#Goa has it all.

[kokobiz24]

Discovering Paradise: A Journey Through Goa

🌴 Goa: Where every moment is a celebration of life! 🌞

Embark on a tropical escape to India's party capital and experience the magic of this coastal gem. From pristine beaches and historic wonders to mouthwatering cuisine and vibrant nightlife, Goa has it all.

🏖️ Beach Bliss: Sink your toes into the golden sands of Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, and Palolem. Whether you seek adventure, relaxation, or beachside parties, Goa's beaches offer a slice of paradise for everyone.

🕍 Historic Treasures: Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, where the remains of St. Francis Xavier are enshrined. Wander through charming colonial-era churches and buildings that whisper tales of Goa's past.

🍽️ Culinary Delights: Indulge in a fusion of Indian and Portuguese flavors with mouthwatering seafood dishes like prawn curry, fish fry, and Goan fish curry. Don't forget to satisfy your sweet tooth with Bebinca, a Goan layered cake.

📜 Rich Heritage: Goa's history is a tapestry woven with diverse threads, from indigenous tribes to the Portuguese colonial era. It played a pivotal role in India's struggle for independence, making it a place of historical significance.

🗓️ Ideal Time to Visit: Plan your escape between November and February for pleasant weather and festive vibes.

⏳ Ideal Duration: Allocate 5-7 days to uncover the hidden gems of Goa and create lasting memories.

🚗 How to Reach: Hit the road via NH 48, catch a train to Karmali Railway Station, or fly into Goa Mopa International Airport for a hassle-free journey.

📍 Distance from Nearest Airport: Just 35 km from Goa Mopa International Airport.

Pack your bags and join us on this unforgettable journey to Goa, where every moment is a reason to celebrate life. 🌊🌴🎉

#GoaDiaries #TropicalParadise #GoaVacation #BeachLife #GoaGetaway #TravelGoals #IncredibleIndia #UNESCOWorldHeritage #GoaBeaches #ExploreGoa #IndianParadise #GoaHistory #PartyInGoa #GoaCulture #BeachBum #SunsetMagic #GoanCuisine #GoaAdventures #GoaStatehood #Wanderlust

[lateseptemberdawn]

would bts be bts if even a single one of them was missing? the answer is no, and here is why.

saw a comment just now on lost mv about rm being the secret behind bts's success and that just sent me to the previous similar claims about taehyung and jungkook and that just led me to think that bts really would not be what it is if it weren't for all seven of them. like. each and every one of them brings something so crucial and fundamental that it becomes impossible to imagine bts to be what they are now without even a single one of them. and since i like to dig through personalities and characteristics, im going to thrive making this post so lets get into it:

Namjoon: Obviously the leader and a damn good one at that. he is the brains of the group. the fact that he knows english is itself a great reason for their establishment in the west but of course its much more than that. his writing and composing skills are no joke, first of all. his mature perspective on life and people helped a great deal in sort of identifying exactly what take to have on any circumstance. he knows emotions, is damn good at identifying them in himself as well as others, which becomes helpful in pinpointing what their fans want and expect. i wouldn't say he's a saint, i wouldn't say any of them are, and i suppose it'd be hard to be Good and Humbled after the heights they've touched but, he's very good at projecting himself and his team as well. his leadership skills are so refined you can tell its inherent because the way he takes stands and also makes sure all the members are represented is honestly a treat to watch. i wouldn't call him the backbone of the group because that's the next member we will be talking about.

Seokjin: He is the backbone. recent weverse interview offered a damn good insight to his mentality and i have to say, it's beyond whimsical or naïve. in today's day and age, and even before, especially for a korean man, to have that much confidence and self-assuredness that manages to not be toxic or overly forced onto the others is a fresh wave of breeze in a world where men are desperate to be noticed for the smallest of things. his maturity differs greatly from namjoon, as i think their foundations of their life philosophies are separate from each other. while namjoon is more of a worldly-wise guy, seokjin is more into the self aspect of life, and both of them combined are a very healthy ideologies to grow up around. seokjin may have had moments of suffering and self-doubt, that is not what i'm insinuating, but the fact that he's grown past those phases in such a beautiful way is inspiring, not only to the fans, but especially to the younger group members. he is insanely good at handling the member's separate personalities, even better than namjoon who i think is more tied around the professional aspect of their personalities. this is not to say that he doesn't know them personally very well, of course he does, but it means that he probably doesn't know best how to interact with them on a more personal, nuanced level, which i think we will all agree, seokjin is a genius at. ("what if he flings it?" "then he flings it.")

Yoongi: Yoongi, of course, the musical genius, he brings in passion to the group. I will admit i dont really know all that much about the fundamentals of music, but i know enough to know that Yoongi is definitely a genius of the field. while i think that namjoon is more of a lyrical genius, yoongi sure knows his way around words as well. but his strength is definitely in composing. and he's insanely talented at that. his early passion in rapping and his emotional connect to it fueled his rage and his need to be successful at it, and i feel contrary to what it seems like, he is the type to not let go of his dreams no matter what. i feel he is someone who picks his battles for the long haul and never ever thinks of quitting, no matter how hard it gets. that tenacity i think he shares with every single member on some level but in different ways. i think namjoon is more practical and reasonable in his pursuits, and jin is more self-studying, but yoongi seems like someone who, if has decided for himself that it is something he needs to do, will simply jump into it headfirst, and no matter what else he might need to do, he won't hesitate in doing that, will simply try until he gets it. being such a musical genius, he knows the musical strengths of his group mates. he identifies and values each aspect of bts, theirs strengths and weaknesses, and knows how to work through them. he not only recognises their specialties, but also encourages them greatly, resulting in the betterment and strengthening on bts as a muscial group.

Hoseok: Hoseok is the perfectionist. a very strict one at that. he does not play when it comes to professionalism, especially his field of it, and that's helped the group in strengthening this other aspect of idol life. of course, dance is one of the main things that makes any kpop act famous. and hoseok is definitely a huge part of the reason why bts is known for its choreographies. hoseok is serious when it comes to dance and synchronization and being absolutely perfect on the stage and in front of the camera. its not that he does not tolerate mistakes, but that he has that leadership quality of knowing who to push, when to push and just how hard to push them. but hoseok comes with dual benefits, because he is of course the sunshine of the group. hoseok is perhaps the best at compartmentalising, at distinguishing his personal life from his professional one, because he snaps the moment he recognises the need to slip off his professionalism. he is an incredible person to be around. that is evident in his compact relationships with the members. he shares a special friendship with each and every one of them, they all trust him to share their time with him and he shares a sort of playful comradery with every single one that it is always a treat to witness. he brings in that flavour of friendship that brings life to the group as a whole, because his closeness with every single one of them separately, in couples, triplets, quadrats or quintets or all seven of them together is the exact same: it brings playfulness to the front, a sort of easygoing, casual, free atmosphere that tells that he is someone who is a great friend. he brings in discipline as well as that humanness that needs to be tied together in order for anyone to reach anywhere in life, that bts has thruough hoseok.

Jimin: While hoseok brings in the professional aspect of dance in the group, jimin brings in his own separate flavour to it. one that, in my opinion, is the richest out of all of them. similar to hoseok, jimin too is a perfectionist. his perfectionism, however, revolves more around himself, as in he strives and strives to be the absolute best version of himself that he can be for any bit. he seems like someone who compartmentalizes in the extremes, as in he completely immerses himself in the environment he is in. his artistic vision appears to be rigid to him, it can maybe get him in his head, and that is perhaps why he gets lost in it sometimes. his solo does mention getting lost in feelings, going crazy in his reaching, and while they may not be autobiographical, it still says something about him. his personality is more loving and pure, he is caring in a way that seems angelic, knows himself and in that also finds it easier to know others, similar to seokjin. jimin brings in the heart of bts. he is simply full of feelings, but he is articulate and knowledgeable in navigating through them. his addition in the group is his loveliness and his exquisite talent. not only is he an exceptional dancer, but his voice is simply a whole other thing all together. his range and tone is so unique and vast, that bts manages to seamlessly transcend musical restrictions. his vocals are no joke, he is also a good enough rapper, was almost trained in it as well. what jimin brings to the stage when the performance is on is something that only he can bring. he sets the stage in sensuality without even trying, he expertise in the dance forms brings bts that all-rounder status with a depth that would not be possible without jimin.

