#LONG POST AHAHA

[ronkeyroo]

📝 MEGA BUNCH of my recent Ko-Fi Commissions! LOOK AT ALL THOSE WONDERFUL OCS!!!!!!!! ✨

[sandflakedraws]

continuing thoughts from This Dream AU

re : why it might have taken the gang a while to find Bruce & Floyd

how about i erase just a little bit of the plot convenience from TBT

what if, bruce's postcard didn't survive unscathed, and they had to go off of john dory's foggy memory of the thing.

so like. they're stumbling their way through a bunch of could-be-heres before they hit on the correct one.

and what if, the Vacay Resort section was legit hard to find.

like, the entire island chain is still at Vacaytioner scale, right? so even if the search party's idea to eventually look there was right, it could still take a long time to navigate thru the tropical jungle on any individual island, let alone many of them.

.... aaaaand what if i drew way too much for a potential reunion anyways because i'm a sap

[keferon]

Monster hunter au Part 5

Keep in mind that what Ratchet hears in the last pages are rumors, and rumors are known to distort the truth. But of course Ratchet can't know exactly what's been distorted

Previous Next

[eyenaku]

ouaghhh been playing 2 much pressure oughhahhhh gitm on my mind 24/7

sandman n misuta are from ghost in the machine by @venomous-qwille 🔥

[clovenoko]

my fanart by AU @pestorik ! 💖 Cater & Trey

I'm thrilled with twst at!! 💖💕 all the designs are wonderful and interesting!! 🧡💚🧡💚🧡

[inkz123]

Muscle fem Cross 👀💦

[shushmal]

Stranger to Myself (I think of Home)

For @steddie-week Day 5! Rated T — Check the tags and content warnings!

Eddie is a monster.

Eddie started watching Steve because it didn’t hurt so bad. Didn’t hurt like it does with every glimpse he catches of Wayne, of Dustin. The people who had loved Eddie when he was Eddie. But Steve—Steve was safe. Steve was a boy Eddie knew in passing glances and high school gossip, a guy who was laughing with his friends in another room at every party, a man who planted his feet and fought monsters and helped save the world. Steve who told Eddie to be safe, because Steve was kind when he didn't have to be, when he wasn't expected to—so Eddie finds himself watching Steve instead.

Because Eddie is a monster, and Steve knows exactly what to do with monsters. Eddie knows this.

To Steve, it wouldn't matter that Eddie is the last little bit of the apocalypse still kicking around Hawkins. Eddie who had been chewed up and spat out of hell at the last second, just before the final dungeon slammed shut, sneaking through the shadows unseen, past the unsuspecting heroes wrapped up in their victory. Past his friends, the people who had tried to keep Eddie safe. Past Dustin, who’s face had already been changed by grief.

Past Steve, as well. Steve, who told Eddie to be safe, and Eddie hadn’t.

Eddie wonders sometimes, what Vecna really had in mind for him. 

But Eddie is just an unfinished experiment, not quite who he used to be, but not yet the thing Vecna had been trying to twist him into, before the wrinkly ballsack bastard bit it and disintegrated into dust like some b-grade horror movie villain written by some unimaginative hack that shouldn’t have even been in the writer’s room.

He’s the last piece of the Upside Down, Vecna’s last monster, but Eddie’s worst crime post-resurrection is a bit of misdemeanor stalking, simple battery, and animal cruelty. A guy’s gotta eat, afterall. It had taken a while to figure out his own exact brand of vampirism, but Eddie’s gone a few years now without killing anything or anyone. He would be proud of it, but instead he watches Steve make dinner and feels sick on the aftertaste of iron and salt still coating his tongue.

Eddie had started watching Steve because it didn’t hurt, because Steve would take care of it, if Eddie ever needed to be put down. Eddie knows this.

So, it didn’t hurt so bad to watch Steve—until it did. 

By then, Eddie was too far gone and couldn’t stop.

