#swapped!jane

Inspired by the Six Swapped Fates au created by @percy-the-penguin  @arithebroadwayaddict @mega-knight-of-breath @oratonom @ender1821

In the Swapped monster au, the monster species of the Queens are also Swapped, so...

Catalina - Yeti

Anne - Gargoyle

Jane - Lamia

Anna - Sphinx

Kitty - Centaur 

Cathy - Faun

And now for some bulletpoints

- Lina’s still conflicted over her monster form but she’s nowhere near as bad as the regular monster au

- Anne’s design was inspired by Mary’s gargoyle form, and pterosaurs hence the unique structure of her wings

- Jane was inspired by a Black Mamba snake, the colouring of the scales fit perfect but also the awesome black mouth and tongue

- I recently watched Wolfwalkers and I loved the simplified art style, hence the more experimental look of these drawings, you can see this especially with Anna 

- I didn’t pick a specific breed of horse for Kitty, but her colouration is Red dun

@ender1821 @arithebroadwayaddict @percy-the-penguin @mega-heir-of-heart (sorry I keep @ you guys specifically but you’re the other minds behind the au—)

So, I made a thing. It was really to experiment a bit with personalities (and I also just really wanted to write a bit for that idea I made for the Beheaded queens). I hope it worked out well, if not then I’ll just work on getting personalities and the like right in the future.

(All Swapped!Queens go by their last name. Original queens go by their first.)

TWs: nightmares, mentions of arson/setting fires, past beheading, language

——————

Seymour grumbled under her breath as she was pulled along.

This night had not been going as planned. Her life wasn’t going as planned, being perfectly honest.

Her first life she got beheaded. Then she woke up in a strange house with Henry’s other five bitches. Seymour liked being brought back, but five (four) pains in the ass and constant nightmares were really shitty.

Seymour appreciates chaos, she would even say she thrived in it, but the arguments were starting to get old.

And just when things couldn’t get any fucking weirder, they were sent to another universe.

Another universe with a different version of her.

Another version that reminded her too damn much of her old self. Quiet, demure, anxious, motherly. Seymour hated it.

(She didn’t know if she hated Jane as a person. But she surely despised the memories. And this woman being another version of her who had died before breaking her chains certainly didn’t stop Seymour from pranking her and setting fire to one of Jane’s shirts.)

Apparently, Seymour’s group was supposed to learn to get along or some shit.

Seymour still doubted extremely that it would happen. They were all bitches and Seymour couldn’t see herself getting along with them. They were either scolding her for the arson and general chaos she brought with her or intimidating. She supposed Cleves was alright, she’s started to help her with some pranks (it turned out much later that Seymour adored Anna, she was much more than ‘alright’)

Parr was the only one of her group that she could stand.

The woman was quiet, almost mute. She had constant nightmares and always looked so anxious. But she was also so nice, a sweetheart. And when Seymour wasn’t causing her usual amount of chaos, she could usually be found by Parr’s side.

And it looked like Parr latched onto her in turn.

Seymour would never admit it out loud, but she could even go so far as to say she was very protective of the younger woman. She cared.

Maybe that was why she was letting herself be dragged through the hallway by the mentioned former queen.

That and the nightmare she had.

Seymour had actually been in the kitchen when Parr found her. It was a rare night when she actually decided to sleep in trade of the chaos. The following nightmare had left her scratching at her throat and creeping from the room she shared with Jane.

Seymour didn’t need her counterpart’s pity.

At some point, she decided to distract herself. By seeing how many glasses of water she could chug. Seymour was on her second cup when Parr found her, the former still scratching at her scar with one hand. In fact, Parr herself was also scratching at her scar, tears on her cheeks.

She was next to Seymour before the third queen really had a chance to process seeing her, curling into the taller woman’s side.

Seymour didn’t hesitate before wrapping an arm around Parr’s shoulders. The usually chaotic queen was silent.

