#Cabin Crew opening 2021

[one-piece-aus]

I posted 356 times in 2022

That's 6 more posts than 2021!

105 posts created (29%)

251 posts reblogged (71%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@one-piece-aus

@exactly-another-one-piece-blog

@tsunderedoctor

@heyitsdoe

@as-i-watch

I tagged 231 of my posts in 2022

Only 35% of my posts had no tags

#one piece - 157 posts

#one piece au - 56 posts

#one piece x reader - 49 posts

#one piece scenario - 44 posts

#one piece x you - 33 posts

#whumptober2022 - 29 posts

#trafalgar law - 28 posts

#one piece x y/n - 24 posts

#whump fanfiction - 22 posts

#whump fic - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 76 characters

#i think that's one of the reasons why dragon is the most wanted in the world

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I am a hoe for Katakuri, so if you write for him, could I have Kata rescuing an s/o who'd been captured by another pirate crew? 😁

Oh boy is this long overdue. Ahoy Doe, I finally finished this request! I hope you don't mind me using the scenario for Whumptober, and please enjoy the story ^-^

Whumptober Day 28

Katakuri x Reader

"What do you mean [Y/n]'s gone?"

The guards paled as a heavy aura from Katakuri engulfed them. They haven't even had the chance to inform him about the situation, yet his fury is emitting and leaving the servants terrified under his gaze. His brows narrowed when he received no response, he reached down and picked up one of the servants.

"Who took [Y/n]?" Katakuri inquired, his voice hinting at his intention of seeking vengeance. However, he never let the servant speak and dropped him when he got his answer. "Gather a fleet, I'm going to save [Y/n], and we're going to erase those pirates."

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

You kept your glare on the pirates outside your cage, wishing you could burn holes through their skulls. They were snickering amongst themselves over a game of cards, telling themselves what a good idea it was to take you hostage for ransom. They really don't know the forces they were messing with, do they? You weren't able to point out their mistake yet when one of their men open the cabin's door.

"Captain, there's a small ship in the distance," he reported as he held the door wide open.

"Seems like your buyers are here," the captain smirked at you.

"You're fools if you think Big Mom would pay you your demands," you stated. The man laughed in response, only stopping when he looked back at your glaring eyes. 

"That's what you believe," he grinned crouching down in front of your cage. "But we're going to be the ones rolling in gold."

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

"Uh captain," the lookout nervously called down to the deck.

"What is it now?" The man questioned with annoyance growling in his tone.

"It's a fleet of ships- a fleet of ships from Big Mom!" The subordinate warned, pointing toward the rear of the ship.

The captain dropped the heavy sack he carried and dashed to the back of the ship. Sure enough, the massive fleet was tailing them, and the small ship had already left. He growled and gripped the rail as his gaze landed on the sweet general leading the army, Katakuri.

Having the enemy in sight, Katakuri turned his head to address the crew. "Don't fire cannons just yet, I want [Y/n] safe in my possession first. Kill the enemies who resist and hold the others hostage, wait for my order to eliminate them," Katakuri instructed, receiving salutes in response. Looking back at the tiny vessel, he gripped his fist. "Just hang in there, [Y/n]. I'll make them pay!'

Ringing his arm behind his head, Katakuri threw the first attack, extending his mochi arm and taking out the enemy's mast. They slowed down while their sails sunk to the bottom of the ocean, letting the fleet surround them and board. The events turned into a massacre rather than a fight as the Charlottes painted the deck in blood, Katakuri dealing out the brutal fatalities to each pirate he faced.

Heading down to the cabins, Katakuri tore anything that stood in his way of getting to you. Heads, doors, planks, they were all scattered in his search. Reaching the end of the hall and tearing open the last door, Katakuri found himself in a room full of chests and cages, and in the corner stood the enemy captain, frozen in place. Katakuri's eyes glowed red and he sent a punch at the man, immobilizing him in mochi.

"Where's [Y/n]?" Katakuri demanded the whereabouts.

The captain gave him a smirk and a glow from Katakuri's eyes made him step back. The Charlotte glanced at the empty cage with a torn piece of your sleeve left behind. With widened eyes, he ran out of the room and onto the deck. Going to the front of the ship, trying to find any traces of the small ship, Katakuri could only see his family's ships on the horizon as the unspoken words of the pirate taunted his mind.

"I already sold her off."

254 notes - Posted October 30, 2022

#4

Hiya! I saw your warlord’s taking care of smol s/o (prob thanks to Bonney). Could I please request this prompt but for the supernovas? Like Kid/Killer/Law/Zoro? ❤️

Yup, I guess this is a thing on my blog xD Thank you for the request, I will not be including Luffy because he was already done on this post

How They Treat Their Fem!S/O Who Turned Into Smol Child (Headcanons): Supernovas

Zoro is the poor soul who is shocked by this and gets distracted, letting the enemy run away

Shit

He gets mad at himself for letting that happen but now there's a more pressing matter to take care of: You

Zoro acting as he does, asks if you're alright as if you just had gotten a minor scratch

If you start barking at him about how you clearly aren't alright and be mad he's not being showing enough empathy he'll apologize and take you to go see Chopper because he doesn't have the first clue what else to do

Chopper make sure you're good health but he can't help much from there

Zoro would be unsure what to do if you're still frustrated you're smol

He's good with kids not a upset smol you, someone help him

However, if you're not chewing his ear out, well then you're in luck because that keeps Zoro in game

He makes sure you're alright

He'll pick you up and carry you as he tracks down Bonney using his observation haki

Of course, he gets lost but that ends up giving him the advantage and ambush her from the front

"Turn [Y/n] back right now."

See the full post

267 notes - Posted June 20, 2022

#3

Whumptober Day 12

Zoro x Reader

"Let's go this way," Zoro suggested when your captain couldn't make up his mind which way he thought would be more fun.

"Yeah right, like we're going to let you lead the way Zoro," Sanji scoffed and rolled his eyes. He then gestured to another tunnel. "We should go this way."

"Hey, why don't we split into teams?" you said before the duo could start arguing over who should decide what. "That way we can find the treasure faster."

"Good idea, [Y/n]!" Nami agreed with your plan since it'd mean she could find her money sooner.

"Alright guys, we're splitting up," Luffy declared and dashed down the path in front of him.

"Luffy!" Nami snapped out of her money trance and ran after him. "Wait up!"

"Yo Robin, how 'bout we go down this way," Franky offered the ravenette as he shinned his nipple lights on the walls. "This one got some runes."

"I'd be happy to," Robin smiled as she followed the shipwright.

"Hey look, this one has skeletons like me," Brook chuckled as he lifted up the bone body to show the others, scaring Usopp and Chopper.

You laughed at the sight until you noticed the swordsman wandering back the way you guys just came. "Zoro, you're the wrong way."

"Huh?" He turned around with a puzzled expression.

You shook your head and took his hand, beginning to lead him. "This is the cave you wanted to explore."

"I knew that." If it weren't for the darkness surrounding you two, you would've noticed Zoro's cheeks turning into red roses.

Your footsteps echoed down the cave, the only thing keeping silence at bay. At times, Zoro's arm brushes against yours, you sense how he tenses each time. Unsure why he's uneasy, you decide to strike up some small talk.

"What are you hoping we'll find in the treasure chest?"

"Some booze would be nice," Zoro answered bluntly.

"I don't know if we'll find any," you deadpan thinking it might not have been the best question to ask. "I'm sure we could use some of the wealth to buy some though."

Silence squeezes between the two of you when the attempt at conversation fails. You sigh and begin to glance around the cave for something interesting. Briefly, you catch sight of pointy-shaped rocks up ahead and-

"Hey, I have a question, [Y/n]," Zoro abruptly pulled you out of your observation.

"Hm?" you hummed turning your head to him as you kept walking.

"How come you don't drink?" 

"Oh- uh- I guess I just got used to not being able to drink," you shrugged. "My island sorta outlawed alcohol."

"What? How did your people survive? That sounds like a nightmare," Zoro said dreading the idea of living in a place that didn't have booze.

You giggled at him, "Maybe to you, however, thanks to that law, pirates didn't care to visit our little island." A memory flashes in your mind and your smile disappears. "At least until..."

Zoro stops and places a hand on your shoulder making you halt. You glanced at where his eyes would be, unable to see them due to the darkness clouding the view. The outline of Zoro's mouth opens, about speak when-

"GUUUUUUUUYYYYSSSSSS!!!"

The area vibrated as your captain's voice bounced off the walls. Bits of rubble fell from the ceiling, landing on your head and shoulders. Your eyes glanced above your head, and you realized you two were under unstable rock spikes.

"WE FOUND THE TREASURE!!!" Luffy shouted down your cave. Larger rocks rolled down the sides of the wall.

See the full post

285 notes - Posted October 12, 2022

#2

Morning! I was reading through your masterlist and love your content so far, esp Cora ❤️ But I saw your writing on Ace and Sabo finding out their S/O used to be a slave, and was wondering if I could request that prompt for maybe Kid and Killer? If you’re interested, ofc! Either way, I’m glad I found your blog and hope you’re doing well!

Ahoy anon! I'm happy to hear you're enjoying my content. I wasn't sure if you wanted the characters to have separate or not so I did it how I originally did it. Feel free to request more in the future! ^-^

Reaction to Finding Out Their Fem! S/O was a Former Celestial Dragon Slave (Scenario): Kid and Killer (Separate)

Kid found out during a party on board his ship. While you were always vigilant to keep the celestial mark on your back out of view, your drunken state had loosened your state. It was a brief moment when the fabric lifted too high or dipped down too much but Kid spotted it.

He's shocked at first, the enjoyment he experienced moments ago completely shattered glass. It takes him three seconds to process this before he gets up and marches over to where you are. You were having fun and just chatting away with the crew members, swinging your choice of booze around, so you didn't understand why Kid wore such a salty expression approaching you.

"Hey, why you all grumpy, Mr. Grumpy-pants?" You asked poking his chest. "Turn that frown upside down."

Kid didn't amuse you, he picked you up over the shoulder and headed to the captain's quarters. You protest all you but his anger drowns out your complaining. He barks at the others not to disrupt the two of you unless they desire to die.

Once the two of you are in the privacy of his room, he reveals your back to see it really the celestial mark burned into your back. His fingers trace over the mark, rage boiling. How dare someone think they can just use you as property.

He would've thrown or broken something had it not been for you clapping your hands over his. He looked up to see your now sober and reassuring expression.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm here not there," you whispered to Kid. "I'm not under their control."

While that may have calmed him down there and then, that will not prevent him from despising the rulers of the world even more than beforehand. He will kill anyone if they find out you're a celestial slave and try to take you away from him.

See the full post

336 notes - Posted April 28, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Hi!! first of all I read your mcdonald hc and this is so accurate lol this is my request! could u write s/o turn into smol child 🤏🤏🤏 like hc your write before? or if it's not in the case of Bonnie could you write like when he fighting with luffy? like his s/o use their power and become small🥺 Thank you!!!

Ahoy anon, thank you for your compliments on the McDonald's hc. My sincerest apologies for answering this so late but here it is at last!

How They Treat Their Fem!S/O Who Turned Into Smol Child (Headcanons): Luffy

Luffy thinks this is hilarious!

You're smol now (if you get mad it just makes it even funnier)

Still knows you 100% can still kick ass and will encourage you to still kick ass

You may be smol but that doesn't change his faith in your abilities

Moving on from the battlefield, Luffy has fun playing with smol you

Will carry you around for fun, you're so light and easy to carry

If you let him, he will hug your smol form because he just wants to hug you

Can you stay like this?

Wait no, you can't be stuck like this, he wants you back to normal

Tells Nami to set sail to find Bonnie

But that doesn't work because they have no idea where she is

Calls Traffy to see if he knows anything about her whereabouts

Luffy will find her, don't worry

When y'all do find Bonnie, Luffy holds you up in front of her

"TURN [Y/N] BACK TO NORMAL! Uh- please"

434 notes - Posted May 10, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[mrm101]

Update: Coverage now from 12:15BST (07:15EDT)

Docking of Dragon USCV-7 today at 13:50BST (27 Aug), rendezvous and approach from 12:00BST on NASA TV

• Sunday 27 August 2023: Docking

BST (EDT)

12:15 (07:15) rendezvous & approach

13:50 (08:50) docking

~15:33 (10:33) hatch opening

16:30 (11:30) welcome

Pic. NASA TV. Commander Lt Col Jasmin Moghbeli and to her right Pilot Andreas Mogensen ESA (Denmark) and at the back Mission Specialist Konstantin Borisov of Roscosmos. Note mission patches on the cabin wall, this is the third flight of Dragon C210 Endurance so the patches are for USCV-3 (Crew 3) launch 11 Nov 2021 and USCV-5 launched 5 October 2022

[prajnene]

Flight Simulator Market to Witness Massive Growth by Forecast Period

The global flight simulator market is expected to reach USD 5.75 billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.99% during the period. The market is expected to gain momentum from the increasing adoption of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) by the airlines to train their cabin crew and flight deck crew. This information is given by Fortune Business Insights™ in a recent study, titled, “Flight Simulator Market, 2021- 2028.” The study further states that the market size was USD 3.55 billion in 2020.

Fortune Business Insights™ presents a list of all the flight simulator providers operating in the global market. They are as follows:

Thales Group (France)

CAE (Canada)

Boeing Company (U.S.)

Collins Aerospace (U.S.)

FlightSafety International (U.S.)

L-3 Communications (U.S.)

Raytheon Company(U.S.)

Precision Flight Controls (U.S.)

SIMCOM Aviation Training (U.S.)

Frasca International (U.S.)

TRU Simulation + Training (U.S.)

Browse Summary Of Report: 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) mentioned that an estimated loss of USD 314 billion is set to occur in 2020 in the global airline industry. It refers to the decline of approximately 55% revenue.

Market Segments

Military & Defense Segment to Grow Rapidly Owing to Need of Training Soldiers

In terms of application, the market is bifurcated into military & defense, and commercial. Out of these, the commercial segment procured 59% flight simulator market share in 2019. The military & defense segment is set to grow at the fastest rate during the forthcoming years backed by the increasing usage of these simulator systems in this sector for the training of personnel, including the Air Force, Navy, and Military. The simulators are mainly used to train them to drive various vehicles, such as transport aircraft, tankers aircraft, helicopters, ships, aircraft carriers, and tanks.

Drivers & Restraints-

Demand for Additional Flight Frequencies to Propel Growth

The increasing air passenger traffic is set to boost the aircraft simulator market growth in the coming years. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) mentioned that the number of air passengers would surge up to 4.2% by 2027. Currently, it is 4.8 billion and this surge would add approximately 1.6 billion passengers. Therefore, the demand for commercial pilots and additional flight frequencies to lower the extra loads would affect the market positively. In 2019, a few prominent companies, including Airbus S.A.S. declared that by the year 2028, more than 39,000 new aircraft will begin operating worldwide. However, several unique technologies are used in flight simulators. They are expensive in nature. This factor may hamper market growth in the near future.

Regional Analysis-

North America to Lead Backed by Presence of Various Industry Giants

North America procured high traction in terms of revenue. It is set to remain in the leading position throughout the forecast period stoked by the presence of several reputed flight simulator system manufacturers in this region. Europe, on the other hand, is expected to remain in the second position owing to the existence of numerous aircraft, as well as flight simulator manufacturers in this region. The Asia Pacific is anticipated to showcase robust growth in the coming years fueled by the increasing demand for commercial aircraft from the countries, such as China, India, and Indonesia.

Competitive Landscape-

Key Players Focus on Acquisitions & Facility Openings to Gain Competitive Edge

The market is fragmented with a large number of renowned companies. They are mainly focusing on mergers and acquisitions, as well as the opening of new facilities to broaden their geographic footprint and gain more consumer bases.

September 2019: Alpha Aviation Group (AAG) announced the opening of its Simulator Training Center Expansion Project. It is worth USD 11 million and is a part of the AAG academy situated in the Philippines. It would include four additional simulator bays.

February 2021: CAE Inc. announced the acquisition of L3Harris Technologies, Inc’s military training business worth USD 1.05 billion

[centenarybank]

Lack Of Honesty Will Kill Online Shopping In Uganda Experts

Be in charge of your health journey with this fantastic voice-controlled electric treadmill. It's perfect for a house gym and has an LCD display so you presumably can view your heart fee and pace vary in real-time. Black Friday is amongst online shopping the greatest - if not the most effective - online shopping events of the year. Traditionally marking the beginning of the Holiday shopping season, Black Friday officially begins on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Ask your cabin crew for a duplicate of our magazine or simply browse the merchandise on your ice inflight entertainment. When you’re ready to buy, pay by card or use contactless payment like Google Pay and Apple Pay. For hygiene causes we’re not capable of open or show the merchandise in the intervening time, however you may get a closer look at some of the merchandise in their show packing containers or see our demos on EmiratesRED TV. “This campaign also comes at a time when the 12 months is coming to a detailed. It presents the opportunity to replenish for the festive season, with discounted prices on varied gadgets including family goods. We are excited that our customers will get pleasure from decreased costs, shopping convenience and an early festive season with dfcu and Jumia,” he commented.

A new global survey reveals that Internet customers are increasingly involved about their online privateness, and that forty nine p.c of users polled say lack of belief is their main reason for not shopping online. According to StarTimes Uganda PRO, Cleopatra Koheirwe, this app is to advertise ease entry online shopping to their merchandise as the shoppers keep secure throughout this COVID-19 interval. In this text, I would like to share with you eight methods to get one of the best value when shopping online, and even offline, in Uganda in 2021.

Get one of the best deals on smartphones from all the popular manufacturers like Nokia, Samsung, Infinix, Tecno, Apple and a complete lot extra. If you wish to get a high-end or pocket-friendly smartphone, we give you fashionable smartphones like the newest iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS MAX, and Infinix Hot 6. For these on a finances, you presumably can select from our pool of finances smartphones such as Tecno Camon CX, Nokia 3310, Sony Xperia XZ Premium and Sony Xperia XZ. With this background, it now is sensible online shopping for everyone beginning their own venture to look at peers and companies that have seen success from online buying and selling to learn from them. In Uganda, maybe probably the most well-known success story of them all is Jumia. It is an plain drive when it comes to e-commerce-selling every thing from clothes to residence equipment, meals, drinks, home equipment amongst different issues.

Once you could have your card, there isn't any want to attend for further software of a loan. Enjoy environment friendly cashless transactions with real time reconciliation and easy monitoring with this funds platform. Return insurance policies are often uncared for by patrons, but a return policy gives you the comfort of returning a product you haven't appreciated.