Taehyung: The face of bts, no doubts at all. he is the one that brings in the crowd in bulks with a single blink of his eye. and i wish i was exaggerating but from my own experiences and almost experiences and judging by what i was listening in the fast-growing fanbase during boy with luv era, i really am not exaggerating at all. its not just his face either. or, perhaps it is, but it's not just his face that does all the work. his personality is such that it just sticks out. not always in the best way, we all know he also has the most haters out of them all as well, but the point stands; he attracts. with the least efforts, he becomes the crowd magnate that if nothing else, makes bts known at the very least. his position in the group has always been dynamic, from the very beginning to even now. being a hidden member, not having any main positions; sharing the visual position with jin, sharing the vocal positions with jungkook and jimin, no separate training to get him into the dance line-up, not enough training in being a rapper -- taehyung has had to prove himself to earn any position at all. but he has achieved his own place in the group in the same effortless manner that he does everything else. and that is what beings in the charisma. while his singing or dancing or visuals or rapping are incredible in themselves, it's no secret that he has grown to betterment. unlike jimin or hoseok or yoongi, taehyung seems to do things simply because he wants to do them. and he seems to be the type to want to be Good at what he does. he is also perhaps the one member in the group whose personality has changed the most over the years out of all of them. that makes him dynamic, it makes him captivating because he does not remain constant and seems to hold parallels inside himself. his uniqueness contributes immensely to the factor, because it doesn't take long to recognise that taehyung is far from being the average person you meet, in fact, he is nowhere close to it. he is smart in a way that he keeps hidden. perceptive in a way that is surprising every single time he lets it break out. he is effortlessly perfect, and he makes it known. he is in control of how he is perceived and that makes him clever in a way that keeps people on their toes whenever he shows up.

Jungkook: The pure, sheer, talent. he is the one that is born for it. the one that can do it all, and can do it all well. like the younger sibling in families, jungkook too is the handyman of the group. there is nothing else to say, he simply really was born to be jungkook of bts. it helps that he is insanely humble and incredible grateful for bts, because that makes him the fuel that that keeps the group running. he lives for bts, not for himself, but for this life. and while that is problematic on a lot of levels, it seems like he sort of is getting the hang of what it means to be a human. it is understandable, since he was recruited at a very young age, and that is also what contributes to him being theoretically perfect. every group needs undiluted talent, talent that can be molded into whichever vessel that is needed, and in bts, that talent is brought in by jungkook. he was acknowledged and acclaimed for it in the beginning itself, he is known by being perfect, and that ideal, the ideal of perfection in all its forms, thats what jungkook symbolises. his perfection comes from not only his born talent, but the fact that he puts effort behind it. him having perfect pitch is what he is born with, but he has trained himself in such a way that he can reach any vocal range at all. he has an energetic body, but he pushes himself to drive that energy out in every single performance to the point of near collapse. his perfection comes from his efforts, his efforts come from his humility, and that comes from keeping the truth of his talents to himself and keeping to work on them. he has never been one to sit idle, or be satisfied, or held himself back. when he gives, he gives in full. and perhaps that is the he is the one that feels the most amongst all of them. his gratitude towards the fans is what keeps them loyal like he is. he never fails to mention his fans for his success, never takes their support for granted, and despite being not as good as namjoon at voicing his feelings, he has such a face that reveals it all. his devotion to his fans is one that is rare to see anywhere else, and that's what maintains the hold bts has on its fans. jungkook is humble to a fault, but the fact that he is learning to think of himself is another beautiful thing entirely.

thus bts would definitely not be bts if even a single one of them wasnt part of it. brain, backbone, passion, discipline, heart, face and talent. even a single aspect goes missing, and you don't have bts. its another thing that they definitely would not be here if it weren't for bighit to push them in the west specifically with its insane pity-gaining and story-selling since the beginning of the formation of the group, but that's a whole different matter all together. bang-pd certainly had no good intentions for the boys individually or even separate from being idols who work under his company, so it makes me not want to call him or the company the soul of bts, but when you really look at it, i guess it wouldn't be too far off the truth to say they sort of did end up selling their souls to the company with its own selfish goals so it would somehow in a twisted way make sense. but anyways, yes, bts is bts because of bighit/bang-pd as well.

[kinneys]

I'm going to Paris next weekend and I treated myself to a rewatch of the bourne identity (2002) last night. And you may think I had an amazing time and felt rejuvenated with love for the ship that compromises a good 60% of the movies screentime and whose falling in love is central to the narrative arc. Think again!!!! I spent the whole time like this isn't hitting like it should :/ and had to watch my own supercut of #content after to remember and accept that unfortunately what really deeply and truly makes me crazy is the sequel where she dies in the first SIXTEEN minutes. This is my fate. I hate my brain so much so often

[girlivealwaysbean]

oh no anya what have u done

[lewiscarrolatemybrain]

ASL being the three primary colors and Ace being red but wearing orange (A mix of his red and Luffy's yellow) but hardly any blue, signifying how he's become who he is specifically because of Luffy's presence and Sabo's absence -- how the loss of Sabo forced Ace to dedicate himself more fully to Luffy and learn to gentle himself in a way he didn't need to when Sabo was around being the nice brother, how losing Sabo and keeping Luffy softening Ace is literally represented in the removal of deeper blues and the addition of brighter yellows literally pushing Ace's red into a softer and brighter orange.

Luffy turning Primary Colors into his entire palette -- the blue shorts and red vests and Shanks's yellow straw hat -- but his color scheme usually being overwhelmed by either red or blue. Usually red, his vests and the band on his hat, because Ace is the one who raised Luffy and trained Luffy and had the greatest impact on who Luffy has become, but Luffy wears blue in moments when he's acting as a liberator or otherwise behaving in ways that tie into Sabo, most notably when he assaults the Celestial Dragon in Sabody; part of the group of people responsible for Luffy losing his blue Sabo in the first place, and a symbol of everything Sabo hated and fought against (everything Sabo is still fighting against, though Luffy doesn't know that.) Marineford is the first time we see Luffy properly draped in Yellow, signifying how he isn't there as a pirate or a captain but as Ace's little brother, as a member of the ASL brotherhood, as the yellow in their primary triad.

Meanwhile Sabo only wears blue because he is not a member of their brotherhood -- because he has lost his brothers in such a fundamental way that he doesn't even realize he ever had brothers to lose. He was so focused on getting away from Goa kingdom that he never realized there were people back there he was leaving behind, so there's no blending of color for Sabo like there is for Ace and Luffy. While the two of them have found ways to merge and meld and move forward, keeping Sabo (or at least the absence of Sabo) as core and prominent parts of their identities, Sabo in his blue is all alone.

[shankss-magnificent-ass]

Imagine having deep discussions with the Whitebeard pirates

Ace: Have you ever wondered why the world government opposes people so far away from them, doing what we do?

Marco: [mutters] I wish you would just stop saying odd shit.

Whitebeard: well we're breaking the law, obviously.

You: It's a little deeper than that. It's because what many pirates do, is the same thing the world government does.

Marco: We are not similar in any way.

You: no, think about it, what does the world government do? They lay out a bunch of rules and if you don't follow them, they use violence to force most of the world into following them. And if a nation elects not to join the world government, or can't afford to join, they raid and pillage those islands and take their citizens as slaves.

Izou: On the other hand, if a nation does join the world government, they have to pay heavenly tributes, because if they don't, the Marines will raid and pillage your country. But if they pay the heavenly tributes, the marines will protect their nation from outsiders, like pirates and non-world-government-nations.

Whitebeard: However, on top of paying the heavenly tribute, the average person also pays local and national taxes, so it's a heavy burden for some countries.

Marco: Oh my gods, it's like a protection racket, that common thugs run, just on a massive scale.

Whitebeard: and, like many pirates.

You: they don't like pirates, for the same reason they don't like common thugs, because you all are muscling in on their turf.

Thatch: so most governments are just organized, and socially acceptable, thuggery.

You: Not all, look at Alabasta for instance, King Cobra has a lot of social programs for his people. Food programs and affordable housing for the poor. Medical programs that put a doctor in every village and a bunch of other stuff. The people should receive something back from their government besides 'protection'.

Ace: I know a lot of nations that are in the world government have a large lower class that they exploit labor from and bleed them dry with taxes, tolls, and fines. I can never forget what I saw at the Grey Terminal out of the Goa Kingdom's Great Gate.