Soon Parr pulled back slightly to look up at Seymour. It was the older of the two that asked, “nightmare?”

Parr slowly nodded, her hand still over her exposed scar.

“Same here. It’s really shitty, huh?” Seymour laughed. “Fuck that fat bastard!”

Parr smiled slightly. “Yeah.”

“Want to help me ruin more of Aragon’s sweaters? I need to vent on something.” Seymour asked, pulling the lighter from her pants pocket and lazily flicking it.

Parr stared at the flashing flame for a moment before taking Seymour’s hand. “Come with me?”

And after a teasing remark of acceptance, Seymour found herself being carefully pulled through the house. The former queen wasn’t entirely sure where they were heading, but she could definitely say she was surprised when they stopped in front of the Annes’ door.

(Seymour didn’t know about Parr and Anne meeting in the kitchen one night. Both of them had nightmares and had to calm each other down. A friendship blossomed from there and Parr usually went to Anne for nightmares now.)

Then, Parr gave her familiar, quiet knock, one as if the door would fall if she knocked any harder (hmm, that got Seymour’s mind buzzing. How many knocks or how much force would it take to knock the door down? Something chaotic to test, it seemed).

There was muffled conversation and then shifting from within the room. Then, the door opened to show Anne.

(Anne was someone Seymour actually could call herself friends with. The two had quickly begun making chaos together, much to the chagrin of their counterparts, more so Boleyn than Jane.)

Seymour hummed with a tilt of her head upon noticing the scar around Anne’s neck being scratched just like theirs were.

“Are we bothering you?” Parr asked softly, keeping her hold on Seymour’s hand.

“Yep.” Anne gave them a grin.

Parr laughed, as if that response was normal. Seymour only stood there, gaze flitting between the two as Anne let them into the room.

Kat sat on Anne’s bed, her own choker off and neck in the same state as theirs. Boleyn was nowhere to be seen.

It was still strange to see their faces but yet so different. Different styles and personalities. To not be called a ‘cretin’ or ‘that one bitch.’

“I guess we’re all having bad nights, yeah?” Kat asked with a rather bitter chuckle.

“None of you losers look nice tonight.” Seymour said with a snicker.

Anne grinned at her. “Right back at you.”

“Nice pair of scissors on your desk there.”

“Oh yeah?”

Parr grabbed onto their arms, giving the both of them pleading looks. “Please don’t.”

The two relented, but gave each other smirks over Parr’s head.

“You two get the shitty dreams too?” Seymour pasted a smirk on her face. She needed to hide that twinge of fear still in her chest.

“Yeah, didn’t know the great, chaotic Seymour got them.” Anne looked knowing. “But then again, losing your head really does hurt more than a broken heart.”

“Poetic.” Seymour snickered.

“Isn’t it?” Anne easily matched her grin. “Parr and Chaton have come to me before, haven’t seen you until now.”

“Who needs nightmares when you can have chaos?” Seymour sneered. Usually after a nightmare, she would destroy something as an outlet. Be it setting it on fire or ripping it to shreds.

“You, my friend, are speaking my language.” Anne agreed with a laugh.

“Oh god, this house better be scared of you two teaming up.” Kat looked more amused than worried, Parr now at her side fidgeting anxiously with her hands but smiling at the conversation. “The arsonist and the prankster.”

“Bold of you to assume I’m not an arsonist!”

“I can prank your ass off, just watch! I’ve done many pranks!”

The four fell into a bit of laughter before falling silent.

They all joined Kat on the bed, sitting in a circle. They were all quiet, Anne fidgeting with the blanket and Seymour still flicking the lighter.

“Do you guys… want to talk about your…?” Kat trailed off, gesturing silently to her own scar.

Parr and Seymour both tensed. Parr began to rub worriedly at her scar and Seymour snarled.

“And if we don’t want to?” Seymour snapped immediately.