[findthejob]

Emirates Airline Cabin Crew Jobs: for 12th Pass, Salary Up to 2 Lakh Per Month

Emirates Airline Cabin Crew Jobs: for 12th Pass, Salary Up to 2 Lakh Per Month

Emirates Airline Cabin Crew Jobs Emirates Airline Cabin Crew Jobs : Emirates is the largest airline and the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Based in Garhoud, Dubai, the airline is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai’s Investment Corporation of Dubai. Organization Name:EmiratesAirlinePost Name:Cabin Crew & Cabin ServicesLocation:All Over…

[starlightstevie]

fics rec / january 2021

And I’m back with another fic rec! There’s some absolute goodies in this month’s rec - I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! Happy reading x

(* is smut)

*tale as old as time (series) by @spacelabrathor Beast!Thor x reader: Thor is a beast, prowling the halls of an empty castle alone, living a life of cold, barren solitude. Villagers visit once yearly to bring him gifts he does not seek, piling valueless trinkets at his gate they feel will keep him appeased. They hate Thor and Thor knows, someday, that they will breach his gates and come for his head. He wonders to himself, often, if he will try to stop them when they do. This year, though, the offering has changed. Thor finds not trinkets at his front gate, but a girl, and then everything begins to change.

COWBOY THOR COWBOY THOR COWBOY THOR by @inthorantine While not officially out yet, I am putting this here because everyone needs to read this! Kait has outdone herself and no, I will not stop talking about this for the next 500 years. Here’s some h/c to keep you going until it comes out! One | Two

*if I love you was a promise by @blueberrythor​ Thor x reader: Thor doesn’t consider himself a jealous man–there aren’t many who could compare to him, especially among mortals. He hasn’t had much reason to acquaint himself with the feeling. But watching you with Steve, even he isn’t immune to the sharp sting of jealousy. 

*The Watching by @opheliadawnwalker3​ Thor x reader (some Loki x reader): Reader has been dating Thor for about a year and is celebrating her first Yuletide on Asgard. But she’s unprepared for certain traditions that are expected of her. Or that these traditions also involve Thor and his companions.

*Desperate Measures by @lancsnerd Thor x reader: When an agent is affected by sex pollen and needs assistance, just how helpful will Thor be?

*passionate & burning by @peachyteabuck​ Thor x reader: You’re busy with working from home, but Thor has other plans for the day.

*my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand by @spacelabrathor Frontier!Thor x reader: Thor makes a home and a life for his family out on the rugged frontier of the Old West. The winters are unforgiving but he keeps them safe and warm. At night, their cabin glows with firelight and the warmth of their company. A small slice of their life together.

*survive the summer and its sequel *hungry for me by @peachyteabuck (Dubcon) Thor x reader: A stranger approaches you on a warm summers day.

*the fluffer (series) by @punani​ Masterlist 70′s pornstar!Chris Evans x black!reader: It’s the 70′s and the erotic videos industry is experiencing another boom after the risen popularity in the previous decade. The studio’s are hot, Gemini Flanagan is a brand, and you’re a newly hired assistant at Shaggin’ Studios. Chris takes a liking to you, altering your job description so that you get to work more closely with him. Is this all just physical, or is there something more?

*old flannel by @honeysucklesteve​ Chris x reader: an innocent night of lounging in his old flannel leads to not to innocent touches.

*sunday football by @honeysucklesteve Chris x reader: Chris sits you on his lap as he teaches you all about football.

*grocery run by @honeysucklesteve Chris x reader: Innocently wearing Chris’ shirt leads to you finding out just how much he can’t resist you.

*Captain by @chrissquares Nomad!Steve x reader: You call Steve a name that drives him wild.

*A Birthday Gift by @the-iceni-bitch​ Nomad!Steve x reader: The nomad crew have been holed up with you for months and tensions are high. Nat, being an unrepentant pot stirrer, decides to arrange a pleasant birthday surprise for you.

*let me come home to you (series) by @evansweaters Masterlist Alpha!Steve x Omega!Reader: After years at a dead-end job shouldering everyone’s expectations for you but your own, you’re finally free to be whoever you want, go wherever you want. That is, until a series of unfortunate events strand you in amber’s end, where the sheriff – and notoriously unmated pack alpha – decides to take you in.

*mountainside by @honeysucklesteve Nomad!Steve x reader: Steve needs something to give him a release and you do just that.

*steve needs to relax, good thing you’re here by @honeysucklesteve​

*Such a Shame by @angrythingstarlight​​ Steve x reader: You owe him for saving your life, the price is more than you were willing to pay, such a shame you have to force his hand.

*Captain Jealousy by @nony-bear​​ Steve x reader: You and Steve have been keeping your relationship a secret to avoid public backlash for your age difference. However, after watching Steve flirt with a new agent at one of Tony Stark’s famous parties, your jealousy and frustration come to a head.

*A Christmas Compromise by @stargazingfangirl18​ Ransom x reader: Even if you wouldn’t admit it to yourself, all you wanted for Christmas was Ransom.

*a man of god by @punani Priest!Ransom x reader: You’ve always been a good girl– attending mass regularly, never been touched by yourself or another, and the way that you dress? a naive innocence radiates off of you. even a man of god can’t help himself, not that he puts any effort into refraining from forbidden fruit.

*Naughty or Nice by @sweeterthanthis​ Ransom x reader: Getting caught nibbling on forbidden holiday treats.

*her cherry lips on his whiskey flavoured kiss by @cloudystevie​ Ransom x reader: The moment he met you, he knew.

Not My Style by @chrissquares​ Ransom x reader: With cold weather comes dry lips..

*In Good Hands by @ozarkthedog (Dark) Doctor!Andy Barber x reader: Your usual OBGYN Doctor got called away leaving Dr. Barber to administer your pap exam.

*Drowning by @savior-adriana​ Andy x reader: You love working as Jacob’s tutor in German. Not necessarily because you love the language or the teen’s attitude, but because it means you get to spend time alone with a certain Andy Barber once a week.

*Something Old, Something New by @sweeterthanthis Stepdad!Bucky x reader: To this day you couldn’t work out why he’d chosen your mother. They were total opposites, a mismatched couple if ever you saw one. Yet, you watched it play out – thinking, hoping, that he’d never go through with it.

*Beg for Daddy by @sweeterthanthis Stepdad!Bucky x reader: The thought of your mother passed out next door, the other side of your bedroom wall, did nothing to quell the intense hunger you felt for him.

*it’s the right time to roll to me (series) by @blueberrythor Masterlist Bucky x married!reader: Stuck in an unhappy marriage, you find solace in Bucky.

*about last week by @xbuchananbarnes Bucky x reader: You’ve been avoiding Bucky.

*need by @cloudystevie Bucky x reader: You’re horni for Bonky’s metal hand

Season of the Witch by @msmarvelwrites​ Bucky x reader: Your witchy abilities get you in quite a bit of trouble from time to time… But this time you don’t mind so much.

*The Bet (series) by @no-droids Part One | Part Two Poe x reader: There are 3 rules to the bet between you and your x-wing commander: No sex, No touching yourself, No orgasms.

*the shakes by @whistlingwillows Poe x reader: “It’s the Shakes, darling. Makes everything excruciating.” Or, you’re experiencing the terrible side effects of being horny and Poe Dameron knows just how to fix it.

Mornings with Modern!Poe by @okay-hotshot Modern!Poe x reader: You and Poe try to have some alone time while you wait for your morning coffee and tea to brew, only to have your child interrupt you and run away yowling.

frigid by @whirlybirbs Mando x reader: Din doesn’t like the ocean. You’re soaked.

Getting vulnerable with Mando by @cptnbvcks

*men of the bau: kinks by @luciilferss​

open road by @gayprentiss Emily Prentiss x JJ Jareau: After retiring from the BAU, JJ and Emily decide to forgo an apartment in favor of an old sprinter van.

*Teacher’s Pet by @imagining-in-the-margins Professor!Reid x reader: There are only a few reasons to sign up for Criminal Psychology. You could be like the reasonable students and join the class because you are genuinely interested in the material, or you could be like the rest of us. That is, you could enroll in the class because the professor is a fine piece of ass fresh out of prison.

*Spencer taking you in the library by @spenciebabie

*of terrible coffee and late-night rides by @venusbarnes Hotch x reader: A collection of moments throughout your relationship with one Aaron Hotchner.

*fragrance by @whistlingwillows College!Hotch x reader: Plato said, “The god of love lives in a state of need. It is a need. It is an urge. It is a homeostatic imbalance. Like hunger and thirst, it's almost impossible to stamp out.”

*bitter end (series) by @whistlingwillows Masterlist Hotch x reader: Author Sarah Dessen wrote, “Life is an awful, ugly place to not have a best friend.”

*Beard Kink by @reidsexualwriting Hotch x reader: Hotch with a beard has you feeling all types of ways.

*Lunch break by @arganfics Hotch x reader: You help Hotch relax after a tough day.

*Early Mornings by @mrvltwimagines Hotch x reader: The very rare mornings where you wake up and your boyfriend was still home and in bed were definitely cherished by you.

*Do you like that? Being in control? by @writefasttalkevenfaster Hotch x reader: You decide that Hotch needs a break from being in charge.

*Waking up Hotch with a blowjob by @writefasttalkevenfaster

Taking a day off with Hotch by @ssahoodrathotchner

*eat until your blood sings by @peachyteabuck Tony Stark x Steve Rogers x Natasha Romanoff x Carol Danvers x Clint Barton x Thor Odinson x reader: Gangbang with the Avengers.

*Anakin Skywalker has a big dick by @anakinswhore

[usafphantom2]

B-52 will receive at least one new designation with radar and engine upgrades

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 08/10/2022 - 8:21 PM in Military

A B-52 Stratofortress bomber assigned to the 340th Arms Squadron at Barksdale Air Base, Louisiana, takes off during a U.S. Air Force School Weapons Integration exercise at Nellis Air Base, Nevada, on June 2, 2021. (Photo: William Lewis/USAF)

The B-52H will be redesigned as B-52J or possibly B-52K when it receives a new radar and new engines, but the U.S. Air Force has not yet decided what will constitute the new B-52 variant, according to Colonel Louis Ruscetta, senior material leader of the program.

The program has also developed a new estimate of how much reengineering will cost and is about to send it to Congress, as indicated in last year's defense project, but Ruscetta said that the reports of a 50 percent overrun are greatly exaggerated. In fact, he said he doesn't see overruns on the horizon.

The radar and engine program represents "the biggest modification in the history" of the B-52, Ruscetta told reporters at the Air Force Materiel Command's Life Cycle Industry Days conference in Dayton, Ohio. The change from the B-52G to the B-52H in 1961 was mainly the change to the TF33 engine, but the new package includes radar, engines, communications, towers, cabin displays and the exclusion of a crew station, which means sense to "have a new designation, Ruscetta said.

The question is whether there will be two designations, because the new APG-79B4 radars will be installed in the bombers before the new Rolls-Royce F130 engines, Ruscetta said. The operation manual of the B-52 pilot and the maintenance manuals will be rewritten for the version with the new radar; and it will be rewritten again when the engines are changed, Ruscetta said.

"What the U.S. Air Force, together with the Global Strike Command, needs to look at, is how we defined it" the new variant, he said. The decision will be made sometime in the next two years, before the start of the facilities, Ruscetta added.

Ruscetta described the new active electronic scanning radar as a "game change" for the B-52, especially when the USAF migrates to the "two-boll fleet" of B-21 and B-52. The APG-79 is effectively the same radar as the export version of the Navy's F/A-18 fighter, with the matrix turned "upside down" so that it looks lower than to the sky, Ruscetta said.

"We will have fighter-quality radar ... to support air-to-ground operations," he said, and we will be better able to operate "with other coalition partners" because the bomber may use the same sensor format. He will be able to scan further, "guide weapons in flight" and improve the situational awareness of the bomber, he said. The B-52 today is still flying with its 1960s mechanical scanning radar.

The radar mod just passed the critical design review "a few months ago, so now we are in the next stage of this program," he said. This involves "building the system integration laboratory" (SIL) that will examine the radar as it affects the other parts of the B-52, to ensure that there are no harmful or unintentional side effects of the new equipment before flight tests. The SIL will be a complete representation of the system, minus its refrigeration equipment.

The new radar will be "segregated" from the B-52 electronic warfare set, Ruscetta said, but the new equipment takes up less volume than the old one and "gives us some growth space" for additional Electronic Warfare functions.

The program office is working on how the installations of radars, engines and other equipment will be staged. Some bombers will receive new radars before receiving new engines, but then, when both are available, the preference will be to make the mods together, organically, during regular visits to the warehouses, when the aircraft are already "open," Ruscetta said.

"We have an integration team analyzing... the dependencies" of all new equipment from the perspectives of size, weight and power, Ruscetta said, to create the most logical sequence of installations. Minimum downtime is required to ensure that the Air Force Global Attack Command does not fall below the minimum number of operationally required bombers.

"We are looking for these areas of friction" which can mean blockages in the process, Ruscetta said. "We are looking to minimize and reduce what can go wrong," he said, "what if things go wrong, how can I still operate?"

At some point, there will be an aircraft that will have all the new mods, and "we can do some regression tests" at this point, but the goal is to solve any problem before this milestone.

The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker Air Base works at about 17 B-52s per year, Ruscetta said.

"It makes no sense to have several [installation] lines, with several aircraft at the same time," Ruscetta said, so the plan is to make as much of the mod as possible at once, during the time in storage.

Flight tests with the new radar will begin at the end of 2025, and the first production versions should be built at the same time. They will be installed in early 2027, Ruscetta said, and the initial operational capacity with the radar will probably be declared soon after, although it has not yet been determined which are the necessary assets available (RAA) for the IOC. The first aircraft will be operational with the new engines by 2030.

A large acquisition program usually does not need to send a Selected Acquisition Report until after Milestone B - and the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) does not yet exist - but the program has developed a cost estimate and sent it to the command of the USAF and will go to Congress "in the very near future," Ruscetta said.

Reports of a 50% increase in CERP costs have been "taken out of context," Ruscetta said. The business case analysis made in 2017 was not comprehensive and did not anticipate all the ramifications of the update, and the cost estimation models were updated. The U.S. Air Force used KC-135 reengineering as a model, but is now using the latest C-5 reengineering as a cost guide.

"I don't have a program related to engine replacement ... which is in excess," Ruscetta said, "and I don't foresee an excess ... in the future."

The report "will give Congress a complete update on the status of the CERP," Ruscetta said. There has been cost growth discovered due to the complexity of integrating the new engines, controls and monitors needed into the B-52.

"It's more than just new engines," he said. They are "new poles... generators... fuel lines... cockpit screens". It is "a much greater effort than just Rolls-Royce". Boeing is the integrator of all updates to the B-52.

"We have just carried out our preliminary review of the engine subsystem project at Rolls-Royce... it was a very successful event," he said, and showed a strong partnership with Boeing. The complete system-level RDP will be held later this year. "The design is quite stable," Ruscetta said. Engine and radar updates should have almost no new development.

The main challenge to programming the schedule now is not the design, but the supply chain, Ruscetta added, "just like any program managing in an environment ... COVID".

Source: Air Force Magazine

Tags: Military AviationBoeing B-52H StratofortressCERPUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air Force

Previous news

ATAC guarantees contract for U.S. Navy F-35 fighter accompanying flights for its Mirage fleet

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in a specialized aviation magazine in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[blueiscoool]

A Couple Renovating a 115-Year-Old Building Discovered Two 60-Foot-Long Hidden Murals

What started out as a couple's renovation project to convert a historic building into a bar has turned into an effort to restore decades-old artwork in a small Washington town.

Nick and Lisa Timm purchased the building in Okanogan, located about four hours east of Seattle, at the end of 2021. This past week, they discovered 60-foot murals painted on canvases along its north and south walls.

We were about 20 minutes from covering up the walls," Nick said on Wednesday. "I then was like 'Well, let's just look at what's behind all this plaster.'"

As the plaster peeled away, they discovered a giant mural -- stretching 60 feet long and 20 feet high -- depicting a lake, cabins and trees.

One crew member threw out the idea that there could be another canvas on the opposite wall. Lo and behold, there was indeed a matching mural.

They found the murals at around 5 p.m. and had been working since 5 a.m., Nick said. But the team stayed for four more hours to uncover the rest of the artwork.

"It was like a lightning bolt of energy," Nick said. "We were just hooting and hollering and pulling things down."

The Timms moved back to Okanogan last year to take care of Nick's father, who was diagnosed with lung cancer. After he died in September, a family friend told the couple about the chance to purchase the building.

"One of our main goals moving back was to reenergize Okanogan and then this happened," Nick said.

Dating back to around 1907, the building had served as a movie theater, a pool hall and even a rooster fighting rink, according to Nick.

The couple's plan was to turn the 3,000-square-foot space into a bar and gathering place for the community, building on Nick's experience running bars and restaurants in Olympia.

"It's funny how this worked out," Nick said. "We were going to make it a historical showcase by bringing in a bunch of historical stuff about the area."

After the Timms' big find, the Okanogan County Historical Society was able to dig up a newspaper clipping from 1915 that reveals the original plan for the murals.

A local artist was set to paint the murals for what was the Hub Theatre at that time, according to the clipping, which was provided by the society.

"The new improvements at the Hub include 120 feet of panoramic landscape scenery in light tans," the clipping reads.

Now, that panoramic scenery will be cautiously taken down, refurbished and rehung. Nick said some sections of the murals have extensive water damage that they want to get restored as quickly as possible.

It will likely be a pricey process. The couple have started a GoFundMe page to gain support from the community.

The Timms had hoped to open their renovated bar by the end of March, but it may now take until midsummer to finish work on the murals, Nick said.

The mural will be the centerpiece of the establishment, and the plan still is to fill the rest of the space with other historical items. Nick's family has lived in the area for centuries, so many of the items have been passed down for generations. Other memorabilia have been donated by others in the community.

And Okanogan's future gathering place already has a name: the Red Light Bar, an ode to the singular red light in town.

By Sara Smart.

[brutal-nemesis]

Arthropod Day 2021: 🦀Time For Crab 🦀

Malacostraca Moment 😳🦀

So fun story I wanted this to be on a Saturday because SIDEWAYS SATURDAY but when I was deciding on the date I looked at the calendar for July without realizing it. Happy Sideways Stuesday I guess? 

Castys Masterlist

Ingredients: drowning mention, animal attack (kinda chill tho it’s not really violent), dehydration, autocannibalism mention, parasitic insects, partial nudity, heckin surgery (but it’s CONSENSUAL (⊙ˍ⊙) who am I), suicide for convenience (immortal)

“This looks like a lovely spot for a vacation; thank you guys so much for finding it for me.” The small dingy had just landed on a sandy beach enclosed by dark rocks on either side, a lush forest leading deeper into the island. Casyts’s captor glared at him before harshly tugging the rope tied to his wrists, trying to get him to stand and step onto the beach with her.

“Shut your trap, Ragnarok, or I might change my mind about gagging you. Now get up or I’ll have my men drag you.” 

Castys sighed and rolled his eyes, getting up and following her so his rope burn didn’t get any worse. “Aye aye, Yvonne.” 

