The large hall is draped in layers of grey, red and an ocean green-blue hue, packed with people mingling happily. I can feel Sapnap squeezing my hand, and I look up to him smiling reassuringly. Dream stands stiffly beside us, head turning sharply as he surveys the scene before bus. All business, and no fun. 

"Hey you guys!" Bad's welcomingly familiar voice sounds out, and he approaches, happy face uncovered, black suit and bowtie, red fabric lining the inside of his suit jacket. "I hope everything was okay at the inn."

"It's great, thanks Bad." Dream chimes in, still scanning over the crowd. "Is he here yet?"

"Backroom." Bad answers him, and Dream pushes past us, squeezing my elbow before disappearing through the throng. "You guys look so good!"

"Thank you!" I say. "You look great as well."

Bad beams at me, before turning to Punz and Sapnap. "Ant's here somewhere, I know he wanted to see you two. I'll introduce Rosemary to everyone."

Both of them hesitate, and Punz clears his throat. "I'm supposed to stay with her."

"She'll be fine with me." Bad laughs. "I'm not going to do anything, you muffin-head."

"Muffinhe-" I begin to question, but Sapnap pinches my hand to shut me up, eyes flashing warningly. This must be the whole no bad language crusade Dream informed me of earlier. 

"It's not really you, it's more her." Punz says uncertainly, unsure whether to reveal the full reality of our situation. 

"Punz I promise I won't run." I sigh, taking the arm Bad offers out to me. "Go say hi to your friends, Bad'll look after me."

I don't stay to listen to either of their protests, letting Bad steer me away towards some long banquet tables, thick red fabric draped over the dark, shiny wood, laden with dishes. 

"What was that all about?" Bad pounces the moment we're out of earshot. I turn to face him. 

"What exactly has Dream told you about me?"

"Well he said that you two were very close-"

"Bad, he's currently holding me hostage after Schlatt imprisoned me for beating the Vice-President to death. Punz doesn't want to leave my side because he's being paid to make sure that I don't run." I explain matter of factly.

"Hostage?!" Bad practically yells, earning us a few strange looks from groups around us. "He never said anything about kidnapping you-"

"Shh!" I hiss. "It's a work in progress, don't worry about it. I thought you'd be more upset about the whole murdering the Vice President thing."

He shrugs. "Did he deserve it?"

"Yeah he did."

"Then I don't see an issue."  

"Perfect." I grin. "I knew I liked you Bad."

"Doesn't everybody?" A woman's voice says, decadently rich tones and words spoken with a smile that I can hear. 

I turn around, almost choking on my own spit at the person before me. She's tall, about Punz's height, all long legs and ropy muscle that wraps around her lean arms. The flickering glow of lamps casts a golden glow on her midnight skin, high set cheekbones and angled face giving her a sense of imposing regality that she carried with gracefulness; limbering, deliberate, sweeping movements as she approaches us. 

She's dressed in a burgundy, skin tight gown, skirt slit up her toned thigh, open neckline revealing sculpted collarbones and smooth skin. Her eyes were dark brown, almost black, not in the cold empty way that Schlatt's were, but enticing pools that roamed the room with confident ease. Her hair is piled up on top of her head, twisted into intricate braids, coal black curls perfectly swirled on the edge of her hairline. 

"My name's Ixia." She tells me. "So lovely to meet you, Bad mentioned some new people would be coming tonight."

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Rosemary." I smile. 

"Why don't you go mingle with everyone Bad?" Ixia says warmly. "Me and Rosemary can get to know each other, I'm sure she's starving."

We sit down next to each other at the end of the table, and I fill a plate with roasted potatoes and braised lamb. 

"Are you from around here?" I ask, accepting the crystal glass of wine she hands me. 

"I'm from one of the jungle colonies in the South, but I spend most of my time in the Badlands, there's a lot more work for me here." She answers, piling her own plate with some sort of salad that looks like it's made from pickled cactus. "I hear you're from Manburg."

"I bounce around a lot, but L'manburg means a lot to me. I was staying there until...recently."

Ixia nods in understanding, taking a sip from her own glass. "I heard about that tyrant that took power."

I take a bite of my food, avoiding responding to the awful conversation topic that is Schlatt and his work to destroy me home. Thankfully, she seems to take the hint. 

"So, what is a citizen of L'manburg doing with the leader and second in command of the Greater SMP?" She leans in, flashing me a grin. 

"Well me and Dream are- well were- it's-"

"Complicated?" She finishes for me, and I laugh. 

"Very complicated. Sapnap and I are close friends, and Punz is their personal security." I say, skirting around the actual truth. Not everyone needs to know I'm being held hostage by my ex- boyfriend, right?

"Well, if you want my unsolicited opinion, and despite the fact I can't see his face, I would say seize that very handsome opportunity Rosemary." She says slowly, setting her elbow on the table next to mine, leaning her face in even closer. 

