensely difficult. But she… she needs my help, Red. Even if she doesn’t think so,” Mighty said. He lifted his hand and placed it on top of hers. “She’s different. She’s complicated. She’s… lost.”

Those words that Mephiles had said to her right before she stepped through that portal came back to Red.

You’re no better than me.

Red looked down at her hands. Hands that were capable of so much destruction. Hands that had killed. Hands that had tortured.

Then she looked at Mighty, the one thing in this corrupted, horrible world that she wanted to keep safe.

Mighty finally looked to her, a lazy and exhausted smile on his face. “You need my help, too. I want to help both of you, but in order to do that, I need you two to not fight,” he said.

Red looked at Mighty. She noticed the blood on his dress shirt and slacks, his wrinkled tie, and the tired look in his eyes. He was obviously tired, and instead of taking care of himself, he was in here taking care of her.

It was one of the many things she liked about him.

While she couldn’t guarantee that there wouldn’t be anymore fighting, Red supposed she could… try. Even if Mephiles needed a good beating for all the shit she put Mighty through.

Red thinned her lips and gave Mighty a curt nod. He seemed pleased with her answer, and left it at that.

“I’m glad that you’re okay, though. Really, I am,” he said, patting her hand. “Things could’ve been worse.”

She just kept brushing her thumb over his arm. It was so warm and his skin was so soft…

“The doc said it’ll take about two months for your shell to get better,” Mighty said, giving her a sympathetic look. “We have to go back in two weeks to get the stitches in your arm taken out.”

Red was only half-listening to what he was saying. She scooted forward toward him, focusing on the feeling of his arm. Mighty was always so warm.

It made her feel comfortable and safe.

“You have to take like six pills, though,” Mighty continued, nodding his head to the pill bottles on the bed. “I’ll help you with that. It’s the least I can do after all you did for me.”

Mighty smiled that bright smile that made Red’s stomach feel weird.

She moved herself closer to him on the bed, ignoring how fast her heart was beating.

There was nothing stopping her this time.

She just had to do it.

Mighty looked at her curiously. “You okay? You need something? Oh, you probably want some water or something.” He placed his hands on his knees and started to stand but Red kept her hand on his arm, keeping him there.

She was not going to let him move from this bed. Not now.

Now Mighty looked concerned. “Red? What’s wrong? I--”

Red leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

Her grip on his arm was much tighter than it needed to be, but she was nervous. Nervous and anxious.

And excited.

Kissing Mighty was just as amazing as she thought it would be. His lips were warm and soft like the rest of his body seemed to be. She caught a few whiffs of his cologne and that only made her heart race faster.

She was so close to him. If she lifted her left hand she could place it on his chest.

Red decided to do just that.

Her heart was racing in her chest. She was vaguely aware of a pain in her back and arm, but none of that mattered.

Mighty was all that mattered.

He wasn’t returning the best kiss Red had ever had in her life, but she didn’t expect him to. She was crossing a line here, but she couldn’t help it.

Mephiles wasn’t treating Mighty the way he deserved to be treated.

Red needed to show him that.

Gently, she pulled away, though every fiber of her being wanted her to stay where she was.

Though Red was a bit nervous as to how Mighty would react, she met his eyes.

He was staring wide-eyed at her, a light blush on his cheeks.

Red thought he looked absolutely adorable.

“Wh… I… ” Mighty lifted a hand and touched his lips. “I…”

Very gently, Red squeezed his arm and then took her hand away.

She was smiling. It was a small smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.

Fuck, she was so happy.

Mighty blinked, finally. He looked to her once more, before looking down at the pill bottles.

“Yo-you ha-have to take si-six pills today,” Mighty stuttered, reaching for each bottle and fumbling with them.

The blush hadn’t left his cheeks.

Red’s smile grew just a bit.

Mighty handed her each pill individually, avoiding eye contact with her the entire time.

She wasn’t bothered by that. She saw it coming. Mighty needed time to think about that kiss and what it meant.

After gathering the papers and pill bottles, Mighty stood. He glanced nervously at Red before saying, “I’m gonna get you some water.”

Then he left.

