#19349f: Neela

[voidcenturyseashanties]

NEELA HAS APPEARED ON YOUR DASH! WHAT DO?

◎ Give her uppies ◎ Give her a date (the food) ◎ Yell at her to fuck off ◎ Twirl her

[voidcenturyseashanties]

Hypnotic repetitions circled the small of her back. Slowly, the dancer's jaw slackened. Eyelids started to sag. Such a simple movement enchanted her with ease. His lips were moving, but the words themselves were delayed. The glittering remnants of the unfortunately-timed reaction trickled from the corners of her eyes. Unintelligible reverberations preceded the syllables themselves; words struck her hard.

"Is there a smell bothering you or something?"

Neela's feet shuffled beneath her; she bounced once to correct her poor posture. Wide eyes twinkled still; a stray sniffle and twitch wiggled her nose and the jewelry suspended from her septum. "What? No-" Her hands floated up, "No it's not like that. You smell really good, I promise!" Surely, he did not think he smelled offensive. Was that what he was asking? Though she was inclined to agree that the sudden overwhelming urge to sneeze was odd, she felt fine otherwise. Once more her thoughts wandered, searching through scattered records of any similar instances she could recall. As she did so, her head slowly tipped to the side. Hm. Nope. Not a single similar situation came to mind. A sheepish smile pulled her lips taut. "I'm sorry," the apology was low and hushed, "I'll stop. I'll stop." The heel of her hand brushed past cheeks that glistened with teary tributaries. Even now, an intermittent scrunch crinkled the bridge of her nose. A thick swallow bobbed her throat. Joy and volume receded further as she spoke. "Are you mad?"

He wasn't even sure how long he'd held her. Lost in the unfamiliar comfort of such an embrace. Noting how at one point she'd melted into him, as if fully relaxing into his hold. Somehow he knew that it came with a kind of trust that wasn't easily given, not with such physical closeness. As if, perhaps, she felt safe in his arms.

It was a thought that had his heart clenching slightly with the knowledge that such trust was precious. Something to be held with care and protected once given.

Yet the moment he felt her start to pull away he released her immediately, not wanting to cross any lines in this uncharted territory. Only when he realized why she'd pulled away his brow furrowed slightly, even as his lips pulled towards a small smile. Her sneezes were downright adorable. Though the amount of them now coming out of her had concern growing. "You ok?"

Reaching out he pressing his hand into her back gently, rubbing it in soothing circles even as he shook his head. "No, you didn't ruin it. I'm more concerned though as to why you're sneezing so much....."

Pausing he looked down at himself, trying to figure out if he had a dusting of spices over him or something before adding when he found nothing obvious. "Is there a smell bothering you or something?"

[bybrophelia]

Neela's name means blue. Specifically, it can be described as deep, sapphire blue. Since she was surrendered immediately at birth to her father, Njano was given the task of naming his child. His entire world turned upside down in record time. After being discharged from the Navy following his injury, he felt that he lacked purpose. He felt lost and distraught. Meeting Najma changed that . . . until fate twisted the knife one last time. He was forced to see her in town but could never interact. He was forced to raise their daughter in secret. Njano's mind was anguished. While kindly neighbors assisted him in his unceremonious transition into ( single ) fatherhood, he struggled to shake the depression that festered within him. Neela did not have a name for the first few months of her life. Neighbors asked questions to ignite some inspiration: what was his favorite season? what were some things that made him happy? The idea did not strike him until the first time he saw her smile. Deep within that emotional void he felt a spark of hope. Rather than name her after a favorite object, season, or place, Njano named his daughter after his current state of mind: blue. It was an effort to put a positive spin on how he was feeling. Growing up, she asked many times about her name, and her father told her that blue was his favorite color. He would tell her he named her after something beautiful. Neela would not learn the truth behind her name until her return to Mirror Ball Island following the strike from Bartholomew Kuma.

[voidcenturyseashanties]

"Well, actually, there's a reason why I don't wear shoes," Neela murmured sheepishly, "I can't wear them because I'm allergic to them." Perhaps this time, she would be believed.