"Please, if you want him, you are more than welcome to have him." I shake my head. "Maybe he'll finally leave me the fuck alone."

She screws up her face, and the way her nose scrunches is just so strangely pretty-

Wow Rosemary, you've known this girl, what? Twenty minutes? Chill the fuck out. 

"Eugh, is he too clingy?"

"Clingy would be the understatement of the century."

"I don't even want to know." She chuckles, looking up over the crowd at Punz and Sapnap, who are talking to a man I don't recognise. I still don't see Dream anywhere. "What about those two? If looks are anything to go by..." She trails off, dark eyes twinkling. 

"Sapnap absolutely not, he's an amazing friend but that's it." I almost laugh again, taking another sip of my wine. 

"And the other one, what did you say his name was? Punz?" She prompts knowingly. 

"He's- he's-"

"Undecided?"

"I guess." I shrug. "Truthfully I hadn't even considered it."

"I'm guessing your clingy complicated situation doesn't leave a lot of room for other men in your life." 

I let out an uncontrolled snort, clapping my hands over my mouth and nose while she laughs. "He doesn't like to leave room for anyone else, let alone other men."

"You let him run around with that ego?" She raises her eyebrows, shaking her head in disapproval. "Men like that need to be taught a lesson."

"Believe me, I've tried." I sigh. "I almost beat him to death a couple days ago."

She lets out a breath of disbelief, widening her eyes in calculated curiosity. "And he still acts like that?"

"Honestly I think it just turns him on." 

"He likes being put in his place?" She asks, words dripping with insinuation.

"He likes being in charge, but he likes seeing me hurt people, and I hate him having power over me. Round and round we go."

"Maybe it's time to get off the carousel."

"I've tried that to. He's got a bad habit of letting things go."

She crosses the tiny distance, placing her hand on top of mine, turning her body so that our knees are touching. 

"I can get him dealt with, one woman to another."

I reach out and grab her other hand reassuringly. "Oh no! Thank you! But it's okay. The situation is a little messed up right now, I know, but I've got it handled. Once I've found where my family are, I'm getting the hell out. Sapnap's going to help me."

She nods, but her eyes betray the lack of confidence in my words. I go to grab my glass, but her slender fingers seize my forearm. 

"What happened here?" She asks curiously, tracing her painted thumb up the lines on my forearm. 

"One of my old friends thought I was a traitor and he decided to use me as a bargaining tool." 

"More men and their egos." She shakes her head disapprovingly. 

"He on the other hand learnt his lesson."

The corners of her lips lift as he eyes meet mine conspiratorially. "Oh?"

"That's why I'm here, and not in L'manburg." I finish off my glass, clicking my tongue softly against my teeth. "Turns out they don't like it when you murder the Vice President."

She lets out an exaggerated scandalous gasp. "Rosemary, I knew there was more to you than just a gorgeous face."

I giggle. "Gorgeous face?"

"Yeah." Ixia smiles slowly, reaching her hand out to trace her fingertips over the faint white line in my cheek. I think, that for a moment I can't breathe. "What about this one?"

"From the war, I got caught in an explosion."

She hums under her breath, eyes locked onto mine. I notice a pulpy concave that twists the darkness of her lower thigh and reach out, following with the pad of my index finger down to her knee. 

"This?" I ask softly. Her hand cups my cheek, two fingers putting pressure under my jaw to lift my eyes back onto hers. 

"Arrow, I had to rip it out." She says. "Back in my glory days."

"Glory days huh?" I raise my eyebrows. She mirrors me, dropping her hand, but leaving the one on mine over the table. 

"You would know, L'manburg revolutionary."

"Well we're still fighting, as far as I'm aware."

"Damn right you are, beautiful." She says, with a knowing chuckle, which increases to a loud laugh when she sees my stunned face. "Not a fan of nicknames?"

"As long as you don't call me Princess, I'll be okay."

"Let me guess, complicated?"

The look I give her is enough to answer the question. The band that's situated on the far left wall suddenly strikes up a faster tune, blaring trumpets and fast paced tempos, a sudden explosion of vibrant sound. Ixia's head jerks up, and she pulls me to my feet. 

"I love this song, come on!" She yells over the loud music, pulling me through the crowd onto the open wooden space in the centre of the room. Upbeat and thudding tempo, blaring horns and every second, every space filled with a million indiscernible sounds that blend in spurring harmony. 

It's so different to the calm tones of Wilbur's guitar, singular notes that blend seamlessly into quiet calm of the van. Soft and slow, one moment at a time. 

I've decided I like them both. 

Ixia holds our conjoined hands above our heads, twirling me around. My skirt flares out around me as I spin, the room flying by in a blur of mingling bodies and bright dresses. She catches me with an arm around my waist, as we revolve through the crowd. 