Thatch: That's because in "normal society" they value wealth, and look down on and take advantage of people who don't have it. Meanwhile, in pirate culture, we value strength and look down on and take advantage of those who are weaker, like how we raid other crew's ships because we can, and they can't stop us.

Izou: [sighs] That's an oversimplification If I ever heard one.

Thatch: [steps into Izou's space bubble.] You got something to say to me?

Izou: I've been to both world-government nations and non-world-government nations, and I can tell you that they value both strength and wealth. It's just different classes value one over the other. The upper and more privileged class values wealth, and daintiness because they can hire the strong. While the less privileged value strength, because it helps them survive, because they don't have money.

Thatch: I know that, did you forget I grew up poor as shit, mister little daimyo's vassal-boy.

Izou: And I was a wandering beggar minstrel before that, also keep Oden's name out of your mouth.

Thatch: how about you fucking make me?

Marco: [hops between the two men and dramatically claps his hands together like a clapperboard.] Aaand scene, that was a brilliant performance, gentlemen.

Ace: it was almost hard to tell that you two are actually friends.

Thatch: [huffs] Alright, I'll take it back, I'm sorry Izou.

Izou: I'm sorry too

You: you all are too fighty.

Ace: bitch, you're the most stab happy out of all of us.

You: I am not

Whitebeard: Just last night, you stabbed Vista's hand with a fork because he kept reaching over your plate.

You: ... I did do that, but only after asking him to stop three times. Which is more than reasonable, he's a grown-ass adult, and he, and his fuck ass mustache, should know basic table etiquette by now.

Ace: and then you stabbed me for no reason, with the same fork!

You: that was for good measure, just in case you got any ideas!

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[innerfare]

Sabo’s Type 

Summary: A collection of random headcanons describing Sabo's type

Genre: Angst

CW: None // SFW

———

Sabo is such a show off, it’s no joke. It’s for this reason he has such a thing for a damsel in distress. He really enjoys the opportunity to flex his powers. (Flashback to Dressrosa arc and him swooping in to rescue Rebecca but leaving poor Bartolomeo lmao.) But he likes it even more if showing off doesn’t work, since it works on basically everyone else. 

Someone who is unimpressed, or at least initially hides it from him. Sabo lives for a challenge. While he loves it when people fawn over him, he’ll become a little obsessed with someone who shrugs at his dragon claw and fire fruit ability, who brushes off his pretty face and muscular body, who doesn’t care that he’s the second in command of the Revolutionary Army and is going to tell him exactly what they think of him.  

Someone with a voice like honey that makes him want to kick his habit of hanging up the transponder snail in the middle of the call and instead stay on the other line for hours listening to them talk about nothing. 

Someone powerful. Someone who can not only hold their own in battle so he doesn’t have to constantly worry about them but also someone who can spar with him. Someone who has undergone rigorous martial arts training and insists their style is more powerful than his dragon claw. Someone who triggers his competitive side. 

Someone who will make fun of him, even going so far as to poke fun of his heritage (without going too far). The odd joke about Sabo being a pampered aristocrat will get his blood boiling. He’s the type to ignore all the people fawning over him and go straight for the person who seems uninterested (side note: Sabo does not respect the ring; if you’re married and he wants you, he’s going for you). 

Someone with as much a reason to hate the World Government as he does, perhaps even more of a reason. Someone who wants to see the world burn. But also someone who starts out as his enemy, so maybe a marine or member of Cipher Pol with a traumatic backstory working as a double agent for the Revolutionary Army. 

Someone who likes his scars. He’s come to view them as a symbol of his failure to escape Goa on his own, and even as a symbol of the reason he couldn’t be there for his found family, so he doesn’t feel proud of them the way a warrior should. But if you’re proud of them, if you run your fingers over them, he’ll grin like a fool. 

Someone who is well read and a good enough writer to read his manuscript and offer feedback, someone who can edit some of the pages and offer him some direction when he’s not sure which direction to go in. Someone who agrees with his point of view on the subject matter (typically the corruption of the World Government) and can aid him in getting that across. 

Someone who makes him feel safe enough to ask for affection. Sabo isn’t really used to positive reinforcement. Though he received some once he joined the Army, a rough childhood without a drop of real softness has left him a little thirsty for someone to run their fingers through his hair while he vents about everything wrong in the world. 

Low-key has mommy issues, craves a woman who will make him food, take a bath with him, and tuck him into bed. Refuses to admit it, though. This folds into him craving a more feminine partner because he's been surrounded by so much roughness. One of his guilty pleasures is definitely crushing on the young noble women he's supposed to be usurping.

Someone who doesn’t hesitate to make his family their own, who falls right into the ranks of the Revolutionary Army and makes themselves at home with the Straw Hats (I think it goes without saying Sabo's SO has to have Luffy's stamp of approval). 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[tossawary]

Thinking about a "One Piece" AU, where all of the East Blue Strawhats have actually met each other before Luffy starts sailing. Because Nami and Zoro are both wandering pretty far, easily able to meet anyone, and Sanji is on the Baratie, which is also moving around and may dock at various islands.

So, let's say that the Redhair Pirates briefly dock near Syrup Village on their way back to Foosha Village, and young Usopp stows away so that he can go be a brave adventurer like his father. For a couple weeks, little Usopp and little Luffy are rolling all over town together like frolicking puppies, until the Redhair Pirates are ready to head out again and drop Usopp back home along the way (Yasopp is going to be in SUCH shit with his wife). Little Usopp goes back to tell everyone about this kid he saw eat a devil fruit that turned him into a rubber man, such that Usopp could use the other boy's fingers as a makeshift slingshot to fight off crocodiles! They had great fun trying to figure out Luffy's ridiculous new powers together and coming up with silly attack names.

And no one believes this story from Usopp because it's absurd. After a few years, Usopp starts to wonder if he actually made the whole trip up, if he's just lying to himself too, until Luffy finally shows up again and it's like the Spider-Man meme. "YOU," Usopp says, pointing with a trembling finger, until Luffy makes a noise like a squeaky toy and then tackles Usopp for the tightest and happiest hug anyone has ever seen.

Little Usopp meets little Nami at one point because she's just passing through, picking pockets, waiting for her next ship, and she steals from Usopp what she THOUGHT was money but actually turns out to be exploding paint pellets or something. So, a paint-stained little Nami turns on Usopp like, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS???" because she's so shocked and angry about her cute new outfit being ruined, and he ends up apologizing (just full on sobbing) to HER for not being a good enough pickpocketing mark.

The Baratie docks at Usopp's island at some point to pick up groceries, maybe they got blown off course by a storm, so young Sanji meets young Usopp at a market stand selling spicy peppers. Usopp spins Sanji long and complicated stories about the flavor and rarity of the peppers, how he labored for many days through terrible dangers to pick them, and then someone else gets back to the stall and says, "Thanks for watching it for me, kid." And Sanji is like, "What?" And Usopp has to admit that he doesn't actually work there. He does know a lot about peppers, though! However, he was also lying a bit... maybe a lot...

Zoro meets Usopp and Luffy because he's hunting bounties through their islands. (Luffy falls in love INSTANTLY. I wrote another post about that.) The little Usopp Pirates become convinced that Zoro is a pirate invading their island, so they get Usopp to come "fight" Zoro, which ends up being Usopp guiding a lost Zoro (the kids set up so many fucking traps, he is NOT having a good time) to the nearest bar. They hang out for a bit. Usopp got a little tipsy. Usopp CLAIMS later though that he fought a ferocious, green-haired pirate who had swords instead of hands.

Young Sanji meeting young Nami is just a classic case of "you let that pretty girl have HOW MUCH in free food???" Zoro probably tracked a bounty to the Baratie at some point and got in a fight with the waiter; Zeff won't just ban the fucker because Zoro did actually pay his bill and Sanji HATES it. Zoro and Nami could have met at any point in their travels; they could have even had a navigator & bodyguard setup for a little while, before Nami ran off with all of some pirate bounty's treasure.

The Baratie usually wouldn't dock somewhere like Foosha Island, but they were in the area and Zeff wasn't such a fan of Goa Kingdom. Little Luffy wasn't even allowed in, but Sanji fed him some food out the back anyway, and Luffy decided then and there that Sanji was going to be his cook. Sanji said, "You are fucking crazy," of course, but no one has ever reacted to his All Blue dream like Luffy did. So when Luffy finally comes looking for him, Sanji still immediately says, "Fuck off, I'm not going!!!" but he's also smiling so wide at seeing this crazy kid again. It fools no one.