His Steve who came back to his lonely castle, days and days after that final battle, after the climax of the story, the end of a legend, still bloody and scorched, none the wiser to the monster peering through his windows, watching. And that was Eddie’s first clue, that was how Eddie first learned that he wasn’t really Eddie anymore—that nervous energy he used to have in life had died with him. Now he sits motionless in the tall pines behind Steve’s house for hours and days, unmoving, as he watches Steve live. 

Sometimes, Steve looks out his window, eyes scanning the treetops like he knows Eddie’s there. Everytime, Eddie sits up a little straighter, like a dog eager for attention. But everytime, Steve’s eyes drift past him, unseeing, searching.

It leaves Eddie—already out of step with life, with humanity—a little unsettled, a little too hopeful. Eddie is a thing that shouldn’t be seen ever again, a dead man without a heartbeat, without breath in his lungs, without a reason to exist and yet still here. He wishes he were still dead. He wishes even more that Steve knew he was there, that Steve was looking for him. But Eddie knows better. Eddie can’t go to Steve, because Eddie is a monster and Steve has fought enough monsters. Eddie doesn’t want to get added to the list. He doesn’t want to do that to Steve.

Eddie sits in the trees instead, unmoving and watching for days and weeks. Sometimes he leaves, to feed. Sometimes he stands in the middle of Steve’s empty house when he’s gone, breathing in the lonely silence. Sometimes, he closes his eyes and dreams.

But they’re never his own dreams.

And he never, ever visits anyone else in their sleep, in their dreams and nightmares. No one, except for Steve. His Steve, who’s dreaming of a summer day, sun high in the sky, sitting on the top of skull rock with a six pack and a cigarette. It’s such a simple, beautiful dream. All of Steve’s dreams are like that. Eddie watches the line of Steve’s neck as he tilts his head back in the sunlight, face catching the July warmth.

Steve doesn’t startle when Eddie sits beside him. Just leans in until his head rests on Eddie’s shoulder. It’s beautiful, he’s so beautiful, Eddie wants to cry.

“I miss you,” Steve whispers, like it’s a secret. He presses a smile into Eddie’s jacket. “Isn’t that silly? I barely even knew you.”

Eddie has to swallow back the emotion filling his throat. “Yeah, that’s pretty silly,” he croaks.

“I wanted to though,” Steve sighs. He leans even closer, hands grasping at Eddie’s sleeve, the back of his shirt, and Eddie wishes they could melt into each other, become one thing, become Steve with just Eddie hiding between Steve’s ribs, in his blood, sitting in the center of his chest right next to his heart. “I wanted to know you. I wanted to kiss you so bad.”

If this were real, if they were really sitting on skull rock in the sunlight right now, if Eddie was human, he would be crying. But here, in Steve’s dream, he doesn’t, can’t. Maybe Steve doesn’t want him to be sad.

“Really?” he breathes instead. “Me?”

Steve hums, his hand sliding down into Eddie’s, fingers warm, soft. “Robin calls you my Great Bisexual Awakening.”

Eddie barks a laugh, throwing his head back. He wants to be sobbing, but he laughs instead and when he stops, Steve is looking up at him, painted dream soft and sweet. They watch each other, Eddie cataloging the specks of gold and green in Steve’s eyes. He’s beautiful. 

But then Steve blinks, and the corner of his mouth turns down, smile falling away. Eddie feels his skin prickle. He feels watched.

“I miss you,” Steve says again, urgent. And then, just like that, he smiles again, and the feeling’s gone, and Steve presses his face once more into Eddie’s shoulder. “Tell me something.”

Eddie tries to shake off the feeling of disquiet, to relax back into the tenderness of Steve’s dream. “Like what?”’

“Something I don’t know.” He’s beautiful, so beautiful, and Eddie adores him, loves him so much.

“I wanted to kiss you, too.”

