#، ᭩ —￤ yoru approved ⋆

[anantaru]

— genshin impact official birthday art 2024 for yunjin 🎀

"Your performance today was wonderful, Ms. Yun!"

"All thanks to everyone's encouragement! Oh, and incidentally, Er'ye, I was just about to go looking for your young lady 'Xingyan.'"

[ask-riftwalker]

Yo Yoru, i made zaru soba for the first time since i love it so much. Somehow, it reminds me of you. Would you like to give a taste? Ah.. it may not be authentic since im not Japanese ;><;

(He's a bit stunned that you remember him by making his favorite food. He's excited because he hasnt had it in a while and he's extremely homesick. He appreciates the gesture.)

Uhmm. Fine. I'll eat it just to see if it's any good. A-anyway, it's cold soba. It's not rocket science. I'm sure you did okay. And thanks.

[pettyprocrastination]

you know I kind of like the idea of Konig being a bit of an asshole. 

[sweet-milky-tea705]

Laezel's romance route is soooo odd. I love her tho

[hamausagi]

gona go lay down and think abt underwaternano and shizuyoru my multishipper heart cant take this mannnnn

[hollowbutcanlove]

The language of the flowers Pt. 1

TW: foul language, mention of fucking.

Yoru - narcissus - deceitful hopes, desire, selfishness.

Your relationship seemed strange to you from the beginning. You saw each other infrequently in private places to satisfy your lustful needs. Outside of those meetings, you had no contact. Or rather, he didn't make contact at all. When you tried to start even a conversation about a joint mission, he quickly swept you off your feet without even letting you finish your sentence. And you were hurting. Your heart clenched and bled, anxious thoughts turning your brain upside down trying to figure out what you were doing wrong.

"Yoru, wait," you finally manage to grab hold of him during the mission. He's wounded, so he can't run far. "Why are you doing this to me?"

"Found time to ask," - he snorts and turns away. - "Don't blink your eyes, and look around."

"There's no way I can get through to you at any other time!" - You shriek and tug at his wounded arm.

" Shit! What the fuck do you want?" - he yells and yanks his hand out of your grasp.

"Just tell me why you're avoiding me? Isn't everything that's going on between us..."

"Between us? There is no us. We just fuck every now and then. " - he quips dryly, then abruptly pulls out his gun and shoots somewhere behind your back. - "I told you to watch, didn't I! No use for you besides a nice body."

Something inside you cracks and you stare in shock at the guy, who clearly doesn't care about what you're feeling. He crawls away to a more secluded spot, waiting for help, while you stare at the spot where Yoru was just sitting. His words have shaken you to the core. Did you make it all up? Did you make up something that never happened?

Iso - bird cherry - joy; "I have much to tell you," "I want to see you as soon as possible!"

The silence in the common living room was broken by someone's footsteps, which brought you out of your slumber. You slowly lifted over the couch to look at the insolent man who dared to pull you out of your sweet half-dreams. At the other end of the room stood Iso, apparently just back from a mission. He and a few of the other agents hadn't been at headquarters for a while, but the others were out of sight for some reason.

"They'll be here later," he must have read your mind. - "I brought you something."

He pulls a small toy out of his sweatshirt pocket, a local symbol of the country they were in. You smile softly and sit down fully on the couch, waiting for Iso.

"There's so much I want to tell you about what happened," he takes a seat next to me and begins his story. - "Did you sleep?"

"It's okay," you nod.

After your approval, he begins to recount all the events that have come their way. You only listened silently and nodded occasionally to give some feedback. It's rare that Iso is so talkative and open, but he's always there for you. And all you have to do is enjoy listening to his voice.

Omen - aster white - "I love you more than you love me"; "Not convinced of your love".

"Omen," you quietly call out to your partner in the semi-darkness of the room.

You see him near his bonsai, which Omen was carefully and carefully trimming with special scissors. The painstaking and patient way he was doing his work made you wonder if all living things are allowed to feel such care from a ghostly being.

"Omen!" - You called out louder, and he was finally distracted from what he was doing.

"Yes, dear?" - he resumed his occupation, listening to the sounds you would make. A chill ran through the room, and you shrank back.

"I think..." - you stammered, not knowing how to choose your words. "You... I... Shit..."

The sound of scissors filled the silence that hung in the air.

"Damn, Omen..." - you finally exhale. - "I feel like you don't feel anything for me. Like I love you more than you love me."

He stops and three times the slits in his face turn in your direction. An awkward moment of silence is replaced by a quiet sound that meant Omen put his scissors down on the tabletop.

"You know this is hard for me. Human feelings feel differently to me. "

"But it's hard for me too. And I'm trying to do something about it. Unlike you." - you bite your lip and look away.

"I do some things too, to understand you and not to hurt you. You don't notice them." - A note of anger slipped into the ghost's voice, then his footsteps began to drift away. He didn't like talking to you in a fit of anger, so he just walked away. At times like this you both felt abandoned and misunderstood, but in the end you always end up back where you started. The vicious circle of misunderstandings and reconciliations will always be with you, because you are two different beings who will hardly ever understand each other 100%.

[iliketangerines]

‘Let me be self indulgent’ is so real and I’m absolutely here for it. I’m hoping…(maybe possibly) if you could do a pussy drunk kenshi? (Can be already dating or like a heat of the moment situation, I don’t mind) Like finger fucking, pussy eating, over stimulation? (the goods). I really adore your writing, and I see the way you’re able to pump these out like nothing and it’s insane, you’re speedy with it, and that takes talent. I hope you have a good dayyy 🙂🤭🥴

lost in the taste

a/n: i need kenshi diabolically fr

pairing: kenshi takahashi x afab!reader

warnings: nsfw (MDNI), pussy eating, fingering, overstimulation, squirting

he tugs at your panties, nearly tearing off the material as he whines into your mouth while he kisses you, needing to have a taste of you

you pant into his mouth, fingers digging into his scalp, as he trails his kisses downward, over your chest, your stomach, the inside of your thighs

Kenshi’s too impatient and places his mouth over the fabric of your panties, licking and whining into your clit as his fingers dig into your legs

it makes you tilt your head back and grind your hips into his face as Kenshi mouths at your pussy through the fabric

he grows impatient and brings his tattoos hands forward to rip off your panties, and you squeak as you hear the fabric rip off your hips

but the sound of complaint of him ruining your underwear flies away the second he attaches his mouth to your clit, humming and sucking as his fingertips dig into the muscle

he moans and whines into your cunt, desperate and needy as he grinds his hips into the edge of the mattress at the taste of you

you’re so sweet, so beautiful, so pretty laid out for him like this, like the finest meal he’s ever seen and tasted in his life

he’s addicted to you, he can’t get enough, and Kenshi moans as he moves down so he can fuck you on his tongue

his nose grinds into your clit, and by the way you pant into the air and your hips jerk up into the air, you’re close to the edge already

so so reactive for him, he loves it, how you fall apart at his touch, how you stutter over your words whenever his tattooed hands trail down your body, he can’t resist you

one of his hands lets go of your thigh and move to spread your pussy lips, feeling how sticky and wet you are from just sucking on your clit

he slides both of his fingers in you, and you whine at the stretch, panting into the air and back arching off the bed as you come from just his fingers

Kenshi groans as your sweetness coats his fingers, and he thrusts his fingers in and out of your as he flicks your clit with his tongue

your hips twitch in his hold, and Kenshi brings his other arm up to pin your hips firmly to the bed, he won’t have you ruining his meal with your squirming

you whimper as he continues to suck at your clit, humming and sending vibrations through your spine, and his fingers thrust in and out of you, lewd squelching making you squirm even more

he growls and nips the inside of yoru thigh, telling you to stay still, and you grow still on the bed, trying to be good for him

Kenshi hums in approval and attaches his lips back to your clit, obsessed with the taste of you

curling his fingers inside of you, he prods for that spot to make you keen, to make your mind go blank and hazy with pleasure, and he finds it easily

your back arches off the bed, and your hands grip tightly onto his hair, making Kenshi groan at the tugging as he continuously massages the spot

your legs twitch around Kenshi’s head, and it’s the only warning he gets as you come on his fingers again, crying out from pleasure

but he needs more, needs you to cry, needs you to pass out, needs you to squirt on him, and so he continues fucking you roughly on his fingers while lavishing your clit his firm strokes of his tongue

he listens to your voice get wobbly, how you tell him it’s too much, that you can’t, but he doesn’t respond, only humming into your pussy as your wetness drips down his fingers and onto the bed

you sob out and let go of his hair to push at his arms, to get him off you, but Kenshi listens and doesn’t hear your agreed upon words

and so he continues, pressing his fingers into you so that you cry out in pleasure, and he keeps on sucking on your clit, mind clouding with pleasure as he craves the taste of you

soon your whine die off into small whimper and then hiccups and sniffles as he draws orgasm after orgasm after you

your thighs twitch around his head, and your hips grind against him despite the overstimulation as you pant into the air

he knows your crying, he wishes he knew what you looked like crying, how pretty you’d look, how your eyes are glossy and glazed over right now

your pussy clenches down on his fingers as you cry out, and you squirt on his face, whining loudly and twitching in his grip

Kenshi eagerly laps up the liquid, letting it soak his lower face and his chest, and he whines into your cunt as his fingers ruthlessly fuck into you

he feels his dick twitch, and he spills his seed inside of his underwear, moaning into your pussy as he grinds his cock into the mattress

you both ride out your highs, and he finally parts from your pussy and slides his fingers out of your drooling cunt

he can feel how puffy your folds are and how your release and wetness coat your cunt, and he coos as you let out a pained whine as he runs his fingers over the mess

Kenshi crawls up the bed, kissing you gently and wiping your face of tears with his clean hand, and you moan into his mouth

you’re too good for him, truly, and he’ll never be able to get tired of your taste

[discordantwritings]

Training, Interrupted- Dracule Mihawk x Reader

Warnings: 18+ NO MINORS, afab! reader (no gendered terms), PiV sex, mentor/ mentee relationship, not beta read

Summary: You’ve been thinking about your mentor too much. In ways you shouldn’t be thinking about your mentor. It was stupid of you to think your ogling went unnoticed, wasn’t it.

Word Count: 2.6k

Note: I’m a sucker for surprisingly slow and romantic Mihawk ok

It remained a mystery to you how you even got taken in under Dracule Mihawk’s wing. You think he must have been really drunk the night he saw you scrapping in a back alley and promised to show you how to dial your natural talent into precise skill- and then the morning after was too proud or stubborn to take that promise back.

But here you still were, months later and living in his castle, training day in and day out. Constantly exhausted, beaten, and bruised you sometimes wondered why you stayed. And then Mihawk would give you an approving nod or slight praise and- yeah- you were in love with him.

He was effortlessly powerful, a refined pirate, and, of course, incredibly hot. And you had to suffer through the man walking around constantly with his unbuttoned. It was a hell of your own choosing though, you wouldn’t trade it for the world.

But sometimes you got frustrated. And by sometimes you mean all the time. Frustrated with your training, frustrated with Mihawk, and worst of all, sexually frustrated. Every day you would end your training with a duel with Mihawk and every day you would end up panting, sweaty on the ground with your mentor standing over you, pointing Yoru at your throat. Every night you shamefully muffled your cries into your pillow as you cum on your fingers to that exact image. It was never quite enough though and you always fell asleep unsatisfied.

It was hard not to think about in the mornings, sitting at his ridiculously long dining room table as you ate breakfast together and talked over your training for the day. You focused all your energy on your toast as he went through what you were expected to do today in the hopes that his keen observation skills can’t detect that you’re still worked up from the night before.

“I don’t like to repeat myself.” The sharp sound of Mihawk’s displeased voice cut through your thoughts and you realized that in your focus you had totally blocked him out.

Fuck.

“I’m sorry.” You don’t look him in the eyes, embarrassment burning up your skin.

“Work on fixing your sleep schedule, you’re never present in the mornings.” He says as he stands up, walking behind your chair as he passes to the kitchen. “Or I will have to work you until you pass out.”

You barely hold yourself together until you hear the door to the dining room shut and you practically collapse onto the table. The mixture of shame from not paying attention and the lust how your dirty minded twisted his last statement overloaded your brain. Not to mention you don’t even know what your training routine is supposed to be today. You’re screwed.

