#I can finally use straws again my life is saved

[dinosaursmate28]

fire night. bought two new sweaters + a bracelet. went to Costco for basically the first time. played about 5 billion homescapes levels. painted my nails. my wisdom teeth swelling has gone down. now im rewatching series 2 derry girls on my projector and absorbing all that tumblr has to offer. I can feel the second semester glow up in my bones.

[ame-to-ame]

Rereading ayaka is in love with Hiroko senpai!!! Last time I read it I don't think it was finished/I didn't finish it but ack. Now I also want to be in love 😭😭😭

[glossykissies]

in the age of answering machines, clark knows your parents aren’t home but you are. and often talks to your machine like he’s waiting for you to pick up the phone. sometimes when you’re in a fight he’ll try to coax you over so you can answer the phone so that he can clear the air. sometimes he gets carried away and details some of his fave parts of last night while you’re grinning at the machine letting him do it

you were honestly just being petty. you often tried not to get mad at clark when he was being all… clark-like.

you’d told yourself you wasn’t going to be that kind of girlfriend anyway. the one that stops him from doing what he needs to do, which is often stopping tragedies and saving people— but you supposed you were only human. you had feelings too.

chaos had been reaping through smallville lately, so clark had been a little out of it. first it was him staring into space when you were talking to him about some gossip he’d usually love to hear about, then he’d thrown you off his lap mid makeout session because he thought he saw someone dangerous out your bedroom window (however he did make up for that by putting you through the mattress that night…) but the final straw was him promising to meet you at a restaurant for dinner and then never showing up.

another life saved whilst you sat waiting for him. you were sure he’d received enough praise for the night, so you called it — leaving the place and heading back to your empty house to sulk around in your pyjamas instead of that pretty skirt you’d recently purchased, having saved it for a date night with clark. you’re sure he’ll see it some other time.

you peel yourself off the couch to grab a glass of water when the phone starts to ring. it’s him, you know it — but with the upset stirring in your tummy and heart, you just didn’t feel like picking up. you were hurt, selfishly maybe, but you couldn’t help it. the tone beeps, and his voice sounds. you warm up instantly, just the effect he had on you but you stay strong, folding your arms over you protectively as he talks.

“baby? look, please pick up. i am so, so sorry i missed our date. i mean i— i ran there as soon as i could when i finished up with… well, i’m sure you’d seen it on the news by now.” he rambles, clearly not wanting to brag in your face about the save. he was humble like that — and really, he tried his hardest not to use it as an excuse most times. he waits a beat, and when you don’t pick up, the continues talking. “you’re really not gonna pick up the phone? how can i make it up to you, huh? i’ll do whatever it is you want me to do. within reason. if you’re gonna ask me for a million dollars i’m afraid i’m a little short.”

you bite your lip to stop yourself from smiling. you hated that he could do this — make you smile even when you’re hurt or mad at him. or both. the joyous near-giggle is replaced by a sigh at your own slight defeat. as if he can hear this, clark continues.

“okay, not funny. noted. come on sweet girl, i’m not above begging, i will beg for your forgiveness… though, on the subject of begging…” you’re unsure of what he’s cooking up, but you hear the playful smile in his voice. “you got me thinking… about last night.” you can almost see the slight dusting of red across his cheeks at the memory. it seems as though he’s shuffled closer to the phone, lowering his tone. “the way you were begging to take me… you just sounded so… pretty. gosh, i was thinking about it all day. the way you looked up at me with those big… beautiful eyes… the way you could barely keep them open when i pushed inside you. getting me hot just thinking about it.”

your stomach flips at the memory, a quick flash of you on your back with your ankles resting on broad shoulders, whining at the stretch. “i want to take care of you like that again. tonight. i’d like to rub your clit for you until you’re shutting your legs around my hand like you usually do, and when you’re wet enough, well then i’ll push all the way inside of you if you’d let me. make that bulge in your tummy like last time. you’re so little but you take it so well.” he hums, really into it now.

the only reason you hadn’t dived for the phone was because your legs were giving out and you’d wobbled to the couch, just to see if he’d say anything else. you were enjoying this plead for you a little too much.

“i just have this feeling that you’re listening. would be pretty embarrassing if i’d just dirty talked a completely empty living room. actually, it would be worse if i’ve got it all wrong and your parents are home tonight. uh, yeah — i really hope —”

“clark.” you pick up the phone, breathy and almost exasperated at his ramblings. you hear his sigh of relief.

“thank god.”

“i do have the house… and i am home alone.” you offer meekly, almost disappointed in yourself. clark perks up, restlessly moving the phone to his other ear.

“yeah? well i should come round. i’m gonna come round. can you wait five minutes? i’ll be so fast.”

“yes clark, come round.” you smile, twirling the phone line feeling the heat spread through you all the way to your crotch at the thought of him making it up to you.

“great. and baby, i really am sorry.”

you smile. he really was just such a good guy. “i know clark. now hurry over.”

[chamomiletealeaf]

No thoughts, just Johnny getting the love and appreciation he always wanted, and getting it from you 🥹

Warnings: insecurity, angst, just straight up fluffy sweetness

Johnny is sick of getting made fun of all the time by his teammates and seen as the “dumb” one. He’s not sensitive in the slightest, but this time it was just the last straw. Simon had made a joke how he was surprised he managed to diffuse a bomb without killing everyone on the mission and that it’s a miracle they even finished it, given Johnny was on the team.

Normally Johnny would retort back with a witty comment, but this mission was such high stakes and Simon was being more taunting than normally. Johnny was already on edge as the fate of everyone was quite literally in his hands, as he had to diffuse the bomb that would’ve killed everyone.

After the mission, he sits on the couch in the common area, head in his hands as he tries to think of a way to make himself feel better. He had just saved everyone’s life, and not a single thank you. Just snarky remarks about how they’re surprised he pulled it off.

There’s no one but him in the common area until you walk in, trying to solve a badly mixed Rubik’s cube.

“Hey Johnny.” You say, transfixed on the cube and getting frustrated when there’s one color out of place on each side, so you angrily mix it back up again.

You had been on an entirely different mission for once, so you weren’t yet aware of what happened on Johnny’s.

“Ugh fuck! This stupid fucking cube is rigged!” You exclaim angrily as you take a seat next to him on the couch.

You don’t notice his head in his hands since you’re so focused on the mixed block of colors in your hands.

“Can you help me? I’ve been trying to do this for hours. You can diffuse bombs and shit so you could probably solve this way faster than I can.” You say to him handing him the cube and he lifts his head out of his hands to look at you.

“You good?” You ask him, finally noticing his state as he looks at you with wide puppy eyes, trying to process if you really just asked him for help.

“Uh, yeah, lemme see it.” Johnny says and takes the cube from your hands, snapping out of his shock.

Johnny is never used to anyone acknowledging his skills. Sure he’ll get an affirming slap on the shoulder from Price, but it’s never outwardly expressed. He knows the task force appreciates him, but it would be nice to hear it once in a while.

So when you ask him for help, and acknowledge his skills? He is taken aback.

You watch Johnny’s hands intently as he flips the Rubik’s cube around a few times.

He then finds where to start and starts to twist the cube and you start to see the colors match.

You move your gaze from his hands to his face, and watch how his brows furrow and how he bites the inside of his cheek as he focuses and you smile, taking in how cute he looks.

Then when you look back down at his hands, the cube is solved. All colors perfectly matched neatly without a single one misplaced.

He flips the cube around a bit to make sure it’s solved correctly, then he hands it back to you with a small smile.

You take it back in your hands and look at him with wonder, something Johnny has never been looked at with before.

“You did it already! Johnny that’s so cool! Thank you! That’s gotta be a record breaking time or something what the fuck? I’ve been trying to solve this thing for hours!” You say and Johnny feels himself get a little emotional at your praise.

“Oh it’s nothing lass, just a Rubik’s cube. It’s all algortihm.” He says, trying to stay playful, the way he always is.

You notice the glossy haze Johnny has over his eyes and feel there must be something else going on.

You place the cube down on the coffee table in front of you and pounce on Johnny to give him a big hug.

“Woah what’s this for?” He asks, not quite hugging you back yet.

“For being amazing, and cool, and smart, and someone who makes my life worth living.” You say, and he hugs you back.

Johnny hesitates before hugging you back, but he does, and it’s bone crushing, making you squeal.

You stay like that until you hear Johnny sniffle, then you pull away.

“Johnny? What’s wrong?” You ask concerningly, taking his head in your hands.

“Sorry I- just a rough mission.” He says, and you frown, hating seeing him upset.

“Well, you’re here now. Alive, and back to me.” You say, rubbing your thumb over his cheekbone.

“And you’re so perfect kiss talented kiss smart kiss and funny kiss and amazing kiss and I love you kiss.” You punctuate each statement with a kiss to Johnny’s forehead and cheeks, making him laugh as your kisses wipe his tears away. He’s never felt so loved and appreciated like this before, not outwardly so. Everything has been behind knowing looks or firm shoulder grasps, but the words have never been spoken.

Then you pull away and look at him, his head still in your hands, and the energy shifts to something more serious.

“I love you John MacTavish.” You say, and he looks at you like a child looking at fireworks.

“I love you more y/n.” He says, and you both lean in for a kiss.

After a few seconds you pull away, and lean back bringing him down with you as you pull the blanket over you two.

Johnny lays on your chest while you both bask in each other’s embrace in your little world under the blanket in the common area, not caring who sees.

There’s only you and Johnny, and you both wouldn’t have it any other way.

[bingbongsupremacy]

My Baby

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x reader

Warning: Reader can get pregnant, use of Y/N, mentions of addict Billy

Summary: Billy has a substance abuse problem. He's unpredictable. After a bad fight, he moves away to California without letting you know. Little did he know you were pregnant. It's been five years since he moved away. He's suddenly thrust back into your life when your daughter runs into him. Do you trust he's really changed? Will you allow him into your baby's life?

*Not Proof Read*

Pt. 2

□□□□□□□□

The birth of my daughter was the best thing that ever happened to me. The moment her bright little eyes met mine, I fell in love. I knew I would work tirelessly to keep her healthy and safe. I also knew I’d never tell Billy about her. Besides, he wasn’t in town anymore. How would he ever find out?

Billy was a party boy. He loved drinking and staying out until three in the morning. At first, I did too. Things were fine—until drugs entered the picture. When Billy got into coke, everything fell apart. He needed to be high all the time. I couldn’t have a serious conversation with him without it ending in him raging and running off. He couldn’t handle confrontation.

I understood why he used. Living in his house sounded like a nightmare. There were countless nights when he’d show up at my place, his body marked with fresh bruises. His dad was an abusive asshole, and his mom had left. All he had at home were bad memories and anger.

I found out I was pregnant a week after he took off for California. He never told me he was leaving. We had a fight, and like always, he chose to run away instead of working things out.

I thought about telling him about the baby. I wondered if he’d come back, if he missed me, or if he somehow sensed there was a baby and missed it too. On nights I wasn’t working, I’d imagine our life together. The image of our little family wasn’t perfect, but if I closed my eyes hard enough, it felt almost real. Maybe the baby would change him the way it had changed me. Maybe he could grow up.

But I never called him. I didn’t even know how to reach him. And even if I did, there was no guarantee Billy would sober up and become the parent our baby needed. I couldn’t subject my child to instability and trauma just to satisfy my own wishes.

When my parents found out about the baby, they threw me out. A child out of wedlock didn’t fit the perfect pastor’s family image they desperately clung to. Dating Billy and going to parties had already strained our relationship. The baby was the final straw.

My coworkers—now my closest friends—let me move into their apartment. I slept on the couch until I could save enough for a deposit. Robin and Steve saved my life. They’ve been there for me through everything. I wouldn’t have made it without them.

“Y/N! I’m ending your break early,” my manager barked, striding toward me. He threw my bright red apron at me. “A fleet of cars just pulled up. We need all hands on deck.”

Shit. I was supposed to have another ten minutes. Rosie might not finish eating if I leave. She gets distracted easily. “I’ll be right there,” I said, wiping ketchup off her soft cheek.

“Now, Y/N!”

Rosie looked up from her coloring book as I caught one of her crayons before it rolled off the table. Her big, beautiful eyes—Billy’s eyes—peered up at me. She was the perfect blend of the two of us. “Mommy, are you leaving?” she asked with a slight pout.

“I’ll be right back, okay? Just finish your dinner. You promise?” I stood up.

Her frown deepened. “I want you to sit with me, Mama.”

“Y/N!” my manager shouted again.

“I promise I’ll be back soon. Just finish your chicken tenders, and I’ll buy you dessert. Alright, baby?”

Rosie sighed. “Fine.”

I kissed the top of her head before turning to face the rush of customers streaming into the restaurant. They must have come from the local game.

The next hour was a whirlwind of taking orders and running between tables and the kitchen. By the time I checked, Rosie’s booth was empty.

“Did Robin come to pick up Rosie already?” Steve asked as I cleared a table.

My eyes widened. “What? No. She’s not coming until six. She’s not in the booth?”

Steve’s brows furrowed in concern. “No. All that’s left is a half-eaten plate of food and her coloring stuff.”

My heart dropped. I spun toward the booth I’d left Rosie in, near the back of the restaurant. It was empty.

Dropping the wet rag in my hands, I rushed over. I checked underneath the table, praying she was just hiding. Nothing.

“Rosie?”

Panic clawed at my chest.

“She has to be around here somewhere, Y/N. We’ll find her,” Steve said, trying to reassure me. “I’ll check out back.” He disappeared into the kitchen.

I frantically searched the booths and corners of the restaurant. Nothing. Where was she? I knew this would happen. I knew someday she’d get taken, or wander off, and I wouldn’t be there. I was so fucking irresponsible.

The bell above the front doors jingled as someone new entered the diner.

And then, I heard it—Rosie’s giggle, soft and familiar.

My eyes snapped toward her. Relief washed over me as I saw her being carried in by a tall man. His arms, clad in a light blue denim jacket, supported Rosie’s small frame against his chest.

I rushed to them. “Rosie!” I gasped, scooping her out of the man’s arms and holding her tightly. “Where did you go? I told you never to leave without Mama! You could’ve been hurt!”