Red wasn’t entirely sure what would happen next. Mighty could react a number of ways, and she couldn’t predict what he would do.

But she did know that Mighty was a caring and compassionate person.

She did know that he cared for her.

Right now, that was all she needed.

[apersonalescape]

Since he was a child, Mighty knew that he wanted to work with children.

Most adults found them to be annoyances that whined and cried and wouldn't shut up, but Mighty found them interesting and insightful. The way that they looked at the world, the way that they spoke and thought was interesting to him. It wasn't hard for Mighty to be friends with anyone, but it was especially easy for him to communicate with children.

So when he had applied for a job at a nonprofit whose goal was to help children in the community, he couldn't have been happier.

At first, he did many things. He managed communications, met with representatives, and oversaw the events. It was busy, but he loved it. He felt like he was actually doing something. He could see the change in the community. The smiles the children wore, the ‘thank you’s’ and the pats on the back. He felt like he was really good at his job.

Perhaps… too good.

The organization grew quickly. They moved buildings and each day that he came in to work there was a new face he hadn't seen before. They were hiring more people, asking for more volunteers. It didn't seem that bad at first, but it changed.

His boss, Ms. Sibylle, was a friendly woman. She had a good head on her shoulders and was always open to suggestions but then she changed. She started to make changes to the organization, moving people around and putting them in roles that didn't suit their skill set.

Mighty, who enjoyed working on the front lines and seeing their work first hand, was moved to organization scheduling.

Instead of networking and communicating, he was stuck inside attending meetings. Instead of being thanked by the children he worked so hard to help he was stuck making copies of flyers for events he wouldn't attend.

He wanted to quit but he couldn't.

The benefits were too important. The medical insurance, the semi-flexible hours, he couldn't quit. Not with how sporadic Mephiles was. One minute she was fine, staying at home where he could keep an eye on her and then the next…

The next she was out on the streets and he had to go and find her.

Job hunting wasn't something he could do right now. He had credibility at his job. He was being paid above minimum wage. He couldn't quit.

But he really wanted to.

-

“So, you had an accident.”

Mighty fidgeted in his seat. The chair was uncomfortable and he couldn't sit still. He was certain he was annoying Ms. Sibylle with all of the movement, but he couldn't help it.

“Y-yeah. Sorry I was gone for so long. It was… serious,” he said.

Mighty hoped she didn't ask questions. The last thing he needed was someone prying into just what --or who-- had given him all these scars.

Ms. Sibylle narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest. Mighty shrunk visibly in his chair. Though he was most likely in trouble and on his way to being fired for taking so much time off, he couldn't help but notice how nice she looked today. She was a pretty penguin. There was a light coating of lipstick on her beak and her blonde hair was pulled up high into a tight bun. She had a little bit of green eye shadow on that Mighty could notice if he squinted.

Ignoring his discomfort, Ms. Sibylle straightened her business suit and pinned him down with her icy blue eyes. Mighty wanted nothing more than to leave the room.

“I’m glad to see you’re doing better.” she said finally.

Wait… what?

Mighty blinked at her, surprised by her sudden concern. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to keep contact with his employer.

“Th-thank you, ma’am,” he said politely, gathering his courage to give her a friendly smile. “I’m plannin’ on workin’ overtime to make up--”

Ms. Sibylle held up her hand and Mighty immediately quieted. “There’s no need for that. What matters right now is that you make a full recovery. I expect you to take it easy, Mr. Armadillo.”

It was like he was speaking with a completely different person.

Or… maybe not.

It was the same Sibylle he had met years ago. Who had inspired him and pushed him in ways others couldn't.

Mighty smiled.

“Yes ma’am.”

-

Mighty looked down at his chicken caesar salad, thinking that he probably should’ve eaten his lunch in one of the empty offices or conference rooms.

“What could you have done to get those scars? I honestly can’t think of anything. They look… deep. What did you do?” Espio asked, his arms crossed.

“It was an accident,” Mighty replied, exasperated. “Can we just leave it at that, please? I’d like to finish eating before my break’s over.”

Espio glared at him for a few more minutes before returning to his own lunch. It was in some weird box that Mighty forgot the name of.