In an effort to not be kicked off the island you ran yourself through the hardest training regimens you could think of. So much so that you could barely drag yourself to the room where you did you nightly duel with Mihawk. However much your body (and your mind) protested you made it right on time.

“I see you figured out what to do with yourself today.” Mihawk was already in the room, Yoru in hand.

“I did what you wanted me to do.” You brought up your sword, knowing he wouldn’t want to waste any time.

“And how could you be so sure.” It takes him no effort to close the distance between you two, Yoru swinging down fast. You manage a weak block, having to side step to avoid taking a hit.

“I’m sorry.” You swing into Mohawk’s side but in a flash Yoru is there, easily parrying your blade.

“You keep saying that and yet-“ Yoru sweeps up and binds your blade and with a shove your grip, weak from heavy training, gives. “Your behavior isn’t fixed.”

Your eyes dart from him to your sword on the ground and you decide to make a lunge for it but your move is easily predicted. A quick foot slides under yours and kicks, sending you clattering to the ground. Mihawk lazily walks over you, Yoru’s tip drifting to your throat.

“You’re constantly distracted. What am I to think? Because I’m not sure how much you want this.” Normally he’s walked away at this point and left you to your defeat, but now he is still bearing over you.

“I want this. More than anything.” You plead from the ground.

“More than anything?” Mihawk retracts Yoru, swinging it over his shoulder. In a move that surprises you he goes down on one knee next to you, staring intently. As much as you want to break eye contact you can’t, his bright ringed eyes hypnotizing you. “I certainly don’t believe that.”

“W-what do you mean?” You manage to choke out, feeling cornered despite being in the middle of the room.

“I know you don’t think I’m stupid.” His head tilts slightly “I see how you look at me.”

Oh, you’re done for. You know you’re bright red from embarrassment and all you can do is finally lower your gaze in shame. “I’m sorr-“

You’re cut off by Mihawk’s pointer finger being brought under your chin and pulling it up, forcing you to look at him once again. “Do I need to keep telling you not to say you’re sorry?”

The small move has you biting back a whimper. “No sir.”

“Good.” You see his gaze flick over your form for a second before returning to stare into your eyes. “I’ve also heard you, you know. Late at night.”

You feeling like you’re going to burn up under his gaze and words. You go to apologize but manage to switch up your words before he tells you off again. “I can leave. I’ll be gone before dark.”

“Why would I want that?” His thumb goes over your chin and using his two fingers he drags your face closer to his. “I was enjoying watching you squirm but it’s clear you’ve grown distracted. We can’t have that can we?”

You’re not sure what’s happening right now is real, because it could have been ripped straight from one of your masturbatory fantasies. You try to nod your head but his two finger grip is surprisingly firm.

“I’ll need you to use your words darling.”

Practically melting at the pet name you manage to squeak out a “yes.”

“Good.” And just like that his hand is gone and he’s standing up over you. He reaches a hand down for you though, and you take it before you can overthink the situation.

“Do I- I mean should we-“ You stumble over your words now face to face with him.

“How about I meet you in your room in a half hour.” You think you see the ghost of a smirk on his face.

“Yeah. Yes. Yes sir.” You’re not sure if you can actually manage to wait that long but you’re at least grateful for the chance to run through the shower first.

“Perfect.” You expect him to leave immediately but he surprises you by snaking a hand around your waist and pulling you closer to him. Your faces are so close you can feel your nose brush against his and you hold your breath.

“Can I kiss you?” Mihawk asks at a whisper.

Having lost the ability to speak you instead bring your lips to his in answer. Mohawk’s hand at your waist grips tightly as he quickly dominates the kiss. But just as fast as it started it ended with Mihawk pulling away and striding out the door, leaving you standing breathless.

——

You took the quickest shower of your life, leaving you with just enough time to overthink what you were going to wear. Clothes? Stay in your towel? Nothing? You groaned as you rifled through your closet before finding a basic robe. You throw on the middle ground of clothing and run to your bed, unsure of how much time you have left. Seating yourself on the large bed you face the door, doing your best to slow your breathing down. This was real. This was happening.

Before you could think too much a knock echoed through your room. Taking only a moment to collect yourself you call out that he can come in.

Mihawk opens the door and walks in, shutting the door behind him without taking his eyes off of you. Yoru and his coat are missing, it’s almost like you’re already seeing him naked. He wastes no time and strides over to you, hands immediately going to the tie of your robe.

“Wrapped yourself up for me?” He smirks, hands not untying the knot yet.

You nod, already flushing under his gaze.

His fingers dig their way into the knot and start to pull but before it comes undone he stops and leans in closer. “I want you to be sure about this. If you don’t want this we can pretend this never happened.”

“No!” You say a bit too loud. “I mean- please, I want this.”

“Perfect.” In a flash your robe is untied and his hands are on your skin, grabbing at your waist and pulling you to him. He captures your lips in a searing kiss and you can’t help but be swept away. Your mind goes blank as you feel his hands run down to your hips, his thumbs rubbing circles into your skin.

His mouth moves down to your neck and you shudder as he bites down, marking you. While he runs his tongue over the fresh mark one hand leaves your hip and travels inwards, skating over your mound.

“Tell me,” he whispers into your neck, “what do you think about when you’re moaning to yourself late at night.”

“I-“ Your words catch in your throat as his fingers ghost over your folds. “You.”

He chuckles as his hand stills. “Come on now be more specific.”

You groan in frustration, his fingers so close to where you need them to be. “Your fingers. Your hands. Anything you’d give me really.”

The answer seems to satisfy him as you feel his fingers push past your folds and gently enter you. You bite the inside of your cheek to stifle the noise but Mihawk notices and bites down again, this time on your shoulder.

“Don’t hide your voice from me darling, I want to hear you.” Two fingers curl inside you and your mouth falls open in a moan. You don’t try and hide it this time and are rewarded with Mihawk’s thumb gently circling your clit. As his fingers work inside you his mouth travels back up your neck, eventually recapturing your mouth in a kiss. He’s more relaxed this time, lazily swallowing your moans as you get closer and closer to the edge.

You pull back and press your forehead to his. “I’m close.”

He presses a kiss to the corner of your mouth as he adds a third finger and precisely angles his fingers to hit that delicate spot inside you.

“Cum for me.” The gentle command sends you over the edge, white hot pleasure racking over your body.

You barely register him pulling his fingers out but you see when he backs up a fraction, pulling his fingers up to his mouth. Dazed, you watch him lick your slick off of his fingers one by one.

“I’ll have to have a proper taste next time.” He stands up and takes off his shirt and you prop yourself up to get a proper look. You’ve seen him shirtless before but as he reaches for his belt you can’t wait to get the full picture. In a bold move you lean forward and replace his hands with your own on his belt, opening it and quickly going to unbutton his pants.

“Eager, aren’t we?” You glance up and see a smirk but it’s quickly chased away as you slip your hand down the front of his pants. Both of you gasp when you make contact with the large bulge underneath and you lightly palm him through his boxers. You swell a bit with pride knowing that you’ve effected him like this.

After one long drag your hand comes back out as you yank his pants and underwear down. His cock springs free, his tip red and leaking. You look up innocently as your hand gently wraps around it and you tug experimentally. You’re rewarded with a small gasp but before you can go any further he pushes you back into the bed.

“Some other time I’ll let you suck my cock but right now-“ He climbs over you on the bed, sitting back slightly so he line himself up with your entrance. “I need to be inside of you.”

You shiver as you feel the head of his dick slide over your folds. He braces himself over you, one hand coming up to your face and brushing away some hair. The unexpectedly soft gesture made you relax and you leaned up and kissed him. Your arms snake around the back of his neck and you hold him close as he slowly enters you.

The stretch is almost painful and your fingers dig into his back as he slowly continues to push into you. You feel like it takes an eternity but he finally stills, his hips flush with yours. Mihawk pauses, letting you adjust to his size.

“You take me so well darling.” He breaths into your ear before slowly moving out and then back in. You press your face into his neck as you let out a loud moan, overwhelmed by the drag of his cock inside you.

Mihawk is in no rush, continuing his languid pace and whispering praises in your ear. You give up all control, letting Mihawk use you as he pleases, enjoying the way pleasure chases out any other thoughts in your head.

You’re snapped back into the moment after who knows how long when Mihawk slides a hand between the two of you and his skilled fingers start working at your clit.

“I want to feel you fall apart around me.” He nips at your ear as he starts thrusting faster.

You clench down around him and a low moan escapes him. Feeling how close you where he doubles his efforts and you practically scream his name.

“Can you cum for me again? I know you can, cum with me.” You can tell he’s close too, his breath is shaky in your ear.

“Yes I’m-“ is all you can manage to say before pleasure overtakes you once again and you dig your nails into Mihawk’s.

Mihawk isn’t loud as he cums but you feel him fill you up as his breathing finally slows.

He doesn’t move for a few moments, letting the two of you come back to your senses. He gently pulls out and kisses you on the forehead, leaving for the bathroom. Coming back with a washcloth he cleans you up. You honestly weren’t expecting your mentor to be this gentle or caring, but it makes your heart swell.

He pauses at the foot of your bed for a second and for the first time ever you see him hesitating.

“Don’t leave.” You plead softly with him.

You see the hesitation slide off of him as he climbs back into bed with you.

Wrapping your arms around him again you bury yourself in his side, content in his warmth. You’re not sure how your relationship is going to change after this, but when you feel his steady heartbeat you’re not worried at all.

[kazvha]

The Valorant guys meet your parents for the first time

Including: Iso, Yoru, & Phoenix

ISO

• This guy better not say anything about having been a contract killer

• Iso brought a fruit basket as a gift for your parents and your mom immediately pulled you over to gush about how cute he is

• Before he arrived you two spent an hour on the phone trying to decide what he should wear. And let me tell you he cleaned himself up nicely😩 If he's doing something, he's making sure he's doing it right

• He's a really quiet one, but he answers all your parents' questions politely and tries to keep the conversation flowing

• They notice the sparks in his eyes whenever he mentions his grandma. "Your grandma raised you well."

• Very agreeable dinner and your parents like him very much.

• Your siblings found him boring. Not that you care though

8/10

YORU

• When your parents opened the door and saw this man wearing tight joggers and a rugged t-shirt paired with his biker jacket, their mouths dropped slightly. What were you thinking picking up that guy??

• They tiptoed around him, and the conversation was rough. You had to act as the intermediary before the whole thing became too awkward

• "You're good with bikes?" As soon as your dad heard this he asked Yoru to help him fix his machine

• And off they went

• When they came back they were laughing loudly and your dad's arm was over Yoru's shoulders

• You don't question what happened, you're just glad he got your dad's approval

• Your siblings are quite scared of Yoru. They fled into their rooms after the dinner was over.

6/10

PHOENIX

• He came too late. The food already got cold ToT

• Phoenix apologized as soon as you opened the door. "I'm so sorry!"

• He didn't stop apologizing throughout the entire meal. But for some reason, he didn't want to tell you why he was late

• ... anyways

• After that, the dinner was enjoyable, Phoenix just knows how to entertain people. Even your parents warmed up to him

• Your siblings love him. After you finished eating they dragged him up to their rooms to play/talk with him. So no alone time :(

7/10

[aimbutmiss]

The day started like any other normal day. And it was, to Mihawk at least.

Yes, it was his birthday, but he never really cared for the occasion. Was he grateful for the life he was given? Of course he was. But he never saw the point in celebrating. He remembered the day when Shanks had showed up out of nowhere, ten years or so ago. He was overjoyed to see the man, hands itching to reach for Yoru, but the man stopped him with a whine.

"Nooooo, I come in peace! We can't fight, not today of all days!"

He held up the bottle in his hand with a bright smile. "We're gonna party until the sun goes down and comes back up!"

A frown pulled down on Mihawk's face, who was not quite understanding the situation. "What are you talking about?"

Shanks' smile quickly dropped too. "Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday."

Ah, right. So that's what this was about. The man had told him his date of birth some time ago, and in his surprise and perhaps slight tipsiness, he had admitted that they shared the same birthday. In hindsight, he should have known the red head would pull something like this. It was definitely in character. He sighed in frustration.