Eddie opens his eyes, his breath sharp in the silent forest, and watches as Steve sits up in his bed, gripping the blankets tight in his fists. Even from here, in his haven in the trees, he can see the tears on Steve’s face. He never wants Steve to cry.

When morning comes, he steals into Steve’s home, buries himself in the lingering warmth of his sheets after Steve leaves for work. The fading smell of him is intoxicating, even the salty sting of Steve’s tears, and Eddie wants so desperately. Wants him from the pain in his throat, the hitch in his breath, the way he’s been hollowed from the inside out. Everything has been taken out of Eddie, scooped from between his ribs and scraped smooth, an empty jack o’lantern waiting to rot on the front step. 

The wanting is worse than the starving, the thirst. Eddie can’t cry anymore, he isn’t human enough to, but he wishes he could.

Instead, he lays in Steve’s bed, breathes him in, and disappears into the woods behind Steve’s home when he hears the rumble of Steve’s car turn onto the street. He watches as Steve falls into the bed, long gone cold since Eddie has soaked up all the warmth from the blankets in the long hours of Steve's absence. He watches, a monster, as Steve’s eyes glance through the window, eyes on the trees. Straightens up, hoping and wanting, and slumps as that gaze slides past him. He watches Steve’s evening with longing building in his chest, and when Steve slips beneath his covers, Eddie closes his eyes.

“What are you waiting for?” he asks.

Steve is sitting on the edge of his roof in this dream, watching the forest intently. He doesn’t turn his head towards Eddie, caught on a particular spot in the woods.

“You, I think. At least, I think it’s you. I hope it’s you.”

Eddie leans in close, hoping that Steve will turn his eyes, to look at Eddie, to give him that sweet, dreamy smile. “You shouldn’t bother waiting for something like me,” he tells Steve, desperate for those pretty eyes to look at him. “You should be happy.”

“I am happy,” Steve murmurs. He doesn’t look happy. He doesn’t look at Eddie. He watches the distant trees, standing guard. “I’m happy waiting. I think I can wait forever.”

Eddie doesn’t dare touch him, doesn’t dare turn Steve’s head. Even though it hurts. It hurts so bad, so Eddie opens his eyes. In the distance, Steve turns in his bed, chest expanding with a sleepy sigh, and doesn’t leave his dreams.

Morning comes again, and the night falls again, morning and night and morning. Eddie rises from his perch, glides closer to the empty house to steal through the unlocked door. He lays in Steve’s bed, in the shadow of Steve’s warmth left on the sheets. Breathes him in, even though Eddie needs no air. He leaves when he hears the rumble of a familiar engine. Night falls. He closes his eyes.

Eddie watches the way Steve sits on the edge of his roof again, feet dangling, eyes scanning the treeline at the back of his house, quiet and sentry. Like he’s waiting for another monster to appear between the tree trunks. Eddie sits beside him, and doesn’t speak, not even when Steve whispers, only once.

“I miss you.”

Morning comes again, and then night. Sun and moon, wax and wane. The summer heat does not bother Eddie, nor does the winter snow. He imagines building a family of snowmen in Steve’s yard, company for a lonely house. No one visits Steve here. Like they’d forgotten Steve altogether, and Eddie’s the only one left to bear witness to Steve Harrington. Steve who is lonely, who sleeps and dreams and waits for the monster in the woods. Or maybe…

Maybe Steve told them not to come here. Because here is only for Steve, and only for Eddie.

Night falls, and then the morning breaks. Steve doesn’t rise from the bed.

Uneasily, Eddie shifts. Snow slides from his shoulders, landing in heavy thumps on the forest floor below him. He watches as Steve rolls onto his back, arm over his eyes, mouth twisted in pain. Even from here, he can see the tears on Steve’s face. He watches Steve lay in bed the entire day, until night falls. Eddie closes his eyes.

Steve’s dream isn’t a dream this time—a vast darkness instead, stretching long and far. Eddie takes a hesitant step. Water splashes beneath his bare foot. He turns.

