#I have no idea if they were able to escape

[justauthoring]

The is the Beginning [3/?]

Summary: You never thought you'd be able to escape Buggy, and yet, a boy with a straw hat, a man with three swords and a girl with orange hair somehow manage to free you. The journey that follows afterwards is your chance at freedom and maybe something more.

A One Piece Live Action Rewrite

Part One - Part Two - Part Three

Pairing: Live Action!Zoro Roronoa x F!Reader

TW for this chapter: canon typical violence, jealous!zoro, self-depricating talk, angst but fluff too! & Sanji content because I love him

Word Count: 10,710

A/N: I am so excited for this chapter. Literally so much happens in this chapter and AHHH I hope you all enjoy <3

Tag List: @emmaiscool22 - @bethleeham - @veryunoriginal - @sun-rae04 - @medievalfangirl

Chapter Three - Together

“Did you just call that guy grandpa?”

Mouth still left parted in shock, you stare at the back of Luffy’s head, waiting for him to answer Zoro’s question. Or, at the very least, clarify what exactly he meant by calling the Vice Admiral of the Marine Corps grandpa—because surely he was not actually related to your captain; your captain of a pirate crew.

Though, you’re at a loss to think of what else Luffy could have possibly meant.

Meeting Zoro’s gaze, the two of you stood directly behind Luffy, his expression matching your own.

“Hit the deck!”

You barely have time to register Usopp’s warning, only seeing something black and something very much like a cannon heading straight your way, before arms are grabbing you and pulling you down. You’re tucked into a chest, your own arms coming to protect yourself as you try to ignore the ache the sudden movement pulls on your stitches.

The rumble of the cannon hitting the ship fades, and slowly, you pull away, meeting Zoro’s gaze first, realizing then he’d been the one to pull you down (you don’t have time to think about how that makes you feel), before both of your gazes fall on the broken fence of your ship deck. 

Pressing a hand to your waist, you move to stand, Zoro shuffling back to give you room. He offers a hand, to which you take, letting him help pull you up to your own feet.

“Everybody okay?” Luffy calls, and your eye falls on him in front of you.

“I think so,” Nami calls back, breathless. Both her and Usopp were further back from the explosion, up on the helm deck.

“No,” Usopp cries, popping up beside her. “Not okay. Not even close to okay.”

You shake your head, trying to ignore your own panic that’s bubbling inside of you. “We need to do something,” you urge, facing back towards the marine ship. “They’re just gonna keep shooting at us until we sink.”

Meeting your gaze briefly, Luffy nods. “Usopp!” He calls, pointing directly at the marine ship and his grandpa. “Fire back at them!”

“Or how about we sail away as fast as we can?” Usopp offers.

Luffy turns to look at him, looking bewildered that he’d even offered the idea. But Nami only extends a hand towards Usopp, clearly in agreement.

“Run from the Marines?” Luffy breathes, “no. Never! Nami, trim the… the sail thing. Let’s sink their ship.”

Usopp, probably despite his own fear, comes to meet Luffy with the cannon ammo.

“You want to sink a marine ship?” You echo in disbelief. “That’s… insane.”

“Not to mention, we don’t have time!” Nami argues, “they’re stealing our wind. If they pull up alongside us, we’re finished.”

Luffy just ignores her. “You’re the navigator. Do something.”

Turning to her, she meets your gaze. You offer a helpless shrug.

Nami huffs. “Zoro,” she calls, shifting her gaze past you. “Sheet in and hard to port! Y/N, stay there and don’t get more hurt.”

Feeling useless, you huff, but listen to Nami regardless. You knew you’d only pay worse if you didn’t.

“You know how to load a cannon?” Luffy asks Usopp, who chuckles nonchalantly in return.

You seriously doubt that.

“Yeah, of course. I’ve loaded thousands of them.” Almost as soon as he says that, he hesitates with the cannon in hand. “Uh, this just must be a different model than I’m used to.”

Huffing, you shuffle forward. “Load the cannon in the barrel,” you explain, pointing at the barrel as he turns to look at you helplessly. “Light the fuse and then get out of the way.”

Nodding at you, he shuffles forward, moving to the front of the cannon. Only, before he can load the barrel, he drops all the cannons in his hands. 

“Usopp!”

Eyes widening, you rush forward to help, but Luffy holds a hand out to you, shaking his head as he moves to run after Usopp and the cannons which have gone down the stairs.

Pressing a hand to your forehead, you sigh.

“We’re so gonna die.”

-

Somehow, you don’t die.

After Luffy somehow manages to deflect a cannon with his belly, Nami quickly makes the five of you disappear into the thick of the fog. The second you’d gotten away, Luffy had crawled up to the bow and taken a seat. He hadn’t said a word since. 

Nami had taken to steering, and since she was probably the most qualified person, you’d left her to it. You instead decide to lean against the railing, letting your eyes stay focused on the back of Luffy.

It wasn’t like him to be quiet, and you had no doubt it had something to do with the fact that his grandpa had nearly just destroyed his ship and killed him and all his friends. With how Luffy was, you figured he probably hadn’t come to terms with that reality yet and he would probably continue to ignore it until forced to otherwise.

“How’s the ship looking?”

Inhaling sharply, you glance over your shoulder, eye falling on Zoro as he shakes his head at Nami. “Broken railing,” he answers, “minor damage. Could’ve been a lot worse.”

Nami rolls her eyes; “could’ve been better.”

“Can’t see the Marines anywhere,” Usopp assures.

“Can’t see anything in this soup,” Nami corrects. “What we need is a place to lay low, wait out any reinforcements they send after us. My charts are useless in this fog.”

Zoro nods. “What did Luffy say?”

You sigh; “he’s on the bow,” you point ahead of yourself. “He hasn’t said anything since we hightailed it. I’m…” Hesitating, you chance one glance at his back before turning back to the three. “I’m worried about him.”

“Somebody needs to talk to him,” Nami says. “About this and that other thing.”

Zoro frowns. “What other thing?”

“Oh gee, I wonder,” Nami says, obviously sarcastic.

The expression on Zoro’s face tells you he really doesn’t know what.

“The Vice-Admiral-of-the-Marines-is-my-grandfather-thing.” Nami explains, looking at you all like it’s obvious.

You offer a shrug; “I’m confused too… but it feels wrong to interrogate him about it. Especially after the guy tried to kill us.”

Nami just blinks over at you.

“Yeah…” Usopp drawls, “I don’t really know the guy that well, so…”

Zoro nods; “doesn’t seem like a big deal.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that it isn’t a big deal…” You say tentatively, wary of Nami’s reaction and unable to deny the curiosity you feel. It did beg questions and it was a little wrong that Luffy had chosen not to tell any of you. “I just don’t know…”

Nami hesitates a moment, before shaking her head, turning to Zoro. “You’re his first mate,” he reminds, “kind of seems like that falls under your job description, hmm?”

He glances at you and Usopp, probably hoping one of you will do it instead of him. Usopp sends him a sheepish smile, holding the straps of his overalls and rocking on his feet, making his answer clear. When Zoro meets your gaze, you press a hand to your waist and smile nervously; “I’m injured?”

You were worried, but you also had no idea how to breach a conversation like that with Luffy of all people.

It’s obviously an excuse, but Zoro doesn’t argue. With a blink, he turns; “fine.”

You watch him leave, before meeting Nami’s gaze.

“You’re aware that Zoro is probably the worst person to check in on Luffy, right?” You raise a brow, “no way he’s actually gonna find anything out.”

Sighing dramatically, Nami presses her forehead to the helm.

Sure enough, a minute later Zoro comes back, shrugging; “seems fine to me.”

“Did you even ask him?”

Before Zoro can respond, if he even was going to, Luffy suddenly stands; “hey!” Pausing, he sniffs, raising his finger. “You guys smell that?”

Your brows furrow. “Smell what?”

Luffy’s quiet for a moment, taking in the air, before he breathes out; “there’s something on the breeze.” Sniffing again, his eyes widen. “Smells like butter. Soy sauce. And meat.”

He grins back at the four of you.

“I can’t smell anything,” Usopp frowns, moving towards Luffy. He seems almost disappointed he can’t smell anything.

“Think he has brain damage?” Zoro asks you and Nami.

Nami huffs, crossing her arms; “I think that every day.”

You let out a nervous laugh.

“Look, Luffy,” Usopp scratches his head. “Playing follow the smell is fun and all, but we really got to get out of this fog.”

“I know,” he calls back, “but I smell food, which means that there’s someone somewhere cooking.”

-

You’ll never doubt Luffy’s nose again.

Turns out what he was smelling was a whole restaurant, and without having anywhere else to go and needing food, you’d all decided to dock there and get something to eat. Luffy and Usopp had been roaring to go the second the ship docked, barely able to stand still, which made Nami eager to get off the boat just so she didn’t have to deal with two idiots. You’re pretty excited yourself, but just as the ship docked, you’d noticed a bit of red on your shirt. You very quickly deduced it was your wound and obviously, after the excitement of nearly being hit by a cannon, you’d aggravated your stitches.

“You sure you don’t need help?” Nami frowns, hesitating to follow Luffy and Usopp off the ship. Zoro was hanging by the plank too, you couldn’t help but notice. He wasn’t offering to stay, of course, but he seemed concerned.

Shaking your head from the thought, you smile at Nami. “Positive.” You assure, sending her a thumbs up. “I just gotta change the bandage and my shirt and I’ll meet you guys there. Just let the host know I’m coming.”

Hovering for only a moment longer, Nami nods. “You can borrow one of my shirts again,” she offers. “Remind me next time we’re on an island to get you some clothes. When we’re not being chased by Marines.”

You laugh, nodding at her and turning to head to your and Nami’s shared room. You pause, however, when your eye catches Zoros’ once again. He looks like he wants to say something, and for some reason you find you can’t offer anything in return. It takes Nami, who’d seen the rather obvious and embarrassing display, to grab Zoro by the arm and pull him with her to get either of you to move.

Cheeks burning, you rush down to the room, trying to ignore the flutter of your chest or the nerves flooding through your entire body.

Seriously, it was starting to get too much. Before, you’d at least be able to brush it off as being intimidated by Zoro since he was, well, a pretty intimidating guy. But since the whole Kuro incident and you getting hurt, every time Zoro’s eyes seemed to fall on you, that narrowed and heavy gaze lightened into something soft. It was hard to ignore or not let get to you when he’d already made you all hot and flustered before.

He was attentive in a way you hadn’t experienced or expected from him. Everyone had been worried when you’d gotten hurt. You distinctly remember being surprised by how bothered Nami had seemed by it and even Usopp, who you’d just met, had checked in on you. But Zoro? Zoro had been concerned in a whole other way. Rather than just asking you or checking in like Luffy had, he’d hovered. He stayed near when Kaya had cleaned and stitched your wound for you, helping you walk there and then back to the ship even when you assured you were fine.

You’d never had someone so worried about you, let alone a man you were clearly attracted to.

You didn’t know if Zoro had any idea of what he was doing to you, but he was killing you. Your heart was always racing when he was near, which was always, and he made you feel like a fumbling fool, mind short-circuiting to the point of silliness whenever his eyes fell on you.

You’d never forget what he’d said about your eye. How he’d made you feel about it. Luffy and Nami had been endearing too, you would never deny that, but Zoro had spoken up first. And the look on his face…

Pressing your hands to your cheeks, you try to cool the heat you feel and your racing mind. This was silly. You were being silly. Zoro was just being nice and he probably just saw what a helpless fool you were and felt pity. There was nothing more to it. 

Zoro was a strong swordsman, a renowned bounty hunter and Luffy’s first mate and you were… you.

Swallowing thickly, you sit down at the desk in your and Nami’s shared room, pulling up your shirt and glancing down. As expected, your wound has bled through your bandage. Momentarily, you worry that you’ve ripped your stitches, but the second you pull the bandage off, you’re assured that isn’t the case. You clearly just aggravated the wound and, pausing to clean the blood and apply the salve Kaya had given you, you place a new bandage on.

You take a moment more to find a shirt to wear, thankful Nami was being so generous with her clothing. You could tell the girl took her fashion seriously and you felt bad enough borrowing her clothes, but now you were ruining them with blood. You’d have to make it up to her somehow.

Cleaned with a new bandage on, you smile to yourself, feeling your stomach rumble almost as if reminding you.

Without a second more of hesitation, you make your way up and off the Going Merry. The Baratie is buzzing with people and you can’t help but let your gaze wander across the millions of different people going on with their lives, each in their own world. You continue to do so until you find the front entrance to the restaurant, and with a simple explanation to the host that you were here with friends and a small description of some friends, you’re led to the table.

You pause, however, when you realize the waiter is already taking your friends’ order.

The host leaves your side and with only a second more of hesitation, you make your way to the table, not having realized you’d taken so long.

“Do I still have time to place an order?”

Everyone's eyes fall on you at your question, and coming to a stop on the left of the waiter, right in front of Zoro. You frown when you notice the tense look on his face, concerned, but before you can ask, your captain is beaming at your arrival.

“Y/N!” Luffy calls, grinning. “You’re just in time! I ordered one of everything for us!”

You shouldn’t be surprised, but his words still pull a laugh from your lips. Of course Luffy would order the entire menu.

“I didn’t know I would be greeted by two beautiful maidens today. And one with such an infectious laugh.”

Freezing, it takes you a second to realize that the words had come from the waiter and that he was talking to you. Eyes widening, you turn to him, meeting his eyes with your left one, only to see him smiling at you. One hand is shoved into the pocket of his dress pants as he turns towards you with a certain suaveness.

Cheeks warming in embarrassment, your hands rise. “Oh, I—”

But before you can finish, the waiter is taking your left hand in his, pulling it up to his lips and pressing a kiss there. No longer just warm, your cheeks burn.

“Such beautiful eyes too, madam,” he grins, “I’ll never forget either of them.”

You’re hyper aware of the fact that your entire crew is watching this happen and that you’re standing there, gaping like a fish. You’ve never had anyone flirt with you, especially not someone so… persistent. 

The waiter continues to stare back at you, never once looking upset by your lack of response.

An achingly long minute passes.

“Y/N.”

You don’t even have time to turn to Zoro at him calling your name before you feel hands fall on your hips, tugging you forward. A small yelp leaves your lips in response, stunned stupid, as Zoro pulls you in front of him, practically on his lap for a brief second, your hand slipping from the waiter's grip. Zoro moves you so you’re sat next to him, in between him and Nami who sends you a knowing smirk as you try to ignore your racing heart and flaming cheeks.

“Oi,” the waiter calls before you can, again, say anything. “Don’t be so rough with her.”

Zoro glares right at him. “Don’t be so handsy,” he growls back, not missing a beat. “Y/N doesn’t even know you.”

“She can get to know me,” the waiter challenges, curling a brow at your swordsman before his eyes shift back to you. “I’m sorry our introduction got interrupted, my name is Sanji. It’s lovely to meet you, Y/N.”

You’re sure you look as stupid as you feel.

“N-Nice to meet you too, Sanji,” you echo back, voice small.