"I'm not quite the type to celebrate. You know I don't like to party like you folk."

"That's nonsense!" Shanks walked up to him and slapped a hand on his back, strong enough to send a normal man flying. But of course, Mihawk didn't move an inch. "Parties are like, the best part of being a pirate! And even if I respect your mysterious and lonely guy schtick, it's your damn birthday! You can make an exception for one day of the year."

He looked up, reminiscing about the past. "The captain was very firm about that. He would throw me and Buggy the most extravagant parties. He never once forgot; can you believe that?"

The captain he was talking about was indeed the King of the Pirates, Gold Roger. It had shocked Mihawk at first, learning about Shanks’ past. But the more he got to know the man, the more it made sense. A man of his caliber couldn’t have come from anything else. Shanks was a very talkative drunkard, so Mihawk was used to listening to stories about that time of his life. And frankly, he quite enjoyed it. These men in his stories and the stuff they went through were like straight out of legends... He gave a small smile to the excited man in front of him. "I guess I could indulge you just this once, but only because it's your birthday too."

He snapped out of the memories and slowly got out of bed, having had enough nostalgia to last him the day. But he was stopped by a floating hand pulling on his night gown.

"Stay."

Mihawk looked to the source of the muffled protest, which happened to be the blue mess in his bed. "Let go, Buggy."

"Nooooooo..."

He sighed as he sat back down on the bed, fingers immediately going for the soft blue locks. An approving hum came from the clown as he brushed through his hair with his long fingers.

This sleepy man, with whom he shared a bed, was one of those from Shanks’ stories. Except he was nothing like them. He wasn’t brave and fearless like in the stories, he was weak. But he knew exactly what he was and what he was capable of, and Mihawk loved him for that. He was charming beyond words, and a little stupid, but Mihawk was into that, as embarrassing as it was.

“Get back into bed and get your birthday cuddles.”

Mihawk chuckled at his partner. “Nice try, sweetheart.”

He got up to leave for the bathroom. “Do you know where Crocodile went?”

“Nope! How should I know?” Buggy answered way too quickly, which made the swordsman’s brows furrow.

“Hm. He’s probably in his office like usual.”

“Yes! That’s it.” Buggy exclaimed in triumph, for what he didn’t know. “He’s such a workaholic.”

“Indeed.” He replied nonchalantly as he reached for his razor.

“Wait!” Buggy ran out of bed to his side with a smile. “Let me do that for you.”

Mihawk stared at him with a raised brow. “You want to help me shave? For what reason exactly?”

“It’ll be relaxing! I’m good with my hands, you know.” Buggy wiggled his brows suggestively, which made his lips curve just the slightest bit. The clown could be funny sometimes, mostly when he wasn’t trying. Oh, how he loved this silly man.

“You literally have no reason to do this.”

Buggy sighed in frustration. “I’m just trying to pamper you, birthday boy. Take it or leave it.”

Mihawk thought about it for a second, and reluctantly gave the razor to the clown. “You better not mess this up. I have a very particular- “

“I’m aware, dear. Just trust me.”

He gently held his face and got to work, carving out the intricate design with capable movements. After he was done, he wiped his face with a fresh towel and gave him a kiss on the cheek to seal the deal.

“Was that a part of the service?” Mihawk jokingly asked.

“Only for you, handsome.”

Mihawk was never one for being coddled, always believing that being spoiled was being looked down upon. He didn’t need special attention and privilege to make it in life. But this, this he could get used to.

He pulled Buggy into a kiss that started innocent, but quickly grew more desperate. He was sneaking his hands under Buggy’s polka dot pyjama shirt when the man pushed him away.

“Nuh uh.”

“Nuh uh?” Mihawk stared at his boyfriend in bewilderment.

“Not now. I’ll give your birthday gift at night.”

Mihawk frowned. “It’s my birthday now too. What difference does it make?”

“God, you’re impatient. Night. No negotiating.”

Mihawk pursed his lips and didn’t protest. He was not happy, though.

Buggy stayed with him throughout the day, keeping him company and making sure he stayed away from the beach.

Yes, Mihawk could tell. But to be fair, Buggy wasn’t exactly being subtle. But he didn’t say a word, indulging in whatever the man was planning.

A surprise party, perhaps? God, he really hoped it wasn’t that. Crowds and being the center of attention didn’t agree with his constitution.

And where was his other partner (both in romantic and business contexts), Crocodile? He wasn’t in his office like he initially assumed. He was sure Buggy knew where the man was but refrained from asking questions. He was quite sure the two situations were somehow connected.

That in itself was quite ridiculous to think about. Crocodile didn’t seem like the type of man to care about birthdays either, like himself. Maybe Buggy had somehow convinced him? It all seemed very unnecessary. He knew the clown had good intentions, but he would have been fine if no one acknowledged his birthday at all. It wasn’t of importance to him, simple as that.

Then why was this bothering him so much? He tried to focus on Buggy’s rambling but that feeling did not leave.

Why did it feel so wrong to be celebrated just for existing? To be loved and cared for?

Don’t get him wrong, he wasn’t unhappy with it. Quite the opposite actually. But it just felt so… foreign. He needed time to adjust, to make his peace with it.

He thought he had gotten over this particular problem after he formed a relationship with his two business partners. It had taken a lot out of him to simply let them in, to feel comfortable in their presence, to not fret from every touch… And even though he trusted them completely, here he was doubting his place.

It just didn’t make sense. They were wasting their time and effort for an inconsequential event that would pass by, leaving nothing changed. So, what if he got a year older? What did that change? Why did they care so much about something he himself didn’t care for? To show their love? But Mihawk already knew they loved him.

“Earth to Mihawk, hello?”

Mihawk snapped out of his thoughts, staring at Buggy’s concerned eyes. “Hm? Sorry, I got lost in thoughts. You were saying?”

“I was saying I want to walk along the beach… You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, don’t worry. I’m alright, just a bit sluggish today. And sure, we can go for a stroll.”

He walked hand in hand with Buggy, trying to ease his mind and keep small talk going. He wasn’t big on physical touch, but he really appreciated the warmth of Buggy’s hand then. The clown always had a way of comforting him without trying. Mihawk stopped walking when he saw the dinner table placed on the beach. That certainly wasn’t there before. It was adorned with red roses and lit candles, setting a romantic atmosphere. Crocodile was standing beside the table, looking at his pocket watch.

“You’re late.”

“I know! I got lost in my speaking, and hawk eyes didn’t try to stop me so I lost track of time…”

“You and your big mouth… I guess it’s alright, we didn’t miss the sunset.”

Crocodile walked up to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and sharing a chaste kiss.

“Happy birthday, hawk eyes.”

“Thank you.” Mihawk broke the eye contact as he felt his cheeks get hotter.

Crocodile gave a sly smirk. “Someone’s being bashful.”

“Well, I didn’t expect… this. I was convinced you were throwing me a party.”

Buggy frowned at the thought. “Of course not! That would make you uncomfortable, wouldn’t it? That’s the last thing I would want on your birthday. A private dinner on the other hand…”

“Is much more your style, is it not?” Crocodile completed Buggy’s sentence.

Mihawk was the luckiest man alive. He gave his lovers a small smile. “Yes, indeed it is. You are too thoughtful.”

“It’s literally the bare minimum but okay.”

“I can’t believe this, but I agree with the clown. What kind of partners would we be if we didn’t know your preferences?”

Mihawk sat on the chair the taller man pulled out for him as Buggy poured him a glass of wine, one of his favorites that happened to be quite expensive.

“I just don’t quite get what’s so important about this day, or what you would go through all this trouble for.”

Crocodile and Buggy shared a glance and turned to him with sad eyes.

“Because it’s the day you came into this world, and therefore to our lives? Because we love you?”

“Indeed. I don’t see what’s so confusing about us wanting to cherish the man we love, to show him how much he means to us. Is that a problem?”

Mihawk stared at the two in astonishment and eventually, a big smile stretched across his lips. “No, not at all.”

The swordsman had a lot to learn about love, about being loved, but he had two perfect partners to help him through the steps. He could get used to celebrating his birthday if it meant he got to share it with the people he loved. Maybe that’s what he had been missing all these years to give this day a meaning. Company.

And after dinner, Buggy didn’t forget about his promise from the morning. Easy to say Mihawk went to sleep a very tired but satisfied man.

[batofburnside]

"Tell Me" Part 3

Gekko x (Fem!)Reader

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi everyone! This is the third part of my first Gekko fanfic and my first fanfic posted on tumblr. I just posted part 2 at the same time, so I'm excited and nervous to see what y'all think so far. I really enjoyed writing these. Like last parts, I used google translate for most of the Spanish that wasn’t just a few words so I apologize if anything gets lost in translation, I am not fluent. Words: 8.0K

TW: Character Death, Guns, angst, (kinda?) manipulation, Kidnapping, Blood

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mateo sat on a bar stool in the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal while resting his head on his hand. He was exhausted. Not being able to fall back asleep, he sent you an early good morning text,  and then headed right into the training arena. Spending a few hours practicing his aim on the training bots until he couldn’t see straight anymore. After a quick shower to wake him up, he headed to the kitchen for breakfast. It was now nearly 9 AM. A few agents have come and gone while he has been in the kitchen. Sage, who is usually an early riser, entered the training arena as he was leaving, giving the young agent a nod of approval for getting some early morning training in. Mateo had tried to keep his worry and anxiety off of his face, he didn’t want to give anyone a reason to pull him off of the mission. Passing Omen and Fade in the hallway he gave a quick hello to the two. Yoru had come into the kitchen to grab breakfast as well. Mateo gave the dimension walker a nod and the older man exchanged the pleasantry before leaving.

Mateo looked up from his cereal that he was more so playing with instead of eating as Neon made her presence known, “There you are, Mateo!” She said as she made her way further into the kitchen and started to prepare her own breakfast. He looked around, making sure that no one was near to be able to hear his real name, “Lo lamento, you were looking for me?” He questioned.

“Yeah, I heard you yell last night. I went to make sure you were alright, but you weren’t in your room.” She said, grabbing her food and sitting down next to him. “Reyna said she hadn’t seen you yet, either.” 

Mateo’s face flashed red with embarrassment. Neon had heard him yell out after his nightmare. He guessed it would make sense that she would be the one to hear it as their rooms shared a wall, but he wondered how loud he truly was and hoped no one else had heard anything. “Wait, what did you tell Reyna?” He said with urgency. If Reyna knew something was bothering him, she might tell Sage or Brimstone to pull him off the mission.

Neon raised a brow, confused by his sudden worry. “I just let her know I was looking for you and was going to check up on you?” 

“Maldita sea” He whispered, resting his head in his hands.

“What dude? You’re being weird. What's going on with you?” Neon said, taking a bite.

“Nothings wrong. I had a nightmare last night. Eso es todo. I can still go on the mission, everything's FINE. Bien.”

Neon swallowed, smirking, “ahhh, okay. So that’s what this is. You’re psyching yourself out!”

“Que!? No- I’m not- uh” Mateo sighed, shaking his head, “I had a nightmare about (y/n). I died on the mission and she found out that everything since I’ve been here has been lies.” 

Neon furrowed her brow, “You know Sage can bring us back? You don’t have to worry about that.”

“I know, but what if she can’t.”

“Well…” Neon started, “That hasn’t happened yet. But, I bet Brimstone will handle it, and give your family something? I’m not sure.”

Mateo shook his head, “That’s the thing. Nothing Brimstone can give (y/n) will undo any of the hurt I caused. She won’t see me as a hero once she finds out the lies it cost.”

The two of them sat in silence for a minute before Mateo spoke up again, “I’ve been thinking, and I think I’m going to tell her. About us and what I’m doing.”

Neon choked on her food, “You’re going to what!? Mateo you know you can’t.”

“She won’t tell anyone, I trust (y/n).”

“You don’t understand, Mateo. Of course our Omega counterparts know who our loved ones are. There aren’t many discrepancies between who we know and are related to. And the only thing keeping them safe is their ignorance. My parents only know where I am, and even that information could put them in danger.”