“I saw a puppy, and I had to say hi!” Rosie beamed. “The puppy was this small!” She held her hands a few inches apart. “I got lost, but this nice man helped me find my way back.”

I gently held her arm, unwilling to let her go just yet. Finally, I looked up at the man.

And froze.

I knew him.

His face hadn’t changed much in five years. His hair was a bit shorter, but the curls were still the same. His wide eyes, a mirror of Rosie’s, took me in with surprise.

“Y/N?”

“Billy.” My voice came out quieter than I intended.

His gaze flickered to Rosie, still nestled in my arms. “Is this your…”

“My kid, yeah. This is Rosie.” I gave him a tight-lipped smile.

“I didn’t know you had a kid.”

We stepped aside to let a group of customers leave.

“How would you? You’ve been in California for the past five years,” I said, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

Billy’s expression hardened slightly, but he said nothing.

“Y/N, you need to get back to work! We need your help clearing tables,” my manager barked from behind me.

I felt overwhelmed. What if Rosie ran off again? What if next time, no one was there to help?

“Who’s her dad?” Billy asked softly.

“What’s it to you?” I snapped, narrowing my eyes. The last thing I needed was him poking around and disrupting our lives. “Look, thanks for bringing Rosie back, but you can go now. Whatever brought you back to town, get back to it.”

I turned and headed toward Rosie’s booth, setting her down. “You can’t run off like that, Rosie. You need to stay here.”

“I think we need to talk, Y/N,” Billy said, following me.

“No, Billy. We don’t.” I let out a bitter chuckle. “And in case you haven’t noticed, I have to get back to work. I don’t have time for this.”

“I’ll wait. When do you get off? Besides, it looks like you need someone to watch Rosie while you work. I’m free.”

He was so stubborn. It was something I’d always both hated and loved about him. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, having someone watch Rosie would ease my stress.

I sighed. “Fine. Her stuff is back here.” I led him to the booth. “This is Billy. He’s going to sit with you for a while until Auntie Robin gets here. Be good, okay?”

I cast one last glance at Billy and Rosie before heading back to the kitchen. This day was turning into a nightmare.

Robin came to pick up Rosie at six. Billy stayed.

When my shift finally ended at eight, I slid into the booth across from him, utterly exhausted.

“What do you want, Billy?” I asked, untying my apron.

His gaze softened. “First, I want to say I’m sorry. I was an immature asshole when I left. I didn’t think about you or how much you cared about me. I ran from my problems. You didn’t deserve that.”

I looked down at the apron in my hands, unsure how to respond.

“You didn’t deserve to be treated the way I treated you,” he continued. “And I’m sorry.”

I didn’t expect an apology. “Thank you,” I muttered.

Billy hesitated. “When were you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“About Rosie.” His voice dropped, losing its usual confidence. “I’m not stupid, Y/N. She’s five. She has my eyes, my nose…she looks like a little version of my mom.” He let out a breathless chuckle, running a hand down his face. “I saw her outside, and I knew. When she told me her age, I was sure. She’s mine, isn’t she?”

My heart pounded. There was no way to avoid this. “She’s yours.”

Billy exhaled sharply. Relief? Frustration? I couldn’t tell. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You left me, Billy,” I said, anger rising. “A week before I found out. Your whole life revolved around drugs and alcohol. I didn’t want to expose a baby to that—or to you. You weren’t ready to be a parent.”

“I still deserved to know!” Billy’s voice cracked. “You didn’t give me the chance to change. I missed five years of her life. Five years I can never get back.”

“I didn’t know if you would change, Billy. I didn’t want her to suffer like you did growing up. I did what I thought was best.”

Billy was silent for a moment. “I’ve changed, Y/N. I cleaned up my act. No more coke, no more drinking every night. I have a job—a real one. I’m here to stay.”

I studied him. He looked healthier, steadier. Maybe he had changed.

“Rosie deserves to know her dad,” I said finally. “But if I see any sign of you slipping, you’re out of her life. We’ll take this slow. No big revelations yet.”

Billy nodded. “Thank you. I won’t let you down. I swear, I'm done with California. I'm done running away from my problems.”

For the first time in years, I felt a cautious sliver of hope.

“Well then… Rosie’s probably asleep by now, but if you want, I don’t work tomorrow. Maybe you could swing by my place, and we could go out for ice cream or something? Just so you can get to know each other,” I suggest, unsure how to navigate this.

“I’d like that,” Billy says with a small smile. “Thank you.”

Billy drives me home. His car smells faintly of cigarettes—not nearly as strong as it used to. Unlike before, the car is clean. No beer cans or liquor bottles litter the floor.

The ride to my apartment is quiet, with neither of us knowing what to say.

When we arrive, I thank Billy for the ride and head inside. Everything is dark except for the kitchen light, left on for me. Quietly, I kick off my shoes by the front door and tiptoe to my room.

Rosie is curled into a small ball on her side of the bed, a thin blanket draped over her tiny frame. Her stuffed bunny is tucked under her arm.

I’ve been trying to save up for her own bed, but it’s been hard. With rising rent and unexpected doctor visits, any money I’ve saved disappears almost as quickly as it’s set aside.

After a quick shower, I climb into bed beside Rosie. As soon as she senses me, she scoots closer, her warmth pressing against my side.

My stomach twists with uncertainty. I don’t know if letting Billy into our lives was the right decision. This could end badly. I just don’t want anything—or anyone—to hurt Rosie.

I let out a soft sigh.

Only time will tell. I just hope Billy really has changed.

[azrielsdove]

Thank you all SO much for the love on this story!! I got a little carried away, and pt. 2 ended up being quite a bit longer than I expected. I hope you all enjoy it 💕

Read Pt. 1 Here

Warnings: Angst, Violence, Smut, 18+

The High Lords: Pt 2

You stared in shock at the High Lord in front of you. “How long?” you finally whispered out, a slight shake to your hands. “How long have you known?” Rhys looked down at the ground before answering, “Since the very first time we met.” His eyes darted back up to take in your expression, unsure of how you would react.

And you certainly didn’t know how to react to that.

“Since the first time we met,” you muttered, tasting the words on your tongue. “For over one hundred years, Rhysand, you have known this life altering information? Never once did you think to share it with me? To make a move before now?” You nearly spat out, sudden anger taking over. Rhys took a step back in surprise at your reaction. “You’ve left me here to suffer under him, knowing you could have saved me the whole time?” You practically shouted at him as your hands clenched into fists. He rose his hands in surrender, so similar to just an hour before.

Yet everything had changed since then.

“I didn’t know if it would snap for you! I didn’t know if you would even accept it. If that was what you had wanted. Tell me, would you have come if I had mentioned it that first day?” Rhys spoke, an anxious bite tracing his words. “You don’t get to tell me what I would or wouldn’t do! I let you have your way with me tonight, did I not? Why wait so long then, if you didn’t want to tell me right away!?” The heat of your anger was swirling through you, the feeling of betrayal tight in your chest. “I didn’t want you to feel forced to be with me,” He said quietly, a sadness on his face, “I wanted you to have a choice. I didn’t know if you even liked me, or if you were just being polite. I had to be sure your brothers hatred didn’t continue into you.” He ran a hand over his face. “Thats why I suggested that bargain all those years ago. I only wanted the truth between us. I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure the news wouldn’t bring all of Prythian to the ground.” Rhys caught your eyes with his. “I have not enjoyed knowing how Tamlin treats you here. I have been trying to find a way back. Him refusing to let you come tonight was my final straw. I wanted to come the second he began talking of marriage, but you seemed to handle that just fine on your own.” A smile traced his mouth as he said that last part. You felt the anger subsiding, beginning to understand why he waited. What if he had told you too soon, and you went to Tamlin immediately? What would that have meant for the state of the world? A war between courts was not desirable, and the anger of your brother was not one to cross. You understood he had to let you come into your own and trust that you weren’t completely under Tamlins wing anymore.

You let out a sigh, hands relaxing by your sides. Rhys took a cautious step towards you, trying to read your face. “We can’t tell him tonight.” You stated, locking your eyes with his. “We have to be careful how we do this. We have to create a plan. You’ll have to go home for now.” Your voice shook on the end and you felt embarrassed at your emotion. You’d survived without Rhys plenty of times before, you could do it again. His hands slowly reached out and grabbed yours. “I know. Soon you can come with me. I’ll never let him hurt you again”, he pressed his lips to your forehead as he spoke. You squeezed his hands tightly before looking up and pressing a soft kiss to his mouth. “My mate,” you murmured at him, eyes full of mischief. His matched yours, certainly thinking of all the trouble you two would get into. “Perhaps i’ve waited too long to hear those words from you.” Rhys said sorrowfully, pushing a strand of your hair behind your ear. You leaned into his touch and your eyes fluttered closed. “You have the rest of eternity to hear me say them.”

***

Rhys left shortly before the sun began to rise, knowing Tamlin would be expecting you at breakfast. You felt like a piece of your heart was breaking when he was gone, suddenly feeling empty. It was just temporary, you reminded yourself, as you figured out what to do about Tamlin. As much as you would love to just go with Rhys and let Tamlin figure it out, you knew that would only harm the people of the Spring Court. They needed their High Lord, and you didn’t want to completely abandon your brother.

Yet.

You raced back up the the manor, hoping to have time to change and look like you had just woken up from a peaceful night alone. You ran through the same back entrances you had left from hours before, making it into your room minutes before your ladies would come wake you. You tore the Calanmai dress off and washed your face quickly, braiding your hair down. You had just slid your nightgown on and slipped between the covers when the knock came at your door. “Come in!” You spoke, yawning loudly. You struggled to mask your surprise at Tamlin standing there, and not one of your ladies. His eyes were downcast, focusing on the doorknob in his hand. He cleared his throat before speaking, “I wanted to come apologize. I know how much you love Calanmai, and it wasn’t fair-“. His words halted once he looked up at you. You kept your face expressionless, internally worrying about what made him stop. He clearly didn’t know you had snuck out or he wouldn’t be here apologizing, so what had you missed?

“What. Is. That?” He hissed out between clenched teeth, practically running to your bed. Your eyes widened, having no idea what he was talking about as he grabbed the side of your face and turned your head. You felt his fingers trace behind your ear and down your neck. “Who did this?” He spat, turning your face to look at him. You shrugged out of his grasp, crossing your arms. “What are you talking about, Tamlin?” You asked, annoyance clear on your face. He gave a cold, humorless laugh. “Do not lie to me, Sister. Did you disobey my direct orders last night? Thinking it was okay to go whore yourself out in the midst of several marriage contracts!” He shouted, standing to his full height. You stood too, anger pouring over you. “Marriage contracts?! You are going to force me to marry one of those horrid men you’ve chosen, aren’t you? You’re disgusting Tamlin!” You shouted back as he rolled his eyes. “I’m not having my unwed sister waltz around my home wearing lovemarks all over her neck!” He roared, claws appearing at his nails. His words stun you into horrified silence, realizing you didn’t even think to check if Rhys had left a mark on you. You silently cursed, running towards your mirror. Your face paled as you took in the dark purple bruises on your neck, perfect bite marks littering your skin.

This was definitely not a part of the plan.

You heard your door slam behind you as Tamlin left and you sucked in a harsh breath. You knew breakfast was going to be a long and torrid affair.

***

“No! Tamlin you can’t!” you cried, a few hours after your argument that morning. He stared back at you, no emotion on his face. “It is already done.” He spoke coldly, ignoring the tears that ran down your face. “I won’t do it. You can’t force me to!” Your body was shaking, your mind unable to fully process what your brother had thrown at you. He stood suddenly, towering over you. “I can. I am your High Lord, Sister. If this is what it takes to keep you safe, then this is what I will do. You will understand me one day.” His words were harsh, unfeeling. “You were supposed to be my brother. My friend. What happened to you, Tam? What happened?” You sobbed out, heart aching as you sunk to your knees. There was a time when you trusted him with everything and loved him fully. When you were younger the two of you would run around the manor, playing and laughing. You were often in trouble with your father, and Tamlin was always there to defend you. You don’t understand what happened to him. He has become a cold and cruel man that you don’t recognize.

You saw a flash of hurt go across his face, and he kneeled down to you. He pulled your hands into his, voice softer and kinder. “I will always love you. It is that love that forces me to do this. To do anything to protect you.” You looked up into his eyes, desperately searching for the brother of your past. “If you love me, you won’t do this. Please, please Tam. Please don’t do this to me.” Your words were quiet, full of the pain you were feeling. He sighed, looking down at your hands. “You’ve left me with no choice.” Was all he said before standing up and leaving the room. Leaving you. You knew he didn’t realize this was his final betrayal against you. That this was the end of the relationship you had. As insufferable as he had become in recent years, the fact broke everything in you. He was your brother no longer. Now, he was your cruel High Lord, too caught up in his own paranoia to realize he was killing you.

It was Lucien who found you there some hours later, folded into yourself on the floor of the study. Your tears had dried up by then, leaving a soulless gaze behind. He dropped next to you and grabbed your face, pulling you to look at him. “What happened?” He asked harshly, his eyes full of panic. “What did he do?” He said so quietly you weren’t sure you were supposed to hear him. “He’s forcing me to marry. He already has it settled. He isn’t giving me a choice.” Your voice was hoarse from hours of screaming. You knew Rhys wouldn’t let this happen, but you didn’t know how to tell Tamlin of the mate bond now. You didn’t know what to do without causing a potential war between courts. Tamlin would never listen to you, he would be convinced Rhys had take control of your mind. That it wasn’t true. There was no way his sister could be mated to him.

Lucien’s whole body radiated with anger coursing through him. “He. What.” He gritted out, hands falling to hold your arms. “He would not stoop so low. Why would he suddenly decide to do this?” He spoke, mostly thinking out loud. You simply pulled your hair off you neck to show Lucien the marks that remained. You heard the sharp inhale of breath before his hand lightly touched them, cursing. Yet when you looked at him you saw a faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes. You were struggling to find the humor of this situation as you glared at him. He laughed, saying “Now don’t look at me like that. I’m just glad you were able to enjoy yourself. He will come around. Forcing you into a marriage is below him. I’ll talk to him. I’ll do everything I can, okay?” He kissed your cheek and pulled you to your feet. “Come. You need some food and a strong drink. I won’t let him bother us.” Lucien lead you from the study, ready to help you fight for your own life back.