And suddenly, it’s like he can hear Steve in his ear, whispering, “I’m happy waiting. I think I can wait forever.”

Eddie turns again, and Steve is there, watching, waiting. Eddie feels the instinct of it, the prickling awareness of being seen. It settles over his skin, sharp and biting like ants. Eddie is the monster, and Steve has found him. His gaze roots Eddie where he stands, water lapping against his toes. The ripples roll away from him, stretching the unreachable distance between Eddie and Steve, distant stars, until they crash against Steve’s feet, and the water settles again, falls calm.

“I miss you though,” Steve whispers, right into Eddie’s ear. “I can wait forever, but I miss you.”

“Really?” Eddie asks. It echoes through the dark. He can see the way Steve smiles, even from so far away.

“Of course,” Steve whispers. “I’m waiting for—”

Dawn breaks through the trees, and Eddie opens his eyes with a gasp. The sound is sharp through the silent forest. Morning mist rises from the pine strewn ground. Steve isn’t in his bed anymore, and Eddie feels himself almost panic, gaze searching.

Searching, until he finds Steve, not even three feet up, sitting above his window on the roof. He stares out into the trees, stares right at Eddie, finally sees the monster in the woods. That gaze raises the hair on Eddie’s arm, animal instinct tightening his muscles, his bones. Steve watches him from his perch on the roof, watches Eddie watch him back. 

He’s the most beautiful thing Eddie’s ever seen.

Because Steve’s not standing guard. He’s waiting. Waiting for the thing in the woods, for Eddie to finally come home.

Eddie shouldn’t, shouldn’t go to him, but now that he knows, how can he make Steve wait a moment longer? 

Steve gasps when he appears, but it’s not fear in his eyes when he looks at Eddie. Eddie feels it again, feels watched, feels seen. Steve looks up at him and his smile is the most beautiful thing Eddie’s ever seen.

“There you are,” he whispers. “I missed you."

[solluxarts]

Drumrolls dramatically

and now the act youve all been waiting for...!!

this is Equinox's Narinder (she doesnt have her own name yet), The One Who Mourns. She is a brown hyena!

idk what exactly she did to her siblings yet, but of course it led to their injuries, and her in the afterlife. She didnt fight them on it, going willingly at first.

But surely she doesnt deserve to be there for the rest of eternity, right?

...Right?

When she and equinox meet, shes been mourning on her own for a while, growing both lonely and bitter

she saved him but she hadn't fully meant to... or even really knew shed done it at first, but decided to ask him for a favor, since he was already dead and here; She wants out of this eternal prison.

he agrees to help her, but on one condition: He wants revenge. lots of it. And while she doesnt want her siblings dead, they did destroy his entire village, and on top of that, they trapped her there...

so she agrees.

General cotl stuff ensues, building up of the cult in her name, killing bishops for his own benefit and to break the chains that bind her, etc etc. Its when we get to the actual freeing of the hyena god that things go bad...

While she never kept what he'd have to do from him... she didn't like,, think to tell him either. she genuinely just assumed that he knew, and that killing the bishops was a last wish of sorts... Equinox takes this as a full betrayal though, and ends up fighting her for his life.

A life that she was willing to figure out how to spare.

After he wins the fight, she continues to try and convince him that she wasnt trying to hide anything, that she didnt want him to die at all. But Equinox refused to listen to her.

Perhaps the death was fitting for the god.

[spacebubblehomebase]

Is there anything else we should know about Lilian (Lilith) in your Stargazers AU? Such as: What was she like as a mother? Why do you think she had postpartum depression? What was her postpartum depression like? How was her relationship with Lucius (Lucifer) like before they divorced? What does she think of Lucius (Lucifer) and Charlie now?