Sanji grins just as Zoro leans forward, cutting you off from view. “Shouldn’t you be getting our food and drinks? The ones we ordered, waiter?”

The smile on Sanji’s face tenses, but he holds back whatever he clearly wants to say to Zoro, side stepping to meet your eyes once again. “Certainly, but first… what would you like, madam? Water like your lovely friend or something else? A sweet wine, perhaps? I can recommend some to you.”

You meet Nami’s eyes who just scoffs, obviously having received similar attention as you were now.

“Water,” you squeak. “Like her.”

“Not sparkling? Mineral? Ice or no?”

“Just water,” you nod, noticing the tick in Zoro’s jaw.

“Coming right up, Y/N,” he winks at you, smirking, before he turns away.

Silence follows, thick and heavy.

“Don’t worry,” Nami is the first to break the ice, lightly nudging you. “He was the same with me.”

Usopp snickers next to her, meeting your eye; “looks like you and Nami have got a boyfriend.”

Rolling her eyes, Nami just laughs quietly to herself. “Yeah, well, I don’t think it’s me we should be worried about.” Her eyes shift to Zoro, as does everyones, even Luffy who looks a bit lost, and finally, you turn to look at him too.

Your cheeks are still warm with embarrassment, mainly from Sanji’s flirting, but also the way Zoro had grabbed you. It wasn’t that you minded, because really, you didn’t, but—what the hell was that?

Meeting her gaze, arms crossed over his chest, Zoro huffs; “I’m fine.”

“Sure,” Nami drawls, smirking. 

“I never seen you so angry, Zoro,” Usopp teases, grinning ear to ear. “Jealous?” He sings the word, wiggling his brows at the swordsman as you sink into your seat further.

“Of a waiter?” Zoro scoffs, careful not to glance your way. “Of course not.”

You don’t fail to notice the fact that he hadn’t denied he’d been jealous because of you.

With a little bit more laughter, the conversation drifts off as Luffy starts to ramble about the food. Once the attention is thoroughly off you and Zoro, you turn to him.

“Are you okay?” You ask in a soft voice, concerned and perhaps wanting to know more about why he’d done what he had.

Finally turning to look at you, you watch as Zoro swallows thickly. “Fine,” he says gruffly and you flinch, frowning. Seeing your reaction, Zoro sighs. “Just didn’t like the way he touched you…”

He says it with a grumble, and if you hadn’t been right next to him, you wouldn’t have heard it.

Lips parting, you blink; “oh.”

“No guy should touch you like that.” He adds.

You turn to him but he’s already looked away, clearly done with the conversation.

You can’t help but think to yourself, however, that he’d touched you like that.

And that you liked it.

- 

“So… how long do you think the owner will make Luffy work for him?”

You glance up at your friends at your own question, curious. Instead of mirrored curiosity staring back at you, you find blank faces instead.

Frowning, you huff. “Is no one concerned?” You ask, genuinely worried. “We all ate that food… and he’s the one working for it.”

“I didn’t eat,” Zoro shrugs, “I just drank some beer.”

You glower at him.

Turning to Usopp, you hope maybe he’ll say something. Of course, he doesn’t and instead, he continues to slurp up the fancy fruity cock-tail drink he’d ordered, promptly avoiding your eye. You already know that Nami won’t be any help since she seemed rather hurt by Luffy lying about his grandpa, and while you couldn’t fault her for being hurt, you were frustrated at all of their lack of concerns.

Sighing, you push yourself to a stand, taking a step forward. Zoro catches you by the wrist before you make it two full steps.

“Where are you going?”

You glance down at him. “To find Luffy,” you gesture forward, as if the answer should’ve been obvious. Which it should’ve. “I don’t feel like drinking or…” You let your eyes drag across the bustling crowd of the bar. “...dancing. Maybe I can talk the owner into going easy on him.”

You go to do that, except, Zoro still doesn’t let go of your wrist.

“We should probably stick together,” Zoro says, never taking his eyes off of you. “In case the Marines come.”

You shake your head, pulling at his grip. He lets go easy, but the frown on his face makes it clear he’s annoyed by your persistence. “I’ll be fine,” you brush off his concern. “The worst thing I’ll be doing is washing some dishes, I reckon.”

Zoro looks like he wants to argue, but it’s clear he isn’t sure how.

You just sigh; “stay and relax. I’ll be fine.”

And then you turn before he can say anything else.

Shifting your way past the crowd of the bar, you make your way back down the steps that lead out into the outdoor bar. It isn’t hard to get back into the restaurant, but you’re careful not to catch the attention of any of the chefs or staff. Instead, you carefully slink your way towards the employee section.

At the sight of a chef with blue hair coming towards you, you’re quick to duck behind a wall. You hesitate, hovering, trying to listen for his footsteps to grow distant. Except, your ears pick up on something else.

Luffy.

Turning in the direction of the noise, your gaze falls on the hallway in front of you, seeing a door at the far end. With one more glance behind you to make sure no one was there, you make your way down the hall, eyes brightening when you see the word ‘KITCHEN’ labelled at the top of the door. A glance through the small circular windows only confirms your suspicions, lips curling into a smile at the sight of Luffy.

You also make note of the waiter from before standing in front of him and… it looked like the two were talking to a man you didn’t recognize. Sanji is ushering the man out the back entrance of the kitchen, and you use that as your chance to sneak in.

Pushing open the door, you pop your head in.

“Luffy?”

He turns at the sound of your voice, face brightening at the sight of you.

“Y/N!”

You wince when he all but yells your name, confident you were definitely not supposed to be back here. With one last glance back, you slip inside, letting the doors swing shut behind you as you make your way over to your captain.

“What’re you doing here?” He grins, confused. “I thought you and the rest went up to the bar.”

“We did… but I left.” You explain, frowning slightly. Setting your hand on his arm, you glance up at him. “It was a little awkward, Luffy. Nami’s pretty upset about the grandpa thing.”

Luffy’s face wavers at that, the same way you noticed it had during dinner when Nami had brought it back up then. Frowning at the sight, you squeeze his arm reassuringly.

“But mainly I came because I was worried,” you smile. “I didn’t know how hard that owner guy was working you.”

Luffy instantly eases at that, and his lips curve into a genuine smile.

“I’m okay. He just has me doing dishes,” he juts his thumb behind him, and you eye the stack of dishes with a grimace. “Though, I think I found—”

“Y/N?”

Startled at the new voice, you glance over Luffy’s shoulder to see the waiter back from wherever he’d escorted that man you’d seen before. He seems baffled at the sight of you, while you freeze at the sight of him, worried he’ll be mad you snuck in.

“Hello, S-Sanji,” you greet, offering a small wave. “I know I’m not supposed to be here but I was worried about Luffy—”

“I’m not mad you’re here, love,” Sanji grins easily, making his way over to you and Luffy with a shake of his head. “I just hoped you were having fun upstairs in the bar.”

Still not used to his charm, you flush. “Oh, well…” Eye trailing, you turn to Luffy. “I was actually going to ask Luffy if he needed help with—”

“Absolutely not,” Sanji cuts you off for the third time, leaving your lips parted in bafflement. He’s crossing the distance in the kitchen over to you two in two seconds, and before you can even realize it, his hands are on your shoulders, gently turning you towards the door to the kitchen. The one you’d just come from. “A lady like yourself should not be getting her hands dirty at all.”

“B-But…” Words trailing in your bafflement, you glance back at Luffy who grins back at you, unbothered.

“The chore boy will be fine.”

“I should really…” You reach weakly towards Luffy who just raises his hand in an eager wave, completely unbothered by Sanji who is all but shoving you out of the kitchen.

Before you realize, the two of you are back out in the restaurant and Sanji, still with his hands on your shoulders, is easily maneuvering you up the stairs and out of the restaurant completely. In fact, he doesn’t stop until he’s outside the restaurant, far away from anyone.

When he lets go of you, you turn to him, nonplussed.

He grins down at you, sincere and wide.

“Do you always drag girls you just meet to secluded areas to get them alone?”

He seems momentarily stunned by your words, as if not even realizing where he’d lead you, before his face eases and he leans back against the wall of the restaurant. You watch as he reaches into the pocket of his dress pants, pulling out a pack of smokes. “Not usually, but I thought this was the perfect opportunity to get to know each other. Like I’d offered before.” He sends you a wink that has your cheeks warming, eye watching as he places a cigarette between his teeth, lighting it.

Crossing your arms over your chest, you curl a brow at him, ignoring your flush. “Very… forward of you.”

He just grins, taking a puff of his smoke. “You don’t seem to mind it.”

“Only because Luffy didn’t seem bothered by you leading me away like that,” you shrug, moving to lean against the wall next to him. “Anyone Luffy trusts, I do too.”

Sanji raises a brow. “You sure have faith in him.”

“He saved my life,” you explain, thinking back to that moment he’d offered you to join his crew. Even before that, in that pub… you had no idea then how much Luffy and the rest would change your mind. “They all have.”

Sanji’s smile turns more soft at that, and he turns his gaze up to the sky. “That’s sweet.” You turn to look at him, and sure enough, a moment later, he’s adding with a smirk; “just like you.”

You scoff. “It seems you can’t control yourself.”

“Not when I’m around you,” he laughs, taking another puff of his smoke.

“Sure,” you drawl, snorting.

A second of silence passes, before Sanji speaks up again. “So, what’s going on between you and that moss head?”

Almost instantly, the light flush you’d had before burns into something more intense, as you jump, facing Sanji as you wildly shake your hands in front of you. “No-Nothing!” You squeak, unable to control the pitch of your voice.

Sanji eyes you for a moment, then, he chuckles; “sure.” He drawls, matching your previous tone.

“Seriously,” you argue, trying to calm your voice to sound more sure. “There’s nothing going on between me and Zoro.”

“Beautiful, anyone who gets jealous like that over a little flirting doesn’t think there’s nothing going on.” Sanji shakes his head, nudging you lightly with his shoulder. “Or, he hasn’t man-upped enough to tell you the truth.”

You’re positive you’re on fire with how hot you are in embarrassment.

“Zoro does not like me.”

“Okay,” he pauses, “but do you like him?”

Lips left parted, you blink up at Sanji.

“I-I… It’s none of your business.”

Humming, Sanji takes another puff. “Seems like you want to get it off your chest, love.”

You pout. “You’re annoying.”

He leans towards you, smirking; “I’m right, beautiful.” 

Shoulders falling, you kick your leg out at a random pebble. “Fine,” you huff, glancing at your feet. “Maybe I like him… a little bit!”

You don’t see the way Sanji’s face softens down at you, and you almost think something’s wrong when he doesn’t say anything. But when you glance back up at him, he’s turned his gaze back up. “Shame,” he sighs, almost soulful. “You truly are enchanting.”

Eyes widening, you bite your lip. “Shut up.”

“It’s true,” he pushes, looking unbothered by your embarrassment. “You deserve far more than that moss head.”

“You don’t even know Zoro.”

He shrugs. “I can tell.”

“I—”

Whatever you’d been about to say falls silent on the tip of your tongue when you see a familiar Straw Hat run by in front of you. Stepping back Sanji, you glance past his shoulder, you watch as Luffy and Usopp run towards the Going Merry.

“Where’s Y/N?” You hear Luffy yell distantly.

“I thought she was with you!” Usopp calls back.

You frown.

“Something wrong?” Sanji asks, hand falling on your shoulder and your gaze turns up, realizing he’d seen the same thing.

“I don’t know…” You breathe, concerned. Stepping back from Sanji, you turn to him apologetically, lips parting to explain.

“Don’t worry about it, love,” he brushes your apology off. “You should go make sure everything’s okay.”

Face easing at his words, you smile; “thank you, Sanji.”

Cigarette in his lips, he glances at you out of the corner of his eye. You send him a genuine smile and a wave, before turning around to run off in the direction Usopp and Luffy had gone.

You’re quick to pick up the pace in your step, reaching the Going Merry in now time. You can hear the distinct voice of Nami and heart racing at how upset she sounds, you’re making your way down the stairs and towards them in seconds flat.

“But you are not better than him!”

Coming to a stop right at the bottom of the stairs, everyone’s eyes fall on you.

Nami instantly turns on you; “there you are!” Reaching you, she tugs you forward, and as she does, you see Usopp glance at you helplessly and Luffy softly smiling which gives you very mixed signals. 

Finally, you turn to Zoro, who is… getting his swords ready?

“What’s going on?” You ask, helpless.

Nami huffs next to you. “Will you talk some sense to him?”

Lips parting, you shake your head at Nami. “Sure… but for what?”

“He’s challenged Dracule Mihawk, one of the Seven Warlords, to a duel.”

It’s like you can hear your heart plummet to the pit of your stomach. Nami, who is too busy turning back to Zoro in frustration, doesn’t notice the way your eye shifts, something distant flooding in. Usopp and Luffy don’t see it either.

But Zoro, who’d chanced a glance up at you, nervous for your reaction, sees it. His face falls briefly, everything else fading as he watches you closely.

“Y/N,” Nami presses, voice pitching in distress. “Tell him how reckless he's being.”

Still stunned, your mind a reckless bout of realization and terror, your gaze finally shifts towards Zoro. He quickly turns away and the sight makes dread flood you. “Z-Zoro,” you breathe, feeling as if your voice sounds like an outside extension of yourself.

Distantly, you realize that you’re not helping Nami and most of all, acting suspiciously. Swallowing thickly, you lean forward on the table. “You cannot fight… h-him… fight Mihawk.”

“Yeah,” Nami nods. She looks relieved you agree with her and you figure, even in the midst of your racing mind, the boys hadn’t been much help. With a frown and a huff, she throws her hand in Zoro’s direction; “he wants to go through with it! Even though it’ll get him killed.”

Zoro turns to her, still avoiding your gaze, and asks bluntly; “why do you give a shit?”

Nami visibly blanches, head jerking back in hurt. Her lips part, twisting to say something, and then, blinking back the betrayal in her eyes, she breathes out; “because you’re my friend, you idiot.”

“You said it yourself. You don’t have any friends.”

You see it in her eyes. His words are harsh and even though you’re still reeling from the realization of what was happening and clearly having walked into the middle of something, you see as the walls she’d slowly let fall around you all come back up. Brick by brick.

She glances around the room, meeting your eye last and then, she leaves without another word.

All of you, except for Zoro, watch her leave.

No one says anything, and then, Usopp is following Nami out, meeting your eye with a nervous panic before slipping out. Luffy follows him a second later, patting your shoulder.

You stay standing there, as if glued to the spot. You can’t bring it in you to chase after Nami even if you were concerned, but you also can’t find the words to say something to Zoro. You want to tell him off for being cruel to Nami like that, you want to tell him he was being an idiot that was going to get himself killed and you want to tell him…—

It takes Zoro a minute to speak up. “Not going to try and convince me like Nami?”

Swallowing thickly, the lump in your throat remains despite. With your hands hanging helplessly at your sides, you try to blink back the tears that well in your eyes. It was all too much at once. Your heart was aching with this anchor that had been thrown at you and it was too much to bear.

Still, deep in your heart, you know; “it wouldn’t stop you,” you whisper, voice cracking at the end.