***

It was very late on that same night when your room suddenly filled with shadows. You shot up in your bed in panic, mouth opening to yell for Lucien. “No need, My Lady.” A soothing voice stopped you, a male stepping out of the shadows. “My name is Azriel, I was sent by Rhys. I am here to help you.” He told you, stepping closer. You studied him, trying to decide if he was a threat or not. “Why could he not come himself?” You asked, still on guard. The male, Azriel, gave a small smile. “Your brother has wards set, Rhysand can not come in and out as he wishes. He was only able to come last night since Tamlin was…distracted. Otherwise he would be alerted the second Rhys crossed into this court, much less into his home.” He explained. You suppose that made sense, and were not surprised that Tamlin had such wards set. “Does he know?” You spoke in a small voice, eyes filling with tears. Azriel came closer, sitting on the edge of your bed. “He does,” he spoke cautiously, “And it was all we could do to convince him not to show up here and kill your brother.” You bowed your head, the tears threatening to fall. You did not want to cry in front of this male you just met. He seemed to notice regardless, trying to comfort you. “He will not let this happen. He would tear this whole court apart before allowing you to be wed to someone else. He knows this situation is precarious, but if you say the word he will be here in an instant.” You looked back up at him, swallowing thickly. “I have to tell Tamlin. I have to try to make him understand.” You said, even though you never wanted to speak with your brother again. Azriel nodded, standing up. “I can’t say long. If you need anything, call for Rhys. He will send me back here in an instant to get you.” He bowed his head to you before the shadows swirled again and he was gone. You laid back in your bed, mind racing. You had to tell Tamlin in the morning. First thing.

You could only hope that anger wouldn’t turn him into that beast of his.

***

You were awake before anyone else, dressed and ready. You snuck out of your room the second the sun started filling the sky, running to Lucien’s. You didn’t even knock as you went in, startling his still sleeping form. “What is it?” He asked, voice thick with sleep. “I have to tell you something.” You answered, coming to sit next to him on his bed. “Something more important than anything we have discussed before.” That sparked his interest. He sat up quickly, all sleep gone from his eyes. “You have my full attention.” He said, face serious. You took a deep breath before starting, “Rhysand is my mate.” You paused for a second, letting the information wash over him. His eyes widened slightly, but he nodded for you to continue. “I found out on Calanmai. He had snuck in, and the bond snapped.” You did not miss the way his eyes flickered to the fading marks on your neck, laughter shining there. “I have to tell Tamlin. Today. I had planned to do it slowly, to prepare him better. To hopefully find him in a good mood. This marriage contract has ruined everything. I can not stay here, Lucien.” You grew quiet on the last sentence. You didn’t want to leave Lucien, your dearest friend. He reached over and grabbed your hands, as he had done so many times in the past. “Hey,” he said softly, “I understand. You’ll never truly be gone from me. I’ll visit as often as I can.” He gave you a sad smile, clearly not excited about losing you. You brought his hands up to your face, pressing soft kisses on them. “You’re my best friend, Lucien. I do not know what I would have done all these years without you.” When you looked up at him, both of your eyes were lined with tears. You both lunged to pull the other in for a hug at the same time, holding each other close. “I’ll be by your side the whole time. I won’t let him hurt you.” He whispered into your ear before you broke apart. You nodded, not trusting your voice to speak right now. He rose to get changed, telling you he would meet you at breakfast.

***

You could melt through the floor. Your heart was about to beat out of your chest, hands cold and shaking. Lucien set next to you at the table, trying to console you. You were barely processing his words, knowing Tamlin was going to walk in at any moment. All the bravery you felt earlier was gone.

You heard him clear his throat at the doorway, catching both yours and Lucien’s attention. You stood immediately, knocking over the dishes on the table in your haste. Tamlin raised an eyebrow at you, noticing something was wrong.

“Tamlin,” you started, voice much weaker than you wanted. “I-“ he raised a hand to cut you off. “No. I am sorry, Sister. I am sorry for how I have acted. It isn’t fair to force you into a marriage contract without your opinion.” He spoke, and you felt your heart perk up. Maybe he was coming around, maybe he would be able to understand- “That is why i’ve decided you can choose whichever of the candidates you like best. I will arrange meetings with as many as you wish.” Your jaw dropped at the self congratulatory tone of his voice. Tamlin seemed to be taken aback at your lack of a thank you, eyes testing you. “That’s not really a win, Tamlin.” You seethed, nails digging into the table. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I am trying here. I am trying to compromise.” He threw his hands up, going to sit in his chair. “Forcing me into marriage is not a compromise. Besides,” your heart was going faster than you ever felt it, “I will not be marrying anyone you have chosen for me. I will be choosing my own. I know who he is already.” You said, voice gaining strength. Tamlin looked up at you, eyebrows raised. “Is that so?” His voice was sickly sweet. “Who is the lucky male then? Is it our Lucien here? Is he the one who left those marks on your neck? I always thought I let the two of you get too close.”

You felt Lucien stand next to you, slamming his hand on the table. “Enough,” he said, voice dangerously calm. “It is time you listened to your sister, Tamlin. It is best to hear what she has to say.” Tamlin struggled to hide the anger and shock on his face at the two of you directly defying him. He waved his hand, saying “Fine. Continue then.” You took a deep breath, letting the truth fall from your lips; “I have met my mate. On Calanmai.” You said slowly, watching for any reaction from Tamlin. He sat straighter, eyes boring into you. “And who, pray tell, is your mate?” You didn’t miss the quiet rage in his voice. You stood as straight as possible, forcing your face into an expression of pure calm.

“Rhysand, High Lord of the Night Court.”

What happened next would be written in history books as one of the worst Spring Court fights of the last five hundred years.

Tamlin stood and roared, claws appearing immediately. “”Liar!” He yelled, digging deep marks into the table. “I won’t listen to this pure ridiculousness.” His words echoed around the room as you took a step back, hitting Lucien’s chest. Lucien pulled you behind him, sword drawn and pointing at Tamlin. “Now, Tam, let’s not act drastically-“ he began, cut off by another roar as Tamlin began changing into his full beast form. “Not act drastically?! My sister thinks her mate is that asshole!” He gave a barking laugh. You pushed back in front of Lucien, the anger at his insult to Rhys overshadowing your fear. “You have no right to insult him, Tamlin!” You shouted, clenching your hands into fists. “He’s twice the man you’ll ever be! He’s brave, he’s kind, and he would never treat me the way you do. You’re a monster, Tamlin!” You knew you shouldn’t provoke him, you knew you were in danger. You didn’t process the claws coming towards you until they ripped through the side of your face and neck. Lucien gave a yell, pushing you back behind him and swinging his sword at Tamlin. You barely heard him yelling for the guards, getting as many reinforcements to calm the High Lord as he could.

Your hand shakily rose to the blood pouring out of your face, stomach churning when you pulled your hand away and saw it painted red. You looked back up at the monster who used to be your brother, mind going blank with rage. You grabbed a knife off the table and ran up at him, stabbing him cleanly in one of those massive paws. Tamlin let out a roar of pain, the other paw coming to slash through your chest before kicking you across the room. You felt your body crack against the wall before thudding to the floor. You were gasping for air, realizing you couldn’t breathe. Your hand went to the slashes through your chest, understanding he had gone through to your lungs. You saw your vision darken around the edges, panic setting in as you realized you were dying. Your brother truly would be the one who killed you. You desperately shouted for Rhys in your mind, hoping he had heard you as you lost consciousness.

***

Rhysand burst into the manor with the rage of a thousand moons. He raced right to Tamlin, taking the beast down with a wave of dark power. “You,” he spat through his teeth, “You are killing her. In your own rage, you would murder your sister. You’re despicable.” The beast tried to fight against the dark magic surrounding him, no match for Rhysands power. The sentinels finally rushed in, enough to keep that beast to the ground. They started to point their weapons at Rhys, unsure of what was going on. Lucien stood in front of him, hands up. Blood was pouring from his hairline as he spoke, “Not him. Not him. Tamlin did this.” The sentinels looked at each other before training their weapons onto the beast trapped on the floor. Rhysand nodded at Lucien before turning to your broken shape on the floor. He ran to you, scooping you into his arms.

You weren’t breathing.

Rhysand let out a scream of pure anguish, shooting you up into the sky before winnowing straight to the Night Court. He dropped into the House of Wind, screaming for anyone to come. Azriel and Cassian came running, faltering at the broken body in his arms. “Healers. Call the healers.” Rhys gasped out, still feeling the ever fainter tug at the end of the bond. “Stay with me. Stay with me,” He whispered into your hair, holding your body close. “Do not leave me now. Please.”

***

Some time had gone by since that fateful morning. Tamlin was restrained by Lucien and the sentinels until he could control his anger enough to turn human. Lucien wanted to yell at him, curse him to the ends of the world for what he had done. Yet when he looked at the broken form of his once friend, he didn’t feel like being around this pathetic mess any longer. He informed Tamlin that he resigned as emissary, and he didn’t wish to see him anytime soon, if ever again.

The Spring Court fell to shambles for a time after that. Tamlin ended up coming back somehow, finding a way to fight to keep his people protected. It would never be as grand as it once was though. The view of the Spring Court High Lord was greatly diminished after the attack on his own sister.

Lucien came to find Rhysand in the Night Court, hoping he would find you alive as well. When he arrived, Rhys welcomed him in. “She’s not awake yet, but she is alive.” He informed Lucien, who couldn’t hide his emotion at those words.

It was nearly a month before you woke up. The healers were beginning to doubt that you ever would. When you opened your eyes you saw Lucien sleeping in a chair by you, head cocked at a horribly uncomfortable angle. You coughed, trying to speak. His eyes shot open as he looked at you. “You’re awake,” he spoke, voice gravelly. He stood quickly, running from the room. You only had to wonder for a second where he had gone before the shape of Rhys filled the door. You saw the emotion overtake him, violet eyes lined with silver. He nodded once at Lucien, who slipped out of the room silently.

Rhys walked over to you, sitting on the edge of your bed. “My darling,” he murmured, “how do you feel?” His eyes looked over you, concern lacing every feature. You moved to sit before a sharp pain went through your chest, causing you to cry out. Rhys had you in his arms in an instant, easing you back onto your pillows. “What,” you started, “what happened?” The look in his eyes told you everything you needed to know. “He almost killed you.” Rhys whispered, holding you close. “It was a miracle my healers were able to save you.” You felt your heart stutter at his words. You knew Tamlins anger wasn’t to be tested, but you never imagined he would go that low. Not to you.

Rhys sat and held you for the rest of the day, feeding you soup and giving you small sips of water. He told you that you had been out for a month, that Lucien had resigned from Tamlins court, how no one trusted Tamlin anymore. You nodded along, sinking into his arms as the day went on. You fell asleep that way, tucked safely next to the man you loved, next to your mate.

***

It was several more months before you were fully healed. You headed straight to the kitchen the second you were given the all clear. It was high time to accept the mating bond, and you were going to do it as well as you could. Growing up as a Lady in the Spring Court, cooking and baking were seen as essential skills. You were raised to be the perfect wife to a high fae male, so you may as well use the things you learned now that you had one.

You spent hours in the kitchen, working on your mouth watering meal. You placed the juicy steak, soft potato’s, green beans, and sweet sugar cookies on two plates before setting them at each end of the table. You poured two glasses of wine and lit several candles, nerves pricking at your skin. You were cleaning up the dishes when you felt Rhys come up behind you, his arms circling your waist. “Hello, darling.” He spoke, kissing your hair. You turned to him with a broad smile, placing a delicate kiss on his mouth. “I’ve made you dinner.” You say, a little shyly. You don’t know why you were so nervous about him accepting the bond. His eyes sparked and he let you lead him to the table, sitting in your respective seats. He cut into the buttery meat, a moan falling from his lips at the taste.

You couldn’t hide the shiver that went through your body at that. You began eating as well, unsure how long it took for the bond to be accepted. After Rhys took one bite of everything you had made, he politely wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood up. You felt your heart quicken as he pulled you to stand, eyes blazing. He stared at you for a few seconds, before suddenly pushing your plate farther onto the table and leading you to lay down on it. His hands gripped your hips and he leaned in to whisper, “I’d like to end my meal with you.” You arched back against his words, fingers pushing into the table. Rhys expertly pulled your underwear down, lips attaching to you. One hand settled on your stomach, holding you down. The other followed his mouth, slowly slipping inside you.

The combination of his mouth, fingers, and the newly accepted mate bond had you falling apart for him in seconds. He held you down from pulling away as your pleasure overcame you, pushing you through it. He didn’t stop when your thighs started shaking at the overstimulation of him. He didn’t stop until he had given you three back to back orgasms and you were screaming his name like it was the only word you knew.

He pulled his mouth and fingers from your shaking body, climbing on top of you. He kissed you gently, letting you taste yourself on his mouth. He slowly increased the pace, allowing the need to build back up in you. You moved a hand down to undo his pants, pulling his length out. You pushed him up, standing on shaky legs before him. Slowly, so slowly, you knelt down in front of him. You pressed kisses to his thighs, kisses to his stomach, kisses to his hips. Everywhere except where he needed you the most. “Fuck, love. Please stop teasing.” He groaned out, head falling back. You felt a smile on your face as you licked up his length, your tongue teasing the tip of him. His hips gave an involuntary thrust, causing you to tut at him. “Let’s remember our manners, shall we?” You spoke, sugar dripping from your words. He snapped his eyes back down to you as you took him in your mouth. He gave a load moan as you began licking and sucking him, his hands tangling in your hair.