I can barely keep up, letting her strong arms keep me steady against her as we move in as one, drawing in and out, twirling in tune with the music that seems to flow straight through my arms and legs, wrapping my hips up in giddy excitement. 

By the time the song ends, I'm pressed tightly against her, arms draped around her shoulders and cheeks flushed red with the exertion of literally dancing my soul out. She's looking down at me with a devilish glint in her eyes, pearly teeth displayed in a brilliant smile. 

"Never done this before?" She says into my ear, rocking with me to the tempo of the slower song that's playing now. 

I lift my chin as I look up at her, pulling her in closer with the arms draped around her neck. "Not much time for dancing when you're fighting a war."

"Of course, you're a soldier first and foremost." She giggles. "I must say, I am very into that." 

"Something tells me you knew that far before I told you." I say. "Because you were very into me."

She presses her forehead into mine for a second, chest heaving with little breaths of laughter. "Aw Rosemary that's because you're absolutely gorgeous. I will admit though, I was supposed to have a conversation with Dream, or someone high up in the Greater SMP, but you're much more my type."

"Believe me, having a chat with Dream is not something anyone wants to do." I shake my head. 

"So far, you have not told me single thing that would suffice the situation as complicated, more so catastrophic." She says lightheartedly. 

"He can be attractive when he wants to be." I shrug. "And it's fun to toy with him."

"Oh that my dear, we can agree on."

"Mm my dear, I like that one." I hum, letting the arms she has wrapped around my waist sway me with my music. 

While I definitely didn't see my night going like this, I am not complaining. 

"Do you now?" She teases gently, raising her eyebrow in a way that can only be described in absolutely devastating, but her attention is quickly captivated by something over my shoulder.

"Someone's looking for you."

I crane my head to spot Dream, a standout with his black and white mask, standing still near the back of the room, head swivelling like he's a fucking periscope that Tommy and Tubbo used to make to spy on cabinet meetings. 

"Oh god." I groan, because I just know he's looking for me, and I don't think I really want to go through the whole territorial song and dance we've come to do every time we interact. 

"I'll save you." Ixia whispers into my ear, seizing my forearm and dragging me after her, lumbering through the crowd with ease, and tugging me through the entrance doors. 

I stumble outside, into cool air, with the gravel crunching underfoot. I wobble on the unsteady surface, and she loops an arm around my waist to keep my clumsy ass upright. 

"These shoes are a fucking deathtrap." I mutter, carefully placing each step to ensure that an out of place rock doesn't upend me. 

"They make you look great." She laughs. I glance up at the sky. 

The sky. An unending see of something more then black, too deep, too rich, too vast to be just black, like the absence of colour itself, an ink-pool void illuminated with the glow of thousands of glittering stars, dots of light suspended In the sky. 

"Wow." I breathe out, wide eyes glued on the sight above me. Ixia smiles as she glances up. 

"It never gets old, you know? I've looked at it for years and it's just as beautiful as the first day I saw it."

"Everything seems so nice here. Easy." 

Ixia shrugs. "It's slow going here, but it can be too small, and too suffocating. Being lonely here, it's not like anywhere else. You're truly alone."

I nod. "The woods are different, you're surrounded by so much life you can't avoid becoming apart of it. But it's hard, and exhausting."

"The jungle's like that too. The humidity and bugs are what get you, and here it's the sand and the heat."

"Do you miss the jungle?" 

"Sure, I go back every once in a while, say hi to my family, see a tree. It's nice."

"Yeah, the lack of trees is big." I note, scanning the open sand plains, eerily still under the coat of darkness. 

"You thinking of staying here a while?" She asks, pivoting slightly so that we're facing each other  again, flicking the little curls that spring around my face with delicate fingers.

"I don't know." I sigh. "Everything has just fallen to shit, and here, it's just so different. It'd be a good escape." 

"You can pretend to forget everything for a night." Ixia says, suddenly much more serious. "But can you do it for the rest of your life?"

"No." I shake my head slightly. "No I can't, and I know I can't stay, It's just-"

"It'd be nice." She fills in my sentence, with a sympathetic smile. "It's human to dream."

"Human." I repeat. "I don't know if I've felt human in a long time."

"Trust me." She says, both hands surrounding my face to make sure my eyes meet hers. "You are so wonderfully, beautifully human Rosemary, and I know that you'll be strong enough to stay that way, no matter what you have to go through."

"You barely know me." I half joke. Her smile turns to a wider grin. 

"Eh, I've seen enough, which is why I know I'll have to let you go. You've got a war to fight and men to kill."

Before I can reply, one of her hands slides to the back of my head, and she leans in, closing the distance between us, soft lips on mine, holding around as she tilts me chin, and all I can focus on is how much she smells like water lilies, fresh and sweet, and the taste of her strawberry lipgloss, and the vinegar wine, and the way her fingers hook into my hair. 