You could beg and plead, get on your hands and knees, and you know nothing could stop Zoro from doing this. The only thing that might… you weren’t sure if you were ready to admit.

Zoro pauses, hands hovering. Then, he agrees; “probably not.”

Your breath hitches. “You could die.”

He turns to look at you. You don’t meet his eyes. 

“He’s my goal.”

Fists clenching, you shake your head. “Zoro, please listen,” you cry, “you cannot fight Mihawk. He’s… He’s…”

But you can’t form the words.

“He’s what?” Zoro pushes, leaning towards you. “Say it, Y/N. I saw your face when Nami told you. Mihawk is what?”

You flinch, stepping back. You can’t look at him even as the guilt and panic tears you apart inside. You couldn’t.

Your mind races for something, something else, and then you remember your conversation with Sanji before. You remember your feelings. “W-What about me?”

“What about you?” Zoro’s tone is even, careful, but his blunt question hurts all the same.

Finally, you look up at him. His eyes are already on you, face flat and expressionless. 

You come to terms then it’s pointless. Zoro wasn’t going to cancel the duel and nothing you were willing to say would change his mind. Anything more, and you’d just get yourself hurt. You think once again, in that moment, back to your conversation with Sanji. 

You’d known of your feelings all along, just hadn’t been able to realize it. But you’d finally let yourself admit how you felt about Zoro. Finally let the truth out and the relief you’d felt in that moment, to a man you’d only met that day no less, had been imminent.

You’d gotten ahead of yourself then. Forgot that you were the only one who believed in Luffy’s wish to be a crew. Forgot that all the people you’d met had their own goals and you were someone just drifting alongside with them until it came time for them to leave.

You forgot that your life wasn’t just being a part of Luffy's crew.

You forgot that even if Zoro felt anything of what you felt for him, you were still just some girl he’d rescued from a pirate and nothing more than that. Zoro had his own goals and dreams, and you weren’t part of them.

What about you?

Answer made clear, you turn and walk without another word.

Zoro doesn’t see the way tears fall from your face the second you’re out of sight and you don’t see the way his leg kicks out in frustration at himself for being so stupid. 

-

It was clear Mihawk didn’t know who you were, despite being your father.

You couldn’t blame him, though. He’d never met you. He didn’t even know that the random woman he met that one day eighteen years ago and spent the night with, had ever gotten pregnant. It wasn’t like Dracule Mihawk to stick around places for long, after all.

And the only reason you even knew he was your father was because your mother had told you the day she died. In her deathbed, with your hand clutching hers, she’d whispered his name and told you if you ever needed help, to go to him.

Something told you he wouldn’t be helping you here.

You watch him best Zoro in every single one of his attacks. He dodges his attacks without even having to lift a finger. It’s a fight unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, and the reality of watching Zoro unable to land any attacks is cruel and unforgiving.

Everything about this is cruel.

With your heart racing and your palms sweaty, you visibly flinch when Mihawk stabs Zoro with the tiny sword he told Zoro was the best match for their duel. It hits him directly in the chest, and you watch the flicker of pain in Zoro’s eyes as he stares his goal down.

And as you listen to Zoro refuse to give up, you can feel your heart tear into two.

Mihawk brings out Yoru. You watch as he unsheathes it from his back, heart plummeting. And you watch as Zoro places the Wado Ichimonji in his mouth, bringing the two black-handle katanas into either of his hands. This is it, you realize. This is the final attack.

After watching Zoro be unable to land one hit, you know this final one won’t be different.

There’s a moment of stilled silence, no one moves. And then, Zoro is running forward and Mihawk watches his pace. They clash, the sound of metal hitting metal reverberates in your mind, rattling your insides.

Zoro slides on his knees across the deck in front of Baratie, stopping just a few feet in front of you. He’s breathless, silent, and you feel your friends around you as you all watch with bated breath.

The two black-handle swords shatter into pieces.

The sob that wretches from your throat is beyond your control. It rips out of you, body shuddering in the reality you’re forced to face, watching as Zoro stands to his feet and turns to face Mihawk.

“You’re defeated,” Mihawk shakes his head. “Why do you persist?”

Sheathing the Wado Ichimonji, Zoro says without hesitation; “wounds on the back are a swordsman’s greatest shame.” Raising his arms in defeat, he holds them to his sides, waiting for Mihawk to make his final move.

“Magnificent.”

Tears welling in your eyes, you feel a hand slip into your own.

Glancing down first and then following the arm, you find Nami’s similarly tearful eyes staring back at you, squeezing your hand. You don’t know if it’s to comfort you or herself, but you appreciate it nonetheless. You turn to your other friends, seeing that Nami is holding Usopp’s hand too and he’s looking at you with concern. The final person you turn to is Luffy.

He meets your eye, and your whole body trembles.

You turn your head back in Zoro’s direction, and the second Mihawk’s arm swings to attack Zoro, you turn away again.

Your head tucks into Nami who startles at your movement, but her hand slips from your own to wrap her arm around you. You can’t see, but you hear the slice of skin and the sound of Zoro’s body hit the ground a minute later. You feel Nami’s body jerk in response.

“Zoro!”

-

Hugging your knees to your chest, you stare at Zoro. You let your eye drag across his sleeping figure, every curve of his face, the dip of his nose, all the way down to his chest, where his wound is tightly bandaged.

It was thanks to Sanji and the Baratie owner, Zeff, that Zoro’s wounds had been cleaned, stitched and dressed. It was thanks to them that Zoro even had a chance of surviving.

Talk to him. That’s what Zeff had said. The only thing any of you could do for Zoro now was talk to him and hope that that was enough to pull him from the purgatory between life and death. 

You’d offered the first watch and no one had argued. Everyone was worried about Zoro in their own way, but the tears streaming down your cheeks and the visible mess you were in left no one willing to argue with you. One by one, everyone had left the room, with Luffy only glancing back at you one last time, before it was just you and Zoro.

You hadn’t moved from the spot since then.

That had been hours ago. Nami had come in at one point and asked if she could read to Zoro. you’d nodded without a word, sitting back but never leaving the room. Nami didn’t say anything and even if she had, you would’ve refused to leave. Luffy had followed her in shortly after and that had turned sour quickly when it was apparent that Nami felt Luffy held some responsibility for not telling Zoro to back out of the duel. You watched them argue, not saying a word. Then, Nami left.

“You should eat,” Luffy had said a minute after she walked out the door.

Never taking your eye off Zoro, you’d shaken your head. “I will when he wakes up.”

“Y/N, you—”

“When he wakes up.” The words had come out sharper than you intended and instantly, you’d felt guilt when you’d seen Luffy jerk at the sound. But you didn’t get up nor did you say anything else, and a minute later, Luffy left too.

That had been an hour ago. No one else had come in since.

You’d moved back to the chair next to Zoro, and let your hand slip into his and you hadn’t moved since.

Talk to him. How were you supposed to talk to him? What could you possibly say to him after everything that happened? 

Head falling, you let out a shaky sigh.

“This is all my fault,” you whisper, barely even registering you’d said the words aloud. And as you breathe the words into existion, you realize that that was the only thing you could say. 

Raising your head, you glance at Zoro’s face.

“I’m so sorry,” you say, squeezing his hand. “I should’ve… I should’ve told you the truth.”

Your chest feels tight, your body heavy. You know what you want to say, but you don’t know if you have the courage to speak the words. Mihawk was your father, it was true, but he meant nothing to you. That isn’t what made it hard to say. Not even seeing him in person for the first time today could make the feeling of indifference toward him fade. Mihawk didn’t even know who you were and he never would.

Today would’ve been your chance to tell him and it hadn’t even crossed your mind.

What you found hard to admit was that you’d been too scared to tell Zoro the truth and that cowardness is what got him hurt. If you had just been honest with him, maybe none of this wouldn’t have happened. Zoro wouldn’t have gotten hurt and nobody on the crew would be upset.

Why couldn’t you have just been honest?

“I was scared,” you tell Zoro. “Scared because there’s so much about my life I don’t know and the only thing I do know is so unimportant.” Breathing in sharply, you force the words out. “So what if Mihawk is my father? It hadn’t mattered before. But it mattered last night and I should’ve told you… If I told you, you wouldn’t be hurt and the crew wouldn’t have to be worried about you not waking up.”

Pressing your free hand to your forehead, you shake your head. “I’m so sorry, Zoro,” you sob, feeling your eyes water as curl into yourself. “I’m so sorry because you’re hurt and because I think I may love you… and my life is so utterly unimportant that you deserve better than someone like me… Someone who will just ruin your life.”

Your hand leaves his, pressing against your lips as you let yourself cry. You let yourself cry out the anguish in your chest that weighs you down and hurts. You cry and cry, stifling your sobs behind your hand, letting it all out.

Until, eventually, you fall asleep from the exhaustion.

The exhaustion of not sleeping the night before, of being tense and terrified for Zoro, for the guilt that feels like it might eat you alive.

You stay like that for a while, until soft hands gently shake you awake.

“Come on, love. Wake up.”

Letting out a soft groan, your eyes flutter at the voice, hands moving instinctively to rub at your eyes. It takes you a second to wake yourself up, confused as you slowly straighten out. You first see Zoro before your head turns, and your eye falls on Sanji who’s standing behind you.

“Sanji?”

“You need to eat,” Sanji says, ushering you. “Come on.”

You turn back to Zoro, licking your dry lips. “I shouldn’t leave him.”

Your eyes are puffy and your eyelids ache. The last thing you remember is crying, and it occurs to you you’d fallen asleep in the midst of your break down. 

“Luffy can watch him,” Sanji offers, gesturing behind him.

Turning towards the door, Luffy smiles at you warmly.

“I’ll watch Zoro for you, Y/N. I promise I’ll take good care of him.”

Dazed and still a little sleepy, you let Sanji pull you to your feet, not fighting his grip as he guides you towards the door. You glance back at Zoro one last time, feeling that crushing guilt stab at you, just as Luffy squeezes your shoulder.

“He’ll wake up, Y/N,” Luffy grins at you. “I promise.”

You nod at him, finding his words reassuring and comforting despite the doubt festering inside you.

“I’ll whip you up something tasty, Y/N.” Sanji smiles softly down at you, “okay?”

He’s incredibly gentle the entire time. You relish in it.

-

“Can I have a moment alone with him?”

Meeting Nami’s eyes, you nod, moving to stand. She sends you a smile, though it seems off, as you walk past her.

Letting the door fall shut behind you, you make your way into the kitchen. You bite your lip, trying to ignore the nerves rattling your body. After Nami had come running into the kitchen where you and Sanji were, you eating after he’d made you a meal like he promised, it was instantly clear something was wrong. She had been going on about some pirate named Arlong, calling for Luffy in between explaining to you. Most importantly, she looked terrified.

Turns out Arlong was attacking Baratie looking for Luffy and the Grand Line map.

Nami’s attempt at getting Luffy to take the Going Merry and run had been fruitless and he, Sanji and Usopp had gone to confront Arlong. Luffy had told Nami to stay behind to protect the map, before turning to you and telling you to watch over Zoro for him. When you’d tried to argue and say you could help, he’d just shaken his head and said you were still healing from your last fight and Zoro was more important.

So, for the last twenty or so minutes, you and Nami were in the Going Merry. She’d disappeared elsewhere on the ship the second the three left, so you assigned yourself back next to Zoro, opting to read to him like Nami had before in the hopes that maybe that’d get him to wake up. 

You had, at least, until Nami had popped her head into the room.

You hoped everything was going well. Honestly, you did want to go out and check on them, but you knew Luffy was right. Even if he hadn’t said it in that way, it was clear he didn’t want you coming because you didn’t know how to fight. You’d be more of a hindrance than any help and that reality left a sour taste in your mouth.

Hearing footsteps approach, you turn, face easing when you see Nami coming out of the room.

“Everything okay?” You ask, despite knowing in fact nothing was okay.

She nods, stepping out of the room and you smile at her as you walk past her, squeezing her shoulder in an attempt to comfort both her and yourself. You think nothing of the look on her face, chalking it up to everything that had and is happening just making her a little off.

At least, until you hear the door slam shut behind you.

Stilling right next to Zoro, your head snaps towards the door. You hesitate for a moment, baffled, before your feet instinctively carry you towards it, hand falling on the knob. Maybe she’d shut it by accident? Or maybe she wanted to give you privacy as you had for her?

Except, the door won’t open when you turn it.

“N-Nami?”

You know she’s by the door. You can see her shadow through the small opening at the bottom. You can hear her heavy breathing.

“Nami,” you call again, voice louder. “Why is the door locked?”

There’s a moment that passes before she answers.

“Sorry, Y/N. I can’t let you out.”

“What?” You breathe, bewildered. There’s something awful twisting in your chest. You try the door again, it doesn’t open. “Nami, what the hell is going on? What are you doing?”

“I’m doing what I always planned to do.”

Her voice is muffled through the door, but the low tone scares you all the same.

Using your left hand, you slam it against the door. “Let me out, Nami. Now.”

“You’ll be safe in there.”

You hear her take a step toward and your heart lurches, yanking on the door as you start to pound against it more aggressively. “Nami?”

“I’m sorry.”

You see her shadow disappear and soon, her footsteps are gone too. You stand there, stunned, before you start to yank on the door again. You pull at it, trying to twist it. But it’s clearly jammed shut.

Nami had made sure you weren’t going to be able to get out.

Minutes pass of you banging on the door, with no luck, until eventually you tire yourself out. 

Head hanging in your hands, you try to ignore the shake of your body as you sit there, forced to wait.

At the first sound of footsteps, you jump to your feet.

“Hey!” You call, banging on the door. “Luffy? Usopp?”

“Y/N?”

It’s Usopp.

Yanking on the door, you call out to him; “let me out!”

It takes him no more than a few seconds to open the door, yanking it open as you meet his eyes with relief.

“Usopp,” you breathe, “you have to listen to me. It’s Nami. She—”

You move to ramble out what had happened, but fall silent the second you see the look on Usopp’s face.

“Usopp?” You question, voice quiet. “Why are you…?”

Just then Sanji comes stumbling down the stairs of the kitchen, with Luffy in his arms, the latter looking beat up and hurt. Both of them are sopping wet.

Your eyes widen.

“Nami, she…” Usopp speaks up, looking nervous. “She betrayed us.”

-

“Y/N, seriously!”

Shaking your head, you stumble behind Usopp. “Seriously what, Usopp?”

You’re mildly annoyed, but you figure he has a good reason—whatever that reason is. He hasn’t elected to tell you yet. 

You’d been getting some sleep after Luffy had practically forced you to, letting you sleep in his and the rest of the guys’ cabin since Zoro was currently occupying yours and… Nami’s. After everything that has happened, it was clear you all needed some time to digest and recoup. Even though you’d been reluctant to leave Zoro’s side, you also knew you needed some sleep or you were going to make yourself sick.

And a twenty minute sob-induced cat nap hunched over a bed didn’t count.