Mateo bit the inside of his cheek as he thought he was at a crossroads here. He couldn’t put you in danger. But, like Neon’s parents, his mom knows. Reyna told her months before he joined the Protocol and she’s been safe. There must be exceptions. “I won’t put her in danger, but I need to do something about this.” Mateo said, standing up. “Don’t tell Reyna or anyone until I figure it out, por favor.”

Neon looked up as Mateo stood, holding a steady gaze, “I won’t tell anyone, but I sure hope you know what you’re doing.” She said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a relatively uneventful week for you. Right now you are in the middle of mundane chores. You had just gotten home from grocery shopping for your dad and had begun to put the goods away. The only thing that made today different from the others was, to your surprise, Mateo texting you good morning around 5 AM. You were curious why he was up so early and he told you he just wanted to get an early start to his day and get into a better routine. Something you had wanted to do before but always gave up a few days in. Walking up anywhere between 8AM-10AM is usually how it went for you depending on your classes. You noticed Mateo seemed to have more time on his hands today with random “I miss you”s, “Te amo”s, and check-ins coming in more frequently than they had before. Your heart fluttered as you wondered if he was finally finalizing his schedule and not letting the college have such a strong pull on him. 

You had decided a few days ago that you wanted to try and surprise Mateo for a visit in the upcoming weekend. Since he left you had been putting away extra money from each of your paychecks in order to purchase a train ride up north. The only problem was, you couldn’t remember the name of the city that Mateo is in. Whenever you looked up the college you saw that it had campuses in both Seattle and Portland. And whenever you tried to ask him to remind you, he either wouldn’t hear you or had something else on his mind he wanted to talk about. 

After you finished putting the groceries away you leaned on the counter, grabbing your phone you dialed Mateo’s mother, waiting for her to answer as it rang.

Two rings in you heard and enthusiastic voice on the other line, “(y/n!) Que bueno saber de ti! How are you cariño?”

“Hola, Mrs. De La Fuente. Es bien, and you?” You asked.

“Oh cariño. I am doing really well. It was hard to adjust with how quiet the house has been. Don’t tell Mateo but I’m thinking of getting a cat” Mateo’s mom laughed.

You smiled, you had missed Mateo’s mom and were disappointed in yourself for not calling her sooner, “I’m sure he wouldn’t stop you.” you giggled.

“No, that’s the problema! He would bring an amigo home for it! But, una is enough for me, confía en mí” The woman laughed and then let out a small sigh. You could tell she missed her son as much, if not more than you did. “De todos modos, (y/n). Did you need something?”

“Si, Mrs. De La Fuente. I was wondering what city Mateo was in. I can’t remember if it was Portland or Seattle?” You asked.

Mateo’s mom paused, “...oh, why’s that, cariño?”

You hesitated, confused by her sudden hesitation and change in tone, “well, I um- I’ve been saving up a lot of money. And I finally have enough money to buy a train ticket and surprise him.”

Again there was a pause, “Miel, I don’t think that’s es buena idea.” She said. 

A pit opened up in your stomach, “I’m sorry, Mrs. De La Fuente, but why?”

“Mateo is mucho busy, (y/n). I just think you should wait.”

You frowned, “But it would be on the weekend? I only would have gone up there for a day.” You heard his mom inhale, another pause stagnant in the air before she spoke again, “I just… think it’s for the best, miel.” Before you could question her again she spoke up again “Oh, (y/n)! The oven is going off, that is mi Bizcocho. Tengo que ir! We can talk about this more later. Mantente segura!”

The line clicked as she hung up, the pit in your stomach resting heavy as your thoughts added onto it. The tone change in Mateo’s mom’s words sounded like worry, almost like his mom was covering for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were less than 15 hours until the mission on Haven and Mateo was back to back with Phoenix as the two of them engaged in aim training at the training arena. So far they had been doing well, if they continued like this the duo might make it to one of the top spots on the leaderboard. 

“Watch your eyes!” Phoenix called out for a flash, as Mateo sent out Wingman to stun a few of the bots that were surrounding them.

“So.” Phoenix started as he took out two bots, “I heard you’re having girl trouble, aye?”

Mateo tensed up, switching places with the man and firing his gun at the robots, “Qué!? Who told you that?”

Phoenix chuckled, rolling as he dodged some of the bullets, “So it’s true!” he bantered.

“No es verdad! It’s false!” Mateo said, pressing up against a wall as a few bullets went buzzing by his shoulder.

“Well, Jett told me that Yoru was givin you a tough time.” Phoenix responded, smirking as he occasionally took his eyes off the robots to see Mateo’s flustered expression.

Mateo sighed slightly, he was nervous Neon had said something to someone. But,  if this was just about his encounter with Yoru then it didn’t bother him too much. “Yeah, that happened.” He said, leaving his place on the wall and taking out another bot.

“Well, don’t let him get to you mate. We’ve all been there with our relationship struggles. Oy behind you!” Phoenix said, taking out a bot that was running up to Mateo from behind.

“Thanks”, Mateo said with a small nod and smile to both the words of encouragement and for having his back during their training. Although Phoenix’s words weren’t exactly what he needed as a pick-me-up, he was still grateful for the effort put in.. Phoenix returned Mateo’s nod, “Ready to finish this?” He asked.

Smirking, Mateo responded, “Sí, amigo. You know it.”

“Alright let's go!” Phoenix said, his skin glowing a faint orange as he mowed through the rest of the bots with Mateo, thrash stunning a cluster for phoenix to take out. When no other bots came to confront the two, they gave each other a fist bump. “Now that has to be a top score, for sure!” Phoenix enthused.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the aim training Mateo had taken an early dinner and gone to his room to chill for the night. He had already received a message from Jamie strategizing how they could achieve an even higher score next time. He had also received what he assumed was a sarcastic or playful message from Jett asking why he stole her aim training partner from her. Changing into some comfortable clothes, he laid down on his bed and gave you a call. Wingman snuggled up to his arm and Mateo moved a bit to get Wingman out of the frame of the video, causing the creature to mumble. “I’m sorry buddy. Not yet okay. Very soon she will meet you. Prometo. For now, if you stay down by my arm, you can sit in and listen in. Como es que, amigo?” Wingman purred and Mateo chuckled, “Alright just remember to be quiet.” Dizzy, Thrash, and Mosh also made their appearance, giving Mateo a curious look. “Alright, you three as well. But the same thing I told Wingman. Estar muy tranquila. Okay?” Dizzy and Thrash nodded. Thrash took up a spot near the end of the bed at Mateo’s feet, Dizzy laid on Mateo’s stomach, and Mosh cuddled up next to Wingman.

You answered the call to Mateo smiling and laughing, “Hola, Mi Teo. What’s got you in a good mood?” You returned his contagious smile.

“Well, the fact that I’m talking to mi amor might have something to do with it.” He smirked. 

The two of you chatted for nearly an hour uninterrupted and you both  savored that time that you had together. The longest your last video call was so far had been about 30 minutes max before Mateo got pulled away by something else. You laughed with each other when you caught him up to speed on the shenanigans your friend group was up to together. He asked about your father and your sister. You told him you were thinking of cutting your hair and he playfully begged you not to, but promised that you would look beautiful with any hairstyle you chose. He said you could even shave your head and you would be the most beautiful girl in the world to him. You laughed and told him to be careful what he says or you just might go ahead and do it, but he knew you would never. He knew how much fun you had styling your hair in different ways, it was something you had used often to express yourself.

“I wish I was there with you” Mateo said, he noticed the locket he gave you before he left around your neck, he was hanging next to your heart, but he wanted to wrap you up in his arms. A month away had felt like an eternity.

“I wish you were too.” You said, sharing his look of longing.

“Well, I find out when I’m able to leave soon. But before then I can send you a care package. I can put one of my shirts in it and some snacks from the area.” He grinned.

You smiled, “I’d like that.” Your words drew off slightly at the end of the sentence, as you thought back to your conversation with his mom. Hesitating, you wondered if you should tell Mateo, ask why she was being so weird about you wanting to visit.

Mateo noticed your hesitation and raised a brow, “what’s wrong, mi amor?” 

“Well….” You started but bit your tongue. “So I saved up money from my recent paychecks and I figured with that money I would buy a train ticket to see you. Like a surprise. But then I couldn’t remember what city you said you were in or if you ever said the city you were in. So I called your mom and asked her. I told her my plan but she didn’t think it was a good idea and she also wouldn’t tell me the city and she also wouldn’t tell me why.” Catching your breath after your ramble you waited for him to answer, your cheeks flushed red. He stared at the phone, his mouth opening like he was going to say something, but then closing. “I just felt like she was hiding something from me?” You added on.

Mateo frowned, his gaze faltering before looking back at the screen, “(y/n), I have to tell you something.” He said, in a tone you had never heard before.

Your anxiety spiked, “oh okay… you’re making me a bit nervous. What is it?” You asked.

“So I’m not in Seattle… or Portland. I’m-“ the phone went black. Mateo grumbled, pressing the power button but to no avail. “Merida! Stupid phone” he cursed. Suddenly it powered back on, the screen flashing with a familiar symbol. Mateo narrowed his eyes. He went to your contact and tried to call you back, but an error flashed up on the screen once more with that familiar symbol. He tried to text you but was met with the same fate. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Cypher!!!” Mateo yelled as he ran down the halls. He made it to the computer room where he knew Cypher was most likely to be. He flung the door open and found the room empty. He cursed again, leaving the room and heading down the hallway.

“CYPHER!” He called again, he passed by Neon who looked like she was on her way to her room.

“Woah, Gekko. What’s going on, are you alright?” She asked.

“Not right now, Tala. I’m looking for Cypher.” He said, keeping his steady pace. 

Neon followed behind him, “He’s with Reyna in the strategy room. But-“ he cut her off, “Thanks.”

“But Gekko-“ Neon tried to get his attention but he was focused on one thing.

Mateo flung open the door to the Strategy Room, seeing Cypher, Reyna, Sage, and Brimstone huddled over a holographic map of LA. Reyna’s eyes darted over to the two. “Neon! Gekko is not supposed to be in here right now” She said.

“I tried damn it!” Neon said, raising her hands up.

“I don’t care about whatever secret classified mission this is!” Gekko said, anger in his words. “I just want to know why, he child-locked my device!?” He said, pointing to Cypher.

“Cariño, cálmate.” Reyna said

“I activated the fail safe, because you were close to revealing yourself.” Cypher added in.

“What!? You were listening in on me!? Spying on me!? Esto es ridículo. ¡Esa fue una conversación privada!” Mateo exclaimed, Wingman and Dizzy appeared from his bag after Mateo's noticeable rising anger. “How would you even know to listen in?” He asked.

Cypher remained quiet, sharing a glance between the 3 older agents in the room.

Mateo turned around towards Neon, “ You told them! Didn’t you?” He accused.

Neon crossed her arms, “what!? No I didn’t.” She huffed

“Fui yo, cariño. It was me” Reyna spoke up.

An expression of hurt and betrayal flashed across Mateo’s face, as Wingman and Dizzy made a sound, similar to a faint cry but almost as if they were asking Reyna why.

“Que? Por que Reyna. Why would you have Cypher spy on me?” He asked.

Sage made her way closer to Mateo, “Reyna came to us a few days ago. We agreed that you are being pulled in two different directions. You need to have your whole mind and spirit here, Gekko. With your heart split, you can make dangerous decisions. Brimstone and I tasked Cypher on making sure you were making the right decisions. And Cypher is the one who heard you tell Neon your plan in the kitchen this morning.” 

Mateo took a step back in anger as he cursed to himself. Placing a hand over his face, he shook his head. How stupid was he for thinking that Brimstone and Sage didn’t have eyes everywhere around the protocol, watching them at all times. Or that Cypher, the man who can scrub clean any mention of them from the internet within milliseconds wouldn’t be able to listen in on his private phone calls. Wingman walked up to Mateo, placing his hands on the man’s leg in an attempt to comfort.

“Gekko, we’re here to help you if you need it. I know some things are hard to understand why we do it. But it is for the best.” Sage added.