All really amazing questions that I wonder why people don't ask more often XD But rest assured, EVERYTHING you ask about got answers to them! I kid you not when I say this AU is jam packed in lore! With hints of future story arcs sprinkled through almost every related post as all major characters WILL have their chance at development (whether they want it or not). Unfortunately, due to plot reasons, I can't answer most of these questions YET. But I can tell you they were very much drawn to each other when Lucius and Lilian first started going out and she still keeps in touch with the father and daughter dynamic duo! Even if getting a hold of her now is quite difficult. In any case, I'm grateful for your interest and I apologize for the long wait! I had my first owned art booth experience and it coincided with Midterms. So you can just imagine the schedule I've been following recently. 😅 Still, look forward to more because the next update is all about Alastor's motivations! ^v^ -Bubbly💙

SNEAK PEEK BELOW!!!

(Note this draft is subject to change.)

[ultraarat]

we can all agree everyone here is transgender so HERES

HOPW I THINK THEY WOULD BIND/DO TOP SURGERY OR WHATEVER

fiddleford just wore a binder then forgot that he was wearing one [memory gun] and now has worn a binder for like 30 years. bro is still wearing it as old man mcgucket dipper uses raw fucking ductape. like. straight up ductape. someone help him. stanford did his own top surgery with tweezers and a kitchen knife. probably fed the tissue to shifty stanley forced a doctor at gunpoint to do his top surgery.

[dukeofthomas]

I like you. Robin!Jason with a gun

[aurorangen]

Payton waited for Vincent to share his big news. At first, she wondered if Renee would show up to reveal her pregnancy! She smiled at the thought. Instead, a young man came and greeted them warmly. Observing him carefully, he seemed close to her son. But what could the news possibly be?

"Mum, this is Isaac…my half-brother," Vincent leaned back on his chair, unsure how she would react. Isaac watched both closely.

Immediately, Payton felt on edge, learning of his relation to that man, Ashton Kingsley. So many years had passed and in truth, she no longer felt much peril in her or Vincent's life. Hearing their intentions of discovering what happened to that man, she knew they simply wanted to disclose that information. The things he did and then disappearing into thin air. What even happened to him? Was he really dead like the police say? Or was he hiding somewhere far away?

After concluding their discussion, Payton asked about Isaac's family. "My mum, she died when I was young," Isaac was silent for a moment as if he was figuring out how to answer, "And I have other siblings, but we're…estranged." They offered their deepest sympathies and said he was part of their family now.

He appreciated their open arms.

[ravenmoodle]

My Art through the year!!! you can really tell which months I was focused on animation stuff AHA

past years and long sappy chatter under v

i set out this year with the goal to do and practice more backgrounds and setting elements- and i DO think i manged that, though a lot of it was more on the animation side of things. (I'm not the most proud of them- but we're learning here aHA)

HOWEVER. i also think.. i made a lot of improvement in rendering and shading this year, and have made some pictures that i'm really proud of

despite that, i still think the things i'm most proud of would be the amount of animations i've gotten done this year. the most popular being the CoLT animation, but im still more proud of the Coining Crows break down that i finished early in the year. it was a labor of love.

I also gotta say im really proud of the Variety out of this year. I think i'm getting more experimental with my designs and art and branching out from a lot of habits i used to have.

My goal coming into the next year is honestly to get a little more organized.. and prioritize my physical health a biiiiitt more.

I'm a firm believer that you can make anything you want with whatever tools you have- and because of that i've always just.. used whatever jank ass set up i could get a hold of. this year was actually the first year i've ever bought a new art tablet- i've been using the same, small, no screen wacom since i was like.. 15? but it worked! but NOW im starting to upgrade things and i plan on taking the time to let myself learn more professional set ups.

i ALSO plan to take a little better care of myself- i have a bad habit of getting so lost in passion that i forget a lot of my physical health.. which is not great! so we're going to work on that.