Nami probably went treasure hunting in the jungles there. She screamed at the top of her lungs when a 15-year-old boy dropped out of the trees and said, "Hey!!! What are you doing? Ohhh, are you treasure hunting? Can I help?!" (Ace has just set sail. Luffy is bored.) Nami could use the help, so she allows it, figuring that she'll find a way to trick Luffy at the end. But after their wacky adventure together, Luffy is like, "That was fun!!! You can take all of the treasure now, I don't need it," and young Nami doesn't say no but it breaks her brain a little bit. What kind of idiot says that the adventure is the best part and actually MEANS it?

So, they're all screwed by the time that Luffy sets sail. He's coming for them! He'll find them all eventually! ♥️

Alternatively: none of the East Blue Strawhats meet each other beforehand but they do all meet Ace when he sets sail. Has anyone in the world ever talked about their little brother this much??? This Luffy kid doesn't sound like a real person. And then two years later, they all run into Luffy and they're like, "Oh, shit, he's real."

[depressedraisin]

here's how armand can still be bengali

why do i think so? no other good reason than i am bengali myself and i want armand to be. (also assad zaman's family is from bangladesh. bengali solidarity!!!)

bengal: the region in south asia comprising present-day bangladesh and the indian states of west bengal, odisha, assam and parts of bihar.

armand said in the season one finale, that takes place in 2022, he is a 514 year old vampire. is it 514 years including or excluding his human years? let's go with including. that means armand would have been born in 1508.

now what was going on in india and bengal in 1508? well, the mughals hadn't come to india yet; it's still about two decades before babur makes his way here. delhi was under the rule of the lodi dynasty, the delhi sultanate was in its dying days. most of north india, mainly uttar pradesh and bihar was under the jaunpur sultanate. bengal was still it's own independent kingdom, called the bengal sultanate. alauddin hussain shah had just seized power and become the sultan of bengal in 1494, beginning the hussain shahi dynasty (they ruled in bengal till 1538 when the mughals captured the region).

india as a country did not exist yet. even it's conception would be a few centuries away still. the subcontinent was a collection of big and small kingdoms and sultanates, constantly warring amongst themselves, some ruled by hindu rulers others by muslims, each with their own distinct histories and cultures. bengal was one of the most prosperous and thriving among them. the bangla language and bengali culture was just beginning to develop.

vasco da gama had arrived in india in 1498, landing at kozhikode on the malabar coast. this began the arrival of the portugese in india, and soon other european colonialists followed. they soon set up their capital in goa, built forts all along the western coast and established trade through obtaining licenses and exclusive permits from local rulers. they first made their way to the bay of bengal region around 1516, with the first portugese representative- a guy called joao coelho- coming to chittagong (present day bangladesh). the first factory was set up in chittagong the next year.

the portugese traded in spices and cotton and fruits and muslin and also slaves. the european indian ocean slave trade began with the coming of the portugese in the early 16th century. slavery in south asian societies had obviously existed long before, and it was a deeply complex and diverse system of dependency and regimes of slavery. slavery of youth and children was also pretty prevalent: it would not be uncommon for poor, farming families to sell away themselves or their children to zamindars (landlords) and colonial overlords in desperation. there were many, many cases of young children being forced to get onboard ships where they'd be held agains their will and taken to europe, the americas or south-east asia. goa and lisbon were the two cities that linked the movement of goods and people between the indian and atlantic oceans, but goa wasn't the only place where enslaved children were traded in portugese india nor lisbon the only european they were taken to.

one of those kids might as well have been arun.

i know the brief glimpse at the talamasca files showed armand's origin to be in delhi but in this particular scene he clearly says that he was sent *to* delhi, thinking he was going to work on a merchant boat.

this is just a theory i have btw. armand could've been from maharastra or the deccan as well idk. anyway.

armand is a monster, a vicious, villanious creature of unfathomable powers and ferocity. but he is also so deeply tragic. he had been forcibly torn away from his people and his land. he has no memory of his family or his humanity. he has lived for over half a millenium. the india he might've known hasn't existed for centuries, and he never got to know the one that exists today. the bangla he might've spoken no one remembers anymore. he has nothing left of the human he was except that name.

further readings (STRONGLY SUGGESTED!!!):

[diminuel]

I love your Crocodile so much, and love the idea of him showing how much he cares about his kids, in his own way. What do you think his reaction would be when Crocodile saw Luffy on level 6 when he came to save Ace?

Thank you ;w;

If we're talking Stinky Child AU I'm still trying to figure out how Ace' imprisonment would have gone! Would Crocodile and Ace react to each other? Would it be safe to risk exposing a connection even though it's hard to imagine how things could get even worse?

I think the despair Crocodile would feel knowing that Ace is down here, that he couldn't protect him would be immense. Worse than any torture he might have endured in Impel Down. Not only is Ace facing a public execution, he knows that this is going to change the world in one way or another. Most likely both WB and Dragon will be pushed to move and while Crocodile doesn't care about WB running into a trap, he does not want Dragon to be there.

And yet, when Hancock delivers the news that Luffy is coming? He's never felt as horrified as then, because Luffy is just a child (yes, he's an adult by Goa law but he's a baby, his baby!). He is just an inexperienced rookie that only managed to beat Crocodile because Crocodile couldn't fight him properly. How did he get here? There is no way that he can survive a siege on Impel Down! He'll lose Ace, Dragon and Sabo will be pulled into a trap that will most likely kill them and end what Dragon has been fighting for for so long, Luffy is going to die here. Everything Crocodile has done was for nothing! He failed everything he set out to do!

But then... Luffy shows up when Crocodile feels like all hope is lost. Against all odds, Luffy is here, alive, with familiar allies.

He feels fortified by this, Luffy's appearance like a breath of air, like sunshine on his skin. If they get him out then he'll make a difference. Luffy got so far, Crocodile will make sure he gets out of Impel Down.

But Luffy would of course be shocked and pained to know that Crocodile was down here and he didn't know! I don't know if it would be safe for Crocodile to hug him or to tell him he loves him and all is good, but maybe a hand on Luffy's shoulder and a smile would be enough to settle Luffy's anxieties.

And then they're off to save Ace!

[axolotlesque]

as thrilled as i am to have canon dorym, i cannot stop thinking about what a state they're in to be uniquely fucked-up about it if the other dies in their fight against ludinus. 🙃

so they've finally pushed through the barrier of insecurities and the knowledge they're opposed when it comes to predathos and the fear of whether or not the other person does or even can return their feelings and the yoke of a fey deal and a throne between them

to have one!! singular!!! night together

but you have dorian. whose brother just died. who has barely even talked about it happening, much less had the time or space to even begin to process his grief. he has massive survivor's guilt and blames himself not only for cyrus' death but for opal's possession. he's got the stress of being one of the few people who can bring someone else back up in a party where the only healers kind of do it as a side hustle. he is hyper-aware of orym "goading attack. goading attack. goading attack. goa--" of the air ashari's penchant to dive-bomb on a sword if that keeps it from harming someone else and has seen orym go down in battle all-too often as it is.

(although i don't think he knows that orym 100% for real has died already)

and you have orym. he is facing the man responsible for the single day that completely tore through his life. the one that left him both without a father and as a widower. the one that he also has massive survivor's guilt about. he is burdened with the thought that he is very much Just A Fighter in a party of people chockablock full of crazy arcane powers but nevertheless feels responsible for the safety and health of all of them. he feels like he failed his duties once and is mortally determined to never do so again. it is basically physically impossible for him to not keep tabs on every member of his party in a fight at any given time (it is very easy to read his godly-high perception as ptsd-driven hypervigilance.) he has been told in Very Explicit Terms that he is 100% Thee Reason dorian is there with them in this moment, in this fight, on this battlefield.

and that's not even getting into the question of whether or not there will be a force to appeal to vis-a-vis revivify if the worst happens --

so!!! i guess!!!! we just gotta cross our fingers and hope Real Hard that neither one of them comes out the other side of this with their mental/emotional health completely obliterated!!! :D

[otaku553]

More king sabo au :) thinking about the changes to the sabo koala relationship…

So plot-wise, this is after the second reverie that Sabo ever attends, at the age of 22. This is also the reverie where a lot of shit goes down— the five elders kill king cobra, Vivi and Wapol go into hiding with Morgans, and the Revolutionary Army invades and successfully declares war on the Celestial Dragons, and retrieves Kuma.