Mateo stood idle for a second, his eyes darting from person to person in the room. His mind was clouded with hurt, anger, and frustration. The silence lingered, no one having anything else to say. Mateo picked up Wingman and turned around towards the door, pausing in the doorway before speaking to those behind him, “You know, Reyna. You could have come to me first. Actually talked to me. Nunca pensé que irías a mis espaldas. Especially you of all people.” He said as he saw his way out.

The remaining agents exchanged a few glances as the tension Mateo left still hung in the air. Reyna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “He will be okay,” she said to the group, while also reassuring herself. She was disheartened about breaking Mateo’s trust, but there were more important things at hand and she knew this was for the best, “We need to get back to our findings”.

“Yes.” Sage said, looking at the holographic map of LA that was laid out before them. “Your recon mission with Neon and Yoru revealed a big deposit of Radianite under the city, here.” She said pointing to the map.

“That’s close to Gekko’s home.” Reyna said, thinking of her friend. Not wanting to let Mateo down anymore, she needed to make sure this Radianite remained secure. “We need to make sure that a spike does not get detonated here”

“We also need to keep our eyes on Kingdom as well. They could already know about this.” Brimstone said.

Neon was looking towards the door after Mateo left, he was hurting and now he probably felt more alone than ever. Sighing, she turned around and looked towards the group, her eyes widening at the hologram as she made her way to the group. “Woah” Neon said as she walked up to the map, eyeing it in curiosity, “if a spike goes off there how many casualties will that be?”