“That’s Captain Veldna to you,” she growled, jerking him forward. He stumbled a bit, but he was able to catch himself before he got sand up his nose. He debated trying to yank the rope out of her hands and running away or stealing the boat, but her very strong men were right behind him and that would probably just end in him having extra bruises. So he just followed her like a stupid little goat as she led him towards the rocks, hoping she wouldn’t leave him tied up so he could at least enjoy his time being stranded. But no, this was about sending a message to his crew or making him suffer or something. He didn’t really remember, he’d been dazed as hell when he’d initially gotten captured during a fight between their two ships. Blood loss was a bitch sometimes.

They forced him to sit with his back against a large rock, yanking his bound hands above his head and worming a large nail through the knotted rope before hammering it into the rock. “Not gonna lie, this seems a little extra. I’m not going to go anywhere, so, like, just let me-” Yvonne slapped him harshly across the face.

“You’re not here to have fun, you annoying little parrot.” She looked over at her men, who had just finished tying his ankles together and nailing them down in a similar fashion to his wrists. “If you lot are done, let’s leave.” She turned back to Castys, a wicked grin on her face. “I wonder how many times you’ll die before your crew finds you?”

“My money’s on eight. Do you want me to keep track and tell you next time we see each other? If only I could write in a diary what horrors I suffer sitting on this warm rock that you tied me to during high tide so I won’t even drown later. Now that-agh!” Yvonne stabbed him in the stomach, and Castys bit back a scream as she twisted her blade. 

“The sound of your silence is something I could get used to.”

“Well, the real question is, is silence actually a sound-” Castys’s very valid observation was cut off by the bitch yanking out her sword and promptly kicking him in the stomach. He couldn’t help but cry out, doubling over as far as he could. Yeah, yeah he should probably just shut the fuck up and let them get on their merry way before he got more unnecessary injuries. 

“Enjoy your vacation, Ragnarok,” Yvonne spat. As one last gesture of maturity, she kicked sand at him before walking off, and some of it definitely got in his stab hole, so that was nice. He watched them row away, sighing. Now it was just boredom city, but hey, at least he had a nice beach view. The sun was a few hours away from setting, not that it mattered that much since his skin was dark enough that he probably wasn’t going to get sunburned. 

Being tied to a rock on the beach was...just about as boring as he expected. His arms got all tingly after a while from being stuck above his head, so he couldn’t even properly relax, and a man could only watch little waves roll for so long. He had a nice view of the setting sun, and hey, that means the light of dawn wouldn’t be shining in his face. While the sun was still a little ways above the horizon, he heard an odd rustling noise over in the vegetation, different from the background sounds he had gotten used to. He looked over, hoping it was a friendly man with a knife.

It was not a friendly man with a knife. But it wasn’t something bad, either. “Oh shit hello crabs!” Castys watched as they scuttled out of the treeline onto the beach, glad to have something fun to watch. One of them was slowly making its way towards him, and Castys wondered if he would be able to convince it to snip his bindings. “Hey there mister crab man, come on down, and please for the love of god untie me.” Yes, yes he was talking to a crab, because why not go full send on the insanity right away? It would be so much more fun, and it’s not like anyone else was here to judge him. “Yeah crab get in my zone-wow you’re kinda big.” He’d thought the crab was closer to him, but nope, it had been farther away but giant. Not like giant giant but not, like, normal crab size. It was almost as big as his torso maybe, but he was never great at estimating the relative sizes of things. 

“You’re large but you’re a gentleman, ain’t ya? I don’t know why, but you just seem like a polite fellow.” The crab stopped not too far from Castys and just looked at him blankly. Or maybe it was making a face at him, but he couldn’t read crab body language. Could anyone read crab body language? Crabs, he would hope. “Could you bring me some tea, good sir? Or just...water. Water that’s not salty. I don’t actually like tea it literally tastes like nothing but you know what I would drink it now because I am thirsty.” There was a moment of silence. “Not like thirsty in the weird way some people are. I have no idea what that’s about. But like, I want water. Or...oh my god, Mr. Crab, bring me a coconut!” Castys closed his eyes and leaned his head back. “Yeah… that would be nice. Food and water and it’s prepackaged and I don’t know how I would eat it because my hands are tied but I’ll figure it out.”

A sudden sharp pinch against his wound jolted Castys out of his daydream. He looked down in horror to see that the crab was holding something in its claws. Something pinkish-red that was dripping blood down onto the sand. The bastard. The crab brought the piece of his flesh to its mouth and just ate it while staring right at Castys. “That,” he blinked in surprise a few times, “was incredibly rude.” The crab stayed still, watching him as it did its weird mouth movements that were maybe chewing. “You are absolutely not a gentleman. I rescind everything. You little garbage boy. Rapscallion. I bet you never get invited to the crab raves.”

And the crab. Had the audacity. To reach out its stupid pincher. And do it again. “Little bitch!” Castys yelled, squirming against the ropes in an attempt to scare the thing off. Shockingly, it did not work, because wounded, dying prey squirmed all the time, and...that’s pretty much what Castys was in this scenario, wasn’t he? He was just stuck sitting here while that stupid crab ripped off little pieces of him with its stupid crab pincher and put them in its stupid crab mouth. If he was lucky, this would make him bleed out and die faster and then he wouldn’t have an open wound anymore, which would be a bonus. Though, it had sand in it, and then if it healed…

A problem for another day.

Not the next day, though, or the one after, because, hooray, he was still tied to a rock, so even though he did die a few hours later, he couldn’t do anything about the Sand In His Insides. He made up a song about it, but singing it loudly did absolutely nothing to scare away the crab, whom he had named Crabstard (Crab Bastard). Crabstard seemed to think Castys was his new best friend, coming back regularly for meals. Castys liked to imagine killing and eating Crabstard as a show of dominance, but that made him wonder...would eating Crabstard be a form of autocannibalism? Because Crabstard had eaten him...

He wasn’t sure what was worse, Crabstard and his stupid giant pinchers, or the mosquitoes. There weren’t a ton of them, but their bites were just awful, littering his arms and legs with swollen, white boils, which were unusual and also very concerning but what the fuck could he do about it. Because of course he couldn’t scratch them, and they itched so much it hurt and he just had to endure it. Just like he had to endure fucking everything. The heat of the sun, the awful tingling in his arms, the soreness of his wrists, Crabstard pinching off bits of his flesh, the maddening pain and itch of all his bug bites, the hunger and thirst, the boredom, and the...the loneliness.

No, he was fine, he was fine with just himself, it was always just him anyway. He wasn’t imagining his crew rowing to shore and untying him and tending to him in his cold, dark cabin, because he couldn’t get his hopes up, because they probably weren’t even coming for him. They were just going to leave him behind like everyone else and fuck he was wasting water like a useless idiot and he couldn’t stop or even wipe them away and he probably deserved this for everything he’d done so what did it matter?

And, great, the next day he started hallucinating a passing ship and a rowboat coming for him. Thank you, dehydrated whore brain! Let’s get our stupid little hopes up! Dang, the people on the boat kind of even looked like some of his crewmates, which was rude of his brain to make this so realistic looking.

It wasn’t until his first mate, Kaveri, was untying him that Castys realized that this was real, that they’d really...really come for him. “I’m so glad we found you, Captain.” She pulled him into a hug as soon as he was free, and he hugged her back as best he could with his sore arms. 

“I’m glad y’all did, too.” He leaned back when she let go and looked down at himself, wincing. “Well, before we get back to the ship, I am going to deliver a much needed death upon mys-“

“Captain, Captain, wait,” the ship’s medic, Sixtus, called as he ran over. He knelt beside Castys, taking his arm and examining the bug bites closely. “I knew it. These bites all over you are...they contain fly larvae. We’re going to need to dig them out before you heal yourself.”

“...what if I’ve died since I’ve gotten bitten. Like, earlier.”

“Well.” Sixtus breathed in sharply. “We will just have to wait for them to, uh, let us know where they are.” He sighed. “For now, let’s get you back to the ship and I’ll get out the ones I can. I don’t have the tools for it with me.”

“Can I kill Crabstard first?”

“Crab...stard?” Kaveri gave him a concerned look, and Sixtus felt his forehead.

“He’s a very impolite giant crab. He is my rival. I wish to vanquish him.” The other two shared a look.

“Do you know where this...this crab is?” Sixtus tried.

Castys held up a finger and opened his mouth, pausing for a second before shutting it and blinking a few times. “I. I do not. He just scuttles out of the trees to commit crimes every now and then. He has no friends.”

“Alright, in that case, no. You’re in no condition to wander around the island looking for a crab.” Sixtus held out his hand. “So, come on.”

“Fiiiine,” Castys groaned, letting the taller man help him to his feet. He was a little unsteady, but he was able to make it to the boat with Kaveri’s help. As they rowed away, he turned back to the island one last time, cupping his hands around his mouth as he yelled, “Fuck you Crabstard I hope you starve and die in a pit and the other crabs eat you!” 

Once they made it back to the ship, Sixtus ushered Castys into his office, instructing him to sit up on the examination table and take his shirt and pants off. Kaveri helped him, opting to stay in case Sixtus needed a hand. He examined Castys thoroughly, using a lightstone to get a good look at the swollen bug bites littering his body as well as the number of small wounds in his side.

“These from the, uh, crab?” Sixtus asked as he gestured to them.

“Yup. Him and his stupid pinchers.”

“Alright, I know you don’t really get infections, but I’m going to clean these out just to be safe.” He paused. “Also it just feels. Really wrong not to. It’ll bother me if I don’t.”

“Do whatever, doctor man.” Castys did his best not to let his pain show as Sixtus dabbed at his wounds with a stingy liquid. It really didn’t hurt that much, but when Kaveri placed her hand on top of his as he gripped the edge of the table, he didn’t wave her off. He’d let it be Fuss Over The Captain Day. For their sake. Because they seem to have been worried about him. 

“Alright, I’m all done with that, so if you could lay down, Captain, I’ll get started with removing those larvae. Kaveri, get him some rum and then hold him down.” She nodded, leaving and returning soon after with a small cup.

“You know, I haven’t had water in days,” Castys mused before winking at her and downing its contents. Kaveri shook her head.

“You literally emptied my waterskin while we were rowing back.”

“Oh dang, I forgot. Nevermind I’m actually not funny and am just stupid.” He scooted a bit and laid down with his hands behind his head. “Get rid of my worms.”

“They’re not-they’re not worms, Captain, they’re insects, since-” Sixtus stopped himself, folding his hands in front of his mouth. “Nevermind.” He cleared his throat. “Arms at your sides, please. Kaveri, if you would.” She nodded, holding down his shoulders as Sixtus turned Castys’s arm, locating the first larva he was going to remove. Castys breathed in sharply as the knife sliced into his arm, doing his best to keep still as Sixtus slid a pair of tweezers into the wound. The rum dulled his senses enough that it didn’t hurt as much as it could, but it certainly wasn’t painless, and he couldn’t help but gasp as Sixtus slowly pulled a small, wriggling grub out of the incision. He dropped it in a metal tray, cleaned the wound, and picked up his knife.

Then the process started all over again.

Castys didn’t bother counting how many times those tweezers probed around inside him, how many wet little plops he heard as another larva dropped into the tray. He focused on staying still, on the prickle of the rough wood table against his bare back, on the feeling of Kaveri’s hands on his shoulders, more comforting than restraining. They reminded him that he wasn’t alone in his suffering, for once. But he wasn’t supposed to need comfort, he was their immortal captain, the one who’d been through everything before and was strong enough to go through it again, the one his crew could always depend on to be strong. And here he was, teeth gritted against the pain, his forehead resting against Kaveri’s arm, fists clenched to mask their shaking, all over a few cuts and some little maggots.

“Alright,” Sixtus wiped his brow with the back of his hand, “I think that’s all of ‘em. That I can see, at least.” He looked down at Castys. “You had seventeen of those things in you, Captain.” He grimaced. “And possibly more, so please let me know if you feel anything, uh, wiggling. But for now, you’re free to...die.”

“Can’t believe I got a new world record for worm friends.” Castys grabbed the small leather pouch that usually hung around his neck from his pile of clothes, pulling it open.

“They’re not worms-”

“Thank you, Sixtus.” With that, Castys stuck his finger in the pouch and touched his death stone. He came back to life feeling infinitely better, but Kaveri and Sixtus still insisted he rest after he cleaned himself up. He grumbled, but he let Kaveri force him into his bed and bring him something to eat. Once he was finished, she collected his plate and stood awkwardly by his bedside.

“Do...do you want me to come back, Castys? Will you be alright?”

“Look, I’m honestly fine, you’re good. I’ve been through a lot worse, and I’m all healed up now so it doesn’t really matter.” 

She pursed her lips. “I suppose, but that doesn’t mean that that didn’t still take a mental toll on you, and…” she sighed. “Just...call me if you need anything, alright?”

“Will do.” She nodded, but as she started to walk away, Castys realized there was something he’d rather not leave unsaid. “Wait, Kaveri?”

“Yes?”

“Th...thank you. For, uh, finding me.”

“Of course, Castys. We’ll always be there for you.” Castys opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped himself and just smiled and nodded, his shoulders only falling once she’d left.

He wished that were true.

Castys Cult: @as-a-matter-of-whump​ @blackrosesandwhump​ @fanmanga1357-blog​​ @thehopelessopus​ @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi​ @hearse-song​ @muddy-swamp-bitch @whumpasaurus101 @yet-another-heathen​​ @galaxywhump​ @starnight-whump​ @his-unspoken-words​ @misspelledwitch

[swordsandshields99]

Chapters: 1/7 Fandom: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Additional Tags: Friendship, Friendship/Love, Romance, Fluff and Smut @cactuarkitty - thanks! :)  Day 1 - Beach Day (Tried to give it a Citadel DLC vibe) Smut in Italics and sectioned, feel free to skip :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Yo, Shepard, can we talk to you for a second?” Jack’s voice came across the comms. “Sure thing. Did someone break something?” Shepard tried to tease the biotic. “Not yet, but I can’t promise not to break the cheerleader's arm if she doesn’t stop tapping her fingers on the console in a condescending way.”

Shepard sighed and put down the armor she was cleaning. She made her way to the elevator. “Hey Edi, if anyone is actually about to kill each other, let me know.”

“Of course, Shepard. If I were to inform you each time Jack complained about Operative Lawson, I believe you wouldn’t have any free time.”

“True enough,” Shepard chuckled. The AI was really growing on her.

Shepard exited the lift and turned into the mess hall, and was surprised to see her entire ground crew sitting around the long table. She glanced at Garrus, but he gave nothing away, other than popping a mandible out to the side in a sarcastic half-grin. “What’s all this about?”

“Shepard, it seems the crew have been discussing our current course of action,” Miranda started.

“You mean, our current course of non-action?” Shepard cut in.

“Yes,” Miranda said slowly. “Garrus has been adamant that he has tried to persuade you not to return to the Alliance.”

“He has, and as I told him, I’ve made up my mind. It’s something I have to do.”

“You don’t have to do shit,” Jack countered.

“You could go to the Council, Shepard. You’re a spectre, with spectre authority. They’ll be just as displeased as the Alliance, but they can use that authority to ride out the storm. The Alliance is just going to lock you up. Or worse. You don’t deserve that.” By the time Tali finished, she was wringing her hands and bouncing slightly on her feet.

Shepard looked down, “Listen, I appreciate your concern. But if I don’t go and take the fall, the political fall out will be detrimental to the Alliance. I might be a Spectre, but everyone in the galaxy knows where I came from.”

There was a horribly awkward silence in the room.

“I promise, I won’t let it affect any of you. Your names will all stay out of the report, and I will be adamant about the fact that I went there alone.”

“I could give two shits about what other people think. I still think you should take me up on the piracy thing,” Jack said, crossing her arms and nearly pouting. Shepard nearly laughed at the stance. Jack looked back at her. “It’s a nice ship. Stealth drives and all. Perfect opportunity wasted.”

“She’s not wrong,” Kasumi said, appearing out of thin air next to Jack.

“FUCKING SHIT!” Jack said, “God damn it I hate it when you do that.”

Kasumi blew her a kiss as she disappeared.

“Siha, it appears you are not willing to change your mind,” Thane said as calmly as ever.

“I find it admirable,” Samara nodded her head.

“I think falling on your sword to protect the very people who put you in the situation, the same people who expect you to follow orders blindly and not take responsibility for their own actions, isn’t exactly admirable,” Garrus said darkly, still leaning back in his chair.

Shepard knew he was angry. She didn’t blame him. But she kept a cool mask of command on her face. “I’m not changing my mind.”

“Then we would ask for a few days dry-docked. For repairs,” Miranda said slowly.

“Repairs? I thought we were nearly done with repairs. You all have been working around the clock on the Normandy.”

“Yes, well, there’s a few things we could take a look at on the outer hull. It’d be safer on the ground. We thought perhaps, since we’re close, we could stop here.” Miranda pulled out a map and pointed to a spot on the planet below. “We’ve actually been planning this since we left the Bahak System.”

Shepard blew out a small stream of air.

“The crew needs a break, Shep,” Garrus said.

“And time to say goodbye,” Tali added.

“Fine,” Shepard said. “You have anything to add Joker?”

“Not since you ever so reasonably agreed, no. Setting a landing trajectory now. Ready EDI?”

“Ready, Jeff.”

--------------------------------------------------------------

Shepard was sitting at her desk, finishing the last of the reports she had. She’d always hated filling out reports. Now though, she thought she might end up missing even this. She wasn’t sure what the Alliance had planned for her. A trial? Jail time? A harsher sentence? She didn’t think they’d hand her over to the Batarians, but the thought was still there in the back of her mind. When she had mentioned it to Garrus, he said he’d be there breaking her out before she even reached a Batarian system. And she hadn’t argued.

Just as she thought of him, he walked through her cabin doors. “Done with those reports yet?” he drawled.

“This is the last one,” she said as she signed off and sent it. “Done.” She blew out a breath and stretched her arms above her head. She looked over at Garrus, and saw he was carrying a duffle bag, and was dressed in shorts and a Turian style t-shirt. She couldn’t help but chuckle, “I know you’re not on duty, but that’s a little informal. Aren’t you freezing?”

“I am freezing my ass off Shep, but I won’t be for long. Let’s go.”

“Onto the surface?”

“Yeah, where else? I’m not letting you spend your last shore leave in this cabin.”

“Hmmm,” she said suspiciously.

“Here,” he said as he threw the duffle at her. “Put these on.”

Shepard opened the bag and rose her eyebrows at him, “I can’t tell if this is practical, or if you just want me in a bikini.”

Garrus laughed, throwing his head forward and shaking it slightly. “Maybe it’s both?” He took out the sunscreen from her bag. “And don’t forget this.”

“Do you need some too?” she asked as she started spraying it on.

He shook his head. “The sun and radiation would have to be a hell of a lot stronger for me to need something like that. Palaven’s sun throws a lot more than this one.”

She nodded, “All right, all right Mr. Tough Guy, I got it.” She stripped off her civvies and threw on the bikini and sun dress. She put her hair in a braid that came over her shoulder. “All right, let’s do this.” She wouldn’t have planned a vacation. It wouldn’t have felt right. But her crew planning it, or needing it? That was a different story. And she was grateful.