“Then we won’t make you.” It was Kat who shrugged.

“The fuck?” Seymour muttered, fixing them with a suspicious stare. “You won’t make me talk?”

“We know how hard it is to talk about things sometimes.” Kat gave her a smile.

“I was surprised too.” Parr whispered to Seymour. “But they’re telling the truth. I promise. Or at least Anne is…”

“Then what the hell do we do instead…?” Seymour questioned with a frown.

“Why don’t we just get to know each other?” Anne offered. “What do the two of you like to do?”

“Reading is nice, and Cathy’s been helping me write again…”

Seymour gave them another suspicious glance before perking up slightly. “I like chaos. Setting fire and destroying shit!”

“I’m not saying that’s a bad thing to like, but maybe calm down on the arson a bit? I’m pretty sure you can get arrested.”

The four talked into the night, laughter and banter taking away their fear and worries from earlier in the night.

“Okay, watch the lighter! I like my bed!” Anne jokes as Seymour almost dropped the lighter mid-flick.

Just as Seymour was about to retort, both Parr and Kat let out yawns. The two glanced at each other and began to laugh.

“Looks like it’s time to try and sleep some more, yeah?” Anne said, a soft smile on her lips in trade for her usual chaotic smile.

“Guess so.” Kat hummed, already moving under the blankets. Parr was soon to join her after reassurances from both Anne and Kat. Seymour blinked, standing now, as Parr willingly burrowed into Kat’s side.

Anne joined them and all three looked back at Seymour, as if waiting.

“Aren’t you going to join us?” Kat asked after a moment.

Seymour snorted. “What, sleeping together? Why the hell would I do that?”

Parr frowned at her, reaching out slightly from her place between Anne and Kat. “Please?”

“Us beheaded queens have to stick together, you know.” Anne said.

Seymour watched the three for a moment. Then, a smirk crossed her lips. “Alright, fine! But don’t think this will be a more than one night thing! I’ve got chaos to cause!”

“Hell yeah you do. Now get over here.” Anne grinned right back.

Kat rolled her eyes and murmured something to Parr that had the blue queen giggling.

Seymour wasn’t entirely sure about sharing a bed with these three, no matter how friendly they were. But their warmth and the arm Anne had curled around her quickly worked to guide her to sleep.

We have fallen in love with Swapped!Jane and the rest of the queens so I had to draw @arithebroadwayaddict 's design,,

Alright, who gave the arsonist the fire magic and scythe?!

Notes: Only the Swapped characters are here but I used last names for them anyways. Boleyn isn’t part of the group yet. Teddie is a walking mascot costume—.

Shadows are a person’s true selves, the side they don’t want to see and accept. A person rejecting their shadow makes it go berserk and kill the human counterpart.

TWs: past sexual abuse

—————

“There she is!”

The group skidded to a stop. The four human members of the investigation team and Teddie all skidded to a stop.

It was a clear, pink room with a stage in the middle. Instruments were lined up on the stage. The familiar emblem of a broken heart and a ring was etched on the instruments and the stage itself.

“About time you all showed up.”

Howard stood there, waiting in front of the stage. Her shadow stood with her. The shadow looked like a child version of Howard, golden eyes gleaming. Howard didn’t look hurt, only tired.

“You could’ve been sooner…” Howard hissed, stepping towards them quickly.

“You don’t have to be so bitchy about it.” Seymour snapped back.

“Let’s just… get the hell out of this place. I could’ve got out of here by myself.” Howard huffed, taking a step towards the group.

A hand grabbed onto her own, stopping. Her shadow staring back at her, a pout on the child form’s face and gold eyes flashing. “You’re leaving already?”

Howard yanked her hand away with a growl. “Of course I am!”

The shadow tilted its head, a look of confusion crossing its face. “But it’s safe here!”

Aragon was usually firm with shadows, telling them what was right and wrong firmly with a touch of softness upon seeing the problems her now friends dealt with. But Howard’s shadow being a child noticeably softened her words. “Not for humans. She could die here.”