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@piecedpirates said: Brow hitched as she crosses her arms against her chest. Eyes holding a glare that is ever so present that very rarely ever leaves her eyes when in the company of those who are not her crew. "I don't know what's worse, your personality or the fact Killer let's you come around." Frost is in a bitter mood ; though when isn't she. ⇶ Frost && Neela

"Hmmmmm." A thoughtful smile spread across the dancer's lips. Neela tapped her chin, her feet rocking from the balls to the heels. Eyes rolled upward toward the ceiling. A giggle vibrated in her throat. "I thiiiiiink he lets me come around because he likes my personality," Neela stated, "and I think we're friends." The rocking promptly halted. Her pointer finger turned outward; it took aim at the Kid pirate navigator. Her smile widened considerably. "I think you and I are friends, too. I think you like me too!" Surely, Frost's words were all a front, right? . . . Right?

[voidcenturyseashanties]

"You know, I was told you're scary and mean," Neela murmured as she lowered to sit beside him, "I don't think so. I think you're nice for caring about me. Are you sure that doesn't mean we're friends?" The mile-wide grin split the dancer's face. "But anyway! I feel better, I'm just getting used to fresh air again-" Neela insisted with a deliberately muted sniff. "Also uhm—I can't really wear shoes, because I'm allergic to them? But I promise I'm okay! Please don't worry or be mad at me."

Her movements were unhurried and fluid, likened to molasses. They started with the spreading of her legs, followed by the measured pouring of her torso directly over the deck, and finished with her propping her chin up with her hands. Now in a full split, she stared forward at him.

"If I were sick, would I be able to do this?" She chirped, her brilliant grin still present.

What was it with this crew and being friends? He'd never been asked that question so often in his life. Yet in the past week alone, he'd heard it more times than he could count. Strawhat hadn't even asked, he'd just fucking claimed him like he was a new toy. At least, Roronoa hadn't made the request.

Eyeing her with the detached disinterest that was normally upon his features he said simply. "No, I'm here for the alliance between your captain and myself. Nothing more."

Yet even as he spoke he couldn't help noting the slight paleness to her skin and exhaustion that seemed to be weighing her down. His gaze shifted slightly as signs of recovering from a bad cold became more evident the longer he watched her until he couldn't help but add. Unable to prevent the concern that flared from the side of him that was a Doctor. "You should get back into the warmth before your cold comes back or at least put on more layers."

Dropping his gaze down he added, a blink the only sign of near disbelief that Chopper had allowed her out into the cold without them. "And shoes."

[voidcenturyseashanties]

"I guess it won't hurt fill these, ga ne! With all due respect."

"Wait . . ." confusion commandeered her features. Knitted brows sat atop wide eyes of umber. Her lips twisted and rounded with words that never fully formed. A sheepish smile peeled her lips back. "Uhm . . . why did you specify for friends? Was this . . . not for friends? What else would it be for?"

game: chemistry bingo! ( accepting )

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@seaoftales said: The large feline laid outstretched in the shade, tail only lightly swishing back and forth. A small white pigeon slept on the leopards head, the predator unbothered by it. To the unassuming viewer, the two of them looked like an unlikely pair, completely out of place as well, though both were there with a purpose, appearing at the small coastal town coincidentally around the same time the Straw Hat Pirates made port there. With a presence approaching, the pigeon woke first, giving a few soft coos in return as a way of alerting the leopard before flying off. The feline in turn opened one eye to see who was coming closer. Ah, the target he was hoping for. Now it was all a matter of playing the tamed house cat. ⇶ Rob Lucci && Sol Neela

The dancer was not usually trusted to wander, especially in port towns. This time, however, she managed to slip free before her chaperone could be secured ( before the drawing of straws. ) Possessed by wanderlust, she strolled through the bazaar quickly. If it were not for a small movement caught at the very edge of her periphery, she would have missed him entirely. Bare feet halted in the dirt path. Hips twisted toward him, causing arms to fly out mid-whirl. Wonder rounded her mouth. Immediately, hands flocked to steeple in front of her face. Two large, round eyes stared ahead with both delight and awe. A sparkling gaze of raw zircon steered masterfully over the large cat. Excitement ignited within her. A sharp gasp was sucked in. Neela's hips started to wriggle and stir. A series of rapid steps in place on the balls of her feet concluded with an explosive jump. "KITTY!" cried the blonde, her arms now outstretched.

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@a11sunday asked: ‘ blanket burrito ‘ ⇶ usopp taking care of neela post-punk hazard < 33

Disjointed vignettes were the only thing the dancer retained from their time at Punk Hazard. Even before she lost consciousness, she fought her hardest not to succumb to the cold and defend her crewmates. She simply lacked the warmth and momentum to contest it any longer. Faded voices drifted in and out, but she could not discern the words spoken. When she opened her eyes, she was struck with overwhelming pain. An agonizing gnaw on joints ravaged every articulation. It was impossible to ignore. Even looking at things was uncomfortable. Tremors traveled up and down her spine. She was swaddled tight in a blanket. This caused the dancer erupted into panic . . . though there was nothing she could do about it.