In this AU, Sabo manages to befriend Vivi by talking about Luffy, and finds a way to hide and watch the confrontation between Cobra and the five elders + Imu, the way that Wapol did. But perhaps not quite as thoroughly, so he’s seen, and forced to hide, and cannot return to Goa. Unfortunately Cobra is not saved, as Sabo isn’t strong enough without his years of training as a Rev to even attempt to save Cobra. But Sabo manages to hitch a ride to Kamabakka with the Revs, most likely as a stowaway, and reveals to them as soon as they land about what he saw. Dragon agrees that it’s unsafe for him to return to Goa, and lets him stay with the Revs for the time being as he figures out what to do next.

Now during this time, Koala, soon to be promoted to Chief of Staff, meets him. But she is also incredibly angry at him, and takes it out through “friendly spars” that Sabo agrees to because he wants to get stronger. It’s through these spars that he eventually returns to being able to wield a pipe with proficiency, but the first few really are just him getting absolutely destroyed by Koala.

This all comes to a head at some point when Sabo asks why Koala always beats him down so thoroughly— so angrily— when they spar, and they end up getting into an argument over ideology during a spar. Koala asks, what reason does she have to not be angry at him? He, who became king to a country under some misguided notion that he could help people, who has been king for 5 years and yet has not been able to make any substantial changes to Goa that would help the people. What has Sabo achieved, beyond becoming one of the people that the Revolution seeks to overthrow? Did he have slaves at the castle? Did he ever try to free them?

The problem is that Sabo could have become a Revolutionary much much sooner. He could have asked, and the Revolutionary Army would have sent a small team or something to extract him—he was a strong child and he is still pretty strong, and his heart’s in the right place. But at some point Sabo fell into so many logical fallacies, that he was weak, that he was trapped, that even if he ran he would never escape his noble upbringing, that eventually he believed that the only way he could be useful was as an informant, and in the meantime, clung to and maybe even enjoyed the luxuries he could have as a young noble in Goa.

This verbal (and physical) beatdown from Koala is what eventually gets him to ask Dragon if he can become a Revolutionary. Dragon says that the Revolution has always had its arms open for him.

[syrupfog]

It's not hard for Law to pass for an alpha, but that doesn't mean he wants to do it. Dousing himself in pheromones makes him gag, and he knows suppressants aren't good for long term use. 

"You'll get used to it," Doffy had whispered in his ear. "And if you don't? That's too bad."

Doflamingo holds too many things-- too many lives-- over his head. Freedom is a pipe dream for Law. 

"You're going to get me this political alliance with the Goa kingdom," he tells Law, sickeningly sweet. "All you have to do is manage not to be rejected by their prince."

The reality is more complicated than that; of course it is. The third prince of the Goa kingdom is a strong willed omega who's run off every arranged marriage his grandfather has attempted to set up. They have to be desperate if they're looking as far north as Swallow Island.

The good news is that no one that far east will know Law is lying about being an alpha. That's a point in his favour. The bad news is that Law's looking at living a lie... for the rest of his life, for the sake of his friends that he'll likely never see again.

The boat docks at Goa and Law's ushered up to the castle so fast, it's clear they're trying to get this over with before he can back out. 

He meets the three sons (and their grandfather) at dinner, an elaborate affair he has no appetite for (unlike the four of them).

Luffy, the youngest, his betrothed, barely looks at him. He eats what must be double his weight in meat and then takes off, the other two not far behind; at least the oldest asks his name before he runs off. 

Then he's left with the grandfather, the king. That's much worse.

The king says, "He's a handful, but he needs a good strong alpha to put him in his place." 

Law nods. Plays the part. "I'll be what he needs," he says. 

The king laughs. "I like you, boy," he says. "Have a drumstick." 

Law accepts it, but doesn't touch it. He feels queasy.

In the coming days, it's difficult to meet Luffy. It's difficult to even find Luffy most of the time, he's off like a whirlwind every day. When Law does manage it, he finds himself trailing after Luffy, just doing what he can to keep up, while Luffy complains about his scent.

"You reek," he says, frowning childishly. 

'I know,' thinks Law. The pheromones clash with his omega scent terribly. He hates it. 

"I don't want to marry someone who stinks," Luffy says. 

"You'll get used to it," Law says. He sort of doubts it, though.

Then he has to spend a good twenty minutes running to keep up as Luffy's gotten word from his brothers of an underground fighting ring in the city. 

(Luffy beats everyone in the ring and then shuts it down). 

(Law thinks about how Doffy would have encouraged it continuing).

The problem is, as Law follows Luffy day after day, he watches this man do thing after ridiculous thing, and each time the citizens prosper for it. 

The problem is, each time it happens, Law is horrified to find himself falling a little in love. 

That's not part of the plan.

Especially because Luffy doesn't feel the same way. 

The goal was and is still marriage. But looking forward to a spouse that resents him makes Law want to curl up and hide, his omega suffering from the potential rejection already. 

And having to act an alpha the whole time.

But, as long as LAW doesn't formally reject the marriage, Luffy won't have a choice. The date is set for the end of the year. He just has to make it through, follow Doffy's orders, keep his friends safe. An emotional rejection will be fine, Law knows logically it's not personal.

"You've made it longer than anyone else," the middle brother, Ace, tells him at one point. 

"I have to," Law says, before thinking better of it. 

Ace gives him a bemused look. Law wonders how much longer he can live in Goa without even one person (bar their odd king) liking him.

The problem really comes when his heat is due. 

The suppressants keep most of it at bay, but the need for comfort, for an emotional connection of any kind, pulls at him. Dousing himself in alpha pheromones nearly makes him vomit and he has to suppress a whine.

He ends up not seeking out Luffy at all that week, instead holing up in his quarters, desperately hiding inside a nest made of the few things he's kept that smell like home. 

For just a moment, he thinks maybe none of this is worth it, wants to just crawl home, seek comfort.

But then he steadies himself. This isn't about him. 

He doesn't come out for meals, claims he's sick when the servants ask. 

After three days, the door swings open with a bang and Law is startled out of his half asleep state as part of his nest caves in over top of him.

"Hey," says Luffy, crawling into the nest. "You haven't come to see me. Are you leaving?" 

He would prefer that, wouldn't he? 

Because the only person here whose opinion of Law matters hates him. 

Law, to his utter horror, opens his mouth and nothing but a sob comes out.

He's in heat, on suppressants, and being rejected, okay? He curls in on himself, clutching the brim of his hat over his eyes, clenching his teeth to keep from making more noise, although that just leads him to shake harder, overwhelmed. 

"Whoa!" says Luffy. "Shit, what's wrong?"

And then, to Law's utter horror, Luffy says, "Huh. You finally smell good." 

Fuck. He hasn't reapplied the pheromones since he made his nest. 

Everything Law is feeling is broadcasting through his unadulterated scent. 

"I mean, you smell sad. But you smell good. You know?"

Then Luffy is literally crawling over top of him, nuzzling into his neck, releasing a calming scent that Law didn't even know was possible for someone as chaotic as Luffy. 

"Wha—" Law tries, voice cracking from held in tears. 

"I'm making you feel better," Luffy says.

And well, he is— Law's already stopped shaking, eyelids drooping from exhaustion, but—  

"Aren't you— curious? About my scent?" 

"Yeah, sorta" says Luffy. "You smelled all wrong before. But you smell better now. I like it. You should stop spraying that other stuff."

Spraying—

"You knew?" 

Luffy stops nuzzling, blinking down at him. "Knew what?" He tilts his head. "Oh, that you're an omega? Not at first. Ace n' Sabo told me, said they had you ivenstigated 'cause they didn't trust you." 

Awesome. Great. Law's failed. Everything's done for.

"Hey wait," says Luffy. "Your scent's gone all upset again. What's wrong with being an omega?" He puffs up his cheeks. "I’m an omega!" 

"That's exactly what's wrong with it," Law snaps. "Nobody wants two omegas sitting on the throne!" 

Luffy reels back and fixes Law with a glare.