The golden eyes switched into Aragon for a second, reminding her exactly what she was talking to. But just as quickly, the shadow’s eyes moved back to Howard.

“Come on! Stay with me where it’s safe!” The shadow pouted.

“No way in hell.” Howard said simply, pulling her hand from its grasp and turning to pace towards the others.

“You’re going to go back to the ones who hurt you?”

Howard froze in her tracks, turning back to stare at the girl. “What…?”

The smile widened as the shadow knew she had caught Howard’s attention. “Here you don’t have to be scared anymore! We won’t be weak anymore!”

Howard barked out a laugh, turning to fully face her shadow now. “Weak?”

“Yeah! You aren’t strong, you know?” A malicious grin twisted on the shadow’s face now. “Just a bitch trying to hide her weakness.”

Howard sneered at her. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, brat.”

“Yes I do! Those men hurt you… and you don’t want to be that weak again…” the Shadow pushed for a long moment, and Aragon swore the shadow looked… haunted. “I can protect you here! As your other self I can make sure we don’t have to be strong and cruel ever again!”

“I don’t… I don’t need saving!” Howard snapped, stumbling back slightly. “Nobody hurt me, this is just who I am! And I don’t need to listen to your—“

“Why are you lying to yourself?”

Everyone went silent.

“Kat… what is she talking about?” Cleves asked quietly.

Howard didn’t reply. Instead her shadow did. But she wasn’t speaking to Cleves.

“Don’t you remember? The way they caressed you? The way it hurt when they said it wouldn’t?” Shadow Howard sniffed, rubbing at her teary eyes with balled fists. “It hurt… it always hurt…”

Howard gave a quick glance back to the investigation team. “None… none of that happened. You’re a little lying brat!”

Dread hit every member of the investigation team. None of what had just been described sounded good.

“But I’m you, silly! I know its true!” The shadow teased, golden eyes flashing in the lights. “Just like how I know the scandal ruined us!”

Just like that, Howard was sweeping forward, picking her shadow up by the collar of her shirt.

“What are you doing?!” Cleves called, eyes wide.

“Holy shit!” Seymour yelled at the sight, grip on her scythe tightening.

“I don’t know who the fuck you are, brat!” Howard was screaming. “But you don’t know shit about that scandal. You’re a lying little brat!”

Shadow Howard didn’t have that childish light anymore. Her face was scarily cold now. “You didn’t want it.”

Howard flinched as if she had been struck.

“Your manager wanted you.” Shadow Howard continued. “He wanted you so badly. And you couldn't say no to him. Not with his power. Not with being so abandoned all your life. And now look where it got you. In a shitty little town like this where you don’t matter.”

“I… you don’t… that’s not…” Howard shook her head, reorienting herself. “You think I would let someone use me like that?! I’m stronger then they’ll ever be!”

“If you’re so strong, then why did he get rid of us?”

Howard jolted, eyes wide with terror as she took the blank stare on her child self’s face. She dropped the shadow, who landed back on her feet as Howard staggered back several steps and fell to sit on the floor.

“Wh… what?”

“Oh no…” Parr whispered. “She was reincarnated too.”

“We were supposed to be the true queen! The one who won when the others failed! That life was ruined too, by the same men!”

Howard didn’t offer a response.

Shadow Howard broke into a sobbing wail. “He… he left us because we couldn’t stop them from hurting us! He hurt us too!”

“Who the hell are you on about?!” Howard snapped, bristling. But there was a veil of panic in her eyes.

The shadow continued as if she hadn’t heard her. “Why did they hurt us! I thought they loved me! But they—! But they—!”

“Stop babbling like that!” Howard snapped, back on her feet now and glaring furiously at her shadow. “You think I would let something like that happen to me?! That never happened!”