“Too many.” Brimstone responded, his voice laced with an edge of concern and also exhaustion. 

~~~~~~~~~

“...Teo?” You asked, as his face froze on your screen before the call ended, an error signaling that the connection had dropped. You tried to call him back but was only met by his voicemail.  Resorting to a text, you sent ‘What happened, are you alright?’ only to get an immediate response saying that the message was unable to be delivered. Staring at the screen you blinked, trying to process what had just happened. You looked around through your phone to make sure that everything else was working, and found that you had a full connection to the grid. Whatever happened was on Mateo’s end. You found it odd that as soon as Mateo looked like he was going to confess something that the call dropped. And now suddenly you were unable to contact him back? Did the internet wherever he was suddenly just drop, since he did say that he wasn’t in Seattle or Portland, so where was he?

You sent Mateo a few more texts telling him to call you back if he was able or to let you know that he was okay. You debated on calling Mateo’s mom to let her know about the weird disconnection of his phone. But, with what Mateo had started to say, it had all suddenly made sense of why his mom was acting so weird on the phone. She knew he wasn’t in either of the two cities he had mentioned, she just was trying her best to avoid telling you.

The rest of the night for you drew on longer than you thought it would. You laid in bed, curled up on your covers while scrolling through various forms of media, checking every 30 minutes for a message to Mateo, while also sending one or two to test the connection. So far you had sent around 13 messages, signaling that it had been over 6 hours since your video call with Mateo. You had skipped dinner, your appetite gone and replaced with worry. Around 8:30 you had heard your dad leave for work, and around 11:30 you had heard your sister leave to go to a party. Neither of them bothered you before they left as you said you wished to be left alone. 

It was nearing 1 am and your eyes were starting to get dry and heavy with sleep. You continued to stare at your phone screen, mindlessly scrolling, not even focusing on what was in front of you as you fought the urge to sleep. The thought of Mateo messaging you back as soon as you fell asleep would be your luck, and you wanted to make sure that wouldn’t happen. You would stay up all night if you had to, even if that meant you would miss your classes.

All the struggle you put up against falling asleep seemed to be in vain as your eyes shot open to the sound of your doorbell going off throughout the house. You rubbed your eyes in a daze as you checked your phone, “What the hell? It’s 3 AM.” you grumbled to yourself, closing your eyes and throwing your pillow over your head to drown out the ringing. Whoever was at your front door seemed to be holding down the button.

After a few more seconds you yelled, throwing your blankets off of yourself as you stood up. Exiting your room, you looked across the hall to your sister’s room. The door was wide open, and through the faint light shining inside you could tell she hadn’t made it home yet. “I swear, Gwen, if you forgot your key and locked yourself out I’m going to kill you” you grumbled. Heading towards the front door.

You yawned as you looked towards the peep hole to view who was outside, but the image you saw completely woke you up. “Teo?” you whispered to yourself. It felt like your heart stopped for a second, time slowing as you reached for the door to unlock and open it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The helicopter ride to Haven was uncomfortable at most for Mateo. Luckily, he was allowed to stay on the mission. Though if it were up to him he much rather would have been anywhere else, so was it truly luck? Having Reyna leading his mission completely ruined all the excitement he had when he was first assigned a week ago. He avoided her gaze as much as he could, still feeling the hurt from her broken trust just hours before. He continued to listen in on the debrief that he had heard many times throughout the week, giving her the respect as if they were just co-workers.

It was quiet when they arrived at Haven, giving the team the indication that they had beaten their Omega counterparts to the location. Reyna gave one last debrief before she dismissed everyone to set up their sites. The layout was fairly similar to Mateo’s dream, which made him slightly nervous. The only difference was that Killjoy was to be holding garage, her turret pointing at mid while Omen helped Reyna on A.

“Mateo,” Reyna said, grabbing his attention as he went towards his site. He turned around and paused, walking back up to her. “¿qué?” He asked, showing no emotion.

She sighed, "Escúchame Gekko, I know it doesn’t seem like it. But, I am with you.”

Mateo inhaled, pondering on her words, “mis disculpas when I said that it’s hard to believe that right now.”

“I am sorry that it has felt like you have to do this alone. Nunca deberías sentirte así. Y porque lo haces, es mi fracaso como mentor.” 

“Eres una gran mentora, Reyna. I am just upset my privacy was infiltrado.” He sighed. 

“I know cariño,” Reyna said, “And I am truly sorry.”

“Gracias, Reyna.” Mateo said, his nerves starting to settle slightly. He began to leave again before he was stopped once more.

“Also, Gekko-” “Si?” He asked.

“fuerte y feroz. They will not hesitate, you must not either.” Reyna said, her voice sturn and steady as she believed if Mateo took to heart anything that she said, she needed it to be this.

“Lo sé, Reyna. I know” he nodded, taking her advice in. He gave her a slight smile before he went and made his way to his position at C.

Mateo had scoped out his site, walking down C long and looking for the angles that Harbor had mentioned would be crucial to hold and would most likely be an area that their Omega counterparts would hide in if cornered.

Holding with his Vandal, Mateo aimed down site at C long, staying alert and ready for anyone to appear. His eyes were starting to strain as he had been focused already for 15 minutes at least. “Any signs of movement anywhere?” Killjoy said over her ear piece.

“Negative” Omen responded. “Nope” Jett added in “Gekko?” Reyna questioned. Mateo was about to speak before he saw Omega Jett peak up into C long. He fired his gun but she quickly dashed back from where she had appeared from. “Jett spotted!” He held his aim ready for her to peak again only to be met by a double peak with Jett and Sova. Mateo quickly ducked back behind boxes, The Omega archer sent a tracer dart flying landing on the wall in the back of C site, marking Mateo. “Sova spotted as well, my location has been marked, requesting backup!”

“I’m on it!” Killjoy responded, peaking out C short and throwing a grenade to stop the infiltrators from pushing up any further. From behind the box, Mateo threw up Dizzy who quickly scanned the area, blinding the two enemies. Mateo peaked out from his cover, aiming his gun at the Sova who was now blind in long with nowhere to hide. With three body shots to the chest, the archer was down. Mateo tried to catch his breath, this had been his first kill that wasn’t on one of the training bots. He had to get his breathing back under control and steady himself. One was down but there were at least 4 more to go. 

‘fuerte y feroz’ he repeated to himself the words of advice that Reyna had given him.

“There’s someone A” Reyna said through the coms.

“Sending cover” Omen called out as he placed a smoke down protecting the A site from a quick entry.

“I believe the Jett has rotated,” Killjoy said. Jett spoke up, “I spotted her- uh me- In window! I’m holding.” 

Mateo heard gunfire from across the area, indicating that A site had begun to be fought over. He continued to stare down long, just to make sure they weren’t being faked, until he heard otherwise. Killjoy began to move back into garage to help Jett hold her Omega counterpart.

On A site, Omen peaked heaven with an Operator, peaking into short while the smoke still covered long. Reyna shot through the smoke, taking cover behind boxes as bullets sprayed blindly towards her. A quick flash the two had never seen before, made up of white and yellow sparkling lights, blinded them instantly. They took cover as the omega agents entered the site, forcing Omen and Reyna to fall back. “We’ve lost the site.” Omen growled into his communicator.

“Gekko, Killjoy. Begin your rotation to A, stay alert as I believe they have sent the new agent, Lux, with them.” Reyna informed the rest of the team.

Killjoy began her rotation from garage through the window and the connector to B, leaving an alarm bot behind her incase of an enemy push or rotate. Mateo gathered dizzy up from where she was idling, quietly praising her for the work she did to help him with the Sova. 

He quietly made his way to the C and B connector, where he would join up with Killjoy on B so that the two could arrive at A together. Before he could walk to B, a wall made of a white and yellow swirling energy came up, completely blocking off the entrance. This was something that Mateo had never seen before. He turned around, scanning his surroundings and saw nothing. “Be careful,” He spoke into his com, “I think the new agent put up a wall blocking off my entry on B.” “I see it too, but I don't see any other enemies. Still keep your guard up, we don't know how far their range is for their abilities.” Jett said.

Mateo stared at the wall before him, it didn’t look solid? It had a similar movement about it like Phoenix and Astra’s  walls, though contained to one area as it took up the entire entry way. He carefully reached a hand out to touch it, but hissed in pain as the energy making up the wall instantly burned his flesh with contact. 

He closed his eyes, shaking out his hand as he heard the sound of a revolver hammer locking behind him. He froze, feeling the sensation of someone watching him.

“Careful-”, They spoke. Mateo’s eyes widened, he knew that voice but there was something off.

“-Mi, amor. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself.” They said, venom laced with their words.

Mateo raised his hands in the air, as he turned around and was met face to face with your Omega counterpart. His heart increased, she looked just like you only she was staring at him with an expression he had never seen from you before; Hatred mixed with amusement. “Lux?” Was all he could murmur

“Lux, (Code/Name), (Y/N), any of those work.” She sneered, holding her Sheriff out so that Mateo was staring down the barrel.

“Gekko, status update.” Killjoy was heard over the intercom.

“I-” Mateo started, but he was interrupted by your double. 

“Shhh. Let’s not give away our position, now.” She hummed as she walked towards him, circling him like a Lion does its prey. “You seem so much more fun than my Mateo,” she lulled, “Let me guess, you actually made a move on my counterpart. Lucky her. Mine couldn’t take a hint if it hit him in the face.”

Mateo’s heart was racing, he never once thought that when he looked at the enemy he would see you. The (y/n) he knew wasn’t a Radiant, or so he thought. He remembered Brimstone's talk about discrepancies. But, wouldn’t you have developed your powers by now if you were?

He remained stunned in silence as your double paced around him, keeping the sheriff aimed at his head, his eyes following her. She walked up to him, placing a kiss on his lips, while pressing the cool metal of the gun to his temple. A wave of panic shivered down his spine causing his hairs on the back of his neck to stand up.

She pulled away and took a step back, “Well, I’d love to keep this conversation going, Gekko-”

“-They’ve planted the spike!” He heard Jett yell into his earpiece.

“- But it seems like we’re out of time.”

Your double pulled the trigger on the sheriff twice, sending two rounds flying directly into Mateo’s shoulder. He yelled out in pain as the bullets burned through his flesh. Falling to the ground he squeezed onto his shoulder with his unburnt hand, trying to control the bleeding. He could hear commotion over the earpiece, but all of the words were deafened by the fire he felt on his shoulder.

Wingman jumped out of Mateo’s bag, running towards your Omega counterpart and stunning her, causing her wall blocking B to fall. As soon as it did, shots from a Vandal could be heard flying over Mateo and towards your double, but it wasn’t fast enough. Before the shot could land, your double vanished into a curtain of light, teleporting out of the area of danger. 

Mateo squirmed on the ground in pain, Wingman ran up to his shoulder and pressed against Mateo’s hand, as if to try and help stop the bleeding. The two felt the ground shake below them, before an eruption of darkness shadowed them, indicating that the spike had gone off. 

Omega had won. He let out another anguished cry as a wave of fire spread from his shoulder and down through his arm. “Gekko’s down, but he’s conscious” someone next to him said over the ear piece. He hadn’t realized it but Killjoy had taken a place, kneeled beside him. She must have been the one to try and stop your double. 

The ground rumbled as Killjoy spoke, started to shift and break apart on A where the spike had gone off. “Shhh, shhh now, Gekko. It’s okay. You’re going to be just fine” the girl said, taking off one of her straps and preparing to use it as a makeshift splint to try and stabilize his arm.

Mateo squinted his eyes, trying to force back another wave of pain, “what about- the- others-“ he said through clenched teeth. “Where’s- Reyna-“ 

“She’s coming, Gekko, don’t worry. She’s alright. You’re doing good, keep that pressure.”

“The- new- agent-“ Mateo started, only to be cut off by KillJoy.

“Shh, don’t talk. Save your energy, Gekko.”

“Gekko! Mi cariño!” Reyna yelled out, kneeling next to Mateo across from Killjoy. Mateo looked upwards to see Omen making his way not far behind Reyna, in his arms was Jett, her arms laying heavy, swaying as Omen walked. Mateo’s eyes widened at the site of Jett’s unmoving form lying in Omen’s arms, her shirt drenched in blood. His adrenaline started to spike in that moment, his heart racing. He tensed up, trying to sit, grimacing as he did., “Jett- what… is- is she-“ He tried to speak, wincing with every word. 

Reyna used her hand to avert Mateo’s gaze from his fallen comrade. “Sage will help her, Ahora necesitas quedarte con nosotros, Gekko.” Reyna looked at Omen and Killjoy as bits of derbies from A could be seen floating in the distance, the cracks in the ground spreading towards B, “We need to get out of here. Now.”

The next moments for Mateo moved in stop motion. He heard Reyna and Killjoy speaking to him, but their words merged together, unable to penetrate his ear drums. He blinked and they were helping him up, his good arm over Reynas neck as she helped him stand up. He blinked again and they were helping him into the helicopter, Omen placing Jett’s body on a makeshift infirmary bed before covering her up completely with a blanket. Another blink and he felt Killjoy pressing gauze up against his shoulder, while Reyna watched on, an emotion he couldn’t read in her eyes. He heard himself cry out in pain as Killjoy cleaned his wound, but it was almost like his voice was coming from someone else. Blinking once more, he saw his arm bandaged up, Omen walking up to him with Wingman in his arms. The wraith gently placed the creature down close to Mateo, who wasted no time to run up and cuddle into the crook of his uninjured arm.

As Mateo went unconscious, Reyna made her way next to where he lie, sitting down beside him she watched his chest rise and fall. “Lo siento, Mateo.” She said, giving him a kiss on the top of his head before brushing his hair back off of his forehead. “Eres un luchador Lo superarás.” Wingman looked up at Reyna from his place tucked in Mateo’s arm. She smiled at the creature, “Lo hiciste bien pequeña. Thank you for watching after him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Teo!?” You asked as you opened the door, a mixture of excitement and confusion in your voice, still groggy from sleep. “What are you do-” you continued, pausing as he took a step back. From behind him you saw a small pink creature begin to make its way to you. You let out the start of a scream as it jumped at you, the sonic wave it sent out from its body rendering you unable to move or speak. You winced slightly, feeling the paralyzing energy moving through your body. “mis disculpas, (y/n). Or what your Mateo calls you, ‘Mi amor’?” He smirked. 

Your eyes darted around before meeting his gaze once more, in fear. What did he mean, ‘Your Mateo?’. You had heard of the incident years ago in Venice of a dimension traveler attacking. Was this one of those instances? But if so, what did you have to do with any of this? None of this made sense, you had to still be dreaming. Working against the paralyzing energy through your body, you were able to slowly close your eyes, trying to wake yourself up. Suddenly, you began to feel a burning sensation throughout your body. A mixture of heat and energy shooting through your limbs, leaving you wondering what the creature did to you. You opened your eyes to meet ‘Mateo’’s gaze, his smirk faltering as he saw your normally (e/c) eyes, a golden yellow. He suddenly looked nervous. “Apurarse, Omen.” He said, looking behind you. Unable to see what he was looking at, your heart started racing. You felt hands on your wrist as your arms were pulled behind your back, and fastened with a ziptie. You let out a small groan of frustration as you tried to fight your way free, but your body was not listening to you. Continuing to try and struggle, you were able to let out a small “Why?” that was cut off as a piece of fabric was placed over your mouth. 'Mateo' looked at you  as he stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair behind your ear “Lo lamento, Mi amor. But, a mission is a mission.” 

A cloud of purple smoke started to surround you and your vision, you found yourself almost weightless for a second before the smoke dissipated. No longer in your house, you looked around as the paralytic was staring to wear off, 'Mateo' nowhere to be found. You didn’t get a great look at the room you were in before another strip of fabric was placed over your eyes, taking away your vision. What you could briefly see told you that the room was some kind of operating room, with various computers on the walls. The hand that had bound you reached out, somewhat gently, and led you to a chair and fastened your ankles to the legs. You yelped and tried to move from your bindings as you felt a prick of a needle on your skin. “I’m sorry.”, your captor said, as he drew your blood. The sound of his voice was haunting, but his words seemed sincere.