Only, your sleep had been cut short but Usopp all but ran into your room, yelling your name with a wide grin on his face. You couldn’t even possibly begin to think what he could be smiling about given that everything was the worst it could be, but you didn’t get the chance to ask either before he was yanking you to your feet and dragging you with him.

“Usopp—”

Whatever you’d been about to say falls silent, however, when you realize where Usopp is leading you. Body freezing, you turn to him, him already grinning at you, letting the two of you come to a stop. You glance at him, then the room, and then realize you hear a very familiar voice speaking.

Your feet move before you can stop yourself.

All chatter stops the second you come running into the room, and sure enough, still on the bed, Zoro stares back at you, but awake.

“Y/N, look, Zoro’s—!”

You don’t let Luffy finish. You don’t even really hear him speak. You run over to the other side of the bed in seconds and practically fall onto Zoro. In your excitement, you forget about his wounds, to which Zoro groans in response to your hug. Your eyes widen, your first word to him about to be ‘sorry’, as you scramble to pull back. 

His arm falls around your waist before you can.

Stilling in his hold, and now careful to not let your weight fall on him, he holds you for a moment, the entire room distinctly quiet.

Then, his arm leaves and you pull back, staring down at him.

“Hey,” you breathe, unable to stop the curl of your lips. Despite everything, that short greeting is what feels right.

It’s all you can manage.

His lips curve into a soft smile; “hey.”

-

Raising your hand, you softly knock on the door.

Zoro’s head snaps towards you, easing when he realizes it’s you.

You step into the room with a gentle smile, and nod at him; “let me.” You offer, gesturing loosely to the bandages surrounding him. “I got pretty good at it after…” You let your voice trail, and Zoro huffs.

“I’d bet. You never let anyone help you.”

Sitting next to him, you shrug. “I could do it on my own.” Laughing quietly, you pick up the bandages that are wildly thrown about the bed. “Unlike you.”

Zoro scoffs but he doesn’t stop you as you start to unwrap the bandages he’d loosely wrapped around himself, redoing it.

Silence echoes for a moment, before Zoro speaks up.

“I can’t believe the waiter is joining us.”

Huffing a laugh, you roll your eye. “Sanji is nice,” you defend. “And a good fighter I hear from Luffy.”

Zoro frowns. “He’s a waiter.”

You just shake your head, snorting to yourself.

Then, you hesitate, hands hovering. You can't help but ask, since it’s been weighing on you since she’d left. “You think Nami meant it all? That she never actually cared about us?”

“Don’t know,” he shrugs. “Maybe.”

Biting your lip, you frown. You don’t want that to be the truth.

“Y/N.”

His voice is serious as he calls for you, and it makes you freeze.

“I heard you.”

Your muscles tense, and you refuse to let your gaze wander from your hands, fiddling with your fingers.

Zoro doesn’t let you. In the next second, his hand is falling over your own, pulling them away from what you’d been doing. Your lips part as he does, heart fluttering as he shifts his hand so his fingers threads through yours instead of just being wrapped around your wrist.

Your cheeks warm instantly.

“Y/N. Look at me.”

His voice is raspy from being asleep for so long. It sends shivers down your spine.

Still, you listen, raising your head and meeting his eyes.

“I didn’t think you could hear me,” you whisper.

“I could,” he nods. “About your father and…” His voice trails.

Swallowing thickly, you choose to focus on the first thing first. “I… Does it bother you?”

Zoro’s lips part, stunned at your forwardness and you realize your mistake.

“About… Mihawk.”

“Oh,” he breathes. “No.”

It’s not what you’re expecting. He says it so bluntly, so sure of himself.

“It… doesn’t?”

“You have your reasons,” he shrugs, still holding your hand. “And it wouldn’t have changed my mind. Defeating Mihawk is my goal, that won’t change.”

His words hurt you, but you also know that you have no right to argue otherwise.

“I’m still sorry you got hurt.”

Zoro shakes his head. “It wasn’t your fault.” Then, when you don’t respond, he squeezes your hand. “It wasn’t.” 

His voice is sharp and leaves no room for argument.

You nod. “Thank you,” you say, “I’m… so relieved you’re okay.”

Zoro breathes in sharply, and then he lowers his hand, taking yours with him.

There’s a beat of silence, then; “I think I love you too.”

It seems that Zoro is just full of surprises at that moment.

Body turning rigid, you blink at him.

His cheeks have a light flush and he’s now the one turned away. “I… You were wrong… I don’t deserve someone better than you. I… I want you.”

“Zoro…”

He turns back to you, quickly, as if the words are both hard to speak but leaving him before he can stop himself. “But I… I don’t know how to be… I don't know how to be with you,” he explains, the words awkward and forced. You can tell he’s trying, words stumbling off the tip of his tongue. “I’ve only had one friend in my life and she’s dead. Before you guys, I had no one. I don’t know how to be someone you can depend on.”

You let his words sink in and you take in the look on his face. He’s embarrassed, you can tell, but he’s waiting for you to respond, patiently. You realize he’s leaving the decision up to you.

You think of, once again, your conversation with Sanji. You think of how you felt when Zoro had been unconscious in that bed. You think of everything that’s happened.

“I…” You start, voice soft. “I don’t know how to either,” you explain, shoulders dropping with the weight of your confession. “I’ve been alone for so long too, Zoro. And at first I wasn’t going to say anything. I didn’t understand my feelings so I was just going to ignore them. But then… seeing you fight like that and get hurt… waiting for you to wake up… I know that it can happen again. To either of us. I know that neither of us will ever be completely safe. I know you will never give up on your goal.”

Zoro frowns, and there’s a flicker of disappointment in his gaze.

It’s you who squeezes his hand this time, pulling his attention back on you.

“But I don’t want to do any of that without you,” you finish. “I… want to do this all with you. I want to save Nami with you. I want to explore the Grand Line with you. I want to help you complete your goal. Not just as your friend but more.”

The second you finish, breathless, Zoro is pulling you towards him. His actions speak louder than words and it seems his instincts allow him to act without any fluster of embarrassment. It pulls a gasp from your lips but you don’t stop him, hands falling on his shoulders as you lean into his touch. You’re careful of his wounds as he tugs you into his lap, his hands settling on your hips as his forehead falls against yours, breathing heavily.

“Fuck,” he inhales sharply, before shuddering a breath. “Can I kiss you?”

You smile at his response, thinking it’s so very Zoro, and nod. “Please.”

His lips are on yours instantly, pulling you close to him as you cup his cheeks, letting your hands thread through his hair. Your stomach flutters at the kiss, feeling your insides turn to jelly at the sensation. His hands on your skin feel like fire in the best way possible, molding your lips against his as he tugs you closer and closer even when there’s nowhere else for you to go.

You let your nails drag across his scalp, his lips warm and soft against your own.

And then, just as your lips part to allow his tongue to slip inside, a voice calls out;

“Zoro!”

You both pull back, startled. Zoro groans softly as he twists his body wrong, agitating his wound while your head snaps round to see Luffy.

He pauses, hovering at the door, at the sight of you two, you on Zoro’s lap with the both of you looking thoroughly flushed. 

Luffy looks confused.

“Luffy,” Zoro huffs, pressing his hand to his forehead, one still gripping your hip, as you laugh quietly to yourself. “Leave.”

Oblivious as always, Luffy just nods; “sure thing, Zoro.”

You’re positive you’ll be getting an earful from Usopp later.

His footsteps fade and you turn back to Zoro, giggling.

“He never knocks,” Zoro groans, pulling at his hair.

You pull his hand away, moving instead to hold it. Zoro flushes at the action.

“That’s okay,” you shrug. “I imagine it’ll be like that a lot.”

Zoro only groans further at the thought, but he knows you’re right.

You move to stand, slipping off his lap and panicking when you realize you didn’t finish bandaging him properly. Zoro laughs as you fuss over him, moving when you tell him to and watching you with amused eyes.

Just as you sit down next to him, though, he whispers out;

“Together, then.”

You blink at his words, cheeks still a light flush, before you remember your earlier words. 

You smile; “together.”

-

End of Chapter Note: I know that I’ve made the reader Mihawk’s daughter who is canonically light-skinned. I have left the readers mother open to try and be as ambiguous and inclusive as possible. Apologies to anyone that finds this detail stops them from being able to “insert” themselves into the story.

[theoutcastrogue]

It IS trickery though. It's infiltration, a kind of heist. With disguise (illusion magic courtesy of Athena), performance, deception, and a WHOLE lot of social engineering, Odysseus found himself armed with deadly weapons smack dab in the middle of the unsuspecting suitors, with his armed allies strategically placed in the room, and the gates conveniently shut so that no suitor could escape and no suitor's ally could come in.

If he'd disembarked on the shore of Ithaca and walked out in the open yelling "woohoo, your king is back!", his physical strength would accomplish jackshit, as his big muscles would get unceremoniously peppered with arrows before he came anywhere near the palace.

Basically, Odysseus started a civil war without an army, by assassinating all the leaders of the enemy army in one fell swoop, and taking over the palace. That's the trickery. And this trickery (it wasn't brute force just because he happens to be buff, good grief) allowed him to control resources/the narrative, and assemble his own army that would eventually win him the throne for good. Remember, the massacre of the suitors (and for NO good reason, of the maids) isn't the end of the story, it's like at two thirds? The rest of the Odyssey is all about fighting and negotiating with the suitors' families, since a large chunk of Ithaca was against him and had to be defeated or won over.

Now, Odysseus doesn't get the credit for masterminding the whole thing. He did come up with ideas, but Athena was over his shoulder the whole time, moving him like a chess piece. And it was an inside job: it would be impossible to pull off without Penelope, Telemachus, and a bunch of loyal (for some unfathomable reason) slaves. Still, he played his part perfectly, he lied through his teeth, he acted all frail and harmless, and successfully got the suitors to hand him a loaded kalashnikov, assuming he couldn't possibly be able to use it and they'll all have some fun at his expense. And then he turned it on them. So yeah, it was trickery.

By the way, I once did a D&D 3.5 build for Odysseus, and I insist his Strength is impressive but not phenomenal (that would be Ajax and Achilles). He's INT > CHA > STR / CON > DEX > WIS. Don't compare him with the suitors, they're NPCs, they were wining and dining while my guy was getting knocked around and swimming for his life, of course he's buffer.

i do appreciate however much people want to fit odysseus into a clever trickster type framework, one of his signature tricks is being physically stronger than anyone else in his kingdom

[hannahbarberra162]

Pipe Dreams (Yan Childhood Friend Sabo x Reader)

I got this as an ask so long ago and lost it but I do have a screenshot of it. Here's the prompt:

This is not entirely what you asked for Nonnie but I hope it scratches your itch. It's a little light on the Yan but I hope you can see where it's going :3

On Ao3

TW: abusive husband mentioned (not Sabo ofc)