“You don’t remember them?” Shadow Howard tilted her head, all tears and sobbing gone. Aragon felt a chill upon realizing just how quickly the shadow was switching back and forth.

And well… shadows reflected the true self.

“Mannox was your music teacher.” Shadow Howard took a step forward as Howard took a rapid step backwards. “He taught us much more than music.”

“STOP IT!”

“Dereham is your manager! He can’t take no, can he? He’s the reason you’re trapped in this scandal and was sent to this shitty little town. Because you couldn’t keep your hands to yourself! It wasn’t you! He did it! He… he hurt us!” Shadow Howard broke off into more crying, covering her face with her hands.

“Stop… stop it…” Howard was now a far cry from the cruel girl they had met. She had tears on her cheeks now and she was staring at her shadow with a blank stare that honestly scared all of the already horrified investigation team.

“But it’s all going to be okay!” An excited glint was in the shadow’s eyes now as she beamed at Howard. “They can’t hurt us if we’re cruel! After all… who wants the bitch?”

“I…” Howard couldn’t speak and that was the moment the others realized why Howard had been so cruel to them when they first met her.

“A defense mechanism.” Cleves murmured, considering

Shadow Howard was cupping her human self’s cheeks now, looking her in the eyes. “It’s okay. We’ll be safe now.” She cooed. “We’ll be better than anyone! We’ll get back everything we’ve lost! And they’ll pay, pinkie swear! That bastard who divorced us will be the first…”

Howard snarled, pushing herself away from the shadow, glaring down at the shadow’s child form. Desperation was in her eyes. “I’m safe right now! I’m already better than anyone! None of what you talked about happened! I’m not… I’m not weak!”

“She’s going to say it!” Teddie yelped and the group took a step forward.

“Katherine stop!” Aragon tried to yell.

But it was too late.

“YOU’RE NOT ME!” Howard roared at her shadow.

There was a beat of silence and everyone froze. Then, there was a giggle. A giggle that quickly became a full blown laugh.

“That’s right! I’m not you! I’m better than you’ll ever be!” Energy began to swirl around the shadow, golden eyes glinting maliciously. “Play time’s over now! I WILL BE STRONG! SAY GOODBYE TO BEING WEAK!”

This is actually a Christmas gift for someone!!! @percy-the-penguin gave me the idea and @arithebroadwayaddict drew the picture that sparked the idea! So this a Christmas gift for the both of them!

Tws: arson

Italics = both

Swapped = last name

——————————

Boleyn wanted to be anywhere else.

She wanted to be with Lady Aragon more specifically. The golden queen herself was across the room, talking to both of their counterparts, Catalina and Anne.

Boleyn sighed wistfully as she stared at Aragon and the locked hands of their counterparts. Aragon herself was in a beautiful gold dress that made Boleyn blush.

Boleyn herself was in a green suit and black pants, complete with a green tie and her familiar glasses.

They were dressed this well for the party they were currently attending. All six original queens had been invited and given plus ones, allowing them to bring the swapped queens as well.

Boleyn was about to try and make her way over when an elbow pressed into her side, making her flinch and turn to the intruder with a glare.

That’s right… Boleyn was over here to keep an eye on Seymour. She couldn’t go over to Aragon in the first place.

“Your gay is showing.” Seymour gave her a smirk. The blond queen with a black stripe of hair was dressed in a white button up with a black bow tie and pants along with suspenders. Her familiar ‘S’ charmed choker sat on her neck, covering a familiar scar.

Boleyn rolled her eyes, adjusting her glasses. “Like you’re any better with Parr… cretin.”

Seymour spluttered for a moment before giving her a smirk. “Yeah, whatever. You’re my babysitter or whatever, right? I’m going to the balcony.”

Boleyn grumbled and gave one more longing look to Aragon before trailing after Seymour, arms crossed.

The balcony was bare of people. And it was only when they stepped out that Boleyn realized that Seymour was holding a large pile of napkins, which she promptly placed on the ground on the center of the balcony.