And then she pulls back, warmth and sweet smell and vibrant taste all disappearing in a second. 

"I'll look out for you my dear." She breathes, brushing her thumb over my cheek. 

"Thank you." Is all I say, before she's gone, back inside the hall, and my mind is spinning in a million different directions, none of which I can gather. Thankfully, Punz does it for me. 

"Damn Rosie, I didn't know you had game like that." He says, sounding genuinely impressed. 

"Oh Jesus Christ." I hiss, jumping a little at his sudden words. 

"I leave you alone for what? Like sixty minutes and you're off kissing the literal hottest woman in the entire place? Which, congratulations on by the way." He shakes his head in disbelief. "Dream's looking for you."

"I am not dealing with him right now, tell him to fuck off." I roll my eyes, and I can only anticipate the colossal, grown man sized temper tantrum that will ensue, should Dream find out where I've been.

"You know that doesn't work." Punz complains, but then immediately starts smirking. "Why not? You got a lady boner right now and you don't want him-"

"What is wrong with you!?" I hiss even more loudly. "Firstly, that's actually the most disgusting thing I've ever heard you say, and I will smack you if you say that again, and secondly, I don't care."

"So you don't have a l-"

"No Punz. Unlike men, I have the ability to control myself around pretty women." 

"Speaking of which, I had no idea you swung that way."

I shrug slightly, and start walking back to the hall. "Neither did I."

"That's not fair!" He complains, falling in step with me. "You can't just- just appear and start making out with all the pretty girls now!"

"Aw." I taunt, pinching Punz's cheek, as the doors swing open. "Go cry about it baby."

I look over the crowd as the doors clatter behind us. "Where's Sapnap? He'll save me."

Punz leans in, whispering in my ear. It makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. "Your date seems to be a little...distracted." 

I follow his line of sight to see the black mop of Sapnap and his hair, talking to a thinner boy, slightly taller, fluffy brown hair and a bright look on his smiling features. He looks nice, happy, and so different, from everything else in the mess that is back home. 

"Aw that's so fucking cute, look at them!" I practically squeal, turning my head slightly to look at Punz. "What about you? Found anyone?"

Punz's grey eyes meet mine, and I've never noticed how much more than grey they are, speckled  with different hues, and so bright. "There's only one person here I haven't been able to take my eyes off of."

My brows crease in the centre, but I can't tear my eyes from his. "Who-"

"Rosie! Rosie, you better have not tried to run!" Dream's voice calls out, and  both of us turn to see him stalking towards us. 

"No I didn't." I respond stiffly, as he stops in front of us.

"Good. I need you to meet some people, they're powerful in the chain of command and your testimony could be useful."

"Sure." 

"Follow me." He orders. "And your lipgloss is all over your mouth, by the way."

Punz and I exchange looks, as I quickly wipe the remnants of Ixia's slightly tinted lipgloss off my face, and then follow a very bossy Dream through the crowd. We reach a set of arched dark cyan doors, with chrome handles. 

"They'll ask you questions, just answer them honestly, and please don't start being mean." Dream says quietly. "These guys are a huge asset to have on our side."

With that, he pushes the right door open, and ushers me inside. It's a fairly large room, about the size of our living room and kitchen combined, flat oval desk, strewn with all kinds of maps and documents in the centre, men in suits ringed around it. The man with his back to the door straightens up, roughly the same height as Dream, and turns to face us. 

And it's the most horribly familiar thing I have ever seen. Something plucked out of my distant memories, distorted by years, years of sadness, and anger, and pretence, but now all too real. Not the same, no, much too old, heavier brows, stronger jawline, the faintest suggestion of crows feet around the eyes. 

Now, those brows come together, torn between confusion, and the same faint recognition, just out of our grasp, too faded with time and warped by lives carried on living, because I know the man in front of me, and he knows me, and it's on the tips of both our tongues, glaringly obvious in our subconscious, but not much else.

His voice is too deep, too rugged when he speaks, but he speaks words that are so jarringly normal it sends all the thoughts flying out of my skull. 

"Rosie?"

-----------

A/N AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OH I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN

Rosemary is bisexual? Yes. Why? Because I'm the author and I want her to be (/hj). I think it's pretty realistic in the sense that we've only found this out now, because she's never really been around any other women, apart from Niki, who she really only has shared a platonic relationship at that point, or has only ever thought about a platonic relationship (because they do be getting pretty intimate). There's really no homophobia in this world, because who needs that? So she's never been in a position to explore or I guess just be this side of herself that she has no reason to believe is wrong, or even different. It just is, and she's rolling with it. 

In other news, Punz is supportive and adorable as ever, Sapnap meets a boy ( guesss whooo), and we are about to meet a very special someone.

I hope you amazing people enjoyed, and stay tuned for the continuation very soon.

Oopsies x