They walked throughout the empty ship towards the cargo bay doors. “Where is everybody?” she asked.

“Already down there,” he said. “I think they were excited.”

Shepard stepped off the ship and was shocked. It was stunningly beautiful. It reminded her of when her parents had taken her to Jamaica once when she was young. “Wow,” she said softly. There was nothing within many kilometers of them. Not a soul in sight other than their ship and crew. “A private beach?”

Kasumi walked up to her with a small cooler, “Take your pick, Shep,” she said with a smile. There were beer and wine coolers. Shepard took one and thanked Kasumi. “The Dextro beers are all over by Tali,” Kasumi said before she skipped away.

"She’s even in a cloak on beach day,” Garrus rumbled, wiggling his brow plates at her.

Shepard laughed and walked towards Tali, “Go get a beer, big guy.”

“SHEEPPHHEEERRDD,” a loud voice boomed from a ways down the beach. Shepard looked down and saw Grunt splashing through the water with a small pistol, shooting at fish. “This is fun, heheh,” he said to himself as he picked up a fish he had somehow managed to shoot.

“Aww,” Zaeed said sarcastically before rolling his eyes. The man was sitting on a lounging chair with 5 beer cans on the sand around him. He laid back, closing his eyes before saying, “Good day Shepard. Good day.”

Joker was sitting next to the man with his eyes shut as well. “If I get a sunburn, I’m blaming you.”

Shepard threw her sunscreen at him. “If you get sunburned, you’ll worry EDI.”

“Har-har,” he said grumpily as he started spraying the sunscreen.

Thane was down the beach further, on the opposite end of Grunt Shepard noticed, showing Samara something that resembled Tai Chi. Actually, Shepard was pretty sure it was Tai Chi. She could still remember all the moves from when she took classes aboard her mother’s starship as a kid. She joined them silently, and allowed herself to meditate peacefully.

Once she’d had enough, she stopped, unsure of how much time had passed. Samara and Thane gave her small smiles as she walked away. She found Garrus was shooting blanks with a sniper rifle into the trees. Suddenly, Shepard saw the shimmer of failed shields and Kasumi’s cloak came down. “Damn!” the thief swore. “How in the hell did you know where I was that time?”

Garrus shrugged, “A gentlemen never tells.”

Tali swooped in from behind and jumped up to grab at his visor. “I’ll give you two guesses,” she said as she inspected it.  

“Hey!” Garrus said, in a more shocked tone than Shepard would have expected. “Give that back,” he said as he pushed down on the Quarians helmet, reaching up so the visor was far out of her reach.

“Alright Garrus, no visor,” Kasumi said as she disappeared.

Garrus held the visor in one hand and aimed with the other. It took 10 seconds before he placed his next shot, and Kasumi’s shields went down again. Kasumi grumbled and switched on her cloak again.

Garrus’ eyes went wide and he hunched over his weapon slightly. Shepard heard him make a small noise of satisfaction before pulling the trigger.

“Oh, you’re good, Archangel,” Kasumi purred as she sauntered up to him. “I can see why you’re into him, Shep,” Kasumi called over to her.

Shepard just waved back with a grin and kept walking down the beach. There was a slight bend and suddenly she could see Mordin by the water, bent over looking at something. As she approached, she realized he was poking around some kind of sea creature with a stick. She stood next to him quietly as he observed it. “At first, wasn’t looking forward to ‘beach day’,” he said with air quotes. “Looked forward to comradery of course, but can get that on ship, or in lab. Surprising results. Thoroughly enjoying discovering new marine wildlife.” She saw his eyes flick back towards the sand. “Perhaps will try hand at fossils and shells next.”

Shepard smiled. As Mordin continued searching the shallow waters, Shepard started searching for shells on the beach. When she found what she thought must be the most beautiful one on the beach, she walked back over to him and handed it out to him.

“Ah!” he exclaimed, turning towards her and taking the shell. “How interesting! Gastropoda, free of inhabitants. Periostracum still slightly spongy, not old. Whorl, apex, aperture all typical. Extremely symmetrical. Red and orange in color, unsure of internal structuring.”

Shepard waited patiently as he continued his analysis until he stopped suddenly. He looked down at her and took a deep breath. “Beautiful. Thank you, Shepard.” He put the shell in one of his lab coat pockets.

She rose a brow, “That’s rather sentimental for you, isn’t it doctor?”

He shook his head, “Sometimes, sentimentality - appropriate. No point to life without the enjoyment of it.”

Shepard smiled at him. “Some friends make that exceedingly easy to do so.”

Mordin seemed genuinely taken aback, but nodded enthusiastically. “Indeed, they do.”

Legion walked up behind them, “Shepard Commander, are you searching for marine wildlife? This unit believes it can be of assistance.”

“Doctor?” Shepard asked.

“Hmmm, could prove useful in cataloging findings. Legion, please assist in cataloging findings of new marine biology.”

“Nice, thanks Legion,” Shepard said with a smile.

The Geth’s brow plates rose and fell quickly, “This unit enjoys being useful.”

Shepard rose her brows at Mordin. Before their adventures, she doubted Legion would have used the word “enjoys” at all. “I’m glad,” she said back before turning around.

She let them continue their search in the waters as she made her way back to the group. She came around the bend, and saw Jack, Jacob, and Miranda teaching Garrus and Tali how to play Volleyball. “Shepard, we need another player!” Jacob yelled out.

“I’m in,” she said as she ditched the sun dress and dug her toes into the sand to run towards them. “I grew up on a ship, but I managed to learn how to play. They know the rules?” she asked, pointing towards Garrus and Tali.

“I think we’ve got it,” Tali said.

They played for nearly an hour before they tired themselves out. “Forgot you had about a ½ a meter in height on us Vakarian,” Jacob grumbled as he and Miranda walked off towards the drinks.

Garrus shrugged with a grin, “What can I say.”

“Want to cool off in the water?” Shepard asked.

Garrus looked out at the ocean apprehensively, “Uhh… yeaaah, I’m not so sure about that.”

“Look, we don’t have to go in too deep. Mordin found a nice quiet spot around the bend a ways, there are hardly any waves at all. Just go in to your waist and get cooled off with me.”

Garrus sighed heavily. “Fine.”

They walked till they were just past Mordin and Legion. “Alright if we swim here?” She asked him.

Mordin came up from his studies. “Of course, Shepard.” Then he rose his brow at Garrus. “Aware of Turian aversion to submersion in waters. Interesting. Found a cove 20 meters that way. Completely shallow and secluded from waves and wildlife. Should be more comfortable.”

Garrus looked at Shepard and she could tell he was about to say no to the whole thing. “Alright, thanks Mordin, c’mon scaredy cat. Let’s go to the cove.”

“Shepard, I have no idea what a scaredy cat is. Is it some kind of pet?”

She laughed and marched forwards.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cove was beautiful. There were trees above keeping it mostly in the shade, and the water was calm and shallow. Shepard waded in and it only went up to her chest. “C’mon Garrus, look, it’s not deep. It won’t go up to your cowl, for sure.” He looked at her with a look that said he’d rather jump in a varren pit. “I’ll make it worth your while?”

He rose a brow plate, and dipped his feet in. The water was warm at least, so he continued until he stood next to Shepard. She took a step into him so that they were touching and wrapped her arms around him. “Alright, it’s not so bad,” he said reluctantly.

She gazed at him with a look that could melt metal, and took a deep breath in, before slowly sinking below the water. “Shepard,” he said nervously, although he knew she couldn’t hear him.

Shepard held onto his hips to stay below the water with one hand, and started moving his shorts aside with the other. Garrus’ breath hitched. He couldn’t help the rush that went straight to his groin, and he also couldn’t help but still feel nervous in the water. Shepard pushed him back and he took a few steps backwards until his legs hit something when they were nearing the edge. A rock. She pushed him again and he stumbled awkwardly, sitting on the rock. She came up for air and kissed his mandible, sucking on the tips. Garrus groaned, digging his talons into her waist. She submerged again, and he held his breath, partially out of anticipation of what she might do next and partially out of nerves for her being under the water. He knew humans were better with that, but it was ingrained.

He suddenly felt a small tongue lick up the seams of his pelvic plates and he groaned again, digging his talons through her hair. He felt small fingers dig between the plates in his waist. She came up for air again, straddling his lap to kiss him. She ground her hips against his. She was weightless, floating above him, ghosting over his plates, until she pushed herself down into him and began grinding harder into him. “Shepard,” he growled as he nipped at her neck. She suddenly went back under water and nipped at his pubic plate quickly, and licked all the way up and down his seam slowly. He felt his seam part as he groaned loudly, bucking his hips into her as his erection began to grow, emerging from his seam. He felt her lick at it until it came all the way through, and she sucked his cock into her mouth as it grew.

“Fuck,” he said as he threw his head back and bucked his hips. She sucked hard, head bobbing up and down twice before she had to come up for air. She was panting hard and she straddled his lap again, slowly lowering herself onto him, until  his tip was hilted within her.

Shepard moaned loudly and rocked back and forth slightly with her hips. He felt her muscles contract around him a few times and he groaned. Shepard grinned at him before lifting up and moving back down. He could tell it was harder for her in the water, and he placed his hands on her hips and began lifting her up, and slamming her down onto him. It didn’t take long before they were both panting, and it just wasn’t enough. He put her legs around his waist and stood, walking to the back of the cove, he pressed her back against the stony wall and pushed himself into her with a grunt. Shepard squeezed her legs around his waist, one arm holding on around his back, the other wrapped around his neck with her hand massaging under his fringe.

She was so tight, and he hadn’t yet been fully inside her. He took his finger and massaged the nub he knew drove her wild. Shepard began moaning loudly. “God, yes Garrus, fuck,” she groaned. Slowly, with each thrust he pushed further and further inside of her until even the bulge of his base slipped inside of her with a pop. Shepard screamed at that and held on tighter. “Don’t stop,” she screamed, and he didn’t, couldn’t really. He felt her come hard, her walls squeezing him. “Garrus,” she panted. Garrus couldn’t speak, he was too far gone. He merely groaned against her neck as he continued pounding into her, faster and harder.

“Come inside me, Garrus,” she moaned, and he lost control. He came hard with a roar, continuing to pump inside her in erratic thrusts. His body completely enveloped hers against the stone. She was so small, wrapped up in his arms, and he curled around her, willing himself to stay standing. He felt her kiss his mandible lightly. “God, you’re sexy.”

He chuckled, kissing her forehead, “So are you.”

Shepard slipped down and swam in the water to cool off before they headed back. Garrus sat back on the rock and watched, enjoying the view and surprisingly, the cool water around his waist.

--------------------------------------------------

Shepard and Garrus walked back along the beach, hands brushing often. The sun was setting, and it was creating a beautiful glow around them. The whole team was sitting, watching the sunset when the pair joined them.

The group was quiet, reflective. Even Grunt, to Shepard’s surprise. He was growing up, after all. Shepard leaned against Garrus’ shoulder, and they sat there until the sun dipped below the horizon.

“Alright you bunch of pussys,” Zaeed said, elegantly as ever. “Round two.” He started throwing beer bottles at everyone.

“That’s more like it,” Jack huffed.

“Bonfire’s made!” Jacob said as he got the largest bonfire Shepard had ever seen lit using driftwood from the beach.

The team drank under the numerous stars. There were drinking games and songs, friendly wagers and shoot-the-bottle competitions. It was 3 in the morning before they packed up and headed inside. Shepard held Garrus’ hand to pull him back behind the crew and gave him one last kiss under the stars.

[the-hidden-writer]

The Not-So-Great Deduction

Whumptober 2021 - Day 8

A few days after solving the case on the S.S. Burya, Herlock Sholmes decides to spend some time with Inspector Hosonaga out of boredom. He soon gets carries away and takes his deduction a little too far...

Set after Case 2 of DGS 1 but only contains minor spoilers.

Day 8: “Coughing Up A Lung” Prompt: "Definitely just a cold” Fandom: The Great Ace Attorney Words: 1,760 TW: chronic lung disease, coughing up blood, terminal illness

The Not-So-Great Deduction

Herlock Sholmes was bored.

Though it had only been three days since the case involving the young Japanese student, it had already been far too long for him to go without something to tickle his brain with. Being stuck on a cramped steamship was limiting enough. Having nothing to do on a cramped steamship was a whole other matter entirely.

Sitting atop the wardrobe in his cabin (which had become a wonderful spot for inspiration following his last case) he racked his brains for something to occupy himself with.

Perhaps he should go and visit his new Japanese friends? Miss Sosatu and Mr... Narra-something?

He thought for a moment.

...Or perhaps not. The last time he dropped in for an unexpected visit, he’d caught the pair of them in tears, attempting to comfort one another. They were still mourning their friend, and he believed that he at least owed them that time.

But that didn’t leave him any less bored.

He’d received a warning from one of those burly Russian sailors (the one whose name made him hungry although he couldn’t recall why…) that he was forbidden from pestering the passengers. The rumour of murder on the ship had spread like wildfire and the Captain presumably didn’t want him to frighten them more with his deductions.

The problem was that Herlock was just itching to deduce something.

So, if he couldn’t toy with the foreign students or any of the other passengers, who did that leave?

He faintly heard a woman cough passing by his door.

Of course! The Inspector! He was wonderful company, and was one of the few competent people aboard this ship. He also technically was neither a passenger nor a member of the crew, so he could finally have someone to practice his skills of deduction on.

Not that he needed practice, of course. Merely a passtime. He was already a master of deduction.

It wasn't hard to find the good Inspector. He'd asked the first crew member where to find his foreign bespectacled crewmate and was immediately pointed towards the crew's quarters.

Judging by his tone, the real crew weren't all that fond of the man. Which was a shame, really, because he'd seemed very honest and hard-working to Herlock.

As he crept along the corridor with the tiny rooms for the crew on either side, a loud, chesty cough could be heard echoing around the walls.

It led him straight to the Inspector's room.

Without hesitation, Herlock swung open the door and grinned to see the subject of his search jump in surprise.

"Ah, Inspector!"

To his credit, the Inspector recovered from his shock very quickly and cleared his throat before answering.

"Can I help you, Mr Sholmes?" He asked, with that smooth hint of an accent which Herlock now knew to be Japanese.

"Yes, actually." Herlock answered. "You see, I'm rather bored. Your Captain has forbidden me from interacting with other passengers and I'm in desperate need of some company."

And something to deduce.

"And so you came to me?" The Inspector asked skeptically, adjusting his round glasses. They looked like they needed a good mend, Herlock noted. Perhaps that should be his next activity.

Herlock nodded gleefully. "Correct, my dear Inspector! Unless you mind, of course?"

The Inspector smiled. It was a small, weak smile but appeared to be entirely genuine. "Not at all, Mr Sholmes. What is it you wish to talk about?" He paused momentarily. "And my name is Satoru Hosonaga, so you do not have to call me Inspector each time. I would prefer to keep my cover. I presume you had forgotten?"

It appears that this man had some deductive skills of his own. Herlock had, in fact, had no idea what the man's name was and desperately tried to remember each syllable lest he get it wrong and embarrass himself.

"Inspector Hosonaga!" He proclaimed, causing the aforementioned man's cheeks to redden slightly. Which, on his pale face, was very noticeable.

"I was actually wondering," Herlock continued, "if I may perform a small (but still great) deduction of your person? In order to hone my detective skills- lest I lose my touch, as it were."

Hosonaga opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was a stream of violent, wet coughs, and Herlock was alarmed to see blood pooling from the Inspector's mouth when he removed his hand.

"Are you quite alright, my dear fellow?"

After letting out an additional cough and wiping the blood from his mouth, Hosonaga smiled weakly.

"I'm fine, I assure you. It is just a common cold." Herlock was not convinced but didn't interrupt. "What I was meaning to say was that I would be honoured, Mr Sholmes. Your deductions were quite amazing."

The praise ignited the fire of Herlock's determination, and he dashed to the other side of the Inspector with excitement.

"Excellent!" He cried. "In that case, it is time for Herlock Sholmes's Logic and Reasoning Spectacular!"

Finally, another deduction! And he knew just what topic it would be on.

Now, where to begin…

The coughing.

"I noticed you cough very often, Inspector. And while it is true that coughing is a symptom of the common cold, I believe that this is something far more sinister."

As if on cue, a fresh set of coughs wracked Hosonaga's frail frame and fresh blood began to trickle down his chin.

"This is because not only do those coughs sound rather painful, your face shrivels in discomfort with each one. And such a worryingly copious volume of blood suggests that this is coming directly from the lungs."

Hurriedly, Hosonaga used his sleeve to wipe away the blood. A deep frown was upon his face and his eyes were full of sadness. 

Herlock was too enraptured by the thrill of deduction to notice.

"Now, I deduce that whatever this condition is, you have had it for a while."

He pointed at Hosonaga's crew uniform. 

"This is shown by your blood-soaked sleeve. Anyone who was not used to coughing up blood so frequently would be more frightened, and would make an effort to conceal it- or at least use a handkerchief."

Hosonaga's eyes closed and his fists clenched. Herlock continued regardless.

"Not only that, but your skin is extremely pale, I would say almost dangerously so. Now although that could be caused by a cold, your skinny build and the white streaks in your hair suggest that the condition is long-term, and that you have been battling it for quite some time."

With a dramatic spin, he announced the final conclusion of his dedication proudly.

"I believe you have some sort of chronic lung disease and, if you don't improve, will only have a few years left to live!"

It took a few moments of tense silence for it to dawn on Herlock the implications of what he had just said.

Rather sheepishly, he hung his head and his confident smile fell. "Oh…"

“Mr Sholmes.” Hosonaga began, though his voice shook. Whether it was from anger or horror, Herlock couldn’t tell. He didn’t dare deduce anything further at that moment. “You are a very talented detective.”

...That was not the expected reaction.

However, when he looked up, Herlock could see that there were tears gathered in the Inspector’s eyes. He grimaced. He’d gone too far, and he knew it.

“My deepest apologies, Inspector.” He said, removing his deerstalker hat and placing it upon his heart. “I was so desperate to deduce again, I did not stop to think about the implications. Do forgive me.”

Inspector Hosonaga, bless him, gave him a wobbly smile.

“Do not worry, Mr Sholmes. You have only repeated what the doctors have already told me.”

If that was an attempt at making Herlock feel better, it wasn’t a very good one. In fact, it only worsened his guilt.

“No but it was entirely shameful of me!” He insisted. “I’m a monster for reminding you of such things!”

Hosonaga let out a tiny chuckle- the first time Herlock had ever heard him laugh. He nodded his head towards his sleeve. “I am always reminded.”

“Oh… I am sorry. The pain must be unbearable.”

Hosonaga tried to smile, but his lips couldn’t quite maintain the position. They quivered for a few seconds, before his face fell completely and he let out a quiet sob.