After a few minutes of this he was pulling you up to his face, leaving a bruising kiss on your lips. “I can’t take it,” he murmured against your skin, “I need to be inside you.” You smirked at his words, an action he took quick notice to. He quickly flipped you around, placing your hands flat on the table. He bit into your shoulder, growling in your ear. He slowly entered you, your body swallowing inch after inch. Once he bottomed out you leaned back on him and gave a loud moan. His hand came around your front to circle you in time with his thrusts. You moaned louder and louder with each thrust he gave you, whispering dirty words in your ear. “That’s it, that’s it. My good girl. My delicious girl. You take me so well, don’t you?” Each sentence was accompanied by a nip of his teeth on your neck or ear. You ground down against him, meeting his thrusts. You were moments away from coming again. “Let go, my love. Let go with me.” He whispered, thrusting harder and speeding up his fingers. You grabbed down onto the table as you felt the pleasure build, throwing your head back with a scream as it washed over you. Rhys followed a second later, filling you up. You stood like that for a moment, in blissful pleasure. Rhys slowly pulled out, turning you to face him. He kissed you again, holding your face in his hands. “My mate.” he said, before scooping you up and taking you to the bedroom, where you would spend the next week and a half.

***

The ceremony was beautiful, intimate. You had Lucien standing proudly at your side as you became Rhysands wife. Rhysands mate. Rhysands High Lady. Rhysands everything. You ended the night with a party big enough for all of Velaris to celebrate, dancing in the streets of the city until the early hours of the morning. You felt all the love from the citizens of your new home, already feeling more at peace here than you ever did at the Spring Court. As Rhys twirled you beneath the stars, you shot your head back and let out joyous laughter. You were finally where you were meant to be. You realized, as you were tucked into Rhys’ chest a moment later, that you felt truly free. That the trapped, scared girl who lived with her brother was gone. You smiled up at your love, thanking the cauldron for what it had done for you. You knew you would have to see Tamlin again at some point, due to your new position. That fact did not scare you, though. Not anymore. Not when you knew that the next time you met, he would not address you as sister, but instead as High Lady of the Night Court.

***

Thank you again for all the love!! Please keep sending requests and comments to me, I truly appreciate every single one ❤️

[snowywolf1005]

ASL X MOTHER READER

Sabo finds out his mother death.

Two years ago, Sabo and Koala came back from their trip, and they're returning to Baltigo. When they went inside, they saw people running in the hallways.

Sabo doesn't know what's going on. "Oh, chief of staff! You came at the right time!"

"Come to the situation room now!"

"The Paramount War between the Navy and the whitebeard pirate has ended!" Everyone was reading about the outcome of the Summit War of Marineford.

"A kaiju was Paramount War?!" Everyone was shocked, "it says shin godzilla, use atomic breath, and blast the war before disappear!"

"The navy has a lot of casualties, too. Seems like it was a hard battle as expected."

"What about ivan-san?! Is she alright?!"

"It doesn't say she died or anything"

"The one who died in the war is..."

"(L/N)... (Y/N)..."

Sabo heart dropped when he heard that name.

"What?! (Y/N) the devil child?! Nobody heard from her!"

"Yeah, it said... she died from protecting fire fist ace and Straw Hat luffy."

"But more importantly, Dragon-san, look..."

"Is it true?! Is straw hat luffy your son?!"

"Hm? Yes, he is." Said dragon, everyone was shocked. Sabo picked up the newspaper and saw her face, her smiling face. Sabo eyes went wide, and he began to remember.

"I'm gonna become a pirate... and defeat others and become infamous! It'll be the only proof of my life! It doesn't matter if all people in the world reject me or despise me!"

Sabo started to remember ace voice.

"A boy would be the son of royal. But you, sabo. Shall be mine."

He remembers his mother voice. He's remembers how she sang him lullaby. Sabo slams the desk as he begins to tear up. "Sabo-kun, what's wrong?! You're acting strange!" Koala asks.

"I can't believe that Ace was Gold' Roger's son... and (Y/N) was his step mom..."

"It says that luffy was also (Y/N) stepmother..."

"Did you guys know?! They say Akainu punched a hole right through her body! (Y/N) was the government want a hands-on."

Sabo cries and cries when he remembers another memory.

"We can become brothers if we exchange this cup of sake!" Said ace.

"Brothers?! Really?!" Luffy asks.

"When we become pirates, we might not be on the same ship, but our brotherhood will always be with us! So, from now on, we're brothers!"

"Yeah!"

"Are you alright, sabo?!" Hack asks, sabo still tearing up, then he let out a scream, yelling.

"MAMA!!!!!"

"Sabo-kun!"

"Sabo!"

'Now I know... the one who died wasn't some unknown person... she wasn't just a threat in the pirate era that needed to be eliminated! Or be the world government slave!' Sabo thought, remembering all the memories of his mother.

"Sabo, welcome home!"

"(Y/N) is my... mother!"

A few years passed, and sabo went his mother grave, with much flowers and notes on them.

"I finally... managed to get here... mom." sabo put the flower down, then he took out some newspaper. " Look at this. Luffy started to make his way to become the king of the pirate again. And ace join in, too."

"It's so ironic. Since you've been gone, the old memories keep recurring to me vividly. I now belong to the Revolutionary Army."

"My colleague, ivankov, told me what happened in marineford in detail. And... how... you sacrifice yourself."

"I guess you, luffy, and Ace are mad at me." Sabo started to cry, "I couldn't go save you... I'm sorry! I wish... I wish I could've seen you again while you were alive! I'm gonna inherit your will!" He said.

"Luffy and ace is our family!" Sabo, stand up and walk out.

Now, sabo knows about his mother past and her home. His goal is to find her home before the government finds it.

[eroguron0nsense]

Perhaps my brain isn't braining or I'm assigning undue significance to this but I kinda feel like One Piece seemed to shift more toward exploring what real familial love means or looks like after the timeskip? We get Ace's death, the postwar arc, and Luffy coming to the conclusion that despite having lost both of his brothers, he's still got the Straw Hats and he can move forward with his ragtag crew of siblings, Team Mom and Dad, and an eccentric skeleton Uncle, and then right after that, we get several arcs defined overwhelmingly by either the destruction or salvation of various families.

One of the main inciting incidents–if not the inciting incident–of all the political intrigue inherent to the Fishman Island arc is the assassination of Otohime and its ramifications for Shirahoshi and the entire Ryugu Kingdom (not to mention Luffy trying really fucking hard to imitate Ace and be a big brother to Shirahoshi and Surume as a means of processing his own loss).

Dressrossa's where we first see a true perversion of all the lovely found family tropes that have long been established in One Piece (villains have destroyed families but few if any are depicted as having one in the same way Luffy does; pre-time skip villains are more likely to be loners or self-interested tyrants and their followers aren't really referred to as "family"), giving us self fashioned patriarch in Doffy who completed the destruction of his bio family and spent the rest of his life building a grotesque, failed imitation of it through manipulating and indoctrinating a group of followers he doesn't truly care for, only to be brought down by a combination of his brother's final actions, the little boy Cora saved and loved, the bonds of the Riku family he brutalized, the brothers of the guy whose devil fruit he acquired and tried to entrap his enemies with, and an actual Found Family Crew who genuinely love each other and are willing to sacrifice for each other in a way Doffy cannot possibly understand.

The entirety of WCI involves almost every conceivable permutation of multiple families plotting against, exploiting, abusing, and defiantly loving each other, from Judge discarding any hope he ever had of having an actual family that could love him by literally stripping away their ability to do so in the name of facism/conquest, to Chiffon betraying her abusive mom for her loving husband and in-laws, to Linlin being failed by every parental figure in her life and constructing the most bizarre, fundamentally horrifying political/military structure out of her army of bio children.

Wano's main villain is also an abusive father and tyrannical crew leader, and that does, in fact, contribute to his eventual downfall, but more to the point, the arc opens and closes with the initial destruction and eventual restoration of the Kozuki family in Momo, Hiyori, and Sukiyaki, Luffy's kinship with Momo and Tama, circling back to reminders of Ace yet again (for the third arc so far) and Hiyori literally closing out the arc mirroring her father's catchphrase/dying words (and to a lesser extent, plot fuelled by the destruction of the Kurozumi clan). By the time we end what I personally consider to be Part 2 of One Piece, Luffy's family has picked up another uncle, he's been confronted repeatedly with the spectre of his brother and come out stronger for it (also filling the big brother role for multiple characters), he's reunited with Sabo, and has confronted and defeated multiple villains who act as the antithesis to everything One Piece has told us so far about the joy and love and unity that the Straw Hats and their friends and true families exemplify. And by the time he tells everyone his real dream and shares what he'd previously only told Ace, Sabo, and Shanks, it feels like we've finally gotten some closure for Marineford

[aziraphales-library]

Hi,

Could I ask for some roommate fics? A little pining is great but I'm not a huge fan of too much angst.

There is one roommate fic I remember that I'd love to find again, it was set during lockdown, and azirphale was a virgin but was talking to Agnes on zoom with plans to date. Crowley offers to teach him about sex, and it gets physical, even though they're straight buddies ..of course. 😏

Thankyou

We have a #roommates tag. Here's the one you're looking for and a few more to add...

Not a Mounted Dildo but a Fuck Machine by NaroMoreau, summerofspock (E)

Aziraphale and Crowley have lived together for three years when lockdown goes into effect. When Aziraphale meets a nice girl on Tinder who he thinks is his perfect match, he's delighted. There's just one hurdle: that pesky virginity thing. Lucky for him, Crowley has always been there for him. He's helped Aziraphale with every other problem through the years, why not this one?

Tinder Dates Gone Wrong by OceanLace (E)

Aziraphale decides to take a risk and brings a man home but doesn't realize that his roommate and best friend had the same idea. Things don't turn out the way either of them were expecting but end up exactly how they wanted.

Principles of Proximity by Cannebady (E)

Crowley's plan is to get through grad school in one piece and then live his bachelor dream life. With a less-than-wholesome upbringing and no real human ties to speak of, he's made a life for himself. It's just fine, actually. And he's fine too, while you're at it. Enter new roommate, Aziraphale, who just might teach him the benefits of putting down roots.

…And They Were Roommates by Mimsynims (E)

“You know… I just remembered that Richard and I were going away for a few days next month.” Something devious came over him. “Richard paid for it, but the booking is in my name.” Crowley quickly caught on to what he was getting at. “Ooh, I see. That’s convenient.” He grinned. “For us." When Aziraphale's boyfriend Richard (Dick) breaks up with him, he and his roommate Crowley hijacks an intended couples' vacation and uses it for themselves. Lines that had started to blur even before their trip gets even more blurry - which perhaps isn't the best thing when both are hiding a crush on the other (and communication isn't their strong suit).

make it with you by NaroMoreau (E)

PAID RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY: A romantic couples study!! ------ Aziraphale and Crowley are broke roommates who are struggling to keep up with rent and a harsh landlord. After Crowley loses his job and Aziraphale's bookshop hasn't managed to make enough profit, they'll resort to anything to save what they love, and when they come across with the idea of a paid study for couples... Because some ideas are good until they aren't.

You Can Stay At My Place (And We Can Fall in Love) by IneffableToreshi (E)

Anthony Crowley is an art student with a heart of gold and a broad assumption about himself and his own (apparent lack-of) sexuality. When he meets literary student Aziraphale, he thinks he's found a great friend and possibly the perfect roommate. But when an exceptionally idiotic idea turns into Aziraphale reluctantly agreeing to pretend to be Crowley's boyfriend, Crowley rapidly realizes that he may not have been nearly so asexual as he originally thought...

10,000 Hours by AnnaTheHank (E)

Rich playboy Anthony Crowley has finally broken the last straw. He's been disowned by his grandmother, and turned away by his family. With no money and no where to go, he heads to the old family cabin to lay low until it all blows over. Romance writer A.Z. Fell has been given use of her publisher's cabin to get away from the city and work on her newest book-her first erotica. Neither expected the other to be there, but there they both were. And AZ finds that Crowley's vast knowledge of sex may just make up for her own lacking knowledge when it comes to writing her book.

- Mod D

[mysteria157]

Chapter 1

Word Count: ~ 2.3k

CW: Mentions of pregnancy, profanity

Summary: Your life comes to a startling halt when you realize the abrasive and dismissive man you shared a passionate but drunken night with is now the father of your child.

Notes: Hello! First chapter for you all. Let me know in the comments, chat or messages on what you think. A like or reblog is great too if that’s what you want. <3 I hope you enjoy reading!

Divider: @cafekitsune

Ao3 | Next Chapter

It Had To Be You Masterlist

How?

You had taken every precaution and painstakingly logged your cycle every single day. An IUD, sex during a low fertile week, and a condom to seal the deal.

And yet.

After five tests with the same result, you held onto the denial for as long as you could. The phone call from the gynecologist to confirm that yes you are pregnant, was enough to seal the earth shattering deal.

Pregnant.

This had to be a mistake. Even with your occasional trysts and short lived relationships, you didn’t have one slip up or scare. But a drunken night five weeks ago so blurry that you could barely remember seemed to have been the final straw in your streak of good luck.

The steering wheel suddenly felt incredibly hot as you gripped the leather tighter. You pressed your forehead to wheel, squeezing your eyes tight and forcing a slow breath from your lungs. The morning sun beaming into the car window was too bright, the air conditioning blowing through the vents too cold against your skin, your thoughts too incessant, too anxious, too loud.

 It wasn’t that you were against having children. At twenty-nine years old, you were coasting steady in life. Magna Cum Laude in marketing from one of the best universities in Sendai, an internship that blossomed into a full-time job, and after years of overtime and grasping every opportunity you could, you’re now a Marketing Specialist of one of the best firms in the city. You had a sizeable income from years of working hard and saving, a small but cozy house that you fixed yourself, and the freedom to actually do the things you wanted.

But this was a big step. A step that you wanted to follow a certain way if you could help it. A serious relationship, marriage, and maybe a kid or two.

Now? When you were this close to a promotion, when your mother was finally showing a modicum of pride in you, and you had your vacation planned?

It was too much, everything was too much, too intense, too fucking loud.

The sharp vibration of your cellphone the cup holder jolted you from your thoughts and back into cold, hard reality. Work. You can deal with this later.

Omelia: I got the latte you wanted and its sitting neglected on your desk. Where are you.

You're being dramatic.

Omelia: I wont be dramatic when I say no the next time you ask me for coffee.