“Did it have something to do with that girlfriend of yours?” Espio asked after a few minutes of silence.

Mighty froze, decidedly keeping his eyes on his food. He couldn't think of anything to say.

It didn't matter. Espio took his silence to mean yes.

“Mighty, if you’re in some kind of trouble, then--”

“Esp,” Mighty said, looking up pointedly at his friend. “I’m not in trouble. I can handle myself. It was an accident. That’s all.”

Maybe it was the way that Mighty had spoken those words, with finality and impatience. Or maybe it was the way he looked at Espio, his stare intense and annoyed. But either way the chameleon decided to close his mouth for the rest of their lunch break.

-

No one was answering the phone.

Mighty hung up and tried again for the fourth time, tapping his foot in impatience.

He had hoped that Mephiles would've stayed around the house, at least until dinner time. It didn't look like she had.

Mighty tried not to panic.

Where was Red? She’d answer the phone, even if she wouldn't say anything. But now she wasn't. No one was.

Mighty hung up the phone, grabbed his keys and wallet and practically ran out of his office.

It had been a bad idea to leave them alone together. Mighty knew it had been a bad idea, but he had to go to work and he definitely didn't want to shoo either of them away.

Especially not Mephiles.

There was no telling what she might do.

Mighty got into his car and slammed the door. He started it quickly and backed out, exiting the parking lot at record speed.

He had a horrible, horrible feeling.

-

His hands were shaking as he pushed in the key to his apartment. Mighty hastily pushed the door open and dropped his wallet and keys on the small table nearby. He was surprised to see that the apartment looked normal. Everything was in its rightful place. The only problem was that neither Red nor Mephiles was in sight.

“Meph? Red? I’m home!” he called, reaching up to loosen his tie. He walked slowly through the living room, acting as if an intruder was in his house.

It was so quiet. Maybe Mephiles had left after all and Red was sleeping.

He walked toward the screen door leading out toward the balcony, taking a quick peak before he did a double take.

Mighty inhaled sharply, his heart beating frantically in his chest.

There was a bright red pool of blood on the cement floor.

[apersonalescape]

Mighty always looked beautiful after sex.

Mephiles never said it aloud, but she always thought it.

It wasn't just when they had sex that Mighty was beautiful, but it was in those moments -- where she had to breathe and her body was covered in sweat and her fur was messy and in awkward clumps -- that she noticed how breathtaking he looked.

His eyes alone are enough to make her breath catch on itself. They’re so blue and when his face was drenched in sweat and he panted with his mouth open Mephiles wanted to force her body to lean upward and kiss him and have sex all over again.

The way he looked at her when they finished was intoxicating. He looks dazed and tired at first but then he’d catch his breath and smile lazily at her. His eyes would glow with this feeling of love and affection that made her heart pound painfully in her chest. 

And his flushed cheeks were cute and made Mephiles smile despite her own exhaustion. Sometimes when she was too tired or too lazy to move she would purr loudly at him until he got the hint to kiss her. She’s get to see that blush on his face up close and her tail would wag and thump loudly against the bed.

But even if she didn't say it, Mighty probably had a good enough idea of how she felt. She would often cup his face with her hands and just stare at him, her purr and the thumping of her tail the only clues as to how she was feeling. 

Even more often she would move him onto his back -- no matter the position they had been in -- and place her hands on his chest. Mephiles loved how his expression turned blissful and that smile of his turned goofy. She would stare at him openly since Mighty was too out of it to question her behavior. 

Mephiles wasn't ashamed of all the staring and looking and watching she did. Some of that was because she was observant, but most of it was because she knew that Mighty did the same with her.

[apersonalescape]

“Did you see the way she looked at me?”

“It was more of a glare,” Tikal replied dryly, rolling her eyes. She turned her attention back to the bars that were keeping the two of them caged. They were much too wide for her to slip through, but perhaps there was a way for her to pick the lock.

Mighty laughed behind her, and Tikal didn’t like the way it sounded, dreamy and blissful, as if he was floating on a cloud instead of trapped inside a brig. He would be of no help the way he was now. She was on her own.