"I don't care what anyone else thinks," he says. "And you shouldn't either! Why do you even want to marry me if you can't even be yourself? What's the point?" 

Law clams up. He can't just— he can't tell him. 

"Traffy," Luffy says lowly, staring down at him with wild, steely eyes.

Law keeps his mouth shut. He thinks, dimly, that this is the first time Luffy's called him by his name (albeit, not quite his name). 

Luffy leans forward slowly, and Law feels like a bug under a microscope. "Traffy," Luffy says. "Who's hurting you?" 

"What?" Law asks, dumbstruck.

"You're not a bad guy," Luffy says. "You're stubborn and a stickinamud, but you're not mean and you don't yell at me." 

Law has definitely snapped at him a few times. 

"You don't yell at me about stuff that matters," Luffy corrects, at his look. "You're a good guy, Traffy. Who's hurting you?"

Law feels a bit like he's a child again, getting grilled by his parents after taking the fall for his sister busting out the window with a ball. 

"I-I—" he tries. "I can't—" 

"Is it that Mingo guy?" Luffy asks, and Law is starting to wonder if Luffy just. Knows everything.

"Ace 'n Sabo told me about him too, that they think you might be a bad guy because he's your dad and he's a bad guy." 

"He's not my dad," Law snaps. He thinks of his father. Thinks of Cora, even. Doffy could never be what they were. 

"Oh," Luffy says. "He's the one hurting you."

"You don't— it's not that simple," Law pleads. Pleads for Luffy to understand. There's no easy way out of this, not when Doffy holds all the cards. He's shaking again, cold like he's outside in the Swallow Island winters. Luffy's calming scent so far away.

"It is that simple," Luffy says. "But that's alright. We can fix it, now that I know. Okay?" He leans down again, slotting his cheeks between Law's neck and shoulder, and—

"You don't care?" Law asks, voice embarrassingly small. "That I'm an omega?" 

Luffy— Luffy laughs.

"You are an omega," he says, like that explains it all. 

"Do you want me to call the wedding off?" Law asks. Luffy holds the cards now. He knows Law's just under duress. 

"Nah," says Luffy. "You're a good guy, and I like you. We'll get married, then I'll kick that guy's ass."

"You can't just—" Law doesn't have it in him to explain just how vast Doffy's networks are, his crime syndicates. He plays both sides of the underworld, rules both of them. 

But— 

If anyone could— 

Law feels crazed. He feels like Luffy isn't real, can't be this... perfect.

"My friends," Law says. "He's going to kill my friends. I can't be the reason they die, Luffy." 

Luffy nods (into Law's shoulder) (He smells like candied bacon). "Okay," he says. "We'll get them out first. Sabo's good at that shit." 

Law is pretty sure Sabo hates him.

"He also doesn't hate you." 

Law is more convinced Luffy is all knowing. 

"He doesn't hate you because I like you, so he has to like you." 

Luffy says things so simply, like there's no option other for them to be true. 

Law doesn't get it, sort of hates it, does believe him.

"Can— I'm in heat, Luffy," Law says, because he's overwhelmed and ten seconds away from another meltdown. "This isn't really appropriate." 

"That's okay," Luffy says. "I don't care about appropriate much, anyway." 

That's true, Law knows that.

The nest smells like back home, and now it smells like Luffy. 

Luffy, who is good, in a way that doesn't make sense. 

Luffy, who is wrapped around him like a jellyfish. 

Luffy, who says he's just going to fix everything. 

Law has nothing to offer him in return.

If— if Luffy manages this, even just to get his friends out— Bepo, Penguin, Shachi... Cora... 

Law's seen him do odd miracles every day. He believes him when Luffy says he'll do this too. 

Shuddering out a breath, Law soaks in Luffy's scent. 

It's sweet, it's omega.

It's strong and powerful and unique to Luffy. 

Law wants to drown in it. 

He whispers a prayer to the forgotten sun god of his childhood island that everything will work out. 

Luffy whispers back that he should go to sleep, because it will.

[itsprashimusic]

Wildest Dreams Warm Realities

"Say you'll remember me"

Summary - A Formula 1 driver is on vacation in Goa with his family. A woman and her friend group are also on a vacation in Goa. Is this destiny?

Pairings - Charles Leclerc x indian!fem!Reader

Warnings - hindi words with english translations at the end, your best friend has a name (Sarah), mention of animals getting harmed, reader has hair. Happy reading🩵

W/C - 2.6k

A/N - the train is from Mumbai to Goa. Let me know if I missed anything.

Navigation | "Say you'll remember me" | "Standin' in a nice dress" | "Starin' at the sunset" | ..babe"

The horn sounded nice and loud, it could be heard by the people who stood on the road outside the station. It indicated that the train was now leaving CSMT and heading to its final destination. You had this trip planned out with your friends since the beginning of the year. All hotel reservations were made and all tickets were booked since this was the busiest time of the year to travel. 

It was the middle of December. You had 3 different invites to 3 different weddings, an invitation to meet one of your good school friends, and a desire for a true Goa trip with your friend group. But all of that was about to go down the drain because you were standing on the platform hearing the train engines start and watching it slowly pull away. You went out to grab some hot samosas for everyone but were now panicking, “Bhaiya jaldi karo, train jaa rahi hai!” you yelled at the poor dude who was trying to hurriedly wrap the piping hot samosas. You got the black thaili, gave him a 200 rupee note, and ran off, “Chhutta rakh lena!” you said over your shoulder. 

This could not be happening. It looked cute in YJHD when Naina was running behind the train, unfortunately you were not Naina. You were running after the train with your hair tied in a weird bun from the morning and were holding onto a black plastic bag with samosas in it, very much the opposite of how she looked. But then you saw it, more accurately, him. He was tall and had fluffy hair, like Bunny. But his hair was brown and he had green eyes, eyes which were filled with concern, eyes that were looking at you. 

This distracted you, but when you realised the train was moving away faster, you started to sprint. Never in your life had you run faster. His one had held onto the railing, while the other was stretched out and gesturing to you. You grabbed onto his outstretched hand and jumped. This is where you mentally prayed that he would catch you, if not, you were surely gonna get jammed in between the train and the platform, get injured, or die on impact. Thankfully he did catch you. When you jumped, he reacted quite fast and pulled you with one hand and caught you by your waist with the other. 

The both of you stood at the door standing incredibly close, breathing and processing what just happened. 

You managed to recover and pulled away from him, his hands dropping from your wrist and waist. However, you did not notice his slightly disappointed face, which he quickly covered up. 

“Thanks for..the help.” you weren’t really sure what to say. He didn’t say anything, he just kept looking at you. You started to worry that he didn’t speak English, right when he replied, “Sure, it was no problem.”

God that accent. He was definitely from Europe, maybe France. But just that one sentence got you craving for more. You wanted to hear him talk, it didn’t matter what the subject was. 

The silence turned awkward, so you mumbled a final ‘thank you’ and ‘see you around’ before entering the first class A/C compartment. 

You and your group of six(excluding you), had booked the train tickets separately. Two of your friends who were dating booked a coupe for themselves, and then gradually everyone else also got their tickets. You were the last to book and ended up in a cabin with 4 berths. You just hoped that whoever you would be sharing a cabin with would not bother you or make you uncomfortable.

You made your way to your friends’ compartment and gave everyone their samosas. By now it was no longer hot, just warm, but it was enjoyed nonetheless. You fell into the lively conversation and temporarily forgot about the brunette with capturing eyes and an alluring accent who saved you from missing a train. Once the clock hit 11 pm, everyone started getting ready for the night. You and your best friend went to brush and wash up for the night while the others got their beds ready. That is when you remember the mystery man. 

Sarah was in the middle of brushing her teeth when you came out of the smelling washroom saying, “I nearly missed the train while getting you guys your food.” 

“Wha id u o?”

“I ran like a mad woman and got saved by a stranger.” the second you finished speaking, she spit the foam out of her mouth, looked up at you, and asked you to elaborate. “Was it a guy?” you gave her a look, “Was he cute??” you gave her a more pronounced look and she started squealing. You had to cover her mouth with your hand. The train staff member who was in the other train car gave you a weird look. 

You just smiled at him and dragged your toothpaste-covered friend into the a/c compartment. You gave her a towel to wipe her mouth with while she whisper-yelled more questions at you. 