“This is the second time a man has died under my watch. I was supposed to guard him, he was under my protection, but…”

Herlock gritted his teeth.

“I do not know how long I have left. I treat every day as if it is my last and I try to make a difference and bring justice into the world. But if I were to die tomorrow, I would only be remembered by my greatest failures.”

It took a lot of willpower for Herlock to stay quiet. He did not want to open his mouth- he was frightened he would say something that would only upset the good Inspector even more. Even then he couldn’t think of anything that would make him feel better.

Well, he could think of one thing, but…

“Hosonaga-san!” 

Both men turned around to see those foreign students rush in through the door.

“We’re so glad we found you! The Captain...” The young girl trailed off at the sight of Herlock.

“Mr Sholmes! What are you doing here?”

His deductive partner looked at Hosonaga for a few moments before turning back to him.

“Mr Sholmes, what did you do?”

How rude! How dare he assume that he had something to do with the tear-stains on the Inspector’s face?

Well, it was an accurate presumption, but still…

“Forgive me, Naruhodo-san, Susato-san. You said the Captain was summoning me? I will go at once!”

With a fresh determination, the Inspector fled from the room.

Herlock would have to find him later to express his gratitude for keeping quiet about the whole incident. It would not help his reputation, and frankly he felt nothing but guilt about the whole thing.

He would also have to seek him out more often. The Inspector did truly make good company, and he was a nice fellow to simply spend time with. Perhaps he could pass on his deductive skills- a temporary partner, if you will. Anything to make up for his mistake.

...But, staring at the two young faces in front of him, he realised he had different present company.

“Mr Sholmes,” Naruhodo (so that was his name!) said with suspicion written all over his face, “what did you do?”

Thanks for reading! 

[calpops]

veiled valor | 14 | c.h.

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Copyright © 2021 calpops. All rights reserved. This original work is not allowed to be reposted on any platform in any format (translations included). 

<< >>

Calum stood at the rail of the ship, wood under his palms; the course grain meeting his work rough palms in harmony. Elodie stood still at his side. The clouds were growing grayer by the moment as a storm formed in sky and sea. The waves were already becoming more rough, knocking against the ship without mercy as they gained traction and size. Calum shifted his weight to one foot, fingers curling a bit tighter around the rail as he sized up the storm and ran through preparations in his mind. The princess was silent, eyes contemplative as she watched the swirling sea mimicking the clouds above. Somehow the water mirrored the gray clouds in such a menacing way it sent chills through Calum. He had seen many storms but none had ever put a pit in his stomach quite like this one.

“Will you stay in our cabin?” Calum asked, wanting her to be as safe during the storm as possible. Asking became a necessity; it was a hard lesson to learn that the princess would take no orders even from her captain; storms and attempted mutinies not even able to keep her from wanting to be in the fray.

“I suppose,” she answered quietly. “So long as you’re safe too.”

Calum gave her a grin and took his hands off the rail in favor of settling them on her delicate waist. She pressed into his touch, receptive and unafraid of the crew around them.

“I’ve been through many storms, princess, I’ll be okay,” Calum said and pressed a small kiss of her forehead, reveled in the moment and the feeling before the storm would make them part ways. Calum would stay on deck to oversee the crew and the condition of the ship, keep them on course and ride out the storm to the best of his abilities. “I just need you to keep yourself safe.”

Elodie nodded and turned as clicks against the wood caught her attention. Duke strode forward with his short gait and stuck his nose into the air; sensing the storm and narrowing his eyes. Elodie crouched down to receive the small dog and brought him back up, face buried in his warm fur and a kiss given to his cheek.

“Duke will protect me,” she offered around a smile and hooded eyes. “Until you can come back to the cabin.”

“You won’t come out until I say it’s safe?” He asked, eyeing her suspiciously. The princess was never so easily agreeable when it came to separating, Calum pondered if their two latest run ins with danger had put a distaste for it within the princess.

Elodie nodded her agreement. “I’ll wait for you,” she amended and cut a gaze at the cabin door that stood closed. “Though you should know, if I knew how to swim it would be a different story.”

Calum chuckled at her slightly threatening tone and knew her words were true. The storm would bring dangers she couldn’t fight with a sword, pull a pistol or dagger on; her training was useless when it came to the waves. Calum would have to teach her to swim the next time they docked. She began to sashay away, paused only to give Calum a peck, and headed for the cabin he knew she would lock up as the storm rolled in.

Luke took up beside Calum; a grim look etched across his face and dismay swimming within pools of blue eyes. Calum shifted, gave him a curious look and shot his eyes across the deck. Nothing seemed amiss but for the way his boatswain was acting. The crew was busy around them, prepping for the storm and ensuring the ship would make it through the venture.

“We have trouble coming,” Luke finally said when a moment of calm came and the crew dispersed. “A ship sails behind us.”

Calum’s arms crossed over his chest, his comfortability declining at the news. Not every passing ship was a threat, not every flag that flew in the wind was one to fear, but the look of concern so apparent on Luke’s face was hard to ignore. The boatswain was well traveled and versed in the flags and sails that they encountered. Calum held his breath and let silence answer the questions the new ship’s presence brought about.

“They fly flags of a rival kingdom,” Luke further explained as his eyes skirted to a closed cabin door a princess hid behind. “It’s not a royal vessel but it causes me worry they might try something.”

Common men were notorious for staking out ships and head hunting pirates for a pocketed reward—their lives suddenly worth something to someone else, and only for a trip to the gallows. The concern did not arise from a fear for their own lives but for a woman aboard that might be recognizable and worth more than a petty piece of gold. Calum felt his heartbeat stall and come back to life with a painful force that knocked against his ribs. His fingers curled into his palms and he tried to catch his breath, reminded himself that she would be locked away in her cabin, that the storm might fend off the afflicting ship and a passing in peace might ensue.

“Get Michael up from the galley. I need him as a master gunner once more,” Calum said just in case. Michael would be more useful in his rightful position if it came to a fight than stowed away in the shadows. “Have Ashton prep the crew; if they try to take us we won’t be going in unprepared. I want you to guard her door.”

“With my life,” Luke promised as his hand found the hilt of his sword at his side.

Calum remembered a fight in which Elodie was clueless but writhed with anger for being kept locked in the dark. He had to tell her and he had to do it before the ship made to pass. He strode to her quickly, rapped his knuckles against the wood three times in a rhythm she knew to be his—a secret communication of identification. The locked clicked and the door opened slowly, confusion written all over Elodie’s face in the way her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed.

“The storm?”

“We have new troubles,” Calum said before she could further ask of his appearance. “A ship trails us. Flags with a kingdom that knows you. Please, please, stay in the cabin. I’ll have Luke at your door. Don’t come out for anyone but me.”

“They don’t know I’m aboard,” Elodie said quietly as she peered past Calum as if to try and find the mysterious ship through the fog.

“And I’d like to keep it that way,” Calum added on to her thought. “They might pass peacefully. They might try a raid. Either way, you should stay out of sight.”

“I understand,” she said and Calum could hear and feel the fear in her voice—it was palpable. Everything she had run away from was catching up to her in the face and flags of a foe. “I won’t do anything stupid.” Her hands settled at her waist and a bitten lip etched worry across her face.

“Don’t worry princess, I won’t let any harm come to you,” Calum said though the words were thick and his gaze trained down to her healing arm. He’d made promises in the same faith before, broken them with smoky accidents and an inability to be what she needed.

Elodie nodded and her trust in Calum renewed a vigor to ensure his promise was kept this time. Luke would guard her door and Calum would keep the lines of fight as far away as possible—if it came to that. She stepped out of her room, just enough to put herself against Calum once more, a silent hold between the captain and his lady ensuing. She felt much smaller in his arms than usual, the face of danger looming on the horizon making her more delicate, more prone to being harmed and broken. A clamor of noise on deck made them pull apart; fear of what could be happening  already had the door shutting between them and Calum stalking off to take up position at the wheel.

With spyglass in hand and poised at his eye Calum saw his first glimpse of the ship emerging from a formed fog. The flags blowing in the wind sent chills up his spine, the gray and red reminding Calum of scars and blood. Of lines that cut through skin and showered life onto wooden beams. Wind swept through the ship and the first of rain fell onto Calum’s forehead, waves began building a pit of anxiety that told Calum a fight would ensue formed low in his stomach. The ship behind was gaining speed, making so as to come upon them. His own vessel couldn’t compete in speed but its size and artillery might withstand a chance. He had men who had freedom to lose and that meant they had everything worth fighting for. Calum’s everything stayed behind a locked door. His hand found his pistol, an order to ready cannons fell from his lips and to the crew around him.

It came as no surprise when the ship caught up to them and men swung to deck on ropes that seemingly fell from the sky; appearing out of thin air much like clouds caught in a drift. Calum’s cannons ripped through the hull of the enemy ship, splintered wood crackling in the dull air against the war cries of men who plotted to commandeer the ship under Calum’s feet. He knew their game, lest their own ship be destroyed they would take over the other and force the crew to surrender or into the sea. Bringing back a pirate or two was nothing in comparison to a ship of this caliber; to a stolen Captain’s glory and livelihood. The rain was coming down harder and faster, soaking the deck as every step was slick and unbalanced. Men fought mercilessly, the clanging of metal against metal, of pistols firing in harmony and cannons colliding and ripping through wood sent out pleas to the heavens above and gods below.

Calum cut the wheel, hoping to offset balance and start to veer away from the men still slinging from ropes or diving and rolling onto the deck. He saw a few bodies fall into the waves below and a satisfied smirk placed itself upon Calum’s face. His own crew had his back but chills still danced along his spine in menacing ways, crawling around and making Calum tremble against his white knuckle hold. He chanced a look back, over to the door that Luke promised to guard with his life. It remained closed but his boatswain was nowhere to be found and the windows were shattered, glass dancing on the wooden floor. Ashton quickly cut past Calum’s line of vision, sparring swords against a man in fine clothing that was being hacked away at. His vest was torn across his chest, a line of red followed a cut around his arm. Ashton was clearly leading the fight and winning, his foe suddenly knocked back to the beams below after fumbling feet failed him. Calum had no more time to watch, the feeling of someone approaching from the side had him turning, discarding spyglass for sword, the tool for vision rolling along the notches in the floor.

Calum’s breath was torn away from him as he dodged a swipe of a sharpened blade that dripped with someone else’s blood though rain still pelted the deck. It was fresh. He stood back up, charged with full force and let a blow land against his attacker. The rock of the boat swayed him forward, the hilt of the sword buried against the man’s rib cage, a small moan his last word as he fell to his knees and Calum withdrew his sword. The fight around him was a blur as he pivoted, once more glancing toward the only thing that mattered. Her door was still shut and Luke was still nowhere to be found. A new group of men swarmed the cabin, locked doors always hiding treasure. The wood was nothing against the force of five and blades that hacked it away and off its hinges in mere moments. Calum abandoned his perch at the wheel, ran headlong into the men that endangered all he was protecting.

He vaguely heard Ashton call behind him; his second in command undoubtedly having won his own duel and joining Calum for a fight worth more than anything else on the ship. Except the men were stopped short in the abandoned cabin, now backed into walls as Calum and Ashton and Michael and a few other men took up arms against them. It quickly became apparent the enemy ship was outnumbered by pirates. The fight didn’t last much longer but the abandoned cabin and no sign of a princess or boatswain worried at Calum as the last of the men fell. The captain cut worried looks at Michael and Ashton. The ship was riddled with bodies and blood, Calum’s crew was high on victory and soon enough they would be drunk on it too; rum sure to be passed around for the stocks in the galley. Calum had no reason to celebrate in the face of a missing princess. She had promised not to leave for anyone but him. His boatswain had sworn his life to protect her.

“Cap’n?” Michael’s voice cut through the haze of anxiety that swept over Calum and dared to try and drown him. “We have a hostage.”

“Find her,” was the only command he could manage to withdraw from his lips as his eyes swept the ship aside them that was slowly sinking among it being engulfed in flames. Words of a hostage were completely lost on Calum. No one else mattered.

He didn’t know how the fire started, much of the fight passed by him in a worried blur. Michael needed no further instruction from the captain, he pulled Ashton into the search and swept the deck and down below. Calum was called down to the galley where a broken and splintered door led down soaked steps.

“Elodie?” He heard himself asking as he ducked down and only tendrils of muted light from above lit his way. Michael had proposed the idea of the galley as he saw the door was broken and open. Hope infiltrated Calum’s chest as he stepped forward, past the makeshift dining tables and barrels as seats.

“Calum?” Elodie. Her voice was small and buried, a tip of a boot stuck out from behind a barrage of barrels stacked on the back wall. Luke.

“It’s safe now,” he made himself say though there was still an unsettled feeling harbored within his chest.

Luke was the first to move from around the barrels, he wore a sorry expression but he stood tall and sure. Duke padded out next, seemingly unbothered by the commotion that had ensued and Calum knew he had rested within Elodie’s arms. The princess was slower to come, eyes in disbelief and a moment of pause stalling her as she stood upright, gaze sweeping Calum up and down, likely taking him in for injuries. When she saw he was well she made for him and he made for her, met in the middle and melted into each other’s safe embraces.

“You promised to stay in the cabin,” Calum said gently though he had no fault in his tone. She had evaded the fight and stayed safe and that was all that truly mattered. He pulled away from her just enough to look into golden eyes and see her honesty.

“The rain and wind shattered the windows. I convinced Luke to take me here before the fighting truly began. Besides, what man raids a kitchen before that of a captain’s quarters?” She asked and made Calum blow out a breath of relief at her smart thinking and overall safety.

She was right, the men had attacked his quarters without thinking. Whereas the only thing that had been touched was the galley door and the weather and fight on deck may have been responsible for that. He could have kicked himself for his narrow minded and unthought out plan. But it had all worked out and Elodie was unharmed. He pulled her back into him and Luke excused himself; knowing the moment was private, though the small dog kept to Elodie’s side and settled at her feet. Silence befell them and Calum savored it for the day had been wrought with the firing of cannons and pistols, of war cries and last words. She pressed against him, cheek resting against his chest and arms wound around his middle. He held her close, hands softly stroking through her hair and breaths finally coming much easier. The crew was alive above them and Calum knew their time alone would be short lived if they stayed in the galley; all the rum and liquors stocked around them.

“We’ll have the windows fixed next time we dock,” Calum murmured and hoped the sea would treat them well the next week or so until they could find somewhere to find new glass. “If another ship passes this will be the safest place for you.”

Elodie nodded her agreement and thanked Calum for sending Luke to guard her. She admitted her fear at the sounds of a fight much bigger than an attempted mutiny. Calum sighed, pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear and cupped her face.

“I feared more for you,” she said and a faint blush danced from cheek to nose to cheek again, heating the tips of Calum’s fingers unabashedly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Calum stiffened at the admission and thought through the realities that easily could have been. What would she have done if the sword had gone through him instead of his foe?

“You’d command the ship to go wherever you wanted. You’d find somewhere safe. Michael, Ashton and Luke would make sure it happened.”

Elodie looked down, golden eyes lost to the floorboards and the dog below. Calum could tell it was a reality she didn’t want to consider. But Calum would rather be lost in a fight than she; she could find somewhere the world didn’t know her, could find a safe haven among an island with a small but loyal crew to guide her. Calum would always have an identifier burned into his skin and chasing his steps and ship with every motion.

“Captain?” It was Ashton’s voice that broke through the dismay at thoughts neither truly wanted to entertain. He stood at the top of the galley steps, uncertainly peering down at his superior and his lady. “What should we do about the hostage?”

“Hostage?” Calum and Elodie both questioned at the same time, voices blending together in equal parts surprise and terror.

Calum turned, vaguely recalling Michael’s words on deck but they had been drowned out by the worries of his missing princess. Calum cleared his throat and approached, begged Elodie to follow with a motion of his hand and put one foot up on the bottom step. His second in command was a little worse for wear after a battle but victory gleamed in hazel eyes and the tears in his clothing and the few scratches along his skin could be mended.

“He begged for mercy and Michael allowed it. He’s not much more than a boy. He’s in the brig.”

“See that he has food and water and if he’s injured any wounds are tended to. We’ll drop him next time we dock,” Calum decided.

It was a risk, a man from a kingdom that opposed Elodie’s—whether young or old—posed a threat. Calum had no intention of harming the boy, he could stay in the brig and keep his eyes off the princess, and they’d be rid of him as soon as they could. Elodie’s hand found its way to Calum’s shoulder and called his attention to her.

“Might he be good for questioning?” She wondered. “Even a boy has useful information. Was the raid just a raid or was it for something else?” Someone else.

“I’ll question him myself. I want no one else speaking to him,” Calum began and let his eyes settle on his second in command. “Make that an order.”

Loose lips could travel word from crewman to boy, from boy to land and kingdoms beyond. Calum was still wary about many who sailed his ship and didn’t want any cracks in the precarious foundation to slip through. Ashton nodded his understanding and took off to spread word of the captive and the captain’s command. Calum turned to Elodie and excused himself with one last kiss to her forehead and a promise to meet her in their cabin shortly. She spun to head back toward the kitchen where a victory feast would be prepared; mostly rum and whatever could be prepared quickly. Calum stalked off and set pace for the prisoner they now kept.

The brig was always a grim place and scarcely used in Calum’s time as captain. He remembered times as a lowly crewman and all those who went and never returned from the holding. Calum vowed he would never let a man’s life end within the dark keep. Ashton was right, eyes of not much more than a boy—somewhere between sixteen and eighteen—stared back at Calum sullenly. Desperately. His clothes were modest and covered in filth, blood spattered and worn to the threads coming undone. A mop of shaggy hair was worn in tangles and pale skin was kissed with a red burn on full cheeks and round nose. He was still a child.

“Please,” he begged before he even knew of the captain’s intentions. “Please let me go. I didn’t mean no harm, was just followin’ orders.”

Calum sympathized with the boy; he had done the same and it had earned him a brand and title for life.

“What’s your name?” Calum questioned, stepping forward to where bars withheld the boy who was dropped to his knees.

“Theo,” he replied though the name was uncertain and shaken. “We was just tryin’ to escape a war. That king’s gone mad and me own king took up arms for his cause, we want nothin’ to do with it.”

Theo spilled news like a thrashing current of a river. It was unbridled honesty and piqued Calum’s interest and sped up the beat of his heart. Elodie’s rival kingdom had joined forces with a maddened king, which king and the cause unbeknownst. Calum slipped into silence, knowing it was a query for more information, eyes never flickering from the boy nervously gripping the bars of his cell.

“That king, he's out for vengeance, he be wanting that princess he was promised. My kingdom—we’re small and poor and been mad at theirs for years, swearin’ they stole our riches—but we have lots of men and was promised rewards if we took up the fight. The king is convinced they be holding her from him. We was supposed to ship out to help invade their island and siege their castle. We don’t want nothin’ to do with that. I reckon they was gonna trade yous over for gold and supplies to keep fleeing. That’s all.”  