She could barely move. It was undoubtedly the work of a fever and a savage one at that. Her weak crooning did not make it past her lips, but she hoped that her stirring—as meager as it was—would alert someone.

It took a moment to connect that the pressure exerted on her was more than just that of the blanket. It was coupled with the force of whoever had wrapped her up in the first place. A strangled whimper gurgled in her aching throat. When the head turned, her heart swelled. Neela immediately relaxed ( save for the intermittent shuddering ) and stared up at him. Usopp?

[voidcenturyseashanties]

She had stolen a copy from Killer, thought it was hilarious and filled it out for the laughs - does Neela even know what she was doing with this? There was no way that Neela was... no, Frost takes that thought back. "Are you aware of what this is implying?" Frost asks, brow raised "Only styling of hair I do is dying." A lie, she also provides cuts to her crew as well as dying their hair.

This was the emptiest card she had received thus far. That was . . . disappointing. She could not contain the crumpling of her expression. Even with all her might, the grimace peeked through the concerted effort to anchor her mouth corners in place. Wide eyes were framed by the faintest furrow. The question was a needle to the neck. A visible flinch caused her body to curl inward. "What do you mean?" the dancer asked, her fingers loosely curled in front of her chest, "Is this not for friendship?" What else could it have been for? Furthermore, why did the question hurt to hear?

game: chemistry bingo! ( accepting )

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@piecedpirates asked: ❛ here, give this a try and tell me what you think. ❜ ⇶ Killer && Neela

Both hands curled around the single hand outstretched to her. What was this little square he held out? A preliminary sniff told her it must have been a sweet item. Immediately, her mouth started to water. Pupils doubled in size, now indistinguishable from her irises. Up on the balls of her feet, she rose. Slowly, she plucked it free from his fingers with her lips. Both hands still clutched his as she chewed it. It had a delightful crunch! It was sweet, too! A soft moan vibrated in her throat. Neela eagerly licked her lips. "That was yummy! Hey, can I have more?"

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@tewwor sent:

Six hands and four scampering paws accompany the slouch of his mostly upright body. A small noise of protest ( still cushioned by fatigue ) wheezes free when his body tilts and jostles with every other shuffling step.

With one pair of hands posted at each shoulder, the remaining pair was stationed in the wide valley between them. The large dog was in tow 'supervising' as Nami quipped while she guided the group toward the bedroom. She shuddered to think of how difficult this would be should they be contending with his dead weight instead of the ( meager ) assistance offered in his half-conscious stupor. "Three against one—" Nami stipulated, though her remark was quickly followed by a loud, boisterous bark. "Make that four . . . but still. Majority rules. You're overdue for a nap, at least." "Yup! You were practically asleep on your feet! I've never seen anything like that before! You must be really tired," Neela added, though the pointed look from the redhead immediately lowered her volume and raised her shoulders toward her ears. "Izumi, while he rests, feel free to put us to work getting the place straightened up," Nami offered as they steered the stumbling man toward a non-negotiable nap.

unprompted 💃🏿🍊

[voidcenturyseashanties]

A warm cheek pressed against his chest. From ear to ear, a vibrant grin split the dancer's face. There was a rather comforting warmth that emanated from the physician. Half-lidded eyes beamed up at him while arms snaked around his trunk. He was a bit too tall to hug properly ( or at least by her metric ) but she settled for allowing her hand to surf up the man's scapular valley whilst the other arm cinched them together. Strength was not abundant in a body still recovering, but she was determined to use every available ounce to keep them tethered for a meaningful embrace. After all, if it were not for his arrival, she would not have made it out of the raid alive.

"Hey," Neela chirped, "we . . . we are friends now, right?"