You moved in the chair, trying to free your hands. Although the paralyzing effect from that creature seemed to subside, you still noticed the slightly burning, almost electric feelings radiate through your mind and body as your adrenaline continued to pump. The sound of a door swinging open, accompanied by 2 sets of footsteps signified that you were no longer alone with your captor. You held your breath, as if out of instinct to try and go undetected. Never imagining you would be in a situation like this, you were feeling helpless. You weren’t a fighter, but you were smart, you needed to wait until you had resources to use and right now with your senses being taken away from you, the only thing you had to go off of is what you were able to hear.

“Let me see that sample” a woman said as she walked to the far side of the room, her voice sounded aged, and muffled almost as if it were coming through a microphone. A machine whirred up followed by sounds of typing.

The three stood in silence, as one person, you assumed it was the woman, typed.

“What did you find?” The third person spoke up. A male, their  voice older, gruff, and sturdy.  

“It’s positive. She’s radiant. A discrepancy here must have caused her abilities to not activate, which is how they must have missed her and skipped to recruiting Gekko” The woman said.

Your eyes widened behind the fabric, were they talking about you? No, you couldn’t be a Radiant. Radiants are the ones who attacked Venice, and killed thousands in the city. Radiants are the ones who took your mother away from you. You weren’t one of them. 

A new set of footsteps drew your focus back into the group. “Alright, perfect. That means we’re able to move on to phase 2 then?” The voice sent a shiver up your spine. This voice sounded like yours but it couldn’t be. The footsteps began to make their way closer to you. Feeling a pair of fingers loop onto the fabric and pull it down below your eyes, you took in your surroundings. In the room, a  woman with a short black haircut wearing a mask around her nose and mouth, a hooded figure who seemed to be glowing, and a bearded man with a muscular build looked on from the background. Though, your stomach dropped when you saw your own smirking face staring back at you. The only thing letting you know you weren't truly staring at your own reflection was the faint glow of a yellow/gold on the inner iris of her (e/c) eyes, “it’s about time I finally get to look in the mirror” she said.

Your chest rising and falling as you began to hyperventilate, “who are you?” You tried to ask, but it only came out as a mixed mumble through the fabric covering your mouth. Your double began to hyperventilate as well, mocking your mumble before laughing, “Sorry, (y/n). Just trying to get into character.” She smiled, something about it sending a chill down your spine.

She began to reach towards your neck and you tried to squirm away from her hands only to be stopped by the chair you were bound to. She unclasped the locket you were wearing. The gift Mateo had given you before he left. You tried to protest, but your movements were unsuccessful as she removed the jewelry from your neck and placed it around her own, “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of it, and him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reyna entered the infirmary, to see Sage hovering over Jett, a blue glow emitting from her palms. The outgoing girl who now lay still had begun to breathe again just hours before, but there was still more work to be done. Sage had worked on Mateo earlier, his gunshot wound being a more easy fix than the wound that took Jett. The healer had praised Killjoy and Reyna for the work they did on the field to keep Mateo’s breathing controlled, as it likely saved his life.

“How is she?” Reyna asked. She was always fond of Jett. The young agent had such an upbeat attitude about the world. Similar to Mateo.

“Better.” Sage said, a wave of exhaustion coming through her words.

“You should rest. recupera tu energía. I can watch them until you return.” Reyna looked over to Mateo’s sleeping form as well. Wingman sat at the edge of his infirmary bed, looking on with an expression of concern and worry as Sage worked on Jett.

“I will be okay, Reyna. Jett needs me right now. Besides, I have had great company.” Sage replied, looking up to smile at Wingman.

Reyna sighed, “You can help her more once you have rested. She is breathing now, I will alert you if that changes.”

Sage paused, looking up at Reyna and nodding, “Thank you.” She said, giving her a reassuring touch on her shoulder before leaving. 

Walking over to the two beds, Reyna looked at Jett a moment before pulling a blanket up over the sleeping woman’s form. These two in the infirmary were too young to be the ones injured on this mission, and even Omen had agreed. Had Reyna called a retreat earlier, perhaps Jett wouldn’t have dashed in as a last ditch effort to try and defuse the spike only to be ambushed by an Omega Cypher and an Omega Harbor.

Grabbing a chair, Reyna pulled it up next to Mateo’s bed and sat down, Wingman quickly hobbling over to her. The woman gave the creature a quick pet of affection before resting her hand on Mateo’s. She should have realized quicker that he hadn’t been heard on the communicator and wasn’t in the gunfight. She should have been more alert that something had happened to him. She had promised his mother she would protect him, and now he lay in the infirmary after his first mission that she had led. “lo siento, no estaba allí, Mateo”

With her free hand, Reyna continued to pet Wingman, who had quickly fallen asleep under her touch. Lost in her thoughts, Reyna continued to listen to the rhythmic beeping of the machines that both Jett and Mateo were hooked up to. Eventually, Wingman began to stir slightly as he woke up, and as if on queue Mateo began to move as well, mumbling as he fought for consciousness, “…(y/n)” he groaned.

Reyna perked up, “Mateo, it’s okay, mi cariño”, She said in a soft voice, trying to calm her protege.

“(Y/n)….” He repeated.

“ella no está aquí, but you can contact her later”

Mateo opened his eyes and quickly sat up, as if waking up from a nightmare. He winced as he grabbed his shoulder, now alert he looked at Reyna, doing his best to ignore the waves of pain shooting through him.”

“No, Reyna... it’s (y/n). Lux is (y/n).” He said.

[anantaru]

i shoved my entire phone up there

[wordy-little-witch]

The Addams Guild here!

Brudah, if Morticia is invited to Spa Night In by Alvida, it's gonna be a fun night.

And here Buggy thought Mihawk was mystique. But Morticia is eager to share her stories of her dearest brother growing up.

I can definitely see Alvida going her Morticia's nails, Buggy asking her for self-love advice (he's not feeling flashy in the last few days), and Morticia asking for his lipstick brand as payment. (She'd obviously would tell him for free, she just adores that shade he wears.)

-------

Crocodile would have a headache the size of his favorite bananawani while trying to understand how Gomez would still be rich with all the things he does. An utter enigma.

-----

Mihawk finding solace in the quiet company that is Lurch, possibly the only 'sane' mind in that household. Tho.. Mihawk does see a potential between the tall butler and Daz Bones. If that faint twinkle in the devil fruit user's eye upon meeting was anything to go by. (Maybe he could give a few flowers from his garden to help Lurch in his endeavor..... gods, Morticia and her husband had tainting him!)

-------

Gomez having his heart swell at the sight of Pugsly throwing knives at Buggy, who's not even looking up from his news coo paper.

Buggy: Pugsly, pal, bubba, you ain't gonna cut me.

Pugsly: but I wanna better my aim!

Buggy: and you are! But it's not gonna work. I'm un-cuttable.

Gomez/Pugsly: oh??

Buggy: not even Yoru could cut me. (Sipps his coffee)

Gomez (already pulling out his foil): a challenge!

Buggy: Good luck (cheers his cup before letting the two at it)

-------

Morticia would ask just Buggy wHY is he still single?! He is a catch! Buggy would shrug his shoulders "eh, not many see it that way after meeting the real me." He'd sigh. He actually wishes he'd had a CRUMB of what she has with Gomez (honestly? Same).

Just Morticia and Ma playing matchmaker for Buggy by trying with Crocodile and Mihawk.

Awww ♡♡♡♡ I love this!!!!!! Especially the bits with Tish, Vida and Buggy bc I can absolutely see him being more.... idk, comfortable? At ease?? With women as opposed to men. Smth smth Childhood Trauma, smth smth Women Flashy, smth smth idek.

Then the bit with Buggy being uncuttable and Pugsley+Gomez both going ham??? Adorable. Iconic. Appropriately flashy. Witchy approved exchange ♡♡♡

((Bonus I feel like Buggy and Thing would come up with weird hand shakes, little Hand Dances, etc. Also, Full on Hand Novellas btw, PEAK acting skills. It moves some people to tears))

Daz and Lurch? Was not expecting such a hot take but DAMN if it isn't there and true. They'd be a Vive together. ((Lowkey I want a series of unfortunate events, near misses and faux-pas, between them that neither even respond to while everyone else watches on in misery and/or furious grief of their failures. ((Extra points, Lurch and Daz have been married for years by this point and everyone is trying to set up an established couple))))

Poor Croc doesn't have nearly enough cigars to get himself through this cluster fuck, but he's gonna keep the complaints to a minimum - he's not soft or anything, he just.... knows.... that his partners will be obnoxious...... really, that's it. No other reason at all, nothing else, not like he finds that spark in Mihawk's eye to be so sweet and cute....... not like he has to admit the clown is actually almost sort of pretty when he smiles....... shut up, he has a reputation.

The whole Addams family is out to obliterate that reputation btw but it's fine :))

[wardevilwins]

Why is it the War Devil?

Obviously, I am fascinated by the concept of the War Devil. There is a way in which her presence in the story is uniquely Japanese. Since WWII, the question of how to process the Empire’s defeat has hung over Japanese society. On the conservative side, there is a long project to minimize the realities of the War, especially atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army. Alongside this, there is the concerted effort within the legislature to repeal Article 9 of the constitution, the article which forbids the Japanese government from raising an army. On the left, there is a desire for genuine reconciliation and strong support for article 9. However, the effort has not gained much of a foothold. Japan is, much like the United States, a strongly conservative country.

For example, when the historian Ienaga Saburo wrote his textbook “New Japanese History” for public schools in 1953, the government initially approved his manuscript, but when he resubmitted a revised version two years later, they demanded that 216 revisions be made. Revisions included minimizing the Rape of Nanking, adding a mention of public support for the Russo-Japanese war, etc. Straightforward government censorship of established historical fact.

Ienaga sued the government for damages arguing that he was protected by Article 21, the right to free speech. Note: his book was not a state standard. It was simply one of many textbooks available for use by schools. A district court ruled that the government’s demands didn’t constitute censorship, but did constitute an abuse of authority and granted monetary settlement. An appeal to the High court rejected the monetary settlement, and the Supreme Court upheld the appeal.

In other words, the Japanese Government was granted the right to dictate the facts of history “for the public good” in the words of the rulings. Realities of war were erased from the public consciousness with the intent to control the narrative around the Fallen Empire. And the state reasoning was a paternalistic appeal to the greater good of humanity. If this reminds you of Makima’s plan in part one, I am sure that is not a coincidence.

This is a metaphor that I think was broadly missed by the international audience. The idea that War should be forgotten for the sake of humanity, this is the ideology behind historical revisionism. Fujimoto is looking directly at the way that political power in Japan is used to manipulate public understanding of history. Pieces of the past are erased, eaten, and forgotten.

This is why I don’t lend much credence to the idea that Chainsaw Man actually modifies the fabric of the universe somehow when he eats a devil. It is not that the world changes, it is that people forget about it. It’s not that our forgotten sixth sense was deleted. We just forgot it used to exist. It disappeared, perhaps as a part of Chainsaw Man’s attack. And then we forgot.

The main reason I think of it this way is because of the parallel with historical revisionism. Right now in Florida the state government is attempting to erase the suffering of African slaves brought to America from the school curriculum. If they maintain this for three generations, no one in the state of Florida will know of this true part of history. It will be forgotten. Humanity in Florida will have forgotten a part of slavery. We don’t need supernatural mechanics to explain historical ignorance. This happens all the time.

Yoru describes this phenomenon in more detail: “War became a thing of books and movies.” Yoru became weakened as humanity became less afraid of war. Parts of the war that really happened are not gone, but have been consigned to unreality. They exist only at a distance. It is only one step further along this axis until they are completely forgotten, until they aren’t thought about at all.

This idea of forgetting War is directly relevant to the political conflicts around Article 9. This conflict is split as I mentioned, but the reality of the situation is more complex. During the occupation, the US Government directed the drafting of the new Japanese constitution. In a real sense, Japan was literally Americanized. The text of Article 9 reads:

Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.

In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

This is part of Chapter 2 in the Articles of the Japanese Constitution. Other chapters contain multiple articles. This is the only article in chapter 2 which is titled “Renunciation of War.” To date, Japan is the only country in the world to include a renunciation of war in its constitution.

Of course, Article 9 doesn’t exist out of the kindness of the Japanese people’s peace loving hearts. It exists because the US military thought that the Japanese people were so intrinsically bloodthirsty, that if they didn’t dismantle the empire and remove their ability to raise an army, there could never be peace.

That said, Japanese politicians were involved in the drafting of the constitution as well. Since the war began in China in 1928, a significant faction even among the hawkish types were exasperated with the boneheaded aggression. But the fascists had control of the Emperor, the key figurehead. Once that was lost, cooler heads who were open to the idea of a peaceful Japan stepped in.

So Article 9 starts with this complex identity. On the one hand, it is an imposition by the occupying force, on the other hand, it is a reconciliation within Japan around mistakes the nation made. This remains the case going forward. Because soon after the occupation ends, the Korean War begins.

America, having secured a foothold in the region, realizes that militarily neutering their nearest ally may have been a tactical mistake. But they also still don’t really trust the Japanese government. So they make a move. The US signs a controversial security-treaty with Japan that creates the “National Security Force” to act as a military police. Japanese conservatives then use this precedent to begin building a military under the premise of it being for “self defense.” Thus the JSDF, Japanese Self Defense Force, is born. This was all done with explicit American support.

The American’s didn’t want to team up with the JSDF per se. They wanted Japan to manufacture weapons to create a short supply line towards the Korean front. The creation of the JSDF gives the Japanese government permission to permit manufacturing of military machinery, which was originally taken to be forbidden by Article 9.

Since it’s founding, the JSDF has gradually crept further and further towards active military activity. The final line was crossed in the Iraq war. At the behest of George W. Bush, Prime Minister Koizumi approved a battalion of Japanese soldiers to act in conjunction with the US military for the invasion of Iraq.

This occurs in 2004, in the wake of the 90s. Japan re-enters war in a real way. At this point, article 9 is essentially window dressing on a country which has what amounts to a fully functional military force. But, the existence of article 9 creates a public perception of Japan as being removed from war, even as it actively participates.

You can see now why when Yoru appeared in chapter 98 I was immediately excited. The idea of the War Devil coming back is a stab at the powers that be trying to paper over their militaristic intentions with political rhetoric. Conservatives are currently moving to repeal article 9. This was one of Shinzo Abe’s major objectives. But he failed to achieve it.

So the struggle continues under the current leadership. And in that context, Fujimoto is placing War front and center. War that has been forgotten but will come back. War that, should she return to full power, will turn legions of young men into weapons.

It’s a subtle but also daring message. The debate plays out in politics but is notably absent from public discourse. Japan is different from American in that political conflict doesn’t dominate its media landscape. Generally speaking, the media is running cover for the government.

So to see someone go after this idea of forgotten war, of war coming back from a weakened state, and to highlight the latent threat it poses, is quite refreshing. Once again, Fujimoto manages to subtly weave a cogent political message into the threads of his story, not necessarily by trying to push a particular narrative, but simply by reflecting in his work the political realities he sees in his society.

[sugar-grigri]

Man, wonder how Asa and Yoru are going to get out of this. If she's in the building I'm halfway expecting this to turn into a top-down edition of the Raid.

I think the very worst can happen. As we have seen, no one in the church has all the information (apart from those who unofficially control the church, such as Fake!CSM, Fami or perhaps Barem).

People joined the church to pray to Chainsaw Man, whom most of them see as a completely idealized hero, so obviously the church wasn't going to publicly claim responsibility for the attack it was about to carry out, just as it didn't want to be transparent with its followers.

What the public hunters did was simply to shed light on something that should have remained unofficial.

Asa Mitaka is considered naive by Barem, who must surely look down on her because the protagonist has no idea what is going on in the church she has set out to represent.

Chapter 143 deals with the manipulation of information and fake news, and ends with an order to gather followers. Obviously, the church will invent false arguments to justify its followers or its representatives, such as Asa, to attack the police and public officials.