Calum’s heart plummeted at the words of war and reasons for fleeing. The princess was just up some steps, down the deck and tucked into a cabin. News of war and the reasons why would land hard on her shoulders. They had sailed so far away from her homeland that looping back came as a casualty. Her rivals and enemies shared the same water. Though it was good cause to know they believed she was on the ground, behind castle walls with an army of her own people and kingdom. Instead, she stayed behind wooded walls with the sea under her and nothing but a band of pirates to protect her.

“Please,” Theo said once more, his voice tight and eyes begging. “I’m not no danger I swear it. Let me go.”

“You’ll stay here until we next dock. You’ll stay unharmed and well fed. As soon as we weigh anchor my second in command will row you out and you’ll part ways.”

Theo let out a loud breath of relief, his grip tightening on the bars and shaking as he thanked the captain with all of the life inside of him; for the life he feared he would lose. Calum simply nodded, being thanked for a simple human decision left him uncomfortable, sparing the boy’s life was an easy call. He left Theo with the promises he’d have dinner delivered to his cell—Luke would run his meals from this point forth—and stalked back up the stairs and away from the creeping feeling of claustrophobia the brig instilled in him. He had done his own time in a cell, held without a trial and without question. Calum never made it a habit to visit the damp and dark quarters. He was met with a surprise on the top step.

Glistening golden eyes and trembling petaled lips told that Elodie overheard it all. She sighed, hands occupying themselves with tugging at her skirt as an old nervous habit fluttered back to life. Calum reached out for her but she flinched away from the touch and stepped back from him; allowing him up the last step. A night at an inn with whispered secrets of broken betrothals and fear of a life married to a cold king came rushing back to Calum. Guilt wrote itself clearly in Elodie’s eyes, in the way they couldn’t meet Calum’s for more than a moment.

“War?” She asked and Calum nodded, knowing she needed to know and have the knowledge solidified.

“Men like that, they never win,” Calum said in an attempt to soothe the fears that plagued her. “His cause is unjust and only fools would take up arms for him.”

“Men like him have been put on pedestals their entire lives; they are always so fragile. It takes one knock of their ego to get them to fall and shatter. They will do anything to feel like they are back at the top,” she responded, suddenly despondent and far away as she began moving toward the rail to watch the waves below. “There are many men like him, many who would fight such folly in an attempt to feel powerful. Even if it’s not their own power they’re fighting for.”

Calum came up behind her, suddenly hesitant to put his arms around her. So many times before they had stood at the rail with her back pressed to his chest or his hands on her waist holding her safe and secure. There were no promises of safety through a war. Whether she was there to witness it or not. She settled into silence and gripped at the rail as she contemplated the news that befell her. She turned to look at Calum as night began crawling into the sky. Stars were dull and the moon was barely there through the fog that still rolled off the waves and to the sky above.

“Might I retire early tonight? The food is nearly prepared,” she asked and peered over at the cabin with shattered windows and a broken door.

“We’ll commandeer Ashton’s cabin until ours is fixed,” Calum agreed and instructed as the reality of an unprotected princess wavered before him.

She always locked the door and for the door to be locked it needed to be in one piece. Ashton’s cabin stood untouched. It was smaller than theirs but safer and the second in command would understand; grab a hammock with the rest of the crew or swap with the captain, he had no fears of shattered windows or a broken door. Elodie excused herself, took off for Ashton’s cabin and Calum set off to inform of the changes though it didn’t need much explanation as Ashton was already one to suggest the change so the lady might be afforded some more comfort and privacy. Calum found his way back to Elodie once the crew was settled and the high of a victory started to deplete. Elodie was already in bed, Duke curled into her side and eyes closed though Calum knew she wasn’t yet asleep. The door shut with a soft thud and click of the lock, Golden eyes fluttered open and a shifted position welcomed Calum.

They stayed close all night, no space between them in the smaller bed. Calum reveled in the sound of her heart beating beside him, in the even breaths that escaped her and calm of a storm come and gone. When morning came with light spilling through the solitary window Calum took in the image of her. She was tired and restless as she greeted him.

“Good morning, captain.”

“Good morning, princess,” he responded in kind and ran a soft hand down her bare arm.

“Where are we headed?” Elodie asked, voice still weak from the morning.

“Wherever you want,” Calum said and had an inkling that weighed heavy on his heart of where that might be.

“I think I need to go back,” she replied, voice filled with sorrows and a longing for things to be different. Calum could see the weight of responsibility for a war weighing her down so heavily. “Then someday, if the war is won, I might be able to go home.”

Calum knew home meant his ship, or a small house in the secluded woods—anywhere so long as it was with him. He nodded. Endless edges of their journey were still being forged; Calum could only hope fate would be so kind as to keep them together, or at the very least, let them find their ways back to each other.

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[whirlybirdwhat]

belong among the wild flowers

For kyo for the 2021 Sake Exchange!!!! I hope you enjoy <33333 READ ON AO3 - outsider pov, ‘you’ are the outsider pov, gen, straw hat focus

--

You’re a seller. A seller of flowers that is. Beautiful flowers from seeds grown all over the world, grown by you and your wife – and.

Well.

Grown by you now, but it’s all the same. 50 years and your flowers haven’t lost their vibrancy, only gained. 

This morning you smile, breathing in the cool air so soothing on your old lungs and head out into the fields of beautiful flowers, filled with oranges, blues, pinks, and –

Red.

There’s – 

There’s red in your fields, between the blues and the yellows. 

The reds are the complete opposite side of the farm, by your wife’s grave, because she loved the color so much.

What is red doing here?

“Shishishi!”

Ah.

The hackles in you calm. Its just a boy.

(Your wife had loved children.)

He’s small, thin, dressed in vibrant baggy blue shorts and a red tee, open to display scarring on his chest. His head is turned away from you, black hair flying in the wind to shield his face but –

There is gold upon his head. Golden straw.

Odd. 

(The last man who came here wearing golden straw had died, his death in the newspaper. Oddly, already, you hope this boy won’t be the same.) 

Its wrapped in a red ribbon, bright red. Red doesn’t belong. Red –

“Shishishi!” The boy laughs and turns to her again, smile wide, scar under his eye sloping and wave like, so much more faded than the angry red across his chest. “Ah! Old person! Do you know where these flowers came from?”

You blink. Once. Twice. Eyes darting to the watering can in your hand and to the dirty but lovingly patched overalls you’re wearing, then back up to him. “Come again?” Is all you can say, but he’s already off on a tangent. 

“Ooh! Pretty! Hey, old person, these are almost like the flowers from back home! And the ones on Robin’s flower beds, the ones from where she grew up – Shishishi, I’m gonna take a few, kay?”

And he reaches down, down down and –

“No!” You yell, sudden, grabbing his hand, and hitting him over the head with your watering can. “Don’t pluck those flowers young man!”

“Owwwwww-why do you have haki?” He rubs at his head, eyes wide, and huh. 

Who knew such a scrawny brat could know haki?

“It’s the New World, brat! All old people know haki!” You tell him, a faint whisper of laughter in your voice. “Stop stealing my flowers!” You snap again as his hands snakes out and snaps back with a rubbery twang. 

“But they aren’t your flowers!”

“Yes they are”

“No! They’re Robins!”

“NO!” You shout, forehead to forehead with this boy. “They’re MINE! I grew them! I loved them! They are mine to pluck!”

He stares at you, pulling back, head cocked to the side, before his eyes brighten. You look at him critically as you bend down, easing dirt back into place and burying a worm back into its home. 

“Ah!” The boy shouts, fist landing in his hand. “They’re your dream!”

Your dream…

You haven’t had yours in a long time. 

When you last did, it was with your wife by your side. 

You shake your head at the boy, irritation bleeding into melancholy. “No. These flowers aren’t my dream.” You ease a petal up, gently brushing off dirt and giving it a gentle kiss. Your wife had always laughed when you did that, right before she gave you a kiss as well. 

“What is?” The boy asks, bending down with you, sitting on his heels and now careful – so very careful – not to touch your flowers. 

“Mm?”

“What’s your dream?” His hand drifts to the same petal you are touching, and you look up, and oh – 

There’s earnesty in his eyes. Honesty. A raw kind of hope, a raw kind of belief. He’s open, and you can never understand him, never want to, never will be able to look deeper than that bone deep honesty but –

You know this boy is a pirate. Only pirates chase dreams as honest as this. Only pirates want dreams as honest as this. 

(How old is he? The last pirate you saw was an old man, and the closest to this boy’s age was still a cabin boy. You don’t think this boy is like that – he can’t be. He’s got too much in him for that.)

Your tongue speaks without your bidding, without your permission. 

“I used to have one. Don’t have it now.”

He gives you a look. And maybe – maybe his eyes catch on the lines on your face, the etches of sorrow, the pockmarks and signs of age and the places your wife kissed.  Maybe he knows that you’re a liar as much as this boy is not. 

“Then what do you want?”

Again – your mouth moves without you wanting it to. This boy has power, some strange presence, a compelling to him that you can’t seem to fight. 

“Well, the Duke’s head would be nice.”

The boy nods, standing up, casting a shadow on you as the sun rises behind him. “Alright! I’ll beat up the Duke for you, and then you’ll give me flowers!”

Wait what –

“Let’s go!” Unstoppable as a whirlwind, this boy grabs your hand and tugs you forward, and off you go,  running through the paths of the flowers and determination in his eyes. 

“BOY WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!” You scream, panicked, watering can left behind. 

“Shishishi!” Is all you get for an answer, a laughter like petal in the end and –

Well.

It’s been awhile since you went on an adventure like this.

-

The boy’s name is Luffy – Monkey D. Luffy.

(There hasn’t been a D. on this island since the last man with a straw hat.)

You learn this because a red-haired girl screams it when you crash into her, raging and furious, leaving Luffy with large bumps on his head. 

“MONKEY D. LUFFY!” She cries, fists raising down and bracelets and log pose catching in the light. “DON’T DO THAT!”

“Owwwww – Nami!” Luffy looks to her, giving her a long reminiscent of puppy dogs and pleading. 

Nami sighs, brushing off dirt from her orange overalls, and gives him her own look, something between terrible fondness and annoyance. “Don’t rocket!” She tells him, before tossing him a tangerine – one of your neighbors, by the looks of it. “Look!”

(You and your wife had walked through the groves when you were young and in puppy love. You had taken a flower and put it in her hair, just as your neighbors’ father had chased you out of the grove for theft. It had been fun.) 

Luffy catches the tangerine, looking it over, then up at Nami. 

“They’re just like Bell-mere’s!” Nami tells him, her eyes bright with something like nostalgia, so different from the rage only moments before. Her enthusiasm is earnest, just like this boy’s, and oh -  they must be crew. “I can’t believe Cocoyashi trees are all the way out here!”

The name catches your attention, with the disbelief, and you smile at her. “Our island, Flors, has plants from across the world – the rarest, prettiest, sturdiest you can think of. Are you from Cocoyashi? Must have been a long time since you saw trees like these.”

She gives you a glance, an assessing look, then tosses her head back and laughs. “No, I have my own trees back our ship. Ah – who are you?”

Trees on a ship? Tangerine trees? What- 

“NAMI!” Luffy interjects, before you can give your name, dancing on the tip of your tongue. “Which way is the Duke?” 

“The Duke?” Her attention switches from you to him in a moment. “There’s a Duke?” You don’t think it’s possible, but her eyes – they seem to turn into belli signs. “Where? Why do you want him? Is he rich?” She’s shaking Luffy now, and you can’t help but let out a laugh, same time as Luffy. 

“Shishishi! If I beat up the Duke, I can get flowers from the field for Robin!” He says, as if it makes perfect sense. It doesn’t. You aren’t sure where he got the idea that you would give him flowers, or that he’ll be able to beat up the Duke, but –

“Okay!” Nami says, brightly, soundly, understanding this wild boy. “I’ll find out where the gold is.”

Gold?

When had gold come into the equation?

“You go ahead – I’m sure if you run around enough someone’s going to come out and yell out you. Then I can have all the Duke’s gold!” In seconds, she’s pulling a staff from her waist, snapping it together and twisting, so that electricity crackles at the top. Her eyes alight, and there’s something dangerous about her. Something a bit deadly, a bit wanting, a bit fierce. “Be done soon Luffy! The log pose should settle by the end of the day, and I want to get out of here before the storm hits!”

Storm?

“Aye Nami!”

You remember deciding that this boy was a pirate, for how he talked about dreams.  You decide this girl must be a pirate, for how she’s unafraid of the storm, the wind, the weather. 

You stare at her, old limbs creaking, bewildered. She reminds you of your wife, when you had first met her, all wild hair and adventure. Something aches, quietly, inside your chest – but, strangely, this time, it isn’t a sad ache. 

Just a nostalgic one.

In  moments, Luffy arm is around yours, and he’s running, your feet off the ground and yourself carried in a side hold. 

“BRAT!” You say, elbowing him with Haki, but this time his own defense is up and you simply have to bear the running for now.

Seeing the island go by, faster than it ever has, you can’t seem to make yourself mad.

-

The next stop is apparently up in a tree, though why you can’t fathom. All you know is Luffy was running and running, and running despite your yells of terror again, and then he stopped, slamming you into his back. It had lasted all but a moment, before he was reaching a hand up and shouting that absolutely dreadful phrase –

“GUM GUM ROCKET!” 

-And dragging you high into the sky, crashing through branches, and into the waiting arms of a long-nosed man. 

He screams. 

You scream. 

He doesn’t drop you though, only settling you on the part of the branch closest to the trunk, and continues scream.

You stop, then start again, because there is a living plant wrapped around him, moving like a wolf, and a bug the size of your head fluttering next to his.  

You are a seller. A gardener. You deal with bugs. Just not the bugs this particular orchard has, because Old Man Johnson is terrifying and likes to collect bugs bigger and bigger than your face. 

Fuck, you think, looking down to the bottom of the forest floor but finding it far too high for your old, brittle legs, even with haki. 

Luffy has no such problem, falling off the branch only to bounce right back up, tumbling into the long-nosed man just as he had tumbled into Nami. “Usopp!” He cries, joy in his face and –

Usopp’s face, morphs from terror to joy and pride and happiness in an instant, his arms coming around to circle Luffy as if this wild boy had always belonged there. It’s sweet. It’s comforting. 

It’s rocking the sturdy branch you are sitting on, and you have no idea how Usopp is managing to keep his balance.

Then you notice the living plant pushing against Usopp’s back, the bug helping, and immediately understand how.

But not why.

Does this man have control over plants or something? A bug devil fruit? His crewmate, Luffy – for what else could Luffy be than his crewmate – has a devil fruit, you think, so it wouldn’t be so surprising.  It’s like magic the way the vines grows and growls, familiar to you in some distant way that you can’t quite name and – 

“Luffy!” Usopp cries, holding Luffy to his chest. “You’re here! When you shot off I tried to look for you, but had to fight a thousand giant flowers first! Each threatening to swallow me whole but I defeated them with my trusty slingshot!”

What? You start to think, something that you think is far too common with these people, before noticing the way Luffy’s face shutters at giant flowers and swallow whole. Odd, you think, odd, but you aren’t the only one to notice. Usopp’s face flicks over Luffy’s with careful affection, cautious notice, and then lunges into another tale. 

“It was after that I stumbled upon these! Look – Luffy they’re just like the island I trained on!” And Usopp shoves a bunch of seeds into Luffy’s face, seeds that split before your eyes and grow into beautiful figures and designs. 

Luffy’s eyes turn into stars as you watch. “OOOOO! From the mystery Island with the plants!”

“Ah Bowin Archipelago Luffy.”

“Bowie Archipelago!”

“Ah, close enough! Anyway – with these I can breed new types of Pop Greens! Like maybe a dragon!”

“A Yeti!”

“A giant tiger!”

“A giant!” They go on like that, trading amazing fantastical thing after amazing fantastical thing, each more incredible with the last, each with full surety that this thing could happen. It’s… its foolishness mixed with childish glee. 

(You remember looking after your neighbors’ children with your wife, watching as they laughed and laughed and laughed. They had the same tender joy that Usopp and Luffy have, though where the children were edgeless and free, Usopp and Luffy’s joy is tempered with age and hard muscle, truth of pirates beyond the fantastical wildness of dreams. Its joy brought into reality.

You wish your wife as here to see it.)

Usopp takes a pause from chattering with Luffy, and also a pause from making the branch bounce far to much for what you’re comfortable with. 

(Your wife had always teased you for your fear of tall, wavering places. It made you smile when you climbed crows nests for her.)

“I do wonder,” the long-nosed sniper ponders, “How these plants got all the way here. The Bowin Archipelago is in Paradise – nowhere near here.”

“Shishishi! Nami’s tangerines were here too!” Luffy tells him with glee. “And Robin’s flowers!”

“Really!? Amazing! Hey – who’s your friend? Do they know anything about this?” Usopp turns to you, gaze piercing like any sniper should.

You gulp.

Then register what he called you. 

“I’m not his-“

“They’re a mystery person!” Luffy cuts in. “I gotta beat up a Duke to get Robin’s flowers from them!”

You would face palm, but that would mean letting go of the trunk.

“A Duke!?” Usopp cries, a mix of fear and readiness. “Did you tell Nami? She’s going to want his money before you beat him up.”

The confidence these people have in this boy – you don’t get why. 

(Maybe you’re starting too. He’s pulled you away from your garden, hasn’t he?)

“Shishishi! Nami knows! She’s gonna get the gold while I beat him up!” 

“Do you even know where the Duke is? What if he’s strong? Terrifying? What if he has a thousand teeth and eyes and wants to eat me for picking his flowers – Luffy you gotta beat him up, you gotta!” Usopp chatters, wavering between fear and terror and sheer bravery. An odd one, this boy is. You like him though. 

“Shishishi! I will!” Luffy promises him, grin stretching wide on his face and promise ready on his tongue, not a doubt in his mind. “Just watch me!”

Usopp melts, just a little. Ease ripples through him, and he lets out a quiet, proud “I know.” Then – he turns to you. “Uh, would you like a ride down?”

Yes. Yes you would. You nod, before Luffy stretches out his hand and oh god not again, your joints are not good for this adventure –

“OI! SHIT HEADS!”

Luffy’s arm stretches back, a laughing tumbling out of his mouth and you turn to your savior.

It’s a man, in the most god-awful shirt you have ever seen, with boat shoes and horrible matching shorts. 

It’s a man, with blonde hair and cigarette and swirly eyebrows shadowing a glare on his face as he holds giant fruits from the seeds of the giant land of Elbalph inn either hand with ease.

It’s a man, who is floating in the air. 

You let out a large squeak but no one seems to notice. 

“SANJI!” Luffy cries, and this must be another one of his man crewmates, and just how many of them are on this island, exploring and racking up havoc. 

You spare a moment to consider how Sanji got over the giant fences Farmer Green had set up. Then you remember, right, he’s flying, and wonder how that’s happening.