@voidcenturyseashanties asked, "The shuffling of her feet picked up in pace. Soon, it evolved into a breakneck sprint. There he was! Her new friend! His assistance in the raid was instrumental to their success. The events had become a blur for the dancer—vignettes of being bludgeoned, kicked, narrowly evading other blows, and collapsing when her body could no longer take the endless onslaught—but his appearance was not a memory she could forget even if she tried. Wound wrappings on her torso were concealed under her kimono, save for those on her bare feet. Arms thrust out on either side as she closed in. “Hey, wait! Friends don’t leave without giving hugs!” Neela cooed between pained pants, “You saved my life in Onigashima!” from Neela to Marco 🥺

He had done what he came here to do. The Strawhats and their allies had won the battle and he had done his part. While the thrill of battle was great in the heat of moment and made him almost miss the good old days after the fact he was sore, tired and wanted a nap somewhere away from everyone else for a couple hours.

But he had to get back home. The people back home needed him, or at least needed his protection from pirates that are looking for an easy target to go after now that Pops was gone.

He was about to take off when he heard someone yelling from him. He hadn't really been that familiar with the Strawhat Crew members but he knew of most of their reputations, he thought he could recognize their faces with how small Ace's crazy little brother's actual crew is. But when he turned around to see someone he definitely knew was one of Straw Hats bunch he stopped.

Now he wasn't a hugging man. He did it for people he knew now and then, during big moments but that was about it.

Still when he looked at this girl with her arms out he figured 'why not'. Walking up to her he wrapped his arms around her, he could have did it harder but he didn't want to risk hurting her even more after a hell of a battle like that.

"Glad to be of help knocking Kaido and Big Mom down a peg-yoi."

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@seaschef asked: 🌺 ⇶ Sanji && Neela

She was seated on the taffrail, feet dangling over the water. There was something so special about salt air from the sea when it got cold. It was strangely comforting. Memories splashed across her mind, projected before her into the expanse of night beyond the reach of the lights on the Sunny. A wistful smile stretched her lips. Behind her, she could sense a presence but chose not to yield to it by facing it just yet. Warmth grew closer. A soft sensation left her feeling . . . uncertain. Was there something in her hair? On her neck? A tingle blossomed into a full-blown shiver. Neela tipped back to stare at the perpetrator with wide eyes. The blank expression exploded into an elated grin. "Oh, SANJI!" One hand hovered above her hairline. What was that she felt? It was soft and velvety . . . like a petal. "What's up? Did you come for a hug?" unable to shake the sensation, she deftly plucked the object from her hair so that she could identify it. It was a flower. Delight and wonder rounded her mouth. Doe eyes of umber flickered back to him. "For me?" She asked, her voice reduced to a shy squeak.

meme: send 🌺 to put a flower in my muse's hair.

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@liecoris sent: "It's freezing out here." ⇶ Neela && Mukuro

"Oh!" The dancer's mouth lingered in a rounded state. "Let me help you with that!" Lean, sculpted arms encircled the information broker and cinched their bodies together. She did not have much extra heat to lend, but at the very least, Neela could offer what little she did have. That . . . and sneak in a cuddle. A biting blast of cold air rattled her spine. Reflexively, she squeezed Mukuro tighter. Thankfully, she was not a towering figure; this made the task of covering her and sparing her the brunt of the chill much easier. The dancer, however, was not as lucky. "Mmmmaybe," Neela's offer hit a pause so she could compose herself and steady her quaking jaw, "we should head inside."

meme: Bit chilly out.

[voidcenturyseashanties]

@waxgentleman asked: 🍭 “ Would you like one, ga ne? Sweets aren't really my thing. ” Mr 3 takes a lollipop from a breakfast basket he's carrying. The ex convicts really did their best in making that for the artist.... but he didn't liked any of the things there. Even if the artist only offered one lollipop, he end ups leaving the whole basket at her hands. “ Well, that's solves my problem. You're welcome, ga ne!” ⇶ Neela

"Ehhhh!? REALLY? All for me!?" A chorus of delighted trills erupted from her lips. Elation had the young dancer buzzing on her feet. Unable to contain herself, Neela's hands started to flap back and forth. Her weight shifted from her right foot to her left; this rocking transitioned seamlessly to a bounce. From ear to ear, a frictionless grin spread. Wide, hickory-hued eyes sparkled. While she could easily polish off the entirety of the basket (and boy did she want to), she knew it would be best to take the surplus of sweets back to her friends. Sharing it would avoid the inevitable stomachache. It would also prevent her from spoiling her appetite. "Thank you soooooooOOooOO much!" It was at this point that the bouncing ceased. Her hips, however, started to wiggle and sway. The mile-wide grin slowly pressed into her bottom lip. "Can I give you a hug?" The question was, of course, rhetorical.