What's more, most of the church is made up of very young people, whether high school or university students. How can the police or the military hurt what is most precious to the population? It's a battle for the approval of public opinion.

On top of that, both sides aim to bring CSM to their cause, either by preventing him from acting or by urging him to act. Which side will have the "bad guy" image is decisive for this reason too.

Either Asa will have the hindsight to question these orders (not so sure since she's gloating at the idea of becoming popular), or she'll fall head over heels for them and kill innocent people.

In short, it's more likely that Asa is killing (or intending to kill) innocent people than church members at the moment.

In my eyes, either Haruka or CSM will put an end to this charade !

Why Chainsaw Man? Because Denji has been manipulated by both sides in the final chapters, and has seen the flaws and contradictions in both camps, to which he neither submits nor belongs: being completely neutral.

Why Haruka? Because Haruka is a character who is despised for his very good intentions and his obsession with CSM, but the fact remains that he shows intelligence and seems to be very observant.

He and Asa have clear intentions of helping CSM, so if the latter realizes that this is not the case, he will surely act to at least re-establish the truth for Asa.

[thebunnednun]

Whispers of the Heart Dracule Mihawk x Fm! Reader (Part 3)

I do not own the artwork its by: @xuchuan25 Tell them they're amazing y'all!

Chapter 3 lets GOOO!

Part 1 can be found: Here

Part 2 is right: Here

Part 4 my loves!~

Don't be afraid to send me any requests my loves and if you are waiting for the next installment I have another Mihawk story:

*Shadows of the Blade (Dracule Mihawk x Assassin reader)

That one has juicy trama! :D

Like usual, never be afraid to hang out in the comments. I love you guys feedback and snort up all the love you show. <33

Backstory:

You've been Dracule Mihawk's personal maid and housekeeper for what feels like an eternity. Let's cut to the chase – you're a badass, sweetheart. Sexy, cool, and confident, with a reputation that precedes you. Been friends with the stoic man for eons by now.

Everyone knows you or knows of you, and it's not just because you keep Mihawk's castle running like a well-oiled machine.

So what happens when you develop feelings for your old friend and boss?

What does he do when he comes home to find you in his room without your panties?

ON WITH THE SHOW!!~

______Chapter 3: Echoes of Departure/The Call to Adventure_______

As the morning sun began to struggle to rise over the ocean, a thick fog settled over Kuraigana Castle, with a sense of anticipation hanging in the air. Mihawk's departure loomed on the horizon, leaving a palpable void in the hearts of those he left behind. You stood on the castle's balcony, gaze fixed on the shore line as you watched the ship preparing to set sail.

Standing alone on the balcony, your fingers ran over the flowers Mihawk had planted there. Your thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions, a turbulent sea of longing and uncertainty. You couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that settled in the pit of her stomach, knowing that Mihawk's absence would leave a void that no one else could fill. Perona and Zoro were lovely company! You just couldn't pinpoint when the old bird had worked his way into your heart but he built a nest there over the years.

You instinctively pulled her into the blanket you had brought with you, finding solace in the warmth of her embrace. Resting your chin atop her hairline, you welcomed the familiar comfort of her arms wrapping around your figure, enveloping you in a sense of security amidst the uncertainty. Breaking the silence, Perona spoke softly, her voice a soothing balm to your troubled thoughts.

"He'll be back before you know it," she offered, her voice soft with reassurance. "And in the meantime, we'll hold down the fort and keep things running smoothly."

You just nodded, grateful for Perona's unwavering support. "I know," you replied, forcing a smile. "It's just hard to keep this up after so many years." Perona glanced up, reassuringly her eyes filled with understanding. "I feel the same way," she admitted, her voice tinged with sadness. "But we'll get through this together, just like we always do." With a heavy heart, you tore her gaze away from the ship and turned to face Perona. "Thank you, Perona," she said sincerely. "I don't know what I'd do without you." Perona smiled warmly, her pink hair catching the early dawn as she returned the gesture. "You don't have to do anything alone," she replied, her voice filled with conviction. "We lo-,"

“Ahem.”

There he stood, tall and imposing in his signature red jacket and black captain's hat, Yoru resting firmly against his shoulders. Beside him, Zoro stood, clad in the black jacket you had insisted he wear, a silent yet supportive presence. He caught your eye with a knowing look before composing himself.

Mihawk's gaze held a rare softness as he regarded you both, a subtle hint of concern flickering in his eyes. "I trust everything is in order," he remarked, his voice gruff yet tinged with a quiet warmth. You reached out to smooth out the lines of his shoulders and traced the hilt of Yoru. Mihawk stood patiently waiting for your approval until you dropped your hands.

You nodded, a sense of reassurance washing over you at the sight of Mihawk's familiar presence. "Yes, everything is under control," you assured him, your tone steady despite the tumult of emotions swirling within you. "We'll manage just fine while you're away."

With a nod of acknowledgment, Mihawk turned to leave, his departure a silent reminder of the impending separation. But before he disappeared from view, he cast one last glance over his shoulder, his gaze cast towards his daughter like tenant before lingering on you with a quiet intensity that spoke volumes. Zoro stepped closer to give you and Perona a quick hug while looking away before following his master. You pulled him back for a moment to wrap your scarf around him before leaving a sparkly kiss on his cheek bone and whispering in his ear.

“Be safe and come back to me whole.”

Moss head grumbled like the tsundere he is before nodded at you with a firm look before disappearing out the glass doors. As you watched him depart, a bittersweet ache settled in your chest, a poignant reminder of the bond that tethered you to Mihawk and the uncertainty of his absence. Yet, amidst the turmoil, you found solace in the unwavering support of Perona and Zoro, a testament to the strength of the ties that bound you together, come what may.

Glancing down at Perona, you took her smaller hand in your own and held her cold fingers to your warm cheek. The two of you stood quietly, watching as the duo made their way to the shore. The sun barely broke over the ocean's horizon, casting long shadows and making them appear as two black specks in the distance. As they stood together on the balcony, watching them disappear into the distance, a sense of resolve settled over them, a silent vow to weather whatever storms lay ahead.

They turned towards the ship once more to find it had begun to set sail. Perona waved to her brother-friend and father figure as you held your breath. You could feel his stare and you raised your arm in the air to make a sweeping motion with your hand over your head. The fading figure repeated your farewell and air returned to your lungs.

And that was it. Mihawk never gave much notice when he was going to leave or when he would be coming back. It did so now, but only as a courtesy to you and Perona. Typically, you'd join him but the mixed up feelings in your tummy were only going to complicate that. So, the two of you stood in the early dawn watching as the boat disappeared over the horizon until there was nothing but open waters.

As the days passed, the absence of Mihawk lingered ironically like a shadow over Kuraigana Castle. You found yourself immersed in duties, channeling your energy into ensuring that the castle ran smoothly in his absence. But no matter how busy you kept herself, his absence was a constant presence in your mind.

Perona proved to be a steadfast companion during this time, her bubbly personality providing a welcome distraction from the lingering sense of emptiness. Together, you navigated the challenges of managing the castle, bond growing stronger with each passing day.

But as the days turned into weeks, you couldn't shake the feeling of restlessness that gnawed at her insides. You found herself longing for Mihawk's return, craving the comfort of his presence and the reassurance of his steady gaze.

One evening, as you stood on the balcony overlooking the castle grounds, lost in your thoughts, Perona approached her with a curious expression. "You seem troubled," she remarked, her voice soft with concern. "Is everything alright?"

You forced a smile, attempting to brush off her concerns. "I'm fine, Perona," you replied, your voice tinged with uncertainty. "Just missing Mihawk, I suppose."

Perona nodded understandingly, her eyes filled with sympathy. "I know how you feel about him," she admitted, her voice quiet. "I think it's okay, though. To feel that way about someone."

Your face flushed the same shade of pink as her locks before you offered her a shy smile. "Okay, Missy, you got me. You know my deep dark secret." You held your arms out to her and she gladly found herself in one of your cinnamon warm hugs. "It's not everyday you fall in love with an old friend, let alone one that's your boss."

Despite Perona's reassuring words, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach. You knew that Mihawk's return was inevitable, but you couldn't help but wonder what would happen when he finally did come back.

Would things go back to normal, or would their relationship take on a new dynamic? And more importantly, would Mihawk ever understand and accept the depth of your feelings for him?

These thoughts were interrupted by the screech of your snail communicator. Startled, Perona beat you to the old thing a split second before you entered the room. Her face paled even more in color as she nodded before looking towards you and then back to the snail.

"Yes, I'll be sure to tell her. Okay, bye now."

"Well?"

The pink girl sighed before looking at you sadly. "That was Mihawk. He and Zoro have encountered trouble during their mission, and I am needed to assist them." Her eyes flashed with tears, "But I don't want to leave you either." You quickly crossed the room to draw her up into your arms again.

"Hey now, your master called for you so you must answer. I'm going to be okay, my love. Really, and I'll have dinner ready for you when you all get back." You slowly slumped to the floor with her in your arms as you felt her tears drop onto your collar bones. "This is tragic in a way that I can NOT tolerate!" She pulled herself from your arms to look you square in your eyes.

"You have to promise me that when we return you'll confess to him! I'm gonna go crazy if you guys keep acting like nothings going on!"

Taking in her soft, yet desperate features, you chuckled softly and wiped the tears from her pale cheeks. It always made you happy to see how full of life Perona was despite everything else around her.

"Okay, Perona. I promise I will tell Mihawk everything when he arrives home."

She looked at you with relief before slumping into the crook of your neck. "Finally, I was needing a mother anyway." That comment left you a little breathless which caused a fit of giggling to erupt from the young ward. "Yeah, yeah, the big bad sea lady has a crush on an old dusty hawk. Now let's get you some transportation before our master calls again."

Within the next two hours, you had packed Peronas bags and sent her on a trusted passage to Mihawk and Zoro's last location. You didn’t want to let her go yet but instead gave her two of your gold bracelets and had her give you the same promise you told Zoro. Your arms were still buzzing from the feeling of joy you got when Perona expressed her approval over you as a mother figure. But it also makes the now empty castle feel even colder than before now that you were alone again.

In your dimly lit chamber, you couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that engulfed her. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes as you grappled with the overwhelming sense of loneliness that threatened to consume you.

Isn't the human mind a wonderful thing?

Within that moment of vulnerability, you allowed herself to confront her deepest desires. You yearned for a sense of belonging, a family to call her own. The thought of being surrounded by loved ones, of sharing your life with those who truly cared for her, filled you with a sense of longing she had never known before.

With a heavy heart, you realized that you had spent so much time focusing on her duties and responsibilities that you had neglected your own happiness. You had built walls around your heart, believing that you didn't need anyone else to feel complete. But now, as you sat alone in the silence of your chamber, you couldn't deny the ache in your soul, the longing for connection and companionship.

It was the main reason you became a pirate, really. You didn't have a traditional family of your own but you could build one with your friends and comrades. You loved the letters your crew members would send you and the pictures of their own happy families. You loved waking up everyday and seeing Perona and Mihawk squawking at the table, especially when Zoro would join.

Determined to confront your loneliness head-on, you made a decision. You would no longer hide behind your walls of independence and self-reliance. Instead, you would open herself up to the possibility of love and companionship, embracing the vulnerability that came with it.

With newfound resolve, you wiped away your tears and rose from her seat. It was time to take control of her own destiny, to seek out the happiness and fulfillment she so desperately craved. And with that thought in mind, she set out to make a change, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead on her journey to find true happiness.

And then your transponder snail began to ring.

“Hello, who is this?”

“Ah, my love. It’s been too long!”

A soft groan escaped your lips before turning into a smile.

“Shanks, you old rat bastard. What are you up to?”

It had been a few months since you’d seen the red-haired boozer. Sometimes, he would visit the island when Mihawk was out, and you’d have a small friendship date on the secluded beach. It wasn’t a problem for you, as you were close when younger, and he always regarded you as a sister of sorts — protective and kind, yet trusting of your capabilities.

“Not much, lass, but word on the street is that the world government thinks you’ve kicked it.” You scoffed before rolling your eyes. “You know as well as I do that I’m just taking a break.”

The static on his end began to pick up before his voice came back in. “When are you going to come back from this break? We do miss you, y'know. Could always use a doctor on board or Pirate Queen.” You took in a deep breath and sighed. “I was actually thinking about that today.” The line went silent for a thoughtful moment before you could hear his voice again.

“[Name], what are you going to decide?”

As Shanks's words lingered in your mind, you found yourself grappling with the weight of his question. What were you going to decide? The idea of returning to the life of a pirate, with all its adventure and freedom, stirred something deep within you. You missed your old crew but knew they were happy with their families and didn’t want to leave them again. At the same time, you couldn't shake the sense of duty and responsibility that tied you to Kuraigana Island and its inhabitants.

The whole reason you left in the first place was because you didn’t want to continue these boring routines. You didn’t shy from the danger of your bounty but at the same time you weren’t going to risk innocent lives for the sake of adventure. And by doing so you now began a complicated relationship with one of your oldest friends and practically confessed your love for him to his daughter!

You didn’t want to be alone.

Pacing back and forth in your room, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on you like a heavy burden. On one hand, there was the allure of the open sea, the thrill of exploration, and the camaraderie of a pirate crew. On the other hand, there was the comfort and familiarity of the island, the sense of belonging, and the bonds you had forged with Mihawk, Perona, and Zoro.

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath, trying to quiet the conflicting voices in your mind. Deep down, you knew that whatever decision you made, it would have far-reaching consequences. But in that moment, you also knew that you couldn't let fear hold you back from seizing the opportunity for a new adventure. With a determined resolve, you reached for your den den mushi and took a steadying breath before speaking.

"Shanks, I've made my decision."

"Go on, love. I'm listening," Shanks replied, his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm of your thoughts.

You took a moment to gather your thoughts before speaking, each word weighed with the gravity of your decision.

"I've decided... to take a chance. To embrace the unknown and embark on a new journey."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by a soft chuckle from Shanks. "That's the spirit, [Name]. Adventure awaits, and if you need it I've got just the crew for you." Despite the uncertainty still swirling within you, a sense of excitement began to bubble up. The prospect of your brother friend offering a home with his crew filled you with a renewed sense of happiness.

"Thank you, Shanks. I won't let you down," you replied, determination firm in your voice.

“I know you won’t Give the old bird a big kiss for me, will ya?”

With a final farewell, you ended the call and turned to face the open sea beyond your window. The horizon stretched out before you, beckoning you with promises of adventure and discovery.

As you made your way out of your room and into the empty halls of Kuraigana Castle, you couldn't help but feel a sense of liberation wash over you. For the first time in a long while, you felt truly alive, ready to embrace whatever the future held.

With a smile on your face and a fire in your heart, you set out to make preparations for your journey, knowing that whatever challenges lay ahead, you would face them head-on, with courage and determination.

But first you’d need to pay a visit to a Flashy Blue Haired Freak!~

______________________________________________________________

This is also posted on the a03 account by the same name. A new update post will also be out tomorrow regarding updates and new stories.

Part 5 posted now.

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Seen you soon my loves!!~ <<33