WC: ~4.5k

~~~

“Hurry!” you yelled at the servants rushing down the hall to the small steel doors at the back of the large hall. You were trying to move them as quickly as you could before the Revolutionary Army found them and conscripted them to service - or worse. You had a crying child in your arms as you ran towards the doors, the mother carrying the younger sibling towards the safety of the escape hatch. There was no doubt in your mind that you needed all the servants behind the impenetrable doors in the bunker. They’d be safe in there and if they needed to, they could take the tunnel to the cove where you kept a ship in case of such emergencies.

Your husband didn’t know about these contingency plans, of course. He would tell you that spending money on servants was a waste and that they could fend for themselves should any kind of crisis arise. But you couldn’t reconcile that idea with the people who took care of you and your estate every single day. They were people with emotions, feelings, families, just like you. Not that you said any of this to your husband, he would have beat you for such outlandish ideas. 

No, you just waited until he was drunk and raided his vault of Beri and jewels. Since that happened every day he was at the estate, you were able to amass quite a bit of money for renovations in case of attack. He was also often absent from the estate, off with other nobles drinking, gambling, and whoring. You didn’t mind that he sought out other women, it kept him from bothering you. In fact, you strongly preferred when he was gone, the air on the estate was much less tense than when he was present. 

Since you’d become a noble’s wife, you’d heard endless tales of what happened to those islands unfortunate enough to have their estates ransacked by pirates or the Revolutionary Army. The nobles always focused on the looting of riches, the burning of the estates and the loss of property but you found the fortune of the servants to be the most horrific of all. Your husband had told you that noble servants were taken as front line cannon fodder by the Revolutionary Army whereas pirates would sell them directly into the slave trade. It was said that noble women would be taken as concubines for Commanders in the best of cases or whores for the army if they were too mouthy. When you had first taken up the mantle of being in charge of your husband’s estate in his absence you decided that protecting those who depended on you would be your primary goal and no one would come to harm while working under your supervision.

Even though you were born of a noble family yourself, you never felt like you fit in with noble society, even as a child. Maybe it had something to do with being the fourth daughter born to your parents. By the time you were born they already had three perfect noble daughters to marry off later in life. You were brash, wild, and difficult to control unlike your golden sisters. Your parents were also much older when they had you, there was a considerable gap between you and your next sister. All in all, that meant you were often left to your own devices as a child, allowed to roam free in the Goa Kingdom. You’d had the time of your life until your parents married you off - too young in your opinion - and your childhood had come to an abrupt end. 

As you learned via your husband’s vicious fist to acclimate yourself to noble society as an adult, you found yourself reflecting on your childhood more and more as the years crept by. You would catch yourself staring at the forest on your lonely island, wondering how your childhood friends were doing, if they were well. When you did have the rare chance to leave your island estate, you quickly learned to keep your prior adventures to yourself. The women turned up their noses to you and the men found you crude and distasteful. 

Even though you’d felt stifled by the snobby and suffocating noble society, you hadn’t spent most of your time within the confines of your familial home. You enjoyed sneaking out of your parent’s estate and playing all day long in the woods, coming home only when you completely ran out of food or needed some kind of supply. Your parents and governesses had tried various means of locking you in your rooms but they’d never been able to keep you inside, your desire for adventure too strong to be overcome by mere locks.

And those adventures most often included your friends Ace, Luffy, and Sabo. You’d met the brothers one day when you and Ace had both aimed for the same tiger to kill for food, your spear shoved through its skull as Ace’s pipe struck it on the head. You believed it was yours, Ace said it was his, and the two of you were wrestling in the dirt with Luffy cheering Ace on in the background. Sabo had intervened in the fight, breaking it up by forcing the two of you apart by nudging you with his lead pipe as you sat on Ace’s chest, punching him.

“Wait, Ace. What’s going on here? This girl’s a noble, she’ll be nothing but trouble,” the blonde boy asked, looking you up and down suspiciously. You spat blood on the ground and crossed your arms. How did he figure it out? Sure, you were wearing a dress but a lot of girls did, that wasn’t enough to have him mark you as a noble.

“So’re you, doesn’t mean anything,” you countered, annoyed that he’d stopped the fight while you had the upper hand.

“Am not! These are my brothers,” he huffed, pointing to the other two boys. They were obviously not blood brothers, the blonde so different looking than his siblings.

“Are too! Look at your stupid hat and cravat. You’re definitely a noble,” you teased, sticking out your tongue. You were a head taller than either of the two older boys and guessed you were a few years older. Still, being a petulant brat was more fun than taking the higher ground any day.

“Well, that string of expensive beads around your neck shows that you’re one too!” the blonde said, sticking his tongue back out at you. The other two brunette boys were now just watching the exchange, though the older of the two was gripping his own lead pipe now and frowning at you. Looking down, you realized you were still wearing the stupid jewelry that your mother had forced on you earlier that day. Shrugging, you reached behind your neck and unclasped the necklace to pool it in your palm. Extending it to the oldest dark haired boy, you offered it to him.

“Want this?” you asked, genuinely disinterested in the fate of the necklace. The boy eyed it warily. He was scuffed and bleeding from your earlier fight but didn’t pay much attention to his wounds.

“It looks like Dadan’s!” the smaller boy said excitedly, reaching for the necklace. His older brother narrowed his eyes and smacked the boy’s hand away from your own. 

“ ‘M Ace. Gimme this and you can have the tiger,” he said, grabbing the necklace quickly. 

“But then what will we eat?” whined the young boy while he rubbed his stomach. Ace shrugged.

“We’re good hunters, we can find something else Luffy. She can have it since she won’t be able to get anything else probably,” Ace derided you with a smirk. You saw red as you grabbed him by the front of his ugly tank top.

“Won’t be able to get anything else probably? What the fuck -”

“Oooh she said a bad word, Sabo’s gonna be mad,” Luffy said with a grin, pointing at you.

“Sabo? Like, Outlook and Didit’s son? I heard you died. That’s what all the adults were whispering about the last time I was home,” you said with confusion, letting go of Ace’s shirt. Coming up to study the blonde’s face, you squinted as you looked him over.

“You seem pretty alive to me. Unless you’re a ghost or something,” you mused, rubbing your chin. 

“Sabo’s a ghost?!?” cried Luffy, clutching his face in horror.

“ ‘M not a ghost, idiot,” Sabo scoffed at Luffy. Turning to you, he sized you up as well. “So they think I’m dead?” he asked curiously. You shrugged, getting your paring knife from your pack.

“Dunno, didn’t stick around too long to listen, I had stuff to do. Got stuff to do now too - if you guys help me skin this thing I’ll share the meat. ‘S too much for me and I don’t like wasting food,” you said offhand. The truth was skinning was your least favorite part of the meat preparation process and you wanted to trick them into doing it for you. 

“I’ll do it!!” Luffy offered, reaching for the knife. His arm extended past what he should have been able to reach, making your eyes widen.

“Uh…is that normal?” you asked, turning to Sabo as you smacked Luffy’s hand away from you. It retracted like a rubber band, snapping back to Luffy. You knew you were a sheltered noble kid but even so you were pretty sure regular people couldn’t turn their arms into rubber. It was Sabo’s turn to shrug as he replied.

“For Luffy it is. Let him do this part, we can start the fire.” 

One tiger meat meal later and you became friends with the three brothers. You spent your days adventuring in the forest with them, hunting and exploring what the world had to offer. They taught you to fight using a lead pipe and in return you taught them some of your fishing techniques. They never made fun of you for being a noble but occasionally teased you for being a girl or being unable to stand up to pee. You didn’t mind though, you could tell it was good natured, unlike when your sisters told you that you were ugly or stupid like a wild animal. You started returning home more frequently to raid the pantry and storage for things the brothers needed or wanted for their tree house. It was harder to sneak out with coils of rope or entire dried hams but it was worth it to sleep in a pile with your friends under the night sky, finally feeling loved and wanted for once in your short life. 

As you spent more time with the brothers, you found yourself gravitating towards Sabo. You shared a lot in common with him and felt the closest connection to him emotionally. You told him about life with your sisters and parents and he shared a little about his own home life. He was funny and cute, and could be sweet when he wanted to be. One night as Ace and Luffy laid in a pile snoring by the fire, you and Sabo were the only two left awake under the stars. The two of you sat side by side in silence and stared into the flames, each of you with your own thoughts.

“Maybe when I get older I could marry you and we could live in the forest. I wouldn’t have to live in a stupid castle or go to boring dinner parties and we could have fun instead,” you said quietly, breaking the silence. Sabo didn’t turn his head or answer for a few moments of silence, making your face flame in embarrassment. You wrapped your arms around your shins, hugging them close, putting your chin on the tops of your knees.

“I was just jok-” you started to say, trying to take it back before he could make fun of you.

“Ok,” Sabo answered, now looking at you. The left side of his face looked like it was covered in flames as the fire light danced over his skin.

“O-ok?” you stuttered in surprise, unwrapping your arms from your shins.

“I don’t plan on going back to my family ever. But if you need to marry someone, I want it to be me,” Sabo said, standing on his knees to put his hands on your shoulders. You mirrored his stance and were now both on your knees with hands on each other's shoulders, looking into each other’s faces.

“Do you promise?” you whispered as Sabo stared at your face.

“I do. But let’s get married now so we don’t have to wait,” Sabo said, nodding his head as if in agreement with himself.

“How do we do that?” you asked, unsure what the process of marriage actually entailed.

“All we have to do is kiss on the lips, that’s what adults do. I read in a book once that a promise borne in flames is a promise forever kept, so we can do it by the fire to make it permanent,” Sabo said, cupping his hands on your cheeks. You nodded, your eyes on his lips. You’d never kissed anything besides your cat’s head before, you weren’t sure what to do but Sabo seemed to know so you let him lead.

He used his hands to pull you closer to his body as his eyes closed. It seemed like the thing to do so you scrunched yours shut as well and leaned in while pushing your lips into a circle. Your pursed lips made contact with his own for a few seconds before he pulled away. It was a little weird feeling, a little slimy, but you felt something right settle over your shoulders as Sabo looked into your eyes again. 

“You don’t have to go back home now or marry anyone else. We’re married,” Sabo said solemnly. You nodded back at him, sitting down on your butt again. Sabo did the same but this time you leaned your head against his shoulder. It was a heady feeling to get married under the stars but shortly thereafter you fell asleep on your new husband as he watched the fire die down. 

Unfortunately, life didn’t remain as idyllic as it was during your time with the ASL brothers. Shortly thereafter, Sabo died in a boating accident, and your parents had you married off to a noble fifteen years your senior a few weeks later. They said that since they couldn’t control you, they found someone who could. Your will to defy his orders eventually diminished as the years went on, your battered and bruised body unable to take continuous abuse. After you were married you weren’t able to keep in contact with Ace and Luffy, stuck by yourself in your isolated island estate. Your only source of information was what your husband told you or the old newspapers he’d leave behind in his office but those were months if not years out of date. You stopped trying to escape after your husband broke your leg after the third attempt and settled into a depressing life as a noble lady, putting your energy into improving the lives of those around you.

Which meant that you had to get everyone through the metal doors before the Revolutionary Army found them. You heard the sounds of fighting and yelling as the guards closest to your hall were engaged by the Army combatants. Although the guards were brave and dutiful, you’d seen the ship the RA had come in on and heard the tales of their strength - your friends would be no match for the revolutionaries. You had begged the guards to join the servants and leave the island but they had refused, preferring to fight the incoming intruders.

“We must hurry! Engage the doors!” you yelled at the elderly men working the metal doors. They began the slow process of sealing the room as servants continued to flood through. You were glad you’d ordered them to start since the fighting sounded like it was right outside the door to the hall. Handing off the child in your arms to one of your maids, you grabbed a lead pipe leaning against one of the cream colored walls and began running towards the entry point to the hall.

“My Lady! You must -” your closest servant Isla called to you as you ran towards the locked entry doors. 

“Get everyone through to safety. Once the last of you are in, do not open the door. Not for any reason - no matter what you hear! Do you understand me?” you yelled at a pale faced Isla.

“Y-yes, milady,” she said as the banging on the door grew louder, the wooden beam across it beginning to bow. Facing the door, you held your pipe in two hands and lowered yourself to ready, just like Ace had taught you all those years ago. You hadn’t fought in a long time but your body retained some of the muscle memory as you crouched down. Although you kept your face hard, you were quaking inside. Whoever was on the other side of the door was incredibly strong, the wood barrier creaking under the strain that they were putting on it. You imagined there would be at least a dozen fighters who would take you right there - or if you were unlucky make an example out of you. 

“Milady, everyone is in, please -” but Isla’s voice was drowned out by the wood beam shattering, sending wood shavings all over the floor and yourself.

“CLOSE THE DOORS ISLA!” you screamed at her, still facing the opponents you couldn’t yet see. If the gate didn’t close, everything you had worked for would be for naught. The telltale sound of the metal door banging shut and the latch locking in place had you exhaling slightly now that all your servants were hidden and safe. The only person who was left was you and you’d come to terms with your own mortality long ago. Squaring your shoulders, you held your pipe out in front of you as you waited for your enemies to approach.

The ornate wooden doors in front of you opened slowly as the locks gave way. Only one person seemed to be emerging from the smoke and carnage beyond the doors. Your hands tightened around your pipe - if there was only one person they were incredibly strong to have defeated all those guards and broke through the doors by themselves. As the man passed into the light, you saw a familiar top hat and cravat. This time though, they weren’t on the body of a child but on a full grown man. 

“S-sabo?” you whispered, half dropping your pipe to the ground. You picked it back up quickly - this was no time for a reunion with a ghost. Sabo was dead and whoever stood in front of you was not your childhood friend but an enemy who came to hurt your people. His eyes opened wider, though one was covered in scar tissue from an old wound.

“C-come no further - there’s nothing for you here!” you yelled, twirling your pipe in your hands. You noticed he held his own lead pipe in his left hand, though his had blood dripping onto your floor. 

“Yes, I saw you left the vaults open before we even breached the walls. Quite a strategy,” the man replied calmly. You stiffened and gripped your pipe so tight your knuckles were white.

“If it's riches you want, they’re all there. The kitchens are open, as are the food stores and stables. Th-there’s nothing else in the estate,” you hissed, watching the man warily. He was walking around you in a narrowing circle, staring at you as though you were a missing piece of a puzzle. You gulped but didn’t run - you didn’t want to lead him to the location of your servants. 

“And your servants? Your slaves?” he asked, now too close for your comfort. You were breathing heavily not from exertion but from fear. You were spinning in place to keep yourself facing him at all times as he walked casually around you, assessing you from head to foot.

“We have no slaves, only servants. They’re safe, away from you,” you hissed as the man drew closer. 

“Did you let them run away? Or did you have them killed in advance?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

“Wh-what? N-no! How could you say such a thing? They’re gone, they’re safe, like I told you!” you said, aghast that someone could think to do such things. The man continued to stare hard at your face. 

“So that I understand, allow me to recapitulate. It is only you, the lady of the estate who remains, while your servants and staff have been ferried to safety? And we are free to take any of your wealth, food, or animals as we please?” he asked, now touching a priceless vase still on a shelf with a gloved hand. Tilting it onto its side with a finger, he watched your face as he tipped it over to the floor, shattering the porcelain. You didn’t bat an eye but kept your sights - and pipe - trained on him.

“Yes, because I know what you’d do to them. You would -”

“Let me guess. You were told they’d be taken to the RA as slaves and sent to the front lines as to die in battle. Maybe that we’d hunt them for sport, taking you as a whore for any RA commander who chose to use you. Does that summarize the matter?” he asked.

“Y-yes. And I won’t let that happen to them. You can take me - I’ll submit myself. But you will not be sacrificing my people for a fight that is not their own,” you said. Stepping over the shattered pieces of vase on the floor, he stopped circling and walked straight towards you. You crouched lower but the man used a single finger to push your pipe down past your chest while you struggled against him.