I just parked. I’ll be right up. Keep calm until I get there.

Omelia: 🙄 

You shook out another breath, pushing away from the steering wheel and smoothing a hand down your white button up blouse.

“You can do this. It’s going to be just fine.”

By the time the elevator dinged on the thirtieth floor of the skyrise building in the middle of downtown Sendai, your nerves weren’t as frayed. The anxiety still buzzed against your skin as you walked past various cubicles, smiling kindly to your coworkers before hitting the stretch of office doors that led to your own. There were days when you wished you were in a cubicle again. It was easier to meet others and socialize, forming a small family of the same people year after year. But the more you volunteered to stay after hours to assist for projects and the more your boss recommended you for opportunities you had only dreamed of, the less you saw your coworkers. But you tried to stay engage as much as you could, eating lunch with them, going out for dinner and drinks.

But you guess that would have to change soon.

“I used my rage to reheat it for you.”

Omelia’s low and raspy voice was a welcome distraction to the current thoughts in your head as you closed the office door behind you. Perched in an office chair across from your desk, the usual silver-eyed glower from your best friend stared holes into your skin. Even petite in nature, she was the most intimidating but also the most beautiful person you had ever met. You couldn’t be envious of her. Since meeting her in second grade, she was often chased by boys. When they pulled her thick kinky hair as a means of flirting, she responded with a punch to the gut that always ended her in the office and her mother’s usual response was to take her out for ice cream instead because she shouldn’t be punished for stopping boys using violence as a means to show affection. But as you both got older, her violence morphed into carefully calculated sarcasm capable of cutting anyone down before they could do the same to her. But you were never afraid of her mean words, because when you’re the only two black females in your second grade class, you naturally gravitated to each other. And being able to gauge her emotions behind her words always helped you understand her more.

You reached for the cup and hesitated, the anxious thoughts of the effects of caffeine and fetal development flashing through your mind before you ultimately gave up.

Her eyes narrowed, silver orbs laser focused and analyzing body language as you sipped the latte, the usual caramel flavor hitting your tongue.

“Ah yes, I can still feel the rage. Thank you.”

“It’s rare when you’re late and you usually text me if you’re gonna be.”

You shrug, setting your Michael Khors purse on your desk before sagging into the ergonomic chair.

“Forgive me for my transgressions.” She rolled her eyes at your attempt of a joke, crossing elegant skirt clad legs before sighing slowly. “I know you hate mornings Ome, but this level of disappointment is rarely directed at me. What’s wrong?”

She didn’t speak for a moment, opening her mouth and closing repeatedly, full lipgloss covered lips puckering to form words before she shook out another disappointed sigh.

“I’m sorry. Just boyfriend troubles and I’m taking it out on everyone I see. I’m so close to just dumping the fucker.”

“Then do it?”

It was no lie that Ome had more than had it with her three year on again-off again relationship. Years of short lived jobs, lack of interest in her or her family, and the latest cheating stint, she was ready to call it quits. But why she hasn’t, you’ll never know.

Maybe she doesn’t want to be alone. Having stone walls around you for most of your life will do that you imagine.

You hesitated again before taking another sip.

How much caffeine is too much? 50 mg? 200?? Your stomach lurched painfully, the sharp pang of nausea making your mouth water. You’ve been drinking three cups of coffee every day for the past five weeks.

Oh God.

“Y/n.” Ome’s voice rang in you ear, cutting through the loud echo of thoughts. Her gaze was less harsh this time, concern softening her ethereal features. “You good?”

You smiled at her, pushing the coffee away.

“I’m good.”

***

It turns out that you in fact were not good. Because every little thing seemed to send your mind into a frenzy. You spaced out at every meeting as you thought about just all you needed to prepare for.

College fund. Daycare. Medical care. Baby clothes. Furniture (baby furniture?). Telling your fucking mother.

You couldn’t eat your salad because you were curled over your phone instead, googling every ingredient to make sure nothing was toxic.

You couldn’t look your coworkers in the eye because you could feel the waves of irrationality in your mind as you imagined their disgusted filled stares as they looked at your stomach.

No matter where you went or what you did, everything seemed to set your mind off.

How much do babies even cost?

The thought made you groan softly, your stomach taking what felt like the millionth backflip of the day.

“Are you alright?”

You blinked, face heating instantly in embarrassment as you looked up at your boss. Jin Itadori’s glasses sat perched on his nose as he looked at you curiously, dark brown eyes soft but filled with concern.

“I-I’m. Yes, I’m alright. Sorry it’s been a weird day. I meant no disrespect, Itadori-san.”

He chuckled in reply, hands folding on his desk as he smiled softly at you. Jin was probably the nicest boss ever. He was always soft smiles, an even softer voice, and a demeanor that made others relax instead of stiffening in his presence. But despite his demeanor, he had revamped the entire marketing department fresh out of college, brought in triple the revenue the company had ever seen, and usurped the previous boss’ position in less than three years to become Director of Marketing Operations for the Sendai branch. He was serious about his work and refused to let anyone walk over him or his colleagues. And he was one of the few people who didn’t judge you by how you looked and instead admired your work ethic, your personality, and your goals.

So to zone out in the middle of a one on one with him was completely out of character.

“You’re not disrespecting me. You’re always so formal, please relax. I can tell you have a lot on your mind. Do you need to take a few days off?”

You shook your head. “No sir. Or at least I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know.”

He pursed his lips before looking down at his planner. “Well, what I was saying is that our latest project will be our heaviest yet. It’s going to take a lot of work, a lot of attention to detail and therefore collaboration with others outside of our company. The branch in Tokyo that held the annual summit a few weeks ago has reached out and would like to be included.”

Ice cold water felt like it had been doused down your back, your nerves jolting in shock. Of all the branches, why Tokyo? Niigata’s branch was good. Albeit, not as big and popular and well known as Tokyo, but still good.

“We’ve projected about a year from start to finish. I wanted to visit Tokyo next week to begin initial talks, create a plan, statements of work, you know the whole spiel. I want you there.”

The anxiety washed away for just a second, your heart pumping at yet another opportunity to get your foot in the door.

“Of course. I would be honored to be apart of this sir.”

“Yaga was especially impressed with your work ethic last month and insists on your presence.” He smiled again at you, his kindness radiating off his skin and made your shoulders relax slightly. “You’re a great person on this team and I wouldn’t have anyone else. I’ll have details to you by end of day.”

***                                              

Your happiness had slowly melted away by the time you made if back to your office and sagged into your chair.

It was a great opportunity. The assistant to the leader of a large multiple branch project? The best thing to come into your lap in a while.

You’ve worked so hard for this. Another step closer.

But the fear of your future, the anxiety of something you had no contingency plan for, the frustration and sadness of having to do this alone was just too palpable to ignore.

Meetings that you would have to reschedule because of OB appointments. Money that you would have to rearrange to plan for a life you didn’t intend to nourish this soon. Disappointment that you would have to swallow from Jin when you told him that you would have to take maternity leave and someone else would have to fill your place.

It was too much. You’re not ready. You’re not fucking ready.

The door to your office opened before you could have another thought.

“Oh my god, if he texts me again I’m going to fucking scream y/n—” Ome paused, her hand on the doorknob as she looked at you softly. “Why are you crying?”

You reached for your face quickly, fingers touching the wetness on your cheeks before you pulled them away to look at the tears on your fingertips. Ome closed the door softly and walked to you, her hand resting on the side of your neck.

“Tell me.”

You should have said something as soon as you walked in the office this morning. You could never go long without telling her your thoughts. But from the moment you hung up the phone with the gynecologist in your car until right now, you’ve been on auto pilot. So much turbulence, but on auto-pilot all the same.

Your vision blurred as you looked up at her, her face distorted through your tears.

“I’m pregnant.”

Finally saying it out loud seemed to be the final nail in the coffin as you hiccupped harshly and broke down in front of her. She knelt down immediately, pulling you into her embrace and pressing your face into her blouse as you sobbed loudly into the soft fabric.

Accidents happen and you can never truly be prepared for a pregnancy. You wouldn’t get rid of it. While you weren’t against that choice, the thought of doing so only made you feel worse. But you thought you would at least be with someone when the surprise came.

But that one drunken night five weeks ago changed everything. His glares during a night out with coworkers were dulled by the many shots of sake you took and started the course of a path you didn’t even want to imagine him being the catalyst of.

Because the first day you met him, he was quick to judge and cut you down with words that made you swear you would never foster a stupid work crush again.

Of all the men it could have been.

It had to be Nanami fucking Kento.

[youremyonepiece]

salty afflictions

sanji x gn!reader (no pronouns used), reader's pov

your powers come with unique dietary restrictions, but sanji's not one to back down from a challenge (especially not if it's you).

warnings: none, light fluff (please lmk if there are any i should add!)

word count: 1.9k

"okay," sanji says, tone verging on exasperation, "let me get this straight." he peers at you through his furrowed curly eyebrows, but there is no malice in his stare-- only disbelief. "you can't eat salt?"

you laugh uncomfortably at the question. the rest of the straw hats have their eyes fixed on you as well, waiting earnestly for your answer. most of their plates lie forgotten in front of them; only luffy is moving, shoveling food into his mouth with both hands, but he too is staring directly at you. sanji is standing in front of you, a matching plate balancing on one of his hands. your own grip tightens around your carrot as you shift and shrink under the weight of everyone's combined gazes before taking a small chomp to hopefully diffuse some of the tension.

it doesn't work.

it makes things worse.

the carrot feels like dry mulch as you chew and swallow it loudly. everyone else simply continues to stare, the moment dragging on as they wait for you to respond.

you let out another uncomfortable laugh once your mouth is empty before clearing your throat. "um, yeah," you finally manage to say. you resist the urge to slam your head into the dinner table at your eloquence and continue, "the salt content in my body would get too high. i'd be no different than a puddle of sea water. which would, um-- which would be bad."

you can't stop another laugh from defensively bubbling through your lips. sanji notices and moves away to put your plate in front of luffy (with him around, no food would ever go to waste). "well," he says, pointedly nonchalant as he takes his seat and leans back to take a drag from his cigarette. "i love a good challenge, and you certainly are a lovely one." a smirk forms around his cigarette and just like that, the tension in the room shatters. you throw a grateful look in his direction as the crew's attention turns away from you and back to their dinners.

"typical sanji," usopp says with a playful roll of his eyes before shoving a spoonful of food into his mouth. "still, that must suck."

"yeah," you say in response. "i mean, i'm used to it, but i definitely miss some foods. it saved my life, though," you say with a shrug, "so it is what it is." you take another bite of your carrot, larger than the last in hopes of deterring anyone from asking you any more questions.

you feel someone's eyes on you again and turn your head to see sanji staring at you. there's still a smile on his face and in his eyes-- you can't help but hold your breath as you meet his gaze. he's looking at you as though he’s just discovered a new type of fish, you think to yourself. like he can't wait to experiment and discover the best ways to filet, bake, fry you up.

unlike with the others, being under sanji’s gaze doesn’t make you squirm in your seat. instead, you find yourself feeling comfortably warm-- you’re always comfortable with sanji. he’s been nothing but considerate and thoughtful from the start, and you knew he would never do anything to hurt you.

well, he would never do anything to hurt any woman, not just you.

you ignore the turning of your stomach-- get real, he would never feel the same way about you-- and instead avert your eyes to take great interest in your carrot. wow, it sure is orange--

"you'll have to allow me to borrow some of your time later, sweetheart," sanji says, interrupting your riveting thoughts. "we'll figure out what i can cook for you. can't have you going hungry, now can we?" he winks at you and you feel the heat creep up your neck and into your cheeks.

“um-- sure,” you say, and you're sure your face is bright red. gosh, did you have to be so awkward?

to your relief, though, franky starts talking excitedly about his ideas for new upgrades on the sunny, and with that the flow of the conversation is thankfully diverted away from you and the side effects of your hydro-hydro logia devil fruit. you finish your carrot as quickly as you can before quietly excusing yourself from the group and scurrying out onto the deck.

and though you don’t dare look up to confirm it, you swear you feel sanji’s eyes on you the entire time until you’ve left the room. but no-- there’s no way. you’re imagining it, letting your fantasies get the better of you. he wouldn’t have watched you leave, not when nami and robin were still in the room with him.

(if you had looked up, though, you would have found you were right.)

you’re sitting on a bench by nami’s tangerine trees the next morning after breakfast, absentmindedly flipping through a novel you borrowed from robin. it’s an unusually calm, placid day, the weather perfect and the soft breeze refreshing. the kind of day you want to spend outside and doing nothing. it’s easy to zone out the various noises from your crewmates: luffy’s joyful yelling followed closely by chopper’s worried shouts, zoro’s rumbling snores, nami’s playful teasing at usopp’s desperate rambling, sanji’s... footsteps?

you look up from the book to find the blond man walking calmly towards you with his blazer slung over his shoulder, an easy smile gracing his lips. it grows as your eyes meet, but he doesn’t speak until he comes to a stop a few feet away from you. “hello, gorgeous. got a minute? i wanted to get your thoughts on a few dishes i whipped up earlier for you.”

be cool, you tell yourself. be calm, casual-- “yeah, of course! i’d love to!” great job.

but you can’t feel upset for too long, not when sanji’s face lights up at your response. not when he’s holding a hand out for you to take. your cheeks grow warm (surprise, surprise) as you pause, taking in the sight of the kind man in front of you and his breathtaking smile, before reaching out to take his hand.

you’re hyper-aware of his fingers against yours as he gently guides you to the kitchen and can’t help the wave of disappointment that washes over you when he pulls away to drape his jacket over a bar chair and roll up his shirt sleeves. he motions you over to the table before turning away to grab a couple plates from the kitchen counter.