“Those eyes of hers! Wow, they were like…” Mighty paused, racking his brain for the appropriate word, “jewels! Like emeralds or--or that other stone we found once. Do you remember, Tikal? The one that we found on that tiny island that--”

“Jade,” she answered, searching her pockets for something small and long to use. Mighty was better suited to this sort of thing. It wasn’t often that the two of them were trapped like this, but when they were, he usually had an idea of how to get out. Now Tikal had to work with what she remembered. Behind her, Mighty snapped his fingers, letting out a sigh.

“Jade, that’s right. She’s so /beautiful/. I wonder why she’s the most fearsome captain of the sea. She doesn’t look the type.”

This time, Tikal ignored him. She had found a small pin in one of the pockets on her sash and she began to wiggle her arm through the bars of the cell. After a few quick and sloppy attempts, she huffed in annoyance. If only the bars weren’t so /wide/ she could wiggle her arm a bit more.

“I’ve never seen a woman so pretty,” Mighty said, a quick sigh following his words. He seemed content for just a moment before he jolted, looking to Tikal with a nervous expression, “aside from you, Tikal. Your eyes are a lovely shade of--”

“Mighty,” Tikal interrupted, her voice stern but there was an underlying tone of worry. “I appreciate the compliment, really, but could you please stop talking and help me with this lock? We have to get out of here! There’s no telling what they’re going to do to us if we--”

A large, wooden door opened, a gust of wind rustling their clothes as someone entered the brig. Tikal didn’t know what she had been expecting. Perhaps some savior, who had miraculously boarded the ship, dispatched all of the crewmembers (including the Queen) and had made their way to the brig to free them. For just a moment, as the darkness hid the person’s face and the only sound in the room was large, heavy footsteps, Tikal held onto that hope.

It vanished the moment the Queen’s bright green eyes came into view. The color drained from Tikal’s face. It was too late. It was all over. She hadn’t been quick enough, and now, with no plan in place, she wasn’t sure what was going to happen to them. If only Mighty hadn’t been so sidetracked. They could’ve put their heads together and thought of something!

The Queen stepped over to their cell, her hands clasped behind her back. She glared at Tikal for a moment, looking the echidna up and down before she became disinterested and turned her attention to Mighty. Though the armadillo had been talking about her the entire time the two of them had been trapped, he said nothing now. Tikal wondered if that was because he was scared or if he was awestruck once again.

The next few seconds were tense. The Queen said nothing, but she continued to stare at Mighty. It was strange the way she looked at him so intently, as if she had known him for quite some time. Luckily, it gave Tikal time to think of a bargain. Even if she was the queen, she was still a pirate, and all pirates loved treasure.

Tikal stepped forward, grasping onto the bars and glaring at the Queen with all the ferocity she could muster. “If it’s treasure you want--”

“Silence,” the Queen ordered, giving Tikal a hateful glance before looking at Mighty again. Startled and annoyed, Tikal scowled at the Queen. If she wasn’t interested in treasure, then how were they going to get their freedom? Without a bargaining chip, she and Mighty were both pretty much dead. Unsure of what to say now, Tikal held her tongue. For now, perhaps it would be best to keep quiet and see just what it was that the Queen wanted. They hadn’t been killed yet, so it was safe to assume that she had captured them for something.

Having seemingly snapped out of his daze, Mighty appeared by Tikal’s side, starring the Queen down without an ounce of fear. “The least you could do is tell us why you captured us,” Mighty said, his eyes narrowed. “You attacked us. We didn’t do anything to you.”

The Queen’s seemed unfazed by Mighty’s expression and words, only continuing to look at him. It was becoming a bit strange. Tikal looked between the two of them. Perhaps… the reason why they hadn’t been immediately killed was because of Mighty. But… why?

“You,” the Queen spoke, addressing Mighty with furrowed brows. “What is your name?”

Thinking quickly, Tikal grabbed Mighty’s arm, wordlessly telling him to lie or keep silent. She wasn’t sure why the Queen wanted his name, but it couldn’t be for a good reason. But… it was possible for them to use information as their bargaining chip. If the Queen wanted to know anything, she’d have to promise their freedom. Then again, she was a pirate, and pirates seldom kept their word.