Sanji gives a kick, and dodge Luffy’s lunge, letting him fall to the forest floor and bounce back up. “Hey Captain. You guys know where Nami-swan or Robin-chwan are? I found some rare fruits that I can use, and I want to give it a try.”

“Sanji! Meat!” Luffy cries, practically salivating. 

Sanji gives a shrug. “No meat, Captain. Haven’t found anything like that on this island – just plants, plants, and more plants.” Luffy sags where he stands, in a pout so childish, and Sanji’s next words come out in a rush that he tries to play off as nonchalant. “Me and the shit-swordsman can go and cut up a sea king. I think I saw some off the coast.” Here, his tone turns ponderous. “I could make a Sea King platter with this dressing – and palate that with a fruit salad or start shish-kabobbing if we are more pressed for time…”

“And dessert!” A voice pops up, tiny and squeaky, and a racoon dog in a hat pops up from behind Sanji’s shoulder. “You promised me desert!”

“CHOPPER!” Luffy and Usopp cries, and in an instant, the animal is  jumping from where it was clinging to Sanji’s back and into his apparent crew-mates arms. 

“Usopp! Luffy!” The animal cries, holding up his bag. “I was able to restock EVERYTHING I had from the Birdie Kingdom! Even the rare ones that only grew there! I even found the herbs that can help with heart stuff that everyone thought went extinct! This place is AMAZING!” There’s sheer glee in the animal’s – Chopper’s?- gaze and-

Oh dear sweet mother of oceans. The animal speaks. The animal has a name, speaks, and knows medicinal plants.

You want to faint. You want to go back to our flowers. You – you –

Chopper is right next you, holding a vial of spicy something underneath your nose, rescuing you from your faint.

You somewhat wishes he didn’t. You are old and quite done with this, you think. Are any of these folk even paying for what they are grabbing?

“Ah! You’re awake! Make sure to drink more water okay?” Chopper tells you, looking so concerned, and oh, he’s adorable. 

You nod, belatedly, then tune back into the conversation.

“…beat up the Duke for Robin’s flowers!” Luffy is telling Sanji determinedly. 

“Ah! Anything for Robin-chwan!!” Sanji twirls in the air, eyes like hearts. “I’ll help – ah, Never mind. I need to get these to the ship – this kind of fruit supposedly decays within five hours of being cut from the branch, which is why they’re so rare. I think the Duke’s mansion is that way though.” Sanji tilts his head, blonde hair shifting, and gestures to the distance. Luffy follows his line of sight like a dog after a ball. 

“Shishishi! Thank Sanji! Make a biiiiig feast for when we’re done! A party!”

“Alright captain. Chopper!” And Sanji turns to you and the tiny – doctor? Is he a doctor? – and calls over. “You coming with me or do you want to help Luffy beat up a Duke?”

Chopper perks up and turns from you, leaving Sanji to glance over you, mostly hidden behind the very fluffy reindeer. “With you! I want to make these medicines soon as possible so I can get more if needed.” 

Sanji nods, and gives another kick with his legs, keeping him in the air somehow – even with Haki, you have never seen this – and turns to Usopp. “Usopp?”

“Ahhh I would only overshadow Luffy if I went! Too little a job for me!” Usopp crows, hands on his hips, grin on his face. 

“Coward.” Sanji tells him, deadpan clear. You remember the tale this man told at the beginning and wonder what his role on this crew is. 

Usopp squawks but doesn’t deny it to both Chopper and Luffy’s uproarious laughter.  Sanji gives a sly grin, and in seconds, faster than you can tell, Chopper is back on his back and Usopp beside him on the branch. He nods to Luffy, and with a brief “See you, Luffy!” he’s off, kicking his way through the sky.

Usopp stares for a moment then starts yelling again, leaping fearlessly from branch to branch, and you realize, with sudden clarity, that it was not the bravery that was the façade, but the cowardice.  

Luffy’s crew is odd. You just want to wonder how he fits into it all.

-

Luffy takes you on his back this time, scratchy straw placed carefully on his head instead of crushed against your cheek. 

It’s running, so much running, and stretching and stretching.

You have time to think. To wonder. To question.

It builds in you, tumultuous and roiling. This boy – he’s running across the entire island, all for a chance for some flowers. He wants to face the Duke, the Duke who is so terrible, so terribly horrible, just for some flowers. For some Robin.

It’s clear he could so easily take them anyway – you may have haki, but you are no match for the muscles rippling under this boy’s back – but he doesn’t.

You’re dream,  he had said, and it marks him as a Pirate but it just makes you question – 

What’s his dream? Who’s Robin? Why is this straw hat so familiar? Who is he? Cabin boy or crewmate or something more?

You start with the simplest.

“Brat. Who’s Robin?” You ask him as he pauses upon the top of one of Flors’ giant mushrooms. He pauses for only a moment, before turning to you with the most blinding grin. 

“She’s Robin! My archeologist!” My, he says, like she’s his. My, he says, like he’s in charge.

My, he says, like he’s the captain, and suddenly, you realize that’s because he is. 

This boy, smaller than you were when age didn’t bend your back like a willow, with sloping and burning scars, and a smile like the sun – is a captain, the captain of Robin and Nami and Usopp and Sanji and Chopper, and more you haven’t met. A pirate crew in the New World. 

It humbles you, in a way you didn’t expect. 

“She likes flowers?” You ask, instead of voicing why, why does a pirate crew need an archeologist, why do they follow him, who are you straw-hatted boy?

“Yeah! She has a whole garden on the Sunny! And the flowers in your garden are from her home! She showed me a book of them once.” Every word is said with pride, and you wonder how you missed it all before, the way he cried Usopp and Nami and Chopper and Sanji with mine, and love, and protection all those times before. This boy is a Captain.

Then, his words strike you.

Home island.

Those flowers in your garden were from Ohara, given to you by a woman so long ago, a gift from her home island in turn for a glimpse of the stone at the center of Flors. Your wife had loved those flowers.

Ohara is gone now.

These flowers are all that’s left.

These flowers, and Nico Robin.

Oh, you think, oh. 

Straw Hat Luffy, 1.5 billion berry wanted man, laughs from where he carries you, dashing from mushroom to mushroom.

He’s so young, and yet, not really. He’s 19, or so the papers say, and he’s taken on all three of the government strongholds and come out almost on top each time, has fought emperors and warlords, saved kingdoms and islands. He’s young, but not in the naïve way, the childish way. Only the youthful way, in that his face still has baby fat and his smile has crinkles from laughter not rage.

(No one who holds a loved one in their arms like that is young. You speak from experience.

Your wife had been soft and bloodstained when she brush the hair from your face.)

He’s…

This boy – this man…

You have run out of words to describe him.

Suddenly, like before, like in your field of flowers, the words spill from your lips unbidden. This boy has revealed so much by only praising his navigator. You could so easily turn him in. Yet –

“The Duke is a cruel man,” You begin, not really sure if Luffy is listening, not really caring in the end. “He came here ten years ago, drawn by our beautiful, beautiful flowers and plants. He thought he could make a profit, thought he could earn billions from this place and – he – “

Luffy stops moving. 

He doesn’t interrupt. But –

There’s not a lack of care in him. In his eyes as he turns to look at you. It’s a lack of need. 

“I don’t need you to tell me this. The Duke hurt your dream, right?”

You nod, small, quiet. 

“Then I’m going to beat him.”

Simple as that, he smiles at you, not brilliant, not vibrant, but safe. Sure.

(I’m going to turn the world upside down! The last wearer of this hat had cried, so sure, so confidant.

The echo of that – louder and changed and triumphant – is here.)

Luffy moves again, and you don’t speak. You don’t think you possibly could.

-

(Here’s a story, that the future King of the Pirates will never know, but one that draws close to your chest.

You were born and raised on this island, collecting sea grass by the sea, when your wife had washed up on the shore, wild haired and half drowned. You had rescued her, your strange, sea-faring wife, and learned of her travels, her tales, her losses at sea. It’s a miracle she made it to shore.

It’s a miracle she wakes up in your arms, and offers you a kiss. 

You loved her then, and you will love her for the next infinity. She tended the gardens with you, loving the colors and the reds that you had saved her in. She loved and lived and so did you.

Then the Duke, cruel faced and greedy, had shown up, making each of you sell your wares in stead of trade, bringing in outside sales, and taken all of the profit for himself.  

Then the Duke, cruel faced and greedy, had fought your wife who was bold and terrifying and a pirate with her sword still strapped to her waist, even at 30, 40, 50 – 

And struck her down. 

That’s the end of the story, for you are just a gardener, a seller of flowers, with old bones and the haki your wife taught you, who once saw the Pirate King and the archeologist of Ohara, collected seeds from a thousand islands and planted them with care, who had a dream, once, shared with your wife but –

Your wife is dead, and so the story ends here.)

(A boy in straw is here, and so your story blooms.)

-

A voice sings out from the flowers, and it’s with joy that Luffy jumps down, rubber easing the impact that shocks up your back, to sing with a skeleton.

A skeleton, who has an afro and a guitar and who can sing.  

“Yohohohoho!” The skeleton laughs, melodious even without vocal chords. “Hello Luffy!”

“Brook!” Luffy smiles, “Franky!”

Who –

“YEOW LITTLE BRO! Isn’t this island SUPER!?”

A singing skeleton, and a cyborg, with a hair shaped into sunflowers. Sunflowers.

If it weren’t for the sting of the vial still sniffling in your nose, you think you would pass out again. The New World is weird – but not this weird.

Dear mother sea almighty – these two tower, yet are dressed in sparkling floral patterns and shirts. 

Luffy jumps into their arms without hesitation, setting you down just before he does in the first time since the tree and the other members of his crew. The cyborg – Franky, you think, by Luffy’s laughter – catches him easily, swinging him about and finally settling him on his shoulder, where the skeleton, Brook, places a crown of flowers around his hat.

It’s sweet, with love and adoration in every motion. This whole crew is like that, and it hurts you, emboldens you, does to you a thousand things to see them be like that. Loving, without restraints, without fear, whole and happy. It is incredible that this boy, only a teen, this man has been able to gather to him such authority, such power, such loyalty.

It warms you, you think. 

(It strikes a chord in you, you think, of something like jealous but not all at once. You want this, but you will never be a part of this crew, and you never wanted to have this, never knew it was missing before this but – here it is. 

Without you.

You miss your wife.) 

“Who’s this, Luffy?” Franky asks, gesturing to you with a large red hand. Flowers are painted over it, in the colors that the children use to paint the fences. Little handprints scatter about, and its obvious that these two had had a run in with the children of the island, and cared for them, gentle and loving. 

“Shishishi! They have the flowers Robin likes! From her island! I’m gonna beat up the Duke for them so I can get the flowers!”

It’s an old routine by now. You still don’t quite believe he can do it, no matter that you know he has beaten billion belli pirates and warlords and emperors. He’s just – The Duke is –

“Sounds perfect, Luffy! We beat a few of the Duke’s ah, lovely gentlemen there.” And the skeleton waves his hand to the path behind him, sweeped beneath giant flowers, to where bodies lay in the ground, bloody, barely breathing, and decidedly unconscious. 

All covered in the white uniform of the Duke’s men.

Oh, you think, feeling familiar rage bubble up at the sight of them. Oh. 

“They were picking on some SUPER kids! Had to put a stop to it, knew you wouldn’t mind.” Franky enunciates, striking a pose. “Zoro helped out, but we lost him when we turned away for a second.”

“He really blends in with all this green, Yohohohoho!” Brook snickers, and you remember bounty posters with a piercing glare and green hair and none too little blood, and wonder how you lose an entire ex-bounty hunter turned pirate.

You don’t think you will ever know what these people are. Ever. 

“Shishishi! We’ll find him!” Luffy reassures, already grabbing onto you again. 

“Bro, you’re just as bad!” Franky tells him, and you wonder with what? Before Luffy has hauled you onto your back.

(Maybe you should invest in hiring someone to do this. You haven’t been off your feet so much in YEARS.) 

“Shishishi! Bye Franky! Bye Brook!” Luffy shouts, ignoring his crew and dashing off into the woods yet again. “Sanji’s throwing a feast after I beat the Duke!” 

You leave the clearing, bouncing through sunflowers, to the sounds of cheers of “Knock ‘em dead Luffy!” and “A party! How delightful!”

-

Running, and running, and running. Always more running. Are these pirates always like this – running from location to location, dashing and jumping, never settling more than a moment?

“Shishishi! Yeah! What’s the fun in staying still?”

Oh, you said that aloud, didn’t you?

“You’re funny old person!”

“Oh, shove off you brat. What happens when you can’t beat the Duke?”

When, you say, purposeful, deliberate, smothering the hope in your chest. When. 

“I will.” Comes Luffy’s response, and you should have expected that, you should have but – 

“But-”

“I Will.” Comes Luffy’s grin, and – 

“Why?”

It comes out of your throat strangled, half dead because you don’t get him, you don’t, you don’t, an you don’t know why because this boy is just like your love and your wife, adventurous and outgoing. 

“Remember?” He looks at you, never moving, and oh,  you do. “The Duke hurt your dream! He can’t do that!” And he won’t, goes the unspoken promise. 

“Oh,” You say, like you said before, trying to commit that truth to heart. Oh.

-

It’s mid-afternoon by the time you arrive at the Duke’s mansion.  It’s gleaming white, made off the backs of the poor farmers of this station, who only wanted to grow plants and share seeds in peace. It fills you with rage. Horrible, horrible rage that consumes your very soul and makes your bones ache. 

The place where your wife last caressed your face burns. 

“This it?” Luffy asks you, and you give a nod. He slides you off his back, offering a steady arm for your to grab onto, and you both stare at the mansion. You have dreamed of setting this place on fire. Dreamed of it. 

Here, Luffy is ready to make it a reality. 

“Now – where’s the Duke?” Luffy tilts his head to the side, peering at the building. You peer with him, trying to remember where the Duke liked to make his nest when – 

“You! Peasant! Off my lawn!” Comes a voice, a voice that fills you with rage, from the Duke’s own personal garden. 

“Oi – what’re you doing old man? I’m trying to sleep here,” Comes another voice, younger with a deep timber and ooh–

Luffy’s tugged you by the wrist and you go over the hedge, landing squarely in front of – 

“Zoro!” Luffy cries, and tackles the man with three swords, lying on the ground.

Ah.

That’s why Franky and Brook thought this man would blend in. He’s so green. Like a little moss ball. A marimo! 

Adorable. 

Zoro caves easily to Luffy’s demands, catching him and moving aside so Luffy can find his own place wrapped around him, ease in every motion. Comfortability in every act. 

“Hey, Luffy – you know where everyone else is? I was beating up some of the weird guards around this place and wound up here.” Zoro asks, seemingly entirely genuine.

Luffy only throws his head back and cackles. “You got lost!” 

“No, I didn’t! This place moves that’s all! Like Usopp’s plants!”

“No, you’re just stupid Zoro.”

“I am not!”

“Are too!”

“A-HEM!” The Duke calls, interrupting, and to his credit doesn’t even flinch when the unimpressed glares of Zoro and Luffy land on him.

The Duke is – he’s towering. Eleven feet tall with muscles toned and strong, haki perpetually on his fists and a war hammer on his back. He wears pristine white suits, a flower in the lapel, red and plucked from your own garden, and his servants lay out a carpet before him, so he doesn’t have to deign to step in the mud in on an island of farmers and gardeners.

You hate him. You hate him. 

Something flies in the air, landing perfectly on the Duke’s white clothes.

A – a booger?

You look to your right, and there is Luffy, picking his nose and looking entirely unimpressed. “Heh – Who are you?” He asks.

The Duke, pale skinned and furious, goes red.  “I,” He declares, pompous, his servants cowering in the background, “Am The Duke of Flors, Lord” –“

“Ooooh, you’re the Duke! Zoro doesn’t he look like the axe-dude?” Luffy cuts the Duke off before turning entirely to Zoro. Zoro, for his part, cocks his head to the side.

“You know, if I cut off his arm, he really does.”

You stare.

The Duke stares.

Luffy wheels back his hand and smashes his fist into the Duke’s face, coated in haki and a direct hit to the man’s face.

There’s a cracking noise and a scream as the Duke goes flying. 

You stare.

The Duke is too far to see.

Zoro snorts. “What he do?” He asks. Luffy cocks his head toward you and Zoro gives a hum before settling back down into the ground. “Wake me up when you’re done. The bastard interrupted my nap.”

You stare.

Zoro snores.

The Duke comes crashing down from the sky with furious screaming, fist cocked back, only to be met with Luffy bouncing him off and back – blowing himself up like a balloon.

You stare.

The Duke screams.

Luffy laughs, and jumps into the fray, easily knocking back the guards that attack him, and Zoro defending himself easily with one sword as he lies down.

(He has three swords though. Why? Why do you need three swords? You are so confused.)

You stare, surrounded by  guards attacking you as this invincible fortress, surrounded by walls of white and a legacy of blood, begins to be torn down. The Duke comes back, white clothes ruined, trading blows with Luffy who almost looks as if he’s toying with him. In the midst, a skeleton and a cyborg appear, riding atop a motorcycle of all things, knocking down entire walls of this palace that should have never been. 

Usopp appears, the same time as the aerial squadron of the Duke’s arrives, and giving you a small nod head into the battle without a second of fear. He’s – he’s no act of bravery, and now, yyou think you could believe in every one of his tales, as you watch plants bloom to life to become dragons and snakes and forces of nature hundreds of feet tall. Chopper, the small raccoon dog – he’s different now, charging and shifting forms in an instant, and he’s a zoan, but you thought zoans had three forms. 

Not seven.

Not – Chopper crunches something and grows and roars – not eight. 

You are frozen, held in place, even as Sanji comes to drape a jacket over you before heading off, by this crew.

The Straw Hat Pirates, they are called. Dangerous they are called.

And they are.

But you can’t help but feel anything but awe as you stare at them, magnificent and beautiful and deadly, wielding nature and bending it to their very whim. They know they can win – and they know that this is nothing. 

They’re having fun while they do this, with amazing feats and sights that you – even living in the Grand Line, the New World, thought you would never see. The last straw hatted man who came through here, walked these fields and touched these flowers – he had nothing on this. 

“Ah!” A voice next to you says, loud enough amidst the explosions of laughter and fear, familiar and sweet. “Should have known this was where Luffy got up to!” It’s Nami, with a large bag on her back. 

You give her a look, then look at Luffy – now fighting the Duke in the sky, with a giant fist, covered in haki and fire.

This boy – 

“Amazing, isn’t he?” Nami asks you, settling down and adjusting the solid gold crown on her head. “He saved all of us – saved entire kingdoms. Just because we were his friend.”

Really!? Amazing! Hey – who’s your friend? Do they know anything about this? Usopp had said, and Luffy hadn’t protested.

Friend.

The Duke had hurt your dream, and here Luffy is, destroying an entire kingdom for you and your dream. 

It’s – it’s incredible. This boy, he – 

“He’s the man who will be King of the Pirates,” Nami tells you, nothing but truth ringing loud and free in her voice. “And we’re going to follow him, and chase our own dreams.”