“so,” he begins as he places various dishes in front of you, “i normally use salt in just about every dish i make. it’s a flavor enhancer-- without it, most foods would taste flat and bland.” he places the last dish in front of you before straightening and flashing one of his brilliant smiles at you. (if you were in a cartoon, your heart would have just doki-doki-ed out of your chest.) “but there’s other ways to bring flavor into food, and there’s beauty in simple foods, too.”

you take in the various foods in front of you; each plate contains no more than maybe five spoonfuls of food, but there are so many. salads and soups and stews and snacks-- so many foods you hadn’t eaten since getting your powers. sanji pushes one of the plates closer to you-- a colorful pile of leafy greens and veggies, topped with what looks like olive oil and a freshly squeezed lemon wedge-- and takes the seat across from you. “salads, of course, are an easy answer. the best salads use fresh vegetables and high quality oil, and as long as you balance the flavors well, you won’t even miss the saltier ingredients like cheese.”

intrigued, you bring a forkful to your mouth, and-- wow. you never had been a huge fan of salads, especially since they now consisted of the majority of your meals, but this is easily the best salad you’ve ever had. you clean the plate within a couple seconds, much to sanji’s apparent delight.

and so he continues, explaining his reasoning behind each dish and watching intently as you practically inhale the food. “sanji,” you say in between dishes after what must have been over half an hour of food tasting, “this is amazing. i don’t think i’ve had food that tastes this good ever-- not even before i ate my devil fruit. i can’t believe you did all this for me.”

it’s his turn to blush at your words, and for some reason his bashfulness makes you feel embarrassed as well. you shut your mouth and look back down at the plate in front of you: cauliflower chunks he had coated in a spiced batter before frying and coating in a sauce made from nami’s tangerines. it’s true, though-- every single dish you had tasted had been phenomenal, so clearly made with kindness. you had resigned yourself to eating raw veggies for the rest of your life, and the fact that sanji had come up with a whole slew of meals that you could eat despite your power-induced diet, that too within a day of learning about it... no one had ever done something so thoughtful for you before.

your thoughts are interrupted by an unexpectedly acrid scent-- is something... burning? you look up from the plate, frowning, and almost immediately spot the smoking pan on the stove. “sanji! the pan!”

sanji, who had been staring at you with a dazed look in his eyes, seems to come to his senses with a few blinks. he glances backwards towards the stove and does a double-take in shock before leaping to his feet and rushing over to the burning pan. “merde! so sorry, love-- i must have forgotten to turn it off-- i was so excited to see your reaction--” he hisses suddenly, pulling his hand back with a jerk.

“sanji! did you burn yourself?” you’re on your feet, too, reaching his side within a blink of an eye. you take his hand in yours without hesitation, eyebrows furrowed with worry.

“darling, you should stay back, the fire--”

within seconds, you’ve doused the stove in water using your free hand. you then turn your eyes back to sanji’s burn, frowning in concentration as you coat the reddening skin with your cold water. “it doesn’t look too bad,” you murmur, eyes locked on his wound, “but you should still have chopper check it out.”

“will do,” he responds softly, and you freeze-- his voice is so close. you were so close.

you look up, throat dry as you meet his eyes. you feel your cheeks heat up yet again, but you can’t bring yourself to step away-- you can’t bring yourself to move. “you should--” you stop to clear your throat-- “you should be more careful.”

“i always am, but something about you makes me forget where i am.” he must see the question in your eyes, because he quickly adds, “in a good way, of course.”

“yeah, um-- same,” you say intelligently.

he laughs at your response, eyes full of affection as they remain on you. “c’mon,” he says, softly tapping your cheek with his uninjured hand before stepping slightly away from you, “we still have a few dishes to go.”

gosh, you think, stunned in place as you watch him move back towards the table. this man is truly going to be the death of you.

[sjax001]

My (not-so-pleasant)version of the Lion and Guilliman's reunion

This idea emerged during a conversation with a friend, and because of my reluctance to laboriously craft it into a fanfic, I presented it in this form:

Guilliman heard numerous rumors about the Lion's return, but he struggled to believe it. Even before he entered the stasis field, he had already believed that the Lion was dead. Yet, he wanted the rumors to be true because of his overwhelming desperation for a brother's companionship.

So, he once again captured a Tzeentch daemon and interrogated it，seeking truth about the Lion's return.

The Tzeentch daemon affirmed that the Lion had indeed returned, untainted by Chaos. However, before Guilliman could find solace in this revelation, the daemon continued.

"He holds two distinct opinions of you, and you can guess which one is true.

The first: He is immensely relieved to learn that you are still alive and believes he is no longer alone.

The second: He thought he should have dealt with you and asked why could it not have been you who fell."

The daemon pulled a sly maneuver, withholding context about the Lion's words. It also conveniently changed the Lion's true meanings, "why could it not have been you who fell instead of Sanguinius," which Guilliman might have concurred with, and it also omitted that the Lion had also wished he had died in Sanguinius' place.

Guilliman was quick to conclude that only the second statement held truth. Given his understanding of the Lion, he reasoned that the Lion had never held him in high regard and was very likely upset with him.The Lion may believe he should be held accountable for the current state of the Imperium.So it's logical that the Lion wanted him dead.

In theory, Guilliman should have accepted this reality calmly, but he found himself unable to do so.

Imagine you awaken in a nightmarish world, utterly alone, burdened with the responsibility of saving everyone, yet no one could save you in return. Your father appears mad and treats you like a tool, and you lack a confidant to confide in. Amidst the ceaseless toil and isolation, a glimmer of hope emerges when you hear that one of your brothers has returned.You two weren't close before, but you've been alone for too long. You're so exhausted and you want to talk to someone. Despite past misunderstandings and disputes, he could be the sole person who comprehends your solitude and shares your burden.

But this brother, the only person in the world you can rely on and trust,thinks you're better off dead.

Thus Guilliman crumbled.He had a will as unyielding as steel and rock, but he had already pushed himself to the brink. And this was the straw that broke the camel's back.He could have continued to endure all the loneliness and despair, had the Lion not denied the value of all his effort and his life with a single sentence.

Meanwhile, the Lion was making preparations for his impending reunion with Guilliman. During his time with his sons, he felt that he should understand Guilliman's perspective beforehand. He turned to Azrael, inquiring if Guilliman had ever spoken about him. He was told by Azrael that when Indomitus Crusade fleet delivered primaris reinforcements to the Rock,Guilliman admitted to Azrael that he had always admired the Lion. Despite not sharing a particularly close bond, the Lion had always been the one Guilliman looked up to among all their brothers. This left the Lion both moved and reassured.

Therefore, when the Lion and Guilliman finally met again, the Lion tried to express his brotherly feelings of reunion, but Guilliman reacted with extreme indifference and restraint. The Lion was puzzled and annoyed by this and suspected that Guilliman thought he was trying to usurp power. The misunderstanding between them deepened.

Eventually, the Lion could bear it no longer. He used his forestwalk ability to reach the Honor of Macragge and wanted to have a sincere conversation with his brother. However, when Guilliman spotted him, he misconstrued the lion's intentions, believing that the lion had come to assassinate him. He instinctively raised the flaming sword in "self-defense." When the lion attempted to clarify that he had no such intentions, Guilliman questioned him, "Aren't you the one who wished I were dead?" The lion was speechless, as he had indeed uttered those words. A confrontation between the two ensued, but Guilliman eventually abandoned the fight midway due to overwhelming heartbreak.

This is the very first time when Lion witnessed Guilliman shedding tears. Even after the siege of Terra, when all were in mourning, Guilliman had immediately embarked on the task of reorganization and reconstruction.At that time,he was so driven that he seemed almost insensitive and indifferent.So all his brothers, including the lion, thought he's cold or strong enough to never be swayed by emotion.

Now,Lion realized that Guilliman even remained oblivious to his own tears,still convinced that he sounded resolute and intimidating to Lion.Suddenly, the Lion comprehended the relentless battle Guilliman had waged against despair,but he couldn't hold on any longer.And it's because of Lion.

I haven't figured out how this is supposed to end.My hope is for them to reconcile sincerely. However, I'm uncertain about how the Lion could offer solace to Guilliman and gain his trust again.Even he had changed a lot,I still think he is not good at comforting...and Roboute was devastated.

Any ideas ?

[weirdsht]

Another yapping session lol, I haven't done this in a while. Omfg tho, I didn't mean for this thing to be as long as I made it. I'm sorry shfgsidfhsfjgsdlg

By clicking read more you will be subjected to novel spoilers and my messy long rant about LoTCF. This is your warning.

I've thought about this for a long time but LoTCF is a fix-it novel. Not sure if someone thought about the same thing or if they have talked about it yet. But I've felt this way ever since I read about Kim Rok Soo's life.

After realising what he went through and just how hard his life is made me realise why he does the things he does. Why he has such a mindset. Why he values the little things other people would not even think about.

It made even more sense after hearing how he was collateral damage from the White Star's curse. How he can't hold the things he deemed dear close to him as he will always be bound to lose it. To lose them.

Lastly, it made me realise why the novel seems all sunshine and rainbows in the long run. Sure, there are angsty moments. Some moments and arcs made me bawl for weeks on end. Made me feel as though my heart was being ripped out of my chest (Looking at you earth lore). However, at the end of it all everyone on Cale's side is okay. It's like watching one of those old-school shonen animes where you know everyone will save the day with the power of friendship.

And I know I'm not the only one who noticed that. I saw a lot of discourse about how the series would be more interesting if someone actually died. If a lot was on the line. Something like ORV.

And omg does it piss me off so much.

Because once again LoTCF is a fix-it novel.

It's a novel about starting again. About Cale finally being able to hold and protect the things dear to him.

That's why it wouldn't make sense for him to lose more.

Plus, I genuinely think that if he loses one more thing important to him (non-material ofc) that would be his last straw. He has already been through so much. And it was because of something he didn't even have a clue about. Something he essentially had no business with if White Star just wasn't a greedy mfer.

I think some people also forget or doesn't realise the fact that this is also Cale's last chance. Like Ron and Choi Han who has lost their families several times and deemed their new group as their last chance. Their last family.

It's the same for Cale.

He already lost his biological parents. He already lost his brothers.

He can't lose his new family too.

That's why no one can die.

Despite that, as a reader, I am scared though. Scared at the lengths he's willing to go to protect his family.

Because this man has no self-preservation skills despite him always saying he has no plans of getting hurt or dying. I mean, I can't blame him for not knowing his worth. His life has been shit. He always had to go above and beyond to try and grasp the things he wanted only for them to still slip away from his fingertips. Like he's trying to collect running water with open palms.

And until now, even without the curse, he does the same thing. Because it's what he's used to. Maybe he subconsciously thinks that if his efforts dwindle a little he'll lose everything again. Not fully comprehending that it's fine now. That it's okay for him to breath a little.

Anyway, my point is I'm scared that at some point Cale will try to protect everyone and everything at his own cost. Will try to convince himself that he will be fine when he won't be. I mean I've already heard spoilers from book 2 and heard that's what seems to be happening right now.

I'm just scared that a point will come where Cale won't be able to come back from the decisions he makes in the name of protecting his family.

[ceo-of-sloppy-women]

No grave can hold my body down; I'll crawl home to her

Chapter 13

read it on ao3

Chapter 14

CW: alcoholism & heavy drug usage

You know you have to find some way to get through to her, but every time you open your mouth, she outright snarls! You’re nearly back at Zaun, and you still haven’t managed to get a word in edge-wise, too afraid she’ll snap at you and leave you in the mountains to fend for yourself. Yet, your hands knit together in your reigns, brows furrowed, watching her in the vain hope she’ll turn around and demand you spit it out.

No such luck.  

Eventually, you’re fed up and can see Zaun peaking over the horizon. There’s still a leg of the trail to go – twisting down the mountain and into the valley – so you muster all the courage (and audacity) you have left in your body to finally speak.

“What the fuck was that back there?” It comes out harsher than intended; you cringe at your own words.

Sevika’s head whips around, glaring you down as if she can get you to shut up again. She speaks haltingly as if each word is a poisoned dagger: “Drop it. It wasn’t anything. We encountered a horde. That’s it.”

“You almost died, Sevika!” you counter, urging King up alongside Duchess. “Died. As in: I would have been left alone in Piltover to find my way back to Zaun with or without your corpse. And now you won’t even let me talk about it! We should have started heading back the moment you began limping, not three hours afterwards, when we finally got caught. I don’t understand you; one moment, you’re perfectly fine with asking for help; the next, you stiffen your lip at the barest inkling that maybe that injury did more to you than we know. It’s fucking dangerous as Hell!”

“Drop it,” Sevika growls, shoulders tensed as she glares at the ground in front of her.

“No, I will not! Do you even know how it felt when I realized you weren’t behind me? I thought you were dead. That I was going to have to drag the corpse of my best friend out of the bottom of an infected horde just to give you a proper fucking burial. I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’ve got a death wish or some fucked up complex; that was the worst fear I have ever felt in my life! And I have run from – Hell, even gone up against – infected hordes by myself with nothing more than a machete. So, I’m sorry that I won’t ‘Drop it’ because you are trying to brood away the pain instead of appearing weak, but I’d rather you have admitted you needed a fucking break than put both of us in that position! I don’t give a flying rat’s ass if you can’t do everything you could before your leg got bit or you lost your arm because I never really knew you before those. You’re not weak to me if you’re in pain, Sev’ you’re just human. Given all the fucked-up shit that’s happened in the world, I’ll take human over dead any day of the week. Suffering silently around me doesn’t do either of us any good – it’s not as if I’ll go out to every person in Zaun and besmirch your reputation. I haven’t told anyone about your leg for three weeks! I can keep shit to myself – you know that. So, excuse me if I’d prefer you alive than dead, especially if you died to save my sorry ass. I had nowhere and nobody before I met you, Sevika, don’t make me lose that again.”

You’re panting by the time you finish your rant, so caught up in the emotional turmoil that had been stewing for hours that you hadn’t been able to shut your mouth after you made your point. You just had to go and beat a dead horse.

Sevika turns her head away from you, hanging it low towards the earth beneath your horses. Your gut broils with anxiety – worried you’ve finally broken the last straw and shoved her away from you for good. The rest of the ride is silent as you wind your hands in King’s reigns, glancing nervously at her as Duchess trudges down the trail. You want to speak up – to say something, anything, that might fix the damage you unwittingly inflicted but can’t find the words to justify your actions. As Zaun’s gates dawn on you, you can almost taste blood from how hard you’re biting your tongue. Remorse doesn’t even begin to describe the turmoil broiling in your gut.