“The bhaiya was still wrapping the samosas, the horn went off, the train started leaving and I ran. I saw this guy, this gorgeous guy standing at the door. He held out his hand and I-” you weren’t even able to complete your sentence. ‘You had your DDLJ moment!’ Sarah squealed, jumping up and down with excitement. One thing you were glad to have in your life was Sarah. She was always happy for you, got excited for you, and uplifted you. And that is what she did. It took her five minutes of convincing before she left for her cabin with your 3 other mutual friends. 

You headed back to your cabin, but this time it was not empty. A man and a woman were sitting on the berth below yours. They looked like a couple, foreigners. They looked at you, smiled, gave a nod of their head, and continued their conversation in what you guessed was French. As you shuffled around getting your bed ready another man walks, dressed in sweatpants and a tight-fitting t-shirt. It was the brunette who ‘saved’ you a few hours earlier. 

Not knowing what to do, or if you should say something, you just continued making your bed in the upper berth. You realised that he also was sleeping in the upper berth when he tossed a few items up there. Once you were done, the couple’s talks died down and the woman asked, “Hi, we don’t mean to be a bother but we were wondering if you could just guide us on how to get the beds sorted. We are not exactly sure what to do.” 

The brunette man had left the room, seemingly to make a call. You smiled at the woman, “Oh, no worries.” you gave her your name and she replied, “I’m Charlotte, this is my boyfriend Lorenzo.” You smiled at him and then turned your attention towards Charlotte and began explaining what to do. Both lower berths were done and soon enough the green-eyed man returned. 

Charlotte said something to him in French. They knew each other. She turned to you, “and this is Charles, Enzo’s younger brother.” Even his name sounds regal. Before you could get a word in he said, “We’ve already met.” with a smile that seemed genuine. His brother gave him a questioning look and asked him in French. Charles gave a reply. It was now nearing midnight and you wanted to sleep soon. You were getting off at a station in the north of Goa, meaning you had to wake up early. Before you could head up to your berth, Charlotte asked if you could help Charles with his bed. She thanked you and then pulled her boyfriend out of the cabin and walked away, not really giving you an option. 

You looked at him and he looked at you, confused. “Do you know how to set the bed?” you asked with a smile on your face. “Not really, no,” he said with a laugh, “I could use some help.” So you helped him set the bed. In the meantime, you both spoke about different things. You told him about the weddings and plans to spend as much time on the beach as possible. He told you about how one of his co-workers told him about Goa’s splendour and fun and how he and his family are spending their holiday together. 

By the time the bed was set, you were sitting on your berth while he opted to stand, his height making it difficult to sit on the upper berth. It was now way past midnight. You were getting tired, though it seemed that he was wide awake. Charlotte and Lorenzo finally returned. Your conversation died down. You said that you had to get up early and were now going to sleep. They promised to keep quiet. You put your eye mask on and turned to the side letting the swaying motions of the train put you to sleep. 

With the amount of excitement inside of you, you were not able to sleep for very long. You were well rested but woke up at 6 am. The three Monegasques were fast asleep (i have no idea of Charlotte’s nationality so let’s just say she is from monaco). You sat up in bed and for a good five minutes just admired the sleeping body opposite of you. You checked your phone and found out that the train was delayed by 3 hours. This was ridiculous. Apparently, a large group of animals were crossing the tracks when a train was approaching and it caused an accident. 

You got out of bed and went to see if any of your friends were awake. Everyone was sleeping, except Sarah whose bed was empty. She was probably in the washroom. You decided that it was too early to do anything and so went back to your cabin, fetched your toiletry bag, freshened up, went back to bed, wrapped yourself in the itchy blanket, and opened Subway Surfers on your phone while your other hand held a cold sandwich. Your headphones played some music you had downloaded. An hour passed and you set a new high score for which you were proud. Charles woke up. 

You didn’t notice at first, but he saw you as soon as his eyes opened. You looked adorable wrapped up in the cocoon of the blanket. It was when he sat up that you saw him and gave him a smile and a small wave. His cheeks turned red and he waved back. His thoughts of you at that moment ranged from pure and soft to vulgar and wild, and it all lasted for less than a second. He got up and went out. You decided that you should go and check if Sarah is awake. When you reached her cabin, her bed was still empty. Feeling lazy, you made the decision to stand by the train door and hopefully catch some cold morning wind. 

Your hair went in a plait and you opened the train door which was left unlocked. The toilet door opened and out came the dreamy Monegasque. He came up to you, "Are you sure that is the safest thing to do?” 

“Not really, but that’s the fun in it.” there was a sparkle in your eye when you turned your head to look at him. 

“Are you even allowed to open the door?” his laugh made it clear he was fooling around with you.

“Technically no. But it wasn’t locked, so it's on them.” Your laugh sounded angelic to him. The hair which escaped your braid framed your face so beautifully, Charles could do nothing but stare at you. It took him a second to realise you were asking him something.

“Slept well?” he shook his head. “Not quite. The constant shaking made me restless.” “That happens. But eventually, you get used to it.” He asked how you slept and you answered ‘pretty good.’ He stood opposite of you resting on the wall behind him watching the wind blow your hair around as the sun began to rise. The pair marinated in comfortable silence until a staff member came and told you to move away and shut the door. The tranquil moment was broken, but neither of you wanted it to end. Without speaking a word, the two of you went inside the compartment but stayed outside your cabin. 

“Well, we did speak last night but I do not know much about you.” 

“In that case, what would you like to know?”

He leans against the train wall, his arms crossed, your pose mimicking his. He thinks for a second and proceeds to ask, “How often do you travel?” “Not very often,” you respond, “I sometimes go for a weekend trip to nearby hill stations, but that's usually the max I travel.” 

“So no foreign trips?” 

“I don’t exactly have the funds for it,” you chuckle, “between getting a visa organised, praying that my leave from work gets approved, to finding flights, I just find it not worth the effort. I would be spending three months of my salary for just 10 days of vacation which I would rather spend finishing work which equals more money.”

He seemed perplexed by your answer, confusion evident on his face. “And would I be right in assuming that you travel abroad very often?” you ask, a bit of a smirk showing. He smiles and looks down, his hair moving due to this movement. Your eyes were fixed on this as he answered, “You would.” “And why do you travel the world, Charles?”

He smiles, that lovely smile, “I-uh, I drive expensive cars for very wealthy people around the world.” You smiled, but something about that answer felt false. Like he wasn’t telling you everything, but it didn’t seem like he was lying. “Does that mean you know much about cars then?” “I’d like to think I do.” 

The smiles never left either of your faces as the conversation continued. You mentioned how your brother works with different types of cars and how they are his life. “I should meet him then, test my knowledge about cars,” Charles said. 

“Trust me you don’t, he gets very excited when someone mentions anything about cars. Once he starts, he does not stop.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind, I am a good listener.”

"Tell me something you like." the driver asked after a while of the train being halted. You looked out of the hazy window and replied, "The sun." He cocked an eyebrow. "I could go on and on about it." "Well, I did say I am a good listener," said Charles.

The conversation went on for what felt like hours. But soon enough you felt the train start to finally move. You both decided to head back to the cabin, but you were stopped when one of your friends called out to you to join them. You were disappointed, gave Charles a short apology, and followed behind your friend. 

By the time you were able to go back to your cabin, the train had reached the final platform where you were getting off. You were hoping to catch a glimpse of Charles before leaving, but sadly when you returned to your cabin, it was empty save for your luggage and belongings. You gathered all of your items and met your group on the platform. The two cars which were rented for the next two weeks were there waiting for you. Everyone got in and drove off to the rest houses. You were the designated driver for Car 1, which gave you very little opportunity to think about not getting to say goodbye to Charles. 

Little did you know that you would meet him once again, very soon. 

Translations

Bhaiya jaldi karo, train jaa rahi hai! - Brother hurry up, the train is leaving!

Chhutta rakh lena! - Keep the change(money)

thaili - bag (in this case it is a black plastic bag)

A/N - i had so much fun writing this. i already have part 2 in the works. if this fic is well received, i'll post the next part. Hope you enjoyed reading❤️

If you want to find out more about me or my works, you can head to my navigation.

@sam-is-lost @juleswrites223

[elenamegan14]

Yandere One Piece - Irish/Nordic Fae Folk Myth X F!Reader - Prologue

It's a spooky season, and I have yet to see any Yandere One Piece reader fics based on Slavic myths and legends! Blame me for being too invested in Bramble: the Mountain King game.