Tears well up in your eyes as you watch the Duke fall from the sky, chased by a man made of rubber, chased by a king in a straw hat, chased and chased and chased and –

“So,” Nami smiles to your side, looking into your face. “Are you ready to chase yours again?”

The Duke slams down into the ground in a flurry of petals and red, and oh – 

It’s red. Red your wife’s favorite color, wife the color of your favorite colors, red the color of the horizon and everything god, red, red, red –

Red, the color of the ribbon around a straw hat, and red, the color of the vest of a king. 

It’s beautiful. 

“Yes.” You say, trembling as the Duke fails. “Yes – I’m. I’m ready. My dream – my dream –“

Luffy raises a fist, and delivers a single punch that frees your entire island, avenges your wife, saves you. 

He smiles as he does it, a grin on his lips and a shout to the sky – “I’M THE MAN WHO WILL BE KING OF THE PIRATES!”

It’s red.

“My dream is to collect all the flowers in the world! To shelter them! Even the flowers at Raftel!” It’s like an oath, spilling from your lips, last said hand in hand with your wife but now – now alone, but not, because your wife may be gone but she’s still here – never forgotten, always loved, and alive in your shared dreams.

Nami smiles, Luffy laughs, and you think red looks beautiful in your garden.

-

There’s a party on the shore, next to a ship with a sunflower head, decorated in flowers and the fruits of the island. The Straw Hats celebrate, as well as with the other residents of the island, who praise them and thank them and welcome them, lading their arms with all sorts of delicacies.

You aren’t there. Neither is Luffy.

Instead, the two of you head back to your farm. This time your back is straight and there’s a smile on your face. You stand tall and on your own but not alone and – 

It’s good.

It’s good.

Luffy smiles at you, gentle and brilliant, and you look to the fields where the flowers he wants are – 

Being tended to, by a woman with long black hair and a tender smile. A fishman is next to her, blue and tall, seemingly awkward amidst the yellows and blues and delicate petals, but just as willing to stand with who you can only assume is Robin. 

“Luffy!” She cries first, so happily, showing the petals to Luffy. He jumps into her arms, swinging her arounds, and in quick motions you carefully take the plants from the earth to wrap into a boquet, roots attached to be easily replanted, and had it it Luffy. By the time he sets Robin down, he’s pressing the flowers into her hands.

“For you!” He says, bright, and you know he gave you a dream back  but –

You know, in truth, he really defeated the Duke for his crew. For his family, his nakama. For Robin, to see this bone-deep happiness on her face. 

She smiles, and later you will hear tales from the guards of the stone, who speak of a women who could read the ancient script inscribed upon It while having a thousand arms but – 

For now, you see a woman gifted the world, and know joy. 

The fishman beside her – Jimbe your recognize, first son of the sea – gives a laugh and oh, is there red here, is there love here.

This boy, this king to be, Luffy, he came in and swept you all like wildflowers in the wind, simply to make one person happy.

Amazing, you think, looking around your island that’s unchained and your dream restored and your fields filled with red, how one man’s selfishness, leads to an island’s freedom. 

-

You wave goodbye from the cliffside, your wife’s grave beside you. Upon the ship of a king is a bag, to be filled with the flowers of the island at the end of the sea and returned to you after that.  You had been given a hug before you left, one made of rubber limbs and crushing weight, and watched as he rejoined his crew and celebrated another adventure. 

You had watched the party they had upon the shore, so wondrous, so amazing, and had watched them sing out victory over the crowds, with chopsticks up their noses and a rock star as their backdrop.

The Straw Hat pirates – their names dance on your tongue.

How amazing, how wonderful, how world-shaking to know them, even for just a moment. 

You have met straw hat wearers and archeologists and kings but never – never have you met anyone, just like them.

So you wave from the shore, your wife with you, and belatedly, tragically realize that you gave them your dream, but never your name.

Damnit!

[findthejob]

Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Recruitment 2021| Salary Up to ₹ 14.6 Lakhs|

Qatar Airways Cabin Crew Recruitment 2021| Salary Up to ₹ 14.6 Lakhs|

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[foreveralwaysanauthor]

A Buying State of Mind

December 14, 2021

Prompt - Gift Shopping

Characters - Cabin Crew

Notes - I grew up in a very small town where there was only a Walmart to go to for clothes if you didn’t want to drive an hour to the nearest mall. In my tween/early teens, my dad spoiled me with trips to the mall almost every other day while my mom was at work. Now, I love the mall and must write about it too!

December 14th,

I can’t believe how much fun it’s been being back at the cabin this month. Aunt Mack and Uncle Brady have taken us so many places, and we’ve done so much, and the month isn’t even half over yet! Today, we’re going shopping for presents, but Bentley and I have almost no money so I’m not sure how that will go over. I already have a list made of what I want to get everyone, but I guess it all depends on the price.

“Royce, Lela, Bentley, and Mick,” Brady called from downstairs, making Royce pause in his writing. “We’re heading out in five. Make sure you’ve got everything you need.”

Royce pushed himself up from his spot on the floor - the most comfortable writing spot, if you asked him - and lightly kicked Bently’s calf as he got to his feet. The fourteen-year-old pulled out his headphones, staring up at Royce from his seat in a beanbag chair. “What?” he asked as he paused the music coming from the phone he’d borrowed from Royce.

“We’re leaving,” Royce stated, tossing his journal and pen onto the bookshelf as Bentley grumbled his way to his feet and handed Royce his phone back.

“Any clue where we’re going?” Bentley questioned, fixing his shirt as he followed Royce downstairs.

Royce shook his head. “Don’t know, but we’ve got thirty-eight bucks to blow on stuff for everyone.”

“Even Vivien?” Bentley suggested teasingly as they came to the bottom of the stairs.

Royce scoffed and rolled his eyes, shoving Bentley by the shoulder. “Why wouldn’t I? She’s our friend.”

“Mhm,” Bentley hummed skeptically, “yeah, one you definitely have a crush on.”

“I do not.”

Miles made his way over to his brothers, standing behind Royce as Bentley smirked knowingly at Royce. “We talking about Royce’s crush on Vivien?” Miles asked with a grin.

The sixteen-year-old whipped around, sending a glare in his older brother’s direction. “I don’t have a crush on her!”

The oldest of the brothers snorted with poorly contained laughter before ruffling Royce’s hair. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, big guy.”

Royce’s mouth gaped open like a fish as his brothers left him by the stairs. When his brain caught up with his mouth, he hollered after them, “I don’t have a crush on Vivien!”

“Sure,” Lela drawled as she passed him, tapping away on her cell phone.

Mick chuckled as she made her way down the stairs and toward the front door, “I don’t know who you’re trying to convince, bud, but it’s not working.”

As Mick left the house and closed the door behind her, Royce threw his arms up in defeat with a huff. Deciding he didn’t want to be left t behind, Royce grabbed his coat from next to the door and pulled it on before heading outside and getting in the family’s van, mildly frustrated that he now had to sit between his smug-faced brothers who had no intention on stopping their teasing.

Once the family arrived at the mall, they all piled out and made their way inside, finding the nearest directory so they could plan out where they would each be. After a while, they divided into pairs - Mack with Bentley, Royce with Brady, Lela with Miles, and Mick with Butchy - and went their separate ways through the shopping mall. Miles was quickly dragged off to the candle shop by Lela while Mick and Butchy strolled to the entertainment store to find a few movies Brady and Royce had mentioned wanting to see.

Once the four of them were alone, Mack and Brady gave Royce and Bentley each a hundred dollars to buy things with and told them that, if and when they needed more, to let them know and they’d help out. As much as he loved the gesture, Royce was adamant that he wouldn’t use it since he had almost no money to pay them back later on. It seemed as though Bentley was in the same boat as his brother, shoving the bill into his jeans and hoping he wouldn’t have to pull it out again, but Royce knew that would probably only last until he found something he knew someone in their family would want.

The group of four stayed together for a while, walking to the other side of the mall before splitting up. Royce quickly handed Bentley half of their thirty-eight dollars before they went to opposite sides of the hallway, knowing he could at least use what was there to buy something, no matter how small. While Mack and Bentley headed for the bookstore, Brady led Royce into a store called Superhero Hideaway. Much to Royce’s surprise, the store was like a library of comic books - three of the four walls consisted of nothing, but comics and superhero figurines while the last wall had a few changing rooms and racks upon racks of costumes. As Royce looked around in wonder, Brady headed straight for the register, conversing with the worker whom he apparently knew very well.

Royce quickly scanned over the multitude of books, finding his favorite series, Amazing Spider-Man, had far surpassed the thirteen issues he currently owned. “Woah,” he breathed to himself as he picked up a comic and began flipping through the pages. “I don’t think I could ever get used to this.”

Royce quickly placed the book back on the shelf as Brady approached him. “Ready?” the blonde man asked. “I had my stuff on pre-order so everything is set for me, but if you wanted to look around, we can hang for a bit. You do have a hundred to buy stuff with if you find anything.”

“No, nope, I’m good,” Royce insisted after looking at the price of the comic he’d been reading, sparing one last, longing look at the comic books on the shelves before following Brady out of the store and across the hall to the video game store.

When the four found each other by chance in the middle of the hall, Bentley began rattling off about a tea place Mack had brought him to. “There are little bubbles in the bottom of the cup and they pop when you bite them. Mine tastes like blueberries and they’re so weird but so good and you’ve gotta try some!”

“How much did you have?” Royce asked in return as he sat next to Bentley on a bench and took the cup from Bentley. He had to wonder how only about a third of the cup was gone and Bentley already seemed hyper.

“Lesson learned,” Mack began, leaning over to speak to the boys, “Bentley gets nothing, but decaf from now on.”

As soon as Mack’s attention had returned to her conversation with Brady about what she’d gotten off their list, Royce turned his attention back to Bentley and took a sip of the tea he’d been offered. “It’s good. Did you get anything so far?”

Bentley sighed and shook his head in disappointment. “No. Everything is too expensive and I’m not about to spend Uncle Brady and Auntie Mack’s money. It just sucks because there was this cool series about a magic school that I wanted to get, but it was eighty dollars for just the paperbacks. What about you? Any luck?”

Royce shook his head. “I wish. You should see some of the stores here. We went to this comic book store and there were so many in there that we’d be in there for a year reading them and not put a dent in their inventory.”

“Woah, where was that? I didn’t see it.”

Royce glanced over Bentley’s shoulder, pointing in the direction of the store before sighing, “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“What?” Bentley asked, spinning around and looking in the direction Royce had been watching before smiling. “Oh, I get it now.”

On her way out of the comic book store was Vivien, her mouth going a mile a minute as she spoke with the tall guy she’d left the store with. Bentley glanced at Royce before raising his hand as far into the air as it would go and waving enthusiastically at the brunette girl. “Hi, Vivi!” he called, making Royce smack him on the arm and tell him to hush.

“Oh, hey, Beemer!” Vivien called in return, making her way over and giving Bentley a hug as he stood before turning to Royce and giving him one too. “Hey, Rolls.”

“Hi,” Royce greeted in return. “What’re you doing here?”

Viv shrugged, nodding in the direction of the guy she was with. “My friend Riven needed help picking out something for his boyfriend for Christmas so, in exchange for my help, he’s carrying my bags of presents.”

“Heh,” Bentley laughed, “we thought you two were on a date or something.”

“Definitely not!” Vivien laughed in return. “He and I have been skating partners since we were, like, four, but nothing more, thankfully.” Vivien leaned in close so she could whisper to the boys, “He doesn’t even know his Hogwarts house, guys. We all know I can’t date someone like that. I mean, come on, it’s common sense!”

As Vivien straightened up, Royce chuckled nervously, “Yep, common sense.”

“So,” Vivien began as she spared a look at Brady and Mack, “you guys doing Christmas shopping too?”

“Sort of,” Bentley sighed. “Everything is so expensive.”

Vivien scoffed, “Tell me about it. I already spent, like, two hundred on gifts and I still have three people left to buy for.”

“Holy-”

“Hello, Vivien,” Mack interrupted. “How are you?”

The brunette smiled up at the older woman before speaking, “I’m good, Mrs. B. Just doing some shopping. You guys get everything yet?”

“Almost,” the woman answered. “These two,” she nudged Bentley and Royce for emphasis, “still have to get stuff off of their lists, but we have almost everything else.”

“Cool,” Vivien said before taking a look at where she’d left her friend. “Well, I’ll let you guys get back to it. I have to go get Riven out of Hot Topic before he buys out all of their anime section. See you around.”

“See you,” the group replied as the girl took off for the darkly lit store.

Royce quickly turned to Mack and Brady with a hope-filled, pleading look. “What’s a Hogwarts and where can I find out what house I’m in?”

“Did you boys even get anything off of your lists?” Brady asked as they rode the escalator to the next floor.

Bentley and Royce shared a look before shaking their heads. “It’s too expensive,” Royce muttered.

Mack sighed, placing a hand on both Royce and Bentley’s shoulders from her spot between them. “Honey, that’s why we gave you the money.”

Bentley shook his head adamantly and placed a hand over Mack’s with a small smile “You need the money for bills and stuff.”

“Yeah,” Royce agreed. “Besides, we only have thirty-something dollars to our names. We can’t pay you back.”

As they stepped off the escalator, Brady turned to the boys with a sigh and a shake of his head. “Boys, we never asked for you to pay us back, not that we ever would in the first place. We have more than enough money. We have the surf shop Aunt Mack’s grandpa left us and I have a few successful patents out there from surfboard I’ve created. There’s no reason for us to worry about how much we’ve got.”

Royce glanced away before fishing the money out of his pocket and flattening it against the side of his jeans. After staring at the money - which was more money he’d had in his pockets since he and Bentley had moved - he finally met Brady’s gaze and held the money out to him in a way that the older man could easily take it or leave it. “Are you sure?”

“Positive, bud,” Brady replied, pushing the bill back toward Royce and closing the teen’s hand around it as Mack nodded in agreement. “Like we said earlier, if you need more, tell us. You can spend it on anything and, when we leave, you can keep what’s left for when we come back next time.”

“We can buy anything?” Bentley asked with a grin that the other three could tell was nothing but pure excitement with a hint of mischief.

Mack smiled and nodded. “All I have to say is try not to spend it all in one place and there are a few stores we'd prefer you don't go inside," Mack sent Brady a look that told him to agree, which he did, "but yes, you can buy just about anything in the mall.”

With his smile only widening, Bentley latched onto Brady’s wrist and dragged him toward the escalator opposite of the one they’d just come from, chanting, “Come on, come on, come on!”

As his brother and Brady disappeared around a pillar and into a store, Royce chuckled and shook his head with a smile. “Well, that’s pretty much what I expected.”

“What about you, sweetheart?” Mack asked, lightly nudging Royce as they stepped away from the escalators. “Did you find anything that strikes your fancy so far?”

Royce thought for a moment before nodding slowly. “There are a few things I could think of.”

“Lead the way.”

When the group met back up at the car, they each had bags piled full of gifts weighing their arms down. Everything was put in the car’s trunk in separate spaces, each covered with a blanket they’d brought so everyone knew whose was whose when they got back to the cabin. Before leaving for the night, they went back inside for dinner, staying for another hour or so to eat before going back to the cabin to unload the bags and hide them.

Mack and Brady were first, grabbing what they’d bought and bringing it in the house, stashing things away in their bedroom closet before lighting the fireplace and allowing the rest to bring their things in once at a time. Mick and Butchy kept their things in their closet just the same as Mack and Brady, Miles kept his in his under his bed in the suitcase he’d brought, and Lela was able to stash hers away in her dresser behind some clothes she rarely wore. Bentley kept his on the floor of their closet, trusting that Royce wouldn’t peek - which he had no intention of ever doing in the first place. Royce, however, kept his bags on the far side of the top shelf of the closet where Bentley couldn’t reach, even if he tried.

All in all, it was a very successful shopping trip.

[lady-sci-fi]

Classic Who Whumptober 2021 #20: Trapped Under Water

Jo

In the middle of the night, Jo was sleeping in her cabin when something struck the small ship, so hard that it had definitely rocked it. She jolted awake with the impact. Things very quickly went wrong from there.

She opened the door to go out to figure out what had happened, and the power flickered. Then something struck the ship again, and she covered her ears at the loud grinding and scratching sound that vibrated through the metal.

She held onto the doorframe as the floor pitched violently under her feet, nearly throwing her at the opposing wall. Then it pitched again, almost sending her down the corridor.

Jo backed into her cabin to stop herself from being thrown too far. She called out when she saw a half-dressed crewman rush past her open door. “What’s going on?”

“Stay in your cabin, please,” he replied, barely slowing down.

She decided to obey, reasoning she would probably get in the way of whatever the problem was if she didn’t. She closed her cabin door, and anxiously sat on her bed to wait for further word from the crew. She grabbed the radio from under her pillow to send a report to UNIT HQ, in case this was really bad. The woman on duty recorded the message, and Jo turned off the radio.

Only a minute later, she drew up her bare feet at the feel of water under them. When had water started to leak in from under the door? “Oh no…”

She reached over to grab her socks and shoes to hurriedly pull them on. No doubt she’d be safer with the crew now that the ship was filling with water.

She stepped down onto the wet floor, the water already halfway up her shoes, and pulled her door open. Her eyes widened at the sight of a large amount of water rushing towards her. She yelped and jumped back into her room, but she didn’t get the door shut in time.

Some of the water barreled into her room, knocking her back into the bed. She tried to stand up to keep her head consistently above the water, but she slipped, and the force of the wave kept her down.

Jo managed to clamber onto the bed and stand, the water still quickly rushing in. She’d had a moment of opportunity when the water had only just started trickling under the door, and now that was far gone. Another wave crashed through, nearly knocking her off the bed. She grabbed the torch off the shelf.

“Help!” she shouted out. “Help, I’m in here! I’m-“ She yelped in surprise as the room tipped to almost forty-five degrees. She scrambled to the foot of the bed, which was now the highest thing she could stand on.

There wasn’t anything she could do except stand there as the water rose. Trying to go out to the corridor wouldn’t do much good.

“Please stop, please stop, please stop…” she begged the rising water. It now lapped around her chest.

Her cabin, and the corridor outside, kept filling with cold dark water. The flickering lights suddenly died, plunging her into darkness. She flicked on the torch. “No, no! Please! I’m here!”

The water kept rising, to her neck, then to her chin. “Please stop. No higher, please…” She wasn’t a strong swimmer, and if the water forced her upwards to have to tread it, she wasn’t sure how long she could last doing that.

Jo tilted her head back completely and tried to calm her breathing. The water made her panic by forcing her up to her toes, and she slipped off and submerged. She quickly reclaimed her perch, now panicking. She spat out the salty water and breathed in deep.

The water did eventually stop, leaving Jo with a small pyramid-space of air, struggling on her tip-toes to keep her mouth and nose in that space.

Jo shivered in the coldness. She really hoped UNIT would come to help them soon.