Out of everything you have said to her over the past few weeks, why did you have to go and find a way to fuck it up now?

As you dismount King, you stand nervously in the stables, unsure if you’re allowed to follow Sevika home. She’s pulling the supplies out of Duchess’ saddlebags and setting the saddle on a nearby post with a blank expression that twists your gut. Thankfully, Grayson swoops in, unwittingly saving you from the Hell you created.

“Ah, good, you two are back sooner than expected. I can take the supplies –“ she reaches out to take them from your arms; you let them go willingly – “Singed has requested your help today. I’m still putting the finishing touches on your printing press, assuming you have found the supplies I requested. That candy shop of yours is almost open for business.”

“Yes, we, er – we found the supplies. Nearly got chomped, but we managed it,” you mumble absent-mindedly, sending one final glance to Sevika. Her back is to you, busy brushing out Duchess. A sullen sigh escapes you before you can catch it. “You said Singed needs me?”

You miss the way Grayson arches an eyebrow behind your back, readjusting the supplies in her arms. “In an hour or so… why don’t you join me for breakfast? You can help me take these supplies to the warehouse, and then I can pay you back in kind with a hot meal. Nothing fancy, just the diner.”

“Sounds great,” you say with feigned enthusiasm. You take the rest of the supplies – Sevika’s supplies – that had been leaning against the stable stall for someone to cart off.

There’s not much more you can say to Sevika; what could you possibly muster up that you haven’t already said – that wouldn’t make it worse? Following Grayson out of the barn, you toss a quick goodbye to King over your shoulder. It’s up to Sevika whether or not she hears it as well. You can handle the dilemma of where you’re sleeping tonight after your shift; right now, you’re going to enjoy the fact you’re still alive. You are not her girlfriend; You are her friend. You are not responsible for Sevika’s self-sacrificial behaviour, no matter how much you wish you were. You have made your point; it is up to her if she listens or if you’re sleeping at… okay, well, you’re not quite sure where you’ll sleep tonight if she kicks you out, but you can cross that bridge when you get to it.

Grayson leads you to a nearby warehouse used to store Zaun’s communal materials. The new items are placed in a bin at the front, and workers snatch them up to catalogue what has been brought in. Grayson immediately checks out the supplies for the printing press, carting them off to her store to stash them away. You follow after her like a lost puppy as she weaves through the streets with a practiced ease, the silence stretched between the two of you eased with light conversation about your day-to-day lives. Little things, such as a particularly difficult chair order she had to fulfill and your work with Singed. She maintains a mild curiosity as the two of you step into the diner, her holding the door open for you (you duck and blush, trying not to focus on the way her bicep flexes from the weight of the door).

A waitress sits you at a table near the window, sunlight shining onto your table, casting the menus and Grayson’s black hair in a golden glow. You giggle nervously when your fingers brush reaching for the waters the waitress brings to the table before leaving you to contemplate your orders.

“Everything sounds so good after nine years without all of this,” you say, torn between absolutely everything on the menu. “What do you recommend?”

Grayson rests her chin between her forefinger and thumb, levelling you with a thoughtful gaze. You try not to squirm as she drags her eyes across your face.

“The crepes. Jericho has spent the last year perfecting them after Vi found Caitlyn in Piltover. Young Kiramman always requests them for breakfast. You will enjoy them; they come with fresh strawberries,” Grayson states in a tone that swings violently between flirtatious and matter-of-fact, making your head spin.

“Get all that from my face, did you?” you ask, exhorting her to piece out her reasoning.

“It was an educated guess that you enjoy sweet things, darling. A majority of the menu items involve syrup or sugar – your inability to choose between them suggested such,” Grayson explains as the waitress returns, burying the pet name amongst the tall grass of her logic.

You swallow thickly, ducking your head ever so slightly – embarrassed you were so easy to read (and maybe a little turned on from the careful attention). Grayson orders for both of you: for you, crepes and an egg (she does ask for your preference); for herself, two eggs, sunny-side up, with a side of whole wheat toast and beef-based sausages. You can feel yourself begin to salivate as the waitress asks if you would prefer strawberry syrup or maple syrup, greedily ordering both. Grayson chuckles softly as if she’s amused and pleased at your order (you can’t help but blush, ducking your head to hide it). The waitress merely jots it down and promises the food will be out shortly.

Leaving you and Grayson to sit quietly at the table, conversation stagnating between you two. Only the gentle hum of other people’s conversations and the old melody playing out of the jukebox fill the diner. It does not help that you are expending all your mental energy ogling Grayson as stealthily as you can manage, still dressed in Sevika’s shirt, and fueled by more than a little pent-up frustration at Sevika. Part of you is secretly hoping that Sevika will walk into the diner to see you and Grayson having breakfast together, think it’s a date, and stake her claim on you. Unfortunately, that is merely wishful thinking, and you know deep down Sevika doesn’t want you that way.

She’s just a friend.

Being friendly.

The chaste kisses on the cheek and the way she holds you just a little longer than necessary are nothing more than platonic. Today proved that much.

“What is plaguing you?” Grayson asks, breaking the silence.  

“Sorry, what?” you blink back into reality, staring at her owlishly.

“Unless you are hungrier than I thought, you have the look of someone… deeply troubled,” Grayson explains calmly, resting her arms on the tabletop. It makes her shirt strain around her well-built frame. “Anything I can help with?”

“Sorry, no,” you apologize again, fidgeting with your sleeve. “I’m just tired… and Piltover was… a lot – to put it mildly. We nearly died; frankly, I’m surprised we didn’t. There was a moment where I was certain that blowing us up was better than letting the approaching horde of infected tear us apart. Which, is strange to say even now, after everything that has happened, but, unfortunately, the apocalypse never seems to cheapen.”

Grayson rests her hand over yours, stopping you from unraveling the fraying sleeve of Sevika’s shirt. “I am sure Singed would understand if you went home. The apocalypse catches up to us all, eventually. There are days where I don’t open my doors – when I still remember the worst of it all.”

You focus on the gentle sensation of her thumb stroking against the back of your hand as you shake your head slowly. “I couldn’t. I kind of tore Sevika a new asshole for the stunt she pulled – it’s a long and personal story I don’t think she’d appreciate me telling other people about, but the short version is that she almost died instead of asking for help. Now she won’t talk to me… I think I fucked up, and now I don’t even have a place to sleep tonight.”

“Sevika’s a big girl; she can handle a little lecture here and there. She just doesn’t like to admit that others are right. Give her time; she’ll come around. If she doesn’t concede before the end of the day – or you find yourself without a place to sleep – I have a spare bedroom at my place that you’re free to crash in,” Grayson offers, squeezing your hand. Her warm smile coils in your gut, radiating like a hot meal scarfed down too fast, warming you from the inside out whether you like it or not.

You can’t help but give yourself over to the sensation. “Thank you; hopefully, I don’t have to take you up on the offer, but it’s nice to know I have the option.”

Her smile only burns brighter, and you can’t help but smile with her. You want to say more – she looks like she’s about to say more. Then the waitress returns, setting your respective plates in front of you, and the two of you pull apart as if you’d been burned.

Breakfast is delicious, just as she promised. You have to hold yourself back from scarfing it down all at once, torn between a desire to savour it and the starving hunger you hadn’t acknowledged until food was in front of you. You are barely able to stop yourself from licking the plate clean! Thankfully, you manage to reign yourself in so you don’t make a bigger fool out of yourself in front of Grayson. If she notices the desperation in your eyes, she doesn’t comment on it, instead making polite conversation about the various menu items. Things she liked, the different dishes the chefs were better at, and ingredient sources. You make a mental note to invite her over for breakfast one day and cook something to repay her for today – though you’re not sure what you’ll make as she had far too many favourite dishes to choose from.

After the two of you have finished, Grayson walks you to Singed’s lab, insisting you can crash on her couch instead if you need. You assure her it’s a generous offer, but the pay you earn is too good to pass up, as you want to have enough money squirrelled away to keep the printing press afloat. She respects your wishes, walking you to the door. Singed is lazily strolling about his garden, picking out various herbs and flowers, waving you to head inside by yourself.

Grayson stops you just before the door, taking your hand in hers and kissing your knuckles with chapped lips. You flush a brilliant scarlet, heart thundering in your chest.

“Stay safe and out of trouble today,” she says, straightening up as you will your hand to drop slowly to your side.

Without giving yourself time to hesitate, you lean forward and plant a kiss on her cheek (desperately hoping you’re not being too brash). She blushes softly and smiles down at you, yet all you can feel is a cruel twist of betrayal in your chest. It feels… wrong – you hate how wrong it feels, how much you wish she was Sevika. There’s no denying Grayson is an attractive woman, but even a harmless flirt feels like the most heinous betrayal. Yet, that twisting green-eyed monster inside of you roars in triumph, desperate to make Sevika jealous you’re giving another woman attention. Even if it’s a terrible position to put Grayson in…

“You as well,” you whisper, pulling back and slipping inside Singed’s lab.

Your heart thunders in your chest as you pull yourself through the process of getting ready – lab coat, gloves, boots, and every piece of PPE that Singed has squirrelled away to keep anyone inside his lab safe. Singed is still outside when you’re done, so you take a moment to look around. It’s a harmless pastime that you’ve done countless times before, yet this time, there’s something new. Sitting on his work desk on top of one of your journals, as if he’d left it out for you to find, is a key. Unassuming, sterile grey, with the letter ‘O’ engraved onto the top. You contemplate it for a moment before pocketing it. If he meant it for you, what was the harm of taking the initiative? He’s never complained about you doing so before. Killing time, you glance up at the map above his work desk to find a small pin with the same ‘O’ on it – it could just be a coincidence, there are countless pins, yet all of them are engraved with a different letter. This one is stabbed straight through the science district of Piltover… it could just be a coincidence, but you’ve survived for far too long betting on fate to take it at face value. You hastily scribble down the rough location in your journal as you hear the door to the lab open.

Singed finds you standing at the ready next to the old surgery chair, where the corpse of an infected lays. He nods approvingly, stepping toward you and beginning the start of his usual morning dissection, having you take notes. He does not mention the key; neither do you.

Routine overtakes you, the key quickly forgotten in the ocean of events that happen throughout the day. Singed has enough energy to open the clinic today, and the first person you see is Ekko, who managed to get a piece of rebar through part of his arm in a freak accident at the construction site. Singed scolds Ekko to no end as Singed gives him a dosage of homemade antibiotics while you clean and dress the wound. A few people come in with broken bones, some with scratch marks, and one kid with three bee stings (she had been picking flowers near Sevika’s bee boxes). Then, Vander came in with a broken pinky that he swore wasn’t from carrying crates around the warehouse, as Singed had prescribed him to ease off the manual labour to allow a previous shoulder injury to heal. You splint Vander’s fingers while Singed lectures him so hard it makes your lecture to Sevika seem like a playground squabble.

By the end, you’re too tired to do much of anything besides sleep. The sun has already set and Singed paid you a fair amount that nearly doubled in size when Vander gave you hazard pay for the Piltover trip. So, you treat yourself and Vander to dinner at the diner, too exhausted to bother cooking – the two of you order the steak special with poutine, steamed carrots and fried mushrooms. All of which sound like absolute heaven to you.

The universe allows you ten blissful minutes of ignorance while you wait, before Vander leans forward and asks: “So, not that I don’t appreciate this, but why didn’t you take Sevika instead of me?”

You hate his ability to cut straight to the chase like a truth-seeking bloodhound. Trying to shrug it off, you say: “Do I have to do everything with her?”

“No, but that hasn’t stopped you since you got here,” Vander points out, and you scratch at your wrist underneath the cuff of Sevika’s shirt.

“We had a fight,” you mumble to the table.

“A fight? About what? It couldn’t have been that bad that you scared her off – or did she finally scare you off?” Vander presses, taking on an almost joking tone to add a light-hearted air to the conversation.

“No, I –“ you run a hand through your hair and sigh heavily – “Fuck, Vander, I shouldn’t be telling you this. It ain’t your mess to get caught up in.”

“Kid, trust me, I’ve had worse. You think I’ve never had to give romantic advice before? My daughters’ aren’t exactly the most functional or communicative people out there,” Vander chuckles, leaning back in the booth. “Come on, spill the beans.”

You scoff at the absurdity, shaking your head. A sad smile dances across your lips for a brief moment before the grief of Sevika’s friendship smothers it. “Okay, fine. She nearly got herself killed out there because she wouldn’t take a break and rest. I said some pretty presumptuous things about her working herself to the bone because she needs to prove she’s still dependable despite her injury. And that I was afraid of her dying; that I didn’t want her to die for me…”

“Oh.”

You bob your head and swallow, refusing to look him in the eyes. “She kinda stopped talking after that. I haven’t seen her since we came back this morning. I know I fucked up, I just don’t think I can handle hearing her say it.”

“Kid –“ Vander is cut off by the waitress setting your plates down in front of you. He waits for her to leave before continuing – “Kid, I’ve been with Sevika through the thick and thin of it, and I’ve tried to tell her the same damn thing a dozen times over. She’ll forgive you, and if she doesn’t, I’ll knock her upside the head until she does. In the, uh, sparing ring – don’t go around thinking we beat each other up for being headstrong. All she needs is time. She’s taken a real shine to you; she won’t just up and force you out of her life.”

“Okay, good, thanks – I don’t think I could handle losing yet another person in my life. At least not to my own stupidity. It might be best if I give her some space, though… do you know if the printing shop is done yet? I know Grayson has almost finished the press itself, but I haven’t gotten an update on the shop.”

Vander drags a hand over his face with a tired sigh: “Sevika was supposed to tell you before you left, but you – fuck we sent you on a mission without even giving you the good news. The shop is done – I’ll show you after dinner – but kid, I don’t think you should do this. This is going to send the wrong message. I know Sevika can be intense at times, but –“

“Vander, I appreciate it, really I do. It’s just… I want to stop being a burden to everyone. Maybe if I put a little space between us, it’ll hurt less the next time she goes and almost gets herself killed.”