“Seymour…” Boleyn said warningly when the beheaded queen pulled out a lighter.

Seymour groaned, flicking her signature lighter. “Come on, Bo-loser! I need to relax a bit!”

“You can do that without arson.” Boleyn grumbled, eyes narrowed.

Seymour studied her for a moment. “Don’t you ever wanna go apeshit miss uptight? Your counterpart does!”

Boleyn sighed. “I’ve told you before, nuisance. We are not our counterparts, in personality at any rate. It’s all—!”

Seymour waved her off. “Timeline bullshit, yeah I know. Other me is basically their fucking mom. Just let me light this shit up!”

“No.”

A beat of music started from inside and Seymour grinned widely, taking a step towards Boleyn. The beat paused for a moment. Seymour flicked her lighter, followed by Boleyn pushing her glasses up.

“Right here, right now. I put the offer out!” Seymour began to sing, causing Boleyn to roll her eyes.

“I don’t want to chase you down! I know you see it.” Seymour gave a wicked grin as she placed a hand on Boleyn’s shoulder. It was quickly brushed off.

Seymour didn’t seem bothered. “You run with me, and I can cut you free!” She grabbed a napkin, lighting the edge on fire.

Only to drop it and stomp it out under Boleyn’s stone gaze. “Out of the drudgery and walls you keep in!”

Seymour reached up quickly to tug Boleyn’s tie from it’s neat, tucked position. “So trade that typical, for something colorful!” Boleyn hissed and quickly moved to fix it.

Seymour didn’t seem to notice Boleyn’s gaze as she snapped one of her suspenders and flicked the lighter again. “And if it’s crazy then live a little crazy!”

Seymour stepped back, spreading her arms. “You can play it sensible, queen of conventional…” She flicked the lighter wide, letting the flame shine. “Or you can risk it all and see!”

Seymour was quickly moving to set the napkins on fire and Boleyn lunged for her. “Don’t you wanna get away from the same old, part you gotta play?!”

“Cause I’ve got what you need, so come with me and take the ride, it’ll take you to the other side!” Seymour laughed between her singing as she kept back, pulling the lighter away from Boleyn.

“Cause you can do like you do, or you can do like me!” Seymour danced away from Boleyn.

“Stay in the cage or you’ll finally take the key!” She closed her eyes and held the lighter up into the air.

“Oh, damn!” Seymour glared as Anne finally took the lighter from her hand. “Suddenly you’re free to fly! It’ll take you to the other side!”

Boleyn snorted, holding the lighter away from Seymour. Other side? A world of burning items to escape pain? She didn’t need that. (She would forever deny how appealing the idea felt.)

“Okay, my friend… you wanna cut me in?” Boleyn sang in a huff. Seymour growled, trying to take the lighter back again.

Boleyn simply pulled it to her chest, giving Seymour a glare. “Well I hate to tell you but it just won’t happen.”

Boleyn turned away from her, she counted her steps, stopping at six and not turning back to meet Seymour’s eyes. “So thanks, but no. I think I’m good to go, I quite enjoy the life you say I’m trapped in!”

She spun on heel now to stare Seymour in the eye. “Now, I don’t hate you and that whole show we do. We’re onto something, really it’s something!” Seymour burst out a mocking laugh at the lines.

Boleyn flicked the lighter, staring at the flame for a long moment. “But I like to think I’m sane, not burning away my pain.”

Boleyn tilted her head, giving Seymour a challenging glare. “I’ll have to leave that up to you!”

Boleyn walked up to Seymour, pointing a finger at her chest. “Don’t you know that I’m okay? With this uptown part I get to play!” Seymour didn’t back down.

Boleyn let out a bitter laugh, gaze turning to the sky as a tear fell down her cheek. “Because I’ve got what I need and I don’t want to take the ride! I don’t need to see the other side!”