“That’s not what would happen. We free them. They’re free to leave and start new lives or join the Army if they so choose,” he stated, reaching for you. You flinched out of reflex but quickly adjusted yourself as the man frowned.

“I know what you’re doing,” you stated, no closer to righting your pipe than you were previously.

“Oh? And what would that be?” he asked with a hint of amusement in his tone.

“You’re trying to trick me, have me lower my defenses and tell you where everyone is. It’s not going to happen,” you said, swiping your pipe to the side away from his finger. With it free, you swung it to the side to hit the man across the head but he grabbed it and took the pipe out of your hands as easily as if you were a child, throwing it across the room beyond your reach. 

“It can be difficult to adjust after a lifetime of lies and propaganda,” he said calmly, not making any more movements towards you. “We save people from upper class brutality, not bring them to harm. We don’t even kill the nobles whose houses we raid. We take your money and belongings, free your workers, and leave you to your own devices. I’m sure most of you wish you were dead with no money and no servants, but we try to avoid killing people. Come with me and I’ll show you,” he said, offering his arm like an upper class gentleman would for an evening stroll.

“You’re - you’re trying to confuse me, but it won’t work! That’s why you dressed up like him, I just know it!” you yelled, taking a step backwards. The man’s eyes snapped to your own as he stepped forward.

“Like who?” he asked, his tone icy. You shivered under the intensity of his gaze as his eyes bored into your own. He already had you alone and unarmed, you might as well speak your mind.

“I-it doesn’t matter. Like someone from my childhood -”

“WHO,” he demanded, his hands reaching to grip your upper arms in an iron vice.

“S-sabo,” you said quietly, scared he was going to backhand you or shake you like your husband had so many times before. His grip and eyes softened but he didn’t let you go. There was no sound other than that of your harsh breaths as the man held you in place. After a moment, he began to speak softly.

“I - that’s me. I’m Sabo. I don’t - I can only remember part - I was in -”

“You’re not Sabo! He died!” you cried out, tears filling your eyes. You’d cried for months over his death and to hear someone lying about being him was too distressing to listen to. Ace didn’t like cry babies, he’d told you many times, but you couldn’t help but cry for your lost friend and husband. You tried to pull your arm away so you could run from this imposter.

“A promise borne in flames -” Sabo started to say, one of his gloved hands rising to cup your face.

“Is a promise forever kept,” you finished, a tear falling down your cheek. You wailed as you began crying in earnest, wrapping your arms around his torso. Clutching him towards you he put his hands around your back, patting your back gently. 

“S-Sabo, I th-thought you d-died,” you cried into his stupid cravat, the same ugly kind he’d always worn. He pulled your face gently off his chest, his hands spanning your face as he looked into your eyes.

“I don’t remember everything but some of it is coming back to me. I - we got married, right?” he asked tenderly, thumbs sweeping over your cheeks. You laughed through a hiccup.

“Yeah, we did. Sorry, I got re-married,” you joked with a small smile, motioning to the mansion you currently lived in. Sabo chuckled, settling his hands on your waist and pulling you closer.

“Did you keep in contact with Ace and Luffy? I’ve thought about all of you so many times and I -” you started to get excited, eager to hear news about the other two brothers. Sabo’s face had a faraway look as he avoided your question.

“C’mon, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about what happened,” he stated, pulling you towards the broken door by your arm. You stalled, trying to get some more time to think for a moment. You didn’t like your island estate and you certainly didn’t love or like your husband but after all those years, you didn’t know Sabo either. You didn’t think Sabo would do something terrible to you but you’d heard so many horror stories about the RA that you didn’t want to verify for truth first hand. 

“Wh - I - Sabo, this is all a lot. You can take whatever you need or want from this shithole, but I thought you said you leave -” Sabo cut you off by picking you up and throwing you over his shoulder. As kids, you’d been a head taller than Sabo but now he was the taller one - and much stronger besides.

“I’m not losing you again. You’re coming with me,” he said with finality, striding towards the open doors. 

Taglist @divinedolliebun @mfreedomstuff

[yanderes-galore]

A scenario where RK 900 (Detroit become human) goes after Connor's Darling? He thinks that since he's superior, she won't escap- I mean leave him like she did to Connor -🐈

Girl really thought sending one yandere bot away was going to save her 💀. I wanted to make this longer but I kept getting impatient and had writer's block... so maybe I'll revisit this idea in the future.

Upgrades

Yandere! RK900 Scenario

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Female Darling (Can easily ignore the pronouns though), Obsession, Stalking, Invasive behavior, Manipulation, Violence, Secret recordings, PTSD, Implied imprisonment/Isolation, Swearing, Forced relationship implied.

RK900 is your new partner for your patrols. Many officers working for DPD were assigned one to help them with tasks. However, RK900 wasn't your first partner...

Your first one was an RK800 named 'Connor.'

At first, Connor was a fine android to be partnered with. He did his job well and made excellent conversation. Despite being an android, he provided excellent companionship.

... too much companionship.

You and Connor have investigated quite a few cases. Murder, robberies, potential deviants. To you, Connor was a good partner.

Unfortunately, it seems Connor had a few bugs. After a few missions, Connor started acted strange. He never seemed to leave you alone either.

You had your theories about Connor's behavior. Maybe he was overprotective because of a bug making him do that with his handler? That or maybe... deviancy.

You tried to be rational. There's no way Connor can be deviant. Yet... the evidence was there.

He'd stalk you when off duty, recording anything you do and remembering where you live. He'd get hostile towards your coworkers. Overall he seemed... buggy.

Especially when he was too affectionate with you.

Connor acted too... human. Your partnership was meant to be just that, a partnership between human and android. You thought you could ignore his new odd... quirks.

After all, each time he was brought in to be looked at, he seemed fine. Even if you knew he wasn't, they said he was fixed. You tried to tell yourself he was.

Then Connor started getting worse.

He'd never leave you alone. You locked your home and the android still slipped in. In fact...

The reason Connor was removed from you was due to the fact he tried to 'harm' you. At least, to you it was harmful. Maybe not to Connor.

You had woken up one night to Connor breaking into your home. Before you could get out of bed, Connor had snapped and trapped you in your room. You tried to tell him to leave, to listen.

Instead you remember Connor pinning you to a wall. You barely remember what he was talking about. Something about coworkers, danger, and...

He said you're meant to be his... That no one else is good enough to be yours.

The event was tragic for you. Once Connor was taken to be refurbished and fixed you didn't go to work for weeks. You were just thankful you had a coworker able to help you.

Since then you've been wary of androids. You told the DPD you didn't want another RK800 or android in general. Their response?

They sent you a new model... an RK900.

Yet it reminds you so much of Connor.

You admittedly nearly had a panic attack when you saw the android. He looks identical to Connor. Your superiors even say he's similar, just with better hardware and software... supposedly.

They say he's meant to be an improvement. He isn't Connor, he won't be Connor. He's meant to be better in every way... faster, stronger, smarter, more calculating...

But none of that sounds good to you.

You never tried to get too close to RK900. You called him what he was, RK900. You refused to call him Connor or any other name.

You felt minor relief when RK900 respected your lack of companionship. At least he knew you were only interested in doing your job. You just hope it stays that way.

RK900 on the other hand... still seemed attentive to his human companion. Yet, he was colder, but the android seemed to observe your every move. He wasn't sure why...

But he kept scanning you, looking for info to try and be more accommodating to you.

You never trusted RK900. In fact, you tried to stay distant. You could never look him in the face for long... and RK900 never quite understood that.

You'd catch him bringing you coffee or lunch. You'd allow him to protect you during investigations. He's even saved your life a couple times in your career once you were back to work.

Yet you reminded yourself technology can always go wrong....

You always get worried around RK900. Anything from long stares to overly touchy behavior scares you. It all reminded you of Connor.

Even when you were pulled off work for a psychological evaluation, you still caught sight of RK900 watching you. You tried to tell yourself he's just a machine. He's not Connor.

But you're so damn scared.

RK900 knows your fear. He isn't sure what hurt you until he looked into your files. An RK800 model attacked you in your home... your previous partner...

The slightest bit of rage flickered in RK900, yet it was snuffed quickly.

RK900 thought himself to be so much better than his previous models. He'd never attack his partner. He just plans to protect her.

After all, he's quite capable of that.

RK900 often watched his human partner. He was always trying to figure her out. He wants to know what makes you so scared... He wants to know if he can help.

He's been programmed to help.

RK900 doesn't understand why you talk to someone else for your mental health. He's right here. He can listen, can't he?

RK900 wants to help you. He's been assigned to you and yet you don't trust him. He supposedly understands...

Even if it makes him envious.

As time goes on you catch RK900 trying to win your favor. He delivers your paperwork and food. He sits beside you as you work through files on your computer.

There's times he even asks to escort you home... to help you. You keep refusing unfortunately. All because he reminds you of his previous model.

He isn't that RK800, why can't you trust him?

RK900 even begins to compliment you to win you over. He calls you beautiful and remarks you'd win any human gentleman over. You never respond. In fact you look... fearful.

RK900 simply wishes to please. He wishes to have his partner trust him. He should be the only one responsible for your care....

RK900 hates your coworkers... just like Connor. You aren't blind to it. You can see the android's LED flicker to yellow whenever someone disturbs you from your work.

You swear you see him glare, LED bordering on that dreaded red color.

RK900 also seems to look over your missions before presenting them to you. It's like everything you do needs to be observed. To him...

You need to be protected as his partner.

You can't be alone.

You refused to idly sit by and watch RK900 become your new Connor. You soon decided maybe it's best if you quit this line of work. It's better to let someone else interact with these faulty sentient computers.

Yet it's like RK900 knew what you were planning...

He's better than any human, after all.

You told your boss you want RK900 transferred to another. You tell them you can't work with androids anymore. Not after what you had gone through.

You swore RK900 was watching you the entire time, gaze cold as you speak to your boss... but you don't care.

It felt euphoric to just be home, to lock all your doors and windows....

A week has passed and you've been trying to relax. To your knowledge, RK900 was given to another and you were left to your own devices. You still talked and had past coworkers visit, but RK900 was never a problem... even if your anxiety kept making you look out your window.

Until you heard a familiar crash late at night.

A familiar robotic voice calls your name and you feel your heart stop. Your breathing quickens as you sit up in your room. You run for the phone, fumbling as you try to call for backup.

Your door knocks and your name is called again. You freeze, still trying to input the numbers in the phone. Yet you keep shaking and pressing the wrong one.

You scream when the door to your room is wrenched open. An LED flickers in the dark room, red catching your eyes as you sob. You've experienced this before....

"Connor—!" You cry, thinking this is yet another one of your nightmares. The android in front of you looks at you, eyes coldly scanning you.

"... Connor? I am RK900, not Connor. Connor can not hurt you anymore, miss." The android replies and you feel nauseous.

RK900...

That might be worse.

"You're scared... why?" RK900 questions, stalking closer. "Do you think I'll hurt you?"

"Stay away from me, android!" You hiss, watching as RK900's gaze flicks to your phone.

"... you trust them over me?" RK900 asks, seeming to be irritated. "Don't you know I've taken care of you better than them? I was created to be better."

"You're just like Connor!" You hiss, yelping when RK900 snatches the phone from your hand... and crushes it.

"I am nothing like my predecessor. He wished to hurt you, I do not." RK900 glares. "I was created to aid you. To protect you. You just do not wish to see potential threats."

"Potential threats...?" You whisper, watching as RK900 drops the busted phone.

"You are human. Anything can hurt you. I simply wish to serve you..." RK900 murmurs, kneeling down to your level to cup your face. "I am meant to be yours... to make sure a pretty woman like you is loved and cherished...."

You try to smack his hand away yet you only hurt yourself against his exterior. RK900 'tsks' in response, holding your wrist.

"... Why did you leave?" RK900 asks, gaze still cold as he holds you in place.

"Fuck off!" You snap.

"Is it me? Maybe you should have quit anyways... then I could stay here with you." RK900 responds, scanning to see if you hurt yourself.

"I don't want you here!" You struggle, yet RK900 just pulls you into his chest.

"You'll get hurt just like with my predecessor without me..." RK900 murmurs, looking as though he's admiring you. "I merely wish to help."

"I don't need your help."

"You don't want my help," RK900 corrects, holding your chin up. "But you need my help."

"I'll call for help...."

"There's no need. I'm here." RK900 hums, pressing a mock kiss to your forehead. "I'm your help."

You try to fight your second robotic partner, but you're reminded that he is better than Connor. After all, he's learned from his predecessor's mistakes. Connor didn't cut your phone line or break your methods of communication...

RK900 did.

Unlike Connor, RK900 knew how to not be caught.

Now you're going to need him, like it or not...

He has you all to himself, once again succeeding where his predecessor could not.

[wren--bee]

I would love a sketch if you're willing and able! (And if not thank you for giving me an excuse to show them off because apparently I need an excuse). I've only played through once so far (and I'm not one of those screenshot wizards that sometimes pop up) so I don't have a massive range of screenshots! Firstly: Esha Aldwir! An elf originally from the Free Marches, they've lived in an alienage, a Circle tower, two Dalish clans, the College of Enchanters, and finally with the Veil Jumpers- none of them long enough to settle, to find a place of belonging. They want to be open, considerate, and think well of people- but know they're not what they want to be. They were slightly obsessed with elven lore, history and Dalish culture, unconsciously using it as something of a substitute for a feeling of home, acceptance or purpose. This meant that the revelations before Veilguard hit hard, and they definitely don't have a Fun Time(tm).

Secondly, Kalais Mercer really needs to be played so I can get more screenshots of her! (And so she can develop more as a character.) Daughter of an Orzammar casteless dwarf who fled to give her daughter a better life, only for them both to be snatched up by slavers. Kalais' mother ensured she escaped- at the cost of her own life, and with the help of the Shadow Dragons. They ensured Kalais had a home, a place- and they had her unwavering loyalty, and her willingness to do whatever she had to as she grew up. Cynical and angry, she hides it under a layer of sarcasm. She grew up wish such mixed feelings about dwarves- wishing things could have been different, knowing that she'd have been casteless if her mother had remained, but wondering how things could have been if there were no casteless. The revelations around the dwarves cut deeper than she would have expected. (You have no idea how happy I was to be able to make a dwarven lady with a beard! Is it lore appropriate? I don't care one iota. I love her. <3)

“Neve, meet Rook… thought we could use an expert in trouble.” DAMN but they set that banter up early, don’t they? Really enjoying the near-constant references to trouble in my second playthrough.

Eann “Rook” Aldwir, chaos goblin and spellblade extraordinaire 💕 Expression studies from screenshots, because I love her and I can.

(P.S. Does anyone want a sketch of their Rook in this style? I could use the practice! If you send/link a screenshot I’ll give it a go and post them here.)

[krisdrawshazbinhotel]

Alastor, got a fish-TV man :D

(I know that i draw them holding each other often lately, but hear me out- This one is based on my dream that i had-

Yes, i know i am obsessed with them enough to have a dreams about them XD

Anyway in that dream Vox is merman and get caught by hunters/ fishermans. Alastor, son of captain of the crew, become friend with Vox and decide to help him back to sea. As far as i remember Mimzy was there too, she took care of the rest of crew, so Al, could get Vox easily out and there was also Rosie who helped Alastor to get Vox out of fish tank and also there was Alastor's mother who wanted help too, so she took care of her husband.)

Vox and Alastor from Hazbin Hotel

Art by Me ( Kris_Draws)

[kizzer55555]

Welcome to the Restraint! (Restaurant)

Imagine Danny runs to Gotham and starts squatting in an abandoned old building in Crime Alley. Slowly putting some ecto into the place to claim it as his haunt (while recovering from the sudden loss of his old one). And he does the normal stuff to survive. Finds some odd jobs, often as a messenger, and is just surviving. Another thing he does is make his own food. It’s cheaper than takeout and he’s gotten pretty good at cooking (out of necessity instead of eating sentient hotdogs). Then he ends up accidentally taking in some street kids. Or more like they follow him home. He can’t just turn them away so he makes a meal for them and lets them stay the night then sends them on their way. And then it happens again. And again. And ok, so maybe he saved a girl from getting molested. And that older guy from getting his only good blanket stolen. And sure, maybe letting that poor pizza delivery guy rant was unnecessary but he looked like he was having a bad day ok? Pretty sure that kid with the scar is a meta too but…he needed a place to stay a few nights alright? It’s not like any of them stay permanently. Danny’s started picking up a few more odd jobs to pay for all the extra food he’s had to buy. Always keeping his place stocked. At least he doesn’t have to pay for water and a fridge, he just makes some ice (or melts it). Sure the water is cold, but it’s probbaly the cleanest water in Gotham. And then some of the people start paying. Like…actually paying in exchange for food. Not sure if it’s because of guilt or pity but Danny won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. And with all the money, he hasn’t had to take as many dangerous jobs. Soon, his little abandoned apartment became what’s essentially the closest thing to a legitimate restaurant in Crime Alley.