His brow creases together, lips pursed, and a pitiful look shimmering in his eyes. He takes your hand, stilling it from almost cutting the knife through your plate.    “I won’t force you into anything; I can only give you my best advice. If you think it’s for the best, I won’t stand in your way. However, if I was in your shoes, this isn’t the path I would walk down. At least think it over tonight – if you still feel this way tomorrow, I’ll show you the shop.”

“Vander –“

“I’m serious, kid. You’re exhausted. Don’t make stupid choices tonight that you can’t take back tomorrow.”

You bite your lip – he’s right, and you hate it. Instead of admitting it, you flag the waitress down and order a drink (unfortunately, all they have is mead, which only serves to sink you lower into despair). Vander shovels steak into his mouth to keep himself from commenting, and you can’t help but appreciate the gesture. The two of you eat in silence, occasionally talking about the weather or potential books you might print. When you’re done, Vander beats you to the bill, insisting you save your money because he’s got too much of his own. The two of you have two more drinks (which you pay for) before he walks you home, letting you point out the different stars in the sky. When you reach Sevika’s step, he hugs you tightly, squeezing you just a little too hard before he lets you go inside. You hug him just a little longer than necessary, letting go several long moments after his hands loosen. He doesn’t comment; neither do you.

The house smells like booze and weed. The backdoor is open, and you can see the shadow of a figure hunched over on the step, her back to you, lit by the faint glow of a joint. For a moment, you hesitate, standing in the living room, staring at her. Your heart aches to go to her, overpowering your drunken mind to take a step forward. The floorboard creaks beneath you, and your heart begins to hammer like a jackrabbit as you freeze like a deer in headlights. Headlights that never come. She doesn’t so much as turn her head toward you; instead, the joint is lifted to her lips, and a cloud of smoke dissipates around her head.  

Shoulders sinking, you trudge up the stairs like a scolded dog. Before heading to bed, you take one last shower, knowing it’ll be your last for at least a few days until you get your living situation in order. You know Sevika’s still smoking on the porch as you curl up in bed because fifteen minutes afterwards, her footsteps echo down the hall. They stop just outside your door, your heart hammering in your chest, willing it to swing open and for her to say anything. For her to apologize or curl up in bed next to you without a word – you’d even take her shouting at you to get out; anything but this nauseous silence that hangs around the two of you like smog.

Her footsteps continue down the hall and up the stairs to her bedroom.

[deadite-central]

Applauding myself for somehow fitting my thoughts on this arc in just three posts. This was a feat

Pudding to me is one of the most overhated characters in the series. She’s a sixteen year old girl who has been conditioned to believe by her own mother that she’s disgusting and ugly, and since she’s not physically strong the only way she can see herself being useful is by being the cunning one. When Sanji calls her eye beautiful, the same eye that she was ridiculed for her entire life, she breaks down, and she falls for Sanji as he’s the first person outside of her siblings that sees her as something other than a monster once he sees her eye. She’s not an evil bitch like a lot of people are convinced she is, she’s a traumatised child

In other news about the wedding, I adore Luffy’s plan of using Brûlée’s power and doing the funniest thing he could: creating a situation in which a hundred feral Luffys jump out of Big Mom’s cake. Absolutely hilarious and wonderful everyone go home. Things seriously don’t go Linlin’s way cause soon enough Jinbei straight up leaves her crew. And holy hell I love this scene so much. He’s so badass! Standing in front of a terrifying emperor and not even flinching? Not being scared at all? Jinbei is one of the most loyal Straw Hats and here you can see it on full display

Big Mom’s backstory in itself is insane, and while most people will be jaw dropped at the plot point that Linlin accidentally ate her friends without even realising it, to me the Mother Carmel reveal is what always gets me. ‘Orphan seller’ displayed in the box is so jarring, and the fact it’s the navy looking for these kids should tell you all you need to know about how much they actually care for the justice they wear on their backs so proudly

While Luffy vs Katakuri is great in the anime, as Whole Cake is where I’d say the current style of One Piece finally found it’s bearings, it’s absolutely ingenious in the manga. Oda goes so hard on the panelling, and the pacing of the fight is absolutely wonderful, with the reader learning more about Luffy’s abilities, Katakuri as a person and the dynamic between the two as the battle goes along, and it never once feels as if Oda is drawing something out or adding unneeded stuff. Everything here serves a purpose, and I adore this fight, even if it isn’t my favorite in the series

Also on the topic of Luffy vs Katakuri I highly recommend this video as it goes over WHY the panelling of the fight works, it’s really good I just gotta recommend it

Something I really like about Whole Cake is how it brings back the themes of Sanji’s character explored in Baratie, and puts them on full display. Big Mom may be a tyrannical emperor that’s chasing the main characters to kill them, but for Sanji, she’s still hungry, and she still deserves to eat food. It’s the biggest reason Luffy wanted him on the crew: his kindness towards everyone, something his father saw as a weakness, but that One Piece shows you again and again, is an important trait to have

And well, the cake Sanji, Pudding and Chiffon make us absolutely wonderful. I really want to bring attention to the absolute masterclass of a panel this last one here is, from the passage of time when you’re holding your breath between the six panels before it, to the absolutely amazing rendering of Big Mom’s face, I adore it so much. Maybe it’s a silly thing to gush over and give a whole section to; but damn me if I didn’t mention it

Besides the musical number being sung in the background, Whole Cake Island ends with Jinbei now officially a Straw Hat, but having to leave for the last time to save the crew. Again, his loyalty is unmatched, one that has been built up since the Summit War Saga, and every single time it’s on display, I love his character more and more. I genuinely don’t get people who believe he shouldn’t be a Straw Hat, he deserves to be part of the crew more than anyone else you could have wanted here

[becausesomething]

A cold heart cannot be warmed (Law x Reader)

Sinopse:

After the worst generation has conquered the long-awaited new era, the long-awaited future arrives for everyone. Where dreams can finally be realized and lived. However, there are hearts that are stuck in the cold of the past, which not even the warmest love is capable of melting.

WC: 2K

Relationship established between Law and Reader. It unfolds after the new era has been conquered and established.

"You can leave it, I'll finish cleaning the kitchen", I take the cloth that Sachi had in his hand and continue what he was doing. However, both he and Penguin didn't like leaving things half done so they finish what they were doing, leaving only the tables to clean.

"I'll take the food to the captain, he forgot again" Penguin was starting to place some plates of onigri leftovers on a tray. I let out a loud sigh "If he's hungry he'll show up, it's not like we're still in a fight against time, he might as well remember that his crew still exists...", unfortunately the words end up coming out in a slightly more aggressive tone than I liked. "Calm down, we know how he is, he just gets lost in his own world", he continues what he was doing but Sachi stops him, and then comes to meet me and puts his hand on my shoulder "Tomorrow we will arrive in Lvneel, we will be on land will bring good things" I grab his hand and look towards them both, in the vague hope of finding some comfort from the loneliness I felt, before returning to focus on what I was doing "How many times have I heard broken promises... I could understand when we had the objectives until the new era arrived, and after a lot of effort and struggles we manage to see this new world". I feel their eyes on me and that feeling that once again caused unnecessary concern, "Sorry, I'm just tired, and you know how I get when I spend too much time inside the polar tang. Go and rest, when I finish this I'll take you him what you prepared Penguin". In unison, they say see you tomorrow and don't forget to rest, and leave that space, lefting me alone. I sit down heavily in my chair, slump onto the table, and let out the sounds of frustration.

It has been 2 years since the crew was almost annihilated in the confrontation with Blackbeard, if it wasn't for everyone's quick action and teamwork to save Law and escape. After a few months, we met the Straw Hats again and a new alliance was formed to defeat him. 1 year ago, Luffy became the pirate king and we lost the race to find the one piece. However, no one could be sad because that person was the breath of hope that the world needed. And in a matter of weeks more changes began to happen within the crew of the heart pirates.Ikaku discovered she was pregnant, and with Hakugan they decided it was time to settle down, start building a new life, dedicate themselves to their new family and went to live on an island in the South Blue. It was a huge celebration with the birth of that girl, who was going to be a disgrace for her parents, it also meant a farewell that weighed heavily on everyone's hearts. 

This was followed by Uni's unexpected wedding, which was the result of falling in love at first sight, and it all happened so quickly that it left everyone amazed that he would give up everything for love despite knowing that it was always what he secretly believed and wanted. Jean Bart was the last to follow his own path, after being inspired by Usopp's stories and seeing the island of Elbaf with his own eyes.

My relationship with Law matured, and we spent so many nights in the room or on the deck, when we weren't submerged, talking about our own future, all the challenges we went through, after seeing cycle's close and trying to deal with the departure of the companions who were our family. It's something that brought us even closer together and fought readjustment. However, he managed to remain even more distant than before, spending days locked in his office with books and research, looking for the best island that the heart pirates could call their own. I tried my best to bring him to reality and I know that he saw and heard me, until he entered into that cycle again. No matter how much effort, affection and understanding he showed, I felt that it was often in vain and I needed something concrete and solid."Let's find an island and start building our future, maybe our own family, the time has come", those were the words that echoed in my mind, that kept the fire in my heart alive, that kept me fighting for what tomorrow would bring us.But no island was enough. We continued to be pirates in an era of conquering a name that we already had, but with each mission that appeared, it was where he put all his effort into compensating for the emptiness that sometimes weighed on the submarine. We continued to follow our captain with the same passion, but those words changed something in me. I wanted to experience the future that we could only dream of a few years ago, but that now was finally possible.

The sound of a chair being dragged next to me and a warm hug bring me back to reality. His arms wrap around and pull me against him, "You're lost in your world again, what's the reason this time?" I wanted to scream that it was him, but the words were stuck in my throat and an unexpected cry took over. I comfort myself in that hug, in an attempt to stop the tears that are already falling. "Why are you crying, sweetie? Did something happen?", I squeezed him tighter before placing a light kiss on his lips. "I'm here in a wait that never ends, being understanding and like everyone else dealing with the silence that came with their departure. My heart screams for the future you promised but that is never good enough for you", the fingers wipe away my tears, making my body shiver with that touch that I fell in love with, in the same circumstances I found myself in now. "I promise it will be the last island we visit and then I will make a decision", the look was sincere but I could hear the uncertainty in his voice, however it comforted me that he came looking for me and hugged me.I could protest those words, but we would get into an unnecessary conversation again, and I wasn't the only one who knew because it seemed like he was reading me at that moment. "What do you say if we go to the control room and expel Bepo?", he raises his eyebrow, that malicious smile appears, my weak point where I wasn't able to maintain my position.

That person to whom I gave my heart and who showed and helped me reach my potential as a crew member and wife of the death surgeon, was now in front of me arguing with Bepo. He explained it in the simplest way and without going into details to leave us alone, but you could see the veins of the little patience he had, and no matter how much time they shared, he wanted to maintain his friend's innocence. "Bepo, we want the space because we're going to make love with that magnificent view", the pale skin turns red and the hands quickly hide the features in the cap, while Bepo just puts his paws on his face happily and smiles to leave the space, but before saying some of his aye-captain to Law, leaving him now even more frustrated. "tsc, can't you be less direct?!", I grab his hand and pull him towards me, like the first day I met him I kept getting lost in those grey eyes "You know I don't, besides it's not that the reason we came here and you asked to leave us alone?" He returns the attack and grabs my waist "I need you!", his lips close to mine with a determination to only let go again to breathe as needed.

We had spent the last four days on the island, and I honestly felt like this place had always been my home. The characteristics of the island, the climate, the different cities reminded me of the island where I was born. The residents welcomed us from the moment we set foot on land, which only increased that feeling. Our name lived up to us and with those smiles, I knew that our legacy would go continue in history.

I was returning from the city along the paths laid out in the forest when in seconds I found myself on the deck of the Polar Tang thanks to his room "What took you so long? We have to leave in a few hours" I place my hand on his face and intertwine our fingers with the other "I need you, but I am no longer able to postpone a future that you don't want to come... For me, it has arrived and we are anchored in it. Law, I love you, and I know you love me too. In all the conversations about the future, I really wanted to believe that it was what we both wanted, but your actions say otherwise. Nothing will ever be enough because deep down you don't want to be stuck in one place or really build a family with me, because you're afraid that everything will disappear in a matter of hours and you'll be alone", shock takes over his features but I feel him squeezing his fingers and that confirms the words. "It's okay, I understand. Facing change is anything but easy, however, our friends who we consider family are choosing their own path, as they were always supposed to. I will never forget...", "No, it's not okay! Don't even think about finishing that sentence... I just need more time to consider, find a place for all of us", "This choice isn't up to you, it's up to each one of us" I hug him and give him time until he separates us.

"I need to experience the reality that you have always told me about, both in the past and in the future. My decision has been made", I held back the tears with all the strength I had left. Obviously I didn't want our story to end there, but I also couldn't stand being aimless and what I wanted not to be taken seriously."Don't leave me. It's true, I'm afraid and I'm terrified every time we stop on an island because of what happened now. You are my strength, and the one who always made me look forward. Please...", he grabs my wrist and forces me to look at him, which makes me can't take it anymore and my body gives in to the emotion "I have to think about myself. You're here, but loneliness has also started to take part when you go in search of excuses that only exist in your head. I can't stand feeling this way and having to hold on to the moments when you remember that I exist" I try to let go and calm the crying that made me feel like the worst person in the world. "This is hard enough, but I've always been honest with you", "Is this really what you want? Staying here?" In one of his affectionate gestures, he wipes my tears and leaves a heavy kiss on my lips, before hugging me "You are the woman of my life, I really love you for the person you are".

Promises that he would after those words were made but never fulfilled. Days gave into weeks, which became months, and ended up years. The heart pirates continued to exist, being a family that met from time to time, but without their captain who made the choice to isolate himself from the world.

It was Corazon's love that made Law become a death surgeon, it was the passion he experienced with the woman that he thought we would share his life forever, overcome the greatest battles and ghosts of his life. But both were still not enough when it came to facing the fear of a past that had left marks on a heart, which was in a closed safe in the office of a yellow submarine that continued to sail aimlessly.

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english is not my first language, even thought I use it more than my native tongue. I try my best to adapt it 🫣