That being said, i AM working on some big projects in the background too! taking big steps on those in the new year!

i'm really.. thankful? this year for all the people and artists i got to both interact with, and get support from. not just my Crew with @thrice-before-the-rooster being an amazing supporter, basically my brother, and @chuubifrog being one of the most inspiring people i've had the pleasure to know for years-

but also, not that they need a shout out from me, but @thelostmoongazer and @cosmic-nopedog's community and support meaning a lot to me this year. Them, their friends, their community, all really played a part in the support and interest i got in my work.

which is- amazing. i've never needed eyes on my work to have that desire to create, but to see people actually have interest in my stories, animations, whatever, it's.. amazing?

So thank you to them! Thank you to support i've got starting twitch this year, and all the people that look at my silly doodles on patreon. even forgoing any financial support- your interest means a lot to me.

Things are hard sometimes, and every new year bring uncertainly. but you're worth grabbing the things that make me happy. and.. that's what my art is for me- so.. thanks for lookin at it!

[shinayashipper]

Puzzleship role-reversal AU following Egyptian boy Atem who transfered schools to Japan because of his father's job. As a son of a busy, high political figure, Atem constantly changes schools and have very little friends aside from Mahad and Mana who are the children of his father's close colleagues. (The other kids also got scared of him because his father is a powerful figure / only attempting to befriend him to gain benefits).

Atem grew up with strict lessons and pressure. Always have to be the best in everything. He always tried to maintain an aloof, cool-headed, always reliable leader persona, but in truth he's very shy and anxious. His only comfort was playing games, but it's very lonely to play alone (and he's not so fond of online games) (Mahad and Mana play with him but Mahad is older and doesn't have time to play childish games with him and Mana has other interests)

Atem had changed schools a lot, but it's the first time he moved overseas. He didn't know anyone in Japan and only spoke the language a limited amount (even tho his lessons back in Egypt always drilled the language into his brain but with no one to talk to it's pretty hard).

He instantly became The Talk at Domino High as "The cute/cool foreign transfer student from Egypt" and he didn't really like the attention. He became closed-off and only interact with his classmates a minimal amount, even tho he had always wanted to make more friends. (Now people thought he got a Mean Look, because of the frown 😂). Anzu was the first person who greeted him in good-faith because she purely wanted to get to know him and make him feel accepted in class (but he always brushed her off too). Jou and Honda are still part of The Delinquents(TM) and Jou just hated Atem's guts because he thought Atem is "snobby little Rich Kid". Kaiba is still Kaiba and he just Doesn't Care much.

One day, Atem got some free time and decided to visit a nearby game store: Kame Game. It's kind-of old and there's more board games and puzzle games instead of the ever-popular digital ones. But this is how Atem loves his games. (And there's always a weekly little tournament where kids can play Card Games against each other. Very Fun!).

When he came in, the store was empty and dark, but the store still has the "Open" sign at the door so Atem just kept going. There sits an open wooden box with silver carvings on one of the small table where kids play. Atem was intrigued to get closer and he saw some... wooden blocks. Maybe a Puzzle? Atem loves solving puzzles. Because this is just left alone on the play table, it means he can try it right? So he tried Solving it...

And as if the Puzzle itself was calling and urging him to Solve it... he's assembling it very smoothly. He can finally see that it's forming some kind of pendant, just a few more blocks but Grandpa Sugoroku suddenly appears and surprised him 😂 Gramps saw him with the Puzzle/Pendant and you know I really like the idea of him Knowing More than he lets on, he told Atem that this Puzzle was an artifact from The Gods' Time and whoever solved it will get a Wish come true. He urged Atem to take it home and solve it in peace. It might help you in some way, he told him.

So Atem brought The Puzzle home, thinking how that grampa was kind of Weird, but he's also intrigued with the Puzzle- so he's going to solve it. And a wish coming true doesn't sound bad at all...