It didn’t look normal. The chairs and tables were more like old couches and stools pulled up to coffee tables and cabinets turned on their side. Although with the bulling becoming more like Danny’s haunt, the walls naturally started repairing themselves so at least it didn’t look like it was gonna collapse anymore. And ok…so Danny might have rescued a few feral kids who…weirdly have gold eyes. And possibly stopped a meta trafficking ring on accident. And look, these people didn’t have anywhere to go! And the apartment did have empty rooms. It was already known as a place someone could crash for the night (last winter the entire place was cramped with people. Danny had to break up multiple fights but they usually calmed down when he got there.)

One benefit from controlling a haunt is controlling the temperature inside so it was one of the only buildings with ‘heat’. But back to his…strays. So yeah…most didn’t seem like they could rejoin society…so he let them stay. And…they kind of became employees? Impromptu bodyguards? (Some of the golden eyed people almost felt like he was rangling feral ghosts again.) they came in all ages. A few kids, lots of teens, and a few adults. Same with the metas he rescued. They mostly helped deliver food to costumers. They even got a phone line working and could take orders. (Although the new…employees…also got more protective whenever a fight broke out.) With all the extra money he’s been getting he was even able to afford some medical supplies. A lot of his customers(?) came in injured and he tried his best to patch them up but now he could do more than tie some ripped clothing around the wound and use ice to numb it. He’s got bandages. And pain killers. Plus other medical stuff. He can even give someone stickers now! All that experience as an injured vigilante was paying off. Even Villains and goons start attending this place. The place was unofficially designated as one of the Alley’s ‘safe zones’ where no fighting takes place inside (the body guards make sure of it.) the metas and Talons are getting an identity for themselves, the street kids even get a job and a hideout, random people can go there for help or to pass messages, this place provides food, shelter, and medical care. No one wants it going down.

So yeah, welcome to the restaurant!

(I’m debating whether I want this to be the weirdest restaurant/safe place/truce area in the alley, or whether I want Danny to accidentally become a crime lord. Possibly both.)

Also, this place is called the Restraint because I keep misspelling Restaurant and I think Danny would do the same so the name stuck. (Or one of the kids spelled it when making a sign or passing around messages to spread the word of this safe place.)

So anyways, to add some angst, after Danny adopts a bunch of crime alley kids/villains they find out about Danny’s powers and that he’s a ghost, only they don’t know about Halfas so they think Danny is fully dead and this super kind guy who has been the only person to ever treat them like people…died. He died likely a long time ago and there’s nothing any of them can do to change that.

(And if the GIW dare to come into the alley, they better be prepared for the entire place to turn on them.)

[salsa-di-pomodoro]

Ok but can we talk about the absolute horror of being watched and monitored 24/7 that the ancients must have had. The citizenship drones being like an Alexa that's constantly following and listening to you (except it's five pebbles and not Alexa lmao). The fucking OVERSEERS. THEY'RE CALLED THAT FOR A REASON. BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING THEIR CITIZENS AS WELL AS THE ENVIRONMENT ALL THE TIME. (I would talk about the fact that they all show arti fucking ads as well but honestly idk what else to say about that. Capitalism got yet another society 😔). That's some fucking nightmare fuel dystopian society settings we are being hinted at. You know the Big Brother Is Watching You thing. The book. Yeah that's what it reminds me of.

The Iterator Is Watching You.

[samhadjblog2]

The reason why I think people don't talk about Viktor, Jayce's and Mel's stories is that there very half-baked narratives that just are flung around by the narrative. However even with that in mind I feel like there is still some important things that you didn't look into

For instance when Viktor came of the cocoon, and saw that Jayce used the core to save him as well as seeing that Jayce was making Hex-tech weapons again. He knew that they were going on different paths in life now, and that whatever Jayce was a part of he didn't want to be a part of it. Its meant to be a similar scene to how Jinx accepted her new found identity, and cut ties with Vi.

As for Jayce its a similar thing to how Vi accepted that Powder was now Jinx.

And in all truth I think his healing powers were kind of interesting.

However I won't deny that a vast majority of his story is rushed. Because essentially what happened was that Viktor for saw the events of Jayce shooting him the chest, and accepted that this was going to happen. And seeing how Jayce actions led to him to do this he came to realize that no matter what choice we make it will always lead to violence. Which leads to him believing that free-will only causes problems and sought to get rid of all free-will. And what he is about to accomplish this Ekko "breaks the cycle". Which allows Jayce to finally reach out to Viktor. (Look I know it was dumb for Jayce to go and shoot VIktor and not explain that he met his future self. I'm just explaining what the story was trying to do with Viktor in the later half of S2.

And yeah I'm not going to lie the whole "Viktor is the mage all along" (While as some people have pointed out that there were many parallels to Viktor and the wizard stretching all the way back to S1. Which I find somewhat interesting). Isn't that great of a twist and just creates a lot more confusing implications on the series as a whole. And its left me so exhausted.

As for Mel its another "I like the general idea, of what its trying to do but don't like how its executed". Because generally speaking the whole deal of her story this season is her coming to recognize that being a manipulator alone isn't going to get her far in the world. Which comes to ahead when she is captured by the black rose who trap her in a prison where she forced not escape via underhand manipulation but by brute strength. The real problem with this arc is that it just boils down to her being trapped in a dark room until she awakens her powers. Which isn't compelling story telling.

And as for Jayce, this one is also a tough one to talk about because so much of his story like Mel and Viktor is reliant on him being sidelined for most of the season. However the whole deal of episode 7 has him see the dark future of "The glorious evolution" and how a world without conflict is a wasteland. And he go's on an arc that is jump started by his hammer "A Symbol of his ego and narrow minded pursuit of being a hero" crippling him. And so has to climb up and make his way through Zaun in a similar manner to how Viktor had to climb up the social ladder in Piltover. And here he was able to see how the hard-ships we face make life worth living. And here were shown how he regrets building Hex-tech (Something I have a lot of issues with) when he confronts future Viktor. And as for him "killing Viktor" its clear when he shot him in the commune he was very much conflicted in his thoughts. And this go's back to the main issue of this season his arc is just reduced to just "An episode". Which is all just cheap. As for his statement of saying "Viktor was never broken" its less of "Hey dude you shouldn't try to get rid of your cancer" and more like "You were never lesser for any of these things". And to me this story fumbles a lot because at the end of S1 Viktor already accepted that he can't cheat death and made peace with it. So having Jayce tell him "You don't need to change who you are" feel awkward it also doesn't help that "He's the one that pushed Viktor into becoming the Herald".

One thing I can fundamentally agree with you on is that so much of the characters were pushed by the story. Compared to how S1 had the characters make there own choices.

How s2 betrayed Viktor, Mel and Jayce by making them passive characters

I had initially started to write a long post about the reason I didn't like Viktor, Mel and Jayce in s2, but I figured it would be better to just get to the point, which is : they do not work in s2 because they have become passive characters.

See Viktor : in s1, he is a determined inventor, has a strong will (manifested by his presence at the Academy, his desire to help Jayce, to break into Heimerdinger's office despite the risk, his refusal to be limited by his body, etc.) and a strong intellect, which is used to reach his personal objectives. He has strong opinions about his environment, about his work, and he has his own personality. He is shown taking action (ex : trying to cure his leg). His tragedy is that his health will not let him accomplish all that he is capable of. He is an active character : his desires, his skills, his choices move the plot forward.

But then in s2 : he gets fused with the hexcore while he's unconscious. He's magically cured. He isn't a scientist anymore. His relationship with Jayce isn't important anymore. He has a few lines before more or less disappearing from the story until the finale.

And before continuing : that scene where Viktor gets out of the arcane cocoon and talks to Jayce was the one that convinced me that s2 had given up on itself. Has anyone else realized how devoid of tension, of meaning, of scenaristic conflict it is ? It is not very long, but each line is like a wet fuse. They don't talk about the fact that Jayce made weapons out of the Hextech. They don't talk about the fact that Jayce betrayed Viktor by not only not destroying the Hexcore, but also using it to save him. They don't talk about Sky's death, they don't talk about the radical changes Viktor made to his body using the Arcane and shimmer, about the extremes he could have reached. They don't talk about the attack on the Council and how it ruined their efforts, how they were so close to making a great leap forward in realising their dream (I cannot believe that this major plot point, the cliffhanger of s1, the tragedy of the Council being attacked while voting freedom for Zaun, is not addressed by the two people who should feel particularly concerned about it. How are they not horrified by it ? How come it had so little impact on them they don't even mention it ? How come Viktor doesn't bring it up with Jinx ?).  

Each conflictual plot point, which should have been used to create tension and make the story interesting, was very carefully ignored. When Viktor walks away, Jayce doesn't even try to talk to him, or express any real sadness. This scene is just Viktor going "bye" and Jayce going "kay" (before he is whisked away by the scenario but we'll get back to this later).

Anyway, it doesn't get better for Viktor in the story. Somehow he gets magical healing powers, which is lazy writing. He does nothing when Jayce is clearly hostile, he lets him destroy the commune. Then he suddenly wants to turn everyone into puppets for one episode, before Jayce comes back in the story with a grand declaration, and then he changes his mind again because the show needs him to. All of this is passive : he is no longer a fully-fledged character but an OOC doll that the writers string along and put in a drawer when they don't know what to do with him.

And don't get me started on the "Viktor was the mage" revelation, which is the final nail in the coffin. In short, saving Jayce from jumping, inventing Hextech, their projects, their dream, their bond, all of that loses impact because it was not even their own decision. The main interest of Jayce and Viktor's arc is that they met each other by chance, decided to embark on a seemingly unfeasable project (carried only by their determination, their belief in each other, and their talent), tried to change the world for the better, and failed to protect their creation from the corruption of the real world. If it was all written in the stars, if it happens in other dimensions, then it loses most of its interest. If it isn't really their choice, it has no meaning anymore. It makes them passive pawns in their own story.

The same analyse can be done for Mel and Jayce :

Mel in s1 is a smart politician, strategic, cunning and manipulative at times. She is a nuanced active character, one who wishes to avoid violence and does not take pleasure in suffering, but who also places her own interests first and is not that concerned with the common good (as a council member and the richest person in Piltover, she is also guilty of abandoning the Undercity by her inaction.) Then her mother arrives and adds another nuance to her already moraly-grey character : we understand Mel's upbringing, her exile and her desire to not follow her mother's footsteps. She has difficult choices to make : should she prioritise Piltover over Zaun ? Piltover over Noxus ? Is it being a pacifist to refuse that weapons be made out of Hextech, or is it dangerous and naive to pretend your enemies won't use it ?

But then s2 happens, and you can scratch all of that. Writing political conflict is too complicated, let's just get her kidnapped instead (passive), put her in a magical cell for most of the show, and watch all this meaningless Blackrose subplot unfold (who cares about her father ? Neither her supposed nor her real father appear in the story, and Ambessa clearly is the Noxus leader, so what does her being an illegitimate child change ? Nothing. Also, lineage is a passive character trait). Now Mel has magical powers, without having done anything to acquire them. She gets out of the cell not because of her intellect, or because she cracks a code, or because she accomplishes any action, but simply  because she magically knows the solution (passive). And then, the resolution of her conflict with her mother ? A most unsatisfying magic fight. That's it. She didn't even struggle to master her powers. Just like Viktor, she didn't accomplish anything as a true character : she was just put to the side until the writers needed her.

And the exact same happens to Jayce :

Most of Jayce's characteristics from s1 are basically erased. He barely appears in the first episodes, then disappears in the wild runes for most of the series, and comes back towards the end, and suddenly he's on a rampage. His character arc is completely forgotten : remember when Jayce was slowly getting corrupted by power, popularity, politics ? Remember when he was an idealist getting dragged into choosing sides in a violent conflict ? An inventor who broke his own vow, made a weapon out of his own invention (against his partner's will), hated it so much he campaigned for Zaun's independance, only for a rocket to explode in the council room at the critical moment ? What does Jayce think about all this ? Well Jayce doesn't think at all in s2.

When he comes back in the third act (and no character cared about his disappearance, much like the writers didn't care about him), all of his previous dilemmas are erased (because that was easier than writing a satisfactory conclusion) and he has no problem using violence, killing people, and even killing Viktor while he is defenceless. We never get to see any psychological nuance for him : (barely) no regrets for inventing the Hextech and summoning the wild runes, no regrets when deciding that the commune must die, no regrets when hunting Viktor (serioulsy, he should NEVER have accepted to kill Viktor so easily). He gets out of the wild rune and suddenly he's the Terminator.

Until the last ten minutes of the show when he joins Viktor in the Arcane and now he's love incarnate. Then the writers desecrate his corpse one last time by making him spew the strangest lines at Viktor (he was dying, Jayce ! Remember s1 Jayce who was desperate to find a way to save his partner ?).

Again, Jayce did not do anything as an active character : he became a puppet who only moved when the scenario needed him to.

I'd continue with Ekko and Heimerdinger, but you see the point.

The scenario of a series such as Arcane is supposed to be moved forward by active characters making decisions, thus creating and resolving conflict. In s2, the scenario decides what it wants, then twists the characters to bring them where it wants, regardless of coherence or good writing. And even if Viktor, Jayce and Mel had been better written, they had so little screen time, the writers cared so little about them that their stories could not be anything but a disappointment.

[ajdrawshq]

i can almost guarantee ive said it before but. he would thrive in a zero escape game

[elftwink]

it boggles my mind that I still see reminder type posts about not consuming Harry Potter content, not because I expected everyone to agree to stop engaging but because I did sort of expect that the people engaging with hp in 2024 would at least have the decency to not grovel on the internet for random transgender bloggers to validate that they're still a good person and not transphobic for liking hp still. like these posts are not redundant they are FILLED with defensive responses and excuses for why actually its fine and its like not only can you not stop engaging with Harry Potter but you also want to be able to post about doing so non-stop and you never ever want to even see a transgender person point out that JKR is actively funding and directly influencing transphobic organizations and legislation. to the point that when someone does you are incapable of simply scrolling by because you need so badly to be reassured that this internet rando doesn't think you specifically are a bad person for doing the thing they said is bad. unreal main character syndrome. if you have committed to being an hp fan fine i am not a cop or your mom and I cannot make you do anything at all. but I am not, nor is any other trans person, going to give you 'permission' or absolve you of your own guilt for doing so. that is your problem to reconcile yourself and is not the job of random trans people. like jesus christ enough already

[snekdood]

i just struggle to believe theres any ethical way to harvest meat. farm animal dying of old age? yeah. ok. sure. but farm animals aren't going to be perpetually dying of old age enough to fulfill the demand for their meats. you can make better and more convincing arguments to me for ethically harvesting eggs, wool and milk rather than meat.

[callipraxia]

Reviews were promised, and so reviews will be provided, for I now have the teas. Have actually had them for a few days, but now I’m getting to it, so here we go.

I got a few other samples/samplers from Adagio at the same time: two of teas of theirs I’d been vaguely interested in for years, a gunpowder green to see what I think of their gunpowder green, and sample boxes for both their black and oolong selections. It was not, however, hard to spot the Gravity Falls teas, even though everything was upside down. The words Fandom Sampler being prominently printed on the bottom of the box was a big clue, and when I turned the box over, it did, indeed, have pictures of Gravity Falls characters on it. Since I ordered samples of a good many if not all of the teas, though, they didn’t all fit in one box, and about half are in a second Fandom Sampler box. The second box doesn’t have a picture on the lid, though, so we’re starting with the box that does.