“Mighty,” he answered quickly and without paying heed to Tikal’s warning. The echidna turned her head sharply to look at him, her brows knit together in anger. Surely he wasn’t letting her beauty cloud his better judgement? If only there was some way for them to communicate in private! It was hard to convey words by touch alone.

The Queen took a breath, absorbing the information. Tikal wasn’t sure, but she could’ve sworn that for just a split second, she saw the expression on the Queen’s face change. It looked a bit… solemn.

The Queen quickly snapped out of her trance and corrected her already perfect posture. She looked at them as if they were nothing but scum, lesser beings that weren’t worth her time. “The two of you managed to knock out half of my crew in a matter of seconds. You are not ordinary,” she said. “What crews have you been a part of? Which captains have you served?”

Before Mighty could answer that, Tikal stepped in front of him. She glared hotly at the Queen. “Let us out of here. We have no quarrel with you.”

A wicked smile spread creepily along the Queen’s lips. “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen,” she said. “You have two options. You can be thrown overboard, doomed to die in the unforgiving sea, or you can join me.”

Tikal immediately tensed, her stomach twisting into knots. That wasn’t much of a choice, but joining the crew of the Queen, stealing, pillaging and plundering… those were things that she and Mighty just didn’t do. But their only other choice was death. Tikal turned to look at Mighty, hoping that he had some idea, needing him to come up with something. With all of that time spent rambling about the Queen’s beauty, maybe he had thought of a backup plan!

To her relief, he looked back at her, a small smile on his face. For a moment, Tikal believed that they would get out of this. They would get back on their little ship and continue with their lives, but that hope vanished as Mighty opened his mouth to answer.

“We’ll join your crew.”

 -

 It was night, and down in the berth of the ship slept most of the crew, crammed into a single space. There were several hammocks that were tied around the posts that supported the ship, each occupied with a sleeping body. On the floor were chests and buckets that held personal belongings and other such supplies and materials. Among them was the rest of the crew, crammed together as a mess of limbs, snores and disgusting smells.

In one corner of the small room, Mighty and Tikal sat hunched closely together. They pushed aside any hands that came too close or legs that entered their space. Once during the night, one of the men had licked Mighty’s hand, and the armadillo had been in a state of disgusted shock ever since. Tikal supposed it wasn’t that bad, all things considered. They did have a spot to themselves and they weren’t forced to work through the night like some other crewmembers.

Her optimism didn’t last as long as she would’ve liked, and she once again found her thoughts drifting toward the time in the brig. If she had tried harder, she was certain she could’ve gotten that pin to work. Oh, if only Mighty had snapped out of his foolish trance, maybe they wouldn’t be here right now!

Angry, Tikal abruptly turned her head and glared at the armadillo. Why couldn’t he have negotiated? Surely they could’ve given the Queen something of value; a gem or a crown or something. It was frustrating that Mighty had been too busy swooning over her to realize how much danger they were in.

As if he could read her thoughts, Mighty turned to face her. He shrank away when he saw the look on her face. “What are ya glarin’ at me for? I didn’t put us down here.”

“Yes. Yes you did, Mighty!” Tikal whispered furiously. She clenched her hands into fists, moving her legs closer together as she felt one of the crewmembers beside her move. “If you had just--”

“If I had what, Tikal? There weren’t any other options! It was either this or death, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to die!” Mighty whispered back. “I did what I had to. We’re alive aren’t we?”

Tikal groaned as loudly as she could without disturbing anyone. She covered her face with her hands. Oh, what she would give to be back on their ship without several gross men surrounding her. She wanted to be on the open sea without the accompaniment of snores and loud farts.

Mighty went quiet beside her, but she did feel him move. Or that could’ve been someone else. It was hard to tell.  With so many men in one place, the smell was beginning to be overpowering. Tikal sighed heavily, taking short breaths so as not to inhale too much body odor. She thought of the wonderful smell of the salty sea air and the wind running through her dreads and the beauty of the night. With newfound determination, she turned to Mighty.