“So go and do like you do, I’m good to do like me!” Boleyn dropped the lighter back into Seymour’s hand, earning her a raised eyebrow.

“Ain’t in a cage, so I don’t need to take some key!” Boleyn walked back to the doors leading inside, giving Seymour a wave over her shoulder.

“Oh, damn! Can’t you see I’m doing fine?!” Boleyn couldn’t help but practically snarl as she reached forward to rest her hands on the door handle. “I don’t need to see your other side…”

Seymour huffed, keeping her gaze on Boleyn’s back as the music slowed. “Now is this really how you’d like to spend your days? Whiskey and misery… books and your brain?”

Boleyn let out a bitter laugh at that. “If I got mixed up with you, I’d be the talk of the house. Disgraced and irrational, another one of you clowns!”

Seymour smirked knowingly. “But you would finally live a little, finally laugh a little… just let me give you the freedom to dream and it’ll wake you up and cure your aching.” Seymour noticed Boleyn glancing back over her shoulder and flicked the lighter open, letting the little flame dance to life. “Take your walls and start ‘em breaking! Now… that’s a deal that seems worth taking…” Seymour shrugged, half turning back to the pile of napkins. “But I guess I’ll leave that up to you…”

Boleyn turned around fully, giving Seymour a calculating stare as she adjusted her glasses. “Well it’s intriguing… but to do this they could call me crazy. So what would I get out of your fire making?”

Seymour’s grin widened. Boleyn was considering this? “Fair enough, you wouldn’t want to be one of us cretins! You could get excitement, we can strike a fuse and make it happen!”

“I wasn’t born this morning! Danger is just waiting to happen!”

“Then why not just go ahead and walk inside?” Seymour asked challengingly. “You want some happiness, don’t deny!”

“Craziness!”

“I’d say control!”

“Insane!”

“Maybe jail…”

“Escape.” Both of them froze, staring at each other for a long moment as the music died off before coming back.

Seymour grinned and Boleyn let out a hum as she walked away from the door, curiosity in her eyes.

Both of them began to sing together as Seymour held out the lighter and napkin. Boleyn took them and set the napkin on fire quickly as the music burst to life again.

“Don’t you wanna get away to a whole new part you’re gonna play!” Boleyn threw the napkin onto the rest and Seymour grinned widely in anticipation.

“Cause I got what you need, so come with me and take the ride!” Seymour sang out, throwing one arm around Boleyn and gesturing the other to the fire they had made.

“To the other side!” Boleyn stared at the fire, captivated as the other napkins quickly caught ablaze.

“So if you do like I do, so if you do like me!” Seymour chuckled at the stare on Boleyn’s face.

“Forget the cage, because we know how to make the key!” Both sang together. Realization sparked in Boleyn’s eyes and she was swiftly unbuttoning and shrugging her blazer off.

“Oh, damn!” Seymour took the offered blazer eagerly. “Suddenly we’re free to fly!”

“We’re going to the other side!” The blazer was thrown in the fire, only making it grow bigger.

“So if you do like I do!” No one inside seemed to notice the fire burning bright out on the balcony.

“To the other side!”

“So if you do like me!”

“We’re going to the other side!”

“Cause if we do we’re going to the other side!”

“We’re going to the other side!” Both of them finished as the music came to an abrupt stop. They watched the fire that crackled in front of them, enthralled.

Seymour spoke after a long moment. “Doesn’t it feel good?”

Boleyn let out a deep breath. “Yes… it feels…” she trailed off.

Seymour smirked knowingly. “Like you’re in control? Like you're more powerful than he ever was?”

“... yes.”

S!Catalina needed them to go get something right before/after the show, meaning they had to go in costume (several people stared at them, especially with the antics they got up to). S!Anne wants be anywhere else:

@ender1821 @mega-heir-of-heart @percy-the-penguin @arithebroadwayaddict

Last name = Swapped queen

—————

None of the queens had ever seen Parr and Seymour fight before.