Atem had solved it Perfectly, and it was a pendant. But nothing happens. Ha! What wish... Atem thought it's probably just Sugoroku's attempt to make him come back to the store and buy something. Atem was kind of Sad tho. But nevermind that, he got a new pendant now, so he wear it immediately and went to sleep. (Having strange Dreams about Storms and a boy with white robes and wearing The Pendant Facing Them... but he's not going to dwell with it- he must be Tired)

[syncogon]

i undersold the LCLA love triangle in my slideshow so here it is

i need you all to understand that this clip, commentary and all, is from Bilibili official. (translation and subtitles mine!)

[chenziee]

AKA Obligatory everybody is alive and nothing hurts, attempt #254666

This piece is a "Pick one" commission from the_rin on AO3! Thank you so much again for commissioning me and for your endless patience while I struggled with this creature that decided to run away from me 🤍🙏

One day, I might be able to actually write this story in Luffy's POV (which is what it was originally supposed to be both four years ago when I first had the idea and now.. but I still don't have enough skill and confidence to successfully make it ☠️

So for now, please enjoy Nami's slowly losing it while chaos rules over Sabaody 🍊

----------

3D2Y

As Nami climbed up onto the Sunny’s deck for the first time in two years, with a wide smile on her lips and arms full of shopping bags, she could barely contain her excitement. After all, it now finally felt like time was moving again after the crew’s separation.

When she had gotten the news of the war while on Weatheria, it was like a punch in the gut. She had seen the photos of the state both Luffy and Ace were in before their escape—both with terrible burn scars on their chests with blood all over their faces, looking on the brink of death. The following days were nothing short of a high-speed nightmare filled with nothing but worry, fear, and the need to be by Luffy’s side with no way to get to him.

She trusted that Luffy would make it… but there was no real guarantee he would. Or that Ace would.

Nami didn’t dare imagine how Luffy would feel if he had lost his brother. While completely alone, with no one from the crew by his side… Her heart nearly broke at the mere thought of it.

So, when the news of Luffy’s escapade at Marineford reached her a few weeks later, seeing the message he had for his crew, it was like a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. She knew what Luffy was trying to say. She understood. And she knew that she, too, could get stronger.

With Weatheria’s science, she was sure she could become a navigator capable of getting Luffy wherever he damn well wanted.

And she was confident that now, two years later, she was more than able to do that.

Even though she imagined that Luffy was going to come up with the stupidest, most dangerous places to sail to…

But, that was a battle she would fight when they got there; for now, she was just beyond excited to see everyone!

By the time she had arrived on Sabaody a few days ago, only Franky and Zoro were already there—one of which was definitely hopelessly lost and possibly half-way to Fishman Island by that point—but now… Now it all felt so much more real.

Usopp and Chopper were with her—or had been before they ran off to rave over Franky—, Shakky said that Brook and Sanji were somewhere on the archipelago, and now, even Robin was on the ship already, waiting for Nami to climb up the ladder.

They were only missing Luffy now, but that was just a matter of time.

Honestly, their biggest problem at this point was finding Zoro and dragging his directionally challenged ass back here.

“Nami! I’m so happy to see you!” Robin said, pulling Nami into a hug as soon as she found her balance on the jelly-like coating under her feet.

Nami laughed easily, returning the gesture. “Same to you! You look amazing!” she complimented the archeologist, sighing in content at the familiar warmth of her friend’s presence.

That is, at least, until a high-pitched scream resounded around the deck, startling Nami and making her jump.

“Hair comes out?!”

“Awesome!!”

“Can you make any hairstyle you want?!”

Heaving a deep sigh, Nami shook her head. “I can’t believe Franky’s body got even more ridiculous. What even is going on over there?”

“Who knows?” Robin chuckled “Looks like the boys like it though.”

“Such a bulky body seems so inconvenient. I don’t get it,” another woman piped up.

“Right?” Nami agreed with a huff. “I mean, what’s with those shoulders—”

Suddenly, Nami stopped talking. Blinking a few times, she tried to figure out what it was that suddenly felt so off… but then, she whipped around in the direction of the last voice—a distinctly unfamiliar voice.

[ READ THE REST ON AO3 | KO-FI | COMM INFO ]