“I’m going on deck. I can’t sleep down here.”

Someone had started to drool on Mighty’s boot and he made a repulsed sound, scooting closer to her. “Yeah, I’m with ya on that. There are too many people down here,” he said, pushing the poor man’s face away with the tip of his boot. It would be difficult to navigate their way out of the room with so many people sleeping on the floor but at the moment, Tikal didn’t care. She just needed to get out and breathe some fresh air.

Using Mighty’s shoulder as support Tikal slowly stood. Though, as soon as she did, she nearly fell due to how close everyone was to her. Really, this tiny space she and Mighty had been given wasn’t nearly enough for two people. She offered Mighty her hand and he took it, standing himself and looking out over the sea of sleeping bodies. Tikal did the same, trying to find the easiest path to the stairs.

Mighty hummed thoughtfully before holding her hand tighter, “Follow me,” he said, turning to smile at her. Tikal nodded at him, thankful that he was leading the way.

With Mighty’s guidance, the pathway to the stairs didn’t take as long as Tikal thought it would. The armadillo gave her very clear instructions, and she took care to follow in his footsteps exactly. Unfortunately, she stepped on someone’s thumb, but it could’ve been much, much worse. They could’ve woken up.

Once Mighty reached the safety of the stairs, he held Tikal’s hands and helped her the rest of the way. Holding their breath, they turned to see if anyone had woken up. After a few moments of nothing but annoyingly loud snoring, they relaxed.

“Let’s go,” Tikal whispered, leading Mighty up the stairs. When they had been led to the berth by the Queen herself, Tikal had taken care to remember each doorway and turn that was taken. The ship was larger than any ship she had been on before. There were so many hidden passages and tiny doors that one would miss if they were just briskly walking by. As they made their way out ot the main deck, they passed a door or two. Voices could be heard behind them. A part of Tikal wanted to stay and listen to what was being said, but she decided against it. Being outside was much more important.

Opening a large, wooden door, Tikal relaxed as the moonlight shined upon her face. Slowly, she released Mighty’s hand, continuing forward onto the main deck and taking a deep breath.

“So much better than the smell of body odor, right?” Mighty said from behind her. Tikal spared him a laugh.

“Yes, much better,” she replied, stretching her arms above her head. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that there were a few people on deck with them. They seemed to be too absorbed in their duties to care about the two new crewmembers, and for that, Tikal was thankful. She briskly walked over to the side of the main deck, looking out over the sea.

It was much better than being cramped in the berth, but not that much. At least she could breathe fresh air and stretch without waking someone up.

“This ship is really big, huh?” Mighty said, standing beside her. “There’s like… a hundred people on board.”

Tikal sighed, staring down at the water. There were too many people. She missed when it was just the two of them. Mighty went quiet for a moment, and Tikal savored the silence. She closed her eyes, imagining that they were back on their tiny ship where they were in charge of their own destinies. Where they followed the sea and no captain or queen. Where they had their own agenda.

“I’ll figure something out.”

Tikal blinked, opening her eyes to turn and look at Mighty. He was staring out at the sea just as she had been doing a second ago, though he looked even more solemn than she. The armadillo was very seldom sad or upset, and it felt strange to see him this way.

“Mighty…” she said, feeling the need to apologize for her earlier behavior. It hadn’t been his fault that they were trapped on this ship and forced to join a crew. It had just… happened. Tikal couldn’t believe that she had blamed Mighty of all people, the one person who had stuck with her through thick and thin. “I--”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a shrug. “I know how you feel, Tikal. I don’t want to be here either. No matter how pretty the Queen is.”

That made her giggle a little. It wasn’t like her to be so selfish and careless. Tikal frowned slightly, looking down at her hands. “Still, I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t have blamed you earlier. We didn’t have a choice.”

“No, we didn’t,” Mighty agreed. His expression seemed thoughtful, and contemplative. Tikal recognized the look and she waited patiently; hope building in her chest at the thought of her partner having a plan.

Mighty hummed, scratching at his chin before giving her a smirk. “But... that doesn’t mean we can’t spin things in our favor.”