---

Once, there was a childless couple who lived in a quaint village. Although the village is rich in tradition and harvest, it was also a fearsome place. Not far from them lies a great forest called the Grand Line, a home of every fae folks, each more astounding and nightmarish than man had ever known. 

But that was where our story began. 

One night, on a full moon during a winter’s eve, the couple is visited by a frail, old woman. They immediately brought her in, warmed her, and fed her. When all is done, she transforms into a beautiful fairy. A member of the fairy monarchy, Rogue. 

To thank the couple, Rogue rewarded them with something they had yearned for years: a child. And so, on the first day of Spring, a healthy baby girl was born. 

Alas, even the fairy world has it;s own rules, and the rule is crueler than the rules of mankind. A baby who is granted life by the fairy must be returned back by the ripe age of thirteen. Rogue did not want her work to go to waste, so she told the couple that they must move the child away from the village, never to enter any fairy rings at any cost, and give their child a pair of special earrings made of iron to protect them. 

Thus, the family evaded the pursuit of the fae folks beyond the age of thirteen. In retaliation, the fae folks began to terrorize the villagers - they would not stop to torment them until the child was given to them. Furious at the fleeing family for putting them into this bedlam, the villagers set up a trap to return the child back to the Grand Line. 

Eighteen years have passed, and the child grew up in the Kingdom of Goa. With each passing day, the blessings from Rogue had made the child cunning, wise, and attractive. The child was a curious oddity amongst her peers, but there was one person who despised her existence more so than the others. 

Sarie is the daughter of a notorious monarchy in the Goa Kingdom. Although she has everything in the palm of her hand, she is wicked jealous of the child’s charm and beauty. Her opportunity stuck when a vengeful villager asked her to cooperate to rid of the child’s existence in the mortal world. 

Soon after, Sarie begged her fiancee, Sterry, to arrange a special trip only for his classmates, the child included, straight to the child’s original village. Sterry and his cohorts lured the child to the edge of the forest, right before the entrance of Grand Line. Once there, Sarie threw her scarf into the middle of the fairy ring and asked the child to pick it up for her. 

The child is confused. Why should she follow such a petty instruction? Also, the child pleaded that she was not supposed to enter the fairy ring at any cost. However, Sterry and their classmates loudly demanded her to do so. 

When the child reluctantly tried to enter the fairy ring, Sterry once again ordered the child to take off the child’s iron earrings for Sarie. She tried to refuse but Sterry warned her that if she disobeyed, he would make sure that she became the enemy of Goa. 

The child had always wanted to be accepted by Sterry and Sarie - she did not understand what she had done wrong to receive his ire. The child also knew that Sarie and Sterry’s family had more power than her family did. She hastily took off her earrings and gave them to Sarie. With a heavy heart, she entered the fairy ring. 

Sterry and Sarie’s deception became light once she turned around inside the fairy ring, only to find herself alone in a strange forest. She ran back and forth, calling for her classmates. 

None answered. 

Alone, terrified, and confused, the child trekked into the woods of Grand Line on her own, in hoping to find her way home… not knowing that she had fulfilled her promise…

And break the village’s curse. 

---

You are wandering around the fogged oath, unable to see what's beyond. Suddenly, you heard footsteps. Behind you, in front of you, everywhere! You barely have a moment's rest when a mischievous-looking human-like creature appears before your very eyes. Shrieking, you fall back behind, astounded by what you see.

"Shishishi! Did I scare you?" The creature grinned hugely, enhancing his unique shaggy features with a stitched scar underneath his left eye.

Monkey D. Luffy, the Pookah, has arrived. Next

[marveling-cg]

Red Hair Shanks Has Absolutely Never Had a One Night Stand

Was having a fun chat with @pixiemusing about Shanks. She sent me that fantastic artwork of Buggy waking up to see his own name tattooed on the back of Shanks' arm, which put us both in mind of that hilarious work of Mihawk waking up in Shanks' bed, shocked that somehow he'd been seduced -- again.

(I would link both works here, but after a literal hour of searching I still somehow can't find them with a link to the artist?? If you find them, let me know, I'll add them!)

Which led to speculation that absolutely everyone who sleeps with Shanks wakes up like this: shocked by the experience.

He's a powerful pirate, known for never losing a fight he deigns to accept. Admirals hesitate when he approaches.

But everyone he's slept with is stunned to find they've never had a lover touch them more reverently?? He had tears in his eyes when they climaxed. He laughed at himself while he got them cleaned up. He snuggled himself against them before tucking in for the night. As @pixiemusing said, he Makes Love™ even during a one night stand.

The thing is, though, Red Hair Shanks has never had a one night stand. Not a single one. In fact he's only ever taken 4 people to bed, and he was in love with them all.

Benn Beckman: They meet, and it's immediate fireworks. Benn is quiet, and perpetually bemused by Shanks antics, and overwhelmingly competent in the scrape they get themselves into with a handful pirates antagonizing the little port town they're in. They spend the better part of the next week evading the Marines, while island hopping in a little boat with cabin just big enough for them to fall into bed to fuck and sleep out of the elements.

Everything's an absolute dream until Shanks asks to make the arrangement permanent, "Join my crew. Come with me to Laugh Tale."

Benn puts distance, and clothing, and a sobering cup of coffee between them then. He'll join Shanks' crew, but not as his lover. He's seen enough crews torn apart but distracting romances between Captain and crew members. He won't have it on any crew he's a member of. So Shanks has to make a choice: a life with Beckman at his side, but never again in his bed, or a future where their paths will eventually diverge as the sea calls them to different shores.

Shanks wants Benn, but he needs him more.

Makino: He proposes. Can't help himself. They've been hunting around on Goa and the surrounding islets for a certain devil fruit for the past few weeks, and Shanks had been taken with her since they first made port.

She was kind, considerate, as generous with her laughter as she was with her hospitality, whip smart but never cutting.

He was sure the world believed that he'd seduced her, but the truth is he never would have dared. If she hadn't invited him up to her room after the first week, he would have continued to sigh over her smiles from afar. But she did. And he was a man and a pirate and never turned away good fortune when it came knocking.

He also wasn't the kind of man who would march into a town and sully a good woman's reputation (she laughed and swatted his shoulder when he said as much). Plus it would be an honor of a lifetime to call Makino his wife.

"Under no circumstances, Shanks. I'm not made for the sea, and you'll never be at home on land. I won't have you regret me."

He knows she's right, but it doesn't stop him from crying as they make love again, or in the morning as he dresses to leave. Hell, he's almost grateful to the damn sea king for taking his arm and delaying their departure for another week.

Dracule Mihawk: Shanks does have sense enough to know that they'll never work.

It doesn't stop him from letting the little shaman in the village they've just run a particularly nasty batch of Marines out of continue the marriage rites as the rest of his crew and the village celebrate in drunken revelry.

And it doesn't stop him from spending three days and three nights using every trick his body can muster to convince Mihawk that he'd be worth the trouble.

But it's the same unyielding will that attracted Shanks to Mihawk in the first place that inevitably pulls Mihawk away.

There's no license; they exchanged no vows. There's nothing to annul but the belief in the shaman's heart. But Shanks keeps with him the memory of Mihawk's hesitation before he'd exited. "Until next time, Red."

Buggy: Buggy is like rediscovering a long-lost dream.

He's crotchety and demanding, full of bluster and so much determined hope that Shanks is blinded by it a bit. He's cunning and self-interested, but kind in spite of himself. Still as bull-headed as ever, but it's that very trait that's landed him right back here across Shanks' path, every bit the same grumpy dreamer Shanks had refused to see Laugh Tale without two decades before. He's everything a pirate ought to be.

Getting Buggy to give him the time of day feels like its own little victory. Getting Buggy to give him the time of night feels like a gift he'll spend his life treasuring.

He's learned by now that Shanks giving his heart away has no bearing on whether it'll be accepted or not. But, he's always regretted not risking it all with Buggy all those years ago. He knows he was right -- they weren't ready to find Laugh Tale, not when they were still green and grieving. Now that he's got Buggy here with him, at the end of the world, in the midst of a race with the last remaining emperors of the sea, he wouldn't be the one to walk away, not again.

Maybe -- just maybe -- that would be enough this time.