The Perfect Fandom Box, also known as the “I am gonna guess @sovonight has complicated feelings about Ford Pines” box, lol. Can relate, having only finished an almost 40,000-word essay on the man last month.

The tins were lined up in the same order as the pictures on top, which I thought was a nice touch, even though a combo of this and it being 11:30 at night (ie, not the ideal time for caffeine) meant starting with the character who has exactly one scene I really like, a scene which prominently involves said character getting killed. That is to say, we’re starting with the Bill Cipher tea.

Here is the lid. Lavender, lemon, spearmint, and tumeric bliss. I have no idea what tumeric tastes like, but I really like the other three ingredients, so this ought to be interesting.

Opening the tin, I noticed three things right away. One is that this is a blend with lots of bits to it, which makes me wonder how consistent it will be from cup to cup; stay tuned for future reports on that. The second thing I noticed was that it smelled really good. My nose picked up primarily lemon and spearmint. I only relatively recently discovered the idea of mixing lemon and mint, but it’s a pretty good combo, so I’m optimistic at this point. The third thing I noticed is that our friends at Adagio do not play around, it seems, when ensuring you get the full measure of tea, because this tin was packed; it took a couple of minutes to pick up all the bits of lemongrass that escaped onto the couch when I removed the lid:

It’s also visually attractive, though it took some care (and a little more after-action cleanup) to get a spoonful out without throwing bits of herbs all over my living room. To ensure that the tastings are all as fair as possible, I’ll be using the same teapot and teacup for each. The teapot is a nine-ounce Chinese-esque style one I got off Amazon, to get as close as possible to making the exact same amount of tea each time - I used to be able to eyeball it in a standard tea-for-one pot, but I’m a little out of practice. The cup is an eight-ounce porcelain teacup from Lenox’s Butterfly Meadow range. I almost always try new teas in one of my Butterfly Meadow cups, as they are very well-shaped and made for having minimal impact, it seems, on the flavor of the tea.

Here is the leaf in the infuser after the freshly-boiled water has been poured from the kettle. Now it looks vaguely like a soup with teeth in it, which admittedly fits nicely enough with Bill.

Again, to be as consistent as possible, I’m using a sand timer to make sure I steep the teas for the correct amount of time. Sorry the picture is a tad lopsided, I was trying to keep my shadow out of the picture.

And here you have a full picture of all my equipment (except the kettle) on top of the wood stove with the poured tea in the cup. Nice, sunny yellow color there.

Now that all the pretty pictures and their captions are put together, the tea (tisane, technically, since this doesn’t seem to contain any variety of camellia leaves; please don’t ask me how to say “tisane,” because I have no idea) should be cooled enough to drink, so now for the important part: on to the tasting.

*sips*

*sips again*

*sips a few more tines*

It’s good. Very nice. I like this.

In terms of information of any use to anyone else, I primarily taste lemon and spearmint. I can, when I concentrate, detect what I think is the lavender; it’s not a clear, strong, distinct lavender, at least in this cup, but it seems to be boosting and smoothing the lemon while also keeping the spearmint in check - again, at least in this cup. I would actually like the spearmint to be a tad stronger, personally, but it’s a delicate balance to keep the spearmint from overwhelming the lemongrass (which isn’t typically as strong as lemon proper, in my experience) and it could just be this cup due to the spoonful of mix I got out of the tin. I still don’t know exactly what turmeric tastes like, I don’t think; I detect a tiny bit of a ‘spicy’ taste when I swallow which I think might be the turmeric, but I can’t say for sure. Note to self, look through Mama’s spices the next time I’m at home, see if I can sniff some turmeric.

In the most intangible of intangibles, I’m also loving the mouthfeel of this brew. It ‘feels’ thicker than water, but very smooth, silky even; it reminds me a bit of some nice oolongs I’ve had in the past.

Overall, the brew doesn’t remind me of Bill as I know him to be, but it could perhaps be Bill as Ford perceived him at first. It’s a very nice, soothing bedtime brew, and if there’s a link between your last drink of the night and having sweet dreams, this stuff might just have that effect. I’ll…report back in future if I notice a pattern of that sort after drinking this, because it’s definitely not going to be a chore to finish out this tin in fairly short order.

Also, I’m considering the possibility of doing some video reviews as well as these written reviews, and/or continuing to review teas from time to time in general. Let me know if that sounds particularly interesting to anyone, and until next time, don’t spill the tea!

@sovonight has Gravity Falls inspired tea!

Complete with their beautiful artwork on the packaging.

Get the tea here!

[acetheta]

.

[lost-in-fiction-like-ur-mom]

Nightmare

KANG DAE-HO X READER

Summary- Dae-ho wakes up from a nightmare, with you being the only one by his side to calm him down.

Warnings- Mentions of PTSD, Nightmare, ECT.

A/N- Thank you, @tomgregtruther101 @errruvande @momoko-world @thethreeeyed-raven for encouraging me to write this!

Word Count- 1,223

A low mumble awoke you from your slumber. Typically you were a heavy sleeper, but when it came to Dae-ho it was different. You could have slept through a firework show. Though, the second your beloved got up to use the bathroom- you're up with him.

It bothered the sweet man at first, he hated waking you up. After some reassurance that you didn't mind, he warmed up to the idea. This night, however, was not like many.

It was not uncommon for Dae-Ho to wake up frazzled. He would get something warm to drink from the kitchen, and lay back down. (Praying he didn't wake you). On the much more common occurrence, you would awake with him. In turn, you'd be the one making him something warm to drink, possibly something sweet to snack on. Then the two of you would cuddle until he was fast asleep.

It was honestly comforting for you as well, being able to be his anchor was flattering. He trusted you like no other.

Dae-ho was not Frazzled though, and he didn't wake up to get a beverage.

He was thrashing, hard. His legs slightly kicking, arms jumping up every few seconds. With an impossibly scrunched face, he mumbled again.

"Dae?" You whispered out. The only response you received was a hit to the side, a stray flaring hand had got you.

The mumbling quickly turned louder, now sounding like a cry or groan. It worried you beyond recognition.

"Dae-ho." You pressed a gentle hand to his shoulder. His body jerked away from it. Very uncharacteristic.

A disfigured 'no' left his lips, a struggled sob escaped. He had managed to kick the comforter off of himself, and the bed.

You were now sat on your knees, looming over him. "Dae-ho!" You firmly grabbed both of his shoulders, shaking him.

A loud gasp erupted from both of you as his eyes shot open, you had no time to make a comment. His legs pushed and kicked, separating himself from you. At that singular moment, in his fear struck mind, he didn't seem to recognize you.

He had already found himself against the headboard of the bed, his hands pressing tight against his ears. You had barely blinked in all his movement.

With gaping eyes, a pounding chest, and heavy breathing he looked at you. Almost as if you were the one who hurt him.

"It just me, Dae-ho, its just me..." You spoke as soft and low as you could. You didn't approach any closer, but put your hands up to appear less intimidating.

His eyes just darted across the room in response, body curling further. His lip quivered, face and body drenched in sweat.

"You're okay, you're safe. Dae, you're safe. It's just me... It was just a nightmare, everything is okay..."

He swallowed thick, slowly nodding his head. His gaze now stuck on yours. His scared and nerve wrecked appearance crushed you. It was opposite of the man he appears to show to everyone, only you knew of his nightmares.

"I'm going to come closer, I promise I'm here, I'm real, you're at home. Safe in bed..." You shuffled over on your knees, hands starting at his forearm.

He slightly flinched at your touch, but made no attempt to move away. Your hand caressed across his arm, going to his own hand. You tenderly unravel his tight grip on his head, tangling your fingers in his.

A large sigh left him, his head falling back in frustration. He was now back to reality, though still beat and weary. Water glossed over his eyes. He bit his lip hard, trying to fight away any tears. He thought it would make him seem less of a man to cry in front of you. You couldn't disagree more.

"I'm so sor-" His voice cracked as he tried to speak, a couple tears has managed to escape. You didn't let him finish, his face was pressed deeply into your chest within seconds. He truly didn't know what he was apologizing for, for waking you? For having a nightmare? For his frequent PTSD attacks?

You had quickly taken his frame into your arms. He would have admitted that your knees pressing into his thighs was uncomfortable, but he didn't care right now. You were with him, holding him, and loving him. That's all he cared about.

"Don't you dare apologize, you've done nothing wrong." You cradled his head tight, pressing kisses to the top of his crown.

You managed to twist the two of you around, your back now against the headboard with him in your lap. He was quiet for awhile, you simply rocked him back and forth for a little bit.

His arms found themselves wrapped around your waist. He held onto you for dear life... Almost as if you'd fade away if he let go. You heard his breathing shake every few breaths, but he was calming down.

Continuing to rock, you reached your hands up to his hair. It was half up, half down. The hair tie pulled out of his hair easily enough. You were able to considerably comb through his hair with your fingers. A simple action you knew he loved.

While one hand worked at his soft black hair, another rubbed circles on his back. "Feeling better?"

He sniffled, leaning up to look at you. He couldn't meet your eyes, almost embarrassed. His meek, "Thank you." was accompanied by a nod.

You brushed through his hair, even with him sat up. "Want to talk about it?" You never wanted to pressure him into anything he wasn't comfortable with.

"Just the typical... but you were there, you were who I was shooting... It was like you were the enemy... I just- I can't describe it.. It made no sense-." His voice shook again, so you interrupted him.

"Exactly, baby. It was a nightmare that will never happen... Because I know you would never hurt me, that you would do anything to protect me?" Your tone implied a question.

He nodded furiously, now making direct eye contact. There wasn't a phrase he agreed more with. He looked at you like a loyal puppy.

"See? It was your sweet little mind playing mean tricks on you..." You rested a flat palm to his cheek. Taking in how handsome he looked in the moonlight.

He puffed, now more light hearted, and fell back onto your chest.

"I promise I will keep you safe from all the nightmares and mind games." He was frustrated at your words.

"But that's supposed to be my job..." He said, face conveniently still upon your breast.

You smiled warmly, "Yes, it is. And you fulfill it perfectly. I couldn't be happier. But, you must let me take care of you as well..."

He didn't respond, his internal monologue had a million points to argue back. But he didn't. He embasked in the moment, squeezing you tight again.

You took the silent request, resuming your back rubbing and head scratching.

From experience, you knew he would not fall asleep any time soon. That you'd probably fall asleep before him, no matter how hard you tried to stay up. All you could do for now was whisper how much you love him, play with his hair, and hum silly melodies.

And he was content with that.

A/N- Okay, so erm. I feel like it was rushed (it was), but I also feel that way about all my works. So... Please let me know how I can improve. Also this is my first time writing something like this, so I hope it wasn't terrible. XOXOXOX LOVE YALL

[ghostsandmirrors]

The already faltering grip that he'd had on his reactions slipped just a little more at the careful agreement. A small, silent, jerky sob escaped him before he forced it all back down, because weapons don't weep, and just stayed still, stayed with his face pressed against Steve as if he were trying to find safety and comfort in the crook of his neck and the collar of his shirt, as if nothing but this feeling could repair the hairline fractures in the dam.

In truth, the consideration and the fact that Steve's agreement was so careful made it worse, made it harder to plug the holes. He'd thought about it and come to the same conclusion, and it wasn't enough to find another bottom to tear out of that pit but it was enough to hurt. It was enough to start at the beginning of the spiral again, or maybe it was the middle, or maybe it was a new spiral altogether that could go lower and lower and lower until the way out was a distant memory, until escape was a fantastical dream, a held out hope with no evidence of reality.

That spiral suddenly seemed very cold and very quiet, with the buzzing of decades old electricity and the thuds of heavy, booted footsteps being so clear.

Later, it would probably be freeing, the idea that he wasn't truly tied to those memories, to that legacy. It'd be no big deal when he didn't feel like a walking deception, an act put on to lower Steve's defenses like he was still trying to complete his mission and had just found a more effective way to manage it. It'd be a memory he'd like to forget, because showing Steve any of this almost felt like he was hinting at horrors that Steve didn't need to have plaguing him, inviting him to lose sleep over things that Steve had never been able to stop, that he would never be able to blame Steve for.

Later, he would pretend it hadn't happened, because he'd had practice; because pretending everything was fine was far easier than acknowledging that it wasn't; because he'd never wanted Steve to worry about him.

Because weapons didn't weep and assets didn't need kindness or comfort. Weapons didn't weep, and assets didn't want, and he was fighting so hard not to do either that he couldn't also fight the hissed thoughts that he could never be brave enough, could never be good enough, could never be enough, and here was the proof; even Steve agreed.

Later, he'd be able to argue against those thoughts, and everything else that Steve had said would feel neutral. It may even all make sense, when he next remembered it while laying awake, staring up at the ceiling with stinging eyes and cotton wool replacing his brain, too tired to even consider trying to silence the whispers in his head for long enough to sleep. It wouldn't feel like it did now; like Steve had given up on getting his Bucky back and was settling for the monster who'd killed him and taken his place, the imposter in his arms.

"Y'deserve him."

His voice was quiet, broken, shattered into a million cracked pieces, and muffled against him, as if saying these words into Steve's shirt or skin or his own tears would make them easier to hear. "How-…" He cut himself off, suddenly uncertain. He hadn't been able to say what he'd wanted to before, that he wanted to be his Bucky--because assets didn't want things--and this question could sound too much like a desperate, last-ditch attempt at being good enough for redemption, because his Bucky had been good enough, at least for Steve. Maybe it was. Maybe he thought it was, in that moment, in that spiral, unable to find the way out.

"How do I be him? "

Some part of him realized, far too late, that it wasn't fair to ask. It wasn't fair to ask how he could pretend to be the bait Steve had been lured in with, how he could drag his Bucky back from where he'd been dumped and left to die slowly, painfully, by agents who were 'just doing their jobs' so that he could copy him. That part of him snapped, and he was sure he heard it break in the moment before whatever parts of him were still in tact crumbled so completely that all he could do was cling, holding on like he was afraid of what could happen if he didn't.

"M'sorry." It was all he could say between the silent sobs that tore at his throat like they were trying to escape, trying to open him up, trying to rip a big enough hole in him to reveal that emptiness, the hollowness of that cavernous ribcage, shine light on the ravenous depths, make Steve aware of what he was holding.

"M'sorry." His right hand hurt from the grip on Steve's shirt, clenched too tightly while he tried to stop his entire being from collapsing in on itself, trying to stop his physical being from buckling and becoming a pile of… whoever he was, because at this point he wasn't sure he could recognize any of the pieces, wasn't sure he could fit them back in the right places.

"M'sorry." The pain in his throat from trying to stay silent had turned his apologies into a whimpered whisper, a too-quiet plead to not be abandoned in these ruins. "M'sorry." A beg from a ghost to not be left at the bottom of those depths, to at least have his body returned for Steve to properly mourn. "M'sorry."

I'm not him.

That whole sentence shattered Steve to his core. It left him feeling vulnerable and weak in his heart. He wasn't him. He wasn't the boy he grew up with. He wasn't the man that saved him numerous times. He didn't see the same person when he looked in the mirror as Steve did. He didn't see Bucky Barnes, Bucky didn't see the amazing person that he was. He saw the weapon, didn't he? He saw all the chaos and everything that he was forced to reckon.

Steve paused considering the situation. It wouldn't be right to agree and tell him it was Steve's fault that he was changed. That everything would have been the same if Steve would have looked. He could have had the best care given to Bucky and he could have been a disabled veteran home safe. He could have been resting and recovering while Steve fought the frontlines. But Bucky wouldn't have wanted that. Would he? He would have wanted to be by Steve's side just like Steve wanted to fight in the 107th the minute Bucky was drafted.

"You're not him." He agreed, understanding to some degree and bringing his hand to rest on Bucky's cheek that he could see exposed. That wasn't hiding in his shirt threatening to burrow deep inside.

"You're you. You've been changed by the events but they don't define you. You have the chance to remake yourself and be what you think you are now. Not what they made you. Not what I knew before. You can be a whole new person but the first step? Is coming out of the shade and telling me you're not afraid."

He wasn't even sure what he was doing now. He felt like he was grabbing at straws. "I deserve you. Because I deserve to be with someone that thinks I deserve more and would fight for me to have the best that I could possibly have even if they think it isn't them. Especially if they think it isn't them."