Those two were extremely close. Parr had a way of calming Seymour down and Seymour was rather protective of Parr.

And Parr was always too shy to argue too intensely (after all, look what happened the last time she did).

They had never once argued. But now here they were.

The original queens had all left, it was a show night and the swapped queens simply wanted to stay home for the night. The originals finally trusted them enough to do so.

(Not as if they didn’t trust the queens themselves, it was more like they didn’t trust them to not kill each other while they were gone. Things still weren’t perfect, but it was a little better than the start.)

So the group had actually been making themselves dinner, gathered in the kitchen.

No one quite knew what led to the argument (Parr and Seymour would later confess that Seymour was about to attempt the knife game), but the next thing they knew, things had escalated.

Parr wasn’t to the point of yelling, not like Seymour was, but she was arguing just as strongly. That alone caught the others off guard.

“You’re going to get yourself killed one day!” Parr insisted.

“I’m too badass to be killed!” Seymour huffed with a laugh.

“... then why were you beheaded?!” Parr asked, voice wavering slightly and hand drifting to her own choker.

Seymour’s expression quickly twisted into a snarl at that. “That doesn’t count! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to do the game whether you like it or not!”

“Don’t you understand that I care about you?!”

“YOU DON’T CARE, NO ONE EVER HAS!”

Parr finally snapped. “I’M YOUR FRIEND, OF COURSE I CARE!”

Everyone in the room froze. Whether it was from Parr’s voice being the loudest they had ever heard it or from shock of their words, wasn’t clear.

Before anyone could say anything else, Parr scrambled away, hands clasped over her mouth. Seconds later they heard her door closing.

Seymour stared blankly at where she stood for a moment before a scowl appeared on her face and she stomped away, her own door slamming as well.

After their departure, the other four could only stare at each other, for once silent at the scene they had just witnessed.

~~||~~||~~

At some point, another queen spoke to the two. Aragon spoke to Parr and Cleves spoke with Seymour. (Later, Howard would give Parr a small talk and Anne would give Seymour a small talk as well)

Aragon would find Parr sobbing on her bed, curled into a ball. The first queen was quickly gathering Parr up into her arms.

Both were quiet for a long time, simply letting Parr cry.

“Why is she so reckless?” Parr finally whispered.

Aragon sighed. “I don’t know, love. Seymour… I think she does it to vent.”

“I think so too… I just… I care about her.”

“She cares about you too, it’s just… after Henry.”

“All of us feel like that…”

“Exactly.”

~~||~~||~~

Cleves had found Seymour hunched on the floor, about to set fire to a stack of papers with her lighter. Cleves was quick to stop her. Seymour hadn’t resisted as Cleves took her and the paper outside to burn it instead.

Seymour was more snappy than usual, but eventually Cleves got her to open up just slightly.

“Why does she care?”

“I can’t answer that, Seymour. That’s something only Parr can.” Cleves had given her a grin. “But for the record, I care about you too. And frankly, I don’t think either of us need a reason to.”

Both were silent after that.

~~||~~||~~

The original queens still weren’t home yet. The Swapped queens had retired to bed.

Seymour was laying in bed, on her back and staring at the lighter she held up, flicking it and watching the flame dance.

She paused upon hearing the door creak. She glanced over and saw a familiar figure, illuminated by the hall light.

“Parr?” Seymour asked immediately, setting the lighter aside and sitting up. “What—“

In a second, Parr had crossed to her side and had thrown her arms around her. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I care about you.”

“Don’t…” Seymour paused. “Don’t apologize for caring.”

“Please don’t leave me…” Parr sniffed, arms only wrapping tighter. Seymour stared for a moment before gathering the shorter woman into her arms.

“I won’t leave, I never will. I promise.” Seymour allowed herself to be vulnerable. She couldn’t hurt Parr.